Sisters Red (Fairy Tale Retelling)

The sisters of SISTERS RED by Jackson Pearce (2010) are quite a pair. Scarlett, the oldest, lives to hunt. She defended her sister against the Fenris (werewolves) from a vicious attack. Rosie, the youngest, owes Scarlett her life. They hunt down and fight Fenris side by side with a bond that feels unbreakable--making it feel like they have one heart.

Rosie is drawn to Silas, a young man from their home town, and feels as though she is betraying her sister. The three go on a mission to find the "Potential" (the next man to be bit and turn into a werewolf) but they have no idea how to find him.

The only bad thing was the predictability of the plot. But nonetheless, I liked the story. It was full of action. Just when I would want to put it down, something would happen and I would have to keep reading. And the love story was intoxicating--I love falling in love through a book.

The most interesting thing about this book is what the author did with Point-Of-View (POV). It's quite fascinating and it couldn't' have been told better! The chapters alternate 1st Person POV between Scarlett, the strong, highly motivated, deeply scarred--and Rosie, the young, innocent, sweet. It was hard to shift gears for the first few chapters, but as I got into it, I couldn't wait to hear what Rosie thought or what Scarlett would feel about a certain event. It really rounded out the story and gave a deeper look into the sisters' lives. Had it been 3rd person POV, it wouldn't have been as deep or thoughtful. If it was in 1st person POV of just one of the girls, we would have missed half the story.

I know book covers have nothing to do with the quality of the story, but it is sweeeeet! I admit, I choose books because of pretty covers and this one is nothing short of awesome!

I'd rate this story at a 4. Very Good choice to read. I hear that she has another book coming out in June 2011 called SWEETLY based on the Hansel and Gretel tale. I thought I would hate when authors rewrite fairytales like these, but I've really taken a liking to them. (Check out my post about Rewritten Fairytales.)

Check out more of my reviews on my blog: [...]

Originally posted at Libri Ago (dot)blogspot(dot)com.

I'm really torn on what I think about this book, which is often the hallmark of a good book: it makes you ponder what and how you feel about the characters and plot. The reason I give it 3 stars is because of several weaknesses in the characterization of Scarlett, but many of them could be easily overlooked by someone who really enjoys the story. The sisters' bond actually creeps me out. I read several reviews where it was mentioned that the relationship between the sisters was great and beautiful. I saw it more as an unhealthy possessive and controlling one. Scarlett saved Rosie's life when they were young. Because of that, both of them have come to the conclusion that Rosie should and must devote her life to Scarlett's obsessive need to kill wolves. Throughout, Rosie feels like she's betraying her sister when she even considers having her own life and falling in love.

I actually liked Rosie overall, and Silas was a good guy, so they made an excellent match. That was actually the most enjoyable part of the narrative for me. I loved how two childhood friends went from that to romance, especially with the awkwardness of realizing it and moving from just friends to boyfriend/girlfriend. The author did an excellent job conveying those emotions. I'd actually say that it was the biggest strength of the story and something that the author should explore. The paranormal action wasn't as convincing. I'd love to see Jackson explore writing contemporary YA romance because I suspect she'd be much better at that.

The problem I had through the whole book was with Scarlett. She was so single-minded and driven that she came off as almost one-dimensional, but not completely, if that makes any sense. I didn't enjoy being inside her head and would have much preferred that the story be told exclusively from Rosie's perspective instead of flipping back and forth between the two. Scarlett isn't a very likable character, but watching her and her passions from another person's viewpoint would have softened that tremendously.

I predicted the ending at about 1/3 of the way into the book, even before clues started to be dropped, which is highly disappointing. Other reviews mentioned the twist at the end, but I see it as more of a cop-out. The story would have been more satisfying and realistic had the author taken the hard path. The fact that it all ties up so neatly is something many readers of paranormal romances will love, but it's just not reality.

All of that said, it's definitely an interesting read and one that I would recommend to others. The writing is clean and not wanting for change, but the repetitive nature of several scenes made me wish for they had been trimmed from the manuscript. I did skim the last third of the book because I'd already figured out the big secret and just wanted to see how the book ended.

So long review summed up: a good read but nothing extraordinary.

Sisters Red is absolutely fantastic. The idea is genius, the action is heart-stopping, the romance is hot and the bond between sisters Scarlett and Rosie is like nothing that I've ever read before. It was a big leap from As You Wish, but Jackson Pearce wrote another winner with this one.

Alternating POVs make me nervous. Usually, I like to stay in the head of one character for the entire length of a book. So knowing that I'd be switching back and forth between Rosie and Scarlett definitely didn't appeal to me. But once I actually started reading, I couldn't get enough. The sisters have completely different personalities, but their drive to protect and care for one another is the same.

Despite how much I enjoyed reading about how the sisters kicked some major fenris ass, I fell in love with the blossoming romance between Rosie and their lifelong friend and partner in fenris ass-kicking, Silas. He`s sweet, protective and supportive of her desire to live a life outside of the fenris. One of my favorite literary romances ever!

And don't get me started on that epic ending .. I was crying and cheering and having multiple reactions that were so hysteric and loud that I probably woke the neighbors.

Overall, Sisters Red is an amazing modern and paranormal twist on Little Red Riding Hood. The March sisters tell a story of heroism, love, and an unbreakable but slightly dysfunctional bond between them that not even the most dangerous fenris can touch. I definitely recommend it to anyone and everyone!

Sisters Red is a romantic, action-packed urban fantasy. Imagine Little Red Riding Hood with Buffy the Vampire Slayer's wicked fighting skills and determination to take down as many predatory monsters as possible (in this case, Fenris, evil werewolves who prey upon women), and you will have a pretty accurate image of Scarlett March. She was only eleven years old when she first courageously faced off against a murderous Fenris in a effort to protect her little sister Rosie. Since that time, Scarlett and Rosie have both worked hard to become formidable fighters and, along with their childhood friend Silas, have become experts at luring and slaughtering Fenris. Sisters Red is not a bland retelling of the traditional Red Riding Hood story. It is a modern tale about family, responsibility, love, and identity. At the center of it all are two fiercely loyal sisters who tread a fine line between devotion and resentment while in pursuit of a deadly enemy.

What I Liked:
- Scarlett and Rosie March are capable, resilient, and intelligent. They are not damsels in distress who wait around to be rescued. Instead, they choose to lure and fight the Fenris on their own terms.
- Silas is sweet and has a wonderful sense of humor. He reminded me of an old-fashioned romantic hero like Theodore "Laurie" Lawrence from Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, if Laurie happened to have a sexy southern charm and a fabulous physique from his expert ax-wielding skills. Silas is Scarlett and Rosie's devoted childhood companion, and he wouldn't hesitate to put his life on the line for either of them.
- The chapters alternate between Scarlett's point-of-view and Rosie's point-of-view, and the alternating perspectives help make it easy for readers to sympathize with and relate to both sisters. While they are both fiercely devoted to one another, they have very different personalities and motivations. Rosie's chapters keep the story lighter and more romantic while Scarlett's chapters keep the suspense and dramatic tension in focus. The alternating perspective helps maintain a well-paced balance between romance and mystery.
- I love modern stories inspired by traditional fairy tales and folktales, but if the interpretation isn't given its own twists and turns the story can feel unoriginal. Sisters Red does not suffer from that at all. The story and characters feel new and well-developed, and the Red Riding Hood references add a delicious bit of darkness and striking visual imagery (the crimson cloak, the woodsman's ax, etc).
- The Fenris thrive on their victims' fear and are sinister in a lecherous, predatory way. They make excellent villains.
- The increasingly flirtatious friendship between Rosie and Silas evolves just slowly enough to torture readers with a lovely amount of tension. Not only has Scarlett always been the most important person in Rosie's life, but the camaraderie and affection between Silas and Scarlett also feels genuine, which sets up a challenging and strained dynamic between the three of them as Rosie and Silas find themselves increasingly attracted to one another.
- Obviously there are fantastical elements to this story (i.e., werewolves), but the overall feel of the world and characters remains grounded in reality. The main characters are practical, don't instantly heal from injuries, and are not independently wealthy. While their Fenris-hunting lifestyle sets them apart from their peers, their overall situation seems plausible and realistic for young people living on the outskirts of society. They spend what little money they have on important supplies like gauze to wrap up their injuries. They survive on pasta, ramen, and Chinese take-out. Basically, their lifestyle and living arrangements feel believable.
- I liked the recurring themes, such as the shadows and sunlight, which contribute to the fairy tale feel of this modern retelling.

What I Wished:
- I wished one particular aspect of the story had been less predictable, but it is still enjoyable to watch everything unfold and there are still twists and surprises right up to the end.
- I wanted to know more about the woodsmen, and I hope we will learn more about them in the two companion novels Jackson Pearce has in the works.

I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy modernized fairy tales, urban fantasy, or paranormal romance. Fans of stories about strong, heroic girls, like Diana Peterfreund's Rampant or Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer should definitely pick up Sisters Red. I would also love to see a graphic novel series set in this world. Scarlett would make a fantastic graphic novel heroine. Jackson Pearce is currently working on two companion novels for Sisters Red - Sweetly (which is a modernization of Hansel and Gretel) and Fathomless (which is a modernization of The Little Mermaid). I look forward to reading both!

Scarlett was eleven when she was bitten, torn and ripped apart, along with her whole world. There was little choice in the matter when she threw herself in front of her sister to save her from the 'wolf', but it was not enough to save her grandmother. Scarlett changed that day but not into one of then, she became a hunter of them.

Rosie can't remember a time without them in her life, werewolves some call them, but that is not their true name. Only a couple of years younger, Rosie watched in horror as her sister took on the 'wolf' to save her, now Rosie lives for her sister. She hunts them with her sister; she hunts them for her sister.

Hunting is their life, the only life Rosie knows, for Scarlett it is the only life she wants. It is a passion that drives Scarlett and Rosie is happy to follow until she sees how different life could be, until she discovers her own passion. But Rosie is indebted to Scarlett; she could never not hunt, could she?

Sisters Red is a twisted fairy tale of loyalty, love and big bad wolves. It is a world where heroines bleed, romance is forbidden and hidden secrets threaten to destroy all that they have fought to protect. A tender and sweet story of sisterly love that must battle through the dark and bloody world of betrayal, loss and monsters to find a life that is filled with passion.

picked up Sisters Red after seeing a few blogs featuring it. I loved the idea of splitting Little Red Riding Hood into two sisters and seeing her fight back against the big, bad wolf- or, rather, as the paperback edition refers to them: the big, bad werewolf.

Happily, the premise lived up to the hype.

Not only is Sisters Red a gripping mystery in which Scarlett, her sister Rosie, and her hunting partner Silas must discover why and how potential werewolves (or Fenris) are turned, but it is also the story of the relationship between sisters, and a romance that develops slowly but surely.

It's also about the discovery of personal identity both for Rosie and for Scarlett- after being almost all each other has for so long, they slowly discover what one girl is away from the other.

The story kept me turning pages until the very end.

- See more at: [...]

Sisters Rosie and Scarlett lose their grandmother to a Fenris. Scarlett wears a red cloak and hunts the Fenris. Rosie is 16 and Scarlett is 18. Scarlett was terribly scarred and lost an eye protecting Rosie on the day their grandmother was killed. Now they hunt the Fenris, the werewolves, with the help of their woodsman friend Silas. Rosie is seriously attracted to Silas and starts to fall in love with him. Scarlett is obsessed with hunting the Fenris who are searching for a Potential, a man who will become Fenris. I thought this was a pretty good story but I wasn't getting too drawn into the plot and I wasn't caring too much about the characters. Silas thinks Rosie should live her life and not be a hunter if she doesn't want to but Rosie feels obligated to help her sister since Scarlett saved her life. I wasn't really getting into this story too much and thought a lot of it was kind of boring but then the last 50 pages were just amazing which redeemed it for me.

Move over, Twilight - Werewolves are back where they are supposed to be with Sisters Red.

I'm an older reader, I remember vampires as scary and werewolves as just plain frightening. I knew before picking up Sisters Red that it would be a story loosely based on Little Red Riding Hood and somewhat expected the wolves to be portrayed as scary - but I didn't count on downright terrifying. There is no redeeming factor in these wolves - no muscled chest, no forbidden love.. nothing. Just outright fear, cruelty and pain.

So when the book begins violently I got chills and knew I would be in for a treat, and I wasn't disappointed.

Scarlett and Rosie are Fenris hunters - werewolf hunters. They live in a sleepy town in Georgia in the house of their deceased Grandmother, Oma. Scarlett is scared and battle-worn from a fight as a child with a wolf and Rosie is the protected, beautiful younger sister. But both girls have nerves of steel and a backbone to match. No shrinking, indecisive girls here - Scarlett starts out knowing who she is and what she is supposed to do and Rosie quickly follows (so refreshing in a 16 year old).

I loved this book. I knew opening it up and reading just the first few pages that I would love it. Good, fun read!

I'll admit I wasn't overly impressed with Jackson Pearce's debut novel so I was a bit weary on reading another one by her, but I'll just say it now: This book was completely and utterly awesome!

I haven't read a book with such a kick ass opening in I don't know how long. From the synopsis you can tell that this is in a way a re-telling of Little Red Riding Hood. That's also a fairy tale I used to love as a kid. I absolutely could not get enough of Jackson's spin on things.

Sisters Red is written in modern times, but yet still had the magic that an old tale would have. Both sisters were written so well and very developed. I loved reading the sisterly bond between Scarlett and Rosie. They were so much alike yet so different it was the perfect balance between the two. Though sometimes I wanted to strangle Scarlett in her overly stubborn ways, I could sympathize why she was the way she was.

The world of how the Fenris are and how one becomes this creature was awesome! I never felt lost like I do in some paranormal type reads. The action in this book will keep you on your toes not to mention the twists that come along as well. Jackson Pearce has won me over and I'm so excited to read more of her darker type of tales.

Sisters Red was one amazing read!
It follows two sisters--Scarlett and Rosie--who are totally different and yet say to "share the same heart".
When they were kids, Scarlett protected her younger sister from a Fenris attack, and in the process lost her right eye and is now marred with scars.
Enter Rosie, who believes to owe her life to her sister by helping kill off the evil Fenris. But is Rosie as dedicated as she is leading her sister to believe?
And Silas, who is a childhood friend of the sisters. Do he and Rosie have something more than a small attraction to each other?
Sisters Red is the perfect read if you want another story of the evil werewolves...minus those annoying vamps. There is no comparing this amazing read to Twilight! It is original all on its own, and is perfect to read late at night, when no-one is home to cushion the suspense, aside from the sounds of the house settling and the occasional tree-branch-scratch-against-the-window to scare you into oblivion.

Scarlett and Rosie had such strong voices. Scarlett was fearless and has intense love for her sister. At times, I didn't like her, but I grew to understand how much she wanted to get rid of the wolves. Rosie is a sweetheart that wanted to get something other then wolves. She found that in Silas. Silas was strong and sweet. He cared a lot about both sisters. I really liked the romance that was between Rosie and Silas. The Fenris were great villains. They seemed to be pure evil. I also liked the creepiness that they emulated. The plot of Sisters Red is based upon Little Red Riding Hood, but this plot is dark and twisted. The world is interesting and fabulously created. I found it to be a magical, yet dark plot. I like how this book had romance and action. Sisters Red was very unique. I found it to be very original, like how the Fernis were based on what fairy tales are really about. Jackson Pearce is a great writer. The words magically melting together to feel mystical and gorgeous. I will definitely have to check out As You Wish. I also can't wait for the next book in this series. I highly recommend this book to anyone that is looking for an original and dark story.

Scarlett and Rosie March are sisters. At a young age they are attacked by a fenris (werewolf) and have suffered because of it. Scarlett lives with the memory and scars from the attack, while Rosie lives with her overly obsessed sister who relies on her to "do the right thing." this means hunting the wolves and pretending to be bait.

This retelling of the classic little red riding hood is a modern take. Two girls live in the present time, however don't seem well off enough to carry phones which probably would have helped in some of their troubles. There's a boy who also hunts and is older than both the March sisters, who becomes a love interest, but is a little predictable. I found the story a bit dry for the first half, teenage girl sisters arguing about their lives. The second half was more angst-filled and the plot gets a little better when they go into the big city to hunt.
The climax is very late in this particular work and then rushes to an ending. It was decent but fairly predictable.

I really enjoyed reading Sisters Red and finished it in only four hours. It is fast paced and electric, and I really enjoyed reading about female characters that were proactive about their own safety, refused to become victims, and became rescuers and aggressors in their own right. Scarlett and Rosie are sisters who are orphaned as children by a werewolf attack. This same attack leaves Scarlett irrevocably scarred and angry. These sisters soon become hunters of the werewolves known as Fenris. Scarlett wields an axe to take down the monsters and Rosie kills with well aimed knives. The story picks up the pace when the sisters discover that werewolves are congregating in search of a Potential, a human they want to turn into another werewolf. So the sisters move to Atlanta along with their fellow hunter, a woodsman named Silas, in search of more wolves to kill and a Potential to save.
There is a love story between Silas and Rosie that I found pretty forgettable overall, mainly because I was so entranced with reading about the girls on the hunt. Rosie and Scarlett dress up in glittery makeup, perfume, and red cloaks to entice the wolves away and then turn on them with their own deadly weapons. These scenes are well written, fast paced, and breathtaking, which is why I enjoyed the novel so much.
However, there were two problems I did have with the book. It is told in the alternating voices of Scarlett and Rosie, which I found jarring at times, especially when I was so caught up in Scarlett's voice. Overall this wasn't enough to distract me from enjoying the book, but it did occasionally take me out of the action for a moment. My other problem was a logic question. The werewolves in the book all congregate to locate and turn one man, a Potential, into a werewolf, but at the expense of losing multiple pack members. I didn't understand how one potential werewolf justified sacrificing several dozen. This was never really fully explained, and I wish it had been.
Other than those small details, (and they are relatively small) I found this book tremendously satisfying, in a girls-who-kick-ass kind of way.

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.

This is the tale basically of Little Red Riding Hood, in a different version, when she's all grown up and they are sisters. I'm going to try not to give anything away. The summary tells you that the wolf eats Oma March and the woodsman takes the two orphaned girls in until their mother comes home to care for them. She had run away to the circus, but is motherly enough to come back and stay with the girls for a little while. At least until she can't stand to see Scarlett's scars anymore and then it's off to the circus again. But the woodsman looks after the girls, he has many children of his own. And he and Oma March had been good friends.

Scarlett's scars are extensive and criss-cross her entire body. When the wolf killed Oma March, she broke a mirror and pushed her sister under the bed and she fought the wolf. He took her eye and left scars everywhere, except over her heart. This is significant because the girls, though two years apart in age, believe they share a heart. They believed when they were little that their heart broke in two because half of them wanted to be born first, Scarlett, and then Rosie braved the world later. As little girls they believed this but after the attack, the only time their hearts felt as one was when they were on the hunt for Fenris-the wolves that attacked and ate young girls.

This story is basically about the deep love between two sisters, the responsibility Scarlett feels to hunt the Fenris and Rosie's need for something more. There is a lot of guilt on Rosie's part because her sister bears the scars of protecting her and the hunt and Rosie doesn't feel she can separate from her sister. But Silas, Scarlett's hunting partner lures her away from a life of hunting and tries to show her a life beyond just hunting. For Scarlett, anything but hunting is an act of betrayal. For Silas, he can hunt and still have a life. For Rosie ....it's a choice between the two people she loves.

But another story going on is the hunt for the Potential, a human that has all the right things to be turned into a Fenris and the Fenris are on the prowl, first in the girls' small town and then when Scarlett, Rosie and Silas head to Atlanta where there are a lot of killings, they hear Fenris talking of the Potential. But they know so little of this Potential. What makes him what he is and their greatest resource, Silas' father, the woodsman, is in a nursing home with Alzheimer's.

There is a lot of action in this novel mixed with a little bit of budding romance and lots of fighting and gore. Not the kind that turns your stomach, just descriptive enough. I knew who the Potential was pretty early but you may not guess. Pearce just left the hint way too soon for it not to be the person I thought it was no matter how far off she tried to lead. This was fast paced and a great take on the Little Red Riding Hood story. Each character had something to add, but Silas wasn't a fully developed character. However, this was after all Sisters Red and the two sisters were given every other chapter to narrate and let us see into their minds.

I'd love to see Pearce do another fairy tale. I've just recently read Beastly, a take on Beauty and the Beast and the modern telling of the old versions make for really great reading. I love the grown up versions of Red Riding Hood. I definitely recommend this to anyone that loves fairy tales, suspense, mystery, YA, or just a good read. I'd say it's clean enough for any age to read. Just depends on the gore factor.

Scarlett and Rosie March were orphaned as children when a wolf attacked and killed their grandmother. Scarlett was nearly killed in the attack and escaped with only one eye and a great many scars. This wolf was no ordinary wolf, but a soulless creature that takes the form of a man and can turn into a wolf, called a Fenris. Eight years later, the sisters train hard and hone their skills to be able to kill as many of these creatures as possible, with the help of their woodsman neighbor Silas. As a result of their constant training and slaying Fenris, the girls haven't had a chance to go to school, have friends, or even think about dating like normal girls their age. They live in the same small rural country town they grew up in and their world is pretty small. Scarlett is satisfied with this the hunt consuming her life, but Rosie longs for some semblance of normalcy. Rosie also starts to have feelings for Silas, which proves to be more of a problem when they all relocate to a small apartment in a big city in pursuit of a Potential, a male that can be turned into a Fenris with very specific conditions. Can Rosie have a relationship with Silas without alienating her sister? Will they find the Potential and protect him before the Fenris turn him?

I'll admit it: I'm a sucker for a good retelling of a fairy tale. This is one of the most exceptional that I've read in general. Jackson Pearce takes the simple fairy tale, Red Riding Hood, and adds beautiful detail to it. The flat characters become realistic and multidimensional. The story is transported to the present. The setting starts as rural and then becomes urban. The city, not the forest as in so many fairy tales, serves as the setting for transformation and the main action in the story. The single wolf becomes a group of werewolves. The woodsman that acts as the savior in the story becomes an ally and a friend. These changes still reference and use the original story as a starting point, but ends up going against such fairy tale conventions as the cliché happily ever after and the helpless damsel in distress. They ultimately transform a fairly flat tale into a story that speaks to (and is relevant in) the modern world.

Scarlett and Rosie are fierce warriors and very close sisters with an intense relationship. They are about as different as night and day: Scarlett is perfectly happy just hunting and killing Fenris for the rest of her life and Rosie wants something more. The novel is told from both of their points of view, switching between them each chapter. It's a great way to get a better idea of both of their thought processes and where both of them are coming from. My favorite thing about them is how they destroy what the original fairy tale essentially says about women. The girls dress up in red hoods, heavy makeup, and sexy clothing to lure in the Fenris for the kill. They use their sexuality as a weapon and don't depend on the woodsman to come and save them. They are self sufficient and fierce. The original tale can be interpreted in many ways. In my opinion, it can be interpreted as rape being the fault of the victim or as a negative view of a young woman's burgeoning sexuality. Scarlett and Rosie prove to be the complete opposite of these two views. It's wonderful to see this frankly misogynistic tale made into one of empowerment.

Sisters Red is an excellent story with adventure, werewolves, grisly deaths, and even a little bit of romance. I would recommend it to pretty much anyone that has seen or heard of any rendition of Red Riding Hood.

Title: Sisters Red

Author: Jackson Pearce

Publisher: Hachette Book Group

Number of Pages: 346

Date of Release: June 3, 2010

Synopsis From Back of Book:

The Wolf opened its long jaws, rows of teeth stretching for her. A thought locked itself in Scarlett's mind: I am the only one left to fight, so now, I must kill you...

Love and fear collide in a twilight world

Review: I didn't really know what to think of this book going into it. I had heard some buzz on twitter by all the blogs I aspire to be like so I thought I'd pick it up. I was not disappointed by Sisters Red at all! Pearce writes so elegantly and her style is something to gaze in wonder at. The characters Silas, Scarlett and Rosie are developed so well through the story. I could identify to all the characters for they all were so unique, but came together to mesh beautifully! I loved that all the Characters could hold their own and needed no one to save them. I guess that is how this modern day little red riding hood fairytale differs from the original. There is no woodsman to save them they must do it themselves. I like that for too many books these days have the female characters dependent on a male to save them. I also like how this book sends a very good message of how it doesn't matter what you look like it is who you are in the inside that people see and love!

After a horrific attack that left Scarlett with one eye as a child and countless scars. Scarlett is determined to get the head of the Alpha of the Arrow pack. Rosie her sister isn't driven to hunt Fenris like her sister. Rosie sees their is more to life than just the hunt. When Silas, Scarlett's old hunting partner, returns everything changes. Fenris are being found closer and closer to their quaint country town and Scarlett wants to know why. Scarlett is driven and is consumed by the hunt, but Rosie just wants to explore and see what else life has to offer. She doesn't though for she knows she owes her sister her life for stepping in front of her when they were so young. Rosie can't help the feeling she gets when she is around Silas though and knows it is wrong for he is her sisters partner. So she tries to push it out of her mind. What if Silas feels the same way? Why are all the packs merging to create one giant superpower?

So this book met all my expectations and more. I loved how Pearce took a fairytale and created her own spin and take on it. I really liked all the characters for they were relate-able and strong and vulnerable all at the same time. I am in awe of the shear talent Pearce has that I have no idea what tale she spin next! I highly recommend this book to everyone for you will not be disappointed. If you are shy of blood and gore in books than I caution you too that, but otherwise go for it. Head out now and pick it up from your local bookstore or library!

I wanted to read Sisters Red because it was another of the titles removed from Bitch Magazine's, 100 Young Adult Books for the feminist reader. The novel is a rewriting of Little Red Riding Hood that begins when the March sisters- Scarlett and Rosie- and their grandmother, are attacked at their cottage in the woods by a Fenris (basically a werewolf). Scarlett devotes her life to revenge after she is injured in the attack while protecting her sister. I can see the critique of the book from a feminist perspective, because Scarlett turns into somewhat of a monster herself, incapable of seeing beyond her attack. I think this is a dangerous myth to perpetuate, especially when we consider the underlying allegory of rape that runs through the book. Because of Scarlett's scars, she is miserable and can't see herself as loveable, so she becomes what she hates- a perpetrator of violence. Susan Brownmiller's book, Against Our Will: Men, Women and Rape, talks about the rape plot and the gender dynamics in the original fairy tale, and it would make an interesting companion text if one were reading this text for feminist reasons. Beyond those critiques however, I did find that this was a well-constructed and atmospheric rewriting of a fairy tale (and I really like fairy tale rewritings). I also thought that the acting on the audio was top notch.

This book starts out very well, with obvious references to the classic story of Little Red Riding Hood. The only thing these two stories have in common though is the shared red cape and wolves, known as Fenris in this novel. The story is told from the perspective of two sisters, Scarlett and Rosie who have been hunting Fenris ever since one took Scarlett's right eye while she was defending Rosie and killed their grandmother. Scarlett is an extremely tough 18 year old whose only goal in life seems to be the death of all Fenris, while her younger sister Rosie also hunts but also dreams of a life outside of constantly hunting. This novel has quite a bit of action in it as well as romance. The only issue I have with it is that I feel the story could have been expanded and made into a series rather than crammed into a single book. Other than that I loved this exciting read and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for plenty of (fairly violent) action as well as romance.

"Sisters Red" is not so much a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood as a modern fairy tale that pays homage to a familiar premise while telling a completely original story. That story is about two sisters, Scarlett and Rosie March, who hunt the Fenris (a very clever, unique, and frightening version of werewolves) after a Fenris killed their grandmother and scarred Scarlett when they were children. I was expecting an action-filled, plot-oriented fairy tale and while there is tons of action, the heart of this book is in the sisters' relationship as both girls struggle with their identities. Scarlett literally wants nothing more in life than to kill the Fenris; Rosie is devoted to her sister but is also falling in love and figuring out that she deserves more in life than hunting.

The conflict between the sisters' desires felt very real and was emotionally wrenching. As a reader, you can understand both girls' POV- why Rosie wants more out of life and why Scarlett begrudges her for it. Pearce does a magnificent job of not only making each sister realistic but also likable. It is sometimes difficult to like Scarlett because she is so narrow-minded and judgmental, but by the end you can't help liking her, admiring her, and feeling sorry for her (although she probably wouldn't appreciate the sympathy!). If you like books about complicated sibling relationships, you should definitely read SR for that reason alone.

I also loved the mythology in SR; I haven't read anything like the Fenris before, and they are truly creepy villains because they're flat-out evil- they don't souls. In some ways they reminded me of the vampire mythology in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," b/c once a Fenris turns, it loses its soul and becomes inherently evil. In that respect, while the Fenris definitely creeped me out, I couldn't hate them because to hunt is their nature. I know Pearce has more books planned for this world, and I would love to see the ramifications of a Fenris transformation- are they completely demonic or, like Buffy's vampires, can they be redeemed?

Although there was nothing particularly striking about him to me as a lead hero, I did like Silas, and I really liked the twist ending. I also liked the romance because it was sweet and realistic without being sappy or detracting from the other plotlines.

I have a few criticisms: I think Pearce glossed over the girls' financial situation too much. They really get by for seven years by selling off household items and planting a garden? And they never got in trouble with authorities? It all seemed very unrealistic. My second biggest complaint is that I wish more had been said about Scarlett's future. Wrongly or rightly, she believes that she is only useful for hunting and sees no other future for herself. While she seems to like hunting, I think there should have been some discussion of the fact that she *does* have other options, because the message that came across was, "she's so physically scarred that she's useless to society in any conventional way and will never find happiness or love, etc., etc.). While this obviously isn't true, and I know that isn't the book's "message," it still felt like some discussion was missing (i.e. I wanted someone to smack Scarlett upside the head and tell her that she could still go to college, get a job, find happiness, etc.).

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. While I would love to read more about the March sisters, I also think SR wrapped up their story nicely. Perhaps they will make cameos in Pearce's other books set in the Fenris-world? I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes books about fairy tales, sisters, adventure, kick-ass heroines, romance, etc.

I was fortunate enough to listen to this audiobook. This was my first one so I didn't know if it would add or take away from the story. In this case, I think it added to it. The accents made the story so much more real. Two different voices told from Rosie's and Scarlett's point of views. Ever since that tragic day when they first encountered a fenris, Scarlett has lived to hunt. It's what she lives for, and doesn't see any other purpose in life. Her younger sister Rosie feels forced into doing it because she feels as though she owes Scarlett her life for saving her years ago. Then childhood friend, Silas comes back from vacation to hunt with them and then things become....complicated. He presents a life outside of hunting that Rosie wants but isn't sure she should have.

I liked listening this novel. The fight scenes were entertaining. It was definitely like listening to a movie. I saw the old cottage in Ellison and I had a clear picture of the neighborhood in Atlanta. I identified the most with Rosie because she felt torn. On one hand she owes Scarlett her life and wants to please her. On the other hand she's a teenager and she wants to just live a normal teen life. Scarlett was just all about "the hunt". I found myself being a little disappointed when it was time for her narration. That was the only thing on her mind!Though there were times I felt sorry for her. She was missing an eye from a Fenris attack and felt that hunting was all she had left since her beauty was taken.

All in all I recommend this audiobook to whoever wants to try one out. It has a lot of action, the accents are on point and will keep you making weird faces in public LOL. Unfortunately, I did smell the big ending coming a mile away, but the ride there was great.

This rendition of Little Red Riding Hood is interesting to say the least. Scareltt or Lett is scarred (how cheesy) when she was little defending her sister, Rose, from a wolf. The book flashes forward to when they're older and hunting werewolves that aren't really werewolves but rather shape shifters. Then there's some sort of ordeal having to do with the seventh son of a seventh son that's rather confusing but interesting. Scarlett seems to just be full of anger because of the werewolves and jealous because other girls get to do what they want, but she doesn't think she can because of her scar. Silas and Rose have a thing for each other which seems to only anger Scarlett more because she likes him, but she eventually cedes Silas to Rose seeing that they love each other. The book is interesting but can be hard to follow but I would still recommend it to some people.

A good retelling of the Little Red Riding Hood concepts. Not really the same story but so much better! I like the modern background and the city v country landscapes. Good strong female character but I wanted a much happier life for her. I will go look for the next in the series right now.

Sisters Red starts out with a terrifying tragedy in which the main character, Scarlett, is attacked and disfigured protecting her younger sister Rosie from the big bad wolf. In this version of Little Red Riding Hood, the wolves are part of a species called the Fenris.

Review: This book is worth reading. It is geared toward young adults, but I'm in my 30s and I found it enjoyable. It is riveting from the first page, when Scarlett and Rosie come upon the wolf in the forest. I loved the character Scarlett whose passion in life is slaying Fenris, and she won't stop until every last one of them is killed. Supposedly Scarlett and Rosie are supposed to be so close, as to be inseparable. But it seems more than Rosie feels guilt over escaping the Fenris unscathed, and Scarlett feels alone because she sacrifices having human relationships in order to kill Fenris. Still, it was refreshing to read about a main character with super powers who isn't obsessed with a sparkly vampire, or some other nonsense. It was a bit disconcerting that Rosie falls in love with a boy who, legally, really couldn't date her, much less go off and live with her. But I suppose these are the things fairy tales and fantasies are made of. Rosie did grow in the novel, but only when she pretended - for a few moments - to be Scarlett. She then went back to her old self. I would love to see a sequel focused only on Scarlett, because while the rotating Rosie-Scarlett viewpoint of Sisters Red was interesting, Scarlett was the character I cared about in this novel. It might also be interesting to see her balance human relationships with her calling as a Fenris slayer. In that respect, this novel played out the two choices stereotypical for females - have no calling of your own and instead, fall in love with some guy, or have a passion of your own and end up alone.

Favorite Quote: "A thought locked itself in Scarlett's mind, and she repeated it over and over until it became a chant, a prayer: `I am the only one left to fight, so now I must kill you.'"

Meaning: Sometimes it is the tragedies that give our life meaning - if Scarlett hadn't been attacked by a Fenris, her whole life would not be dedicated to slaying them. And maybe also, if you are a warrior and a hero, you can never move on to being a lover or a sage. Scarlett is stuck forever fighting, and the best she will do is survive and kill a few Fenris. She needs to find a team like Buffy did. And maybe a Fenris with a soul...

Carey RavenStar Robin, author of Naked in the Garden of the Serpent

Jackson Pearce's sophomore effort is an action packed twist on the Little Red Ridding Hood tale. Sisters Red is a touching story about sisters weaved with the action of them being werewolf hunters. This is a wonderfully balanced book giving the reader both action and human drama.

Sisters Red is my first experiences with Jackson's writing and I will be reading her next book! She is an amazing story teller that draws you into the story and her character's lives.

I liked how Jackson showed the different aspects lives of her character's lives. She shows how Silas, Rosie and Scarlet all have different goals and dreams. It would be easy to just focus on the hunt, it's full of action, but Jackson shows some touching real moments that had me laughing and touched me. The human moments were some of my favorite in the book. Seeing Rosie at the art class and Scarlet and Rosie being sisters make Sisters Red a well rounded book!

(Oh, and check out the cover! Isn't it one of the coolest covers for a YA book ever??)

Where should I start with Sisters Red? First of all I've been looking forward to this book since I first discovered Jackson and her awesomely crazy YouTube videos and her debut novel As You Wish last year. The long wait and the awesome-ness that is Jackson Pearce made me have extremely high expectations for this book. I must say I wasn't disappointed. The book delivered and I have been recommending it like crazy.

I loved the characters, and even though there aren't many of them, they are just right and just enough to make this book what it is. Scarlett is a great female character and one that I'd like to see more of her type in other YA. She was a strong, independent girl who didn't need a guy to make her life worth living or to keep her confidence up. Sure she had flaws, but who doesn't? It made her more realistic. Her sister Rosie was the perfect counterpart and just the right amount of different from Scarlett. They were both so well fleshed out and their sisterly bond had me feeling jealous that I don't have a sister of my own.

Silas, oh dreamy Silas. I thought he was a very likable male character and just as Rosie and Scarlett had an amazing and believable relationship, so did Silas with each of the sisters. I don't want to say anything much about the plot except that it was great, just the right pace, and a very lovely, modern re-imagining of Little Red Riding Hood.
Overall, I loved this book and I highly recommend it to those who love fantasy, adventure, romance, and great characters (this was really a character driven novel to me).

Pierce turns a common fairy tale into pure bloody awesomeness with her wonderful writing and alternating points of view. It's not a re-telling though, instead it is fully original and surprising story based in the popular folktale Little Red Riding Hood. Explores dark desires, passions and dedications while yet having the right amount of romance. Involves family, friendship and friendship becoming family.

The characters were strikingly clever. Scarlett was a very strong character, and even though she's frustrating and unbearable at times, you can't help but love her and understand Rosie. The ending was somewhat predictable, at some point you can definitely see it coming, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. The cover is genius! Seriously one of the most eye-catching non-pictured covers ever. If you enjoy urban fantasy you will love this one!

I loved this book! The story was very well written, the characters were great and even though you may think you know where its going the getting there is good! This story is told between the two sisters (Scarlett and Rosie) who hunt werewolves. I liked the description of the fenris (werewolves), the combined story of the three main characters: the sisters and Silas (the woodsman). Very, very good retelling of Red Riding Hood. Even if you hate the fairy tale of Red Riding Hood you will highly enjoy this book. Would recommend to most readers.

Pierce turns a common fairy tale into pure bloody awesomeness with her wonderful writing and alternating points of view. It's not a re-telling though, instead it is fully original and surprising story based in the popular folktale Little Red Riding Hood. Explores dark desires, passions and dedications while yet having the right amount of romance. Involves family, friendship and friendship becoming family.

The characters were strikingly clever. Scarlett was a very strong character, and even though she's frustrating and unbearable at times, you can't help but love her and understand Rosie. The ending was somewhat predictable, at some point you can definitely see it coming, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. The cover is genius! Seriously one of the most eye-catching non-pictured covers ever. If you enjoy urban fantasy you will love this one!

I loved this book! The story was very well written, the characters were great and even though you may think you know where its going the getting there is good! This story is told between the two sisters (Scarlett and Rosie) who hunt werewolves. I liked the description of the fenris (werewolves), the combined story of the three main characters: the sisters and Silas (the woodsman). Very, very good retelling of Red Riding Hood. Even if you hate the fairy tale of Red Riding Hood you will highly enjoy this book. Would recommend to most readers.

I listened to the audio book and the voice acting was phenomenal. The two ladies who read just bring the characters to life. Its beautiful to listen to.
The story is also tightly crafted with some very surprising parts that had me stay in my car just to keep listening. Scarlett was my favorite character and I could easily use another book with her in it. Seriously, I could read this book all day every day and not get tired. It draws you into its world like few other books I've read.

Hardcore Girls+Fenris+ a Dash of Romance= Sisters Red
First off, let me start by saying that Sisters Red was way more than I ever expected. I saw the cover (amazing by the way!) and thought I knew exactly what it would be about. I figured, dainty Little Red Riding Hood with a grandma that gets eaten.
Instead, I got two kick ass sisters who don't mind getting a little blood under their fingernails.
Rosie and Scarlett are, like every character should be, flawed. Scarlett is in love with the hunt of Fenris. She's physically deteriorated. (There is also ten extra points for the eye patch.) Rosie is a bit more girly, she hunts because Scarlett saved her when they were little. She feels that she owes it to her sister. Rosie is also starting to fall for the boy that has been their partner for years.
This book was fantastic, from the writing to the characters to the mystery. I loved it. The action in the story was well written and enticing. I nearly chomped on my fingernails from the suspense! The chemistry between the two sisters felt real, it felt genuine. And the close ties they had to their grandmother were well written.
Her take on werewolves only added to my enjoyment of the story. They were different! They were new! They not called werewolves! Fenris, after all, is a pretty sweet word.
Pearce did a fantastic job; she's one of my new favorites! Her writing style is unique. Her characters interesting and have NO easy way out. And for that, I thank her. I'm glad she didn't get into the circus.
If you like fairy tale rewrites, or any book with nail biting action/romance/family ties, I'd recommend this book. It's not what you'd think. It's quite a wild ride.
My only question now is: What to read next that won't be cast in the shadow of the withdraw I am still feeling from this book?!

Sisters Red is an interesting blend of a fairy tale and something completely new. While it is not a retelling of the Little Red Riding Hood tale, it has many of the plot details that readers may expect to find: red hooded cape, a grandma, werewolves, and a hatchet. But that is about where the similarities end.

The novel is set in a very unique way. The world that the sisters, Scarlett and Rosie, live in is reminiscent of a classic fairy tale, yet on the fringes of that world is our society. In essence, there are two worlds that Jackson creates. As a reader, I could identify with the worlds separately. However, when they intersected each other, it became a very discombobulating experience. It felt like these were two worlds that were never meant to cross, but did. Honestly, in the beginning, I had hard time following the tale just because of the setting. I liked them separately, but not together. As the novel continued, I began to become more accustomed to this situation. And while I must admit that I am not the biggest fan of it, I can understand why Jackson gave her tale this setting.

For me, the characters made this novel. Told in alternating chapters, the reader really gets to know both Scarlett and Rosie. We understand their motivations, their thoughts and feelings, and what makes them tick. This deeper understanding made me fully appreciate these characters, and left me in awe of their kick butt and take names approach. These are definitely strong heroines who know how to take charge of a situation.

Although I did have a slightly difficult time getting into the novel, I must admit that overall it was a lot of fun. Plenty of action, fantastic heroines, some romance, and werewolves being bad made this a nice read.

The book 'Sisters Red" got me by its beautiful cover art, like most books. And for once this boook lived up to my expectations.This book was really good and I enjoyed both characters (Rosie & Scarlett) equally. i think the reason I enjoyed this book so much was because for once there was a thin line between the hero (Sisters) and the enemy (Fenris). In Twilight and The House of Night, even Vampire Academy there were characters that varied between whether they were either good or evil, or both. Don't get me wrong, I loved all of those books but they get sort of confusing. Whereas in Sisters Red there is a distinct point that the Fenris are ALL bad and the girls are both the protagonists. Another reason I enjoyed this book was because it was a relief to finally have a dark fictional YA book that was not a series, yes, it has a spin off but not another book that goes directly after it.The reason I only gave this book 4 stars is because at the part where everyone was supposed to cry and feel alot of emotion (near the end) I kind of laughed. It was supposed to be deeply upsetting but instead I found myself giggling. With that exception this book is totally worthy of reading and lives up to the cover's expectations.
P.S. The cover foreshadows. ;)

I have been watching Jackson Pearces's videos on youtube for some time now. I recently found out she was a published author so I went and got the book with high hopes because her videos are so good. Well, I was not disappointed. The book was one of the best I've ever read and will for sure go down on my favorites list. Her writing is so beautifully done and yet subtle enough to where it's very easy to follow. I also loved the way she came up with a new word for werewolf, "Fenris". I actually may replace the word myself. The only reason why I did not give this book 5 stars is because I was a little disappointed with the way the fight scenes were written. Most the time they were very thrilling but sometimes i felt disappointed because they seemed to end so quickly. Jackson will be writing a campaign novel that is a re-telling of Hansel and Gretel. It should be out soon.

After scanning the library shelves for over an hour I settled on a book about two wolf hunting, cloaked sisters. I finished Sisters Red the next day! I loved the book from start to finish. It was exciting and romantic and the characters were rich and interesting. Every time I thought I had it figured out Jackson Pearce would throw a twist that would lure me back into the pages! If you want a book that is exciting from the first page and leaves you craving more at the last page, this is you book.

This book has been an overly underwhelming experience. From the characters, through the re-telling of the Red Riding Hood, to the plot and style. Sadly, the author decided to leave out the most promising character, which was Scarlett, from the "character developement zone", and, for some unknown reason, decided to go with a very badly written and sappy romance of her sister, Rosie, and her partner, Silas. I'm not saying I dislike romance - but this was a very superficial relationship. A large part of the book is dedicated to meaningless descriptions of Rosie's attempts at normal life and falling in "love", which I would rather call a fascination or a crush, with Silas. On the other hand, Scarlett gets nothing. At the end of the book she is exactly the same person she was after the prologue. It puzzles me, why would anyone settle to base most of the story on a character with Rosie's personality and looks, a pretty and naive girl, while having a promising and interesting character right there... I had huge difficulties relating to Rosie and I wished I could skip all of the chapters from her POV. Also, I've been listening to this book instead of reading it, and the actress reading Rosie's parts sounded like she was about to cry all the time, which was an awful experience.
I also dislike the Supernatural-like retelling of the fairy tale. I got the impression that the author liked the show and decided to change it a bit (siblings, trauma in childhood, the older sibling is overly protective of the younger one, hunting monsters together... doesn't it sound a lot like Sam and Dean?) and throw in some Red Riding Hood...
The constant switching of the POV narration was annoying and confusing, I wish writers would stop that...

Well, at least the cover is beautiful!

Gold Star Award Winner!

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."

Reviewed by: Samantha Clanton, aka "Harlequin Twilight"

At first glance Jackson Pearce's novel looks like a modern red riding hood.... Well, yes and no. It is a modern retelling of the old tale, but with a few delightful twists. Like the fact that `red riding hood' is two girls, sisters Scarlett and Rosie March. And these little reds are no meek basket-carriers; Scarlett and Rosie kick werewolf ass on a regular basis, they are knife-wielding, cape-wearing vigilantes hell-bent on ridding their little corner of the world of the Fenris plague.

This novel is glorious. There's no other word for it. Everything from the drool-worthy cover to the last page sucked me in and kept me in a state of happy suspense. Ms. Pearce has taken elements of little red riding hood - red capes, woodsmen, grandma's cottage and the big bad wolf - and written it with a modern-day spin. This is an original retelling of an old fable, and a wonderful new voice on the YA paranormal scene.

Fenris are werewolves - half man, half wolf. The stuff of myth and legend, come to horrible life and with only the March sister's to rid Georgia of their plague.

Scarlett is not your ordinary heroine. She has been fighting Fenris since she was a child, and tackled her first slobbering beast after he killed her grandmother. Scarlett is a warrior, with the scars to prove it. Her entire body (save a smooth spot over her heart) is covered in scars and scratches, mutilated wounds and Fenris track-marks, and she is missing her right eye. Where her eye should be is a long jagged scare from hairline to jaw.

Rosie is the younger sister, 16 to Scarlett's 18. Rosie lives in her sister's shadow, always trying to follow in her hunter footsteps and care as much about the fight as Scarlett does. But Rosie dreams of a life beyond the Fenris - a life without hatchets and knives, blood and busted ribs. Tempting Rosie is Silas, the sister's woodsmen friend who has been Scarlett's hunting partner since they were children. Silas has returned from a year-long stint in San Francisco, and there's something different about him. Something handsome and charming and that makes Rosie want to be close to him, even if it means leaving Scarlett behind.

The Fenris fairytale is gory and fantastic. Pearce has written some truly heinous slobbering beasts and their presence on the page causes goosebumps. Fenris can look like handsome young men one minute, but turn into snout-faced monsters when they get a whiff of young, beautiful flesh. The fight scenes are fast and furious, with hatchets flying, skin-gouging brilliant action that will leave you panting in vicarious exhilaration.

I loved the fairytale gore of `Sisters Red', and I adored the elder sister protagonist, Scarlett. Scarlett and Rosie are alternating narrators, but it was Scarlett who really clicked for me. She is a very different YA protagonist than I have ever read; unique for her scarring and warrior heart, she was a dark delight to read. That's why I had a little problem with Jackson Pearce's character arc for Scarlett and Rosie which somewhat tainted my response to the novel overall....

It did seem like Pearce overestimated Rosie's appeal, and underestimated Scarlett's. Rosie was just so generic; pretty and porcelain, innocent and unknowing. Scarlett was the interesting sister, yet Rosie was given a more intense character arc.

From the on-set I was more interested in Scarlett. What can I say? I love an underdog. And Scarlett is most assuredly an underdog; outcast and scarred, living for the hunt because she believes her life is meant for little else. There was something so tragically compelling about Scarlett that I absolutely loved her. But Pearce hasn't written much of a character journey for the scarred sister, she instead reserves all of the best progressions for Rosie.
Scarlett's journey started with her knowing she loved the hunt, and ended with her realizing she really loved the hunt. Whereas Rosie discovered that her life couldn't revolve around hunting, or trying to be her sister, and this revelation came around the same time she developed feelings for her old friend Silas.

Maybe it's trite and predictable, but I felt that Scarlett was more deserving of a love interest than Rosie - a love interest to really give her a character arc and transformation from tough warrior woman to something softer, more human.
On the one hand I do realize that it's reality for people not to change - for there to be no groundbreaking light-bulb moment of realization. And that's Scarlett - she remains the same from beginning to end. But in a YA book I think you need to give your character's a push... especially because Scarlett was the more interesting character to tug at reader's heart-strings. For me, `Sisters Red' was all about Scarlett. I would have been quite content for the whole book to be told from her perspective, with nothing of Rosie's interiority.

I also didn't connect with Rosie and Silas's relationship. For starters, there's a five-year age gap. The age-gap wouldn't be so bad, except that Rosie is 16 to Silas's 21 and it did leave me wondering what he saw in someone so young, and why he couldn't get a girlfriend his own age? Then there's the fact that Rosie is just plain boring. I probably felt that way only when comparing her to the incomparable Scarlett, but I felt nothing for Rosie as a character beyond her role as Scarlett's little sister. Silas was a wonderful character, but I did not understand what he saw in Rosie to make him fall in love with her 16-year-old self. As far as I could see Rosie and Silas connected on a purely superficial level - drawn to one another for their physical attractiveness (which just made me feel even sorrier and root harder for Scarlett!).

I did struggle to like Rosie. It wasn't so much Rosie, per-se; it was more that I was rooting for Scarlett, the underdog scarred sister. I can't, for the life of me, figure out why Jackson Pearce didn't give Scarlett more of a character journey. She was, by leaps and bounds, the most fascinating and unique facet of `Sisters Red'... yet she finishes the way she started, having learnt little about herself beyond what she already knew. Where Rosie and Silas have revelations of epic romantic proportions and face hard truths about what they want out of life, Scarlett remains stagnate and same.

I loved 'Sisters Red', regardless of my character-related disgruntlement. I consumed it in one sitting and got completely ensnared by Pearce's modern retelling of an old tale. The writing is lush, the monster's ferocious and the heroine's fearless. I would definitely recommend this novel.

Ms. Pearce does have a companion book to `Sisters Red' coming out in June 2011, called `Sweetly'. I will definitely read this companion, but only in the hopes that Scarlett is written in the limelight and Rosie is relegated to the shadows (where she belongs!)

i loved this book! It was so edgy & provocative & action packed & emotional! It had me flipping pages frantically. And HOO-rah! for wounded & not perfectly stunning heroines! Scarlett & Rosie are kick-ass (literally), both of their POV's are so strong you can't help connecting with both of them. Plus Silas adds much needed funniness & hotness to the book!! *sighs*

I do have to say though, Rosie was my favorite! She was just so cute (kick-ass but cute!) and i want her as my little sister! I think she won me over when she took "Natural Drawing" haha! *wink!*

P dot S The story of the March Sisters should so be continued... k thanks!

In Sisters Red, Jackson Pearce has created a pair of characters who embody two answers to a single question: in a world that contains radical evil, evil which you are personally equipped to fight... how do you live your actual life?

Two teenage sisters living on their own in the present-day United States spend their days trying to figure out how to make enough money to survive, what to have for dinner, and whether to regret not going to high school- and their nights hunting werewolves, with which the world is plagued.

These are not romantic sexy werewolves. They are evil, and disgusting, and they kill people because that is what they do unless they are stopped. They killed the girls' grandmother- in case no bells have rung by this point, this is a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood- and attacked the girls when they were little, leaving one with a scarred face and only one eye. That's Scarlett, the older one, and she is the voice of obligation, the driven one. She is a hunter, set apart from the ordinary world by her scars, her pain, and her sense of responsibility.

The younger, Rosie, fights by her side each night...but also wants to occasionally spend an evening in, baking cookies and watching romantic comedies. She wonders what it would be like to go to Prom. She hankers after dance classes at the community center.

And all of this, to her sister, is madness. "Look," she says at one point, "I'm not going to wait for my sister to finish grocery shopping while the Fenris slaughter people left and right...It's our responsibility...We know how to kill them. We know how to save peoples' lives. We don't take nights off or vacations to California." (p.2 1-22) Variations on this conversation pepper the book, and the fact that it is an entirely realistic and practical question for our lives is what makes the book compelling. The two sisters are like the two voices in the head of anyone who is awake to the evil of the world.

We've all asked variations on the same question: how can I buy a Starbucks when there are children starving? How can I sit here watching 30 Rock when there are homeless people outside my door who are cold? My friend Amanda wonders how she can live in America in comfort when children in Africa are being recruited as child soldiers by Joseph Kony's army. For those of us who are pro-life, of course, the relentless death-toll of abortion is the paradigmatic case. It's like a heaviness on our hearts, a weight, a horror that demands a response: as though Pol Pot were living next door and it were socially unacceptable to point out what he was doing.

The book does not answer the question- it tries to, but its answer only works within the context of the book itself. "You have to live twice," a friend of mine is fond of saying: once where you sacrifice everything to fight evil because it is unbearable to do otherwise, and once where you do things like get married and buy things without thinking about it and do what you have to do to get along. And the two sisters are these two lives: one fights so that the other can live.

The author doesn't judge either girl- not nearly as harshly as they judge each other, anyway. It's not just that Scarlett is in the right and Rosie is in the wrong, being selfish; it's not just that Scarlett is in the wrong, narrow and twisted, and Rosie is the fully integrated human being. Scarlett can be unkind, short tempered. She's raw, she's close to the surface. Her own pain, and especially her guilt at every moment not spent hunting, means that she doesn't value or cultivate relationships, her household, or any kind of long-term thinking. She will burn out.

Rosie does value these things. She sees worth in creating order and beauty in households. She, clearly, is the one who- if nothing else- will have children to carry on the fight. But one can't totally shake the idea that Rosie is somehow being tempted- tempted to lose focus, to acquiesce, to refuse her destiny.

The question is addressed, in somewhat different form, by C.S. Lewis in his essay "On Learning in Wartime." And C.S. Lewis references crop up at least twice: the wolves are called Fenris, which was the name of the wolf who was the White Witch's creature in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; and the girls' cat is named Screwtape. I don't know whether the author is Christian. I know that if I were not a Christian I would feel crushed by the weight of the book's question.

Is it possible to have a balanced life in an unbalanced world? In the face of radical evil, is it anything other than being a good German to think about anything other than fighting it? The book hints that such balance may be possible. If it has a moral-- as fairy tales do-- the moral might be something like this: You have to fight evil. You will have to sacrifice. But you have to do the little goods that feed, sustain, and give texture and context to the Big Good that the fight against evil is aiming at. You have to start building a peaceful and sane world even in the middle of a world that is not peaceful or sane. Otherwise you'll become good for nothing but fighting, and your destiny is not to fight, but to live at peace, live in love. Even in the darkest times, you must never forget that.

my review originally posted on [...]

What if little red riding hood was more like Buffy the Vampire slayer only slaying wolves instead of vampires? Jackson Pearce's novel Sisters Red is a fabulous contemporary take on the classic fairy tale.

What you can expect from this book:

-excellent characterization
-gruesome battles
-sisterly bonds
-trapping of family business and the responsibility of knowledge
-Werewolf mythology
-Social commentary
--about how people respond to the disabled and disfigured
--about the dragonflies (club hopping young women with shiny clothes and little thought of consequences) of western culture
-Love, & it's power to motivate change in your life
-People who never give up on those they care about
-Creative Use of Plato's theories
-A predictable twist (sorry but I knew that was coming when I was barely into the book)
-Fantabulous cover art- I mean seriously can I hang this on the wall, maybe frame it with Jackson Pearce's next book's cover?

If you're a fan of the show Supernatural (I loved the first couple seasons) you will find that Sisters Red shares some plot lines. I coul hear "saving people, hunting thing, the family business" tagline in my mind as I read. Scarlett is like Dean-completely absorbed by life as a hunter, living for the kill. Whereas Rosie is like Sam and wants a chance at a normal life despite the knowledge of monsters.

Pearce did not choose character names arbitrarily. Aside from the fact that Scarlett and Rosie both have names deriving from shades of red (apropriate for the red riding hood story) each individual's name is very fitting for their character.

SCARlett is a scarred character. She is physically marred and emotionally traumatized by the violence she experienced at a young age.

Rosie sees the world with rose coloured glasses. She's an optomist, who believes there is more to life than revenge and work. She is the youthful rosie cheeked sister that is great bate for the wolves.

Silas means "man of the forest", something his Pa would have named thinking he would keep up the family profession of being a woodsman. This name takes on more meaning later but I'll try not to spoil things for you.

If you like Sisters Red you might also like

Crazy beautiful because it's a fairy tale adaptation
Supernatural because it's about sibling hunters of supernatural monsters
The Once Upon A Time Series fairy tales for teens
Sweetly companion book to Sisters Red

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I went into this book without any expectations, and once I had finished it I was desperate for more. I have always enjoyed re-telling of fairy tales, but this one is the best I have read so far. I loved the relationship between the sisters and felt it was very realistic. The writing in the book was stunning. I loved all of the characters because they were flawed enough to be able to relate to them. Overall this is a fast paced well written novel that I would recommend to everyone!

What a terrible book. I really hated Rosie in this book. I hated her so much I didn't give a crap that Scarlette might have been a tap bossy. I had NO sympathy for Rosie at all. This book is pretty much saying that the pretty people will always get the guys and the scarred will be treated like crap. Would it been so bad Ms. Pearce for the scarred ugly girl to get a love intrest? Or is it only the pretty people that can fall in love? This Silas guy takes the cake from the biggest jerk ih YA books. Erik Night has finally been discrowned. Because at least he didn't try to break up sisters. I thought that Rosie was really unappreciated of her sister Scarlette and just flat out pity her. Rosie and Silas were both very presumptuous. Silas never told Scarlette that he was in love with her. Instead he just presumed that she didn't love him back and moved on to her 16 year old sister. Rosie presumed that Scarlette would never understand that she wanted to have a life besides hunting. The plot is good. The love story is bad. The ending was even worst. I read the epilogue and I wanted to puke. I am so gald that I didn't finsh this book. In my ending, Silas leaves Rosie two days laters. When I was reading this book, I kept saying this Silas person better be a fenris (a real fenris) and this better be a long con to try to kill Rosie or this book is going to be bad, But he wasn't and the book was bad.

Perhaps I shouldn't review this book since I couldn't even finish it. The premise was good... a rewriting of the red riding hood story set in modern times. Sister wolf slayers. But then the author just had to add a boy and a love story to the plot and it was ruined! Why couldn't she have let this be a girl power book? I honestly read only the first half of the book and I had to force myself to do that! Don't waste your time or money like I did.