What a unique and fun retelling of Anne of Green Gables! Grace is an orphan, and also a witch. She has known this nearly all her life, and it is one of the reasons she is still without a real home, her deepest desire. So she takes her destiny in her own hands and sets off to find a witch to teach her how to use her magic. Only she finds the most crotchety, mean witch there ever was, and if you think that will stop Grace, think again! With fantastic characters, an enticing setting, and plenty of subtle and not-so-subtle references to the original, this book can also be very much enjoyed even if you've never heard of Anne Shirley!

A fun to read, middle school age retelling of Anne of Green Gables. Wonderful characters and a touch of darkness. Some adventure. Some magic. The friendships of youth. I enjoyed this story and found it to be quite well written.

Not my favorite fantasy from Fawcett. While charming, I think the comparisons with Anne of Green Gables hurt rather than helped it--that is such a beloved story to me that every time there were similarities it made me wish I was just reading the original. I think if you think of this as "Inspired" rather then a "Fantasy Reimagining" of Anne and separate it from the source material you'll be able to enjoy it more than I did.

This book is an Anne of Green Gables retelling with a fairytale twist. This book was intresting because a character thought they where wicked because they have magic, and overtime they lern that they can be good and kind. I didnt enjoy this as much tough as a retelling because it is nearly identical in characterization and plot points, with magic added. I enjoy retellings but I like it more when they play with the story a bit. Ths may also me more of a me thing as I am not as big of a fan of Anne of green gables as most pepole are.

Unfortunately this one ended up being a DNF for me. I think it should have been pegged as very low young adult to a higher juvenile story. The writing felt very young vs. general young adult. The story felt very slow and it really didn't have much in common with Anne of Green Gables. So that was a big let down. Parts of the story felt unneeded and really didn't add anything to the story at large and the ending which I did look at was just meh.

I requested this ARC because I saw a TikTok from my fav cozy fantasy creator.

This did NOT disappoint! It’s billed as Anne of Greene Gables with witches and I whole heartedly agree. Grace is an orphan who has a crow friend that she talks to. Upon finding a witch, she makes a deal to hopefully become a witch’s apprentice and hone her magic.

This book is lighthearted, low stakes, and while we know there’s always a bit of heartache, Grace eventually finds the place she belongs. It’s lush, descriptive, and adventurous.

If you are a big fan of Anne of Green Gables and all things witchy, you will love this retelling! I liked the original and found myself liking this one, too. Retellings are always fun, but add in that it is witchy? You can count me in. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Wonderfully written. Such an enchanting, Anne of Green Gables retelling. You could tell where the author found her inspiration and turned it into a magical, wonderful, beautiful tale about a grumpy old witch, and a girl who warmed her heart.

5/5 ⭐️
“Being friends with you is like — it’s like having a place I can go where I can forget about all the bad things.”
That is one of the many lines I found myself highlighting in my kindle as I read this book. Honestly, I need to physically own all of Heather Fawcett’s books because they just cry out to be annotated.
This story was perfect. It is the most adorable cozy fantasy, perfect for any age. It obviously was most similar to Anne of Green Gables meets the witch from Hansel and Gretel. However, the main character also kind of reminded me of Greg from Over the Garden Wall. This story was cute and heart warming and had me laughing out loud and crying. It is a story of a girl who talks too much and has an over imagination and who loves all, even witches who try to put her in the oven. The friendships she made and trials she faced was great and uplifting. Also, I’m obsessed with the fairy boy and the crow who was her familiar.
This story truly was one of the best things I’ve read in a while. Literally, it felt like it wrapped me up in a blanket and handed me a cup of tea. I’m going to be telling everyone to read it, and make Heather Fawcett an Insta-buy author for me.
Thank you to NetGalley & HarperCollins Children for providing an advance reader copy for my honest review.

I have not read Anne of Green Gables since I was a child so the retelling aspect definitely wasn't as interesting to me. It took me quite a while to get into this book and I ended up listening to it on audio to help me get through it. It definitely picked up but was slow to start. It's a cute book but nothing spectacular.

Title: The Grace of Wild Things
By: Heather Fawcett

Genre:
Middle Grade, Fantasy, Magic

Recommended Ages:
7th grade – Adult

Red Flags:
Evil witches, Ghosts, Nightmares
Some scary parts for sensitive young readers

Summary/ Review:

Grace is tired of living in an orphanage, and dreams of living a life in the woods with the infamous witch. Why would she want to live with a witch the reader wonders? Grace knows she has magical powers, and desires to work under the witch as her apprentice. Quickly, Grace learns the witch is truly as bad as the locals say. Grace begins to wonder what is worse, living with the witch or living in the orphanage. The main character of Grace definitely reminds me of Anne Shirley and the author manages to weaves aspects of Anne’s story into Grace’s character. The plotline is magical with ghosts, and evil sprinkled throughout. I would have liked the ending to be a little stronger, and felt parts of the story were missing some depth. For this reason, I rated it four stars.

The Grace of Wild Things is a whimsical twist on “Anne of Green Gables mixed with pieces of “Hansel and Gretel.” This is a standalone novel, which doesn’t require you to know the “Anne of Green Gables” story, but if you do, it will bring a smile to your face as you reminisce over a childhood classic.


Thank you to Heather Fawcett, Harper’s Collins Children’s Books, and Netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

#reluctantreaderreads
#Heatherfawcett
#Thegraceofwildthings
#Harperscollinschildrensbooks
#netgalley
#advancedreadereditions

Heather Fawcett pays homage to Anne of Green Gables in this delightfully magical tale. As a fan of Anne, I was skeptical about a fantastical rendition, but this story stands on its own as wonderful, creative, and heartwarming, all the while incorporating nods to the book that inspired it. Grace and her friends, and even the surly witch, all brought me joy. This is my first read of Ms. Fawcett's work and I am excited to delve further into her catalog.

If you are a fan of the original books, you must not sleep on this. You will love how Fawcett creates something new and wonderful from a tale you already hold dear. And if you never read Anne of Green Gables, no worries, since this book is lovely to read in its own right. It's aimed at middle school aged kids, but don't let that deter you as an adult - anyone of any age will appreciate the themes of found family, friendship, loyalty, adventurous spirit, embracing one's differences and finding one's path, and standing up for what - and whom - you love and believe in. If you are feeling blah and need a pick-me-up to brighten your day, this is an excellent choice.

I really appreciated how Grace stays true to Anne's personality and character. Her flowery speech and loquaciousness, whimsical and hopeful nature, and fierce and stubborn determination. I do wish the end had been fleshed out a bit more though. It does seem to end a bit ubruptly after many chapters of different adventures with Grace and her crew. But even so, it brought tears to my eyes.

Heartwarming, wholesome enchantment. Highly recommend for fans of cozy fantasy and/or L.M. Montgomery. Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books, Balzer + Bray, and Netgalley for my DRC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was written with a complete Anne of Green Gables vibe, down to some of the names. I had a hard time with this as there was so much in this book that didn't feel was the author's own. I understand the thought of taking something that's already been done and putting a new spin on it. . .but I feel like this could have been a fun and quirky and magical book without trying to make it so much like Anne of Green Gables.

The Grace of Wild Things was my first Heather Fawcett book, but won't be my last. It's a witchy retelling of Anne of Green Gables, which I'm sure is a draw for many readers, but I'll admit here - I haven't read AOGG. The good news is, that doesn't matter. While I'm sure I missed some references - this was such a delightful book even without the AOGG knowledge.

Grace is a young orphan who runs away from the children's home to seek out a witch to apprentice for, because she KNOWS she's a witch - she just needs to learn how to harness her magic. The book is full of adventures and fun mystical recipes/spells. While there are moments that are serious, sad or slightly scary - in hindsight the overall story leaves me with warm happy feelings. Grace was a fantastic protagonist - inquisitive, thoughtful, and ultimately stronger than she knew she was. The supporting characters were varied and fun. Overall this is a great middle grade read.

Published February 14, 2023 - Available now!
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins/Balzer & Bray for the advanced copy.

This book is phenomenal. Such a wonderful, whimsical, and endearing story with a fun, melodramatic witch protagonist.

It features and interesting cast of characters:
Grace- Our young orphaned protagonist who also happens to be a witch
Windweaver-Grace's crow familiar and best friend who loves poetry
Mrs. Puddles-The Witch
Sareena-headstrong neighbor determined to be Grace's best friend
Daisy Bean-Sareena's adorable little sister who believes she is invisible under her green blanket
Rum-fairy, indentured servant to Grace and archnemesis
Patrick-a cloud
Plus others (no spoilers)

A fantastical fairytale inspired by Anne of Green Gables. Grace, our intrepid hero, has made a pact with The Witch. The pact entails Grace working through the 101 and a half spells in The Witch's first grimoire to become The Witch's apprentice, if she fails to complete them before the first flowering of a certain tree (May, sometimes June) then she must forfeit her magic to the witch.

Cozy cottagecore vibes made this book such an enjoyable ride. Fawcett is my new favorite author. Grace has a unique voice that is lyrical without coming across as too flowery. She is the perfect balance of whimsical determination.

As many other reviewers have noted, this is a whimsical mash up of Ann of Green Gables and Hansel and Gretel (the original German version, so dark!) with more magic. I love a witch in the woods, and this book is no exception. The relationship that Grace and the witch build is lovely, and I can imagine many a precocious middle grade child feeling an instant connection to Grace’s view of the world.

bawling my eyes out. this was so beautiful & heartwarming and SAD

the references of Anne of Green Gables were rich but with subtle alterations to fit the book's theme. Grace is exactly like Anne: a super talkative orphan who thought that nobody wanted her, super dramatic, prone to mess up things but never meant to let anyone down. the friendship between Grace and her friends, especially Sareena, was so precious I was so afraid if something would happen to them. The ending was quite different from AoGG but I still love it, it just fits well while there's still loose aspect from the original tale. AoGG made me cry and so did this book.

TBH I still need to process everything so that's it for now. I love this book.

This was a beautiful book. I loved the nids to Anne throughout and thought it had just enough magic to satisfy. The whole vibe of the book was very much The Girl Who Drank the Moon, but I enjoyed this one so much more!

From the synopsis: An inventive and fantastical reimagining of Anne of Green Gables—with magic and witches!—that explores found family, loss, and the power of a girl's imagination. I absolutely adore Anne of Green Gables so I could not wait to read this one! There are subtle nods to key scenes from the original , but nothing is replicated outright. Having read the original is not a prerequisite, as there is enough content in this reimagining to make it a work all its own. While marketed to early readers ages 8-12 years old, at 400 pages it may seem a bit daunting,; however between the source material and the fantastical elements, readers of all ages will find a lovely, enjoyable read.

The Grace of Wild Things is branded as a fantastical reimagining of Anne of Green Gables, and even knowing only the basics of Anne of Green Gables, I can see the comparison. Our titular Grace runs away from the orphanage in which she lived to be an apprentice to the local witch. Narrowly escaping a fate in the witch’s oven, she strikes a bargain to complete the 100 and ½ spells in the witch’s grimoire to become her apprentice or risk losing her magic. With the help of newfound friends, she develops her powers, of both the magical and friendship kinds.

Grace is moody and dramatic and I love her. The book is written in the style of a classic children’s book (see the Anne of Green Gables inspiration) with dark fantasy elements reminiscent of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline and the humor and heart of Terry Pratchett’s Tiffany Aching series.

I would recommend this to readers who liked the Tiffany Aching series or any reader who wants to read an atmospheric story about a plucky girl overcoming seemingly impossible odds.