Straying from the Path

by Charity Tahmaseb

Things happen when you stray from the path:

Wondrous things
Frightening things
Disturbing things

Step from the well-trodden path and into the world of sour magic and unexpected consequences. Here you’ll discover how to:

Duel with a scarred war prince
Defeat a (dashing) bandit king with your own army of toads
Venture into the depths of the forest for your heart’s desire
Forge a bond so strong it defies even death

Straying from the Path includes two brand-new novellas and four short stories in the (forthcoming) Sour Magic series of fairy tales, perfect for anyone who loves retellings and fairy tale adaptations.

Remember, anything can happen when you stray from the path.

192 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 23, 2018

About the author

Charity Tahmaseb has slung corn on the cob for Green Giant and jumped out of airplanes (but not at the same time).

She spent twelve years as a Girl Scout and six in the Army; that she wore a green uniform for both may not be a coincidence. These days, she writes fiction full-time from her home in Minnesota.

Reviews

[Elsbeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful stories! It goes further where the fairy tales end. These stories prove that even a curse can be a blessing; as can be a blessing a curse.
And of course there are witches, enchantments, princes, brave maidens and toads and bears.
Wonderful! I only wish Goldilocks story would go on. It suggests there is more to come, enchanting and exciting and dangerous! I hated to put it down...
I received a copy and chose to review it.

[Marquise · Rating 3 out of 5]

The best story, for me, was "With Hair of Teeth and Claws," an original Rapunzel retelling in which the witch is portrayed as a good person without having to made the girl into the villain, and which I'd give 5 stars. The rest of the stories weren't as appealing to me.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great collection of short stories that are retellings of some of our favourite fairytales (Rapunzel, Puss in Boots, Three Little Men, Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, and Goldilocks). I love how the author has taken the basic stories and rewoven the elements to make completely new tales that delight and entertain. I particularly like how positively kick**s the females are in most of the tales, not the simpering bimbos of many of the originals, and how their stories are about being independent and not sitting around waiting to be rescued. I also really loved the final story, which is the start of a retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, but I'd love to read more and find out what happens next! This is also the case with some of the others - there's so much scope to find out where the characters' adventures take them. I'd definitely be interested in reading them, and I'm sure there's a lot of other people who would too. So if you like fairytale retellings, short stories, or are just looking for a twist of magic and a happy ever after, this is the book for you!
NB I received a complimentary copy of this book, but I always give an HONEST review based wholly on my own opinions

[Joyce Hertzoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent anthology of retellings of famous fairy tales. I liked the last novella-length one based on Goldilocks and the Three Bears the best and hope she writes a sequel to How Goldi Lost Her Locks. Each story is quite a departure from the original. As the synopsis says: “Anything can happen when you stray from the path. These are not your mother’s fairy tales.” In most of the stories, the main female character is strong, much stronger than their counterpart in the original stories. I read several of Tahmaseb’s Coffee and Ghosts stories and expecting good pieces; I wasn’t disappointed at all.

[Kanyon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say, I quite enjoyed these short stories. Some were silly, others creatively written and all together made for an intriguing read! My two favorites were the longer novella sized stories – An Army of Toads & How Goldi Lost Her Locks. I could see these continuing on to be great stories filled with adventure and for the latter, romance. I am excited to see what else the author writes. If you like fairytale retellings, then I would recommend this book to you. The stories are short and sweet and well worth the time to read.

Final Rating: 5 Stars

* Stories Included *

With Hair of Teeth and Claw
A Most Marvelous Pair of Boots
An Army of Toads
Straying from the Path
Gretel and Hansel
How Goldi Lost Her Locks

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

A retelling of some of my favorite fairy tales. Each is a pretty quick read. Well developed characters and storylines with a twist. Love this author. Beautiful cover and a great "telling" title.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

These tales were interesting and short, perfect for whenever you're in the mood for a quick read with an unexpected twist.

[Liza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alternate versions of fairy tales. Really loved Goldilocks. I don't think that I've heard of "Diamonds and Toads" before. They're all good fun.

[Dorothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful!