Waiting on Wednesday #5

'Waiting On' Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine, where you can gush about books that you're desperate to get your hands on...if only they were published already.

I haven't done one of these in a while, but felt like complaining about the agony of waiting for books with the people who are most likely to understand my pain.

I've been doing a few re-reads lately of a series I only discovered this year - and was incredibly angry at myself for ignoring in the past - Gallagher Girls, by Ally Carter. And while the re-reads are just as good as when I first read the series, it got me thinking about how I'm dying for a new Ally Carter book.

So my latest WoW post is dedicated to Ally's next book - Perfect Scoundrels (Heist Society #3)

Katarina Bishop and W.W. Hale the fifth were born to lead completely different lives: Kat comes from a long, proud line of lovable criminal masterminds, while Hale is the scion of one of the most seemingly perfect dynasties in the world. If their families have one thing in common, it’s that they both know how to stay under the radar while getting-or stealing-whatever they want. 

No matter the risk, the Bishops can always be counted on, but in Hale’s family, all bets are off when money is on the line. When Hale unexpectedly inherits his grandmother’s billion dollar corporation, he quickly learns that there’s no place for Kat and their old heists in his new role. But Kat won’t let him go that easily, especially after she gets tipped off that his grandmother’s will might have been altered in an elaborate con to steal the company’s fortune. So instead of being the heir-this time, Hale might be the mark. 

Forced to keep a level head as she and her crew fight for one of their own, Kat comes up with an ambitious and far-reaching plan that only the Bishop family would dare attempt. To pull it off, Kat is prepared to do the impossible, but first, she has to decide if she’s willing to save her boyfriend’s company if it means losing the boy.

Ally always makes a book fun, funny, exciting and dangerous. I can't wait to get my hands on this book!


Kim

Sisters Red - Jackson Pearce

Sisters Red (Fairytale Retellings #1) 
                                                   - Jackson Pearce
Grade: YA
Rating: 5/5 stars

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 ferociously alongside her. But even as more girls' bodies pile up in the city and the Fenris seem to be gaining power, Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves. She finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax and Scarlett's only friend--but does loving him mean betraying her sister and all that they've worked for?
~ * ~ * ~

Fairy tales and myths keep popping up in stories these days. It seems to be popular to retell an old story in new ways. But I'm certainly not going to complain. When a friend of mine told me that 'Sisters Red' was an amazing story, I knew I had to get my hands on it. She was right. The addictive adventure and adorable romance was perfect. I'm so happy I read this book.

Scarlett and Rosie March are sisters who are so connected to each other that it's like they share the same heart, despite being born a few years apart. After an attack from a Fenris (more commonly known as 'werewolves') leaves the March sisters without their grandmother who looks after them, the girls end up beaten, broken and - in Scarlett's case - damaged; but not without the strength to keep fighting. Scarlett takes it upon herself to train with every last breath in her body to be strong enough to defeat any roaming Fenris that visit their town of Ellison. Scarlett feels it is her duty to protect Rosie; while Rosie will do anything to support Scarlett, as she knows she owes her sister her life, even if she feels that there should be more to life than hunting. I adored Scarlett and Rosie's relationship. We get to see inside the mind of both March sisters throughout the story, switching first person point-of-view for each new chapter. The unwavering faith and love they had for each other; that despite what happens in the world, they'll always have a sister to rely on. It was incredible.

'Sisters Red' is a re-imagining of the Little Red Riding Hood fairy tale, a story most people have heard of but probably haven't explored in greater depths. I think that's part of the reason I loved it so much, because it not a tale I've searched for in the past. The wolves in 'Sisters Red' are fairly common in existence, but not common in knowledge. If it hadn't been for their grandmother's death at the beginning of the novel, Rosie and Scarlett would never have been aware of the Fenris. There's a mystery to the Fenris, they are hunting something - someone - the next possible addition to the wolf ranks: The Potential. They're so rare, there is no way of actively tracking them; but Scarlett will stop at nothing to make sure this person does not become the next soulless Fenris. The storyline was fairly predictable. The signs and hints that were thrown into the mix early on weren't hidden too well and I guessed most of what was coming next. But it didn't make me love the book any less. I sometimes really enjoy predicting where a story is heading too next. I feel pretty good about myself. I loved the action and excitement that came with hunting wolves and searching for the mystery Potential. It was very addictive.

What made this book even better was the romance. Another part that could be labelled as predictable, but only because the blurb gives it away. Childhood friend and neighbour, Silas Reynolds joins the sister team as another hunter, but he's not just hunting wolves; he's also hunting Rosie's heart. I adored the Rosie and Silas scenes and I kept holding out for more of them. The heart flutters, the accidental touches, the stolen moments when it was just the two of them; it all made my heart melt and break. These two caused a lot of emotional torture for me, but it was worth it.

I feel like the ending was a little rushed, but that's probably because I loved it too much to let the story end.

Incredible and powerful words. I loved every moment. Jackson Pearce, you rock!

5/5 stars


Kim
(Originally posted on Goodreads)