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Grimrose Girls #2
The Wicked Remain
At Grimrose Académie, the fairy-tale deaths continue. And unless the curse is broken, one of the girls could be next.
Nani, Yuki, Ella, and Rory have discovered the truth about the curse that's left a trail of dead bodies at Grimrose. But the four still know nothing of its origins, or how to stop the cycle of doomed fates.
And each girl harbors her own secret. One is learning why she was brought to the school. One struggles to keep her new and deadly power under control. One knows exactly how much time she has left.
And one, trying to escape her dark destiny, will come even closer to fulfilling it.
Can the girls change their own stories and break the curse? Or must one of them die to end it forever?
Nani, Yuki, Ella, and Rory have discovered the truth about the curse that's left a trail of dead bodies at Grimrose. But the four still know nothing of its origins, or how to stop the cycle of doomed fates.
And each girl harbors her own secret. One is learning why she was brought to the school. One struggles to keep her new and deadly power under control. One knows exactly how much time she has left.
And one, trying to escape her dark destiny, will come even closer to fulfilling it.
Can the girls change their own stories and break the curse? Or must one of them die to end it forever?
480 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2022
132 people are currently reading
8969 people want to read
About the author
Laura Pohl
54 books531 followersLaura Pohl is the New York Times best-selling author of The Grimrose Girls. Her debut novel, The Last 8, won the International Latino Book Awards. She likes writing messages in caps lock, never using autocorrect, and obsessing about Star Wars. When not taking pictures of her dog, she can be found curled up with a fantasy or science-fiction book or replaying Dragon Age. Her favorite Disney princess is Cinderella, and her favorite Disney prince is Kylo Ren. A Brazilian at heart and soul, she makes her home in São Paulo.
She is represented by Kari Sutherland at Bradford Literary.
She is represented by Kari Sutherland at Bradford Literary.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 475 reviews
November 13, 2022
4.00 Stars. A good ending to this fairytale duology. If you like the feel of books like The School for Good and Evil or shows like Disney’s The Descendants or Once Upon a Time, but want something darker, grittier and wonderfully queer, than The Grimrose Girls is just the duology you are looking for. I’m a huge fairytale retelling fan, especially when they get a queer spin, so this underrated YA dark duology was right up my alley. Imagine going to an academia in a castle where there are certain girls who live out fairytale stories but are cursed to die before they ever get their happily ever after. And now imagine what would you do if you found out you were one of those girls, one of those living breathing fairytales come to life. Could you write your happy ending before it was too late?
While I do have to admit that I liked book one a little bit more than this book, I still thought that this was a good and fun ending. I just enjoyed the whole premise and while this is a darker fantasy series with the premise of girls dying, for one most fairytales are dark, and two there are plenty of moments of friendship and love between best friends, and some romance, that give this duology the lighter moments it needs to balance things out nicely.
As a character driven reader, this is where the book really shined for me. With a cast of four main characters, it is not easy to give them all such distinct voices, but here they all had them. Each chapter starts with the name of the character, but they are so well written that I could always tell whose POV I was in without even reading the name. How impressive is that?! Not only were they all unique, but I found that I enjoyed them all and while I had my favorites, I enjoyed reading every POV and never felt bored or wished I could jump to the next character. I can’t tell you how rare that is when it comes to me reading character ensemble books.
I don’t know if I was the biggest fan with how everything wrapped up. One of the characters said something like “I don’t know if I understand everything that just happened” after the big climax ending scene and I could not help but LOL since I felt a little bit the same. I really liked how one of the characters storylines tied-in to play a big role in the ending, I thought it was well done, but I wish there were some better clues thrown in on who the “bad person/s” was as it wasn’t as much as a solvable mystery as I would have liked. I liked the feel of the mystery in book one better, but overall, it didn’t take away my reading enjoyment and it was a satisfying ending to the series. Last small complaint, I also would have shaved a chapter or two off the book’s length, it felt a little long overall, but that might be more of a personal preference.
TLDR: An underrated YA queer dark fantasy series. I would recommend this duology for fans of fairytale retellings, especially if you don’t mind your stories a little on the grittier side. This was an entertaining series and I’m really going to miss the well written characters the most. I’m excited to see what Pohl will write next.
A copy was given to me for a honest review.
While I do have to admit that I liked book one a little bit more than this book, I still thought that this was a good and fun ending. I just enjoyed the whole premise and while this is a darker fantasy series with the premise of girls dying, for one most fairytales are dark, and two there are plenty of moments of friendship and love between best friends, and some romance, that give this duology the lighter moments it needs to balance things out nicely.
As a character driven reader, this is where the book really shined for me. With a cast of four main characters, it is not easy to give them all such distinct voices, but here they all had them. Each chapter starts with the name of the character, but they are so well written that I could always tell whose POV I was in without even reading the name. How impressive is that?! Not only were they all unique, but I found that I enjoyed them all and while I had my favorites, I enjoyed reading every POV and never felt bored or wished I could jump to the next character. I can’t tell you how rare that is when it comes to me reading character ensemble books.
I don’t know if I was the biggest fan with how everything wrapped up. One of the characters said something like “I don’t know if I understand everything that just happened” after the big climax ending scene and I could not help but LOL since I felt a little bit the same. I really liked how one of the characters storylines tied-in to play a big role in the ending, I thought it was well done, but I wish there were some better clues thrown in on who the “bad person/s” was as it wasn’t as much as a solvable mystery as I would have liked. I liked the feel of the mystery in book one better, but overall, it didn’t take away my reading enjoyment and it was a satisfying ending to the series. Last small complaint, I also would have shaved a chapter or two off the book’s length, it felt a little long overall, but that might be more of a personal preference.
TLDR: An underrated YA queer dark fantasy series. I would recommend this duology for fans of fairytale retellings, especially if you don’t mind your stories a little on the grittier side. This was an entertaining series and I’m really going to miss the well written characters the most. I’m excited to see what Pohl will write next.
A copy was given to me for a honest review.
Want to read
February 8, 2022February/08/2022
COVER, COVER COVER
I LUV IT
I just want to hold the book <3 Gimme
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈
do i want to read this?
yes
Do i really actually want to read this?
no
am i gonna read this anyway?
maybe most probably👀
me being conflicted about a sequel but adding it my most anticipated books of 2022 :0
COVER, COVER COVER
I LUV IT
I just want to hold the book <3 Gimme
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈
do i want to read this?
yes
Do i really actually want to read this?
no
am i gonna read this anyway?
maybe most probably👀
me being conflicted about a sequel but adding it my most anticipated books of 2022 :0
December 17, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an ARC!
Um. So. How do I form words.
I might have been particularly biased toward this book because I was, and still am, OBSESSED with the first one. I actually panicked when I found out this was approved for me on Netgalley, like ????? what.
And then I read it. As you can tell, my brain did not recover.
“Magic was a battle of wills, of pouring the essence of self into the thing you wanted the most, making it real and concrete, letting it all out without guilt.”
The plot actually shook me so much, partly because it stayed on the same course as the first book but also took these little twists and turns that confused me and, looking back, made the whole experience completely different. Grimrose was the same as it always was, but also so changed, and I didn’t really know how to process that.
And only Laura Pohl could insert a fucking vine reference into a book. Absolutely iconic. I screamed.
“Is that allowed?” Rory asked, looking over her shoulder at the two students mashing their faces together. “Is that allowed?” Rory repeated louder, and Sabrina paused just long enough to give Rory the middle finger.”
if you know, you know.
On a similar note, each character got her own little arc of realization stemming from the events of the first book. The development was really well done.
Ella slowly grew into someone similar to, but not nearly the same as, what she started out as and I loved her determination to keep things together. She had this perfect inner strength and love that I personally found really rare and I loved the way she developed.
She also had OCD and was severely abused at home and I honestly was obsessed with her mental health portrayal. She felt so realistic and relatable in the most inspiring way and I was in love with the representation.
“She also never looked for her own story in these old records because her story was so much like the stories of countless other young girls in the world. Not just the girls who were fated to retell Cinderella, but girls who were prisoners in their homes, held captive in the darkness, until the day they vanished. No one noticed them, and no one would remember their names.
There were a hundred thousand other little Cinders out there, but only Ella got to be named for what she was.”
Yuki is a fan favorite and I can see why. I personally cannot choose a favorite, but like. Her progression was so much fun to read and I loved the conflict she brought to the story. That pressure to be perfect, to always be what everyone expects, was so incredibly done and her inner narrative was just…yes. The angst, the spiraling, the constant fury and confusion and want? I -
I wasn’t as much a fan of her being represented as aroace. I mean, I loved the representation, of course, but I thought it was a bit of an exaggeration to make her disgusted by all romance? I think the moments in the book where she physically shut out her friends’ SOs were just kind of awkward. It would have been possible to make her realistically aroace without the social irony.
“Yuki wasn’t perfect, and she was never going to be.
She was ice and cold and darkness; she was sharp and scared and lonely, and there was a hunger so deep within her to be accepted, to be loved, to be embraced for who she was.”
Rory is absolutely iconic and I loved reading her personality. She was so brash and loud and fearless but also had a million tiny fears that she kept guarded at all times and I just couldn’t get enough of her drama. She was so complex and entertaining and badass and came to terms with herself so beautiful.
I also loved the fact that she had chronic pain from a condition and not an injury, because most fantasy books try to make the pain stem from something within the plot. Rory didn’t, and the way this was shown was really well-done.
“It’s the twenty-first century,” Nani said. “It’s time we get some gay princesses out there.”
“I am but a poor baby dyke,” Rory mumbled.
Nani actually revealed so much more of herself in this book than I thought possible, because I thought we got a lot of her in the last book and then - surprise, bitch, it turns out it’s actually possible to like her even more. I loved how instrumental she became to the story.
“Trying to keep herself safe, building castle walls around who she really was.
And here was someone, knocking on the door, asking to be let in. asking to be led through the staircases and the dark dungeons, and maybe eventually, to a place filled with light.
That’s what being a friend meant. It was crossing the dark and murky waters together, never afraid to see what would come out on the other side.”
What I didn’t like as much about this book, especially with Nani’s character, was the fairytale connections. I think in the first book, the characters were more set up for the fairytale plots, like they were waiting for the lines to be drawn. The way the lines were drawn in this one were not what I thought they would be.
And I was willing to accept that, but it just felt kind of out of place? I admire that Laura Pohl took a different route with pretty much all of their tales, adapting them to the books and the characters, but these felt a little wild to me. They just didn’t settle with the plot as well as I thought they should have.
Something that struck me about this book in comparison to the first one is the way the relationships developed.
First and foremost, the friendship between the girls actually got a lot more spotlight in this one. The conflicts and conversations and growing understanding felt so perfect for each of the characters, and I loved that.
“It’s what friendship meant. That they would do things together, and no matter how hard it became, they would still be there. It was not about proving a point that you could do it on your own - that was just stupid. Besides, it wasn’t about accepting help. Friends didn’t help you because you needed it or out of charity or pity. They helped because they loved you. They helped because that’s what friends did.
So no one would take the journey alone. Friends cared, and they chose to care.”
And then the romance. Honestly, I’m more of a fan of the development of a ship than its fulfillment, so I personally liked the first book better in terms of the romance. But the couples in this book stayed true to who they were in the first, and the way they picked up from here felt really natural.
I wasn’t as big a fan of the push and pull of those relationships, but it was nice to see how they turned out and what happened with the ships from the first book. Everything was really well-written and each couple got a swoon-worthy moment. Which is all I’m really asking for.
“That said," Nani said carefully, looking up at Rory again, “the curse is happening either way. You might as well shoot your shot. Also, Pippa is, and I say this with the utmost respect, unbelievably hot.”
Rory’s face burned, and she looked down at her hands. “She is, isn’t she.”
Nani laughed out loud. “How can you even practice when you have to look at her?”
“I just insult her,” Rory said truthfully. “So my brain gets distracted.”
Nani snorted. “Excellent. I wonder how she hasn’t noticed you’re into her yet.”
The ending felt a little bit rushed because things were resolved at literally the very last second. But I think it really helped draw out the tension as the book went on because it was so drawn out until the last few pages. And back on the topic of relationships, those also felt really stretched. Like, we only got real resolutions to the couples within the last couple of chapters.
Overall, I am shook. This book wildly exceeded pretty much every expectation I had for it. My brain didn’t stop wondering what the fuck was going on until I was finished, because even at the resolution, I still couldn’t keep track of what was happening.
Maybe I’m just not smart enough for it.
June 22, 2022
i received a complimentary review copy from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. this did not affect my rating in any way.
this is the sequel to the grimrose girls. don’t read this review if you haven’t read that!
content warnings: fatphobia, sexual assault (forced kissing), transphobia, violence, child abuse, cancer
now that the grimrose girls know about the curse sentencing fellow students to fairytale-esque deaths, they must figure out how to stop them from happening, especially since any one of them could be next.
this book was heavier on the romance than in book one (at least, from what i can remember), but that was fine! it gave the girls something more to fight for. even with the various romances, friendship played such an important role throughout this book, which i really loved.
the ending was very satisfying, too! i really didn’t know what was going to happen, but the way the plot played out and the way the book ended was so great.
if you enjoyed book one, i definitely recommend picking this one up!
this is the sequel to the grimrose girls. don’t read this review if you haven’t read that!
content warnings: fatphobia, sexual assault (forced kissing), transphobia, violence, child abuse, cancer
now that the grimrose girls know about the curse sentencing fellow students to fairytale-esque deaths, they must figure out how to stop them from happening, especially since any one of them could be next.
this book was heavier on the romance than in book one (at least, from what i can remember), but that was fine! it gave the girls something more to fight for. even with the various romances, friendship played such an important role throughout this book, which i really loved.
the ending was very satisfying, too! i really didn’t know what was going to happen, but the way the plot played out and the way the book ended was so great.
if you enjoyed book one, i definitely recommend picking this one up!
July 3, 2022
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Wicked Remain is the second installment within the Grimrose Girls series. Just like the first book, I completely devoured this in one sitting. We are also still following the same girls - Nani, Yuki, Ella, and Rory. They are determined to discover the truth and so am I.
I'll admit that the curse for the girls within this book was pretty interesting from the get-go. Not sure how I would feel about a fairytale death for myself, but at least it would be unique. Slightly entertaining. There are honestly worst ways to go. As to who was behind it all? Well, I wasn't expecting that reveal to happen towards the end. More towards the middle of the book but beggars can't be choosers.
Other than that, we do still get the romance. Not even mad about this because I absolutely adored it all. Especially since we needed a break or two from figuring out the curses and everything else. Then again, maybe that's just me thinking that way?
Either way, I really enjoyed everything about this. The ending was so freaking good and put a smile on my face. It's a little bittersweet to walk away from this world but I will definitely be on the lookout for Laura's next book!
The Wicked Remain is the second installment within the Grimrose Girls series. Just like the first book, I completely devoured this in one sitting. We are also still following the same girls - Nani, Yuki, Ella, and Rory. They are determined to discover the truth and so am I.
I'll admit that the curse for the girls within this book was pretty interesting from the get-go. Not sure how I would feel about a fairytale death for myself, but at least it would be unique. Slightly entertaining. There are honestly worst ways to go. As to who was behind it all? Well, I wasn't expecting that reveal to happen towards the end. More towards the middle of the book but beggars can't be choosers.
Other than that, we do still get the romance. Not even mad about this because I absolutely adored it all. Especially since we needed a break or two from figuring out the curses and everything else. Then again, maybe that's just me thinking that way?
Either way, I really enjoyed everything about this. The ending was so freaking good and put a smile on my face. It's a little bittersweet to walk away from this world but I will definitely be on the lookout for Laura's next book!
February 15, 2023
At Grimrose Académie, the fairy-tale deaths continue. And unless the curse is broken, one of the girls could be next.
Nani, Yuki, Ella, and Rory have discovered the truth about the curse that's left a trail of dead bodies at Grimrose. But the four still know nothing of its origins, or how to stop the cycle of doomed fates.
And each girl harbors her own secret. One is learning why she was brought to the school. One struggles to keep her new and deadly power under control. One knows exactly how much time she has left. And one, trying to escape her dark destiny, will come even closer to fulfilling it.
Can the girls change their own stories and break the curse? Or must one of them die to end it forever?
I went into this one dubious because I was a fan of the first book in the series but wasn’t totally sold. However, Pohl has definitely won me over after this sequel.
The main thing I enjoy about this book is Pohl’s characters. I love every single one of the girls from the Academy, and each of them has their own string attached to my heart. It’s strange having a novel with so many protagonists where I resonate with them all and not just one, but I think that’s the beauty of Pohl’s writing, there is something for everyone in it and there’s a bit of everyone’s story in each of the girls.
Mixed with modern dilemmas and age old fairytale tropes this is a fantastic, romantic, tense but magical series that I know many readers, young and old will enjoy.
I went into this one dubious because I was a fan of the first book in the series but wasn’t totally sold. However, Pohl has definitely won me over after this sequel.
The main thing I enjoy about this book is Pohl’s characters. I love every single one of the girls from the Academy, and each of them has their own string attached to my heart. It’s strange having a novel with so many protagonists where I resonate with them all and not just one, but I think that’s the beauty of Pohl’s writing, there is something for everyone in it and there’s a bit of everyone’s story in each of the girls.
Mixed with modern dilemmas and age old fairytale tropes this is a fantastic, romantic, tense but magical series that I know many readers, young and old will enjoy.
July 5, 2024
Sempre posso contar com a Laura Maria pra escrever coisas que vão contra meus princípios e mesmo assim me fazer falar PARABÉNS MUITO BEM NOTA 10
November 21, 2022
books with a group of mentally unwell, dysfunctional, yet beloved characters who found each other and become a family, i cherish you
November 8, 2022
laura put her all into making me cry istfg. platonic relationships are something so important to me i cried so much literally sobbing
the plot felt very centric compared to the first book thank god we were more focused on it while still able to balance good character development.
nothing im saying is making sense so im gonna stop here and just tell you to read it
the plot felt very centric compared to the first book thank god we were more focused on it while still able to balance good character development.
nothing im saying is making sense so im gonna stop here and just tell you to read it
November 2, 2022
i'm gonna miss my girls :') rtc!
May 13, 2024
One Word.
✨✨✨closure✨✨✨
Edit: that review was a lot better in my head. don’t judge.
✨✨✨closure✨✨✨
Edit: that review was a lot better in my head. don’t judge.
June 10, 2022
talvez a quebra da maldição são as amizades que fazemos no caminho...
November 2, 2023
the ending felt too convinient and this was just as forgettable as the first one. i genuinely don't think i remember more than 50% of what happened and i've just finished the book.
May 24, 2022
I got a free e-ARC through Netgalley, this in no way affected this review.
You guys don’t understand the scream I let out when I got approved for this ARC! I read The Grimrose Girls back in January and enjoyed it so much and now I didn’t have to wait almost an entire year to read the second and final book in this duology!
Now, I can’t say too much about the plot since this is a sequel, but the people who enjoyed the first book will be very pleased with how this sequel wraps everything up!
We arrive back at Grimrose Académie and are still following Rory, Nani, Ella and Yuki as they try to solve the mystery that’s plaguing the Académie. It was really nice to learn more about these characters and see their relationships evolve even more.
I also loved all the queer and diverse rep we got in this book, especially since it’s a fantasy/horror book!
You guys don’t understand the scream I let out when I got approved for this ARC! I read The Grimrose Girls back in January and enjoyed it so much and now I didn’t have to wait almost an entire year to read the second and final book in this duology!
Now, I can’t say too much about the plot since this is a sequel, but the people who enjoyed the first book will be very pleased with how this sequel wraps everything up!
We arrive back at Grimrose Académie and are still following Rory, Nani, Ella and Yuki as they try to solve the mystery that’s plaguing the Académie. It was really nice to learn more about these characters and see their relationships evolve even more.
I also loved all the queer and diverse rep we got in this book, especially since it’s a fantasy/horror book!
September 5, 2023
3.75 💫 an amazing ending to this story!
May 24, 2022
TL;DR: A fairytale duology conclusion that puts heart, friendship, and complex humanity at the centre of its push for happy endings
(eARC provided by Netgalley)
The Wicked Remain managed to surpass the brilliance of The Grimrose Girls, often in ways I couldn't expect. I entered this book thinking it would be a solid followup, but, without the creeping mystery of the first book, it might lack that special spark - I was happily wrong. This book takes all the pieces from the predecessor and focuses in on their emotional weight and their thematic significance. All four protagonists are compelling and manage to develop in ways that feel deeply human, and the supporting cast is perfect too. What will always surprise me is how a writing style that can initially seem quite sparse and blunt actually is a beautiful (as well as immensely readable) vehicle for this tale. And for all the risk of magic contrivance or tropey copouts, the ending is absolutely perfect at balancing fairytale ideas with modern sensibilities. A deeply intersectional duology that truly brings fairytales into the modern world in a way other texts sometimes only partly manage.
Rating breakdown
5 stars without rounding
10/10 in personal rating system
(eARC provided by Netgalley)
The Wicked Remain managed to surpass the brilliance of The Grimrose Girls, often in ways I couldn't expect. I entered this book thinking it would be a solid followup, but, without the creeping mystery of the first book, it might lack that special spark - I was happily wrong. This book takes all the pieces from the predecessor and focuses in on their emotional weight and their thematic significance. All four protagonists are compelling and manage to develop in ways that feel deeply human, and the supporting cast is perfect too. What will always surprise me is how a writing style that can initially seem quite sparse and blunt actually is a beautiful (as well as immensely readable) vehicle for this tale. And for all the risk of magic contrivance or tropey copouts, the ending is absolutely perfect at balancing fairytale ideas with modern sensibilities. A deeply intersectional duology that truly brings fairytales into the modern world in a way other texts sometimes only partly manage.
Rating breakdown
5 stars without rounding
10/10 in personal rating system
October 11, 2022
3.5⭐️
Thank you so much to Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley for providing an advanced copy of this. All thoughts and opinions are still my own.
Overall, I thought this was a really solid ending to this fun, dark fairytale fantasy. There were elements that I completely adored, but some things that left me wanting a little more.
So let's start with what I liked -
I loved how a "HEA" was different for each other girls. And it didn't automatically mean that they each ended up in a committed romantic relationship - especially considering these characters are teens and just graduating high school.
I loved the emphasis and friendships and platonic love. Yuki and Ella's relationship is so fierce and unending and I was living for it.
The last quarter of this book is a RIDE. I never wanted to put this book down once things were being revealed. Definitely make sure you have time to spare once you get to the last 100 pages. Because you won't be able to put this down.
However that leads into some of the things that didn't quite work for me.
While the ending was action packed, the first half was quite slow. It felt like almost nothing happened for the first 30-50% of the book. It was just the main characters having the exact conversations over and over. Which left me feeling like this book did not need to be nearly 500 pages long. So much of that could have been cut without loosing any development or plot.
I also felt that while the ending was action filled and fast paced, I was left feeling underwhelmed by the final reveals. I didn't feel like there was good foreshadowing done throughout the story to lead to the conclusion and reveal. The people behind the plot felt sudden and odd and I wasn't a huge fan.
And the way the curse broke... didn't make a ton of sense to me. Especially considering all the searching and clues our heroines found throughout the book. I don't entirely understand how they got to that conclusion or why it worked.
So in the end I'm left feeling a little torn. I felt like this book had amazing messages and discussions about love and loyalty and friendships. But I thought the wrap up of the mystery could have been handled better.
This is definitely still a book I recommend for anyone who loves fairytales and wants a dark, queer take on those tales. And I'm excited to see what Laura Pohl does next!
Thank you so much to Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley for providing an advanced copy of this. All thoughts and opinions are still my own.
Overall, I thought this was a really solid ending to this fun, dark fairytale fantasy. There were elements that I completely adored, but some things that left me wanting a little more.
So let's start with what I liked -
I loved how a "HEA" was different for each other girls. And it didn't automatically mean that they each ended up in a committed romantic relationship - especially considering these characters are teens and just graduating high school.
I loved the emphasis and friendships and platonic love. Yuki and Ella's relationship is so fierce and unending and I was living for it.
The last quarter of this book is a RIDE. I never wanted to put this book down once things were being revealed. Definitely make sure you have time to spare once you get to the last 100 pages. Because you won't be able to put this down.
However that leads into some of the things that didn't quite work for me.
While the ending was action packed, the first half was quite slow. It felt like almost nothing happened for the first 30-50% of the book. It was just the main characters having the exact conversations over and over. Which left me feeling like this book did not need to be nearly 500 pages long. So much of that could have been cut without loosing any development or plot.
I also felt that while the ending was action filled and fast paced, I was left feeling underwhelmed by the final reveals. I didn't feel like there was good foreshadowing done throughout the story to lead to the conclusion and reveal. The people behind the plot felt sudden and odd and I wasn't a huge fan.
And the way the curse broke... didn't make a ton of sense to me. Especially considering all the searching and clues our heroines found throughout the book. I don't entirely understand how they got to that conclusion or why it worked.
So in the end I'm left feeling a little torn. I felt like this book had amazing messages and discussions about love and loyalty and friendships. But I thought the wrap up of the mystery could have been handled better.
This is definitely still a book I recommend for anyone who loves fairytales and wants a dark, queer take on those tales. And I'm excited to see what Laura Pohl does next!
Read
July 29, 2022I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Given that I DNF'd this book, I do not feel comfortable giving it a star rating. I read the first in this series (The Grimrose Girls) and had issues with the first book that I hoped would be corrected in the second, which is why I attempted to read book 2.
Starting off, I will say I appreciated Laura Pohl's attempts to retcon one of the most glaring issues I've seen brought up in regards to the first book in the series, which was the implication that if Nani was Belle, then Svenja, a trans woman, would be considered the Beast.
That said, the book dragged for me. It felt like there wasn't a lot of forward motion in regards to the plot or the characters, and it made it difficult for me to be excited to read. I felt similarly about the first book - it didn't pick up in pace until the last fifth of the story - and I'm finding that perhaps that is simply Laura Pohl's style, and it's not for me.
Given that I DNF'd this book, I do not feel comfortable giving it a star rating. I read the first in this series (The Grimrose Girls) and had issues with the first book that I hoped would be corrected in the second, which is why I attempted to read book 2.
Starting off, I will say I appreciated Laura Pohl's attempts to retcon one of the most glaring issues I've seen brought up in regards to the first book in the series, which was the implication that if Nani was Belle, then Svenja, a trans woman, would be considered the Beast.
That said, the book dragged for me. It felt like there wasn't a lot of forward motion in regards to the plot or the characters, and it made it difficult for me to be excited to read. I felt similarly about the first book - it didn't pick up in pace until the last fifth of the story - and I'm finding that perhaps that is simply Laura Pohl's style, and it's not for me.
May 19, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I am SO excited to have the chance to read this book! I read the first book in the series The Grimrose Girls, last year. I instantly fell in love and immediately needed the second book. Well it sure did not disappoint!
Our girls are back. Ella, Yuki, Rory, and Nani have figured out the truth behind the curse. Now they need to pick up the pieces, and figure out how to break the curse cycle. But each girl is hiding a secret of their own. The book will immerse you in the story of each girl and their paths. Now will they be able to break the curses of their stories and find their happy endings?
There is so many twists, turns, and adventure. I love this world, and I am so excited to be back! This book is one of my favorite fairytale retellings with its fresh look on a few of our favorite heroines.
What I love:
-the LGBTQI+ representation is so strong in this book. I love how it isn’t a second thought or a box to check off in terms of diversity. Plus the slight nod to demi was wonderful to see.
-the world building is fantastic as always. I love the dark academia feel through this series
-multiple POVs which keeps the pacing fast. I didn’t want stop reading at all.
-the twists I didn’t see coming. The growth of all the characters was also wonderful.
I absolutely loved this sequel! I think it did a great job tying up the stories from the last book. I loved all the characters and cheered for them through the story. The ending was also perfect! I can’t wait to read more from this author! 4.5 stars out of 5
I am SO excited to have the chance to read this book! I read the first book in the series The Grimrose Girls, last year. I instantly fell in love and immediately needed the second book. Well it sure did not disappoint!
Our girls are back. Ella, Yuki, Rory, and Nani have figured out the truth behind the curse. Now they need to pick up the pieces, and figure out how to break the curse cycle. But each girl is hiding a secret of their own. The book will immerse you in the story of each girl and their paths. Now will they be able to break the curses of their stories and find their happy endings?
There is so many twists, turns, and adventure. I love this world, and I am so excited to be back! This book is one of my favorite fairytale retellings with its fresh look on a few of our favorite heroines.
What I love:
-the LGBTQI+ representation is so strong in this book. I love how it isn’t a second thought or a box to check off in terms of diversity. Plus the slight nod to demi was wonderful to see.
-the world building is fantastic as always. I love the dark academia feel through this series
-multiple POVs which keeps the pacing fast. I didn’t want stop reading at all.
-the twists I didn’t see coming. The growth of all the characters was also wonderful.
I absolutely loved this sequel! I think it did a great job tying up the stories from the last book. I loved all the characters and cheered for them through the story. The ending was also perfect! I can’t wait to read more from this author! 4.5 stars out of 5
May 23, 2022
The Wicked Remain is book 2 in the Grimrose Girls and picks up after the events of book 1. Now that Ella, Yuki, Rory, and Nani have figured out the curse they are set out to break it. The book follows each of the characters on their journey through their own POV which makes for a fast read. There is great LGBTQI+ representation, I really loved the relationships between the characters and how they protect each other. It is an excellent story with a lot of twists and turns and is quite funny at times. The world-building is top-notch as is the character growth. It is just an all-around great story.
August 17, 2023
This series had my name written all over it. A twisted, gory, curse and secret filled boarding school fantasy adventure mystery, with a focus on female friendship and starring four teens destined to follow the paths of various fairytale princesses? What more could I possibly want?
Yes, it was a little messy in places but I had so much fun with it I couldn’t have cared less. This was a brilliantly addictive, entertaining, brutal and heartwarming read and I enjoyed every moment of my time within its pages.
TW: suicide, domestic abuse
Yes, it was a little messy in places but I had so much fun with it I couldn’t have cared less. This was a brilliantly addictive, entertaining, brutal and heartwarming read and I enjoyed every moment of my time within its pages.
TW: suicide, domestic abuse
November 4, 2022
yuki nunca fez absolutamente nada de errado!!!!!!!! rory te amo mais do que tudo. ella e nani beijo fiquem bem, meninas chega de sofrer
November 11, 2022
When I read the first book in this duology, I knew that I enjoyed it, but I didn't actually realize how much I liked it until I realized six months had gone by since I read it and I was still thinking about it. Book two was even better. Now, I will say I often enjoy the second book more simply because I already know I like the world and the characters, so now I'm simply along for the ride. It's the difference between making new friends and going out with your old friends. However, I also think in this case book two works better because while the first book was driven by a mystery that I didn't find terribly shocking in its conclusion, the second book is driven by "how do we fix this?" And honestly, I always find myself more invested in those stories than in mysteries anyway.
Everything that I loved about the first book was present in this book, but, as I said, even better because I already knew I liked them. I loved reading about all of these characters again, and I loved how themself they were all allowed to be. Yuki's storyline in particular was fascinating, but I really do love them all.
And the relationships! The relationships introduced in the first book were explored more in depth here, and in interesting ways that I didn't always expect (I'm looking at you, Nani and Svenja), but always loved. I am always here for gay princesses, which this duology more than delivers on, but that is not even all that I am talking about here. The friendships, both old and new, are the heart of this book, and they were just as fascinating, from the still-slightly-awkward newness of Nani's inclusion in the group to the "I would kill and die for you" intensity of Yuki and Ella's friendship. Even the dynamics of Ella and her stepsisters are given their due, and I loved this book all the more for it.
While this is a series about fairy tales, it takes everything so seriously, in the sense that nothing is trivial. Everything matters. Everyone matters. I won't say much about the ending, but I thought it was the perfect end to the series. If these books had existed when I was sixteen, I would have been absolutely obsessed with them, and I know that for a fact because even now, as an adult with bookshelves full of the sapphic fantasies I craved in high school, The Grimrose Girls duology is still a favorite.
Everything that I loved about the first book was present in this book, but, as I said, even better because I already knew I liked them. I loved reading about all of these characters again, and I loved how themself they were all allowed to be. Yuki's storyline in particular was fascinating, but I really do love them all.
And the relationships! The relationships introduced in the first book were explored more in depth here, and in interesting ways that I didn't always expect (I'm looking at you, Nani and Svenja), but always loved. I am always here for gay princesses, which this duology more than delivers on, but that is not even all that I am talking about here. The friendships, both old and new, are the heart of this book, and they were just as fascinating, from the still-slightly-awkward newness of Nani's inclusion in the group to the "I would kill and die for you" intensity of Yuki and Ella's friendship. Even the dynamics of Ella and her stepsisters are given their due, and I loved this book all the more for it.
While this is a series about fairy tales, it takes everything so seriously, in the sense that nothing is trivial. Everything matters. Everyone matters. I won't say much about the ending, but I thought it was the perfect end to the series. If these books had existed when I was sixteen, I would have been absolutely obsessed with them, and I know that for a fact because even now, as an adult with bookshelves full of the sapphic fantasies I craved in high school, The Grimrose Girls duology is still a favorite.
November 25, 2022
IM FREEEE WORST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFEEEE!!!! by the end i was only reading ella’s povs which i’m not sure helped or hurt my rating but i just couldn’t take it anymore. i think the main problem in both this and the 1st book was that there was too many povs in my opinion. it was easy to remember who ella was, but i was lost on some of the others, especially with it being in 3rd person so none of the girls really had identifiable personalities. this wasn’t a hard book to read, but i wasn’t enjoying it at all, which made it hard to read. i’m disappointed bc ever since i was in barnes and noble around this time last year and a worker recommended the 1st book to me, i thought i’d be hooked. unfortunately, the premise wasn’t done well in either book (in my opinion) and it was a struggle to get through.
October 25, 2022
With incredible twists and a combo of all my favorite fairy tales, The Wicked Remain is the incredible sequel and conclusion to The Grimrose Girls. I love the character development throughout these two books & the ending OMG fantastic! I did not see it coming!
Laura Pohl does an amazing job of showing how powerful young women can be if they just believe -- in themselves and in their friendship.
ARC provided by NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire in exchange for a fair review.
Laura Pohl does an amazing job of showing how powerful young women can be if they just believe -- in themselves and in their friendship.
ARC provided by NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire in exchange for a fair review.
Want to read
February 7, 202207/02/22
THE COVER?? THE TITLE?? AAAAAA
--
29/10/21
want it
need it
GIVE IT TO MEEEEEE
THE COVER?? THE TITLE?? AAAAAA
--
29/10/21
want it
need it
GIVE IT TO MEEEEEE
November 28, 2022
Thank you so much, NetGalley, SOURCEBOOKS Fire, Sourcebooks Fire, for the chance to read this book in exchange of an honest review.
TW: parental abuse, death, PTSD
The wicked remain is the brilliant and intriguing sequel of Grimrose girls and after the shocking ending of the first book, each girl has to face their own problems, traumas and what they discovered with the White and Black books.
The fairy-tale deaths continue and to break the curse the girls have understand how to do it, while facing themselves and trying do do the right thing. But each girl has her own secret. Yuki is struggling with her new power, Nani is investigating her father's presence in the school and why she was sent there, Rory is facing herself and her sexual orientation, with her own health issues and Ella is fighting to understand how much time she has left to live and enjoy.
In this eerie, amazing and compelling sequel, Laura Pohl wrote an unforgettable story, with her characters growing up, facing themselves and each other, discovering secret passages, confronting enemies and trying to save the girls in their school from an undending and cruel cycle that killed girls years after years. Trapped in fairy-tales, cycles and curses, Ella, Nani, Yuki and Rory have to be ready to do anything in their power to stop the curse and save themselves and everyone else.
It was such a pleasure following each character growing up, facing themselves and their fears and desires. Ella goes through a tough journey in order to accept herself and her value, recognizing what she's been through, with her stepmother's abuse and accepting her being loved and appreciated. Yuki starts to embrace herself and her own power and family, embracing all of her, while Nani struggles and finally accept to tear down her own walls, taking people in and also Rory finally opens her eyes towards what and who loves.
I loved how much the author underlines the girls' bond and love, their sisterhood, how much they supported, helped, loved and embraced each part of each other and themselves and it was such a brilliant conclusion of this intriguing duology.
A story about love and self-love, about fighting to be free and themselves, accepting themselves in all their parts, good and bad and I truly loved everything!
TW: parental abuse, death, PTSD
The wicked remain is the brilliant and intriguing sequel of Grimrose girls and after the shocking ending of the first book, each girl has to face their own problems, traumas and what they discovered with the White and Black books.
The fairy-tale deaths continue and to break the curse the girls have understand how to do it, while facing themselves and trying do do the right thing. But each girl has her own secret. Yuki is struggling with her new power, Nani is investigating her father's presence in the school and why she was sent there, Rory is facing herself and her sexual orientation, with her own health issues and Ella is fighting to understand how much time she has left to live and enjoy.
In this eerie, amazing and compelling sequel, Laura Pohl wrote an unforgettable story, with her characters growing up, facing themselves and each other, discovering secret passages, confronting enemies and trying to save the girls in their school from an undending and cruel cycle that killed girls years after years. Trapped in fairy-tales, cycles and curses, Ella, Nani, Yuki and Rory have to be ready to do anything in their power to stop the curse and save themselves and everyone else.
It was such a pleasure following each character growing up, facing themselves and their fears and desires. Ella goes through a tough journey in order to accept herself and her value, recognizing what she's been through, with her stepmother's abuse and accepting her being loved and appreciated. Yuki starts to embrace herself and her own power and family, embracing all of her, while Nani struggles and finally accept to tear down her own walls, taking people in and also Rory finally opens her eyes towards what and who loves.
I loved how much the author underlines the girls' bond and love, their sisterhood, how much they supported, helped, loved and embraced each part of each other and themselves and it was such a brilliant conclusion of this intriguing duology.
A story about love and self-love, about fighting to be free and themselves, accepting themselves in all their parts, good and bad and I truly loved everything!
July 3, 2022
What a thrilling, beautiful conclusion to the Grimrose Girls duology! Brilliant, vivid, lovely magic, carried by the true beating heart of friendship.
February 15, 2024
Apenas algumas considerações:
- final perfeito
- é uma história de amor
- Yuki nunca fez nada de errado
- final perfeito
- é uma história de amor
- Yuki nunca fez nada de errado
February 5, 2023
3.5 stars i think? love love love the representation in this duology
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