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Tales of the Forest #5
Twenty-Five Turns
Can love last when one won’t leave, and the other can’t stay?
Fear of moving farther away from his family had cost Eer the love of his life, but now, after twenty-five turns, Kat has returned…with a son, and Eer’s feelings resurface as if it had been only yesterday since they’d first kissed.
But any hope Eer has of rekindling their love seems doomed to fail when a murderer’s taste for revenge forces Kat to choose between endangering their family or running… and leaving Eer behind, again.
___________________________
wordcount: 31,600 words
TALES OF THE FOREST is an ongoing series of standalone stories linked by a forest world.
Content warnings are available in the book's front matter and on the author's website.
Fear of moving farther away from his family had cost Eer the love of his life, but now, after twenty-five turns, Kat has returned…with a son, and Eer’s feelings resurface as if it had been only yesterday since they’d first kissed.
But any hope Eer has of rekindling their love seems doomed to fail when a murderer’s taste for revenge forces Kat to choose between endangering their family or running… and leaving Eer behind, again.
___________________________
wordcount: 31,600 words
TALES OF THE FOREST is an ongoing series of standalone stories linked by a forest world.
Content warnings are available in the book's front matter and on the author's website.
105 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 22, 2022
25 people want to read
About the author
Blaine D. Arden
30 books145 followersBlaine D. Arden is an EPIC Award-winning author of Romantic Speculative Fiction. Non-binary and proud, ey sings eir way through life in platform boots and delights in creating magical worlds for queer heroes to bump into the loves of their lives at just the wrong—or right—moment. Ey believes in celebrating the transformative power of diversity and inclusivity in all aspects of life, and that our unique experiences and perspectives are what make us strong: “Our Difference is Our Strength.”
Born and raised in Zutphen, the Netherlands, Blaine spent eir youth immersed in books, daydreaming, and making up stories. Quite content in entertaining emself, ey evolved from telling stories to eir favourite doll, to acting them out with eir Barbies, and finally, putting pen to paper.
When not writing, Blaine enjoys singing, sewing, and indulging in building LEGO botanical sets. Ey lives in the Netherlands with eir supportive partner of over thirty years. Despite their differences—Blaine craves shade and doesn’t drink the beers he brews, he doesn’t read romance and loves soaking up the sun—they enjoy watching quiz shows during dinner and playing cooperative games.
From the award-winning Oren’s Right to Aliens, Smith and Jones, Blaine’s books offer readers a safe and enchanting escape into richly imagined worlds with a unique blend of adventure, emotional depth, and belonging.
______________________
Non-Binary / Asexual
ey/em/eir | she/her | Mx.
Born and raised in Zutphen, the Netherlands, Blaine spent eir youth immersed in books, daydreaming, and making up stories. Quite content in entertaining emself, ey evolved from telling stories to eir favourite doll, to acting them out with eir Barbies, and finally, putting pen to paper.
When not writing, Blaine enjoys singing, sewing, and indulging in building LEGO botanical sets. Ey lives in the Netherlands with eir supportive partner of over thirty years. Despite their differences—Blaine craves shade and doesn’t drink the beers he brews, he doesn’t read romance and loves soaking up the sun—they enjoy watching quiz shows during dinner and playing cooperative games.
From the award-winning Oren’s Right to Aliens, Smith and Jones, Blaine’s books offer readers a safe and enchanting escape into richly imagined worlds with a unique blend of adventure, emotional depth, and belonging.
______________________
Non-Binary / Asexual
ey/em/eir | she/her | Mx.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 1, 2022
Another wonderful short!!!!!
Another new set of characters in the "Tales of the Forest" world. This one is filled with suspense! Loved it!
Another new set of characters in the "Tales of the Forest" world. This one is filled with suspense! Loved it!
January 22, 2022
I’m not a big fantasy reader, but I was thoroughly entertained! Fascinating!!
Eer is a cloud elf, novice guide, and has the gift to soothe both striplings and adults. When he got his calling, he left his family home to live in another village. He made a friend in Kat and their friendship grew to love, As Eer struggled to adjust with his new environment he grew to love it. As turns went on, Kat received an offer from another village to be their truth seeker. Eer couldn’t bring himself to leave and with misunderstandings, Kat moved on.
After twenty-five turns Kat returns to the village. Home of his family and siblings: Em, Silke and Lin. Kat ignores Eer on his return and it still hurts Eer deeply. Kat has also returned with a son Willim. Even though feelings are raw between Kat and Eer, for some reason, Kat sends Willim to Eer.
Eer loved his position as guide for the striplings more than adults. He knew how to listen and soothe the young elves. He finds Willim to be very quiet and shy and flinches at others around him, but he makes a connection with Eer. Wilhim is also talented in bone carving and art. Eer is always willing to sit and listen to anything Wilhim has to say. With time and encouragement Willim makes a new friend in Innes.
Though, with Kat’s return it brings danger and tragedy to the village. Kat holds a devastating secret, which has to be told. When he tells Eer the secret their feelings for each other come out and they try to rebuild what they once had. But it all becomes too dangerous and Kat sees no other way but to take Willim and leave again.
“Twenty-Five Turns” is a first time read for me by Blaine D. Arden. I was impressed with this quick read, fantasy that also brings tragedy, romance and suspense to the page. The ideas of the story are very easy to understand and it brings out the loyalty and caring of the community that the elves strive to maintain and build. Even though it’s a short story, the author has managed to bring out the emotions and feelings of the characters to make them very real and likable. The usage of pronouns is used for the elves and is emphasized throughout the story. The world building of the elves, having wings and living in trees is very descriptive and captivating. There are elves that have different gifts: guardians, truth seekers, soothers, healers of elves and animals and more.
I was surprised with how well the author took this journey into fantasy and created a thrilling murder mystery.
I liked the connection between Eer and Kat. Wilim and Innes were interesting too.
There are so many interesting characters: The Elders: Bors, Merryni, and Onwin. Truth Seeker: Wende and apprentice Jordi. Novice: Armon and Kat’s father Duron. Two characters that captured my interest was Bors, and Eer’s older brother, Vennen, who is a healer of animals. Maybe they will get a story of their own?
Eer is a cloud elf, novice guide, and has the gift to soothe both striplings and adults. When he got his calling, he left his family home to live in another village. He made a friend in Kat and their friendship grew to love, As Eer struggled to adjust with his new environment he grew to love it. As turns went on, Kat received an offer from another village to be their truth seeker. Eer couldn’t bring himself to leave and with misunderstandings, Kat moved on.
After twenty-five turns Kat returns to the village. Home of his family and siblings: Em, Silke and Lin. Kat ignores Eer on his return and it still hurts Eer deeply. Kat has also returned with a son Willim. Even though feelings are raw between Kat and Eer, for some reason, Kat sends Willim to Eer.
Eer loved his position as guide for the striplings more than adults. He knew how to listen and soothe the young elves. He finds Willim to be very quiet and shy and flinches at others around him, but he makes a connection with Eer. Wilhim is also talented in bone carving and art. Eer is always willing to sit and listen to anything Wilhim has to say. With time and encouragement Willim makes a new friend in Innes.
Though, with Kat’s return it brings danger and tragedy to the village. Kat holds a devastating secret, which has to be told. When he tells Eer the secret their feelings for each other come out and they try to rebuild what they once had. But it all becomes too dangerous and Kat sees no other way but to take Willim and leave again.
“Twenty-Five Turns” is a first time read for me by Blaine D. Arden. I was impressed with this quick read, fantasy that also brings tragedy, romance and suspense to the page. The ideas of the story are very easy to understand and it brings out the loyalty and caring of the community that the elves strive to maintain and build. Even though it’s a short story, the author has managed to bring out the emotions and feelings of the characters to make them very real and likable. The usage of pronouns is used for the elves and is emphasized throughout the story. The world building of the elves, having wings and living in trees is very descriptive and captivating. There are elves that have different gifts: guardians, truth seekers, soothers, healers of elves and animals and more.
I was surprised with how well the author took this journey into fantasy and created a thrilling murder mystery.
I liked the connection between Eer and Kat. Wilim and Innes were interesting too.
There are so many interesting characters: The Elders: Bors, Merryni, and Onwin. Truth Seeker: Wende and apprentice Jordi. Novice: Armon and Kat’s father Duron. Two characters that captured my interest was Bors, and Eer’s older brother, Vennen, who is a healer of animals. Maybe they will get a story of their own?
February 4, 2024
M/M crime fantasy second chance romance.
Getting through this plot was a real slog.
It was super boring with mundane details of Eer’s life and POV.
We have slightly different rules here for the elves as this is the first novice that’s 50 years old, when in previous books all novices were young and intended to take over the main job at some point. Both MCs are actually in their 50s. And all the injuries from being a truth seeker was another change to the world building.
The whole moving between villages for jobs was annoyingly dramatic and it was the cause of the fallout between Eer and Kat for 25yrs!!! Eye roll!!! A plot hole as it contradicted with having a novice in their 50s stay in the same village!!!!
I didn’t get what made Kat a ‘them’. Everyone was introduced with their pronouns which felt contrived. Especially when it seemed to have no bearing on the characters or their behaviour.
I also certainly didn’t get the castration thing. A 2 second mention without any examination of its implications. The plot just kept throwing random things hoping for something to stick.
The crime made no sense. The motives for the first crime a mystery and the rest of the crimes didn’t make a lot of sense as Willim could have been intercepted so many times. The whole thing was manufactured including the weirdly sudden and convenient resolution.
Kat and Eer did nothing for me, I was super bored with the whole plot.
Getting through this plot was a real slog.
It was super boring with mundane details of Eer’s life and POV.
We have slightly different rules here for the elves as this is the first novice that’s 50 years old, when in previous books all novices were young and intended to take over the main job at some point. Both MCs are actually in their 50s. And all the injuries from being a truth seeker was another change to the world building.
The whole moving between villages for jobs was annoyingly dramatic and it was the cause of the fallout between Eer and Kat for 25yrs!!! Eye roll!!! A plot hole as it contradicted with having a novice in their 50s stay in the same village!!!!
I didn’t get what made Kat a ‘them’. Everyone was introduced with their pronouns which felt contrived. Especially when it seemed to have no bearing on the characters or their behaviour.
I also certainly didn’t get the castration thing. A 2 second mention without any examination of its implications. The plot just kept throwing random things hoping for something to stick.
The crime made no sense. The motives for the first crime a mystery and the rest of the crimes didn’t make a lot of sense as Willim could have been intercepted so many times. The whole thing was manufactured including the weirdly sudden and convenient resolution.
Kat and Eer did nothing for me, I was super bored with the whole plot.
November 27, 2022
You can find a full review of “Twenty-Five Turns” on my website.
January 21, 2025
Loved it. A very vivid an beautifull world, I love visiting it with every tale on this series.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews