Sweet short tale. Little disjointed in places but a pleasant read.

Would recommend for fans of libraries & storytelling

This is a lovely wholesome fantasy, with an interesting magic system. I really enjoyed Iliad’s character development, watching her fall in love and truly come into her own.
Adil is a very interesting character, the brutality of his appearance and stern character make it even more heartwarming when he falls in love and dotes on his love. The twists and turns kept me interested. And I’d recommend this to any YA fantasy readers

Thank you to NetGalley and Rivka for the e-ARC!
2.5 stars, rounded up to 3 stars.
I was really drawn in with the premise with this book and it sounded like a cozy, romantic read. Unfortunately this book just wasn’t for me, mainly because the story felt too simple and the romance felt quite underdeveloped. I like when the romance in books is built up but in this book it felt like they didn’t like each other for most of the book and then he told her that he loved her.

Whilst these things brought the book down for me, I really enjoyed the family dynamics between the main character and her sisters and how they were all very different. The idea behind this book is very unique and something that I haven’t read before which made this book quite refreshing.

Overall, I would recommend this book if you want a cozy fantasy with not complicated world building and interesting characters.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 5
# Pages: 208
Publication Date: 08.21.25

📖 MG/ YA Crossover
📖 Books about books
📖 Enchanting Fantasy World
📖 Family Of Women
📖 Modern Fairytale
📖 Marriage Proposal
📖 Royalty/ Court Life
📖 Regency Inspired
📖 Arranged Marriage
📖 Murder Mystery

The Storyteller’s Tale by Judith Bouillac is enchanting. A super cozy and whimsical read. The writing style was easy to read, the plot was enchanting and it felt like it was perfectly paced. I loved the concept and how it was executed.

I loved the character development and world building. Followed perfect for a short little novella. The romance fit perfectly into the YA theme. Predictable plot but the storytelling makes up for it.

Overall, this was a cute read and I loved the Little Women type family vibes. I would definitely read more works from this author.

Thank you netgalley and Rivka Publishing for this ARC.

I don't typically read MG but this has such an interesting concept! A lot of people categorize this book as YA but with the way YA has evolved over the years, the writing style, relationships, and plot of this book is definitely MG, if Upper MG. The cover is to DIE for and the concept of literally bringing stories to life intrigued me so much. I really like how the concept was executed as well, and I love all of the names. The family relationships are so cute and so wholesome. I just wasn't the biggest fan of this book because of the less mature characters and writing style, but it's a cozy read.

A refreshing tale of magic, storytelling, interspersed with a beautiful romance. Judith Bouilloc weaves a charming tale of a storyteller whose voice evokes the magic of a tale and brings the fairytale to life. What transpires after she heads to the palace deserves a cozy read, curl up with a hot cup of cocoa and a war fuzzy blanket. This was an easy read, calming and exciting all at once!
A wonderful interlude to lovers of inheart by Cornelia Funke!

Thank you to Rivka Publishing and Netgalley for the arc!

A big THANK YOU to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of this enchanting book! I think this is the first book I picked up from NetGalley when I started last year, and it sat on my shelf for many months, just waiting to be read....

I can tell you now that I finished it in under 24 hours and I am SO MAD at myself for waiting this long to read it! I adored the language in this story, and the subtle world-building throughout, I enjoyed reading about Iliad's love of reading and her abilities as a snatchwords, and can deeply relate to her preference to books rather than the company of other humans on most days. I don't think I was expecting lots of romance from a book that is advertised as middle-grade, but the romance in this was SO SWEET and absolutely perfect.

My sister has been on the hunt for a good Beauty and the Beast retelling, so I immediately sent her the Amazon link to this short novel upon finishing it this morning. I hope the book becomes available in a paperback/hardcover in the US, because it is absolutely one I'd love to own and share! It was a simple enough story, but the writing and world was magical and cozy. I'm excited to return to this one in the future!

I really enjoyed this book. I would equate it to a lighter version of T. Kingfishers style. The story was fun, I loved the main characters and I love a theme of understanding (and loving) the misunderstood.

The writing style was easy to read, the plot was enchanting (I mean who wouldn’t love the idea of a power to make the pictures words create come alive!), the characters endearing and it was well paced.

All in all, an enchanting story I very much enjoyed.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for allowing me to read an arc of this book!
This book is a wonderful addition to the cosy fantasy genre, and perfect for those who enjoy books about books.
The concept is unique and engaging and was executed wonderfully! Truly enchanting and whimsical.
I loved the setting and the characters however I favoured the familial relationships over the romantic ones.

I thought this was a fantastic YA fantasy novella with great worldbuilding and character development even in a short story. The timeline truly made it a fairytale and there was a lot of historical references and literary works cited which I thought was fun. The magic system was super unique with the FMC being a snatchwords and using it to weave fairytales to life.

The plot was definitely predictable, but it was done in a way that was quite different than what I’ve experienced before and was well done! The romance was as to be expected for YA and I thought it was cute and the story had quality character arcs.

Thank you NetGalley and Rivka Publishing for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Storyteller’s Tale ✨

My second net galley read.

Iliad found out she was a snatchwords when she was young, she had the powers to make the words on a page magically appear before her.

Out of the blue one day, Iliad receives a marriage proposal from a mystery lord and an invitation to be the queen’s storyteller. Intrigued and in need of a fresh start, Iliad agrees to go to the palace to meet her unnamed fiancé and see if she wishes to go ahead with the marriage.

But things take a turn when Adil, her husband to be, is not what she had in mind. He’s missing one eye, has a huge scar and he’s extremely bad at socialising, making him come across as rude and surly.

But in true enemies to lovers style, there is more to this story, with Iliad learning the truth about her fiancé and why he is the way he is and Adil admitting his true feelings about Iliad.

Together the pair must work to help the king save the kingdom from the potentially corrupt rule of Prince Edmund before it’s too late.

A middle grade somewhat cozy fantasy about the power of words and the importance of love and friendship.

It was a little too fast paced with the story moving quickly without much happening and quite confusing to read in some places and I wished we had seen more of Iliad and Adil together, but for a middle grade book, it was very enjoyable.

Our main character, Illiad (can I just say how much I love that name?) is honestly the perfect mc for this book. She almost floats through the world, gathering words and books along the way. She is self confident, she knows her own power and I loved that. So many books have heroines learning about their power but Illiad already knows her power and it is just what she chooses to do with it!
The world of being a snatchwords (someone who can read words and they come to life in illusions) set against a truly historical (but with flying deer!) fantasy set in France with lots of true classics mentioned was just so good. I – the world is incredible so complex but then so graspable from page one because we understand the societal undercurrents of power.
It almost reads as a ‘if the French Revolution hadn’t be necessary’ narrative which I loved exploring and this is definitely an unexpected find – that should be all over Bookstagram, it is gorgeous – and it is just gorgeous.

Illiad is known as a wordsnatcher. She is able to bring words to life for those who listen to her stories. Her talent brings her to the court of the Queen, so she may also enjoy this art as well. But, at the castle, there is a hand waiting to marry Illiad. Will she like her suitor or not? Will she end marrying him or not?

Although I found the writing a little awkward at times (not sure if that's a product of the English translation or not), but the story was delightful. I would definitely read more by this author.

I finished this book in less that 24 hours, initially the first few chapters are hard to get into but after that the book is addictive!

I loved the idea of a Snatchwords (and let's be honest most of us would love to be one!). The romance did feel a little rushed at times but they are very sweet and I enjoyed this book a lot.

First of all, many thanks to Netgalley for the ARC grante to me. Altough this book hasn't got my entire enthusiasm as much as I thought It would, I could be entertained by its narrative.

4/5⭐

Short and quick read. Really cute and cozy story.

I loved the idea of the illusions.

The characters acted and felt like real people and were interesting.

The book leaves you wanting more.

I definitely recommend it.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It had an original universe, a likable plot, interesting characters, and funny and original writing, but it was too fast for me, and I wasn't really hooked. I couldn't say why. It was a nice novel, but just not for me.
Thank you NetGally

The Storyteller's Tale is a beautiful story of adventure, misconception, and love where you least expect it. I requested this book from NetGalley based on the whimsical cover, lovely description, and intriguing magic system. It did not disappoint.

In our story, sweet librarian Iliad, who is grieving a broken engagement, is met with a mysterious summons to the capital. She is to become the Queen's Storyteller, as she has a very special gift of magic - that of bringing words to life in the air. Included in the summons is a strange proposal from a member of the royal family - to be married in 3 months' time, but to keep it all secret. Chaperoned by her fiery (literally) grandmother, Iliad sets off on an adventure far more grand, more beautiful - and dangerous - than she ever expected. This a beautiful read suitable for mature middle grade and up, with some parental guidance encouraged (see CW below). Highly recommend!

There were places where the pacing felt a little off - moreso in reflection after finishing than during the story itself. This may have been due to the book being a translation, which I was not aware of prior to beginning. It did not, however, detract from the story itself. The world building was lovely - I just wanted more! I would love to see more books in this series and see it expanded!

World Building: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Character Development: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Predictability (lack of): ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pacing: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🥛 - very mild (0.25 🌶️)
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
TW/CW: Death, murder, suicide (off page and historical, though cause of death is discussed), a scene where a man grabs and kisses an unwilling woman without her consent, some bullying

Overall well written and entertaining. The world building is nice, and the characters are interesting.