Before the Blog (7): Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Some of you already know this, but I've started a weekly meme called "Before the Blog". In short, it's a place to review books you read and loved before you began blogging about them. Basically, you choose a book each week, then answer the following three questions,and post your review.   Then you can add your post to the little Mr. Linky widget below, and voila!

Why did you choose this book? 

When did you read this book?
Who would you recommend this book to?

For more info, see my 1st BtB post by clicking this LINK.  The book I chose this week is...

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

 Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: June 7th, 2010

Why did you choose this book?  I love a good fairy tale re-telling.  It is one of my favorite genres of YA.  When a friend told me that Jackson Pearce tells fairy tales the way they should be told, I knew I had to read this.  Plus, I love the cover!

When did you read this book?  December of 2010

Who would you recommend this book to?  Anyone who is a fairy tale/fairy tale re-telling lover.  Also, anyone who likes a kick-ass action novel with a paranormal element to it.

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 ferociously alongside her. But even as more girls' bodies pile up in the city and the Fenris seem to be gaining power, Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves. She finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax and Scarlett's only friend--but does loving him mean betraying her sister and all that they've worked for?

(Courtesy of Goodreads)

I enjoy Jackson Pearce's re-tellings.  She does a great job of making the story her own, while keeping the main elements of the original.  This was my first exposure to her writing, and I was really pleased.  When I started to read this book, I will admit that I was a little nervous because I didn't see how she was going to keep to the original enough to do it justice, but as the story progressed, I became exponentially impressed.  Although I was skeptical of there being two "Red Riding Hoods"at first, I ended up liking the alternating POVs and having two girls really did work; I liked that they had their own unique crosses to bear because of their shared childhood tragedy.  I thought the descriptions in the book were fantastically gruesome, and I loved how she was able to take a story that was set in such a long gone era and make it feasibly fit into the modern world..  What most impressed me though, was the fact that the romance was placed so well, so as not to engulf the story; no love triangles, no "I've laid eyes on you and now I LOVE you!".  Stories like that piss me off, and I'm happy I didn't have to have this story, that I was so taken with, ruined by that type of thing. The pace was great- I felt like the important elements of the story unfolded at just the right times to keep me interested.  This book was certainly a page-turner, packed with action and mystery, and the twist at the end was awesome.  Definitely a must-read for fans of the genre.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ 

Grade Level Recommendation:  This book has a few swears, a fair amount of violence, and a bit of romance.  I would say it is appropriate for ages 12 and up (6th grade+).

**Don't forget to enter my AWESOME giveaway of an audio copy of the AMAZING All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin HERE!**