Reviewed by Luwi Nyakansaila for Readers' Favorite

Tales of the Well by J.E. Spina is a collection of short stories centered on a magical well tucked away on a quiet farm, a place that seems calm at first glance, but it is actually haunted. Despite everyone’s warnings about how spooky the place is, an older couple buys the farmhouse, hoping for a peaceful spot to spend their retirement years. Instead, they find themselves surrounded by odd events and a voice from the shadows urging them to the well. Another family moves into the house but has a similar experience as their children get drawn to the well, while their mother is chased by ghosts and later warned to leave the farm. Years later, a girl named Jessica discovers the danger the well holds. She makes a wish, trying to protect her family from whatever evil lurks inside it. Time moves on; Jessica marries, her kids grow up, and eventually everyone else leaves. But Jessica stays. She becomes the last line of defense, the only one left to keep the darkness in the well from reaching anyone else.

Tales of the Well pulls you in from the start. It introduces readers to this old well whose origins and purpose are unknown, yet it is at the center of many family tragedies. J.E. Spina does a great job of bringing the farmhouse and its surroundings to life. You can picture it all, and suddenly, you get why people kept moving in, warnings or not. People ignore the strange stories and the disappearances because something about the place draws them in. The well sometimes brings luck. Other times, it leads people straight to disaster. Its unpredictability keeps you on edge, never quite sure what will happen next. This also gives the collection potential for spin-offs focused on the well's inhabitants. The book also covers themes of family, fairy magic, sacrifice, and the dangers of curiosity. This is a wonderful collection and an excellent choice for anyone who loves folklore and supernatural stories about ancient mysteries causing havoc in the modern day.