I can't believe this is a debut! I am a sucker for any fantasy-in-the-woods story and this was near perfect. It was suitably horrifying in parts (and unexpectedly very gross, in a good way), the weaving of Jewish folklore and storytelling was lovely, Evike was a badass heroine, Gaspar was swoonworthy, and the slow burn romance was *chef's kiss*. I'm going to need Ava Reid to write another book and fast, because I cannot wait to read more from her.

I'm so sad to be typing this, but The Wolf and the Woodsman was a DNF for me. I wanted to love this book so much, but ultimately I just didn't connect with the story or the characters in a way that made me excited to keep reading. I think I was expecting the book to be a bit more romance-heavy and angsty and that's where I was let down. I also found it really hard to stay engaged with the story because of how slow-moving the plot is (at least for the first 40%). With all that being said though, I think if I had picked this up literally any other time than the last month of my college semester and wasn't feeling so burnt out, I think I would've been able to finish the rest of the novel and probably would have enjoyed it more. I did really appreciate how atmospheric this was and the beautiful writing, as well as the rich mythology/folklore/historical influences. Ultimately, I think I was in the mood for a faster-paced read and this book wasn't hitting the mark for me. I'm giving it three stars though because I don't think there's anything wrong with the book objectively, I just didn't personally mesh with it.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free e-arc of The Wolf and the Woodsman, through Netgalley. This did not influence my rating/review.

I was SUPER excited to be approved for this title, because it's one of my most anticipated books of Summer 2021. I'm happy to say that I really enjoyed it, although it didn't quite make 5 stars. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because there were a few scenes when I had a hard time picturing exactly what was happening, but I was able to pick it up after a few sentences. It just pulled me out of the story a bit, but I was never completely lost.

This story is heavily influenced by Jewish folklore and history. If you, like me, are not Jewish, I STRONGLY recommend doing some research into the history of antisemitism as well as Jewish folklore before starting this book. I don't think it's mandatory to enjoy the book, but I do think it will enrich your understanding of the story and its themes. I'm sure there were themes I missed, and upon further research will hopefully fill in when I reflect on the book in the weeks/months to come!

Why you should read it:
1. It's an atmospheric very dark fairy tale(ish) story based on Jewish folklore and history
2. The main character is ridiculously resilient
3. There's a bit of a romance, but it's not overwhelming if you're not into that.
4. You will sink into the story. I don't classify this as a fast read (it took me a week to read but I was also dealing with a nasty tension headache for 3 of the days). You are able to really envelop yourself in the story, and take your time with it!

TW: attempted genocide, graphic battle scenes (beheading, disembowling, etc.), persecution of religious and ethnic groups (specifically antisemitism), maiming of people (not only during battle scenes), torture, death of animals (wildlife creatures) this can be relatively graphic and pervasive throughout the story.

The Wolf and the Woodsman is nothing short of mesmerizing. I am completely in awe with the way this book is written and delivered. Ava Reid did such an amazing job in weaving an intricate magic world with such complex factors within it.

The book started out slow like most fantasy book and it felt like going into the story blindfolded because I had no idea what was going on one third in but once I got the gist of the story, it made reading this book worth it. Évike and Gáspár Bárány are both complicated character that one can not help but want to unfold each crevices within them. Both are fleshed out in such a real way, I anticipated all the action and magic they had to show. I also applaud the author. Reid did not hold back when she wrote such grotesque scenarios portraying the cruelties of corrupted people. The plot twists appeared during unexpected times, I had trouble holding in my shock.

This is truly an exemplary debut, giving this 4 stars. I am excited to what Ava Reid has to offer in the near future!

5 stars. A million stars if I could.

I kind of want to weep with happiness. What an absolute triumph of a novel. This is a lush, almost perfectly crafted story that feels like a particularly dark modern fairytale. The worldbuilding is extensive and the world itself almost leaps off of the page.

Honestly, I'm not sure what to say about this book. My one small complaint is the romance - while I enjoyed it, I wasn't the biggest fan of it. My favorite chapters are by far the ones where they're separated, where we get to follow our protagonist as she embarks on a journey to find out more about her heritage. These scenes feel intimate, and in a novel filled with death and despair, they're like a moment to breathe.

That said, this book is dark. It deals with ethnoreligious prosecution and the horrors (and complications) of nation-building. There's quite a bit of gore from early on, but the book is written is such a poetic manner that it's almost tragically beautiful. There's just so much love thrown into every aspect of these pages, it's incredible. You can feel Ava Reid's passion as you read, and while it took me a while to get through just because it is so dark, I'm glad I did. Definitely one of the best fantasies I've read this year.

TW: gore, genocide, abuse & torture, antisemitism

Such a beautiful, heart-rendering book.

It goes without saying, I truly loved The Wolf and the Woodsman, and I'll try to convey why in my brief review (with my health these days, it's difficult to write anything long and analytical, so I hope this will suffice). But the most important aspect is the representation, including Jewish representation, survival of abuse, and the honest depictions of persecution, oppression, and ethnic cleansing--all of which is integral to the world building. To miss that, I think, is to miss the point of the entire story.

Aside from that, however, there's even more to love, particularly the hate to love romance, the atmospheric and lyrical writing, and the haunting / lovely / gory settings.

I'll pause at the romance, because goodness me, it had me weak to the knees (if you've read that, you'll see what I did there hah). Our resident solemn prince and wolf girl are stuck together on a dangerous journey, are forced not only to share body heat, but to depend on and rescue each other more than once despite the difference in their beliefs and the very minor fact that she was supposed to be his captive. So. What isn't to swoon over?

All of that combined with a riveting end, one I suspect will stick with you forever, and you have a new absolute must-read for 2021. Thank you to the publisher for letting me read an early copy!

(Do keep in mind that this is very much an adult book.)

Such a unique twist on a story we thought we knew. It was a perfect mash-up of the tales we grew up loving. I hope there will be further titles and have a list of kiddos to recommend this book to as soon as we receive it!

This book held very interesting magic concepts. I loved all of the action, though it felt muddled at some parts. The hardships the main character goes through is refreshing to read and I loved having a love interest that blushed.

Wow ... this book was absolutely amazing.
I haven’t felt this sucked into a world in a long time, and I felt every emotion these characters experienced.
From the description of the land to the magic that was intertwined throughout the story I was captivated. Evike and Gaspar are the ultimate enemies to lovers, and I was there for it. Evikes strength and absolute preserverence through everything that was thrown her way... just blew me away. People who are so different coming together and working together. For the greater good.

I highly highly recommend this book!

This was okay, but I want to be transparent that I was let down by the hype.

I felt that this was less a fairy tale and more a man and a woman walking around talking to each other with a "threat" hanging over them. I felt really nothing for the characters and found them honestly all to be unlikeable, unflushed out and rather boring.

I felt this was very, very slow paced. I also could not get into the writing style. I felt it to be way, way flowery (and that's coming from a Laini Taylor and Naomi Novik fan) to the point that it really took away my enjoyment of the story.

Overall, I think this will do well, but it was not a book I would read again.

Anytime a book is compared to The Bear and the Nightingale or a Naomi Novik book I am sold. This one had everything I was looking for. It had magic, a gritty feel, and a fully formed world that wasn’t so complicated I need a cheat sheet to keep up. I couldn’t put it down - and honestly I’m hoping for a sequel in the worst way. I didn’t love the narrator originally, however she grew on me as the book progressed. I love the world the author built mostly because though it’s magical, it is very raw and real.

Woah. Where has this been my entire life?

Évike is born without magic, making her a burden in her village that is routinely attacked by the king's Holy Order of Woodsmen. Because of this, her fellow wolf-girls use her in a ruse and have the fearsome soldiers take Évike away to the kingdom's capitol, but an attack happens, and Évike and Gáspár - the remaining woodsman - are forced to help each other survive. Pagan magic, holy orders, and ethnoreligious supernatural abilities clash in this debut fantasy drawn from Hungarian and Jewish folklore.

This fantastic debut is full of everything I've wanted - Jewish characters in a fantasy setting, ritualistic magic, rich mythology and folklore, monsters drawn from nightmares... Reid does a marvelous job of building her fantasy world by also grounding it in a very real and bloody history. This is shown the most with Évike's interactions with her Yehuli (Jewish) father and community. It's remarkable to find your ethnoreligious identity reflected in a fantasy book. There is such care in these scenes. The holidays and language, and traditions are woven tightly in both real history and world-building.

An ARC has been provided by NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

A stunning fairytale with excellent world-building, "The Wolf and the Woodsman" is a delightful read.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGallery for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

When I saw that I was sent this ARC on NetGalley, I was jumping up and down in excitement! When I applied for it, I never imagined that I would get it. When I first read the description of this book months ago, I put it on my TBR list right away. I love YA Fantasy books with a woodsy theme, and the cover is gorgeous. I can't thank the publisher enough for allowing me to read and review this book before its official release date. Thank you again!

The Wolf and the Woodsman by Ava Reid is a YA fantasy adventure inspired by Hungarian and Jewish mythologies. I haven't read a book with such an interesting fantasy world inspired by real-life countries since I read Wicked Saints by Emily Duncan, which is one of my all-time favorite books. I highly recommend this book for fans of the Wicked Saints series. Just like in Wicked Saints, the character names are authentic, and there are also recurring themes of religion vs paganism, blood magic, and the dark woods. One important difference between the two books is that Wolf and the Woodsman includes a lot more romance between the two main characters. I was pleasantly surprised to see an enemies-to-lovers trope and no love triangle! If you're into enemies-to-lovers romances, you should not miss this book.

The book revolves around Evika, a wolf-girl from the village, who is kidnapped by Gaspar, a Woodsman. Here are a few quotes describing Gaspar, the Woodsman:

"Despite the softness of his voice, his missing eye speaks of one thing—a fierce devotion to his god, which means a greater hatred for pagans and wolf-girls than either of these shorn men." - Chapter Two

"Woodsmen are trained to kill monsters with axes,” he (Gasper) replies, drawing himself up with a sharp breath. “Princes are trained to fight their human enemies with sword and tongue.” - Chapter Four

The Woodsmen in this story are servants of the King, who kidnaps wolf-girls in order to kill them and take their pagan magic. At the start of this fantasy-adventure, Evika is kidnapped by Gaspar. As they go on their journey to get back to the King, the two mortal enemies engage in plenty of witty banter and mutual hatred before slowly, slowly falling in love. If I had one gripe about this book, it would be that the first half of the book is episodic and focuses on their romance, and I had to force myself through it. However, once the book hit its halfway mark, it was non-stop adventure, violence, betrayal, court intrigue, and magic. After the halfway mark, I could not put the book down and finished the rest in one sitting. The excitement in the second half definitely makes up the first half, which is why I rating this book a fantastic five stars! I recommend that all fans of YA fantasy, especially the Wicked Saints series, check out this book when it comes out!

“A bargain between a Woodsman and a wolf-girl already seems a fragile and terrible thing. Whose god would approve of it?”

Évike is outcasted and hated by her village, as she is the only woman without power. She is abused, ridiculed, and sent to die and be a sacrifice for her village to the Woodsmen. The Woodsmen are soldiers from the kingdom who are sent to claim pagan girls for the king’s blood sacrifice. Évike is disguised as a seer and forced to be sacrificed to the Woodsmen. Along the way everyone in the party dies except for Évike and the captain, or rather the crown prince Gáspár. Both of them must now travel together in search of a mystical power that would help stop Gáspár‘s fanatical and psychopathic brother from claiming the thrown. Both of them must survive harsh winter conditions, monsters, and villagers who have other plans.

I really loved how well the enemies to lovers trope was handled here, it definitely was a brutal enemies to lovers as both of them were constantly at odds with one another. Throwing stabs and wounds, making the other question their morals, and making each other hurt as they are both two people who have endured so much abuse and been outcasted. They were both wonderful characters who had different strengths and their wounds were so deep. Évike was raised in an environment where she was both physically and mentally abused by people, and her scars definitely show. Gáspár is the same, he was physically abused and outcasted by his own father and is now just trying to save the people in the kingdom. Both of them are deeply wounded and just trying to survive. Their tenuous romance is great and their bonding is something that slowly grows.

I really enjoyed reading this book and the romance was amazing. The conditions were brutal and the world was interesting. I definitely sympathized with both characters and overall I really did feel for them. I would highly recommend this read!

*Thanks Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Evike is a wolf girl. Her clan lives in the dark forest of Ezer Szem, and live under threat of the Woodsman. Once a year the devout King sends the Woodsman to bring one of the Wolf Girls to him so that he can steal their magic and use it to fight the never ending war with Merzan. What the Woodsman don't know is that Evike isn't a normal wolf girl and she doesn't have any magic. What Evike doesn't know is that the Woodsman who is escorting her is no ordinary Woodsman. Gaspar is the crown prince and he wants a different life than the one that has been laid out for him. Gaspar knows that his bastard brother is aiming for the crown, and he knows that he is infintely worse than his father. He needs Evike to stop his brother and his father, but will she willing to help a Woodsman... the very men who drove her clan to the dark woods, keeps them in poverty, and helps the king steal their children?

My only criticism is that the story seems rushed. It doesn't have a whole or comprehensive feeling to it. There are parts that are very disjointed. The first part of the story is difficult because the reader is not told anything. Very little world building is done and the reader is dropped in the middle of things. It is not easy to catch on, and some things are just never explained... The story itself needed more character development.

I would also point out that this story does not shy away from gore/violence. It has it's place in the story line, I only mention it for those who may be sensitive to blood, gore, & violence against animals.

I think there is a lot going on here, and it all happens in a very disjointed way. It might have been better to spread it out into multiple books and then really deep dive the really interesting aspects of this book, such as Evike's childhood, the relationship with her father, Gaspar, his relationship with his father and brother, the history of the countries, the religions which lead to the violence, the world of magic.

All that being said, there is so much I like about this book. The underlying concept, the worldview, the fascinating characters... I loved it. I just wanted a tad bit more.

I've been anticipating this book for a while and it didn't disappoint! The writing is so gorgeous and, even though I was in love with the world from the first page, it was the slow burn of Évike's character that kept me reading. Somewhere between the lyrical prose and top-notch worldbuilding, I became so utterly invested in these two characters who are both broken and healing and caught between two worlds.

It's clear how personal this story is to the author and how much care she's put into this world and these characters. The Jewish folklore shines through and I hope publishing takes note of how wonderful it is to see these stories represented on page in a way that's both authentic and real.

It should be noted that this story is definitely adult, not YA, and contains descriptions and references to gore, genocide, and sex.

The Wolf and The Woodsman by Ava Reid is like being caught in a wolf’s gaping maw, such an awe-full and wild creature. The writing is old and true, every word and sentence on fire and attended with such feeling. This is a book that will coerce you into its grasp and then eat you alive.

Pitched as having a magic system based on body horror and inspired by Hungary’s violent history towards ethnic groups during the 12th century, such as Jewish or Romani people, The Wolf and The Woodsman by Ava Reid draws a timely and aggressive mark on the Fantasy genre. In a genre thin and near bare of Fantasy novels that center on Jewish inspirations and their culture, Reid refuses to pull punches. Her writing is unflinching and truth-telling in the horrors of religious persecution, ethnic cleansing, and cultural genocide against European religious/ethnic groups.

In Keszi, pagan girls are taken by Woodsmen and brought to Kiràly Szek before the king. He yearns for more of the wolf-girls powers to add to his crown of nails, the source of his power. He believes this power will convince his people to fall in line and allow him a way to understand his foreign enemy’s next move in the war.

When the captain of the Woodsmen comes, it is Évike they collect. A long time ago, they took her mother too. The daughter of a pagan and a Yehuli tax collector, Évike is bullied by the other wolf-girls for being Yehuli, whom they see as betrayers of the land. And with her mother taken, her father disappeared from her life too. All that’s left is a coin in her pocket. Évike leaves with the Woodsman, and along their journey, they face betrayals and monsters. And Gáspár, the Captain, reveals himself to be the disgraced prince after they barely escape with their lives.

Through ice and woods, they travel the land and search for a creature that could be the answer to saving lives from the Patricians’ persecution. As they learn from each other, rage against the enemy thaws into smoldering tension. They face witches made of twigs and sea-smoothed pebbles, godly realms, icy lakes, serial killers, skull-crushing monsters, northern bears, power-hungry kings, and antisemitic brothers.

Stories have power, especially when written by as talented an author as Ava Reid.

With a soft and seamless voice, The Wolf and The Woodsman reads much like old folklore, taking that bite deeper and true. Reid’s prose is so earthy and bloody. The way that bodies in pain, ancient trees, and earth dusted with frost is described reminds me what it is to read a good book. Her writing reflects atrocities, hardships, and the beauty found in life. Reid’s prose is sweet, soft, angry, and ferocious. Such vicious and gorgeous prose that what is horrible becomes beautiful and what is beautiful becomes horrible.

The folklore burns as slow and simmering as the romantic relationship. Yehuli can make something from nothing just by writing in their language. One of my favorite things to read in books is the beauty of oral storytelling and traditions. The way the written text can be something built into the world building is something I’d like to read more of.

Power turns bodies and things into horrific realities, destruction, or worse. Prayers that reanimates life from death. The world building does not remind me of anything I’ve read in fantasy. I’d say it reminds me more of horror and that gives this book a welcome difference.

The romantic tension feels precisely like an old-as-earth impact, like when hot water touches the ice. This is a true enemies-to-lovers and slow-burn romance. The rage Évike feels against the king and the oppression she, and others, face fuses with that hatred she feels for a representative of the enemy, Gáspár, who in return sees a responsibility to his father, an enemy, a necessity. They are fire and ice; Évike and Gáspár.

Évike is very possibly going up there with all the other heroines I’d love to date. She’s seductive, holding me with a smile and a knife. What turns from a frustrated enemy to tolerating that sexy bestie transforms into sweet attacks in the form of a kiss. Reid does the unexpected and transforms Évike into the proud seductress, the alpha stealing the purity of the celibate, basically Catholic prince, to the point that she has him on his knees. He is blissfully a fool for her, and I’d do the same for a woman like Évike.

In Gáspár, you’ll find a tightly wound, surly one-eyed man who only ever has that eye gazed upon one person. The legitimate son of the king, Gáspár, suffers at his father’s hand. He is unfavored in his father’s eyes and in his brother’s, who claims saintliness and rallies the people against the pagans and, in particular, the Yehuli.

In the Yehuli, I find such striking and beautiful wrought characters. Honestly, many of the characters are like a love letter to Jewish readers. When Gáspár and Évike arrive in Kiràly Szek, they witness hatred inspired by the antisemitic history in Hungary. A man is in chains to feed off Patrician peasants’ hostility. Évike knows this man. He’s someone from her past. The intimacy, awkward moments, and yearning for lost love in this relationship match up against any romantic relationship. I’m glad to see such a warm relationship.

The Wolf and The Woodsman is the type of book I can see myself re-reading, and I’m sure I’ll be gripping the edges and trying to hold back the tears every time. The prose, the fierce politics, the romantic tension, the relationships, and characterization. This book has everything I want in a good book. Ava Reid has a great future ahead of her. Consider yourself lucky for getting to read each and every book she writes.

The Wolf and the Woodsman by Ava Reid is a breathtaking, magical debut that I can't stop thinking about. I adored this book. It follows a pagan woman named Évike who is the only woman in her village without powers, and she is looked down upon because of it. When soldiers called Woodsmen arrive to the village to claim a "Wolf-Girl" from the village for the King, the villagers betray Évike and send her with them. On their journey to the capital, monsters slay everyone in the envoy except for Évike and Gáspár, the one-eyed Prince. Évike and Gáspár must face the journey together and attempt to stop Gáspár's brother from seizing the throne and becoming a dangerous tyrant.

The world within this book is rich and full of stories. Filled with Hungarian history and Jewish folklore, the first half of the book is following Évike and Gáspár's journey from the Pagan village to the Capital. The second half is set in the Capital where Évike must try to survive the precarious politics of this world. As a reader who loves books centering on a journey and books centering on the politics of a fantasy world, both halves of this book were incredibly intriguing for me. The development of Évike and Gáspár's relationship was one of my favorite aspects. Reid expertly crafted their development, as Évike and Gáspár learn more about themselves as individuals, they begin to see each other through a different set of eyes. Both Évike and Gáspár are mixed blood, therefore they both understand the trials that come along with that in this world. Less importantly, there is not even a whisper of insta-love in this story which is quite refreshing.

I would have appreciated a deeper look into the relationship between Régország and the kingdom to the west, Volkstadt. The brief mentions of Volkstadt intrigued me and made me want to learn more.

Lastly, this book had the perfect ending. That's all I will say about it. Overall, I highly, highly recommend this book.

A well-drawn story that will engage readers with its universal themes and complex characters. A winner for fantasy fans or those who are only tourists in the genre.