Hello, everyone! Today I’m reviewing Greenteeth by Molly O’Neill. I requested an ARC of this one on a whim because of the stunning cover. The blurb from T. Kingfisher didn’t hurt either. What did I think of this debut? Read on to find out all of my thoughts! 🙂

Beneath the still surface of a lake lurks a monster with needle-sharp teeth. Hungry and ready to pounce. Jenny Greenteeth has never spoken to a human before, but when a witch is thrown into her lake, something makes Jenny decide she’s worth saving.

Temperance doesn’t know why her village has suddenly turned against her, only that it has something to do with the malevolent new pastor. Though they have nothing in common, these two must band together on a magical quest to defeat the evil that threatens Jenny’s lake and Temperance’s family – as well as the very soul of Britain.

***Thank you to Orbit Books for providing an advanced copy of the book. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***

Greenteeth was such a fun adventure and full of heart. So much of the book was actually quite monstrous, but the light-hearted tone tempered the darker aspects and gave the story a cozy feel. I never thought I’d describe a book as cozy that starts out with the main character talking about eating kittens, but here we are. The writing was also easy to follow for the most part, and the plot was well-paced.

Speaking of the plot, it was the one aspect of Greenteeth that let me down a bit. While I had a good time reading the different quests, it was mostly because of the character interactions. The adventure itself felt a bit too simple with the entire thing basically being one MacGuffin chase after the other. It didn’t help that so much of what they did was pointless by the end because they had the tools that they needed all along. Some stuff, like the fairy king’s obliviousness to the tool they possessed, seemed really forced to make the adventure necessary.

All of that being said, I still enjoyed the overarching conflict of Greenteeth. The villain truly felt like a huge threat. I loved how it inspired the unlikely trio to come together to save their home. I always enjoy a good unlikely hero story, and this book had three of them. The found family they created was heart-warming and hilarious. Their personalities were all so different, which made for some really fun interactions.

I liked the world-building in Greenteeth. The fairy court was interesting, and each of the quests added a lot of information about the world. The protagonists met some fascinating creatures on their journey. It was all described in ways that sucked me into their world. I especially enjoyed the links to British legend. Although, I do wish the author had dived deeper into the reasons for the diminishing of magic. I’d have loved to get a bit more exposition on exactly what had changed in the human societies to cause such ripple effects in the fairy community.

I can’t close out this review without talking about the protagonist of Greenteeth, Jenny. She was monstrous but in a naive sort of way. She didn’t wish ill on anyone. All she wanted was to follow her instincts and survive. She’d been alone in her lake for a really long time and content in living out her routine while caring for her home. As the story progressed, she made connections with others and opened herself up to new possibilities. She grew so much but she also never lost sight of who she was. Her friendships made her stronger, and I think this was probably the true point of the quests. They forged the bonds that led to her success in the end, which was kind of a beautiful thing to read.

All in all, Greenteeth was a quick, easy read with great characters, a heartfelt message, and interesting ties to British legend. The plot was a bit simple and forced at times, but all of the other components made up for its weaknesses. If you enjoy historical fantasy with cozy vibes and plenty of humor, this book should probably be on your TBR. All things considered; I rate Greenteeth 4 out of 5 stars.

There you have it! My thoughts on Greenteeth by Molly O’Neill. Have you read this book? Is it on your TBR? Let me know your thoughts down in the comments! As always, happy reading!