Helpful Score: 1
This was an amazing book. I did have a rough time adjusting to the writer's style, but she tells a wonderful tale that kept me hanging on until the very end. This book is quite a tame YA novel compared to the others that I've read. I do hope that there is a sequel, but I am unsure of the author's plans.
Stephanie S. (skywriter319) -
A Fenris, a terrifying werewolf creature, permanently scarred and disfigured young Scarlett March when she fought him to defend her younger sister, Rosie. Now teenagers, Scarlett and Rosie live on their own in their late grandmother's cottage in the woods, killing Fenris whenever they can. For Scarlett, it's a way of life: she loves nothing more than the high of hunting Fenris.
Rosie, however, is beginning to think that, despite her loyalty to and love for her sister, she may want something more than hunting, especially as she begins to fall for their childhood friend and Scarlett's hunting partner, Silas. When a Fenris-hunting expedition into Atlanta draws Rosie and Silas closer even as Fenris close in on them, will Rosie's desire for more destroy the relationship she has with Scarlett, to whom she owes her life?
You thought you knew all there was to know about Little Red Riding Hood and her wolf...well, you were wrong. Told from the alternating viewpoints of sisters Scarlett and Rosie, Jackson Pearce's second novel, SISTERS RED, is an incredibly entertaining and deliciously dark twist on an old, fairy tale-esque story.
This novel has got many things going for it: strong female characters with great voices, a fully realized and frightening antagonist, and a clever storyline. Scarlett and Rosie are fantastic females who prove that you don't have to be a tomboy to kick ass. The Fenris are delectably creepy, a shiver-inducing combination of fantastical monster and your sadly usual male predator. These are the kind of werewolves that will haunt you long after you put the book down, and I appreciated that the villains of this novel were not cartoonish or overdramatized.
The story I mentioned is clever, albeit occasionally slow and predictable. It builds up to a tremendously satisfying finish. A careful reader, however, will be able to pick up the clues as to what will happen way before Scarlett and Rosie do. This by no means detracts from the success of the story and its ending, though I do honestly prefer my books that are able to outsmart me.
Overall, SISTERS RED should not disappoint readers looking for a paranormal action story containing independent females, a sweet and believable romance, and well-developed villains. It's a unique blend of the old-fashioned and the modern. I won't be surprised if Jackson Pearce has a long and successful career writing a variety of YA. SISTERS RED is perfect for a delightful weekend or vacation read!
Rosie, however, is beginning to think that, despite her loyalty to and love for her sister, she may want something more than hunting, especially as she begins to fall for their childhood friend and Scarlett's hunting partner, Silas. When a Fenris-hunting expedition into Atlanta draws Rosie and Silas closer even as Fenris close in on them, will Rosie's desire for more destroy the relationship she has with Scarlett, to whom she owes her life?
You thought you knew all there was to know about Little Red Riding Hood and her wolf...well, you were wrong. Told from the alternating viewpoints of sisters Scarlett and Rosie, Jackson Pearce's second novel, SISTERS RED, is an incredibly entertaining and deliciously dark twist on an old, fairy tale-esque story.
This novel has got many things going for it: strong female characters with great voices, a fully realized and frightening antagonist, and a clever storyline. Scarlett and Rosie are fantastic females who prove that you don't have to be a tomboy to kick ass. The Fenris are delectably creepy, a shiver-inducing combination of fantastical monster and your sadly usual male predator. These are the kind of werewolves that will haunt you long after you put the book down, and I appreciated that the villains of this novel were not cartoonish or overdramatized.
The story I mentioned is clever, albeit occasionally slow and predictable. It builds up to a tremendously satisfying finish. A careful reader, however, will be able to pick up the clues as to what will happen way before Scarlett and Rosie do. This by no means detracts from the success of the story and its ending, though I do honestly prefer my books that are able to outsmart me.
Overall, SISTERS RED should not disappoint readers looking for a paranormal action story containing independent females, a sweet and believable romance, and well-developed villains. It's a unique blend of the old-fashioned and the modern. I won't be surprised if Jackson Pearce has a long and successful career writing a variety of YA. SISTERS RED is perfect for a delightful weekend or vacation read!
Jennifer W. (GeniusJen) reviewed Sisters Red (Fairy Tale Retelling, Bk 1) on + 5322 more book reviews
Reviewed by Samantha Clanton aka "Harlequin Twilight" for TeensReadToo.com
If you're a giggly, attractive young girl, then the last thing you should do is talk to that guy outside the club who's cute and is paying so much attention to you. What you should do is get into a very large crowd of people and don't leave with anyone, but to Scarlett March's dismay, the world doesn't work that way. Scarlett vows to protect her sister, Rosie, and the rest of the world from the dangers that lurk around every corner, and in every shadow...Fenris.
Scarlett has not only vowed to protect their small town and large cities from the Fenris, but she's also vowed revenge on the Fenris that took her eye, while she was protecting her sister when they were kids. With Scarlett armed with a hatchet and Rosie with her knives, the girls use bright red cloaks and their feminine charm to lure and destroy any and all wolves who take a step into their small town.
Rosie has always stood by her sister; she's always had a bond that made them seem more like one heart, one soul, and not two separate people. But now, Rosie is starting to want more out of life than hunting Fenris. When Silas, a young woodsman and their lifelong friend, returns to town, Rosie is drawn to him in a way she never thought possible. The problem with that is, if she falls in love with Silas, it means she's betraying her sister and going against everything they've spent their lives fighting for.
When I got my hands on SISTERS RED, I couldn't wait to tear into it because I just knew I was going to love it - but a couple of chapters in I found myself terrified of it. A few chapters later, I decided I could love it and be terrified of it at the same time, and that's how I felt the entire book through. Jackson Pearce has created this world that isn't so much different from ours - it's just an addition on ours, and that addition is werewolves that prey on unsuspecting girls.
SISTERS RED is full of lust and desire, whether it's got to do with wanting another person or prey, or just something more out of life than fear or revenge. Part of our story takes place in Atlanta, and once the sisters and Silas take off for the big city, to a seedy apartment to hunt the Fenris, they get more than they bargain for. They find that things aren't always what they seem and that everyone has secrets, no matter how well you think you know them.
Ms. Pearce not only created a dangerous and sexy world, but she also told it in a way that didn't lose its excitement. SISTERS RED is told in alternating perspectives (or voices, as I prefer to call it); you hear from both Rosie and Scarlett, and they are two of the strongest protagonists that I've read about in any piece of literature. The March sisters are two characters who aren't easily forgotten and that leave a mark on your mind even when you're done reading their story.
I adored Rosie and how compassionate and loving she is and how much she would rather hurt herself than even consider hurting her sister. Scarlett is beautiful in her own right and I think her scars and missing eye make me love her as a character even more - plus, she is just all kinds of kick a**!
SISTERS RED is definitely one of my favorite books of the year and has me stalking Jackson's Twitter and YouTube Channel for even a mention of her sequel, SWEETLY. If werewolves aren't normally your thing, give this one a shot. I promise it will change your mind! And to show you just how profound and totally awesome Scarlett is, I'm going to leave you with one of my favorite quotes from the book, and it pertains to not only the story, but also to life in general:
"No, this is not a mistake. This is a hard, and perhaps cruel, necessity."
If you're a giggly, attractive young girl, then the last thing you should do is talk to that guy outside the club who's cute and is paying so much attention to you. What you should do is get into a very large crowd of people and don't leave with anyone, but to Scarlett March's dismay, the world doesn't work that way. Scarlett vows to protect her sister, Rosie, and the rest of the world from the dangers that lurk around every corner, and in every shadow...Fenris.
Scarlett has not only vowed to protect their small town and large cities from the Fenris, but she's also vowed revenge on the Fenris that took her eye, while she was protecting her sister when they were kids. With Scarlett armed with a hatchet and Rosie with her knives, the girls use bright red cloaks and their feminine charm to lure and destroy any and all wolves who take a step into their small town.
Rosie has always stood by her sister; she's always had a bond that made them seem more like one heart, one soul, and not two separate people. But now, Rosie is starting to want more out of life than hunting Fenris. When Silas, a young woodsman and their lifelong friend, returns to town, Rosie is drawn to him in a way she never thought possible. The problem with that is, if she falls in love with Silas, it means she's betraying her sister and going against everything they've spent their lives fighting for.
When I got my hands on SISTERS RED, I couldn't wait to tear into it because I just knew I was going to love it - but a couple of chapters in I found myself terrified of it. A few chapters later, I decided I could love it and be terrified of it at the same time, and that's how I felt the entire book through. Jackson Pearce has created this world that isn't so much different from ours - it's just an addition on ours, and that addition is werewolves that prey on unsuspecting girls.
SISTERS RED is full of lust and desire, whether it's got to do with wanting another person or prey, or just something more out of life than fear or revenge. Part of our story takes place in Atlanta, and once the sisters and Silas take off for the big city, to a seedy apartment to hunt the Fenris, they get more than they bargain for. They find that things aren't always what they seem and that everyone has secrets, no matter how well you think you know them.
Ms. Pearce not only created a dangerous and sexy world, but she also told it in a way that didn't lose its excitement. SISTERS RED is told in alternating perspectives (or voices, as I prefer to call it); you hear from both Rosie and Scarlett, and they are two of the strongest protagonists that I've read about in any piece of literature. The March sisters are two characters who aren't easily forgotten and that leave a mark on your mind even when you're done reading their story.
I adored Rosie and how compassionate and loving she is and how much she would rather hurt herself than even consider hurting her sister. Scarlett is beautiful in her own right and I think her scars and missing eye make me love her as a character even more - plus, she is just all kinds of kick a**!
SISTERS RED is definitely one of my favorite books of the year and has me stalking Jackson's Twitter and YouTube Channel for even a mention of her sequel, SWEETLY. If werewolves aren't normally your thing, give this one a shot. I promise it will change your mind! And to show you just how profound and totally awesome Scarlett is, I'm going to leave you with one of my favorite quotes from the book, and it pertains to not only the story, but also to life in general:
"No, this is not a mistake. This is a hard, and perhaps cruel, necessity."
Jackson Pearce has managed the unthinkable: she's made me wish that I had a sister.
Her novel, Sisters Red, is full of suspense, horror, budding romance and mythology. But it's her portrayal of heroines Scarlett and Rosie March that kept me turning pages well into the night.
Fans of Robin McKinley, Alex Finn and Regina Doman will be naturally drawn to this creative and modernized reimagining of the classic Little Red Riding Hood. But be warned: it's very, very dark in Pearce's woods.
Scarlett March has been hunting Fenris -- werewolves -- since she was attacked seven years ago at the age of 11. That vicious mauling left her without an eye, and without her grandmother and guardian, Oma March. Fortunately, Scarlett was able to save her younger sister, Rosie, the only person she cares about in the world aside from the woodsman's son, her neighbor and best friend, Silas.
Now, as teenagers, the girls don red hooded capes and brave the dark each night, acting as bait for the vicious Fenris. Unlike the Little Red of my youth, these girls don't need to wait to be rescued. Scarlett is deadly with an axe. Rosie is lethal with a knife. And together, they've sacrificed a normal life of school, friends and dating to keep their little town of Ellison safe from the preditors.
Unfortunately, the wolves have come back to Ellison in search of a Potential, a boy or man destined to be turned into a werewolf by a single, well-timed bite. Scarlett, Rosie and Silas must leave their home for Atlanta to fight the massing packs of Fenris on their own ground, and to learn the identity of the mysterious Potential, before more young girls are devoured by the monsters.
Along the way, division, first love and dreams of "having more" become almost as dangerous to the trio as the Fenris themselves. And the way the characters overcome these realistic struggles is almost as magical as the fairy tale they live in.
I loved this book from start to finish. The characters are very real and flawed, and Pearce's use of alternating chapters in Rosie and Scarlett's voices gives readers a chance to get to know both girls better, and see the tragedies unfolding through their own eyes. I was as captivated by the mundane elements of the book as the supernatural ones. Sisters Red is a great YA novel that should not be pigeonholed as a paranormal romance, urban fantasy or the like. It's both of those things, yes, but also so much more.
I've heard rumblings that Pearce has a sequel planned, called Sweetly. I don't know when it's out (I hope soon!) but I can assure you it will be on my "must read" list. In the meantime, don't miss out on Sisters Red.
Her novel, Sisters Red, is full of suspense, horror, budding romance and mythology. But it's her portrayal of heroines Scarlett and Rosie March that kept me turning pages well into the night.
Fans of Robin McKinley, Alex Finn and Regina Doman will be naturally drawn to this creative and modernized reimagining of the classic Little Red Riding Hood. But be warned: it's very, very dark in Pearce's woods.
Scarlett March has been hunting Fenris -- werewolves -- since she was attacked seven years ago at the age of 11. That vicious mauling left her without an eye, and without her grandmother and guardian, Oma March. Fortunately, Scarlett was able to save her younger sister, Rosie, the only person she cares about in the world aside from the woodsman's son, her neighbor and best friend, Silas.
Now, as teenagers, the girls don red hooded capes and brave the dark each night, acting as bait for the vicious Fenris. Unlike the Little Red of my youth, these girls don't need to wait to be rescued. Scarlett is deadly with an axe. Rosie is lethal with a knife. And together, they've sacrificed a normal life of school, friends and dating to keep their little town of Ellison safe from the preditors.
Unfortunately, the wolves have come back to Ellison in search of a Potential, a boy or man destined to be turned into a werewolf by a single, well-timed bite. Scarlett, Rosie and Silas must leave their home for Atlanta to fight the massing packs of Fenris on their own ground, and to learn the identity of the mysterious Potential, before more young girls are devoured by the monsters.
Along the way, division, first love and dreams of "having more" become almost as dangerous to the trio as the Fenris themselves. And the way the characters overcome these realistic struggles is almost as magical as the fairy tale they live in.
I loved this book from start to finish. The characters are very real and flawed, and Pearce's use of alternating chapters in Rosie and Scarlett's voices gives readers a chance to get to know both girls better, and see the tragedies unfolding through their own eyes. I was as captivated by the mundane elements of the book as the supernatural ones. Sisters Red is a great YA novel that should not be pigeonholed as a paranormal romance, urban fantasy or the like. It's both of those things, yes, but also so much more.
I've heard rumblings that Pearce has a sequel planned, called Sweetly. I don't know when it's out (I hope soon!) but I can assure you it will be on my "must read" list. In the meantime, don't miss out on Sisters Red.
SUSAN S. (susieqmillsacoustics) -
I loved this book! It was a wonderfully clever modern day twist of the classic fairy tale. It was dark, chilling, and full of suspense. I felt one part of the plot was so blatantly obvious, but then came to doubt it. It is also a book of love, family and loyalty. Very well done.
Melissa B. (dragoneyes) -
Mixed feelings on this one. I liked the beginning of this book and somewhat liked the end. I had a hard time with the middle of the book though. Great premise but not executed well. The beginning definitely caught your attention. With girls out to kick werewolf butt... what could go wrong. And starting out it was great but after awhile the characters started getting whiny and irritating. It would go from fight a werewolf to teenage angst, then fight a werewolf and then more teenage angst. This was what the middle of the book was compiled of. I got really bored with reading it. Finally near the very end it started to get better but by then I didn't really care what happened to the characters because I really didn't like them too much anymore. I really felt that this book could have been so much more.
