Grim Lovelies is what I expected it to be: it has a well-balanced magic system, action, twists and turns, and a minor romance (love spells aside). Characters grew and changed, and not just the protagonist Anouk. But a lot was sacrificed to keep page count down in a book that is incredibly plot heavy.

Overall, I liked the book, but I didn’t love it. I might put it in the hands of a younger teen who is looking for an engaging story. There’s representation (sort of, other reviewers have covered that topic) of diverse characters, and enough going on plot-wise to distract from some weaker areas of the book. The romance is fairly chaste, and the darker bits of the story are manageable.

I’d consider giving this as an alternative to the kid who wants to read Wicked but isn’t ready for how weird that book gets (aka 12-13 y/o me who was pretty scarred thanks to the Philosophy Club scene).

For a full review, check out my blog.