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novaturient_bibliophile's review
4.5
As much as I really enjoyed this book, the first 200 pages or so were a bit dull and unexciting. It was like nothing happened and then—boom! everything just happened all at once, which made it a bit of a discouraging read. And sometimes seemingly boring rising actions can secretly hold hints and foreshadowing, but this one didn’t really. The ending and overall vibe/energy of the book makes that a bit of a moot point, though. I really liked how each of the girls overcame their own issues/got their own spotlight. It made the book very well-rounded. Plus, the diversity and queer rep were incredible. This book did frustrate me at times, though, because I knew it could be better and it just wasn’t, which is proven by how great the ending was. I was also overwhelmed at times. That being said, I’m still very excited to read the sequel.
This reminded me of the Once Upon a Con series by Ashley Poston, and sort of Carry On by Rainbow Rowell (because they both have gay people at boarding schools).
This reminded me of the Once Upon a Con series by Ashley Poston, and sort of Carry On by Rainbow Rowell (because they both have gay people at boarding schools).
redrosesrot's review against another edition
3.0
Charming, just not for me
This is a charming, at times gruesome, little fairy tale. There were a lot of bits I liked (the representation was all quite good!) and a lot of parts I didn't. Overall, this book isn't for me, but I think the audience this is made for would (and should) love it.
This is a charming, at times gruesome, little fairy tale. There were a lot of bits I liked (the representation was all quite good!) and a lot of parts I didn't. Overall, this book isn't for me, but I think the audience this is made for would (and should) love it.
annettebooksofhopeanddreams's review
4.0
This book has been on my wishlist ever since I saw it on Netgalley and didn't get an arc copy. However, when I request a book on Netgalley I really want it so I decided to just pre-order. But with all the issues, paper shortage and shipping stuff, I only received the book this week. And although I had actually planned to read another book today, this book kept on winking at me the last two days and I decided to just give in and get started.
And I read the entire book in one sitting, without breaks and without me wanting or needing any breaks. That's partly because the writing style is easy and fast. The sentences are short and the author clearly doesn't use more words than needed. I have to admit that I think I would have loved the book more if the writing style had been a little more flowery, because now it felt a little monotonous at times and therefore I didn't really felt everything I was reading.
And that's a pity because what I was reading was quite cool! I really loved the concept of this book. I of course don't want to give away too much, but as a reader you quite soon get an inkling of what's truly going on and what these girls are dealing with. I quite enjoyed how the author incorporated all the different fairytales and how she also included quite a few lesser known tales, although mostly just by name.
I also really liked the diverse cast of characters. I especially liked how Ruby's chronic pain and her relationship with her body is portrayed. I have to admit that it seems she's a few steps ahead of me when it comes to dealing with all of it, but I think that this is exactly how it will be when I get there! And it was nice to have sexualities and mental and physical issues as just one of the many things making our characters. Not one of them was reduced to just a label.
I have to admit that the mythology is a little vague now, but I assume the sequel will shed some more light on it. I can't wait!
And I read the entire book in one sitting, without breaks and without me wanting or needing any breaks. That's partly because the writing style is easy and fast. The sentences are short and the author clearly doesn't use more words than needed. I have to admit that I think I would have loved the book more if the writing style had been a little more flowery, because now it felt a little monotonous at times and therefore I didn't really felt everything I was reading.
And that's a pity because what I was reading was quite cool! I really loved the concept of this book. I of course don't want to give away too much, but as a reader you quite soon get an inkling of what's truly going on and what these girls are dealing with. I quite enjoyed how the author incorporated all the different fairytales and how she also included quite a few lesser known tales, although mostly just by name.
I also really liked the diverse cast of characters. I especially liked how Ruby's chronic pain and her relationship with her body is portrayed. I have to admit that it seems she's a few steps ahead of me when it comes to dealing with all of it, but I think that this is exactly how it will be when I get there! And it was nice to have sexualities and mental and physical issues as just one of the many things making our characters. Not one of them was reduced to just a label.
I have to admit that the mythology is a little vague now, but I assume the sequel will shed some more light on it. I can't wait!
alyxander's review
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I really loved this type of fairytale retelling. Plus the characters really felt like they were going through it
milly_mv_'s review
2.0
don't get me wrong, el libro en si no es tan malo, pero prometía más de lo que pudo dar. Teniendo una trama tan interesante, se me hizo lento y cuando por fin se supo la verdad del drama del libro, no me impactó ni me mantuvo nerviosa. No creo que lea el segundo, ni siquiera con toda la curiosidad que tengo. Este debía haber sido un libro autoconclusivo.
libraryforspooky's review
4.0
The first day of school started with a funeral.
Firstly, I saw this at Barnes and Noble as January's hottest fiction read for the month and thought I just had to have it. Pretty little liars meets Once Upon A Time, you say? Well, say no more - this is my kind of read.
So, this is apparently the first book in the series and I don't think the second book has a release date yet - so if you're a "I like to read series after they finish" kind of person, turn away and try again in a few years. There are 4 main characters in the novel.
Ari is the friend who passes away and the secret keeper. Honestly, I didn't really vibe with her ghost. She had a lot of secrets, lied to her friends and didn't even warn them about the curse thats upon Grimrose Academy.
Ella - sweet sweet Ella. She was my favorite character, an underdog. A life full of anything but kindness yet she's full of it! She's also really smart, on scholarship at the academy.
Rory is headstrong with a temper thats ready to bounce at any given time. She's a firecracker and I LOVE that. She'll stand up to her friends and for her friends. She always seems to find the good and the ugly in situations. Also - she's like super rich.
Yuki had a lot of character development throughout the book. I'll be honest, I didn't really like her at first. She was always so ready to turn against her friends because she had some kind of defense mechanism on what the unknown is. However, when her friends really needed her, she was there. I think that shows the best kind of development, to know that love means setting aside differences to all come together.
Noni is the new kid who took over the dead girls bunk. Talk about awkward teen years. Anyway, she comes off cold to everybody and she starts warming up. Truthfully, Noni is just a scared, lost girl who is trying to find the one person in her life who doesn't want to be found. She's headstrong though and she's made a bond that will last her through the years.
I really liked Grimrose Girls, enough that I don't mind picking up the second book to find out about that cliffhanger. I do feel like that perhaps the book was shortened before publishing - it seemed like the first half of the book was in circles about feeling uncomfortable to find out what is really going on. It was probably three quarters in the book that the friend group finally starts to work together. It was kind of exhausting with Yuki and then the ending was wrapped up. You're sitting there scratching your head like - what??? Still a four stars to me though.
Firstly, I saw this at Barnes and Noble as January's hottest fiction read for the month and thought I just had to have it. Pretty little liars meets Once Upon A Time, you say? Well, say no more - this is my kind of read.
So, this is apparently the first book in the series and I don't think the second book has a release date yet - so if you're a "I like to read series after they finish" kind of person, turn away and try again in a few years. There are 4 main characters in the novel.
Ari is the friend who passes away and the secret keeper. Honestly, I didn't really vibe with her ghost. She had a lot of secrets, lied to her friends and didn't even warn them about the curse thats upon Grimrose Academy.
Ella - sweet sweet Ella. She was my favorite character, an underdog. A life full of anything but kindness yet she's full of it! She's also really smart, on scholarship at the academy.
Rory is headstrong with a temper thats ready to bounce at any given time. She's a firecracker and I LOVE that. She'll stand up to her friends and for her friends. She always seems to find the good and the ugly in situations. Also - she's like super rich.
Yuki had a lot of character development throughout the book. I'll be honest, I didn't really like her at first. She was always so ready to turn against her friends because she had some kind of defense mechanism on what the unknown is. However, when her friends really needed her, she was there. I think that shows the best kind of development, to know that love means setting aside differences to all come together.
Noni is the new kid who took over the dead girls bunk. Talk about awkward teen years. Anyway, she comes off cold to everybody and she starts warming up. Truthfully, Noni is just a scared, lost girl who is trying to find the one person in her life who doesn't want to be found. She's headstrong though and she's made a bond that will last her through the years.
I really liked Grimrose Girls, enough that I don't mind picking up the second book to find out about that cliffhanger. I do feel like that perhaps the book was shortened before publishing - it seemed like the first half of the book was in circles about feeling uncomfortable to find out what is really going on. It was probably three quarters in the book that the friend group finally starts to work together. It was kind of exhausting with Yuki and then the ending was wrapped up. You're sitting there scratching your head like - what??? Still a four stars to me though.
izzys_internet_bookshelf's review
3.0
3/5
The plot of the book was great. There were some parts I didn’t enjoy as much and I feel like the characters weren’t fully developed in a way. The ending itself was great, setting up the next book.
The plot of the book was great. There were some parts I didn’t enjoy as much and I feel like the characters weren’t fully developed in a way. The ending itself was great, setting up the next book.
mcgifer's review
2.0
I love how much care I felt in these characters and their relationships, but I think the plot suffered. I don’t like open ended endings, which I recognize as a preference,
but still the fairytale book’s origin and importance doesn’t make much sense to me. Can the book grant anyone powers or just Yuki? Did the book even grant the powers or did Yuki just unlock them? Did any girl who would go to this school be woven into the book or was it specific to very certain girls?
Yuki getting powers 3/4 through the book also was weird. It was well written but at the same time the placement was a little “I need to create a divide between the girls soon that would end up saving all of them.” The last scene really diluted Rory and Nani as well (Rory lowkey the entire book was an afterthought it seemed like).
Best scene in the book is when Rory says “while you are all we’re being heterosexual I was studying the art of the blade” and Ella says “none of us are heterosexual.” Really good representation this entire book, plus the love interests are pretty well fleshed out, however Yuki and Penelope and Nani and Svenja were written pretty similarly until the ball. Ella and Freddie are very cute and we should’ve gotten more Rory and Pippa but that is also kinda Rory’s whole spiel.
More Rory rant: made many hints to her illness through the whole book and was featured in trying to save Ella, we don’t know what it was. Probably to prove that illness shouldn’t seem as a characteristic and as a nod to her fairytale counterpart, but like? Do her friends know or is it a huge secret? Does pippa know? If her parents are so worried about her fragility why send her to school hours away?
NANI NEVER KNEW WHAT HAPPENED TO HER DAD? Like did I miss something??? That was her entire motivation until the last few chapters and how she got to go to that cursed school? Plus did her dad know she was destined to be cursed like why was he the one to inspire her to go to this place that was trying to kill her? Because there have been many deaths over the years so it wasn’t just Penelope right? Plus the girls never knew about Nani’s motives even though it was creating a wedge! Like Ella actually probably knew her dad if you think about it because the author mentioned Ella waving at the guards right after we learn Nani’s dad was one? I thought it would be resolved?
Okay Yuki: I related to her a lot I’m the beginning but I don’t know maybe I just fell subject to how she was being painted but she was pretty awful to her friends until the end from what we saw of her (even though Rory, Ella, and Nani gave phrase long instances that say she was a good person). Her being jealous of Freddie in a non romantic way was cool to read because you see that often but I think she was villanized a little too much.
I don’t have much to say about Ella like yes I wish we could’ve gotten more into her situation about the bruises but everything about her is very straightforward to read but in a good way. Keeps the book grounded?
So yeah I don’t like how every girl had an undivulged secret that didn’t get resolved even in the end in addition to what the hell that book even was. Way too much was left open ended
Edit: there might be a sequel which I think it desperately needs. Not a standalone book at all maybe it was too ambitious. I haven’t read series intended books in a long time so maybe I forgot how it felt to read them?
but still the fairytale book’s origin and importance doesn’t make much sense to me. Can the book grant anyone powers or just Yuki? Did the book even grant the powers or did Yuki just unlock them? Did any girl who would go to this school be woven into the book or was it specific to very certain girls?
Yuki getting powers 3/4 through the book also was weird. It was well written but at the same time the placement was a little “I need to create a divide between the girls soon that would end up saving all of them.” The last scene really diluted Rory and Nani as well (Rory lowkey the entire book was an afterthought it seemed like).
Best scene in the book is when Rory says “while you are all we’re being heterosexual I was studying the art of the blade” and Ella says “none of us are heterosexual.” Really good representation this entire book, plus the love interests are pretty well fleshed out, however Yuki and Penelope and Nani and Svenja were written pretty similarly until the ball. Ella and Freddie are very cute and we should’ve gotten more Rory and Pippa but that is also kinda Rory’s whole spiel.
More Rory rant: made many hints to her illness through the whole book and was featured in trying to save Ella, we don’t know what it was. Probably to prove that illness shouldn’t seem as a characteristic and as a nod to her fairytale counterpart, but like? Do her friends know or is it a huge secret? Does pippa know? If her parents are so worried about her fragility why send her to school hours away?
NANI NEVER KNEW WHAT HAPPENED TO HER DAD? Like did I miss something??? That was her entire motivation until the last few chapters and how she got to go to that cursed school? Plus did her dad know she was destined to be cursed like why was he the one to inspire her to go to this place that was trying to kill her? Because there have been many deaths over the years so it wasn’t just Penelope right? Plus the girls never knew about Nani’s motives even though it was creating a wedge! Like Ella actually probably knew her dad if you think about it because the author mentioned Ella waving at the guards right after we learn Nani’s dad was one? I thought it would be resolved?
Okay Yuki: I related to her a lot I’m the beginning but I don’t know maybe I just fell subject to how she was being painted but she was pretty awful to her friends until the end from what we saw of her (even though Rory, Ella, and Nani gave phrase long instances that say she was a good person). Her being jealous of Freddie in a non romantic way was cool to read because you see that often but I think she was villanized a little too much.
I don’t have much to say about Ella like yes I wish we could’ve gotten more into her situation about the bruises but everything about her is very straightforward to read but in a good way. Keeps the book grounded?
So yeah I don’t like how every girl had an undivulged secret that didn’t get resolved even in the end in addition to what the hell that book even was. Way too much was left open ended
Edit: there might be a sequel which I think it desperately needs. Not a standalone book at all maybe it was too ambitious. I haven’t read series intended books in a long time so maybe I forgot how it felt to read them?