ARC Review--Red Wolf by Rachel Vincent

 

This high stakes, pacey reimagining of Little Red Riding Hood is perfect for fans of Stephanie Garber and Megan Spooner.

For as long as sixteen-year-old Adele can remember the village of Oakvale has been surrounding by the dark woods—a forest filled with terrible monsters that light cannot penetrate. Like every person who grows up in Oakvale she has been told to steer clear of the woods unless absolutely necessary.

But unlike her neighbors in Oakvale, Adele has a very good reason for going into the woods. Adele is one of a long line of guardians, women who are able to change into wolves and who are tasked with the job of protecting their village while never letting any of the villagers know of their existence.

But when following her calling means abandoning the person she loves, the future she imagined for herself, and her values she must decide how far she is willing to go to keep her neighbors safe.

 

 

I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

 

Rachel Vincent brings us a dark new twist on the beloved Little Red Riding Hood fairy tale with Red Wolf! If you’ve ever read a Rachel Vincent book, you know she excels at the shifter character and I was eager for her take on the classic fairy tale with a twist!

Not all fairy tales end happily ever after. Adele knows that more than anything, having lived her life in her little village of Oakvale surrounded by a dark and evil forest, she never expected much out of life. Perhaps marry Grainger, her childhood love, but then she learns of her family’s dark secret and what it means for her and her future.

Adele comes from a line of redwulfs, loup garou, or the standard werewolf. Her family is sworn to protect the village of Oakvale from the dark creatures from the forest around them, except, if the town were to know of their true nature, they would kill that which protects them. The town is very superstitious and doesn’t like anything to do with dark magic. In fact, Adele’s father was burned at the stake after her suffered a bite from a werewolf.

But that’s not all that turns Adele’s world upside down, her mother informs her shortly after her first change that her betrothed is on his way to meet her. All of Adele’s plans for her life are suddenly falling apart. Now she has two suitors vying for her hand, she has to keep her dual nature a secret from her younger sister, her friends, her lover, everyone or risk certain death.

This book, was just amazing! I love a good fairy tale retelling and this one, while not quite a Little Red Riding Hood story does contain some of the same elements, a girl, the woods, a wolf, a red cloak, a grandmother who lives deep in the forest. This book has all the makings of a modern day Grimm fairy tale for sure. It’s dark, gritty and will have you on the edge of your seat.

I lamented what Adele was going through. Not only does she have to adapt to her new nature and keep it a secret from the ones she loves most, but she’s thrown into an impossible love triangle. To be with the one she longs for, Grainger, who knows nothing of her family history, or settle for her betrothed, Max, who knows everything about her family secrets and isn’t too bad of a guy either. Though Adele has herself a love predicament, it doesn’t take over the story as much as I thought it would and honestly, as the story moved forward, you start to see who the victor will be long before Adele does. I’m still left feeling conflicted over everything that happened romance wise, but again, since it wasn’t a focal part of the story, I am not overly torn up about it.

The pacing of the story was somewhere in between fast paced and well-paced. I wouldn’t call it slow, but there are definitely moments where you wonder where the grand finale is headed. This is a standalone novel and yet it ends in a way that leaves you craving for more, but could be satisfied by the lack of more. It was a riveting tale of a girl finding out her identity and accepting the fate life has dealt her. Its ending is sure to leave you a bit shell-shocked.

Red Wolf was the Little Red Riding Hood retelling I didn’t know I longed for. It is the perfect standalone read for all werewolf fans to devour in one sitting. The blend of fantasy and fairy tale likeness made it a most enjoyable read and I would eagerly devour another retelling should Rachel go down that path! There is nothing I wouldn’t read from this lady!

 

Overall Rating 5/5 stars

 

Red Wolf release July 20, 2021