Sweetly by Jackson Pearce
pages: 310
released: August 2011
publisher: Little Brown
cover love: ♥♥♥♥♥
As a child, Gretchen’s twin sister was taken by a witch-like monster 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.When their stepmother casts Gretchen and Ansel out as teens, they stumble upon a sleepy Southern town and are invited to stay with Sophia Kelly at her sweet shop. Sophia molds candied magic: coveted treats that create confidence, bravery, and passion. Life seems idyllic and Gretchen and Ansel finally start to forget their haunted past – until Gretchen meets handsome local outcast Samuel, who gives Gretchen a reason to fear Sophia: girls have been vanishing at Sophia’s annual chocolate festival, taken by the insatiable ‘witch’ of Gretchen’s nightmares. Can Gretchen save herself, the girls of Live Oak, and Sophia? Of one thing, Gretchen is certain: a monster is coming, and it will never go away hungry. (from Goodreads)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON 9/15/2011 ON BOOKSLIKESTARS.NET
Review:
Sweetly is the companion novel to Jackson Pearce’s re-telling of Little Red Riding Hood, Sisters Red. It’s not sequel, none of the previous characters appear (wah, no March sisters) but the themes from both novels are intertwined.
Gretchen and her older brother, Ansel are stranded in the depleting town of Live Oak, no thanks to their broken down car. In order to fix it, they work for and move in with Sophia Kelly, the town outcast and candy shop owner. Though, it started out as just a job and a place to stay, both siblings feel an immediate bond to Sophia and they love being accepted by her. But not long after their arrival at Sophia’s chocolatier, Gretchen notices strange things about her and her house. Her candies seem to comfort, calm and give courage. Majority of the townsfolk blame her for the young girls that disappear after her annual Chocolate Festival yet she continues to host it every year. And why does someone keep leaving seashells for her to find and why do they freak her out? Gretchen can’t help thinking of the missing girls. They remind her of her own lost twin and she has an inescapable urge to solve the mystery behind their disappearances. Because she believes she’ll be next if she doesn’t.
Sweetly is given a good kick in the beginning but it falters out in the middle. There isn’t a lot of action or much character development. Gretchen’s obsession with her twin that she believes was taken by a witch becomes repetitive and tiring to read at times. This is the modern re-telling of Hansel and Gretel, however, besides the brother, sister and a house with candy, there isn’t anything else taken from the original story. I kept wishing there was more going on in the story and more evil lurking on the pages. Happily, things start to speed back up in the last hundred or so pages and it leaves you with clues to where the next book is headed. The most enjoyable and interesting aspects of the book were the return of the Fenris (the werewolves) and Samuel Reynolds, the brother of Silas Reynolds in Sisters Red. Both Gretchen and Ansel have love interests but Gretchen’s attraction/relationship with Samuel had more depth and seemed more genuine than between Ansel and Sophia, which was more instantaneous and love puppyish. Samuel was a great character and he helped bring out Gretchen’s shine.
All-in-all, Sweetly was a good read. Though both books share similar themes, it wasn’t as action packed as the first or as well written but I’m glad I read it and will continue onto the next, Fathomless, which sounds very interesting for now. Mermaids, sisters, deep dark oceans and more Reynolds. Should be a good time.
3