3 Stars

I liked this better than the first. It was more developed, with more action and eerie elements that kept things interesting. The dark fairy tale atmosphere was immersive, and the dangers lurking in the forest were creative and chilling.

That said, the pacing felt off, with stretches that dragged and moments that felt rushed. The angst between Clara and Axel was exhausting at times, making their relationship feel more frustrating than compelling. While the book is clearly YA (which makes sense given its intended audience), I like to note that some YA reads older than others—this one doesn’t.

Overall, it was a nice conclusion to the duology, even if I wished the pacing had been stronger.

Thank you NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

“I will break the curse or die trying.”

I was blown away by the first book in this series and this one was even more magical as its predecessor. This book starts right where The Forest Grimm ends and I was immediately sucked in. I appreciated how the author caught the reader up on past events of the first book too as this book carried on.

I enjoyed how the story takes the reader into more Grimm fairytale. No spoilers here, I want to let you have your journey with the fairytales captured in the story, but you are in a wild ride. Full of peril, twists and turns and so much danger and excitement. Purdie did an excellent job of keeping me guessing the whole time. Just when I thought it was safe to breathe, the stakes get even higher.

Clara and Axel each have motives for entering the forest again. And there is so much to this book than the fairytales. Henni and others make a strong cast of characters. Even the Grimm Wolf was a stand out.

I also listened to the audio book. The narrator, Sarah Ovens, does an incredible job of capturing the urgent tone of the story with her portrayal of the voices. Sarah Owen’s’ lovely accent took told and I was transported into the world Purdie so brilliantly captures.

I will read anything from this author!

Huge thank you to the publisher for sending the NetGalley link for the ebook and for the audio approval. All views are my own.

I wasn't originally sure how a second book would go but I thought The Deathly Grimm is a well done sequel. The plot contains more mystery and also answers some past questions plus there are new characters and new links to Fairytales. Which I've really enjoyed in both books.

What I've really liked about how Fairytales are linked in these books is that the original stories of the tales are not overpowering the new plot. So even though the characters follow the similar both of the tale they are assigned there is still room for new aspects to each tale. Which comes from being lost in the forest.

Mysteries are always a great device to keep a plot moving for me. Normally my brain likes to spend time guessing what the answer is before it gets revealed. I felt The Deathly Grimm lends itself more to just going with the flow. I'm like okay I'm not sure how these pieces are going to end up connecting. Again I think a good utilization of the Fairytales themselves also helped with this.

I love the characters. I love that Clara has an S curve, because my son does as well. Love that something that is more common than people realize is represented. I think that's important.

I really love this narrator and I think she does such a great job. I listen to my audiobooks on high speed but I actually slowed this one down since I enjoyed her voice.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the ARC!

This is a rare case where I enjoyed the sequel far more than the 1st book! I felt like Purdie had the foundation she needed from The Forest Grimm to really see a lot of payoff in The Deathly Grimm, and I am super impressed with how she pulled it together into a fantastic story. There was a lot of maturation in her writing and story telling as well, which was great to see.

As with the first book, I love the way she took well known (and some lesser known) stories and put interesting twists on them. It leans very heavily into the original versions by the Grimm Brothers (which makes sense based on the title) but still manages to find points of warmth and redemption. The thing I appreciated most, actually, was how deeply it goes into the dark and creepy of the Grimm Fairytales while still maintaining the integrity of the stories. What I find so often in dark retellings is they go way too far, or it's just underwhelming - Purdie strikes a good balance in both books.

I think the best parts of this book were the improvements in pacing and character development - both felt like they had come a long way from the choppiness in book 1. I never truly knew how this was going to end up but I left the story feeling satisfied, if a bit disturbed (which I believe was intended).

Definitely a YA duology worth checking out!

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc and an alc!

3.5 stars

while i actually enjoyed the second book more than the first, i do still feel that this duology was lacking something in the storytelling. the author included waaaay too many different fairytales/folklore characters, thus the plot felt too rushed and mashed together.

as for the narrator, she did a fantastic job!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Clara’s visions aren’t always that clear. Are they nightmares showing her darkest fears? Or are they showing the true past lives of those around her? Everything she believes is called into question as she reenters the Forest Grimm to fight the curse that has put her town and those she loves in peril once again. Will she and her friends find a way to break the curse in time, or will her friends be destroyed before she get works it out?

The Deathly Grimm is part two of Kathryn Purdie’s retelling of Grimm’s fairytales. This middle grades romantasy delivers the dark world of the Brothers Grimm while also showing the hope needed in today’s world. Full of fantasy and magic, this book shows the dangers of one person’s unchecked wishes on the community and themselves. This story is about the power of coming together to fight for the good of the community, even if it could put yourself at harm, and has an application to today’s political environment, even if that wasn’t the intention of the author.

I give The Deathly Grimm 4 out of 5 stars. I have enjoyed so many of the fairytale retellings that have been released in the past decade, and this was no different! Having missed the first book in the duology, I did feel at a loss for a few details that did seem necessary for the storyline – so much happened to Clara in the first book! However, Purdie’s writing made the scenes leap off the page – the vivid imagery and exciting plot kept me pulled in and interested throughout the book. Given that this is a retelling, certain liberties have been taken with the stories you know well and it was interesting to see all of the Grimm characters together in one place!

With themes of child abduction, death, and assault, this book would be best directed to more mature audiences over 13. If you enjoy fairytale retellings or even the Grimm fairytales, but are looking for something a little more mature, this is a book you will enjoy! I’d also recommend this book if you enjoyed ABC’s “Once Upon a Time” or movies like the 2012 “Snow White and the Huntsman”.

I chose the audiobook version of this novel from NetGalley and really enjoyed the narrator as well. Sarah Ovens’ performance kept me both entertained and with my attention captured throughout the book! I initially chose this book for the cover and title – I do love the forest and play on the Brothers Grimm name, but the description pulled me in. As I mentioned, I missed the first book in this duology, but have added it to my TBR list!

I would like to thank the publisher for sending me an audio-arc in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley.

Picking up where we left off, Clara and Axel have survived the Forest Grimm and found Sortes Fortunae and brought it (and a few of the lost) back, but the curse hasn't been broken just yet. Clara is determined to break the curse, and after doing the forbidden and making a second wish on the book, she learns her answer lies within the Forest. So, once again, her and Axel set out to break the curse. This time, along with new people they meet within the forest (and new fairytales being retold), as well as her awakening power to see visions of the past, they'll have to discover the truth behind the curse and free the rest of the people trapped before their time is up.

Way more deadly, full of riddles and twists, with the stakes super high, Clara and Axel have things cut out for them. There's a lot going on, but I feel like we needed a lot of things to happen to discover the truth behind the curse. And the truth is so much darker than I thought it would be. However, I do wish we knew a little bit more about the person who was behind it considering we never even knew their name in the first book? I mean don't get me wrong, we do get a pretty insane ending to everything, but I just wish the buildup was a little more intense. Especially since that final fight scene happened so fast. Other than that, I really did enjoy the craziness that was this duology and how dark everything got. I loved the romance, I just wish the nonsense between them didn't happen (I get why it did, but I'm still salty about it). I loved the character growth and development. But mostly, I loved the way this book tied it all together.

Actual Rating: 4.5 stars

This was exactly what I needed from the second part of this dualogy! This gives such Once Upon A Time vibes and I am obsessed! The curse was growing and changing and Clara and Axel have to find the cure before more of their neighbors and friends are taken. Clara’s visions are evolving and changing and you see her growing as well. I was so excited every time a different fairy tale character evolved and loved seeing Purdie’s representation of them. This book had me literally laughing at some points and a sobbing mess in others. Her relationship with her grandmother really was so beautiful, and I loved the Ollie character so much!! And the Grimm Wolf?! Omg 😭

This was a great sequel — it expanded on the first book while still creating a whole new story to get lost in. I really enjoyed the mystery aspects. There was a good balance of clues to follow and twists that caught me by surprise. The narration was also great and made for a really good listening experience.

I really liked this sequel! I thought it picked up from the first book well and expanded on it in a sensual way. I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery of it and I was constantly putting together clues as to the ending result. It did have some slower moments but I did enjoy it more than the first book!! I need to check out more books by this author as this duo was really fun.

I really liked the audiobook. The actress was very engaging and created the atmosphere well.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance audio copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Deathly Grimm is book 2 in the Forest Grimm duology. I would definitely recommend reading the first book prior to starting this one. It picks up right where the first left off. The pacing with this one was slow compared to the first, I kept anticipating something happening and it didn't. I just wanted and needed more. It lacked mystery and intrigue, also I did feel it was written even younger than the first which felt off to me. Also, Clara complained about the S-Curve in her back, it was a little much and started to become repetitive.

The love interest was just annoying to be honest, the back and forth. I felt like the beginning lingered too long before pulling us into the action of the story, which it should've done as this is the second in the series. I wanted more forest encounters and a faster pace to keep the momentum of the story going.

Overall, it's a fun and original read, I just feel I might've not been the right audience for it. I can see why a lot are loving it, if it's your style you should definitely give it a shot.

✨️Thank you to @netgalley, @macmillanaudio & Kathryn Purdie for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was surprised with how much I enjoyed the first book in this series, so I was looking forward to the second one. However, this book lacked the mystery that the first book had, and this book read significantly younger to me. The angst from the love interest got annoying enough that I couldn't finish the book - as a 32 year old, I can only handle YA to an extent. This book missed the creepiness of the first book, and there was little compelling me to want to know what would happen next. Sadly a miss for me.

The narration was good, though the voice feels older than Clara, making the teen angst feel a bit out of place.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this follow-up to The Forest Grimm. New fairytales were used in equally interesting ways, and everything was wrapped up with a perfect bow at the end. The characters were just as fun, and the love between Clara and Axel felt well deserved. It was a bit of a slower read than I'd have liked, but the audio made the book fly by, and the narrator did a wonderful job of differentiating between the different character's voices and making them all feel like distinct characters.

This is the second book in Kathryn Purdie’s The Forest Grimm duology, and the books should be read in order since this book answers all the remaining questions posed in the first book. I loved the way Purdie combines different fairy tales in this young adult romantic fantasy. She did a great job creating a spooky atmosphere and a suspenseful plot that held my interest and kept me guessing.

Our main character Clara is stubborn and sometimes makes foolish decisions, but she means well, and her actions are consistent with her personality and values. I was rooting for her as she tried to solve the mystery of who murdered Bren Zimmer and triggered the curse. This book has more emphasis on Clara’s visions and efforts to solve the mystery and reverse the curse, but we also see Clara’s relationship with Axel change and grow, as well as her relationships with various villagers. The book can be quite dark at times, and not everyone gets a happy ending, but Clara’s story reaches a satisfying conclusion.

The audiobook production was excellent. I loved the narration by Sarah Ovens. She has a pleasant voice and accent, good pacing and pronunciation, distinctive voices and speech patterns to suit each character, and she is able to convey mood and emotion effectively. The story works very well as an audiobook.

Readers who enjoyed The Forest Grimm should enjoy this sequel too.

I received a free advanced review copy of the audiobook through NetGalley. I volunteered to provide an honest review.

This is the second book in The Forest Grimm Duology. In Book 1 The Forest Grimm we met seventeen-year-old Clara. She ignored her grandmother’s instructions and entered the dangerous forest to retrieve Sortes Fortunae, an enchanted book with the power to life the curse plaguing her village and maybe even save her mother. For years the villagers used the Sortes Fortunae to obtain their deepest desires---until someone used it to kill. In book 1 we are inspired by Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty among others.
The Deathly Grimm (The Forest Grimm duology Book 2). Clara and Axel have no choice; they must return to the forest and its monsters if they have any hope of finally breaking the curse on their village. When Clar and Axel escaped the forest, they returned to their village. They thought they would finally be safe. There is a page missing from Sortes Fortunae, the Book of Fortunes. The forest begins luring villagers into the dark forest. There was a deeper, darker and more dangerous presence lurking there. Clara and Axel must once again face an evil in the forest. This evil is different than the one they faced previously, this was a greater evil.
In book 2 we are inspired by Jack and the Bean Stalk, Rumpelstiltskin, Snow White and the Princess and the Frog. I enjoyed this book; I’m a great fan of fairy tales especially when told from a different point of view.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

We're back in the Grimm forest with Clara and Axel! Meeting new characters and fairytales was the best part of this sequel. I found the pacing on this one to be much slower, which was kind of frustrating since the world was already built in book 1. Still a fun sequel!

I LOVE when a sequel outdoes the original!! The Deathly Grimm is the perfect deep dark Grimm's fairytale vibes but twisted up and tied with a neat new bow. It was even better than the original tale and the audio recording was beautifully done. The perfect balance of inflection and storytelling. I loved this one. It's got hints and nods to so many different stories while making something entirely unique and new. Sondheim's Into the Woods- but for the readers. Absolutely devoured this. 5 stars all day.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Macmillan Young Listeners for this advanced copy! You can pick up The Deathly Grimm on March 25, 2025.

While I really enjoyed the first entry in Kathryn Purdie's Forest Grimm duology, I found getting swept away in this story a bit more difficult. The plot was slower than I would've liked, despite the hunt for a murderer and the new fairytale creatures and characters Clara and Axel encountered. The romance wasn't bad, but I didn't connect with them quite as much as I would've liked. If you enjoy dark fairytales and cursebreaking, though, I think you'll really enjoy this one!

The Deathly Grimm is the sequel to Kathryn Purdie’s The Grimm Forest. However, I did not read the first book in this duology, yet I had no trouble picking up the second book and following along. The Deathly Grimm can easily be read as a standalone.

The publisher describes the book as a dark fairy tale, and I feel it is important to point out that most fairy tales in their original forms, are innately dark, and that’s why I love them so much. I counted at least eight different stories from the Grimm brothers, but it’s possible that I missed references to other stories.

I think I enjoyed the book in audio format more than I would have in print because there were a couple of motifs that repeated several times throughout the story. My eyes and brain would have grown tired had I read those parts again and again; it was much easier to listen to someone narrate in such instances.

As for content warnings, this book is pretty mild. There is some violence which is expected of a fairy tale. I don't recall there being vulgar language. If there was, it obviously wasn't enough to stand out to me. There were a couple of kissing scenes, but they were minor. I think teens would actually see an example of how to set boundaries when the male main character insists that they wait for the right time and the right mindset instead of rushing.

Sarah Ovens is the narrator, and she has a lovely posh voice, just above a whisper, that draws the listener into an intimate listening experience. Ovens has a different voice for each character and her cadence fits the story. I think the reason this audiobook was such a positive listening experience is because we all grew up listening to fairy tales – they were oral stories before written for many of us.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys stories that grab hold of them and draw them into dark and magical forests.