There's potential here, but the writing felt awkward and stilted, it would have benefited from overall tightening and more consistent phrasing. The story itself was fine.

I was intrigued by the title and hooked by the emotional response I felt towards the family of Foxes, especially Mistletoe. I especially enjoyed the story told by Moon to her kits about the First Fox. An unusual twist on a fairy 'tale' which I really enjoyed.

Original. Beautiful. Fun. Sad. Tense. Did I say beautiful? This is a precious gem that everyone should read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This was a great fairy tale esque/intro to fantasy for those that are invested in animal characters as well as middle grade novels. While the ending was bittersweet, there was a hopeful note at the end. It showcases that not every story is going to have a happy ending. The pacing was even enough that a kid can take breaks if they need to. This was also substantial in terms of page numbers where it's not too much and it's not too little. I ultimately gave this four stars out of five.

I downloaded this one on a whim since it was Read Now from an indie publisher on NetGalley. I went in with low expectations and was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved it!

🦊 animal story
🦊 middle grade
🦊 magical realism
🦊 multiple POV

SUMMARY:
On a farm just outside of Mobile, Alabama, a family of foxes has their lives disrupted when a group of coyotes encroaches on their territory. The foxes have the perfect treaty set up with the farm animals and have lived in peace for years. Coyote Thorn and his pack intend to target the chicken coop. Fox Mistletoe seeks help from a magical stag and new friends to bring balance back to the forest.

REVIEW:
This one felt like a classic animal story. It reminded me a lot of A Wolf Called Wander and even the fantasy Warriors or Guardians of Ga’hoole series. The foxes have a cozy, simple life until the coyotes arrive and things get action packed and bloody. Although the fox family is the protagonist, other character points of view are shown. This was done so well that I felt empathy towards the coyotes even though they were the villains. The POVs (even including the farmer) show that the dynamics are just the circle of life. Everyone is the hero of their own story and just doing what they can to survive.

The magical realism bits were a little strange as Mistletoe travels to an alternate dimension where there are no predators and prey and learns about his special gift. It works, though, especially since the reader is promised a “fairy tail.”

The only thing that didn’t work for me were the interior illustrations before each chapter. I’m hoping since this is an ARC that those are placeholders for the cover artists’ illustrations. We’ll see!

I’d recommend this one for animal lovers, 4th grade and up!

Thank you to NetGalley, Indigo River Publishing, and S. R. W. Black for the advanced reader copy!


Content warnings: mentions of cigars, multiple guns, kill traps, detailed descriptions of predators/prey and animal fights resulting in death

This was a really well done fairy tale and enjoyed the use of animals in this world. The characters were everything that I was hoping for and had that magical element that I was looking for. S.R.W. Black has a great writing style and it worked with everything that I was looking for.

Nice fairy 'tail", especially for kids! Though it seems to be lacking of just a few sprinkles of magical pixie dust here and there, overall it is an engaging and fun read for all ages.

What a cute fairy"tail"! My daughter and I read this together and she loves foxes. The art was beautiful and made reading this book extra fun.

I did receive an advanced copy via NetGalley but all thoughts are my own.

This is.a great read and such a precious book! I devoured this in one sitting and heavily recommend it!

The fun character art in between chapters and the writing style really pulled me in. Thank you for this treat! I loved this book.

I am leaving this review voluntarily. I received a free advanced copy. Thank you again!