This book follows Jenny Greenteeth, she lives in the lake and minds her business. One day an alleged witch (Temperance) is tossed in the lake to drown. After rescuing her, they try and device a way to get Temperance back to her family. But in the way stand a malevolent Parson and great evil. Along with Brakus (a goblin), Temperance and Jenny embark on an adventure of a lifetime. I really enjoyed this book as it was reminiscent of classic fantasy whereby the protagonists must go on a quest to defeat evil. This book had lots of action but also there was a pleasant focus on friendship. I would highly recommend to readers of cosy fantasy such as: the Emily Wilde series and " The Spellshop" by Sarah Beth Durst.

Disclaimer: I received this ARC from NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK | Orbit in exchange for a free and honest review.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC of "Greenteeth" by Molly O'Neill.

Greenteeth is one of those rare novels that sweeps you under its spell and refuses to let go. Molly O’Neill has crafted a story that is equal parts haunting, lyrical, and deeply human — the kind of book that lingers long after the final page. From the very first chapter, I was immersed in its atmosphere, which balances the eerie and the beautiful in a way that feels utterly unique.

The writing is nothing short of stunning. O’Neill’s prose is elegant without being overwrought, capturing both the otherworldly and the ordinary with equal care. The world she creates feels alive: dripping with folklore, filled with shadows and whispers, but always grounded in characters who feel complex, vulnerable, and real. I was especially impressed by how seamlessly she weaves myth and humanity together — the fantastical elements never overshadow the emotional core of the story but rather enrich it.

The pacing, too, is beautifully handled. There’s a steady build of tension and unease, but it never rushes; instead, it allows the reader to sink into the world, to savor the dread, and to care about what’s at stake. The themes of transformation, identity, and the thin line between myth and reality are explored with real nuance, making the novel not only an atmospheric read but also a thought-provoking one.

What stood out most for me, though, was the emotional resonance. Beneath the gothic surface, Greenteeth is a story about connection, loss, and resilience — about the ways we navigate fear and the unknown. It’s rare to find a book that delivers both shivers and heart, but O’Neill manages it with ease.

This is a novel I’ll be recommending widely, especially to fans of folklore-inspired fiction, gothic atmospheres, and literary fantasy. A mesmerizing, unforgettable read that fully deserves its five stars.

The first half of this book had me absolutely hooked, but then the second half happened and I wasn't so sure about t anymore. It was still fun, it's just that the pacing was a bit weird and dragged a lot. We spent so much time on the quest for the rest of the plot to be resolved in the very last chapter. I also wished Jenny had been more monstrous, I guess more Gollum-like in a way? She was a little like that in the first chapters but then slowly shifted to behaving very humanly which was pretty disappointing to me, as one of the most appealing feature of this book in my opinion is Jenny herself and her monstrosity. It's something that is in complete opposition to most fantasy book nowadays and very refreshing, but ended up falling flat because it was put aside as the novel went by.
I was pretty disappointed by the ending too, and the use of a specific folklore that kind of ruined the vibe for me, it felt forced and like an easy way out for the author. Despite all of those more negative parts, I still enjoyed most of the story, especially the use of British folklore.

This was a gorgeous and surprising read. I was a little worried that it would be a bit dry and worthy, as some folklore-based literary fiction tends to be, but this is almost a cozy fantasy adventure in tone, with a hugely voicey protagonist I loved from page one, and some really smart twists and turns on its journey through British folklore. It's a quest at heart, but also a story of female friendship and reclaiming one's own identity and magic and motherhood and swords. I really loved it, and as I turned the final page, immediately texted a recommendation to several friends and family members, warning all of them to plunge in as cold as they could. The less you know about this book the better, because the way it unfolds is just beautiful and fun. Highly recommended!

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free book*

"Greenteeth" features Jenny Greenteeth, a creature from folklore, as the protagonist, which I already liked. Jenny's life is turned upside down when she rescues a witch from drowning and then bands up with a peddler hobgoblin to save the witch's family and hamlet from the Erl King. I liked the Arthurian setting and awareness for the Celtic heritage of the British Isles, but it also annoyed me because it felt a bit like a mix-tape. Some parts of the world seemed fleshed out better than others, but I would've liked to see more depth. The book felt partly like it had been written for teenagers but was also pretty violent and featured adult characters only, so I'm not sure who the real target audience is. But overall enjoyable and short. 3.5 stars

Greenteeth is an interesting take on the folktale of Jenny Greenteeth. I found the friendship that grows between Jenny and Temperance touching, especially as through this friendship Jenny is able to heal from a deep loss of her own. The trials the characters have to go through with the Earl King were interesting and the perfect amount of dark and twisty as is necessary with a folktale retelling, one that deals with the real nature of the Fae. Overall I enjoyed this one.

I found this story to be a bit lacking in rythm, sadly not what I expected it to be. Although I loved the setting and the characters the pace was too slow and never pulled me in completely, so I am dnf-ing for now.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC.

“Beneath calm waters, a sharp-toothed creature watches... waiting patiently for the perfect moment...”

This delightful story introduces us to Jenny Greenteeth, a lake monster who makes an unexpected choice when a witch named Temperance is thrown into her waters by villagers. Despite their differences, these two form an unlikely alliance, embarking on a magical journey to confront the malevolent pastor who threatens Temperance's family, Jenny's home, and perhaps all of Britain.

What you'll adore:
✨ Enchanting fairytale atmosphere
✨ Perfect for those who enjoy fantasy adventures and quests (who doesn't love those?)
✨ Heartwarming found family moments ✨ Low stakes

Consider before diving in:
✨ The storytelling takes its time and does drag a little now and then - it’s definitely not for those seeking a fast-paced plot.
✨ Characters could have used more development here and there imo.

Overall, Greenteeth is a charming story that offers the perfect escape for fans of cozy fairytale fantasies. Ideal for a weekend read with your favorite cup of coffee or tea!

I am sad to say that this book didn’t work so well for me. I am not saying that this is a bad book, because it is not, but I was hoping to love it, and… the spark was missing.
It started pretty great, because I was fascinated by Jenny and the story was nice, but… but then things cooled off and we didn’t really click.
In part is because this book is strongly structured as a fairy tale, and I am not so fond of them. Once upon a time, I loved them, but I think I overindulged, and now I am not their biggest fan. But usually, if the writing is modern and smooth and readable, I am not so bothered (and here the writing is like that, so I was quite hopeful). And I am not saying that this is the main reason I didn’t love this one, but it’s a factor that didn’t help.
I think that my biggest problem here was the characters. I loved Jenny but I grew out of fondness for Temperance pretty soon, and Brackus was nice but… nothing special (and I think that my expectations here didn’t help, because I was expecting more from this group of people once they hit the road, and I didn’t get what I was expecting, so, yep, my expectations didn’t help, either!).

But even if this one didn’t really work so well for me, there are a lot of good things going on in there (and I also think that if you enjoyed Someone You Can Build A Nest In, you will love this one. They have some similar vibes).
I think that the best feature of this book is Jenny. I loved her as a character, and I loved to learn more about her folklore. I knew that they existed, but that was it. So I found this part fascinating, and she is a great character in her own right. She is sweet, she is understanding, and she is more human than more human beings, even if she is not human, and the author managed to keep this balance pretty well.
Another character I really enjoyed is Cavall. How can I not?!? He is the goodest boy ever! Also, it was quite fun because cavallo in Italian means horse. And we use it for big dogs in a sort of humorous way (when you see a big dog around, you say something like “oh, that’s a horse!”), and this became hilarious at the end of the story (we have a sweet moment, and for me it was also quite funny because of this double meaning, and a tad atrocious, but mostly fun. And nope, I cannot say more. If you know, you know. If you don’t, you know what you have to do).

Another thing that I appreciated is that we met a lot of different beings from the myths. Sure, we could have maybe met more of them, but I was pretty satisfied. Every scene with them was good, and I loved to see them around! And there is a scene with some of these magical beings that is pretty moving.
That’s what worked pretty well for me. I am not the biggest fan of fairy tales, as I said before, so the plot wasn’t really so interesting for me, because it is structured like a classical fairy tale, with three quests to complete, and the usual. And even the big reveal at the end, to me, fell flat. I cannot really say why, in part it was because as soon as we discovered why the villain is interested in Jenny and Temperance’s village, all things fell into place immediately, and so the momentum was quite off, but that’s not all. It’s just that I wasn’t so invested in the story as a whole, so I didn’t really mind much about the ending, either.

But, as I said before, this is mostly about personal tastes and preferences. The book is imaginative, it is original, and it has some really good things going on! I am just sorry that I didn’t love it as much as I hoped!

This is beautifully written, and I love the concept. It's infused with folklore, and in particular folklore that I haven't really come across before, which is always fun. I was really hooked in at the start, but as the book continued, I struggled to maintain my interest - I think because I didn't care about Temperance as much as I did Jenny.

So good! I highly recommend this book for fantasy lovers of all kinds.

I loved the character of Jenny and the quest works well. It’s so great to read fantasy characters that aren’t all teenagers realising they are the chosen one, and this book does it in spades. Plus the relationships being built here are solid, realistic friendships which is wonderful to see.

The author brings in hints of various myth and legend which adds to the tapestry of the storytelling.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a review copy.

This is a joy. I love Jenny Greenteeth in all her splendid grumpiness. The character is beautifully depicted with all her strengths and vulnerabilities. The pacing is perfect and the scene setting is wonderful. While this is touted as O’Neill’s first book – the author does not write like a newbie, but rather as someone who thoroughly knows her craft to a high standard.

She isn’t the only major character featuring in the adventure that turns into a full-blown quest, with proper tasks set and grim consequences riding on the outcome. In fact, at this point, I’ll raise the issue that this book is promoted as a cosy fantasy, which I don’t think it is. While it isn’t full of gratuitous violence or any kind of sex – there is simply too much danger and the bursts of action often lead to gory conclusions. The denouement, in particular, is both startling and shocking – nothing cosy about that.

I will say this about that episode. There is an interlude which would have worked better if the viewpoint had been in third-person (she), rather than first-person (I). O’Neill could be accused of misleading her readers and it’s the one aspect of the story that has left me feeling a tad uncomfortable – which is why this story has scored a nine, rather than a ten out of ten. But if you love fantasy set within a British setting, featuring three wonderful and sympathetic characters taking part in a gripping adventure – then track down this gem. While I obtained an arc of Greenteeth from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
9/10

This is a fantastic book based around folklore. If you enjoy quest narratives, then this will be up your street. The characters are all well written and the plot is compelling throughout. The world is an interesting one and I loved exploring it throughout the story. I would highly recommend checking this book out.

A cosy fairy tale with a little bite
—
A cosy fantasy that takes the British folklore character of Jenny Greenteeth—a capricious water sprite that will do more harm than good—and gives her a small quest against a Big Bad. This could be seen as a companion piece to the Emily Wilde books but lacking their subtlety and satisfaction. Greenteeth starts off well, Jenny herself saving a woman accused of witchcraft from drowning, but the lightly picaresque quest takes its time to build to a climax, diverting through hallucinatory lands that will give Jenny and her companions what they need to save the day. That is, until a left of centre development which is poorly telegraphed derails the whole enterprise, and perhaps Jenny won’t be able to be the hero of her own story.

It’s just missing the whole bite. Everything paddles along a little too smoothly, and what might have been revelatory—a fairy tale from the perspective of a British monster—becomes something more plebeian. I can see exactly what O’Neill wants to do but the deus ex machina doesn’t work, sadly. However, I imagine there will be more to come and I’m willing to try.

Greenteeth by Molly O'Neill

3 STARS

I liked the setting and mythology present throughout this book. Fables and mythology from Britain, which are brought to life through memorable and enjoyable characters. A good read.

Greenteeth is a beautiful fairytale full of fun, fae magic and tales of monsters. The links to the old magic and myth were wonderfully written.
I loved the relationship between the three companions. Unlikely companions but brought together on a quest and sharing their skills and fortitude.
Each of the challenges give each individual the opportunity to prove themselves and their support towards eachother so admirable.

Molly O'Neill has such a captivating way with words. Enchanting writing, a magical setting and characters you root for.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for this eARC.

Greenteeth is an extremely fun play of the classic fairytale, and one I would highly recommend to those who enjoy fairytale retellings.
I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the found family, and the main plot was highly engaging. My only critique is that the pacing felt a little off in spots however the payoff was still enjoyable.

This was such fun! I was instantly sucked into Jenny's story and the folklore from the first chapter, but I didn't realize I'd be getting an adventure book with found family but the family is monsters?? Utterly delightful.

Thank you to the publisher, Orbit, and to NetGalley for the ARC.

I enjoyed this book a lot. The story was fun and the narrator was excellent. It was a good production and one I would listen to again.

I would have liked Jenny to be a bit more feral. She was portrayed with a lot of humanity. I liked the character as she was. With her well-ordered lake, she had her charm, but I just wanted something different out of the book.

I liked the other characters too. I liked the adventure they went on and the quest format of the book. It very much reminded me of a fairy story of old, with them having to fulfil three tasks before they could get the help they needed.

It was a really good book, not what I wanted from it, but I still enjoyed it a lot.