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The Edge of Strange Hollow
Welcome to Strange Hollow. Beware the Grimwood.
Poppy Sunshine isn’t like everyone else in Strange Hollow. She’s not afraid of the Grimwood, home to magical creatures like shape-shifters, fairies, witches, and even a three-headed dog.
Banned from the wood by her parents, Poppy longs to learn everything about it and imagines joining her mother and father as they hunt the forest’s cursed magical objects. So when her only family disappears on a routine expedition, she and her friends must break every rule to save them. But Poppy soon discovers that things in the Grimwood are rarely what they seem...
And the monsters who took her parents may not be monsters at all.
Poppy Sunshine isn’t like everyone else in Strange Hollow. She’s not afraid of the Grimwood, home to magical creatures like shape-shifters, fairies, witches, and even a three-headed dog.
Banned from the wood by her parents, Poppy longs to learn everything about it and imagines joining her mother and father as they hunt the forest’s cursed magical objects. So when her only family disappears on a routine expedition, she and her friends must break every rule to save them. But Poppy soon discovers that things in the Grimwood are rarely what they seem...
And the monsters who took her parents may not be monsters at all.
Hardcover
First published January 1, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
February 5, 2022
I’m loving this authors books so far! This is my 2nd, & her writing & the upper MG fantasy are right up my alley. This was so imaginative, & full of so much adventure. Everything about this world, & the Grimwood especially was SO fascinating & intriguing! Like the different Hollows, wards, poem, the maledictions, thorn trees, the governor, the Holly Oak, the Fae, the Boatman, hobs, & all the different creatures/beings living in the wood-such as witches, trolls, Mogwens, & so many more!
Then the whole backstory of the Hollows, the Grimwood, the Holly Oak, fog, & Poppy’s family is so incredible! I was hooked by it all. The characters themselves are also so imaginative & superb in every way. Poppy is a human girl, but there’s nothing plain or average about her. She’s very headstrong & determined. She does a few annoying things by being somewhat selfish & hurting her best friends feelings, breaking promises, etc. But not to the point where it was so bad I didn’t like her the whole book or anything. It actually made me become more attached & fond of her, because her character growth was so phenomenal & believable at the same time.
Then there’s her best friend Mack who is an elf, but believes he may have some human to him as well-it’s said his grandpa was human. So he is FASCINATED by all things human, & he is just the cutest & sweetest soul. Then there’s Nula, the friend they make at the beginning of the book. She can shape shift into different animals, & she is called a Pooka-a “lesser” fae(harsh!). Such an intriguing & fascinating character. I loved her. My whole entire heart(well some goes to Mack, & also Jute who is the sweetest!)go to Dog! The 3 headed Cerberus. Each head has a different name to go with the entirely different dog/personality, but to shorten saying all the names-they call them Dog lol LOVE! Oh! I loved a kid we meet later on named Mags as well! What a force to be reckoned with!
Great messages in here also. How fear can turn people hateful, & make them do the most horrible things. Great look at who the real monsters in life can be. Also, great trust, friendship, & family lessons/messages too. This is slap FULL of adventure & amazing friendships. I don’t know if there will be more, but I could see so many more adventures for these kids to come. They make the best team, & I hope there will be more. HIGHLY recommend! STUNNING by the amazing Brandon Dorman too!💜
Then the whole backstory of the Hollows, the Grimwood, the Holly Oak, fog, & Poppy’s family is so incredible! I was hooked by it all. The characters themselves are also so imaginative & superb in every way. Poppy is a human girl, but there’s nothing plain or average about her. She’s very headstrong & determined. She does a few annoying things by being somewhat selfish & hurting her best friends feelings, breaking promises, etc. But not to the point where it was so bad I didn’t like her the whole book or anything. It actually made me become more attached & fond of her, because her character growth was so phenomenal & believable at the same time.
Then there’s her best friend Mack who is an elf, but believes he may have some human to him as well-it’s said his grandpa was human. So he is FASCINATED by all things human, & he is just the cutest & sweetest soul. Then there’s Nula, the friend they make at the beginning of the book. She can shape shift into different animals, & she is called a Pooka-a “lesser” fae(harsh!). Such an intriguing & fascinating character. I loved her. My whole entire heart(well some goes to Mack, & also Jute who is the sweetest!)go to Dog! The 3 headed Cerberus. Each head has a different name to go with the entirely different dog/personality, but to shorten saying all the names-they call them Dog lol LOVE! Oh! I loved a kid we meet later on named Mags as well! What a force to be reckoned with!
Great messages in here also. How fear can turn people hateful, & make them do the most horrible things. Great look at who the real monsters in life can be. Also, great trust, friendship, & family lessons/messages too. This is slap FULL of adventure & amazing friendships. I don’t know if there will be more, but I could see so many more adventures for these kids to come. They make the best team, & I hope there will be more. HIGHLY recommend! STUNNING by the amazing Brandon Dorman too!💜
February 25, 2021
A wonderfully imaginative tale filled with friendship and adventure―the magic of the Grimwood charms every page.
May 17, 2021
You can find my full review for this as well as other books on my blog here
This is an absolutely adorable, fun, charming and just all around lovely book!
Prepare to enter Strange Hollow, one of several Hollows surrounding the magical "Grimwood" where human's live without the technology we are used to "outside the fog" and have far longer than average lifespans.
As you adventure with our main character Poppy and her best friend, an elf called Mack into the Grimwood you will learn that all is not as it first appears and there are mysteries to be solved, answers to be found and promises to be made.
Poppy wants more than anything to prove herself to her parents and her journey in this book is one of self discovery, growth and friendship.
When Poppy's parents disappear she decides that her and Mack will be the ones to rescue them, then they will have to believe she is just as capable as they are of adventuring in the Grimwood, right?
The forest is filled with many magical creatures and along the way you'll see witches good and bad, hobs, fae, trolls, selkies and even a herd of unicorns.
Poppy is thirsty for knowledge and it is so fun to follow her on her adventures and is really charming with lots of moments that make you smile and plenty of danger too!
It is absolutely perfect for middle grade readers and I know both my 10 year old son and 7 year old daughter would love this!
This is an absolutely adorable, fun, charming and just all around lovely book!
Prepare to enter Strange Hollow, one of several Hollows surrounding the magical "Grimwood" where human's live without the technology we are used to "outside the fog" and have far longer than average lifespans.
As you adventure with our main character Poppy and her best friend, an elf called Mack into the Grimwood you will learn that all is not as it first appears and there are mysteries to be solved, answers to be found and promises to be made.
Poppy wants more than anything to prove herself to her parents and her journey in this book is one of self discovery, growth and friendship.
When Poppy's parents disappear she decides that her and Mack will be the ones to rescue them, then they will have to believe she is just as capable as they are of adventuring in the Grimwood, right?
The forest is filled with many magical creatures and along the way you'll see witches good and bad, hobs, fae, trolls, selkies and even a herd of unicorns.
Poppy is thirsty for knowledge and it is so fun to follow her on her adventures and is really charming with lots of moments that make you smile and plenty of danger too!
It is absolutely perfect for middle grade readers and I know both my 10 year old son and 7 year old daughter would love this!
November 30, 2021
This is one of the best fantasies I've read in recent years, an adventure filled with magic and malice.
October 29, 2021
didn't brake dramatic new mg fantasy ground, but it was a good read for those who like quests with magical perils that depend on friendships in order to succeed, with nice imaginative touches.
August 7, 2021
I read this book as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours. Special thanks to Macmillan Children's Publishing for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review. 3.5 stars
I immediately knew I wanted to read this the minute I saw the cover and after reading the book I can say that it's perfectly illustrated because it captures the characters and the creepiness of the Grimwood to a tee! The Edge of Strange Hollow is an adventurous and mysterious middle-grade fantasy full of magical and mythical creatures and it's packed with action from the get-go. It has quite the creepy haunted-magical-forest vibe which was quite unexpected and while it's a little grimmer than most other MG fantasies I've read, it was also one of the things that made it stand out to me! The mystery was well-paced and it was easy to root for our characters to figure out whodunit.
Strange Hollow and the Grimwood is set in the real world but is separated/blocked off from it by a magical fog. Most of the story is set within the Grimwood although we do spend a little bit of time in the village of Strange Hollow. The world-building, especially of the woods and the folktales behind it, was done really well and was familiar enough that it isn't overwhelming. Again, this was a little creepier than I thought it'd be (that banshee!) but I do appreciate that Byrne doesn't make all magical things in the forest 'fluffy and good'—in fact, the majority of magical creatures and elements of the wood were dangerous and deadly! My favourite part of the book was the inclusion of such a wide range of magical and mythical creatures from various tales we're familiar with. We got the 'typical fantasy' elves, fairies, werewolves and witches, but we also had selkies, valkyries, Cerberus, and a unique spin on Charon, the ferryman of the underworld! It was very cool and I think Byrne did a wonderful job in weaving it all together.
The story is told from Poppy's perspective and on her journey she's joined by Mack (her elfin best friend), Eta, Two, Brutus aka Dog (love the word play!), Nulla, (a pooka or shape-shifter). There's a fairly large cast of characters that are introduced throughout the journey but it was easy to keep track of which part of the story they join in. Sadly, Poppy was a difficult character to connect with. While she's fiercely determined to prove that she's grown up enough to handle the grimwood and the dangerous work her parents do, she often comes across as quite petty/spiteful despite being well-intentioned overall. I appreciated her curiosity and thirst for knowledge and I do think she was realistic with flaws and all, but I found it tough to agree with many of the decisions she made (regardless of what promises she'd break and who she'd hurt in the process) for the majority of the book. She does experience some growth, albeit very reluctantly, but it sadly wasn't enough to turn her character around for me. That said, what did balance it out for me was Mack. He was such a sweetheart of a character and I wanted to protect him at all costs—he was without a doubt my favourite! He was truly the most thoughtful, supportive and kind-hearted best friend to Poppy. I really appreciated that despite his unwavering support, he still stood up for himself (even if it hurt him to do so) and was able to put himself first when he needed to!
One element that I wish had been given more time to play out was the resolution. The build up of the mystery was well-paced, however, once we got to the climax things felt very rushed and the resolution to the conflict was too easy and overly simplistic, and before you know it the story was over. Despite that though, this was a wonderfully fantastical read that I have no doubt many young readers will enjoy!
I immediately knew I wanted to read this the minute I saw the cover and after reading the book I can say that it's perfectly illustrated because it captures the characters and the creepiness of the Grimwood to a tee! The Edge of Strange Hollow is an adventurous and mysterious middle-grade fantasy full of magical and mythical creatures and it's packed with action from the get-go. It has quite the creepy haunted-magical-forest vibe which was quite unexpected and while it's a little grimmer than most other MG fantasies I've read, it was also one of the things that made it stand out to me! The mystery was well-paced and it was easy to root for our characters to figure out whodunit.
Strange Hollow and the Grimwood is set in the real world but is separated/blocked off from it by a magical fog. Most of the story is set within the Grimwood although we do spend a little bit of time in the village of Strange Hollow. The world-building, especially of the woods and the folktales behind it, was done really well and was familiar enough that it isn't overwhelming. Again, this was a little creepier than I thought it'd be (that banshee!) but I do appreciate that Byrne doesn't make all magical things in the forest 'fluffy and good'—in fact, the majority of magical creatures and elements of the wood were dangerous and deadly! My favourite part of the book was the inclusion of such a wide range of magical and mythical creatures from various tales we're familiar with. We got the 'typical fantasy' elves, fairies, werewolves and witches, but we also had selkies, valkyries, Cerberus, and a unique spin on Charon, the ferryman of the underworld! It was very cool and I think Byrne did a wonderful job in weaving it all together.
The story is told from Poppy's perspective and on her journey she's joined by Mack (her elfin best friend), Eta, Two, Brutus aka Dog (love the word play!), Nulla, (a pooka or shape-shifter). There's a fairly large cast of characters that are introduced throughout the journey but it was easy to keep track of which part of the story they join in. Sadly, Poppy was a difficult character to connect with. While she's fiercely determined to prove that she's grown up enough to handle the grimwood and the dangerous work her parents do, she often comes across as quite petty/spiteful despite being well-intentioned overall. I appreciated her curiosity and thirst for knowledge and I do think she was realistic with flaws and all, but I found it tough to agree with many of the decisions she made (regardless of what promises she'd break and who she'd hurt in the process) for the majority of the book. She does experience some growth, albeit very reluctantly, but it sadly wasn't enough to turn her character around for me. That said, what did balance it out for me was Mack. He was such a sweetheart of a character and I wanted to protect him at all costs—he was without a doubt my favourite! He was truly the most thoughtful, supportive and kind-hearted best friend to Poppy. I really appreciated that despite his unwavering support, he still stood up for himself (even if it hurt him to do so) and was able to put himself first when he needed to!
One element that I wish had been given more time to play out was the resolution. The build up of the mystery was well-paced, however, once we got to the climax things felt very rushed and the resolution to the conflict was too easy and overly simplistic, and before you know it the story was over. Despite that though, this was a wonderfully fantastical read that I have no doubt many young readers will enjoy!
March 6, 2021
A magical adventure about a girl who just wants to prove herself and the friends she makes along the way. Poppy’s family has been in charge of dealing with monsters and protecting the town, and Poppy has always wanted to join her parents in their job. One day her parents go missing on one of their expeditions and Poppy thinks it’s finally the time to not only prove to her parents she can handle this but to rescue them and go on her own adventure into the Grimwoods. Fairies, witches, magical creatures, and even a three-headed dog fill this book with so much fun. Seriously a great read for middle grade readers!
*Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*
*Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*
March 26, 2021
I absolutely loved The Edge of Strange Hollow—and I can't imagine anyone not wanting to follow Poppy and her friends into the woods, no matter what dangers lurk there. Gabrielle Byrne's characters are beautifully drawn and feel as if they could be our real-life friends—if our friends were graced with spunk, bravery, and a bit more magic. Fresh, richly imagined, and full of wonders, this is the kind of story that will keep readers turning the pages late into the night. A wonderful adventure!
May 28, 2021
Wow! The Edge of Strange Hollow is exactly what I look for in middle grade fantasy. There is fantastic world building, excellent character building, it’s full of adventure, mystery, magical creatures, friendship, loss, and more!
I adore Poppy, Mack, Nula, and Dog. Their oddball company fits together in the best way. They are each uniquely different, their struggles are different, their personalities are different and yet they are perfect for each other!
This is a darker/spookier middle grade fantasy and I really enjoyed that! It isn’t all rainbows and sunshine, there are creatures in the wood that do mean the characters harm. It’s also full of action. So much happens on their quest to figure out what happened to Poppy’s parents, and who is responsible.
And the only reason this isn’t a 5 star review from me- is the ending. I find with most middle grade books, the ending always seems so rushed compared to how well laid out the rest of the story has been.
But overall, this is a must read for any middle grade reader!! I would recommend this to any person who enjoys an epic, slightly spooky, middle grade adventure!
I adore Poppy, Mack, Nula, and Dog. Their oddball company fits together in the best way. They are each uniquely different, their struggles are different, their personalities are different and yet they are perfect for each other!
This is a darker/spookier middle grade fantasy and I really enjoyed that! It isn’t all rainbows and sunshine, there are creatures in the wood that do mean the characters harm. It’s also full of action. So much happens on their quest to figure out what happened to Poppy’s parents, and who is responsible.
And the only reason this isn’t a 5 star review from me- is the ending. I find with most middle grade books, the ending always seems so rushed compared to how well laid out the rest of the story has been.
But overall, this is a must read for any middle grade reader!! I would recommend this to any person who enjoys an epic, slightly spooky, middle grade adventure!
May 28, 2021
I received an ARC from TBR & Beyond Tours, and the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I adored this book. It was such a fantastical read, full of heart and tons of adventure.
As you enter Strange Hollow, one of several Hollows that border this magical Grimwood, that is surrounded my a mysterious fog that separates the Hollows and Grimwood from the outside world, you see it’s not like the rest. The humans in Strange Hollow have longer than normal life spans and live without technology. It felt very old world and medieval-ish. Like this town was stuck in a different time and place while the rest of the world developed and continued to evolve. The story follows Poppy Sunshine, a human, and her best friend Mack, an elf, as she must enter the Grimwood and find out what has happened to her parents. Poppy is very witty, kind-hearted, and a fierce young girl that just wants to prove to her parents that she is old enough and brave enough to hunt in the Grimwood with them, as a family. Everything Poppy does is to prove this to her parents and her journey is one of self-discovery, growth, and friendship.
The world-building was amazing. You get to meet so many different creatures, from getting to see a herd of unicorns, to witches (both good and bad ones), fae, hobs, magical trees, Valkyrie, selkies…this book has it all! I loved Poppy’s thirst for knowledge, because as her dad says “Knowledge is the enemy of fear”. The whole story is charming, with lots of moments that make you smile, and some that are terrifying and dangerous. The plot is so intriguing and will definitely have you on the edge of your seat, wanting the same knowledge that Poppy does.
Overall, this was a fantastical story. I would recommend this to any young reader, lower middle grade for sure, and especially if you love adventure, and magic!
I adored this book. It was such a fantastical read, full of heart and tons of adventure.
As you enter Strange Hollow, one of several Hollows that border this magical Grimwood, that is surrounded my a mysterious fog that separates the Hollows and Grimwood from the outside world, you see it’s not like the rest. The humans in Strange Hollow have longer than normal life spans and live without technology. It felt very old world and medieval-ish. Like this town was stuck in a different time and place while the rest of the world developed and continued to evolve. The story follows Poppy Sunshine, a human, and her best friend Mack, an elf, as she must enter the Grimwood and find out what has happened to her parents. Poppy is very witty, kind-hearted, and a fierce young girl that just wants to prove to her parents that she is old enough and brave enough to hunt in the Grimwood with them, as a family. Everything Poppy does is to prove this to her parents and her journey is one of self-discovery, growth, and friendship.
The world-building was amazing. You get to meet so many different creatures, from getting to see a herd of unicorns, to witches (both good and bad ones), fae, hobs, magical trees, Valkyrie, selkies…this book has it all! I loved Poppy’s thirst for knowledge, because as her dad says “Knowledge is the enemy of fear”. The whole story is charming, with lots of moments that make you smile, and some that are terrifying and dangerous. The plot is so intriguing and will definitely have you on the edge of your seat, wanting the same knowledge that Poppy does.
Overall, this was a fantastical story. I would recommend this to any young reader, lower middle grade for sure, and especially if you love adventure, and magic!
May 19, 2021
The Edge of Strange Hollow by Gabrielle Byrne is a modern fairy tale the Brothers Grimm would have loved to collect.
When Poppy's parents go missing, she sets out to save them from the threats they were investigating. Alongside her Cerberus puppy, an elven best friend, and a shapeshifting pooka, Poppy's search leads deep into the Grimwood where unicorns roam amid carnivorous trees.
There Poppy uncovers the dangers that ensnared her parents. With the lives of her parents and all those in Strange Hollow at risk, only the truth intertwining Strange Hollow to the Grimwood will set them all free.
Gabrielle Byrne has written a fantastic story in both senses of the word. The Grimwood is filled with wonders and the characters are a delight.
When Poppy's parents go missing, she sets out to save them from the threats they were investigating. Alongside her Cerberus puppy, an elven best friend, and a shapeshifting pooka, Poppy's search leads deep into the Grimwood where unicorns roam amid carnivorous trees.
There Poppy uncovers the dangers that ensnared her parents. With the lives of her parents and all those in Strange Hollow at risk, only the truth intertwining Strange Hollow to the Grimwood will set them all free.
Gabrielle Byrne has written a fantastic story in both senses of the word. The Grimwood is filled with wonders and the characters are a delight.
June 19, 2021
Poppy Sunshine is a human who lives in Strange Hollow. The Grimwood is outside of her house and filled with magical creatures. Poppy isn’t scared of the Grimwood like the other people in town because her parents are the only humans allowed in. However, Poppy’s parents won’t let her go inside. Poppy decides to break their rule and enter the woods with her friend, Mack the elf. She soon learns that her parents have disappeared. Poppy has to travel through the Grimwood to find her parents and unite her divided world.
I love it when fantasy worlds have a connection to our real world. Strange Hollow is a town filled with humans who are scared of the magical creatures in the Grimwood. This human connection to the fantasy world always makes it seem like the story is closer to our reality.
This story was about two groups who were divided by their beliefs. Penny bridged the gap between the humans and the magical creatures since she was friends with both of them. This is both a timely and an historical issue, since there always seem to be large and dangerous conflicts going on in the world. Penny was a strong character who fought for both sides since she was connected to both of them. She was the only one who had this unique position between the humans and the magical creatures. This was an example of how a conflict that had lasted for many generations could be resolved with the strength of a little girl.
The Edge of Strange Hollow is a great middle grade fantasy novel.
Thank you Imprint for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I love it when fantasy worlds have a connection to our real world. Strange Hollow is a town filled with humans who are scared of the magical creatures in the Grimwood. This human connection to the fantasy world always makes it seem like the story is closer to our reality.
This story was about two groups who were divided by their beliefs. Penny bridged the gap between the humans and the magical creatures since she was friends with both of them. This is both a timely and an historical issue, since there always seem to be large and dangerous conflicts going on in the world. Penny was a strong character who fought for both sides since she was connected to both of them. She was the only one who had this unique position between the humans and the magical creatures. This was an example of how a conflict that had lasted for many generations could be resolved with the strength of a little girl.
The Edge of Strange Hollow is a great middle grade fantasy novel.
Thank you Imprint for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 21, 2022
LOVE! The world was great, the story was enthralling, and the characters were lovable and interesting. Poppy was initially everything I despise about a hero/heroine in middle grade/YA fiction, but the attitude adjustment she got was much loved - I'm a huge fan of this author!
The tone of this book had such an adventurous spirit, it was light-hearted, but still creepy at times, as well as goofy and fun. There were occasional nuggets that were dropped, seemingly implying that there was more to the world than actually shared, which drew me to infer that there would be a sequel - it doesn't seem that was the case, and there are a few loose ends as a result.
The blurb for this book isn't *totally* accurate, which I was find annoying, even if I'm being peevish. There were a few major plot points that awkwardly switched directions, I even felt the need to re-read a few passages to ensure I didn't miss something. It was weird, most of which can be chalked up to "plot twists," but in my opinion were clunkily done. Really this detracts maybe .1 stars from my rating, but it's negligible overall.
The characters were flawed but engaging, and the magical creatures were fascinating. I especially found the balance between established mythical creatures and new, creative twists from the author to create an especially strong world build. I wish there were more books to come!
I recommend to all fans of adventurous reads, particularly fans of fantasy and young readers. While this is targetted to middlegrade, there's an all-ages appeal to this story and it's features.
The tone of this book had such an adventurous spirit, it was light-hearted, but still creepy at times, as well as goofy and fun. There were occasional nuggets that were dropped, seemingly implying that there was more to the world than actually shared, which drew me to infer that there would be a sequel - it doesn't seem that was the case, and there are a few loose ends as a result.
The blurb for this book isn't *totally* accurate, which I was find annoying, even if I'm being peevish. There were a few major plot points that awkwardly switched directions, I even felt the need to re-read a few passages to ensure I didn't miss something. It was weird, most of which can be chalked up to "plot twists," but in my opinion were clunkily done. Really this detracts maybe .1 stars from my rating, but it's negligible overall.
The characters were flawed but engaging, and the magical creatures were fascinating. I especially found the balance between established mythical creatures and new, creative twists from the author to create an especially strong world build. I wish there were more books to come!
I recommend to all fans of adventurous reads, particularly fans of fantasy and young readers. While this is targetted to middlegrade, there's an all-ages appeal to this story and it's features.
May 6, 2023
I enjoyed reading this, but I felt I wanted more. I wanted more from the characters and the plot was very similar to other books that I have read. This was a good plot but the beginning could have been shorter and I wish the conflict had been introduced to the reader better. If you like fantasy/ fairy books you will probably like this, but if you've read a lot of these books this might seem repetitive. Could be worth reading depending on what you want and like.
December 15, 2021
What a wonderfully imaginative and immersive fantasy! I'd follow Poppy and Mack into the Grimwood any day!
A perfect fantasy for MG readers filled with adventure, imagination and beautiful friendships!
A perfect fantasy for MG readers filled with adventure, imagination and beautiful friendships!
June 5, 2024
Byrne wrote a really good dragon book and I was hoping this would be a good stand alone fantasy. But I didn't get far before I was quite annoyed with Poppy, who is very disrespectful and insistent on her own way.
November 9, 2021
Another solid 4! This book made me craving for more Middle-Grade fantasy books.
link: Review on IG
link: Review on IG
did-not-finish
November 7, 2024DNF 22%
May 22, 2025
Wonderfully written story!
May 22, 2021
I was so happy and shocked when I signed up for my first ever TBR an Beyond Tour and was accepted to read my favourite kinds of books to read which is Middle Grade.
I found that the world building and characters were of a high standard. Usually one outshines the other but not in The Edge of Strange Hollow and this is thanks to Gabrielle's writing. Our main protagonist is Pandora Sunshine or Poppy for short who of a very inquisitive nature. Poppy wants to know everything about the Grimwood where she has lived with her Parents and she wants to go with her them when they go into the wood. The Grimwood is full of many different magical creatures from Shape Shifters, Fairies to name a few. I felt that the Grimwood itself was a character too and that was due to the clever writing. Poppy had a best friend called Mack who was an elf and during the story we meet Luna who is a shape shifting pooka who is a form of a fairy. I loved the friendship each character had and felt that Mack and Poppy had different values and each had to accept that. Mack always wanted to do the right thing but Poppy on the other hand did things without thinking about the consequences then realises that what she does can in fact affect those around her. Even though this a pretty dark middle grade fantasy there is also a lot of light to be had as well being able to teach anyone who reads this the importance of friendship and most importantly that whatever a person does there is always a consequence. I found the book very fast paced. While I was reading the last chapters I knew that the ending would be something else and then some and it did not disappoint. So for all these reasons I knew that I had to give it 5 stars. I will be shouting about this book from the rooftops and I will be buying my own physical copy once it is released here in the UK and I will also be reading Gabrielle's Book The Rise Of The Dragon as well as reading anything else by her.
May 23, 2021
I love, love, love the quirky magic and spooky atmosphere of this story! It’s the perfect backdrop for Poppy and her lovely band of friends’ adventures.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews