Grim Lovelies took me longer to read than usual, I didn't feel fully engaged in the story until almost 2/3 of the way through. The concept is intriguing and unique, although it takes some predictable turns and unsurprisingly sets itself up for a sequel. I'm interested enough in the characters that I would begin the second book, to see if it can build on its promise.

This book grabs you from page one and keeps you enthralled to the very end. I highly recommend this to readers who enjoy witches, goblins, and beasties.

I didn't so much read Grim Lovelies as swallow it whole, devouring it in less than a day. It was a fast-paced, action-heavy narrative with innovative magic and a diverse and appealing cast. And because it was fun, it was easy to rush past its flaws, though there were a few. Because of that it won't be for everyone, but it's a solid read.

For a book about the City of Lights, the book managed some admirable darkness. Some of the punishments Anouk endures are very Grimm’s Fairy Tales, and I do mean the original versions, not the Disneyfied ones. The morbidity gave the story some complexity and depth, and real urgency since the consequences were terrifying to contemplate.

Anouk, one of five animals transformed into humans who work for the witch who created them, is largely content as a housemaid. She longs to go outside and see the local wishing fountain, but has no desire to leave the service of Mada Vittoria. Unfortunately, she has little choice once Mada Vittoria is murdered and she seems like an accomplice. Suddenly she must flee everything she knows in order not to lose everything she is: without another witch to enchant her, she will turn back into an animal. And so will all her fellow Beasties, darling Beau and conniving Cricket, and even the wicked Hunter Black.

A murder mystery, a missing person, a royal conspiracy, a witchy territory war, and a ticking clock. That's a lot, and Shepherd juggles each issue capably. No thread ever gets lost or confused, and Anouk manages to provide a focal point for all the magic as well as the action.

Anouk was a little lacking in personality to start out. She reminded me of a paler version of Rapunzel in Tangled, the kind of eager-to-please shut-in who easily earns our sympathy but takes a little longer to earn our respect. But Anouk isn't given a chance—or doesn't take a chance—to hit anyone with a frying pan or paint her heart out. She mostly follows what her fellow Beasties tell her to do, shying away from responsibility or action.

But slowly, Anouk began to wake from the dream—the illusion—that Mada Vittora was her mother and grapple with the reality that Mada Vittora was her owner and often her abuser. She doesn't really have time to develop more interests, but fortunately the development of her self-confidence is compelling enough on its own. I would have liked to see more facets to her personality emerge, but I still liked her well enough.

Anouk's romance was not terribly romantic. There are glimmers of real connection--dancing in sudsy water, dreaming of sharing normal activities—but those are outweighed by jealousy and inexperience. Anouk has only been human for a year, and has never been outside her house. Declarations of love ring hollow when she barely knows herself enough to say whether she likes a particular person or just wants to feel loved. Much more compelling was the familial love that develops between the Beasties. Though extremely different and often at odds, they create a makeshift family for themselves that made for some of the strongest scenes in the book.

Likewise compelling were the little details, like calling the royals the Haute, the ingredients for spells, and the fairy tales Anouk uses to understand the world. I only wish there had been more such details, especially about Paris. Take away mentions of patisseries and key architectural features (the Seine, the Eiffel Tower) and this could have been any city. I just didn't feel like I was in Paris again. Granted the characters didn't have a lot of time for sight-seeing, but that only makes it more incumbent on Shepherd to infuse the descriptions with a sense of place. I didn't have a sense of Paris from the story that I couldn't have gotten from Google Maps.

I also would have liked to see the magic taken further. There are some good ideas here—a bottomless bag, portraits that function as remote spy-holes, and so on—but there was more work to do to make this a full and immersive world. I hope that in subsequent books she pushes her creativity further, exploring the various magical cultures and developing more nuances for her magic system.

I appreciated the twisty, unexpected ending, even though this means the book is far from complete. I'm expecting another trilogy based on the number of loose ends that went untied, so prepare yourself for that if you expected resolution. There was satisfaction to be had, though, in Anouk's growth and the development of all the Beasties. It's not a bad foundation on which to build, but the next book will really decide which way the scales tip for the series. Until then, pack this one for a weekend trip or a last trip to the beach and enjoy.

This will be posted on Geeklyinc.com 1 week before the book publishes.

Phenomenal! A truly unique read, recommended for fantasy lovers. The characters are nicely fleshed out in their various roles. The prose is simply enthralling, and the plot is a wonderful twist on the classics. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

I was really surprised - in a good way! - by this book. It was completely not what I expected but it was awesome and magical and super enjoyable - here’s to hoping there’s a sequel!

Actual rating 3.5

I decided to round up because even though the first half of the book was slow, it really picked up the second half and I really started to like Anouk. In a way, the story kind of felt like Cinderella because Anouk and her friends were racing to stay human before midnight, except that they were the animals instead. It was really confusing at first because I had no idea what was really going on, but the more the book went on the more I started to love it. I loved Anouk and her group of friends. They were a little naive at first, but as they worked together as a family they grew a lot, especially Anouk. Anouk was just awesome. She was quiet and shy but really became confident in herself that she could do anything possible. Aside from that, I enjoyed reading the complex side of how magic is used. That was definitely interesting to read and I hope to delve more into that in the next book.

I was intrigued by the description of this book and I wasn't disappointed. The main characters are known as Beasties, human servants of the witch Mada Vittora, who started life as animals. The basis of the story is their race against time to prevent the spell that made them breaking and returning them to their former selves. There's plenty of action and the story moves along at quite a pace. I'm not sure if this book is planned as the first in a series, but the ending certainly leaves the promise of more to come. I will definitely be recommending this book.

Grim Lovelies was an enchanting and very different from what I expected in the best of ways. Not only is the book stunning, but features a very different take on what we expect from magical tales and glimpses at events from points of view we hardly even think twice about as tales unfold. I enjoyed the refreshing change from what we commonly see in YA tales it really broadened my perspective on the possibilities in YA novels to come.

This was a fun read! I'm such a sucker any story that includes witches and/or magic. Grim Lovelies did not disappoint. It is a delicious, creepy, coming-of-age story set in present day Paris. The setting of Paris gives it a touch of Old World opulence. I loved watching the transformation of Anouk. It was like watching a young friend come into her own, realize her worth, using magic!
How do you say fan-freaking-tastic in French?

I accidentally pasted the review for a different book in here. I haven't finished reading this yet, and it won't let me undo my review :(

The pacing is too quick to write solid world building. I didn't connect with any of the characters because there's no character development. I'm told the lady of the house was a horrible person but I never saw it so when she died, I didn't feel relieved or happy or sad or anything. They constantly mentioned Luc and it got annoying. I was confused about the classifications of witches because it wasn't explained and if they can do magic, why do they need house cleaners? Not sure of the point of going on a shopping spree; it didn't seem to drive the plot.

I enjoyed this book despite taking quite some time to read it. I didn't devour it in one sitting, but came back to it a few times while finishing other books. I was excited to read a book set in Paris (having actually been there! Off my bucket list :) and Anouk's seemingly simple, non-human character drew me in. The non-human part confused me for the first few seconds, but it was easily understood in context. Anouk is not a typical 17-year-old (a Beastie created from animals) and is trying to find her footing in the human world despite not ever leaving her home. There are underground politics, other Beasties, and her own desires that help and/or hinder her desire to be independent.

This was a wonderful adventure. It was a perfect book for a cloudy day or a clear sky. Megan Shepherd transports us to a nameless time in an alternate reality in France. It was a timeless journey through the streets of Paris and the countryside with its lavender fields. We are introduced to Anouk, a timid maid, for a powerful witch, Mada Vittora. You see Anouk has only been alive for a year and some days. She has no idea what is in store for her and her beastie family. We are introduced to three magical castes, the Haute (Royals), the Witches and the Goblins. Beasties are created by magic. They were once animals living innocent lives and now then they are transformed by spellwork into human form. When they transform, they are in their late teens to early twenties. There is a secret history of the beasties that is unknown to most of the Royals and Witches. They believe Anouk and her kind are devoid of all magical ability because they are created by magic. This of course we learn is completely wrong. Beasties receive none of the side effects of casting magical spells Magic you see when cast by humans is done so at a cost. You could lose your liver or leg to petrification. The greater the magic in turn means a greater cost Anouk and her "family" are in a bit of a pickle. Someone has killed their mistress and now they have three days to find another witch or royal who will recast the spell that created them or they will revert to their animal form. Whom do they turn to when you can trust no one and you are suspected of the murder of a woman whom you thought of as your mother? This is where the story gets interesting. Mild mannered Anouk is more than she seems. She shows great courage in adversity and discovers what it means to love along the way. What will happen? Will Anouk discover her hidden talents in time to save her adopted family? Or will she be forced to watch the ones she loves revert to their animals selves? You will have to read it to find out. I look forward to more adventures from Megan Shepherd hopefully in this same realm.

Anouk has always wondered what the outside is really like, where the Pretties live. She's not really human, she just looks like one. She's what the magical world calls a Beastie--a servant created from an animal.

She quickly finds out about the outside world when her mistress is found murdered in a pool of blood, and she gets the blame. Her and her fellow Beasties now have only three days to prove their innocence before the spell that keeps them human wears off, and they forget each other completely.

The Beasties run through a chic Paris filled with Goblins and magic wielders, it's a crazy fun caper story with a bit of love story mixed in. The world its set in is creative and different, and while the story is familiar, the players are something new. A fun read overall.

Grim was dark, twisty, fun, and bizarre. I loved every second. It did feel a little jumbled at some points, but other than that, I LVOED the story, the characters, all of it!

Yes, yes and yes. That's what I have to say about this book. I'll read any book that has a magical aspect but sometimes it's the same thing over and over. GRIM LOVELIES is not that. It is unique and has this amazing world that is very creative. The characters feel so real and you're immediately invested in them and their journey. I loved the pacing of this book and want more! Make sure you put this on your TBR list.

I didn't think I'd like this book much when I started it. It had an interesting premise and and interesting set of characters, but it seemed a little bland in the writing. I pushed forward and found myself half enjoying the book about halfway through the book, and that's when it started picking up speed and I actually started thoroughly enjoying it. There were gems hidden throughout this book that made my eyes turn into hearts (give me all of the new original fairytales, yaaaaaaaaaaaaas) and it was just beautiful. I found myself screenshotting and highlighting these tidbits so I could easily find and reread them.
I also liked the inclusivity of this book. I'm so happy that a good amount of the recent fiction I've read has been diverse, and I live for the transgendered characters getting what they want most in life (YOU ARE RELEVANT. YOU ARE LOVED. YOU'RE FEELINGS ARE VALID.).
The pacing was a little off for me, it was really slow at some parts and then really fast at others, and the focuses seemed a little hazy at times, but I mean, it was pretty good otherwise.
I liked it.

I really enjoyed this book. Animals tuned human often play a central part in most fairy tales, there to be seen.. but not heard. In Grim lovelies we get to hear their tales, the struggles, the wonder of life as an animal made human. This dark but beautiful tale had me hooked from page one.

3.5

Grim Lovelies is a nice mix of several of my favorite subjects and genres: witches, politics, fantasy creatures and intrigue! While it started slow, the lush descriptions and characters kept you turning pages. I do feel like this is aimed at a younger audience (and that's fine).

This was a very enjoyable read. Anouk and friends are anti-heroes just trying to get though. The idea of animals being turned into humans and how they might feel about that is a unique take on the fairy-tale/ fantasy genre. Hoping for a sequel.