Anthologies are always hard to rate even if I enjoyed all the stories, because the stories have to be short its hard for me to feel fully invested. (that's a me problem, not a book problem). I enjoyed Untethered, but the ones from my favorite authors actually fell a bit short for me. I think I just needed more of each of the stories. None of them were bad, but most were unmemorable. Still the writing was solid so I'd give it 4 stars.

I wasn’t able to finish this book. Because of this, it is my policy not to review the book on my site or on Goodreads/Amazon. I also didn’t mark it DNF.

I don't normally read anthologies at all. I actually shy away from them. After reading Grim, I plan on changing that. This is a perfect example of what can happen when you combine excellent young adult authors and a loose interpretation of classic, horrific Brothers' Grim stories. It was a masterpiece!

This was a fun combination of writing! I don't know if I would use it persay in my classroom as a whole, but bits and pieces would be a fun addition to my curriculum.

One of the things I absolutely love about anthologies is that you get to sample the work of numerous authors, some of whom may not be familiar to you. Throw in fairy tale retellings, and I'm even more excited! Some of the top names in fantasy were included in this book, and I was very impressed with their work. I enjoyed all the stories, but the stand outs for me were:

The Twelfth Girl by Malinda Lo - a retelling of the 12 Dancing Princesses fairy tale.
The Raven Princess by Jon Skovron - a retelling of The Raven by the Brothers Grimm.
Before the Rose Bloomed: A Retelling of the Snow Queen by Ellen Hopkins.
Beast/Beast by Tessa Gratton - a retelling of Beauty and the Beast.
The Brothers Piggett by Julie Kagawa - a retelling of the Three Little Pigs.
Light It Up by Kimberly Derting - a retelling of Hansel and Gretel.
A Real Boy by Claudia Gray - a retelling of the Pinocchio tale.

There's truly something for everyone, and I know I definitely found some new authors to check out!

5/5 stars

*** I would like to thank NetGalley, Harlequin Teen, and all the authors for the opportunity to read and review it this book.

A lovely collection of short stories. I enjoyed reading of familial psychic powers; a creepy beauty and the beast, a twisty-turny Untethered and more.

It's been years, lol, and I'm just cleaning out my Netgalley. Sorry I didn't read better before! I'm now better at NetGalley and getting books read on time.

I read this book years ago when I made the request but for some reason I never recorded my thoughts on it here or on Goodreads. I remember liking some stories more than others but don't recall much more than that.

This is definitely one interesting collection of tales and I have to say, I definitely enjoyed it on the whole. I’ve had my ups and downs while reading this, but generally, it was pleasurable reading most of these stories. Of course, there are quite a few for which I didn’t know the original tale on which the retelling was based, so I wouldn’t be able to compare and contrast the original with the retelling, but to me they were all unique in their own ways even if not all of them were enjoyable.

The Key

This short story wasn’t as creepy as I would have imagined it to be, but it sure as hell was fun. After finishing it, I was left with a lot of questions, but the open ending is also something that works for this story. It was enjoyable, but I wouldn’t complain if there had been more to give us a better idea of what was going on.

Figment

This one wasn’t scary so much as it was sweet. The characters were all interesting and I definitely enjoyed reading it. I don’t know what else to say in all honesty, because the story left me with such a huge smile on my face. It reminded me of when I was a kid and it kind of just makes me want to give a group hug to all my soft toys (I still have most of them!). Definitely worth it.

The Twelfth Girl

This short story definitely had the eerie like quality to it that can make your heart beat faster and can make you want to crawl under the covers, but at the same time, I also felt something was missing. I am not sure what exactly, but I felt like there could have been more - something that would have made the pieces click. Overall though, fun story.

The Raven Princess

This story was slightly different from the others, and I’d say a little silly as well. While I did like it, I was more tempted to roll my eyes than not after finishing it. It was just so childish in some ways and reminded me of the kind of fairy tales your parents read to you at bed time (even if this is a retelling).

Thinner than Water

While the story is good, I did not enjoy it. I was repulsed by the idea and couldn’t begin to wrap my head around it. Incest makes me incredibly uncomfortable (like it would most people) and it was just so hard to swallow no matter the outcome so I couldn’t enjoy this story. I have to say though; it IS grim and well written and has a great story arc considering that it’s only a short story.

The Rose Bloomed

Weird writing style aside (at first I thought it was the formatting but it turns out that’s how the author writes), the story was enjoyable but at the same time there was no spark to it. It was fun, quick, and sweet, but it lacked something that would make it stand apart and make it more than just likeable, something that would make it memorable. Sadly though, it lacked that spark and so while I enjoyed it, there wasn’t much to it.

Beast/Beast

Rather incomplete, I’d think. When it ended my first thought was its over? Already? I loved reading it (not surprising since I love Beauty and the Beast) but I wouldn’t say it was particularly grim and because of its short length it left a lot to be desired. Still, I loved the author’s writing style and was thoroughly engrossed in this tale.

The Brother’s Piggett

Holy guacamole! This was a grim take on the Three Little Pigs. I actually kind of expected that twist but at the same time I was still taken a back. I have to say, this one really fits well in this collection because it is so grim. In fact it's almost like everyone was a villain in their own way. With that said, I cannot really find any faults in this tale, it was a short story and it worked well as one.

Untethered

I LOVE the writing style and the weird twist in the end took me by surprise. I ended up going back to read the story and wow. I like. I really do like. I am definitely reading more stuff by this author in the future. I just hope it'll be as gorgeous as this short story was.

Better

Uhh, yeah. I didn’t like this one. It has an interesting sci-fic setting so there is that, but I feel like that it was more of a drawback instead of an advantage for this fairy tale. I mean it does give it a unique feel but at the same time, it feels less like a fairy tale. I also didn’t like the ending. The ending did not work for me in the least and really bothered me. Oh well.

Light it Up

This one was SO good. I really loved the relationship between Greta and Hansen and I think the author really did do a good job with this re-telling. In spite of its shortness, there is a well defined story arc and I felt pretty satisfied in the end.

Sharper than a Serpent’s Tongue

I found this story to be somewhat insufficient. There are still some things I don’t understand and I think because of the shortness of it, there are quite a few chunks that just seem to be missing. It’s not developed really well to be honest and I just wish there was more. I think this might have been more interesting as a full length-novel.

A Real Boy

This story was ridiculous, but I never really disliked it. Not that I liked it, but I didn’t dislike it either. I just thought it was annoying. The romance was pretty meh, and it did have an insta-feel to it. I mean it is a short story but at the same time, the romance really rubbed me in the wrong way. So did the main character. Even with a short story like this, I could not get behind the main character. I did not like her in the least and I wonder if this story would have been better as a novel rather than a short story. It would mean there would be more room for development which this story seems to lack in my opinion.

Skin Trade

I don’t even know how to describe this story. It was just incredibly weird and not in a good way. My face kind of looked like this...



... after finishing this short story. I don’t even know. It’s less creepy and more question mark inducing.

Beauty and the Chad

This was the most adorable story ever. It puts a twist on the original Beauty and the Beast where the beast is a modern day frat boy who has been transported to a different time and Beauty dresses up like a dude (if you've read this anthology and this story you'll get this) to help Beast out with his horses. I was laughing the whole time I read reading this story and I could tackle hug Sarah for writing someone so entertaining and so hilarious and SO ORIGINAL!

The Pink

I don’t actually know where to start with this one. I liked the story, but I felt like it was underdeveloped. Reading it left much to be desired in terms of development. Some may say it's hard to achieve such with short stories, but it's hard to believe that in this case seeing the other stories in this anthology were able to grow and develop their characters.

Sell Out

This one did not end this collection with the bang one would have hoped for. I am kind of disappointed, in all honesty. All that from a painting? Really? Or did I miss something? It seemed way too rushed and therefore was a huge disappointment, considering that I’ve heard tons of praise about the author’s other works.
Overall...


The weird thing about this collection is that not all the stories were grim, in spite of what the title of this collection might suggest, but this didn’t stop me from enjoying some of the funner ones. Figment was one of my favorites if not my favorite because in spite of the lightness of it, it just made me want to be a kid again and even thinking about it brings happy tears to my eyes. The Key was also another noteable one for me because there was just something about the way Hawkins wrote it that just made my heart beat faster. The Brothers Piggett was one that definitely caught my attention. It was bursting with originality and put such a unique spin on the original tale and I just adored it. Untethered really got me in the feels though. It was gorgeously written.

As you can tell, this collection will make you laugh, make you feel nostalgic, scare you and perhaps gross you out. It is such an interesting collection of tales and in spite of the fact I didn’t love every single one of these, it’s a collection worth reading.

The Key by Rachel Hawkins – 5 Stars

Lana has powers like her mother, powers to look inside a person’s mind. It comes in handy when her mom needs to evaluate what a customer came for, in their little fortune-telling truck. But when Lana has to look inside Skye, the boy she has been secretly dating, she’ll discover something that will change everything.

This story was really short. To tell you the truth, I’m not a huge fan of anthologies, because this shortness usually limits you getting to know the character and understanding them, etc., plus everything goes really fast. But in The Key, I really felt like I was in the story with Lana. Everything was described clearly and at a pace that was easy to follow. I was impressed by the characterization of Skye especially, and I picture him as a brooding, mysterious, sly boy. Altogether, this is probably my favorite YA short story of the book, because of its execution.

Figment by Jeri Smith-Ready – 4 Stars

Yet another story I was impressed by! Eli is a musician born from a father who never cared, one that had one huge hit, then unexpectedly his career crashed. When dear old papa passes away, Eli is left with nothing from his will . . . except a stuffed cat. But this cat has powers of persuasion and luck, and will be a vital tool in Eli’s life.

Fig was an interesting character. He sees the way it is and he tells it. It’s a blunt way of thinking but one I enjoyed, and a bit of fun humor is added with Fig’s love of boots. That was the only part of the story that clued me in to the origins of the fairy tale it’s based on, Puss in Boots, to tell the truth. And Figment was well-written! I understood everything perfectly and loved the flow of the sentences. Definitely read this one if you pick up Grim.

The Twelfth Girl by Malinda Lo – 3 Stars

This story was enjoyable with a major plot twist at the end. To be honest, it wasn’t one of my favorites, but I did like reading it. Liv is trying to get into Harley’s group of twelve. These girls flout the rules, sneak out nightly, and never, ever, get caught. But these powers come at a cost, and Liv is the only one strong enough to still break the curse. I could tell within the first pages it was a remake of the Twelve Dancing Princesses, and it didn’t stray far from the original.

Liv is a well-done character. She has the elements of a solid point of view: inquisitive, clear, and strong imagery as we read. The one thing I did not feel so strongly about was how she broke the “curse”. It took probably five pages and she figured out the riddle within seconds, taking the point away from it being a riddle in the first place. Also, the pacing of defeating the curse went faster than the rest of the story. Altogether, though, this was a memorable book because of the surprise twist on the last page.

The Brothers Pigget by Julie Kagawa – 5 Stars

Percival Pigget is fat. Not slightly overweight, but fat, with layers of chins. He lives in a bakery with his two very protective brothers, and one day he meets a girl he falls in love with. And unlike others, she is friendly, looks past his appearances . . . might even be falling for Percival. But when he sees Maya and another boy kissing, everything changes.

Even from the title, it’s clear this is a retelling of the Three Little Pigs. All the brothers have names that start with P. They are all fat, with different houses, and at one point are plagued by a monster whose origins are revealed at the end. This story stuck out to me out of all of them because it was well-written and had a shroud of mystery and foreboding I enjoyed.

Better by Shaun David Hutchinson – 5 Stars

Pip isn’t real, she’s been told a hundred times before. Flesh created in a lab, not human, not capable of love, not capable of pain. But Pip falling for Levi seems real. It feels real. And as long as Pip remains a lab mouse and Levi is struck by a stifling, fatal disease, they will never be together. In Better, Levi and Pip fight to defeat that which forces them apart.

This story has everything. It is well-written, has amazing characters, a cute romance, a time limit, a stereotypical community, and a dystopian world built in outer space. From the start, you’re lured into the horrible world Pip lives in. In one line I felt so hopeless for the character, my chest seized up: “You are not real. You can’t hate me, because you can’t feel hate. You won’t ever fall in love because you’ll never know what real love feels like.” I wish the author could elaborate this story into a full, 400 page book, because I would read it. In the short time you know the characters, you feel for them. I highly recommend getting Grim if only to read this (although I loved almost every single one!)

Skin Trade by Myra McEntire – 1 Star

I can’t provide a synopsis for this story, because I didn’t understand it in the slightest. I’m sorry, but I read it twice and still not understanding. Are the antagonists eating their victims? Drinking their blood? Selling their skins? So much happened at once, not a second of clarity was provided. And the romance, the romance made me snort. It happened so quickly, and I didn’t understand either of the character’s personalities. This was probably one of the most gory and confusing stories I’ve read in my life, and trust me, I’ve read a lot.

Short stories by a variety of authors can be great or a mixed bag. Give this to teens that enjoy horror/supernatural fiction.

I tend to skip around in anthologies, but I enjoyed the stories in this one that I read!

Just a fun collection of short stories that I wish could have developed into something more

Fairytale retellings are gaining in popularity, but this collection misses the mark, for me. There were some stand-out stories:
Beast/Beast by Tessa Gratton
The Brothers Piggett by Julie Kagawa
Sell Out by Jackson Pearce

The rest were just "meh" - nothing spectacular.

A well-written and enjoyable book, I am glad I requested this title and will be more than happy to pass the title along to my fellow library purchasers.

I didn't get a chance to read this before it expired on my nook. I'm sorry! I did purchase a copy and haven't had a chance to read it, but I do hope to someday!

Sorry, requested but did not find the time to review.

This was one that was perfect for fall; I was ready to enter the world of fun creepy stories. Unfortunately, I was really underwhelmed by the majority of stories in here. Though there were a few that were somewhat well done, I often found myself bored and wanting to pick up something else instead. This would be one I would skip and choose another story series if you're looking for a fun Halloween read.

Overall this was a really great anthology. I loved the darkness in these tales and I am sad that it took me so long to read. It was actually this anthology that got me to purchase and read Slasher Girls and Monster Boys, because I enjoyed the dark retellings so much. The biggest compliment that I can give is that upon finishing this novel I immediately looked into some new to me authors that I found from this anthology! Recommended.