Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid

Overall Rating: 9/10

Juniper and Thorn is a gothic retelling of the Grimm Brothers' fairy tale, "The Juniper Tree." Marlinchen is the youngest and plain-faced witch-daughter of the last wizard in Oblya - a city in the midst of an industrial revolution. One night, she and her sister go against their father's iron rule to go to the ballet. There, she becomes enamoured with the principal dancer, Sevas, who also becomes quiet taken with her. But there is a monster in the city, and it is only the shadow of something more. Warning: this novel is full of trauma, abuse, horror, gore, and does not hold back at all.

I love retellings of fairy tales and fables. These fresh takes really keep the stories alive. Do keep in mine, this story is very traumatic. Some of the scenes are so psychologically visceral, its like a blow to the gut. I wouldn't say I didn't like it, per se, but it was really hard to stomach a lot.

The best fit for this book would definitely be an older reader, this is not something for the little ones.

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Reviewed by Ms. Folkins.