Title: Hearth Stories, Winter Solstice 2023
Author: Sarah Jackson, Adriana C. Grigore, Em Harriett, Alicia Adams, Catherine Yeates, Akis Linardos, Jennifer Shelby, Katherine B. Randall, Emily Yu, & A.P. Howell
Publisher: Hearth Stories
Publication Date: December 21, 2023
Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, LGBTQ+, Historical, Contemporary
Length: 128 pages
Source: I received a free copy from the publisher.
Rating: 5 Stars
Blurb:
Hearth Stories is a speculative fiction magazine focused on cozy fantasy stories. Each issue features a letter from the editor, author bios and interviews, and wonderful stories focused on family, home life, connection, and the natural world.
Content Warning: Brief references to domestic violence, broken bones (not from domestic violence), blood, loss of bladder function, climate change, and mild household injuries.
Review:
Nature is for everyone.
“Dandelion” was a heartwarming tale about a tiny, human-like creature who helped an injured duck. The kind and brave protagonist, Dandy, made me smile. I also appreciated how much this felt like a traditional fable with its straightforward descriptions of the setting and characters and gentle tone. As much as I’d like to go into greater detail here, it’s better for other readers to get to know Dandy for themselves and be surprised by the wholesome plot twists along the way.
Magic wasn’t something everyone was capable of doing, so the fact that Naomi could do it was meaningful. “Primeval” followed her as she adjusted to yet another school and tried to figure out how to cast spells. The world building in this entire collection was well done, but this piece in particular stood out to me due to how many layers of meaning the author was able to squeeze into a short story. Honestly, this felt like it could be the first chapter of a novel or the first instalment of a long series due to how much I learned about Naomi as well as how many future conflicts and moments of pure joy were just barely hinted at.
While I didn’t necessarily connect with every tale in this collection on a personal level, this is my own shortcoming as all of them were well written. Style is such a subjective topic that I can’t possibly take off any stars due to this, but I did want to mention it in case other readers have similar experiences. Yes, the themes remained the same from beginning to end as far as the magic of forests and the importance of looking after nature goes, but the writing styles varied so much that in my opinion there should be something here for many different types of readers.
There was kindness woven into every moment of Ginny’s life in “The Second Form of Ginny Elder.” She was a senior citizen living with a few physical disabilities who looked after every sick or injured animal who showed up in her garden. Her sweet personality made me adore her immediately, especially once the narrator shared a little bit about her tragic backstory, and my feelings for her only grew warmer and deeper as I saw how careful she was to look after all of her charges. There was a beautiful twist to this tale that I didn’t see coming but that fit Ginny’s personality and history perfectly. Do keep an eye out for it as you read!
Hearth Stories, Winter Solstice 2023 made me yearn for cozy winter days spent tucked into warm blankets while reading.