Scarlette

Feb 02, 2013 Janice (the_red1) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, shifters, fairy-tales, paranormal-mystery, witches-wizards-magic

Wow, after reading this book I have a sudden, deep appreciation for my modern-day lifestyle, because DAMN, Scarlette's world sucked! I felt awful for her and everything she went through. Poor girl just couldn't catch a break. I kept waiting for her to get in touch with her inner badass and start kicking bad guy butt, but that wasn't who Scarlette was. She was a young, naive girl trying her best to survive in an unkind world. Something I had to keep reminding myself of as I was reading.

The best...more

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Jan 26, 2013 Abby (Wintry Words) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, favorites, ebook, retellings

Novels based in the fairy tale world that Little Red lives in have been a favorite of mine since I was a child. Growing up with movies like Hoodwinked, the tale always stayed in the comedic genre whenever I thought about it. There wasn't any of the blood, gore, and drama like Red Riding Hood was meant to have. Granted, I was only a child, but now that I am a young-adult I find these stories very entertaining as it appeals to the darker side of me.

What made Scarlette stand out so much to me was t...more Novels based in the fairy tale world that Little Red lives in have been a favorite of mine since I was a child. Growing up with movies like Hoodwinked, the tale always stayed in the comedic genre whenever I thought about it. There wasn't any of the blood, gore, and drama like Red Riding Hood was meant to have. Granted, I was only a child, but now that I am a young-adult I find these stories very entertaining as it appeals to the darker side of me.

What made Scarlette stand out so much to me was the fact it was not only Grimm's version, but Perrault's also. I am not as familiar with Perrault's as I am Grimm's which made this novel find a louder voice in the crowd of Little Red books. My only prior experience to the more morbid side of the fairy tale is the movie starring Amanda Seyfried and the book it was based off of, titled Red Riding Hood.

Scarlette started off very slow, stating what most of us already knew about Red Riding Hood as a character. The setting was the same as all the rest them. In my head, the village that Scarlette lives in looks exactly like Amanda Seyfried's movie. That wasn't a fact that could turn me away from this book though. Once I got a few more pages in, the mediocre sense that had surrounded this book fled. Soon this book took on a whole new aspect to the name Little Red and I couldn't even think straight after the events of this book unfolded. It was glorious, truly.

I really enjoyed Scarlette as a character. She was different and fresh, strong and weak all at the same time. She made stupid decisions that I totally understood. Placing myself in her position, I would have lain down and died. Scarlette was stubborn and trusted only a few people, but again I couldn't blame her. To me, Little Red is one of the strongest fairy-tale characters out there, and with Scarlette that fact became even truer.

The romance side of Scarlette was absolutely amazing. There is indeed a love triangle but it is the best one I've read to date. This book made me thankful for the three sided figure. One man, rich and powerful, but gentle. The other, strong, annoying, and arrogant. For Scarlette, choosing was a lot easier than it seemed.

The best thing about these stories is always finding out who the wolf is and Juroe pushed it off until the very end. Till literally the last few pages is when all hell breaks loose. Such a truly amazing plot and I loved how it unfolded. I wish there was going to be a follow-up novel, but I don't think there will be. I'd love to see the Little Red characters after the wolf’s fate had passed. If Juroe will write it, I'll read it(less)

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Nov 18, 2012 Nancy (Tumbling Books) rated it 5 of 5 stars

I hadn’t read a book about werewolves in a long, long time. Books about werewolves can be a hit or miss, they can be either amazing or terrible. Thankfully, Scarlette was amazing. I loved it.

I’ll start off by talking about the general plot. This book is a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood mixed with the legend of a beast that terrorized a province in France. I found this blend to work very well for the story. It made the story grown up by not having it be only based on Little Red Riding Hood....more

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Nov 02, 2012 Hurricane Tyler rated it 5 of 5 stars

Scarlette hooked me from the first sentence and kept me spellbound until La Fin. Promising new author Davonna Juroe has created a living, breathing world with characters so real they could walk off the page. Scarlette may be the damsel in distress, but she's determined to save not only herself, but her family and friends as well. I devoured this must-read book in under twenty-four hours and I will continue to suffer from symptoms of withdrawal until her next book is released. This vivid and imag...more

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Apr 10, 2013 Jessica Andersen rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, magick, shifters, fairy-tale

I would probably actually rate this one 2.5, but I rounded down because I seriously considered not finishing the book.

First the good. It's a retelling of Red Riding Hood. I think it was an interesting take on it. I think the world itself was fairly well thought out. The main character was pretty likable.

Ok, my problems with the book were many. There were some serious editing problems, whether a function of being formatted for the Kindle, or just a basic lack of editing I don't know. Several pr...more

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Mar 28, 2013 Cheryl rated it 4 of 5 stars

The other day, I finished a book and chose to read Patricia Cornwell's new book next. But, it was time for bed and I didn't want to start reading a dark murder mystery right before I fell asleep so I flipped through my Kindle to see what else I had.

I saw "Scarlette (a Paranormal Fairy Tale)" and I thought "Oh, a fairy tale...that's perfect for bed time reading!" HA!

Little did I know I was in for a dark and creepy twist on Red Riding Hood! I started reading and was sucked in immediately.

By the en...more

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Feb 04, 2013 carole rated it 4 of 5 stars

Scarlette is a haunting and captivating retelling of Little Red Riding Hood that takes place in France in the mid 1700s. This book not only features a suspenseful murder mystery but a plot that fans this way and that; with a great leading character and a building romance it is definitely a well rounded read. I also found Scarlette to be a sinister read; Davonna Juroe uses the horrors in history to spin Little Red's tale into something nightmarish. This book stems from the stories and legends we'...more Scarlette is a haunting and captivating retelling of Little Red Riding Hood that takes place in France in the mid 1700s. This book not only features a suspenseful murder mystery but a plot that fans this way and that; with a great leading character and a building romance it is definitely a well rounded read. I also found Scarlette to be a sinister read; Davonna Juroe uses the horrors in history to spin Little Red's tale into something nightmarish. This book stems from the stories and legends we've all been told and the author creates a new heroine out of an ordinary character. A character with some charm and a large heart. She has her wits and smarts and while she may be too trusting, everyone needs a fault, she becomes this warrior and transforms her life into anything but plain.

Scarlette's life is stark but things are changing; beginning with a question her employer wants to ask her, one her verbally abusive mother wishes to decide for her. But, as the danger that lurks around her town comes close to home she learns the truth about those around her. Strong willed and determined, she refuses to give into the wants of others and chooses her own path. While her conscience sometimes catches up to her, and the prospects offered to her are hard to put down, Scarlette manages to strive in the darkness her life becomes.

Beasts live in the woods and while Scarlette knows not to venture into them, she does and it just may cost her grandmother her life, and that is just the beginning. As strange things continue to occur she is rescued by an unlikely ally, Francois, befriends a Baron, Louis, with promises to change her life, and loses her normalcy. The plot trudges on and grows into an unmanageable forest of pure darkness and evil. The lives of these characters will never be the same, if they survive.

My favorite character was Francois, even from the beginning I knew I was going to like him. His loyalty was unyielding and his character, while secretive, was comforting. The relationship between Francois and Scarlette is composed just right.

Davonna Juroe recreates the werewolf story while telling Scarlette's story of bravery and determination. As the secrets unfolded I was amazed by this talented author and completely trapped in the book. Scarlette is a bone chilling story about the horrors of man and the beasts that lurk in the night. I loved this book for Davonna's sheer ability to shock me and take me down one path only to throw me onto another. Everyone in this book is a suspect, even those we love, and nothing is as it seems. Thank you very much to the wonderful author for the opportunity to read and review this book!(less)

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Jan 11, 2013 Jessica rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

The major positive of this book was that until what is going on is revealed about 60% of the way through the book, I was just as confused as Scarlette. I mean, clearly from the cover and description it was about werewolves, but while I was reading I had no idea about why the werewolves were attacking, how they attacked, or even if they were really the attackers. There were so many other strange events that I wasn't sure what other mythical creatures might be in the story. Too often in books, the...more

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Dec 19, 2012 YA Novelties rated it 5 of 5 stars

Check this review out at our blog!

It's been an extremely long time since a book has really grabbed my attention fully like Scarlette has. Despite the amount of books that I've been dying to read, I've found them all somewhat letdowns because they never really met my expectations. When I got into Scarlette, I of course had high expectations for this one because a horror retelling of Little Red Riding Hood (which in itself is already a horror story. Grandma eating, much?) had to be good, or else I...more Check this review out at our blog!

It's been an extremely long time since a book has really grabbed my attention fully like Scarlette has. Despite the amount of books that I've been dying to read, I've found them all somewhat letdowns because they never really met my expectations. When I got into Scarlette, I of course had high expectations for this one because a horror retelling of Little Red Riding Hood (which in itself is already a horror story. Grandma eating, much?) had to be good, or else I was flunking it. Thank goodness that Scarlette defied my expectations and blew me away!

The book immediately starts off with Scarlette and her grandmother encountering the wolves in the forest. Instantaneously, the book sets its pace with a strong beginning that isn't slow nor uneventful. Scarlette's life is extremely difficult with an abusive mother, lecherous employer, her grandmother gone, and the whole town blaming her for the wolf attacks. One of the greatest strengths of this book is Scarlette herself. She is such a strong and fierce heroine, not one of those bratty, selfish ones, but a true heroine. Sure, she made many mistakes; however, she at least regrets her mistakes, and tries to make up for them.

The love triangle is formed between Scarlette, Francois, the woodcutter, and Louis, the nobleman, is a quirky one full of gives and takes. In some ways, I wish it was a bigger focus in the story line because I loved seeing Francois being awkward, but in other ways, I wished that it didn't exist because Scarlette never really has me truly rooting for her with either of the two. It's not like I disliked both guys of the love triangle, I just felt like none of them truly belonged with Scarlette at certain points. Thankfully, by the end, I was totally able to accept Scarlette and *beep* (his name is not a curse word, just saying), but for the first half of the book, I was a little puzzled by Scarlette's feelings toward the two guys.

As a dark retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, Scarlette took many liberties with the plot, completely changing many aspects of the story to make it even more gory, as I've already mentioned. The mystery and climatic build-up was fantastic! I could literally feel the tension rolling off the pages as the story uncovered the many intricacies that the original tale was unable to grasp. Secrets were extremely well kept to shock the reader as the truths were being unveiled. I was surprised by a number of the twists quite surprisingly, which is extremely rare when the YA genre is gradually decreasing in originality.

I'm telling you all right now, you need to give Scarlette a try. The plot is so well-paced, the characters are well-defined caricatures, and the writing hypnotizes the reader. My only true complaint is the ending, which is a little rushed. While reading this book, I found myself trying to refrain from reading it too quickly, but just couldn't. Fine, then my second complaint (I know, I lied) is that Scarlette is too short for its own good, (yes, I am greedy) but otherwise this is an amazing fairy tale retelling that intermixes historical fiction with the paranormal without cliches, spellbinding its readers.

Angie @YA Novelties (less)

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Nov 25, 2012 Caroline rated it 5 of 5 stars

As you probably know if you read the synopsis, Scarlette is a novel about a young woman who lived with her mother and her grandma. Scarlette can be seen as the new Red Riding Hood. This Red Riding Hood is fighting against the Beast of Gévaudan, in France. All of those items put together, plus Davonna Juroe’s writing, make a fantastic story.

From the beginning, you are in the story. I needed 4 days to read it entirely. I almost literally ate the book! Honestly, I didn’t know I would love this bo

...more

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Nov 25, 2012 Thalyssa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviews-in-english

Scarlette is Davonna Juroe's debut novel. If I had to sum it up in a few words, I'd say : gasping, tortuous, cruel, dark…. but before everything else : captivating !

From the first pages, we're brought into the French province of the Gévaudan at a time when the sadly famous Beast was raving through. The author revisits the legend as well as Little Red Riding Hood's. The work of research behind the story is astounding as French us and usages of that time, facts about the Beast and the wolves, po...more

Scarlette is Davonna Juroe's debut novel. If I had to sum it up in a few words, I'd say : gasping, tortuous, cruel, dark…. but before everything else : captivating !

From the first pages, we're brought into the French province of the Gévaudan at a time when the sadly famous Beast was raving through. The author revisits the legend as well as Little Red Riding Hood's. The work of research behind the story is astounding as French us and usages of that time, facts about the Beast and the wolves, popular beliefs and Church superstitions are so well depicted. And yet, Davonna Juroe has succeeded in creating her own universe. She has perfectly taken advantage of historical informations to make the whole thing even more realistic.

Once the book opened, there's no way to stop ! It is a real page-turner as premonitions we may have in a chapter crumble down in the following. From the start to the very end, I was never sure about anything. I doubted everything and couldn't trust anyone, not even Scarlette. She's very naive but some events are so disturbing that my head was turned upside down and I didn't know what to think any more. I acquired certainties, lost them, felt guilty for not trusting someone who apparently deserved it, and I trusted again... to lose once more that same faith a few pages later. That reading was really destabilizing !

Facts and dramas pile up while the Beast and its pack keep on attacking inhabitants of the small village. Authorities are helpless and common people are progressively losing hope, searching for every bit of relief they could get, whatever the price. Being right or wrong doesn't even seem to matter any more. They're isolated in the fine bottom of a forest and slowly dying since outside trade isn't possible because of the danger of being killed by the Beast or its minions. Everything comes to run out and spirits inflame.

Scarlette's mother goes more and more insane. Her grand-mother is dead ? alive ? How to know for sure ? Everything is made to confuse the reader, to put him on a lead and then on another one. Hints intermingle and the inquiry isn't getting anywhere. It goes back and forth at the same time, while villagers are decimated by the monster lurking around. Scarlette runs all over the place and confronts her doubts and fears, but she's often being reckless and vulnerable. All that doesn't prevent her from going on on her frantic quest for truth. As she keeps on progressing, she has less and less to lose... She overcomes one difficulty after another with great humility and never losing credibility. She hasn't got any great power, she's only a young girl trying to find her place in an unfair world, after her one and only landmark was violently ripped from her.

I was unceremoniously carried along by Davonna Juroe, from one plot to another. She truly knows how to lull the reader with two truths, two different points of view on a same drama. An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth... The war is raging and no one seems able to put an end to terror and murders. We only discover the best of it in the very last chapters. Scattered clues fit into each other at last, everything finally makes sense and the conclusion is as relieving as shaking.

So many injustices in a competently conducted scheme, that is way too unbelievable ! I turned my e-Reader off and felt staggered for a while, even with some bitterness at the tip of my tongue, but it is so good to be given such a rough time through reading ! I shivered, doubted, tried to understand, checked my hypothesis, searched for new leads, along with our poor Little Riding Hood.

Forget everything you know about fairy tales while opening this book and bury yourself in times and places even darker than the human heart...

(less)

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Feb 01, 2013 Amanda rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, e-books, paranormal

I generally love paranormal stories. Werewolves? Witches and warlocks? Ghosts? Vampires? Love 'em. This one seemed promising when I downloaded it and I was kind of excited to start reading it. However, a few chapters in, I wanted to smack our heroine, Scarlette and tell her to snap out of it and get a grip.

The story follows Scarlette, a young peasant woman living in an isolated village in 1767 France. For several years, the village has been terrorized by wolves and many of its people have been f...more I generally love paranormal stories. Werewolves? Witches and warlocks? Ghosts? Vampires? Love 'em. This one seemed promising when I downloaded it and I was kind of excited to start reading it. However, a few chapters in, I wanted to smack our heroine, Scarlette and tell her to snap out of it and get a grip.

The story follows Scarlette, a young peasant woman living in an isolated village in 1767 France. For several years, the village has been terrorized by wolves and many of its people have been fatally mauled. Basically cut off from the rest of the country, the village is slowly dying. The Baron in charge of the lands has organized hunting parties to try to eradicate the killer wolf, with no success.

Living with her mother and beloved grandmother, Scarlette ekes out a small living working for a local tailor as a seamstress, while her mother tends to their flock of sheep. When the attacks hit close to home, Scarlette sets out to try to unravel the mystery, encountering a lecherous boss who is in cahoots with her mother to marry her, a mysterious woodcutter who is charged with watching after her and the Baron who sweeps her off her feet and is apparently instantly enamored with her after only meeting her a handful of times with minimal interaction. She discovers that things aren't as they appear and that witches, warlocks and werewolves really do exist and don't just reside in the minds of superstitious villagers.

As I said, the story had promise, and while I finished reading it, it was mostly because I felt it was a train wreck and had to see how the author managed to tie everything together. As another reader pointed out, there was a lot of confusion and not a whole lot of explanation. We spend 3/4 of the book suffering through the characters' mood swings - I really think everyone in this book was mentally off - one second everyone is the best of friends, then there's extreme suspicion and hate, then back to best of friends. There's really no good explanation for Scarlette's mother's hatred of Scarlette or Scarlette's grandmother. Characters are introduced and then randomly killed off. We spend a majority of the story focusing on werewolves and the woodcutter trying to convince Scarlette they really exist and then towards the end, what the hell, let us throw in the possibility that witches and warlocks are aiding in the attacks. In the meantime she falls in love with the Baron after meeting him maybe twice, inexplicably believes everything he tells her, while disbelieving everything the woodcutter tells her, while alternating between being grateful for the woodcutter's help and blaming him for every situation she has gotten herself into. And don't get me started on her relationship with her "dearest friend" Jeanne.

I just had a hard time feeling any sympathy for Scarlette's plight or really caring about what happened to any of the rest of the cast. I'm just glad this was a freebie e-book and now I know why.(less)

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Mar 31, 2013 Maki Kotone rated it 3 of 5 stars

I've read a lot of Little Red Riding Hood rewrites. So I was a bit worried when I started this book that it would fall into the trap of "shocking twist" stories - either Scarlette or her grandma would be the wolf. I'll definitely give the book credit for the identity of the wolf. It was done very well, kept hidden until the very end, and the identity of the wolf kept in line with the moral of the original fairy tale.

I didn't see why the whole drama with the mother was necessary. It could have be...more

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Mar 26, 2013 Spiral2007 rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 28, 2013 Lindsey rated it 2 of 5 stars

I thought I would enjoy this book, I really did. I love Little Red Riding Hood, Grimm Brothers version and Perrault's as well. I looked forward to seeing what new twists this author would bring to this age old tale. Unfortunately, nothing about this book clicked with me.

Everything felt rushed. It seemed as if this book was on fast forward and no matter what I did everything just sped right past me. I am not quite sure why it was like that, but I can speculate. I think that there were not enough...more I thought I would enjoy this book, I really did. I love Little Red Riding Hood, Grimm Brothers version and Perrault's as well. I looked forward to seeing what new twists this author would bring to this age old tale. Unfortunately, nothing about this book clicked with me.

Everything felt rushed. It seemed as if this book was on fast forward and no matter what I did everything just sped right past me. I am not quite sure why it was like that, but I can speculate. I think that there were not enough details. I was never able to visualize Scarlette (I ended up putting Amanda Seyfried in as Scarlette) and anyone around her. Scarlette's grandmother and Narbonne were the easiest for me to visualize, but their appearances in this novel were very fleeting. There was constant action (which is always good) but nothing broke one action up from the next and many things that should have held more power or emphasize in the book didn't.

I had trouble relating to Scarlette. Her love and determination, as far as her Grandma was concerned, was admirable, and I was impressed with how she held her own against Narbonne, but she was...naive? foolish? obtuse? I espically took a dislike to her at the end of the novel. Her treatment of Francios was awful and I hated how she immediately doubted him. Scarlette was very single minded in her thinking, and I got tired of her crying all the time. I know she was having a rough go of it, but she cried way to often.

Nothing went right. Now this was a pro and con for me. It was a depressing read, but it helped keep my interest. I kept waiting for something good to happen with nothing bad attached to the back end. Everything that brought Scarlette closer to sloving the mystery involved someone dying which kept me from getting attached to any minor characters for fera of them getting killed.

The ending was rushed. I know I already said the book felt fast, but the ending was ridiculous. She finds out who the werewolf is, the werewolf explains everything, goes from loving her to calling her witch then trying to kill her all within three pages. Again with the details. I could never visualize the werewolf and the chase was over before it had even began. It was disappointing. Also Francios "revelation" where he figures out who the werewolf is while in a coma is horribly unrealistic.

This was a disappointing read, but it is a story that had great potential. I liked the relationship between werewolves and wolves and I loved the constant battle of revenge. Scarlette's mother gave me the creeps, but she fit the bill of villian perfectly.
Not the worst, but definitely not a book I will be recommending(less)

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Jan 09, 2013 Melyssa Williams rated it 3 of 5 stars

So far I am really enjoying this. It's nice and long, which is unusual for YA. Full and rich writing. Definitely don't know where it's going - again, unusual (and awesome) for YA. Some typos, like missing quotation marks or quotation marks in the wrong spot, or places where she needs a semicolon, but nothing dreadful.

3/4 of the way through, and now I'm kinda wishing it wasn't QUITE so long! Still good, but more typos ("we" instead of "he," "stay while," instead of "stay awhile," etc). Sometimes...more

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Dec 31, 2012 Paige Firth rated it 4 of 5 stars

In a brilliant mix of historical fiction and a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, we are given a gruesome tale about a young woman named Scarlette. Scarlette has lived in Gévaudan all her life, and her home has been plagued with death. Some blame the deaths on superstitions, claiming their land is the home of werewolves. Scarlette refuses to believe this until her grandmother becomes a victim, and everything Scarlette has ever known is turned upside down. While I felt the pace at the beginning...more

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Nov 04, 2012 Sam rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairytales-legends-myth-etc, review-pending

Review from A Journey Through Pages

There are a lot of books out there that have gorgeous covers and are professionally published, but when you read them there just isn't much substance and enjoyment to them. Then there comes a book that has a cover that makes you want to pass over it because something seems off and less professional about it or you see an easily spotted photoshop filter.

I'm sorry to say that Scarlette by Davonna Juroe has one of those covers, and I'm sorry to say that because wh...more Review from A Journey Through Pages

There are a lot of books out there that have gorgeous covers and are professionally published, but when you read them there just isn't much substance and enjoyment to them. Then there comes a book that has a cover that makes you want to pass over it because something seems off and less professional about it or you see an easily spotted photoshop filter.

I'm sorry to say that Scarlette by Davonna Juroe has one of those covers, and I'm sorry to say that because what's inside the cover is so well written.

Scarlette is an adaptation of Red Riding Hood based in the historical events of werewolf paranoia in France. When Juroe sent me an e-mail asking if I would review the book, this is what caught my attention first because I wondered if she could pull it off, because in my opinion if she could it would be amazing. So the verdict? She pulled it off indeed. There is a good balance in this book of historical, character development, intrigue and paranormal. In fact one thing I really enjoyed was the fact that Scarlette just outright rejects any paranormal explanations for most of the book (it's not like the supernatural occurances are smacking her in the face, especially in the beginning).

I also really enjoyed Scarlette's character. She is called naïve by many characters, but honestly as the reader, knowing what she knows, she reacted to everything in a very realistic and level headed way. She does do some dumb things, but compared to the popular characterization of eighteen year old heroines in books with paranormal elements, it's a lot less and it's nice that she's less dramatic about it.

Throughout the book, I found myself making a lot of guessing about who could be behind everything and how everyone connects and then found myself revising the guesses over and over again. The answers are not as obvious as they seem and I found myself surprised a lot by the twists.

The ending was a bit rushed as a warning. There was so much build-up that the final climax ended up being too much too fast and the wrap-up felt short. That was really my only thing in the writing that kept me from giving it a higher rating. Though I will say that I like the way the aftermath connected with the historical fact about the whole situation.

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Scarlette is a book that combines historical events, paranormal (from a historical point of view) and a classic fairytale. If you like books that keep you guessing with mystery, I recommend this book. It is definitely one of my favourite retellings of the fairytale.(less)

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May 26, 2013 Adriane rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is definitely different than what I normally read. I was really hoping that I would like it despite that, and I did!

I really like fairy tale retellings! I love Once Upon a Time on tv, and I’ve loved the Red Riding Hood Story there, so I was excited to read this one, and I have to say, it didn’t disappoint!

Scarlette is dealing with a difficult mom and a grandmother who is her whole world and a bunch of wolf attacks. When her grandmother is bitten and survives, things change and she has...more

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Jan 27, 2013 Meg - A Bookish Affair rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, fiction, ya-children, paranormal

3.5 stars. I really love retellings of fairy tales so on that alone, I was very excited and anxious to read this book. "Scarlette" is a sort of retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. This isn't a cheery story but Little Red Riding Hood was not a cheery story. Wolves eating sweet little grandmothers, dressing up as said sweet little grandmothers, and then trying to eat little girls? Yeah, that's definitely a little scary. Ms. Juroe weaves the Grimm's fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood with a real...more 3.5 stars. I really love retellings of fairy tales so on that alone, I was very excited and anxious to read this book. "Scarlette" is a sort of retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. This isn't a cheery story but Little Red Riding Hood was not a cheery story. Wolves eating sweet little grandmothers, dressing up as said sweet little grandmothers, and then trying to eat little girls? Yeah, that's definitely a little scary. Ms. Juroe weaves the Grimm's fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood with a really imaginative story to come up with a thoroughly winning combination.

If you've ever read any of the Grimm's fairy tales, you know that many of them are a bit creepy and this book is definitely in that vein of fairy tales and I absolutely loved it! I really loved the main character of Scarlette. She starts out being scared but is so compelled to find out what happened to her grandmother, really the only caring person that she has in her life that she puts her fear aside to try to find out if her grandmother's disappearance has anything to do with the wolf (or is it werewolf???) attacks that are happening in her small French village. I love when characters come into their own throughout a story and this is most definitely the case with Scarlette. I also love her "voice" in the book. She's a very logical thinker and even though she is scared and most definitely makes some mistakes, in the end, it's her wit that sees her through. Scarlette is definitely a well written character who I loved following in this story!

I was left with some questions after the book ended that I wish had been answered. I still didn't understand why Scarlette's mother was so terrible. It's hinted at but never fully explained. Since her horribleness becomes a big part of the story, I wanted to understand more. Also, I wanted to know more about why the werewolves were attacking the town. Is it just because they were werewolves? I also wanted to know more about their background as well.

Overall, this is a good retelling with a great main character!(less)

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Mar 22, 2013 Emily (Falling for YA) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-tour, e-book, reviewed

This year I have read more retellings then I ever have before and honestly I had no idea what I was missing out on. I love going in to a story with some idea of what is going to happen then being completely surprised and blown away by how the author makes the retelling their own. That is exactly what Juroe did with Scarlette!

Scarlette is a loose retelling for the Little Red Riding Hood story. Scarlette lives in a small forest town with her Mother, and Grandmother in France. Only things are not...more

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Jan 04, 2013 Kristen Jett rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

I'm kinda in love with this book. The premise is beautiful - an original retelling of the classic fairy tale. I know this is a book I'll be returning to reread...and reread...and reread. I originally thought it was a light read - until I realized I couldn't put it down. Until I realized I was comparing plot twists to Phantom of the Opera. (Gasp! Which, if you know me, you know that this is essentially the highest praise one could EVER receive.)

Scarlette is a likable main character. I imagine ev...more

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Feb 10, 2013 Dianne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-fiction, dark-fantasy, own, historical-fiction, witches, werewolves

Scarlette is Little Red Riding Hood told with a dark twist for adults and contains the legend of the werewolf that terrorized a province in France. After a slow start, setting the stage and feel for the story, it did pick up with a lot transpiring in a short period of time! You could feel the terror of the people in the village, as well as their reluctance to stand up and hunt the best down, all while pointing fingers of blame at those whose families had been victims of the best.

Scarlette is a s...more

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Feb 22, 2013 Melinda Belle Harrison rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairy-tales, fantasy, folklore, historical-fantasy, indie-author-amazon, reading-in-2013, young-adult, set-in-france, interesting-novel, paranormal-romance, recommended-reading-for-teens, serious-issues, unrealized-potential-loved-anyway, werewolves, witches, 3-5-stars

Sometimes I read a book and immediately see all this wonderful potential, not just in the fact that an author can put one word after another, but ultimately in vision, in the structure of story. Craft can be taught and learned. Imagination is rarer. Scarlette is one of those books filled with imagination. What amazes me on a personal level is that this is a debut book by a very young and novice writer who has obviously worked very hard and I believe that if she works even harder, she is going to...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Julie rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-or-science-fiction, free-books, paranormal

Terrible waste of time. This book didn't flow at all and was extremely choppy. I also couldn't believe how stupid Scarlette was, and she was crying all the time (given, her life was tramatic) .

The romance was so Stupid. I couldn't get into it at all. I don't even know what she saw in the Duke. Yeah, you wouldn't want to believe the guy who saved your life a couple times (woodcutter). Let 's fall for the rich guy that has done nothing trust worthy. Duh!!!! After berating her friend about loose m...more

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Apr 10, 2013 LaDawn rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, my-ebooks, young-adult, paranormal

I'm giving this three stars because imdid enjoy the story, but....
i felt the book was in need of a good editor, not just to fix the misplaced commas and missing words, but to pull the story out and polish it up.
Even in a fantasy world, things need to be believable. There were too many incidents in this book that stretched that rule thin.
Time was another thing I found hard to follow here. It seems to all take place in a very short amount of time, maybe a week? Well, those days must have been mor...more

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Jun 16, 2013 Victoria rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fairytale, fantasy-scifi

Overall, the story was fairly good as a young adult mystery. Juroe did an excellent job making the world and her characters seem realistic for the time period. That is to say, Scarlette's world sucks and Scarlette herself is fairly naive, just as she would be. I also liked the somewhat slower pacing and world-building of the novel, and felt it was a neat, unique take on the Red Riding Hood tale.

However, the book suffers from too many "big reveals" at the end, such that the pacing began to seem o...more

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Feb 17, 2013 Thomas Winship rated it 5 of 5 stars

Davonna Juroe’s “Scarlette” is a creative, imaginative retelling of the tale of Little Red Riding Hood. It blends history and fantasy into a tale that should satisfy the YA crowd, while also offering a bit of something more substantial to other readers.

Set in 18th century France, the novel introduces Scarlette, a teenage peasant living a horrible life … and whose life is about to get much worse. Along the way, she’s attacked by wild animals, abused by her mother, accosted by her boss, and abando...more

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Dec 15, 2012 Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: author-request, kindle-books

I absolutely love when authors take an old tale and add a new twist to it completely making it their own while still holding on to the essence and magic of the original tale. Juroe has managed to do just that with her debut novel Scarlette.

This isn't your average tale of Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bag Wolf. This is so much more. Mystery, lies, curses, death, disappearances, magic, love, deception and darkness all make this an unforgettable tale that you will want to re read just to expe...more

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Feb 02, 2013 Hellen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Scarlette is a 18 year old girl, a peasant, who works as a seamstress to make ends meet. When her grandma is attacked by an animal, Sacarlete tries everything in her power to try and save her, by befriending both a nobleman and a woodcutter. When troubles begin to arise in her town Scarlette must choose who she is able to trust.
I'm not sure what to really say about this book. There were parts that I loved and parts that I hated...a lot that I hated actually. I felt like I was being dragged thro...more

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