Monday Grimm by Anna B. Madrise
Star Rating: 4.5/5
Genre: Science fiction and fantasy, Fairytales
Buy the book: Amazon
Synopsis (from Amazon): I would like to tell you a story about a young girl with hair as black as coal, who was once told that she had no soul. I would like to tell you that she lived a life free from strife, where only the sunshine glows, but it would be a lie. It would be a lie of such magnitude that it would make you question your very being, and shatter everything you thought you knew about good and evil. If you are reading this, then there is still a sliver of hope left, however small it may be. You must understand, I am Monday Grimm and I have but one night, on All Hallows’ Eve, to change my fate. Or die trying. This is my story...

I am absolute trash for fairytales. I even took a class on them in college and wrote a paper for another about why we love them so much. Thus, I was pretty much destined to like Monday Grimm by the delightful Anna B. Madrise - @anna.b.madrise_author on Instagram (you should totally check her out because she's one of the nicest people ever 😊). This book was everything a fairytale should be. There was a quest with rules attached, friends met along the way, and puzzles to figure out. On top of that, it really reminded me of the old Sierra King's Quest games, as seemingly random objects were collected for use later. I have very fond memories of these games, both watching my dad play them when I was really small and playing them myself when I was older, so it increased the book's charm for me.

The writing is straightforward, as is fitting for a fairytale, but that doesn't mean it was bland. On the contrary, I easily envisioned the wasted and forgotten areas Monday had to explore. It had a perfect Halloweeny ambiance. And there was an interesting twist with some floating goldfish. These surprisingly ominous little (at first) guys kept reminding me of the stakes and became downright creepy at one point, which was really fun.

Monday was the only character we really got to know well, and I really like her. I adore an ass-kicking female hero, but I think it's important to remember there are many kinds of strength. Monday is sweet and kind and tenacious despite her circumstances, and I think that's so important. I love that she doesn't pull punches and holds others accountable, but she also does it in a respectful way. She's a character I'd want to sit down and have a quiet teatime with. 💗

Honestly, my only complaint about the book is that it wasn't longer. I opened it up on my Kindle the day it came out and saw this at the bottom of the screen:

20 minutes left in book

I had been so excited for this book for so long, I think my own hype disserved me here. I wanted more before I even started. Thankfully, there's a sister volume coming out around Christmas. Squeeeeeee! On the upside, this means it's small in the commitment department, so really there's no reason not to get it. 😉

All in all, this story is a surprisingly short but darling fairytale that should please people of all ages.

PS: I'm ridiculously excited because I'm meeting Anna in real life next week! AHHHHHH!!! 😆 Be cool, Dana. *pulls chill back together* I'll be at the Atlanta Steampunk Expo in Atlanta, GA next week, so come on out if you're in the area!