I adore fairytale retellings, so when I saw this I knew I had to read it! Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity.

I’d say that this is a very short book - some people will love it, because that means only the necessary information is given to us, and some people will hate it, because they prefer slow burn stories that drag out. You can please everyone!

I personally enjoyed this book a lot - I think the writing was beautiful, and the story was unique. I’d definitely recommend it to any fairytale re-telling lovers!

Thank you to Netgalley and Ninestar Press for the ARC.

Gretel on Her Own is a sapphic retelling of Hansel and Gretel, set in a small German village in the present day. Gretel finds herself falling in love with Dorothea, a member of a family that has quite a rocky history with Gretel's own; however, Gretel can't help noticing odd happenings surrounding Dorothea.

I gave this novella 2.5 stars. The writing is quite pretty, and it had potential, but I thought it fell short of my expectations. It doesn't do a great job of explaining the setting and past of Gretel's family, nor does it take enough time to develop the relationships and plot of the story entirely. I also didn't love the ending; the foreshadowing pointed me to a very different end, and I wish it had gone there instead. Gretel on Her Own would've benefited from being much longer and more drawn out, so each aspect of the story got the attention it deserved.

Gretel on Her Own is a sapphic retelling of the Brothers Grimm fairytale, Hansel and Gretel. It’s a novella, only 118 pages (according to Goodreads). It’s more of a sequel to the original tale; Hansel and Gretel are all grown up. We follow the perspective of Gretel. She's weary, her family is falling apart and she’s left all alone to pick up the pieces.

The prose is beautiful and the setting is eerie and atmospheric. Elna Holst is an amazing storyteller; she perfectly captured the atmosphere of a fairytale at the same time, incorporating contemporary elements. Gretel is a pleasant protagonist with sufficient character development. The pacing was steady throughout except when there are snippets from the past. It sometimes becomes a nuisance to the overall pacing of the story.
It was an insta-love romance and I wished it could’ve been slow-burn. In addition, the ending and the big reveal felt rushed.

Overall, Gretel on Her Own was an enjoyable and unique reimagining of Hansel and Gretel.

Thank you, NineStar Press and Netgalley for the e-ARC of Gretel on Her Own. All thoughts and opinions are mine.

I’d first like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book. I love retellings so I could not wait to get my hands on this!

Gretel Kindermann’s life is a mess. Even since her childhood, her mother has been prone to “manic episodes”. Gretel’s brother, Hansel, is down the same path that his mother was. They are both convinced that a witch fattened them up and tried to eat the children in the forest years ago, but Gretel is not going to let the stories get to her. She has flash backs but knows that their home and financial ability to stay afloat is all on her shoulders, so she tries to block them all out. Until one day, she meets a pink haired woman and instantly becomes attracted to her. Only when this love of her life tells her who she is, Gretel doesn’t know what to do.

I LOVED THIS BOOK! Its very short and I know this is the longer version of the original story (as stated in the back of the book) but I really do wish there was more at the end. This book was such a great retelling and an LGBTQ+ representation is everything. I loved Gretel and thought her character was so developed for such a short book. However, I think Dortchen was the love of my life and therefor, my favorite character in this book. I LOVED HER. What I would give to be Gretel in this book, my lord.

Highly recommended, a million-start rating. LOVED IT!

This was a 4 star read for me up until the ending and the “reveal”. I enjoyed the book up until then and felt it was a genuinely fresh take on a classic fairytale, but the ending undermined so much of the story and the consent in the book that caused me to feel incredibly uncomfortable. I would read from this author again, and think they write well, but this book was absolutely not for me. Considering no other reviews have mentioned what I found to be disturbing in this book, I will leave a spoiler filled review below.

SPOILERS

My main issue in this book, and one I wasn't prepared for, was that the relationship was revealed to be non consensual and the reveal of what had been happening was treated like drugging and raping someone to trick them in to caring for you is fine if you love each other. Dorothea has been giving Gretel food that has been laced with a “love” potion, believing Gretel has no idea about the drugging, or her ulterior motives. Dorothea refers to herself as a “honey trap” for drugging Gretel and then having sex with her on multiple occasions, but having sex with someone under the influence of mind altering drugs you’ve given them is rape, so let’s call it that. Sure, Gretel works out she’s being drugged and stops consuming the food gifts, but that doesn’t make things ok. And actually Dorothea’s first reaction to learning Gretel hasn’t been eating the drugged food is to worry she’s given them to someone else.
Speaking of other people, Marie is disgusting and yet Gretel remains friends with her. When we meet Marie her first remark is about how she’s attracted to Hansel, who we know is struggling with mental illness, and Marie says to Gretel that she would happily give him “physical therapy.” The sexualisation of someone mentally ill was bad, but it gets worse. Later in the book when Gretel makes Marie a cake which Dorothea helped make, Marie is visibly alarmed, suggesting to the reader she knew her “friend” was being drugged and raped (as she continued to encourage Gretel to continue her “fling between two consenting adults”). The final nail in the coffin was at the very end where Marie goes to buy a “love potion”, seemingly for Hansel who at this point has been admitted to a mental institution as he is seen as a danger to himself and others. Gretel remains her friend, despite this.

DNF @ 43%

The premise is appealing: I love a fairytale retelling (especially if it features LGBTQ+ and/or older-than-the-original characters and/or contemplates the aftermath of the story we think we know; this has all three!) and I love a family-centered story. But something about the pacing and prose isn't working for me — about halfway through the book, I still don't feel like I have a sense of the characters or setting or plot. I'm also not a fan of the way ableist terms are thrown around, plus how multiple mentally ill characters are depicted as a drain on/danger to themselves and others.

Normally, with a fairy tale re-telling like this one, I'd say this is a super dark take on the source material, but it really isn't. This is more of what happens to Hansel and Gretel when they grow up after they escape the witch. Well in this case, it kind of feels like that, with a bit of gaslighting thrown in and some more enchanted treats.

Years after Hansel and Gretel were lead away from their family and into the woods, Gretel Kindermann and brother Hansel are still dealing with the consequences of that experience. They're both kind of pariahs in their small Austrian village, especially after Hansel burned down the sweets shop of a woman suspected of being a witch. Gretel is worn out and depressed, until she meets the shopkeeper's niece, a young woman who has no problem trying to pull Gretel out of her shell.

I'd say that, while I enjoy Holst's writing style and her creative way of playing with the fairytale, this little novella was hard to follow at parts. It could have been because there are snippets of what could be the original story interspersed with this new version, so the flow of Gretel's narration was too broken up for me. And that's too bad, because Holst's writing style is the type that I enjoy a lot: it's lyrical and descriptive in a way that controls your own reading pace. That's hard to do, and I love it when a writer uses that. Unfortunately, it was still a little too disorienting in places to enjoy.

I would say that for those who like twisty retellings, this will be right up your alley. I just didn't click with it as much as I hoped, despite enjoying a good chunk of the story and the descriptive language used. Check it out, but be prepared to be swept away by this retelling.

I loved the fairytale aspect of this, though it wouldve been interesting to see it play out in a historical setting instead of present day. The romance was very insta-lovey, I really wish there had been a good slow burn, but nonetheless I still enjoyed it.

Thank you NineStar press and NetGalley for the ARC
Basically this is a Hansel and Gretel sapphic retelling, in which Gretel is (as the title says) on her own. Her dad leaves the village, her mom is a certified lunatic who lives in a clinic, and her brother... well... let’s just say he takes after his mom.
The sapphic portion comes in when Gretel meets Dorothea who’s a treat (pun intended (you’ll know if you read the book)) of a person. A literal candy of a human. And things happen between them, and i saw many reviews spelling the tea on who Dorothea is... but I won’t 🙃
But what you need to know is that she is the local confectioner’s niece.

Important notes and bottom line:

1. Retelling of Hansel and Gretel.
2. Creepy, Grim and dark.
3. Jumping between Once Upon A Time chapters and the present. You might not know what’s happening in the Once Upon A Time chapters, but it’s worth it.
4. Beautiful writing, can’t get enough of it.
5. Read this in a day, couldn’t put it down.
6. Very cute and happy ending.
7. The kind of book you reread, for understanding it better anddddd for the fun of it.
8. Cute sapphic romance, of course.
9. Would definitely recommend.

Holst writes just the weirdest, bestest, most unique books. This modern Hansel and Gretel spiff - focused on a now-grown Gretel - is a twisty, magical delight.

We've all heard the story of Hansel and Gretel, but what happened after the fact? What happened when their family fell apart and Gretel was left on her own?

From the very first chapter, I knew that I was going to love this story! It was such a fresh take on this beloved tale that it truly made it feel as though it was the first time I was experiencing it at all. The way the narrator gives the reader many creepy little additions to the story combined with Gretel's own family history of mental illness leaves you as the reader wondering what is real and what crosses the line into fantasy.

I loved that this story brought in the topic of mental illness and spoke on it in a very well done manner. The effects that mental illness had on Gretel as she tried to take care of her family only helped the reader relate more to her. Gretel's own doubts and fears also helped keep the reader on their toes and trying to figure out what the truth could possibly be.

This was a one-of-a-kind retelling that I will definitely be reading again! If you are a fan of fairytales, this is the fresh new twist for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and NineStar Press, LLC. for the arc of Gretel on Her Own.

A retelling of a classic fairy tale. Instead of Hansel and Gretel going into the woods and finding a witch who eats them Gretel is a young woman living in a small German town. Her family has been in the town forever, that is up until the day her father leaves. Her mother is in a mental institute and there is something in Gretel's past that is left untold.

I enjoyed the telling of this story and Holst creates a very eerie and magical atmosphere in her writing. There was a delightfully creepy atmosphere and something always seemed to be just out of reach. Holst leaves a lot to the imagination of the reader right up until the very end of the story. You know something is wrong and something is different about certain characters but until you reach the climax of the novel you are only going on your own suspicions.

Myself I wish there was a bit more known before you reach the end of the novel and overall it felt a bit short for what was trying to be done. However, I appreciated the LGTBQIA aspects of this retelling and found that it added to the overall story.

Gretel on Her Own is a modern-day, queer retelling of Hansel and Gretel! I found the writing to be engaging and I was flying through this book to find out what was going to happen! I, unfortunately, wasn't sold on the relationship aspect of this book, but I did appreciate the lesbian rep and maybe if this book had been a bit longer, I would have connected with the characters more. All in all, this was a fun and unique reimagining of a classic fairytale!

4.25 Stars. I had high hopes for this and it didn’t disappoint. If you follow my reviews you probably have heard about how much I enjoy retellings of fairytales, fables, and legends. But what I really love is when an author writes a “what happens after”. I love getting to find out what happens to these characters we grew up with when the big bad or excitement is over, and that is exactly what Holst did here. Not only did she put a great spin on what actually happened to Hansel and Gretel, she used her imagination to tell us how these characters are handling their past trauma and now adulthood.

I’m a big fan of how Holst writes. Her style is very unique and almost feels poetic at times. This is her second retelling and both stories have this old-timey feel, from her writing, that really puts you in a folktale feel. I think she has found a writing groove here that just really works and she is great at putting you right into the setting to make you feel like you really are in the middle of a fairytale.

This is a novella so I don’t want to touch on too much for fear of spoiling anything. I was actually really happy this was a novella because Holst’s last novella, In the Palm, was really well written so I had high hopes for this. It is not easy to write novellas and I feel like Holst was made for it. She has absolutely become one of my go to writers for novellas and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.

I would easily recommend this to readers who enjoy retellings and twists on fairytales. This was a lot of fun and really well done. It also has a bit of a romance and some twists and turns that just make the read really worth it. I hope Holst keeps writing these retellings, I think she has found her calling.

4.5⭐️ – Calling this novella a queer retelling of the Brothers Grimm fairytale Hansel and Gretel is both true and inaccurate. Elna Holst takes the fairytale, breaks it apart and puts it back on with her very own twists, turning it into a completely different yet still familiar story. Whatever happened to Gretel and her brother as children, the whole family exploded and Gretel is still trying to pick up the pieces. The arrival of an uncannily and irresistibly sweet woman in the village will play havoc with her already chaotic life.

The fairytale the author drew inspiration from is all about sweets and sugar and temptation. To describe Gretel’s attraction to Dorothea, she chose from the lexical field of baking. In her previous novel, Pyotra and the Wolf, the emphasis was on the sense of smell. While very present in this novella too, it’s nevertheless transcended by the sense of taste. The use of such basic senses (in a not-so-basic way), senses everyone will relate to, adds a layer that makes the chemistry feel almost intoxicating.

The best thing about this novella is that for the longest time, Gretel and, alongside her, the reader have no idea what’s really going on. What’s true, what comes from her mother’s delusion, what is paranoia and what could be PTSD. It’s unsettling but, by some miracle (or the author’s talent), it never brings you down. It could be bleak and depressing and instead is riveting and exciting.

Elna Holst’s books make me feel smart, like she’s opening her quirky mind to the reader and sharing her cleverness and wit in more than just words.

I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

What happens if you take the Germanic fairy tale of Hansel & Gretel and turn it into a LGBTQ+ tale set in modern times? The premise sounds amazing if you ask me.

Gretel on her own is an adult contemporary retelling on Gretel Kindermann, her mother locked up in a mental healthcare institution and her brother Hänsel, well, he’s a whole other story. Gretel on her own focuses mainly on Gretel, a queer protagonist who works and lives just like every other young woman, but there was something that happened that she was a kid that set things in motion - ending in a torn up family.

Gretel is a somewhat likeable main protagonist, and I quite liked the premise of the story. But this whole story k is incredibly short, and the story therefore feels a bit rushed. The author tried to put a lot of twists and turns into it without really exploring what those twists and turns would go. Gretel’s love interest happens VERY quickly, all though we are informed that some time passes between the first encounter to where the romance start. In addition there are small snippets in each chapter that is written like small excerpts from a fairy tale, which to me didn’t bring much to the story rather than confuse the reader.

The whole story however has such promise to become a bomb-ass retelling. I would have loved more context, more environment, more descriptions, and I would have loved more information on the town and on its inhabitants.

The big finale and explanation of why the Kindermann family was split and why everything went down, felt a bit rushed, but at the same time appropriate. So, all in all, I would have loved it to be longer and that it got deeper into the roots of the trauma that the kids experienced, and why the family was split. But at the same time it was a really entertaining retelling, actually my first Hansel and Gretel retelling!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for providing me with a free temporary copy in exchange for an honest review.

"Once upon a time...You know what? Sod it. Out of the frying pan into the fire. Let's move on." -From Gretel on Her Own

4 stars. This novella made me come up with a new way to describe prose- confectionary. What does a "confectionary prose" mean? It means you sneak in a cooking and sweet reference wherever you can. It starts softs describing the father with a "gingerbread-coloured moustache", and ends up accelerating all the way to "eyes like purple gumdrops, worried-looking, in a custard-cream, face" and "bonbon-sized sylph whisked Gretel". For another book, this may have been ridiculous- but for this Hansel and Gretel inspired story, it added to the charm. Decent character development, but there was a lack of details about the setting which made it hard to place where and when this story was really taking place. I was a little dissapointed at the big reveal, mostly because of the main character's reation to it. There ends up being a numbered of unanswered questions, but if a follow up story is made, I'll be sure to read it.

CW- previous kidnapping
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Gretel on Her Own is further look into the tale of Hansel and Gretel, with an added sapphic romance.
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This book was fine. I liked parts of it, but for the most part I was just not there for it. The premise is great as well, and I thought the romance was just fine.
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Overall, this was just meh for me. If you enjoy romance with an added magical twist, you might enjoy this.
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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.