Review of Tales from the Wood

Post by **Bertha Jackson** » 18 Aug 2022, 08:58

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Tales from the Wood" by R.A. Johnson.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Tales from the Wood by R.A. Johnson is a fantasy novella based on Jethro Tull's music album, Songs from the Wood. After Cindy's grandfather dies, his lawyer tells her that for her to inherit his music library worth millions of dollars, she must listen to an album she has refused to listen to for years. By the end of the second verse, Cindy finds herself in a dark forest wearing strange clothing. Remembering what her grandfather always taught her about camping, she knew she had to find shelter, food, and water. She falls asleep within Auntie Hemlock’s branches. The next morning, Jack Green wakes her up and asks her what she has to return to, and she responds that she wants to find a home. Jack tells her that the path to her home is through her heart. Auntie Hemlock pushes her towards a wagon and the man of her dreams. Will Cindy find a home of her own?

I commend the author for the detail they have provided in describing the characters and demographics. The green man with hair of leaves and the meadows full of pink, yellow, white, and blue wildflowers were vivid. I could feel Auntie Hemlock wrapping her branches around me. I appreciate that the author put Cindy's thoughts in italics to keep them separate from the rest of the narrative. I enjoyed reading about the Beltane and Solstice celebrations. The author is correct that females are like lionesses and mama bears when it comes to protecting their loved ones. The author's advice is to read this book while listening to Jethro Tull's album, Songs from the Wood, on which the author has based this story. I intend to reread the book while doing so.

The only negative aspect I encountered in this book was that the PDF version does not show the illustrations at the beginning of each chapter. Otherwise, this well-written book was flawless and a joy to read. The book is only 124 pages and is a quick read that kept my interest throughout my reading.

There is no reason for me not to give this professionally edited book 4 out of 4 stars. The book is free of errors, and the plot flows smoothly throughout it. I did not distract a star because of the issue with the illustrations in the PDF copy because this could be a PDF issue and not an issue with the book itself. If a book sample had been available to confirm this was a PDF issue and not within the book itself, I would have stated the book was extremely well edited.

Fans of Jethro Tull's music and fantasy/science fiction books are the audiences I would recommend this book to. The book is more appropriate for mature readers because of the non-borderline profanity content.

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Tales from the Wood
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Amy Luman · Post by **Amy Luman** » 23 Aug 2022, 11:16

I am not a fan of the music, but I do think that the story sounds interesting. The notion that home is in your heart is not a new one, but worth considering nonetheless.

Eze Michael · Post by **Eze Michael** » 25 Aug 2022, 11:40

This one seems to be unique, and it involves music. Cindy is the main character, and the book revolves around her ordeals. I'd love to know if she survived, and I'd love to know how the story ended. Thanks for your honest review.

Mercy Sos Christopher · Post by **Mercy Sos Christopher** » 03 Sep 2022, 12:23

I too believe that the path to your home is through your heart. It's a saying that I totally agree with. I love poetic books and I am sure I will enjoy this one..And I must say, the review was well done

Brown_Sucre · Post by **Brown_Sucre** » 12 Sep 2022, 02:24

This book is out of my favorite genres. However, from your review the book sounds insightful. I enjoyed reading it.

NetMassimo · Post by **NetMassimo** » 08 Oct 2022, 15:28

Sadly, I know very little of Jethro Tull's music in general but this seems like an engaging fantasy novella, so I might read it anyway. Thank you for your great review!