This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

I've been a fan of Kathryn Purdie and this one did not disappoint—lush, atmospheric, dark. This fairytale re-telling was inventive and interesting.

I really quite enjoyed this book. I love how the author was able to weave in several different fairytales to tell this story. You’ve got a selfless main character who wants to save everyone and a handsome boy who just wants to save her. I’m definitely looking forward to reading the next book in this duology!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

To sum this book up, take several Grimm fairy tales, make an evil forest that will transform people into interpretations of the fairy tales, and then put it in a place where there is a village that has people go missing to the woods. I know that might seem like a lot, but this book beautifully puts you in the shoes of the main character where they are trying to find their missing mother and end the curse of the forest. As a fan of the original Grimm fairy tales this book took me by surprise, and I fell in love with the unique way the author tied in the original feeling of the fairy tales into this YA novel.

To start, the characters of this book are fun to follow. The main character Clara is a bit obsessed with being able to shape her fate, but she makes reasonable decisions, and also I got invested into her plight. You also have Axel who lost his fiancé to the woods, and is trying to find her alongside Clara. Throughout their journey they will run into the victims of the forest to see they have changed since they were abducted by the woods and transformed into the characters of the dark fairy tales.

The vibes of this book are dark, as you might be running into cannibal kids, women that try to trap you, and drugging, but if you are looking for a fresh take on fairy tales I highly recommend this book. I will say there is a bit of a cliffhanger at the end of the first book which leads me to believe that there are more books coming, but other than that, I found myself immersed in the world of dark magic, and if that is what you are looking for I would highly recommend!

An absolutely spellbinding twisted retelling of several classic Grimm tales. that acknowledge the dark backround of the original tales, while still making them new and fresh. With it's cast of fascinating characters and an unforgettable and creative plot, The Forest Grimm, is a story that probes into the idea of wish fufillment and sacrifice, because not everything is what it appears to be in the Forest. I enjoyed the each and every creative twist Kathryn Purdie put into her story and became invested with the characters who, by the end, I felt i really understood. This was a true fantast masterpiece and I simply cannot wait to read the sequel.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the ARC!

3.5/5 stars

This was such an interesting story with some really interesting twists on well-known fairytales. It leans very heavily into the original versions by the Grimm Brothers (which makes sense based on the title) but still manages to find points of warmth and redemption. The thing I appreciated most, actually, was how deeply it goes into the dark and creepy of the Grimm Fairytales while still maintaining the integrity of the stories. What I find so often in dark retellings is they go way too far, or it's just underwhelming - Purdie strikes a good balance here.

I'll admit, I struggled at certain points because the pacing sometimes felt sluggish. We'd go from a really interesting revelation about flowers and fortune and curses.....to walking in a forest that changes and for me it struggled to hold my attention in the lulls. But by the end, I was invested and interested to see how it all connected. I guessed most of the twists but there were a few that really made sense but weren't obvious and I definitely appreciated the craftsmanship behind them.

Overall, I think if you really enjoy fairytales and retellings, especially when they're creepy, you'll really enjoy this. It's a great fall time read and it's well written (except for a few pacing complaints) - I think it will just come down to personal preference whether you love it or just like it.

Definitely worth checking out!

I listened to this on audio when I got the fairyloot version. Overall this was a 3/5 for me. I loved the retelling of so many famous fairytales with a darker twist. I also really liked Axel and Clara together. I just wished the flow of the book was better and there was more character depth.

I love reading retellings, but I think the pacing was a bit off for me with this book- sometimes very fast paced and sometimes very slow.

I think I would have loved this when I was younger (I’m 31f), but did enjoy how reading this felt kinda nostalgic.

Enjoyed this story but didn’t love it as I had a hard time connecting with the characters and the romance. .

Tried giving this my all and it was a DNF... wrong book for the wrong reader. I just found it hard to follow and had to buy in for the main characters

Overall I enjoyed how the fairy tales were woven into the story. The characters fell a bit flat for me so I was never emotionally invested in their journey or the romances but this also could be partly due to the intended audience for the book. I was sort of right and sort of wrong when it came to the Grimm Wolf and I saw the end going in a different direction. I am not jumping to read the sequel right away but I may pick it up eventually to see how the story ends for these characters.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.

I love a good Grimms Fairytale retelling; especially when it’s true to just how dark those tales actually are. The premise was interesting and the plot was fast paced. The twists were exciting (although as an adult perhaps not as shocking as if a teenager were reading this). But overall I enjoyed the story and the cliff hanger at the end. I’ll be reading book two.

I really enjoyed The Forest Grimm! The dark, fairy tale-inspired world was so unique and full of surprises. It’s a magical, mysterious read that kept me hooked until the end. I highly recommend. The romance was fantastic, by the way.

What an interesting take on the fairytales and the darker side of the Stories Grimm.

Overall a 4/5 rating!

Plot/Story: This plot kept me guessing and excited. I felt it dragged on a bit, and some of the more obvious parts took forever to finally get explained while other things are still left with question marks for me. But overall, i really enjoyed how the author integrated the fairytales into the curses of the Forest Grimm. I also loved how the author didn't shy away from an unhappy happy ending, having Clara be the one to kill her own mother when the entire book was premised on her trying to save her mother.

Characters: I really enjoyed Clara and Axel and Henni as our leads. What a dynamic trio. Also I appreciate it when an author makes the characters relatable... cause I would be screaming and fighting with my friends too if we were trapped in a deadly forest for god knows how long.

Romance: This part of the book gets an A+ Wow i LOVED Clara and Axel's romance and how it came to be and how it's ALWAYS been there. How he loved her first (swoon)! I cant wait to keep reading in book 2 of how their romance continues to grow!

What a fun and easy read! Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this!

The Forest Grimm

A YA novel filled with dark fairytale retellings and Into the Woods/Wish vibes, but better, in my opinion.

A village with a magic wish granting book that goes missing and a forest that turns on them. I love when things in nature become their own character and the forest in this novel really shined.

An intriguing storyline with lives on the line. Could be scary/too gory for younger audiences (I’d recommend 14+) but fit the vibes really well.

A fantastic creepy but not too dark fall read.

I really enjoyed this series, both books are very well written. I can't wait to share with readers at our store.

This wasn't exactly up my ally but it still was damn good. I couldn't put this down and I stayed up late to read it. thank you netgalley.

This tale is an adventure through different fractured fairy tales. Clara lives in a village that used to have a magic book that granted wishes, but when someone uses the book to commit murder, the book disappears, the village is cursed, and the nearby forest becomes a trap for villagers that enter including Clara's mother. After three years of her mother missing, Clara has a plan to get into the forest and rescue everyone. Will she be able to break the curse and save the villagers?

I absolutely loved the story and cannot wait to read book two! This book has some romance, but would be good for grades 7 and up.

I started The Forest Grimm last year when it first released, and was immediately taken by the beautiful prose and the lush fairytale inspired world created by Purdie. For whatever reason, (I'm a mood reader, friends) I put it down after just a few chapters and it then sat on my shelf for a year. And I'm so ticked at myself for it!
I picked this book up again this past week and I've been looking forward to reading it each night.
I stayed up way too late finishing it last night, but no regrets!
If you're a fan of darker fairytales, quests, curses, and true love definitely check out The Forest Grimm! It's truly the most perfect read for fall with just the right amount of spooky and haunting!
The publisher sent me an advanced copy of the follow up to the duology that comes out in 2025, and I'm seriously thinking of diving into it right noW!

This was such a wonderfully entertaining and twisty fantasy book, I had a lot of fun reading it!

Based on the cover I had assumed that it was a Red Riding Hood retelling, which I guess it is, in a sort of way, but the book also includes a bunch of other retellings (which I'll refrain from naming since it'll be delightful if you discover it on your own). The different retellings were combined in such a cool way, and I'm really looking forward to more of those in the next book!

I also loved the development of characters and relationships in this book, it was really emotional and _real_. The ending was so cool, I'm excited for book 2 (and I hope we see a certain Oliver again 😭)

--- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy of the book!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

Wow! I thought this book was going to be just ok but I ended up loving this book so much more than I thought! This was such a great new take on the Brothers Grimm stories. With all types of tales mixed together.

There have been so many villagers go missing in the Forest Grimm. So Clara and Axel head into the forest to try to find them. Clara is looking for her missing mother while Axel is looking for his missing fiancé. But will they find them or will they be lost in the forest too.

This book has so many different Brothers Grimm tales. From Cinderella to Rapunzel and so many more in between.

I cant wait to see what happens for Clara and Axel in the next one!!

4.5 out of 5 stars for me and I will be buying a physical copy for my shelf!