Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. This was such a cute middle-grade story with very Tim Burton-esque vibes. (Think Nightmare Before Christmas). I love the world Henry lives in, it's spooky yet somehow cozy in its own way. The contrast between different characters, especially in Henry's family. Everything and everyone is described in such a way that you can see them in front of you as you read, and although Grimworld is the opposite of our world, it's pretty easy to feel kind of at home in it. It's a fun story that moves along smoothly, and keeps you interested from cover to cover. Perfect for middle graders who enjoy spooky but not-too-scary things! ~ Liliyana Shadowlyn (Reviewer) , NetGalley

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. It was such a quirky read for me. I love middle grade with all my heart. This book reminded of Angel and Bavar in some aspects. It was a fun read, it was cute and bizarre. ~ Zanyalis Martinez (Reviewer), NetGalley

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. This was such a cute, dark, middle grade book! I love books like these, and they are so perfect for younger readers. It's full of imagination, and its a story that I would have loved myself when I was younger! ~ Sam Ali (Reviewer), NetGalley

........... I haven’t read such a cool middle grade for a while – it’s like getting transported into a sort-of-Halloween-town, but BETTER. I can’t even begin to explain! But Grimworld’s aesthetic totally got me. I LOVED IT. ~ Evelina (AvalinahsBooks - Reviewer)

As a lifelong fan of comic books, horror, and all the things that go bump in the night, I can definitely understand how Henry Bats let himself get pulled into a bad situation in Grimworld. This story makes yet another fine addition to the constantly growing world of enjoyable MG horror/fantasy. It's always good to see another author succeed at writing a worthwhile entry in this particular genre. ~ April A. Taylor (Reviewer), NetGalley

Grimworld by Avery Moray is set in an alternate universe full of macabre parallels that my spooky heart found absolutely delightful! Though it's aimed at young readers, I really enjoyed it as an adult and devoured it like the GrimMan in one afternoon........The characters are well written and very relatable despite ranging in age from 11 - 15. They're not watered down or spoon-fed as I've experienced in other stories for this age range. I absolutely loved Lang, Hattie. and Persi - I would genuinely enjoy reading more about all of the characters and this world in general. Young and old readers alike who enjoy something a little spooky and very unique will enjoy this story. Thank you to GoodReads, Our Street Books, and Avery Moray for this fun and truly enjoyable adventure! This is definitely one I'm adding to my Spooky Season / October shelf of recommendations! ~ Tamera Leigh (Reviewer), NetGalley

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Avery Moray is very talented, I was hooked from the first chapter! ~ Belinda Clemons (Reviewer), NetGalley

..........A friendship story set in a not so ordinary place, that comes to life and is enhanced by the character descriptions and odd quirks and details that make the story almost real. We loved GrimWorld, a perfect Halloween read that comes to life for adults & children alike as you accompany Henry Bats as he fights to save his life and his friends’, and on the journey discovers friendship and hope. ~ Christine Kelly (Educator), NetGalley

A great young adult book that I enjoyed as an adult reader, a creepy atmospheric story, really well written, loved it! ~ Sarah Hurley (Reviewer), NetGalley

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. This was sooo fun. I agree with other reviewers that Tim Burton needs to get his hands on this and work his magic! I know it's only a middle grade fiction work, but, really, so was Nightmare Before Christmas! Everyone LOVED that one! This is the perfect story to be made into a film, like Nightmare Before Christmas. Kids are going to to love this dark tale. It has great characters, a mystery and Nightspooks! The Nightspooks from the graveyard are stealing time from Grimworld peoples lives! Henry's running out of time... ~ Catherine Hankins (Reviewer), NetGalley

............Henry follows a Nightspook creature into the cemetery one night and discovers an antique watch in a coffin. When the Nightspook makes him wear it, all heck breaks loose—the watch won't come off his neck, and it's started counting down.....Overall, an extremely cute story for those of us who like reading off-kilter books. As Grimworld is middle grade, all topics are handled sensitively and with the proper amount of humor and parable. I found it a refreshing read as an adult—and perfect for Halloween. ~ Amy Imogene Reads (Reviewer), NetGalley

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. This was sufficiently creepy to give me the heebies, but not so much it made me uncomfortable. That perfect blend of "oh no this is not good" and "all will be well, these kids are on top of things" and it was just delightful. Henry Bats, a young lad living in the Grimworld where everything is a tad creepy, has part of his lifespan stolen by a Vytiper, a creature made of dumb and evil who, well, steals lifespans. In return, he gets a pocket watch strapped around his neck, counting down the time he has left in Grimworld. Cue mild panic. After spotting another kid with a pocket watch exactly like his own, Henry and his merry group of old and new friends are off on an adventure to get their lifespans back. A special shout-out to Henry's grandfather. I hope he got his lettuce. ~ Ea Bech (Reviewer), NetGalley

A world of grays, blacks, purples and some whites too, with pops of reds, dingy yellows and the like. A world where that lamp in the sky is a myth. A world where mysterious, magical creatures like the Nightsnoop are the norm. That is Grimworld. You will love exploring this fantastical world and its creatures as you go on an adventure with Henry Bats and his hodge-podge team to claim their time back, literally! ~ Vidya Tiru (Reviewer) , NetGalley

I really enjoyed Grimworld by Avery Moray. I think that it is a great fit for middle grade and young adult readers. The story starts off fast and the mystery keeps you wondering what is going to happen until the very end. I hope that this will become a series! ~ Emily Pedrotti (Educator), NetGalley

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Fabulous! We meet Henry Bats, a thirteen year old who lives in Grimworld, a place of sugar slugs, nightspooks, and generally spooky stuff. What’s not to love?!! Henry is tricked by a nightspook and must try his best, with some new friends to get rid of his (and their) pocket watches before time runs out. A brilliant story, which ticked all the boxes for me, especially good for Halloween.. ~ Elaine Nicholson (Reviewer) , NetGalley

Loved this book - I read it then gave it to my daughter to read. I can Imagine Tim Burton turning this into a movie. Great story fantastic characters. Henry has been tricked by the Nightspook with the promise of a new comic book but all is not as it seems and time is running out. Great read, recommend reading for 7-11 year olds, my daughter is 10 and loved it. ~ Charley S (Reviewer), NetGalley

Grimworld was a fun, and quick read. I actually envisioned Tim Burton doing the animations to this story which made it much more appealing to me. The target audience is meant for middle grade, however I feel it steers more towards the YA group which is a positive. ~ Tomas Garcia (Reviewer), NetGalley

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. A delightful story, fun to read and entertaining. It's creepy and lovely, well written and with a cast of great fleshed out characters. I think it can be appreciated by people of all ages. Highly recommended! ~ Anna Maria Giacomasso (Reviewer), NetGalley

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a world where ghosts and ghouls were the norm? Where you could run into a ghost walking home from school? If you are like me and have often wondered what a world filled with creatures of the night might be like then Grimworld is definitely for you! ........Grimworld is a one-sitting book that really captured my attention and has jump-started my excitement for Halloween. If you are looking for a spooky middle-grade novel then I suggest you check out Grimworld, you will be impressed. I give this book a whopping 5/5 stars! ~ Savannah Worman (Reviewer) , NetGalley

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Grimworld was a creepy, original, and dark book. I looooove Coraline (and all things Neil Gaiman, obviously), so I was excited to read another author that can do a creepy and entertaining book! I loved it. Henry was a great main character, and I thought Avery Moray's writing was spectacular. Very suitable for those in middle school (and adults who enjoy charming, creepy novels) ~ Dee Free (Librarian), NetGalley

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Moray's book is a fantastic Middle Grade book that will enthrall fans of Coraline, Nightmare Before Christmas, and The Halloween Tree. When he is cheated out of a few years of his life, Henry sets out to get them back. Suitable for all ages over 8, this book will certainly entertain for years. ~ Teresa Grabs (Reviewer), NetGalley

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Creepy, adventurous, easy-to-read, memorable. What a delightful story! The names of the characters are cute and unique. The main character Henry Bat has some challenges with a scary night monster. The pet store was an entertaining side story. Great story for kids and a fun one for adults to indulge in enjoying the wonderment of childhood. ~ Sharon Schultheis (Reviewer), NetGalley

.................... I would absolutely recommend this book. It's so atmospheric and creepy in all the best ways. It's perfect for a quick Halloween read.!! ~ Brianna Barrett (Reviewer) , NetGalley

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. The paranormal essence of this creepy story is the element that makes this book a five stars reading! Even if the plot can be summarised as the classic battle between good and evil this novel was fresh and intriguing till the end. the emotions were jumping out of the pages to capture the reader's attention. Definitely recommended to people who enjoyed Coraline and Tim Burton's settings. ~ Laura D (Reviewer) , NetGalley

I was very pleasantly surprised. Pacing was great for this book, plot driven and always something happening to keep the attention of the reader. This will be fantastic for younger readers and was even very enjoyable for myself as an adult. My only critique is it could have been a bit longer so the characters could have been fleshed out more , however for the age range this is marketed for I think it will be perfect and keep their attention. Very intrigued to see what Avery Moray writes next. Amazing debut! ~ Emma Russell (Reviewer) , NetGalley

Grimworld is a wonderfully fun book meant for middle grade, but highly enjoyable for adults as well. This is the story of Henry Bats - a fairly ordinary young man in a world where dark is normal, ghouls roam freely, and no one blinks an eye at tunnel full of ghosts. Henry is tricked by a being called a Vytiper into giving away part of his life and must find a way to get it back. Along the way he meets a whole cast of new friends - characters who are charming, interesting, and engaging all on their own.....Overall this was a quick, fun read that I would highly recommended to anyone and I look forward to reading more from this author. ~ Megan de Araujo (Reviewer), NetGalley

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. 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. ~ Sheena Martinez (Reviewer) , NetGalley

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. How can I even begin to describe this book? It was like reading a mashup of Coraline and The Nightmare Before Christmas. I could perfectly envision the telltale creepy stop animation in my mind of the ever dark Halloween esque town of Grimworld. Simply put, I loved this. It’s clever and original and genuinely creeped me out. For a children’s/middle grade book it did a fantastic job at being age appropriate yet suitably creepy. The gist of the story is that Henry Bats has lost something dear to him for the exchange of a rare comic. That something is a portion of his life and NO, HE DID NOT GET THE COMIC WHICH IS AN OUTRAGE. Of course he has to try to get his life back but time is literally ticking in the form of a pocket watch fused on his neck. With the help of some newfound friends Henry goes around the creepy, curious planes of Grimworld to take what is rightfully his. Characters:- They are all amazing in their own rights. Even the monsters. Especially the monsters. Special shoutout to Henry and Hattie’s grandpa who has an addiction to lettuce. I loved the interactions between all of the kids and I loved all the different creatures introduced. I had to add this to my favorite books of 2019 because it was that good and I will be buying this when it comes out. I don’t think my 7 year old is quite ready to read it yet as she gets scared easily but I’ll place it on the bookshelf. I hope to see more work from the author truly! ~ Amanda Lily (Reviewer), NetGalley

An Engaging Ghost Tale for an Early or Middle Grade Reader. The premise here is that our hero, Henry, is tricked by a ghost, (the "Vytiper"), into giving away the remaining years of his lifespan. The arcane "symbol" of the deal is a pocket watch that shows how much of his lifetime Henry has left. Henry has to undo the deal by tricking or somehow forcing the ghost to give back the hands of the watch so that Henry can restore his life time. That's not a bad tale at all, and you can see how the story will follow a path that shows us the trick, Henry's worry, his search for help and answers, his plan to defeat the ghost, the build up, the confrontation, and so on. The narrative is stripped down and fast paced. Everything happens quickly and the tale is told in short, direct sentences. There are lots of clever and engaging throwaway bits of background, scene setting, adventure, distractions, and deadpan humor, but the focus is always on moving the story along at speed. Sometimes it feels more like a campfire tale being recounted than it does a fully realized novel, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. ......So, this was fun and inventive and good natured; it struck me as a fine ghost tale/adventure for an early reader who didn't need anything too scary, and just twisty and action packed enough to also grab an older kid. ~ Joel Smith (Reviewer), NetGalley

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars. Avery Moray has written a fine fantasy young adult novel with Grimworld. I enjoyed this book as an adult reader and would readily share it with young adult/middle school and high school readers. A nice balance of elements that appeal to older and younger audiences. ~ Dr J Reads (Reviewer), NetGalley