Praise for The Forest Grimm:
Book Riot, "Summer 2023 YA Books to Add to Your TBR"
The Nerd Daily, "Get Your Hands On These Anticipated July To December 2023 Book Releases"
"The Forest Grimm is a delicious combination of sinister and sweet." - Paste, "The Best New YA of September 2023"
"Purdie blends a variety of Grimm’s fairy tales—including “Cinderella,” “Rapunzel,” and “Hansel and Gretel”—into a sumptuous tale of love and survival in this beguiling journey." - Publishers Weekly
"A satisfying story that pays homage to the dark narrative arcs of traditional fairy tales." - Kirkus
"Clever mixing-and-matching of stories such as Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood provide a solid foundation for romance and some Grimm-inspired flashes of horror." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Purdie pulls from many original fairy tales to create this twisty yet enchanting romantasy." - School Library Journal
"I’ve covered a handful of fairy tale retellings over the years, but I’ve never come across one quite like Kathryn Purdie’s The Forest Grimm...my favorite new release of 2023....I always say the best books are the ones that sneak up on you and exceed any and all expectations, and The Forest Grimm meets that standard and then some." - Twin Cities Geek
"If you like YA fantasy with a hint of survival and twists, pick up Katheryn Purdie’s The Forest Grimm. Especially if you enjoy fractured fairy-tales!" - In Between Drafts, "The Best New Books of September"
"Recommend to readers likely to appreciate scary scenes balanced by a sweet, sensual romance and a happy ending." - Booklist
"Kathryn Purdie has bewitched us with another absolutely gorgeous read. Her prose is lovely, evocative, and snaring, and the gripping story of danger enraptures both heart and mind. She takes well-known fairy tales and puts clever, dark twists to them, all amid a real and enchanting setting. I'll go mad waiting for the sequel!" —Charlie N. Holmberg, Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Spellbreaker and The Paper Magician
"With an immersive world and rich magic, Kathryn Purdie has written a story that will change everything you thought you knew about fairy tales. Prepare to enter the Forest Grimm—and never leave." —Tricia Levenseller, New York Times bestselling author of Blade of Secrets
"Fast-paced and romantic, Kathryn Purdie lured me into a thrilling world where familiar fairytales are turned inside out and nothing is at seems. Once I entered the dark heart of the Forest Grimm, I never wanted to leave.” —Mara Rutherford, author of The Poison Season
“Within its first lines, The Forest Grimm promises an adventure with a clever trail of breadcrumbs to guide you. A brave and resolute heroine, an enchanted forest rooted in danger, and a slow-burning friends-to-lovers romance…Kathryn Purdie has written a luminous fairytale, sharp as teeth and full of heart. I devoured every word of this magical tale.” —Rebecca Ross, internationally bestselling author of Divine Rivals
2023-07-26
A prediction of untimely death was not what Clara Thurn expected when Grandmère read her fortune.
Clara could hardly wait for her 16th birthday and the coming-of-age rite in which she would make a secret wish on the Sortes Fortunae, or Book of Fortunes, just like every person in Grimm’s Hollow. But when she was 14, someone used their wish to commit murder, the Book of Fortunes went missing, and a curse now plagues the village. Clara’s mother was among the 67 Lost Ones who have since disappeared in the forest. Now there’s a lottery: The chosen person must enter the forest in search of the Lost and the Sortes Fortunae. Clara, 17, desperately hopes to be chosen in the lottery so she can save her mother. But instead, 19-year-old Axel Furst, whose fiancee became Lost, is selected. Clara, who has created a map of the forest based on information from those who entered it before the curse, takes off in pursuit of her friend. Clara is a strong and capable protagonist who has lost both her parents and is in chronic pain from scoliosis. Clara and Axel’s journey is an original and enjoyable take on Western European fairy tales. The characters’ rich and detailed backstories and the ominous, atmospheric prose are slightly let down by the pacing and conclusion, but this will not diminish readers’ overall enjoyment. Characters read white.
A satisfying story that pays homage to the dark narrative arcs of traditional fairy tales. (Fantasy. 13-18)