Juniper & Thorn by Ava Reid

What in the Russian fever-dream fairytale did I just read?

This is objectively a good book and a very interesting story, but it didn’t quite resonate with me personally. I spent most of the time feeling a little flabbergasted as to what was happening—and a little confused.

The storytelling has a vibe very reminiscent of a Naomi Novik book, which I did enjoy. There were fascinating themes and odd, whimsical elements that kept me tethered in this strange waking limbo between reality and the story world.

I think what tipped it from being an intriguingly odd tale into something not quite my taste was the romantic plotline. The more books I binge, the better I understand my preferences, and this romance just didn’t hit the mark for me. I’m not a big fan of insta-love/insta-lust unless it’s done really well and evolves over time.

That said, I did appreciate that the FMC wasn’t a freshly 18 character like so many books seem to feature these days. However—and this is the only time I will ever say this—her being 25 didn’t quite work because her personality, decisions, and behaviors seemed more suited to a younger age. GASP! I know. Wild how the one time we get an appropriately aged character, they end up feeling like they’d be better written as younger.

You win some, you lose some!

This one lands firmly in my “maybe” recommend pile because it’s not a book for everyone. If you love quirky, surreal storytelling with a dash of fairytale weirdness, you might love this. For me, it was an interesting ride, but not one I’d take again.