Publication Date: 05th Nov 2024
Genre: Gothic Historical Fiction, Romance, Paranormal
3.7 Stars
One Liner: A pretty entertaining read
1851, York
Lizzy Grimm is struggling to save her family shop, Grimm Curiosities, afloat after her father’s demise and her mother’s ill health.
One day in December, Antony Carlisle visits her shop, looking for help. Turns out, his younger sister suffers from the same affliction as Lizzy’s mother. They decide to work together to find the cause for it. With a stranger showing immense interest in certain rare books collected by Lizzy’s father, they are drawn into something darker and dangerous.
Can Lizzy and Antony find the answers to their questions and fight for their budding love?
The story comes in Lizzy’s first-person POV with a few chapters from Antony’s (also in first-person) POV.
My Thoughts:
The book starts with a map and an author’s note explaining what certain names mean. This was helpful (ex: words ending with gate don’t have a gate but are something else).
The beginning is a bit slow as it establishes the plot and the conflict. Slowly, it picks up pace as the drama intensifies. The book also deals a little about privilege, class differences, sexism, etc.
The setting is quite atmospheric. The snowy and cold winter works well to create a sense of eeriness and melancholy, depending on the situation. The shop is easily my favorite part of the book. I would have loved to see more spookiness in there.
Naturally, the book has many paranormal elements. The FMC knows about it, though she has a hard time correctly deciphering the clues. Can’t blame her much, though. She has a lot of pressure and practicalities to deal with.
The MMC is a sweet guy (25yo); considerate and supportive but also tentative and not always assertive. This creates some drama in the love angle. Despite the ‘mystery’ this would be a romance book (clean stuff).
The side characters aren’t fully developed but sometimes they shine better than the lead characters (especially Charlie and Isabel). Turns out one of them was based on a real-life person! In fact, quite a few elements in the book are taken from the real stuff. Read the note at the end to know the details.
Despite the dark elements, the book would be categorized as a cozy read. It combines different lores and even has a Narnia touch. Some of it might go over the head if you aren’t into folklore and mythical creatures.
The romance is understated and tentative. While I didn’t particularly feel it, the execution suited the characters. It aligns with their arcs, which is more important. There’s an epilogue and HEA.
To summarize, Grimm Curiosities is an enjoyable read, combining folklore, paranormal, drama, and romance in a historical setting. It should be a good pick between intense books.
Thank you, NetGalley and 47North, for eARC.
#NetGalley #GrimmCuriosities
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