Thank you Orbits Books and Netgalley for the ARC!

I loved this book. It had real fae, creepy and dark creatures who are neither good nor bad per say. It pulled heavily on mythology, weaving the tales of old together with a new voice, leaving the reader feeling nostalgia and excitement. The characters are amazing, coming to life on the page. I loved Temperance and Jenny's relationship, a mix of mother/daughter and friend. I got really excited with the references to Avalon throughout, and the ending chapters? PERFECTION.

The last line will haunt me for years to come.

This was an interesting read. No Romance, Cozy Fantasy. I enjoyed the concept and it definitely took some turns that I wasn't expecting. Think ragtag group goes on a set of 3 quests to get rid of a blight on their town. The narrator (Jenny Greenteeth) was fun to be in her head. I felt the author really showed how naive but old Jenny was, but would only know so much living in a lake.
Overall I'm glad I read it. It was very different than my normal reads.

◛⑅·˚ ༘ ♡ greenteeth.


ੈ♡˳ final rating: 4.25/5 🍵
i received an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating, and all opinions expressed below are my own.

this gave me soooo many thornhedge vibes aaaaaaa!!! loved this so much <333 so many things to be learned from this, so many thoughts,,, really loved the twist near the end hehehehe even tho it was a bit too quick. but i digress!!! so cottagecore-y fairycore-y i looooove. honestly can’t really say anything else other than the vibes were immaculate 🫶🏼. would read more books from this author!

thank you to netgalley and orbit books for this arc!

A much needed cozy read for the heavy feelings the current state of the world is handing down. Found family, community, tolerance, compassion. All life lessons that can help make the world a better place. Just enough darkness, conflict, and suspense to make the light brighter. Hedge witches, goblins, and Jenny Greenteeth go forth on quests to save their beloved community. If you aren't in the mood for an epic fantasy and need something more character driven, still alive with atmospheric descriptions of a world much like our own, this will fit. Wizard of Oz meets Alice in Wonderland and King Arthur lore with a sprinkling of FAE. This will wrap you in a warm hug and give you hope that your quest will call to the right community to fight for humanity (and magic).

This was absolutely delightful. A perfect found family, cozy fantasy that includes a dog and limbs being ripped off? Yes please!! Loved the vibes and the unique quirks of the characters and the plot! I teared up when Jenny started referring to Temperance as her friend :,)

Thx NetGalley 🫶🏻

<b> 2.5 Stars </b>

I really wanted to love Greenteeth. The premise sounded right up my alley—folk horror, eerie atmosphere, and an adventure/quest. To be fair, the book nails the atmosphere; the writing is engrossing and vivid, and she does a great job making the setting feel rich and immersive. However, the story and characters just didn’t click for me. The pacing is all over the place—some parts drag on forever, while others feel rushed. The main characters started out really intriguing but then they kind of started to fell flat and just continued to be very basic and one-dimensional, which made it hard to stay invested. Also, the ending felt very abrupt and unsatisfying, like the story just stopped rather than actually concluded.

I wouldn’t say it’s a bad book—there are some genuinely great moments, and if you’re really into whimsical fae/folk stories, you might enjoy it more than I did. But for me, it was too uneven to fully recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this book.

Jenny Greenteeth lives a quiet life in her quiet lake. Well mostly quiet, until a woman named Temperance gets thrown in with shackles on and Jenny decides to save her life.

This story is about the blossoming friendship between Jenny and Temperance, as they form a bond over a common goal. There arises a situation with the town near Jenny's lake, where Temperance is from, and the two set off on a quest together with the help of Jenny's sort-of friend Brackus, a hobgoblin.

This story has lots of magic and whimsy, lots of friendship and perseverance, and a really nice folklorish feel to it. Inluding nods to folklore we all know and love, this story is really a classic tale at heart.

I found Jenny to be an interesting main character, and I loved getting the "fae & human team up for a quest" trope from the POV of the fae for once. Often times we are focused on the humans experience of this scenario so I thought it a breath of fresh air to be in Jenny's head instead. I really liked the friendship and themes in here, nicely woven in with the whimsical questing nature of the story as well.

I'm really looking forward to another story from Molly!

almost put this book down early on due to some brief but difficult mentions of animal harm. <spoiler>Early in the story, there’s a reference to farmers throwing unwanted kittens into the lake, followed later by a scene where Jenny accidentally drowns a rabbit she was trying to keep. Later in the book, a dog is killed during a battle, and there’s a moment involving unicorns that had me bracing myself for the worst. Fortunately, that last scene ended up being unexpectedly beautiful, but I was genuinely ready to quit the book if things had gone differently.</spoiler> If that’s something you struggle with, consider this a heads-up.

That said, I’m ultimately glad I stuck with it because there’s so much to love here. One of the most refreshing aspects is that the story is told from the perspective of a fae creature rather than a human. Jenny, a lake monster, is perfectly otherworldly—feared by humans, distrusted by other fae, and yet just trying to exist in her own little world. But when a witch gets thrown into her lake, she’s pulled into a quest that changes everything. The world feels rich and steeped in folklore, and the fae creatures are beautifully described—uncanny, dangerous, and a little eerie in a way that reminded me of Brian Froud’s artwork.

The found family dynamic between Jenny, the witch Temperance, and the goblin Brackus was easily my favorite part. Their bond develops in such a natural, heartfelt way that I was fully invested in their journey. While this book has been labeled as cozy fantasy, I’d say it leans more cozy-adjacent. There’s warmth and humor, but also high stakes, intense moments, and some surprisingly dark elements woven in. The writing has a slightly T. Kingfisher-esque feel, with its mix of eerie folklore, humor, and heart, but Molly very much has her own voice, making the story feel fresh and distinct.

The pacing dips a bit in the middle before picking up toward the end, which felt a little rushed but still satisfying. Overall, this was an immersive and beautifully written story that I mostly enjoyed, despite my personal struggles with certain elements. If you love folklore-inspired fantasy with a unique perspective and a strong found-family dynamic, this is worth checking out—just be aware of the content warnings if needed.

Greenteeth by Molly O'Neill follows Jenny Greenteeth in the time of witches and magic.

Jenny is a low fae living her life when a woman accused of witchcraft gets thrown into her lake. She rescues the woman, who does have magic, which is out of character for a jenny. Most jennys would just eat the woman and be done with it, but Jenny Greenteeth is lonely and willing to take a human into her home for a little bit of companionship. The women end up on a magical quest to defeat evil.

Listen, Molly O'Neill's writing is wonderful and funny and heartwrenching. O'Neill rewrites classic fairy stories by blending the history of women in Britain and the magic of creating an unlikely friendship.

This cozy fantasy is one I feel confident recommending to fans of T Kingfisher and Heather Fawcett. Numerous times, the plot and world-building reminded me of the Emily Wilde series in particular. A journey narrative with emphasis on found friendship and discussions surrounding what it means to exist in a world that a creature like Jenny Greenteeth may no longer belong in...a world where magic and magical creatures like her are no longer welcome or safe.

L O V E N O T E S
One of my favorite elements in Greenteeth is the first-person POV we receive from Jenny herself. I couldn't imagine following the perspective of any other character. I especially would not have wanted to be in the head of Temperance, for instance <b>(see: Criticisms)</b>. Jenny was such a dynamic and easy to love voice, not to mention her worldview of humanity, society, and magic (having lived several centuries by the book's opening pages) was fascinating. Her running commentary across various scenarios lent itself to humor as well, which provided a great balance for the darker and more emotional moments in this book. And the book does, in fact, get far darker at times than I expected, but I would still classify this as a cozy read.

The best part of Greenteeth hands down would be the characters' observations of and reactions to the disquieting impermanence of magic that has become widespread, an ever growing concern for magical beings in this historical Britain. And it's a heavy topic that weighs on our ragtag group of heroes as they embark on a quest to expel a truly dark and evil thing from their home.

C R I T I C I S M S
The most glaring place where I found the narrative lacking involved the missed opportunities to dig deeper into how one might value a human life compared to the life of a magical creature. Twice, the author provides a scenario where lake monster and witch butt heads regarding who should be saved and who should be slain. Both women arguably straddle the same two worlds: one of magic and one of non-magical humans. While the witch Temperance has a stronger foothold in the human world, being human-passing with her husband and children, Jenny needs a glamour when interacting with humans and her "allegiance" leans toward the world of high and low fae even though she did start out her life as a human baby.

We see two identical scenarios which at their core challenge Jenny and Temperance to ask themselves who deserves to live.

**BEGINNING OF SPOILERS**

The first involves human soldiers attacking Jenny (and Temperance eventually) without hesitation or pause to consider if these women are even dangerous. Temperance is unyielding in her stance that the men should be allowed to live after Jenny announces her intention to kill them. Not long after this event, Temperance is cold-hearted and ready to kill an innocent unicorn--a creature that is basically an endangered species destined to eventually go extinct. When Jenny stops Temperance from killing the magical creature, the witch declares that Jenny has saved her soul but damned her family. And, here is when I said to my ereader: "Temperance, you better take a SEAT, right now."

Here was the time for O'Neill to have these protagonists observe the hypocrisy of Temperance as she places human life (violent humans at that!) above the life of a defenseless magical creature. Instead, O'Neill decides to explain Jenny's interference in the killing of the unicorn by connecting the unicorn's eye color to that of Jenny's daughter. I understand that one element that connects these women is their identity as mothers, but it honestly cheapened the scene for me.

**END SPOILERS**

What would have been more powerful (and made slightly more sense) is if the author placed the two scenes side by side. She could have used them to open the door for social commentary surrounding a very topical and deep-seated issue of humans failing to care about groups they do not personally identify with. Temperance identifies more with humans than she does with the magical beings with which she interacts; therefore, it doesn't even occur to her that a magical creature's life should be respected and protected in the same way.

In general, I was disappointed with how narrow-minded the witch, Temperance, revealed herself to be in the latter half of the book. The friendship that Jenny forges with Temperance was lovely at first, but eventually Temperance becomes quite selfish in my opinion, and she only considers her own grief and struggle, never pausing to wonder what trauma or worries Jenny may be carrying with her. The two women argue at one point, both making good points and BOTH making harsh remarks, and it is only Jenny who apologizes to Temperance while the latter simply accepts said apology and they move on. Meanwhile, I was left thinking, "And, Temperance, babe, do you have anything to say or apologize for? Hint, hint: the answer is yes..." Eventually, Temperance apologizes for some things but the entire interaction was quite vague and unsatisfying. By the end of the story, it simply felt like an imbalanced friendship in which Jenny mostly gave, and Temperance was happy to take. I just wanted more sympathy and self-awareness from our witch.

My issues with Temperance's character and the missed opportunities for more depth will not bother all in the same way, and it in no way made me regret reading this book. I am also very much interested in what O'Neill elects to publish next!

Actual Rating: 3.75 stars
Original Pub Date: 25 Feb 2025
Reading Format: ebook

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for an E-ARC copy in exchange for this honest review!

Jenny has lived in her lake for at least a millennia, and it can be frustrating when the humans throw things in it--she likes to keep things tidy. This time, it’s a woman with magical powers. Jenny is not interested in eating her, so she saves the woman and nurses her back to health. It’s been a long time since she had a friend. The woman is Temperance, and she needs Jenny’s help to save her young family and the village from an ancient evil that represents a local and far-reaching threat to all of Britain. Jenny must venture from her lake and engage in a world that has changed greatly in her many years.

Greenteeth is a warm, engaging fantasy that makes a reader want to curl up and enjoy the journey. Jenny Greenteeth is thoughtfully and vividly personified from the British legends and in such an appealing way. The water hag faerie being who is often depicted as malevolent or at least predatory is brought to life as a character who is just living her life in her natural environment. Her point of view is insightful, earthy and humorous at times., and melancholic in others Jenny’s loneliness is evident through her comments and observations, and she serves as an allegory for the ancient magic of the land that fades with time and the encroachment of humankind in natural spaces. Jenny’s interactions with Temperance, and Brackus, a tinker/trader and her goblin frenemy, as they go on their quest to save their home, run the gamut between companionable, unlikely friendship to ideological clashes for how they can achieve essentially the same goal, defeating their enemy. Jenny is not treated well by humans who hate everything they don’t understand. Similarly, Temperance also faces the distrust and suspicions of her own kind because of her magic, but she also feels the need to protect those, even when they would harm her. This is emblematic about how people face that same struggle with others who treat them wrong because they are different. Greenteeth is so enjoyable, with all the elements that fantasy readers would enjoy, great world building, a clash between evil and good, awe-inspiring magic and creatures of lore and legend, and eerie beings and places in faery lands. There is a bittersweet element in that this story recognizes that things always change with time, but there is also joy in looking forward. This book is recommended for fans of faerie lore, legends and the creatures that inhabit those legends.

4.5 stars

This was an excellent fantasy book! I really loved the characters and the whimsical, magical energy it gave.

The found family in this is amazing I love this so much. This book was intriguing and amazing i truly love it so much. Jenny green teeth character growth was amazing as well she was my favorite character honestly. This was the perfect cozy fantasy for everyone who would love this

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit books for this amazing arc!!

5/5 stars!

This is easily my favourite read of the year so far. I love Jenny Greenteeth so much. She is the bog monster I want to be when I grow up, saving witches and fighting evil, all while keeping her lake nice and tidy. This was funny, sweet, enchanting, exciting, and heartwrenching. Jenny is a very flawed character, and I love her personal growth throughout this book. Each character feels incredibly well fleshed out, with solid personalities, stengths. and shortcomings. The found family was also just so sweet 😭

I know from now on anything Molly O'Neill writes will be an instant-buy from me, no need to read the description. This was just so good!!

Ty for the ARC Orbit and Netgalley

This was absolutely delightful. British/Welsh folklore. Arthurian legends. Found family, goblins, monsters. Matter-of-fact comedy, sweet, l, cozy-fantasy with a little bit of stakes.

An unusual lead character and some tried and true fantasy tropes make for a cozy, fun read. I really enjoyed this quest story as it took me through all sorts of classic English, Welsh, and Scot fairy stories and legends. The main trio of characters were charming and their mission was exciting. I liked the way everything came together, though I saw the big reveal at the end coming from about a 1/4 way through the book. I'll certainly be recommending this to some of my more mature students as this feels like a great bridge book into slightly more adult fantasy.

With its vibrant world-building and deeply memorable characters, Greenteeth offers readers a heartwarming story of found family, loyalty, and courage. Jenny’s sharp wit and wild spirit, paired with Temperance’s strength and determination, create a compelling dynamic that drives the plot forward.

I just finished this and I am so glad I did because gosh, it was sweet. I loved this little found-family journey set in post-Arthurian Britain and cannot wait to read more from this debut author! This book both felt like a cozy, low stakes fantasy and an epic quest!

i feel like i've been describing a lot of books as a romp lately, and this is going to be one of them! a charming, classic-feeling quest fantasy with very good bones.

one of my favorite things in speculative fiction is a good nonhuman narrator, who can present the story from an unusual perspective. Jenny Greenteeth is just that sort of narrator! i adore how fussy she is about the state of her lake, and how she struggles with the tension between being who and what she is—an alarmingly toothy fae creature humans consider monstrous—and being who she wants to be—a friend, and the sort of hero who does what needs to be done because someone needs to do it. the traveling companions she accumulates are very charming too: the brave and stubborn village witch Temperance, the persistent and worldly goblin merchant Brackus, even the exuberant fae hound Cavall.

and in case Cavall's name didn't give you a clue, this is not-so-secretly an Arthurian story! i won't say any more about that to preserve some of the fun twists, but it's evident from the first chapter that Arthur's mythos is going to play a part in the tale of Jenny and Temperance's village and the evil power that threatens it. along the way to that goal there are dangerous high fae, difficult trials, strained friendship bonds, unearthed tragedies, forgotten things coming to light, all that good quest narrative stuff! and an ending that satisfied, even though i wished it was executed a little bit more compellingly. also i VERY much appreciated that the three companions remained friends, without romantic tensions complicating anything. it's hard to find books with little or no romance!

overall this was an enjoyable read, and i'll keep an eye out for more from O'Neill.

Both cozy fantasy and quest filled adventure.

This is an amazing debut novel. From lovable characters, atmospheric scenery, and a voice that had me hooked from the first page. <i>Greenteeth</i> is everything I hoped it would be and more.

Jenny Greenteeth lives in her lake, her life spent tending to the waters and watching time pass by around her. Until one day a woman is thrown in. The decision to save this stranger sends Jenny on a quest, pulling her out of her familiar lake, away from her home, and across unfamiliar lands to battle a growing evil.

I absolutely loved everything! The amount of lore within the pages, and the research that clearly went into it, makes for an immersive narrative. <i>Greenteeth</i> does cozy fantasy beyond justice with this retelling. There's laughter, adventure, tears, and a heartwarming conclusion that beautifully rounds Jenny's story.

A perfect novel for those who enjoy reimagining's of the fae, or just want a cozy fantasy to get lost in.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review.





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