Lizzie Grimm understands loneliness. With her father dead and her mother no longer communicating or engaging, she toils alone in their antiques and curiosities shop in York. After Papa passed, Mama supplemented their income by offering her services as a medium, but since she went into some kind of permanent trance, Lizzie carries the burdens of the household alone.

Then two very different men appear in her life, setting Lizzie to ponder marriage and whether she’s willing to risk the possibility that it might answer her financial difficulties. Antony Carlisle, first-born son of a local baron, visits the shop looking for a gift. It turns out his sister Sophie is suffering the same affliction as Mama. This shared tragedy brings the two close, as they try to solve the mystery. Ambrose Stoke is interested in purchasing a set of fairytale books, for which Lizzie desperately needs the money, but the books were set aside by papa, not to be sold. When Lizzie finds some of the books in odd places, seemingly having moved with minds of their own, she wonders if Papa is sending her messages from the grave? Perhaps he wants to help her help Mama?

Set at Christmas in 1851, Grimm Curiosities is a charming mystery with an interwoven romance. The otherworldly goings-on keep the story moving, making it believable, even as it stretches credulity. A fantasy gives the author plenty of scope to follow some strange plot threads, but she keeps it all within the bounds of a polite Victorian tale, with timely descriptive details and genteel dialogue. I might have preferred Antony’s scenes to be told in third person rather than first, but that’s a small thing, and this is otherwise a fast, straightforward read which carries off the term “historical romantasy” quite satisfactorily.

3.7 Stars
One Liner: A pretty entertaining read

1851, York
Lizzy Grimm is struggling to save her family shop, Grimm Curiosities, afloat after her father’s demise and her mother’s ill health.
One day in December, Antony Carlisle visits her shop, looking for help. Turns out, his younger sister suffers from the same affliction as Lizzy’s mother. They decide to work together to find the cause for it. With a stranger showing immense interest in certain rare books collected by Lizzy’s father, they are drawn into something darker and dangerous.
Can Lizzy and Antony find the answers to their questions and fight for their budding love?
The story comes in Lizzy’s first-person POV with a few chapters from Antony’s (also in first-person) POV.

My Thoughts:
The book starts with a map and an author’s note explaining what certain names mean. This was helpful (ex: words ending with gate don’t have a gate but are something else).
The beginning is a bit slow as it establishes the plot and the conflict. Slowly, it picks up pace as the drama intensifies. The book also deals a little about privilege, class differences, sexism, etc.
The setting is quite atmospheric. The snowy and cold winter works well to create a sense of eeriness and melancholy, depending on the situation. The shop is easily my favorite part of the book. I would have loved to see more spookiness in there.
Naturally, the book has many paranormal elements. The FMC knows about it, though she has a hard time correctly deciphering the clues. Can’t blame her much, though. She has a lot of pressure and practicalities to deal with.
The MMC is a sweet guy (25yo); considerate and supportive but also tentative and not always assertive. This creates some drama in the love angle. Despite the ‘mystery’ this would be a romance book (clean stuff).
The side characters aren’t fully developed but sometimes they shine better than the lead characters (especially Charlie and Isabel). Turns out one of them was based on a real-life person! In fact, quite a few elements in the book are taken from the real stuff. Read the note at the end to know the details.
Despite the dark elements, the book would be categorized as a cozy read. It combines different lores and even has a Narnia touch. Some of it might go over the head if you aren’t into folklore and mythical creatures.
The romance is understated and tentative. While I didn’t particularly feel it, the execution suited the characters. It aligns with their arcs, which is more important. There’s an epilogue and HEA.

To summarize, Grimm Curiosities is an enjoyable read, combining folklore, paranormal, drama, and romance in a historical setting. It should be a good pick between intense books.
Thank you, NetGalley and 47North, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

With thanks to Netgalley, Sharon Lynn Fisher and 47North for my ARC.

I loved this book with it's fascinating setting, entrancing main characters and detailed world building. Being set in the lead up to Christmas was perfect as it enhanced the sense of the main character Lizzy's desperation. Lizzy needs to make enough sales in the family's curiosity shop to cover the rent... And to uncover the cause of her Mother's affliction, which has left her silent and mostly unresponsive.

Lizzy struggles valiantly alone until she meets Antony Carlisle and discovers that his sister is similarly affected. Meanwhile another gentleman, Mr Stoke is keen to purchase a set of books which could resolve the money problems but that her Father left instructions not to sell.

The setting is charming as is the interweaving of the stories of Krampus, St Nick, the Wild Hunt, ghosts and fae creatures into the budding romance between Lizzy and Antony. Lizzy discovering that she possesses her Mother's gift of seeing ghosts adds extra poignancy to the story.

As in all good romances, although this title is definitely an extremely good romantasy, the lovers have obstacles to overcome not the least interfering family members!

A thoroughly enjoyable read this enchanting tale is worth reading again and sharing with loved ones at any time of the year.

Christmas romance, historical fantasy, cozy supernatural mystery.

From the start, I was fascinated by the beautiful world-building. The winterly atmosphere of the Victorian era with its evening walks and the courtesy of the time period, all in a romantic holiday setting.
I wanted to be there.
The mystery is intriguing with a hint of the supernatural. The myths of Saint Nicholas, Krampus and others, mixed with ghosts, are the ideal setting for a mystical reading. The ending caught me by surprise, a little spooky but then beautiful.
Finally, what makes this read particularly special is the charming romance with the fairy tale happy ending.
I can't wait to buy a copy and add it to my must read every year in Christmas time.

Thank you to Netgalley and 47North Publishing for the eArc!

Genuinely, I enjoyed this book and it is very different to what I would normally read. It is set in 1800 Victorian York and the descriptive writing from Sharon Lynn Fisher really places you there.

Lizzy Grimm has a lot on her plate, with the passing of her father and the affliction her mother is suffering. She is finding coping with the family business, Grimm Curiosities, difficult. The way of those times means many men won’t trade or do business with her. Lizzy is strong minded and determined to keep the business going and look after her mother.
Lizzy meets Antony Carlisle, who is the son of Lord Carlisle and her heart will never be the same. They share something in common and they work together to try and solve the mystery.

This book has all the Halloween and Christmas vibes.
There are ghosts, myths and fairy tales all rolled into one. There are secrets and mysteries to uncover and you won’t want to put it down!
I have rated this book 4.5 🌟

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Rating: 4.75/5
Grimm Curiosities had me hooked from the start with its charming writing style and atmospheric descriptions. The mystery was so intriguing and unravelled wonderfully. I adore the main two characters and their relationship, with all their great chemistry and banter. Each POV had their own distinct voice. The only thing that keeps me from rating this book five stars is that the resolution was a little confusing, and a certain character accepted Lizzy a little bit too easily and I would've liked to see a proper conversation and apology.

Cozy, magical, and perfect wintertime read. The historical fiction element woven with folk tales and the not-so-easily-explained really is a fun combination. It transports you both in setting and then in subject matter. Your immersion in each one of these aspects helps it feel so much more otherworldly, a true escapist novel. Lovely!

This was such an interesting read, and not what I was expecting! I had a bit of a hard time with the middle, but the beginning and end were both incredibly strong. Lizzy was a wonderful main character and I always love a story with magical/mysterious books.

I would definitely read more from this author!

The cover is very pretty but it was the title that caught my attention. Whenever I see "Grimm" I get excited hoping for some good folklore or fairytale plot. I was not disappointed. This was a nice winter read. So much so that I am kind of sad that my first read was in the fall since that wintery vibe is so apparent in the story I wanted to match it. The slow burn romance is well integrated into the storyline and the paranormal was well done.

What a delightful story! Loved the atmospheric setting; the spooky, ghostly going ons; and the slow burn romance. And the element of magical fantasy, with doorways and ancient scepters and Norse myths all wrapped up in a beautifully rendered story. This makes for the perfect winter/Christmas time - or any time, really - read!

I really enjoyed this. It had a creepy-whimsical (whimsicreepy?) vibe that is right up my alley. This would be a great book to curl up with by the fire around Christmastime. I love the ghosts and the curiosity shop, and I found Lizzy to be a charming narrator.

Thank you to Netgalley and 47North Publishing for gifting me this book. My opinions are my own. Grimm Curiosities will be available on November 5th, 2024.

To be honest, the first thing that drew me to this book was the cover. It spoke of mystery and magic. Grimm Curiosities more than delivered both, with a story that is perfect for cooler days and late-night reading when wintery stories tend to deliver both chills and enchantment.

It’s the mid-1800s, in England, and Lizzy Grimm is barely scraping by. She’s taken over her father’s curio shop after his death, while also caring for her mother who descended into a strange almost-comatose state right after he died. Lizzy and her mother are in pretty dire straits when they start receiving some unexpected visitors, setting off a chain of events both eerie and fun.

It starts with an old set of books (aren’t I always saying that books contain magic of one sort or another?) that, after sitting in a back room for way too long, suddenly become objects of interest to several people. There’s Mr. Stoke, who’s loaded, persistent, and offers financial solutions to pressing concerns. He’s quite clearly the villain of the story. Then there’s Antony Carlisle, quite obviously the “good guy”. This isn’t a book that deals in subtleties of character, yet it really doesn’t need to be. The heroes are heroic, the villain a smooth-talking slimy git, and the side characters fun in their own right but never overstepping their not-main-character roles.

Lizzy herself was a fun character to read. She was plucky and clever. She also didn’t mind admitting when she could use a little help. I’ve read several books where “strong female character” meant “lonely island with no emotional range”. Everyone needs help sometimes, but Lizzy was far from a damsel in distress. She was pretty dang resourceful, which I liked.

The magic of the books is a mystery best left foggy in a review like this, but it had that wonderful fairy tale feel that I love so much. I will say that I enjoyed the first half of the book much better than the last. I liked watching the characters solve the mystery of the books and discover the unexpected and magical. Once the answers were given, the feel of the story shifted rather abruptly. It made sense, but it wasn’t quite what I was hoping for. That happens sometimes, and it didn’t ruin my enjoyment of the book.

The romance angle avoided straying into saccharine territory, much to my appreciation. Instead, it takes on more of a happily-ever-after feeling, but not replacing adventure and mystery. Grab a cup of something warm, a nice blanket, and Grimm Curiosities and that’s an evening well spent!

Lizzy Grimm has had to take over her father's shop, Grimm Curiosities, when her mother is sticken with an affliction where she is unresponsive but only able to eat and move around. But when she meets Antony Carlisle, who's sister seems to have the same affliction, she's determined to bring them back to normal.

This was a cozy read and I enjoyed it just as much as I did Salt & Broom. The Christmas element, folklore, mystery and romance was all put together very well. At one point, I did find the pacing to be slow nevertheless I still found it to be fun and exciting. I also loved the Narnia inspired cabinet.

I admit this book gave me serious pause when I read the forward about it being similar to Jane Eyre. Despite risking my English degree by saying I am not a fan of the Bronte sisters AND especially NOT Jane Austen, I nearly put the book down. However, the premise of the fairy tales intrigued me and I figured I could always DNF it later.

This book was a wonderful surprise of German folklore and fairy tales. There are other cultures mentioned as well but I say predominantly German in that Krampus has a strong role in the story. Lizzy Grimm has been taking care of her family's shop, Grimm Curiosities, since the loss of her beloved papa 3 years prior. Her mother was bringing in money for a bit as a medium, but she became struck with a sudden affliction that basically left her catatonic and Lizzy has had to soldier on afterward.

A chance meeting with a lord's son, who comes in seeking counsel from her mother as a medium, turns into a friendship that is obviously frowned upon in Victorian times between a shopgirl and a well-to-do. Rumors fly and Lizzy's struggle to keep her family's legacy alive increases. As do the strange happenings in the store surrounding the fairy tale books by anonymous author A.A. and a nefarious gentleman's quest to obtain the books.

The language in this book is exhausting, though I have no doubt accurate for the time period. The formalities these people went to with the class system is maddening. There is a lot of frippery and flowery language required to converse in such periods, which is normally why I avoid classics.

I very much enjoyed the creativity the author employed with creating a fun, exciting and charming story and trying to keep with the time period.

A strongly recommended book for any lover of fairy tales.

Thank you to 47North and Netgalley for this ARC.

I did enjoy this book and the setting was interesting and immersive. I liked the pace of the tale and the characters but the last part felt a bit rushed opposed to the more gentle pace throughout the rest of the book.

Superb. I feel like this book was written just for me. Set in Victorian York, Lizzy runs her family curiosity shop after her dad dies and her mother suffers a mysterious malady. There’s a bizarre set of books, handsome men, charming and funny women, mystery, ghosts, magic, fairytales, and folklore. Oh, and it’s snowing most of the time.

I was engaged the whole time. Never wanted to put it down. I liked getting some chapters from another character’s perspective as well. There was one point that started to stress me out but it took a good turn. 😏 I could easily read more stories if this wasn’t a standalone!

Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. I can’t wait to get a print copy to read again!!

It’s 1851 in old York. Lizzy Grimm struggles to save her late father’s charmingly creepy yet floundering antique shop, Grimm Curiosities. Then, during a particularly snowy December in this most haunted city in England, things turn…curiouser. In the author's acknowledgements, Sharon Lynn Fisher recounts her love of Victorian antique shops and Christmas ghost stories. I'll admit, it was the Victorian antique shop that drew me to this book and with the title and synopsis, I assumed this would be a great Halloween ghost story. Clearly I missed the line about December. But I am so glad that I was mistaken. This is fantastical winter fairy tale with Christmas ghost stories and a immersive snowy city setting.

I really felt for the plight of Lizzy and I grew very fond of her very quickly. I loved the slow burn romance, which sometimes doesn't work for me, but this was so sweet and sincere and I really enjoyed the twists and turns that the protagonists went through. The ghosts were interesting, but by far the Bavarian fairy tales were what really pushed this read to 5 stars, for me. I highly recommend this book, especially for a December read.

Thank you NetGalley, Sharon Lynn Fisher, and 47 North for a free copy of this eARC in return for an honest review. I am so glad I got a copy of this wonderful, slow burn, winter fairy tale and I truly look forward to digging into Fisher's back catalog.

A delightful Christmas ghost story that blends Victorian romance with enchanting folklore. Set in the haunted city of 1851 York, the novel follows Lizzy Grimm as she struggles to keep her late father's curiosity shop afloat while caring for her mother, who has fallen into a trance-like state after a supernatural encounter.

Brimming with gothic atmosphere, charming characters, and a touch of romance, this is a delightful read perfect for fans of Christmas ghost stories and Victorian-era fantasy.

‘I know this isn't a fairy tale, but you must admit it feels like one. ‘

Lizzy's mother, formerly a well-known medium, has been in a vegetative state for a year in which she seems mentally absent. As a result, Lissy must manage the curiosity shop she inherited from her father on her own - along with all the mysterious books and ghosts. The sister of the charming Lost Carlisle, who is looking for a medium when he turns up in her shop, finds herself in a similar state as Lissy's mother. A joint search for ghosts of the past and beings from fairy tales begins – and a love story unfolds.

The story is a sweet Christmas ghost story that is wonderfully kitschy and perfect for the festive season. I loved the gothic ambiance and the suppressed and formal Victorian flirting very much.

This was a very weird story, but in a good way!
The first half felt pretty slow and I did find myself a bit bored at times but the story definitely picked up in the second half. Based on the description I was surprised to find that romance actually played a major role in the story. I really enjoyed watching the sweet romance develop between the two main characters. Zero spice. The magical elements weren’t super prevalent until around the 75% mark where they really came into play. The ending of this story was chaotic but overall satisfying and left me with a warm fuzzy feeling.
Definitely a very unique tale with a cozy, magical and slightly creepy vibe.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eArc for review.