Threads of Amends

by Mia Dorsch

After running away from home, Julius, a rebellious teen, gets cursed! He must venture into a magical world of fae and foes in hopes of ridding his ailment alongside a childhood playmate, his worst enemy. Vampiric rituals, spell-casting, and companions help and hinder the two on their journey to find a sorcerer who can cure Julius. Will he be able to rid himself of the curse or will he have to bear the burden of his selfish deeds?

115 pages, Unknown Binding

Published March 24, 2023

About the author

Mia Dorsch is a wild author and artist. Dreaming of whimsical lands, she brings out-of-this-world ideas to life. You can find her spending her days with earbuds plugged in and lost to cheesy lip-syncing as she's immersed in fantastical realms.

Reviews

[lainey - laineysbooknook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Y'all, this cozy fantasy is absolutely adorable! Set in a parallel fantasy world, it's a quick read packed with silly moments, enchantments, and curses. The characters are so unique—they form this unlikely friend group that feels like a found family. It's just too cute and charming to miss!

Expect:
- magic 🪄
- vampires 🧛‍♂️
- enemies -> friends
- redemption arc

ALSO let’s take a minute to appreciate their drawings ‼️ When I received this book in the mail I screamed when I saw the drawings AND the message in the front to me! @miawrites is so sweet and highly recommend y’all going to check out their stuff! Thank you so much Mia!

[Elsa Singer · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love fantasy, interesting and unique character dynamics, and wonderful storytelling, this book is for you!

[Ashley Martinez (ilovebooksandstuffblog) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fantasy fairytale like story that takes the reader on a journey of self discovery with the main character and a group of unlikely friends.
The story has various creatures and little lessons sprinkled throughout that provide a heartwarming feeling in the end.
I enjoyed the friendship that was built over the length of the story and the quirky magical world the author created.

[booksy.tx.ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Omg. I was immediately taken with this story. The magic and the mischievousness. It was such a great book and an easy read at that. The characters came along quickly, but they all had their own individuality. I really liked the small illustrations that were added sporadically. They were well done, and I felt they added to the whimsical essence of the magic element. It was definitely an adventure to go on. I like these small easy reads.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great fantasy book. Loved the characters and the setting.

[Dana Caldwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Threads of Amends by Mia Dorsch is a fun little fantasy novella about two boys and their quest to break a curse. Along the way, they encounter cultists, vampires, and more trouble.

Though the description above may sound a little dark, I assure you that this is a very light story. It’s a cute little read that has nice character dynamics/development but fairly low stakes.

While I’ve enjoyed cozy fantasy in the past, low-stakes is not usually my speed, so I really liked that Mia included an author’s note in the back of the book that added context to some of her creative choices.

For example, there were times when I felt that the stakes were too low or when I wondered why things weren’t more interwoven (like why some of the characters at the beginning didn’t come back into play later in the book). But reading the Author’s Note helped explain away those issues.

I think that Threads of Amends does a good job of meeting the goals it has as a story. In this case, those goals are to be a cozy story with relatable characters/character struggles. And the thing is, this book achieved that goal. The characters were fun, and their dynamics were compelling. My ideal genre is usually more epic and intense, so I would sometimes feel like things weren’t landing right, but thanks to Mia’s note at the end, I realize that the problem isn’t in the story but in my perspective (and please note that I did enjoy ToA before the author’s note).

Threads of Amends is a sweet little story of friendship and making the best of bad situations. If you’re a fan of cozy fantasy, you should check it out (and it has some really cute illustrations, so I’d recommend a physical copy).

[Paris Kaufman · Rating 5 out of 5]

How do you leave a review with no spoilers when what you want to discuss most is the character growth throughout the book? Well, I can say that the character growth and the bonds of friendship created throughout this book were my favorite part, and you should read the book to find out more!

I have found a love for novellas this year and loved the easy going flow of 'Threads of Amends.' It is an easy and impactful read, and the ILLUSTRATIONS?! Obsessed. Not to mention the character cast! I definitely laughed out loud multiple times per chapter.

I want to mention the acknowledgments of this book as well. As Mia gave background to the story and shared some of the lessons she hoped to have shared through this book, I felt like I was checking things off a list. EVERYTHING described in the acknowledgements was displayed throughout the book. Awesome read, easy 5/5 stars, and I definitely recommend ToA.

[Layne Ascher · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was an adorable read, but there were some inconsistencies that just broke the immersion, such as visual descriptions while Julius was blindfolded, or saying he was on his third plate when opening a scene, but later saying he couldn’t have more than one serving. I would have loved to give it four stars, but those technicalities just held me back. Here’s hoping for the next one! Can’t wait to see what this author does next!

[Ivy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was a different read than my usual fantasy reads and I would say it’s best for lower YA. The story, once settled, is actually pretty good. You keep on turning pages to know what happens next. There were a few typos in the book and sometimes some scenes would feel short/abrupt but other than that, it was a nice read.

[K. V. Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short, 100-paged novella is the perfect story for those who want an easy fantasy read with beautiful worldbuilding and character dynamics. The character growth throughout the story, even though being small, was great. I loved all of the characters and how even though they despised each other, they learned to care for one another and make 'amends.' I loved the message this story portrayed and am excited to recommend this story to friends!

[emma ☆°｡⋆ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ⭐️