Juniper and Thorn, Ava Reid’s gothic retelling of the chilling Juniper Tree fairytale, deserves all the hype and promotion it is getting. I enjoyed Reid’s first novel, The Wolf and the Woodsman, but this is their magnus opus. Set in Victorian era Odessa, Ukraine, The Juniper Tree features witches, monsters, forbidden love and an absolutely gruesome curse. It also explores the idea of female agency in fairytales and folklore. I honestly loved everything about this book and can’t wait for it to hit store shelves. However, please know that this book is extremely dark. You should proceed with caution if you’re someone who is easily triggered by body horror.

This was a work of art.

I went into the reading knowing nothing aside from the fact that it was a new book by Ava Reid, the author of one of my favorite reads in 2021, if not my very favorite, "The Wolf and The Woodsman". Set in the same fantastic world, "Juniper and Thorn" was gripping, haunting, suffocating and liberating at the same time. Whenever I was not reading I was thinking about it - that is, in the four days that took me to swallow this book. I'm sure I'll be thinking about this book for a while.

Marlinchen, our protagonist, lives with a cursed wizard-father and two beautiful witch-sisters, playing the role of devoted daughter, being considered plain-faced and simple-minded. Made brake the law by her sisters, she sees the world unfurl before her eyes in the form of a ballet dancer, Sevastyan, amidst a ballet play retelling an old story her mother used to whisper to her.

As far as fairytales go, this book seemed to be veering to one sure direction, but it hit the brakes very hard around 65-70% and did a sharp turn on the next corner into a very unexpected direction. Up until then, Marlinchen's story was one of trying to escape labels and believing in herself despite the dark words of her family. It was harrowing reading how she had been abused, in particular in the sexual abuse scenes. In those, Reid's writing made my toes curls and my stomach roil with disgust, as if I was not reading it, but actually living it.

Marlinchen's relationship with her father and sisters was so beautifully portrayed. The love and devotion mixed with the loathing and aversion built a perfect scenario for her liberation. The book has beautiful passages, amazing quotes I'd love to tattoo on my skin. Once again, Reid wrote a character in a fantasy book that can truly express what it means to be a woman, with desires, destructive thoughts, self-doubt, but most of all an amazing ability to resurface from the depths of the well of life.

I'm so happy I read this book, so happy even with the gruesomest parts of Marlinchen's story, because at the end it gave her strength to be her own person. This book was a work of art - can't wait to have it in my hands and read it again.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Avon Harper/Harper Voyager for the E-ARC in exchange of my honest review.

Written in a style very reminiscent of fairytales Ava Reid pulls you into a dark world of rapid industrialization. Marlinchen is a character I’ve never read before and I really appreciated that she wasn’t the typical badass heroine.
I think my only critique is that there’s so much good build up that I felt a little let down by the payoff, but that’s how I feel about most gothic horror so that might be a me thing.
Also I adore the goblin.

A vivid dark fantasy spin on a lesser-known fairytale, Juniper and Thorn is a story about what it takes to break free from all you've known and what it means to be a monster. The characters are memorable and the plot remains focused on - at least from my perspective - being about Marlinchen's personal understanding of how she is allowed to resent and retaliate against her abusers. The fairytale inspiration is clear without feeling derivative, and this book is not a 1-for-1 rehash of its source material. It feels the product of someone who, much like its protagonist, grew up on fairytales but now posseses the vocabulary to question them.

Juniper & Thorn is set in the world of Wolf and the Woodsman—albeit a different time and place—and is written with much of the same magic. However, I also found this book to be much more intimate and gritty than its predecessor. The story follows Marlinchen, the youngest of three young witches, and wards of their cruel father, the last wizard in Oblya. When Marlinchen meets and becomes infatuated with a young ballet star, her tenuous lifestyle starts to come apart at the seams,

The reason I say this story is much more intimate than WATW is because Marlinchen is a very confessional narrator, and the reader has a front row seat to all of her darkest thoughts. In some ways I loved this perspective, but it also made every moment of the book feel almost too intense.

The narration is also very visceral, with much of Marlinchen’s experience being described through the body or imagery that invokes the body. Sometimes it felt a bit heavy handed, but was overall effective.

Marlinchen has a lot of problematic views that she’s been programmed to have through her upbringing. Most of these are challenged at some point in the book, but there were a few things that weren’t ever really corrected in relation to sex that I think would have been VERY powerful had it been explored and righted.

CW/TW (may be spoiler-y)
I think it’s also worth noting that this book covers abuse in pretty much every way imaginable (physical, emotional, sexual, verbal, animal, etc). In my opinion it’s on almost every page of the book. It takes a lot for me to feel triggered but this book came pretty close and a few things were very difficult to read. I still really enjoyed the book, but this was a much different experience than WATW. That book can also be intense, but J&T covered things more directly.

This book was so intricately written. Ava Reid has a writing style that is so masterful and full of imagery that you feel thrust into the novel from the very first page. And I loved it, however it did feel like a lot to get through because there was a lot of description and not as much dialogue or action.

The characters were showed a lot of development and watching as Marlinchen came into herself and learned to stand up for herself was an amazing experience. I wish there had been more development for Sevas and Marlinchen because they felt very rushed and their relationship felt rooted in the fact that they had sex which made it feel very surface level.

It’s marketed as a gothic horror fantasy and it delivers that and more. I enjoyed this book immensely. I feel like I would have enjoyed it more if I had read it at a different time.

Juniper & Thorn is a gothic, gruesome reimagining of the classic folk tale, The Juniper Tree.

There is so much to love about this novel. The gothic setting, the darkness it imbues on each page, the gorgeous prose create a great environment and a scintillating read. The background story is dreadful, but Ava Reid transforms the story into something even more wicked and ghastly.

With that said, I struggled to get into the story. The first thing that troubled me was the blatant over-sexualization of the story. Within the first chapter, our protagonist, Marlinchen, sneaks out to the ballet and immediately swoons over the lead danseur, Sevastyan, gushing over his sweaty physique and his swoon-worthy chest hair.

On top of that, there is a distinct disregard for plot and characterization. Marlinchen and Sevastyan can do nothing but act like traumatized sex-fiends when near each other, and the descriptions of any semblance of sensuality are nonexistent. Even if one sets aside the problems represented in the sexual situations (including pedophilia and incest), there is an abundance of gore, vomiting, and body horror that culminates into a story more laced with visuals to shock than to communicate a story.

Juniper & Thorn misses the mark as a folk tale retelling and instead focuses on creating something shocking for shock's sake. It's a shame the vivid, lyrical writing goes to waste.

This gothic retelling of the Juniper Tree may have strayed quite away from the original plot of the source material but leaned in beautifully to the dark, and sometimes horrifying, spirit of the Brothers Grimm. Through narrative world and story building, Reid turns a simple story into an epic journey of a young witch finding her own identity and desire independent of familial control and influence.

In this tale, we see darkness, hope, and a not-so fairytale happy ending. I saw themes of breaking out of generational curses, self-control as a means to battle anxiety, the "white lie" we tell ourselves and others. to avoid an uglier truth, and the acceptance of each others flawed histories.

TRIGGER WARNINGS - self harm ideation, bulemia/eating disorders, gore, mentions of rape/sexual assault

Thank you NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Ava Reid for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! I really enjoyed this book and I can tell that it’s one that will stay on my mind for a long time. It’s dark and gruesome, but also hopeful.

Juniper and Thorn is a loose retelling of “The Juniper Tree” and follows Marlinchen and her two sisters, along with their father. I really enjoyed the writing style of this one and thought that it fit the story really well. Reid’s lyrical prose helps the book establish its place as a gothic fantasy novel and kept me intrigued the entire time I was reading.

I loved seeing the growth that all of the characters undergo throughout the novel. Marlinchen starts to believe more in herself and learns some of the secrets that have been kept from her. There are some lighter moments between her and those she loves, but overall this is a very gruesome novel, and I recommend checking trigger warnings before reading. I was shocked at how descriptive some of the scenes were, because I wasn’t aware that this was an adult book before reading, but I was really impressed with it.

Ava Reid did a wonderful job with the setting and character growth in this book and I’m eager to read more from them. I highly recommend this book for people wanting a darker fantasy novel.

I am torn about this one. On the one hand, it is beautifully written and I tore through it. On the other hand, while I was expecting a dark fairytale, is was exceptionally grim and gruesome, to the point of being disturbing at times.

Ever since I finished Juniper & Thorn several days ago, it has been on my mind non-stop; I am OBSESSED, to say the least. It was dark, grisly, and beautifully written. I love Reid's writing and her complex characters. For fans of horror, you'll love this!

Trigger Warning: Abuse, Gore

Juniper and Thorn is the story of Marlinchen, a young woman who lives in what can only be described as a horror show. A temporary escape to the ballet leads to a chance encounter with lead dancer, Sevastyan, who has his own demons to deal with. Marlinchen is drawn to Sevas like a moth to a flame. Will the two burn together or find a way to escape their respective cages?

Juniper and Thorn is not a story for the faint hearted. Ava Reid has created a truly dark fairytale with this one, while simultaneously tackling the horrors and traumas of abuse and abusive relationships.

I think it is a testament to the author's talent that she is able to weave Marlinchen and Sevas’ romance into such a dark story without it seeming out of place. I appreciated how the feelings those two have for one another served as a catalyst for the two slowly starting to break away from their abusers. Those two are able to see each other for who they truly are without flinching. To me there is no truer love than that.

Finally, being originally from Eastern Europe, I really appreciate how Ava Reid uses Eastern European fairytales and history in her works. I feel like the rich culture of that part of the world had been under represented in fantasy (at least in the English speaking world) and it’s nice to see it being utilized so well.

I'm not a huge fan of horror but I heard such good things about Ava Reid's previous book "The Wolf and the Woodsman" that I wanted to request this book as well, especially because I am a sucker for Grimms' retellings. Certainly worth it! There are really dark themes explored in this book. I highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend looking these up to determine whether or not this book is for you. It's a bit of an ugly duckling kind of fairytale - Marlinchen has beautiful older sisters and a cursed wizard father, longing for release. I really enjoyed reading about Marlinchen and if Reid's other protagonists are this interesting and three-dimensional, I am excited to read more (meaning I will go back and read "The Wolf and the Woodsman" now). I am so grateful to Netgalley and Harper Voyager for this advanced copy!

This retelling of Grimm’s “The Juniper Tree” holds darkness and whimsical wonder in a delicate, yet gruesome dance. I was swept up in this tale, spellbound, leaping through the garden among the monsters. This went right to my gothic heart. Reid’s lyrical prose is made for gothic horror-fantasy. Juniper and Thorn is set in Victorian-era Odessa, Ukraine. There’s witches, monsters, curses, forbidden love and so much more.

Reminder this is gothic-HORROR! It can be brutal with viscerally sharp content, especially if you’re a survivor of abuse and not a reader of horror. Marlinchen has honest layers that can be unsettling when digging into the darkest parts of ourselves. I had Tori Amos’ Silent All These Years in my head when Marlinchen was finding her voice. I related to some of the trauma in this book and knew the warnings before requesting the eARC. I did struggle reading at times as a survivor and in my ongoing recovery with ED, but I truly felt the vulnerability and care from the author. PLEASE check the author’s trigger warnings before you request and decide to read it.

I feel like my younger self was very much a Witch-swan-girl.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for sharing this eARC with me in exchange for an honest review.

Av Reid has done it again— made another perfectly devourably dark book

Juniper & Thorn is a gothic/ horror modern fairytale. It takes inspiration from the Brothers' Grimm story The Juniper Tree, and while it is one of the darkest books that I've read in quite some time, it does not do it to be outlandish. There are moments of joy that are brighter than stars, albeit few and far between. It’s a story that will unsettle people in many ways, but it’s gothic and that’s innate to the genre. It’s what the genre asks its readers to be prepared to endure.

I don’t usually read horror books because a lot have that gimmicky feeling to them like horror movies. Yet Ava Reid’s writing and plot remind me of Mary Shelley in Frankenstein with her eloquent but horrific (not in a “bad” writing way) prose. I’m thinking deeply about decision ramifications and freedom and morality— to name a few themes. I wasn't sure this novel would pack the punch that The Wolf and the Woodsman did because I loved Ava's debut so much, but somehow it surpassed it.

I'm in awe of Marlinchen. I'm in awe of her journey and her love, so endlessly loyal to her loved ones. I saw myself in her in those moments, not necessarily because we share similar experiences, but because we are built to love and help and give so much of ourselves that we leave nothing for us in return.

I don't really have words to explain this book other that the multitude of emotions that rolled through me like a giant wave. It was mind bogglingly incredible. I cannot wait fore more books by Ava. She's a master storyteller.

This book is extremely dark, and I am obsessed with it. The writing is beautiful, and the story is gritty and unapologetic.

This wonderfully, magical book. Full of dark, gothic, delicious, prose and a never ending world of myths and monsters. A dark delight in a bloody world of wonder.

The blurb for this book does describe the plot pretty well, it's indeed a dark fairy tale-inspired story that included serial murders and a family of witches living under the oppressive tutelage of their mage father, from whom they want to escape and enjoy life and love. The world it's set in is pretty much Russia just barely varnished with a layer of magic and new naming that doesn't quite obscure the real inspiration.

I've been trying to enjoy this author's retellings since her début, and this is the second time in a row that I fail. I simply cannot connect with her characters and stories no matter how much I try, and it's frustrating because Ava Reid's playing ground of choice is Slavic lore. I like Eastern European fairy tales a lot, so whenever a book is announced with a blurb stating it takes its inspiration from Eastern European tales, I pay attention. I keep expecting another Katherine Arden or Naomi Novik, and instead they give me disappointments like "Jumiper & Thorn."

Besides that, another catch is that Ava Reid's prose is lovely. She definitely knows how to write, her command of imagery and mood and feels is superb, and the flow of her words is smooth. That's another reason to want to love her books so hard.

And yet, the characters and the plotting proper are her weakness. There's no sense of moderation, no sense of directing her train of thought consistently, no good grasp of character progression, and above all, little command of plot structure. That eventually ends up harming her stories, because pretty words and on-point mood can only do so much for a book.

The most off-putting aspect in "Juniper & Thorn" is the crass oversexualisation, and it starts too early, practically in the very first chapter, that starts with Marlinchen, the protagonist, slipping away with her sisters to the ballet and instantly lusting for the primo ballerino the minute he comes into the stage, drooling over Sevastyan's chest hair, the outline of his groin, etc., and ends up with masturbation. And it doesn't stop there, everything from sexual assault to paedophilia to incest is thrown at us without warning from there on, and whilst I'm not a stickler for trigger warnings, the excessive amount of triggering this book can set off merits saying that there should've been better warning for readers. Readers need to know what they're going to find here, and they weren't given fair warning because many, like me, didn't see any warnings when they asked for the book for review. We thought it was a Gothic fairy tale retelling with dark twists, exactly as the marketing specifies. But it's been revealed that its contents aren't the usual fare for retellings, and it should've been clarified.

The oversexualisation takes away from the story, because Marlinchen and Sevas can't seem to be able to have a healthy interaction that's not immediately jumping into bed or involving sex in every single chapter. They're like traumatised rabbits that only know to couple whenever they're in the vicinity of each other, with little in the way of building up a relationship, and you end up wondering what exactly the story is here. And the descriptions are always tacky and ordinary, because the author doesn't write sex scenes well, and when you add to it the unnatural and criminal aspects (rape, paedophilia), it ends up wearing you down so badly the temptation to stop reading is irresistible.

I did finish the book, however, optimistically hoping it'd get better. It did not. Reid went overdrive with the body horror, adding an excess of gore and bodily functions to the excess sex, so it turns unpleasant very quickly, it grosses you out reading all the vomiting, all the guts out, the blood... I'm not squeamish in the slightest, but this was too much even for my strong stomach.

In the end, that was sold to me as a dark take on the Grimms' "The Juniper Tree" turned out to be a Jack the Ripper copycat with an emphasis on the gore and the sex and grossness, neglecting the plot and the characterisation. I really wish there had been more emphasis on the characters and less on the shock for shock's sake, as well as better marketing, because as with the first book, it promised more than it delivers but this time with the addition of needless triggers and titillation.

I can’t stop thinking about this book since finishing it. It was the perfect combination of a gothic horror with tender and soft moments in between. Marlinchen was such a complex and multifaceted character that was a joy to read. I loved her kind heart and her struggles and responses to the events of her life were understandable and I sympathized with her every step of the way. Sevas was a perfect partner for her and I adored their relationship as well as his character individually.

The writing was amazing. Simple and to the point but also beautiful and felt like I was reading an old fairytale? I don’t know how that’s possible but it is with Ava. There were a couple things that were hinted at instead of fully explained that I didn’t grasp onto first but I think that was reader error.

This book is very dark, touching on a handful of sensitive subjects so definitely recommend content warnings before diving in! But I recommend everyone should.

Wow, what a dark and horrifying retelling of The Juniper Tree. My biggest advice to readers is to check the TWs before you read—I did not do this and I really wish I had! This book is definitely not for the faint of heart.

While there are some lighter or sweeter moments, overall this book is a story of horror, trauma, and endurance through the unthinkable. I haven’t read The Wolf and the Woodsman yet, but I definitely am interested in picking this one up now!