Andrea Hannah delivers another intriguing, well-written, and character-driven novel in The Wildest Things.
As soon as I seen this intriguing, beautiful cover and read the synopsis I knew this story was going to take me on one hell of an amazing ride.

I love her writing!

To say this book is chilling is an understatement!
The twists and turns were so well executed.
The writing was fantastic, and the characters were deeply defined.
Hannah's writing is smooth, suspenseful and it definitely kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time!
There is so much to love about this one.
I couldn’t put this book down!!

Imagine waking up in a broken and cracked glass coffin to find out your evil stepmother poisoned you, your prince charming never came to kiss you, and oh, 20 years have passed, and your kingdom is blighted and dying. This is the reality Snow White, yes....that Snow White, wakes up to. Her friends are now her enemies, and people who should be her enemies stir deep and dark yearnings inside of her.
This Saphic retelling of the Snow White legend is darker than most. I enjoyed seeing Snow change throughout the book but found the amount of detail to be a little too much. I love it when an author's world builds but doesn't need a three-paragraph description about something that isn't genuinely relevant to the story. The story was good, but I am unsure if this book is for me.

Such a wonderful spin on that classic fairytale. It took a few chapters for it to truly flow together and then I couldn’t put it down. Loved Snow White’s evolution to discover who she truly is and what she’s capable of. Really hoping for a sequel!

I received a copy from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.

This was a did not finish as I simply could not get into this book. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

Andrea Hannah’s The Wildest Things is a sapphic Snow White retelling with a dark, lush fantasy setting and a compelling enemies-to-lovers romance. The novel takes a bold approach, reimagining Snow White waking up two decades after her poisoned slumber to find her kingdom consumed by the Blight, its creatures twisted into horrors, and its people desperate for salvation. But her only path to power—and survival—forces her to make an impossible choice: embrace her own darkness or risk losing everything.

The strongest aspects of the book lie in its atmosphere and world-building. Hannah paints a haunting, overgrown world filled with eerie, mutated creatures and a kingdom on the brink of collapse. The sapphic romance is slow-burning and full of tension, adding emotional depth to the high stakes.

However, the novel struggles with pacing. Some sections drag with dense descriptions and introspection, while key plot developments feel rushed or underexplored. Snow, as a protagonist, is intriguing but inconsistent—at times strong-willed and determined, at others frustratingly indecisive. The magic system and its rules remain somewhat vague, making the final act feel a bit muddled rather than truly climactic.

While The Wildest Things has a creative premise and a beautifully dark aesthetic, it doesn’t fully deliver on its potential. Fans of lyrical, atmospheric fantasy will likely enjoy the journey, but those craving tight plotting and clear world-building may find themselves wanting more.

✨ARC Review✨

❓What’s your favorite fairy tale?

This reimagining of Snow White is everything I needed to read right now. It’s a story where the sweet, docile princess finds her power has been within her all along.

In this world, the Prince does not kiss Snow awake. Twenty years after she bit into the poisoned apple and was interred in her glass coffin, she slowly awakes. She learns quickly that nothing in this world is as she left it. A dangerous blight (climate change, anyone) has ravaged the lands. The animals she used to sing to and frolic with have evolved into monstrous creatures.

In this new world, she is constantly in danger from the forest creatures and from the new Evil Queen. She has to stay a step ahead while also trying to figure out how she can become the Seasonkeeper and save their world.

I really enjoyed this retelling. It gave me a bit of hope in this dark week.

Recommended!

I received this eARC via #netgalley and @stmartinspress. All thoughts are mine alone.

#ya #youngadultbooks #youngadultfantasy #yafantasy #thewildestthings #andreahannah
#bookreview #bookrecs #bookstagram

I’m a sucker for fairy tale retellings with a horror twist, and this completely delivered. This sapphic Snow White reimagining is lush, dark, and so beautifully immersive that I felt like I was living in its decayed, magic-ridden world.

Snow awakens after twenty years in her glass coffin to find her kingdom in ruins. The land is dying, the creatures have twisted into nightmares, and the Evil Queen still holds power. To restore Roanfrost, Snow must embrace a dangerous magic and become the Seasonkeeper—but the cost might be more than she’s willing to pay. And then there’s the Queen’s daughter—the one she’s supposed to kill, but instead, she just 𝙢𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 fall for.

This book has everything I love—dark, eerie fairy tale vibes, unpredictable twists, and writing 𝙨𝙤 𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙝 with imagery that I could practically feel the decay creeping through the pages. Even though it’s a retelling, nothing felt stale or expected. Andrea Hannah reimagines this world in a way that haunts your dreams but also warms your heart.

One of my favorite themes here is that darkness inside you doesn’t define who you are—it’s what you choose to do with it that matters. Snow’s journey is about power, choice, and deciding who you want to be, no matter what’s happened to you. And let’s talk about the romantic angst*—absolutely 𝙙𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨. The tension, the slow-burn, the impossible choices—it had me hooked.

The ending leaves room for a sequel, and I 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 hope we get one. If not, I need more dark fairy tale retellings from Andrea Hannah ASAP. If you loved 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘒𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘏𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘳, the 𝘖𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘜𝘱𝘰𝘯 𝘢 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦 TV series, or just crave fairy tales gone wrong, this book needs to be on your shelf.

I was really disappointed with this book. The story was very boring and the plot did not flow like I wanted it too. It felt very slow paced.

I really enjoyed the energy of this book. Homegirl must be exhausted because she ran literally the entire book. Interesringly enough, with all of the running around and action, the pacing felt a bit off. This is one of those stories that you don't know where you'll end up but the journeys pretty fun. The writing was enjoyable and lyrical. I really liked Henrik. I got a little lost towards the last 30% because I couldn't figure out what the point was.

This is definitely a dark retelling which I loved. I loved the mossmen but wanted them fleshed out a little more.

There is some harm to animals.

Ends on a cliffhanger.

i’m usually particular about retellings, but this one didn’t disappoint. The Wildest Things is more than just a fairytale reimagining—it’s a raw, enchanting exploration of identity, courage, and self-acceptance.

the world building is lush and immersive. her prose is cinematic, drawing readers into a setting that’s both magical and untamed.

the sapphic romance between iliana and snow crackles with chemistry, their relationship unfolding in a way that feels both tender and deeply emotional—diving into the complexities of desire well beyond their romance.

this is a must-read for fans of character-driven fantasy that isn’t afraid to embrace life’s messier truths.

I really enjoyed this book. This dark, sapphic retelling of Snow White immersed me in a richly imagined, blight-ravaged kingdom. When Snow White wakes up and see the state of her kingdom she becomes determined to restore her realm. The book was captivating while navigating Snow Whites journey. This book offers a unique and compelling narrative that reimagines a classic tale through a darker, more complex lens.

I was expecting a little more of a dark Snow White retelling as it’s one of my favorite movies. I enjoyed the middle to end more but felt as though it was missing something more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday publishing for the arc!

A Snow White sapphic retelling? Fantastic premise. The execution? Very hit or miss. As a queer woman, you know I love me some queer romance? But…I cannot believe I’m saying this, this romance between Iliana and Snow just wasn’t there for me. I felt like it was kinda forced? Idk maybe because there is going to be a book two? I just wanted more and I didn’t feel the connection between Ilana and snow as much as I did with Henrick and her.

Also the magic system/world system needed work. Or I felt like 100 pages could have been cut from this book. It felt a lot like, Snow runs away, thinks she is safe by making a friend, friend is bad/working with the queen/infected from Blight, they try to attack her, try to get something from her, she is on the brink of death, and then she SINGS and is alive, and everyone is gooped and gagged that she is alive, like it happens at least four times. Gimme some variation please!

I loved the mirror chapters and Henrick was an icon. Briar too.

I am obsessed with everything Andrea Hannah does, and her spin on a classic fairytale did not let me down. She instilled so much beautiful magic and sisterhood and thoughts about taking care of the land in a heart pounding sapphic adventure. I will absolutely be buying myself a signed copy of this.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for the advance copy!

3.5 stars - First, I actually adored this book. It's a dark, twisty, YA retelling of Snow White that was really interesting. The world building was well done, and I am obsessed with Snow, who was strong, fierce, and brave. I loved the magic and the woodland creatures and was so intrigued by the blight and the relationships between the ruling families. It was also really fun that we got the mirror's perspective!

However, I feel like this book was really mismarketed, which threw off my expectations. This is advertised as a sapphic romance, but there is almost no romance in the book. Honestly, for most of the book I kept expecting Snow and Henrick to have a romance. There were two kisses toward the end, but they seemed to come out of nowhere since Snow and Iliana had very little interactions.

There are some hints that there will be additional books, and I would definitely pick them up!

Andrea Hannah’s The Wildest Things is an intriguing and fast-paced sapphic Snow White retelling with a dark, atmospheric twist. Waking up after twenty years to a kingdom in ruin, Snow must navigate a treacherous world of shifting alliances, forbidden magic, and an undeniable pull toward the daughter of the Evil Queen—who she may have to kill to save her home.

The story is immersive, with lush writing and a gripping plot that keeps the pages turning. While some elements could have been explored more deeply, the blend of eerie fairytale vibes, romance, and action makes for an enjoyable and quick read. Perfect for fans of dark fantasy retellings!

Would recommend to anyone who loves their fairytales with a bit of bite.

First let me start by saying I would give this 2.5/5 stars if this site allowed half stars. But I just could not round this up to 3 stars.
I was super excited to read this sapphic Snow White retelling until I actually started reading it.
It read a lot like a horror novel…….and may I ask what romance? Snow and Iliana literally don’t meet until the last 1/3 of the book and then it’s literally Snow lusting over an evil queen because she’s “pretty and she feels a zing”. Ma’am, this b**** is trying to kill you and all your friends but you’re still begging for her kiss……..STOP IT. Maybe if there was a backstory and ya’ll had been friends or in love but no it’s insta-lust from before you even meet her.
Meanwhile we get to listen to Snow’s internal monologue about how she’s not good enough to be season keeper and how she’s so weak over and over and over again. I just started skimming at that point.
None of the characters get the development they deserve. Honestly, the rabbit Blueberry gets more development than most of the human characters.
And so the fact that the idea had such promise and failed to deliver on it really just was sad to me.
I received an ARC of this title, all opinions are my own

Snow White has woken from her coffin, but there’s no prince in sight. The forest animals who were once her beloved friends now sprout fangs and hiss. Danger lurks in the forest and Snow must find allies quickly to survive. As Snow tries to untangle what happened while she slept, she learns that the kingdom of Roanfrost has been taken over by the Evil Queen and her daughter. Can Snow harness the realm’s magic to take back her throne?

The Wildest Things is a haunting fairy tale tinged with horror. I loved the sensory details of Snow breaking the glass coffin on her own and her adventures through the forest. Andrea Hannah has created a unique and compelling adventure. While there was definitely a sapphic connection, I am excited to see how it continues and is further developed in books to come. Andrea Hannah wrote in skillful twists and turns that took me by surprise! I really enjoyed the well-designed and rich magic system. I'm looking forward to seeing how the story continues!

Thank you to Andrea Hannah, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc.

It’s always fun to read a different take on a well known fairytale. This author uses their obvious passion for the original tale to create a detailed world that feels familiar and at the same time, exciting and unpredictable. The story’s lore is expansive, which at times can work against the reader because there are so many threads to keep hold of. The author has a distinctive writing style that felt overwritten at times, especially when it did more telling rather than letting the reader experience the actual moment. I loved the setup of the relationships but it was a bit confusing what the author wanted to say about them. In other words, I was confused on who I was rooting for. Basically, I loved all the elements of this book, even if they sometimes stepped on each other for attention. I would definitely read another if this becomes a series of retellings!

Oof, no one likes a DNF this early in the year, right? Well, I had one, friends. And extra sadly, it was from an author I usually really enjoy. But sometimes things don't work out, and that is okay. I made it to 27% before I called it, and I did so because I was just bored. There was a lot of info-dumping, especially about past stuff that meant nothing to me because at that point, I only knew the one character (Snow) and frankly, I didn't care much about her one way or the other. So, it had to be done. Retellings and I are always hit or miss anyway, so I think others may have a better time with this than I did.