First off THANK YOU #NETGALLEY for the chance to read an eArc of #Greenteeth by #MollyO'Neill in return for a fair and honest review.

I LOVED LOVED LOVED THIS BOOK!

Temperance finds herself bound and tossed in a lake inhabited by a Jenny a low born fae that cares for the lake. When faced with the Jenny she is sure that death is at her door until she wakes up in a cave with the Jenny nearby.

Jenny has lived in her lake for eons, caring and tending to it eating the random animal or human tossed into her depths. When a witch is thrown into her lake she finds herself drawn to her and decides to save her. The man who threw the witch in is not right and for this reason she chooses to save her.

Jenny and Temperance find themselves faced with a much older fae and are tasked with finding a way to rid their town of it. Evil has crept into Temperance's hometown and everyone has turned on her. Together Temperance, Jenny and their hobgoblin friend Brackus set off on a quest to destroy the biggest threat to the fae.

Jenny Greenteeth doesn’t have green teeth, but she does have a lot of them, and they are very sharp. I didn’t think I’d ever encounter a super cozy morally grey character, but here we are.

The first 30% of Greenteeth felt like a nice, cozy fantasy. I found Jenny’s cluelessness about humans both funny and endearing and the addition of Brackus the goblin to the group provided some great banter. But once they set out on their quest, things went a little downhill for me.

Temperance, Brackus, and Jenny visited some amazing locations, but they had to walk to get to them and even with a bit of time skipping (for example “it took us a week to travel from A to Z”), it dragged. I’m quick to DNF when I’m not enjoying a book. I kept reading Greenteeth because I truly was invested in the plot and enjoyed the action (there was more than I expected!) but those stretches of travel made me wonder if I was making the right choice. I look longer than usual to finish the book because I had trouble feeling motivated to read through those parts.

Ultimately, I’m glad I persevered because apart from the travel, I did enjoy the book. I love the folklore, the fairy court, and the evolution of the relationships between Brackus, Jenny, and Temperance. Witnessing Jenny’s growth was especially fun, though I’m not gonna lie: I was a little disappointed at how quickly she outgrew her eager cluelessness from the first chapter. Overall a good read, even with what I felt was uneven pacing.

Jenny Greenteeth lives in her beautiful lake. It is her home therefore she makes sure that it is clean and tidy at all times. She loves all the wildlife that live in her lake and is especially fond of a particular pike. She enjoys her solitude despite missing her daughter, Little Jenny, and her random visits from that goblin Brackus. Unbeknownst to Jenny, an evil has slipped into the village next to her lake and it is when she finds a woman, a witch actually, at the bottom of her lake drowning that she offers to help. Calling on Brackus for supplies, the unlikely trio find themselves against an evil that they had never known to take physical form and set off on a journey to find someone who can conquer this evil only to be assigned the epic quest themselves!

It took me a little bit to get into this story but once I did I couldn't stop. I enjoyed the fact that I didn't really know what the actual time period was. They were in a village, talking about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table and Merlin, yet it still had that medieval era feel to it especially in the way the new parson had treated Temperance. The bond that forms between the trio also felt familiar in a way that I can't quite put my finger on.

Overall this is a 4.5 for me (that is rounded up to a 5) only because of the slow start that I had. I'm not entirely sure why it took so long for me to really get hooked into the story but that's the only reason I have for it not being a full solid 5 star. For this being the author's debut novel, I'm excited to see what she comes out with next!

I’ve been on such a great streak with cozy fantasy recently, and this one was another hit. I loved the main character, and how she wasn’t really monstrous except by people’s definition, and I loved the relationships she developed with a neighboring witch and a goblin who is basically her frenemy. Their journey is everything you want from an epic quest, and I didn’t see the ending coming. Came out a few days ago and I highly recommend for fans of T. Kingfisher and the like.

A book that defies black-and-white categorization — filled with fantasy, folklore, magic and fairies, —but if “delightful” was a book genre, “Greenteeth” would be top of its class.

Charming, humorous, and imaginative — this is the story of Jenny Greenteeth, who is not technically a “hag” but is a lower fae creature, thousands of years old, with flowing green hair, multiple rows of razor-sharp green teeth, and a watery home in a remote lake in Chipping Appleby, UK.

Jenny is a carnivore, a “monster” of sorts, (in a “Shrek-like” way), with a penchant for fish and frogs, who is not averse to eating most of what comes her way. Until the day she meets Temperance Crump, a village “cunning woman” or witch, if you like, now sinking to the bottom of Jenny’s lake, with a mortal life that suddenly and most definitely needs saving.

As Jenny and Temperance meet and pursue their individual destinies, it soon becomes clear their stories are meant to play out together. This is all the more apparent when they are joined by Brackus Marsh, a goblin, and a pedlar, who loves velvet vests, buttons and golden thread, and cannot stand to see a lady cry.

This unlikely trio: a goblin, a witch and Jenny Greenteeth, soon find themselves on an epic quest — one which may end up saving their corner of the world from unspeakable evil, or destroy them all in its pursuit.

Without giving the plot away, (no spoilers here), this traditional quest has some twists and an ending that this reader was delighted to guess. Along the way, there are several tricky and potentially terrible spots of danger — yet for this reader, (who cannot read about animals being abused or hurt, and nervously almost stopped reading at one point..), all I will say is — hang tight, fellow reader, it will be ok….

And all of it: the story; the characters; the events; and the surprises; definitely turn out to be more than ok. This is a stellar and warmly immersive read, which I for one, am delighted (there’s that word again) to have experienced.

A great big thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.

*** four and a half shiny stars

Greenteeth is a chocolate chip raisin cookie with a glass of cold milk. it's everything I want from cozy fantasy. Greenteeth is a celebration of friendship, resolve, and the absolute heights one can reach when you have a friend on your side and love in your heart.
my favorite part is that the store if from the point of view (POV) of a lake monster!! How cool is that? It's inventive and so beautifully conceived, that I read it in one sitting (its a massive deal for me as I have 5am mornings with my toddler).
I predict this book will do well once it finds its audience.

Its for folks who loved The Spellshop.

I do recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit for an advanced copy of this book.

I really wanted to like Greenteeth, but unfortunately it fell pretty flat for me. It was comped to T Kingfisher, who I’m a huge fan of, and so I expected it to be a lot more horror focused; that’s on me, I missed the bit about “a new voice in cozy fantasy”. The book started out pretty strong, and I was enjoying Jenny’s weird quirks and nonhuman way of thinking, but it started going downhill when Temperance revealed her problems. When I realized that the parson who’d turned the village against her was another faerie creature instead of a man corrupted by religion, I realized this book really wasn’t going in a direction that I was interested in.

Still, it’s an interesting premise, but the book is held back by stilted dialogue and a writing style that felt like one big run-on sentence. This might hit better for someone who can get past the writing to the folklore underneath.

First of all, I’m obsessed with the cover of this book.

Greenteeth is a cozy (and a little dark) fantasy filled with quests and companionship between a lake-dwelling fae “monster”, a witch and a goblin. Together, they discover what it means to embrace each other’s differences and build on each other’s strengths to complete each challenge before them. I was obsessed with the inter-woven tales of old and the descriptions of the settings in Scotland, Wales and England.

For those looking for a fun adventure with found family, I would highly recommend this story!

Thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for an E-ARC copy of this book.

Greenteeth is a slow-paced fantasy following a witch and a Jenny Greenteeth on a quest through fae and mortal lands. This novel is steeped in folklore and has many humorous and heartwarming moments, However, I struggled to connect with the story/characters. I'm not sure if it's a mood reading issue or ultimately the pacing was too slow/low stakes for my taste.

If you enjoy slow-paced folklore retellings, Greenteeth will be right up your alley.

I received an ARC from Orbit Books | Orbit via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book does a nice job of giving depth to the fae creature known as Jenny Greenteeth. Yes, she has a habit of pulling animals into her lake for lunch, and is not averse to human flesh (though it is not as yummy as a well rotted carp) but she also has feelings (including love for her own daughter), so when a witch is thrown in, there is a connection which leads to a quest to free the village from an evil interloper. I really liked Jenny, Temperance, and Brackus who make a great group as they seek help from the Fae King to destroy this evil. It is the common trope of quest for three objects to defeat the monster, finding friendship along the way and a place where you belong and still remaining true to yourself but that is still well done and makes for a cozy and heartwarming tale!

So, it is a sweet story, with emotions, fun times, perilous danger, but ending in found family and love for all, be you human or monster!

Actual rating 3.75/5

Greenteeth starts off feeling like a cozy fairy tale, following Jenny Greenteeth—a proud guardian of her lake who boasts the best fish and the smartest frogs. She comes from a long line of Jenny Greenteeth, and at first, the story feels whimsical and light. But as the plot unfolds, it becomes clear that something darker is lurking beneath the surface, and the tension slowly builds in a way that kept me hooked.

One of the things I loved most about this book is that it’s told from the perspective of a fae creature, rather than the usual human protagonist. The world feels rich and lived-in, full of folklore-inspired magic, and the dialogue between characters is sharp and often amusing. There’s even a classic quest—without any romance—which felt like a refreshing change of pace. The descriptions of the fae creatures are beautifully done and reminded me of Brian Froud’s artwork, which fans of folklore and fantasy will likely appreciate.

That said, some parts of the story felt a little rushed, especially when resolving certain conflicts. The pacing dips a bit in the middle, but it picks back up toward the end, which, while slightly hurried, still left me satisfied.

Overall, Greenteeth is a unique, atmospheric read that blends whimsy with something a little more eerie. It’s perfect for readers who love folklore-inspired fantasy, especially those looking for a story that doesn’t rely on the usual tropes. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who likes their fairy tales with a bit of bite.

I am deeply grateful to NetGalley and Orbit Books for this opportunity to read a digital ARC and provide my honest review.

While the premise was nice, the writing was... not what I expected. I wanted more from the characters because I felt that what was on the front cover and the front flap was not what we were given.

I loved this book dearly. It had so many things in it that I love in books- found family, quests, animal companions, magic, and SO MUCH FUN. I will recommend this book at every opportunity!

This book was so charming!! Very reminiscent of T Kingfisher, but Molly very clearly still has her own voice. Our main character is a Jenny, and lives in a lake, keeping the lake clean and minding her own business as she collects little trinkets that get cast into the lake. And then a witch gets thrown into her lake, and that changes everything. This book is all about the found-family, which is my favorite trope of all time. I’m not usually one to look for specific tropes, but I will always go for a Found Family book. This was so cozy, but also quite intense and at times violent. More cozy-adjacent than pure cozy fantasy, it was layered and beautiful. I look forward to more of Molly’s work, she has just become an auto-buy author for me!

I signed up for and received an eARC of this from NetGalley. Do not ask what led me to this assumption as I cannot fully say, but for whatever reason when I read the synopsis for this and signed up, my brain decided that this was going to be a cozy little sapphic tale for whatever reason. That is not at all what this was, it was entertaining for a good portion of it, but I found myself not quite as entertained about halfway through. I do believe it’s because of my assumptions for it and it not at all being what I was expecting as the writing and the store were enjoyable, just not for me at this point.

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for this ARC Copy!

I do not even know what to say about this book except I need more of this story and world. I loved every minute of it, this is literally my perfect book.

If you like found family adventures, traditional fae, witches, animal companions that make you just smile, and a world steeped in old world mythology then you will love every single second of this book.

It truly is perfect that the cover has a blurb by T Kingfisher, because this book is the closest I have come back to the feelings I had when I read Nettle and Bone which is one of my favorite adventure books of all time, and dare I say, I think it has finally been surpassed.

3.5 stars

I am so conflicted with this story. It had such a great premise and was intriguing from the beginning. I got lost in the middle and struggled to get wrapped into the story. The one great thing was the wonderful friendships.

The characters stood out and kept me interested. Jenny was the stand out to me. Of course, this is mostly about her and told from her perspective. I adored how she tread the line between being "good" and "bad." She recognized that she was a monster but wanted more. I love her relationship with Brackus the most. They were hilarious, and I loved their banter. It got me through many of the duller moments in the story. Temperance was a nice addition. I understand that her character was to show Jenny that there's more to being a monster. There are always two sides to a story, and she was able to see things from a different perspective. I did find Temperance rather annoying at times. I truly understand wanting to do anything for your children, but there are lines.

I thought the Fae world was intriguing, and I liked all the different characters you see throughout. The one hang-up I have is that she overdid it with the fairytales. We had several of them and then thrown into another story, towards the end, that felt out of place. The quests, which took up a good chunk of this book, were not as interesting as I hoped. I am not a big fan of a book that is a journey. The traveling becomes so drawn out. The quests are where the pacing was all over the place for me. I started the book hooked and couldn't stop reading. By the end of the book, I felt it was a completely different book and a different tone.

As I said, I'm conflicted. I loved the relationships, and I loved Jenny. There's a lot to love about this story, but a few things I struggled with. I will pick up what she writes next.

Thank you, Orbit and Netgalley, for the e-arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

It was a fine addition to the ever-growing cozy fantasy genre. It was not to my tastes but those who want to get their hands on any and all cozy fantasies will most likely enjoy this title.

Greenteeth is a charming, dark fantasy that follows lake monster Jenny Greenteeth as she, a goblin, and a local witch embark on a quest to defeat an ancient, malevolent force threatening their village.

Fans of T. Kingfisher will appreciate Molly O'Neill's debut novel. Jenny serves as an endearing, if morally grey, narrator, offering a unique perspective on a fantastical version of Great Britain. O'Neill weaves folklore and fairy tales into the narrative, enriching the journey across the island. The found family dynamic among the three protagonists is heartwarming, though often formulaic.

While the novel does well in character development and world-building, there are some pacing issues; portions of the group's quest are drawn out unnecessarily, whereas pivotal moments conclude without the appropriate gravity. Despite these minor flaws, the story remains engaging, making it a solid recommendation for those who enjoy cozy fantasy with substantive conflict.

Greenteeth is an enchanting mix of darkness and heart, making for a thoroughly enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit books for an ARC in exchange for a review!

A faerie quest with a unique main character and connections to English myths and legends, Greenteeth is a fresh, fun read with heart and excitement.