I was surprised with how much I enjoyed the first book in this series, so I was looking forward to the second one. However, this book lacked the mystery that the first book had, and this book read significantly younger to me. The angst from the love interest got annoying enough that I couldn't finish the book - as a 32 year old, I can only handle YA to an extent. This book missed the creepiness of the first book, and there was little compelling me to want to know what would happen next. Sadly a miss for me.

The narration was good, though the voice feels older than Clara, making the teen angst feel a bit out of place.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this follow-up to The Forest Grimm. New fairytales were used in equally interesting ways, and everything was wrapped up with a perfect bow at the end. The characters were just as fun, and the love between Clara and Axel felt well deserved. It was a bit of a slower read than I'd have liked, but the audio made the book fly by, and the narrator did a wonderful job of differentiating between the different character's voices and making them all feel like distinct characters.

This is the second book in Kathryn Purdie’s The Forest Grimm duology, and the books should be read in order since this book answers all the remaining questions posed in the first book. I loved the way Purdie combines different fairy tales in this young adult romantic fantasy. She did a great job creating a spooky atmosphere and a suspenseful plot that held my interest and kept me guessing.

Our main character Clara is stubborn and sometimes makes foolish decisions, but she means well, and her actions are consistent with her personality and values. I was rooting for her as she tried to solve the mystery of who murdered Bren Zimmer and triggered the curse. This book has more emphasis on Clara’s visions and efforts to solve the mystery and reverse the curse, but we also see Clara’s relationship with Axel change and grow, as well as her relationships with various villagers. The book can be quite dark at times, and not everyone gets a happy ending, but Clara’s story reaches a satisfying conclusion.

The audiobook production was excellent. I loved the narration by Sarah Ovens. She has a pleasant voice and accent, good pacing and pronunciation, distinctive voices and speech patterns to suit each character, and she is able to convey mood and emotion effectively. The story works very well as an audiobook.

Readers who enjoyed The Forest Grimm should enjoy this sequel too.

I received a free advanced review copy of the audiobook through NetGalley. I volunteered to provide an honest review.

This is the second book in The Forest Grimm Duology. In Book 1 The Forest Grimm we met seventeen-year-old Clara. She ignored her grandmother’s instructions and entered the dangerous forest to retrieve Sortes Fortunae, an enchanted book with the power to life the curse plaguing her village and maybe even save her mother. For years the villagers used the Sortes Fortunae to obtain their deepest desires---until someone used it to kill. In book 1 we are inspired by Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty among others.
The Deathly Grimm (The Forest Grimm duology Book 2). Clara and Axel have no choice; they must return to the forest and its monsters if they have any hope of finally breaking the curse on their village. When Clar and Axel escaped the forest, they returned to their village. They thought they would finally be safe. There is a page missing from Sortes Fortunae, the Book of Fortunes. The forest begins luring villagers into the dark forest. There was a deeper, darker and more dangerous presence lurking there. Clara and Axel must once again face an evil in the forest. This evil is different than the one they faced previously, this was a greater evil.
In book 2 we are inspired by Jack and the Bean Stalk, Rumpelstiltskin, Snow White and the Princess and the Frog. I enjoyed this book; I’m a great fan of fairy tales especially when told from a different point of view.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

We're back in the Grimm forest with Clara and Axel! Meeting new characters and fairytales was the best part of this sequel. I found the pacing on this one to be much slower, which was kind of frustrating since the world was already built in book 1. Still a fun sequel!

I LOVE when a sequel outdoes the original!! The Deathly Grimm is the perfect deep dark Grimm's fairytale vibes but twisted up and tied with a neat new bow. It was even better than the original tale and the audio recording was beautifully done. The perfect balance of inflection and storytelling. I loved this one. It's got hints and nods to so many different stories while making something entirely unique and new. Sondheim's Into the Woods- but for the readers. Absolutely devoured this. 5 stars all day.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Macmillan Young Listeners for this advanced copy! You can pick up The Deathly Grimm on March 25, 2025.

While I really enjoyed the first entry in Kathryn Purdie's Forest Grimm duology, I found getting swept away in this story a bit more difficult. The plot was slower than I would've liked, despite the hunt for a murderer and the new fairytale creatures and characters Clara and Axel encountered. The romance wasn't bad, but I didn't connect with them quite as much as I would've liked. If you enjoy dark fairytales and cursebreaking, though, I think you'll really enjoy this one!

The Deathly Grimm is the sequel to Kathryn Purdie’s The Grimm Forest. However, I did not read the first book in this duology, yet I had no trouble picking up the second book and following along. The Deathly Grimm can easily be read as a standalone.

The publisher describes the book as a dark fairy tale, and I feel it is important to point out that most fairy tales in their original forms, are innately dark, and that’s why I love them so much. I counted at least eight different stories from the Grimm brothers, but it’s possible that I missed references to other stories.

I think I enjoyed the book in audio format more than I would have in print because there were a couple of motifs that repeated several times throughout the story. My eyes and brain would have grown tired had I read those parts again and again; it was much easier to listen to someone narrate in such instances.

As for content warnings, this book is pretty mild. There is some violence which is expected of a fairy tale. I don't recall there being vulgar language. If there was, it obviously wasn't enough to stand out to me. There were a couple of kissing scenes, but they were minor. I think teens would actually see an example of how to set boundaries when the male main character insists that they wait for the right time and the right mindset instead of rushing.

Sarah Ovens is the narrator, and she has a lovely posh voice, just above a whisper, that draws the listener into an intimate listening experience. Ovens has a different voice for each character and her cadence fits the story. I think the reason this audiobook was such a positive listening experience is because we all grew up listening to fairy tales – they were oral stories before written for many of us.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys stories that grab hold of them and draw them into dark and magical forests.

The Deathly Grimm by Kathryn Purdie is the second and final book in The Forest Grimm duology. I'll be honest, I was a little iffy on the first book but I also wanted to see how this duology ended so I decided to give this a try. This was a great end to this dark fairytale. I really enjoyed the twisted and dark take on so many fairytales. The plot did feel a little cobbled together but it was still such a fun journey. The audiobook was fantastic. The narration did a wonderful job at bringing this eerie story to life.

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Starting this book I didn't know it was book 2, I read this as a stand alone, and read it just fine.

This eerie retellings of the Brothers Grimm’s fairytales tries to break the curse on the Forest Grimm and Grimm Hollow once and for all. There’s so many secrets and plots to uncover and each twist and reveal kept me on the edge of my seat. This book has a dark forest, cursed Village, quests and romance.

I would definitely recommend this duology to fans of YA fantasy!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I really just loved every moment of this audiobook. I spent a lot of time driving the last two days and this kept me sane the whole time.
Clara and Axel are back in the Forest Grimm to help break the curse and save their friends and home. I admittedly did not pay attention to the fact this was a second book. 🙈. But honestly I didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything.
The authors use of all the classic Grimm characters but interwoven and used in such unique and fun ways was perfect. This book was precisely what I needed on a stressful weekend. Whimsy, a mystery, and a tiny bit of romance!
4.5/5 stars for me.
I received an ALC of this title, all opinions are my own.

The Deathly Grimm
By Kathryn Purdie
Narrated by Sarah Ovens
4 ⭐️

The second half of this duology flowed really well from the first. The books read very cohesively. A mystery needs to be solved to release the Forest Grimm from the overbearing curse that steals loved ones without warning. The lost ones present riddles to be solved. Clara and Axel need to learn to truly trust in each other. I think this story shines via audiobook. Ovens does a great job bringing it to life. The story is easy to follow and stayed interesting throughout. I had a good time.

Thank you NetGalley, Kathryn Purdie, and Macmillian audio for this audiobook ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5

The Deathly Grimm is the dark, twisty conclusion to The Forest Grimm duology with romance, riddles, and a thrilling adventure.

I had a lot of fun with this one. Kathryn Purdie writes wonderfully creative stories with the sweetest endings, and The Deathly Grimm was no exception. The romance between Axel and Clara was darling, and I loved the character development. The adventure and action through the forest were entertaining, and I enjoyed the incorporation of the Brothers Grimm’s fairytales. The plot was interesting and led to a sweet, satisfying conclusion. The pacing was lovely, and Kathryn’s writing was beautiful, as always. I would definitely recommend this duology to fans of YA fantasy!

Sarah Ovens narrated this one beautifully. Her voice fit Clara perfectly, and the depth and emotion she used made the story wonderfully immersive and the characters come to life. I highly recommend the audiobook.

Thank you to the publisher for the free ALC!

Duologies are the sweet spot for YA Fantasy for me, and this conclusion did not disappoint!

Clara and Axel are not your typical YA Fantasy protagonists, and I love them for it. They’re a little more whimsical, a little more flawed, and a little more human. Kathryn Purdie has created such well-rounded characters with so much heart and hope you can’t help but root for them. Furthermore, I will always think of this book when I see a penny.

The Deathly Grimm is perfect for readers who like:
- Dark, fractured fairy tale elements
- Sentient forests
- Sentient books
- Characters who crawl into your heart
- Magic with consequences
- Murder mysteries
- Curses
- Sweet romance
- Rhyming riddles
- Satisfying conclusions

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook ARC. I look forward to Kathryn Purdie’s next project!

4.5 rounded up
I actually enjoyed this more than the first book.
This book reminded me more of The Brothers Grimm movie from 2005. It has a darker feel to it than the first one.
The added emphasis of the mystery or catching a killer really drove the story.
Overall I really enjoyed it and felt that the ending was very satisfying and not as predictable as I originally thought it would be.
The narrator was wonderful as well.

I loved this first book, but this one fell a little short for me, in some areas of the book I felt like they drone in and it dragged. I’m glad that they kept the same narrator for the series.

୨⎯ 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒔 ⎯୧
rating: 3.75
narrator: 5
plot: 3..5
characters: 4
writing: 4
romance: 3.25

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“Sortes Fortunae, hear my voice. Understand my heart and its deepest desire. My name is Clara Thurn…"

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°•*⁀➷ what to expect
fairytale character references
dark magical forest
she can see visions of the past
solving the mystery
breaking the curse

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°•*⁀➷ what to expect
the narrator sounded exactly as i imagined Clara to sound like, it make listening more immersive and entertaining. Her voice was soothing and was absolutely remarkable. 10/10!

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°•*⁀➷ the rundown
this is the sequel and conclusion of The Forest Grimm, a very intriguing and magical read from start to finish! I’ve been anticipating this book since reading the last page of the first book! Clara, with her red cape, goes with Axel again through the forest to attempt to find the missing page and the m*rderer who started the curse. those who wonder in the forest with no protection usually become lost easily and succumb to the magic, becoming a dark form of what they are lost for.

in the first book we discover some characters that are lost inspired by Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and others i’ve forgotten. In this one we get Jack and the Bean Stalk, Rumpelstiltskin, Snow White, and even Princess and the Frog. but it’s all twisted and in a merely subtle form or mention, definitely not a disney vibe.

I really enjoyed this one for the most part, i did feel like it was a bit dragged through, i was hoping for some more forest intervention like in the first book. I was genuinely surprised from the twist in the end! and am glad Axel and Clara finally get to be happy together.

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This is a wonderful adventure! I love the romance, the fairy tale people, and the setting. I love the narration! It is weird and wonderful!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the audiobook copy to review. Narration by Sarah Ovens had a great atmosphere that complemented the story very well. I really enjoyed her accent and delivery for various characters. It was clear, whimsical, and captivating.

This was a great conclusion to The Forest Grimm duology. I love the creative direction and twists on well-known fairytales. The fantasy aspect really appeals to my inner child, growing up with these stories it just added a cozy feeling to the overall experience for me.

Clara went through a lot of growth in this book and came into her own magic. The murder mystery on top of all the riddles and curses created an explosive finale. The last quarter of the book was fast paced with a satisfying happy ending and I couldn’t ask for more.