This book was good but I do feel as though it was a bit much for a middle grade fiction novel. I enjoyed it, but I could see where someone who is in the correct age category for this story would struggle. However, it was still a good read and I would recommend it for anyone a bit older!

Goodness gracious.

Well, there’s no question that I am known not to love “crying books“ I am perfectly capable of loving a book so much that, when it ends, I am happy to shed some tears.

This was the case in this sweet little middle grade confection.

I absolutely loved this gentle retelling of the Anne of Green Gables story. This book is funny as all get out. The grace character is one that I will absolutely hold in my heart forever. She is lovable, like Anne in all the best ways. She is a total Enneagram 4, and has the best vocabulary to express her big huge feelings. She is a joy to love.

Also, I am a sucker for an orphan story, and this story is definitely that. And it is a fairytale, which I love filled with fairies and forests and magic spells, and a cottage deep in the woods, owned by a witch.

It is a story of found family and new friendship. And it’s a story of figuring out what you are truly good at and coming into your own power, no matter what that power is.

There are very tender moments in the story, especially near the end, and I loved it. I didn’t feel like anyone was trying to make me cry, I felt like I had been given a story that was precious enough for me to really care for it and so as it ended, I was sad and that felt like the most natural thing in the world.

I would highly highly recommend this book to anyone who loves quality middle grade but I especially think it would be a wonderful read aloud. My kids would’ve enjoyed this book all the way from 4 years old to 10 years old. It is just lovely and the chapters are the perfect links for one chapter a night reading.

Much thanks to Heather Fawcett, HarperCollins Children's Books/Balzer + Bray, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This story was thoroughly enchanting. And way more cerebral than I would expect of a "children's" book. The themes are deep and layered. Fawcett has officially found a place on my authors-to-keep-an-eye-on list.

My only complaint is that the ending wasn't entirely satisfying to me---some matters felt unfinished. Narratively I suppose those threads were tied up enough to be considered concluded, but I'd like something more. I understand it's, I don't know, romantic to leave some mysteries, which does suit the tone of this novel, but I've never liked books that do that. I want answers, damn it.

Other than that, though, I enjoyed watching Grace overcome the obstacles in her path with mostly a good attitude. And humor! I'm not super familiar with the Anne of Green Gables books, so I can't do a comparison justice, but I did try to watch the Netflix series a little while ago and couldn't stand how annoying Anne was and stopped watching. I'm happy to report Grace is nowhere near that grating, and in fact grows less annoying as the book progresses.

I adored all the characters, especially the invisible Daisy Bean and bullied Windweaver. Oh, how I cried at the end. Sareena was great, Poppy redeemed herself, Henry was adorable. I'm totally shipping Rum and Grace. The Witch was a deliciously complicated character with a wonderful arc. Fawcett was able to make every character sympathetic, even the ones the reader wasn't supposed to like. She was a master of character work in this novel.

I have a question, though. If a witch's spells break after she dies, why didn't the cottage disappear? That kind of stipulation of the mythology feels ripe for picking apart.

Overall, I'm ready for the sequel! There's going to be a sequel, right? Anne got a whole series.....and I need more Rum!

The Grace of Wild Things is a whimsical Anne of Green Gables retelling that I enjoyed! The pacing was a bit slow but the characters and writing made up for it

I was *all in* the moment I saw THE GRACE OF WILD THINGS described as a slightly magical reimagining of Anne of Green Gables. I was excited, but wondered if this novel could have the same heart, whimsy, and humor as the original. The answer was, thankfully, yes on all accounts!

Fawcett is an incredibly strong writer, blending well-developed characters with an entertaining plot. As with the original story, here also we have an unwanted orphan who slowly wins over her reluctant caregiver (in this case a reclusive witch) while going on whimsical adventures with her new neighbors and friends. I loved Grace and the ways that she was so desperate for acceptance while also always managing to be utterly herself.

As a longtime fan of Anne of Green Gables, I enjoyed the little nods that Fawcett wove throughout her novel, though I don’t think you need to be familiar with the original to enjoy this reimagining! A fun and magical escape, I can’t recommend this one enough

This lovely middle grade magical mystery is about Grace, who really wants to be a witch. She's living in an orphanage so she leaves to find her destiny. It turns out there is a witch living in the woods and Grace is determined to be properly trained as a witch, except that the witch isn't really so excited about the idea of having a trainee. Grace's persistence pays off and the witch agrees that she will train her, after Grace is able to successfully cast all the spells in her grimoire. This is a really fun story to read with themes of friendship, redemption, and learning. I thought it was great and I think kids are going to like it too.

This was an imaginative retelling of Anne of Green Gables. Imagine if LM Montgomery had formed a dynamic writing duo with one of the brothers Grimm and this might have been their creation. I enjoyed this overall but prefer to not associate it too closely with Anne. She's kind of sacred, ya know? The crow in here is the Best!

DNF. I really liked the premise but the writing did not work for me at all. It wouldn't be fair to the book if I finished reading and gave it a low rating.

What a cute and fun book!

I don't usually read middle grade books, but I made an exception for the Grace of Wild Things because of how much I loved Fawcett's Emily Wilde's Enclyopaedia of Faeries. I am very happy that I did! The Grace of Wild Things is about Grace, a girl who runs away from her orphanage because she's pretty sure she is a witch and she wants to be formally trained by the mysterious witch she has heard tales of in her orphanage. But in order to be trained by the witch, Grace must successfully complete all of the spells in the witch's grimoire. Grace is such a likeable character, even grumpy wicked witches can't help but be drawn in by her. She can never stop talking and has a positive, imaginative view of the world that is very endearing. Then there is the witch, who is known for shoving children into ovens and turning men into trees. A duo like no other.

The whole time I read The Grace of Wild Things, I got strong Studio Ghibli vibes. The highest possible compliment. I have no qualms, nothing to pick apart. This book was amazing, fun, and a great way to start 2023. This, coupled with Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries, has made me an avid fan of Heather Fawcett. I look forward to reading more books written by her soon. Read this book!

Thanks Heather Fawcett, Balzer & Bray/Harperteen, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Grace of Wild Things was very well written. It's author combines magic, humor, and mystery to write a fanciful story. There is a sense of unknown that continues throughout the book and leaves you wondering at the end. This is definitely a book that will not be understood well until it is finished. Which may garner a desire to a later reread, or could prove a stumbling block for impatient readers.
Readers who have previously enjoyed Anne of Green Gables may enjoy this more than those who are not familiar with that story.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy.

“May it be, by sun and stars.”

I loved this imaginative retelling of Anne of Green Gables. The poetry woven throughout was refreshing and I enjoyed all of the characters. This is a world in which I wish I could visit! I highly recommend The Grace of Wild Things to readers of all ages.

Thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC!

Anne of Green Gables is my favorite book of all time. The Grace of Wild Things is a delightful retelling of Anne of Green Gables with a twist. Grace is a witch that doesn't fit in. If you love Anne of Green Gables, please give this book a try. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced e-reader copy.

The Grace of Wild Things by Heather Fawcett is a magical middle grade novel written in the tradition on Anne of Green Gables. The book takes place on Prince Edward Island where a young orphan named Grace has left the orphanage in search of a true home. While the rest of the children on the island avoid a witch who lives in the middle of the woods luring children to her oven with the tempting smell of sweets, Grace seeks out the witch and asks to become her apprentice.
Grace and the witch, known to the island children as Miss Puddlestone, have a contentious relationship. The witch is uninterested in keeping Grace and threatens her on numerous occasions, but Grace, a bold and curious girl strikes a deal with her. If Grace can perform all the magic spells in the witch’s grimoire by the time the trees flower, the witch will agree to be her apprentice, but if Grace fails, she will lose her magic to the witch.
This book is written for middle grade children so it is more comic than dark though it does deal with real-world themes of loss and identity. Grace attends school, making friends and encountering bullies as she lives in the witch’s cottage and works on learning spells, and she even meets a fairy boy who she calls Rum. With the help of her friends and her familiar, a crow named Windweaver who collects poetry like most birds collect shiny things, Grace learns to master the magic of the natural world.
My favorite part of the book is the intertextual elements that combine magic with fairy tales, ghost stories, and poetry. Each chapter begins with the lines of a famous poet (Dickinson, Wordsworth, Coleridge, etc.) and poetry is treated as “a different kind of magic”. This a lovely book to share with a child, and the format will allow adults readers to revisit childhood while contemplating the magic of poetry and folklore. The book is simple in characterization and plot, but fans of the Anne of Green Gables series will enjoy this tale of a magical orphan girl.

My first reading love was Anne of Green Gables, so I snatched up this book which pays homage to Anne, Avonlea, and Prince Edward Island.

Grace is exuberant, inquisitive, prone to flights of fancy, and an orphan, but unlike AoGG, she's got magickal powers! She runs away from the orphanage after being returned by several adoptive families, taking only books in her carpet bag.

Upon finding a lone cottage in the woods near By-the-Sea, she just knows the elderly lady living within is a witch. The witch begrudgingly takes Grace in promising her she can stay if she performs all the spells in the witch's grimoire by spring.

The witch's cottage description is based on Avonlea, and among other throwbacks to AoGG, we get the infamous cordial scene.

Grace is endearing and loveable. She uses her wits and intuition to get through the grimoire and social situations. Truly a great example of found families and caring.

Recommend for middle grade readers and for acquisition to school libraries.

Thank you to the author, Heather Fawcett, Publishers Harper Collins Children's Books and Balzer & Bray, and as always NetGalley, for an advance digital copy to read of THE GRACE OF WILD THINGS.

In this book, which is a retelling of Anne of Green Gables, Grace is a young witch who leaves her society behind because she doesn't belong. She seeks shelter with the old witch in the cabin in the woods, to be the old witch's apprentice. The old witch does so, but treats Grace horribly. She still agrees to teach Grace the ways of magic, and Grace makes her way, a new life for herself in the new forest-- until she faces the need to defend it, herself, and all she cares for.

I think THE GRACE OF WILD THINGS suffers from a bit of an identity crisis. It's a middle grade novel, meant for kids in grades 3 to 7, or ages 8 to 12, according to the information in the Kindle Store. But it's also almost 400 pages and its form is challenging-- meandering and without the benefit of a clearly defined plot. Some of the story's themes hang a bit low and obstructive on this thin string of plot. Despite these issues, the setting and source material come together to create a moody story that readers will find alluring.ll

Rating: 🦅🦅🦅🦅 / 5 bright black birds
Recommend: yes
Finished January 9 2023
Read this if you like:
🧙‍♀️ Witch fiction
🏚🌲 Cabin in the woods
🐈‍⬛ Talking animals
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Found family
🪄 Magic spells

I loved The Grace of Wild Things. I personally think this book is great on its own and doesn’t need to be marketed as a fantasy Anne of Green Gables. I could see why it is but this book is more than just a retelling.

Grace is an orphan no one wants. She doesn’t think she’s good at anything except for magic and makes a deal with a witch to become her apprentice.

I was sold on this book in the first chapter and I will be making my homeschool students read this one. I would say it’s best as a middle grade book but I enjoyed it as a 31 yr old!

I didn't actually finish this; I couldn't.
I will say that this is likely colored by the fact that I don't actually like Anne of Green Gables. I had hope for this as fantasy and Anne of Green Gables are popular at my library; unfortunately they're also popular with older MG/younger YA readers and this is a solidly MG title that I don't think will appeal to those readers. Or I was just put off by Grace (who really is pretty much everything I don't like about Anne but with the book lacking the charm of any actual description of PEI).

4/5 stars! Wonderful re-telling of the Anne of Green Gables classic. What I really enjoyed about this re-telling was that it managed to add a fantasy lens and make the story uniquely it's own. Too frequently we see re-tellings that don't push the envelope far enough and fall flat. This book pulled me in and I loved following Anne on her journey.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC for an exchange for an honest review.

I thought it was an interesting story.

This is a cute little Anenof Green Gables retelling with a fairytale twist.

If you are a fan of AoGG and are interested in fairytales from the perspective of the witch, this just might be a slam dunk in your basket. The touchstones of the tale are made extra humorous by the retelling.

The storytelling was good, and I have enjoyed other works of Heather Fawcett immensely. Unfortunately this didn't quite catch my interest. Anne is much beloved to me, but I don't think a retelling was something I needed In my life.

Thank you to HarperCollins Children's books for sending an ARC through netgalley in exchange for an honest review