I really loved Ava Reid's debut novel and I had high hopes for this. Ultimately it was not the right book for me (at the moment). Reid does atmosphere really well but the plot here felt somewhat disjointed and I had a difficult time relating to the characters. I wouldn't mind trying another of the author's books in the future as I think this may have just been a one-off.

*eARC provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Not as much horror or sex as the reviews would say. I don't think it is lewd at all. Though it does say nipple a lot.

Much better than The Wolf and the Woodsman.

I finished 8 complete chapters of this novel. 8 of the 15. I really tried to push through but I couldn't. I found myself having to force myself to pick this ebook up and I couldn't do it. Having finished roughly 60% of the book this is based on that portion I did finish. I found the characters completely frustrating and unlikable. They hated their lives but did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to change that. Supposedly our main character had this revelation and secret that no one knew about that she could escape the house and get away but she was still a coward and stayed under her father's thumb and let him mistreat her and her sister's. Noone ever grew a backbone within 60% of the novel and I didn't care to read anymore.

I really enjoyed The Wolf and the Woodsman which I read in July 2021. However, Juniper and Thorn just didn’t work as well for me. I struggled to read this one, and in fact I put it down for months until I decided that I really needed to finish my ARC to finally write a review.

This is a very slow-moving book and there really isn’t a lot of plot, mainly just a lot of abuse and the main character feeling unworthy. The writing was also way more stylistic in this than in the first book, to the point where half the time I had no idea if magic was real or just a metaphor. In fact, there was quite a bit of this that was just metaphor.

I also really did not connect with the characters, and that’s something that I need in my books in order to enjoy them. They don’t necessarily need to be likable, but I do like to understand their thoughts, feelings, and motivation.

With this book being set in the same world as The Wolf and the Woodsman, there is no explanation to the social structure within this book so it’s almost a requirement to read her other book in order to fully understand the world this is set in. Throw in the fact that it’s been over a year since I read The Wolf and the Woodsman and I don’t remember much about this world. With this being a standalone set in the same world, there should’ve been more world building present in this book.

There is also a mystery of a monster killing people in the town, but there is nothing really going on with that until the very end and it was just kind of thrown in as a semblance of a plot. If someone were to ask me what exactly this book is about, I don’t even know if I would be able to describe it other than trauma and a little bit of a slapped together mystery. The first line of the synopsis also mentions the curse, and that really was just an excuse for the father to abuse all three of his daughters. I also found myself questioning if the curse was real or if the father just used it specifically to abuse his daughters.

I know from browsing through Goodreads that the author took her experiences as an abuse survivor as inspiration, I just don’t think that the execution was the best and I just couldn’t get on board with this because it was so hard for me to follow along with. because of the overly flowery writing. This entire book is trauma after trauma and can be VERY triggering so if you are going to read this, keep that in mind. Do I feel terrible that the author went through abuse? Absolutely, but that doesn’t mean I think this was a good book just because of that.

As a warning, all the relationships in this book are toxic, a lot of scenes are pretty graphic. There are graphic sex scenes, killing and dismembering of a creature (animal death), plenty of murder, cannibalism, gore and body horror, child sexual abuse and incest, antisemitism, tons of gaslighting and abuse by family members, self-harm and suicidal thoughts, bulimia with some graphic descriptions, pedophilia, sex trafficking, and also a scene including bestiality. These trigger warnings were not present in the copy that I read, and I believe a few of these were missing from the comments on Goodreads that I think would be helpful.

This just really was not a book for me and unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy reading it.

I loved the atmosphere of this book! It was a really good fairytale retelling mixing with fantasy! I always enjoy books that can do a retelling that is different than your normal one. It makes me want to read more by this author in the future.

TW: Body horror, extremely descriptive gore

Well, I really had no idea this was a horror book when I first requested it. I'm a huge scaredy cat so I don't really think my review is indicitive of what this book actually should be rated. It was evident that the author, Ava Reid has talent, her writing had beautiful prose and I found the pacing well balanced. I just couldn't get over all the gore and such descriptive details of certain vile acts. But like I said I'm not one for horror, I just liked the cover of the book, that will teach me to actually read the blurb next time!

Thank you so much to Avon Harper Voyager for providing me with an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am a big fan of fairy tall retellings, especially the darker and more obscure they are. Ava Reid does not disappoint in her take of the Grimms' collected tale "The Juniper Tree." Juniper & Thorn is an exploration of abuse and survival, of trauma and memory. The book was captivating. Marlinchen and her sisters, Udine and Rose, their actively quiet rebellion against their father compelling. Ava Reid tackles incredibly difficult issues with a sensitivity and nuance that make the story that much more devastating. Gothic fairy tale horror at its best.

The synopsis and cover of the book pulled me in. Gothic fairy tale retelling?! Yes, please! Ava Reid’s writing is spellbinding and drew me in immediately. Unfortunately, I was not as captivated by the story. About halfway through, I read The Juniper Tree to see what elements Reid used. For those who haven’t read The Juniper Tree, it’s typical gruesome Grimm.

Marlinchen and her sisters are witches in a Russian industrial prototype. She is used and treated poorly by her family. I thought Marlinchen’s flesh-divining magic would come into play, but it didn’t. The gothic horror story didn’t take hold until 70% of the way through the book. Much of the book is about the relationship between Marlinchen and her abusive father and her budding romantic interest in Sevas, a ballet dancer. Which was fine—there are plenty of important themes to explore. Coming of age, healing from trauma, and so forth. However, the book was heavy on all things sexual: sexual tension, sexual assault, crude sex, pedophilia, rape, and bestiality. This is where I did not feel that Reid did justice to the story. The number of sexual elements made the story tacky. The characters never dealt with their trauma. There was no exploration of character development in the wake of trauma, which I believe is necessary, especially for a book that will likely be in the hands of young people.

Reid writes beautifully and creates an immersive world. I would like to see more development of the characters to promote a richer story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for an ARC.

I really enjoyed this book. I hope the author continues to write more books in the future. I can't wait to see what the author releases in the future.

This book was a wild ride. I was not expecting such a raw and gritty story but I loved it. It made me squeamish and perturbed but in a wonderful way. There was so much boldness to this story that and I love a woman seeking her revenge and breaking her chains. I would highly recommend to anyone not afraid of gore, grime, and the feeling of being naked in a snake pit. That is exactly what this book offers with so much more. Absolutely loved it!

Truly an incredible story. I just finished and I’m in awe and shock. Marlinchen deserved the world and the way abuse was handled was just incredible. Please be careful reading this book as it’s a lot.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

CW: Antisemitism, Paedophilia & child sexual abuse (past, on page), PTSD, Eating disorder (bulimia), Suicidal ideation, Self-harm, Emesis (on-page), Body horror, Cannibalism, Animal death, murder, emotional and physical abuse from parent, toxic relationship with family, death of parent (past), grief

This was definitely darker than Ava Reid's first novel. The horror elements were prevalent. I really enjoyed the prose, the mix of a myth and fairytale. It was distinct and just really interesting and original from other books I've read.

Steam: 3

This is a very dark and gruesome fantasy inspired by the Juniper Tree fairytale. I really enjoyed the setting being in an Eastern European type town which is different than what I am used to reading. Reid has a distinct writing style that reminds me of V.E. Schwab where you could easily identify it from others. My one criticism about the writing is the repetition of a few words and the overuse of similes. When every sentence is a simile my mind will fixate on it and start tallying how many is on each page. Overall, the story was unique, it kept my interest, and I’ll check out Reid’s other works.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an e-arc! I was really excited about this book and have pretty mixed feelings on it. It was a lot darker than I was expecting, which wasn't bad just a shock going in. During the first half-three quarters of the book I felt like literally nothing happened. The ending--like last quarter--really had all of the action, so I felt like I was dragging through most of the book. The chapters are also really long which made me feel like it was taking forever to read it. The ending really was pretty dark and cannibalistic but I didn't mind that as much as I thought I would when I read some reviews. It there had been more action or plot movement throughout this one I think I would have really liked it, but it was overall too slow for me and not enough action/movement. If you like dark, dark retellings definitely check this one out!

Deliciously dark. I really loved the very visceral imagery and descriptions and emotions in this book. It covered a lot of dark subjects but I think it covered them well, and in a way that felt very authentically European fairytale-esque.

I am a huge fan of retellings and reimaginings. I was actually reintroduced to them this year. I love that Ava Reid focuses on Slavic lore which isn’t something we see very often in retellings. I loved this book. It was everything that you hope for when reading a new take on dark fairy tales. I really love gothic tales and Ava Reid writes a perfect one in Juniper and Thorn. I am definitely a fan and have already picked up the Wolf and the Woodsman so I can continue to enjoy their writing.

As per usual, I'm not sure I totally understood everything that was happening in this fantasy-horror-gothic novel. But I did have a great time! I had heard reports that it was gory and I didn't think it was too over-the-top. Definitely enjoyed this one more than The Wolf & The Woodsman, which I did really like.

Such a unique story. I started this book with no prior knowledge of the fable it is based on and still was drawn into this compelling story. If you are into fairy tales and folklore, you will love this book. I really enjoyed the dynamic between the main characters and how it developed throughout the story. Marlinchen is such an endearing protagonist, I loved her growth throughout the book and especially her satisfying ending. The prose in this book is truly beautiful and very evocative. Great atmospheric read, perfect for a rainy day.

I’m all for authors moving away from re-telling the same tired fairytales that are so routinely rehashed in pop culture, and Juniper & Thorn takes the refreshing route of revisiting the lesser-known Grimm fairytale “The Juniper Tree.” That being said, I can’t recall the last time I was this uncomfortable reading a book. Which is exactly the intent if you read this as a horror novel, but completely contrary to the structure of a romance - which this book also tries to be. I am strongly opposed to this book being sold in any way as a romance because while the main character does develop a relationship with a love interest (read: object of fixation) these elements of the plot are juxtaposed directly against copious amounts of cannibalism. I’m sorry, but you can’t sell me on some kind of instalove subplot when it’s sandwiched between two chapters of sexual assault and casual cannibalism.

Copious amounts of human flesh consumption aside, I struggle with this book also for the POV character Marlinchen herself. She’s the youngest daughter of a cursed wizard, oft overshadowed by her two beautiful older sisters and established as a meek, overlooked character that has a boundless amount of potential for growth. She has lived in isolation her entire life, a setup that would have worked much better if the book didn’t open with her first taste of freedom outside her family manor’s walls. We’re told immediately that she’s lived in this suffocating environment her whole life but our introduction to her as a character is her immediate fixation with the ballet’s principal dancer and the book’s love interest. It’s a very jarring way to set the tone.

Marlinchen’s entire character arc wraps up with a kind of “good for her” revenge plot that serves justice to the men that have wronged her throughout her life. Which we love to see. What we don’t love to see is how Marlinchen doesn’t confront her own terrible actions carried out under her father’s household, or even her sister Rose’s deceit and disregard. I wanted consequences for all the characters, or at least a full rounded arc for each of them. THere’s a lot of threads left hanging, poorly disguised under the brutality of the story itself.

I can only recommend going into this book with expectations set at it being a true horror novel - not a gothic romance. For me, Juniper & Thorn is going to stick in my memory not for the fondest reasons but still in a way that I can already tell is going to linger with its macabre take on an already gruesome Brothers Grimm fairytale. Despite being a re-telling, this book somehow allowed Ava Reid to distinguish her voice as an author moreso than her debut The Wolf and the Woodsman and made me more interested to see where she goes in the future.

Thank you to the publisher Harper Voyager for providing an e-ARC via NetGalley for an honest review.

**Thank you to HarperCollins Canada for an advanced e-copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.**

I felt so unsure reading this book but I ended up enjoying it more than I thought I would - if enjoy is even the right word. I have so many thoughts and it will be difficult to put them into words. But I flew through this book so much faster than I thought I could!

This book was a mash up of so many things - horror, slight body horror, influence from gothic romance, and Brothers Grimm classic fairytales. And it somehow worked so incredibly well to bring this story together!
The characters were so well written - realistically flawed and some are so realistically evil. While I saw one twist coming, the reveal was done so well. And the other twists were fantastic. As things kept unravelling, I was completely on the edge of my seat waiting to see how things would end up for the characters. The ending was realistic and everything I wanted from the ending of this kind of novel.

I don't think this could really be compared to anything or recommended based on someone liking a specific genre, but it is such a unique and interesting read from anything else I have read recently. If the premise entices you, I highly recommend checking it out - but read all of the trigger warnings first!