All the Love Under the Vast Sky — Alexandra Alessandri

Twelve short stories in verse by bestselling and award-winning authors that explore the highs and lows of love â€" romantic, platonic, familial, and self-love.

Love can be many things â€" all consuming, fleeting, vengeful, selfless, toxic, uplifting, and always, a core part of the human experience that leaves an indelible mark. This enchanting, genre-crossing anthology promises something for every reader, with unique characters, global settings, and a dazzling mixture of myth, historical, speculative, and contemporary fiction.

With the turn of a page, get swept away by unexpected love blooming between two princes from enemy Mesoamerican nations in the 15th century, who'd rather make music rather than war; cheer for a timid bearded lady who was shunned by her family and runs away to find family, belonging, and safety at the circus during the 1800s; experience heartbreak as a girl says goodbye to her beloved dog; breathlessly watch a myth unfold as a siren bound to the water falls in love with a winged forest spirit, their love seemingly impossible from the start. Feel crushed as a girl loses not only her boyfriend but also her friend group after a bad breakup. 

Love is complicated and this anthology invites readers to lean into both the messiness and the joy of it all. Contributors include: Alexandra Alessandri, David Bowles, Melanie Crowder, Margarita Engle, Eric Gansworth, Robin Gow, Mariama Lockington, Laura Ruby, Padma Venkatraman, Jasmine Warga, Charles Waters, and Kip Wilson.