Huge thanks to Netgalley & Tor Publishing for an eARC ♥️

Ah, the dark allure of "The Butcher of the Forest" beckons those brave enough to venture into its twisted realm. This novella promises a thrilling descent into the heart of darkness, where the eerie whispers of the Elmever forest will haunt your every step. With a tyrant's cruel ultimatum hanging over her head, Veris Thorn must navigate treacherous traps and confront the monsters lurking within the shadows. Will she emerge unscathed, or will the forest's sinister embrace trap her forever? Premee Mohamed masterfully weaves a spellbinding tale that will leave you breathless and uneasy. But be warned: once you enter the Elmever, there's no turning back. The forest's dark magic will consume you, its ancient trees seeming to twist and writhe around you like living serpents. Every creak of the branches, every rustle of leaves, will make you question what lies ahead. Will you dare to tread the treacherous path, where the fate of the tyrant's children hangs precariously in the balance? The Elmever's secrets await, but so do its teeth, eager to devour the unsuspecting. So, take a deep breath, and step into the shadows... if you dare!

I liked that this was a novella. The story worked well with that length and it goes to show that a fantasy story doesn't have to be a 600 page novel!

I usually love fairy tales, but I found that this was too dark and grim for my preference. The ending was also a bit abrupt.

The Butcher of the Forest is a dark, bite-sized bargain of a fairy tale. There is a Tyrant, there is an enchanted forest, and there are bargains poorly and wisely struck.

The novella evokes classic fae bargains and the tone of Grimm's fairy tales. There is a price for everything here, and who pays the price isn't who we may want to. The tale is lush and ominous from start to finish.

I recommend this for dark fantasy fans and those who enjoy twisted tales (thinking the horror-tinged Kingfisher works).

Thank you NetGalley and Tordotcom for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

At the northern edge of a certain village, there’s a magic forest that all of the villagers know to avoid. Years ago, Veris brought a child back, and now, at forty years old, she’s forced by the Tyrant to bring his wayward children home. Entering the forest means Veris has to confront her past while racing against the clock, because the children only have twenty four hours before they won’t be able to leave again.

I loved how haunting and unsettling this novella was and Mohamed did an excellent job at keeping the story tense and well-paced in a short amount of space. The world building was rich and I was kept on the edge of my seat while reading. The story is intriguing and layered, and there’s so much to pick at because nothing is what it seems. Mohamed uses language in such a beautiful way that really highlights the novella’s dark fairytale nature—there are a few heavy trigger warnings here, like child sex abuse and child death, and it’s surprisingly bloody. Though I found the ending to be the weakest part, I still thought it was satisfying and the overall story felt complete.

Overall, I really liked this novella and will definitely be picking up more from Mohamed, and if this world ever gets revisited I will be first in line to check it out.

This was so, so good. Blending elements of fairy tales and horror, The Butcher of the Forest is the story of a woman, Veris, who has to go into a forest out of nightmares to rescue the children of the Tyrant King that rules over the land, Nothing is as it seems within the forest, with a landscape and monsters that shift and change, dreamlike, as the protagonists struggle to escape. This was quick to get through, more of a novella than a full novel.

I read this a few weeks ago and in all honesty I don't remember much about it. That's not a terrible thing, because it means it wasn't so horrible that it stuck out in my mind as something to wince at should anyone bring it up to the register, but then again it didn't stick out as one to point out for those looking for a recommendation. I will say that it was unique enough to be interesting, while also feeling reminiscent of those well-loved fairytales we are all familiar with. I think the main issue I had is that it was so short that there wasn't necessarily enough time to dive into some of those unique ideas and flesh them out enough to be overly memorable. Like I said above, I probably won't go out of my way to recommend this to a ton of customers, but I will be curious to see what Mohamed comes up with in the future, because should a novel be in the cards at some point I have no doubt it will be something fresh.

When soldiers come to take Veris to the castle of the Tyrant, all of the awful reasons that she can dream up don’t prepare her for the truth: she’s about to be made to relieve her worst nightmare. The Tyrant’s children have gone missing, tracked to the edge of the forest that locals know never to enter. No one has ever come out again – no one, except Veris. Now she has a single day to traverse the horrors of Elmever, where monsters are real and reality can’t be trusted.

I’ve heard a lot of great buzz about author Premee Mohamad of late, so high time to give her work a whirl. Starting with a novella is a great shout, too, and here we get a very dark slice of fantasy that belies the book’s short page count. The world is so well conjured, the reader can feel as lost and trapped in the forest as Veris – with the added ‘disadvantage’ that unlike her, we don’t know what to expect.

I really liked the twist that this was a repeat journey, one she’d hoped never to have to make. It means that it makes a little more sense that Veris knows the dangers and the rules of the place – such as never eating anything, or drawing blood – even as the odds still seem overwhelmingly against her. The sense of trauma that she brings with her only heightens the darkness of the tale, too.

I will leave a note of caution on the tone: I’ve said dark twice, and boy do I mean it. You could say this is a horror as much as a fantasy. There is a lot of background unpleasantness here, and some fairly gory conjurings to deal with. However, the monsters of the woods aren’t the worst the book has to shock with, and there is brief mention of some really nasty real-world issues, including child prostitution. If I had any complaint about the story, it is that the whole thing is very bleak in the main.

And yet, it is also wonderfully written, lush with language that brings the whole dark fairy tale to life. And unlike a known folk tale, there’s no sense of comfort, no way of knowing how things will turn out. If you can cope with a bit of dark (is that three or four now?!) then absolutely recommended.

I’ll definitely be looking out for some more of the author’s work now.

A lush and scary story of an awful bargain matched with an awful bargain.

Veris has been into the woods, once. She's the only person who has ever gone in and returned alive. And now she's about to do it again, or have the rest of her family and her village die. The Tyrant who rules her people with an iron fist has lost his children to the woods, and he's going to send Veris in to get them back. But the woods are mysterious, dark and deep...and there are secrets to keep.

This was so good. The writing style was dense and lush, with layers woven and monsters everywhere, both human and other. I loved Veris as a main character. I loved the lightly built world-building and how anti-imperialism was baked into every sentence. I really adored the way Veris saw the children, and how the children saw her.

And the ending...hmm. I'm curious to read more, but also like how it ended at the same time.

If you adore books with evil fae who remain evil and inhuman the entire time, this is for you.

I received an ARC from NetGalley

It's a dark and immersive story with multidimensional characters and cool twists. I enjoyed reading it and appreciate the well-thought-out plot and the author's ability to keep the reader engaged. Worth a shot.

Although this a novella (under 200) pages this story is rather rich. This book follows Veris who is summoned and asked not so nicely by the tyrant who conquered her land (and is the reason her parents are dead) to go rescue his two young kids who have ventured into the enchanted forest known to never release anyone — except Veris herself… once before.

This is for the lovers of atmospheric settings, descriptive language, and dark fairytales for adults — an absolute creepy delight! I loved this book!

Aside from the approach to magical beings, the realistic and satisfying ending, the commentary on parenting and childhood and who we choose to be despite our parents’ decisions… my favorite aspect of this story was the grown, life-experienced woman MFC. It was so refreshing to read about a mature woman in her 30s/40s and not another story about a teenage girl who saves the day.

This book is simply so beautiful in the most unsettling way. The writing keeps us guessing on what’s next and on the final outcome, with twists until the very end. A short yet mighty read!

Creepy forest, gory creatures, and a FMC worth rooting for? Check, check and check. It even tosses in a deadly unicorn to top it off. Short, quick, easy read with underlying meanings scattered throughout. Not scary but still holds onto the horror genre vibes.

With the details we do get, I was able to get attached to the FMC. I found myself keeping my fingers crossed at all times hoping that she is successful on her dangerous trip. I also enjoyed the relationship shown between the children. The unveiling of the story that involves the FMC and the prior child that was saved from the forest before was a welcome surprise.

It does have some run on sentences but stopped short of being too purple prose (thank you!). I wish the characters were more fleshed out. I would love more background on them. I wish this was turned into a novel, I think there's so much potential here. I'll definitely be looking out for more of her work.

Thank you, NetGalley and Tor Publishing, for the advance copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own

This was dark and rich and magnificent and I absolutely love it. It starts out with a bit of a feel of... maybe a Peter S. Beagle story or one of Ursula Vernon's / T. Kingfisher's fairy tale retellings (<3!!) but somewhere past the halfway point, it takes a decidedly dark turn. It's the very best kind of dark fairy tale, too--at its sharpest, it is suddenly, briefly brutal--but it softens toward the end into a gently sad/hopeful place that's *exactly* right for the story. The pacing, the trials & obstacles, the characters... everything here worked for me and now I want to find a LOT more of Premee Mohamed's work and binge it all. I received a digital ARC via Netgalley and Tor but will be happily paying for a deadtree copy to keep. Magical and bittersweet - 4.5 stars

Have you ever found yourself wondering where all the books with dark, scary forests, and murderous unicorns are? Well look no further than this little gem right here!

The Butcher of the Forest packs a lot into its 160 pages as we follow the main character Veris and her mission to retrieve the two children of the Tyrant from a very creepy wood.

Part fairytale, part mythology, part historical fiction this was action packed, a little grisly, and the FMC was tough and smart - a true reluctant heroine you really rooted for.

The book is propulsive and unique, with evocative writing that really transports you to the dark and mysterious setting. While I really wanted to know more - about the Tyrant, the history, the last trip into the wood… but the story was not lacking despite its short length.

Highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this novella in exchange for my honest review.

A fever dream of a dark fairy tale in novella form. 3.5 stars!

Veris, our protagonist KNOWS things. She just does. She is the only one who has gone into the woods and come out alive. It is up to her to save the Tyrant's children as they have wandered into the forest unaware of the danger within.

Akin to Hansel and Gretel (the Grimm version); Veris follows the children through the woods avoiding all sorts of traps and creatures utilizing the small knowledge she had gained from her previous excursion into the dark wood. Recovering the children and getting out alive will be the ultimate challenge.

This is dark and fantastical filled with sinister creatures lurking around every corner. Morality and choice are challenged at every step. The stakes are high and the biggest rule of all: don't lie.

I greatly wish there were more to this story! Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group and Premee Mohamed for an advanced copy of this book. Check it out at the end of February 2024.

I really bounced off the prose of this one. Stilted and awkward, too wordy. It felt like a rough draft. The characterization was also bland.

First thank you NetGalley for my ARC of this book. I really enjoyed it! It was spooky, weird, intriguing and short and sweet. There was one twist I did not see coming that threw me for a loop! I wish I could have gotten a littttttle more out of the ending though. The main character was so strong and I admired her strength through this entire book.

Tragically, this book reminded me a bit of why I so often find novellas unsatisfying. There’s a lot of interesting worldbuilding, but it mostly doesn’t have room to breathe. Veris also feels thin as a character; we only find out a major motivating factor for her at the very end, and we never really learn how she knows the small magics that she has command of.

I got this from NetGalley as an ARC for my honest review so let’s get into it.

Why did I not think this book would be spooky??? Like did I just ignore the cover? I will say this was a lot darker then I expected but I really enjoyed it. If you enjoy the kind of story where your just a little bit confused and the wording matters so much you’ll like this. This has the trope where our main character has to be careful of what she says so nothing gets twisted by the people of the forest. This was a good little novella that people who enjoy dark fantasy will love.