I had really high hopes for this book because I really love Gena Showalter, however I was bored. (Sorry – I know) Honestly can’t tell you much that happened in this book other than there were lots of Wizard of Oz references, which was to be expected. In fact, if I remember correctly, the Wizard of Oz was said to have happened to a “bored housewife” in the town that Moriah lives in. Moriah travels via tornado to somewhere that is NOT Oz. She meets characters that are like evil versions of the Wizard of Oz characters.

The book does end in a cliffhanger, so reader/listener beware. Will I maybe try and traditionally read this book when book two comes out and see if I like it better than audio? Maybe. I think it had the potential there was just something really missing for me.

I do love a retelling and was so excited when I saw this. It took me some time to really get into this book, the first 30% I think I was trying to figure out this Oz world. This is a grittier version of The Wizard of Oz. I enjoyed what the author did with their take on the story. My favorite character was Nugget aka Toto, I really enjoyed that take on the character. I would have loved to have seen a slightly more flushed out version of this story, it was almost there for me. I did enjoy the cliffhanger and think the next book will better flush out the characters for me so I can’t wait!

Well, this was touted as an 'OZ' type story....
Other than tornado's and similarities in some things...well, we are DEFINITELY NOT in Oz!!

Moriah lives in Kansas, in an Oz-like setting... and her town reeks of The Wizard of Oz, as that's the only thing that has ever made the town known...
BUT, she lives with her father. He is very sick. They have a lot of medical bills. She is working multiple jobs trying to make ends meet...after dropping out of college to come and help him, and, run their farm...

She is actually AT one of those jobs when a tornado warning comes. So...the diner is closing early. She has NOT made a ton of money today...and now, she is going home.
On the way home, she SEES the tornado approaching and runs into the closest building, hoping it will have a basement where she can shelter.
She is knocked out...

When she awakens, she is in another land. ?? Another world?? What is going on????

She leaves the building only to find a man, UNDER the building...dead!

Mind you, this is only the very BEGINNING of the book! She finds all kinds of strange things, beings, animals and behaviors here...unlike anything she has ever seen or encountered before.
And, she witnesses innocent people being put to DEATH... and realizes quickly that she will likely be next!!! 😮😮

🛑🛑 Going to STOP right here! 🛑🛑 Yes, you will say I've given TMI, but trust me, I have not even TOUCHED on all that goes on in this one!!

To be honest, I was very hesitant when I started to see all the bloodshed, but, I quickly became addicted, and LOVED Moriah for all she is and likely will ever be!!
And her sidekick, Nugget... adorable and yet terrifying as well!!
And Jasher, hunky and diabolical too!! Holy Moly!! This one was very different...and very good!

Sad to see it end, but very interested to see what will happen in book #2!

5 scary, snarling, bloody yet romantic and beautiful ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!!

#TheGreatAndTerrible (Out of Ozland, #1) by #GenaShowalter and narrated nicely by #SybilJohnson.

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #DreamscapeMedia for an ARC of the audiobook, in exchange for an honest review.
*** Release date was yesterday, 3/4/25, so look 👀 for it on shelves now!! ***

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This was not my favorite Gena Showalter book. First of all, the spice level was nil. The romance between Moriah and Jasher did not strike me as anything more than forced proximity, and was very bland. The journey storyline lacked drama for me and the characters were flat. There was not enough conflict, and when there was, Moriah and company seemed to overcome it quite easily with a magical healing bean or suddenly having body armor and super fighting skills. I wasn't into it. The narrator was great.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC audiobook.

The Great and Terrible was an exciting and adventure packed read. The world was magical and whimsical. There were twists and turns galore.

At its core it was a journey of self discovery and coming into one's own. I am so invested in Moriah and Jasher's story. I loved the way their relationship developed over the course of this first part of their story and can't wait to see what the author has in store for the rest of their journey.

The narrator did a wonderful job with this whimsical tale. I enjoyed listening to her. She has a pleasant voice.

I thoroughly enjoyed this reimagined version of The Wizard of Oz and definitely recommend it.

The Great and Terrible is a dark and thrilling twist on the traditional Wizard of Oz narrative, and I was hooked from start to finish. Hekeldama is an eerie, fascinating world, and the travel/journey nature of the story kept me on the edge of my seat with every new adventure and danger Moriah faced.

This was my first time reading a book from Gena Showalter, and I was absolutely blown away! Her storytelling is immersive, the pacing is gripping, and the world-building is incredibly vivid. I loved seeing a female protagonist take on the classic "hero’s journey"—it was empowering and captivating. Jasher, the morally gray love interest, was an absolute standout. The spice is low in this book, so I'd consider it fairly YA appropriate. While the romance followed a somewhat predictable enemies-to-lovers "touch her and die" dynamic, it added tension without overshadowing the action. If you love that trope, this one is for you! The plot twists and secrets woven throughout ensured there was never a dull moment.

My only hesitation was at the beginning — it felt a bit inauthentic that Moriah took so long to realize she was in another land. You’d think someone from a place called Ozland would be more prepared for the unexpected! But once the story found its stride, I was completely immersed with Moriah's quest.

The audiobook is phenomenal. The narrator's soothing voice made the experience even more intense and exciting.

If you’re ready to relive the magic of Oz with a darker, more romantic twist, The Great and Terrible is a must-read!

Moira Shaker lives in Ozland where she works as a waitress to pay her family’s expenses and care for her seriously ill father. She gets caught in a storm one night and ends up, Dorothy-like, in Westland - an Oz-like land where human sacrifices are what keep the weather at bay.
Fortunately, Moira is well-versed in The Wizard of Oz and draws our attention to the parallels and differences between what she is experiencing and the original source material plus the movie adaptation. When she makes friends with an abandoned stray, she refuses to call it Toto…until she does. And she wants to return to her ailing father in Kansas now that she’s in possession of a miraculous healing potion sold throughout this alternate land.
I didn’t know what to expect from this adventure novel. I liked the world-building and the weird laws like in Jasper Fforde’s color novels. But halfway through, this turned into that newish (to me) genre called Romantasy. A lot of meaningful looks, furtive glances, touches that are electric…. “Kiss already!” said two of the supporting characters, and they weren’t wrong: the romantic tension (I’m using romantic here since there was no sex in this book) was spun out too long.
Moira and her newly acquired companions face lots of obstacles: many adventures seemed too easily overcome or simply disappeared. But, as with most fantasy tales, simply suspend belief, go along for the ride, and it can be enjoyable. Beware this is the start of a series, so there is a big cliffhanger at the end. 3.5 rounded up for colorful world-building.
My thanks to the author, publisher, @DreamscapeMedia, and #NetGalley for early access to the audiobook of #TheGreatandTerrible for review purposes. Publication date is 4 March 2025.

👏 👏 👏 @genashowalter

This was a blast to listen to! What a fun twist in the Wizard of Oz world. I chose this sone because this is the vibe I was getting from Moriah during the whole book. She definitely fought back and jumped in at every challenge!! Jasher and Nugget now have a permanent spot in my heart.

I cannot wait for book two in the Out of Ozland Series.

Thank you @netgalley @dreamscape_media and @genashowalter for the ALC of this incredible story.

#outofozlandseries #wizardofoz #genashowalterbooks #dreamscapemedia #netgalley #netgalleyarc

Thank you so much to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the ARC of the audiobook of The Great and Terrible.

I didn’t know much about this book before going (I honestly don’t even know if I knew it was an Oz retelling). It was definitely a unique twist on Oz but for me it missed the mark a bit. I can’t pinpoint what it was, but the story just felt stagnant. Yes, stuff happened, but it didn’t feel dynamic enough. That being said, there were still lots of things this book had going for it.

The narration was fantastic. The narrator did a wonderful job of showing ranges of characters and kept the pace going quickly throughout.

I liked the unique nature of it being a different place with the same vibes. It wasn’t Oz, but it was still a place that people can get to through storms. There was a lot of world building that made this a very original story with old bones. I liked the variety of new creatures that this book introduced (my favourite of course is Nugget).

I felt like the chemistry between the main characters was lacking. They seemed like they just liked each other because they were the only option rather than for more in depth reasons.

Overall I think this book is worth the read if you enjoy retellings. If you don’t, this might not be for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC to review!
Rating (on a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being excellent)
Quality of writing: 4
Pace: 4
Narrator: 4
Plot development: 4
Characters: 4
Enjoyability: 4
Ease of Reading: 4

Overall rating: 4 out of 5

Moriah and Jasher were just cute together. I do not remember much of the Wizard of Oz, but rather than work through those references, I just read the book and quite enjoyed it.

It was so fast paced and included everything from tornadoes, clones to cannibals.

Sybil Johnson was a fab narrator and did all the voices well.

#netgalley #TheGreatandTerrible

Gena Showalter knows how to deliver 2010s romantasy nostalgia in unique semi-urban, portal retellings.

Moriah is catapulted into another world Wizard of Oz style. Instead of a Tin man, she meets a handsome but heartless executioner. Instead of Toto she meets a vicious hunting beast-dog. Instead of helpful or wicked witches, there’s treacherous elites who use commoners to pay for their crimes in death.

This is extremely cringy and I was reminded of all the books out in the 2010s. Think the dramatics of Bella from Twilight. The yearning from The Mortal Instruments. The forbidden baddie romantic interest of the Vampire Academy.

It wasn’t great, it wasn’t bad.
Oh, and it was a clean romance which was unexpected from Gena Showalter!

I got this because I was obsessed with her Alice in Zombieland series as a pre-teen (yes, I was way too young - blame my librarian) and I was curious.

Arc gifted by Dreamscape Media.