𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠♡︎ 𝟒🌟

♡´･ᴗ･`♡

Was it the book cover for me? Of course it was! Then they said “Midsommar meets The Shadows Between Us” and i was sollddd! 😆 I will say it gave more Midsommar vibes but that’s what I enjoyed most about the book and it’s gruesome plot! 👀

You’re definitely going to feel sadness and anger for the main FMC and her journey, and there was such great character development where she grew strength when it was needed. The forest was the main star of this book, it was its own character in a way with its own motives and magic.

Was the book perfect? No, but Madeleine does an amazing job with the settings description, showing these disgusting and creepy antagonists, building strong characters, and fulfilling the dark horror she promises.

Thank you @quilltreebooks @harpercollins & @netgalley for the eARC! 📚✨

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's book for the ARC.

3.75 stars

Normally, I don't stray into horror fantasy due to my squeamish nature, but when I do, I do look forward to the atmosphere that the author sets up. I was pretty excited to see what would happen in A Girl Walks into the Forest based on the letter to the reader alone. Referring to that particular moment in a girl's life where she realizes that she is less than human and bound by a society they thought they understand? Hurts me so much, but it's so relatable and hard to find the right words to describe that feeling. Due to the letter itself, I may have hyped the book up more in my head than what actually happened as I constantly compared the written words to the feelings the letter invoked within.

Starting out, it felt a bit rough as the main character was a spoiled girl, who had been told she was pretty all her life and let it really get to her head. On top of that, her journey to her husband saddled her with her brother and sister-in-law, which really felt like a road trip to hell. Honestly from that set up alone I was convinced for a little while that the entire book would be about travelling through the forest due to the absolute garbage way they all talked to each other. Valla was downright awful to her companions, but I couldn't put my finger on whether it was due to their crummy attitudes or her upbringing. Especially as Valla's sister-in-law was her former best friend who abandoned her once she married her brother.

When we get "through" the forest, the atmosphere really started to become unsettled and I was vibing with that for a bit, until I realized that I forgot the main character's name. It's wild... despite the fact the story is told in first person POV, we so rarely hear our narrator's name that when I first heard it a good bit in, I was extremely confused on who that character was. What a weird thing to notice. Valla also falls in lust with a dude who is so not her husband. That plot point in itself was a little frustrating as Valla simpered over the much hotter brother instead of freaking out about the situation she was put. It was a little off putting to say the least.

I was willing to forgive a lot as I felt Madeline Roux was working hard on the set up and my stomach got pretty queasy about some of the things that were described. That may be mostly me being a baby, but Valla's new family had a new level of creepiness. Unfortunately, the creepy factor stagnated about the time we reached the climax.

The pacing after the "big reveal" of what was really happening with the forest felt a little too fast and gave me mild whiplash. Valla's personality went back and forth on what she wanted to be. It was also extremely... convenient how Valla was able to solve the problem at the end. Didn't make sense in the context of the story but alas I had finished the story before I could finish the thought as to why exactly it felt weird.

Overall, if you're not into horror stories, I feel this is an interesting one to step into, but be wary of the content as it may not be for everyone.

a girl walks into the forest

we follow Valla as she has been chosen to be the Counts new bride in exchange for help for her village, but in order to get to him she must go through the Gottyar. A forest with beasts and faerie children and traps unless you stick to the road

right off the bat I loved the atmosphere. the author wastes no time in giving us a solid setting and stakes for the book

our girl Valla while trying to help her brother and sister in law who are helping her get through the forest gets attacked by a beast and is mauled (interjecting here with my own personal beef, I HATE facial scars in books. I’m an esthetician by trade and can tell you that unless you are literally burned or born with a facial difference or birthmark a cut or scrap on your face will heal SO FAST because the skin on our face is literally design to protect us. anyways that’s my own thing! carry on!) and left with huge gashes across her once beautiful face. which is a problem given the Count chose her based on her beauty.

without spoilers the plot meanders a bit and feels listless until the halfway point, like we don’t have any real connection of events and it started to feel pointless and I got bored. It felt like I missed a chapter where we got character growth from Valla because she goes from afraid of the Count to ready to kill him?? did I miss something?

also the politics/geography are very hard to follow and all over the place.

I don’t particularly get the comp titles to this (though I never give comp titles too much merit)

overall I left this liking the setting but not much else unfortunately

thank you to the publisher and netgalley for a copy of the eArc for my honest review!

The main genre for this one should be horror. There were two moments in this book I physically recoiled while reading. However one also had an impressive twist. I liked the folklore aspects, and it was a haunting read that's hard to put down.

I have read many books by this author and they were all excellent. And this one is too.

The story is a mixture of horror, fantasy, and mystery. The main character thinks she is leaving her small village to get married and have a better life. That quickly changes for the worse. It's creepy and suspenseful. There are a lot of twists and turns. Circumstances make the main character change and become someone else in order to survive her ordeal.

It's a real page=turner that is hard to put down once you start reading. I highly recommend this book!

Valla can't wait to get away from her backwards village. She's been betrothed to a count, and anticipates a life of luxury thanks to her beauty. The first step to that luxurious life, however, is a trip through the forest with her brother and nasty sister-in-law, who are as glad to be rid of her as she is to be rid of them. But the forest is dangerous, and when the yaksilii attack, Valla's face is ruined. Though she makes it to the castle and Count Leonid still agrees to marry her, Valla is in for a rude awakening as the strange and violent customs of her new land are quite the opposite of luxury. Then there are the voices urging her to kill...

Right off the bat I hated Valla and her family, but in a weirdly fun way. They were all so mean to each other, and yet clever in their insults. The moment Valla arrives at the castle, things go from creepy weird to off the wall bonkers - again, in a fun way. I absolutely had no idea where this story was going and what horrors I'd find along the way. This was full of gore and eastern European weirdness. Add Baba Yaga into the mix and you have a fun horror story that is hard to put down.

A novel about learning to trust and rely on oneself, and embracing the strength from within.

We follow Valla, chosen to be the bride of the Count Leonid in exchange for providing for her village. But when she is injured traveling through the woods towards her betrothed, she realizes that promises mean nothing and she must do whatever it takes to survive her new husband.

A combination of fairytale and horror, it isn’t until we see the true colors of everyone around that Valla can embrace her anger to claw her way to victory - no matter the cost. This book was a whirlwind of events, and there were multiple twists I absolutely didn’t see coming. Without spoiling anything, I’ll say that I really enjoyed how the multiple villains within this novel were handled - even those we are unaware are villains until it is almost too late. (I will say that I was a bit disappointed that one character is so violently treated and then killed, but then another survives - if only because it makes the one who survived much more tragic, despite the almost-hopeful feeling at the end of this novel.)

Brutal and dark, this book doesn’t hesitate to explore the darker aspects hidden in any fairytale, and forces Valla to either embrace her destiny and thrive - or to wither and die.

A huge thank you to the author, NetGalley, and HarperCollins Children's Books for providing this e-ARC.

Valla is a simple girl from a rural village who is promised in marriage to a far-off count who will send supplies and gold in exchange for her hand. She envisions a golden palace, a gentle husband, and a cushy life as a countess, but she has to make her way to his castle in the middle of a treacherous magical woods first. When she does, she finds her situation is a little different than she had imagined.

This was a fun Baba Yaga retelling with a great feminist lean! I enjoyed Valla as a main character and how she retained her humanity and empathy despite how dark her story got at times. I would say it toes the line of fantasy and gothic horror well, mixing the best aspects of both. I did feel there were a few loose threads at the end of the story though, and I would have liked an epilogue of some sort since the ending is pretty abrupt. The writing is solid enough and the pacing kept me engaged enough to finish in a few days. I’d highly recommend if, like me, you support women’s right and women’s wrongs

Uau. Do not quit this book thinking this is a Beauty and the Beast retelling or that the main character will remain weak, suffering the moods of the males around her. This one is zero to hero spectacularly with a great twist. It's dark and creepy. The author made me feel the forest, and made me feel the presence of that horrible character always sitting at the table... and more. Such a macabre novel and satisfying ending.

Thank you Netgalley and Quill Tree Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Madeleine Roux’s “A Girl Walks Into the Forest” is a dark, atmospheric blend of fantasy and horror, reminiscent of an old fairy tale whispered around a flickering candle. Inspired by Eastern European folklore, the book follows Valla, a young woman sent from her bleak, frozen village to marry a mysterious Count who resides deep within the cursed Gottyar Wood. What begins as a tale of forced marriage quickly unravels into something far more sinister, as Valla finds herself in a nightmare of monsters, suffering, and secrets lurking in the shadows.

One of the book’s greatest strengths is its worldbuilding. The setting is richly developed, from the desolate village of Arylik, where the ice never melts, to the eerie Gottyar Wood, where cursed children roam, trees bleed red sap, and haunting, toneless songs echo through the air. Roux crafts an environment that is both breathtaking and suffocating, making the forest feel like a living entity. The Count’s castle, however, is the true heart of horror—oppressive, labyrinthine, and filled with unspeakable terrors that make Valla’s isolated village seem almost inviting in comparison.

Valla’s journey from a sheltered girl to a hardened survivor is compelling, though at times her transformation feels rushed. Her strength lies in her perseverance, though I did find that her eventual empowerment comes too much from external forces rather than her own agency. The Count, as an antagonist, is utterly monstrous, far worse than expected, making for a villain whose cruelty feels all too real.

The pacing of the book is a bit uneven. The beginning is its strongest section, immersing you in a bleak, folklore-infused world full of anticipation; I absolutely loved the beginning as it sucked me right into the story and wouldn’t let me go. However, once Valla reaches the Count’s castle, the story slows considerably, lingering on her suffering without much progression. The final act, however, picks up dramatically, delivering a horror-filled, action-packed climax that brings brutality, folklore, and vengeance together in a truly haunting way.

Overall, “A Girl Walks Into the Forest” is a beautifully unsettling read, steeped in folklore and dripping with gothic horror. Its haunting atmosphere, strong folk horror elements, and breathtakingly eerie world make it a must-read for fans of dark fairy tales and eerie, immersive horror. If you’re looking for a fairy tale that bites back, this is one you won’t want to miss.

“A Girl Walks into the Forest” is a haunting nod to ancient folklore—not the kind filled with beautiful princesses, fairy godmothers, and happy endings, but the dark, bloody tales that warn us about the harsh realities of the world. A masterful Baba Yaga retelling, Madeleine Roux strikes the perfect balance between fantasy and horror. She tells the gripping story of a “chewed-up-and-spit-out” heroine who must confront the brutal forces of nature and her deepest fears to reclaim what’s been stolen from her life.

If you're a fan of dark fantasy with a chilling edge, and enjoy authors like T. Kingfisher, A Girl Walks into the Forest should definitely be added to your TBR.

Dark, mysterious YA fantasy about a girl that has been chosen by an unknown but powerful count to become his wife after seeing her portrait. To get to his castle, she has to venture through a very dangerous forest, and once she gets to the count it is not the wonderland that she was sold before arriving. A love triangle, monstrous creatures and a FMC that has to learn fast and get strong and smart even faster, this is a great dark fantasy for readers 12 and up.

A Girl Walks into the Forest is like reading a novelization of a Paris Paloma song.

^If that sentence means anything to you or intrigues you, stop reading and pick this up.

Overall, a beautiful, feminist, empowering twisted fairy tale. It did take me a minute to feel like I was immersed in the world - the bit with her brother on the road didn't grab me, and the writing felt a little cold. Once Valla is attacked and makes it to the castle, however, the narrative really fell into itself. The comparison to Midsommar is an apt one - the haunting, creeping sense of dread is very familiar. This is also perfect for fans of T. Kingfisher, particularly Nettle & Bone.

A Girl Walks into the Forest features, but is not limited to,

- A minimum of 200 creepy ass dolls
- Catfishing in a folklore setting
- Chosen one? No, literally just a girl
- Terrible dinner (thin broth) and even more terrible company (literally a corpse)
- Baba Yaga herself 🫡
- A nightmarish forest with nightmarish inhabitants and men that manage to be even worse
- Violence being perpetuated toward violent men as a treat

Okay but seriously, I finished this book in one sitting because I literally could not put it down. I loved absolutely everything about this story and it’s one I definitely plan on revisiting in the future.

Thank you so much @netgalley for the eARC ❤️

definitely very dark fairy tale in vibes. very well-written protagonist and Yulnia, although some of the other characters are more flat. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

I thoroughly enjoyed this! The writing was stellar, and the plot was amazing! This book was super fast paced and kept me locked in!

A gorgeous, grotesque fairytale that sucks you in and refuses to let you go. Roux manages to craft a story that wonderfully weaves folklore with character journey.

This was better than expected for YA! More mature in themes and in style than I expected. Excited to see more!

I enjoyed this one! I thought it was going to be more about her journey through the woods but I actually liked more of what it actually turned out to be instead. I liked the twists and I loved the folklore elements that were incorporated into the book. Recommended.

I loved everything about this book! It is just wild and vicious and everything that I wanted it to be. The villains of the story are just truly utterly awful people who do actual truly utterly awful villainous things. There is such a hard line between how it feels to be in the castle and how magical it feels to be in the forest, like day and night and I just loved how well the shift is written and how well I can really picture everything that is going on. Adding Madeleine Roux to my list of must read authors!!