Let me get bias out of the way and tell you that you definitely need to get a copy in order to read my short story, “Doppelganger Danger”, because it can’t be found anywhere else. So when you are done reading the five-part “Ogre Hunt” on Eat Sleep Write and you are yearning for more tales about Ava, this is your source. The story has some humor, a badass heroine, and some intrigue woven into the tale as Ava tries to track down a monster that can literally assume any identity.

Apart from my own short story, there are some in this volume that really shine. Rather than reviewing each story I am just going to briefly mention the stories that I believe stood above the rest. “Legacy” by Damien Keith follows a princess who is born but ignored and treated as an invisible servant simply because she was not born a son. No one even notices when she leaves the castle. . . at least not until her brothers all begin dying one by one.

“A Mother’s Work” by Kathleen McClure didn’t seem like anything special as I was first reading through it. But the twist at the end makes it all come together into one fun short, short story. I won’t even spoil the surprises, just know that this one is worth reading through to the end.

“Oaths to the Winds” by Lynn Rushlau follows a Wind Master who is aboard a ship. This one reminded me a bit of Avatar: The Last Airbender because it also has a Water Witch as one of the central figures in the plot. That is a good thing to be reminded of because I loved that cartoon. So it is no surprise that I loved this story as well.

And last to mention is “On the Way Through the Woods” by Emily Martha Sorensen. This isn’t your typical witch-and-princess-best-friends-forever story trope. This one has the ability to make you laugh and to make you smile as you read it. The humor is delightfully woven into a fun tale that will leave you wishing there was more.

So once again I will recommend picking up a copy of this. These are simply the four that stood out when I read through the entire volume but this is, overall, a very good collection of short stories that will be enjoyed every time you read them.