1) Overall, this imaginative collection of short stories was a joy to read, hosting some wonderfully unique characters and creative plots, all of which were very well written. Three Nights was a full story for such a short tale that had me completely absorbed from start to finish. Beautifully written. Dame Fortune was entertaining and the author showed a wonderful imagination, Aelfwear was charming and entertaining, Into the Hollowed Veil was uniquely creative and emotionally evocative. I may have shed a tear or two over that one.
2) Sometimes these are hard to judge as I have to do the whole book and not just an individual story… So, in saying that I found some stories better than others but they each had something about them that appealed to the readers.
3) This anthology touches on many aspects of queer identity from bisexuality to trans identity to asexuality and beyond. It's refreshing in that respect and more so in its inclusion of fantasy and fairy tales from sources outside just European culture. There's a touch of science fantasy too, a little something for everyone, and I don't mean that in the very limited and privileged context in which it's usually used. Well written and edited with just a few minor errors, this is an anthology worth exploring.
4) Each story's plot isn't something that's particularly new, but the little details and changes that the authors of these stories made are what makes them really special. The plots are straightforward, but the twists make the stories. They're quick, fun reads that are really enjoyable. Good show! Each story had its own feel and voice. I really appreciate how much work the authors put into these and how much care the editor used to curate them. They're all a nice little taste of something, and the variety is amazing. Characters seem to have their own unique voices. At no time did any two characters feel like they were just a mask over a similar voice. They each had motivations and quirks that made them stand apart on their own. Excellent job overall. Good writing overall. Clear, a little slow in pacing, but just enough slowness to make things enjoyable. Strongly Recommend for an Award.
Bisexual Anthology / Collection / Fantasy Romance
Paperback: 330 pages
Publisher: Less Than Three Press (June 1, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1620047969
ISBN-13: 978-1620047965
Amazon: Enchanted Soles
Amazon Kindle: Enchanted Soles
Sometimes all it takes is the right pair of shoes... In Three Nights (A.D. Truax), Synder buys a pair of sandals that have a mind and plan of their own, and drag him to a celebration to which he was not invited—and into the arms of a handsome prince. Saidah of Dame Fortune (C. Finley) asks her beautiful new wishing boots to take her to her true love, but the simple question has a complicated answer that will take more than magic boots to find. Heart, Lace, and Soul (Archer Kay Leah) brings together Elly, who seldom removes the psychic boots that let her read and feel the minds of other people in order to help them, and a man her boots cannot read. In Aelfwear (Katey Hawthorne), Frida is hired to make hideous shoes for a beautiful woman who claims she's out to cause misery for a man who once betrayed Frida's family—but Frida fears she'll wind up being played for a fool a second time. And Into the Hollowed Veil (A.M. Valenza) is the story of a man who puts on a pair of beautiful red shoes and finds himself in a strange forest helping a beautiful woman rescue the man she loves...
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