True Loaf by L. Austen Johnson was a quaint, absorbing story with a mysterious atmosphere and a mostly light tone. The plot took an exciting, unexpected turn toward the end. I did find it odd that Riley didn’t question her instructions more, and I felt the characters were a bit flat and static. However, given the genre, the engaging storyline, and the excellent narration, those points didn’t ruin my experience.

That said, I don’t think I would have enjoyed this tale nearly as much had I not listened to the audiobook version of it. Everything else fell away while I listened to Penny Scott-Andrews's enchanting, articulate narration. She changed her voice to suit each character, making the dialogue easy to follow, and I loved how she captured the characters' emotions. She truly breathed life into the work.

In conclusion, listening to True Loaf was an enjoyable, immersive experience. Those interested in a brief but well-structured fairytale will likely be pleased with this work, but I recommend the audiobook version, as it elevated the work as a whole. With a brief mention of blood and a debatable instance of profanity, this story is suitable for those thirteen and older.

(Sending a big thanks to the author and NetGalley for providing a free audiobook review copy! All opinions in this review are my own and are honest and unbiased.)

From the description, cover, and narration style I was expecting a book for kids, but this it is not. If it's for adults or teens then ok. It's not a bad (albeit super short) story but the main character isn't all that likable and there is no real explanation to what happened or who/what the mysterious men were. The main character herself says she has so many questions and then it kind of just ends. It's a cool concept, but I feel there's a slight disconnect between the narration style sounding like a young girl is telling the story and the actual character being a grown woman who is basically just super annoyed with what she's having to do and not all that nice herself. If you're looking for a quick listen that doesn't get deep into character or plot and don't mind just a quick little odd trip into the woods it's not bad.

For a short story it was captivating and pretty action packed! It was a 15 minute audiobook that i enjoyed a lot, the narrators voice fit the mc and i loved the little voice changes for the different characters. The main character is bit of a pick me girl but idk how i feel about that.

I adored this audio book, an incredibly whimsical and mysterious short story. The narrators voice was lovely, perfect for the ambience of the story. I loved the folklore/fairy tale aspect and the magical energy really came through. I was smiling throughout and it left me wanting more.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in return for an honest review.

This was a really cute short folk tale and loved the narrator’s voice. I would definitely recommend this story to others and would be interested in looking into what else this author has written and what other audiobooks this narrator has read.

True Loaf by @girlfriendofbath

This is my first ever audiobook ever after @official_ceceliaahern #mrswhippy and I'm thrilled to it.

This is a short story inspired by Balkan Folklore. Riley, a baker had been asked by one of her customer with a special request to bake a bread with Yarrow. Without any question asked she went straight to gather the stuff in to the forest.
Another man appears in this short story, he simply helped Riley with the direction for what she's looking for and where to find it.

I cannot write anymore than this because this a super short story which, one will finish listening within 15 minutes.

The audiobook narrator @pennyscottandrews was phenomenal. I loved how perfectly she managed to tell the whole story.

Although it's a short story but a interesting one. I loved it as it kept my attention and left me wanting more of it.
Perfect for kid's bedtime story and middle graders.

Highly recommended!

Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

Thank you @netgalley and @Loreandlyre @ibpalovesindies for the #arc in exchange for an honest review.

The narrator was fabulous. This short story gave me a taste of a fairy tale with fae who are not like a kind fairy godmother.

The ending felt a bit abrupt. I wish it gave just a little more to round out the story.

Well, I think I know what my shortest book of the year will be! True Loaf was a very cute modern fairy tale, though I was hoping there would be some sort of moral to the story - the end fell a bit flat for me.
I really enjoyed how whimsical the story was, it was lovely to listen to right before bed. I absolutely loved the narrator, she had the perfect tone to immerse me in the surreal story.

True Loaf, was a cute, short story that would be perfect for bedtime for young children. Overall, the story was concise and straightforward. It was well narrated and allowed for each of the different characters to have their own unique voice that gave their character each their own distinct sound and personality. The story follows a young baker who is asked by a client to bake bread with yarrow. The baker, goes off in search of the yarrow after her shift and comes across another young man who also wants yarrow. when the young baker promises to acquire yarrow for both of these clients she is given directions to the plant. taking two types, she bakes two loaf's and each client shows up the day after for their respective loafs. Great story for children.

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I received an advanced free copy of this book, for my honest review.

It was a fun retelling of a modern fairytale. The storytelling was good and it was super interesting short story but I felt like it was messing a bit more story. Or a bit more understanding of the plot. It start with Riley working in the bakery, she gets a task ( she does with no questions asks ) she goes to get what she needs. And then ended in a soul bonding with one of the main characters. It was an interesting take on the story but also a bit weird for the reader because we don’t understand why that's occurred. It's something to consider reading if you wanna expand your reading and/or learning of other cultures.

This story was absorbing, easy to digest, and whimsical. I enjoyed the imagery and magically unique storytelling, although it was a bit short for my liking. There wasn't really a moral, or "point" to the story being told in my opinion, and I was left at the end wanting more substance.

I did enjoy the narrator. She had the perfect whimsical tone you often find narrating fairy tales in movies, and the audiobook added another layer of interest to the story for me.

A cute short fairytale, I think aimed at adults though the narration made it feel quite young. I would quite like a longer story with more of riley and her bakery.

Whoa, okay. Hold up. I didn't realize it was THAT short... but wow, that did NOT take away from the intense 15 minutes. I can't say a lot without giving anything away, as a LOT is jam-packed into the short story, but it's really good and sort of makes me really want a full sized novel of this story.... please????? A fun, intense ride for 15 mins!

Short and err... Weird. But in a good way. I really enjoyed the creepy folkloric feel of this, it was a very pleasant listen. I actually listened twice over on a rainy afternoon and it was quite lovely while also being quite eerie. Definitely a tricky thing to pull off

The narrator is excellent and I loved their performance, the melodic voice leant itself to the story very well.

True Loaf is inspired by the Balkan folklore, which I think for me is really interesting because this is the first time I've ever read a story based off of it. We're following Riley who works in a bakery that occasionally accepts special orders for esteemed guests. One day a strange man comes in her shop asking her to make him something out of an unusual ingredient. Comes night that day, she then sets out into a mini-adventure in the woods to find this ingredient. She finds herself lost in the forest until she encounters another stranger who decides to help Riley find the ingredient only if she gives him whatever she makes out of it. Will she be able to find this ingredient and fulfill these strange men's special order and deal? Who are they anyway?

It was fun, magical, atmospheric, I can almost smell the baked goods. It was such a short read (15 pages short) so the plot just swung by really quickly. I'm not really sure how and why the story ended that way but I guess it's trying to leave something to the imagination. To be honest, I was kind of hoping there was a bit of explanation or a background maybe. It left me hanging, really. Nevertheless, the writing style is straightforward but not bland (my kind of writing style) and I had fun listening to it while washing the dishes. I'm looking forward to reading more novels/novellas from this author.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I enjoyed this little folklore retelling! It has the feeling of an old fairy tale, while at the same time the writing style and details are very modern, like the main character getting into her car and using her cell phone. I did wish that there was more to the story. I would love to know what ended up happening with the main characters and who those brothers really were.

Overall, a great listen and would definitely read more stories by this author.

True Loaf reminds me of the stories my grandparents would share with the family when I was a child. The story itself is simple and can entertain children from beginning to end. It also includes quips to engage adults too.
I chuckled when Riley mentioned how she hated running as she was running to find the whitest yarrow.

In a classroom setting, True Loaf can be adapted for a short story unit for various grades. While the print version may seem "too long" for a short story for students, the audiobook version can make the text accessible.

Very short story! Liked listening it to it but definitely would have liked it to be even more developed, to a short novella rather than super short story. Enjoyable nonetheless!

Okay, let’s talk about this stunning new short story by L. Austen Johnson: True Loaf

☆☆☆☆☆

➼ The cover: this is definitely what first attracted me to reading this, I mean please look at how gorgeously stunning this is!! As an absolute sucker for a good cover, I was swooning with this read before I even had a copy and knew it was going to be a five star read. While only available online, I’d honestly love a physical copy just so I could own an amazing story with such a lovely cover that warms my heart.

➼ The literary aspects: inspired by Balkan Folklore, but as the author specifies it is moreso in the literary sense with its tone, plot, and structure that is common in the region and unlike what is typically found in books. With structure, the story normally follows an introductory sequence, body, donor sequence, and hero’s return, which is exactly what the author describes amid the bonus content and explains that similarities can absolutely be seen, which I found very easy to point out and loved! From its inclusion of imagery, sequences, villains/heros, varying archetypes, diction, and folklore, I honestly see this as the perfect short read for high school students in their English classes during the short story units, it was just such a fantastic read in which you could analyze every sentence in the same way one would towards a story such as The Lottery or The Yellow Wallpaper. Moreover, I was so obsessed with the symbolism behind Yarrow and the bond present between the main character Riley and Aiden!! As a 19 page fast read, if you’re looking to stimulate your imagination in the best ways possible with a fast read that will also boost your goodreads goal, this is the read for you.

➼ The story: True Loaf follows the protagonist Riley as she is asked by a stranger to utilize Yarrow from the forest, which she can also only get at twilight. Quickly, the plot advances from there, in an eerie yet fascinating way that will have you eyes glued to the page. The writing style and literary aspects really aid in bringing this story to life in all the best ways.

➼ The read: Short and sweet. Honestly, the best type of read. You’ll be engaged from the get-go with no regrets after reading from its engaging plot to the wit and intellectual writing by the author; a perfect read for any day, time, or place, and absolutely worth your while.

Thank you to the author and Booksirens for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

“Go around the tree nine times, and on the ninth time, you’ll be at the edge of the forest. There, you’ll find the Yarrow with the whitest flowers and most silver stems. Only that Yarrow should be eaten. Any other won’t be good.”

Received a copy of this short novella via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

It was an interesting short read that kept my attention from beginning to end.