The short stories in this collection are hit or miss. Enjoyable but nothing that I will remember. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for this chance to read this book.

this book was just okay. It was a collection of short stories, all with similar themes. Some of course were better than others, and the connection between stories are a bit lacking. I thought it was just a decent read

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this advanced reader's copy and the opportunity to read this early. Review has been posted on Waterstones and Amazon.

The short stories that worked for me were really good, sadly there is a few in here that I just couldnt connect to at all.

The writing was very much a hit and miss and while some of the short stories definitely made me feel something or made me think some of them just left me wondering what the point of them was.

It also felt weird to me that some were like full on fantasy as in directly talking to a jinn, most had some kind of magical realism element which I really liked but then some of them had nothing magical to them at all.

I'd say overall this collection is solid but nothing spectacular. Definetly enjoyed that ones that were in the 10-20 pages range more than the really short ones.

Nearly two dozen short stories to rekindle your imagination

Fija Callaghan's collection Frail Little Embers features 21 short stories (unless I can't count, which is always a possibility). From very short to medium length, her stories center around a variety of themes and characters, from fairytale retelling to epistolary, romance, queer and straight, as well as poetry. Her distinct voice is evident throughout and all stories feature a magical element of some sort. Overall, I would probably categorise them as magical realism.
The title works well, as the protagonists of the stories all are, on one way or another, frail as little embers and in need of the glow within themselves to be rekindled. Most of the stories are set in English-speaking countries (if at all mentioned).

While her prose is effortless and she picks beautiful subjects, I found many of the stories a little too fragmented and brief. It is also quite difficult to read many in a row, which got me stuck between wanting more and needing a break. I suggest you enjoy them more like pralines - one at a time, with plenty of time to digest and let them sink in.

Each story comes with a simple yet well-suited illustration.

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Frail Little Embers by Fija Callaghan is a collection of short stories and poems that inspire hope and the strength to move on despite the cards we've been dealt. The anthology delves into love, loss, nostalgia, revenge, and hope and deals with some pretty heavy topics. Each story is beautifully written, and I kept turning the page for more. The added illustrations before each chapter add a sense of whimsy to it.

Overall, 5 stars. This is like, THE hopecore book, so if you like that, read this.

The best short story collection I have read all year. Every story was unique and so beautifully written. Had me obsessed with it, which is rare nowadays. An auto-buy/read author from now on.

This was a good read! And I usually don’t like short stories much. I enjoyed more than half of them. Would definitely love to read something similar to this again

Frail Little Embers is a stunning collection of short stories.

Every story took it in turns to take me apart and put me back together again. The ability of an author to create something like this is incredibly inspiring. The prose is so lyrical and genuine; Fija has a truly special understanding of the writing craft.

“…kissing the fox woman was like drinking stars.”

Fox Song was a wonderfully queer surprise and the quote above is so simple yet so effective. To The Waters and The Wild was my absolute favourite; I will always love a Selkie tale. I adored how nostalgic Waking the Witch felt and Songbird was incredibly raw and real. Honestly, I don’t think there was a single story that I wouldn’t want to revisit.

I would highly, highly recommend this beautiful anthology!

I got this as an arc on Netgalley and it will come out in April. I really enjoyed reading it and it a beautiful arrangement of stories! Some stories were light, others heavy. Some fantastical, some macabre.

Frail little embers is a collection of short stories by Frija Callaghan.

It's a relatively short book with simple and effective writing; the author gets their point across very well.

The stories are thematically similar; they all focus on characters who come face-to-face with changes in their lives.

Whether its a child changing schools or an adult leaving their comfort zone- the author treats all these scenarios with tender grace and quiet support.

The characters are also, at some point, supported by or guided by a supernatural element present in their lives which adds a whimsical touch to their harsh reality

I don’t usually read short story collections, but Frail Little Embers by Fija Callaghan surprised me. The book has 21 short stories, each with a small illustration. The stories are magical and whimsical, but they also touch on sadness and loss.

Even though some stories had sad themes and endings, I didn’t feel heavy or discouraged after reading. Instead, I felt a strange sense of hope. The writing made me see beauty in things that are fragile or imperfect, like the title suggests—"frail little embers" that still glow despite their weakness.

The last story, about books that heal people, was my favorite. It left me thinking about how stories can give comfort and even help us feel whole again. That idea stayed with me long after I finished the book.

Overall, I enjoyed this collection more than I expected. Each story felt like a small world of its own, and I think there’s something special in the way Fija Callaghan writes. If you like magical stories with a touch of sadness but a lot of heart, this is a book worth reading.

You've got to check out Callaghan's collection of short stories!
I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this book ahead of time. Just to be clear, the review is my honest opinion about the story.

I feel like I just read an amazingly well-put-together collection of short stories. There's the right mix of great writing, cute stories, and some really outstanding pages. I've always been a bit wary of short story collections because they often don't connect with each other, ending up as a jumble of ideas with no real thread. But that's not the case with Frail Little Embers. Each story gives so much to the reader that it weaves a good web.

Each story is tied together by the common thread of hope, and there are a few moments where the sadness hits you right in the feels. This book is perfect for anyone looking for something that speaks to their heart and stirs up some emotion.

If I had to choose one story that I really enjoyed, I would say that it would be Spinning Sugar, Dear Audrey, and Running with Wolves.
I'm really looking forward to the book being published so I can get my hands on a copy and re-read it whenever I need a bit of hope.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This is a glittering little gem of compiled short stories, with a beautiful focus on tiny little stolen moments of folklore and myth. Some were recognisable, and others weren't, but all of them were enjoyable in one way or another. I really enjoyed the slightly longer ones in this compilation, but would have appreciated as well if some of them were a little longer. There were some stories that felt cut off when they really could have just had a tiny bit more to them, but they were beautiful nonetheless.

I think my favourite was probably 'The Story Doctor' - a concept I have seen somewhat similarly done in different contexts, but it was really gorgeous in this one. There were definitely some in here that bordered on the creepy and the sad, and I wish that they were given a little more attention or that they were the main focus in this collection.

It's undeniable that Callaghan is a really good writer, and I look forward to reading more in future!

Short, light fantasy, with magical realism elements and small town vibes. If cozy and wholesome is your thing, this collection will enchant you, so lovable and hopeful. It’s no surprise to me that I liked the saddest and the weirdest stories the most, unfortunately they were just a couple. The story as a whole has very coherent stories that go off of each other well. The writing style is stunning. I would absolutely read a full novel by this author. Just the cozy vibes don’t do much for me. The top stories I loved are September Sunsets, The edge of Morning and Apple seeds.
Thank you to NetGalley and Unbound | Neem Tree Press for providing me with the ARC.

This was a gorgeous collection of short stories with a strong folklore-y feel to them – exactly like the blurb says. Beautiful language and I know I’d love to read more from Callaghan in the future.

❝After all, there was nothing more comforting than a shared pot of tea.❞

Frail Little Embers - Fija Callaghan
★★★★☆

Fija Callaghan comes up with an anthology consisting 21 different short stories full of myth, magic, and comfort for those who needs it. We got almost everything in this book: melodrama, romance, even vengeance and other thing that'll make you driving mad. The thing i love about this book is the powerful writing style. It's not the too flowery slash poetic narration but for most of the part it hits right through my heart. It works very well with the tone of the book, it's magical and feels like a warm blanket as you read it. Second of all is the format. Frail Little Embers is soooo diverse in format you can see sometimes it's a mere short story, a moment later you'll feel like corresponding with someone, another time it's prose like presentation. Plus it has gorgeous illustration for each of them (kudos to the illustrator). How cool is that?

Personal fav stories:
🍵 Spinning Sugar
As a woman, the vulnerability shown in this one is breaking my heart.
🍵 Dear Audrey
I didn't realize they were actually connected until some letters later on BUT the ending???? DESERVED.
🍵 Running with the Wolves
Love the friendship, it's pure and delicate like fresh air.
🍵 The Edge of Morning
Made me sob, crying, throwing up, thank you. It hurts so much it hurts.
🍵 Songbird
The Edge of Morning part 2. Brb hug my mom after this.
🍵 The Story Doctor
Wholesome story about bookworm who is might never had a chance to read again.

Even though it's a short read, i recommend you to take 1-2 titles at a time because every story gives you different mood and aftertaste and it's best to savour it nice and slow.

This book ripped my heart out in the best way. Each story has this tinge of sadness but always ends on a note of hope that is so beautiful. I liked that there was enough variation in story length and content to be interesting while still fitting into a cohesive theme. My favorite stories were Spinning Sugar, Lost Men, The Fleeting Ones, and The Story Doctor.

Frail Little Embers was such a fantastic story.
Everytime I turned the pages I would crave more of the story. So well written, so well produced. So beautiful!!!

I really wanted to love this collection, but the only story that made an impact was “Fox Song.” There are some interesting concepts in there; the execution just didn’t do it for me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.