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A review by betwixt_the_pages
Red Kingdom by Rachel L. Demeter
4.0
Rating: 4.5/5 Penguins (rounded down)
Quick Reasons: Red Riding Hood retelling...... but make it darker; fast-paced, entertaining, at times heart-wrenching; enemies to lovers; drama, intrigue, romance, horror; mind the triggers
HUGE thanks to Rachel L. Demeter for the title! My review is voluntarily written and in no way altered or impacted by this gesture.
"Time is a bit of a double-edged sword. Isn't it?" She hadn't meant to speak aloud, so her voice startled her. Rowan merely brought his fingers to the laces of his trousers, then shrugged off that material. A sly gin--a wolfish smile--spread across his full lips. He wore it well, and she felt her skin tighten in a way that wasn't unwelcome.
But his smile turned sad as he said, "Yes. I wish it weren't true. I wish time only healed wounds, but sometimes it festers them."
First and foremost and MOST importantly, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE mind the triggers before you dive head first into this read, Penguins. Keep yourselves safe, always--your health is what most matters, so consider carefully whether this book is right for you before you embark.
That being said..... Rachel L. Demeter took what we ALL know of Little Red Riding Hood, and completely fleshed it into something new and unique. This retelling is DARK, Penguins. There were bits of this title that I had trouble getting out of my head after reading. The world-building is rich, lush, and entrenched with flowery, purple prose (don't mistake me here though....the prose may be flowery, but the details it's describing most certainly are NOT). The read is laced with emotion, drama, intrigue, royal politics. There are heavy subjects broached. This read is FILLED to the brim with both the best and the worst of humanity, with characters that are fully human and entirely believable in their motivations and actions. And the romance. OH, THE ROMANCE! This is yet another TRUE to form "enemies to lovers," with a heaping (often VERY FRUSTRATING) hand of slow-burn. If, at a certain point in this book, you are not SCREAMING AT THEM TO JUST GET IT OVER WITH ALREADY....you're not reading the book right. (But that's just my opinion, of course, your personal mileage may vary!)
Because ghosts don't die. They only change shape.
The better to haunt you.
The better to hear your prayers and deepest secrets.
The better to see your fears and desires.
The better to defeat you.
I definitely recommend this to lovers of fairytale retellings, historical royal political intrigues, and books that are heavy-handed on the heavy subjects. If you enjoyed the tv series REIGN....this read just might be for you. The Kingdom is running red and the wolves are hunting, Penguins... are YOU ready to defend it all?
Quick Reasons: Red Riding Hood retelling...... but make it darker; fast-paced, entertaining, at times heart-wrenching; enemies to lovers; drama, intrigue, romance, horror; mind the triggers
HUGE thanks to Rachel L. Demeter for the title! My review is voluntarily written and in no way altered or impacted by this gesture.
"Time is a bit of a double-edged sword. Isn't it?" She hadn't meant to speak aloud, so her voice startled her. Rowan merely brought his fingers to the laces of his trousers, then shrugged off that material. A sly gin--a wolfish smile--spread across his full lips. He wore it well, and she felt her skin tighten in a way that wasn't unwelcome.
But his smile turned sad as he said, "Yes. I wish it weren't true. I wish time only healed wounds, but sometimes it festers them."
First and foremost and MOST importantly, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE mind the triggers before you dive head first into this read, Penguins. Keep yourselves safe, always--your health is what most matters, so consider carefully whether this book is right for you before you embark.
That being said..... Rachel L. Demeter took what we ALL know of Little Red Riding Hood, and completely fleshed it into something new and unique. This retelling is DARK, Penguins. There were bits of this title that I had trouble getting out of my head after reading. The world-building is rich, lush, and entrenched with flowery, purple prose (don't mistake me here though....the prose may be flowery, but the details it's describing most certainly are NOT). The read is laced with emotion, drama, intrigue, royal politics. There are heavy subjects broached. This read is FILLED to the brim with both the best and the worst of humanity, with characters that are fully human and entirely believable in their motivations and actions. And the romance. OH, THE ROMANCE! This is yet another TRUE to form "enemies to lovers," with a heaping (often VERY FRUSTRATING) hand of slow-burn. If, at a certain point in this book, you are not SCREAMING AT THEM TO JUST GET IT OVER WITH ALREADY....you're not reading the book right. (But that's just my opinion, of course, your personal mileage may vary!)
Because ghosts don't die. They only change shape.
The better to haunt you.
The better to hear your prayers and deepest secrets.
The better to see your fears and desires.
The better to defeat you.
I definitely recommend this to lovers of fairytale retellings, historical royal political intrigues, and books that are heavy-handed on the heavy subjects. If you enjoyed the tv series REIGN....this read just might be for you. The Kingdom is running red and the wolves are hunting, Penguins... are YOU ready to defend it all?