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Wither and Bloom: An Anthology
LOVE IS A CHOICE
A diverse collection of flash fiction, short stories, and poetry, Wither and Bloom explores the choice to love through trials and storms in all seasons of life—from new loves, lives built together, and long-lasting romances, to platonic love between family, friends, and strangers.
Within these pages, you'll be swept off your feet and transported to the worlds of…
A man and his wife who turned into vampires at age eighty-five. An EMT who chooses to save a child despite the life-altering consequences. A fae who doesn't take kindly to an arranged marriage with a human prince. The children that throw wrenches into even the most stable relationships. The man made of stone who falls in love with a woman that has her own stone walls. The post-it notes that keep spouses tethered during their busy lives.
In the midst of diagnoses, loss, misunderstandings, hurt, and everyday wear and tear, love is a daily choice.
"Wither and Bloom lives up to the name—each piece is unquestionably heartfelt and undeniably unique, yet the message is a thread through every page: love is many things but always, always, love is valuable and worth treasuring." Brittany Eden, Author of the Heartbooks Series
A diverse collection of flash fiction, short stories, and poetry, Wither and Bloom explores the choice to love through trials and storms in all seasons of life—from new loves, lives built together, and long-lasting romances, to platonic love between family, friends, and strangers.
Within these pages, you'll be swept off your feet and transported to the worlds of…
A man and his wife who turned into vampires at age eighty-five. An EMT who chooses to save a child despite the life-altering consequences. A fae who doesn't take kindly to an arranged marriage with a human prince. The children that throw wrenches into even the most stable relationships. The man made of stone who falls in love with a woman that has her own stone walls. The post-it notes that keep spouses tethered during their busy lives.
In the midst of diagnoses, loss, misunderstandings, hurt, and everyday wear and tear, love is a daily choice.
"Wither and Bloom lives up to the name—each piece is unquestionably heartfelt and undeniably unique, yet the message is a thread through every page: love is many things but always, always, love is valuable and worth treasuring." Brittany Eden, Author of the Heartbooks Series
318 pages, Hardcover
Published January 24, 2023
1 person is currently reading
141 people want to read
About the author
Anne J. Hill
45 books67 followersAnne J. Hill is an author who enjoys writing fantasy for all ages. Her love of words has also led to her career as a freelance writer and editor. She spends her days dreaming up fantastical realms, talking out loud to the characters in her head, and rearranging her personal library, which has been affectionately dubbed the “Book Dungeon.”
Where to find Anne:
www.annejhill.com
@anne.j.hill.editing
Where to find Anne:
www.annejhill.com
@anne.j.hill.editing
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 30, 2023
As is characteristic for anthologies by this group of authors, there's plenty of poems to season transitioning from one story to the next, and the majority of the stories are more flash-fiction in length than full stories. The theme in this one is love in all its stages and of all kinds, although of course romantic love has the most stories dedicated to it. All organised in 4 parts, each for a stage of love (minus the last, that is a type rather than a phase), which I found neat. However, I'd have liked it if the 4th part had been about "wither," because as painful as it is, love also ends, so the fact that all the 4 parts are about falling in love, making it last, regaining or strengthening it, means there's no section on lost love per se (there are stories about losing loved ones). No "wither" and all "bloom" feels a little weird for an anthology with this title and this theme.
Whilst I tend to prefer longer short stories than flash-fiction, I found enough of them that I liked, but as is my way to review anthologies, when there are too many to go one by one, I prefer to focus on my favourites and those that stood out. Which were these:
From Part I: Falling
ELIZA by Cassandra Hamm
4 stars
This story had a bit of a Dorian Gray feel without the vanity that led to the deal with the Devil part. It's about a beautiful but scornful girl who angered the wrong person after playing with his feelings and is now having to live with a curse as a result. I liked this very much, it is nearly perfect, and only wish there'd been a little more explanation on how exactly the curse works and if it can be broken, and given how it ends, it'd have been great to see a second part in the "Enduring" section. I so wanted to see Norm's reaction when Eliza tells him her secret! And to see him deal with it, because he seems to be thinking she's simply trying to scare him off with protestations of being flighty and unreliable instead of having a serious reason to be hesitant about love.
STORM OF BETRAYAL by Crystal D. Grant
3.5 stars
A magically-gifted girl falls in love with and trusts a local village boy, who betrays her trust and unwittingly causes a big ruckus in town when the villagers try to harm the girl over her secret. The emotions the girl goes through whilst trying to process the betrayal are beautifully described, but her power is left unexplained. How and why does she have that power? Who or what gave it to her? And also, how did she find out it was him who betrayed her secret?
This is another story that would've been wonderful to see a sequel for in Part II, but like Hamm's story, it could also have worked alone with a bit of expansion. I suppose cutting it off at that precise point was due to the section's theme (falling in love), but even so, it's a little limiting and the story feels incomplete.
SHEEP, SHOES, AND SHREWS by Hannah Carter and Anne J. Hill
4 stars
This is short and sweet, with "Taming of the Shrew" overtures and a funny plotline. This writers' group really love their Cinnamon Rolls, don't they? It reads like it could belong in the same world as "Depths of Atlantis" if it were Carter's story alone, because it has the same mix of modern/alternate timeline feel as well as that it feels more like hers than Hill's.
I think this is the one story I'd say not only does not need a sequel but a sequel might harm it, but placing it in a larger context, a larger world, would work fine.
From Part II: Enduring
WOE TO THE DREAMER by Lara E. Madden
4 stars
This story is going to give food for thought to all girls who think fictional boyfriends are better than flesh-and-blood boyfriends, methinks. I liked it more for the food for thought than for the characters or plotline myself, and it also made me wonder if personal experience was a source of inspiration as this was very real, and even if you've never had a "book boyfriend" wreck your love life, it's an experience I suspect will ring familiar to readers, not just writers.
From Part III: Abiding
IF I HAD LOVED YOU LESS by L. A. Thornhill
5 stars
That nod to Austen's Persuasion was a wee bit on the nose, but other than that I have no complaints about this story, my second favourite in the anthology. It's the better written and plotted one. Sure, the girl could've been a tad less self-sacrificing for my tastes, but the time period it's set in and the social situation it describes makes it ring genuine. This is definitely Austen's classic novel if it hadn't happened like it did but several decades later, with Anne and Frederick meeting again in their fifties (?) after a life well lived. Well-lived within what they could do in their respective circumstances, that is.
Bittersweet. But perfect!
From Part IV: Cherishing Family, Friends, & Strangers
REAL by Lindsi McIntyre
3.5 stars
A Sci-Fi take on "Pinocchio," and no, you're not convincing me it isn't. Come on, the old chap is even called Jepedo! And the puppet is an AI created to experiment duplicating human emotions on. It does end abruptly and the pace is too fast, as if we're speeding towards the finale. I wouldn't have given the story that ending, and not for the tragedy but because it doesn't have a buildup towards such an outcome as well as the fact that this being an AI means There's just no punch there, in that finale, as it was clearly intended.
STONE SOUL, STONE SKIN, STONE SWORN, STONE SHATTERED, and STONE STEADFAST by Cassandra Hamm
4.5 stars
And now we've arrived to, in my humble opinion, the star of the anthology and my top favourite. Cassandra Hamm's story is split into 5 parts that make up for one single story about a physically and emotionally abused girl who encounters a stone golem in the woods she runs to daily to escape her drunk uncle's beatings. I'm calling it a golem version of Beauty & Beast because a) it is, b) I'm insufferable about this fairy tale and see it everywhere.
"Stone Soul" opens the story with the above duo's meeting and falling for each other, and without spoiling it for you, the next four stories tell the evolution of the relationship between Gemma and Wynnstan in stages until well into their middle age and family life, coming full circle in a way that alludes to how it all began but with a completely different outcome for those involved. Honestly, when I read the first story and thought that was the only one, I felt very dissatisfied and saw it as holey, but as I found out there were other stories as I kept reading, all those mental complaints died.
Save for one: there should've been a story in-between "Stone Sworn" and "Stone Shattered," because the gap in years is huge. What was Gemma and Wynn's life like during those twenty years? I'd like to know, especially because Gemma still thinks and acts as if no time has passed because she still feels as if "Stone Sworn" happened last month. Yeah, I understand the effects of abuse are for life, that's not the point; the point is that there's a gap that makes it feel like there's been little to no emotional progress from last we saw Gemma, not one that we've seen her undergo. What did they do for a living? What does Wynn work in? How did people take it when they noticed the changes? How did Gemma cope with PTSD? How did she mature? And so on.
It's not the only questions needing answers, of course. I, for one, would like to know more about Wynn's origins, why his nature changes so unexpectedly as if it were a curse, etc. I think this series of short stories should be republished as its own book, preferably with a sixth story filling in the gap I mentioned. It'd be perfect!
Overall, I give this anthology 4 stars, mostly for the standout stories. There were too many that were so short that left me wondering what even was the story, and probably others will also think the same. That's the downside of flash fiction, it doesn't always deliver a story in so few lines but sometimes they read more like thoughts and pieces of a story that wasn't completed.
I received an ARC from the editors in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!
Whilst I tend to prefer longer short stories than flash-fiction, I found enough of them that I liked, but as is my way to review anthologies, when there are too many to go one by one, I prefer to focus on my favourites and those that stood out. Which were these:
From Part I: Falling
ELIZA by Cassandra Hamm
4 stars
This story had a bit of a Dorian Gray feel without the vanity that led to the deal with the Devil part. It's about a beautiful but scornful girl who angered the wrong person after playing with his feelings and is now having to live with a curse as a result. I liked this very much, it is nearly perfect, and only wish there'd been a little more explanation on how exactly the curse works and if it can be broken, and given how it ends, it'd have been great to see a second part in the "Enduring" section. I so wanted to see Norm's reaction when Eliza tells him her secret! And to see him deal with it, because he seems to be thinking she's simply trying to scare him off with protestations of being flighty and unreliable instead of having a serious reason to be hesitant about love.
STORM OF BETRAYAL by Crystal D. Grant
3.5 stars
A magically-gifted girl falls in love with and trusts a local village boy, who betrays her trust and unwittingly causes a big ruckus in town when the villagers try to harm the girl over her secret. The emotions the girl goes through whilst trying to process the betrayal are beautifully described, but her power is left unexplained. How and why does she have that power? Who or what gave it to her? And also, how did she find out it was him who betrayed her secret?
This is another story that would've been wonderful to see a sequel for in Part II, but like Hamm's story, it could also have worked alone with a bit of expansion. I suppose cutting it off at that precise point was due to the section's theme (falling in love), but even so, it's a little limiting and the story feels incomplete.
SHEEP, SHOES, AND SHREWS by Hannah Carter and Anne J. Hill
4 stars
This is short and sweet, with "Taming of the Shrew" overtures and a funny plotline. This writers' group really love their Cinnamon Rolls, don't they? It reads like it could belong in the same world as "Depths of Atlantis" if it were Carter's story alone, because it has the same mix of modern/alternate timeline feel as well as that it feels more like hers than Hill's.
I think this is the one story I'd say not only does not need a sequel but a sequel might harm it, but placing it in a larger context, a larger world, would work fine.
From Part II: Enduring
WOE TO THE DREAMER by Lara E. Madden
4 stars
This story is going to give food for thought to all girls who think fictional boyfriends are better than flesh-and-blood boyfriends, methinks. I liked it more for the food for thought than for the characters or plotline myself, and it also made me wonder if personal experience was a source of inspiration as this was very real, and even if you've never had a "book boyfriend" wreck your love life, it's an experience I suspect will ring familiar to readers, not just writers.
From Part III: Abiding
IF I HAD LOVED YOU LESS by L. A. Thornhill
5 stars
That nod to Austen's Persuasion was a wee bit on the nose, but other than that I have no complaints about this story, my second favourite in the anthology. It's the better written and plotted one. Sure, the girl could've been a tad less self-sacrificing for my tastes, but the time period it's set in and the social situation it describes makes it ring genuine. This is definitely Austen's classic novel if it hadn't happened like it did but several decades later, with Anne and Frederick meeting again in their fifties (?) after a life well lived. Well-lived within what they could do in their respective circumstances, that is.
Bittersweet. But perfect!
From Part IV: Cherishing Family, Friends, & Strangers
REAL by Lindsi McIntyre
3.5 stars
A Sci-Fi take on "Pinocchio," and no, you're not convincing me it isn't. Come on, the old chap is even called Jepedo! And the puppet is an AI created to experiment duplicating human emotions on. It does end abruptly and the pace is too fast, as if we're speeding towards the finale. I wouldn't have given the story that ending, and not for the tragedy but because it doesn't have a buildup towards such an outcome as well as the fact that this being an AI means There's just no punch there, in that finale, as it was clearly intended.
STONE SOUL, STONE SKIN, STONE SWORN, STONE SHATTERED, and STONE STEADFAST by Cassandra Hamm
4.5 stars
And now we've arrived to, in my humble opinion, the star of the anthology and my top favourite. Cassandra Hamm's story is split into 5 parts that make up for one single story about a physically and emotionally abused girl who encounters a stone golem in the woods she runs to daily to escape her drunk uncle's beatings. I'm calling it a golem version of Beauty & Beast because a) it is, b) I'm insufferable about this fairy tale and see it everywhere.
"Stone Soul" opens the story with the above duo's meeting and falling for each other, and without spoiling it for you, the next four stories tell the evolution of the relationship between Gemma and Wynnstan in stages until well into their middle age and family life, coming full circle in a way that alludes to how it all began but with a completely different outcome for those involved. Honestly, when I read the first story and thought that was the only one, I felt very dissatisfied and saw it as holey, but as I found out there were other stories as I kept reading, all those mental complaints died.
Save for one: there should've been a story in-between "Stone Sworn" and "Stone Shattered," because the gap in years is huge. What was Gemma and Wynn's life like during those twenty years? I'd like to know, especially because Gemma still thinks and acts as if no time has passed because she still feels as if "Stone Sworn" happened last month. Yeah, I understand the effects of abuse are for life, that's not the point; the point is that there's a gap that makes it feel like there's been little to no emotional progress from last we saw Gemma, not one that we've seen her undergo. What did they do for a living? What does Wynn work in? How did people take it when they noticed the changes? How did Gemma cope with PTSD? How did she mature? And so on.
It's not the only questions needing answers, of course. I, for one, would like to know more about Wynn's origins, why his nature changes so unexpectedly as if it were a curse, etc. I think this series of short stories should be republished as its own book, preferably with a sixth story filling in the gap I mentioned. It'd be perfect!
Overall, I give this anthology 4 stars, mostly for the standout stories. There were too many that were so short that left me wondering what even was the story, and probably others will also think the same. That's the downside of flash fiction, it doesn't always deliver a story in so few lines but sometimes they read more like thoughts and pieces of a story that wasn't completed.
I received an ARC from the editors in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!
January 12, 2023
I find it so funny that my two favourite anthologies, Aphotic Love and Wither and Bloom, are anthologies focused on love. I love love, but I don’t really gravitate toward books about love. I don’t find that…intriguing.
But LAND SAKES (😅) was this ever a masterpiece. Anne and Lara have outdone themselves with this one! Every story and poem was absolute perfection.
My favourite part was the series of stories by Cassandra Hamm. I kept hoping there would be another one, and there always was! Such a good little series. Can we get a novel?
I also loved Sheep, Shoes, and Shrews, A Post-Apocalyptic Romance, A Box of Crackers, Marriage is a Dragon, and Pomegranate Eyes.
Well worth the read. I can’t wait to own this!
But LAND SAKES (😅) was this ever a masterpiece. Anne and Lara have outdone themselves with this one! Every story and poem was absolute perfection.
My favourite part was the series of stories by Cassandra Hamm. I kept hoping there would be another one, and there always was! Such a good little series. Can we get a novel?
I also loved Sheep, Shoes, and Shrews, A Post-Apocalyptic Romance, A Box of Crackers, Marriage is a Dragon, and Pomegranate Eyes.
Well worth the read. I can’t wait to own this!
December 30, 2022
Love is a choice and Twenty Hills' Valentine Anthology: Wither and Bloom, is the perfect compilation of people choosing love. Each poem, flash fiction, or short story shows that love is first honestly. It's not always pretty and romantic---it can be---but it can also be raw, sacrificial, platonic, heartbreaking and hopeful. These stories stay with you. They fill your mind and heart, giving you something a little more fulfilling for Valentine's Day, or any other day of the year.
Thankful for an advance copy and to be able to recommend and give my honest opinion
Thankful for an advance copy and to be able to recommend and give my honest opinion
January 5, 2023
ENDORSEMENT: As I've come to expect in Twenty Hills anthologies, there's a genre here for almost everyone and a theme that resonates. This book shows how love doesn't merely have stages or phases—it's a journey and it's who we are, as humans. And Wither & Bloom lives up to the name—each piece is unquestionably heartfelt and undeniably unique, yet the message is a thread through every page: love is many things but always, always, love is valuable and worth treasuring.
July 4, 2023
Wither and Bloom is a collection of flash fiction, short stories, and poetry that explores what love is at its core. The words delve into what it feels like to fall in love; to desperately cling to the hope of reviving a fading love that was once blindingly vivid; to be washed anew as love breathes life into once drowning lungs; to stand against hardships with steadfast surety knowing your love will endure; to watch love shift and evolve into something young and budding to something eternal and blooming....
Oh my heart! My heart has been broken yet mended by the words within these pages. There are several pieces I have previously read; however, this reading was the first time I looked at the entire anthology, as it is in the hardback edition, as a whole. And, oh, how I cried so much-So many healing tears. So many tears of joy of the reflection of my own choices and the choices of the loved ones in my life reflected within this book's diverse cast of characters...The core message of this anthology, love is a choice, and the beautiful narratives bound within urged me to pause and reflect on the love within my own life. [But I will leave that extended tangent for another platform.]
In terms of each individual piece included, it is so difficult to identify my favorites. Firstly, I love that the collection has four sections that focus on different aspects/types of love. But, even within the four classifications, it is clear that love is a choice. Sometimes the choice feels effortless while other times it feels like trudging through deep, sticky mud. But all times, the choice is worth it.
One of my favorite authors included in Wither and Bloom is without a doubt Cassandra Hamm. Her ability to weave a story with so much emotion in such a limited word count never ceases to astound me. Her piece "Eliza" completely encapsulated me, and I desperately need more of Lisbeth and Norm. And then Cassandra's numerous pieces featuring Wynstann and Gemma are so beautiful in their own right BUT they also show how love, true love, has a transformative affect. Not only can love change the people within the relationship, but it itself felt between each party shifts and grows as people do over time; the love changes and expands as family units are built. [Sidenote: I am declaring I will be the first in line to purchase Cassandra's debut novel, and any book thereafter, whenever that comes to be. My word, she can write!]
Mary E. Dipple's "Home" is reminiscent of Francine River's writing, reminding us all that we can return home and embrace the love waiting for us with open arms, always. AJ Skelly's "Chances and Choices" beautifully illustrates that the choices we make impact our lives beyond what limited foresight can truly know, even at a tender age. How many of us loved and lost, or never knew a love at all or have only known one love and that's all we ever needed, because of choices made in youth? Katie Fitzgerald's "Drive Me Home" sweetly shows that when you love someone you are willing to do things you wouldn't normally do; when you love someone you do things because you love seeing the person you love experience things they love.
"Storm of Betrayal" by Crystal D. Grant reminds me of the old song, "I'm Going to Love You Through It." "Sheep, Shows, and Shrews" by Hannah Carter and Anne J. Hill reminds me the importance of extending love when we can even if we deem it inconvenient; we should help others and love others any chance we get. Anne J. Hill's "But, Our End" and Megan Dill's "Post-It Notes" reminds us that active listening and pursued communication as well as the little things matter, respectively.
Mary Agnes Ratelle's "O Dayspring" should be a classic to share in the holiday season alongside the well-known O. Henry's "The Gift of the Magi." "Mud Prints" by Kristen Bazen teaches the importance of extending grace and forgiveness and pouring into your spouse even when you feel empty because bitterness has no place in a healthy relationship; they will fill you back up in return.
Rachel Lawrence's "The End" had me staring across the room at my husband knowing within the inner fiber of my very being that we one day will look back knowing what we had was so beautiful, so meaningful that we would take that leap all over again with one another.
Nobel Shut Chan's "Memory Lane," with Nicholas Sparks' vibes, had me weeping. I pulled myself together just for Hailey Huntington's "Love Remembers" to reopen the floodgates. And, though I have read "A Papa for Nova" by Hannah Carter previously, the story struck a different chord within my chest today...the tears flowed freely as my heart swelled at the heartwarming piece.
I am in awe of the stories and the love woven within each thread, each sentence, together creating a tapestry reminding every reader that real love is a choice; real love is something we all deserve to be given freely; and real love is something we should want to give as well.
In my youth, I would have been most drawn to the "falling" category, but in my current stage, "enduring" and "abiding" most resonated with me. I believe wholeheartedly, this collection can be enjoyed by many age groups. Though this collection was put together with an adult reader in mind, young adult audiences can enjoy it as well with discretion as there are some dealings with things such as abuse, neglect, death, alcoholism, etc. in some of the pieces. Any fan of romance and love in general will enjoy this anthology. There are multiple genres including speculative fiction sprinkled throughout, but contemporary fiction is the most seen within this anthology.
In transparency, I do have a poem included within the hardback edition. But the inclusion of my poem or no, this is a collection every romantic should add to their library. We don't need a special occasion to be reminded that love is real, powerful, and obtainable. So, don't wait for Valentine's Day or an anniversary to read this...your heart will thank you.
Oh my heart! My heart has been broken yet mended by the words within these pages. There are several pieces I have previously read; however, this reading was the first time I looked at the entire anthology, as it is in the hardback edition, as a whole. And, oh, how I cried so much-So many healing tears. So many tears of joy of the reflection of my own choices and the choices of the loved ones in my life reflected within this book's diverse cast of characters...The core message of this anthology, love is a choice, and the beautiful narratives bound within urged me to pause and reflect on the love within my own life. [But I will leave that extended tangent for another platform.]
In terms of each individual piece included, it is so difficult to identify my favorites. Firstly, I love that the collection has four sections that focus on different aspects/types of love. But, even within the four classifications, it is clear that love is a choice. Sometimes the choice feels effortless while other times it feels like trudging through deep, sticky mud. But all times, the choice is worth it.
One of my favorite authors included in Wither and Bloom is without a doubt Cassandra Hamm. Her ability to weave a story with so much emotion in such a limited word count never ceases to astound me. Her piece "Eliza" completely encapsulated me, and I desperately need more of Lisbeth and Norm. And then Cassandra's numerous pieces featuring Wynstann and Gemma are so beautiful in their own right BUT they also show how love, true love, has a transformative affect. Not only can love change the people within the relationship, but it itself felt between each party shifts and grows as people do over time; the love changes and expands as family units are built. [Sidenote: I am declaring I will be the first in line to purchase Cassandra's debut novel, and any book thereafter, whenever that comes to be. My word, she can write!]
Mary E. Dipple's "Home" is reminiscent of Francine River's writing, reminding us all that we can return home and embrace the love waiting for us with open arms, always. AJ Skelly's "Chances and Choices" beautifully illustrates that the choices we make impact our lives beyond what limited foresight can truly know, even at a tender age. How many of us loved and lost, or never knew a love at all or have only known one love and that's all we ever needed, because of choices made in youth? Katie Fitzgerald's "Drive Me Home" sweetly shows that when you love someone you are willing to do things you wouldn't normally do; when you love someone you do things because you love seeing the person you love experience things they love.
"Storm of Betrayal" by Crystal D. Grant reminds me of the old song, "I'm Going to Love You Through It." "Sheep, Shows, and Shrews" by Hannah Carter and Anne J. Hill reminds me the importance of extending love when we can even if we deem it inconvenient; we should help others and love others any chance we get. Anne J. Hill's "But, Our End" and Megan Dill's "Post-It Notes" reminds us that active listening and pursued communication as well as the little things matter, respectively.
Mary Agnes Ratelle's "O Dayspring" should be a classic to share in the holiday season alongside the well-known O. Henry's "The Gift of the Magi." "Mud Prints" by Kristen Bazen teaches the importance of extending grace and forgiveness and pouring into your spouse even when you feel empty because bitterness has no place in a healthy relationship; they will fill you back up in return.
Rachel Lawrence's "The End" had me staring across the room at my husband knowing within the inner fiber of my very being that we one day will look back knowing what we had was so beautiful, so meaningful that we would take that leap all over again with one another.
Nobel Shut Chan's "Memory Lane," with Nicholas Sparks' vibes, had me weeping. I pulled myself together just for Hailey Huntington's "Love Remembers" to reopen the floodgates. And, though I have read "A Papa for Nova" by Hannah Carter previously, the story struck a different chord within my chest today...the tears flowed freely as my heart swelled at the heartwarming piece.
I am in awe of the stories and the love woven within each thread, each sentence, together creating a tapestry reminding every reader that real love is a choice; real love is something we all deserve to be given freely; and real love is something we should want to give as well.
In my youth, I would have been most drawn to the "falling" category, but in my current stage, "enduring" and "abiding" most resonated with me. I believe wholeheartedly, this collection can be enjoyed by many age groups. Though this collection was put together with an adult reader in mind, young adult audiences can enjoy it as well with discretion as there are some dealings with things such as abuse, neglect, death, alcoholism, etc. in some of the pieces. Any fan of romance and love in general will enjoy this anthology. There are multiple genres including speculative fiction sprinkled throughout, but contemporary fiction is the most seen within this anthology.
In transparency, I do have a poem included within the hardback edition. But the inclusion of my poem or no, this is a collection every romantic should add to their library. We don't need a special occasion to be reminded that love is real, powerful, and obtainable. So, don't wait for Valentine's Day or an anniversary to read this...your heart will thank you.
January 30, 2023
This is what anthologies are meant to be. If my heart was a harp, this would pull on every string. I need everyone to go check this one out.
March 20, 2023
An interesting anthology highlighting real love and its messiness. Some of my favorites were “O Dayspring” (Mary Agnes Rattelle—WOW), “Storms of Betrayal” (Crystal Grant), “Solar Eclipse” (SM Jake—Schuyler sister vibes!), “A Post Apocalyptic Romance” (Crystal Bailey), “If I Had Loved You Less” (LA Thornhill—yes, the story involves Jane Austen references!), “Sheep, Shoes, and Shrews” (Hannah Carter and Anne J. Jill—My Lady Jane vibes), “Chances and Choices” (AJ Skelly—just a cute contemporary YA but I love how AJ writes romance), “A Papa For Nova” (Hannah Carter—*tears*), and “Real” (Lindsi McIntyre). “Woe to the Dreamer” (Lara E. Madden) was good, but as a writer, the ending stressed me out pretty badly. *sweats*
Many of these stories were too short and/or too contemporary/slice of life for me, to be honest. I’m much more a speculative fiction girl. Give me dragons and spaceships. But there were some fun stories like “Marriage is a Dragon” and “Organic” that were what I’d call slice of life fantasy, depicting older couples struggling with real life problems except one or both is a fantastical creature (a dragon and vampires, respectively). And of course there’s my Stone Skin series with a romance between a human and a stone golem (I’m biased but I think those are great *wink*).
My biggest fault with the anthology is the poetry. I only cared for one or two poems in the collection (“Pomegranate Eyes” by Beka Gremikova was definitely my favorite). I felt they could have been much better edited. Free verse poetry can be great (I write it myself), but it requires a lot of finesse and many edits. The poems in this anthology didn’t flow well and just felt like prose in a vaguely stanza-like format. (I also get bothered by a ton of super short paragraphs, so there’s that.) I am not a poetry expert, so take my opinion with a grain of salt, but I would have preferred the anthology without its poetry.
I am an author in this anthology (the Stone Skin series and “Eliza”).
Many of these stories were too short and/or too contemporary/slice of life for me, to be honest. I’m much more a speculative fiction girl. Give me dragons and spaceships. But there were some fun stories like “Marriage is a Dragon” and “Organic” that were what I’d call slice of life fantasy, depicting older couples struggling with real life problems except one or both is a fantastical creature (a dragon and vampires, respectively). And of course there’s my Stone Skin series with a romance between a human and a stone golem (I’m biased but I think those are great *wink*).
My biggest fault with the anthology is the poetry. I only cared for one or two poems in the collection (“Pomegranate Eyes” by Beka Gremikova was definitely my favorite). I felt they could have been much better edited. Free verse poetry can be great (I write it myself), but it requires a lot of finesse and many edits. The poems in this anthology didn’t flow well and just felt like prose in a vaguely stanza-like format. (I also get bothered by a ton of super short paragraphs, so there’s that.) I am not a poetry expert, so take my opinion with a grain of salt, but I would have preferred the anthology without its poetry.
I am an author in this anthology (the Stone Skin series and “Eliza”).
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August 10, 2023A sweet anthology showcasing how love is more than simply a feeling.
The mix of stories and poetry was really nice. I will say, I am not a poet, so I can't speak to the quality of the poetry, but I liked it. Several of the flash fiction stories were only about half a page long (more micro-fiction), and a little too short in my opinion. It felt like the story was over as soon as it began, and I didn't really have time to orient myself or get invested in the narrative. But I enjoyed all the stories on the whole. The few art pieces sprinkled in were a fun surprise as well!
I have two flash fiction stories in this anthology--"Love Remembers" and "Noticing." :)
Cautions: three instances of swearing; one cut-off strong swear word; moderate romance; several kisses; brief violence; brief references to a character having an abusive childhood in a few stories; one very brief story presumably has a main character contemplating suicide (mostly inferred) *
*Because there are so many stories in Wither and Bloom, I may have lost track of a caution
The mix of stories and poetry was really nice. I will say, I am not a poet, so I can't speak to the quality of the poetry, but I liked it. Several of the flash fiction stories were only about half a page long (more micro-fiction), and a little too short in my opinion. It felt like the story was over as soon as it began, and I didn't really have time to orient myself or get invested in the narrative. But I enjoyed all the stories on the whole. The few art pieces sprinkled in were a fun surprise as well!
I have two flash fiction stories in this anthology--"Love Remembers" and "Noticing." :)
Cautions: three instances of swearing; one cut-off strong swear word; moderate romance; several kisses; brief violence; brief references to a character having an abusive childhood in a few stories; one very brief story presumably has a main character contemplating suicide (mostly inferred) *
*Because there are so many stories in Wither and Bloom, I may have lost track of a caution
February 17, 2023
This collection of poetry, short stories, and flash fiction was the perfect thing to read this Valentine’s Day. Most of the pieces are about romantic love; only a small section at the end was about other forms of love, which surprised, but didn’t bother me.
I do wish that more of the stories were fantasy/sci-fi. Most are realistic/contemporary, which is fine, but not very fun/interesting to a fantasy fanatic :). They were beautifully well-written, though, and the poems were clear, deep springs that I will return to drink deeply from in the future.
The flash-fiction pieces weren’t my favorite–they were too short for me to feel invested in the characters and story–and I wish there were more longer pieces.
I loved how the book was split into provocative sections–falling, enduring, abiding, cherishing–all integral parts of romantic love.
At about the halfway point (in the abiding section), several stories seemed to all be about memory loss in older couples, which was so depressing! The stories themselves were mostly sweet, but after reading three or four stories about someone forgetting who their spouse is–no matter how lovely the ending–it will wear on you! I was surprised that the editors had so many of those bunched together because it really did get me down.
But on the whole, Wither and Bloom was a honey-sweet book about not only falling in love, but loving even when it’s hard. I appreciated how the collection took us past the ‘honeymoon’ stage of love with all its gooey feels into the nitty-gritty daily choice of love which is harder but more beautiful.
I’d honestly recommend this for anyone who’s ever been loved or wants to be loved.
I do wish that more of the stories were fantasy/sci-fi. Most are realistic/contemporary, which is fine, but not very fun/interesting to a fantasy fanatic :). They were beautifully well-written, though, and the poems were clear, deep springs that I will return to drink deeply from in the future.
The flash-fiction pieces weren’t my favorite–they were too short for me to feel invested in the characters and story–and I wish there were more longer pieces.
I loved how the book was split into provocative sections–falling, enduring, abiding, cherishing–all integral parts of romantic love.
At about the halfway point (in the abiding section), several stories seemed to all be about memory loss in older couples, which was so depressing! The stories themselves were mostly sweet, but after reading three or four stories about someone forgetting who their spouse is–no matter how lovely the ending–it will wear on you! I was surprised that the editors had so many of those bunched together because it really did get me down.
But on the whole, Wither and Bloom was a honey-sweet book about not only falling in love, but loving even when it’s hard. I appreciated how the collection took us past the ‘honeymoon’ stage of love with all its gooey feels into the nitty-gritty daily choice of love which is harder but more beautiful.
I’d honestly recommend this for anyone who’s ever been loved or wants to be loved.
October 24, 2025
This book is full of short, fast, easy reads in a variety of genres including family life, romance, and fantasy with a sprinkling of poems. Each one captures and holds your avid attention.
Some of these stories transport the reader into divergent dimensions and or realms. If you desire fantasy, you will appreciate the mixture. Or, if you are new to fantasy, you will get to dip, dive, zip, and soar into that world.
Sparks of romance or rekindled love flow through these pages. Love that defies the odds and conquers worlds or tenderly lifts, dates, and romances a longtime lover.
This is a wonderful compilation of interesting stories and poems. I am not into poems, but the scattering of them fit so perfectly with the story just read that they were perfect. I needed tissues for many of the stories. Maybe they reminded me of my elderly parents and their love for each other even in their twilight years. My heart felt the tension, love, and passion. A few of the shorter stories that touched my heart, I read aloud to my husband. He liked them as well. This book would be a great book for gifting or perhaps sitting atop a coffee table for a quick read of the short stories, poems, and flash fiction.
FYI: There are a few harsh words that some may feel are cuss words. All “scenes” are far behind closed doors. There are references to physical abuse, but nothing on the page other than harshly grabbing ahold of someone.
Some of these stories transport the reader into divergent dimensions and or realms. If you desire fantasy, you will appreciate the mixture. Or, if you are new to fantasy, you will get to dip, dive, zip, and soar into that world.
Sparks of romance or rekindled love flow through these pages. Love that defies the odds and conquers worlds or tenderly lifts, dates, and romances a longtime lover.
This is a wonderful compilation of interesting stories and poems. I am not into poems, but the scattering of them fit so perfectly with the story just read that they were perfect. I needed tissues for many of the stories. Maybe they reminded me of my elderly parents and their love for each other even in their twilight years. My heart felt the tension, love, and passion. A few of the shorter stories that touched my heart, I read aloud to my husband. He liked them as well. This book would be a great book for gifting or perhaps sitting atop a coffee table for a quick read of the short stories, poems, and flash fiction.
FYI: There are a few harsh words that some may feel are cuss words. All “scenes” are far behind closed doors. There are references to physical abuse, but nothing on the page other than harshly grabbing ahold of someone.
February 20, 2024
Capable of making one cry.
There are quite a few very powerful stories in here. Anne J. Hill and crew did a fabulous job of picking their tales. Naturally, as in all anthologies, not every short is as moving as the rest, but this anthology collection is worth it all!
There are quite a few very powerful stories in here. Anne J. Hill and crew did a fabulous job of picking their tales. Naturally, as in all anthologies, not every short is as moving as the rest, but this anthology collection is worth it all!
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