Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really loved this story and the different twists the author put on the classic fairytales we know of. Additionally, the author sourced from the original stories by Hans Christian Andersen and the Grimm fairytales, so they are not the Disney-washed version we have grown up with.
The vibes of this book and the stories reminded me of the movie Brothers Grimm with Matt Damon and Heath Ledger, with the dark yet whimsical aesthetic of the story's town and the fairytales themselves.
The personal journey and relationship of the FMC, Serena, and her mother hit almost too close to home with my own issues with my mother, especially when I came across the quote "mothers are strange; they will try to protect your from the entire world, from their barbs and their critiques and their judgement, but the one person they will forget to protect you from is themselves". That is so incredibly true.
Overall, loved the pace of the relationship development between Serena and the MMC, Grim. In the one fairytale ofBeauty and the Beast, where Serena has to find a way to break the beast cure on Grim, I immediately saw the similarities between that ending scene and the one episode of Fruits Basket when Tohru discovered Kyo's true form, right down to how she tackle hugs him and professes she doesn't care how he looks, she just wants him home and wants to understand .
There was quite a bit of info-dumping/explanation for the magic system and how it worked, but it all came together in the end and left enough open to set up for further exploration. This is a series I will 100% recommend to anyone who loves the adventure aspect of fantasy, but does not need an intricately detailed/ever expansive world building angle. Perfect for anyone who loves the trials component of fantasy, retellings of familiar fairytales, and FMCs who are soft but can curse like a sailor when warranted.
The vibes of this book and the stories reminded me of the movie Brothers Grimm with Matt Damon and Heath Ledger, with the dark yet whimsical aesthetic of the story's town and the fairytales themselves.
The personal journey and relationship of the FMC, Serena, and her mother hit almost too close to home with my own issues with my mother, especially when I came across the quote "mothers are strange; they will try to protect your from the entire world, from their barbs and their critiques and their judgement, but the one person they will forget to protect you from is themselves". That is so incredibly true.
Overall, loved the pace of the relationship development between Serena and the MMC, Grim. In the one fairytale of
There was quite a bit of info-dumping/explanation for the magic system and how it worked, but it all came together in the end and left enough open to set up for further exploration. This is a series I will 100% recommend to anyone who loves the adventure aspect of fantasy, but does not need an intricately detailed/ever expansive world building angle. Perfect for anyone who loves the trials component of fantasy, retellings of familiar fairytales, and FMCs who are soft but can curse like a sailor when warranted.
I really needed a book like this after reading The Poppy War😭 Overall, this book was amazing and I loved every second of it. The plot twists were surprisingly good and engaging. The fmc was adorable and I laughed at everything. It’s tue kind of book you read when you want to be in a good mood and not have to work your brain out. The mmc was alright but I little bland. His whole thing is protecting her a fighting, thats it.
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Thank you Hafsa.A. Jawad for an ARC!
Serena Rose dreamed of fairy tales… but never expected to live in one. She lives a quiet life in her little cottage, until a dark-haired stranger shows up, searching for an ancient book hidden in her family's collection.
Their playful banter quickly turns dangerous when they accidentally release an evil immortal...
Serena Rose dreamed of fairy tales… but never expected to live in one. She lives a quiet life in her little cottage, until a dark-haired stranger shows up, searching for an ancient book hidden in her family's collection.
Their playful banter quickly turns dangerous when they accidentally release an evil immortal...
DNF/0 Stars - will comment the reason
⭐️ - I finished but either hated the ending or something else was really awful. Will blacklist the author from further reading.
⭐️⭐️ - I didn’t have strong enough feelings to DNF or give it 1 star, but it was super forgettable, had major editing problems/plot holes, or was just boring. Will not read the sequels, would likely not read more from this author.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ - I thought it was good. It was easy to read and I had a good time. Maybe kind of generic but everything came together in an enjoyable package. May or may not read any sequels, would consider reading more from the author.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - I really enjoyed this! Will definitely read the sequels and seek out more from this author. It hit the right spots, and I will likely reread it. There may be a couple minor issues, or was missing an intangible, but it was a good read. If you share my taste I recommend it.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - I need 30 sequels just like it, STAT. If I haven’t bought it already, I probably will. There will definitely be rereads, and I want to see everything the author has written.