So I finished this last night right before I had to go to sleep, so I took some time to compose my thoughts into something more coherent than screaming because that’s truthfully how I’m feeling, but here goes:

Wow. This book.
Do you want a fantasy novel that has:
Lush, folkloric settings?
A blood soaked magic system that’ll leave you gasping?
Angsty Princes and snarky girls who refuse to give them an inch?
ENEMIES TO LOVERSSSSS?
An actual, brutal look at painfully bigotry, religious discrimination and antisemitism from a Jewish author that does try to handwave those things away with “it’s a fantasy novel!!” ?
Worldbuilding that feels so complete, so lived in, so lovingly crafted that I felt like I was only seeing a silver and wanted more, making me look differently at a number of fantasy novels I’ve read over the past few years?
Jewish people being strong as shit?
A very large bear?
Then I’ve got the book for you. Please, //please// mind the trigger warnings and if you can, read this when it comes out in June because it’s an amazingly crafted piece of fantasy, and should be a standard to which more fantasy novels are held because oh my god, this one’s gonna be living rent free in my head for a very long time.

Since I’ve liked books by both authors mentioned in the blurb on Goodreads (Katherine Arden and Naomi Novik) I decided I wanted to give this book a try. The blurb for it also sounded promising as well.

There are a lot of things I enjoyed about this book. The use of mythology was refreshing from others I have read as I can’t recall ever reading a book about Jewish Mythology. It was also interesting from a historical perspective as the author blended in Hungarian History. Both of these topics I know nothing of so I can’t comment on them besides from a readers perspective.

In the beginning of the book we are introduced to Évike who is 25 years-old and known as a wolf-girl. She is a pagan to those who don’t share the same beliefs as those in her village and ever year the Woodsmen who work for the king come and take one wolf-girl away. Her mother was taken ten years before and so Évike was raised by the village táltos. Not only has she struggled with that and not knowing her father, she also is barren when it comes to the magic of their gods. I can’t say that I connected with Évike but I did admire her determination and forgiveness. She also remained calm in a lot of situations I wouldn’t have been.

The plot is filled with religion, politics, and can be on the darker side at times. There is a hint of romance but it is very minor and it didn’t really add anything to the story for me. I felt that their progression was quick and then it just died off for angst and inner turmoil from the characters.

The pacing at times can be a bit off and this is probably why I lost interest at times to read.

Overall, this was good. I had my issues with it but I can see many readers liking this one especially if they are a fan of lyrical prose writing.

I fell in love with this story very quickly. My only two complaints is I wish we had gotten more of the Yehuli culture/vibes/loveliness, and that we had more detail on the tribe's gods and legends. I just loved the stories, but I also wish we had a smidge more on Isten and Ogdon.

As a whole, I found this story super enjoyable. I've never read anything before that felt so close to home. My family was kicked out of Russia by Lenin and his people, so this was a little surreal to be reading in a lot of ways.

I loved Evike as a character. I found her super flawed and interesting while also having a good heart. Gaspar was a freaking mess, but I love him and I loved his development through the story. It was really well done.

The plot is relatively slow. There's a lot of traveling that takes up time, but is also super slow, allowing more internal discussion and growth between characters to occur more than anything else. The ending felt super fast after this because everything came crashing together, but it didn't feel off-beat in any way. It fit the way the story was headed.

The magic system was interesting, and I do wish we had had more explanation on it because I'll admit I'm still pretty confused regarding the magic and all the deities. I'm not really sure if the author was trying to say all of the gods existed and gave power to their followers or that only one groups' deity/deities existed but everyone worshipped them in their own way. I would have liked more clarification on what was going on and how exactly everyone had magic because it still feels a little unexplained. <spoiler>I really got the vibe that the woodsmen got their magic somehow from the wolf girls, but yet it's never clearly explained? Like obviously the king gets magic from the wolf girls, but do the rest? Everyone's magic was so similar, except the Yehuli magic, for it to be a coincidence. Also damn was the Yehuli magic super OP. I wish we could have seen more and had that explained some more too.</spoiler>

A few of the big questions from the beginning of the book never really got answered which was frustrating. <spoiler> What happened to all the wolf girls? Gaspar said he would tell her, but unless it happened off page, I never saw it happen at all. Also, the whole thing with the war going on was really glossed over and I wish we could have had a tidbit more to really flesh out the fact that the country was at war on top of all the internal conflict. Instead it felt like an after thought.</spoiler>

In regards to the villains, I found them complex enough to make them interesting, and evil enough to make me hate them. <spoiler>Another thing I wish that was fleshed out was Nandor. Why was he able to heal so quickly? I kept waiting for some big reveal that Ogdon was somehow giving him magic since he had accidentally sacrificed his life, but it was never explained other than wow Nandor is strong and powerful. Also there was that super unsubtle mention of the tribe's hero's sword that was missing, and I kept waiting for it to be revealed somehow, but it never was. Felt a little like a red herring or at least a dropped plot point.</spoiler>

I really do recommend this book for fantasy lovers. It was fun, had a lot of stuff that made you stop and think, and the world and people were very, very cool.

I decided to request an eARC of The Wolf and the Woodsman recently after conversations in the online bookish sphere occurred that brought to my attention the sometimes harmful depiction, sometimes straight up erasure of Jewish people from eastern European inspired fantasies, a subsect of fiction I only in the last few years discovered a love for. To be completely honest, it had never occurred to me. I could try to deflect the blame and say that the erasure was so total and effective, that’s why I’d never thought about it, but that wouldn’t be right. Ultimately I, as a reader and as a person, am responsible for the representation, or lack thereof, I consume regarding experiences outside of my own. I can’t change the harmful books I’ve read and supported in the past, but I can make an intentional effort to seek out better books in the future. As I was already interested in this book, and had seen the author being vocal about the Jewish representation online, I decide to request it, not actually expecting I would be approved. I was so excited to receive the arc, and that excitement was completely deserved. This book was wonderful. When I mentioned my love for eastern European inspired fantasy, I didn’t mention that those books also had the specific trope of enemies or rivals or hate or whatever you want to call it to love, as does this book, and it’s executed wonderfully. I loved the atmosphere this book created, I loved the exploration of the monsters and magic our main characters encountered on their journey, and I loved Évike’s personal journey of discovering where she belonged. My minor critiques of this novel are small, and not enough to ruin my enjoyment of an otherwise wonderful book. There were certain phrases that were repeated in different variations often and a little excessively in my opinion, the first being some variation on Gáspsár being flushed, the second containing a spoiler so I won’t mention it here. Also, maybe having them pointed out to you would only make you notice them more, so maybe I shouldn’t even have included the first one but hey, what are reviews for? Other than these two phrases, the prose was absolutely stunning, lyrical and angsty in a way that is just my cup of tea. My other critique comes by way of that compliment in that, I did find the dialogue a bit underwhelming compared to the narration. But again, the narration was stunning, which was an especial surprise for me considering I usually prefer third person perspective as opposed to first, but this is definitely an instance where hearing the main character’s inner monologue helped me feel more connected to her and her relationships. I would also be remiss if i didn’t mention my love for the developing dynamic between Évike and her father. It was beautifully done, heartwarming and lovely. Overall, the lush atmosphere, fascinating world building, and beautifully rendered character dynamics make for a can’t miss debut from Ava Reid.
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The magic and mythology in this book were amazing. Definitely not like anything Ive read before. Evike is a strong and independant, she has had to be to survive in her village after her mother was taken. Gaspar is a man who deeply believes in his cause.. His job is to take Evike to the king and after that its up to the king what happens to her.. It was really fun watching them both learn to deal with each other, their pasts, and how they both view magic.. It was definitely a fun adventure and I can't wait to read more books by this author!

Evike lives in a small village in the forest full of girls that have magic.. Some can make things out of nothing, some can heal and one can see the future.. However Evike doens't have any magic and that makes her an easy target for the other girls.. They are preparing for the woodsman, and which girl will be taken as a sacrifice. This year when the Woodsman come, Evike is given up in place of the girl they really want.

This story is definitely slow paced especially in the beginning. We get alot of world building, and learning about the magic systems and how it all works.

The romance is a hate to love, which is my favorite kind.. Evike and Gaspar both hate each other in the beginning then move to hating themselves for how they are starting to feel for each other.. They grow closer and closer as they travel to the king, but once they arrive their feelings are put to the test.

When the action starts the pace really picks up and I needed to keep reading to see what was going to happen next. Evike really starts to grow into who she is as a person, and figure out what it she is willing to do to save her people.

This book. I have no words. This book is brutal and full of raw emotion. This book is violent and unforgiving. The folklore that is woven throughout the main story is incredible. The story feels super personal for the author, and I felt honored to have had the chance to read it early. The story is atmospheric, the characters are tense and full of various ideological and emotional struggles. The only issue that I had was that I felt that the overall ending was a little rushed. All the building of these characters and the antagonist, and the ending happened a bit too quickly for me. This book reminded me of The Bear and the Nightingale, and is one of my top reads for 2021.

I can't believe this is a debut! I am a sucker for any fantasy-in-the-woods story and this was near perfect. It was suitably horrifying in parts (and unexpectedly very gross, in a good way), the weaving of Jewish folklore and storytelling was lovely, Evike was a badass heroine, Gaspar was swoonworthy, and the slow burn romance was *chef's kiss*. I'm going to need Ava Reid to write another book and fast, because I cannot wait to read more from her.

I'm so sad to be typing this, but The Wolf and the Woodsman was a DNF for me. I wanted to love this book so much, but ultimately I just didn't connect with the story or the characters in a way that made me excited to keep reading. I think I was expecting the book to be a bit more romance-heavy and angsty and that's where I was let down. I also found it really hard to stay engaged with the story because of how slow-moving the plot is (at least for the first 40%). With all that being said though, I think if I had picked this up literally any other time than the last month of my college semester and wasn't feeling so burnt out, I think I would've been able to finish the rest of the novel and probably would have enjoyed it more. I did really appreciate how atmospheric this was and the beautiful writing, as well as the rich mythology/folklore/historical influences. Ultimately, I think I was in the mood for a faster-paced read and this book wasn't hitting the mark for me. I'm giving it three stars though because I don't think there's anything wrong with the book objectively, I just didn't personally mesh with it.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free e-arc of The Wolf and the Woodsman, through Netgalley. This did not influence my rating/review.

I was SUPER excited to be approved for this title, because it's one of my most anticipated books of Summer 2021. I'm happy to say that I really enjoyed it, although it didn't quite make 5 stars. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because there were a few scenes when I had a hard time picturing exactly what was happening, but I was able to pick it up after a few sentences. It just pulled me out of the story a bit, but I was never completely lost.

This story is heavily influenced by Jewish folklore and history. If you, like me, are not Jewish, I STRONGLY recommend doing some research into the history of antisemitism as well as Jewish folklore before starting this book. I don't think it's mandatory to enjoy the book, but I do think it will enrich your understanding of the story and its themes. I'm sure there were themes I missed, and upon further research will hopefully fill in when I reflect on the book in the weeks/months to come!

Why you should read it:
1. It's an atmospheric very dark fairy tale(ish) story based on Jewish folklore and history
2. The main character is ridiculously resilient
3. There's a bit of a romance, but it's not overwhelming if you're not into that.
4. You will sink into the story. I don't classify this as a fast read (it took me a week to read but I was also dealing with a nasty tension headache for 3 of the days). You are able to really envelop yourself in the story, and take your time with it!

TW: attempted genocide, graphic battle scenes (beheading, disembowling, etc.), persecution of religious and ethnic groups (specifically antisemitism), maiming of people (not only during battle scenes), torture, death of animals (wildlife creatures) this can be relatively graphic and pervasive throughout the story.

The Wolf and the Woodsman is nothing short of mesmerizing. I am completely in awe with the way this book is written and delivered. Ava Reid did such an amazing job in weaving an intricate magic world with such complex factors within it.

The book started out slow like most fantasy book and it felt like going into the story blindfolded because I had no idea what was going on one third in but once I got the gist of the story, it made reading this book worth it. Évike and Gáspár Bárány are both complicated character that one can not help but want to unfold each crevices within them. Both are fleshed out in such a real way, I anticipated all the action and magic they had to show. I also applaud the author. Reid did not hold back when she wrote such grotesque scenarios portraying the cruelties of corrupted people. The plot twists appeared during unexpected times, I had trouble holding in my shock.

This is truly an exemplary debut, giving this 4 stars. I am excited to what Ava Reid has to offer in the near future!

5 stars. A million stars if I could.

I kind of want to weep with happiness. What an absolute triumph of a novel. This is a lush, almost perfectly crafted story that feels like a particularly dark modern fairytale. The worldbuilding is extensive and the world itself almost leaps off of the page.

Honestly, I'm not sure what to say about this book. My one small complaint is the romance - while I enjoyed it, I wasn't the biggest fan of it. My favorite chapters are by far the ones where they're separated, where we get to follow our protagonist as she embarks on a journey to find out more about her heritage. These scenes feel intimate, and in a novel filled with death and despair, they're like a moment to breathe.

That said, this book is dark. It deals with ethnoreligious prosecution and the horrors (and complications) of nation-building. There's quite a bit of gore from early on, but the book is written is such a poetic manner that it's almost tragically beautiful. There's just so much love thrown into every aspect of these pages, it's incredible. You can feel Ava Reid's passion as you read, and while it took me a while to get through just because it is so dark, I'm glad I did. Definitely one of the best fantasies I've read this year.

TW: gore, genocide, abuse & torture, antisemitism

Such a beautiful, heart-rendering book.

It goes without saying, I truly loved The Wolf and the Woodsman, and I'll try to convey why in my brief review (with my health these days, it's difficult to write anything long and analytical, so I hope this will suffice). But the most important aspect is the representation, including Jewish representation, survival of abuse, and the honest depictions of persecution, oppression, and ethnic cleansing--all of which is integral to the world building. To miss that, I think, is to miss the point of the entire story.

Aside from that, however, there's even more to love, particularly the hate to love romance, the atmospheric and lyrical writing, and the haunting / lovely / gory settings.

I'll pause at the romance, because goodness me, it had me weak to the knees (if you've read that, you'll see what I did there hah). Our resident solemn prince and wolf girl are stuck together on a dangerous journey, are forced not only to share body heat, but to depend on and rescue each other more than once despite the difference in their beliefs and the very minor fact that she was supposed to be his captive. So. What isn't to swoon over?

All of that combined with a riveting end, one I suspect will stick with you forever, and you have a new absolute must-read for 2021. Thank you to the publisher for letting me read an early copy!

(Do keep in mind that this is very much an adult book.)

Such a unique twist on a story we thought we knew. It was a perfect mash-up of the tales we grew up loving. I hope there will be further titles and have a list of kiddos to recommend this book to as soon as we receive it!

This book held very interesting magic concepts. I loved all of the action, though it felt muddled at some parts. The hardships the main character goes through is refreshing to read and I loved having a love interest that blushed.

Wow ... this book was absolutely amazing.
I haven’t felt this sucked into a world in a long time, and I felt every emotion these characters experienced.
From the description of the land to the magic that was intertwined throughout the story I was captivated. Evike and Gaspar are the ultimate enemies to lovers, and I was there for it. Evikes strength and absolute preserverence through everything that was thrown her way... just blew me away. People who are so different coming together and working together. For the greater good.

I highly highly recommend this book!

This was okay, but I want to be transparent that I was let down by the hype.

I felt that this was less a fairy tale and more a man and a woman walking around talking to each other with a "threat" hanging over them. I felt really nothing for the characters and found them honestly all to be unlikeable, unflushed out and rather boring.

I felt this was very, very slow paced. I also could not get into the writing style. I felt it to be way, way flowery (and that's coming from a Laini Taylor and Naomi Novik fan) to the point that it really took away my enjoyment of the story.

Overall, I think this will do well, but it was not a book I would read again.

Anytime a book is compared to The Bear and the Nightingale or a Naomi Novik book I am sold. This one had everything I was looking for. It had magic, a gritty feel, and a fully formed world that wasn’t so complicated I need a cheat sheet to keep up. I couldn’t put it down - and honestly I’m hoping for a sequel in the worst way. I didn’t love the narrator originally, however she grew on me as the book progressed. I love the world the author built mostly because though it’s magical, it is very raw and real.

Woah. Where has this been my entire life?

Évike is born without magic, making her a burden in her village that is routinely attacked by the king's Holy Order of Woodsmen. Because of this, her fellow wolf-girls use her in a ruse and have the fearsome soldiers take Évike away to the kingdom's capitol, but an attack happens, and Évike and Gáspár - the remaining woodsman - are forced to help each other survive. Pagan magic, holy orders, and ethnoreligious supernatural abilities clash in this debut fantasy drawn from Hungarian and Jewish folklore.

This fantastic debut is full of everything I've wanted - Jewish characters in a fantasy setting, ritualistic magic, rich mythology and folklore, monsters drawn from nightmares... Reid does a marvelous job of building her fantasy world by also grounding it in a very real and bloody history. This is shown the most with Évike's interactions with her Yehuli (Jewish) father and community. It's remarkable to find your ethnoreligious identity reflected in a fantasy book. There is such care in these scenes. The holidays and language, and traditions are woven tightly in both real history and world-building.

An ARC has been provided by NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

A stunning fairytale with excellent world-building, "The Wolf and the Woodsman" is a delightful read.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGallery for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

When I saw that I was sent this ARC on NetGalley, I was jumping up and down in excitement! When I applied for it, I never imagined that I would get it. When I first read the description of this book months ago, I put it on my TBR list right away. I love YA Fantasy books with a woodsy theme, and the cover is gorgeous. I can't thank the publisher enough for allowing me to read and review this book before its official release date. Thank you again!

The Wolf and the Woodsman by Ava Reid is a YA fantasy adventure inspired by Hungarian and Jewish mythologies. I haven't read a book with such an interesting fantasy world inspired by real-life countries since I read Wicked Saints by Emily Duncan, which is one of my all-time favorite books. I highly recommend this book for fans of the Wicked Saints series. Just like in Wicked Saints, the character names are authentic, and there are also recurring themes of religion vs paganism, blood magic, and the dark woods. One important difference between the two books is that Wolf and the Woodsman includes a lot more romance between the two main characters. I was pleasantly surprised to see an enemies-to-lovers trope and no love triangle! If you're into enemies-to-lovers romances, you should not miss this book.

The book revolves around Evika, a wolf-girl from the village, who is kidnapped by Gaspar, a Woodsman. Here are a few quotes describing Gaspar, the Woodsman:

"Despite the softness of his voice, his missing eye speaks of one thing—a fierce devotion to his god, which means a greater hatred for pagans and wolf-girls than either of these shorn men." - Chapter Two

"Woodsmen are trained to kill monsters with axes,” he (Gasper) replies, drawing himself up with a sharp breath. “Princes are trained to fight their human enemies with sword and tongue.” - Chapter Four

The Woodsmen in this story are servants of the King, who kidnaps wolf-girls in order to kill them and take their pagan magic. At the start of this fantasy-adventure, Evika is kidnapped by Gaspar. As they go on their journey to get back to the King, the two mortal enemies engage in plenty of witty banter and mutual hatred before slowly, slowly falling in love. If I had one gripe about this book, it would be that the first half of the book is episodic and focuses on their romance, and I had to force myself through it. However, once the book hit its halfway mark, it was non-stop adventure, violence, betrayal, court intrigue, and magic. After the halfway mark, I could not put the book down and finished the rest in one sitting. The excitement in the second half definitely makes up the first half, which is why I rating this book a fantastic five stars! I recommend that all fans of YA fantasy, especially the Wicked Saints series, check out this book when it comes out!