Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
If you like sisters red, you'll love this book. I couldn't put it down, hated when I had to. A must read!
Twists and turns occurred every page, I was on the edge of my seat until the very end.
Original review posted here: http://bookstakeyouplaces.blogspot.com/
I have to say that I enjoyed this story a lot more than Pearce’s Sisters Red. I found myself more connected to the characters in this story which really helped me enjoy the novel on a much deeper level. Pearce also wrote this story in such a wonderful way that I really found myself craving the chocolate and candies that were showcased in Sophia’s shop.
Overall, this book exceeded my expectations, I had hoped to enjoy it more than Sisters Red and I did. Additionally, Jackson Pearce has a third companion novel coming out titled Fathomless that is a retelling of The Little Mermaid. I am curious to see if Pearce brings the characters together from the first two novels as they all have the same goals and since Fathomless will focus on the sister of both Silas, from Sisters Red and Samuel from Sweetly.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good retelling and wants their mouth watering at the thought of chocolate truffles and fruit flavored candies.
I have to say that I enjoyed this story a lot more than Pearce’s Sisters Red. I found myself more connected to the characters in this story which really helped me enjoy the novel on a much deeper level. Pearce also wrote this story in such a wonderful way that I really found myself craving the chocolate and candies that were showcased in Sophia’s shop.
Overall, this book exceeded my expectations, I had hoped to enjoy it more than Sisters Red and I did. Additionally, Jackson Pearce has a third companion novel coming out titled Fathomless that is a retelling of The Little Mermaid. I am curious to see if Pearce brings the characters together from the first two novels as they all have the same goals and since Fathomless will focus on the sister of both Silas, from Sisters Red and Samuel from Sweetly.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good retelling and wants their mouth watering at the thought of chocolate truffles and fruit flavored candies.
Jackson Pearce's 'Sweetly' is as deadly as it is sweet. One page from it, and you have one foot in the grave. Then your tombstone will thereby say: (name), who died of 'eating' too much of J.P's sweets. 'This book is to die for!' (name) she said. How true she was to her word...
Part of me loved this book, part of me was just a tiny bit disappointed.
I felt that way at the end of Sisters Red too, and I'm not quite sure why Pearce's books leave me feeling slightly unsatisfied, but I do know I enjoy them more than I don't. In Sisters Red, I know somehow (and I'm not sure exactly what about it it was, which bothers me a lot) part of it didn't feel like a fairy tale. It just felt like a modern teen fantasy book. A good one. But I was looking for a fairy tale and I didn't find one.
It's really hard to take something so well known and make it your own, with nods to the original, and have the new story feel authentic and fresh. Pearce actually does a very good job, I honestly enjoy all of her characters, she writes well, she has kickass females, there is romance but it doesn't make me want to gag. These girls aren't trying to bone monsters, they are trying to kill them. I am so 100% down with that.
She writes siblings really well, I loved the sisters relationship in Sisters Red, and I liked the one between Gretchen and Ansel in this one. I also really enjoyed the relationship between Gretchen and Sophia (which gives me conflicting spoilery feelings).
The bits I didn't really like were that the Fenris showed up as the monsters in this book as well. I would have been okay with them being part of the novel, I get that she is writing these all in the same universe, that's totally fine, but.....Hansel and Gretel is a completely different story than Little Red Riding Hood, and while partly, (with spoilery stuff I can't say) we had the witch and all, I was a little annoyed that ultimately, the Fenris were the monsters. It just....it felt like she was rehashing something she had already done.
That bit aside, I really did like almost everything else, this one did feel a little more like a fairy tale to me than Sisters Red did, and I liked Gretchen a lot. I think Pearce is improving, and I fucking love scary mermaids, so I can't wait to start the next one.
I felt that way at the end of Sisters Red too, and I'm not quite sure why Pearce's books leave me feeling slightly unsatisfied, but I do know I enjoy them more than I don't. In Sisters Red, I know somehow (and I'm not sure exactly what about it it was, which bothers me a lot) part of it didn't feel like a fairy tale. It just felt like a modern teen fantasy book. A good one. But I was looking for a fairy tale and I didn't find one.
It's really hard to take something so well known and make it your own, with nods to the original, and have the new story feel authentic and fresh. Pearce actually does a very good job, I honestly enjoy all of her characters, she writes well, she has kickass females, there is romance but it doesn't make me want to gag. These girls aren't trying to bone monsters, they are trying to kill them. I am so 100% down with that.
She writes siblings really well, I loved the sisters relationship in Sisters Red, and I liked the one between Gretchen and Ansel in this one. I also really enjoyed the relationship between Gretchen and Sophia (which gives me conflicting spoilery feelings).
The bits I didn't really like were that the Fenris showed up as the monsters in this book as well. I would have been okay with them being part of the novel, I get that she is writing these all in the same universe, that's totally fine, but.....Hansel and Gretel is a completely different story than Little Red Riding Hood, and while partly, (with spoilery stuff I can't say) we had the witch and all, I was a little annoyed that ultimately, the Fenris were the monsters. It just....it felt like she was rehashing something she had already done.
That bit aside, I really did like almost everything else, this one did feel a little more like a fairy tale to me than Sisters Red did, and I liked Gretchen a lot. I think Pearce is improving, and I fucking love scary mermaids, so I can't wait to start the next one.
Jackson Pearce is becoming my go-to person for fairy tale retellings. They are grown-up enough to have loads of crossover potential and tap into a sort of universal, primitive exhileration at the root of so many of the oldest variants of the tales. Not that it's a bad choice to make at all, because it can be done effectively, but so many retellings play for humor or the fantasy without the fear. With Pearce's books the fear is very much a part of the whole experience and it really makes them stick with you. In Sisters Red she took on the story of Little Red Riding Hood. This time, in Sweetly, she explores the story of Hansel and Gretel, and if anything, this one is even creepier.
When they were children,Gretchen and Ansel lost their sister to a mysterious presence in the woods near their house. Although both are traumatized, Gretchen is shaken by the experience the most since it was her twin who was lost. Although Gretchen feels she knows what was behind the disappearance no one believes her and she and her brother make an unspoken pact to keep their family tragedy to themselves. When the siblings find themselves cast our on their own they end up getting close to some of the townspeople, but as they heal from their shattered pasts, they discover that everyone in town has a secret of their own, and one of them just might be deadly.
Although you can't really call this a sequel exactly-it's definitely a companion to SR and the yet-to-be-released Fathomless is part of the series as well. Although three is such a good number, I almost wish there would be more. The suspense is handled so well and the characters are really haunting and compelling. In the first two, although there is some romance, the stories have a lot to do with family and identity. In a way, it's perfect that the Hansel and Gretel serves as the story bridging the other books because so many of the characters are struggling with either finding their way in the world or figuring out their own role in the world. It will be interesting to see where Pearce takes us with the next installment.
When they were children,Gretchen and Ansel lost their sister to a mysterious presence in the woods near their house. Although both are traumatized, Gretchen is shaken by the experience the most since it was her twin who was lost. Although Gretchen feels she knows what was behind the disappearance no one believes her and she and her brother make an unspoken pact to keep their family tragedy to themselves. When the siblings find themselves cast our on their own they end up getting close to some of the townspeople, but as they heal from their shattered pasts, they discover that everyone in town has a secret of their own, and one of them just might be deadly.
Although you can't really call this a sequel exactly-it's definitely a companion to SR and the yet-to-be-released Fathomless is part of the series as well. Although three is such a good number, I almost wish there would be more. The suspense is handled so well and the characters are really haunting and compelling. In the first two, although there is some romance, the stories have a lot to do with family and identity. In a way, it's perfect that the Hansel and Gretel serves as the story bridging the other books because so many of the characters are struggling with either finding their way in the world or figuring out their own role in the world. It will be interesting to see where Pearce takes us with the next installment.
One of my favorite books by one of my favorite authors, Sweetly was amazing, as expected from Jackson Pearce. I can't wait for Fathomless :)
Sweetly has a slow start with Ansel and Gretchen ending up in the small town, Live Oak, after being kicked out by their stepmother. The atmosphere of the town, the people and the mysteries are intriguing and Sophia's candy store is dreamy.
The characters are flat and distant. Gretchen is the type of character that I usually tend to like and her character arc is one that I'm usually drawn to, but I didn't care about her. Similarly with Ansel, Samuel, Sophia and the rest of the characters. Out of the characters, Sophia is the most interesting because of the secrets and mysteries surrounding her. The romantic relationships are more on the sweet side, but I don’t care about them.
Sweetly is inspired by Hansel and Gretel and I like the modern spin, the concepts and the imagination. This is a well-written story, but it's extremely predictable. There's so much foreshadowing so the plot twists are expected and unsurprising. There are plot holes and coincidences that lead to a conclusion that's a little out there. While the ending is action-packed, most of the book is slow-paced. Lots of things happen in the last quarter but none of it is impactful.
Sweetly is an enjoyable read, but I'm not invested or attached to the story and characters. I usually tend to like darker retellings and while I like Pearce's approach, this one misses the mark.
The characters are flat and distant. Gretchen is the type of character that I usually tend to like and her character arc is one that I'm usually drawn to, but I didn't care about her. Similarly with Ansel, Samuel, Sophia and the rest of the characters. Out of the characters, Sophia is the most interesting because of the secrets and mysteries surrounding her. The romantic relationships are more on the sweet side, but I don’t care about them.
Sweetly is inspired by Hansel and Gretel and I like the modern spin, the concepts and the imagination. This is a well-written story, but it's extremely predictable. There's so much foreshadowing so the plot twists are expected and unsurprising. There are plot holes and coincidences that lead to a conclusion that's a little out there. While the ending is action-packed, most of the book is slow-paced. Lots of things happen in the last quarter but none of it is impactful.
Sweetly is an enjoyable read, but I'm not invested or attached to the story and characters. I usually tend to like darker retellings and while I like Pearce's approach, this one misses the mark.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Sweetly sounded like it had an interesting premise, especially because I haven't read a re-telling about Hansel and Gretel before. However, the summary of the book is quite deceptive, in that it seems to concentrate on the dynamics between Ansel and Gretchen but this isn't actually the focus of the book. Furthermore, this isn't really about the re-telling of Hansel and Gretel (although it sure seems like it).
Furthermore, I wasn't able to really relate to the characters involved. I think the character who had my greatest sympathy was Sophia, being caught in a situation where she would either hurt those around her or suffer the consequences. The feelings that Gretchen had towards her were also more nuanced that I would've expected and I found it a nice touch.
The relationship between Gretchen and Samuel didn't seem all that organic to me as well. Gretchen seems to be very young, carrying around a lot of guilt about surviving the incident which killed her sister. On the other hand, Samuel seemed much older and world-weary. I think that their relationship wasn't as balanced as it could've been, given the age gap between them and how they seem to be in different stages of life.
Overall, Sweetly had an interesting concept. However, Pearce didn't exactly deliver on the premise, given that the story diverted quite greatly from the original.
Spoiler
Instead, werewolves are involved somehow. If the book was really about witches, like the original tale was, I think I would've enjoyed the book more. However, Pearce randomly adds in werewolves to the mix and it just seems a tad odd in this story.Furthermore, I wasn't able to really relate to the characters involved. I think the character who had my greatest sympathy was Sophia, being caught in a situation where she would either hurt those around her or suffer the consequences. The feelings that Gretchen had towards her were also more nuanced that I would've expected and I found it a nice touch.
The relationship between Gretchen and Samuel didn't seem all that organic to me as well. Gretchen seems to be very young, carrying around a lot of guilt about surviving the incident which killed her sister. On the other hand, Samuel seemed much older and world-weary. I think that their relationship wasn't as balanced as it could've been, given the age gap between them and how they seem to be in different stages of life.
Overall, Sweetly had an interesting concept. However, Pearce didn't exactly deliver on the premise, given that the story diverted quite greatly from the original