A summer heatwave blankets New York City in darkness. But as the city is thrown into confusion, young people all over the city are feeling a different kind of spark. Bitter exes, long-time friends, and a first meeting could all lead to something more. When the lights go out, people reveal hidden truths. Love blossoms, friendship transforms, and new possibilities take flight.

A group of some of the most celebrated Y.A. get together to write an anthology about young Black love? Yes. This sounds fantastic. It sounds like something we need more of. Dhonielle Clayton’s niece asked her why Black girls don’t get big love stories and this is an excellent response. However, this collection highlights more than just cis/het love. A variety of love is represented here and it is beautiful. However, as with all short story collections, I didn’t love them all equally.

According to order of appearance:

The Long Walk by Tiffany D. Jackson

“I look back at the sweaty heard of zombies, turtle walking through the darkness, shoulder to shoulder. Men’s ties undone, women limping in their heels, armpits soaked, moaning.”

Ex’s meet each other for the first time since their break up, and they happen to have both applied for the same internship position. When the blackout occurs, they decide to walk back home together. Is their love good and dead or is there still a spark of something there?

This short story is divided into small parts and strung along throughout the whole book helping to connect the other stories together. I feel like we spent the most time with these characters, but maybe it’s because they were interspersed throughout the whole thing. I enjoyed reading about them, but there was a little too much miscommunication between them at times for me to love it.

Representation: Black Cast

Content Warnings: Miscommunication

Also by: Monday’s Not Coming (2018), Let Me Hear a Rhyme (2019), His Hideous Heart (2019), Grown (2020), Blackout (2021), Up All Night (2021), White Smoke (2021)

Mask Off by Nic Stone

“Thing is, though,” he said, “if I can’t love and accept myself just as I am, why the hell would I expect anybody else to?”

Two crushes are stuck on the metro during the blackout. Claustrophobia, love, and hijinks ensue.

The two main characters for this were absolutely adorable together. I would have been happy to read a longer story about their love and the crazy underground club that they were part of.

Representation: Black Cast, Queer MC, Queer SC

Content Warnings: On page depiction of Claustrophobia

Also by: Welcome Home (2017), Dear Martin (2017), Hope Nation (2018), We Are Not Yet Equal (2018), Odd One Out (2018), Snow in Love (2018), Black Enough (2019), Jackpot (2019), Clean Getaway (2020), Little Spark (2020), Body Talk (2020), Dear Justyce (2020), A Universe of Wishes (2020), Hazel and Gray (2020) , Blackout (2021), Fast Pitch (2021)

Made to Fit by Ashley Woodfolk

“You’re like the rose quartz in Queenie’s room: your energy is all love.”

Two girls meet each other during a blackout at an old folks home. Love and hijinks ensue.

This was also really cute. Joss and Nella had a lot of chemistry, but at times I felt like the story dragged and it didn’t need to be any longer for me.

Representation: Black Cast, Queer MC, Queer SCs

Content Warnings: Death of a loved one (past)

Also by: The Beauty That Remains (2018), A Phoenix First Must Burn (2020), When You Were Everything (2020), Blackout (2021), Battle of the Bands (2021), Nothing Burns as Bright as You (2022)

All the Great Love Stories… And Dust by Dhonielle Clayton

“I’d stare up at my smug grandmother, always asking her why anyone would want to hurt books, and she’d wink, then remind me that the stories we tell can be dangerous.”

Two best friends almost get locked in the New York Public Library. However, will they remain just friends?

I found this cute while I was reading it, but honestly can’t remember much about it looking back. I think I liked the male character more than the female, despite his horrible ideas of what the best book ever is. I do say, I would love a date in the NYPL, though.

Representation: Black Cast

Content Warnings: None that I can think of.

Also by: Tiny Pretty Things (2015), Shiny Broken Pieces (2016) The Belles (2018), Meet Cute (2018), Unbroken (2018), Black Enough (2019), The Everlasting Rose (2019), A Phoenix First Must Burn (2020), A Universe of Wishes (2020), Vampires Never Get Old (2020), Blackout (2021), Faeries Never Lie (2024)

No Sleep Till Brooklyn by Angie Thomas

“Now I realize that my words ooze out like maple syrup, a foreign sound to them.”

A love square is trapped on a bus and things come to a head.

Don’t come after me, but this is the first thing that I have read by Angie Thomas. I have been meaning to read some of her other books for what feels like a million years, but I’ll be honest, it just hasn’t been a priority. However, I think this was pretty fun, but I there is some emotional cheating going on in here. I didn’t need it to be any longer, though.

Representation: Black Cast, A Karen

Content Warnings: Emotional Cheating, Racism, Micro-aggressions

Also by: More Happy Than Not (2015), The Hate U Give (2017), Hope Nation (2018), On the Come Up (2019), Concrete Rose (2021), Blackout (2021)

Seymour and Grace by Nicola Yoon

“The Ship of Theseus parable is basically asking how much a person can change and still be considered the same person.”

A girl gets a Ryde lift to get to a party where she intends to tell her ex-boyfriend how much she misses him. However, things don’t quite go as planned when her driver forgets to fill up the tank.

This was probably my favorite of all the stories. I like my boys a little philosophical and Seymour fits the bill. It was pretty perfect for me, but I know that won’t be the case for some other readers. I didn’t really need it to be any longer, but I’m not sure that I would fight it either.

Representation: Black Cast

Content Warnings: None that I can think of.

Also by: Everything, Everything (2015), The Sun Is Also a Star (2016), Because You Love to Hate Me (2017), Meet Cute (2018), Hope Nation (2018), Fresh Ink (2018), Instructions for Dancing (2021), Blackout (2021)

Overall, I would recommend this for fans of anthologies, especially ones that all have a link or a theme that binds them together (like Hungry Hearts). This was written in part because Dhonielle Clayton’s niece asked her why Black girls didn’t get big love stories. This is one big love story for a variety of readers with a variety of representation. I think there are a lot of really lovely things in her, it just didn’t me quite as hard as I was hoping it would, but that’s fine. I’m not the target audience, so I hope this finds itself into the hands of young black readers looking for a love story that looks like one they’re hoping to have.

Have you read Blackout? Which story was your favorite? If I was going to read a book by any of these authors which book would you recommend? Let me know in the comments below!

Important Bits:
Length: 256 pages
Published: June 22, 2021 by Quill Tree Books
Awards: None yet.