The synopsis and cover of the book pulled me in. Gothic fairy tale retelling?! Yes, please! Ava Reid’s writing is spellbinding and drew me in immediately. Unfortunately, I was not as captivated by the story. About halfway through, I read The Juniper Tree to see what elements Reid used. For those who haven’t read The Juniper Tree, it’s typical gruesome Grimm.

Marlinchen and her sisters are witches in a Russian industrial prototype. She is used and treated poorly by her family. I thought Marlinchen’s flesh-divining magic would come into play, but it didn’t. The gothic horror story didn’t take hold until 70% of the way through the book. Much of the book is about the relationship between Marlinchen and her abusive father and her budding romantic interest in Sevas, a ballet dancer. Which was fine—there are plenty of important themes to explore. Coming of age, healing from trauma, and so forth. However, the book was heavy on all things sexual: sexual tension, sexual assault, crude sex, pedophilia, rape, and bestiality. This is where I did not feel that Reid did justice to the story. The number of sexual elements made the story tacky. The characters never dealt with their trauma. There was no exploration of character development in the wake of trauma, which I believe is necessary, especially for a book that will likely be in the hands of young people.

Reid writes beautifully and creates an immersive world. I would like to see more development of the characters to promote a richer story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for an ARC.

I really enjoyed this book. I hope the author continues to write more books in the future. I can't wait to see what the author releases in the future.

This book was a wild ride. I was not expecting such a raw and gritty story but I loved it. It made me squeamish and perturbed but in a wonderful way. There was so much boldness to this story that and I love a woman seeking her revenge and breaking her chains. I would highly recommend to anyone not afraid of gore, grime, and the feeling of being naked in a snake pit. That is exactly what this book offers with so much more. Absolutely loved it!

Truly an incredible story. I just finished and I’m in awe and shock. Marlinchen deserved the world and the way abuse was handled was just incredible. Please be careful reading this book as it’s a lot.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

CW: Antisemitism, Paedophilia & child sexual abuse (past, on page), PTSD, Eating disorder (bulimia), Suicidal ideation, Self-harm, Emesis (on-page), Body horror, Cannibalism, Animal death, murder, emotional and physical abuse from parent, toxic relationship with family, death of parent (past), grief

This was definitely darker than Ava Reid's first novel. The horror elements were prevalent. I really enjoyed the prose, the mix of a myth and fairytale. It was distinct and just really interesting and original from other books I've read.

Steam: 3

This is a very dark and gruesome fantasy inspired by the Juniper Tree fairytale. I really enjoyed the setting being in an Eastern European type town which is different than what I am used to reading. Reid has a distinct writing style that reminds me of V.E. Schwab where you could easily identify it from others. My one criticism about the writing is the repetition of a few words and the overuse of similes. When every sentence is a simile my mind will fixate on it and start tallying how many is on each page. Overall, the story was unique, it kept my interest, and I’ll check out Reid’s other works.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an e-arc! I was really excited about this book and have pretty mixed feelings on it. It was a lot darker than I was expecting, which wasn't bad just a shock going in. During the first half-three quarters of the book I felt like literally nothing happened. The ending--like last quarter--really had all of the action, so I felt like I was dragging through most of the book. The chapters are also really long which made me feel like it was taking forever to read it. The ending really was pretty dark and cannibalistic but I didn't mind that as much as I thought I would when I read some reviews. It there had been more action or plot movement throughout this one I think I would have really liked it, but it was overall too slow for me and not enough action/movement. If you like dark, dark retellings definitely check this one out!

Deliciously dark. I really loved the very visceral imagery and descriptions and emotions in this book. It covered a lot of dark subjects but I think it covered them well, and in a way that felt very authentically European fairytale-esque.

I am a huge fan of retellings and reimaginings. I was actually reintroduced to them this year. I love that Ava Reid focuses on Slavic lore which isn’t something we see very often in retellings. I loved this book. It was everything that you hope for when reading a new take on dark fairy tales. I really love gothic tales and Ava Reid writes a perfect one in Juniper and Thorn. I am definitely a fan and have already picked up the Wolf and the Woodsman so I can continue to enjoy their writing.

As per usual, I'm not sure I totally understood everything that was happening in this fantasy-horror-gothic novel. But I did have a great time! I had heard reports that it was gory and I didn't think it was too over-the-top. Definitely enjoyed this one more than The Wolf & The Woodsman, which I did really like.

Such a unique story. I started this book with no prior knowledge of the fable it is based on and still was drawn into this compelling story. If you are into fairy tales and folklore, you will love this book. I really enjoyed the dynamic between the main characters and how it developed throughout the story. Marlinchen is such an endearing protagonist, I loved her growth throughout the book and especially her satisfying ending. The prose in this book is truly beautiful and very evocative. Great atmospheric read, perfect for a rainy day.

I’m all for authors moving away from re-telling the same tired fairytales that are so routinely rehashed in pop culture, and Juniper & Thorn takes the refreshing route of revisiting the lesser-known Grimm fairytale “The Juniper Tree.” That being said, I can’t recall the last time I was this uncomfortable reading a book. Which is exactly the intent if you read this as a horror novel, but completely contrary to the structure of a romance - which this book also tries to be. I am strongly opposed to this book being sold in any way as a romance because while the main character does develop a relationship with a love interest (read: object of fixation) these elements of the plot are juxtaposed directly against copious amounts of cannibalism. I’m sorry, but you can’t sell me on some kind of instalove subplot when it’s sandwiched between two chapters of sexual assault and casual cannibalism.

Copious amounts of human flesh consumption aside, I struggle with this book also for the POV character Marlinchen herself. She’s the youngest daughter of a cursed wizard, oft overshadowed by her two beautiful older sisters and established as a meek, overlooked character that has a boundless amount of potential for growth. She has lived in isolation her entire life, a setup that would have worked much better if the book didn’t open with her first taste of freedom outside her family manor’s walls. We’re told immediately that she’s lived in this suffocating environment her whole life but our introduction to her as a character is her immediate fixation with the ballet’s principal dancer and the book’s love interest. It’s a very jarring way to set the tone.

Marlinchen’s entire character arc wraps up with a kind of “good for her” revenge plot that serves justice to the men that have wronged her throughout her life. Which we love to see. What we don’t love to see is how Marlinchen doesn’t confront her own terrible actions carried out under her father’s household, or even her sister Rose’s deceit and disregard. I wanted consequences for all the characters, or at least a full rounded arc for each of them. THere’s a lot of threads left hanging, poorly disguised under the brutality of the story itself.

I can only recommend going into this book with expectations set at it being a true horror novel - not a gothic romance. For me, Juniper & Thorn is going to stick in my memory not for the fondest reasons but still in a way that I can already tell is going to linger with its macabre take on an already gruesome Brothers Grimm fairytale. Despite being a re-telling, this book somehow allowed Ava Reid to distinguish her voice as an author moreso than her debut The Wolf and the Woodsman and made me more interested to see where she goes in the future.

Thank you to the publisher Harper Voyager for providing an e-ARC via NetGalley for an honest review.

**Thank you to HarperCollins Canada for an advanced e-copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.**

I felt so unsure reading this book but I ended up enjoying it more than I thought I would - if enjoy is even the right word. I have so many thoughts and it will be difficult to put them into words. But I flew through this book so much faster than I thought I could!

This book was a mash up of so many things - horror, slight body horror, influence from gothic romance, and Brothers Grimm classic fairytales. And it somehow worked so incredibly well to bring this story together!
The characters were so well written - realistically flawed and some are so realistically evil. While I saw one twist coming, the reveal was done so well. And the other twists were fantastic. As things kept unravelling, I was completely on the edge of my seat waiting to see how things would end up for the characters. The ending was realistic and everything I wanted from the ending of this kind of novel.

I don't think this could really be compared to anything or recommended based on someone liking a specific genre, but it is such a unique and interesting read from anything else I have read recently. If the premise entices you, I highly recommend checking it out - but read all of the trigger warnings first!

I LOVED the Wolf and the Woodsman, which was why I was so excited to read Juniper and Thorn. Not to mention it was also comped to Catherynne Valente, an author I love.

I'm so glad it delivered! Equal parts f*cked up and fascinating, J&T is a perfect example of how to handle seriously disturbing things and actions while being able to keep your readers engaged.

In this gothic horror retelling of The Juniper Tree, Marlinchen is the youngest of three daughters of the last true wizard of Oblya. She and her sisters have become nothing more than a novelty in the industrial town, but when people start turning up dead, can Marlinchen discover what is really happening before it is too late?

This was a lot darker than Ava Reid’s previous work, and though I knew that going in, I don’t think I was really prepared for how dark it really was. Please check the trigger warnings before venturing into this.

That being said, this was a beautiful tale. I love the lore and the magic that Reid puts into all of her works. It is very atmospheric and dark, almost unsettling at times, but with the content that is described, it is supposed to be unsettling. The subject matter is still handled with the utmost care and compassion.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ava Reid, and Avon and Harper Voyager/Harper Voyager for the e-arc of Juniper and Thorn in exchange for an honest review

Oh, how I wish I enjoyed this one as much as Reid's debut The Wolf and the Woodsman. I don't know if it was the timing or my mood or the book itself, but friends - I struggled.

This is a retelling of The Juniper Tree by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm and the vibes very much remind me of Erin A. Craig's retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princesses by the Brothers Grimm, but this book can not exist on atmosphere and vibes alone.

"I checked under my bed, but the monster was gone. It had been gone since morning, when the pink fingers of dawn flushed back to its favorite hiding place in Rose's garden, spiny tail banded around the trunk of the juniper tree."

It's hard to even review this book because my reading experience of it was uneven: I adored the opening and the prose was even more magical to read than Reid's debut. The prose is lush and ethereal but the pace is meandering, which is typical of the Gothic horror genre. I think where this fell short for me was with the characters themselves, their relationships and motivations were not really believable. Gothic fiction needs to make me feel something for the characters, but I found myself not caring and that made it difficult for me to want to read the book. This book is glacially paced and mostly Vibes; its prose and atmosphere shine but unfortunately it falls short with the characters. While this didn't work for me, I do look forward to Reid's next book!

eARC provided by the publisher for my honest review. This does not impact my opinions of the book or the contents of my review. Quotations are from an unfinished proof and subject to change upon final publication.

Juniper & Thorn fell a little flat. The tidbits of the magic and monsters were interesting, but because the main character we follow is boring, I found myself struggling to finish the book.

Once the plot finally picks up, you find yourself left at how quickly it all ends.

Since I have not read the original fairy tale, I'm not sure how big the dark/horror elements are in it. For someone that enjoys horror, I think they wouldn't mind reading this book, since I do think those moments were done well but, again, are not the focus of the book. The same goes for people who enjoy instant love romances.

For anyone else? It's an interesting book, but if you find yourself unable to keep reading because of the main character, I do think you should put the book down since she doesn't get any better.

Again, if you are sensitive to any of the topics as mentioned below or by any other reviewers, I would definitely pass on it.

Reid’s beautiful writing style contrasted with the dark subject matter, making for an interesting reading experience. It was dark, horrifying, and shocking, but I felt like I was holding on to every word. Throw in a little romance on top and I couldn’t put this one down!

I did think it was interesting that Reid brought this story to life in the world she created within THE WOLF AND THE WOODSMAN. I thought it was a great tie to her debut novel and made the story more intriguing for me.

There were certainly difficult parts to read, and a number of trigger warnings that readers should be aware of going in, but I thought Reid did a wonderful job of touching on difficult topics such as abuse, sexual assault, and eating disorders. While a fantasy novel, these are all very real topics that many of us deal with and I truly appreciated Reid’s execution with incorporating them in her book.

Overall I thought this book was amazing, shocking, and truly brilliant. While I enjoyed Reid’s debut, JUNIPER AND THORN really highlighted Reid’s incredible story telling abilities and has set the bar very high for other retellings. I can’t wait to see what we get in the future from this amazing author!

Every so often, you happen upon an author that fits into no category you typically read. Ava Reid is my favorite surprise author, telling stories that feel as if they’ve always been sitting on a shelf, waiting for you to discover them.

Her new book, OUT 6/21, retells the classic gothic tale of “The Juniper Tree”, in which a young witch named Marlinchen escapes her home that her father keeps her and her two sisters trapped inside and discovers the excitement and draw of the outside world, especially a ballet dancer named Sevas. Her father’s discovery of this horrible development enrages him and causes him to weave a spell that makes it nearly impossible for the girls to leave. But Marlinchen has had a taste of freedom and love, and she will do whatever it takes to break free, but it comes with a cost.

Friends, go into this story without expectations. Ava’s master storytelling built on haunting landscapes, gothic characters, and poetic writing will bend your mind and heart to their own devices! After reading “The Wolf and the Woodsman” and this book, I’m fully convinced that she tells stories that will be around for a long time. Go pick up both of these books and settle in for a dark adventure you couldn’t have dreamed of yourself!

Thank you so much to Ava Reid & HarperCollins for gifting me this ARC 🖤

I had heard so many amazing things about this book and then I saw it being compared to Catherynne Valente and I had to request it. Unfortunately, I didn't get to it in time so I listened to the audio and the audio was fantastic.

Now, I don't know anything about the original story but based on things I have read this is a loose retelling. It is considered one of the darkest Grimm fairytales.

And surprisingly this one isn't about an evil mother or stepmother it is about an abusive father. He keeps his three daughters locked in the house and makes them use their magic to help earn money because they are the last of the witches.

The father also has an insatiable appetite—I won't say why so you can find out— but it causes him to turn to some strange things for food when they run out of money.

I thought this was really good. And kept me entertained. There are a lot of triggers so please check those out on StoryGraph.

This is my 3rd arc that I have read this month with the #arcaugust22

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Voyager for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.