The Witch in the Woods

Grimmworld, Book 1

By: Michaelbrent Collings

Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert

Strange and terrifying things are suddenly happening in a mysterious town where people are disappearing and changing into characters from the Grimm fairy tales.

Twins Willow and Jake Grimm are not prepared for the bizarre gadgets and scary changes in their new home of New Marburg, the location of the top-secret Think Tank where their parents now have jobs as scientists. In this town, people jetpack to work, robots direct traffic, and senior citizens duel with laser swords.

Yet nothing compares to what happens the day after lightning strikes the twins’ house. Their school building transforms around them, becoming a medieval castle—complete with moat, drawbridge, and a dangerous giant who looks strangely like the school’s overly aggressive hall monitor.

Barely managing to escape before a massive beanstalk lifts the castle above the clouds, Willow and Jake learn that their ancestors, the original Brothers Grimm, were more than storytellers. They were Grimmwalkers, able to travel from our universe to Grimmworld: the universe where all fairy tales are born.

Somehow, Willow and Jake have been transported to Grimmworld as well. But before the twins can figure out how to get back to their own universe, they discover that their best friends, Hank and Pearl, have morphed into the fairy tale characters Hansel and Gretel and been captured by a candy-obsessed witch deep in the Cursed Forest.

Now, aided by a mysterious wizard with shimmering golden eyes and a befuddled, talking naked mole-rat named Chet, the twins must trust in each other, believe in themselves, and find the courage to face their darkest fears in order to save their friends, return to their family, and maybe—just maybe—save the world.

©2024 Michaelbrent Collings (P)2024 Blackstone Publishing

Great and fast read!

Fast and fun, sure to keep the attention of kids reading. Tavia did a wonderful job interpreting Michaelbrent's quick and quirky performance in her read of the novel. A great starting point into what promises to be an even greater universe!

excellent

great twist to a great fairy tale love how dark it is to can't wait for the next one

Incredible.

What a truly amazing story. Best play on Grimm tales I have ever read. Well written by the author and performed perfectly by the narrator. Looking forward to the next in the series.

Gripping!

This is a terrific book! The narrator was superb. She voiced multiple characters and nailed every single one of them. The story is very detailed and described in such a way that you could easily picture yourself there, seeing and experiencing those things. I, as an adult, really loved the plot line, so I would recommend this for adults and preteens, to teenagers. I would be a little careful for young children, as the witch and what she does can be very scary in parts. I have no hesitation in recommending from ages 12 and up. No foul language or sexual references at all in this book. Fairytale violence.

Inventive, fantastical, Interest Holding

A wonderfully fabulous take on the stories from Grimm's Fairy Tales. Willow and Jake are two protagonists who you root for through and through. Smart, fun, and intriguing I look forward to reading more of the series.