Review: Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Sisters Red
Written by Jackson Pearce
Release Date: June 7, 2010
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

The very first time I saw the cover of this book I knew that I had to read it!  This cover is one of the best I have EVER seen!!  I love how the wolf and the sisters are all part of one another- very clever and fitting I think.


Summary from Goodreads:
"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.

Twenty-five-year-old Jackson Pearce delivers a dark, taut fairy tale with heart-pounding action, fierce sisterly love, and a romance that will leave readers breathless."

My Thoughts:
I enjoyed this book!  As a pre-k teacher, I love all of the classic folktales, and Jackson Pearce has done a wonderful job putting a modern-day spin on the classic 'Little Red Riding Hood' tale.  This book was so action-packed and scary.  After reading this, I caught myself double checking behind me when I would go outside at night!  The author did a really great job with character development.  The bond between Scarlett and Rosie was beautiful and I loved how they were completely devoted to one another.  They were also devoted to hunting and killing the Fenris.  Scarlett had an intensity about her and was so fiercely driven to protect not only Rosie, but all young girls from the grisly fate of the Fenris.  The hunt is just a part of Scarlett.  Her relentless drive to hunt the wolves was annoying to me at times and did seem a bit extreme, but that is what makes her who she she is.  I think that Rosie and Silas felt this way about her too.  They both wanted more out of life than the blood of the Fenris, and Scarlett's unwavering drive was too much for them at times.  Rosie devotion to hunting seemed to stem more out of obligation to Scarlett than a true desire to hunt.  When Silas reappeared in the sisters' lives, Rosie began to yearn for a life outside of hunting.  She wanted a little normalcy.  Silas wanted a chance at that too.  I enjoyed the relationship that began to grow between Rosie and Silas.  Silas was such a great guy, one who was always there to say the right thing at the right time, or to just lighten the mood.  I found myself rooting for their relationship.

I liked how the chapters alternated point of views between Scarlett and Rosie.  This really enabled the reader to see both sides of the story.  It also allowed you to really get to know the characters.  Just like the old saying goes...."There are always two sides to every story!"  The pace of the book was fast and I enjoyed the ending (eventhough I predicted the ending well before I finished the book).  I would be cautious of recommending this to young readers that may scare easily.  There is quite a bit of gory violence in the fight scenes and lots of blood- so if that kind of stuff bothers you, then you might want to think twice about reading it.  I really liked the story and its originality, and I look forward to the next installment in the series!

*ARC Copy provided by the publisher free of charge in exchange for an honest review and I also received a review copy for Book It Forward Tours.