True Loaf is an interesting retelling of Balkan folklore, it does what good stories do - it leaves you wanting more.

There isn't a lot for me to say about the plot without spoiling the whole story. But rest assured, it will have you captivated for 15 minutes.

The cover embodies the story perfectly.

This is a very short story. It is well thought out and interesting. But I feel like I needed more information to fully grasp what was going on. Things are explained in the Author's section afterwards, but additional backstory shouldn't be necessary for a story this short if it is meant as a stand alone tale.

A strange and mysterious man walks into a bakery and would like the baker to make him a product that she does
not have that is made with a very particular ingredient that she also does not have. This sends this little baker on a mini adventure! This was cute for only a few minutes worth of read time!

I am huge fan of folklore and even works that are folklore-ish...such as this. My only complaint with this is that I felt like I needed MORE. This really has nothing to do with the story and more with just me not being satisfied with a short/micro story. The author did a wonderful job at leaving a little bit of mystery exactly where it was needed, but I was just made of questions by the time it was all over. If this author publishes a full-length novel that has the same vibes as this story, I will be the first in line to read it.

4 stars

A wonderful short story perfect for listening to on a fall walk! Johnson's True Loaf is charming and perfect for anyone who loves the nostalgia of fairytales.

True Loaf is a YA fantasy short story that can be read in less than 30 minutes. A strange man puts in a strange request at the bakery where our heroine Riley works, causing her to go on a small adventure to find an unusual ingredient. The story seems to be set in modern-ish times (the main character has a cell phone) and I could make a case for this story being magical realism. I absolutely love the cover, the art style is lovely and evokes a warm, autumnal feeling.

I listened to the ~16-minute unabridged audiobook version narrated by Penny Scott-Andrews. Johnson's prose is very imaginative, playful, and engaging, which pairs well with Scott-Andrews' sing-song-y narration style. One of the cool things about this story is that the author has partnered with One Tree Planted where one tree in North America will be planted for ever audiobook sold within the first year from release (July 27, 2021). I would love to see a full-length novel sent in this world, mostly because we didn't lean much about the world in this short story.

The audiobook itself also has a ~9-minute bonus content read by Claire Glover about folklore analysis of the short story. I'm a big fan of folklore and especially analysis thereof, so I really enjoyed this extra content!

I received an advanced audiobook copy of this short story for review via NetGalley, but all opinions contained herein are my own.

[★ 3.25 stars] i don't usually do short stories, because it always leaves me wanting more... and this did. i almost don't know how to review it. it wasn't bad, and i enjoyed the more creepy parts, but the ending felt so abrupt and i'm not a fan of when that happens. i did really enjoy the narration!

thank you to netgalley for access to the audiobook!

This is a short and entertaining audiobook with beautiful cover art! I found that the narration was done really well and fit the story perfectly. There was a great mix of mystery, fantasy, and sass in such a short story, and I wish there was more! I think I needed more context to fully understand what was happening, because I honestly don’t really know what I just listened to. That being said, it was certainly entertaining, and I think young readers would definitely have fun with this story!

This was an original short story that was based on elements of a traditional Balkan folklore story. I thought that the story and audio were very enjoyable. I would definitely want to read/listen to more from this author. I also enjoyed the end notes that explained the elements of constructing this type of story and how the author developed her own. Also loved the cover. It conveys the fairytale perfectly.

Quirky and dark, original modern fairytale, inspired by aspects of Balkan folklore. Imaginative juxtaposition of old and new with interesting themes to consider, some of which are also discussed at the end of the audiobook. Very short but engaging and worth a listen.

I just joined NetGalley and was browsing through the Listen Now section for audiobooks when True Loaf by L. Austen Johnson caught my eye. The title of the book seemed so quirky and cute while the art for the book cover matched that whimsical feeling so I decided to check it out.

The story is about a baker called Riley who gets a special request from a mysterious rich customer to bake him a special loaf of farro bread. Riley doesn't have farro on hand so she has to go find it and ends up on a mini-adventure. Based on the book cover's art style and the blurb, I somehow assumed the story was going to take place in the olden days, way before electricity or technology. Even listening through the beginning of the book I imagined Riley to be baking in a rustic bakeshop lit up by candles. However I was jolted back to the present when Ellie got in her car, and I was suddenly confused by all the imagery I had envisioned while listening to the story. I feel like the magical qualities were ripped away and I wish it didn't happen. I would have liked some timestamp or any indication of when this story took place so it would not have interrupted my vintage-style cartoon imagery of the story.

Besides that abrupt change in imagery for me, I found the story was short, interesting, and enjoyable to listen to. At the end of the story, there was a short explanation of how the story was created and it made me realize how much thought was put into this short story. I wasn't aware of all the literary structures and types of characters that were carefully placed into the story and it made me appreciate it a little more. I have not put that much thought into understanding why the book was called True Loaf so I hope there is a discussion somewhere that will point me to the answer since it is not explicitly stated in the story.

This was a cute short story inspired by Balkan folklore. While I have nothing negative to say about the story itself, I felt a little weird reading it. Perhaps it's not to my taste but somehow the characters didn't seem to well-developed.
I know that the point wasn't supposed to be for it to be too long but I would have appreciated a bit more background and even some more details about the negative characters, too.
Also, the ending was super short and sudden and really surprised me.
*I got a free copy from NetGalley but my opinion is completely unbiased*

wasn't quite expected it to be so dark but I really enjoyed it 😊 and loved the bonus content and apprecated the author explaining where she got the idea for the story. I would of actually liked it to be a little longer as I felt more detail would of made it even more engaging for the listener

Be honest I found this book really strange. I enjoyed the writing itself but it was almost like I was reading two books. One at the beginning and then a different one at the end. I feel like the fluidity of the story was lacking. Like it needed a middle ground. It's a cute idea, very hanzel and Gretel. I think it's worth a read, and it has the potential to terrify your child just like any folklore. But if your kid likes creepy things then I think they'll enjoy this book. :)

Thank you #netgalley and #trueloaf for allowing me the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I haven't read/listened to that many short stories so I'm not sure how I feel about them. They're usually too short for me to connect to a character or like the whole thing but I do know that I liked this one and I'd love to read more about Riley's adventures.

This was short, sweet and fun. It started off a little slow, but then it hooked me in. I felt immersed into Riley’s world and became invested in her journey. The story finished on a high with some unanswered questions. I think this would’ve been more satisfying, if a few more of my questions would’ve been answered. A younger audience will really enjoy this and it will provoke enough thought for the gears in their heads to turns.

All the characters were quite interesting. Riley was an easy to love character. Her thoughts were witty. It was a short story, so there was not a lot of development and complexity, but I wouldn’t expect that from a short-story.

Listening to the audiobook was really good. The narration was engaging and easy to follow.

Overall, this was a great, quick read. It would definitely keep younger kids occupied and interested.

This is a clever fairy tale reimagining, manageable for kids but still enjoyable for adult readers.

I enjoyed Johnsen’s new spin on an old tale, particularly with the author’s notes at the end that include a broader discussion of the themes present in True Loaf.

The book boasts a surprising amount of atmosphere given the length, and certainly embodies the fairy tale spirit.

However, I’m not sure there’s any reason for this to be an audiobook. The narrator was lovely, but I just can’t see a market for a 24-minute audiobook (and if you listen at 2x like me, 12 minutes!) I just can’t see a reason to purchase something that short in this format. Seems like this one ought to be print (and illustrated) only.

Super cute and super short Balkan folklore about a girl who works at a bakery and had a customer come in with a special request for a bread that can only be made with ingredients that are found in the woods in the middle of the night. When she goes to find it, she finds more than expected and when she makes the bread, the customer reacts in a way which can only be expected in folklore.
The narrator was spot on and this was so short that I was kinda shocked at the abrupt ending. I was prepared for more to the story!
Enjoyed it and I think kids would like it as well.
Thanks to Netgalley for this audiobook arc in exchange for my review.

True Loaf is a short story written by Austen Johnson. The story, which is based on Balkan Folklore, follows a baker named Riley. She is sent on a magical adventure when a newcomer to town requests that she bake a special loaf of bread for him.

My favorite part of reading this was the afterword by the author where she describes the four parts of a magical tale. I ended up listening to the story two more times to follow along and see how each of these parts were included in the plot

Pros: I liked that this short story is based on Balkan Folklore because that is a culture and tradition I have not heard many stories or read many books from. My favorite part of this story was the magical realism. I also appreciated the author's note at the end of the story because I learned more about the elements of the folklore story and it showed how much can be analyzed from a very short story.

Cons: I think a well done short story packs all it needs to in a few pages but also leaves the reader wishing there were more. The con here is that I really enjoyed this short story, but I wish it weren't so short because I wanted to read more!

Thank you to NetGalley and Lore and Lyre for the opportunity to listen to this story!

I've shared my review on Goodreads and StoryGraph.

True Loaf by Austen Johnson is a short story based on Balkan Folklore and it’s truly interesting but made more so by the authors note that follows. The breakdown of the story’s structure and importance of the sequence gave me a better understanding of traditional folklore and magical tales.

It’s very short so I’ll forgo a traditional summary and just say that I found it enchanting with a wonderful setting. Dorchford and Whisper Wood sound like a world I’d like to revisit in the future!

Penny Scott-Andrews narrates and her tone is melodic and affecting! She kept me invested throughout!