A wonderful short story based on A Balkan tale. I listened to the audio version, which really brought it to life. The storyteller adds so much tension and intrigue. The old man is remarkably frightening. His request for a special loaf of bread is definitely odd and makes us listen on to discover its significance. The story lasts about 15 minutes so is perfect for a quick listen or bedtime story for teens and adults. Some language like "feel like an ass" make it unsuitable for younger listeners as does the the depiction of the grotesque little man. #TrueLoaf #LAustenJohnston #NetGalley

I was eager to listen to this story for several reasons. First of all, I am from the Balkans, so a Balkan-inspired story is always something I will excitedly pick up. Secondly, I love fantasy, magical stories, fairy tales. And then, this gorgeous cover. It's adorable.

The narrator transported me back to my childhood, when my mom used to play fairy tales to my brother and me via audio cassettes. Ah, those were the days. This has exactly that kind of vibe.

The story itself was sweet, and maybe a bit shorter than I anticipated, but nonetheless, it's what you can expect - a small dose of magic just to get you through the day.

It sort of ends a bit mysteriously, but other than that, it was excellent. I quite enjoyed it.

Thank you NetGalley, Lore and Lyre, and IBPA for an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

First of all, I love the cover of this audiobook! It’s what got my attention, and I’m glad it did because I LOVE this! This was such a captivating short story. I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook and thought the narration was good! I would listen to more audiobooks with this narrator.

In this short story, an unusual customer comes into the bakery Riley works at, and submits a special request. Riley must then go out to try to find the special ingredient to complete the customer's order.

Overall, this was a fun audiobook! Even though it was short, the plot made it feel like the story was longer. This didn’t feel like a fifteen minute story, which I really liked. I felt like I could continue listening to more. I highly recommend this audiobook if you’re looking for a quick listen or even a quick read if you get the book!

This was a lovely little short story. But it was a SHORT short story which was a bit of a shame.
I would really like to hear more from this world and would read an entire book based on this little bakery and the creepy twins.

The audio narrator had a lovely voice that really drew me into the story and I'd happily listen to lots of books read by her.

Not bad just not enough for me to feel like I have much to say.

3/5

Thank you @NetGalley for the free audio ARC of #TrueLoaf, a modern fairytail.

A strange man stops at the Bakery Riley works at with a strange request. Asking for bread made with one particular strange ingredient.

This was a great little short story, that left me saying uhmmm what? I think it would be a great short story for English Class to be able to analyze. Also defiantly could be made into a book!

I listened to this audiobook with my little sister and needless to say we both enjoyed the story (except we have no idea how the bread and the werewolf- was it a werewolf? - is related)

True Loaf by L. Austen Johnson was a quaint, absorbing story with a mysterious atmosphere and a mostly light tone. The plot took an exciting, unexpected turn toward the end. I did find it odd that Riley didn’t question her instructions more, and I felt the characters were a bit flat and static. However, given the genre, the engaging storyline, and the excellent narration, those points didn’t ruin my experience.

That said, I don’t think I would have enjoyed this tale nearly as much had I not listened to the audiobook version of it. Everything else fell away while I listened to Penny Scott-Andrews's enchanting, articulate narration. She changed her voice to suit each character, making the dialogue easy to follow, and I loved how she captured the characters' emotions. She truly breathed life into the work.

In conclusion, listening to True Loaf was an enjoyable, immersive experience. Those interested in a brief but well-structured fairytale will likely be pleased with this work, but I recommend the audiobook version, as it elevated the work as a whole. With a brief mention of blood and a debatable instance of profanity, this story is suitable for those thirteen and older.

(Sending a big thanks to the author and NetGalley for providing a free audiobook review copy! All opinions in this review are my own and are honest and unbiased.)

From the description, cover, and narration style I was expecting a book for kids, but this it is not. If it's for adults or teens then ok. It's not a bad (albeit super short) story but the main character isn't all that likable and there is no real explanation to what happened or who/what the mysterious men were. The main character herself says she has so many questions and then it kind of just ends. It's a cool concept, but I feel there's a slight disconnect between the narration style sounding like a young girl is telling the story and the actual character being a grown woman who is basically just super annoyed with what she's having to do and not all that nice herself. If you're looking for a quick listen that doesn't get deep into character or plot and don't mind just a quick little odd trip into the woods it's not bad.

For a short story it was captivating and pretty action packed! It was a 15 minute audiobook that i enjoyed a lot, the narrators voice fit the mc and i loved the little voice changes for the different characters. The main character is bit of a pick me girl but idk how i feel about that.

I adored this audio book, an incredibly whimsical and mysterious short story. The narrators voice was lovely, perfect for the ambience of the story. I loved the folklore/fairy tale aspect and the magical energy really came through. I was smiling throughout and it left me wanting more.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in return for an honest review.

This was a really cute short folk tale and loved the narrator’s voice. I would definitely recommend this story to others and would be interested in looking into what else this author has written and what other audiobooks this narrator has read.

True Loaf by @girlfriendofbath

This is my first ever audiobook ever after @official_ceceliaahern #mrswhippy and I'm thrilled to it.

This is a short story inspired by Balkan Folklore. Riley, a baker had been asked by one of her customer with a special request to bake a bread with Yarrow. Without any question asked she went straight to gather the stuff in to the forest.
Another man appears in this short story, he simply helped Riley with the direction for what she's looking for and where to find it.

I cannot write anymore than this because this a super short story which, one will finish listening within 15 minutes.

The audiobook narrator @pennyscottandrews was phenomenal. I loved how perfectly she managed to tell the whole story.

Although it's a short story but a interesting one. I loved it as it kept my attention and left me wanting more of it.
Perfect for kid's bedtime story and middle graders.

Highly recommended!

Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

Thank you @netgalley and @Loreandlyre @ibpalovesindies for the #arc in exchange for an honest review.

The narrator was fabulous. This short story gave me a taste of a fairy tale with fae who are not like a kind fairy godmother.

The ending felt a bit abrupt. I wish it gave just a little more to round out the story.

Well, I think I know what my shortest book of the year will be! True Loaf was a very cute modern fairy tale, though I was hoping there would be some sort of moral to the story - the end fell a bit flat for me.
I really enjoyed how whimsical the story was, it was lovely to listen to right before bed. I absolutely loved the narrator, she had the perfect tone to immerse me in the surreal story.

I received an advanced free copy of this book, for my honest review.

It was a fun retelling of a modern fairytale. The storytelling was good and it was super interesting short story but I felt like it was messing a bit more story. Or a bit more understanding of the plot. It start with Riley working in the bakery, she gets a task ( she does with no questions asks ) she goes to get what she needs. And then ended in a soul bonding with one of the main characters. It was an interesting take on the story but also a bit weird for the reader because we don’t understand why that's occurred. It's something to consider reading if you wanna expand your reading and/or learning of other cultures.

This story was absorbing, easy to digest, and whimsical. I enjoyed the imagery and magically unique storytelling, although it was a bit short for my liking. There wasn't really a moral, or "point" to the story being told in my opinion, and I was left at the end wanting more substance.

I did enjoy the narrator. She had the perfect whimsical tone you often find narrating fairy tales in movies, and the audiobook added another layer of interest to the story for me.

A cute short fairytale, I think aimed at adults though the narration made it feel quite young. I would quite like a longer story with more of riley and her bakery.

Whoa, okay. Hold up. I didn't realize it was THAT short... but wow, that did NOT take away from the intense 15 minutes. I can't say a lot without giving anything away, as a LOT is jam-packed into the short story, but it's really good and sort of makes me really want a full sized novel of this story.... please????? A fun, intense ride for 15 mins!

Short and err... Weird. But in a good way. I really enjoyed the creepy folkloric feel of this, it was a very pleasant listen. I actually listened twice over on a rainy afternoon and it was quite lovely while also being quite eerie. Definitely a tricky thing to pull off

The narrator is excellent and I loved their performance, the melodic voice leant itself to the story very well.

True Loaf is inspired by the Balkan folklore, which I think for me is really interesting because this is the first time I've ever read a story based off of it. We're following Riley who works in a bakery that occasionally accepts special orders for esteemed guests. One day a strange man comes in her shop asking her to make him something out of an unusual ingredient. Comes night that day, she then sets out into a mini-adventure in the woods to find this ingredient. She finds herself lost in the forest until she encounters another stranger who decides to help Riley find the ingredient only if she gives him whatever she makes out of it. Will she be able to find this ingredient and fulfill these strange men's special order and deal? Who are they anyway?

It was fun, magical, atmospheric, I can almost smell the baked goods. It was such a short read (15 pages short) so the plot just swung by really quickly. I'm not really sure how and why the story ended that way but I guess it's trying to leave something to the imagination. To be honest, I was kind of hoping there was a bit of explanation or a background maybe. It left me hanging, really. Nevertheless, the writing style is straightforward but not bland (my kind of writing style) and I had fun listening to it while washing the dishes. I'm looking forward to reading more novels/novellas from this author.