I typically don’t read books out of order, especially fantasy books for obvious reasons. However, I didn’t realize that this was book two when I started it. The beginning was slightly slow for me, which makes sense since I hadn’t read the first book. But after that, it really did pick up and I didn’t feel like I was missing anything. The whole fairy tale stories weaved throughout was very interesting. I thought the adventure aspect was fun and I wasn’t expecting the ending at all. This turned out to be a really good book for me. It felt a little long at times, but overall was a good read. If you love fairy tales, fantasy reads with adventure, then you might enjoy this one.

What a great conclusion to this duology. I definitely liked this one better than the first. There was a lot more action and the story and plot line were already well developed. The pacing was a little off at times, but other than that, I really enjoyed the conclusion of the story.

Note: This is a YA story and it reads like a YA story, if you don’t really like YA this may not be the book for you.

Thank you NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Deathly Grimm was a great conclusion to the Forest Grimm. Some of the pacing felt a little wonky, but for the most part I really enjoyed it. I loved feeling like a was reading a fairy tale murder mystery! And the incorporation of more of Grimm’s fairytale characters was fun to watch unfold!

I began this not long after finishing the first book and was pulled into the story. Book two of *The Forest Grim duology is significantly slower paced, to forewarn readers.

I enjoyed this, seeing the majority of things resolved (not all however), but I was disappointed with the repetition, as well as the romance (which felt forced). I think this might work better for younger readers.

I recommend this duology for ages 10-12+; with cozy autumn reading vibes and bound to appeal to lovers of Grimm’s fairy tales.



*Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the DRC*

The Deathly Grimm deepens the eerie, fairy tale-inspired world of The Forest Grimm, weaving a dark, immersive tale filled with danger, riddles, and supernatural horrors. Kathryn Purdie delivers an atmospheric sequel where the cursed forest is even more menacing, and Clara and Axel’s fight for survival grows more desperate. The stakes are higher than ever as the trees themselves begin pulling villagers into the depths, forcing the duo to confront the sinister forces at play.

The novel thrives on its rich, haunting imagery and tension-filled storytelling. The forest’s mysteries—from spectral maidens to deadly woodsmen—create a gripping sense of unease, making every twist unpredictable. Clara and Axel’s bond remains central to the narrative, their relationship tested by the very forces they’re trying to defeat.

While the pacing slows at times, the intricate worldbuilding and steadily rising tension keep the story engaging. Fans of dark fairy tale retellings, cursed landscapes, and high-stakes adventure will find The Deathly Grimm a worthy continuation of the series.

Rating: 3.5 stars

I didn't realize this is the second book in the series, but I read it anyway, haha. The writing and world building are great, but I think I'd have enjoyed it more if I'd read book 1 first! I managed to muddle my way through, though, because I didn't want to put it down.

Thank you to Kathryn Purdie, St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for giving me an eARC of The Deathly Grimm in exchange for my honest review.

The Deathly Grimm takes place shortly after the end of The Forest Grimm. The village is in slight chaos due to the curse not being broken and not all of the lost having been returned. Determined to set things right and end the curse once and for all, Clara and Axel return to the forest to find the missing page and hopefully break the curse once and for all.

What I loved about this book was watching the different character dynamics. Clara and Axel have an established relationship, even if it is new. Throughout The Deathly Grimm we got to see them navigate the dynamic shift from best friends to lovers, and sort out how to effectively communicate with each other. Now this is not a miscommunication trope, but rather, just two people trying to learn how to discuss how they are feeling, which is a learning curve in any new relationship. I also liked seeing how the addition of two new characters effected their relationship as well. The plot was also a lot of fun, though at times things felt easy, like the answers were given to them. All-in-all I loved being back in this world and reading the end of this wonderful duology. I loved being back with the characters and honest had a good time while reading it. I even read it in one sitting, which is not something I do with fantasy books anymore. If you are a fan of the first book, I highly recommend the sequel and seeing how it all ends.

3.5 stars - I really enjoyed the first book in this duopoly; however, the second fell a little short for me.

Book 1 was action packed and so fast paced - I ate it up! I immediately started Book 2. The Deathly Grimm started off a bit slower and I felt myself getting a little confused as to where we were in the story but that could just be a me thing as I was listening to it. There were also some elements from The Forest Grimm that I really loved that didn’t carry over into The Deathly Grimm. The forest felt more mellow/calm in Book 2 vs Book 1.

Overall, I enjoyed this duology as a whole. I enjoyed the author’s world building and overall writing style. I think everything wrapped up nicely with this story.

Thanks to NetGalley, St Martins Press, and Wednesday Books for these free copies of "The Forest Grimm" and "The Deathly Grimm."

I'm so glad I was able to read the duology back-to-back since they flow seamlessly together.

I was pulled into "Forest" in the opening lines when Clara asks her Grandmere to tell her again the story of how she will die. Clara's grandmother has some magic to tell futures with tarot cards.

But Forest Grimm has the bigger magic and allowed each villager to make a wish and the Forest would tell them how to make their dream come true. Three years ago, that power was yanked from the villagers and their land was cursed since a wish was used for murder.

Clara yearns to enter the Forest to search for the Lost Ones (you'll learn about them) and to find a way to break the curse, although she expects to die in the Forest based on her tarot card reading. Her friend Axel goes with her to search for his lost fiancee Ella.

What's so fun (even though they're dark) about these books is the recasting of well-known Grimm fairy tale characters. Will they show up as villagers? Or are they Lost Ones?

You'll see Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretl, Briar Rose, Snow White, Beanstalk Jack among many others.

I was excited to get back into this world and see how the story would unfold, but I ended up enjoying this one just a bit less than the first.

The story moves really fast which kept me reading, but by the end I almost wondered if the duology would have been best simplified into one book. I love the dark fairytale elements, but they could have been much creepier. The lightness of the writing made it a bit of an odd juxtaposition.

I also wish there had been more room for character development in this book. Most of the growth seemed to happen in book one. Clara and Axel’s relationship was tested, but it didn’t feel like either of them changed much. The mystery around the curse was interesting, but the resolution felt rushed. Clara’s ability to see into the past played a big role in the story, I never fully understood how it worked.

That said, I did enjoy finding what new dark twists on fairytale characters we would find. If you loved *The Forest Grimm*, you’ll probably still enjoy this one, but for me, it was a mixed experience.

3.5- I’m so glad I had the chance to read the conclusion to The Forest Grimm duology, and I’m really grateful for the ARC. After the action-packed adventure Clara experienced in the forest in book one, I was excited to see where her story would go next. However, I found the second book a bit slow and drawn out, especially in comparison to the fast-paced first installment.

That said, one of the highlights was meeting new characters who were familiar figures from the Grimm Fairytales, which was one of the things I loved about the first book. We also get to see how Clara’s powers truly manifest, which plays a key role in both the mystery and her personal growth. The writing, as always, was excellent. In a second book, the beauty is that we can dive right into the action since the world has already been established, but I felt the first half of this book lingered more than necessary. The story itself was solid, though I think it could have been shorter, or perhaps included more encounters in the forest to keep the momentum going.

Thankfully, the pace picked up in the second half, and everything started coming together in a much more satisfying way. Overall, I think this duology wraps up in a way that will please fans, and I would definitely recommend it to lovers of YA fantasy!

“I will break the curse or die trying.”

I was blown away by the first book in this series and this one was even more magical as its predecessor. This book starts right where The Forest Grimm ends and I was immediately sucked in. I appreciated how the author caught the reader up on past events of the first book too as this book carried on.

I enjoyed how the story takes the reader into more Grimm fairytale. No spoilers here, I want to let you have your journey with the fairytales captured in the story, but you are in a wild ride. Full of peril, twists and turns and so much danger and excitement. Purdie did an excellent job of keeping me guessing the whole time. Just when I thought it was safe to breathe, the stakes get even higher.

Clara and Axel each have motives for entering the forest again. And there is so much to this book than the fairytales. Henni and others make a strong cast of characters. Even the Grimm Wolf was a stand out.

I will read anything from this author!

Huge thank you to the publisher for sending the NetGalley link for the ebook and for the audio approval. All views are my own.

The unputdownable second helping of the two book series that explains so much! Clara and Axel return, now as a couple, but their pasts continue to haunt them and a second adventure into the Grimm Forest to break the curse and find a sacred book might tear them appart. This second volume has bits of The Frog Prince, Snow White, Swan Lake, Rumplestiltskin, and more woven into a dark and mysterious retelling that rushes at you with lightning speed and eagerly envelopes you in beloved characters from the first book plush some new ones. You will be guessing right up until the end who the true villain is that brought the unspeakable curse down on the village Grimm by committing dark acts to gain unforetold magic. Can Axel and Clara maintain their love and withstand the fates that seem laid out for them? Beautiful artful storytelling.

Clara and Axel make it out of the forest and back into the village, but people are still lured there. The dangers they had faced were just a fraction of the true horrors within the forest. Now Clara and Axel must return to face an even greater danger, or there will be no village to return to.

This is the second half of the duology begun in the Forest Grimm, and you definitely must read that book first. Clara is haunted by the choices she made at the conclusion of that book, though it partially broke the curse over the town. The hard part is that the murder hasn't been solved yet, and the forest wants justice. This means Clara and Axel must return to the forest to find the other Lost Ones from the village if they can because one of them is the murderer and had stolen the page of the book they wished on. Though they resolve to trust only in each other, Lost Ones are dangerous, and Clara's visions of the past reveal some truths about that fateful night that neither really wants to face.

We have echoes of fairy tales here, including Jack the Beanstalk, the Frog Prince, the Twelve Dancing Princesses, and even a sprinkle of Snow White. In the midst of this is a murder mystery, and it's a sharp departure from the first half of the duology. It makes sense that the story was split in half this way. Each dip into the past reveals a little bit more, and the wedge between Axel and Clara means that they don't figure out the truth until it's the end and almost too late. Horror elements heighten the tension for them because there are very real stakes if they lose. Ultimately, it's trust, community, and family love that sees us through, just as some of that drove characters to create the curse in the first place.

4.5/5 stars

I found this a satisfying conclusion to the duology starting with The Forest Grimm.

This series was intriguing to me because of its base in Grimm's Fairy Tales. There are different tales interwoven within the plot that feature unique twists and turns from the original stories. While I didn't feel that this outing featured as many tales as the first book, I enjoyed the more personal stories of the lead characters Clara and Axel. These two are fearless, devoted and lovable, and while it had been a while since I had read the first book, I fell back into their world and their personalities almost immediately. And the world-building for the Forest Grimm was excellent, creatively eerie.

My only caveat was with the denouement. While it was satisfying, I found it a bit convoluted going back and forth between the past and present and with different viewpoints to adjust to.

Overall, a great story with sympathetic characters and a fascinating world and premise. Well done.

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press / Wednesday Books for providing the free early arc of The Deathly Grimm for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

This was an okay sequel, but unfortunately I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first book. I didn’t love the conflict between Clara and Axel and I wasn’t really a fan of what the author did with his character for a lot of the book. I liked that we got more of Clara’s magic, but some of the visions and different versions of events got confusing. I found myself kind of rushing through the ending and the big reveal and the ensuing conflict were just okay for me. I did enjoy getting more fairytale references and there were some cute moments at the end. Overall this is a still a good duology that I would recommend for fans of fairytale retellings.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Wednesday Books & NetGalley for the ARC. I am grateful I was able to find out the conclusion to this duology.

We are back in the forest with Clara and Axel to get to the bottom of all this chaos. There’s a lot going on here & the story can get a bit confusing at times.

If you like a unique spin on dark fairy tales please check out this series.

DNF at 26%. I’m really bummed about this one. I loved The Forest Grimm when I read it, and was excited to get back to Clara and Axel’s adventures in the forest. Unfortunately the narrative in this book fell flat for me. It felt kind of been-there-done-that, and I didn’t feel like the story was compelling this time around. I do really hope that this book finds its audience. But it was just not for me.

While I liked this series, I think the first book has the unfortunate luck of not being memorable. Inrepararion for reading this eARC, I re-read the first book. If I hadn't done that, then I would have ended up rating this book much lower. The characters are okay, but still lack depth. I enjoyed then stir burning also recognized that nice wasn't invested in it. I kept losing interest and waiting for more to happen. Like the first book, this book struggles with pacing. I like that this book introduced us to some other fairytale characters.

Thank you to Wednesday books for an e-ARC of this book.

I was a tad hesitant about returning to this series. I liked the first one, but honestly remembered so little of it that I had to skim the previous book before I read this one. It was a good thing I did, because had I started this book without that refresher I would have been totally lost. Again, kind of like the first book, I struggled through the first half. I felt that by the time we got to 40% nothing much had happened, and it was basically a rehash of the first book, just with different characters.

I honestly didn't find this book compelling, and between the pacing, my lack of interest in the characters it was a book that just ended up not being for me.