Sweetly by Jackson PearcePages: 312
Grade: 9+ (fantasy violence, horror, talk/illusions of sex)
Publisher: Little Brown
Source: Borrowed from the library
Challenge: TBR Reading Challenge
Amazon | Goodreads
Description: (from Goodreads) 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.
Thoughts: I didn’t realize this was a companion novel to Sisters Red until about half-way through the book (yeah, yeah, I know it says it in big bold letters just below the title and ratings in Goodreads) - it threw me off quite a bit actually.
This was a fun twist on the classic fairy tale, though I wasn’t wild about the introduction of the Fenris into the story line. I would have much preferred it to have stuck closer to the classic story. That being said, Sweetly is a fun and fast, light-hearted read.
Gretchen and Ansel’s relationship is sweet, they are very protective of each other and they make a good team. Gretchen’s transformation from scared victim into brave young woman is at the heart of this story. There’s a little bit of romance thrown in just for kicks too.
Overall, Sweetly is a fun and quick read. Perfect for summer camping or a lazy Saturday afternoon.
