Title: Sisters Red
Author: Jackson Pearce [Website] [Twitter] [Facebook]
Genre: Young Adult, Fairy Tale Retelling
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Source: Provided by Publisher
Parental Warning: references to drugs and alcohol, criminal activity, physical violence

“The Dragonflies laugh, sweet and bubbly, and I groan in exasperation.  They toss their hair, stretch their legs, sway their hips, bat their eyes at the club’s bouncer, everything about them luring the Fenris.  Inviting danger like some baby animal bleating its fool head off.  Look at me, see how I dance, did you notice my hair, look again, desire me, I am perfect.  Stupid, stupid Dragonflies.  Here I am, saving your lives, bitten and scarred and wounded for you, and you don’t even know it.  I should let the Fenris have one of you.”

Summary (from the publisher):
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.

Rose March once gelt 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

Opinion:
Seriously!

No really, seriously!

So….you know that when I start a review with the word I over use most in the English vocabulary I have to be loving a book right?  Well seriously, I loved this book.  Not in an irrational and creepy way — you know like slipping it under my pillow at night so that it’s with me while I sleep.  But still, I loved me some Sister’s Red.

Ok, so let me pepper you with a few more questions to make my point further.

You know what I’m a fan of?  That is, more than awesome writing and great character development?  I’m a fan of taking great big giant leaps of faith.  The kind of risks that can either fail so epically or soar to the highest highs of success.

Guess where Sisters Red falls on that spectrum?  Yup, you got it, highest of highs baby.

The best example of both is Pearce’s ability to create a supernaturally themed story that feels so steeped in reality.  Many times throughout, I found myself questioning whether this situation could actually be happening in real life amongst my most familiar surroundings.  It was dark and brooding and at times mysterious.  Neither the events that transpired nor the places they lived felt mysticaly charged, though there were allusions to Little Red Riding Hood on which the story is very loosely based.

That, to me, these factors are the marks of a truly great story.  And make no mistake, Sisters Red is a fabulous story.

Another way Pearce demonstrates her exemplary skill is the fact, that though the story is built on the foundation of a well known fairy tale and includes shapeshifting werewolves, it is a story that is primarily about the love two sisters share.  It’s about growing up and growing apart and arriving at a point in your life when you no longer live for someone else but live for yourself.  It was emotional and filled with turmoil but in the very best ways.

I enjoy a little romance in a story, don’cha know, and the inclusion of one here wasn’t any different.  In the case of this story it was not the central focus which I appreciated.  Don’t get me wrong it played a big role and initiated it’s fair share of angst but it wasn’t overbearing.  It was sweet and brought a certain amount of lightheartedness to an otherwise dark story.

Fantastically written, amazingly plotted — even if you aren’t a fan of werewolves or paranormal fare I think picking up Sisters Red is well worth the endeavor.