A cute short story based on folklore. Very whimsical and nostalgic, I loved the comforting feeling it gave me. This would be perfect to read to children. Even though it was a bit predictable I still enjoyed it. I wish it was longer though as I have some unanswered questions.

Thank you to Netgalley and Lore and Lyre for a copy of this short story in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

When I saw the cover and realised this was a short folk lore story I couldn't resist. And boy, when it says short it really is, in fact I feel like this story was too short to be reviewed almost. Riley works in a bakery and is approached by a strange customer asking for a specific type of bread, she has to venture into the forest on an adventure to find the ingredient at twilight, where upon she meets another man asking to try the bread once she has made it.

It was an interesting story with a lovely narrator. I would just have liked to have listen a bit longer and learn more about the origins of the folk lore.

A very compelling short story that was a perfect breather between work! As a fairytale lover and especially someone who loved little red riding hood as a child (the set up of the story reminded me of it!!) I absolutely enjoyed this and wish it had kept going.

I was not fully aware of the length of this when requested on Netgalley. The story was whimsical and intriguing regardless of the length. I enjoyed the narrator and the inflection and distinction of each character.
Overall a quick and fun time.

This short story was so good! It has given me Little Red Riding Hood vibes when she goes into the woods. I’ve enjoyed the point of mystery that the story has. It’s really good but a little short for me!

Thank you Netgalley, author and publisher for letting me listen to this.
For a short story it was okay, it flowed well..I think I just expected the short story to be just a little bit longer than it was. Overall I feel like I need to research a bit more what this book was about.
I recommend if you are looking for something short and to fill a gap of time.

I received an audiobook ARC for an honest review.

I have never really read short stories but I've always wanted to do a quick read. This one felt more like an introduction to a long story. It wasn't immersive enough. The end was really abrupt and disappointing. Even throughout the story, I felt as if there were missing pieces all over. I couldn't really invest in the story so short. I don't think even a kid would really enjoy it.

Why I gave it three stars?
I gave it three stars because I felt that the story had potential and I'm secretly hoping and encouraging the author to complete the story. I want more. It is a good premise and plot for a great story. I want to know what the two strangers actually are. I want to know how Riley's character is. I expected more from the book than I got.

About the Bonus Content
I really liked the Bonus Content. It offered some explanations and hence my third star. But It would have been better if the same was stitched along with the story. It'd fill some loopholes and make the story a 3.5 star, assuming nothing more was added. If the author decides to publish a lengthy book based on this short story, a suggestion would be to add more background of the actual Balkan Folkore, for people who don't really know it. I would really enjoy that. And more characters of course. Maybe make it a Balkan retelling of Red Riding Hood? There's an idea.

Lastly, thank you author for the opportunity to read and review your prestigious book.

Though I have read all Grimm's fairy tales I am not familiar with Balkan Folklore so I cannot really judge the degree to which "True Loaf" falls into that genre or builds on it. Taken just as its own text, it gets the job done of telling a tale that delivers a twist that is pretty unforeseen (but also just a little too dependent on accepting the protagonist's superficiality). And sure, many other fairy tales are very short and work with archetypes to provide general plots that almost seem as if they had been created just for other artists to adapt them.

So while "True Loaf" does somewhat seem comparable to good old-fashioned fairy tales, the choice of actual names and the twist position it closer to modern reinterpretations - and I do not get enough of a spark from the text to include it with truly great short stories. Still, if it was put into a collection with stories that have a similar scope, it would probably work pretty well as opposed to being published by itself, where it has to do the heavy lifting all by itself.

I find micro fiction to be a great way to enjoy a story without committing to it too much, and having little free time I decided to give „True Loaf“ a try. However, despite what I just said, it really got me good.

„True Loaf“ manages to give the reader a solid and captivating story, and taking its short length into consideration that is quite a feat to manage. I would even go as far as to say that the ending felt a bit abrupt to me – I would have loved to learn even more about the fairytale-like world L. Austin Johnson had created.

Since I was listening to an audio book, I also got to hear more about the meaning of certain details from the story and it definitely enriched the overall experience. And speaking of it being an audiobook – this was probably one of the best narrations I‘ve heard, and it fit the mood of „True Loaf“ perfectly.

I would recommend this audiobook to those who like stories with magical elements, but don‘t want to get into intricate world-building or long books to find it.

This was a really cute mythology short story. I like how this story didn’t really focus on familiar type of mythology like Greek mythology cause honestly I don’t think I would’ve been interested of it was. I would say that I didn’t really catch the mythology in the story but it was so interesting to learn more about it afterwards.

This is a marvelous short story, with compelling and mysterious characters brings folktales into modernity.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lore and Lyre for an advanced audiobook version of this short story in exchange for an honest review.
Not much to say as this was a quick listen. Fun little Balkan folk lore story converted into an audiobook. Narrator was entertaining and the story was brief and to the point. Would make a good story to add to a full book of tales, which may be the author's intention eventually?
Fun and fast! take a few minutes if you are a fan of old tales.... Stick around afterwards for a bit of an interpretation of the story.

This was a cute fairy tale that my daughter and I both enjoyed listening to. The narrator's voice was pleasant and added to the whimsical nature of the story.

While I enjoyed it, I feel there should have been more to it. I don't understand the full meaning of it or what the moral of the story was.

A very weird short story. It felt rushed and not a lot was explained over some weird herb that was made into bread. I found the narrator's voice annoying and irritating. It has a quirky magical aspect but I couldn't get into it Very disappointing story that left me with more questions in a bad way that made me sorry I listened.

A request for bread baked with yarrow leads bakery worker Riley into adventure and too many promises to keep in L. Austen Johnson's True Loaf, a modern short story inspired by Balkan folk stories. This brief and beguiling story is enhanced by the narration of Penny Scott-Andrews, whose accent and expressiveness hold their own appeal.

Following the story, additional content gives an explanation and analysis for the folk story elements of True Loaf.

An engaging listen and a diverting story, sure to please whether in ebook or audiobook form, and sure to leave the reader wishing for more tales from the Whisper Wood. Recommended with a note that this is listed as New Adult/Teens & YA.

This review refers to a Listen Now temporary audiobook I voluntarily listened to via NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher and Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA). A positive review was not required and the opinions expressed are my own.

Such a cute story! Very easy to follow and intriguing. World building was beautiful and the characters had amazing dynamic. The plot was slow in some cases but nothing that detained me from reading. Enjoyed this one!

This short story was so lovely! The cover was what initially drew me to this book, and I'm so happy to say that the story itself was just as beautiful. I definitely think this has merit as a short story, but I would also love to see this made into a novella or full-length book. I think it has such potential if it were to be lengthened.

I only wish that the ending was rounded out a bit more. I would like to know what it meant for the baker to be "bound" and the nature of the brothers fae-ness. Otherwise, I think this was a great listen!

It was a wonderful short story and found it enjoyable to listen to something very different from what I normally listen to.

I really enjoyed this story. My only complaint is that it was too short. I'd love to have at least a novella if not a full length novel to explore these characters, what happened before, what happened after.

This is a very short book but I enjoyed listening to it a lot. It was very engaging. The story itself is magical. I love folklore and this one did a great job at giving that vibe of fairytale/folklore in a story. It features Riley who went on a mini-adventure due to a request of a mysterious man who showed up in the bakery where she works. I will never get tired of reading stories that feature a plot where humans and magic coexist, and I'm glad I requested this book. I think the writing is not limited to a younger audiences so this book is perfect for all ages.