1 sentence review: Like AGGGTM meets Wednesday meets a YA Fourth Wing (yes- rlly!!)

DID MS CHANDA PUT CRACK IN THIS BOOK?? I devoured this in about 24 hours because I couldn’t get enough!

This had ALL of the elements I love in a book. It had the YA mystery elements of AGGGTM, bonded talking “omens”** and a similar(ish!!) love triangle situation to Fourth Wing, and a magical academy with murderous creatures similar to Wednesday!

**The above mentioned “omens” were talking animals that a “griever” bonds to, which were akin to familiars!

I found this story to be incredibly unique and the lore surrounding “grievers” and “grimms” was so intriguing!

The only reason this wasn’t 5 stars was because I found some of the dialogue to be childish, but as a 27 year old reading YA.. I can’t complain too much about this😂

The audio for this book was amazing and the narrator really drew you in with her different voices!!

Read This if You Like:
💀 Nevermore Academy from Wednesday
🐦‍⬛ Unique magic and “familiar”-like animal pals
🐺 Mystery meets fantasy

I enjoyed this book. It reminded me of the show Grimm, which made it the perfect book to read in October. The book was slow to build up, but then it picked up pretty quickly. I liked how everything seemed to click into place at the end. I am excited to continue reading the rest of the books in this series.

This is a wonderful little story. I love how much our girl loves her dad and how she adjusts to school. I love that she's coming of age while grieving and battling monsters.
I love the narration!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you, NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were well-developed, each with their own unique quirks, talents, and personalities. I appreciated the fast-paced storyline. The twists were clever and executed well; just when I thought I had it figured out, the plot took an unexpected turn.

This book is a wonderful read for fantasy fans and those who appreciate a fresh perspective on classic tales. It’s a valuable addition to the genre that will leave you excited for the next installment!

Thank you to Netgalley and RBmedia for an ARC of the audiobook

The Grimm Society by Chanda Hahn weaves an intriguing mystery with a twist that truly surprises, creating an engaging story that will keep readers on edge. The main plot is well-crafted, and the central mystery unfolds with a steady buildup of suspense, making it difficult to step away from the story. Hahn’s characters are vibrant and enjoyable, with the protagonist and supporting cast each bringing something unique to the table. Their development across the story lends depth and believability, making readers want to root for them.

That said, I found certain aspects of the audiobook detracted from the overall experience. The narrator's voice, unfortunately, was a bit flat, lacking the expressive tone needed to bring Hahn’s characters to life. At times, I felt more distracted than drawn in by the narration, as it seemed to lack the energy and dynamism the story deserved. This may, in part, be due to some moments where the writing feels a bit immature, with descriptions and transitions sometimes feeling choppy or abrupt.

The frequent brand-name dropping throughout the book—especially Starbucks—feels unnecessary and, at times, excessive, pulling attention away from the story. Coffee orders and makeup brands were used to describe someone’s personality, at times making the MC seem judgmental over something so trivial. While it’s a minor detail, it does detract slightly from the overall immersion.

Grammar and language also presented minor issues, with occasional incorrect grammar that interrupted the flow. Despite these stylistic setbacks, the main storyline and the unexpected twist at the end make The Grimm Society a compelling read. Hahn does an excellent job crafting a mystery that feels fresh and keeps the reader guessing until the end, and her characters ultimately make this book worthwhile. For fans of YA mysteries, this one has plenty of intrigue and some strong character moments making it a worthwhile read.

This was such a fun YA story. I loved the characters and the world. The adventure was top notch and made me want to keep reading!

Everly is unknowingly fated to become a Griever but only after she experiences a tragic death. To become a Griever she has to attend Gravemark Academy where she learns how to reap fairytale creatures, "Grimms", if they don't kill her first.
This is a fast paced dark academia with a ton of brilliant twists. I cried, gasped, and laughed.
I listened to the audiobook. Amy McFadden' narration was great. She was able to distinguish all the different voices and there's quite a few characters. Which made for a very immersive experience.
Thank you Netgalley, Neverwood Press, and Chanda Hahn for providing me with this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Strong plot and really strong character development. The book is really fast paced and the twist are entertaining. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series. The narration was phenomenal.

I will fully admit, I made it about half way through the book before deciding to DNF.

The biggest struggle with the book is timing. There is a lot of information thrown at one time, making it pretty packed and a whirlwind to try and decipher what is going on. The plot felt like it wanted to be a secret society, a boarding school, and a supernatural story all at once. Under some circumstances, it may work well. However, in The Grimm Society, the pacing was incredibly rushed and the characters were pretty forgettable.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review!
DNF @ 20%
2 stars

Not many still remember the wonder that is the Vampire Academy series, so when I saw it was a comp for this series and the blurb sounded awesome, I was HYPED! So I bet you can just imagine my disappointment when this comes out as a DNF.

The writing is veeery surface level. Everly barely had any reaction to anything, which given all the weird stuff happening around her just didn't make any sense. What got the most weight was a death she endured, but even that didn't feel too impactful. What finally made me say "I'm done" is honestly something sorta petty, and that's a world building thing that made no sense. Apparently to become a griever, you have to witness death up close. If this was the case, my entire family would be grievers because we watched my grandma die right in front of us at the hospital. Something as simple as "experienced a TRAGIC death in front of them" would have been such a small but impactful fix. The death she was near would have had to change a bit, but it would make it so not at least half the world would be grievers.

This book just left me wanting other, better books, which bums me out SO MUCH, but hey. Others loved it, so maybe I'm not the right audience and others would like it a lot more than I do. Who knows? As with all books, I advise checking something out yourself to form your own opinion, but this is mine. I can say it definitely had Vampire Academy vibes even if it didn't meet the book itself at all v_v

The premise of this book caught my attention, and I think it is the great start to a series. The friendships and characters throughout the book are enjoyable. The narration of this audiobook was very well done. I thought the narrator did a good job with the flow of the book, and the voice inflections. Overall, I would recommend this book to patrons, and look forward to continuing the series. I would also listen to other books from this narrator.

I really enjoyed the storyline. Easy to follow, somewhat predictable it overall a great academy mystery. I look forward to what else come of this series. I’m not overly fond of the narrator though she sounded mechanical at times and then other times she did the characters flawlessly.

Much thanks to Chanda Hahn, Tantor, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to a free eaudio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this! I got Harry Potter vibes and Everly channeled Feyre a bit during her test, which tickled me.

It felt like there got to be too many plot lines, though; they got tangled in my mind and I struggled to keep up with Everly. "Oooo a clue! Wait, which mystery does that matter to?" Relative, Everly's suspicions were kept a little too secret from the reader. "Ohhhh, she noticed something.....she's getting fingerprints.....I don't know why or what it indicates but cool....." Or maybe the pace got going too fast toward the end, or maybe my ADHD brain just couldn't keep everything straight, I don't know, but the last third to quarter I struggled to keep up.

All the G words got tangled in my brain, too---grievers, grimms, gravemark, etc

Regardless, I liked this story a lot and can't wait to spend more time with Everly and her found family of likeable, quirky classmates. I can't wait for Holland to gain some confidence and feel valuable. I want Cat to come out of her shell, just enough to accept friendships.

I'm not a fan of love triangles, but I'll tolerate them if the parties involved don't act petty and immature, and if there's no cheating. Everly's path to Hunter seems to be clearing with only Holland left to maneuver around . . . but I have a feeling Ian is endgame, which would be fine with me. I'm guessing with the secrets out of the way, Everly and Ian will be able to relax around one another and open up. Hunter's nice, but he comes across rather privileged and cocky; I get the sense that he's a boy and Ian's a man.

Oh, and Everly's mom! I want to know more about Everly's mom. Everly does, too, but she still isn't able to admit it.

If I thought harder I'd probably find fault in the academia setting; Everly sure didn't spend much time in the classroom. What's the point of the school if she isn't going to learn things that help the plot advance or come back around later on?

The world building could have been a bit richer, the lore a bit clearer. So anyone who's witnessed a death is a griever? And all grievers can see grimms? No, I don't think that's right. Once you're a griever you're noticeable to grimms? But only some grievers can see grimms? Only some learn to fight them? I guess I'm not quite understanding where the line is between grievers and "muggles," if you will. Can you witness a death and not go to griever school? And what makes Everly special that she can "see" other creatures, like dryads?* Yeah, the rules of this world could use some clarification. More will be explained in books 2 and 3 I'm sure, but it'd be nice if book 1 made more sense as well lol!

*I liked Everly, but she did feel like a weird mix of Mary Sue and hapless/feckless. She was exceptionally competent in some ways, utterly worthless in others. Her father taught her to take care of herself, yet she sure passed out a lot and needed rescuing. Contradictory---either she knows what she's doing or she doesn't, make up your mind.

I'll be watching for the galley of book 2 in a couple weeks!

4.5 ⭐️ (round up to 5 stars)

This was my first book by Chanda Hahn, but it is right up my alley! This YA dark academia is a fairy tale kind of combination of Harry Potter and Narnia with Inheritance Games vibes, but in a very original way.

The story is about Everly who becomes a “griever” the moment she witnessed a devastating death. With a newfound ability, she can see what others cannot—supernatural beings known as grimms. Then, an invitation arrives from the Grimm Society, inviting her to attend Gravemark, an elite school where grievers are trained to track and reap grimms. Everly thought navigating high school and dating was challenging, but now her assignments could be life-threatening.

The characters are well-developed, each bringing their own quirks, specific ''abilities'' and depth to the story. The writing style is fluid and engaging, making it easy to get lost in the narrative. The twists and turns are clever, and just when you think you have it all figured out, the plot takes an unexpected turn.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Amy McFadden. However, I did not enjoy her voice for the most part. Her ''normal voice'' can become really annoying at times (sorry). On the other side, the voice over of different characters is actually really good and makes her voice a lot easier to listen at. It also makes the story very engaging and keeps you listening. The pace was a bit slow, but I used the speed option to adjust it to my liking.

Overall, The Grimm Society is a delightful read for fans of fantasy and those who enjoy a fresh take on beloved tales. It’s a strong addition to the genre that will leave you eagerly anticipating the next installment!

Many thanks to NetGalley and RBmedia for providing me the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

4.5⭐
Really entertaining from page 1. Strong plot and really strong characters. I also really enjoyed the writing! It's really fast paced, there was always something happening. I thought I was going to know what the final reveal was but I was not expecting where the story went. I'm looking forward to reading book 2 sometime in the near future!

I really loved the narration, I was already a fan of Amy as a narrator so I knew I would like this.

Everly is seventeen, and her life was pretty normal until she witnessed a tragic death. Now, she can see grimms, supernatural creatures and has an invite to attend Gravemark, an exclusive school where she will be trained to track and reap grimms. It’s dangerous, and a serial grimm killer is on the loose. Its up to Everly to solve the case.

This was a really enjoyable YA book, full of mystery and plot twists. I really enjoyed the characters and thought they were well developed for the first book in a series. The plot was interesting, well paced, and kept me engaged throughout the entire story. I loved the concept of the Grimm Society and Gravemark. There were so many details and little hints about who the mystery serial killer was throughout the book which was fun to reflect on once the answer was revealed. I listened to the audio and Amy McFadden did an excellent job bringing the story to life. The narration was clear even when sped up. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series!

Thank you to Tantor Audio and NetGalley for the ALC.

A really easy listen and really enjoyed the narrator! I am such a fan of Nancy Drew, so when I saw that in the bio, I was super excited. The plot was interesting and sucked you in right away, but some areas did feel a bit flat and boring. Overall the production was great and enjoyed this book via audio!

This was a fun and very quick listen. I enjoyed the narration, which suited the story perfectly in both tone and tenor. The story itself is an oft-told one, but Hahn still managed to change things up enough to keep my attention throughout, and to wonder what might come next. The pacing is well managed and keeps you in the story throughout. It definitely feels like the setup to a sequel or series, and I would listen to future installments happily!

4.25⭐️
Wow! I devoured this audio ALC on a few hours as I didn’t want to stop listening! I was floored that it had come out early in the year, has a sequel and a third coming out soon! How is this title not more popular?

I am thankful to have gotten an ALC for free from Netgalley and Tantor audio to enjoy which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

This was such a well written YA offering which flowed easily. I enjoyed the narration as well. It was very slow but that was easily remedied by changing the speed rate.

I can’t wait to read the next one as that to me is the mark of a good book when you don’t want to leave the world created.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

4 ⭐
Surprisingly good story! While it was kinda short I finished it in a day it was fun and enjoyable.

The whole Everly-Hunter-Ian dynamic was giving me some Violet-Dain-Xaden vibes and I ship Everly and Ian so damn hard! Hunter can suck it

I'm looking forward to reading the next book which I will likely also finish in a day as I'm hooked.

This book definitely deserves more hype.
Thanks NetGalley for the audio arc! I loved it!