Red

What a Great Start to a New Series!

**FTC DISCLAIMER: I RECEIVED AN E-ARC FROM THE AUTHOR, IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW. RECEIPT OF THIS BOOK IN THIS MANNER DOES NOT AFFECT MY OPINION OF THE BOOK OR THE CONTENT OF MY REVIEW.**

Red Locklear is a member of the hunters that protect Dakota by hunting animals that would view the townspeople as prey. Werewolves aren’t the only animals she hunts but, because her parents and brother were brutally killed by a pack of the bloodthirsty animals, they’re definitely her favorite prey. One evening, Red returns home from hunting to find that her grandmother hasn’t returned from her foraging trip. She can’t bear the thought of her grandmother being out alone in the dark, possibly injured, so Red straps on her quiver of silver arrows and heads out to find her. After all, her grandmother is the only family Red has left, and she’s the one who raised her after the wolf pack killed the rest of her family. When she finds her grandmother, she’s surprised by something she never thought she’d see. She finds a werewolf guarding her grandmother from the other werewolves and protecting her from the bitter cold. Red’s sworn duty is to kill any and all werewolves she encounters. But, how can she kill the one who’s saved her beloved grandmother, who’s obviously very different from the others, who is obviously desperate for a human connection? What happens when she falls in love with him?

This book was amazing from the very beginning. It caught my attention and held onto it, to the point that I literally read it in one sitting. I couldn’t bring myself to put it down! This was definitely not your typical werewolf story and I appreciated this fresh take on The Little Red Riding Hood Story. I loved how well written all of the characters were and it was interesting to see how even the people who were trying so hard to do the right thing differed in their points of view as far as exactly what that “tight thing” was. It clearly illustrates the potential consequences of lumping everyone into the same categories and making assumptions based on the labels you’ve given them. I loved watching everyone realize what could have happened if they had remained so close minded. All in all, everyone really grew and learned a lot. I didn’t see some of the twists that the storyline brought and there were several surprises, some good and some bad. I really loved that none of the characters were flat or boring, even the less active townspeople that you didn’t encounter very much. J. E. Taylor is an incredible author and I’m looking forward to reading the rest of this series and her other works, as well.