Book Review: Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

We’ve all heard the story of Little Red Riding Hood, who skipped through the woods to her grandmother’s house and was ignorantly fooled by the big bad wolf, who swallowed her up, and who was only rescued by a woodsman and his ax.

But you’ve never seen Red Riding Hood quite like this.

Jackson Pearce’s new novel Sisters Red is a delightful, modern twist on the classic fairy tale, and this time, Red Riding Hood takes matters into her own hands.

In short, this is what would happen if Buffy the Vampire Slayer found herself in Little Red Riding Hood’s shoes. She wouldn’t let the wolf eat her; she’d kick its ass. And then make a snarky comment about it.

Sisters Red shows us the grimmer side of this Grimm Brothers fairy tale. It begins when young sisters Scarlett and Rosie March are attacked in their home by a Fenris (a werewolf, for all intents and purposes). They survive — barely — thanks to the lethal skills of Scarlett, who loses her eye in the fight and is left covered in scars. Fast forward seven years, as teenage Scarlett and Rosie spend their evenings hunting the Fenris, along with the help of their friend, Silas, a woodsman. But the bond between the sisters comes into question, when the relationship between Silas and Rosie tests her commitment to the fight that has become Scarlett’s quest in life. What’s a girl to choose … your sister, or your true love?

Sisters Red delves into the dilemma full throttle — all while the trio kick some serious butt fighting the Fenris and trying to keep them from turning a new Potential into a soulless monster, and protecting ignorant girls from falling prey to their deceptive charms.

The action in Sisters Red is really what drives the story forward at an engaging and cinematic pace — but readers will anxiously be turning the pages just as quickly to watch the relationship develop between Rosie and Silas. Kudos, also, to Pearce for not shying away from addressing the age difference between these romantic leads — or the past between Silas and Rosie’s older sister, Scarlett.

The book is riddled with surprising moments — all leading up to the big twist at the end (which I predicted early on, then was fooled into disregarding by Pearce’s cleverness. Double twist!). And while I happily rode the emotional roller coaster of Sisters Red, after finishing the book I can safely point out five specific moments that evoked strong, vocal and/or physical reactions from me, as I read alone late at night (I’ll only list page numbers, so as not to give away spoilers):

* I giggled & clapped on page 202

* I gasped on page 243

* I fist-pumped on page 301

* I chanted, “No, no, no, no, no …” on page 208

* I sighed (in relief) on page 314

Sisters Red is the kind of book you won’t be able to put down once you start. It’s high-energy and captivating. It has all the charm and appeal of a traditional fairy tale, with the ass-whooping and action that modern audiences will adore. Sisters Red is in stores now!

Here is the official synopsis & the book trailer:

Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris– the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She’s determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead.

Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts fiercely alongside her. Now Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves and finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax– but loving him means betraying her sister and has the potential to destroy all they’ve worked for.