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Thread Traveller
⭐ Named one of Kirkus Reviews' Best Indie Books of 2025
"A strong debut with compelling characters that passionately advocates for community, nature, and found family." — Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)
What if abandoning your family was the only way to save them?
August Monk awakens naked in a field of pulsing red mushrooms, her feet tingling with voices she shouldn't be able to hear. One moment she was touring Britain's oldest brewery—the next, she's in a medieval world where women brew beer, commune with sentient fungal networks, and harbor dangerous secrets.
Taken in by Margaret, a midwife protecting forbidden feminine wisdom from a zealous priest, August discovers magic in the kind of slowness she's spent forty-seven years running from. Her marriage is fracturing. Her company is failing. Her body is changing in ways she can't control. But here, grounded by mushroom networks that whisper of balance and rebirth, she's finally standing still.
When religious persecution threatens to destroy Margaret's community—and the ancient knowledge they protect—August faces an impossible fight for her found family or find her way home.
For readers who loved The Midnight Library and Circe—a luminous debut about parallel realities, midlife awakening, and the courage it takes to choose yourself.
"A strong debut with compelling characters that passionately advocates for community, nature, and found family." — Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)
What if abandoning your family was the only way to save them?
August Monk awakens naked in a field of pulsing red mushrooms, her feet tingling with voices she shouldn't be able to hear. One moment she was touring Britain's oldest brewery—the next, she's in a medieval world where women brew beer, commune with sentient fungal networks, and harbor dangerous secrets.
Taken in by Margaret, a midwife protecting forbidden feminine wisdom from a zealous priest, August discovers magic in the kind of slowness she's spent forty-seven years running from. Her marriage is fracturing. Her company is failing. Her body is changing in ways she can't control. But here, grounded by mushroom networks that whisper of balance and rebirth, she's finally standing still.
When religious persecution threatens to destroy Margaret's community—and the ancient knowledge they protect—August faces an impossible fight for her found family or find her way home.
For readers who loved The Midnight Library and Circe—a luminous debut about parallel realities, midlife awakening, and the courage it takes to choose yourself.
202 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 14, 2025
6 people are currently reading
1609 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
July 27, 2025
This book was super fun! Through Youens' writing, we get transported into a world full of mycelium, nature, and a fanatical purity religion. There are so many fun dynamics between the characters in both worlds that I look forward to learning more about in the sequel.
The only thing keeping this from five stars for me is that the plot pacing was sometimes a bit clunky.
Overall, this is a must-read from this debut author!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The only thing keeping this from five stars for me is that the plot pacing was sometimes a bit clunky.
Overall, this is a must-read from this debut author!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 6, 2025
This was brilliant! I have not read this writer's work before but I will be sure to look for them in the future. A really well written story, I loved it from the first chapter. A really great idea, with interesting characters & situations. It has good energy & some adventure, so it hits all of the marks for me! A really great read which I do recommend!
August 18, 2025
A truly imaginative world wrapped in a great story! Very original with the woven aspects of perimenopause.
The story is tightly written and makes me think about change, resilience of ourselves and ones around us, and how we can rediscover and reinvent ourselves when taken out of our comfort zone (good or bad). Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks and be "reborn" to a new version of yourself at a different stage in life? Throwing caution to the wind is not something that I am used to!
The author's imagination, breadth of knowledge and heart shines through every chapter.
The story is tightly written and makes me think about change, resilience of ourselves and ones around us, and how we can rediscover and reinvent ourselves when taken out of our comfort zone (good or bad). Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks and be "reborn" to a new version of yourself at a different stage in life? Throwing caution to the wind is not something that I am used to!
The author's imagination, breadth of knowledge and heart shines through every chapter.
July 29, 2025
Loved the premis, as a menopausal woman the first chapter made me laugh in a recognition. There is not much focus on this in the book but it definitely made me feel interested. Protagonist is a stressed woman struggling to cope with business problems and marriage problems with the risk of loosing her home. She finds herself in, what she comes to believe, an alternative universe where she is supported by a kindly person and their cat. I enjoyed the book and at times I found it very sad.
The book is well written and felt inclusive. I read the end in the middle, as I do when I desperately need to know if it works out ok in the middle of the book. I initially didn’t really like August, the protagonist, I don’t know why but I warmed to her over the book, at times I wondered if it’s because like her I have a constant list going on in my head! I absolutely loved another character from the start, Margaret, and I think they made me absolutely fly through the book and really enjoy it.
The writing felt very vivid and world building, at times it felt like I was watching a film and I love that in a book. At times it felt a bit like I was in a land from a Disney park, I’m not sure why I felt like that but it didn’t distract from the story. Think this ended about half way through and I’m thinking I wouldn’t feel it on a re read.
I did care about the characters and the threat to them felt very real. Once I reached half way I just couldn’t stop reading. There was a devastating part that I skimmed as I just didn’t have the guts to read word for word, I read enough to see it wasn’t graphic but it just felt too tragic for me to read, I think most people would be fine with it and I think it showed how much the author made me love the characters.
There is a reveal towards the middle that I think is strongly foretold. I thought it was very well handled and actually very pertinent. I’m not going to mention what it is as I think it’s a significant spoiler. I might change my mind later if I see other people are more open about it or of the publicity hints at it. I do think it endeared the book to me even more and I think it shows a confidence and integrity of the author and makes me want to read the next book and any other books she writes.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The book is well written and felt inclusive. I read the end in the middle, as I do when I desperately need to know if it works out ok in the middle of the book. I initially didn’t really like August, the protagonist, I don’t know why but I warmed to her over the book, at times I wondered if it’s because like her I have a constant list going on in my head! I absolutely loved another character from the start, Margaret, and I think they made me absolutely fly through the book and really enjoy it.
The writing felt very vivid and world building, at times it felt like I was watching a film and I love that in a book. At times it felt a bit like I was in a land from a Disney park, I’m not sure why I felt like that but it didn’t distract from the story. Think this ended about half way through and I’m thinking I wouldn’t feel it on a re read.
I did care about the characters and the threat to them felt very real. Once I reached half way I just couldn’t stop reading. There was a devastating part that I skimmed as I just didn’t have the guts to read word for word, I read enough to see it wasn’t graphic but it just felt too tragic for me to read, I think most people would be fine with it and I think it showed how much the author made me love the characters.
There is a reveal towards the middle that I think is strongly foretold. I thought it was very well handled and actually very pertinent. I’m not going to mention what it is as I think it’s a significant spoiler. I might change my mind later if I see other people are more open about it or of the publicity hints at it. I do think it endeared the book to me even more and I think it shows a confidence and integrity of the author and makes me want to read the next book and any other books she writes.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 25, 2025
true rating: 3.5
This was an ARC from Booksirens.
This premise grabbed me: perimenopause as a literal superpower for time travel, woven with an eco-feminist thread about the interconnected networks of animals, tree fungi, and women. I loved those ideas and the mood—earthy, uncanny, and quietly powerful. The feminist lens (how healers/midwives get labeled “witches”) really worked for me, and several images will stick with me long after finishing.
Emotionally, I was engaged more by the concepts than the characters. A few chapters left me disoriented, and the momentum dipped in places; I liked the story, but I didn’t love it, and it’s not one I’d reread. Still, it’s thought-provoking and I’m glad I read it.
This was an ARC from Booksirens.
This premise grabbed me: perimenopause as a literal superpower for time travel, woven with an eco-feminist thread about the interconnected networks of animals, tree fungi, and women. I loved those ideas and the mood—earthy, uncanny, and quietly powerful. The feminist lens (how healers/midwives get labeled “witches”) really worked for me, and several images will stick with me long after finishing.
Emotionally, I was engaged more by the concepts than the characters. A few chapters left me disoriented, and the momentum dipped in places; I liked the story, but I didn’t love it, and it’s not one I’d reread. Still, it’s thought-provoking and I’m glad I read it.
September 29, 2025
‘The gloomy honey fungus can live up to 2,400 years, can reach a size of 890 ha underground, making it the largest and longest-lived organism on earth.’
=+-+ =
Down the Rabbit Hole…
It was the cover that won me over. However, the writing process actually consists of editing and providing your readers with a well-constructed plot, which is something the author still needs to learn. Okay, I admit that I found the lists, the brain fog and the hot flushes funny. I have experienced this myself and could empathise with August and her issues with her husband, whom she no longer understood. I am 56 and now happily post-menopausal. At 45, I divorced my husband because we had become two different people. He accused me of having turned into an angry and fiercely independent /wif/ and well, he just annoyed me so much that sometimes I wanted to set the house on fire with him in it, just to get him to stop nagging. lol. Think The Wicker Man and you get the picture lol :)
Back to the book: August (what does a name say, eh?) ends up in another world, reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland (complete with cat). At first, I found this allegory about transformation, matriachal structures within the prevailing patriachal society, - entertaining; so far, so good. The focus on mycelium and mushrooms and how our language influences the way we think about reality and see the world reminded me a little of the novel Amatka.
In my opinion, the story quickly loses focus soon after and derails because the writer brings too much to the table, oscillating from the Handmaids to Dante's Beatrice, to Walpurgis Night and Beltane, yet bringing my “Tess” (Hardy) into this discussion was a bit too much for my liking. (I hold a degree in English literature).
During my studies, I dabbled a bit in Wicca, and although I welcome spiritual awakening, paganism, religion, folklore, fertility and gender diversity, adding all sorts of things to the mix dilutes the message.
Even Dr Who and his TARDIS make an appearance. I lost interest in the story at 75% because it didn't resonate with me, and the ending was a bit too predictable. I would like to read part two, but I advise you to stick to “less is more” and not to add the entire Wikipedia to your story.
Thank you BookSirens for the review copy. 🌷 looking forward to the second book.
3.5 stars.
=+-+ =
Down the Rabbit Hole…
It was the cover that won me over. However, the writing process actually consists of editing and providing your readers with a well-constructed plot, which is something the author still needs to learn. Okay, I admit that I found the lists, the brain fog and the hot flushes funny. I have experienced this myself and could empathise with August and her issues with her husband, whom she no longer understood. I am 56 and now happily post-menopausal. At 45, I divorced my husband because we had become two different people. He accused me of having turned into an angry and fiercely independent /wif/ and well, he just annoyed me so much that sometimes I wanted to set the house on fire with him in it, just to get him to stop nagging. lol. Think The Wicker Man and you get the picture lol :)
Back to the book: August (what does a name say, eh?) ends up in another world, reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland (complete with cat). At first, I found this allegory about transformation, matriachal structures within the prevailing patriachal society, - entertaining; so far, so good. The focus on mycelium and mushrooms and how our language influences the way we think about reality and see the world reminded me a little of the novel Amatka.
In my opinion, the story quickly loses focus soon after and derails because the writer brings too much to the table, oscillating from the Handmaids to Dante's Beatrice, to Walpurgis Night and Beltane, yet bringing my “Tess” (Hardy) into this discussion was a bit too much for my liking. (I hold a degree in English literature).
During my studies, I dabbled a bit in Wicca, and although I welcome spiritual awakening, paganism, religion, folklore, fertility and gender diversity, adding all sorts of things to the mix dilutes the message.
Even Dr Who and his TARDIS make an appearance. I lost interest in the story at 75% because it didn't resonate with me, and the ending was a bit too predictable. I would like to read part two, but I advise you to stick to “less is more” and not to add the entire Wikipedia to your story.
Thank you BookSirens for the review copy. 🌷 looking forward to the second book.
3.5 stars.
September 9, 2025
This book takes classic themes and characters but rotates, flips, and turns the story in unexpected and new directions. I couldn’t stop reading it and am so excited for the sequel! It’s a great read for all the witchy sci fi folks out there!!
August 14, 2025
Annabel's Thread Traveller offers us hope and respite from the dumpster fire of post pandemic career change, relationship resets and geo-politics gone bonkers. Holding up a mirror to today's re-emergent dark-age zeitgeist, she left me optimistic, like sunshine on a sports field of happy kids, and looking forward to our next trip - pun intended!
August 14, 2025
This is a page turner! Thread Traveller cleverly mixed topics like beer, fungi, magic, herbal medicine, midlife struggles, women supporting women and gender in a truly unique way.
With beautiful prose and a twisting plot, this book will hopefully entertain you as much as it did me.
With beautiful prose and a twisting plot, this book will hopefully entertain you as much as it did me.
September 6, 2025
What a debut novel by my big sister! A worlds-spanning journey of a dedicated mother & partner that takes the reader through not just two different universes, but the explorations of self-identity, connection, perimenopause, feminism, intersexuality, religion, persecution, and of course, beer!
I’d like to say more, but don’t want to spoil it for anyone. :)
I’d like to say more, but don’t want to spoil it for anyone. :)
Read
August 14, 2025With great world building and characters who I invested in, this book kept me gripped from the beginning to the end. I can't wait to find out how the story plays out in the rest of the series.
August 3, 2025
I really enjoyed getting into this alternate world with August, it had that fantasy element that I was wanting. I was engaged with not only August but the rest of the characters in this world. It had a unique story that I was invested in and how it uses the elements of both worlds in a strong way. I enjoyed getting to read this and enjoyed how Annabel Youens wrote this, it was so well written and am excited for more.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 11, 2025
Annabel has crafted a visual symphony that we can see, feel, hear and taste. This is an absolutely magical read that takes you outside of reality to a place of wonder.
November 26, 2025
Kirkus Reviews has a reputation for being notoriously honest and hard-edged when reviewing fiction. So, when I saw that Anabel Youens had received a coveted Kirkus "starred review" for her debut novel, Thread Traveller, I had to buy a copy.
In addition to the coveted gold star, the novel's synopsis caught my interest:
"At 47, tech entrepreneur August's life is unravelling. On a desperate family holiday in England, a sip of ancient beer transports her to an alternate reality..."
I love alternative reality stories.
This alternative realm is much like life in 1800 England except for a few key changes, including an oppressive theocracy obsessed with "purification" and an awful lot of giant mushrooms used for everything from building homes to making waterproof boots.
Based on the author's admitted fondness for the works of Douglas Adams, I was expecting plenty of towel jokes. The novel, however, contains little humour. It is rather a serious fantasy about oppression, community and... perimenopause.
The perimenopausal part almost lost me in the opening chapters. The protagonist, for the first 50 pages or so, is a rather unpleasant person to be around. She makes a wasp look Zen. August's incessant irritation could have been balanced with some of that Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy humour to make the first couple of chapters more palatable. Instead, it was only the promise that this cursing machine would soon be transported to an alternative reality that kept changing pages.
Waking up naked in a strange new world has a humbling effect upon the character. From that point on she becomes more enjoyable to spend time with. August befriends a local healer who suffers from a hidden birth defect that would have her burned at the stake if the religious hierarchy ever discovers it. August's struggle to find a way back home to her daughter (she doesn't care much for her husband) becomes interwoven with her efforts to help the local community oppose the oppressive clergy.
My biggest complaint was that the book wasn't long enough, and hence the story was not deep enough. Indeed, three years of the story are almost entirely omitted. Some of the side characters could easily have had a larger role. August's interaction with the community could have been played out more. There could have been more exploration of the religious organization ruling over them.
Whatever the story may have lacked in depth of storytelling, it made up for it in quality of writing. Except for a few odd metaphors that smelled of AI editorial suggestions (e.g. "The thick coverings trapped Margaret's feet like shackles.") Youens has a gift for clear and engaging prose.
That said, August's role in the story feels a bit passive, as things mainly happen to her and others in the story. The conclusion, in particular, was a bit disappointing as her predicament seems to be resolved magically without any direct effort. The ending was only saved by the cliffhanger and the promise of what is expected in part two.
All in all, a good story, that probably could have been unforgettable with more chapters, more depth and a more complex plot.
Of course, I may just not be the right audience for it. The focus on a perimenopausal woman discovering a matriarchal connection to the earth while opposing a patriarchal religion isn't exactly the type of novel I gravitate to.
The resulting story feels a little like Groundhog Day with perimenopausal version of Bill Murray being whizzed away into a Doctor Whoish style story and dropped into a Outlander-like world in the middle of a Wiccan drum circle.
As the novel's starred Kirkus Review says, it is "a strong debut with compelling characters." Thread Traveller is short, but with future instalments, the story may not feel so incomplete. Either way, it's a fun escape into a reality not too much unlike our own, where "fungi, family, and fierce women collide."
In addition to the coveted gold star, the novel's synopsis caught my interest:
"At 47, tech entrepreneur August's life is unravelling. On a desperate family holiday in England, a sip of ancient beer transports her to an alternate reality..."
I love alternative reality stories.
This alternative realm is much like life in 1800 England except for a few key changes, including an oppressive theocracy obsessed with "purification" and an awful lot of giant mushrooms used for everything from building homes to making waterproof boots.
Based on the author's admitted fondness for the works of Douglas Adams, I was expecting plenty of towel jokes. The novel, however, contains little humour. It is rather a serious fantasy about oppression, community and... perimenopause.
The perimenopausal part almost lost me in the opening chapters. The protagonist, for the first 50 pages or so, is a rather unpleasant person to be around. She makes a wasp look Zen. August's incessant irritation could have been balanced with some of that Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy humour to make the first couple of chapters more palatable. Instead, it was only the promise that this cursing machine would soon be transported to an alternative reality that kept changing pages.
Waking up naked in a strange new world has a humbling effect upon the character. From that point on she becomes more enjoyable to spend time with. August befriends a local healer who suffers from a hidden birth defect that would have her burned at the stake if the religious hierarchy ever discovers it. August's struggle to find a way back home to her daughter (she doesn't care much for her husband) becomes interwoven with her efforts to help the local community oppose the oppressive clergy.
My biggest complaint was that the book wasn't long enough, and hence the story was not deep enough. Indeed, three years of the story are almost entirely omitted. Some of the side characters could easily have had a larger role. August's interaction with the community could have been played out more. There could have been more exploration of the religious organization ruling over them.
Whatever the story may have lacked in depth of storytelling, it made up for it in quality of writing. Except for a few odd metaphors that smelled of AI editorial suggestions (e.g. "The thick coverings trapped Margaret's feet like shackles.") Youens has a gift for clear and engaging prose.
That said, August's role in the story feels a bit passive, as things mainly happen to her and others in the story. The conclusion, in particular, was a bit disappointing as her predicament seems to be resolved magically without any direct effort. The ending was only saved by the cliffhanger and the promise of what is expected in part two.
All in all, a good story, that probably could have been unforgettable with more chapters, more depth and a more complex plot.
Of course, I may just not be the right audience for it. The focus on a perimenopausal woman discovering a matriarchal connection to the earth while opposing a patriarchal religion isn't exactly the type of novel I gravitate to.
The resulting story feels a little like Groundhog Day with perimenopausal version of Bill Murray being whizzed away into a Doctor Whoish style story and dropped into a Outlander-like world in the middle of a Wiccan drum circle.
As the novel's starred Kirkus Review says, it is "a strong debut with compelling characters." Thread Traveller is short, but with future instalments, the story may not feel so incomplete. Either way, it's a fun escape into a reality not too much unlike our own, where "fungi, family, and fierce women collide."
January 12, 2026
⭐⭐⭐✨ 3.5 stars
In Thread Traveller by Annabel Youens, I experienced a story where multiple perspectives gently weave into one. Going in without expectations, I found a path between emotional realism and speculative fantasy.
The main character, August, faces the struggles many mothers face today - juggling work, family, identity, and pressure, in an unexpectedly myth-rich world connected deep to nature and the Mother Land beneath it.
This book is more than time travel; it's a spiritual and emotional journey that explores complex themes around identity, biology, and belief systems. While some aspects may feel challenging at first, the story ultimately leans towards awareness, healing, and understanding rather than negativity. For some people, this may be challenging, but I believe that is the point of this book. The author wants everyone to know that life is beautiful and deserves to be treasured, no matter what. You're not supposed to understand or know everything, but just live and love.
Her prose writing brings the magical elements to life, especially through word-building centered on fungi and restoration. Though I wish for a stronger emotional pull through the middle of the book, the beginning and the ending deeply resonated with me.
Overall, Thread Traveller is a thoughtful and reflective read that will connect with readers in different ways.
Audio - The audiobook is beautiful. The accents and clarity of the voices, you can tell each character by the tone. I cannot rave more about how well the audio has turned out. The one thing I loved most was getting to know the author in the end and hearing her voice narrate.
In Thread Traveller by Annabel Youens, I experienced a story where multiple perspectives gently weave into one. Going in without expectations, I found a path between emotional realism and speculative fantasy.
The main character, August, faces the struggles many mothers face today - juggling work, family, identity, and pressure, in an unexpectedly myth-rich world connected deep to nature and the Mother Land beneath it.
This book is more than time travel; it's a spiritual and emotional journey that explores complex themes around identity, biology, and belief systems. While some aspects may feel challenging at first, the story ultimately leans towards awareness, healing, and understanding rather than negativity. For some people, this may be challenging, but I believe that is the point of this book. The author wants everyone to know that life is beautiful and deserves to be treasured, no matter what. You're not supposed to understand or know everything, but just live and love.
Her prose writing brings the magical elements to life, especially through word-building centered on fungi and restoration. Though I wish for a stronger emotional pull through the middle of the book, the beginning and the ending deeply resonated with me.
Overall, Thread Traveller is a thoughtful and reflective read that will connect with readers in different ways.
Audio - The audiobook is beautiful. The accents and clarity of the voices, you can tell each character by the tone. I cannot rave more about how well the audio has turned out. The one thing I loved most was getting to know the author in the end and hearing her voice narrate.
January 12, 2026
⭐⭐⭐✨ 3.5 stars
In Thread Traveller by Annabel Youens, I experienced a story where multiple perspectives gently weave into one. Going in without expectations, I found a path between emotional realism and speculative fantasy.
The main character, August, faces the struggles many mothers face today - juggling work, family, identity, and pressure, in an unexpectedly myth-rich world connected deep to nature and the Mother Land beneath it.
This book is more than time travel; it's a spiritual and emotional journey that explores complex themes around identity, biology, and belief systems. While some aspects may feel challenging at first, the story ultimately leans towards awareness, healing, and understanding rather than negativity. For some people, this may be challenging, but I believe that is the point of this book. The author wants everyone to know that life is beautiful and deserves to be treasured, no matter what. You're not supposed to understand or know everything, but just live and love.
Her prose writing brings the magical elements to life, especially through word-building centered on fungi and restoration. Though I wish for a stronger emotional pull through the middle of the book, the beginning and the ending deeply resonated with me.
Overall, Thread Traveller is a thoughtful and reflective read that will connect with readers in different ways.
Audio - The audiobook is beautiful. The accents and clarity of the voices, you can tell each character by the tone. I cannot rave more about how well the audio has turned out. The one thing I loved most was getting to know the author in the end and hearing her voice narrate.
In Thread Traveller by Annabel Youens, I experienced a story where multiple perspectives gently weave into one. Going in without expectations, I found a path between emotional realism and speculative fantasy.
The main character, August, faces the struggles many mothers face today - juggling work, family, identity, and pressure, in an unexpectedly myth-rich world connected deep to nature and the Mother Land beneath it.
This book is more than time travel; it's a spiritual and emotional journey that explores complex themes around identity, biology, and belief systems. While some aspects may feel challenging at first, the story ultimately leans towards awareness, healing, and understanding rather than negativity. For some people, this may be challenging, but I believe that is the point of this book. The author wants everyone to know that life is beautiful and deserves to be treasured, no matter what. You're not supposed to understand or know everything, but just live and love.
Her prose writing brings the magical elements to life, especially through word-building centered on fungi and restoration. Though I wish for a stronger emotional pull through the middle of the book, the beginning and the ending deeply resonated with me.
Overall, Thread Traveller is a thoughtful and reflective read that will connect with readers in different ways.
Audio - The audiobook is beautiful. The accents and clarity of the voices, you can tell each character by the tone. I cannot rave more about how well the audio has turned out. The one thing I loved most was getting to know the author in the end and hearing her voice narrate.
December 9, 2025
Thread Traveller is about a woman named August. August is married to Andrew and together they have a daughter named Ripley. August is peri menopausal and in the middle of a mid-life crisis. Her marriage is on the rocks and they are in the middle of selling the company they built together, unable to pay their employees anymore and possibly on the verge of losing their house.Amidst all this she plans a family vacation in which she finds herself going back in time. She wakes up and finds herself lost only to find comfort through a woman named Margaret. She learns a lot from Margret and about herself. Thread Traveller is a book which shows us the power of women.The power they hold when they come together to preserve nature and pass down generations of traditional medicine that benefits the community. TT's major themes are re-invention, self love, individuality, community, escapism and mysogyny.I enjoyed reading the book as it is a very relatable book to many women right now going through divorce and learning to re-invent themselves post divorce.I highly recommend taking a gander.
August 8, 2025
August finds herself transported to another world. She searches for a way home, desperate to get back to her daughter. She meets Margaret, a wise woman, who takes her in. Through Margaret she learns about this new world and herself.
The magic in this world is through connection to nature: the earth, the animals and each other. But a new religious order is denouncing anything they decide is not pure. Margaret and other wise women must hide their knowledge to avoid being purified.
Thread Traveller is an engaging and thoughtful fantasy story. I would recommend it to anyone that likes fantasy or women centred stories.
The magic in this world is through connection to nature: the earth, the animals and each other. But a new religious order is denouncing anything they decide is not pure. Margaret and other wise women must hide their knowledge to avoid being purified.
Thread Traveller is an engaging and thoughtful fantasy story. I would recommend it to anyone that likes fantasy or women centred stories.
August 21, 2025
I fell into this book just as the main character fell into a parallel world. It was easy to get into (even for me, as someone who tends to stay away from any sort of fantasy plot), relatable (especially as a partnered mom approaching middle-age who has experienced career burnout). I loved how a reverence for nature (bugs and all) woven in throughout. What really resonated with me was how the book elevated the role and wisdom of women (in all our shapes and forms). This book is funny, accessible, poignant, and ultimately, inspiring!
August 20, 2025
What a fantastic read! The writing is engaging, vivid, and beautifully put together. The story is heartfelt and real while also being adventurous and imaginative. I especially loved August’s character and the way her story is woven across countries, time, and dimensions. The author does a wonderful job of blending emotion with fun, and I loved the story from beginning to end. Highly recommend!
August 11, 2025
Easy light read, creating an alternate universe that functions in ways that ours probably should too.
September 4, 2025
As a perimenopausal woman, a relatable read. I enjoyed discovering the alternate world alongside August and meeting the diverse group of colourful characters, even Angus.
October 11, 2025
Big shout out to Clara Whitmore by introduce this amazing to me
December 10, 2025
Thread Traveller is for lovers of magical realism, fantasy, suspense, women’s histories, and folklore. There’s a sense of both history and fairytale woven into this time-travelling tale.
The protagonist, August, is on a family vacation when a visit to a local brewery—meant simply to sample the region’s beers and momentarily escape her real-life troubles—becomes an escape to another world entirely.
The story and characters were so compelling that I read it within a very short time—I had to know how, or if, August would return home. August, is deeply relatable for women in mid-life who have lost a sense of self, or who are transitioning from one phase of life into another, unsure of how to navigate daily life or imagine who their future selves will be. Margaret is August's saviour on the other side; her story is layered and complex, and her inevitable fate makes it all the more heart breaking to witness.
Annabel’s vivid writing had me visualizing each scene as if I were watching a film painted in bold, warm colours. It’s a story rich with atmosphere, emotion, and wonder, making it perfect for anyone craving an escapist read with depth and heart.
I highly recommend this book by Annabel Youens to anyone ready to get lost in a world of magic, history, and self-discovery. I look forward to the next one.
The protagonist, August, is on a family vacation when a visit to a local brewery—meant simply to sample the region’s beers and momentarily escape her real-life troubles—becomes an escape to another world entirely.
The story and characters were so compelling that I read it within a very short time—I had to know how, or if, August would return home. August, is deeply relatable for women in mid-life who have lost a sense of self, or who are transitioning from one phase of life into another, unsure of how to navigate daily life or imagine who their future selves will be. Margaret is August's saviour on the other side; her story is layered and complex, and her inevitable fate makes it all the more heart breaking to witness.
Annabel’s vivid writing had me visualizing each scene as if I were watching a film painted in bold, warm colours. It’s a story rich with atmosphere, emotion, and wonder, making it perfect for anyone craving an escapist read with depth and heart.
I highly recommend this book by Annabel Youens to anyone ready to get lost in a world of magic, history, and self-discovery. I look forward to the next one.
October 1, 2025
Annabel Youens has created something remarkable with Thread Traveller., her debut novel.
August, a 47-year-old tech entrepreneur watching her life crumble, takes a sip of ancient beer on a desperate feeling family holiday and finds herself transported to an alternate reality where mushrooms pulse with power and women commune through the fungal network beneath their feet.
The world-building here is stunning... you can feel the earth humming with connection, smell the herbs drying, sense the magic woven through brewing and midwifery. Margaret, who takes August in, became one of those characters I'll carry with me long after closing the book. Her kindness, her secrets, her quiet strength, she's the heart of this story.
What Youens does so beautifully is weave together the deeply personal (midlife transformation, perimenopause, the constant mental lists we carry) with the mystical.
August's struggle between two families, two worlds, two versions of herself feels achingly real. There's this gorgeous thread running through about women supporting women, about persecution and courage, about choosing yourself.
The prose is vivid enough that scenes play out like film, I could almost see the fungal networks glowing, taste the beer, feel the weight of August's choices. And that Kirkus star? Completely earned.
I'm desperate for the next one. Annabel has left me with so many questions about where August's journey leads and these worlds she's built.
August, a 47-year-old tech entrepreneur watching her life crumble, takes a sip of ancient beer on a desperate feeling family holiday and finds herself transported to an alternate reality where mushrooms pulse with power and women commune through the fungal network beneath their feet.
The world-building here is stunning... you can feel the earth humming with connection, smell the herbs drying, sense the magic woven through brewing and midwifery. Margaret, who takes August in, became one of those characters I'll carry with me long after closing the book. Her kindness, her secrets, her quiet strength, she's the heart of this story.
What Youens does so beautifully is weave together the deeply personal (midlife transformation, perimenopause, the constant mental lists we carry) with the mystical.
August's struggle between two families, two worlds, two versions of herself feels achingly real. There's this gorgeous thread running through about women supporting women, about persecution and courage, about choosing yourself.
The prose is vivid enough that scenes play out like film, I could almost see the fungal networks glowing, taste the beer, feel the weight of August's choices. And that Kirkus star? Completely earned.
I'm desperate for the next one. Annabel has left me with so many questions about where August's journey leads and these worlds she's built.
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