Shepherd tells the tale of what it's really like to be a creature created by magic, who are often found in the margins of fairy tales but never front and center. She does an excellent job creating a strange and magical world within our own and creating a brave heroine to fight for her humanity.

Grim Lovelies was hands down one of my favorite YA reads of the year. The setting and pace of the novel were spot on and it was so different from anything I've read before. The characters were a lot of fun and the world building was incredible. I could practically see Paris from my seat on the sofa.

This novel had so many wonderful qualities, but I think one of my favorites was the face that the characters were in a race against time. That aspect added even more suspense to the novel and made me keep flipping page after page. I think I said "one more chapter" about 20 times! I also really loved all of the unique characters and the personality that they brought to the novel.

All in all, Grim Lovelies was an enchanting and charming read that I would highly recommend to readers who enjoy YA fantasy. It held me captive from start to finish and I can't wait to see what Shepherd has up her sleeve for the second installment. Thank you to HMH Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for sending a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Rating 4/5

3.5⭐️
Anouk, an enchanted animal brought to life as a human 17 year old girl, is enslaved to her townhome where all she dreams of is venturing into the world of the Pretties. One night, her mistress, Mada Vittora is found murdered and Anouk is suddenly pushed into the world of her dreams, except now she’s racing against time before she is turned back into an animal and loses the life she has grown to love.

This was an extremely unique plot line unlike anything I’ve ever read before and although it hooked me from the beginning, I started to lose interest halfway through. This is definitely an adventure story that had a lot of different settings, but I felt like the settings weren’t as fleshed out as I wanted which caused me to lose some interest. One huge bonus in this story are the way the characters are written. There are quite a lot of characters and often when books have a lot of characters, I struggle keeping them apart, but I didn’t have that problem whatsoever in this story. I was able to keep them separate at all times, even after a week of putting the book down. I also absolutely loved the ending of the story and although sad, it’s a lot more realistic and empowering than traditional endings to adventure stories and it also leaves it open to a sequel.

I loved the idea! A book about the magically enhanced animals in the fairytales?! YES PLEASE. Who doesn’t love a good fairy tale? And who doesn’t want animal assistance when life gets hard. Anouk will warm your heart and make you want to give her every pair of shoes you’ve ever owned. I liked the storyline and it will definitely keep your interest. I did find the ending to be a little lackluster but maybe it’s just the lead up to the sequel.

3.5 / 5

Really enjoyed this one!

The whole premise of this book, the idea of animals who are turned into humans and then need to fight to keep their humanity, really interested me. I haven't read anything tackling this idea before so I was intrigued right off the bat. The world building was well done and definitely makes me interested in reading the next book in the series. While I thought that the main character was fairly well developed, I think that a lot of the side characters could have been expanded on (hopefully something that we will see in book 2).

All in all, an entertaining read and one that I would recommend to YA fantasy readers.

An enchanting, fast paced, dazzling read. The Grim Lovelies is the kind of book that hooks you with it's characters, lures you in with it's fantasy elements, and enchants you with it's beautiful Paris setting.

The characters in this book are not as they seem when they're first introduced in the story. There's so much to what they really are, and who they are. It wasn't hard to fall in love with each of them as the story goes on. I absolutely love the 'grim lovely' part of this story. I was intrigued by the whole enchantment of the characters who were animals, and enchanted into humans by a witch. There's a twist that's wrapped into their fate of staying human that's at the heart of this story. I wasn't hard to feel their desperation, and their wanting to stay human.

When it came to Anouk, she's the one who surprised me the most. It was so easy to love the character she becomes. She's the quiet, timid character who goes into this strong, confident character who isn't afraid to fight back. She has such a well written character journey. Hers is the kind of character arc that is believable, and down right awesome. It's so well written.

Paris is the perfect setting for this book. After reading Grim Lovelies, the city of lights seems even more magical. The vivid descriptions brought this city to life in a whole way. I felt like I was discovering the sites and sounds of Paris, it's rich history, and the food, right along side Anouk. The descriptions were richly detailed, and so vivid, it almost felt as though you could smell the rich Parisian pastries as you turn the pages.

The magic and fantasy elements were perfectly woven into this story. I absolutely loved thinking, 'what if' numerous times while reading this book. The only thing I wasn't a fan of, was the romance. It felt forced. There was absolutely no romantic chemistry between the two. I enjoyed the hints of other relationships through out this story, far more.

Overall, this story completely swept me up into all that was going on in it's enchanted world. From the desperate search, to the intense moments, the magic, the twists, and the fates of the characters. It's been awhile since I've read a magical book this well written. I loved the fairytale touches, and the magical elements. The cover did this book justice! I absolutely love it. I can not wait to read this book's sequel.

At first I was a bit unsure about Grim Lovelies. However, I soon got swept up into this wild adventure. This Cinderella retelling was so fresh and unique.It was a fantastic blend of magic, adventure, coming-of-age tale, and politics.

Anouk was a great protagonist. Her growth throughout the book felt so natural. But I wasn’t a huge fan of the romance, I think her story would have been stronger without it. The other characters were so fun to read about. There was a big cast of characters but Shephard did a great job making each one distinct. They didn’t all have huge roles in the book but I loved it when they did appear. I also would have loved to get some chapters from their points of view! But the book did work well with just Anouk as narrator.

I can’t say too much about the plot without spoilers but Grim Lovelies was an entertaining read. The pacing lagged a bit in the middle but quickly picked back up for an explosive finale. I think that the villain could have been a bit more developed. However, I’m really looking forward to the second book, it’ll be interesting to see where the story goes next.

Grim Lovelies was a fun and entertaining read. I’d recommend this one to fans of YA fantasy who enjoy unique retellings.

Anouk and her friends are all beasties created Mada Vittoria to work as servants both around the house and in magic. While Anouk is content with her life, because she has never known anything else, the others question Mad Vittoria. When Anouk finds Mada Vittoria murdered, she and the other beasties are on the run to escape being charged with her murder and to find another agreeable mistress to keep them human and stop them from reverting to their original animal forms. It is impossible to know who to trust and what is the better of all evils. The beasties must work quietly and intelligently to save themselves.
It took time for me to get into this book. The characters weren’t well developed, Anouk was very childlike, making it difficult to connect to the story.

I really enjoyed this book and the premise was interesting and new, which was great. Anouk and the rest of her companions are “beasties,” that is they’re all different kinds of animals that were turned into humans by their magical mistress, Mada Vittora. When their mistress dies, they’re forced to go out on their own to try to find out who killed her and how to remain human before her spell fades. It’s a lovely fantasy story with magic, friendship and more than one twist.

I want to go to Paris. And you will too after reading this, just saying. Anyway, this is a really enjoyable book with a really clever magic system in an amazing setting. And now I shall break it down a bit for you!

The Things I Liked:

•The characters, especially Anouk. The characters were really enjoyable- they are kind of like a family, with the same quirky relationships of a family of origin. I loved the dynamic between Anouk and Cricket (female friendships for the win!) and I loved watching the whole gang work together. Especially when they were also at each other's throats hah. But Anouk was just so very down to earth- she was really not trying to be a fighter, you know? She was meek, and she was just kind of forced to step up and try to save herself and her family, and it was nice to see for a change!

•The magic system was really well done and interesting. Usually, I can take or leave the actual magic-building (is that a word? Should be), but in this case I was actually really into it. And while there were definitely questions answered, I feel like there's a lot that is still left to be uncovered about it.

•Paris! I mean, obviously it's going to be a great setting no matter what, but it's so fun to think about witches and beasties and such running around the city too. And I loved that Anouk, who'd been basically trapped inside since she became "human", was as wide-eyed and eager to see Paris as the reader would be.

•The stakes were very high. I mean, if Anouk and her friends didn't extend/amend/redo the spell that made them human to begin with, they'd revert back to their animal form. And from the way Anouk describes life in her animal body, it sounds like it's barely a life at all. So you could absolutely feel the tension and desperation of the situation. Plus, there's a literal countdown, which makes everything feel really urgent!

The Things I Didn't:

•Ugh, the romance. I am honestly hoping that we're not supposed to ship it because there's going to be a better one that comes along? Because it isn't just that I didn't care about it- it actually made me cringe. First, Beau is my least favorite of the secondary characters. By a long shot. He just seemed really controlling, or patronizing, I don't know. And... it high key felt like a brother-sister dynamic which, ew.

•Sometimes I got a little bored with the political stuff. There's some messy business going on between the witches and the other magical... dudes? Okay fine they aren't called the "dudes" but I don't remember what they are called. They're like, magic royalty. And then they were fighting with goblins or something, and look, I started to get a little iffy okay?

Bottom Line: Pretty good series start! Loved the unique magic-building (I am calling it, new word), incredible setting, and the family-feel of the characters. Anouk's character development was really good too. Aside from some minor issues, an enjoyable read!

Hmmm . . . I think the concept of this book is lovely and Shepherd does know how to tell a wonderfully beastly tale. My issue with this one is that it felt like too much set-up and not enough storytelling. There is a lot going on and it moves quickly, but there were several moments where I felt explaining things took precedence over the storytelling and character development, making it difficult to ever feel fully immersed in the story or to ever feel fully connected to the characters. That said, the last quarter of the book really picks up the pace, encouraging readers to want to pick up the next book in the series (I know I want to know what happens!). Ultimately, while it got off to a rocky start, I do feel invested in the story and am interested to see where Shepherd plans on taking this story.

Additionally, I appreciate how much potential this book has in terms of its appeal to a widespread YA age spectrum - younger teens will be able to enjoy this just as much as older teens making it an excellent addition to collections.

I wasn't the biggest fan of this book, as I think it would be much better received by younger YA readers. The worldbuilding was fantastic, but the novel overall was lacking in the darkness and maturity it seemed to market. But my biggest gripe was with the characters. It felt to me like no matter what the characters were going through, they simply were not learning. I understand why they all presented as so childlike, but there is a way to write young characters without making your novel read as young overall, and I think that was my problem here. There was so much room for political commentary that wasn't taken advantage of enough. While this was an interesting read, it simply wasn't for me.

Grim Lovelies by Megan Shepherd is the first book in the young adult fantasy Grim Lovelies series. It is set in an opulent and darkly enchanted Paris where Royals, witches, and "Beasties" are caught up in an intricate battle for power. There is murder, mayhem, plus a touch of romance as Anouk and four other beasties must race against the clock to solve a murder before the spell keeping them human fades away and these enchanted creatures return to their original form forever.

Enchanted Creatures — Twists on Fairy Tales
I've been a fan of Shepherd since her young adult series, The Madman's Daughter and her middle-grade title, The Secret Horses of Briar Hill. I was immediately excited to read Grim Lovelies as soon as I discovered the book was about a young girl named Anouk, who is spelled by an evil witch from animal form to a human in order to be little more than a servant.

What a unique twist to the traditional fairy tale where it is the enchanted animals who have the most to lose, the very human essence they have been cast into.

Murder, Mayhem, Goblins and Secret Societies
The story is about Anouk, and four other friends who have also been spelled into beasties and find themselves in dire circumstances when their witch is murdered and the clock begins its countdown. They have only three days to find the killer before they lose their humanness.

The setting is vivid and feels almost old-word as Megan Shepherd weaves in a modern-day Paris, one that is glittery and opulent, hiding a darkness underneath where an underground magical society known as the Haute, threatens Anouk and her fellow Beasties. Dark witches, Royals, and Goblins all make an appearance!

“A mouse, a dog, a wolf, a cat, an owl, Anouk thought. All predators and Prey.”

Magical Pelts, A Clock Ticking Down, Spells and Romance
As the race for a spell to keep their humanness and uncover the identity of the murder ensues, Grim Lovelies takes readers across an underground Paris, glittering parties, scrumptious boutiques and mixes it all with spells of enchantment and danger. This was by far, my favorite part of the story.

I loved the premise but didn’t feel a “spark” with the characters
The main problem I had with the story is I just never connected to the characters. Although, I did love the whole idea of animals being enchanted into humans, and the race that filled the story with delicious danger and action, the relationship between Anouk and the other Beasties never made an emotional impact on me.

In the story, Anouk has only been recently made human and so she comes across in her dialogue very much younger than I expected. Everything is well written but there just wasn’t any real “spark” or compelling connection I felt between the characters. The same goes for the romance. In fact, I was rooting for the wrong person it seems.

In the End

“Dorma, dorma, sonora precimo.”

Midnight had come at last. The ending definitely ends on a cliffhanger guaranteeing invested readers will want to know what happens next. The unique concept of flipping this fairy tale from the "Beastie's" viewpoint is definitely a compelling one, and even though I didn't love this book, I'm excited to see where Megan goes with it from here. The story felt like a stepping stone to something bigger building and it just may be one of those series that just gets better as it continues on. This has lots of potential and I'm keeping my eye on future sequels.

It was different, at times intriguing, it was good and then it became meh. Certain paths were set up in this (Prince Rennar’s character being at the forefront in my mind) and I was so excited for the story to follow that path but then it didn’t and I became so tired with the cat and mouse. The premise is absolutely fantastic, but it fell a bit flat for me. To the point I hoped this was a standalone so everything could wrap up and I could move on. Except it isn’t. I’m not even sure I’m excited about where the story appears to be going.

Anouk herself wasn’t terribly stirring. The attempt to transform her from innocent maid into a powerful leader was <I>okay</I> but not convincing enough. About halfway through the book it was as though Anouk’s character skipped the process of transforming completely and was just suddenly someone different.

The romance in this was sweet but also not terribly compelling. I enjoyed the character Anouk is involved with but really hoped she would take another path that was offered to her. Something more intriguing that I felt would have assisted with the complexity of the story. I really cannot see why the story didn’t go this way as every path was leading to it. Perhaps it’ll come in the sequel?

The most interesting characters in this were Prince Renner, Hunter Black and Viggo. In other words, my love for morally grey characters continues. 😂

I don’t know whether to recommend this or not. It’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it at times, but the last half or so of the book was so meh and <i>all over the damn place</i> that it ruined how much I had been enjoying it (and I had been!).

I don’t know, everyone has different opinions. Give it a shot! I’ll probably still read the sequel to find out what happens but this definitely should have been a standalone.

"Enchanted from animal to human girl and forbidden to venture beyond her familiar Parisian prison, Anouk is a Beastie: destined for a life surrounded by dust bunnies and cinders serving Mada Vittora, the evil witch who spelled her into existence. That is, until one day she finds her mistress murdered in a pool of blood—and Anouk is accused of the crime."
This book was so unique and fun!! Magic, animals, and witches were all fantastic.

This was my first book from Megan Shepherd and the premise hooked me instantly. Magic, Beasties, and witches oh my! It was a good read with lots of drama and fast paced action. The entire world that Shepherd has build in Grim Lovelies was vivid and hauntingly chaotic.
The characters themselves were interesting. Anouk is a beastie, which is an animal transformed into a human by witch magic. She and 4 other beasties live with a witch who uses them as slaves. Anouk is naive and shy; she's never stepped foot out of her home but longs to be in the world that she sees from her window. Her character, while timid, has a backbone and you see it a little throughout the novel.

The other beasties helped build the story and they each had their own purpose. Anouk's romantic relationship with one of the other beasties, Beau, was....uneventful. There was no passion or chemistry there at all. Initially he was friend zoned and I had hopes that maybe they would be something there between her and another of the family beasties, Hunter Black, but then that definitely didn't go anywhere because he was in love with someone else, which I really wish Shepherd had done better with that situation. Then as the story progressed I thought she'd have something with the Rennar, on of the main villains, but that was wiped out as well very soon into him entering the picture. So basically if there was going to be a romantic relationship, I wanted her to be with anyone but Beau because the romance just wasn't there for them.

The plot itself was interesting. Megan showed some great ideas and even though I didn't love this book, I'm excited to see where she will go. This story is set up to potentially be better as the books go on, and I truly hope that's the case. I loved the basic premise of this title and I had very high hopes, but it just sort of fell flat in some areas. I still enjoyed it and so very grateful to have read it. I look forward to what will happen next.

I love character driven tales--which is not to say that there is no action in this book! Quite the contrary, there is magic, action, suspense, a touch of romance, a hint of mystery/thriller even... 'Tis really quite well-rounded. But ultimately, it is the characters that drive all of this: the contrasting and complimentary personalities who share a driving desire for self-definition; to determine for themselves what they are capable of and not be confined to some cookie cutter ideal that others envision. And I loved it all!

The main characters weren’t very interesting or compelling, and I didn’t feel like I really cared about any of them. The Prince (whose name I already forgot, because honestly, so much about this book was forgettable) was the only interesting character in this book. The main character (Anoush? Anouk?) was just so annoying. The story read as pretty childish, and I had a hard time getting into it.

I thought the representation in the book wasn’t very well done.

Some of the descriptions (especially physical descriptions) of characters of colour were .. um.. questionable (to be polite) - and it made me wonder if the author had ever ... met? A person of colour? Lol. There were running themes of slavery - and quite frankly, they weren’t handled super well.

The queer and trans representation felt super shallow - and felt like it was only included so the author could put a check mark beside ‘diversity’. They felt haphazard, and not very well fleshed out.

Honestly - this book wasn’t enjoyable (to me).

Grim Lovelies by Megan Shepherd is the first book in the young adult fantasy Grim Lovelies series. While this is primarily fantasy readers will also come across a bit of romance and mystery mixed into the action.

Seventeen year old Anouk is a Beastie. She spends her days peering out and envying the human world from her place in the captivity of Mada Vittora. Mada Vittora is the evil witch who captured and spelled Anouk and the other Beastie’s in her command.

One day however Anouk comes across Mada Vittora’s body and realizes that her captor has been murdered. Fearing being accused of the crime Anouk and her fellow Beasties go on the run looking to find out who was behind the crime before the spell keeping them human wears off.

Grim Lovelies was another of those books that kind of contradicted itself as far as the pacing goes. It really didn’t take long at all for the action in the story to begin however a lot of it still felt slow paced even while things happened. Perhaps this was due to the fact that I found myself not overly invested in the characters along the way. The ideas were interesting and the way it left off I’m intrigued to know more but for now this was just a so-so start for me.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Grim Lovelies is a fun, witchy story filled with magic, great world-building, and fun twists on fairy tales woven in. It really is such a blast to read if you have grown up loving fairy tales and fantasy stories. There are exciting references throughout. Plus, there's a fast-paced plot that will keep you reading until the very last page. Be sure to pick this one up today!