Red

by Mary Serine and Kate SeRine

• ISBN10: 1601830181
• ISBN13: 9781601830180
• Publish Date: 2 August 2012 (first published 1 January 2012)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Ekensington Originals
• Format: eBook
• Pages: 368
• Language: English

Reviews

[FranJessca @ A Book Lovin' Mama's Blog]

The first time I read Red by Kate SeRine was ten years ago. It was the first book I ever read based on fairy tale characters transplanted into the real world. Now, ten years later, it’s celebrating its Tenth Anniversary. I had to do a reread of it for the anniversary. It was like reading it for the first time again because I couldn’t remember everything in the book. 

Storyline/My Thoughts: Tess Little (who we would know as Little Red Riding Hood by the fairytales), but in the book Red, she is not the little red riding hood we all know. She goes by the nickname “Red,” and she’s an Enforcer for the Fairytale Management Authority. See, the tales were sent over to the real world by a haywire spell, and FMA has to keep the “tales” in check from the humans. When there is a “tale” crime, Red is there to figure out what happened. Unfortunately, Red finds herself in a world of mess. She ends up having people she once loved, in the mince of the biggest crime ever. Someone is killing off tales, and Red is stuck in the middle of it because one of three ex-lovers may be the prime suspect. She is forced to find out which one did it. She also is dealing with someone following her for some reason, and she’s not sure why and it may end up getting her killed.

She has teamed up with Nate (otherwise known as Death because he is a Reaper) on the case. Nate wanted Tess specifically to the case since she knows the suspects. He also has other reasons, but he doesn’t tell Red until late in the book.

I LOVED the characters, Red and Nate. Seriously can I have Nate? He is dark, dreamy, and sexy. =) He is always at the right time and moment for Red in the story, too. Red’s character had some kick-butt qualities to her. She was not like the fairy tale Red Reading Hood we are used to in the fairytale. There were moments in the book that drove me crazy about Red, though. When Nate tells her the truth, she freaks out and ends up running away from him. She could have handled it better.

This book brings you the fairy tales from the dark side. Kate SeRine kept me intrigued whenever she introduced a new fairytale character in the book.

You’ll read about Snow White, Cinderella, Prince Charming, Juliet, Seth the werewolf (from little red riding hood), the Sandman, and so many others. Be prepared because this book does give you fairy tales that we are used to reading for the characters because good characters are actually evil and vice versa.

I enjoyed reading Red and give it four stars. I look forward to rereading the next book. I liked how Kate SeRine kept me turning (swiping) the pages to find out what happens next in Red. Kate has a unique writing style, and she has a wicked ‘cool’ imagination (taking my daughter’s saying).

Standalone or Part of Series: It’s part of the Transplanted Tales series. Each book has different characters, but previous characters are mentioned.

Trope(s): Fairy Tale Retellings

Would I recommend this book? Yes. I recommend this book to urban fantasy and paranormal romance lovers out there. If you want the dark side of the fairy tale world, then you definitely will enjoy this book.

[Berls]

I don't do review tours very often anymore because it stresses me out to have to read a book by a certain deadline. But when I saw this one come through from Caffeinated PR, I couldn't resist. And I'm really REALLY glad I was weak. Because it was SO GOOD!

If you like retellings this may / may not be for you because while the characters are 99% characters - or, as they call themselves, Tales - from Fairy Tales or Literary Fiction, they live in our world now and their "official" story informs their character but it is not who they are now. And I personally loved that element, this idea that given the freedom to write their own stories, characters might choose a different life than the one their writers gave to them. I expected only fairy tales, because the main character is Red from Little Red Ridding Hood, so imagine my delight when my favorite literary couple of all time appeared! Yep, Elizabeth and Fitzwilliam Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. They weren't the only literary characters, (for example, Vlad and Juliet make appearances) although fairy tales do dominate.

As I said, the main character is Red (that's her nickname, but I honestly can't remember what her given name is... Tess? IDK, not important really) and I loved everything about her. First off, I loved that she's kind of running from her story and trying to build her own narrative. I loved her relationship with her Grandmother (who is also a FANTASTIC character). Red is an Enforcer for the Tales (kind of like a Detective) and she reports to Al (ahem, Aladdin). He assigns her a case where Tales are getting torn to shreds by some sort of monster; assigned to her because the three most likely culprits are her exes. Fun, right?

And then she's assigned to work with the other main character, Nate - who is a reaper. Death himself as a partner. And if you've read many books with Death/Reapers, they have this tendency to be darkishly handsome and melt-worthy. Nate does not disappoint, although he's considerably sweeter than you'd expect Death to be. And not bad in the kitchen LOL. And as you can imagine there is romance - especially because Red has quite the romantic history and entanglements. While the action and mystery are the stars of the story, you won't be disappointed by the romance either.

I loved watching them solve the case and the way knowledge of the different stories and characters intermixed with being in the Ordinary (what they call us humans) World. I was on my toes the entire time trying to figure things out. I had lots of good guesses and while I was close, I wasn't 100% correct because I missed a couple clues. Those are the best detective books for me - when I could have solved it but didn't because there were enough red herrings to throw me off.

The mystery and initial problem are wrapped up very nicely, but there's still a larger problem at hand when the book concludes and I am eager to read the next book to see how things continue!

[Melanie]

I got this book as a limited time special free purchase from Amazon.

This story has a very interesting premise. You have literary characters showing up in real life. Red, is Little Red Riding Hood (bet you didn't see that one coming). This reminded me a lot of the TV show Once Upon a Time. This does include a wider selection of characters, including Dracula, Mr Darcy, Juliet and The Grim Reaper.

The story has promise, but I was never entranced in the story. I don't really love the characters, but I don't hate them. I do like the world that is built around them. I will be checking to see if I can find the other books through the library. I would like to see if the plot and character development get better.

[Angie]

Red was a lot of fun! It's like Once Upon a Time with an Urban Fantasy twist! Our narrator is Tess "Red" Little, or Little Red Riding Hood as you probably know her. She's an enforcer for the Fairy Tales' equivalent of a police force. Her current case involves a string of murders and the top three suspects are all her ex-boyfriends. Now it's her job to bring them in for questioning without getting old feelings mixed in, and solve the who, what, when, where, why, and how of this deadly mystery.

I loved how the world of Red was set up. No one's entirely sure how, but some big magic went awry from the fairy godmother and the genie, causing a bunch of characters from Fairy Tales, Literature, Mythology, and wherever to be thrust into our world. Some made it, some didn't. And they all came at different times, and have had to adjust. There are a lot of familiar faces roaming around Chicago and a whole bunch of different species. Of course, they all have to maintain some secrecy, because who's going to believe that their neighbor is Little Miss Muffet?

While I loved the world of Red, I was a bit overwhelmed by it when it came to the plot. There are a ton of characters to keep track of when it comes to the mystery. Tess is our main character and her partner is Nate, the Grim Reaper. There's the three main suspects, plus their connections. There's the other bodyguards, enforcers, and investigators. Tess's Gran, and some random humans who are somehow involved. It was a lot to keep straight, although I figured who one of the culprits was quite early and paid more attention to them and less to everyone else.

Other than the awesome premise and array of supernaturals, Red is your pretty typical mystery. I enjoyed it, but I was never wowed by anything. I did really like the romance that develops though! And while the case was solved, the bad guy is still at large, so onwards to the sequel!

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.

[Cocktails and Books]

Red, as in Little Red Riding hood, has been an enforcer of the law for years. Hunting down tales who get a little out of hand is just one of the ways Red spends her day. That is until Death comes knocking with a case that will either make or break red. Forced to take on a partner Red finds herself in the all too familiar situation of fight or flight. Now she will have to face her past and secrets that have been kept from her for decades; no longer able to run she will have to find the courage to face the big bad wolf.

Detective Grimm is all too comfortable with death, probably because it’s what he does for a living. He has spent generations bringing the dead home as one of many Grimm Reapers, and now after decades of watching from a far he finally gets the chance to do what he has been aching to do for decades. Having her in his arms is all he could dream of, and now when his dream is standing right in front of him, he must find a way to tell her the truth without losing her forever.

I believe it is the differences between these two characters that make them. Red with her stubbornness and short fuse mixed with Death and his unbelievable patience makes for (in my opinion) the perfect pair. She struggles most of the way, frustrated because she can’t seem to figure Grimm out, but also intrigued and dying to know more….no pun intended. Then you have Grimm, who has waited patiently for so long to tell her how he feels, to be close to her, and tell all the secrets he has been keeping from her.

I really enjoyed the love story behind this and felt as if I could relate one hundred percent; but the story line itself really takes the cake. I do believe had the author used regular characters it might not have been as interesting; but it’s the fact that you get storybook characters working real time jobs that makes for a very interesting murder investigation and an even more interesting love story.

Guest Reviewed by Dani for Cocktails and Books.

[kimbacaffeinate]

I love fairy-tale retellings and urban fantasy. When I read Cait’s review @Basia’s Bookshelf I knew I had to read this book. So I grabbed a copy of Red, to share with you. When a spell goes awry characters find themselves in the “here and how.” Filled with humor, beloved characters, suspense and romance this novel grabbed me from the first pages. SeRine has added her own unique twist and created a new series you are going to love.

SeRine drops us right into the story when we meet Tess “Red” Little, aka Little Red Riding Hood. She works as an enforcer for the Chicago branch of the Fairytale Management Authority. (FMA) Dressed in combat boots and carrying a gun she brings in suspects, solves cases and protects the fairytale community from exposing themselves to the Ordinaries. When someone or something begins brutally murdering Tales (story book characters who have crossed over and live among humans), Red finds herself looking at a suspect list that reads like her little black book. She has been involved with all of them and not one is going to appreciate being questioned. She also finds herself with a partner and Red prefers to work alone. Her new partner is the smexy, fedora wearing Nate Grimm. He’s the lead detective for FMA and a grim reaper. The tale that unfolds is filled with sexual tension, suspense, danger and a list of characters that kept me completely immersed in the tale.

Red is all attitude and kick-ass awesomeness. As the number one enforcer the Tales respect her. Dressed in combat boots and a trench coat, Tales know that if Red is sent to find you; you’re coming in. I liked Red; she is complex and easy to connect with. Being immortal she has lived among the Ordinaries (humans) for some time, she loves her job and is confident in her sexuality. Oddly she doesn't really see herself as beautiful and I think that is part of her charm. She has some baggage from her story and is trying to rewrite it in the “here and now.” She has commitment issues and lives with her Gram. (Yep the one in the tale) Gram was a hoot and I loved this feisty, funny old lady. Nate is a grim reaper and one of the best detectives in FMA. He dresses like Neal Caffrey from the hit show, White Collar and has all the confidence and swag. He oozes smexy and I couldn’t help but swoon for him. He really gets Red and his need to protect her was sweet. The sexual tension between them was delightful. Nate was a perfect gentleman, but said and did things that made Red swoon. She has a really tough time trusting anyone, but she just might learn she can trust Nate. That is if his secret doesn’t destroy her. We meet other characters, and SeRine’s depiction of them in the “here and now” was at times hilarious. The fact that Red was involved with almost all of the suspects at one time or another added tension and some sexual angst.

The world building for Red was fascinating. While we are not provided with a lot of details as to how the whole migration from the pages of fairy tales to the "here and now" began, we are offered enough to satisfy this reader. Sometimes whole characters from tales crossed over and at other times only one. The spell also seeped into the pages of classics and I loved this little twist. I loved discovering who each character was and what became of them. The murder mystery was good with a list of suspects that kept Red busy. Foreshadowing and character details led me to discover who was behind the attacks but I enjoyed the ride. SeRine cleverly added twist to the plot that caused tension. The romance was sweet, slow to develop and felt genuine. While there is some sexual content, it is implied but totally hot. There is some profanity but it’s not abusive and felt appropriate. The tale flowed at a fast clip with just the right amount of details. I loved the authors writing style and she brought these characters to life. Witty banter and hilarious moments kept me enthralled. The plot development for this series is endless and I like that Red and Nate’s tale ended and I am super excited about the next Tale's story.

If you like fairytale retellings and urban fantasies with kick-ass protagonist then Red is definitely for you. The Better to See You is the next book in the Transplanted Tales series and a little teaser is included in the back of this book. It was enough to have this reader drooling for more. I have added Kate SeRine to my list and will definitely continue this series.

I want to thank Kensington Publishing and netGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.