Tales From the Forest

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Tales From the Forest

August 18, 2018 by JBronder

Tales From the Forest

by Johanna Sarah Aldridge

Genre: YA Mystery

The Forest Realm is a magical world within our own. You cannot see it,
nor can you hear it, and only very few might be able to feel it. The
realm feeds the hungry, shelters the homeless, and protects the
hunted… so long as their hearts are pure.

Recently orphaned, two heartbroken brothers are at risk

of separation by the government…

A black Labrador leads a colony of rabbits away from danger…

A destitute family of rats seek a new life away from the pollution of
the big city…

All have been rescued by the realm of magic, and their lives are truly
about to change.

Come and join us in The Forest where magic thrives, adventures are rife,
and friendships last forever.

Goodreads * Amazon

Jo was born in Colchester, Essex, in 1974 and since an early age has
always been accused of having a wild imagination. This didnt stop her
from studying for an honours degree in Cell and Molecular Biology,
training as a science teacher, then go on to train as a Biomedical
Scientist. She eventually took a post in Clinical Chemistry at Jersey
General Hospital in the Channel Islands.

Whilst holding down a
full time job, and working 28 hour emergency on call shifts, she has
managed to find the time to share that wild imagination with the
world by writing online fan fiction stories about the CW series
Supernatural.

She enjoyed it so much that, with a lot of
encouragement from her husband, she decided to write her own stories.
Not an easy task for somone dogged by anxiety and depression, and
since her diagnosis in 2013 she has also been battling with
Ulcerative Colitis.

In spite of her struggles, Tales from the
Forest, a series of short stories set in a magical realm, began to
take physical form on her laptop screen, and her black labrador
Nelson is a valiant hero in some of the stories. As an avid animal
lover, she has vowed that all proceeds from the sale of this book
series will help to set up a forever home sanctuary for stray,
elderly and abandoned dogs.

Although still working full time
at the hospital, she has turned her thoughts to the future, and now
holds a Diploma in Dog Training from the Centre of Excellence, and is
currently studying towards a Diploma in Canine Communication in order
to prepare for a life of working with rescue dogs.

Website * AllAuthor * Facebook * Twitter * Amazon * Goodreads

My Review

5 Stars

Tales from the Forest is a collection of sixteen short stories that revolve around everyone finding themselves in the magic forest. Although the stories are not linked, you should read them in order since some characters make an appearance and progress other stories along. Follow along as two brothers that are alone find their place in the forest, a Labrador helps some rabbits to safety, a brother’s desire for things left behind, and so much more.

This is a great collection of stories that bring so many areas together with the magic of the forest and those that find themselves in it. They all have their problems that are worked through and lessons learned along the way.

Some of the stories touched me more than others. The Candletree was very touching about those that are not with you. Growing Pains goes to show that what we see and think is not always the truth. You really can’t have happy fairy tales, what would you learn from that?

This is a wonderful collection and a great teaser for Johanna Aldridge’s talents. I can’t wait to read more of her stories but I have to say that although the collection wetted my taste buds I would rather have a full length novel to really falling into this magical forest.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.