Sisters Red (Fairytale Retellings, #1) in SOS: Serious Overload of Series

Jun 03, 2010 Kristen rated it it was ok

The cover sold me on this one (again) and I wish I could resist based on covers, for I am starting to realize that I loose more often then I win when choosing by cover. And I am struggling knowing that this was the start of a series. The cover art work is awesome, the book inside, not so much.

So we have Scarlett and Rosie - two sisters, who are very close - and they are hunters. They hunt the Fenris (werewolves). Silas is Scarlett's former and once again partner in hunting. Scarlett is scarred f The cover sold me on this one (again) and I wish I could resist based on covers, for I am starting to realize that I loose more often then I win when choosing by cover. And I am struggling knowing that this was the start of a series. The cover art work is awesome, the book inside, not so much.

So we have Scarlett and Rosie - two sisters, who are very close - and they are hunters. They hunt the Fenris (werewolves). Silas is Scarlett's former and once again partner in hunting. Scarlett is scarred from saving Rosie (which happens in the Prologue) and Rosie isn't driven by the desire to hunt the way Scarlett is. For some reason, the Fenris are popping up more then normal. We find out early on that there is a "Potential" that they are looking for. So the trio heads to Atlanta, where there seem to have been a rash of murders that the Trio know are the work of the Fenris. They decide to try to figure out who the Potential is to use him as bait and to take out as many of the Fenris as they can. And then we learn the twist. And of course, there is a love story too. Rosie and Silas.

It was an awesome idea. A modern take on Little Red Riding Hood - based loosely on the legend. I was intrigued so very much by the prologue. But the writing style changed dramatically with the first chapter. In this book we get that whole alternating point of view style that YA authors seem to be so fond of these days (in fact, I am finding that more often then not, this is not a good idea since very few authors pull it off successfully). And this author isn't that great at it. Not because she doesn't keep the story moving - that is one of the few things she does well here - but because her style is so.... mundane and colorless. There is so little description that it's hard to paint the metal picture of the scenery and surroundings. Even the characters seem very one-dimensional. I can feel that the author wants us to see the Scarlett and Rosie;s emotions, but for as much discussion of those as there is, even that is bland and didn't make me feel emotionally involved in the characters in any way. Even the love story is pretty flat. We get a little of the tension between Rosie and Silas, but it was superficial at best. The butterflies that come with reading a well written love story were missing. So when we are faced with the prospect of Rosie and Silas loosing each other, that too feels a little premature, since there wasn't much of a love story for them to have been invested in.

I love it when an author gives us that taste of the scenery to paint a mental picture, not just of the characters but the environment they are in. And sometimes, the environment needs more details then others. But here, the only scenes that let me paint the mental picture I need to when I read is when the trio moves into the apartment in the city. Otherwise, the story had lots of choppy sentences and abrupt paragraphs. The popped from place to place and scene to scene almost instantaneously. And the "twist" could be seen from a mile away.

I am not sure I will read the "companion" (which I assume is #2, since while goodreads calls this book #1, the author's site lists the next one as a "companion"). Unless I see that the author's writing style has improved. This got 2 stars because the ida and the summary of the story was interesting. But I am totally turned off this author by this book. ...more

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Dec 12, 2010 Roshio added it

Shelves: urban-fantasy, young-adult, couldn-t-finish, paranormal

Interesting story but I just found it so depressing to watch the girls (Scarlett in particular) become these killing machines. Who doesn't like werewolf/monster hunters, but with Scarlett, it was just sad to watch. So I gave up and read the last chapter. ...more

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