Early Reader Review: Witch of the Shadow Wood by Tori Anne Martin

Source: From the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in now way alters my opinion or review. 

Witch of the Shadow Wood by Tori Anne Martin 

Publisher: Alcove Press
Publication Date:  March 10, 2026

 

Format: Paperback ARC

Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

A feminist cozy romantasy retelling of the classic fairy tale Hansel and Gretel, complete with a sapphic love story and a revenge tale, from USA Today bestselling author Tori Anne Martin, perfect for fans of The Spellshop.

Fifteen years ago, a little girl’s father bartered her away to the old witch in the woods for some magic. Abandoned by her brother, Hans, who promised to keep her safe, Greta learns to embrace her new life as an apprentice to the witch, and starts a new life as Miria.

Two years ago, she rescued a young woman who was lost in those woods, and she fell in love.

Just now, she learned that woman was engaged--against her will--to a man who once was complicit in trading his little sister, who'd used the magic her life had bought to give her former family wealth and power beyond measure, and then forgot all about her.

Soon, the young witch will leave the woods. Stop the wedding. Save the woman she loves. Get revenge.

But beyond the woods, nothing is ever that simple.

Review: 

Witch of the Shadow Wood is a loose Hansel and Gretel retelling focusing on the siblings getting separated and instead of an evil witch, Greta is bought by a witch that then trains her to also become a witch. The plot centers on Greta as she learns more and also falls in love with a girl she finds lost in the woods.  Greta takes on her new life as Miria and becomes a witch in the woods herself, and now she is set on helping Adaline get out of an arranged marriage. 

I was really curious how this book was going to balance being both a cozy cottage vibe and a revenge story. The cozy atmosphere comes through well in the beginning, especially in the quiet moments in the woods and Miria’s new life learning magic. But once the plot starts moving toward revenge and confrontation, the tone feels a little less cozy. There isn’t a lot of violence, but the shift in stakes makes the vibe change a bit.

One of the strongest parts of the book for me was the slow-burn romance between Miria and Adaline. Their relationship develops in a sweet, gentle way that fits the cozy fantasy elements. I also thought the characters were well developed, particularly Greta/Miria. I enjoyed the flashbacks showing her learning magic and growing into her role as a witch. Her relationship with her Nana/Yali added a lot of warmth to the story.

That said, the timeline was sometimes confusing. The story moves between past and present quite a bit, and at times the shifts felt jumbled. Because of that, some of the emotional moments didn’t land as strongly as they might have if the narrative had been more linear.

The revenge plot and the mystery surrounding the sick children were interesting ideas, but they really only start to take shape in the second half of the book. Because of that, the pacing felt quite slow, and some readers might struggle to stay engaged until the story fully picks up or give up on it entirely. If you are able to hold on, the ending is very sweet and the twists more the plot along swiftly. 

Overall, this was an interesting feminist retelling with strong character development and a sweet romance, but the uneven pacing and timeline jumps kept it from fully landing for me.

Early Reader Review: Lies we Sing to the Sea by Sarah Underwood

Source: From the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review.

Lies We Sing to the Sea by Sarah Underwood  
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date:  March 7, 2023

 

Format: Ebook


Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

Each spring, Ithaca condemns twelve maidens to the noose. This is the price vengeful Poseidon demands for the lives of Queen Penelope’s twelve maids, hanged and cast into the depths centuries ago.

But when that fate comes for Leto, death is not what she thought it would be. Instead, she wakes on a mysterious island and meets a girl with green eyes and the power to command the sea. A girl named Melantho, who says one more death can stop a thousand.

The prince of Ithaca must die—or the tides of fate will drown them all.

Sarah Underwood weaves an epic tapestry of lies, love, and tragedy, perfect for fans of Madeline Miller, Alexandra Bracken, and Renée Ahdieh.

Review: 

Lies We Sing to the Sea is a retelling/story of the twelve maids of Penelope from the Odyssey/Iliad. We follow a girl named Leto who is doomed to die for a curse on Ithaca. Every year 12 girls are killed and given to Poseidon so that he doesn't flood Ithaca, and this has been happening for as long as everyone can remember. Leto is strong and determined and puts up a fight to not be doomed to this fate, but sadly it comes for her. 

So the story follows a few POVs - Leto, the prince of Ithaca Mathias, and another 'maid' Melantho. Leto and Melantho are working together to try to kill the prince to end the curse for Ithaca, and all of the characters have secrets. 

I wanted to love this book. I love Greek mythology and really enjoyed reading the Odyssey in school when I read it a long time ago, but the story felt ...off... as a retelling. There was not much there of the Odyssey. I understand that the story focused on the maids which are only briefly mentioned but still. Then after completing the read, I saw an interview with the author in which she notes that she didn't read the originals in their entirety... and now it made more sense. I felt like the book was lacking the strong epic storytelling of a Greek myth retelling... I didn't need it to actually be an epic, or in verse, but as a telling of a Greek tale, even as a retelling, it was rough in that respect. 

So what I liked - There were many elements of myth (more generally) included. The Sapphic romance was a win, I liked the relationship Leto and Melanthos shared and its progression. And the character growth was well done. There was a lot of learning and adapting that everyone had to do to get to the ending. I found the overall story ok. The plot was convoluted at points and boring at others, and while I think it lends to the story well to have the 3 POVs, I think that at times one of them was very boring (Mathias). I disliked the pacing of the second half of the book, it was slow... I wanted to put it down, and at times I felt like I wanted to skim just to push through... I read it all though. 

I think that this story has a lot of good qualities, if you don't think of it as a retelling, I think you will set yourself up better than I did for expectations. The characters were good ones and had a lot of promise and I was rooting for them all pretty equally at times, so that is a win. Overall if you are looking for an interesting story with some mythological elements, this might be a good one for you.

Early Reader Review: Gotham High by Melissa de la Cruz

Source: From Netgalley and DC Comics in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review. 

Gotham High by Melissa de la Cruz 
Illustrated by Tomas Pitilli
Colored by Miquel Muerto

Lettered by Troy Peteri
Publisher: DC Comics
Publication Date:  April 7, 2020

 

Format: Ebook


Synopsis: 

From Melissa de la Cruz, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Alex and Eliza and The Witches of East End comes a reimagining of Gotham for a new generation of readers.

After being kicked out of his boarding school, 17-year-old Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham City to find that nothing is as he left it. What once was his family home is now an empty husk, lonely but haunted by the memory of his parents' murder. Selina Kyle, previously the innocent girl next door, now rules over Gotham High School with a dangerous flair, aided by the class clown, Jack Napier.

When a kidnapping rattles the school, Bruce seeks answers as the dark and troubled knight—or is he actually the pawn? Nothing is ever as it seems, especially at Gotham High, where the parties and romances are of the highest stakes ... and where everyone is a suspect.

With evocative art by Thomas Pitilli, this new graphic novel is just as intoxicating as it is chilling, in which dearest friends turn into greatest enemies--all within the hallways of Gotham High!

Trailer

Rating:

Review:  

I so wanted to adore this book. If you have visited my reviews and blog before, you know how I feel about DC Comics and the world and characters of the Batman saga... I generally love them so much. This was a good book, it took a lot of liberties that I just found weren't for me and hard to swallow as a follower of this world through the years.

So Gotham High is a new take on the Batman characters. In this book, the narrator is Selina Kyle and we meet her, Bruce Wayne, Harvey Dent as well as Jack Napier (which eventually becomes the Joker from what I remember). Bruce has been moved into the regular high school and is making new friends when weir things start to happen around him and he comes to learn that someone or something is after him. His new friends try to help as best they can, but there is also a love triangle between Selina, Bruce and Jack which is complicating matters. All of this was great, the story line was engaging and the twists were there and well done. The illustration and coloration was really well done as well.

What I found off-putting was how many things were changed, a few is fine and understandable in a retelling, but there were a lot more changes than I expected in this retelling. So first obvious thing is the amount of diversity that has been added into the characters, a great thing, but since the characters have been around for so long it was hard to adapt to. Selina is Spanish, Bruce seems to be at least half Chinese and Ivy is introduced as Korean. Once more diverse character ok, but three! That was  A LOT to take in. Also Alfred... in this installment Alfred was Bruce's uncle, again would have been an ok adaptation to the original canon but as another cherry on the cake of changes, I was not a fan. As an uncle, after what happened to his family, you would think there would have been more bonding and family to help Bruce adjust. 

Overall, if I had not been so enthralled with the normal Batman canon this would have been a good, typical, teenage soap of a graphic novel, but as it stand it was just too many changes for me at one time.  

"For more information on Gotham High or the the World’s Greatest Super Heroes, visit www.dccomics.com, the DC YouTube channel, or follow @DCComics and @TheDCNation on social media."

Recent Reads: The Beast's Heart by Leife Shallcross

Source: From Netgalley and Berkeley Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review. 

Also bought the Audible audiobook.

The Beast's Heart by Leife Shallcross
Publisher:  Berkeley Publishing Group
Publication Date:  February 12, 2019

 

Format: Ebook 


Rating:






Goodreads Synopsis: 

A sumptuously magical, brand new take on a tale as old as time—read the Beast's side of the story at long last.

I am neither monster nor man—yet I am both.
I am the Beast.
The day I was cursed to this wretched existence was the day I was saved—although it did not feel so at the time.
My redemption sprung from contemptible roots; I am not proud of what I did the day her father happened upon my crumbling, isolated chateau. But if loneliness breeds desperation then I was desperate indeed, and I did what I felt I must. My shameful behaviour was unjustly rewarded.
My Isabeau. She opened my eyes, my mind and my heart; she taught me how to be human again.
And now I might lose her forever.

Lose yourself in this gorgeously rich and magical retelling of The Beauty and the Beast that finally lays bare the beast's heart.

Review: 
Jim Dale reads the audiobook and does an amazing job. I love when he narrates them. 

This retelling is told from the point of view of the Beast as he comes to realize his fate and tries to adapt, learn about himself though this new lens life has handed him. It is a similar story to many Beauty and the Beast retellings however as it is told from his perspective there is the addition of essentially a new story - you get to learn how he feels about everything that is happening. 

Beast's tale is one of depression and confusion and he is just trying to figure out what happened and if it can be alleviated. He is impulsive but kind and in this book seems very sensitive and overly aware of his beastly form. He is a wonderful main character and it is almost sad to hear his feelings and thoughts as the tale progresses, you just want the best for him. What makes this possible though, is that the curse is told a little differently - the best has not necessarily done anything wrong yet, but the fairy sees evil in his heart and is trying to circumvent it.  

Isabeau, is a captive as she was previously, but she does choose to be imprisoned and her story involves two other sisters, which is a slight break from the Disney version.  She was a bit somber at first but really turns it around and wants to genuinely befriend Beast and help him through his struggles.

Overall, this was a great retelling and I really enjoyed that it was told from the Beast's side. I liked the changes that were implemented to make it more modern and believable.  So why not 5 stars? When you pick up this book, you have to understand that there is not really a full on climax to the story. There is no grand battle, all of it is emotional battles being fought by both Beast and Isabeau, so it takes a bit longer to get through than your typical fantasy novel. Otherwise, it was a wonderful listen.

Early Reader Review: Brave Thumbelina by An Leysen

Source: From Netgalley and Clavis Publishing in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review.

Brave Thumbelina by An Leysen

Publisher:  Clavis Publishing
Publication Date:  October 11, 2018

 

Format: Ebook

Rating:


 



Goodreads Synopsis: 

An Leysen's breathtaking and magical retelling of the classic fairy tale of Hans Christian Andersen!

Once upon a time, there was a woman who desperately wanted a child. One day, a good witch passed her house and gave her a flower seed. The woman planted the seed and took good care of it. Before long, two little eyes curiously stared at her between the petals. Inside the flower was a tiny girl! The woman named her Thumbelina. It soon became clear that Thumbelina was a very brave little girl.

In this magical picture book, An Leysen retells the classic fairy tale of Hans Christian Andersen. For children ages 5 and up and anyone who loves enchanting fairy tales.

Review: 
This is a gorgeous book retelling the story of Thumbelina.  The illustrations throughout are breathtakingly done in pastel colors. The images are whimsical and realistic and the retelling is very well done. 

This is on the wordier side of Youth reads - the images are large and take up a lot of space but each page has a full paragraph of text as well. So it isn't a quick bedtime read but it is a great book if you have time to sit and read. If your child sits well this is a beautiful book to read to them. It has some good teaching points about being thoughtful and nice and how that can help you in the long run and about appreciating the beauty of the world around us.