Overall: Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.


Content warnings: gore

Rep: chronic pain MC, slow burn romance/friends to lovers

Thoughts
Neutral thoughts:

So this was interesting! Ive never read a Kathryn Purdie book before so I just went in hoping that I liked this. And I did, for the most part. This has a really strong start to the story and I found the magic in this world to be very interesting. But I did have some issues as I continued on in the story (but nothing problematic). I just kind of felt a little underwhelmed by the plot? While things were definitely going on and there really ISN'T a dull moment in this book, I just kind of wanted the story to go in a different direction or had certain things happen in different ways or incorporated different Grimm Fairytales than the ones that are most prominent in this first book.

The only real gripe I have with this story is how it ended. Something happens at the end of this that gives us a reason for there to be a second book, and I really think that this should just be a standalone. I don't think there NEEDS to be a second book. Will it be interesting? I don't doubt it and I'm curious to see what Grimm tales that Purdie will use, but the issue that Clara is trying to solve in this book, I think, could have been completely resolved and everyone could be living their "happily ever after".


So do I recommend this book? I do. If you like a fast paced story that has action & adventure, is based off of fairytale retellings with a nice romantic subplot (and Clara & Axel were pretty cute... and I was rooting for them), then I totally recommend you check this one out! Our MC has scoliosis and I liked seeing that rep.