Thank you to Netgalley & Wednesday books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

17 year old Clara embarks on a journey through the Forest Grimm in hopes of saving her mother, and removing the curse that is on her town.

This book is an abundance of fairytales all in one. But not the fairytales we know created by Disney, the more vicious ones like in the Brothers Grimm's tales. The characters that we meet are twisted and ruthless. The only issue with these characters though, is that we don't learn more about them other than the classic tale they represent.

The plot is very fast-paced and keeps you easily engaged.

Clara brings along her long-time best friend, Axel, who joins her to save his ex-fiance. The more time they spend together, the more their feelings grow. I do love how it is a friends to lovers trope instead of the typical enemies to lovers that is usually seen in fantasy. The friends to lovers also fits this story better. There is already enough action and tragedy around them that they need to get through.

This book does have a young-tone (perfect for 12-14 y/o), which is suitable for a YA novel, but I am in my 20's so it was a bit too young for me. My review does not reflect this.

Things I would like to see in the next one:
1. Who the murderer was
2. More about Clara's powers
3. The little mermaid

Rating: 4/5 Stars

The Forest Grimm is the first book set in a new young adult romantasy series. We follow our 17-year-old main character, Clara as she embarks on a quest into the deadly and dangerous Forest Grimm to find a magical book called the Sortes Fortunae (aka the Book of Fortunes). Typically, no one ever makes it out of the forest out alive, but she will go to great lengths to break the curse that is placed on her village and to rescue her mother. What Clara does not know as she ventures through the forest, she and her friends that tag along will encounter some well-known fairytales.

I discovered Kathryn Purdie's books back in 2020 when Bone Crier's Moon came out and ever since I have been reading some of her books which I end up enjoying. When I saw The Forest Grimm go up on NetGalley, I instantly went to request it since I know Kathryn is an author I enjoy.

When The Forest Grimm first opens up with the villagers having their names drawn to see who would go into the forest to break the curse my first thought was: "is our main character going to yell-I volunteer as tribute?!" That part just made me think of The Hunger Games and no there was no one who yelled that they volunteered as tribute with those exact words.

Kathryn Purdie does such an amazing job setting up this world and the atmosphere. She really draws you in and makes you feel like you are in this dark, bleak forest with odd run ins with fairytale characters. I should note that these fairytale characters are not the Disney ones that a lot of us know but the darker ones that we encounter with the Brother Grimm Fairytales. You can expect Cinderella, Hansel + Gretel, Rapunzel, and a few other characters to appear in this book. With that being said I really enjoyed seeing the different characters and how they are portrayed as well interact with the main characters and the world.

When it comes to the characters, I for the most part enjoyed them but did find Henni and Clara to be aggravating at times. But I did love the friendship and the even more than friends' dynamic between Clara and Axel.

The pacing for the most part was great and fast but there were areas that felt like it dragged out. I was very engaged in this story and curious about what was going on and what would happen.

I've been seeing a lot of mixed reviews on The Forest Grimm about it feeling too young as well as other things. To put in perspective: I will be 28 this fall, and I did not find it juvenile or targeted for a younger range. To me this felt like a good, clean (no smut) romantasy retelling that I would have encountered when I was a teenager. Everyone does perceive things differently, so it is all good if people find this too young, but I just wanted to say for me it felt fine and I think many people who want a clean YA romantasy, a dark fantasy retelling, or to feel reminiscent of YA a decade ago then you'll enjoy this.

The Forest Grimm gave a dark twisted story of a small town that has been placed under a curse where the townspeople become lost in a dark forest whenever they enter. The story includes plays on the basic fairy tales in ways that are similar to the original Grimm Brother’s fairy tales, although they do not share the exact same story line. It keeps the reader guessing throughout the book as to which character will show up next and how they will play into the story. It ended with a great cliff hanger to make the reader want to read the next book to see who might be included in the next story to see what will happen to this small town.

Clara has grown up always knowing that her fate has been decided and that she will die young based on the card readings that her grandmother has given to her. She lives in a small village near the Forest Grimm where upon her 16th birthday, she will be able to wish upon a magic book for her deepest desire. Unfortunately, before she reaches this age, someone uses the book to commit a murder and the book and forest punish the village with a curse. Every month after that, someone's name is pulled from a bowl and that person tries to enter the forest to break the curse on the village.
Early on in the story, Clara and her friend Axel enters the forest to try to break the curse. At this point, it becomes clear that this story is incorporating many of the Grimm's fairy tails in the dark way in which they were originally written.
This story was really creative and clever and ended in a way that opened it up to be a series. I would definitely read another book in this series as it was fun and kept my attention.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in return for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This is a sweet, easy read with some twisted, dark fairytale elements that I really enjoyed. This is YA written for a younger YA audience. Some smooching, some yearning, and some violence but nothing gory or scarring for YA readers.

Clara, the FMC, is just a bit brash, definitely tough, and entirely self-sacrificing. She's headstrong and I loved how she fights against all expectations and even fate itself. Not with swords, or bows and arrows, but with pure willpower. She is a simple village girl, not a warrior, but that doesn't stop her from doing what's right, even if it means her own life. Because of this I related so much more to Clara than other famous heroines like Katniss, or Tris, Aelin, or Feyre. Clara is a girl in a fairytale, but she is so much more real.

Especially given the fact that Clara has scoliosis. Described in the book as an S-shaped curve that makes her hips uneven, this presents a unique problem for Clara as she's fleeing through the forest and fighting for her village. I thought the author represented Clara's chronic pain real enough that I truly emphasized with her.

As said before, the romance in this novel is chaste. Without giving too much away, I loved reading the connection between the characters come to life as they slowly realize what was there all along.

The fairytale aspect was fun to watch develop. The tales depicted are not of the Disney variety, these fairytales are darker and twisty. It was a lot of fun trying to guess who was who, although some were more obvious than others.

Overall, a great read for young adult readers, and those young at heart like myself!

Uh, wow, where do I start? ummm this book was not for me. I could not even make it past the third chapter. The writing style felt so choppy, having some sentences that consisted of only a few words, and then followed up by the same length sentences? It almost felt like I was reading bullet points. Additionally, there is random phrases in French that is supposed to be some "mythical language only her grandmother speaks" which the character says she only knows a few words of?? so if that's the case, at least in my opinion, it wouldn't be too hard to come up with a fictional little mini language, especially if only a few words are going to be mentioned? Rather than just adding in some French words and treating that like it's unique? meanwhile, referencing whortleberries (which I believe are Columbian?) and all of this comes about in the PROLOGUE? I found it all to be very confusing, choppy, and did nothing but pull me out of the stories enough that I didn't want to continue.
Additionally, this is VERY YA. There is always a grey area between YA and new adult - not this book. This FMC gives you everything you'd like out of a true YA read. So, I won't be reading more of this geographical and logistical nightmare. I want to say I did more fact checking for this Netgalley review than the author did for The Forest Grimm.

The Forest Grimm was a disappointing read. If it weren't for the fairytale retellings, I probably would have quit the book. I liked the premise of this story and the way the author weaved together the different fairytales. What I didn't care for was the main characters. The characters felt one dimensional and the chemistry between Clara and Axel felt forced. I also think the author could have expanded more on Clara's abilities. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

A pretty cool and interesting version of popular grim novels that are given that YA spark that makes them fit or flexible in the modern day.

The Forest Grimm takes us into a world of darkness, magic, and secrets. The Forest is magic, and it's been cursed by the wrongdoing of a villager in Clara's town. She's been trying for years to enter and save her mother, but this year she's been thrown a twist. Despite her well laid plans, Clara's help to Axel is unsuccessful. As they enter and go through the Forest, following clues of fortune and fate as they go, their plans aren't the only thing to unravel. Identities hidden are revealed, loyalties don't lie where they ought, and fate itself is tested by change in heart. Will Clara, Axel, and Hennie be able to survive and save their town? Find out in this clever retelling of Grimm's Fairytales.

This was quite an unexpected ride. I mean, I liked it, but it didn't exactly get me jumping with excitement. There were moments when it felt like the story was dragging because there were so many different elements. What I really dug, though, was how the book twisted up those classic Grimm fairy tales in a seriously dark and creepy way. It gave me chills a couple of times, in a good way. I felt that the characters felt a bit one-dimensional. I wish they had more depth, but it's a plot-driven story. Still, if you like YA dark fairy tales, this would be for you.

Oh, how I wanted to love this book! The concept is nostalgic and fun but unfortunately it felt like a slog by the end.

The enchanted forest troupe is one we have seen many a time in YA, perhaps it is for that reason that I had some hefty expectations going into this one. I felt like The Forest Grim read like a detailed outline of a book I might enjoy, sadly It just never delivered enough of any one thing to interest me. I felt no connection to the characters and the plot felt a bit disjointed and drawn out. My biggest complaint is that the atmosphere was lacking. When I read an enchanted forest book with GRIMM in the title I expect atmosphere for days and it juts didn't deliver.

This one might appeal to the younger readers of the YA genre but I didn't find it well suited for someone who is wanting some depth within their stories.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

First I would like to thank Netgalley and Wednesday Books for approving my request for this arc in return for an honest review.

One of my favourite type of fantasy books is anything that delves into the dark side of the Grimm Brothers fairytales, and this delivered in every bit I did not expect. I love the twist of on the take of the fairytales, that instead a village lives near the Grimm Forest that holds ancient magic that blesses the town that lives near it. Through the people keeping peace and using their one granted wish for good, the Forest Grimm bestows them magic and fortune... Until someone uses their one wish for evil, making the Forest Grimm curse the village.
I love the slow build up friendship to love, and the different versions of fairytales we got to visit with a dark twist to them. Each encounter they faced in the forest was Grimm and haunting. The magic behind everything was intriguing and it kept me wanting to learn more. Honestly I have been in a reading slump and this book pulled me right out of it with my favourite kind of stories! I can't wait for it to be published.

I adore #KathrynPurdie! I have loved every single book that she has written and #TheForestGrimm is no exception. What a fun take on The Grimm stories, so many of them are woven in together in neat ways.
The main character Clara believes that she is destined to die in The Grimm Woods, her Grandmere's cards predicted it long ago, but she is determind that her cards will be redrawn and a different fate will be chosen for her.
The Grimm Woods used to be place of joy and magic where the villagers could depend on the forest and in turn the forest would depend on them. When the town first popped up the forest gifted them with a book, The Sortes Fortunae. Once of age anyone could wish for their hearts desire and write it in the book and that wish would be granted. But someone used the book to wish death upon another and the forest turned on them. The book disappeared back into the trees and a prophecy was made that someone would find it and a true sacrfice must be made. Then the forest began taking villagers including Clara's mother, her best friend Axel's betrothed and so many others.
Clara finds a cape dyed with Red Rampion that her mother made for her, she believes she has found the secret to entering the woods without being cruely ejected. She is going to tempt fate, find the book, rescue the lost and most of all find her mother even if it spells out her demise.

I want to thank #Netgalley and #St.Martin'sPublishingGrroup for letting me read #TheForestGrimm by #KathrynPurdie in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I have really mixed feelings about this book. I’ll be completely honest, I struggled through the first half of the book, and I almost gave up on it. The second half was a little better, but I was glad to finish it. It just wasn’t what I expected, and it felt like it failed at really using the fairy tale lore it tries to connect with in a way that get you interested.

I’m gonna keep it short, because it just wasn’t for me. I’m sure many readers will love it. For me, it just failed a creating a story that really flowed well and kept me hooked. It felt like it tried to connect too many fairy tales without really giving us any real connection to the stories. Because of that, it seemed like using the Grimm’s characters just worked against the story, and it would have been better without it.

The Forest Grimm is a thrilling and ferocious fairy-tale retelling from author Kathryn Purdie.

The author takes inspiration from many different fairytales and combines them in this story of Clara, who tries to fight against her fate to save her family. This is definitely a darker story, with violence, poison, and lots of injuries, but it will pull you in from the first chapter.

It took me awhile to warm up to Axel, but he grew on me throughout the book.

Overall a gripping fantasy with a small cliffhanger at the end.

This book is YA and feels closer to middle grade for me. the plot was amazing in the story but the character development suffered.

3.5 stars
The Forest Grimm drew me in with its compelling premise, putting a twist on the classic fairy tales, and it also happens to be a fun reading companion now that I’ve once again started watching Once Upon a Time, which is perhaps the closest thing to it narratively, in how it combines aspects of numerous tales in a single story.
As the title suggests, the setting is the most well-realized aspect of the story, with the magic forest evoking magic and mystery. And while the choice to mash up so many stories did leave the narrative feeling a bit chaotic, I enjoyed seeing how Kathryn Purdie played with these stories, paying tribute to them and also doing her own thing.There are some other aspects of the world that weren’t quite as well-thought out, but they are forgivable, in my opinion.
The characters are perhaps one of the weaker points, as I didn’t feel super strongly about them, and they felt mostly like vehicles to move the story forward. There are some inklings of promise for the main characters, like Clara and Axel, and I can see continuing to the next book to see how their story develops.
While not perfect, this is a fun read, and I’d recommend it to fans of fairy tale retellings.

An unexpected yet more-than-welcomed fantasy book that has taken the top spot as my favorite book of 2023. I love how the forest made well-known fairy tales twisted and tragic, making the stakes even higher than they already were. The romance was so sweet and it’s impossible not to fall in love with Axel. And Clara is a great protagonist, trying to keep a level head while knowing her fate and desperately wanting to change it, even if she thinks that’s selfish. I need the next one right now.

Full review can be read at the link attached.

What if you could know your fate, and the cards spell your untimely death? A fun mix of Grimm fairy tales and the complicated desire to save those you love while knowing it can cost you everything, I really enjoyed this one. Definitely excited to see where the story goes from here!

I received an advance copy from the publisher, all opinions are my own and a review was not required.

Clara lives in a village next to the Forest Grimm. Despite the name, it has always been a magical place to live, and each villager is granted a magical wish at the age of sixteen - so long as they do not share this wish with anyone. Someone, however, has used their wish to kill another villager, which curses the village and causes villagers to begin disappearing. One of the first to vanish was Clara's mother. The Forest Grimm follows as Clara attempts to save her mother from the forest and to break the curse on her village.

This book has extremely mixed reviews, so I went in with very low expectations. I was, however, very pleasantly surprised to enjoy this! The people Clara meets during her time in the forest are characters we all know from fairy tales, though they are much more similar to the Grimm versions of their characters than the Disney ones. While this book is YA, there is a creepy feeling there that I don't think I would have enjoyed as a young teen. The US cover of this book is a bit misleading from that aspect, in my opinion.

No, this is not a book that will change your life, but I think any lover of fairy tale-adjacent stories will find this to be a fun, easy read. 3.5 stars from me.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!