Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

Published: August 2011

Publisher: Little, Brown

Pages: 312

Copy Provided by: Library

Summary: Goodreads

Summar

SWEETLY is a modernization of Hansel and Gretel and a companion book to SISTERS RED.

Twelve years ago, Gretchen, her twin sister, and her brother went looking for a witch in the forest. They found something. Maybe it was a witch, maybe a monster, they aren’t sure—they were running too fast to tell. Either way, Gretchen’s twin sister was never seen again.

Years later, after being thrown out of their house, Gretchen and Ansel find themselves in Live Oak, South Carolina, a place on the verge of becoming a ghost town. They move in with Sophia Kelly, a young and beautiful chocolatier owner who opens not only her home, but her heart to Gretchen and Ansel.

Yet the witch isn’t gone—it’s here, lurking in the forests of Live Oak, preying on Live Oak girls every year after Sophia Kelly’s infamous chocolate festival. But Gretchen is determined to stop running from witches in the forest, and start fighting back. Alongside Samuel Reynolds, a boy as quick with a gun as he is a sarcastic remark, Gretchen digs deeper into the mystery of not only what the witch is, but how it chooses its victims. Yet the further she investigates, the more she finds herself wondering who the real monster is, and if love can be as deadly as it is beautiful.

Review:

I don't often read fairy tale retellings and I'm not certain why. I truly enjoy them.  There is something wicked about taking a story you've heard as a child and modernizing it to fit this era of your life.  Sweetly takes on a whole new meaning from our childhood Hansel and Gretel tale into something much more menacing.  Ms. Pearce does a terrific job of keeping the reader in suspense and guessing throughout the entire tale.  

Pearce sprinkles tidbits about the lives of Ansel and Gretchen  (love the name play on words) before they met Miss Kelly, a young lady who would change their lives forever.  Not only is she a chocolatier (to help you escape the real world),   but she also hides secrets of her own....secrets that are subtly related to the brother and sister's past.  You'll find love, heartache and courage when you read Sweetly.  Did I also mention that this is book #2 in Jackson Pearce's Fairytale Retelling series?  You can read Curlypow's review of Sisters Red (book #1) here.

I have been following Jackson Pearce via Twitter and her author blog ever since I first heard about Sisters Red.  I think she should get together with Kirsten White and Maureen Johnson.  These girls crack me up with their antics!  She has so much energy and personality.  I love to see authors who enjoy what they do and have no problems making fun of themselves.  Try this one out.  I gave it two thumbs up!

Fantastic Fairytales - Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

What's old is new again. You see it when you look at fashion, trends, even toys. Why not books? Before books, tales were told orally and Fairytales were one of the first forms of storytelling. Modified with each retelling, you may find one of your favorite fairytales is now modernized and has a special twist. Here's this month's favourite to add to your list.

Audio release: June 2010

Publisher: Hachette Audio

Audio provided by: library and Overdrive

Summary: 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. Jackson Pearce delivers a dark, taut fairy tale with heart-pounding action, fierce sisterly love, and a romance that will leave readers breathless.

Another wonderful book to listen to. There's something about Southern accents on audio that are just very effective to listen to. They evoke an ambience that is somehow missing when reading from a page in a book.

Sisters Red is a modern interpretation - a very loose interpretation - of the fairytale, 'Little Red Riding Hood' This is definitely not one of the sanitised versions of the fairytale - not by a long shot. It is a gritty, violent and extremely bloody retelling that doesn't pull any punches, so if you are a bit squeamish - don't bother. That said, there is also a very sweet love story that is a complete contrast to all the blood and gore.

Scarlet and Rosie are sisters left orphaned by the 'Big Bad Wolf' or fenris, otherwise known as werewolf, and as a result have become hunters on a mission - to rid the world of fenris in any way they can. Usually with a hatchet on Scarlet's part and several knives on Rosie's. They are helped in their quest by fellow hunter and friend, Silas. Scarlet is such a tortured character that it was almost painful to listen sometimes. I would be sympathetic one minute and ready to shoot her the next. She is so focused on killing fenris that she doesn't know how to live a normal life. It was absolutely tragic. Rosie, the younger sister was lovely. She was a wonderful mix of strength and beauty and I loved her. Her relationship with Scarlet is very strong, but as the story progresses several things happen to test that.

Silas is a wonderful friend and great hunter, but he is not as focused on the hunt as the sisters. He is of course the love interest, but I'm not going to tell you which sister he ends up with. You'll have to read, or listen yourself. I really enjoyed the complexities of this novel and there is a huge twist that I did not see coming. Great fun to listen to.





Christinabean tells me that Ms Pearce has another book coming out in June 2011, called 'Sweetly' which will be a retelling of Hansel and Gretel. If it's even half as good as 'Sisters Red' cracked fairytale fans are in for a real sweet treat! (no pun intended). I did a bit of hunting and came up with this cover for 'Sweetly'. Isn't it superb?