Rating: ★★★★✬ (4.5/5 Stars)
Title: Grimworld
Author(s): Avery Moray
Character(s):
― Henry Bats: 13 years old
Setting: Grimworld
Tag(s): Fantasy, Middle grade
Content Rating: PG
POV: Third Person
Smexy Level: Subtle
Favorite Quote(s):
― "The hungry creepers awaken from sleep, Not with light, but flies and meat To reveal their fruit from the earthy deep."
Overall Opinion:
Great early to middle grade books are a rare find and I'm glad I have stumbled upon Avery Moray's "Grimworld: Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock". There were definitely some Tim Burton's "Coraline" and "The Nightmare Between Christmas" vibes I got from this and I can easily envision what the characters and Grimworld would look like in his perspective. For that obvious reason I was immediately drawn to that concept and writing style cause I mean who doesn’t love Tim Burton inspired writing and/or movies?! The author did a fantastic job making this her own and taking the reader into another world thus making this one of my favorites reads of 2019. I would highly recommend this novel to anyone who is a fan of Tim Burton style stories to definitely give this a chance and not to forgot this novel is intended for early to middle grade but adults can still have an overall enjoyable reading experience reading this.

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I really wanted to like this, but it completely failed to engage me. It feels a bit like a Tim Burton produced animation, the tale of young people in a dark fantasy world who are battling spirits who are sapping their lives. It’s likeable and imaginative, but the pages just washed over me with none of it really sinking in. Others may enjoy it more, but for me it was a bit of a non event ( )

(This review will be on my blog All the Ups and Downs soon.)
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Lately, I've been reading more Middle Grade books. There's just something refreshing about them. When the opportunity to read Grimworld by Avery Moray arose, I just couldn't say no. I love Middle Grade books as I've just said, and I love books that have a creepy, spooky factor. Grimworld checked both of those boxes. I will say that I enjoyed this short read for sure.

Thirteen year old Henry Bats lives in an eccentric world where all sorts of paranormal creatures lurk. Most of the time, he isn't really scared as this is just a normal thing to him. When one of these paranormal creatures scares him into helping it as well as promising him whatever he wants in return, Henry agrees. This turns out to be a deadly mistake because in return, instead of the comic book he wanted, Henry is now stuck with a pocket watch around his neck telling him when he will die. Part of Henry's life has been stolen away, and now he must figure out a way to get his life back or die in the process.

The plot for Grimworld was definitely intriguing and original. I loved all the crazy creature names and the world in which Henry lived. It sort of reminded me of the Harry Potter world in a way. There is plenty of action throughout the book, and I found myself really rooting for Henry and his friends. There's definitely some scary scenes in there, but I don't think it would be overly scary for middle graders who love horror. There are a few minor plot twists in there which aren't too predictable which is great! Although there is no real cliff hanger, Avery Moray does leave this book open for a sequel.

For the most part, Moray does a fantastic job at pitching to her target age group of around 11 - 13 years of age. She uses silly words throughout which children are sure to enjoy. However, sometimes the language may be a bit difficult for that age group due to more difficult words or as I like to call them "big words." Luckily, this doesn't happen that often. Also, there is a point in the book where Moray mentions pay phones and receivers which young kids may not know about in this day and age. Another thing I found a wee bit strange was that Henry's parents are always referred to by their actual names, Gobbert and Mildred, instead of mom and dad. While I know that some kids refer to their parents by their actual names, the majority of children do not. I felt it would have been a bit easier for children to reference Henry's parents as mom and dad instead of as Mildred and Gobbert.

The pacing is done beautifully in Grimworld. Although this is a middle grade read, this book still held my attention throughout. I was always looking forward to how the story would progress. I had to know if Henry and his friends would escape their horrible fate of the life that was stolen from them. This is also a short read, so I think children will have no problem reading Grimworld.

Character development was on point throughout Grimworld, and I really did feel as if every character acted their age. I admired Henry's determination to not only help himself but his other friends that were facing the same problem as him. I loved his quest to stop at nothing to find a solution. Lang was one of my favorite characters. I felt bad for what he had been through, and I guess that made me really bond with him. It was interesting to hear about his life. Hattie, Henry's younger sister, was also a great character. It was obvious she cared a lot about her brother all throughout the book. Persi was also a favorite of mine simply because I loved her dress sense and personality!

Trigger warnings for Grimworld include death (although it's nothing too heavy), minor violence, and paranormal creatures. However, this is a fantasy horror book so keep that in mind. I don't think it's too dark or overly scary when it comes to the age group it's written for.

Overall, Grimworld is a spooky read with fantastic characters and a great plot which will suck you right in! I would recommend Grimworld by Avery Moray to those aged 11 to 13 years of age who love a quirky spooky read. I'd also recommend it to adults as well who enjoy middle grade fantasy horror. You'll definitely be entertained by this book!
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(A special thank you to Avery Moray for providing me with a paperback of Grimworld in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.) ( )