The Wildest Things: A Novel

by Andrea Hannah

In this sapphic Snow White retelling, if Snow is to save her kingdom from being ravaged by the Blight, she’ll have to kill the Evil Queen’s daughter…if she doesn’t fall in love with her first.

When her glass coffin unexpectedly shatters, Snow White awakens to anything but a dream. The land is rotting. The animals have mutated. In the twenty years that have passed since Snow bit into the poisoned apple, the kingdom of Roanfrost has transformed from a luscious wild land to a blight-ravaged nightmare. In search of answers and a way to restore her kingdom to its former glory, Snow sets out on a dangerous journey that will test the strength she never knew she had.

Friends will become foes.

New alliances will form.

The Queen with the blood red lips will stop at nothing to seize her power as well as her heart.

If Snow has any chance to survive and restore not only her kingdom, but all of Garedenne, her only option is to become the Seasonkeeper and access the life-giving magic that will heal the plague. But the path to becoming the Seasonkeeper is more treacherous than she could ever imagine—because the wild things have awakened and Snow’s darker impulses yearn to set them free.

Genres: Fantasy, Retellings, Lesbian, Young Adult, Queer, LGBT, Young Adult Fantasy

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 25, 2025

About the author

Andrea Hannah is the author of non-fiction and novels for young adults. She teaches creatives all over the globe and writes everything from fierce modern fairytales to horoscopes (she’s a Gemini). Her work has appeared in Bustle, Elite Daily, Reader's Digest, Thrive Global, HuffPost, and Mslexia Magazine. Though her novels trend toward the dark and mysterious, she has also written for My Little Pony comics and created a tarot deck for Marvel's Agatha All Along. You can find her on socials @andeehannah

Reviews

[audrey (completely gone rn) · Rating 4 out of 5]

‎‧₊˚✧final review✧˚₊‧

start on: 10.1.24
end on: 10.10.24

‧₊˚🖇️✩₊housekeeping˚🎧⊹♡
·˚ ༘₊·꒰➳: ̗̀➛ 4 star read
·˚ ༘₊·꒰➳: ̗̀➛ thank you to Andrea Hannah and Wednesday books and netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
·˚ ༘₊·꒰➳: ̗̀➛ spoiler free/all spoilers are covered review.
·˚ ༘₊·꒰➳: ̗̀➛ I cant add quotes rn, js because it's an unfinished and unproofed copy, but I will add quotes after the book is released (probably)

🫧𓇼𓏲rest of review✩‧₊˚🎐
·˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ genre: YA Fantasy; Horror; Sapphic romance

·˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ tropes
➳ fairytale retelling (snow white)
➳ one of them is trying to kill the other
➳ princess trying to reclaim her throne
➳ society ruined due to corrupt monarch

·˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳★★★★☆ - star rating

·˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ 0/5 (spice rating)

·˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳ 0/5 (fluff rating)

「 ✦ The Wildest Things ✦ 」
(noun) my first ARCC

High (& Dua Lipa)
↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺
1:35 ───ㅇ───── 3:47
❝You don't have to be so cautious if you practice what you preach.❞

☁️ . . . ⇢ ˗ˏˋ overall thoughts
This book is going to be difficult to review, but I am going to try! I liked this book, but there were just a few things missing and I personally didn't really like the main character.

˚˖𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒✧˚.🎀༘⋆ writing style
Personally, I was not a big fan of Andrea Hannah's writing style in this one. I've read both her other books, Of Scars and Stardust and Where Darkness Blooms, and I think she really changes her writing style to fit the story she's writing. I think many authors do that, but I feel like she does it more than most, and unfortunately I didn't like it this time.

♡₊˚ 🦢・₊ ♪ ✧ plot
I'm literally so bad at explaining plots, but in terms of this plot, I liked it but I felt like it was kind of all over the place. The situation between Iliana and Snow felt rushed and a little odd, plus the way the plot moved didn't really eb and flow like I like it (but that's really just a personal problem). It felt forced, to be honest.

✧˖*°࿐ world building
The world building for this book is really spread out, more than I feel like most high fantasy books have their world building spread out, but i'm not going to argue. It was done well and I would like to see it done more like that in the future.

˖◛⁺⑅♡relationship plots♡⑅⁺◛˖
Iliana and Snow are everything, they are all I need for the rest of my life for REAL.

➶-͙˚ ༘✶ characters

Main Characters 「 ✦ Snow ✦ 」
·˚ ༘₊·꒰➳: ̗̀➛relatability?
[□□□□□□□□□□] 0%
She's just...she's bland and selfish and whiny and spoiled...I don't see myself in her at ALL, honestly

·˚ ༘₊·꒰➳: ̗̀➛how much i liked them
0/10
Again: bland, selfish, whiny and spoiled. Part of this is due to her never being exposed to the outside world, and honestly that's not her fault, but it still really bothers me, so it is what it is.

Side Characters「 ✦ Iliana ✦ 」
I'm choosing to focus on Iliana for this side character. I think she's such a deep character and we don't see enough of her, and that's really unfortunate because she has the potential to change the whole course of the story depending on what she decides to do.

୧ ‧₊˚ 🍮 ⋅ ☆ moments
THE END OF THE BOOK. PLEASE OML

🪼⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ casting
Snow: TBD
Iliana: TBD
Henrick: TBD
Briar: TBD

*ੈ♡⸝⸝🪐༘⋆predictions
Snow's gonna become mean and her and Iliana will rule together

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ favorites
ˋ°•*⁀➷ favorite characters
·˚ ༘₊·꒰➳: ̗̀➛ Henrick
·˚ ༘₊·꒰➳: ̗̀➛ Iliana
·˚ ༘₊·꒰➳: ̗̀➛ the mirror (does this count??)

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ final thoughts
I don't have the strongest feelings about a book that I've ever had, but it was a decent read and I would recommend it to you if you want a sapphic fairytale retelling.

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ please comment or pm me if I missed anything, especially tropes!

ʚɞ˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ Love y’all. Let’s go light it up and rattle some stars! Mwah ♡
ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ♡ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـ


‧₊˚✧pre-review✧˚₊‧
it was pretty good but I need time to think and go over things.

rtc <3

‧₊˚✧pre-read✧˚₊‧
MY FIRST ARCCCCCCCC

ahhhhhhh i love her books sm

also a SAPPHIC SNOW WHITE RETELLING? I'm down, let's go

thank you to Andrea Hannah and netgalley for the ARC

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Wednesday Books | St. Martin’s Press for providing this ARC. The publication date is February 25, 2025.

I usually enjoy anything published by Wednesday Books, but this story fell a bit flat for me. As a huge fan of Snow White, I was disappointed by this retelling. I’m not sure if it was the author’s writing style or the overall plot and characters, but I struggled to get through it.

On the positive side, I appreciated the overarching theme of learning to trust your own heart. I also enjoyed reading from the 'mirror's perspective'; I thought that was a nice touch. Additionally, the cover is stunning.

Overall, I found it mediocre. I neither loved it nor hated it. I would say read the summary and if it seems like something up your alley, give it a shot! If all else fails, it would be a beautiful addition to your home library!!

As always, all thoughts are my own. 🖤✨

[littlefox · Rating 3 out of 5]

~ 3.5 stars ~

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review
Expected publication date: February 25th, 2025

𓈒⟡₊⋆∘ Plot
A sapphic Snow White retelling with a dark twist.
When Snow White wakes up from her 20 year long slumber and pries herself out of her shattered glass coffin, she finds that the world she knew has become a nightmare. The animals she grew up with have become bloodthirsty mutants, the forests are gnarled and rotten, and her closest friends are shadows of themselves.
To save her home, Snow must take on the role of the Seasonkeeper and battle her darkest desires in order to kill the new evil queen.

𓈒⟡₊⋆∘ Review
Compared to other fairy tale retellings, I enjoyed the darkness of this one - it maintained the heart of the tale yet added something new.

I liked the writing style, I love extensive descriptions because they bring the scenes to life, but (and I can hardly believe that I'm saying this) there were TOO MANY descriptions. This made the book extremely slow and difficult to get through, especially towards the middle. I found myself invested at the beginning and slowly losing interest as the chapters went on - there was too much narration and not enough action.

This book is primarily marketed as a sapphic and gothic romance, which it is, but just barely. Iliana and Snow hardly interact in the book and they don't get together at the end. Perhaps this is because of the implied second book, to lengthen the slow burn, but thus far there isn't enough tension between the two characters for me to be invested in their relationship.

Unfortunately, I don't believe this was the book for me. It has an interesting premise but the execution didn't match my expectations.

[Kristen's Bookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good story! I really loved how we got to see things thru the Mirrors perspective. I thought that was such a neat concept.
The story did get a bit slow in the middle and I did find myself skimming a few chapters but the ending was good and left on a cliffhanger so it appears we will get another book.
Overall, I didn't love this book but I didn't hate it either. It was a good solid story and I will definitely keep an eye out for the next book!

[Jillian B · Rating 3 out of 5]

After 20 years, Snow White wakes up and emerges in a world that looks completely different from the one she left behind. The plants are dying, the woodland creatures have mutated into horrifying beasts, and her once-peaceful friends have turned into mercenary survivalists. She quickly learns that there’s a new evil queen ruling the kingdom, and sets out to stop her…but for some reason, she can’t help feeling mysteriously drawn to the icy blonde ruler.

I’m not a big fantasy reader, but I do often enjoy fairy tale retellings, so I took a chance on this one. Ultimately it just wasn’t for me. I love the idea behind it: “Snow White X climate change with a sapphic twist” is a killer premise. Unfortunately, I just wasn’t pulled in by the story. Much of the plot is framed around a quest to obtain magic objects, and I found it to be slow-paced and not super interesting. I’m not really a fan of these kind of quest-focused books. Readers should also note that this is definitely meant to be the first book in a duology or series, and it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger.

I suspect this is a case of me being the wrong reader for this book. I think readers who can’t get enough YA fantasy and romantasy will find this to be a worthy addition to their tbr.

[Erin Clemence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.

Expected publication date: Feb. 25, 2025

“The Wildest Things” is a Snow White retelling by author Andrea Hannah. Full of magic, light and dark, Hannah’s story pits Snow White against the new Queen, desperate to save the land they both love for very different reasons.

When her glass coffin breaks, Snow White is awakened but the world she sees before her is far different than the one she left behind more than twenty years ago. She herself has not aged, but her beautiful country is now ravaged by “The Blight”, which has turned plants and forests into dead, poisoned things. Desperate to save her land, she befriends a young rogue, as they search the country for the implements needed to create the magical spell that would cure the broken countryside. With the wrath of a want-to-be Queen on her tale, Snow needs to figure out who to trust, in order to save herself and the land she loves.

I am a huge fan of all things fairy tale, especially retellings, and I found Hannah’s iteration of Snow White to be clever and modern. Told from the perspective of Snow herself, as well as snippets from the infamous Mirror (of “Mirror, mirror on the wall” fame), readers understand what happened to the land while Snow lay sleeping, and the grisly situation that Snow now finds herself in.

Hannah turns all the things we know from the original fairy tale on its head, including transforming the Seven Dwarves into creatures grown of and from trees while Snow White develops passionate feelings for the reigning Queen. That being said, all of the important plot points are there, including the poisoned apple and the “Handsome Prince”, so it is recognizable as the Snow White fairy tale we all know from our childhood.

This particular version has Snow White coming into her own powers and fighting against all of those who want to label her and put her in a particular box, which had me cheering for her. The animals she befriends on her journey that help in the final battle at the end were as adorable as they were fierce.

Although the ending of this novel was satisfying, there are definitely teasers that hint toward a series of stories (or, at the very least, a sequel) and I am on totally on board to read that one, too. I adored this bad-ass version of Snow White, and I look forward to following her continuing journey.

[Adrianna Heaney-velu · Rating 3 out of 5]

“The Wildest Things,” by Andrea Hannah

I was excited to read a darker spin on snow white retelling. It was a good book but not really what I was expecting nor my vibe with pacing. I found chunks of the book on the boring side and had a bigger build up till most of the plot stuff that I really wanted. I wish the characters were as dynamic in the first part as they were at the end of the book. All in all, I would give it 3 stars out of 5.

-Snow White Retelling
-Magic

Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.

[Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This was a fun read. It's based on Sleeping Beauty, but it didn't relay too heavily on it. The story is much darker but in an entertaining way. Overall, it's a solid read.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Brend]

In this sapphic Snow White retelling, if Snow is to save her kingdom , she’ll have to kill the Evil Queen’s daughter but falls for her instead
I'm seated

[Nicole]

I did not finish at 19%. I feel like it may get better, but I am just not invested enough to continue. My initial impression was that it is a bit wordy and slow paced. Too much telling, and I read something I perceived as an inconsistency. Although the premise sounds great, I will not be finishing.
I received a free ARC from NetGalley. This is my honest opinion.

[Quill&Queer]

DNF at 14%. This was a weird story, and wasn't going anywhere I was particularly interested in travelling to. Snow White wakes up, wanders around a weird forest and meets her dwarves who are definitely up to some shady shit. She keeps asking them for answers and they just stand there muttering to themselves. Frustrating.

[Bri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Everyone knows the tale of Snow White. Poisoned by an apple given to her by her evil stepmother. Then laid to rest only to be awoken by true love's kiss. But this is a different kind of story. After 20 years of laying in her glass coffin Snow White finally awakens from her poisonous slumber. But the land she left is not the same one she wakes up to. The blight has taken over. The kingdom of Roanfrost is filled with mutated animals and plants that could kill. On top of that the Evil Queen’s beautiful daughter will stop at nothing to have and keep her power. It’s up to Snow and Snow alone to leach the poison out her land and recover what she once lost.


Regrettably, I didn’t love this book as much as I wanted to. The premise had me. A gothic, dark and sapphic retelling of Snow White? Sign me up. However, I felt like the book I wanted to go into was not the same book I read.

To start, I couldn’t stand Snow White as a main character. I could understand she was asleep for twenty years and that she woke up to a world she didn’t know. Of course she would be afraid and off balance but all she did was whine, cry and have other characters fight battles for her up into the end. She made it hard to have compassion or empathy towards her. Secondly, I didn’t like the pacing. Ultimately, I felt like I was trudging through mud to get to the last 75% of the book where all the action happened at once.

My main gripe with this book was that I wanted a sapphic romance and didn’t get one. Snow had more chemistry with Henry, her “best friend” than she did with the main love interest - the Evil Queen’s daughter. They barely interacted until the last twenty-five percent and even then they were barely interacting with one another. I understand that this is not a romance book but I feel like it is mismarketed as a sapphic romance when there isn’t really one at all.

Overall, I was a bit disappointed. I liked the dark and gothic elements but wasn’t too impressed with the plot or the characters.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Sophia Dyer • bookishly.vintage · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS WAS SO GOOD.

I mean, maybe it is because I am re-watching Once Upon a Time alongside reading this, but I thoroughly enjoyed this darker retelling of Snow White. The basis is the same - she is the fairest and she is taken down by her evil stepmother. But there is not true loves kiss to save her.....she saves herself.

"You knew I'd eventually wake.
I learned my lesson the first time. Snow White of Sonderwood, Keeper of Roanfrost, always rises again."

I love the idea of magic being tied in this nature, and Hannah did it so well in this one. I was intrigued by the different territories representing different seasons, and it makes sense that Roanfrost was winter. Seeing Snow commune with Nature and all its intricacies was so cool, and it made what the "villains" were doing that much worse.

One of the things that this book did well was show that Snow is a human being. The decree to be Seasonkeeper talked about being "fair," which Snow felt she wasn't after her face was marred and she made some error in judgments. I think that is what made her fair. She made errors just like anyone else, and she felt more realistic in that way, but still Nature chose her over all else. Snow doesn't need a man or seven dwarves to save her, we see her do it herself time and again.

I love seeing how the world was ravaged by the Blight, and how it affected both the land and the animals. And......I think this will be a series? No way we can end like that, I know there has to be more to the story here!

The one thing that made me a little iffy was the sprinkling of romance. There is a semi love circle, in which Snow has feelings for both the brother and sister (they are twins). These twins are also *technically* her step-siblings.....even if they were born after Snow "died" and lived a completely different life up until now. By all accounts, they are strangers, but also *technically* related by marriage. And, you know, Snow is *technically* 20 years older than these kids (who are basically 17/18), so there is that going on too? I don't know, maybe don't think too much into it...

ANYWAY, I really enjoyed this world and loved diving into it. The story is dark and gritty, but Snow is such a complex character and I loved to see her evolution over the course of this book. This one surprised me in the best way! I could see this turning into a duology or a trilogy, and I think it would make a good movie/show as well. I look forward to what is next!
Content warnings: death, body horror, gore, animal death, torture, loss of a loved one, kidnapping, buried alive, suicide, blood, violence
Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday Books for an advance copy, all opinions are my own.

[Rmplift, Rachel Phillips · Rating 2 out of 5]

This looked really cool. I had been dying to read this due to it being on goodreads and loved the concept. However, this book was weird and very amateur.

As you may have guessed it's a retelling with a theme of plague. The whole concept of the book is based on balancing good and evil. The writing would give so many unnecessary details. There would be three paragraphs of details to one paragraph of story telling. This book just WOULDN'T END. It like a five year old talking, just continuously adding things.

Basically, Snow White comes back, there's a plague that has hit all wildlife. Someone is supposed to be nature's advocate and the queen is stealing magic trying to be that advocate. Her excuse for causing so much harm to others is that she is fighting the patriarchy. What was really weird and uncomfortable to read was the constant forced kissing. Maybe these were poorly written scenes but essentially every time the evil queen goes to kill Snow White she forces herself on her and kisses her. I'm a dark romance reader but the lack of consent just didn't sit well. It's very misplaced for the type of book. Overall, this just seemed too much and did not fit the story.

[Andrea Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Big fan of this one :)

[Meagan Beal · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wildest Things is a sapphic, dark Snow White retelling and I couldn’t get enough of it. Trigger warning to animal lovers, there are many creatures that were affected by the blight, almost like they are eaten away in places. I loved this take on Snow White, the kingdoms power comes from the king and his SeasonKeeper (usually the wife or passed down) which nature has to accept. After twenty years of the deep sleep Snow White wakes up to a whole new world she has to figure out. The forest and nature are characters in their own right throw the story. You have this darkly poisoned forest that is almost beautiful its own awful way. Snow White the fairest of them all has to find out what that means to her and how she get her kingdom back! Full of curious creatures, love, friendship, and detestation. The magic of nature is so well done, it gives you hope when the world feels like it’s falling apart for Snow White.

4.5⭐️

Thank you to Wednesday Book and NetGalley for my gifted copy!

[Alyson Stone · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book: The Wildest Things
Author: Andrea Hannah
Rating: 2 Out of 5 Stars

I want to thank the publisher, Wednesday Books, for sending me an ARC. I could not get into this one. It is not the book’s fault, but rather my problem. It has a lot going for it, but I found it very difficult for me to get into the story. It might be because Snow White is not a favourite fairytale of mine.


Twenty years after biting the poisoned apple, Snow White awakens to a kingdom in ruins. The once-vibrant land of Roanfrost is now a decaying wasteland, ravaged by a mysterious plague. Determined to restore her kingdom and uncover the truth, Snow embarks on a perilous journey that will test her strength and unravel everything she thought she knew about herself. Old friends turn into enemies, new alliances are forged, and the Queen with blood-red lips will stop at nothing to claim both Snow’s heart and her power. To save the kingdom and all of Garedenne, Snow must become the Seasonkeeper, the key to unlocking the life-giving magic that can heal the land. But the path to becoming the Seasonkeeper is fraught with danger—and as the wild things awaken, Snow's darker instincts might be the very thing that saves or destroys them all.

The setup for this one is very interesting. We have Snow White, who the world thought was dead comes back. She left a harsh world and comes back to find that everything has changed. All that she has ever known is gone. Those who she thought she could trust have turned their backs on her. She is alone and has nowhere to turn. Plus, a plague has infected the wildlife, making even a simple journey through the forest rather dangerous. This alone should have been enough to pull me in right away. Yet, I found myself quickly losing interest in what was going on. It felt like something was missing. I feel like all of this could have been expanded on.

Snow’s character did not keep me engaged either. She is lost and confused, which is expected given that she was asleep for twenty years. She has lost everything. Yet, her actions did not fit what we were told about her. We are told that she is supposed to be a nature lover and not a killer. However, she does things that don’t make sense.

The writing was okay. Some of the words and sentence structure that the author used did not fit and made for a rather awkward read. There is info dumping, which is fine. However, when and how it was used made the plot very jarring. It took away from the overall story.

Overall, this was a miss for me. If you enjoy dark fairytale retellings, you will probably enjoy this one.

This book comes out on February 25, 2025.

[Brittni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightfully macabre, this YA fantasy takes the classic story of Snow White and twists it into one deliciously eerie tale.

We get poisoned forests, carnivorous chipmunks, creepy-cute bunnies, a kick-ass princess, and so much more. I was honestly shocked by how dark it got at points, especially considering it’s YA! But my goodness, was I HERE FOR IT 🖤

What really pulled me in was the incredibly detailed world. Infused with nature-based lore, it features four separate regions each ruled by a specific season to keep all living things in balance. While a tad complex, the magic system is thoroughly explained, so just stick with it if you feel lost at first!

One more thing I loved: the character arcs! Each MC, from Snow White to the Evil Queen’s daughter, is complex—no one is “just good” or “just evil.” They all have believable motivations that drive the plot forward, exploring everything from generational trauma to the patriarchy. You feel for everyone…even the villains...and it’s so satisfying.

Is the darkness calling to you yet?? 😈 If so, then get this one on your TBR pronto!

𝗔 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀:
🍎 The Wildest Things is the first book in a duology. So don’t fret if you get to the end and are like, “WAIT…WHAT?? WHO?!” 😉

🍎 While marketed as a sapphic romance, this first installment is more about world-building. There’s an obvious attraction between our two FMCs but my guess is we���ll get more romance and queer rep in the second book 🏳️‍🌈

🍎 Please check the content warnings! Like I mentioned, this one gets dark.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The Wildest Things by Andrea Hannah is a first person dual-POV YA fantasy retelling of Snow White. When Snow White awakens after sleeping for twenty years, she finds that the world has changed dramatically since she was poisoned. A Blight has fallen upon the land and thrown the seasons out of whack as well as having an impact on the animals and mossfolk. Snow has to defeat the new queen and return her kingdom to what it once was before it's too late.

We have an adorable animal companion via Blueberry the bunny. Snow's companion, Henrick, keeps rabbits and Snow gets attached to one in particular to the point where she names it. I loved the little moments with Blueberry and how much Snow cared about him despite only having him for a few days. If we get a sequel, I am fully expecting more Blueberry moments.

The magic system adds a climate fiction element to the plot and is a major driver of the actions of a lot of characters. The Season Keeper is one with nature and works with the king to keep everything in balance. Nature itself chooses its Keeper and has some strict requirements, such as being pure of heart. Snow’s stepmother and later stepsister, Iliana, want to use Snow’s heart to become the Keeper themselves. Magic also presents differently in different people, such as Henrick having a sort of shield magic while Snow’s is more healing-based.

The main POV is Snow White but we get chapters from the POV of the magic mirror who gives us glimpses into what is going on with Iliana while Snow and Henrick are on their journey and what happened while Snow was asleep. It's also through the mirror that we can see the pressure put on Iliana to finish what her mother started, something that is complicated by Snow and Iliana:s attraction to each other. The mirror chapters feel more distant than is typical of a YA novel, but the mirror is not quite as sentient as some iterations make it so it's more of a reflection of Iliana’s actions rather than a deep POV narration.

Content warning for gore

I would recommend this to fans of retelling looking for a climate fiction element in their magic systems and those looking for a Sapphic Snow White retelling

[D &#x1f9f8;ྀི · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this as an ARC from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review~~

3.75 ⭐️ rounded up to 4 ⭐️
The Wildest Things has an extremely intriguing premise that immediately made me go to NetGalley and put in a request for the ARC. Sapphic Snow White?? Um…Yes, please! I did enjoy my time with this book and I definitely want to continue on with the series.

The writing is this is extremely atmospheric, complete dark magical forest vibes. I loved how the author took certain small details that were part of the original tale and twisted them into this retelling. It added another cool layer to the already really cool take on Snow White. The actual world was also really interesting and, again, I like how it is still tied back to the original story but it’s a fresh take which I do believe is so necessary for a retelling. They can be extremely one-note if not given their own true twist.

I also really like that Snow and Iliana do not end up together, happily ever after at the end of the book. Sure, it definitely seems to be leaning that way for the sequel but the slow burn of their relationship is a rare instance of true enemies to lovers. They are infatuated with each other pretty quickly~~HOWEVER~~they never stop being enemies while also being infatuated with each other which I think is delicious.

This is a YA book, and I think you can tell that but it’s definitely not in a bad way! My only complaints, and the reason I did not rate it a full five stars, is that I felt like the pacing was a bit off and I can see that being a problem for some people. It sometimes felt like we were going in circles and there wasn’t a clear understanding of how much time was passing, although it’s clear time WAS passing. It was definitely not a deal breaker for me though!

All in all, I did enjoy this book and it was the perfect dark fairytale atmosphere to start my December off with!

[NrsKelley · Rating 2 out of 5]

First let me start by saying I would give this 2.5/5 stars if Goodreads allowed half stars. But I just could not round this up to 3 stars.
I was super excited to read this sapphic Snow White retelling until I actually started reading it.
It read a lot like a horror novel…….and may I ask what romance? Snow and Iliana literally don’t meet until the last 1/3 of the book and then it’s literally Snow lusting over an evil queen because she’s “pretty and she feels a zing”. Ma’am, this b**** is trying to kill you and all your friends but you’re still begging for her kiss……..STOP IT. Maybe if there was a backstory and ya’ll had been friends or in love but no it’s insta-lust from before you even meet her.
Meanwhile we get to listen to Snow’s internal monologue about how she’s not good enough to be season keeper and how she’s so weak over and over and over again. I just started skimming at that point.
None of the characters get the development they deserve. Honestly, the rabbit Blueberry gets more development than most of the human characters.
And so the fact that the idea had such promise and failed to deliver on it really just was sad to me.
I received an ARC of this title, all opinions are my own

[ladybreww · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the energy of this book. Homegirl must be exhausted because she ran literally the entire book. Interesringly enough, with all of the running around and action, the pacing felt a bit off. This is one of those stories that you don't know where you'll end up but the journeys pretty fun. The writing was enjoyable and lyrical. I really liked Henrik. I got a little lost towards the last 30% because I couldn't figure out what the point was.

This is definitely a dark retelling which I loved although I didn't quite understand some parts. The Blight was pretty cool - Snow White was supposed to be the ... keeper? Of the natural world? And restore balance? But it wasn't explained all that well. I loved the mossmen but wanted them fleshed out a little more. It's not a romance so keep that in mind. There is literally one kiss.

There is some harm to animals.

Ends on a cliffhanger.

[Brandi McPherson]

I was all-in based on the description of this one: a Sapphic retelling of Snow White? Yes, please. 

But it fell so totally flat for me. The story starts with Snow waking up in her coffin and then goes on to a lengthy and rather boring world-building without much character development. Were we supposed to know who she was as a human based on the fairy tale? But the dwarves were actually trees? And the few that were left when she awoke turned against her? 

And don't get me started on the chapters written from the magic mirror's perspective. Ugh. I really tried.

This one just fell really flat for me. But I much prefer character-driven stories. You may enjoy it if expository world-building is your thing. 

I received this ARC from @netgalley and publisher @stmartinspress. The opinions are my own. 

The Wildest Things will be released on February 25, 2025.

[booked.with.julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Wednesday Books for the gifted copy.

“There is no goodness here, no judgment from the wildest things.”

The cover and it being a Snow White retelling really drew me in.
Snow has finally woken up after 20 years of being asleep. But it isn’t a princes kiss that woke her. She wakes up to a different world than was she knew. The blight has affected creatures and the land. Old friends have now turned into her enemies. To save the kingdom, Snow must become the SeasonKeeper and get the poison out of the land. But first, she has to beat her stepmothers daughter, The Evil Queen to it. This book has marketed as a sapphic romance but it felt more like enemies than any connection besides thinking she is attractive. Maybe we will get more of that in book 2?
I did enjoy this one and its dark and gothic feel.

[Madison Morrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wildest Things by Andrea Hannah

“There is no goodness here.
No judgement from the wildest things.
Let the blood in your veins lead you like a rapid river.
To the Glories that nature brings.”
Huge thank you to Wednesday books and Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. I’ve come to the conclusion that Wednesday Books can do no wrong. Every story they publish is an immediate 5 stars. This sapphic Snow White retelling follows Snow, reborn into her worst nightmare and faced with the impossible task of saving her kingdom from the esurient blight that has rotted the land and mutated the creatures that call Roanfrost home.
Snow must defeat the evil queen’s daughter and become the Seasonkeeper of Garedenne but the road to victory will be dangerous, the allies will be untrustworthy, and love will be the biggest roadblock of all.
This YA queer fantasy by Andrea Hannah comes out on February 25th!

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oy yoy yoy this was BAD. Admitting defeat at 36% . Review to come. 🍏

(FINAL REVIEW:)

This was described as a horror, sapphic Snow White retelling and all I got from the 36% I fought through was a whiny and pampered teen who literally can’t do anything but scream and cry, and gets insta-lusty with her enemy queen. 🤦🏻‍♀️

I don’t know what made this book out to be so bad for me because the writing itself was great for a fairytale retelling and the idea itself sounded fantastic but the execution of it all . . . I was just bored and frustrated out of my mind. 😫

Maybe this’ll work for others but for me, sadly it didn’t click. Shout out to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for accepting my request to read this in exchange for an honest review. I wish I could’ve enjoyed this more. 😔

Publication date: February 25

Overall: 1.75/5 ⭐️

[Krystle Krystlesbookclub · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed it.
I love a fairytale retelling and the gothic vibes in this one's just hit for me. It was creepy and weird but I was here for it.
The romance story really took a back seat, the focus being on Snow waking after 20 years trying to figure out her powers and claim her title.
It's a bit dark but YA friendly in my opinion.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was gorgeously written with exquisite world building. I loved the connection to nature and the switch from dwarves to mossfolk. The premise was intriguing. And the stunning cover was just *chef’s kiss*

While I was excited for the Evil Queen/Princess pairing, the romance unfortunately is where this book fell flat for me. I felt like they took too long to meet in person, barely interacted even after that, and the instant attraction described from their glimpses through the mirror didn’t ring sincere to me. Snow White seemed to have far more chemistry with Henrick than Iliana.

At times, there also were too many descriptions and similes for my personal taste.

Try as I might, I wasn't able to push through to the end without losing interest. So I finally surrendered and DNF at 71%.

This might be a better fit for readers who don't care about the romance.

I’m still looking for my dream sapphic Snow White retelling since this wasn’t quite it.

I received an advanced copy from the publisher and am voluntarily leaving this review.

[Karis · Rating 2 out of 5]

~~Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!~~

Yeah, this is just a huge no from me.

This book is such a slog; I was legit bored to tears. This slowness primary stems from the long-winded, multi-chapter worldbuilding dump. You can't just tell the reader everything about your world like that. I wasn't even invested in the main character yet, so why should I care anything about this world? And all of this was before Snow got told what happened to the world after she died. The mossfolk (AKA the original seven from the story) telling her was fine, but Snow revealing everything that came before that out of dialogue killed any interest I initially had in the story.

The characters weren't any better. Snow had some interesting things going in her character, as her arc is basically deconstructing what "fairness" is and growing from that dainty, innocent persona she had for her whole life. This arc should have captured me in theory, but this girl's nonsensical attraction to the evil queen, who is her stepmother's daughter by a father that wasn't Snow's. Their interactions are mostly contained in the last third of the book, and the only thing they seem to have is that they both think the other is hot. But Snow should know better because the queen is, as stated many times throughout the narrative, a replica of the stepmother who abused her! It's just so weird that this is the romance of the book. Not as bad as it could be, but even if there was solid, well-written chemistry, there would still be some lingering weirdness.

The rest - I couldn't care less. The woodsman stand-in was a prop to keep Snow alive until she could wield magic, the mossfolk weren't as explored as they could have been, and the rest of the story, when the info-lore dumping slowed down, just felt like a waste of time.

I think it's safe to say my journey with Hannah's solo books ends here, but I will be reading her co-authored fantasy with Rebecca Mix. Hopefully, that will turn out better than what I got here.

[Hviareadsbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I AM LOVING THE SAPPHIC RETELLINGS OF FAIRYTALES THIS YEAR!

Seriously, snow white being queer makes so much more sense! This story is wonderfully dark, full of queer longing and fear. I loved every aspect of this story, and devoured the book while I was dealing with a bad headache.

Thanks Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC!