The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell

The Wishing Spell

by Chris Colfer

The Land of Stories, book one

Alex and Conner Bailey's world is about to change, in this fast-paced adventure that uniquely combines our modern day world with the enchanting realm of classic fairy tales.

The Land of Stories tells the tale of twins Alex and Conner. Through the mysterious powers of a cherished book of stories, they leave their world behind and find themselves in a foreign land full of wonder and magic where they come face-to-face with the fairy tale characters they grew up reading about.

But after a series of encounters with witches, wolves, goblins, and trolls alike, getting back home is going to be harder than they thought. (description from Amazon.com)

 

I really enjoyed this tween-aged fairy tale adventure.  Though the twins started out feeling a little bit like stereotypes (the super smart girl and the troublemaker boy) they swiftly grew to have deeper personalities and they played really well off of one another.

 

I really enjoyed how Colfer delved into the afters of each fairy tale's "Happily Ever After." It was great to see a Goldilocks who was wanted across the kingdoms for theft, a Cinderella who was expecting her first child, and a Sleeping Beauty who wouldn't sleep until her kingdom recovered from her hundred years' repose. 

 

For a wild and whimsical adventure through all your favorite classic tales, try this one out!

 

Full disclosure: ARC received at BEA 2012



Gold Star Interview - Alethea Kontis!

Hello All!

As you all know, when I LURVE a book, I give it a Gold Star Review here. Well, to liven up the blog a little, I'm going to (try to) interview the author of each book that receives a coveted Gold Star! I hope you'll enjoy these quick, little interviews. :D

Today's guest is the fabulous Alethea Kontis! I'm so excited. Alethea's debut YA novel, Enchanted, is one of the BEST fairy tale mash-ups I've read, ever! You can check out my gushy review here.

Welcome, Alethea! Thank you so much for stopping by to chat with me. I have just a couple of quick questions for you:

1.  How long did it take you, from first spark of idea to final proofs, to write Enchanted?

The original short story, "Sunday" (technically a novelette, since it was about 10,000 words), was written for a fairy tale contest held by my online writers group (The Codex Writers) in the summer of 2005. That story was published in Realms of Fantasy magazine in the fall of 2006. So it took a good seven years for that to go from being a handful of magical story seeds to a book on a shelf in the bookstore...but I had the opportunity to publish a few other books during that time. And seven is a magic number, so I'm okay with that.












Unfortunately, I don't have the luxury of seven years to write the sequel!


2.  If you could write a book under a pseudonym that no one would ever connect to you, are there any genres you would love to secretly explore? 

I am a very lucky author in that I am already published in a myriad of genres without having to use a pseudonym. Score one for Princess Alethea!

When I was a teenager, I decided to be romantic and submit some of my stories under the pseudonym "Madeleine Mercer." Madeleine is the name of my maternal grandmother (and my middle name), and Mercer is the maiden name/stage name of my aunt, actress Ernestine Mercer, who passed away in 2011. Marion Zimmer Bradley sent back a scathing form letter with my rejection telling me all the reasons why I should NEVER EVER USE A PSEUDONYM. I was too scared by that letter to ever do it again.

*OMG. That is one of those letters that you both treasure and fear. I can't believe you have a letter from THE Marion Zimmer Bradley!!*

3.  I LOVED that Enchanted incorporated bits from *so many* different fairy tales. Did you have a favorite growing up, one that always resonated with you? 

My two favorite fairy tales growing up were "Snow White and Rose Red" and "The Goose Girl." I loved the story of the grumpy leprechaun with the long beard (who makes a brief appearance in Enchanted) and the Bear Prince...I actually cast Snow White and Rose Red as sisters of Seven Woodcutter (Five and Six), in a scene that got edited out. But never fear, they will be back!

"The Goose Girl" was just wonderful all-over...and the talking horse's head never bothered me one bit. Drops of blood and an evil maid overpowering the princess and her talking horse...what's not to love? And such great characters! Conrad was a clever boy to ferret out that something was wrong. The king was a clever man to listen to such a boy...and then to turn around and force the evil maid to offer up the idea for what later became her own punishment (also mentioned in Enchanted). Teaser: A good chunk of this storyline will appear in Friday's book!

4.  If you could cross one thing off your bucket list tomorrow, what would it be? 
I hate the term "bucket list." Mine is a "Princess List." You can find it here: http://aletheakontis.com/2010/05/the-princess-list/

The easiest thing would probably be to take a hot air balloon ride...but I'd much rather go spend Guy Fawkes Day in England. I miss England.

*Me too! I have family "across the pond," but we do NOT get to visit enough!*


5. Quick picks list:
Favorite vacation destination?
England. Specifically to visit my friends Kit McCormick, Jennifer Lee, Mark Newton, and Christian Dunn. 

Favorite childhood book?
Goop Tales by Gelett Burgess. They Call Me Boober Fraggle by Michaela Muntean. The Nunga Punga and the Booch, by Jean Wilson Kennedy. The Tattooed Potato and Other Clues by Ellen Raskin. Gertie's Green Thumb by Catherine Dexter. How to Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days, by Stephen Manes. Fairy Tales. Anything by Ogden Nash. I CANNOT PICK ONE, THERE WERE JUST TOO MANY. I've been a rabid reader since the age of three.

Favorite writing snack food?
Hummus and veggie chips. And that's all Sherrilyn Kenyon's fault. 

Favorite clothing item?
My emerald green Dartmouth shirt. I didn't attend Dartmouth, but I visited there, and might have applied if it was less than $20K a year. Theodore Geisel went there. You may remember his as Dr. Seuss.


Thank you so much, Alethea, for letting me interview you. It was a pleasure!

For more information about Alethea and her books, check out her website at http://aletheakontis.com/

Anxiously Awaiting... Scarlet by Marissa Meyer!

Scarlet

by Marissa Meyer

The Lunar Chronicles, book two

Publication date: Jan 3, 2013

From the USA today exclusive cover reveal:
Due out in early 2013 from Macmillan, Scarlet is the second book in Meyer's The Lunar Chronicles young-adult series. Cinder reappears in the next futuristic tweaking of a familiar fairy tale — as does Prince Kai, the evil lunar ruler Queen Levana, and a heap of intergalactic intrigue.

Debuting in the new book, however, is Scarlet Benoit, a young French woman who enlists the services of a street fighter named Wolf when she finds her grandmother, a former military pilot, gone missing.

Two more fairy-tale fantasies will follow Scarlet, including Cress (2014), Meyer's take on the Rapunzel legend, and the Snow White-inspired conclusion, Winter (2015).

I CANNOT WAIT.  I loved Cinder and I think all the rest of the books also sound fabulous!

The Council of Mirrors

The Council of Mirrors
by Michael Buckley
The Sisters Grimm, book nine

In the final volume in the Sisters Grimm series, Sabrina, Daphne, and the rest of the Grimms and their friends must face off against the Master to decide the fate of Ferryport Landing—and the world. When Mirror fails to escape the barrier using Granny Relda’s body, he turns to his plan B: killing all the Grimms so that the magical barrier collapses. In the meantime, Sabrina has gathered the other magic mirrors as advisors on how to deal with their mortal enemy. They tell her to join forces with the Scarlet Hand against Mirror, in exchange for offering all the citizens of Ferryport Landing their freedom. (description from Amazon.com)

This is one of my all time favorite series! I love, love, love Sabrina and Daphne. I love that they interact with fairy tale characters. I love everything about this series. :)

While I am extremely SAD that this series is over, I also thought it ended in just the most perfect way. The villians are finally tamed, families are reunited, friends have come back together, and love wins out in the end.

Since this is the last book, there's not a lot that I can say without giving everything away, other than... if you've never read this series and you love fairy tales, you should try them...but definitely start with book one, The Fairy Tale Detectives!!

Snow White and the Huntsman - Movie Trailer

This trailer makes this movie look amazing! I can't wait...

Doesn't Charlize Theron make one creepy evil Queen? OMG. And the huntsman... *swoon*...I'm very intrigued to see this dark new version of the classic tale!

OMG! YAY!

I am beyond delighted to report that Bloomsbury is coming out with a sequel to the much beloved Princess Academy by one of my favorite authors, Shannon Hale!!!

At the moment, they are just calling it Princess Academy 2, but it sounds amazing. From Shannon Hale's blog post announcement:

The new novel picks up where the 2006 Newbery Honor winner Princess Academy left off. Miri and a few of the academy girls travel to the capital city of Asland to help the princess-to-be. But while continuing her studies, Miri befriends some other students who seek to overthrow the crown. Torn between her friendship with the princess and her belief in her new friends’ daring ideas, as well as an old love and a new crush, Miri struggles to find her place in the larger world.

I am SOOOO excited for this and will be anxiously hoping to pick up an ARC at BEA this summer before it's official release in August 2012.

The Thirteenth Princess

The Thirteenth Princess
by Diane Zahler

Zita is not an ordinary servant girl—she's the thirteenth daughter of a king who wanted only sons. When she was born, Zita's father banished her to the servants' quarters to work in the kitchens, where she can only communicate with her royal sisters in secret.

Then, after Zita's twelfth birthday, the princesses all fall mysteriously ill. The only clue is their strangely worn and tattered shoes. With the help of her friends—Breckin the stable boy, Babette the witch, and Milek the soldier—Zita follows her bewitched sisters into a magical world of endless dancing and dreams. But something more sinister is afoot—and unless Zita and her friends can break the curse, the twelve princesses will surely dance to their deaths. (description from Amazon.com)

This was a really well done and interesting new rewrite of The Twelve Dancing Princesses. I loved the fact that Zita was a thirteenth and utterly different princess. Her birthright added to the way that she was raised as a servant gave readers the ability to see into both worlds. So much of the story focused on Zita's life, her discovery of her birthright, and the development of her relationship with her sisters.

It was almost as if Zahler wrote a completely fresh story before she finally blended the original fairy tale into Zita's life. The magic was interesting and fun. The characters were strong, especially Zita, who was spunky, loving, and eminently loyal. I loved the relationships that she developed with her sisters, the cook, the witch, and especially Breckin.

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making
by Catherynne M. Valente
Illustrated by Ana Juan

Twelve-year-old September lives in Omaha, and used to have an ordinary life, until her father went to war and her mother went to work. One day, September is met at her kitchen window by a Green Wind (taking the form of a gentleman in a green jacket), who invites her on an adventure, implying that her help is needed in Fairyland. The new Marquess is unpredictable and fickle, and also not much older than September. Only September can retrieve a talisman the Marquess wants from the enchanted woods, and if she doesn’t . . . then the Marquess will make life impossible for the inhabitants of Fairyland. September is already making new friends, including a book-loving Wyvern and a mysterious boy named Saturday. (description from Amazon.com)

What a glorious adventure. Valente has managed to merge the feel of an old fairytale with the sarcastic realism of Lemony Snicket. September is a girl who is both immensely loving and emininetly practical. While feeling terrible about leaving her mother, she cannot pass up the adventure of a lifetime! To enter fairyland...who would say no?

While in Fairyland, September meets many interesting and unique characters. She travels to new and wondrous places. She is tasked to retreive magical objects.

While there have been many tellings of a child that enters the fairy realm, Valente makes this feel new and fresh. The characters are intriguing and unlike those I've read before. The aspects of Fairyland are amazing and unheard of in other tales. Each aspect of this story was just another layer that drew me in. One of the best things, though, was that even as I knew that September's story must end well, I appreciated some of the terrible things that she went through to come to a happy ending.

This was no Disney fairy tale.

This was real life and purely magical.

Full disclosure: Review copy received from Zieghost media and the publisher

If You Like: Fairy Tales and Mythology

"If You Like…” is a feature highlighting blogger recommendations for books, authors, TV shows, movies, and music based on the things you already know and love.

Are you a fairy tale fanatic? Do you love your monsters and mythology? If so, check out this week's recommendations.

Rapunzel's Revenge

Rapunzel's Revenge
by Shannon and Dean Hale
Illustrated by Nathan Hale

Once upon a time, in a land you only think you know, lived a little girl and her mother . . . or the woman she thought was her mother.

Every day, when the little girl played in her pretty garden, she grew more curious about what lay on the other side of the garden wall . . . a rather enormous garden wall.

And every year, as she grew older, things seemed weirder and weirder, until the day she finally climbed to the top of the wall and looked over into the mines and desert beyond.(description taken from Amazon.com)

I really enjoyed this version of Rapunzel. Visually it was interesting and cleanly done. I really liked how Nathan Hale envisioned Rapunzel. She was slight but tough. (I also love that she's a redhead!!)

This was a wonderful girl power version! I just saw the movie Tangled and had thought that would be my all time favorite version of Rapunzel, but I love Shannon Hale's girl, too. Either way...she saves herself...and her "prince!" I loved, too, that this version weaves in Jack from "Jack and the Beanstalk." The allusions to that story were fun to pick out of Rapunzel's tale.

I can't wait to read Calamity Jack soon.

In My Mailbox - April 10, 2011

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme, hosted by Kristi at the Story Siren, inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. Every week bloggers can share what they received in the mail or at the bookstore or at the library. The goal is that everyone can be exposed to more books this way!

For Review:

Corsets and Clockwork ed. by Trisha Telep
*Thank you to Book It Forward ARC Tours!*

From the Library:

Desires of the Dead by Kimberly Derting
Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon and Dean Hale

A Tale Dark and Grimm

A Tale Dark and Grimm
by Adam Gidwitz

In this mischievous and utterly original debut, Hansel and Gretel walk out of their own story and into eight other classic Grimm-inspired tales. As readers follow the siblings through a forest brimming with menacing foes, they learn the true story behind (and beyond) the bread crumbs, edible houses, and outwitted witches.

Fairy tales have never been more irreverent or subversive as Hansel and Gretel learn to take charge of their destinies and become the clever architects of their own happily ever after. (description taken from Amazon.com)

I am amazed that this is Gidwitz's debut novel. His nod to the Grimm brothers is clearly evident in the gruesome traditional stylings of the fairy tales found here, but the clever melding of one into another to make one long, harrowing journey for Hansel and Gretel is so well done and original.

Though this is not my favorite fairy tale retelling, partially because I just am not as fond of the traditional Hansel and Gretel tale as some others, the tone of the book is amazing. The narrator repeatedly cautions readers to take small children out of the room, taunts readers with "The End...sort of..." over and over, and generally adds a witty humor to the dark, creepy, bloody tales.

For anyone who enjoys a good, cautionary tale this would be the next book to check out!

Sweetly - Blog Tour

Sweetly
by Jackson Pearce
companion book to Sisters Red

Publication date: Aug. 23, 2011

As a child, Gretchen's twin sister was taken by a witch in the woods. Ever since, Gretchen and her brother, Ansel, have felt the long branches of the witch's forest threatening to make them disappear, too.

Years later, when their stepmother casts Gretchen and Ansel out, they find themselves in sleepy Live Oak, South Carolina. They're invited to stay with Sophia Kelly, a beautiful candy maker who molds sugary magic: coveted treats that create confidence, bravery, and passion.

Life seems idyllic and Gretchen and Ansel gradually forget their haunted past-- until Gretchen meets handsome local outcast Samuel. He tells her the witch isn't gone-- it's lurking in the forest, preying on girls every year after Live Oak's infamous chocolate festival, and looking to make Gretchen it's next victim. Gretchen is determined to stop running and start fighting back. Yet the further she investigates the mystery of what the witch is and how it chooses its victims, the more she wonders who the real monster is.

Gretchen is certain of only one thing: a monster is coming, and it will never go away hungry.
(description taken from Amazon.com)

I really enjoyed this companion to Sisters Red. Jackson Pearce has a great way of retelling fairy tales in the original vein that they were meant to be utilized, as cautionary, slightly gruesome tales. They are eerily reminiscent of the original Grimm's Fairy Tales, and I love them!

Pearce did a great job taking the original Hansel and Gretel (here Ansel and Gretchen) tale and merging it with a world where werewolves, or Fenris, as they are called in both books, hunt young girls for prey. The way that she incorporated the witch and her gingerbread house was pure genius! ...and I was starving for a piece of chocolate through most of this chocolatier centered story...

The relationship that Ansel and Gretchen has is deep and layered. Their lives are so wholly wrapped around one another that it took being kicked out of their own home and having to venture for a new one in order for the two to be able to begin to heal and become their own individual personas. The introduction of a love interest for each was really well done. The fact that Ansel's girlfriend and Gretchen's boyfriend each have their own deep secrets and gray shades of morality adds tension and depth to their relationships and their becoming a larger family.

What I loved most about this story, similar to what I loved most in Sisters Red, was the fact that the main character, Gretchen, absolutely refused to play the victim. She fights to the end, trying to save not only herself, but also her brother, her love, her friends, and those who don't know that there are things that should scare them in the night.

Another gritty, fierce, and wonderful "fairy tale" from Jackson Pearce!

Full disclosure: ARC received from Little, Brown for review, ARC received from Book It Forward Blog Tours

The Inside Story

The Inside Story
by Michael Buckley
The Sisters Grimm, book eight

After the shocking ending of The Everafter War, this book picks up with Sabrina, Daphne, and Puck stuck in the Book of Everafter, where all the fairy tales are stored and enchanted characters can change their destinies. The girls (and Puck) must chase the Master through a series of stories, where they’re willing to change what they need in order to save their baby brother. Soon, however, they are confronted by the Editor—the book’s guardian—who, along with an army of tiny monsters known as Revisers, threatens the children with dire consequences if they don’t stick to the stories. As they chase their quarry and dodge the Revisers, they meet Alice, Mowgli, Jack the Giant Killer, Hansel and Gretel, the Headless Horseman, and more. But will they find their brother in time? (description taken from Amazon.com)

This is one of my all-time favorite series. The part of me that has never really grown up revels in the idea that someone else out there...not just me!...imagined a world where fairy tale creatures were real. There is just something purely magical about the world that Sabrina and Daphne inhabit!

Each of the characters is captivating. Sabrina, Daphne, Relda, and yes, even Puck grow and change throughout the series. In this particular volume, Sabrina deals with some severe self-doubts. Surprisingly enough, Puck assists Daphne in talking her around. Puck even makes some surprising discoveries about himself, his relationship within the family, and drops some hints into his own deeper feelings.

I admire Sabrina's sheer determination and fierce family loyalty, Daphne's heart and endless optimism, but most of all I think I love Puck's well "pucktastic"-ness. He is definitely my favorite character in the series.

This is the second to last book in the series and again ends with a nice cliffhanger. I cannot wait to see how everything works out!

In My Mailbox - February 6, 2011

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme, hosted by Kristi at the Story Siren, inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. Every week bloggers can share what they received in the mail or at the bookstore or at the library. The goal is that everyone can be exposed to more books this way!

From the Library:

Foiled by Jane Yolen

A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz

Oh No She Didn't by Clinton Kelly

Wildwing by Emily Whitman

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King

On My Nook:

Dreaming Anastasia by Joy Preble

Borrowed:

*Squee!! Special thanks to Jen from Yabooknerd for lending this hot ARC to me! Can't wait to read it!!*

The Liar Society by Lisa and Laura Roecker

In My Mailbox - January 16, 2011

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme, hosted by Kristi at the Story Siren, inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. Every week bloggers can share what they received in the mail or at the bookstore or at the library. The goal is that everyone can be exposed to more books this way!

From the Library:

Library Wars: Love and War - volumes 2 and 3

Writing Magic by Gail Carsen Lavine

In Too Deep by Jayne Ann Krentz

The Inside Story by Michael Buckley

The Book of Spells by Kate Brian

Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson

Glimmerglass by Jenna Black

Bought:

Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

The Wide-Awake Princess

The Wide-Awake Princess
by E.D. Baker

In this new stand-alone fairy tale, Princess Annie is the younger sister to Gwen, the princess destined to be Sleeping Beauty. When Gwennie pricks her finger and the whole castle falls asleep, only Annie is awake, and only Annie—blessed (or cursed?) with being impervious to magic—can venture out beyond the rose-covered hedge for help. She must find Gwen's true love to kiss her awake.

But who is her true love? The irritating Digby? The happy-go-lucky Prince Andreas, who is holding a contest to find his bride? The conniving Clarence, whose sinister motives couldn't possibly spell true love? Joined by one of her father's guards, Liam, who happened to be out of the castle when the sleeping spell struck, Annie travels through a fairy tale land populated with characters both familiar and new as she tries to fix her sister and her family . . . and perhaps even find a true love of her own. (description taken from Amazon.com)

This book made me smile from start to finish! I loved it. It had just the right balance of fairy tale charm and modern day girl bravery to satisfy every part of my reader's demands! I love a good fairy tale retelling, but sometimes, now that I'm older, I find myself questioning things...practical things...and I have to push them aside to finish the story in a happy place. Not so with The Wide-Awake Princess!!

Annie, the main character, is the younger sister of Gwendolyn (who we would all know more commonly here as Sleeping Beauty). When her sister is put to sleep, along with the rest of the castle, for one hundred years, Annie is the one that asks, "What if we get attacked while everyone is sleeping?!"

In order to save her sister, and her kingdom, Annie goes on a quest to find her sister's true love...and the evil Fairy that originally cursed her...to try to speed the process up and revive the kingdom. Along the way, she gains a protector and friend, Liam, who just may be more intriguing than Annie originally thought. *wink, wink* They run into lots of other great characters, like Tomas and his little sister (very Hansel and Gretel-esque), a Prince enchanted to be a bear, a Princess who is engaged to an Ogre (very Beauty and the Beast) and Annie even gets stuck in Rapunzel's tower...where she learns more about that girl's habits than she ever wanted to know!

Along the way, Annie who has no magics of her own, demonstrates that she has plenty of other skills to assist her on her quest. She can ride bareback, she is intelligent, she learns new skills very quickly, she is brave, she has no compunction about eating whenever there is food available...all in all, she is one awesome and un-simpering Princess!

Though I'm pretty sure this is a stand-alone book, I loved Annie so much, I'd be really happy to see another book detailing her further adventures! A great tween or teen read for those that love fairy tales.

The Grimm Legacy

The Grimm Legacy
by Polly Shulman

What if Fairy Tale magic really existed?

Lonely at her new school, Elizabeth takes a job at the New-York Circulating Material Repository, hoping to make new friends as well as some cash. The repository is no ordinary library. It lends out objects rather than books - everything from tea sets and hockey sticks to Marie Antoinette's everyday wig.

It's also home to the Grimm Collection, a secret room in the basement. That's where powerful items straight out of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales are locked away: seven-league boots, a table that produces a feast at the blink of an eye, Snow White's stepmother's sinister mirror that talks in riddles and has a will of its own.

When the magical items start to disappear, Elizabeth and her new friends embark on a dangerous quest to catch the thief before they're accused of the crime themselves - or the thief captures them.
(description taken from inside jacket copy)

I loved this book...really loved it. I borrowed it from the library, but I think I'll be purchasing this one so that I can read it again. As a Librarian, I was tickled pink with both the setting and premise of this book. As a fantasy lover, the plot rocked. While I was reading, all I could think was that when I'd been a tween this probably would have become my absolute new favorite book.

The description of Elizabeth's new job is really cool. The Repository is a fascinating place, even without the "magical" collections. I love decorative arts items, things like furniture, clothing, jewelry, sculptures...all of the "things" that represent daily life in a culture's art. The idea of being able to run through stacks of objects like these...so cool!!

The idea of a Grimm Collection...even cooler. The objects that Shulman inserts into the story are fun, interesting, and actually fit realistically into the plot of the story, which was really well done. I'd been worried that a lot of things would just be described and then passed by, but almost all of them are actually used by the characters!

The relationships that build between the teens working at the Repository are rich and complex. At first, they are all friendly, then they all become suspicious of each other as objects begin disappearing, and its not until they are forced to work together to solve the mystery and do some rescuing that they are brought together and they determine who really is trustworthy.

A very, very well done, fun read. Great for anyone who loves magic and the idea of being able to live in a fairy tale...even for just a short while!

Sisters Red

Sisters Red

by Jackson Pearce

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.

If you are a fan of dark urban fantasy, Sisters Red is a book for you. The Fenris are not your average werewolves; they are darker, fiercer, more sexually predatorial. The way that Scarlett and Rosie lure, nay tempt, the Fenris into pursuing them before they slay them was darkly fascinating. This is a seductive and gritty take on "Little Red Riding Hood."

The relationship that Scarlett and her sister, Rosie, share is also fascinating. Joking that they shared a womb, though were born years apart, and thus are really two halves of one heart, the love triangle in this book is not so much about the guy. In a non-sexual way, Scarlett loves her sister to the point of obsession. Rosie is all she has left. Rosie is the only one she can count on to love her.

When Silas returns and he and Rosie start to fall in love, they both feel guilty. They both love Scarlett. Yet, they can't deny their feelings for each other. Yet, Rosie also feels tied to Scarlett...it devastates her when she believes the bond is broken. Silas also loves Scarlett, but not as he loves Rosie.

Balancing this enthralling set of relationships with the hunting and slaying of slathering creatures, Pearce has written an impressively modern fairy tale. It is realistic, yet still brims with the elements that drew me to fairy tales as a child. Absolutely, more Grimm than Disney. Just the way I like my fairy tales...cautionary!

Full disclosure: ARC received at BEA 2010

In My Mailbox - August 8, 2010

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme, hosted by Kristi at the Story Siren, inspired by Alea of Pop Culture Junkie. Every week bloggers can share what they received in the mail or at the bookstore or at the library. The goal is that everyone can be exposed to more books this way!

In the mail:

Fire Study by Maria V. Snyder

Now I finally own the whole Study trilogy!

From the Library:

Boys, Bears, and a Serious Pair of Hiking Boots by Abby McDonald

The Strange Case of Origami Yoga by Tom Angleberger

Dark Life by Kat Falls

The Wide-Awake Princess by E. D. Baker

For Review:

Zombies Versus Unicorns by Holly Black and Justine Larbaleister

Hope you all have a great book week!!