Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! The Grace of Wild Things was a delightful read that surprised me with it's wit, humor and the joy that permeated the story. The Grace of Wild Things is a lovely mix of Anne of Green Gables and Hansel and Gretel except make the witch a parental figure with a redemption arc. Grace's viewpoint was an absolute joy and I found myself smiling while reading frequently. Her love of words, poetry and magic were so infectious. A really nice cozy fantasy read with loveable characters (there's a talking crow and a raincloud named Patrick).

4.25⭐️
Oh my gosh, this book was so good! I loved the overall story, but it was the characters that really hooked me! Highly recommend for fans of fairytales, Anne of Green Gables, and all things whimsical.

The Grace of Wild things is an absolute delight. Fawcett has spun a tale that will endear a whole new generation to Anne's story while giving seasoned fans something that feels simultaneously fresh and nostalgic.

Grace is an overlooked orphan with a lot of spunk and a little bit of magic. In an effort to hone her skills and find a home she runs away to the woods and offers herself as an apprentice to a cagey witch. The reluctant witch agrees that if Grace can finish 100 and 1/2 spells, before the cottages Cherry tree blooms, she can stay on as her apprentice. Grace sets to work but with time quickly dwindling she may have to work with new friends and foes to complete the seemingly impossible task.

If you are looking for a dose of feelgood whimsy, The Grace Of Wild Things is worthy of your TBR!

I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This might be one of the cutest books I’ve ever read, although it did make me cry at one point. I absolutely loved the relationships that were built and friendships that were made. This book is written so sweetly it gave me all the warm and fuzzies! The magic is adorable written and I truly hope I get to see more of these characters in the future!

This was just delightful. I am a huge fan of Anne of Green Gables, and this book was just such a pleasure to read.

Grace is an orphan and she believes no one wants her, so rather than wait around any longer at the orphanage, she decides to strike out on her own and make a bargain with a witch. Grace is magical, you see, and she wants to become the witch's apprentice. But the witch doesn't want a little girl underfoot. Reluctantly, she agrees, that if Grace can do all 100 and a half spells in her grimoire by spring, she will take her on as an apprentice. If she fails, the witch will take away her magic. And so begins our tale.

I think that this book does what I want a retelling to do - it takes the source material and then makes it into something new. I think Anne Shirley would absolutely love that in this story she is cast as a witch who can work magic, that she has a talking crow, and is friends with an actual fairy. It's the most Anne thing ever and I feel that L.M. Montgomery would approve.

This was a wonderful witchy retelling of Anne of Green Gables! Imagine if Anne was a young orphaned witch who sought to learn magic from the witch in Hansel and Gretel. Grace is Anne - dramatic, imaginative, headstrong, loves fiercely, and gets herself into trouble often despite mostly good intentions. There are even some storylines that are clearly inspired by Anne of Green Gables, though obviously not exactly the same. Despite the similarities, the story was fresh enough to keep me on the edge of my seat. I highly recommend this one for children and adults alike! It will feel nostalgic for those who love Anne, but will also be enjoyable for those who aren't familiar with the inspiration.

In solidarity with the HarperCollins Union, I won't be sharing my full review elsewhere until the workers receive a fair contract. Thank you to NetGalley and Balzer + Bray for the eARC.

After reading Heather Fawcett’s “Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries”, I was so excited to read another one of her books. While this book is marketed for children around middle school age, I think it is a good read for anyone looking for an uplifting, whimsical tale. It is billed as a retelling of ‘Anne of Green Gables’ with witchcraft and magic.

Grace Greene is an orphan. She is also a witch. After several failed home placements (due to her unnerving and uncontrolled ability to look into someone’s eyes and see the worst memory of their lives), Grace flees the orphanage in search of a local witch’s cottage. Grace does find the witch, and the witch is just as evil as people have said. Undeterred and full of optimism, Grace convinces the witch to concede to a deal – Grace will have half a year to complete the witch’s 100 and one half spells in her first grimoire.

As Grace works her way through the book of spells, she picks up not only witchcraft skills but friends that soon turn into the only family she has ever known. Along with her familiar, a crow named Windweaver, Grace will learn that magic can be found all around – through words, through deeds, through love.

I really loved the way this story connected nature, poetry, and the human experience. Themes of found family, forgiveness, and redemption are woven throughout. A wonderful light read, and a story with true heart.

Loved the characters!😍

This book moved me and I think it offers great life lessons about kindness, acceptance and cooperation to readers of any age. Young Grace begins as a tragic figure, lonely and unwanted, and achieves a remarkable transformation. Grace remains a dreamer, but her melodramatic personality softens and her big heart comes through. She leads an endearing cast of characters. Daisy Bean with her ubiquitous green blanket was perhaps my favorite, but the witch, all of the children and her crow familiar Windweaver were great secondary characters who each helped Grace demonstrate both her worst and her best. The author also imbued Grace's story with the beauty of nature and the changing seasons.

I never read the Green Gables series but I had a basic understanding of the story gleaned from a tv series partially viewed decades ago. I think it would be a detriment to The Grace of Wild Things to read it searching for comparisons with the earlier classic. Heather Fawcett's Grace is fanciful and fun but anchored by the love and friendships that grow as Grace races to fulfill her pact with the witch so she can finally call someplace home. This book held me throughout and almost brought on some tears. Children may prefer the fantasy of Grace's journey as a witch's apprentice but I embraced the relationships and emotion that made this a winner!

Thanks to Harper Collins Children's Books and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

The Grace of Wild Things is described as a reimaging of Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery and while I can see traces of the character Anne in Grace, I think Heather Fawcett's story is very original in many ways. Grace is an orphaned child trying to make her way in the world with the help of an evil witch, who really does not want her. The magical whimsy of her behavior allows the audience to become engrossed in the fantasy being told.

As far as a middle grade book, it is a bit long in length but for those who are interested in fantasy and magic will love Grace and her adventures.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Teen for the opportunity to review this novel.

This is such a unique story in itself with wonderful tributes to Anne of Green Gables. It’s much darker than I had expected so it’s more like if Anne wondered into the Grimm’s version of Hansel and Gretal and had to escape being baked in the Witch’s oven. The author has a flair for language that Anne would appreciate so even when the story starts going to a darker element she ends up pulling it back with beautiful words or humor. Grace holds her own in this book even with the Anne reminders. She is an orphan who longs for a real home and to understand what it means to be a witch. Of course she’s never had a bosom friend of her own, except for her bird friend who she can speak with, and she’d certainly never met a troublesome fairy before. While Grace is on a mission to complete the spells in what may be an impossible timeframe she is still girl who readers can relate to as she navigates both the supernatural and regular human issues like friendship and school. My daughter and I both really enjoyed this book and the Anne tributes.

I really enjoyed the author’s unique Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Fairies so I bought my 10 year old daughter her children’s book, The School Between Winter and Fairyland, which she was hooked on and it was fun hearing her telling me about it as she read. We read this book together and she was quickly hooked and always wanted to read more, especially when the chapters ended on cliffhangers. One minor warning, that may be actually be quite concerning if you have a child with any eating disorder issues, there is one part in the book when an acquaintance of Grace is described as having her food restricted because her parents are so concerned about her appearance and keeping her skinny and beautiful. I really don’t think it’s necessary or appropriate for children’s books to even mention anything like that which could put any idea of body issues or disordered eating into children’s minds. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This gets ALL the stars from me. It was delightful and emotional , well-written and inventive. I loved everything about it. (Except for one tiny thing...but more on that in a minute.)

Here's the thing. Despite being a voracious reader all my life, I never read Anne of Green Gables when I was younger. I was in my 40s before I ever read it. I don't know how I never read it, since it's a classic, but somehow it never made it onto my radar. So I don't have the deep and abiding love of Anne that's been nursed since childhood, like many readers my age have.

Even without a deep knowledge of the original novel, the similarities between Anne and Grace are evident, as are several of the key plot events. In my opinion, Fawcett strikes the perfect balance with Grace, making her similar enough to Anne for the comparison to stand, but also bringing her own story to life. I absolutely loved this little girl, as well as the other characters in the novel.

"As it turned out, wisdom wasn't only about knowing what you didn't know- the world wasn't quite so miserable as that. It was also good for sizing up problems and finding solutions."

I was in the middle of book 3 of the Anne of Green Gables series when I came across this as an ARC. Having just recently fallen in love with this author, I knew it was meant to be. I don't usually read middle grade, but it didn't matter because so many moving cogs clicked into place for this book.

This storyline heavily focuses on Grace, her pact with the witch, and her ability to pull people into her orbit. There is something so special that even the witch, who seems forever at odds with Grace's personality, is drawn into this unique young girl. Her connection to Windweaver is special. The bird adds another fun element to the storyline.

I enjoyed watching Grace figure out how to work the spells and make them her own. I loved watching people come together to help Grace out. And I absolutely adored the way Fawcett weaved Anne into the storyline and made it uniquely Grace. As I'm rereading that series, it's so fresh in my mind, and it was fantastic to have a fantasy retelling of a girl who has had such an impact. This is an enjoyable story for readers of all ages. Thank you, HarperCollins Children's, for the ARC.

This book was good but I do feel as though it was a bit much for a middle grade fiction novel. I enjoyed it, but I could see where someone who is in the correct age category for this story would struggle. However, it was still a good read and I would recommend it for anyone a bit older!

Goodness gracious.

Well, there’s no question that I am known not to love “crying books“ I am perfectly capable of loving a book so much that, when it ends, I am happy to shed some tears.

This was the case in this sweet little middle grade confection.

I absolutely loved this gentle retelling of the Anne of Green Gables story. This book is funny as all get out. The grace character is one that I will absolutely hold in my heart forever. She is lovable, like Anne in all the best ways. She is a total Enneagram 4, and has the best vocabulary to express her big huge feelings. She is a joy to love.

Also, I am a sucker for an orphan story, and this story is definitely that. And it is a fairytale, which I love filled with fairies and forests and magic spells, and a cottage deep in the woods, owned by a witch.

It is a story of found family and new friendship. And it’s a story of figuring out what you are truly good at and coming into your own power, no matter what that power is.

There are very tender moments in the story, especially near the end, and I loved it. I didn’t feel like anyone was trying to make me cry, I felt like I had been given a story that was precious enough for me to really care for it and so as it ended, I was sad and that felt like the most natural thing in the world.

I would highly highly recommend this book to anyone who loves quality middle grade but I especially think it would be a wonderful read aloud. My kids would’ve enjoyed this book all the way from 4 years old to 10 years old. It is just lovely and the chapters are the perfect links for one chapter a night reading.

Much thanks to Heather Fawcett, HarperCollins Children's Books/Balzer + Bray, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This story was thoroughly enchanting. And way more cerebral than I would expect of a "children's" book. The themes are deep and layered. Fawcett has officially found a place on my authors-to-keep-an-eye-on list.

My only complaint is that the ending wasn't entirely satisfying to me---some matters felt unfinished. Narratively I suppose those threads were tied up enough to be considered concluded, but I'd like something more. I understand it's, I don't know, romantic to leave some mysteries, which does suit the tone of this novel, but I've never liked books that do that. I want answers, damn it.

Other than that, though, I enjoyed watching Grace overcome the obstacles in her path with mostly a good attitude. And humor! I'm not super familiar with the Anne of Green Gables books, so I can't do a comparison justice, but I did try to watch the Netflix series a little while ago and couldn't stand how annoying Anne was and stopped watching. I'm happy to report Grace is nowhere near that grating, and in fact grows less annoying as the book progresses.

I adored all the characters, especially the invisible Daisy Bean and bullied Windweaver. Oh, how I cried at the end. Sareena was great, Poppy redeemed herself, Henry was adorable. I'm totally shipping Rum and Grace. The Witch was a deliciously complicated character with a wonderful arc. Fawcett was able to make every character sympathetic, even the ones the reader wasn't supposed to like. She was a master of character work in this novel.

I have a question, though. If a witch's spells break after she dies, why didn't the cottage disappear? That kind of stipulation of the mythology feels ripe for picking apart.

Overall, I'm ready for the sequel! There's going to be a sequel, right? Anne got a whole series.....and I need more Rum!

The Grace of Wild Things is a whimsical Anne of Green Gables retelling that I enjoyed! The pacing was a bit slow but the characters and writing made up for it

I was *all in* the moment I saw THE GRACE OF WILD THINGS described as a slightly magical reimagining of Anne of Green Gables. I was excited, but wondered if this novel could have the same heart, whimsy, and humor as the original. The answer was, thankfully, yes on all accounts!

Fawcett is an incredibly strong writer, blending well-developed characters with an entertaining plot. As with the original story, here also we have an unwanted orphan who slowly wins over her reluctant caregiver (in this case a reclusive witch) while going on whimsical adventures with her new neighbors and friends. I loved Grace and the ways that she was so desperate for acceptance while also always managing to be utterly herself.

As a longtime fan of Anne of Green Gables, I enjoyed the little nods that Fawcett wove throughout her novel, though I don’t think you need to be familiar with the original to enjoy this reimagining! A fun and magical escape, I can’t recommend this one enough

This lovely middle grade magical mystery is about Grace, who really wants to be a witch. She's living in an orphanage so she leaves to find her destiny. It turns out there is a witch living in the woods and Grace is determined to be properly trained as a witch, except that the witch isn't really so excited about the idea of having a trainee. Grace's persistence pays off and the witch agrees that she will train her, after Grace is able to successfully cast all the spells in her grimoire. This is a really fun story to read with themes of friendship, redemption, and learning. I thought it was great and I think kids are going to like it too.

This was an imaginative retelling of Anne of Green Gables. Imagine if LM Montgomery had formed a dynamic writing duo with one of the brothers Grimm and this might have been their creation. I enjoyed this overall but prefer to not associate it too closely with Anne. She's kind of sacred, ya know? The crow in here is the Best!

DNF. I really liked the premise but the writing did not work for me at all. It wouldn't be fair to the book if I finished reading and gave it a low rating.