Sarah Nicole Lemon’s adult debut is an absolute masterclass in atmosphere, perfect for readers who want a setting that feels like a sentient, breathing character.

From the very beginning, the Black Forest is rendered in prose so thick and sensory that you can practically smell the damp earth and ancient magic. Is gothic and beautifully eerie, capturing a specific Grimm-fairytale feeling, where the woods are both a sanctuary and a death trap.

It might be a Bluebeard retelling but it does not recycle familiar tropes; it focuses heavily on Salomé’s internal agency and the grim reality of survival, offering a powerful exploration of reclaiming power from a monster.

The writing itself is lyrical and dreamlike, making it the kind of book you want to slow down and savour just for the way the sentences are constructed.

The only reason this isn't a full five stars is the very deliberate, slow pacing. While the moody build-up is incredible, there are moments in the middle where the plot feels like it is treading water in favour of more world-building. The narrative structure is also quite dense; if you aren’t paying close attention, the sheer lyricism can occasionally make the "rules" of the magic and the smaller subplots a bit difficult to track.

Ultimately, it is a stunning, visceral read for fans of Uprooted or Juniper & Thorn—not a light, breezy fantasy, but a deep, dark thicket of a book that lingers long after you’ve stepped out of the woods.

Thank you very much for the ARC!

Inspired by the tale of Bluebeard, A Dark and Wild Wood is a lush, atmospheric story about a girl with dangerous magic who becomes the apprentice to Lord Death—for a price. That premise alone had me completely sold, and I went into this one with high expectations.

From the very first chapter, I was hooked. The writing is lyrical and immersive, with a beautifully eerie tone that carries through the entire book. The atmosphere is one of its greatest strengths; dark, mystical, and quietly haunting. It’s the kind of story that feels like wandering through a shadowy forest, never quite sure what’s waiting ahead.

The story follows Salomé, a girl with dangerous powers, as she searches for her missing sister and finds herself in Lord Death’s strange and unsettling manor. This is not a romance, and it doesn’t pretend to be. Instead, we follow Salomé’s journey into her own power, what she learns, who shapes her along the way, and what it ultimately costs her.

That said, while the book starts incredibly strong, the pacing began to feel uneven as the story progressed. I found myself becoming less emotionally invested, particularly in the dynamic between Salomé and Lord Death. Their relationship is meant to be disturbing and uncomfortable, which comes across clearly but it lacked enough development on Salomé’s side to fully land. I never quite understood what drew her to him, and without that foundation, the connection felt more distant than impactful.

The prose, however, remained consistently beautiful. Even when the pacing slowed, the writing itself carried a certain magic that made the book an easy and enjoyable read. It’s accessible while still maintaining that gothic, mystical feel, making it a great entry point for readers new to the genre.

Overall, this was a compelling and atmospheric read with a strong voice and a fascinating premise. While the pacing and character dynamics didn’t fully work for me, I still found myself absorbed in the world and would definitely read more from this author, and I've preordered this already, and planning to reread in the future