Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

Series: Fractured & Fabled
Author: Torina Kingsley
Released: March 30, 2021
Received: Blog Tour

Is anyone else here totally obsessed with fractured fairy tales? No? Good! The second I saw Beyond the Birch, I knew that this was a book that I had to read. Written by Torina Kingsley, this book has a stunning cover, an imaginative story, and a captivating world. What more could I possibly have asked for?

Young Macy has always dreamed of having a life full of action and adventure (feels familiar, no?). However, she was not expecting the adventure that fell upon her lap.

You see, there used to be faeries in this land, but they were banished long ago. However, some faeries are not content to remain away. More than that, one of them has found Macy to be quite the fascinating little creature.

I loved EVERYTHING about Beyond the Birch. Even the parts of the story that happen before faeries interrupt it all (hey, what can I say? I find the idea of living on a farm very endearing). A younger me would have been absolutely head over heels for this novel – I can promise you that much!

Everything about this book had so much charm. From the way Torina Kingsley described the world to the creatures within, including our leading lady. There’s a lot of personality to appreciate here, and that made it easy to stay invested in the read.

Beyond the Birch is a brilliant middle-grade novel, one that takes the life lessons known to fairy tales and turns it into something else. Those lessons are still there, but I found the whole adventure to be so much more exciting (and less horrifying – if we’re considering the origin of many of those classics).

Find it on Amazon

Eleven year old Macy dreams of action and adventure that will take her far beyond her
family’s farm. But what will happen when that adventure finds her?

Long ago, faeries were banished from the land after a legendary battle. So long ago that many
wonder if faeries really exist or if the battle was just a tall tale. But one mysterious night, Macy’s
mother is attacked, and ever since, unusual things start happening. Missing items, changing
moods, and most strange of all, the family’s sheep, Slip, takes an unnerving interest in Macy.
This feeling was deeper than her usual love and concern for animals–she [Macy] knew Slip was
acting strangely for a reason. She just needed to figure out why.

Her mother is suddenly determined to get rid of the sheep, and Macy suspects that the reason
may be sinister. When Macy meets a boy her age, the aloof and sarcastic Jay, they embark on a
journey to discover the truth and save her mother. In this twist on The Wonderful Birch, you
won’t find kings, queens, or evil stepmothers. Instead, you’ll find two courageous pre-teens from
the outskirts, ready to defend Odele from the magical forces that threaten it.

Author Torina Kingsley masterfully creates a world where things aren’t always as they seem.
Beyond the Birch is an imaginative spin on an old folktale that reminds us all to hold our loved
ones close and always believe in own our capabilities.

Meet the Author: Torina Kingsley

Torina Kingsley has always dreamed of becoming a published writer. By the time high school
came around, her mind was swirling with tales ready to be told. She finds inspiration for her
stories from viewing things from a different perspective, including her most recent book The
King’s Decree, a chapter book that is a spin on the well-known Russian folktale, The Princess
Who Never Laughed.

Kingsley believes that a great story needs to be relatable and completely captivating, that it needs
to drop the reader into a whole new world. She hopes that her young readers are made to think by
her stories. For instance, Kingsley has seen that, although very few children’s books reflect
characters afflicted with depression and anxiety, it’s something that kids and teens deal with