Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

*minor spoilers follow*

Plot summary:

The March sisters, Scarlett and Rosie, hunt Fenris, otherwise known as werewolves. Fenris are soulless monsters (no, really) that eat girls. The March's hunky woodsman neighbor (I would never joke with you, audience), Silas, helps them hunt Fenris. Scarlett gets REALLY turned on by hunting. Rosie gets REALLY turned on by Silas. The Fenris get REALLY turned on by hot girls and what are called "Potential" Fenris. And that is literally all you need to know about this book.

My review:

I liked the premise of this novel. I liked the idea of taking the Little Red Riding Hood story and not only make it contemporary, but also make it scary and heart-rending and romantic. On one level Sisters Red completely succeeds at this. But here's the main problem of this book, and it is spelled r-e-p-e-t-i-t-i-o-n.

• I was interested in Scarlett, the first time we learn that she is horribly scarred, physically and emotionally, and that this causes her to hunt, hunt, hunt, baby. But after a dozen or so (all my numbers are legit in this review, people) internal monologues that say nothing more or less than the previous information, I get bored with her character. "Oh, okay, so you're obsessed...let's move on to where you give in to the obsession, or GET OVER IT." And she really never has to make that choice; I felt like Scarlett remains essentially the same the entire novel through.
• We also get dozens of heart-pounding fights with Fenris. Well, they would be heart-pounding, except after the first five or so they are ALL. THE. SAME. I was yawwwwwning through the action scenes after page 75 or so. I do not approve of yawning during fight scenes! Also, where are the MACHINE GUNS, man? Come on! Get a gun license and just bust open the guys' faces.
• The Fenris are all the same. I kept waiting for some sort of exception to the rule, but give it up now, folks. I would have even been okay with an Angel or Spike sort of character.
• Even poor Rosie got pretty repetitious after a bit. She was definitely the most well-rounded character in the book, but that isn't saying much. I felt like her entire dilemma in the book was a false dichotomy, and that's all I can say about that, really.

Okay, I'm being pretty harsh. Let me mention some good things. I liked Scarlett and Rosie's super-close sister relationship. It was refreshing, somehow, as it seems like in a lot of YA the familial relationships get second-tier treatment. I also liked the romance in this book. I didn't LOVE it, no, partially because of all the problems listed above, but it WAS cute and natural. I enjoyed one or three of the fight scenes.

Mostly, though, after page 100 I just wanted this book to end. Try again, Pearce.

Rating: 3/5

PS: I totally thought this was a debut YA, turns out it's not, so I edited my debut challenge post. Thirteen Reasons Why review coming soon!