Grim Lovelies by Megan Shepherd - ADVISABLE

Grim Lovelies (Grim, #1) by Megan Shepherd, 376 pages.  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018.  $18.  

Content: Language:  PG-13 (9 swears); Mature Content: PG-13; Violence: PG-13. 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS – ADVISABLE  

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE  

Anouk has only been human for one year, but her curiosity in the world around her, her friendship with three other “beasties” in her house and her devotion to the witch, Mada Vittora, who created her make for a busy life.  When Mada Vittora is murdered, Anouk and her beastie friend, Beau, look guilty so they run away in the hopes of finding someone who can be their new master.  Beau and Anouk have three days to find a new master or they and their two other beastie friends will return to the animals they were before Mada Vittora changed them, so a journey of magic and trust begins.  

This book is super creative, and I loved the supernatural setting.  In the beginning, I felt like I was dropped into the world, so it took a few pages to get oriented, but once I did, I loved Anouk and her friends.  The goblins in this story can be a bit disgusting so there is blood and death and there is a slight reference to being forced to do sexual acts.  I also think the cover is fantastic.

Reviewer, C. Peterson