Skip to main content

Member Reviews

'The Deathly Grimm' concludes the duology started in 'The Forest Grimm.' Clara and Axel return to the forest in the hopes of getting rid of the curse, once and for all. Another set of darker fairy tales are found within the forest. Once again, love, trust and loyalty battle evil and win. 4 stars.

Was this review helpful?

Rating: 5/5
I received the eARC for my honest opinion.

This book picks up where The Forest Grimm left off, you will see that life has gone back to somewhat normal after Clara, Axel, and Ella. However, when it’s Henni’s turn to make her wish, and she wants to wish the curse away forever, but that is when Clara finds out that she is the key to ending the curse or she might be the one that makes it permanent. Determined to make sure that it’s not permanent Clara and Axel gear up to head into the forest and find the murderer who started the curse, but we all know nothing is ever simple, in this fairytale land.

Wow! Just wow, I loved the way that this author ended this book. I loved all the different mashed-up fairy tales that were written in this book and how they all played a part in ending this curse. You will find a lot of twists and turns throughout the plot but in a great way, I loved that I would start to figure out who it was then boom it changed, and I was like, what is that the murderer or is it this person… or this person. You will find answers to questions that you might have had in the first book answered in this one, and I enjoyed all the new questions that were brought up in this book and I liked the fact that we got pieces of the answers then of course at the end you have it wrapped up nicely. I liked the pace of the book; it would pick up fast and then go right back to steady but for the most part it was fast paced.

The characters are what really make this book shine. I love Clara and how determined she is to find out the truth and end the curse. I found her strength to carry on no matter what, even with her scoliosis adding pain to her, she overcame the physical pain, but it was also the mental pain that she would endure while trying to have visions to help all the people in the village and of course her loved ones as well. I loved how Clara and Axel's relationship was put to the test when someone else comes around once they get to the forest, and as they try to uncover the truths. I loved seeing how Axel didn’t push Clara but allowed her time to understand everything that she was feeling.

I received the audio for this book as well and let me tell you that the narrator does a fantastic job. I listened to the book as I was reading it and with the mood changing throughout the book Sarah Ovens just knows how to give the readers the right emotions that they should be feeling.

I would like to say more, and I would, but I don’t want to spoil the book for other readers. So, what I will end with is this, the world building is amazing, the author’s style of writing will draw you in, the plot with the twists and turns will keep you on your toes, and the challenges that the characters must overcome will leave you on the edge of your seat.

If you like fairy tales that are mashed up perfectly, suspense, mystery and so much more you need to read these duology books.

I want to thank NetGalley and SMP/Macmillan for the opportunity to review this book.

Was this review helpful?

"I still didn't let you go. All the love you showed a creature, all the vulnerability, you made a mark. Somehow, you became a part of me, Clara. I won't ever let you go. Not unless you want me to, and if you do, I understand.""Don't ever think that. You are my home. You are a part of me too. ...
You're my family, Axel, you're my forever."

The Deathly Grimm by Kathryn Purdie

Wow! This one took me on a ride!
Filled with magic, fortune telling, suspense, mystery, and fairy tales retold, this conclusion to this duology kept me on the edge of my seat.
The author blends a variety of fairy tales together which I loved! This felt like a medieval version of Once Upon a Time, with so many twists and turns that I didn't see coming at all, and I was here for it!
The main character, Clara, can see visions to help her understand the past. This is part of her heritage, since her grandmother is a seer of some kind and can predict people's fates with her cards. I enjoyed seeing Clara's growth throughout both books, as she learned to put aside her debilitating pain for the needs of others. Speaking of, I liked that the author included character with scoliosis in these books.
I loved the closure that the characters receive by the end of this book. The author does a great job wrapping everything up that has gone on throughout the story, including any side stories.
There were some parts that were a bit dark for me-like tasting of blood, character wiping blood into symbols on their face (done by a character who lost his/her mind and is evil). So that part grossed me out and was on the verge of horror. I did appreciate the fact that even though the two love interests talked about having s3x, they decided to respect each other and wait until it was the proper  time.
I liked how the author ends the book. No spoilers here.

Overall, I felt this one was well-written, with the descriptions being beautifully done, painting a vivid picture in my mind of my surroundings within the story. The characters and plot were unique to me.

Favorite Parts:
Fairytale retellings, mystery and suspense, sweet romance, brave female main character, respecting boundaries

Content Guide:
Language: Mild-d*mn and h*ll used a few times
Romance/Sexual Content: Closed-door-passionate kissing, thoughts and discussion of s3x, mild innuendos, sensuality and seduction including a kiss with tongue
Violence/gore: Moderate: Fantasy violence, Quite a lot of blood, including tasting of blood, murder, physical abuse (nondescriptive, happens in the past)
Substance Use: mild-character drinks and is drunk in the past
Prejudices: none
Religious Content: none
Other: poisoning, mention of cannibalism, magic and spells, fortune telling-visions and tarot cards, infidelity (discussed as something that happened), illegitimate children, death, possible hallucinations

Thank you to the author and publisher on Netgalley for the audiobook review copy. All thoughts are my own.

Was this review helpful?

KATHRYN HOW DARE YOU

This book was amazing. Everything was amazing. I loved the depth of exploration between the characters. The new fairytales we got to see twisted and told. THE NEW VILLAIN?

I am so grateful that this is how the series ends, even though I didn't want it to end. I really loved the way Purdie is able to honor the original Grimm fairytales with the creepy horror aspect, but doing so in a fantasy setting. Seriously, I loved all of it.

No notes.

Thanks St. Martins Press and Macmillian Audio for the ARCS!

Was this review helpful?

The Deathly Grimm picks up a few months after book one and wraps up this duology nicely. With the curse partly broken it is finally turning to autumn and Clara is trying to enjoy her time with her grandmother, but the riddle presented at the end of The Forest Grimm is hanging over her and Axel's heads. She has been trying to learn more about how to control her visions but with Grandmere sick she doesn't have a teacher. Finally she and Axel are forced to return and try to break the curse.

You can expect -
YA Romantic Fantasy
Fairytale Reimaginings
Malevolent Forest
Warping Magic
Curses & Riddles
Murder Mystery
Visions & Sleepwalking
Late-Teens MCs
Single, 1stP POV
Complete Duology

This still has a lot of teenage angst and naivety, which makes sense in a YA novel. This leans toward mid- to younger-YA range, good for those transitioning from middle grade into young adult. There is kissing but most of the book is spent working through miscommunication and trust issues, and trying to balance loyalty with family. It was a little harder to get through as an adult as the narrative over-explains many points, but I was still surprised by the twist at the end and by how dark it got. I appreciated how the book touched on her scoliosis and how she is able to work through the chronic pain but it does realistically stay at the forefront of her thoughts.

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for providing an eARC for my honest thoughts.

Was this review helpful?

I loved book one The Forest Grimm.
So I I had to read book two.
The Deathly Grimm by Kathryn Purdie did not disappoint either.
This duology is just freaking phenomenal.
The outstanding atmosphere and worldbuilding were absolutely splendid, I was immediately sucked in by the mysterious detail of the magic occurring in the story.
I loved the fairy tale aspect of it, the writing is beautiful.
Kathryn Purdie does a fantastic job of taking images from our collective imagination and giving it just the right spin to make it feel more real.

Was this review helpful?

I had a good time with this conclusion.

My review of the first book mentioned really striking scenes that didn’t quite fit together to create a fully satisfying story arc. This one definitely felt more cohesive — the story had me hooked and built nicely throughout.

Thanks to Wednesday Books for providing an arc through NetGalley for me to review!

Was this review helpful?

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

I loved the first in the series, so I was so excited when I got this copy of the second one.

This book was good. It just felt like it dragged on and there was a lot of unnecessary filler. I did enjoy it. It just seemed a lot longer than necessary.

After getting back to their village Clara and Axel find that they have go back into the forest to find the missing person and the missing pages. This one does have more fairy tale characters in it so that kept it interesting but not enough action in my opinion.

3/5 stars…I would recommend this but with the warning that it’s a bit slow.

Was this review helpful?

The Deathly Grimm delivers a strong and satisfying conclusion to this darkly enchanting duology. I loved the eerie, twisted fairytale elements and how the mystery of the forest unraveled. The villain reveal was a great twist, and I appreciated how all the storylines wrapped up neatly.

Clara’s journey was especially emotional—her struggles and growth really resonated with me. I always love characters who find their strength through their brokenness, and she embodied that beautifully. Purdie’s writing captured the macabre magic of classic Grimm fairytales while staying true to her distinct storytelling style, much like in her Bone Grace duology.

If you love dark fairytales with haunting atmosphere, high stakes, and deeply emotional character arcs, I highly recommend this series!

Was this review helpful?

A thrilling a wonderful sequel to the epic gothic fairytale of The Forest Grimm. We are once more reunited with Axel and Clara who are looking for the missing page from the magical book of wishes in order to break the town curse, find more missing townsfollk, and solve a murder. In order to do so, they must go back into the forest and confront new challenges anhd obstacles.

I love the unique twists Katryn Purdie weaves into the classic Grimm tales and everytime you think that you are close to knowing the truth, she throws another twist in. This story is truly fascinating and I would highly recommend it to fans of retellings who like their stories a bit on the darker side.

Was this review helpful?

I adored The Forest Grimm so not surprising that I also adored #TheDeathlyGrimm by #KathrynPurdie. Its beena minute since I read #ThForestGrimm so I wasn't sure if I was going to need to have a refresher on it before plunging headfirst into #TheDeathlyGimm but as soon as I began reading The Grimm Forest flooded my senses all over again and I was swept up into Grimms Hollow with Clara, Axel, Ella, Henni, Fiora, Hansel and Gretel.

The Sortes Fortunae is still waiting for its missing page to be returned before it will allow Henni's one wish to be answered and the curse to be lifted from Grimm Hollow. Once again Clara finds herself having to don her red cape and with Axel returns to the forest to try and save her town and help her friend who now is hiding from the townsfolk who are angry and confused that only a few of The Lost Ones were returned to them the last time that Clara, Axel and Henni entered the forest. If only they new the sacrifice that it took for them to be able to return at all.

Before leaving Clara's grandmother has a moment of clarity and without asking permission reads Clara's cards for her future. Now Clara has the weight of the world on her shoulders and knows that something awful is coming and as much as she hopes that her fortune is wrong events begin to play out that lead her to believe maybe once fate is told there is no way to avoid it.

Plunge once more into the world of #TheForestGrimm, go into the woods with Clara and Axel to try and save the town. You will meet new lost ones that hark back to the fairytales so many of us grew up reading. #TheDeathlyGrimm by #KathrynPurdie is a masterpiece just as the first book was.

I want to thank #Netgalley and #WednesdayBooks for the chance to read an eArc of #TheDeathlyGrimm in return for a fair and honest review.

Was this review helpful?

What I loved about the first book, a spin on the Grimm's characters, I also liked about this one. Very creative and entertaining. A good resolution to the overall mystery. Ollie the ghost is hands down my favorite character.

Was this review helpful?

Welcome back to the cursed Forest Grimm; a forest full of villagers who have forgotten who they were and instead have become blood-thirsty fairytale characters. This conclusion to the duology was fun from start to finish. Kathryn Purdie’s writing is easy to fall into.

This story picks up after the events of the first book. Clara is dealing with the townspeople and explaining what she and her friends faced in the Forest Grimm. Only the townspeople are skeptical of them and wonder why Henni’s wish to break the curse hasn’t happened. Soon, Clara and Axel find themselves back in the Forest Grimm looking for the answer to the curse–which is entwined with solving who murdered Bren Zimmer.

I had a lot of fun reading this sequel! This duology would make a great movie or tv show. The writing is vivid and atmospheric; I can picture the Forest Grimm and all of its creepy inhabitants. This duology was perfect for me and my fairytale loving heart. I could read 5 more books set in this world!

This duology is perfect for fans of fairytales with a dark twist and mysteries. You can expect more unique twists on fairy tales such as Jack and the Beanstalk, the Princess and the Frog, and more!

Was this review helpful?

The Deathly Grimm starts right where we left off. A village cursed, a murder unsolved, and a wish ungranted until they figure out whodunit. We join Clara and Axel on another adventure through the forest as we meet more Lost ones fated to live out strange and dark stories in the twisted magic of the cursed woods. Our couple faces dangers untold but the biggest test lies within. Can they unravel a cold case and save their town before the curse ends them all?
This duology is dark, twisty, creepy, and oh so much fun. I love how the familiar fairytales are changed by the curse and reimagined. But while we’re running for our lives from a special selection of horrors there’s still time for swoony and heartfelt moments. They all must learn the true meaning of power and the strength in acceptance. A must read if you love Grimm’s retellings and creepy magical forests.

Was this review helpful?

This was such a fun conclusion to an interesting duology. I have been a huge fan of the Grimm fairytales for as long as I can remember, and to see the way that Kathryn plays with them in these books is really cool. I was a little meh over the miscommunication but they are teenagers, so I'm not shocked. And it was because of strong emotions so it is understandable. But I did knock the rating down a star for that reason. Loved this conclusion though, and cannot wait to read more by Kathryn.

Was this review helpful?

I love duologies because you get a complete story in only 2 books, and when the second book is just as good as, if not better than, the first, that's a big win. Unsurprisingly, I consider The Deathly Grimm to be a huge win. The Deathly Grimm picks up where The Forest Grimm left off, so you come into it knowing what's going on. With the whole town counting on Clara and Axel to save them, the stakes are even higher here than in book 1, which adds to the tension and heightens the suspense. Every time you think things are going good, something happens to make it just a little bit more difficult. I think Kathryn Purdie does an excellent job tying everything together to give a satisfying ending to this story.

I highly recommend this book.

5/5 stars.

*** I would like to thank NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Kathryn Purdie for the opportunity to read and review The Deathly Grimm.

Was this review helpful?

Picking up right where The Forest Grimm ended, Kathryn Purdie places us back in the cursed woods and brings us back to the quest to find the lost pages of The Book of Fortunes and to help solve the mystery of who killed Brenn Zimmer. This was the perfect conclusion to this Fairy Tale inspired support and again is the perfect read for a YA reader. There is just the right amount of safe romance for a younger reader (think PG level smooching) and just a touch of appropriate language (read a few mild swears) and a pace that truly.any ages you in the storytelling. Where this book differs from the first book is that the pacing felt a little slower, maybe because I was so familiar with the world now, and romance was a little more angst than discovery driven, but this did not finish the story for me because the ending offered a wonderful aspect I had not expected.

This review is only for Book Two of The Forest Grimm Duology. Please see my review of The Forest Grimm for that review.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books and Kathryn Purdie for sharing this book with me.

Was this review helpful?

The Deathly Grimm is the second book in The Forest Grimm duology, and you definitely have to read the books in order. There are spoilers ahead…

Like The Forest Grimm, The Deathly Grimm takes familiar fairy tales you know and turns them upside down. Jack and the Beanstalk, The Twelve Dancing Princesses, and The Frog Prince all make a dark and twisted appearance. Unenchanted versions of Hansel and Gretel, Rapunzel and Cinderella also return.

Clara’s first trip into the woods didn’t end the way she had hoped. The curse is only partially gone, Clara’s mother didn’t survive, and Clara’s grandmother is quickly fading. What Clara did exit with was a strong relationship with Axel. But re-entering the woods put that at risk, too.

Everything about The Deathly Grimm feels both familiar and new. Author Kathryn Purdie’s twists on what seem like innocent tales is delightfully creepy. Purdie’s world building is strong and her characters solid.

The Deathly Grimm is a driving narrative that holds interest throughout. The duology is perfect for fans of fractured fairy tales, fantasies, mysteries and adventures.

Was this review helpful?

I was provided both an ARC and ALC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This is the second book in the Forest Grimm duology, and don't feel this could be read as a standalone. You really do need to read The Forest Grimm first to understand what is going on and what is going on with the world and the characters. This installment drops you right back into the world where the first book leaves off and the characters pick up where they left off. With the curse on the village only partially broken, Clara and Axel must venture back into the Forest Grimm and Henni must go into hiding until they return with answers and the missing page from the Book of Fortunes. As they venture back into the forest Clara and Axel's relationship will be tested, and Clara will have to face many of her fears as they find more lost villagers and try to break the curse for good. They face

Once again the author does a great job leaning into the darker side of the fairy tales in this book and weaves them into the plot with her own reimagining. This is a bit of retelling and mystery. It has a nice twist when we finally get the full reveal of who the real villain of the story is and how the curse came to be.

Much like with the first book, I felt this read a bit young for my tastes, but the target audience is young adult so take that with a grain of salt. We do get more character development from Clara in this book, which was something I felt was lacking in the first book. In the last book I felt like everything she did was based on what the tarot cards told her was going to happen, where in this book she almost shunned the cards and what they foretold. She was able to think before she acted and solve some of the riddles without acting on impulse all the time. I would have like more character development overall, but I do appreciate the character development we did get.

Overall I felt like this was a satisfying conclusion to the duology.

Was this review helpful?

The Deathly Grimm is an exciting and engaging follow-up to The Forest Grimm.

While the curse on Grimm's Hallow is breaking, it is not broken. Henni needs to make her wish, but the magic is fickle, and Clara knows she must solve the original murder and save the Lost in order to fully break the curse. Clara and Axel must return to the Forest Grimm, knowing they might not return. With her grandmother's life in the balance, and the Lost Love card hanging over them, can Clara and Axel make it through the forest once more?

I really enjoyed this sequel to The Forest Grimm. While this book still had the creepy, gothic feel of book 1, the stakes are higher, and the relationships are different. We see Clara and Axel's relationship be tested even further, as they must learn to trust and rely on one another. The character development is good too - our characters are young, and still figuring out who they are and how they fit into the world. We see this especially with Clara, who is questioning her role in the curse, and what her visions mean for her and Axel. I also loved the fairy tale spin as well - as the Lost take on characteristics of classic Grimm's tales like Jack and the Beanstalk, The Frog Prince, and the Pied Piper. While this book did not have the same kind of romantic tension with Axel and Clara, we see them navigate their relationship in this book. The end was exciting and I think wrapped things up nicely for this series. Overall, this was a fun and whimsical series, with some gothic elements and a darker spin on classic fairy tales.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press - Wednesday Books for the advanced copy of this book! All opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?