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Tales from the Grim #2
Grimmer Intentions
She screwed up. She broke protocol. She saved a life. Grim Reaper Margo Petrov may have resurrected a drowned surfer on the brink of death, but she isn’t earning any awards or receiving employee of the month from Corporate; she’s under more scrutiny from the Grim governing body than ever before. Since she has a massive secret that could spell disaster if revealed, she sure as hell doesn’t want to be in the spotlight, in any form.
Margo vows to keep her head down and stay out of trouble, reaping her quota of spirits lest she cause more problems for herself and the woman she saved with an illegal blood bond. She certainly shouldn’t be opening doors to the Fae lands or offering her neck to an Empusa woman suffering from bloodlust, but Margo’s laundry list of bad decisions keeps growing. With the threat of becoming decommissioned by Corporate looming in her periphery, Margo stumbles deeper into the politics of her people and soon realizes their intentions are far worse than she initially thought.
Margo vows to keep her head down and stay out of trouble, reaping her quota of spirits lest she cause more problems for herself and the woman she saved with an illegal blood bond. She certainly shouldn’t be opening doors to the Fae lands or offering her neck to an Empusa woman suffering from bloodlust, but Margo’s laundry list of bad decisions keeps growing. With the threat of becoming decommissioned by Corporate looming in her periphery, Margo stumbles deeper into the politics of her people and soon realizes their intentions are far worse than she initially thought.
- GenresUrban FantasyLGBTLesbian
ebook
Published December 9, 2019
2 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
About the author
Jodi Hutchins
5 books14 followersJodi Hutchins is a healthcare professional by day and fanatical writer by night. Along with taking entirely too many photos of their four cats, they drink coffee strong enough to hold up a spoon, pretend to harbor an artistic talent, bake more things than they can possibly eat, and hike with their spouse and children as often as they can despite the near-omnipresent rain of Western Washington.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 10, 2019
This was a lot of fun. I’m really enjoying this series. This is the second book in the Tales from the Grim series and both have been a pleasure to read. While I would put the urban fantasy/paranormal tag on this series, it is also filled with romance. I read a lot of lesfic paranormal romances. It’s my favorite category to read so I can be really picky at times. What I love about this series is that you actually don’t have to be a PNR of UF fan to enjoy this. This book is very approachable to any type of lesfic readers. If you like great characters with romances that have chemistry, you will enjoy these books. The paranormal parts are just a fun bonus. It’s enough to make a hardcore PNR fan like me happy without alienating other readers. A series likes this gives me hope that since it has a wide appeal, it will convince more authors to give urban fantasy a try since it shows that this type of book can do well if done right.
Encase anyone cannot tell by the title, this is a series about Grim’s who help souls cross over if they get stuck after they die. Not only is this about reaping souls but it’s about the Grim’s themselves and what they have to go through in their lives especially in their dating lives. There are other supernatural creatures like empusa (vampire like), demons, fae, shifters and even more. Hutchins has a great imagination and it makes these books a ton of fun to read.
Whenever I review a series I always try to answer if you should read the previous books first or not. I think you could start here if you absolutely had to, but I would suggest reading book one, The Grim Assistant first. The mains in book one are secondary characters in book 2 and vice versa. Plus, there is a main storyline that continues over both books so I think you would get the most enjoyment by starting at book one. While I rated these two books the same, I think I liked the first book just a hair better, so I think it’s a book not to be missed either.
I don’t want to go into too much detail about what happened in this book for the people who have not read book one yet since it would be too spoilerish. I will say that the star of this book is Margo. Margo is quite the character so I loved getting to know her. She has turned into my favorite out of all the characters. While I do think the romance in book one was a teeny tiny bit better, Margo and her potential love interest had some great chemistry together. I loved all the intense scenes with them and I was really rooting for them as a potential couple.
While this doesn’t end on a cliffhanger, there are some threads left open for at least one more book. I’m really happy to know this is not the end of the series. It sounds like the third book could be really exciting so I can’t wait. I absolutely recommend this series to any lesfic fan. This series is extremely entertaining with great romances; I don’t think you will be disappointed. Now is the perfect time to join the Grim’s.
An ARC was given to me for a honest review.
Encase anyone cannot tell by the title, this is a series about Grim’s who help souls cross over if they get stuck after they die. Not only is this about reaping souls but it’s about the Grim’s themselves and what they have to go through in their lives especially in their dating lives. There are other supernatural creatures like empusa (vampire like), demons, fae, shifters and even more. Hutchins has a great imagination and it makes these books a ton of fun to read.
Whenever I review a series I always try to answer if you should read the previous books first or not. I think you could start here if you absolutely had to, but I would suggest reading book one, The Grim Assistant first. The mains in book one are secondary characters in book 2 and vice versa. Plus, there is a main storyline that continues over both books so I think you would get the most enjoyment by starting at book one. While I rated these two books the same, I think I liked the first book just a hair better, so I think it’s a book not to be missed either.
I don’t want to go into too much detail about what happened in this book for the people who have not read book one yet since it would be too spoilerish. I will say that the star of this book is Margo. Margo is quite the character so I loved getting to know her. She has turned into my favorite out of all the characters. While I do think the romance in book one was a teeny tiny bit better, Margo and her potential love interest had some great chemistry together. I loved all the intense scenes with them and I was really rooting for them as a potential couple.
While this doesn’t end on a cliffhanger, there are some threads left open for at least one more book. I’m really happy to know this is not the end of the series. It sounds like the third book could be really exciting so I can’t wait. I absolutely recommend this series to any lesfic fan. This series is extremely entertaining with great romances; I don’t think you will be disappointed. Now is the perfect time to join the Grim’s.
An ARC was given to me for a honest review.
December 4, 2019
Halflings Beware.
In The Grim Assistant, we were introduced to Sam. A young mail person. She had a nephew, a sister, and a crush on Lauren, a woman on her daily route. She runs into some trouble surfing. That trouble was named 'Margo,' a Grim that helps souls cross to the other side.
In this second installment, we follow along with with the chain smoking, Margo, gaining an understanding of her backstory and what makes her the abrasive person she is today.
The first story shined from the way Hutchins described scenes as if you were watching a movie. Thankfully, the great storytelling carried over to the sequel.
Sam and Lauren do make appearances throughout. I wish we would have had more of Lauren. And I thought she was surprisingly missing from the last scene.
Margo and Jackie, Lauren's friend from book one, begin to interact and provide some of the most intense moments in this story. There is a dangerous and delicious chemistry between the two of them that had me longing for their connection. From this relationship, we begin to see some vulnerability within Margo.
Margo has to deal with the repercussions of what she caused in the first book while also trying to hide a potentially deadly secret. Meanwhile, she continues to help people, and never once considers herself to be a good person.
This book had a much more complex story line than its predecessor. I wasn't expecting the world to expand as much as it did. Suddenly, we are dealing with so many types of beings (Fae, Shifters, Demons, Empusae, Djinn, etc.) There is a bit of mystery that unfolds. What is Margo hiding? Who is following Margo? What happened to Jackie's friend, Roz? As the title implies, things get much 'grimmer' in book 2.
Overall, it is a story about love and family. Being different and trying to find your place in the world. I enjoyed this a great deal. One critique would be that the pacing wasn't as crisp as in 'The Grim Assistant.' Where that one kept me turning the pages quickly, this one had a few lulls where scenes felt like they dragged on a bit.
I recommend this to people who like to read about romance, grim reapers, vampires, fae, shifters, crossing over, art, crossing over, conjuring light, bloodlust, and cigarettes.
I received an ARC from NineStar Press for an honest review.
In The Grim Assistant, we were introduced to Sam. A young mail person. She had a nephew, a sister, and a crush on Lauren, a woman on her daily route. She runs into some trouble surfing. That trouble was named 'Margo,' a Grim that helps souls cross to the other side.
In this second installment, we follow along with with the chain smoking, Margo, gaining an understanding of her backstory and what makes her the abrasive person she is today.
The first story shined from the way Hutchins described scenes as if you were watching a movie. Thankfully, the great storytelling carried over to the sequel.
Sam and Lauren do make appearances throughout. I wish we would have had more of Lauren. And I thought she was surprisingly missing from the last scene.
Margo and Jackie, Lauren's friend from book one, begin to interact and provide some of the most intense moments in this story. There is a dangerous and delicious chemistry between the two of them that had me longing for their connection. From this relationship, we begin to see some vulnerability within Margo.
Margo has to deal with the repercussions of what she caused in the first book while also trying to hide a potentially deadly secret. Meanwhile, she continues to help people, and never once considers herself to be a good person.
This book had a much more complex story line than its predecessor. I wasn't expecting the world to expand as much as it did. Suddenly, we are dealing with so many types of beings (Fae, Shifters, Demons, Empusae, Djinn, etc.) There is a bit of mystery that unfolds. What is Margo hiding? Who is following Margo? What happened to Jackie's friend, Roz? As the title implies, things get much 'grimmer' in book 2.
Overall, it is a story about love and family. Being different and trying to find your place in the world. I enjoyed this a great deal. One critique would be that the pacing wasn't as crisp as in 'The Grim Assistant.' Where that one kept me turning the pages quickly, this one had a few lulls where scenes felt like they dragged on a bit.
I recommend this to people who like to read about romance, grim reapers, vampires, fae, shifters, crossing over, art, crossing over, conjuring light, bloodlust, and cigarettes.
I received an ARC from NineStar Press for an honest review.
January 30, 2020
I love these kind of books, full of frolic, an eclectic cast of characters ranging from selkies to djinn to empusae to fae, all one big found family. There’s also paranormal intrigue and a war a-brewing between Corporate and the working class Grim who are bristling at the leaders’ brutal new rules that threaten not only Grim livelihoods but their actual lives.
Grimmer Intentions carries on from book 1 so I would definitely recommend reading right behind the first one for continuity’s sake. Beyond the evolving storyline, is a romance between a beautiful, kindhearted artist named Jacqueline and an acid tongued, loner Grim named Margo. It starts awkwardly then builds into a good romance with a couple of blistering hot scenes. Not graphic but still very steam worthy. Adventure, sizzle, and when the author is on a roll, they soar with words. Looking forward to the next one. 4.25 stars.
“Margo’s excitement was palpable. She always loved a good storm: watching the branches of radiant light spilling over the darkened ground when lightning struck, wind whispering the world’s secrets through cracks in the door as the rain pattered a soft melody on the windowsill.”
Grimmer Intentions carries on from book 1 so I would definitely recommend reading right behind the first one for continuity’s sake. Beyond the evolving storyline, is a romance between a beautiful, kindhearted artist named Jacqueline and an acid tongued, loner Grim named Margo. It starts awkwardly then builds into a good romance with a couple of blistering hot scenes. Not graphic but still very steam worthy. Adventure, sizzle, and when the author is on a roll, they soar with words. Looking forward to the next one. 4.25 stars.
“Margo’s excitement was palpable. She always loved a good storm: watching the branches of radiant light spilling over the darkened ground when lightning struck, wind whispering the world’s secrets through cracks in the door as the rain pattered a soft melody on the windowsill.”
December 7, 2022
4 stars
A good continuation of the previous book.
I especially like that it focuses more on Margo. She's fun as hell.
I'm curious though, will there be a next one? Because I can't find a mention of a third book, but the story feels unfinished right now.
A good continuation of the previous book.
I especially like that it focuses more on Margo. She's fun as hell.
I'm curious though, will there be a next one? Because I can't find a mention of a third book, but the story feels unfinished right now.
March 22, 2023
2.5 rounding up. Fairly aimless and skirting around issues. Just when you think we're getting somewhere... it ends!
December 6, 2019
This was an excellent follow up to the first book in the series - The Grim Assistant. One is that it focuses on grumpy Grim Margo and the cool Jackie. Two, it helps expand on the world by giving some answers to questions from the first book while giving more questions. Sometimes it is annoying when an author is being a tease, but here, it feels natural. We find out about things as the characters do, and it just helps move the plot along without giving away too much.
Margo continues to be a delight, and is still as grumpy as ever. There are now two big reasons for her grouchy exterior. If you have read the first book, you'd know the most recent secret. But the second one is definitely more intriguing. Like, why does she keep it? and why is her secret so dangerous? There are some partial answers in this book, but some of the bigger world building questions that seem to be centered around Margo are still left hanging. Her love interest, Jackie is no slouch either she's a type of blood sucker that can see her source's feelings and deepest memories. She hates how that can make her see things she doesn't want, so she mostly takes an elixir that is like blood but does do some damage to her body. This part of her species does help her and Margo connect more in some really great ways that help deepen their relationship as they are starting out.
If you're looking for Sam and Lauren, they do appear here, but only in cameos. This is fine for me, because it clearly is Margo's book, and I love having a strong side characters to help round out the story. Brent and Collin are also play important roles, and their involvement has me curious about the next book. I do want to say that they may be the key to all the events in the story, so It'll be interesting to see if I am right about it.
This is turning out to be one of my favorite lesfic urban fantasies. It has fast pacing, a snappy dialog, excellent world building, awesome leads, and socio-political intrigue. I can't recommend this series enough. If you're starting out with this one, do yourself a favor and grab the first book if you can. You won't regret either reads.
I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Margo continues to be a delight, and is still as grumpy as ever. There are now two big reasons for her grouchy exterior. If you have read the first book, you'd know the most recent secret. But the second one is definitely more intriguing. Like, why does she keep it? and why is her secret so dangerous? There are some partial answers in this book, but some of the bigger world building questions that seem to be centered around Margo are still left hanging. Her love interest, Jackie is no slouch either she's a type of blood sucker that can see her source's feelings and deepest memories. She hates how that can make her see things she doesn't want, so she mostly takes an elixir that is like blood but does do some damage to her body. This part of her species does help her and Margo connect more in some really great ways that help deepen their relationship as they are starting out.
If you're looking for Sam and Lauren, they do appear here, but only in cameos. This is fine for me, because it clearly is Margo's book, and I love having a strong side characters to help round out the story. Brent and Collin are also play important roles, and their involvement has me curious about the next book. I do want to say that they may be the key to all the events in the story, so It'll be interesting to see if I am right about it.
This is turning out to be one of my favorite lesfic urban fantasies. It has fast pacing, a snappy dialog, excellent world building, awesome leads, and socio-political intrigue. I can't recommend this series enough. If you're starting out with this one, do yourself a favor and grab the first book if you can. You won't regret either reads.
I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
July 8, 2020
Brilliant!
Margo is back but is in trouble and having to keep herself in check. Filling her quota of spirits should be her only priority but she just can’t help herself. Whilst trying to keep herself out of any further trouble with Corporate, she is taking risks to venture in relations within the Fae lands and it could all have devastating consequences. Margo is wary that if she gets caught it could end her career, but as she finds out more about her people and all they stand for she discovers their intentions aren’t exactly as she had first perceived them to be.
I absolutely love this series, and the second instalment was just as brilliant. I really love the series and am more excited than ever to see what will lie in store for Margo in future. It was great to get some of Margo’s origin story, and also see her interacting with other characters for her own personal relations, rather than just work. There is an amazing chemistry between her and Jackie, and it opened up Margo’s character to show us that although she is quite emotionally disconnected at times she can be vulnerable.
It is brilliant how Jodi Hutchins combines love and death so beautifully into one story, and although this second story in the series is more complex, it has only heightened the intrigue for more. I just love the concept and it works so well. The introduction of other worlds and beings also crossed it further over into the paranormal and fantasy genres and has given scope for some interesting story development in the future. The sequel has explained some of the things that weren’t as clear from the first book, and given more depth to the organisation that is Corporate. As you discover all the mystery and secrets with Margo, you really realise just how much danger she could be in if her secrets got out.
I really enjoyed the sequel and if you liked the first book, you’ll like this one too. It has very much left me excited for more, and I can’t help put recommend this as it is a truly unique paranormal fantasy romance!
Margo is back but is in trouble and having to keep herself in check. Filling her quota of spirits should be her only priority but she just can’t help herself. Whilst trying to keep herself out of any further trouble with Corporate, she is taking risks to venture in relations within the Fae lands and it could all have devastating consequences. Margo is wary that if she gets caught it could end her career, but as she finds out more about her people and all they stand for she discovers their intentions aren’t exactly as she had first perceived them to be.
I absolutely love this series, and the second instalment was just as brilliant. I really love the series and am more excited than ever to see what will lie in store for Margo in future. It was great to get some of Margo’s origin story, and also see her interacting with other characters for her own personal relations, rather than just work. There is an amazing chemistry between her and Jackie, and it opened up Margo’s character to show us that although she is quite emotionally disconnected at times she can be vulnerable.
It is brilliant how Jodi Hutchins combines love and death so beautifully into one story, and although this second story in the series is more complex, it has only heightened the intrigue for more. I just love the concept and it works so well. The introduction of other worlds and beings also crossed it further over into the paranormal and fantasy genres and has given scope for some interesting story development in the future. The sequel has explained some of the things that weren’t as clear from the first book, and given more depth to the organisation that is Corporate. As you discover all the mystery and secrets with Margo, you really realise just how much danger she could be in if her secrets got out.
I really enjoyed the sequel and if you liked the first book, you’ll like this one too. It has very much left me excited for more, and I can’t help put recommend this as it is a truly unique paranormal fantasy romance!
August 6, 2020
Maybe me delving into this paranormal content was too good to be true. While it's not my go-to by any means, I surprised myself by liking the first in this series, so dug right into the second. Unfortunately there are large sections where nothing.....happens. So much tea is made, so much tea is drunk, so much driving around...to Jackie's to Brent's to the beach back to Margo's to Jackie's to the school etc etc. There is so much meandering that didn't seem to have a point, and this got very tiresome. Book 1 dealt with just Grimm's, which I found endearing. This one went way the heck into Fae and Empusa (don't say vampire) and others I can't even recall, my eyes just glazed over.
Something big and strange is happening in the land of magic or faery or elves or....what world, not even sure and Margo is somehow in the middle of it, trying to hide what she truly is. She realizes she loves Jackie the vamp, I mean Empusa, but I honestly didn't feel the chemistry. I gotta be honest, the last chapter I just skipped because I was bored and wanting to move on. Sorry folks, just not the book for me, but I do think the author is strong, can write in incredible detail, and will keep her on the radar for other reads. 2.5/5.
Something big and strange is happening in the land of magic or faery or elves or....what world, not even sure and Margo is somehow in the middle of it, trying to hide what she truly is. She realizes she loves Jackie the vamp, I mean Empusa, but I honestly didn't feel the chemistry. I gotta be honest, the last chapter I just skipped because I was bored and wanting to move on. Sorry folks, just not the book for me, but I do think the author is strong, can write in incredible detail, and will keep her on the radar for other reads. 2.5/5.
April 23, 2021
3.5 rounded up. It's a fun read, but it felt like it lacked a lot of explanations for world building and character development. But that is probably because I didn't read book 1 (accidentally picked this up without realizing it's book 2). Even so, the romance itself felt lackluster between the two characters. I was more interested in the plot and politics. Still, it moves at a good fast pace and keeps you engaged.
December 30, 2024
Ah men! This was unfortunately disappointing. I found myself flipping, not page's alone but chapters. This just didn't have compelling paragraphs....I got bored reading about the insecure brooding half something.
April 23, 2020
This book begins with a quick look into the past at the beginnings of Margo’s life with her brother before they were officially named Grims. The short first chapter gives additional foundation to Margo’s character that was slightly lacking in the first book and an introduction to one of the plot threads that carries through the entire book. After that short chapter, however, the book pretty much starts immediately after the conclusion of The Grim Assistant but from the perspectives of Margo and Jackie.
I would argue that a reader wouldn’t necessarily need to read The Grim Assistant to know what is happening in Grimmer Intentions, as the first book did more for setting up the world than it really did for the overarching story of the series. The second book of the series really starts to ramp up what’s happening at “Corporate” and, I would argue, has a better handle on the balance of tension. There is tension created through the frenemies to lovers dynamic between Margo and Jackie as well as each one of our main protagonists’ own dire circumstances that create palpable tension and plot points that ultimately collide together towards the end of the book.
Reading the first installment of the series is still something I’d recommend. There are a few scenes that Hutchins includes in the second book that don’t necessarily further the plot but they do tie up some lingering questions from the first book. This is most noticeable with Lauren and Sam’s love story, as the reader gets to see it further develop from the sidelines in both Margo’s and Jackie’s perspectives. The relationship between Lauren and Sam also makes for an excellent contrast when the relationship between Margo and Jackie begins to form. It was nice to have that juxtaposition between the two relationships because the differences in their type of affection and relationship, in general, are so drastic.
Hutchins again delivers on a wonderfully diverse cast of queer characters. Jackie has a nonbinary sibling named Ezra. The dialogue surrounding Ezra throughout the book is spot on. Hutchins even has a moment where they demonstrate how easy it is to clarify someone’s pronouns, even for the rough around the edges, Margo:
Margo lifted an eyebrow, noting the pronoun Jackie used in relationship to her sibling. “Their? Is Ezra nonbinary?” She chewed her lip, hoping she hadn’t been rude.
“Yes.”
“Cool. Figured I’d ask, and I hope that wasn’t rude.”
[Jackie] beamed. “No, not at all. Actually, I really appreciate you asking.”
[Dialogue from Chapter Twleve]
This is not the first time the reader has seen Ezra mentioned, but it is the first time in the book that Margo comes across Ezra’s character while talking with Jackie. In several scenes previous to this during Jackie’s perspective, she talks about her sibling and always uses gender-neutral language for them and it is seamless and natural.
There was another character that I was surprised to see have a bigger role in this book and who I will forever stan: Calliope O’Sullivan, the selkie police officer. She plays an integral role in the plot development of the story and was a character that I wasn’t at all expecting to see again from her tiny scene in The Grim Assistant (she’s the police officer who comes to the scene on one of Sam’s first cases with Margo). I don’t know what it is about Officer O’Sullivan that I love so much – maybe I just have a thing for disgruntled gritty cops. Who knows. What it does prove, though, is that despite having a relatively small role in the book, she still has a complete characterization about her. In fact, all of the characters in this book are fully developed and fully realized characters. It is clear Hutchins put a lot of effort into their construction and editing of this story, as every character has a purpose and there are no throwaway characters.
Though I enjoyed the plot of this book and the multiple threads that Hutchins managed to intertwine at the end, my main criticism comes in the overarching plot – though the personal stories of both Jack and Margo are wonderful and enticing, the things happening with Corporate are concerning but rarely feel like the focus of the story. Again, I’m okay with it because I love the characters so much in this series and will happily read their character drama. But the throughline plot of the books feels like it would happen regardless if a protagonist is present for it or not, as much of it is handled by side characters. It felt like Jackie and Margo were simply present for what happened but had no active role in instigating any of it.
Grimmer Intentions further sets up the series for another installment and I am beyond excited to see what happens next in the Tales from the Grim series. I know I’m keeping my fingers crossed for more of my favorite disgruntled selkie police officer, but honestly, Hutchins could write pretty much anything and I’d be happy.
I would argue that a reader wouldn’t necessarily need to read The Grim Assistant to know what is happening in Grimmer Intentions, as the first book did more for setting up the world than it really did for the overarching story of the series. The second book of the series really starts to ramp up what’s happening at “Corporate” and, I would argue, has a better handle on the balance of tension. There is tension created through the frenemies to lovers dynamic between Margo and Jackie as well as each one of our main protagonists’ own dire circumstances that create palpable tension and plot points that ultimately collide together towards the end of the book.
Reading the first installment of the series is still something I’d recommend. There are a few scenes that Hutchins includes in the second book that don’t necessarily further the plot but they do tie up some lingering questions from the first book. This is most noticeable with Lauren and Sam’s love story, as the reader gets to see it further develop from the sidelines in both Margo’s and Jackie’s perspectives. The relationship between Lauren and Sam also makes for an excellent contrast when the relationship between Margo and Jackie begins to form. It was nice to have that juxtaposition between the two relationships because the differences in their type of affection and relationship, in general, are so drastic.
Hutchins again delivers on a wonderfully diverse cast of queer characters. Jackie has a nonbinary sibling named Ezra. The dialogue surrounding Ezra throughout the book is spot on. Hutchins even has a moment where they demonstrate how easy it is to clarify someone’s pronouns, even for the rough around the edges, Margo:
Margo lifted an eyebrow, noting the pronoun Jackie used in relationship to her sibling. “Their? Is Ezra nonbinary?” She chewed her lip, hoping she hadn’t been rude.
“Yes.”
“Cool. Figured I’d ask, and I hope that wasn’t rude.”
[Jackie] beamed. “No, not at all. Actually, I really appreciate you asking.”
[Dialogue from Chapter Twleve]
This is not the first time the reader has seen Ezra mentioned, but it is the first time in the book that Margo comes across Ezra’s character while talking with Jackie. In several scenes previous to this during Jackie’s perspective, she talks about her sibling and always uses gender-neutral language for them and it is seamless and natural.
There was another character that I was surprised to see have a bigger role in this book and who I will forever stan: Calliope O’Sullivan, the selkie police officer. She plays an integral role in the plot development of the story and was a character that I wasn’t at all expecting to see again from her tiny scene in The Grim Assistant (she’s the police officer who comes to the scene on one of Sam’s first cases with Margo). I don’t know what it is about Officer O’Sullivan that I love so much – maybe I just have a thing for disgruntled gritty cops. Who knows. What it does prove, though, is that despite having a relatively small role in the book, she still has a complete characterization about her. In fact, all of the characters in this book are fully developed and fully realized characters. It is clear Hutchins put a lot of effort into their construction and editing of this story, as every character has a purpose and there are no throwaway characters.
Though I enjoyed the plot of this book and the multiple threads that Hutchins managed to intertwine at the end, my main criticism comes in the overarching plot – though the personal stories of both Jack and Margo are wonderful and enticing, the things happening with Corporate are concerning but rarely feel like the focus of the story. Again, I’m okay with it because I love the characters so much in this series and will happily read their character drama. But the throughline plot of the books feels like it would happen regardless if a protagonist is present for it or not, as much of it is handled by side characters. It felt like Jackie and Margo were simply present for what happened but had no active role in instigating any of it.
Grimmer Intentions further sets up the series for another installment and I am beyond excited to see what happens next in the Tales from the Grim series. I know I’m keeping my fingers crossed for more of my favorite disgruntled selkie police officer, but honestly, Hutchins could write pretty much anything and I’d be happy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 31, 2019
First things first, I friggin' love Margo and if you haven't read the first book in the Tales from the Grim series, Grim Assistant, then this review is going to spoil the heck out of it for you. Go read the first book and then read the this one. If you enjoy sarcastic, genuine characters and need a fresh take on Grim Reapers, this series is for you.
After reading the Grim Assistant I e-mailed Jodi Hutchins and shared my love for Margo. Finding out that she was getting her own book was beyond exciting. I needed to know how she came to be a Grim and what her life was like before she got to this point. I needed more Margo in my life, because I feel like she's my spirit-Grim. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I GOT!!
What I enjoyed about this book was the more intensive background that was given on how a person becomes a Grim, what each of their roles were, the different supernatural beings (Empusa, Djinn, Fae, Grim ... ), and how they all interact with each other. There was a much fuller picture of that world and the politics that comes with being a Grim and dealing with Corporate. I was able to see why Margo was so closed off, why she hides behind her knife sharp wit.
Margo's got a soft side to her, especially when it comes to Jackie. Surprisingly, they get along with each other well. The two kind of misinterpreted each other when the first met each other and it carried over because they're STUBBORN. But once they spend more time around each other, Jackie sees how kind Margo is when she works, they click and balance each other out. Both Margo and Jackie learn to trust the people in their lives with information they thought they couldn't.
There was something about this book that just reeled me in and I wanted to stay with Margo. It's not often I could say that the second book in a series is better than the first, but I feel like this surpassed the first novel.
After reading the Grim Assistant I e-mailed Jodi Hutchins and shared my love for Margo. Finding out that she was getting her own book was beyond exciting. I needed to know how she came to be a Grim and what her life was like before she got to this point. I needed more Margo in my life, because I feel like she's my spirit-Grim. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I GOT!!
What I enjoyed about this book was the more intensive background that was given on how a person becomes a Grim, what each of their roles were, the different supernatural beings (Empusa, Djinn, Fae, Grim ... ), and how they all interact with each other. There was a much fuller picture of that world and the politics that comes with being a Grim and dealing with Corporate. I was able to see why Margo was so closed off, why she hides behind her knife sharp wit.
Margo's got a soft side to her, especially when it comes to Jackie. Surprisingly, they get along with each other well. The two kind of misinterpreted each other when the first met each other and it carried over because they're STUBBORN. But once they spend more time around each other, Jackie sees how kind Margo is when she works, they click and balance each other out. Both Margo and Jackie learn to trust the people in their lives with information they thought they couldn't.
There was something about this book that just reeled me in and I wanted to stay with Margo. It's not often I could say that the second book in a series is better than the first, but I feel like this surpassed the first novel.
December 23, 2019
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review of the story.
I greatly enjoyed the first book of this series, Grim Assistant.
This installment focuses on Margo, the Grim Reaper, who brought a young woman back from her fated death - BIG NO NO. You didn't really get to know Margo in the first book, she is elusive, hard shelled and unpredictable.
We now get to hear Margo's history, the decisions she makes on the job as well as the fact she considers herself to be a bad person.
You meet many new beings in this book - not just humans but fairies, werewolves, etc.
This book didn't flow as smoothly as the first one but I enjoyed it a lot. It is a great paranormal story of building friendships, learning who to trust and what to do when faced with intrigue, duplicity and betrayal.
I look forward to the next book.
I greatly enjoyed the first book of this series, Grim Assistant.
This installment focuses on Margo, the Grim Reaper, who brought a young woman back from her fated death - BIG NO NO. You didn't really get to know Margo in the first book, she is elusive, hard shelled and unpredictable.
We now get to hear Margo's history, the decisions she makes on the job as well as the fact she considers herself to be a bad person.
You meet many new beings in this book - not just humans but fairies, werewolves, etc.
This book didn't flow as smoothly as the first one but I enjoyed it a lot. It is a great paranormal story of building friendships, learning who to trust and what to do when faced with intrigue, duplicity and betrayal.
I look forward to the next book.
December 14, 2019
Margo was one of my favs from the previous book in this series, so I was really looking forward to a book all about her, and I wasn't disappointed. This book has a different feel than the previous, leaning more towards fantasy than romance, but I enjoyed it. The world of the Grim really opened up, explaining more about the mysterious Board and their methods, as well as the other magical creatures who inhabit this world.
Margo and Jackie make a great couple, too, don't get me wrong. They cannot keep their hands off each other, and it was a lot of fun.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Margo and Jackie make a great couple, too, don't get me wrong. They cannot keep their hands off each other, and it was a lot of fun.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 21, 2019
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was both uplifting and suspenseful. The sapphic love scenes were steamy and sweet. I ship Margo and Jackie completely. I didn’t think that a book about Grimes would make me smile as much as it did! Perfect blend of humor, sadness, and hope.
Note: I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Note: I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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