Book Review: Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

Title: Sweetly (Fairytale retellings #2) 
Author: Jackson Pearce 
Pages: 310 
Publication Date: August 23rd 2011 
Publisher: Little, Brown 
Buy: Amazon UK | Amazon US | The Book Depository

Twelve years ago, Gretchen, her twin sister, and her brother went looking for a witch in the forest. They found something. Maybe it was a witch, maybe a monster, they aren’t sure—they were running too fast to tell. Either way, Gretchen’s twin sister was never seen again. Years later, after being thrown out of their house, Gretchen and Ansel find themselves in Live Oak, South Carolina, a place on the verge of becoming a ghost town. They move in with Sophia Kelly, a young and beautiful chocolatier owner who opens not only her home, but her heart to Gretchen and Ansel. Yet the witch isn’t gone—it’s here, lurking in the forests of Live Oak, preying on Live Oak girls every year after Sophia Kelly’s infamous chocolate festival. But Gretchen is determined to stop running from witches in the forest, and start fighting back. Alongside Samuel Reynolds, a boy as quick with a gun as he is a sarcastic remark, Gretchen digs deeper into the mystery of not only what the witch is, but how it chooses its victims. Yet the further she investigates, the more she finds herself wondering who the real monster is, and if love can be as deadly as it is beautiful. (Goodreads)

Modern retellings have been a popular trend in YA recently and I see pros and cons with it – the biggest pro is the exciting and interesting way the story is retold. The biggest con, for me personally, is when you are expecting something completely different to the story! This was sadly what happened to me – this however did not effect how much I enjoyed the story it was just a kind of ‘Oh this was not what I thought it was going to be like’

It was only after I finished the book that I realised that this was technically the second in a trilogy, the first being Sisters Red (which would have prevented my surprise as far as the storyline went)– However I can safely vouch that without reading the first you can still enjoy the second.

I love Gretchen, once again another female protagonist that finds her strength and faces her fears – in case you hadn’t guessed that’s one of my favourite things. Also who can’t love Samuel? The bad boy with the good heart – gets a girl every time (well it does me)

I was definitely in the dark until the very end about Sophia Kelly’s motives and whether or not she was good or bad which is always good - easily predictable stories are not something readers enjoy.

One thing I would have liked more of was Ansel! Maybe it was just me but it seemed that he was always in the background and that due to the story being told in Gretchen’s point of view it seemed that Ansel and their relationship wasn’t as deeply explored as I would have liked it to be.

Aside from that I’d say Sweetly was an interesting read that kept my engaged, entertained and guessing until the last plot twist. I would recommend it to anyone who loves a good retelling.

Sidenote! I love the cover it is beautiful and slightly creepy! Just right for the story :)