Through Wilds & Warnings

by Onika Howdyn, Katie Judy, Rachel Wilman

Destined blades and sharpening tongues.
Eloquent melodies and dangerous trials.
Fearsome fangs and fashionistas.


These are the impressionable tales that shape our morals and weave the lessons that guide us through the trials of life. Through Wilds & Warnings is a collection of fantasy stories inspired by the classic fables of Aesop. Dive into goblin caves, dabble with dragons, and face your darkest fears in this collaborative collection written by talented storytellers.

450 pages, Paperback

First published December 15, 2025

Reviews

[Marmalade · Rating 3 out of 5]

Arc Review
Through Wilds & Warnings
By Onika Howdyn, Katie Judy, Rachel Wilman, et al.
3.5 ⭐
Oh man I haven't done many anthology readings! It was pretty enjoyable. Thank you Untold Stories PR for sending me this ARC.

I've only ever heard of Aesop's Fables, never really read them myself. I thought it was neat to read the modern storytellyings each author wrote about. I liked how they included each of the fables before the authors' stories. I appreciated they gave a little blurb of what the lesson the fable was trying to teach. As someone who struggles with analysis like that, it's very helpful.

I'll say some of the stories were either hit or miss for me. There were others I really enjoyed as well!

Overall, check this one out! Might learn a lesson or two 😉.

[Raechel · Rating 4 out of 5]

*An Anthology*
inspired by aesop's fables

Each story is preceded by the fable in question and is basically a very imaginative re-telling of the original. These are WILD - the title isn't a lie.

Each short story is about 20-30 minutes of read time, so it makes a perfect bedtime book.

This is an anthology by 9 amazing authors and the first publication from HenDragon Press, a women-owned, independent book publisher

TROPES
☠️ New Adult
☠️ Sweet Spice
☠️ Mild-Mid Violence / Gore
☠️ Fairy Tales
☠️ Fable Retellings
☠️ Friends to Lovers
☠️ Embracing Destiny
☠️ Trials and Tribulations
☠️ Dark Fantasy
☠️ Epic / High Fantasy
☠️ Fantasy Creatures
☠️ Anthropomorphic Animals
☠️ Moral Lessons
☠️ LGBTQ+

Huge thank you to @untoldstoriespr and the authors for gifting me this book!

[Amanda Sloothaak · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's hard to pick a favorite story in this anthology and therefore I won't do so either. Each one is beautifully written and thought out well, they teach lessons while also captivating you at the same time. I really loved reading this anthology.

[Teena Fehling · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I adored this sweet little anthology. First of, from what I can tell, it gave smaller and newer authors their chance to shine (we love this obviously). Secondly, since the authors did! It’s an anthology of stories inspired by particular Aesop’s Fables and I really loved the diversity of stories included. You can get a feel for each author’s creative background through their work. My personal favorite was Little Flame by @oahowdyn which actually brought me to tears. Some of the stories were a little more on the nose and some took more liberty with the moral of their fable. The only critique I have for the book is formatting - I think the fable should be given after the short story. With the current formatting, you know how the stories are generally gonna end before reading them. All in all, I highly recommend taking a look at this anthology when it releases later this year. I’ve tagged all the authors in this pot and thank you so much to @hendragonpress for letting me be a part of this journey.

[Yolanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Through Wilds & Warnings is a beautifully crafted anthology inspired by Aesop’s Fables, and it does not disappoint. Each story begins with the original fable and then reimagines it—some set in magical realms, others grounded in our own world.

The variety of authors brings unique voices and styles, making the collection engaging and dynamic. Every tale is well-written, with vivid descriptions that pull you into the characters’ worlds. The mix of perspectives ensures that no two stories feel alike, and each one leaves a memorable impression.

A creative and enchanting anthology, perfect for readers who enjoy timeless lessons retold in imaginative ways.

[londi reid · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you to Untold Stories PR for the ARC copy !!

it’s been a very long time since i’ve read a short story anthology, but this is one of the best i’ve read. not only are the darker aesop’s fables, but they’re all queer-inclusive ?? yes please !

all the authors that worked together for this book all did a wonderful job, with each story feeling very unique to what fable they were retelling. it’s hard to list my favorite because i liked all of them so so much.

it was a nice book to read in between other novels since the stories were so bite sized.

[Yiyi (Gigi) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the tragedies. It was such a nice change of pace from all the happily-ever-afters we usually get these days. Personally, I think the fable would’ve worked better at the end, since it kind of gave away how things would turn out in the stories. I did love seeing how each author added their own creativity and style, though! This isn’t my usual kind of read, so it took me a bit longer to get through, but overall I’m glad I picked it up.

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s something really nice about this little collection it’s cozy, creative, and full of different voices. Some stories stood out more than others, and the formatting choice made a couple of the endings obvious, which was a minor bummer. I liked getting a peek into so many different imaginations, and it felt like a fun way to discover new authors. Overall, it’s the kind of book you can pick up in pieces and still enjoy

[Katie Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this anthology from start to finish. There were so many different stories and each one was unique. I love that each story was based on an Aesop fable. Telling age old stories with updated characters and themes is always fun to read. There is something for everyone in here. It spans multiple genres from fantasy to horror to gothic, there really isn’t anything in here to skip. Each story needs to be read, then re read to fully appreciate it all.

[Nicole Hess · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a nice change of pace from what I usually read. I love folktales and studied mythology and folklore when I was in uni for a short time so these stories tickled that itch for me. The different writing style between each author was a little jarring for me at some parts but I still enjoyed it nonetheless.

[Booksaremyfriends93 vanessa Duweling · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first Anthology and I actually really enjoyed it! It was fast paced so it kept me interested! I highly recommend checking this book out if you are interested in Aesop’s Fables! I think all the authors did a wonderful job on their short stories

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun read to end November with 🌲 My teacher brain LOVED this - such a fun idea to recreate classic fables. I didn't love every single one, but such is the way of anthologies!