Prairie Tales : Book Review

 

Discover ten re-imaginings of fairy tales, folk tales, and even a Mother Goose rhyme in this heartwarming collection. Journey across the plains of Nebraska and Kansas and explore the mountains of Wyoming and Colorado with characters from the "Once Upon a Western" series or meet them for the first time! Encounter a mattress filled with apples, a runaway basket of gingerbread, a house that looks like a shoe, a disappointing Christmas tree, and a Halloween prank gone wrong. Each short story brings a classic tale to life, offering fresh adventures and cozy charm in the Old West.

Short stories included:

"None Too Particular" (The Princess and the Pea)

"Let Down Your Hair" (Rapunzel)

"I'll Do It Myself" (The Little Red Hen)

"No Match for a Good Story" (Scheherazade)

"Run, Run" (The Gingerbread Man)

"Who Lived in a Shoe" (There Was an Old Woman)

"The Ugly Evergreen" (The Ugly Duckling)

"The Wind Makes a Poor Husband" (The Mouse's Marriage)

"The Blizzard at Three Bears Lake" (Goldilocks and the Three Bears)

"Gruff" (Three Billy Goats Gruff)

The Once Upon a Western series retells fairy tales, but in an Old West setting.  All of the books and stories are non-magical, aimed at a young adult audience, but appropriate for the whole family.  Each of the first five books are stand-alones, taking place in a shared universe and sometimes seeing characters cross from one book to another.  Nine of the short stories in Prairie Tales are sequels to those books, and one is a prequel.  Readers can enjoy them without being familiar with the books they relate to, but should be warned they naturally contain some spoilers about the first five books!

My Review

    Rachel Kovaciny excels at cozy fiction. Each of these stories is exactly the kind of thing that makes you want to get a hot drink , curl up, and lose yourself in it. Wholesome and fun takes on classic fairytales. Done in a refreshing and bright way.  Using characters that if your familiar with the ‘Once Upon A Western’ series you’ll recognize, but get to see them in a variety of different ways in these short tales. Love how she manages to spin these retellings. It’s also just nice to get little windows into each character’s world after their original stories have played out. It’s a rare treat, one that I enjoyed immensely.  Each comes with a recipe for something mentioned in the story. Nothing better than being able to make the thing you’re reading about. 

Family and comfort food really shine here. Which for me is enough of a recommendation in itself.

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The Oddmire, Book 1: Changeling/ A Review

I'm thrilled to get to be a part of this blog tour. I adored the Jackaby series, so finding out that there was going to be another series set in the same world was exciting. The Goblins were just a bonus.

About the book:

The first book in an action-packed fantasy adventure series featuring witches, shape-shifters, and other creatures of fairytale and folklore, including two brothers—one human and one a goblin changeling—on a life-changing quest into the Oddmire.

“Funny, exciting, and ultimately epic. Wow. I can’t wait for the next one.” —Adam Gidwitz, author of the New York Times bestseller A Tale Dark and Grimm

Magic is fading from the Wild Wood. To renew it, goblins must perform an ancient ritual involving the rarest of their kind—a newborn changeling. But when the fateful night arrives to trade a human baby for a goblin one, something goes terribly wrong. After laying the changeling in a human infant’s crib, the goblin Kull is briefly distracted from his task. By the time he turns back, the changeling has already perfectly mimicked the human child. Too perfectly: Kull cannot tell them apart. Not knowing which to bring back, he leaves both babies behind.

Tinn and Cole are raised as human twins, neither knowing what secrets may be buried deep inside one of them. Then when they are twelve years old, a mysterious message arrives, calling the brothers to be heroes and protectors of magic. The boys must leave behind their sleepy town of Endsborough and risk their lives in the Wild Wood, crossing the perilous Oddmire swamp and journeying through the Deep Dark to reach the goblin horde and discover who they truly are.

In The Oddmire 1: Changeling, the New York Times bestselling author of the Jackaby series brings to life a bold new adventure, the first in a series about monsters, magic, and mayhem.

Review:

As soon as I saw the title of this story, I wanted to read it. I've been on a bit of a goblin kick since a rewatch of Labyrinth and this book was a perfect chaser for that.    

Not every author can write both young adult and middle-grade novels, but Ritter sure can. While it's completely different from the way that Jackaby is told. It's captivating none the less and carries the same spirit and flavor. From the fantastical and eerie creatures to the constant sense of impending danger. Which makes sense due to it being set in the same world. 

The writing is witty and concise. The narrative unfolds like a classic fairytale and keeps you turning the pages. Tinn and Cole are the type of characters you instantly find yourself rooting for, the brotherly bond between them is the heart of the story. I  loved the tension that was created by neither of them knowing who was the changeling and their separate fears regarding it. Their dynamic was especially interesting and real.

Kull was my favorite character. He's the goblin who messed everything up but tried his best to fix it. He's gruff and not really accustomed to humans, but the way he cares for the two boys is heartwarming. His unexpected team up with their mother brought a lot of humor to the story and a lot of frustration for him. As they chase after the boys through the enchanted and somewhat deadly Wild Wood.

There is a host of colorful and odd forest occupants, that the boys encounter on their journey some far more intimidating than others. They all added to the eerie and somewhat off-putting air of the wood. Creating a perfect fairytale atmosphere, you were never quite sure who they could trust.

The atmospheric settings pull you further into the story. The Wild Wood is almost another character itself. It feels very much alive with its strange mists, twisting trees, and creatures than it houses. Threating to swallow up anyone who decides to tests their luck.

All throughout the book, there's a sense of urgency. That something dark and evil is coming to claim the boys. As soon as they cross into The Oddmire, you can feel it watching them. Biding its time. I loved the creepy element it added to the story, the dangers of the wood were very real. And the story doesn't shy away from that fact, building to an incredibly chilling climax.

At its core, this is a family story. One younger readers will relate to and older readers will undoubtedly enjoy. Full of mishaps, darkness, and of course hope.

Which is a brilliant combination if you ask me.

(I received this e-arc from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. )

About the author:

William Ritter is an Oregon author and educator. He is the proud father of the two bravest boys in the Wild Wood, and husband to the indomitable Queen of the Deep Dark. The Oddmire, Book 1: Changeling is his first book for middle-grade readers. Visit William Ritter online at rwillritter.wordpress.com and find him on Twitter: @Willothewords.