Oh, my heart. You know when you start a book and you realize that this story will be with you for the rest of your life? This is how The Thirteenth Child was for me. I absolutely adored this story.

I would recommend The Thirteenth Child to those who love fairytale retellings and everything that comes with it!

All gifts come with a price.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's Books for this ARC!

Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC of this book!
This book has to be one of my top favorite three books of 2024 easily. Do yourself a favor and make sure to pick up a copy when it come out you will not be disappointed! I managed to finish this entire book in days and then ugly cried at the ending like a baby!

It is not lost on me that I have been gifted this book on the Eve of my own very important birthday and I can proudly say Erin A Craig does not miss.

Something about old gods claiming children has always been a delight of mine to read and when Hazel is marked by Death we join her on a path of knowledge and growth as she learns how to heal the sick and bring mercy to the dying. When her talents reach the crown she is summoned to care for the ailing king but finds that more than one God is meddling with the fates and her time may be running out.

I adored every second of this book! Hazel was so lovely and her entire story being that of a child not wanted to then becoming someone who could manage the silence if it meant caring for others and I really enjoyed her character from start to finish. Each interaction she has with others was so strong and it was easy to love her and want to see where she ended up.

The plot was strong I was getting a little nervous (and I know I shouldn’t given how talented this writer is) as we inched closer to the ending but I was very happy with how it all turned out. We spend a lot of time building the characters in a way that it seems as though the actual time spent with the king is a short story one may tell before bedtime out of a series of grand adventures and for me that was the best way to tell a story that began as a fairytale itself.

I will forever and always be a fan of this author and any book she may write and as always I am eager for the next to join their sisters on my shelves.

*special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**

I was pleasantly surprised by most of this, sure the main character is a bit too impetuous to be wholly likeable, and there are one too many convenient coincidences, but, all in all...
The last, like, three pages were so hopelessly maudlin I took off a star it probably deserved.

Erin A. Craig is masterful at writing dark retellings. The Thirteenth Child is a retelling of one of the lesser known Brothers Grimm stories, Godfather Death. If you know this story, The Thirteenth Child follows the original pretty well, but with much more depth.
When Hazel's parents get pregnant with their thirteenth child, they know they can't take care of her. They make a bargain with the "Dreaded End" to take her off their hands. Hazel, trained as a healer is faced with difficult choices and must decide what kind of life she wants to live.
I loved watching Hazel grow into herself. The mythology surrounding the gods was really interesting too.
I couldn't put this one down.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for an early copy for review.

Erin A. Craig has left me speechless with The Thirteenth Child. I was first introduced to this author with House of Salt and Sorrows. Then I read Small Favors and I was absolutely blown away. The Thirteenth Child is now a contender for the top spot of favorite standalones! (Small Favors is actually my number one!)

The Thirteenth Child is a dark fantasy with light romance. I was absolutely on the edge of my seat with anticipation with every turn of the page. The writing flows so beautifully and there are scenes that will have you absolutely trapped into the novel, unable to put it down to pause for a breath of air. Hazel is such an amazing character and I love the growth of Leopold and Merrick, our cake loving godfather, too. This is one preorder you won’t want to miss out on!

I still sigh, dabbing my tears, even though it's been nearly an hour since I finished this book! I don't have enough words to express my adoration! It's like déjà vu—each time I read another Erin A. Craig book, my life just stops. I cancel everything to give my full attention to the book. If I can’t read to the end, my mind keeps wandering back, making it impossible to concentrate on meetings, writing, laundry, dinner, or even remembering where I am or what time zone I’m in.

She’s the queen of reimagining the Grimm Brothers’ dark stories, adding extra essence, sentimentality, vision, and well-developed characters. This time, she retold the Grimm Brothers’ dark and sinister fairytale “Godfather Death,” revolving around young healer Hazel Trepas. She is the 13th child of her family, left behind in poverty, neglect, and emotional abuse until her godfather, Dreaded End itself, Merrick, returns to reveal her unique gift—which comes with a high price. She’s born to be a powerful healer, but that doesn’t mean she can save every life, even those she loves.

At 18, she’s sent to the ruthless court to save King Marnaigne, who suffers from a mysterious disease related to gold liquid moving inside his body like a worm. The disease is contagious and has claimed the lives of others, including a priest and a maid who contacted the king. Hazel must use her powers to achieve an almost impossible healing mission while dealing with a pantheon of gods with secret agendas to shape royal politics. Along the way, she meets the rakish and sarcastic Prince Leopold again, who awakens different feelings inside her. Her godfather always told her to follow the rules and showed her a deathshed of candles, each representing a life and its determined longevity. If she interferes with fate to save a life that’s destined to end, it could affect other people’s fates like a domino effect and ruin their destinies.

But now there’s so much at stake. Without saving the king, she cannot leave, but this means disobeying her powerful godfather’s wishes. Can you defy Death without expecting consequences? Can Hazel take risks for the greater good, or will her actions bring more chaos to the royal family than she can imagine, earning the wrath of her ruthless godfather?

This dark but engaging and creative version of a fairytale is well-written with surprising twists and a game of gods with secret agendas, reminiscent of GOT-style schemes. The profound, dysfunctional, but unique relationship between Dreaded End and Hazel blossoms in each chapter. Dreaded End seems like a cruel, neglectful, dark father with compelling missions for Hazel, but he shows his affection in his own possible ways. Hazel knows how to be alone, having felt invisible in her crowded family that neglected her needs. Even though her Godfather provides a beautiful house with all her needs met, she still seeks love, affection, and a sense of belonging.

Because of her healing powers, Hazel lives a secluded life, feeling loneliness to her bones. But what if, in the most unexpected place, with the most unexpected person, she finds love destined to be doomed? Could she be brave enough to defy her Godfather’s wishes, choose herself first, challenge her own destiny, and rewrite her future?

I’m still absorbing the last whirlwind chapters of the book, which made me dizzy with twists and heart-stopping cliffhangers. The most epic part of the book is surely the epilogue, which warmed my heart and made me cry.

I know I’m rambling, so I’ll cut it short. I loved this beautifully written, powerful fairytale that tugged at my heartstrings, earning a well-deserved five stars. Thank you to Erin A. Craig, who never ceases to amaze and impress me with her powerful writing. Her versions of Grimm Brothers’ tales are even better than the originals.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s / Delacorte Press for sharing this incredible fantasy book’s digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Another masterful fairytale retelling from Erin A. Craig! She transforms the story of “Godfather Death” into one full of destiny, choice, consequence, and love. I adored everything about it and could not put it down!

This story is unlike any of Craig’s previous works. If you’re expecting another YA horror novel, especially given the title and subject matter, I caution you that’s not what this story is about. It’s much broader and more elaborate - spanning years, with many different settings and relationships.

This story is about life. Hazel’s life and the many people she comes into contact with - her parents and siblings, the people of Alletois, the court of King Marnaigne and the royal family, the priests devoted to The Holy First and the other deities, and the Gods themselves. The one constant is the relationship between Hazel and her godfather, Merrick. I absolutely loved who they were to each other. This is Craig at her very best, bringing vivid, nuanced characters to life with her incomparable storytelling.

Thank you to Netgalley, Delacorte Press, and Random House for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

'The Thirteenth Child' is a mesmerizing YA fantasy that brilliantly reimagines the Grimm Brothers’ 'Godfather Death.' The story of Hazel, a healer navigating a treacherous court and grappling with her fate as Death’s goddaughter, is nothing short of spellbinding. The writing is exquisite, effortlessly weaving dark fairytale elements with rich, immersive world-building. The characters are vibrant and complex. This novel is an absolute must-read, earning every one of its five stars for its breathtaking and compelling storytelling.

I was so utterly excited to receive this ARC and it truly did not disappoint. Erin Craig is a master in creating dark atmospheric fantasy stories and I fell in love with Hazel and her world right from page one. Throughout we follow the story of Hazel who is the Goddaughter of Death, who is whisked away by him from her unwanting family to learn medicine and become a healer. And we follow her as she's brought to treat the royal family and enter a story that's about love, loss, family and a bit of gore.
I don't want to give any spoilers, but this book was fast paced and kept me waiting with baiting breath to discover what was instore for Hazel every year on her next birthday. Also, a moment for the cover??? IT'S GORGEOUS!!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an early copy of this book! Below is my honest review.

Summary of the plot:
Hazel Trépas is the thirteenth child in her family, never really getting any recognition or attention from her parents. The only time her parents even remotely cared about her was when the Dreaded End, Merrick, comes to claim her as his own. She grows up without the love of her family until she's a young teenager. Merrick takes her away and gives her everything she needs as long as she studies to become a healer. After a year, he realizes that she has the power to see people's aliments and heal them. But she also have the ability to see when people are at death's door for Merrick to take away. When the King becomes ill with a mysterious disease that makes him bleed gold, Hazel is offered the opportunity to save him. But she soon recognizes that this disease is not natural and that healing the King may require some unnatural power...

Thoughts on the book:
I quite enjoyed this book! I haven't been a fan of Erin Craig's other books, but this one was a good one for me. I felt like the pacing was just right and that there was an appropriate amount of character and world development. I enjoyed the relationship between Merrick and Hazel because although Merrick is a god, he at times appears very human. Overall, I would recommend other people to pick this one up! It looks like a horror book but it is not.

Erin Craig always has beautiful novels. There is so much I love about her writing and it is always refreshing to read novels that can stand alone and yet contain stories of love and growth.

Her new novel follows the goddaughter of death, Hazel, from the moment she is born until the moment her godfather takes her back. You will feel such emotion for sweet Hazel, her trials, frustrations, and her truest love, as well as her greatest grief. I highly recommend this book!

This book was such an exciting read! I absolutely loved it and I can't wait to read more from this author. The plot was fast paced and was never boring. The characters were interesting and unique which made the story really enjoyable for me. Great read!

I really loved this book, minus the sections that made me queasy (I get like that, though when confronted with medical things, and when a book is about a healer ultimately that will happen). The storyline made this book hard to set down, and it was a good read. My middle school students would like it, although again with the intense scenes maybe it wouldn't be a great choice for them - maybe early high school. Overall I was impressed with this author, and will actively seek out more of the work.

Overall I really liked The Thirteenth Child. The storyline follows Hazel, who is the thirteenth child of parents who don’t want her. She is claimed by the God of Death to be his daughter and is granted specific skills.

The plot line was compelling and kept me reading. I also enjoyed the author’s writing style. There were some plot points, like a decision Hazel makes regarding the king, that I felt weren’t informed by previous lessons she learned, and I wished there was more reasoning for her choices in those instances. However, I did like that this is a novel I can recommend to my high school students who are interested in fantasy, fairytale-like stories without having to worry about too many sexual scenes.

I particularly liked the characterization of the God of Death, and also thought the other deity figures were interesting to read about. I enjoyed the complexity of these characters and would have loved to read even more about them!

"The Thirteenth Child" is a retelling of the fairy tale "Godfather Death." Written by Erin A. Craig, "The Thirteenth Child" follows Hazel, who is the thirteenth child born to a poor woodcutter and his beautiful wife. The book starts with her godfather telling her the story of her birth and of the other gods who wanted her to be theirs, but her parents turned them down and promised her to Merrick, the god of death. We follow Hazel as she grows up, first with her large family, waiting for her godfather to take her away, and then after that as she lives in a godlike in-between while learning to become a great healer.
The story is engrossing and amazingly enough feels both like it could have been written long ago in the past as a "genuine" old fairy tale, but also very modern. A recommended purchase for Young Adult and Teen collections where fantasy is popular.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

Yet again I'm enchanted by Erin Craig's writing (I'm not biased by name!) the characters were sweet and well thought out, and it truly just feels like a vacation in a book. It reminds me of reading fantasy for the first time and being totally enveloped in a story and world. Really really well done.

Hazel is a strong female character who wants to be in control of her life and is a good role model for young women. . I enjoyed watching her grow and mature as the gods and others around her took advantage by playing games and not sharing the whole truth. I liked the relationship between Hazel and Leo. I think it was great that he was vulnerable and honest with her.

Grateful to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this early!

Once again, Erin A. Craig delivers a stunning, atmospheric tale. The Thirteenth Child is her best work yet. It follows Hazel, who is Death’s goddaughter. Though he promises to take her from her poverty stricken parents and gift her with a long successful life, he doesn’t take her at her birth. Instead, she spends her childhood being hated and neglected until the day he finally decides to claim her and share her true purpose, which is to become a healer that even kings ask for by name. Her journey is not easy or completely happy, but with his gifts she changes lives. She grapples with the multitude of gods and their wishes, right and wrong, and the greater good versus her own happiness.

All of these issues kept me turning pages well into the night. Hazel’s decisions kept me on the edge of my seat (bed), while we both worried over the consequences. There were so many moments where it seemed like her choices were made for her and so many moments where she had to decide whether to disobey or give in. I felt her stress, her guilt, and her heartbreaks. But I also felt all of the wonderful moments too. The author balanced these feelings brilliantly, always keeping me hopeful that Hazel’s happiness would come out on top. This is a story that truly emphasizes how important each decision we make is - how each choice to follow our fate or defy it could change many lives around us.

In terms of characters, it’s hard to discuss them without giving away too much of Hazel’s journey. I loved Hazel and loved how much she cared about taking care of others and doing the right thing. There was never a moment where I felt like she was being a stereotypical dumb heroine. Her godfather, Merrick, was fleshed out (no pun intended) quite well. He was terrifying and intense, but his love for Hazel was a constant, even when he was deeply angry at her. The characters Hazel meets in the city are each wonderful in their own way.

The story was perfectly paced and the twists and turns kept me guessing throughout the story. At no point did I wish it to hurry up or end. In fact, I wished the end would reveal that there was another book coming. But alas, there was no cliffhanger and I suppose I will have to wait until Mrs. Craig publishes her next incredible story (no pressure since this one is not coming out for a few months …).

Long story short, mark your calendars for Sept 24 and make sure you add this dark and delightful story to your bookshelf immediately. I for one cannot wait to put this stunning cover on my shelves!

The Thirteenth Child made me cry. There. I said it. I found the gauntlet of emotions in this one: hope, dread, love, laughter, tears, and heartache. It was a beautiful dark fairytale following Hazel, the God daughter of the Dreaded End himself — the thirteenth child, unwanted by all but her Godfather but even then she waited birthday after birthday for him in a family that barely cared for her. When Merrick, her godfather, arrived he whisked her away and had her study medicine — which would be her calling, and a gift with a price. Hazel was destined to be able to see the cure for any disease, unless, she saw the Deathshead and their flame was to be snuffed instead. She carried out her duties, a burden and heartache so great that the ghosts followed her, but then it all changed when it was the King himself was destined to die.

A story of gods, love, choosing between what is destined and what is right. I fell in love with every page of this book. It was beautifully crafted and impossible to put down. I loved that Erin Craig didn’t shy away from the heavy parts of the story and instead dove straight in. There honestly aren’t enough words to say how much I truly loved Hazel and her endless compassion and honesty. So light a candle, bring the tissues (perhaps the salt, too) and let this story haunt you well into the late hours.

Thank you so much to Penguin Canada for the opportunity to read early.