The Tree House By Tessy Braun

May 27, 2023

Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Fantasy

Caz is treating Kenny to a long weekend away, a Belated break within the Wiltshire countryside, as a Belated 40th Birthday gift complete with cake.  Unusually, her choice of location is a treehouse in a clearance next to woods. They arrive, tired from their trek, as cars are not permitted as part of an 'off grid' experience free of all mod cons. While Kenny naps in the Treehouse, Caz goes to make use of the facilities, amongst them a very rudimentary shower  Whilst lathering her hair, she hears singing, followed by a low growling. She hurriedly rinses, dries, dresses & climbs up to their naturists retreat, planning to ask her boyfriend if he too heard the mysterious sounds....but, he isn't there....

Whilst I was looking for something to read  wanting to work my way through the online authors that I had had contact with & find one who wrote in a Genre I like, I came across Tessy who I'd had contact with but wasn't sure about her type of books. I was aware of her interest in the Tudors & her travel books, but I wasn't sure if her books would be for me. I browsed the titles & settled on The Treehouse. Now, I do judge a book by its cover & decided that this looked Intriguing. The little that I could read on Amazon & Kindle seemed like Contemporary Fiction which is my thing so didn't put me off. For the most part, the narrative is Contemporary Fiction. I enjoyed this part of the story. The strange noises that the author described built the suspense & made me want to read on, as did the tale they were told in the pub about a previous holiday maker staying at the Tree House. The characters were believable & even enviable as they were young with a life plan & in a very solid relationship, or so we are lead to believe. I wasn't so sure by the end. Then, Caz ventured into the woods with her woodland nymph. It was at this point that the Fanasy element to the fable, well & truly kicked in. I've never been a great lover of Fantasy, Science Fiction or anything else that can't really happen....but then again, who am I to say what's true & what's not. I didn't lose interest & continued to read until the end but felt slightly like a 5 year old reading a fairy tale, & I never really 'got' those. Let me be clear, that it is my lack of imagination, not the fault of the author. Indeed, she has one hell of an imagination & any Fantasy readers will love this. It however, was a bit lost on me & only served to confirm that I am strictly a Contemporary Fiction girl, as bland as that may be. I also definitely prefer lengthy Fictional Novels & not short fantastical tales. It is a curse to like an author but not be tuned into their work. Sorry Tessy! Xx