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A review by catlandia91
Once Upon An Enchanted Forest: An Anthology of Romantic Witchcraft Stories by Alisha Klapheke, Angela J. Ford, Michelle Tang, Bethany Adams, Morgan Jensen, Juliet Marillier, Elva Birch, Charissa Weaks, Emma Hamm
3.0
Full disclosure: I don't typically consider myself a romance reader, so my review should be taken with a few grains of salt. I like romantic elements, but I often feel like romance is rushed, which I find unappealing and boring. Unfortunately, many stories here had rushed relationships and couples that lacked charisma (in my opinion). And, to be frank, I thought this collection might have some steamier stories. That's not to say since stories didn't feature nights of passion that resulted in true love, but some did it better than others.
I picked up this collection because Juliet Marillier contributed, but I figured this would not be quite for me. I enjoyed many of the fantasy settings, and I was more invested in (or even distracted by) these elements. However, so many of the stories were so "samey". Very similar settings, very generic couples, very similar plots. I know the collection has a theme, but I was hoping for more variety. I definitely noticed some editing issues, too.
Some notable stories:
Wolfswood by Morgan Jensen: a self-contained story about wolves, a curse, and a long-lost sweetheart (and a lady loving a lady, one of the few queer couples in this book).
The Witch Collector by Charissa Weaks: I enjoyed the fantasy elements more than the actual romance, and when the story finally ended, I wanted to keep reading to see where it ended. This had a lot of info, probably too much for a short story collection, but some fun ideas. The narrator cannot speak but uses sign language, which I thought helped this story stand out.
Balance by Elva Birch: a modern witch story is always welcome, and this sweet story features a black woman witch and a trans man seeking a boon from the goddess. This was so lovely and witchy.
In Wraithwood by Juliet Marillier: I'll admit, I'm biased. JM is one of my favorite authors, (although I have my criticisms). This story features some of her hallmarks: a skilled wise woman, a strange but kind man, a connection through loneliness. And as always, JM weaves a tale like a skilled druid. Her writing style and ability to create emotion shines in this story. Very touching and neatly told. Essential Marillier.
Knight of the Dark Queen by Angela J. Ford: not my favorite, but definitely had a steamier, more explicit scene than some of the other stories that I wasn't expecting, so just wanted to give it a shout out.
The Mad King's Gold by Emma Hamm: A fun, sexy take on Rumplestiltskin, this was one of the more humourous stories. A nice way to end the collection.
Although I freely admit I'm not a fan of romance, the biggest weakness of this collection was the lack of variety.
I picked up this collection because Juliet Marillier contributed, but I figured this would not be quite for me. I enjoyed many of the fantasy settings, and I was more invested in (or even distracted by) these elements. However, so many of the stories were so "samey". Very similar settings, very generic couples, very similar plots. I know the collection has a theme, but I was hoping for more variety. I definitely noticed some editing issues, too.
Some notable stories:
Wolfswood by Morgan Jensen: a self-contained story about wolves, a curse, and a long-lost sweetheart (and a lady loving a lady, one of the few queer couples in this book).
The Witch Collector by Charissa Weaks: I enjoyed the fantasy elements more than the actual romance, and when the story finally ended, I wanted to keep reading to see where it ended. This had a lot of info, probably too much for a short story collection, but some fun ideas. The narrator cannot speak but uses sign language, which I thought helped this story stand out.
Balance by Elva Birch: a modern witch story is always welcome, and this sweet story features a black woman witch and a trans man seeking a boon from the goddess. This was so lovely and witchy.
In Wraithwood by Juliet Marillier: I'll admit, I'm biased. JM is one of my favorite authors, (although I have my criticisms). This story features some of her hallmarks: a skilled wise woman, a strange but kind man, a connection through loneliness. And as always, JM weaves a tale like a skilled druid. Her writing style and ability to create emotion shines in this story. Very touching and neatly told. Essential Marillier.
Knight of the Dark Queen by Angela J. Ford: not my favorite, but definitely had a steamier, more explicit scene than some of the other stories that I wasn't expecting, so just wanted to give it a shout out.
The Mad King's Gold by Emma Hamm: A fun, sexy take on Rumplestiltskin, this was one of the more humourous stories. A nice way to end the collection.
Although I freely admit I'm not a fan of romance, the biggest weakness of this collection was the lack of variety.