I always struggle with the best way to do the reviews on anthologies. Overall, I really enjoyed this collection of stories. I think they were all so amazing and a lot of them I found either hard to put down or wishing I had more. I think a wide variety of ideas are explored in the stories, some of which seem light-years away from relevance, some that are eerily realistic, some that spark some really good questions about human nature, and then some that are just incredibly fun. I really loved the last two stories in this anthology the most. They were so vastly different but also not really. So here are my thoughts on each story: The Edge of Where My Light is Cast used technology as a way to explore love and loss. In this one we have an AI that is a cat made to replace Ary's cat Tabitha. Ary has programmed the AI to follow the same routines as her former cat did, but then one day Ary doesn't come home. I think this one was a really cute way to explore bonds that are formed and how sometimes the things we create can take on a life of their own as our program goes on the hunt for Ary. I will admit that it took me a bit to get into this one and it's probably my least favorite story of the lot. 

Son, Spirit, Snake is a narrative about average people struggling to navigate a changing lifestyle where belief and the duties of tradition reign supreme. I enjoyed this story and the focus it had on the way the communities focus on gold was damaging the land and the spirits these people believed in. The story is told in such a beautiful and heartbreaking way. It really sucks you in and I honestly wish that I could have gotten a little bit more about the spirits in this one. They were fascinating. I loved the way we slowly see the people set aside some reliance on tradition to help each other. Nonzero left me traumatized. I mean in this one our main character is reliving important moments from her childhood where the stars called to her... while she is stuck in space with limited oxygen... alone. I mean that is probably the most terrifying scenario and for that reason I was like no thanks on this story. 

The Last Drop this story was very whimsical and a tad ridiculous but in like a good way. We have a bartender who creates a cocktail with the ability to make things grow in size and some friends who find the antidote. It is literally a story of the most insane hijinx that really does make you laugh. The Imagalisk was another whimsical story that I enjoyed. We have a retirement home where some of the guests have imaginary friends from their childhoods who have suddenly come to life and can interact in the world. It's an adorable story, with a fun little quest. It was one of the ones I enjoyed a lot and think I would have loved to see a bit more on. Life and Death and Love in the Bayou was a very different tone compared to the other two. It covers some serious and heavy topics. Our narrator is a young girl who also happens to have some magic which she uses to help her mother out of an abusive relationship. I honestly wish this one had been a whole book because I still had so many questions at the end of the story. It was really a great premise and I wanted to know it all. 

Five Days Until Sunset might have been one of my least favorite stories to be honest. We have a group who has been awakened from hyper sleep and learns that things did not go according to plan. The group spends much of the time refusing to let go of the hopes they had despite the warnings from those who came before them. I just struggled to get into this story and felt lost much of the time while reading. Shaman Dreams was another of the stories that I was pretty sure would have been more enjoyable if it was a little longer. It was a really cool premise and the ending was rather intense I just think it needed a little bit more to be truly appreciated. The Wall Isn't a Circle was INSANE! I adored this one. It consists of a program that allows people to drop into the consciousness of others and see things through their eyes. I loved that it quickly became this like conspiracy type story with a hidden agenda. It was phenomenal and had me hooked to the very end. I honestly was sad when this one ended because I needed more. 

Da-ko-ta is about a young Native American boy who has been taken from his missionary school to assist Teddy Roosevelt in his hunt for a wendigo. Our main character is consumed with rage and the need for vengeance and spends most of the story plotting the best way to get it, while also angry at himself for wanting Roosevelt's attention and praise. I think this was a good one, but it threw in some elements it didn't really explain that sometimes made it difficult to follow. Squiddy was another one of those I just couldn't get into and struggled to follow. It was not really one for me and I don't really know what to say about it since I'm honestly still a bit confused about it. Halo follows a disgraced virologist sent to examine an outbreak that doesn't seem to have caused much harm to people. It turns out the virus causes people to become incredibly content and docile. I think the premise on this one was really cool, but most of it went over my head. 

 Ashes to Ashes, Blood to Carbonfiber felt a bit dark. We have a society where resources are limited and to get them people are required to sacrifice body parts. It was an interesting story but again one of those that I was mostly confused when reading. I do think it would make a great premise for a new scifi movie though. Summer of Thirty Years was a beautifully written story about grief, love and friendship. We have magic that allows loved ones to be brought back from the dead and the story is just phenomenal. It's full of love, sadness, enjoying the time you have and sacrifice for those you love. I adored this story and it made me cry. It was hands down my absolute favorite story. Butter Side Down was my second favorite because it was just this ridiculously funny concept. We have Joe a human who had developed a bond with this AI that was living in his toaster. It's a beautiful look at the need for compaionship and understanding. It's whimsical and fun. I really loved the way it was told and it was the perfect ending to the book.