Rachel Vincent

Red Wolf

Elaina 

Maegan Kennedy

Rating: 4⭐️

Thank you to HCC Frenzy for gifting me an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

I thought this was a very fun Red Riding Hood retelling. It follows Adele, a redwulf, who’s lineage is tasked with secretly protecting their village from the monsters who lie in wait in the dark woods. 

This was so fun because Adele is Little Red as well as the Wolf from the original tale. The magic system was intriguing and I like how the different types of wulfs are described. I really love Max and how he accepts Adele for who and what she is. 

There’s so much that unfolds through this story that I don’t want to give too much away. It’s better if you read it and see how Adele grows into her wulf form while also trying to keep a hold on her humanity. 

Overall I thought this was a decent retelling and I’ll definitely be checking out Rachel Vincent’s other works!

Powerful and compelling, this high-stakes, feminist reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood is perfect for fans of Stephanie Garber and Meagan Spooner. For as long as sixteen-year-old Adele can remember, the village of Oakvale has been surrounded by the dark wood—a forest filled with terrible monsters. A forest that light itself cannot penetrate. Unlike her fellow villagers, Adele cannot avoid the dark wood. Adele is one of a long line of guardians: women who secretly take on the form of a wolf, in order to protect their village. But when accepting her fate means giving up the boy she loves, abandoning the future she imagined for herself, and breaking her own moral code, she must decide how far she is willing to go to keep her neighbors safe.

Aundreya Rich

"And you'll need someone to share it with.- Someone who can understand the race of your pulse, keeping you up at night. The dizzying euphoria that follows success in battle. Someone who can celebrate with you. Someone who will celebrate you." 

WHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAA


I LOVE WHEN A BOOK SURPRISES ME!!!!!

Thats right, Red Wolf is showing up as a Red Ridinghood retelling and it is SO GOOD.

Adele has a secret. And no one can know.
Not even the man she loves.
But with her secrets hidden, her family has their own... she is betrothed, to keep secret safe, and others safer.

Red Wolf is a dark and twisted tale for all that I didnt want to end. This being written as of now as a standalone has the potential to be an incredible duology or series.

I want to know more!!!! The ending wraps up well enough but I need more from Adele and her end game.

(cough cough *everyone read it and harass Harperteen for more)

Read if you like:
-snow white's dark and magical forest
-creepy vibes of the village
-red riding hood retelling
-strong female protagonists you want to BE!
-YA kissing books and romance 
-love triangles (who will you choose!?!?!)
-a touch of magic and monsters.

Make sure to pick up Red Wolf... but remember, don't steer from the path...

Rating:
story-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
characters-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
genre- YA Fantasy
Steam- you can't get away with much in a small gossipy village....

Song: Wolves by Selena Gomez


Thank you Entangled Teen and Rachel Vincent for my gifted copy!

Micol Scalabrino

3,5 ✨

Even though it took a turn I was expecting, I was still surprised

Southern Today Gone Tomorrow

This was everything I wanted in a Red Riding Hood retelling, that I didn't know I wanted. 

The only thing, is I wish, wish there would be a sequel!

Aubrey Erskine

Red Wolf is obviously a Little Red Riding Hood retelling, except Little Red and her grandmother are the Wolf. Actually it runs in the family and it turns out there are guardian families in each village along the dark woods tasked with protecting people from the monsters within. It also gave me some Crucible vibes. Small villages full of people with mistrust in their hearts, pointing fingers at their neighbors.

The story starts out kinda light and fluffy, but got really dark fast. By the end we see that being a guardian is just another kind of monster. It was fast-paced and really kept my attention. I ended up reading it in less than a day and was really intrigued by this retelling. In a world full of Red Riding Hood retellings, this one offered something fresh and unique.

Adele drove me insane but I understood where she was coming from. One day she wakes up a normal 16 year old girl who loves and plans to marry the son of the village watch captain and that night she discovers she herself is something monstrous. It’s a lot for anyone let alone a teenager. We really got that young vibe from her and could see it in the decisions she made. I thought her selfish but wouldn’t you too be selfish if the life you’d dreamed of was just ripped away one day?

Cue the romance to add to the drama. We have a slight triangle, but also not? We know who she has to chose, who will offer her the better life in the long run because not even love can overcome ingrained hate. There were some sweet moments with both boys but I was firmly Team Max from the moment he set foot in the village.

The ending was so abrupt I found myself turning the page to read more and hitting the Acknowledgements. I understand why it ended how and when it did, but I wanted more. There was the potential for so much more and it felt slightly unfinished in my opinion. I also couldn’t get over Adele’s selfishness in the end. It may possibly all work out, we actually don’t get to find out, but how many people had to die for it to be this way? I just couldn’t let it go.

Red Wolf

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