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A review by klindtvedt
Red by Kate SeRine
4.0
A Quirky, Sassy & Suspenseful Story that is Totally Unique...
I first encountered “Red” by Kate Serine last year within the “Chapters: Interactive Stories” game app and had enjoyed it thoroughly. Then a few weeks ago, when a reader of my blog emailed me and recommended the book series, I almost fell off my chair. Finding out “Red” is merely book one of a five book series was a surprise, an intriguing one at that. And having had wonderful experiences in the past with books I first encountered within the app, I decided to give it a look, and, my-oh-my, I was not disappointed!
The best way to describe the Transplanted Tales series is this: Image if you will what would happen if you took all of the characters of classic literature, all the fairytales, nursery rhymes, parables, and cautionary tales of childhood. Along with all of the classics of Shakespeare, Austin, Stoker, as well as, every story, poem, and play in-between, threw them into a blender with a sheet of acid tabs, and then chucked the lot of literary goo into one of Dr. Who’s time travel portals... Now imagine that once through the portal, said mixed up characters are recreated in flesh-and-blood form, dumped in Chicago, and trapped there for all eternity. If every literary character was made flesh what do you think would happen? Well in short, chaos would happen, in all its twisted, humorous, sassy, glory. And THAT is what this series is all about, warped, out of this world, mayhem. And “Red”, Serine’s take on Little Red Riding Hood is your first formal introduction to the mayhem at hand.
“Red” is the first installment within Serine’s fairytale landscape. It focuses on Tess “Red” Little an enforcer for the Fairytale Management Agency (FMA), and her partner and oldest friend, Nate “Death” Grimm, the FMA’s top investigative detective and resident reaper.
It follows Red and Nate as they feverishly work to solve a string of gruesome tale murders, and catch the killer, before it strikes again, all the while trying to avoid the growing closeness and heat between them. Heat that throws the combat boot wearing, feelings phobic enforcer for a loop, feelings made even more complicated by the facts of the case at hand. A case in which all the lead suspects are former lovers of Red’s, tales with sorted pasts of their own. Pasts that not only collide with Red’s present, but make her question everything she knows about who she is, what she believes, and whether or not she can trust her own damn judgement.
What follows is a quirky, hysterically funny, emotionally intense, suspense filled story that will honestly blow your mind with its uniqueness.
The story landscape Serine builds here is remarkable. Her character adaptations from Little Red Riding Hood to Miss Muffet, from Snow White to Little Boy Blue, to Death himself, vibrant and multifaceted, emotionally intelligent, and larger than life. This story is over-the-top and exhilarating. It will unexpectedly bind itself to you, make you crave it like a literary addict, and keep you coming back for more, page after wonderful page.
And while, it is dreadfully tame as far as paranormal romances go. Nor the dark and smoldering, alpha-filled story I typically devour. It is sexy and satisfying in its own right, and in its own way. The chemistry between Red and the brooding, mysterious Nate is palpable, their journey together, heartfelt and relatable.
It is a clever and wildly enjoyable twist on a fairytale romance that will indeed make you swoon as often as it makes your nerves jump, and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
I first encountered “Red” by Kate Serine last year within the “Chapters: Interactive Stories” game app and had enjoyed it thoroughly. Then a few weeks ago, when a reader of my blog emailed me and recommended the book series, I almost fell off my chair. Finding out “Red” is merely book one of a five book series was a surprise, an intriguing one at that. And having had wonderful experiences in the past with books I first encountered within the app, I decided to give it a look, and, my-oh-my, I was not disappointed!
The best way to describe the Transplanted Tales series is this: Image if you will what would happen if you took all of the characters of classic literature, all the fairytales, nursery rhymes, parables, and cautionary tales of childhood. Along with all of the classics of Shakespeare, Austin, Stoker, as well as, every story, poem, and play in-between, threw them into a blender with a sheet of acid tabs, and then chucked the lot of literary goo into one of Dr. Who’s time travel portals... Now imagine that once through the portal, said mixed up characters are recreated in flesh-and-blood form, dumped in Chicago, and trapped there for all eternity. If every literary character was made flesh what do you think would happen? Well in short, chaos would happen, in all its twisted, humorous, sassy, glory. And THAT is what this series is all about, warped, out of this world, mayhem. And “Red”, Serine’s take on Little Red Riding Hood is your first formal introduction to the mayhem at hand.
“Red” is the first installment within Serine’s fairytale landscape. It focuses on Tess “Red” Little an enforcer for the Fairytale Management Agency (FMA), and her partner and oldest friend, Nate “Death” Grimm, the FMA’s top investigative detective and resident reaper.
It follows Red and Nate as they feverishly work to solve a string of gruesome tale murders, and catch the killer, before it strikes again, all the while trying to avoid the growing closeness and heat between them. Heat that throws the combat boot wearing, feelings phobic enforcer for a loop, feelings made even more complicated by the facts of the case at hand. A case in which all the lead suspects are former lovers of Red’s, tales with sorted pasts of their own. Pasts that not only collide with Red’s present, but make her question everything she knows about who she is, what she believes, and whether or not she can trust her own damn judgement.
What follows is a quirky, hysterically funny, emotionally intense, suspense filled story that will honestly blow your mind with its uniqueness.
The story landscape Serine builds here is remarkable. Her character adaptations from Little Red Riding Hood to Miss Muffet, from Snow White to Little Boy Blue, to Death himself, vibrant and multifaceted, emotionally intelligent, and larger than life. This story is over-the-top and exhilarating. It will unexpectedly bind itself to you, make you crave it like a literary addict, and keep you coming back for more, page after wonderful page.
And while, it is dreadfully tame as far as paranormal romances go. Nor the dark and smoldering, alpha-filled story I typically devour. It is sexy and satisfying in its own right, and in its own way. The chemistry between Red and the brooding, mysterious Nate is palpable, their journey together, heartfelt and relatable.
It is a clever and wildly enjoyable twist on a fairytale romance that will indeed make you swoon as often as it makes your nerves jump, and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.