Fables of Hope and Light

by Havelah McLat, Jannette Fuller (Editor), Rose Everille

Hardships can be found anywhere. On royal grounds and in the countryside. Inside dreams and books. Or perhaps in another realm. Despite the location—trust, courage, and love can always be found to overcome adversity. A group of authors have come together, alongside Havelah McLat and editor Jannette Fuller, to share their heartwarming and whimsical stories. This collection of contemporary and fantasy stories is a must-read for those in need of hope along with a touch of the fantastical.

Genres: Short Stories, Romance, Anthologies, Clean Romance, Christian Fiction, Fiction

138 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 11, 2024

About the author

Havelah McLat grew up on a small farm in rural Ohio with her family. As a kid, she spent hours drawing and then crafting short stories to go along with her illustrations. As she got older, her passion grew to write stories about the world, faith, and topics that matter the most to her. She has written several short fictions that have been featured in different anthologies. When she isn’t writing, she reads books, draws, and spends time with her family.

Reviews

[Emily McCormick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five-star, five stars, FIVE STAR READ!!

I can't say anything else as I am sworn to secrecy, but GO PREORDER THIS BOOK!! The release date is Jan 11th, 2024. My full review will become available that very day!

Thank you for the ARC, Havelah McLat!

*****

It's Release Day!! And as promised, I am updating my review FULL of spoilers for my favorite short story in this collection, Otherworld Gateway.
Otherworld Gateway is a whimsical tale about a girl named Ophelia who works at a store that allows you to JUMP INTO ANY BOOK WORLD WITH NO CATCHES! None whatsoever. The characters can't see you and you can't alter the plot. Ophelia is a quiet girl who keeps to herself but has a sharp mind.
Not like her best friend Alice, who is as spunky and fun as they get! Rules are . . . suggestions for her and much like her namesake, she has a knack for getting into trouble.
And then we have Zack. Zack is our main love interest, friend of Alice's, and completes this trio. He also plays chess and has a messenger bag-bonus points!
This story was a fun and magical read with a perilous twist that almost leaves out main characters trapped inside one of the stories! *coughs* Ahem, Alice. But like all fairytale's, it does have a happy ending.
5/5 star read for me!

[Havelah McLat · Rating 5 out of 5]

First I want to say this project has been a blessing opportunity. I know I couldn't done with help of editor and put these eight stories together in one book. Each story is beautful and unique and speacial. I cry, laugh, and smile. Some have bittersweet moments and some dealth with sentimental topics, but they all are done with love. If you like wholesome and clean stories and want a quick read, then this is for you.

[Naomi McCullough · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like an array of chocolates in a box, this collection has a variety of stories for the reader's sweet tooth preferences.
There is magic, and adventure, and hope and sometimes sadness tinged with the promise of tomorrow; the writers sure were creative, and I loved the unique twists to the plots!


Note-I received a free ARC copy for my honest review. These opinions are my own.
The romance in these stories are written to each writer's beliefs, and there is one story with a couple that lives in the same house. (nothing happens).

[Liloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5⭐read.

Each story was different and unique in it's own way. The topics are sometimes sentimental with a laugh or a cry.
There is some magic and adventure too.
It is perfect for a younger audience as well.
You can definitely see that the authors put much love in this book!
If you want a cute quick read then this is your book, a cute bundle with short stories.


Note: i received a free ARC copy for my honest review.

[Ellen Khodakivska · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Fables of Hope and Light” by HavelahMclat and others

💛It is a glorious collection of whimsical and contemporary stories that made my heart melt.

💛The Plot: In every story, there is a beautiful, well-thought-out, challenging, and touching plot. We follow characters in fairy realms, bookish worlds, and real life that is still full of daily magic. Every story is captivating, heart-warming, full of slight twists, and illuminative, wise morals.

💛The Writing Style: This book is a sort of fairy island where the authors with enjoyable and light writing styles live. Reading the stories felt like drifting on calm sea waves. All the authors portrayed the scenes, events, and details delicately, carefully, and memorably.

💛The Characters: One of the things I loved the most in every story – was the mesmerizing names of the characters! Their enchanting names perfectly matched their inner worlds. I loved how the authors managed to show the depth of the characters’ souls and the scale of their sufferings and happiness.

💛Would I read other books by these authors: Absolutely, yes!

☀️My humble rating is: 5/5



☀️P. S. I truly enjoyed reading all the stories, but I have my top 3 favorite ones: “A Land of a Thousand Dreams,” “Cursed Shoes” by Havelah McLat, and “Otherworld Gateway” by Anne DaRosa.

💫I do hope you’ll have a great time with this glorious book.

🙏🏼Anyway, thank you for dropping by and reading this review.

🫶🏼Stay safe, take care, and happy reading.

[Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such a cute collection! I love the different twists in each fairy tale.

[Rose Everille]

This anthology is filled with short and sweet stories, some with a hint of sadness.
I'm excited to have my story be a part of it!

[Brittny's Book Talk · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am usually not a short stories person because there is not enough time/pages to get into world building and the plot, but I will have to make an exception for this book!

This was absolutely perfect to help me get back into reading! Each story was so unique but so magical! And by unique, I mean how amazing it was to get a small sampling of so many writers work! It's absolutely beautiful!

Wish I was able to finish this a long time ago, but definitely better late than never!

[Maricelle Peeters]

I'm so glad I read this anthology! Touching, light-hearted, the stories and their characters all come together in a warm, meaningful way. Each author's story and style is unique and compliments the others' works. Some aren't to my personal taste, but I have a few new favourites amongst the others. ;) Overall this collection is wholesome & was worth the read. Can't wait to order the paperback!

[Ashlea Gott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the encouraging messages in this collection! Not all the stories were my cup of tea, as will always be, but the authors portrayal of God and encouraging words in different situations is a blessing to read, regardless.
I do have a couple of stories that are my upmost favorite, but you’re gonna have to read the book for me to tell you about them ;) jk, jk (maybe)
If you’re looking for a content advisory, I’ll say the romance ends in nothing more than kissing, and there are some dark scenes or moments obviously to portray a dangerous situation/etc.

All opinions are my own, I received a free copy to read and review.

[Arjaye-Rose Brewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the short stories they are all beautifully written and great stories I feel blessed to have my story alongside them all.😀

[Tabitha Tomala · Rating 2 out of 5]

This review is also featured on Behind the Pages:
Fables of Hope and Light

Thank you to Havelah McLat for providing me with a copy of this book! I voluntarily leave this review!

Fables of Hope and Light is an anthology of short stories focused on those going through hardships in their life, yet despite it all there is a glimmer of hope waiting for them. From a Queen who has lost her husband, yet reclaimed the family she thought she had lost to a daughter abandoned yet finding love in the family who chose to raise her. Each story shows readers that no matter how hard life may become, there is still reason to continue.

My favorite story was Otherworld Gateway. The idea of going to Otherworld Gateway and entering a book to watch a story play out before my eyes is exciting. There were even wonderful little nuances like the characters being named after book characters. The stakes were low, giving it a cozier feel and a cute crush forming between characters. It did have slight religious undertones, giving credit to a higher power that didn’t quite align with the story, but it was still enjoyable.

With any anthology there is a variety of stories to be told. Quite a few in this one contain religious undertones. Given this tendency, I would recommend this novel to those who are more inclined to follow a religious path. However, it still played with themes of the fantastical. It is an easy to read novel, featuring elements like princesses, curses, as well as real-life hardships.

[Becca Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fables of Hope and Light is an anthology of short stories that are filled with hardships, yet also--as the title implies--hope. Each of the stories include a fantastical element, sometimes in an obvious way, but in others, a more subtle.

I loved getting to read each story and entering into so many different creative worlds. Being able to see the variety of tales that each author brought with their own unique imaginations was such a joy. No two stories were the same. Each one stood out in their own individual ways. And yet they always share the same theme of hope.

Not every fable was my cup of tea, but that's okay. What I might like may be different from yours, and that's the genius of this anthology--there is something for everyone. My favorites included The Last Dance and Otherworld Gateway, but yours may be Cursed Shoes or Those Days. To note--I loved every story and appreciate the time and effort each author contributed.

I'd highly recommend this anthology. Especially if you love stories that have a touch of fantasy to them. As mentioned before, there is something for everybody. For those who like subtle fantastical elements or those who love full on fantasy. For those who like romance or those who are looking for a more family-oriented story. For those who are seeking more of a redemption arc or those who want something more relatable. There is a story in here for you--I just know it.

I had received a complimentary copy of the book and this is my honest review.

[H.A. Pruitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

My summary: All the stories in the anthology showed some kind of adversity and how the characters broke free of it or found hope in it.

Positives:
The anthology was a quick, uplifting read. The mood was positive and hopeful, and every story was clean and had a bright message.
The messages and the stories were my favorite part. The stories addressed relatable, deep emotions and issues. They all did well with speaking a message through the story.

Note: Most of the stories were romance.

Negative: Most of the stories didn’t feel fully developed. Some lacked storytelling aspects and felt incomplete or they didn’t focus as well as they could have on the storyline or message. Others did pull you in so that you felt for the characters. The stories were nice, but none struck me as amazing.

[J.Plummer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely collection of stories pertaining to themes such as pure love, hope, faith, family, the importance of relationship, wonder and magic.
It is perfect for middle grade and young adult readers, with lessons, morals and themes that are both important and positively impactful.
I’m sure this book will bless younger audiences.
If you like supernatural, fantasy, clean romance & good over coming evil, you will likely enjoy this anthology ❤️📕

[Abigail Harris]

I can't wait for release day!

Note: I have not read all of the stories in the collection and therefore can not recommend them all at this time.