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A Touch of Magic
7 Authors. 10 Stories. Crafted with potions, curses, and fairy dust, each one of them is infused with just a touch of magic. In this Anthology, Snowy Wings Publishing opens doors into worlds of the fantastical - stories of those finding their true calling, those who live with curses, those who right the wrongs, and those who risk everything to save the ones they love. Among historical, contemporary, and futuristic tales, there's enough magic to spirit you away.
- GenresShort Stories
188 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 30, 2019
1 person is currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
Janina Franck
16 books25 followersJanina is a nature-loving story-addict who may have tea and chocolate running through her veins. Guided by her daydreams, she started writing stories at a young age and never really stopped. Now living in Ireland, she loves to try new things and experience adventures, both real and imagined.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 15, 2021
A nice little collection of magical short stories. Some didn't resonate with me, having a sort of contemporary YA vibe that's not so much my thing but I didn't see anything badly written about them.
My top three were:
The ghostly "The Weight of Time" by Janina Franck sucked me in right away and I loved the narration. What happens when girl meets boy, but the girl is... well, rather long deceased? Very much a short story Casper the Friendly Ghost, only with more emotional pull than comic relief. It's twee and wonderful and I adored it.
"Witch" by Lyssa Chiavari takes the old misunderstood villain idea and gives us a Little Mermaid take on it. Surprisingly moving and haunting. Another stellar story.
My hands down favourite story was "The Cat and the Conjurers" by Victoria Gilbert, purely because it evoked all the right mysterious feelings of a magical psuedo-historical YA story and played the foreshadowing like a maestro. A girl, a guy, a world of alchemy and a tale of revenge served in a most unusual way. To make it even more special, it's not a romance, yet the feels are real. Chef's kiss, five stars, more please; all the praises!
Overall if you're a fan of YA fantasy, you can't really go wrong with this one.
My top three were:
The ghostly "The Weight of Time" by Janina Franck sucked me in right away and I loved the narration. What happens when girl meets boy, but the girl is... well, rather long deceased? Very much a short story Casper the Friendly Ghost, only with more emotional pull than comic relief. It's twee and wonderful and I adored it.
"Witch" by Lyssa Chiavari takes the old misunderstood villain idea and gives us a Little Mermaid take on it. Surprisingly moving and haunting. Another stellar story.
My hands down favourite story was "The Cat and the Conjurers" by Victoria Gilbert, purely because it evoked all the right mysterious feelings of a magical psuedo-historical YA story and played the foreshadowing like a maestro. A girl, a guy, a world of alchemy and a tale of revenge served in a most unusual way. To make it even more special, it's not a romance, yet the feels are real. Chef's kiss, five stars, more please; all the praises!
Overall if you're a fan of YA fantasy, you can't really go wrong with this one.
December 17, 2020
This was a good collection of stories. There was only one (about a coffee shop) that I would classify as definite YA. The rest were equally interesting to older readers. As with all anthologies, there were a few I skipped due to lack of interest, but overall I was well pleased with the selections.
August 24, 2019
Overall a wonderful, enjoyable read. Sometimes I struggle with anthologies because the stories can be hit or miss but this book was consistently good. It was a page turning read which I couldn't put down as soon as I started.
'The Weight of Time' by Janina Franck
This was my favorite story of the entire anthology. It was beautifully written and poignant. You can feel the longing in each page and the connection between the two main characters is so realistic. The story enraptures you from the very beginning.
'Crafting an Artisan' by BJ Pierson
I loved this story for the imagery, the description of the creations was part of the magic. The message itself also made the story so much more magical. It was an interesting mix of modern technology and more traditional magic.
'Witch' by Lyssa Chiavari
A completely different retelling of a fairy tale which had me hooked from the first moment. Reminiscent of the brothers grim type story it showed the supposed bad guy in a completely different light which was fascinating. A very interesting play on an old fairy tale.
'To Save the Faerie Captive' by Annie Cosby
A wonderful Irish inspired tale which struck chords with me particularly being Irish. Annie captured the very real fear of faeries that the Irish used to have and wove a tale of adventure and bravery around it. A well written and fast paced read.
'The Cat and the Conjurers' by Victoria Gilbert
This story was particularly sensory, I could feel the movements of the cat. Despite knowing where the story was headed I couldn't put it down. Very descriptive imagery of the world while only seeing a small snapshot.
'The Cost of Magic' by Selenia Paz
Another story where I got a sense of the direction of the story very early on and couldn't look away. As the story progresses a very eerie sense descends on you. A very atmospheric read.
'Magic by the Cup' by Jane Watson
This story was a bit more of a lighter read, it felt a little more simplistic in the relationships and world than some of the other stories. I enjoyed the play between the 'real' world and the 'magic' world that the author creates.
'The Cursed Tower' by Lyssa Chiavari
Another retelling of a classic fairy tale in a completely different way. Quite a dark story with an unexpected twist. Beautifully written and atmospheric, makes me want to read everything else from this author.
'The Faoladh's Secret' by Annie Cosby
An interesting play on traditional myths and legends. There was a definite sense of mystery which kept me captivated. The story didn't make sense to me in some ways but maybe that's part of the mystery.
'A Spark in Space' by Janina Franck
An interesting twist on the theme of magic, a wonderful sci-fi read which had me caught from the start. The main character is a driven young woman and it's a story of empowerment. Evocative and fast paced it was an intriguing read from start to finish. This story was a completely original and thought provoking read.
'The Weight of Time' by Janina Franck
This was my favorite story of the entire anthology. It was beautifully written and poignant. You can feel the longing in each page and the connection between the two main characters is so realistic. The story enraptures you from the very beginning.
'Crafting an Artisan' by BJ Pierson
I loved this story for the imagery, the description of the creations was part of the magic. The message itself also made the story so much more magical. It was an interesting mix of modern technology and more traditional magic.
'Witch' by Lyssa Chiavari
A completely different retelling of a fairy tale which had me hooked from the first moment. Reminiscent of the brothers grim type story it showed the supposed bad guy in a completely different light which was fascinating. A very interesting play on an old fairy tale.
'To Save the Faerie Captive' by Annie Cosby
A wonderful Irish inspired tale which struck chords with me particularly being Irish. Annie captured the very real fear of faeries that the Irish used to have and wove a tale of adventure and bravery around it. A well written and fast paced read.
'The Cat and the Conjurers' by Victoria Gilbert
This story was particularly sensory, I could feel the movements of the cat. Despite knowing where the story was headed I couldn't put it down. Very descriptive imagery of the world while only seeing a small snapshot.
'The Cost of Magic' by Selenia Paz
Another story where I got a sense of the direction of the story very early on and couldn't look away. As the story progresses a very eerie sense descends on you. A very atmospheric read.
'Magic by the Cup' by Jane Watson
This story was a bit more of a lighter read, it felt a little more simplistic in the relationships and world than some of the other stories. I enjoyed the play between the 'real' world and the 'magic' world that the author creates.
'The Cursed Tower' by Lyssa Chiavari
Another retelling of a classic fairy tale in a completely different way. Quite a dark story with an unexpected twist. Beautifully written and atmospheric, makes me want to read everything else from this author.
'The Faoladh's Secret' by Annie Cosby
An interesting play on traditional myths and legends. There was a definite sense of mystery which kept me captivated. The story didn't make sense to me in some ways but maybe that's part of the mystery.
'A Spark in Space' by Janina Franck
An interesting twist on the theme of magic, a wonderful sci-fi read which had me caught from the start. The main character is a driven young woman and it's a story of empowerment. Evocative and fast paced it was an intriguing read from start to finish. This story was a completely original and thought provoking read.
August 31, 2019
Thank you for the publisher fot sending me this anthology of magical short stories in exchange for an honest review.
A Touch of Magic is a delightful collection of short stories about magic in all its different forms. I must admit I had my doubts about it as I'm usually not a big fan of anthologies, but I must also say that I ended up being pleasantly surprised. I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of stories. The stories are super quick to read and they cover a variety of topics I didn't expect them to.
This book proves that magic doesn't have to be all about witches and wizards, but that there are as many ways to approach the topic as there are authors who want to write about it. The heroes and heroines in these stories include not only traditional witches but also alchemists, artisans, and space witches, which is refreshing to say the least. Yes, space witches! Am I the only person who didn't know there are such creatures as space witches?
Naturally, I had my favorites in this collection and not every single story was for me but, overall, I think this was a very pleasant read. And now the best thing about this book: *drum roll*
Not all the stories have happy endings!
A Touch of Magic is a delightful collection of short stories about magic in all its different forms. I must admit I had my doubts about it as I'm usually not a big fan of anthologies, but I must also say that I ended up being pleasantly surprised. I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of stories. The stories are super quick to read and they cover a variety of topics I didn't expect them to.
This book proves that magic doesn't have to be all about witches and wizards, but that there are as many ways to approach the topic as there are authors who want to write about it. The heroes and heroines in these stories include not only traditional witches but also alchemists, artisans, and space witches, which is refreshing to say the least. Yes, space witches! Am I the only person who didn't know there are such creatures as space witches?
Naturally, I had my favorites in this collection and not every single story was for me but, overall, I think this was a very pleasant read. And now the best thing about this book: *drum roll*
Not all the stories have happy endings!
October 25, 2019
I received a free ARC from the publisher in exchange for review consideration.
One of the best things about an anthology is variety. Different stories in different styles by different styles. A Touch of Magic delivers just that: all the stories focus on magic, but in different and original ways.
I enjoyed most of the stories, and I found new authors whose work I want to read again. Some of my favorites were “Witch” (focused the witch from The Little Mermaid), “The Cursed Tower” (Rapunzel and vampirism), and “The Cat and the Conjurers” (a tale of revenge and sacrifice). A few times I was so taken with the characters and their worlds that I just wanted to read a full-length novel about them and not a short story.
A Touch of Magic is a quick, fun read. One book, ten worlds.
One of the best things about an anthology is variety. Different stories in different styles by different styles. A Touch of Magic delivers just that: all the stories focus on magic, but in different and original ways.
I enjoyed most of the stories, and I found new authors whose work I want to read again. Some of my favorites were “Witch” (focused the witch from The Little Mermaid), “The Cursed Tower” (Rapunzel and vampirism), and “The Cat and the Conjurers” (a tale of revenge and sacrifice). A few times I was so taken with the characters and their worlds that I just wanted to read a full-length novel about them and not a short story.
A Touch of Magic is a quick, fun read. One book, ten worlds.
September 20, 2019
I received a free ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Star rating is an average of all 10 stories. (3.75/5)
Overall I really enjoyed this collection of short stories. Each one takes an interesting look at the theme of magic, especially as it relates to everyday life. I naturally preferred some stories to others (the Witch is a definite favourite), but each story had definite elements I enjoy. There are love stories - romantic, familial and of friendship, fairytales, a ghost story, a mystery, witches and fairies and even a space ship. And each one has has more than a touch of magic.
Star rating is an average of all 10 stories. (3.75/5)
Overall I really enjoyed this collection of short stories. Each one takes an interesting look at the theme of magic, especially as it relates to everyday life. I naturally preferred some stories to others (the Witch is a definite favourite), but each story had definite elements I enjoy. There are love stories - romantic, familial and of friendship, fairytales, a ghost story, a mystery, witches and fairies and even a space ship. And each one has has more than a touch of magic.
August 18, 2019
I opened this one up just intending to skim through the stories but from the first sentence, I was hooked. I kept reading and before I knew it I was halfway through the collection. Each story is unique and intriguing. I love collections of stories and it helps me find new authors to check out!
August 23, 2019
I read the cost of magic in this set so far... it was a short story that allowed me to read really quickly but the cost really threw me off and not one I saw coming so that alone got it 4 stars! Now I am intrigued what other gems are in this set!!
August 14, 2019
A great anthology. This contains 10 short stories that will peak your interest. The only short coming I see is that there is no stories they are connected to once you are hooked.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews