Short Story Review: Threadbare

Today, I will be reviewing a short story called Threadbare by Bethany A. Jennings.

Here’s the synopsis:

“What happens when your gift turns against you?

All her life Bess has known the magic streams around her, waves of power she can draw from to wield the gift of magical threads. Now the youngest member of a team of Anchors, she helps protect the city streets from Drifters—energy thieves who prey on the life force of ordinary humans.

But when a battle leaves Bess’s threads in an irreparable tangle, she is faced with an agonizing choice: sever her threads and lose her magic forever—or be slowly consumed by her own power.”

My rating: *****

I think that short stories can be difficult to write. To be exciting and coherent in such a small word count, can be a hard feat to accomplish. Bethany A. Jennings was able to accomplish this and more. Threadbare is a delightfully imaginative tale. The use of the magical abilities in this story is one that I personally have never seen in a story before and I found it intriguing. Bess is an interesting protagonist and she is a very relatable character. Despite the steady pace and satisfying conclusion, Threadbare left me wanting more. Even though we the readers really only get a small glimpse of the world, it’s fascinating and it’s a setting I’d love to see explored more.

Overall, if you’re looking for a nice fantasy short story to check out, I would recommend giving Threadbare a shot! 

Book Review: Where the Woods Grow Wild

Today, I will be reviewing Where the Woods Grow Wild by Nate Philbrick.

Here’s the synopsis:

“A forest looms over Bardun Village. Nobody goes in. Nothing comes out. The secrets in the oaks remain hidden until a mischievous escapade thrusts Martin and Elodie behind the silent trees. Separated and lost in a tangle of fantasy, they discover more than animals roam where the woods grow wild.”

My rating: *****

Where the Woods Grow Wild is an enjoyable fantasy. Where many fantasies tend to move closer to darkness and despair, this story stays on the lighter side of things. That isn’t to say that it’s an easy journey for the characters. There are many obstacles and challenges that the characters are faced with. Not only that, the story does explore some serious topics such as losing a loved one and learning to accept and live with a disability. These are topics that many of us can relate to.

This novel is filled with wonderful world building and funny and witty dialogue, but my favorite part was the characters. Martin and Elodie were fantastic protagonists and I really liked how the story would switch between their perspectives. I was rooting for them throughout their journey as they went through all of their struggles to find each other again. They were realistic and, like pretty much all of the characters in the novel, there was more to them than what you first see.

The other characters were also fantastic. Illo, Fella, Aguilax, Podgin, Bramble, and the rest were all entertaining to read about.

There was also a little mystery to the story as well, which I particularly enjoyed. I kept wondering what caused Martin to lose his hand, and what or who exactly was Nayadu. There were a few things that I was left wondering about, but perhaps those questions will be answered in the next story. Which by the way, there is a sneak peek of the next book at the end of the story. I really enjoy it when authors do that!

Overall, Where the Woods Grow Wild is a great story and if you’re looking for a lighter fantasy, I recommend checking it out!