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.

Oh my goodness! This was one fast-paced, mixed up fairy tale re-telling and I was here for it! The characters were so emotional and thorough! I loved the different stories that played out in this book. I think there were less known fairy tales mixed in as well and I loved that! Such a great story! I am not a huge fan of fantasy - but this author always makes it so fun and exciting! The narrator was awesome - followed the vibe of the story so well and played each character with ease!

Thanks to NetGalley and the author for this book! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

This wrapped up the duology so well! It introduced new characters and reimagined more Grimm’s fairytales in twisted and unexpected ways, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Clara and Axel have to return to the forest to finish breaking the curse over their village, and this time, they need to solve a murder to do it. Clara has discovered that she has the power to see the past, and she’s beset with visions. She doesn’t know what’s real or who to trust, and the forest is dark, deadly, and full of monsters. I loved the direction that the plot took and the way that Kathryn wrapped up Clara’s story. If you love fairytale retellings with a dark twist, you should definitely read this duology. It’s eerie, romantic, and beautifully written, and I loved it. I was lucky enough to receive an advanced listener’s copy from Macmillan Audio, and I highly recommend the audiobook for this one. Sarah Ovens does an amazing job with the voices and accents, and truly brings the characters to life.
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My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Read if you like:
▫️fairytale retellings
▫️YA fantasy
▫️dark enchanted forest and a curse
▫️murder mystery
▫️magic, visions, and prophecy
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Thank you to Wednesday Books, Macmillan Audio, Kathryn Purdie, and NetGalley for the ARC and ALC. I received advanced copies for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

A fitting conclusion to the Forest Grimm duology. Once again, Axel and Clara find themselves having to plummet back into the Forest Grimm in order to break the curse fully on the village. A perfect mix of using old Grimm fairytales to move this story along. Perfect for fans of the original Grimm stories.

*Special thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this digital audio e-arc.*

This young adult fantasy was a strong conclusion to a very fun duology!

The audiobook was well done and the narrator was very easy to listen to. She varied her voice as needed for different characters.

The Deathly Grimm follows up The Forest Grimm by bringing the same type of vibes and premise but diving farther into the unanswered parts of the mystery from the first book. There is more exploration of the creepy forest, introduction of more cursed characters, new answers, and furthering of character development.

With a cursed town, a magical book, and fairytale characters come to life, this series would be perfect for fans of the show Once Upon a Time (but with a little darker undertones and less Disney vibes).

I loved the way the fairytale characters were woven in throughout the series. Sometimes it was very clear who someone would be and sometimes it was a delightful surprise. It is a very creative series that is a great tribute to the original Grimm tales!

Trigger/content notes: Some darker elements but it was never graphic or super intense/creepy. Spice level is passionate kissing.

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. And as always I love Macmillan audio so it was great to listen to on my commute.

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 & Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

The Deathly Grimm expands on the eerie, fairy tale-infused world of The Forest Grimm with even higher stakes, darker magic, and a relentless sense of urgency. Kathryn Purdie crafts a sequel that feels even more sinister and atmospheric, as Clara and Axel are once again forced to face the cursed woods that haunt their past. The blend of riddles, spectral threats, and a love story entwined with danger makes for a gripping listen.

Sarah Ovens’ narration enhances the novel’s haunting tone, perfectly capturing the tension and emotion of Clara’s journey. Her ability to shift between eerie whispers, ominous warnings, and heartfelt moments adds an extra layer of immersion, making the audiobook a compelling experience.

While the pacing slows in some areas, the rich descriptions and high-stakes twists keep the story engaging. Fans of dark fairy tales and cursed forests will find plenty to love here. With its blend of eerie storytelling and a strong performance by Ovens, this audiobook is a spellbinding continuation of Clara and Axel’s tale.

What a great second book in this Grimm fairytale retelling duology! This book immediately take place after book one, where our main characters are trying to break the curse of the forest Grimm. The plot very quickly takes off and Clara and Axel return back to the cursed forest, hoping to figure out what went wrong at the end of book one and why things didn't go quite according to plan.

I absolutely enjoyed reading this book, and found it was such a great follow up to the first book, The Forest Grimm. I thought the author put such a unique twist on the classic fairytales that we know and love, and I loved that she kept them spooky and suspenseful, which kept me guessing as to which fairytale I'd encounter next. Just like in book one, I loved the darker twist of each fairytale and character we meet in the forest; the overall spooky mood and tone of this reminded me a lot of House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin Craig.

I listened to the audiobook of this, and loved the way that the story was read by the same narrator as book one, Sarah Ovens--she did a fantastic job of separating character voices and heightening the suspenseful plot with her reading. Overall, this was an excellent read, and one I will be talking about with my students!

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.

3 Stars

I liked this better than the first. It was more developed, with more action and eerie elements that kept things interesting. The dark fairy tale atmosphere was immersive, and the dangers lurking in the forest were creative and chilling.

That said, the pacing felt off, with stretches that dragged and moments that felt rushed. The angst between Clara and Axel was exhausting at times, making their relationship feel more frustrating than compelling. While the book is clearly YA (which makes sense given its intended audience), I like to note that some YA reads older than others—this one doesn’t.

Overall, it was a nice conclusion to the duology, even if I wished the pacing had been stronger.

Thank you NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

“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 also listened to the audio book. The narrator, Sarah Ovens, does an incredible job of capturing the urgent tone of the story with her portrayal of the voices. Sarah Owen’s’ lovely accent took told and I was transported into the world Purdie so brilliantly captures.

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.

I wasn't originally sure how a second book would go but I thought The Deathly Grimm is a well done sequel. The plot contains more mystery and also answers some past questions plus there are new characters and new links to Fairytales. Which I've really enjoyed in both books.

What I've really liked about how Fairytales are linked in these books is that the original stories of the tales are not overpowering the new plot. So even though the characters follow the similar both of the tale they are assigned there is still room for new aspects to each tale. Which comes from being lost in the forest.

Mysteries are always a great device to keep a plot moving for me. Normally my brain likes to spend time guessing what the answer is before it gets revealed. I felt The Deathly Grimm lends itself more to just going with the flow. I'm like okay I'm not sure how these pieces are going to end up connecting. Again I think a good utilization of the Fairytales themselves also helped with this.

I love the characters. I love that Clara has an S curve, because my son does as well. Love that something that is more common than people realize is represented. I think that's important.

I really love this narrator and I think she does such a great job. I listen to my audiobooks on high speed but I actually slowed this one down since I enjoyed her voice.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the ARC!

This is a rare case where I enjoyed the sequel far more than the 1st book! I felt like Purdie had the foundation she needed from The Forest Grimm to really see a lot of payoff in The Deathly Grimm, and I am super impressed with how she pulled it together into a fantastic story. There was a lot of maturation in her writing and story telling as well, which was great to see.

As with the first book, I love the way she took well known (and some lesser known) stories and put interesting twists on them. It leans very heavily into the original versions by the Grimm Brothers (which makes sense based on the title) but still manages to find points of warmth and redemption. The thing I appreciated most, actually, was how deeply it goes into the dark and creepy of the Grimm Fairytales while still maintaining the integrity of the stories. What I find so often in dark retellings is they go way too far, or it's just underwhelming - Purdie strikes a good balance in both books.

I think the best parts of this book were the improvements in pacing and character development - both felt like they had come a long way from the choppiness in book 1. I never truly knew how this was going to end up but I left the story feeling satisfied, if a bit disturbed (which I believe was intended).

Definitely a YA duology worth checking out!

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc and an alc!

3.5 stars

while i actually enjoyed the second book more than the first, i do still feel that this duology was lacking something in the storytelling. the author included waaaay too many different fairytales/folklore characters, thus the plot felt too rushed and mashed together.

as for the narrator, she did a fantastic job!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Clara’s visions aren’t always that clear. Are they nightmares showing her darkest fears? Or are they showing the true past lives of those around her? Everything she believes is called into question as she reenters the Forest Grimm to fight the curse that has put her town and those she loves in peril once again. Will she and her friends find a way to break the curse in time, or will her friends be destroyed before she get works it out?

The Deathly Grimm is part two of Kathryn Purdie’s retelling of Grimm’s fairytales. This middle grades romantasy delivers the dark world of the Brothers Grimm while also showing the hope needed in today’s world. Full of fantasy and magic, this book shows the dangers of one person’s unchecked wishes on the community and themselves. This story is about the power of coming together to fight for the good of the community, even if it could put yourself at harm, and has an application to today’s political environment, even if that wasn’t the intention of the author.

I give The Deathly Grimm 4 out of 5 stars. I have enjoyed so many of the fairytale retellings that have been released in the past decade, and this was no different! Having missed the first book in the duology, I did feel at a loss for a few details that did seem necessary for the storyline – so much happened to Clara in the first book! However, Purdie’s writing made the scenes leap off the page – the vivid imagery and exciting plot kept me pulled in and interested throughout the book. Given that this is a retelling, certain liberties have been taken with the stories you know well and it was interesting to see all of the Grimm characters together in one place!

With themes of child abduction, death, and assault, this book would be best directed to more mature audiences over 13. If you enjoy fairytale retellings or even the Grimm fairytales, but are looking for something a little more mature, this is a book you will enjoy! I’d also recommend this book if you enjoyed ABC’s “Once Upon a Time” or movies like the 2012 “Snow White and the Huntsman”.

I chose the audiobook version of this novel from NetGalley and really enjoyed the narrator as well. Sarah Ovens’ performance kept me both entertained and with my attention captured throughout the book! I initially chose this book for the cover and title – I do love the forest and play on the Brothers Grimm name, but the description pulled me in. As I mentioned, I missed the first book in this duology, but have added it to my TBR list!

I would like to thank the publisher for sending me an audio-arc in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley.

Picking up where we left off, Clara and Axel have survived the Forest Grimm and found Sortes Fortunae and brought it (and a few of the lost) back, but the curse hasn't been broken just yet. Clara is determined to break the curse, and after doing the forbidden and making a second wish on the book, she learns her answer lies within the Forest. So, once again, her and Axel set out to break the curse. This time, along with new people they meet within the forest (and new fairytales being retold), as well as her awakening power to see visions of the past, they'll have to discover the truth behind the curse and free the rest of the people trapped before their time is up.

Way more deadly, full of riddles and twists, with the stakes super high, Clara and Axel have things cut out for them. There's a lot going on, but I feel like we needed a lot of things to happen to discover the truth behind the curse. And the truth is so much darker than I thought it would be. However, I do wish we knew a little bit more about the person who was behind it considering we never even knew their name in the first book? I mean don't get me wrong, we do get a pretty insane ending to everything, but I just wish the buildup was a little more intense. Especially since that final fight scene happened so fast. Other than that, I really did enjoy the craziness that was this duology and how dark everything got. I loved the romance, I just wish the nonsense between them didn't happen (I get why it did, but I'm still salty about it). I loved the character growth and development. But mostly, I loved the way this book tied it all together.

Actual Rating: 4.5 stars

This was exactly what I needed from the second part of this dualogy! This gives such Once Upon A Time vibes and I am obsessed! The curse was growing and changing and Clara and Axel have to find the cure before more of their neighbors and friends are taken. Clara’s visions are evolving and changing and you see her growing as well. I was so excited every time a different fairy tale character evolved and loved seeing Purdie’s representation of them. This book had me literally laughing at some points and a sobbing mess in others. Her relationship with her grandmother really was so beautiful, and I loved the Ollie character so much!! And the Grimm Wolf?! Omg 😭

This was a great sequel — it expanded on the first book while still creating a whole new story to get lost in. I really enjoyed the mystery aspects. There was a good balance of clues to follow and twists that caught me by surprise. The narration was also great and made for a really good listening experience.

I really liked this sequel! I thought it picked up from the first book well and expanded on it in a sensual way. I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery of it and I was constantly putting together clues as to the ending result. It did have some slower moments but I did enjoy it more than the first book!! I need to check out more books by this author as this duo was really fun.

I really liked the audiobook. The actress was very engaging and created the atmosphere well.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance audio copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Deathly Grimm is book 2 in the Forest Grimm duology. I would definitely recommend reading the first book prior to starting this one. It picks up right where the first left off. The pacing with this one was slow compared to the first, I kept anticipating something happening and it didn't. I just wanted and needed more. It lacked mystery and intrigue, also I did feel it was written even younger than the first which felt off to me. Also, Clara complained about the S-Curve in her back, it was a little much and started to become repetitive.

The love interest was just annoying to be honest, the back and forth. I felt like the beginning lingered too long before pulling us into the action of the story, which it should've done as this is the second in the series. I wanted more forest encounters and a faster pace to keep the momentum of the story going.

Overall, it's a fun and original read, I just feel I might've not been the right audience for it. I can see why a lot are loving it, if it's your style you should definitely give it a shot.

✨️Thank you to @netgalley, @macmillanaudio & Kathryn Purdie for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.