In the not too distant future society seeks to have gone mad.
Mental party is the new "norm" in society.
Using certain words is taboo and outright banned, stupid, idiot, dumb are all cuss words and a hate crime.
Hence to create unity and equality we have vastly under qualified people doing top jobs.
Pearson bucks the trend and dares to speak out against the system and thereby shatters a long term friendship with Emory.

Peregrine Quinn has already been fascinated to hear of her godfather's exciting escapades living life as an immortal.
But that's all she thought they ever were, tall tales told for her amusement.
But then comes the fatal day when the portal gates that connect both realms, the Terran and cosmic inexplicably shut down.
Daedalus is the only one with skills to fix them yet he is kidnapped.
Now it's down to Peregrine to save the day.

In 1847 the famed Angela Burdett Courts of the banking fame is busy constructing an experimental "Safe house."
Alongside Charles Dickens
they run a house for fallen girls.
Broken homes, prison, the streets and workhouse or orphanages.
All are welcome IF they agree to try to improve themselves and make ready for a new life in the colonies in Australia.
But behind the scenes Angela is suffering, living with the mental trauma of a stalker.

I really fancied the premise of this even though short stories isn't a genre I read a lot from.
It didn't disappoint.
The stories included were just long enough to develop into a good story, introduce characters, situations and give a satisfactory conclusion which isn't always the case with short stories.
They were quite a powerful read and were very political and morally conscious in tone, dealing in depth with current and relevant social issues.

Rayleigh Mann is just a regular kid, he has no idea though how special he is, for he is the son of The bogey man, ruler of Below London.
One year when he goes out trick or treating instead of just make believe ghouls and ghosts he meets a real monster.
One who tells him that his father Bogey is missing.
As his son, Rayleigh is the one they have turned to for help to find him.
He alone holds the key.
So he sets out to Below London with his uncle.

Atia is the last Nefas, her kind are extinct so she lives life on the periphery, an outcast.
She survives by feeding off the fears of others.
Her family has been killed.
Silas is a messenger for the gods.
He has to ferry souls to the afterlife as punishment for his past life he can't even remember.
Silas has offered to help her to find and get revenge on those who killed her parents and in turn she then helps to break his curse.

Rose is given a magical stone by a frost giant.
Thereafter she is caught up in the adventure of a lifetime.
The stone has the power to be used for good or bad depending on who holds it.
Rose discovers magic running all the way through Ireland in the shape of a road, the Silver road.
But this ancient, mythical road is in danger and Rose must stop the stone falling into the hands of one who would use it for ill purposes.
So starts their quest.

Evan Taft is a good kid, he is struggling to keep things going at home and responsibility lies heavily on his shoulders.
His mother has been diagnosed with cancer, she needs help and care and then there is his little brother Will, ruining the house and schoolwork and his father has left the family home.
Then one day he hears haunting music.
Shosh's sister was killed in a drunken hit and run, her life is chaos.
She too hears the music...

In 1966 fashion student Vicky Baudin arrives in Morocco to meet her long lost grandmother Clemence.
But instead of a jolly, loving grandma Vicky finds a cold, aloof and very secretive lady.
Vicky is determined to find out about her past.
But she unwittingly gets swept along with the political climate of 60s Morocco and the seedy side of its underlife.
As she courts danger at every turn Vicky is getting dragged into situations she can't control.

Shiver Point is the most boring place on Earth according to Alex.
Nothing happens, nothing exciting and life seems so dull after having to move there with his mother for her job.
Then one night a meteorite lands in Howlsmoor forest.
An evil body snatcher has arrived with his squad of demonic black slugs.
Their mission, to eat the children and enslave the adults.
But Alex and his friends are determined to save Shiver point.
Can they do it in time?

Through situations and her mother being quite lax, Grace is raised by her maternal grandmother.
After she gets arrested she is sent to live with her tartar of an aunt.
While there she meets a boy and falls in love.
Grace falls pregnant and her aunt in fury contrives that the child is taken away.
The little girl Rae, is adopted by Lolo who is unable to have children.
Rae is now a mother herself and appreciates the struggle imposed mothers.