A Neophyte's Tale

***Gifted via NetGalley for an honest review***Additional note #3.5 stars out of 5 - this means I liked it and would recommend it. I have put it at 4 stars on NG as they see 3 stars as a Maybe and I would recommend this short story - but that with it being free on most sites - search for the best price. - KatI was looking for something different to read and review for my blog, when I stumbled across this short story, a prequel for the Netherwalker Series. [b:Cloak of Shadows|24699225|Cloak of Shadows (The Netherwalker Series Book 1)|C.K. Dawn|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1431130434s/24699225.jpg|42233214]which I #OneClicked after reading [b:A Neophyte's Tale, An Abbey Thorne Short Story|25442359|A Neophyte's Tale, An Abbey Thorne Short Story (Prequel to The Netherwalker Series)|C.K. Dawn|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1430202711s/25442359.jpg|45205868]@99c I was more than willing to buy it from the taste I got from reading this taster. So I have scheduled in the first book in the Netherwalker series to be read for the blog in September (I have a waiting list) and will be keeping my eye out on [a:C.K. Dawn|8382362|C.K. Dawn|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1410395201p2/8382362.jpg]for other books in the series. This Short Story is free on Smashwords and Barnes & Noble but not on all Amazon sites (it may be for some but for me in Australia its 99c which when I got the novel for that price I would rather search for where it is free to read.) So if you are a fan of Urban fantasy/Paranormal reads I would click on either of the above links or search for this book on your preferred book site and read it yourself, I am sure you will be buying [b:Cloak of Shadows|24699225|Cloak of Shadows (The Netherwalker Series Book 1)|C.K. Dawn|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1431130434s/24699225.jpg|42233214]straight after it, like I did.I love YA books that have a Paranormal theme but that the author brings something new to the page, and [a:C.K. Dawn|8382362|C.K. Dawn|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1410395201p2/8382362.jpg] has done that with this prequel.Abigail Thorne lives (well survives) with her delinquent mother, who is more interested in where her next fix is coming from than whether Abbey has a bed to sleep in or something to eat!Abbey hears voices... well not voices per se, but rather one word, but when she hears this word she feels the need to investigate it, she knows that there is more out there in the world, but is not sure she wants to find out just yet.But when her mother has been gone for longer than she normally is, Abbey has a bad feeling and goes in search for her, what she finds is not unexpected, but its what is also there/not there that has her running.Abbey's gift will no doubt grow in the next book, her 'word' is still a mystery, and I was intrigued know why there was only one word, and why the people watching her allowed her to live in such squalor. World-building is good for a short story, you get the feel of the squalor that Abbey has grown up in, of Abbey's only joy being watching Bernie the neighbour's TV who feeds the stray cat.In a short story you can't really get that much of a feel for the depth of characters, but the author did a good job as I was engaged and I want to know more, and the short story did its job well as I did buy the next book.I look forward to seeing the characters and the story continue to develop in the novel [b:Cloak of Shadows|24699225|Cloak of Shadows (The Netherwalker Series Book 1)|C.K. Dawn|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1431130434s/24699225.jpg|42233214]