I knew I was going to love this book, even before I started. First of all, it’s a book from Kathryn Purdie (I’m a huge fan of her books) and second I love fairytales. Especially darker fairytales. The Forest Grimm by Kathryn Purdie is a perfect dark fairytale YA fantasy. Clara is so brave and she’s determined to help find the Lost of her village, including her mother. Axel is quite dreamy and I loved the progression of Clara and Axel’s story. Henni was also enjoyable. I absolutely loved how this book was written. I loved the darker aspect of the story, as I was creeped out many times by the sinister characters of the forest. I don’t want to say which fairytales were in the book but let’s just say, my favorite fairytale has a crazy spin!
Thank you to the publisher for the Netgalley approval.

Writing: 4/5
Plot: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
World Building: 5/5

Themes: Fantasy, Gothic, Fairytales

The Forest Grimm is about a cursed village and a girl trying to save her mother by changing her fate. I really liked the grimm fairytales troughout the story. They all had a fun and unique twist. If you have read or know of the grimm stories you will really enjoy this book. The characters were fun and I could see how they change and grow through the book. I really enoyed reading this and can’t wait to read more by this author.

I don't have a way to say this, but this was...extremely dull. I wasn't a huge fan of the characters, I didn't like the plot, and nothing really clicked at all.

I wish I had something I could talk about that excited me, and the idea of fairy tales and horror mixed together is exactly what I want, but this… wasn’t it. :/

Thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for a chance to read and review.

I really enjoyed this book. I found the plot exciting and got so sucked in that I lost track of time.
The Forest Grimm follows the journey of Clara, Axel, and Henni as they venture into the Forest Grimm, an enchanted forest that has claimed their loved ones in the hopes of breaking the curse that has plagued their town.
Clara has known for years that she would die young; it was a fate read to her by her fortune-telling grandmother. Something that she also knows is that she is the changer of fate. In an attempt to bring her mother home, Clara, accompanied by her friends, finds themselves wrapped up in some very Grim situations…
With not-so-kind characters lurking in the Forest, the group must stick together if they are ever to find their Lost Ones and the wish-granting book, Sortes Fortunae that will free their town of the curse.

I loved how this book incorporated so many different Grimm’s fairy tales into it. The retelling of Rapunzel was particularly unsettling. The visual I got of her crawling around the Forest will not be one I forget. Hansel and Gretel also gave me the heebie jeebies.

This was just so good.

4/5 stars!

I was so honored to get a ARC in the mail from Wednesday books and since I started this book I have been completely hooked. I am a big fan of Bone Criers Moon Duology but this one has taken first place as enrapturing, fantastical and captivating for me. I LOVE these characters and the way in which it spins off of fairytales. The spin on the fairytales are so unique. I absolutely love the use and importance of Red Rampion and how it ties into the fairytale retellings. I also love the plot in this book, how it tells not only a journey of a group of friends but a growth of the friends and how they have to deal with truth, loss, pain and hardship. I already CANNOT wait to find out what happens next and how they will (hopefully) break the Curse of the Grimm Forest. I could go on and on about this book but mostly I'll just say, if you aren't planning on reading this you are missing out on the journey of a life time and the most unique retelling of the classic fairytales I have ever heard of.

- thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc to review!

- this novel hooked me in with the description, but i fell out of engaging with it real quick, as the story was very repetitive, with each Grimms fairy tale basically repeating each time the characters encounter them. i wish i could enjoy this, but i didn't, as this was boring and repetitive.

I’m still trying to decide what I thought about this book. It took me by surprise, yet it felt totally right. I don’t think I’ve ever read a retelling that took such a unique approach. I would have never expected to run into Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, Sleeping Beauty, and Rapunzel in one cohesive story. Yet, there they are, uncommonly and innovatively.

My weirdly favorite character is the forest. Yes, the forest is a character in its own right, being a living, breathing (in a sense) part of the story. And it’s very atmospheric in its being, which I just loved. It felt very Grimm - the brothers would approve, I think.

The other characters, even the main character, Clara, didn’t capture my attention as much as I would have hoped. I couldn’t relate or empathize with their personal stories, which sometimes confused me and bored me with others. And the romance, well, it confused me too. It’s a very out-there situation, and I guess I never achieved suspended disbelief and buy-in.

But, I have to admit, I am curious where book 2 of this duology will go.

3.75 stars
This book has a pretty low average rating on GoodReads—especially for a book that’s not even out yet. The entire time I was reading it I was stressed, because I was like… <i>I’m enjoying this? This is good? Why is the rating so low is something really awful going to happen and ruin it</i> The good news is, at least by my opinion, that didn’t happen. I enjoyed this book from start to finish.
Was the main character kind of annoyingly stupid in her stubbornness at times? Yes. She just refused to believe the objective truth in front of her and then kept making decisions that you as a reader knew were stupid, and her friends knew were stupid. It did get a little annoying to read, but she was also acknowledging in her internal monologue that she was making stupid decisions but she just needed her beliefs/hope to be true. I think that acknowledgment was what kept my mild annoyance from dipping into an unenjoyable level of annoyance. However, aside from that annoyance, I did really enjoy the characters and Clara as a narrator. She was interesting, voicey, and easy to root for (except for in very specific decisions). Henni did really annoy me at times, but at other times she was completely lovable. Axel was my favorite of the group. He was sweet and swoony and I fell for him right alongside Clara.
The world building, however, was pretty underdeveloped. You were kind of just meant to not question anything. There’s an explanation of why they must go into the forest and why it is evil, but when it came to all the fairytale aspects it was kind of just “the fairytale aspects are a part of it because they are. Don’t question it.” There’s no reason, no explanation, no way to tie fairytales into the existing worldbuilding. You simply have to not question it at all, or else you’ll be pulled out of the story. I felt similarly to the references of good/bad luck superstitions. The characters are obsessed with symbols of luck, and there’s no real explanation for that either, and I felt like their needed to be, especially because it was so constant. Thankfully I was able to just, not think about the plot and developmental holes and enjoy it anyway. It was an interesting world as long as you don’t ask questions.
I think this book would have done better in a middle grade market. The specific ways that fairytales were incorporated felt a bit more in vein of MG than YA to me, and I think the less-developed worldbuilding would work better for MG than YA as well. The romance would have needed to be toned down a little (less descriptions of making out), but everything else felt more suited to a younger audience and MG standards. The characters were supposed to be upper teens, but they (and especially Clara) acted much younger.
On a craft level, the one aspect that I have no complaints on is the pacing. This was fast paced without ever getting too much so. It balanced action and reaction, progress of plot and character and emotion very well. I was never bored, and I never felt like I had whiplash, either. It kept me fully engaged from the first page to the last, and I ended up finishing the book in a day.
Last but not least, the absolute BEST part of this book was the disability rep! When I started this book, I had absolutely no idea there was going to be disability representation. Then, a few pages in, we learn that Clara has scoliosis. Because this is a fantasy book, the condition is described instead of named, but Clara says she has an S-curve in her spine that causes her hips to not be level with each other. The portrayal of this is exactly what I want more of in fantasy. It’s what I consider “casual disability rep”. It isn’t a plot point, it isn’t a huge ordeal that the characters are constantly being dramatic about, Clara simply is disabled. It’s a part of her character and it regularly affects her, but it’s not this huge thing, it’s just how she is. I wish we could have had a little bit more in depth discussions of the bigger picture of what it’s like to live with chronic pain, since it was mostly passing mentions of a twinge of pain here, a stumble there, but I still really enjoyed what was there. I also really, really loved the inclusion of an accessibility/mobility aid. Clara uses a lift in her shoe to make her feet even on the ground and help lessen her pain. These types of aids are often completely overlooked in fantasy, and when they are there, it’s often of the magical variety. And while I enjoy fantasy versions of accessibility devices, there’s something refreshing about seeing a simple, real world accessibility device in a fantasy setting.

I did enjoy this book, and I definitely recommend it. But if I’m being entirely honest, I’m not certain I’ll end up picking up the sequel next year. This one wrapped up pretty nicely. Despite the fact that the ending made it clear that there will be a sequel, I’m not itching to know how the last loose threads tied up. I think it was maybe wrapped up a little too nicely for the first book in a series. Who knows, maybe when it releases I’ll be more intrigued but right now I feel satisfied.

Welcome to The Forest Grimm, a world where fairytales have come to life, only they aren’t the sweet fairytales with happy ever afters, but the dark, gritty fairytales that bite.

Clara has always known she would die young. She’s resolved to her fate because she knows she will also save her mother. You see, Clara’s town isn’t normal; it has magic. Only someone used the magic for evil—to kill another person—and now the magic has cursed them all. Over the years, loved ones have gone into the Forest Grimm only to never return. Clara’s mother was the first to go missing. Now, Clara is ready to go into the forest to save her mother, break the curse, and accept whatever fate befalls her. However, nothing can prepare Clara for the people she will encounter in the forest and the challenges she will face.

The Forest Grimm was such a pleasant surprise! Kathryn Purdie’s prose was perfect for this story; decadent and lyrical, it felt as if I was reading a classic fairytale. Not only do we get hints and nods to fairytales, but we actually meet characters who believe they are fairytale characters. Purdie does a fantastic job weaving her spin on classic stories we all grew up loving. I had so much fun trying to figure out which fairytales would pop up and what they would mean for the story!

Rich in beautiful prose, a strong female lead, alongwith hints of romance, The Forest Grimm is a must-read fantasy this fall!

Also…Kathryn Purdie…that ending. WHEN CAN I GET BOOK 2???

My thanks goes to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for an ARC. All opinions are my own; I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Fairy Tale Retellings, Fantasy
Age: YA

From the cover, I was already getting fairy tale vibes, but this story twists German tales in a unique way. It's incredibly clever and somewhat gruesome at times. (Honestly, kids like to have it extreme, so this is a positive thing.)

I kept thinking about how would I have lived my life if I knew I'd die young. That's the root for all of Clara's choices. I thought she was interesting, and I wanted her to survive! But once she goes into the forest, I was worried for her every minute. She also has a disability with a curved spine that adds a layer of problems as she's going through the forest. I was glad she had Axel because he seemed so capable, but then…another person arrives, and that seemed to just put everything into more trouble.

I loved how intense this book is. And all the twisty tales. Nothing went like I expected. And the ending, surprised me—but I won't mention it. (I don't think you'll guess even with that hint.)

I recommend this book!

Happy (spooky) reading!

Sortes Fortunae is the Book of Fortunes. Years ago it granted the deepest desires to those of the village until someone used it to kill another person. After that, the Forest Grimm hid it away and the village of Grimm's Hollow suffered. Anyone going into the forest to make amends never returned. While Clara's grandmother warned her to keep away from the woods, she now dares to enter with her friend Axel to reverse the curse on her village and save her mother. The forest is alive, with twists on the Grimm fairy tales.

Clara is sure she's cursed, as her grandmother uses oracle vards to divine futures and hers always contained the forest and death. Because of this, she heads into the forest to save her mother and the village. The forest has a consciousness of a sort, turning prior wanderers from the village into characters from fairy tales we know. Axel follows to save his former fiancee, as well as their friendship, and her best friend also follows. But the transformed villagers play the roles the forest gives them, adding to the danger that Clara faces. Finding the book and her mother might be the primary purpose for her journey, but Clara realizes along the way uncomfortable truths about those she loves, and that as much as tries to defy it, fate will have to happen.

I loved the flashes of fairy tales as the book went along, as well as the magic inherent in the village and woods. Clara keeps telling herself that she is going to do whatever it takes for the village and to get her mother back, but she doesn't realize that the magic doesn't answer directly. This leads to a different kind of ending than she thought she would have, and the possibility of more stories in this world. It was a fun ride to the end, and I look forward to other books in this universe.

Although a fairly complex story with many characters from several fairy tales, Purdie does well to uniquely "retell" the stories. The Forest Grimm is complete with a magical world, unlikely protectors, young love, betrayal, an unexpected prince, and their truest desires. Clara and her friends set out on a life-changing and often life-threatening journey to save their village and rescue the Lost. Clara will learn what her heart truly desires as she and her friends meet reimagined confused and crazy fairy tale characters in the Forest Grimm.

I was unsure about this book when I first started and truly unsure about it until the end. There are so many elements that seem overwhelming and hard to keep track of. However, I was surprised and pleased with the ending. Although this is a planned duology and I would like to read the sequel, The Forest Grimm could also stand alone as a novel.

Fairytale retelling? Sign me up!

Except... it really wasn't what I wanted. Clara seemed both too young and too old at the same time for a YA novel, Axel is just average (I feel like their friendship wasn't played up enough beforehand), and Henni was TOO childish at times. I don't understand how she and Clara are supposed to be best friends - it just didn't make sense to me.

The forest itself didn't really make sense (SPOILER - how was Clara's mom a vampire??? how did the twins age up?? Why was Ella trying to poison them??). Clara's grandma is kind of the worst, but also her backstory makes no sense to the plot. Overall, everything just felt half-hazardly thrown together and I felt bored by most of it.

I wish this had just been a standalone. There is not enough plot to turn this into a duology/series. Not horrible, but ultimately just not my cup of tea.

*Received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

4/5 Star Rating!

Wow, this was a fun one. I really enjoyed how Purdie wove all these different fairytales together into a story all it's own, yet reminiscent of the dark tales told by Brothers Grimm. This YA dark fantasy retelling was obviously meticulously planned. I however, didn't get hooked from the beginning. After about 20% of the way in I was drawn in, and couldn't stop reading it.

I do wish that there was more character development from the main character, Clara. I felt like I understood why she was doing what she was doing. But, I still felt a bit disconnected to her.

She as a character has Scoliosis, or an 'S' shaped spine. This obviously causes her discomfort because it is brought up over and over again. I found it a little agitating, with it being constantly dragged up. No need to repetitively mention it. A few times will suffice, but beyond that it's a bit much. This is me being nitpicky.

I overall really enjoyed this, and look forward to visiting the people of Grimm Hollow again! If you love retelling's with huge dashes of irony, fate, and cute romance. This is a great one to read. I love the more sinister twist on the story, and I appreciated Purdie's huge head nod to Brothers Grimm, and how she went about her own take on their stories, without any of the dark vibes lost!

Well done, Kathryn Purdie!

-Megan

I was provided both a print and audio ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

I really liked the premise of a darker twist on some of our favorite fairly tales. I think the author did a good job of using some of my favorite tales and putting a nice twist on all of them to make them all a little bit darker and more sinister. If you have ever read the original fairy tales they all lean on the darker side in an attempt to teach children a lesson and deter them from doing certain actions or going certain places. I think the author did a good job staying true to the darker side of the original tales, while still putting her own fresh spin on them.

This follows Clara on quite and adventure to find a lost book as well as the villagers who were lost in the magical and dangerous forest that borders her village. The book holds the secrets to reverse the curse on the village and Clara is determined to find the book, save the village, and find her mother. You see Clara's grandmother is a fortune teller, and she has foretold that Clara is going to meet and untimely death in the Forest Grimm. Clara driven by the cards her grandmother has drawn, enters the forest aided by her best friends Axel and Henni to find what was lost. There they encounter a forest with a mind of it's own, dangerous creatures, and unexpected enemies.

One of the criticisms I have about the book is that the author often repeats certain phrases over and over as if you forgot them from the previous chapters. The other thing I wasn't a fan of is that our main character Clara is an act first think later kind of person and it felt like she had no agency of her own. All of her actions were driven by what she thought was her fate based on the cards drawn for her, and I felt like she lacked common sense much of the time because of it. After some reflection, I think that means I'm not the target age group for this book. It read a bit too juvenile for my taste, and I love a good middle grade or YA book. The characters were a bit too impulsive for my taste and the book lacked the world building and character development that I personally like to see in a book despite the target age group. I do think younger readers are really going to enjoy this. The magic system isn't overly complicated, there is a decent amount of action, and the plotline is entertaining.

This is the first book in a duology from what I've read, I am looking forward to finding out where the series goes next. This does end on a slight cliffhanger, but the main storyline of this book does end and I felt we got closure on this installment and brief preview of where the next book is headed.

***ARC received from Wednesday Books and NetGalley in exchange for honest review, opinions are all my own. Thank you!***

Everything about the concept of this book sounds great, a heroine waiting to die, a magical book that turns on those that use its magic and a forest that has twisted the fairy tales using the imprisoned to tell its story. When the book is on its on and its really good and can be quite creepy. Unfortunately its not a fully balanced book that left me with wanting a lot more.

The book pulls from traditional fairy tales and gives them a dark twist that I really enjoyed. We are introduced to Rapunzel and Cinderella with a dark twist to their story which was very interesting. The author created good tension in those scenes. I love a darker take on traditional fairy tales and this was executed well. Rapunzel was very creepy, the use of hair and its movement through the forest was so well done. Cinderella was probably my favorite. While she is not a creepy as Rapunzel, she has a sadness to her story that combined with the darker aspects. Hansel and Gretel also get a darker retelling but it basically just shifts the roles around so its not nearly as well done as the previous stories.

Unfortunately when they move on from these sections the book really falls apart. The tension from the previous scenes gets dropped and unfortunately it really slows the book down and for a book that already feels short it doesn’t help. It is where we get to explore more of the characters and in Henni’s case its either whining or throwing a fit about something inappropriate. She felt incredibly immature for someone who had made a pretty brave decision.

Clara and Axel don’t fare much better, they had inappropriately timed flirting or Clara is not being honest about something. I can understand this when they first enter the forest but they seemed to get less concerned about their safety than before. It just doesn’t make any sense and it just made me so frustrated to read. Especially as it pulled me out of the tension I previously felt in the scenes with the fairy tale characters. I know the book is structured to need a romance for the plot but I wish it had been handled a little less clumsy

Honestly, I hated the end of this book. I get that they have to set up the second book since one of the main plot lines did not get resolved but it was done in such a clumsy manner. One of my biggest complaints throughout the book was the characters felt like they had no survival instincts and the ending proved its a trait of the town not just those characters. They learned nothing from what they previously experienced and its incredibly frustrating as a reader and it makes me really not want to go back for the second book.

This isn’t a terrible book, its got some really great moments that are very creepy. Unfortunately it just isn’t a fully balanced book which distracts from the really good parts of the book.

Dark and atmospheric, The Forest Grimm is a unique and entertaining reimagining of the Grimm fairy tales. The story weaves in tales like Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, Sleeping Beauty, and Rapunzel in a new and fresh way.

Much of the story takes place in the Grimm Forest, which is a dark, twisted, and sentient entity. It almost feels like a character itself in how it manipulates and works to thwart its inhabitants. In unique, magical, and dangerous world, Clara and Axel never know what to expect, and their journey to rescue their loved ones is treacherous. I love the wild twists and turns the story takes as Clara and her friends venture deeper and deeper into the forest.

I loved Clara’s journey as she uncovered the secrets of her village and the Forest Grimm. With a curse upon her village and her mother lost to the forest, Clara is determined to find her and bring magic back to the people. Clara travels with Axel and encounters people in the forest who are twisted versions of the classic fairy tale characters, barely reminiscent of the villagers they once were. It was so cool how the author took classic pieces of the original tales and twined them together with new material.

The story also has a slow-burning friends-to-lovers romance that I totally adored. It wasn’t the main focus of the novel, but it definitely raised the stakes for Clara and Axel. The story delves into their relationship from when they were kids, and you can see how important the relationship is to both of them. I liked seeing this couple slowly admit their feelings to themselves and each other.

This is the first in a duology, and after what happened at the end of the book, I can’t wait to read the next one. I would definitely recommend The Forest Grimm to readers who enjoy younger YA fantasy. Special thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

This book was just so boring. I wanted to DNF it as I predicted the bit regarding the FMC's mother (which is really rare because I hardly ever predict stuff correctly), but continued on because I did like the twists (or reality?) of the fairytales and how the author tied those things within the story. The main problem is that I simply didn't care about anything else or really anyone. The romance between the FMC and Axel felt so forced and to be honest, quite weird throughout the entire story. I felt bad for Henni and the fact that she really couldn't seem to accept what happened to a family member while in the forest.

Unfortunately I really don't have much else to say. The writing was not the best either--kind of boring and non-descriptive with nothing to recommend regarding the characters--and you sort of grasped the realistic setting (the town the FMC lived in) and had an excellent grasp of the Forest Grimm itself.

Clara lives in Grimm Hollow, a town surrounded by the magical Grimm forest that has turned on the town after they used it's magic for evil. The people of the town were allowed one wish from the Book of Fortunes once they came of age but someone used their wish to murder another town member. After this time, the book disappeared into the forest and town members also began going missing in their attempt to retrieve the book and lift the town's curse.

Clara's mother is among the missing, and thus Clara is determined to enter the forest and retrieve the book. Once 17 years old, she embarks on her quest with her friends Axel and Henni and discovers the mysteries it contains.

I found this book very interesting; I loved the weaving in of the Grimm fairytales into the storyline once they are in the forest. It is well written and gripping.

THanks to Netgalley for the e-ARC

The Forest Grimm is fully of creepy forests and twisted fairy tales, and teens acting like teens.

Clara has been told that she'll suffer an untimely death, but when the town's magical book goes missing and a curse is laid over the town, she embarks into the dangerous forest that runs next to her village to find it and save her town. She's obviously followed by her best friend and her love interest (not that she'll admit that's who he is).

I didn't mind the haphazard mashup of the fairytales so much as I minded that we - the audience - obviously knew who was who, but the stories didn't seem to be part of the characters' world at all, so their inclusion just left me scratching my head. It felt a bit like the author was pointing out something to us going "hey! do you GET IT??".

I also found Clara and her love interest's will-they-or-won't-they very annoying, but that's because I'd say this is younger YA than I'm used to.

That being said, if you like creepy forests and stories that are a little dark and a little weird, you might like this one.

3/5 stars.