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| Cover retrieved from Goodreads page |
My Goodreads review can be found here.
My Amazon review can be found here.
As per usual, anything that does not directly relate to the topic at hand will be written in this color.
This story is about a minor character that shows up in one chapter of Sew, It's a Quest. I don't remember Push from Sew, but thankfully this is a standalone story so that didn't matter much. Push is very clever and knows exactly what he wants, which makes for an interesting read. He has a certain way about him that is very charming and makes you want to read more.
This story is written with a style that reflects original fairy-tales, much like the rest of the series, and ties it in nicely as this is a stand alone. However, since the story just reflects a fairy-tale and isn't a direct retelling, there is room for originality and Ms. Ardnek does well. She is able to make her stories distinctive so that this is not just "another retelling" but instead is a unique story that is enjoyable to read. This fairy-tale also allows for the reader to see a bit of Ms. Ardnek's wit that is fun to read in her longer books.
I do wish that there had been more moments of getting to see the adventures that Push and Boy went on so that we could see and experience more of their relationship. Because of the nature of a short story, we do not get to see why Boy just follows along with what Push says even when Boy is confused. The relationship is well written for what it is, but without seeing just how they connect, even just an extra scene, makes the relationship feel as though something could be missing though it is a great read.
If you need a short story that's fun or want to check out the style of the Bookania Quests, I would say that this is a great story for that.
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| Cover retrieved from Goodreads page |
My Goodreads review can be found here.
This cannot be found on Amazon, so no review there.
As per usual, anything that does not directly relate to the topic at hand will be written in this color.
This story is a subscriber gift to anyone who signs up for Ms. Mingerink's email. I have Dare on my Kindle, but when I found out this came first, I signed up for the email so I could get this as I had heard good things about Ms. Mingerink's writing from some of my Goodreads friends. Though this was a somewhat sad read due to content, the story was well done and held its own for two reasons.
The first reason is that Ms. Mingerink's writing is full of descriptions that allow for the reader to get a bigger picture of the world in a short story. The descriptions also help to give the characters more depth in a story that could justifiably put characterization to the side. But these descriptions are used well to make the story tight, which then gives the reader a more enjoyable experience and is more likely to lead to the reader wanting to read the next book.
The second reason is that Ms. Mingerink has each scene lead into the next in a way that encourages the reader's curiosity rather than just handing over a story that is just there.
In b4 someone complains: Yes, sometimes reading a short story that is just there is fun; it allows your brain a rest and still allows for you to feel productive by reading. However, I am a big believer that short stories/novellas can be just as effective in giving the reader a good experience and that the writer should not waste the opportunity.
Each scene is connected to the last one in a way that keeps the flow of the story tight. The first scene happens, then the next scene happens and even though it seems different it actually connects and addresses something from the previous scene. By the end of the story, the reader recognizes the pattern, is curious as to how this next scene builds from/on the last, and that curiosity leads to a better reading experience.
This use of curiosity, though it may be unintentional, is a great and I wish more fantasy stories would use this technique. Fantasy already has a foundation built on curiosity due to its very nature, so when an author can use this technique to make the reader care more about the story I am more excited to continue reading the story.
Because of what I read in this story, I'm excited to read the "official" first story in the series. So, if you are looking for a quick, easy read that still allows you to feel engaged with the story, this is a good story to read.
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Next week, I'll be reviewing two stories written by the wonderful Sarah Holman. See you then!
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