Sweetly

I really enjoyed Sweetly, the second brilliant fairy tale retelling by Jackson Pearce. It's a riveting story of the brother-and-sister duo, Ansel and Grethen. A story you think you know, but really, you don't.

I love love love the way this book ties in with Sisters Red, it was unexpected and well-executed, and without doubt my favourite aspect of the story. I kept waiting for the witch, waiting, waiting, and there was no witch! I'm really looking forward to reading the rest of the series now, because I have all these theories about how they are all connected.

I liked Gretchen and Ansel, they had a strong bond, like Scarlett and Rosie, but it wasn't as imbalanced. Neither of them really felt like they owed the other or anything, it made for a healthier relationship between the siblings. I also liked that they were able to let one another have independent lives, without hovering or being jealous. I also liked the relationships they cultivated with Sophia, the candy-shop lady (awesome job right?). Ansel's romantic feelings for Sophia were predictable, but I liked the progression of Gretchen and Samuel's relationship - it was very cute.

I admire Pearce's ability to rework these traditional fairy tales into creepy, interesting stories revolving around strong family values. She does incredible things, taking these well-loved stories and reworking them into. I was also glad that this book didn't give me misgivings about the way it portrayed women, especially those who made choices that the protagonists didn't agree with. It was one of the disappointing features of the previous book, but didn't make an appearance in this one.

Sweetly will be enjoyed by fans of fairytale retellings, and can be read independently of Sisters Red. I'm hoping to read Fathomless, the third book of this series, soon.

You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic. ( )

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Sugar and spice, death and lies make up this retelling of Hansel and Gretel

Opening Sentence: The book said there was a witch in the woods.

The Review:

Sweetly, the second book of the Fairytale Retellings series, Jackson Pearce tells her version of Hansel and Gretel. Like true Pearce fashion, she puts a twist in the story, truly making it her own in every way possible. And with the Fairytale Retellings series, I have to talk about the cover. The cover is eerily gorgeous, filled with branches twisting out to show you a not-so-hidden picture of a smirking face. It’s amazing and I instantly saw how far Pearce was going to go with the dark and scary.

Twelve years ago, a witch haunted the woods. Twelve years ago, Gretchen lost her twin and Ansel lost her sister, and a pair of yellow eyes changed their lives forever. As a result of the witch in the woods, Gretchen and Ansel’s family fell apart. Mourning and sadness left them to relocate to South Carolina. What seemed like a simple and quiet town, Live Oak, South Carolina had its own share of secrets and tragedy. Willing to start over Gretchen and Ansel found themselves on the doorsteps of Sophia Kelley, a candy maker all alone in the woods. Willing to forget their past, Ansel and Gretchen vow to start over. But once again, there is something dangerous lurking in the woods, one that has been affecting the small town for years now. Gretchen is determined to forget her past and fight back. But once she finds out what is going on, it might be too late.

Gretchen wasn’t someone that I instantly warmed up to. I automatically compared her to Scarlett from Sisters Red, and unfairly so. Losing a twin is tragic, not something that I could ever imagine, but I felt that Gretchen was stuck in the past. Gretchen struggles with why her sister was taken and why she was spared, waiting for the witch to catch up to her and take her as well. Despite where Gretchen is, she feels that the witch is waiting around the corner to take her as well. There is a turning point, when Gretchen finds her strength. She finally stands up for herself and takes the proper actions in protecting herself. This is the Gretchen that I love.

Pearce makes Ansel a supporting character, and I thought that was smart. It is clear that Gretchen is the main character, and that clearly sets it apart from any fairytale that Sweetly is based on. Ansel wasn’t someone that I really got to know, aside from the fact that Gretchen depended on him. I actually loved Sophia more. Sophia was full of secrets, having two different personalities. As a reader, I already saw the writing on the wall, but couldn’t wait to see how it would unfold. I was always at the edge of my seat trying to find out what would happen with Sophia and why she would do it. I loved the suspense!

In true Pearce fashion, the world of Sweetly was amazing. Each detail added to the depth of darkness that Pearce took it to. What should be a sweet fairytale was the exact opposite, showcasing the dark and evil lurkings behind closed doors. It made for a fantastic read filled with many surprises. There is a poetic justice about Pearce’s writing that had me engaged at all times. Even if I didn’t particularly like the character, their actions, or the specific scene, I always found myself wanting to read another word, another page, or another chapter. But isn’t that the workings of a great author? And the ending! Well, I can’t really talk about my favorite scenes, for it will spoil some surprises, but just trust me on this, Sweetly is worth the read!

Notable Scene:

My dreams are mostly nightmares—the witch charging, transforming into a hundred thousand werewolves. Then Samuel, stepping out of the darkness, followed by my father. But neither raises a hand to help me as the werewolves close in, and Ansel is nowhere to be found. At the very last moment my sister arrives with a rifle in hand, a shadow of a girl who steps out of my body and looks just like me; the werewolf turns and runs when it sees her. The dream repeats itself—I wake up at the end, then drift back to uneasy sleep only to dream it again.

Maybe Ansel’s lack of presence in the dream is why I don’t tell him about the witch the following morning—or maybe it’s because claiming to be chased by a werewolf is as unbelievable as claiming to be chased by a witch. My brother is in the storefront messing around with some of the shelving; our eyes meet very briefly.

I should tell him.

FTC Advisory: I purchased this copy of Sweetly. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ( )

Siblings Ansel and Gretchen are driving cross-country after being kicked out of their home by their stepmother. When their car breaks down in a tiny South Carolina town, the only local citizen who welcomes them is Sophia, the beautiful young proprietor of a confectionery shop. As Ansel and Gretchen make themselves useful around the shop, they learn some of the town's darkest secrets. Young women have been steadily disappearing . . . and some locals blame Sophia. Through a friendship with a somewhat reclusive young man, Gretchen learns the truth behind the girls' disappearances -- and solves a mystery from her own past, as well. Can she stop more young women from disappearing, or will her efforts be too little, too late?

Of the two companion novels, I have to say that Sisters Red was a stronger work than Sweetly. My problem with this book is that I didn't find a single character likable. Ansel was a flat nonentity, Sophia a bit too much of a stereotypical femme fatale. Gretchen struck me as both whiny and clueless, and her romantic counterpart, who was probably supposed to seem mysterious and brooding, instead came across as sullen and uncooperative. The plot dragged a bit in the middle as Ansel and Gretchen cooled their heels at the chocolate shop, waiting for something to happen. Also -- minor spoiler -- equating the "witch" from the original story with the werewolves from Sisters Red didn't work for me, and having Gretchen constantly refer to the werewolves as witches reinforced my opinion of her as a clueless airhead. I also feel that it weakened the bond between this retelling and the original Hansel and Gretel story.

I'm sure many readers, particularly fans of this author, will love this story. It just wasn't the best book for me. ( )

Twelve years ago, Gretchen, Ansel, and their sister were playing in the woods when their sister went missing. She was right next to them and then she was gone. Now, Gretchen and Ansel are on the road, kicked out by their stepmother. They randomly find themselves in Live Oak, South Carolina with a broken down car and practically no money. After being shunned by quite a few of the townspeople, they are directed to someone who is equally shunned, Sophia Kelly. She runs a candy shop and it's rumored that girls disappear after her festivals every year, never to be seen again. Gretchen and Ansel don't believe the rumors and are shocked by how welcoming and nice Sophia is. They settle into a routine and revel in having a home and a family. Gretchen is convinced that whatever is taking the girls at the festival is the same witch that took her sister. She's ready to stand and fight to avenge her sister and save any more girls from being victimized. Is Sophia somehow involved in the disappearances? Will Gretchen ever find out what happened to her sister?

Sweetly is a companion novel to Sisters Red, one of my favorite fairy tale retellings ever. They have none of the same characters, but as the book goes on, it becomes clear that there are definitely common elements. This is a modern retelling of Hansel and Gretel. Each character (except for the parents) are present, but fleshed out and modernized so they seem more like real people than flat fairy tale characters. Gretchen is much like Gretel because she always feels like that little girl that was left without a sister. The passage of time didn't do much to alleviate her pain or helplessness. This story is really one of her coming of age and growing from that helpless little girl into a strong woman willing to face her fears. This also parallels the original fairy tale as Hansel and Gretel leave their home as children, overcome a trial guided by nature, and return successful and rich to their family. I loved reading about Gretchen's journey. Sophia isn't what one would expect as the child eating witch from Hansel and Gretel. She's super sweet and welcoming, plus she makes the most delicious chocolates. I seriously had huge cravings for chocolate when reading Sweetly. But, underneath that sweetness, there is a bitter center that is stays hidden through most of the novel. These updated characters kept my interest and drew parallels to the original Grimm tale.

While I loved the characters and the writing, the plot dragged a little for me. Between the revelation about what happened to Gretchen's sister and the big finale, there was definitely a drag in the plot. It left me wondering when something big would happen without building any suspense. I also felt that the elements common with Sisters Red took away from the Hansel and Gretel story a little bit. In Sisters Red, I never forgot it was a Red Riding Hood story and the characters and plot played with the ideas and concepts throughout. Near the middle of Sweetly, I forgot it was even about Hansel and Gretel. It didn't have that strong bond with the original tale that I expected.

Despite some issues, I really enjoyed Sweetly. This retelling tapped into deep emotions of loss and sadness and brought the frightening and violent aspects that worked so well in Sisters Red. I am definitely going to read Fathomless, the next companion novel about The Little Mermaid. Jackson Pearce is a wonderful author and think she can reveal how dark the story really is. ( )

If you like(d) the Grim tale of Hansel and Gretal, well you are going to love this book. This book contains werewolves, witches, candy, and romance here and there. However, the names of the characters are Ansel and Gretchen, different, but close. Q4P4 AHS/Kelley S