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P.A. Mason
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The Damsel Gauntlet: A hilarious high fantasy witch series (Gretchen's (Mis) Adventures - Season One Book 1) Kindle Edition

by P.A. Mason (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 134 ratings
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Being a hero isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. But this witch for hire is prepared to get her hands dirty...even if she won’t get any of the credit.

Hauled to the palace in secrecy by the city guards, Gretchen is handed a commission by the King himself. The offer is too good to refuse, but when she’s locked in a dungeon with bickering goblins and a smug dragon, the proposition starts looking shady.

A damsel is in distress. A prince is on his way. All is not as it seems.

Living from hand to mouth, Gretchen pushes aside her reservations to keep her eyes on the prize; the King’s coin. To earn it, will she be willing to take the dragon by the horns? When a ‘happily ever after’ is at stake, she must paint a heroic picture for those who are watching.

Because when this fairy tale goes down in the history books, the people behind the scenes fade into obscurity… which is exactly how Gretchen wants it.

Check out these hilarious high fantasy stories each month for a new spin on a classic tale.

Categories

  • Short Reads Fantasy

  • Short Reads Humor

Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 12
    Gretchen's (Mis) Adventures - Season One
  2. Print length
    97 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    May 5, 2020
  6. File size
    491 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"What a creative, inventive twist on the traditional fairy tale! I love the character Gretchen." - CJ Skye, Editor.

"A charming tale of dry humor and working-class magic." - Mike Wallace.
'This is the first episode in a humorous fantasy series launching next month, and I'm delighted to report that it's every bit as much fun as it sounds. I truly love the character of Gretchen, who is inept at spells and potions, but not by any means naive or stupid. The secondary characters are fun, too, and P.A Mason takes the idea of a fairy tale retelling and runs with it in an original and engaging way.

This story reminded me irresistibly of Terry Pratchett's Discworld Witch books. The feel and the humour are delightfully similar, and while I would argue that no one can truly touch Pratchett when it comes to humorous fantasy, Gretchen can hold her head up high as a more than worthy addition to the genre. I literally giggled aloud more than once, and this is very unusual for me.

I want to read all of Gretchen's forthcoming misadventures, and it's worth noting that there are lots of fun extras on the website gretchensmisadventures.com including examples of Gretchen's execrable poetry, follow-up stories to the main episodes, and articles about the Gretchenverse.' - Lyn Webster, Two Books Blog

From the Author


Gretchen's (Mis)Adventures is a monthly sitcom-style series of novelettes. Join her on wacky escapades across a realm filled with fairy tale figures and fantastical creatures. Thought you knew how those stories all ended? Think again. Everyone has their own truth and Gretchen's is more relatable than most.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B085D94JCF
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ ; 1st edition (May 5, 2020)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 5, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 491 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 97 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 134 ratings

About the author

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P.A. Mason

P.A. Mason

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Paula Mason is an author based in regional Victoria, Australia. A lover of fantastical stories and faraway places, Paula uses her creative outlet to escape from her busy day job and (even busier) family.

By day, Paula is a social worker with a deep grounding in social justice and Child Protection. She works within her local Aboriginal community and is keenly interested in the ways that culture shapes identity, resilience, and healing.

Paula’s writing explores themes of power, privilege, anger, hope, love – and witches. Lots of witches.

To connect on social media you can find Paula over at the following platforms;

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pamasonauthor

BookBub - bookbub.com/profile/p-a-mason

Goodreads - goodreads.com/author/show/20160216.P_A_Mason

You can check out Gretchen's website over at gretchensmisadventures.com

Or Paula's website at pamasonauthor.com

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
134 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

J@YD944
5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious!
Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2023
Verified Purchase
A laugh out loud story about a down & out witch who hires herself out for “odd” jobs. While hanging out at the local dive pub, she is summoned to the castle by the King & Queen. The ensuing chaos is priceless! You have to read it to believe it. 😉🤣
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Kindle Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyed
Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2020
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This was the first book of yours that I have read and enjoyed and I am looking forward to your next book.
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Kindle Customer JanR
4.0 out of 5 stars 4.7 stars for a great beginning of a charming series!
Reviewed in the United States on September 7, 2020
Verified Purchase
You will love Gretchen! Absolutely everyone will. She has a great sense of humor, and a sharp tongue for defending herself. Delightful stories and lots of free short stories to embellish the fun of the the books. The stories aren't too long or complicated, but you can't help laughing out loud! We need more of these do. Stories to make the days go faster!
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Helgaleena
5.0 out of 5 stars called by royalty!
Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2020
Verified Purchase
P A Mason's Gretchen is a protagonist we can all sympathize with, just being the best witch she can be and trying to make an honest herbal-infused living.

In this novella, a sequel to Toll Hunter: Witch for Hire and first in a Getchen-centred series, she is whisked away unexpectedly to take part in an unorthodox clandestine diplomatic operation which is supposed to result in marriage of the local Prince. No, not to Gretchen! But she saves the day when the youth gets spooked, and makes powerful friends in --literally!-- high places.
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CJBH
5.0 out of 5 stars So, this witch walks into a bar...
Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2020
Verified Purchase
This turned out to be a fun, quick little read yet packed a big wallop in fractured fairytale entertainment. I didn't know what to expect when I decided to download this little ditty from 'Kindle Unlimited' but enjoyed it enough that I'll be reading more in the series.

Thank you, Ms. Mason. You've written a clever, humorous tale complete with a kooky witch (my favorite!), aging semi-retired dragon, valor-less prince, damsel in distress among others in this crazy cast of characters. I look forward to reading more of their future misadventures!
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wls
5.0 out of 5 stars A different fairy tale retelling
Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2020
Verified Purchase
A witch for hire, Gretchen, finds herself in the middle of a fairy tale retelling in which she gets paid for her role in it. She is so funny with her crass but sassy attitude. Maybe things don't go as rehearsed but she gets the job done.
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ysing
3.0 out of 5 stars Very short book
Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2020
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Disappointingly short book, but mildly entertaining and amusing. Will probably read the next one also. Good for waiting for doctor appointment.
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Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Anything to make some coin
Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2021
Verified Purchase
Or at least almost anything. Between food, herbs, and taxes, a witch just has to have a side gig every once in a while. Enjoy!!
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Top reviews from other countries

Mike W
5.0 out of 5 stars A cheeky start to a heartwarming series.
Reviewed in Canada on September 18, 2021
Verified Purchase
Gretchen is a plucky, down-to-earth, middle-something witch who has to work herself to her elbows to pay her bills, but her crusty sense of humor and talent for improvisation in both magic and wordplay make her a relatable, charming character, and she fits in perfectly with her oddball world of magic and monsters. If you're looking for a series that appeals to working-class heroes in the face of an often regressive society, Gretchen's (Mis)Adventures are the perfect tales for you.
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Kindle Customer Baz
5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 24, 2020
Verified Purchase
A short extremely funny read following the misadventures of Gretchen our witchy heroine as she teams up with a cast of diverse characters to help a totally incompetent prince rescue a damsel in distress(not really) lots of fun,Bazl
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K.M. Allan
5.0 out of 5 stars A Fun Fairytale
Reviewed in Australia on September 17, 2020
Verified Purchase
I love fairytales that play on all the tropes in a new way and The Damsel Gauntlet does just that. Set in a fascinating world where Gretchen the witch teams up with trolls and a dragon for a challenge that will help out a prince in ways none of them expected. It’s full of colourful characters, laugh out loud moments, and is a nice, quick read that’s perfect for all ages.
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Jon Herrera
5.0 out of 5 stars Promising start to a quirky, humorous adventure
Reviewed in Canada on June 24, 2020
Verified Purchase
Delightful short read! Good for an evening of relaxation with your favourite brew.

The story takes the concept of the damsel in distress and the valiant knight on a quest to rescue her and twists it, twirls it, and flips it on its head until we get what is a funny, quirky short read with classic fantastical elements.
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Veronica Strachan
4.0 out of 5 stars A new twist on happily ever after
Reviewed in Australia on May 28, 2020
Verified Purchase
The Damsel Gauntlet by P. A. Mason is a quirky and unexpected tale, much like the main character Gretchen. If you’re looking for a light hearted fantasy, but one with plenty of detailed work building and good repartee between an eclectic cast, then this is a fabulous place to begin.
The start of a good series in the making.
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