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rray_ 's review for:
Little Miss Red
by Robin Palmer
Little Miss Red is a very refreshing and well-written take on both the high school "slice-of-life" genre and a "twist retelling" of the Little Red Riding Hood tale. One of Robin Palmer's strongest efforts so far, the book features witty, believable, relatable and fully-realized characters and an airy but engaging plot.
Plot: Sophie Greene is feeling that her life in love and academia is stuck in a rut. Captivated by her favorite novel heroine, "Devon Deveraux," she wishes for a globetrotting life full of excitement and a revolving door of perfect boyfriends. When her current beau wishes to press the "pause button" on their relationship, when she is caught red-handed at cheating at a school photo contest, and when she must put her Spring Break plans on hold to visit her grandmother in Florida, things only seem to be pushing Sophie deeper into that rut. However, a mysterious, charming and potentially dangerous (in all the right ways) stranger who sits next to her on her flight brings promise of exactly the type of thrilling adventures Sophie only read and dreamt about.
While very light on plot, Little Miss Red demonstrates Robin Palmer's craft at creating believable, three-dimensional and memorable characters. The dialogue and Sophie's first-person perspective are very well-written and snappy. Palmer deftly gives sympathy for Sophie's boredom and desperation, including her failed attempts at cheating. Overall, a highly recommended light summer or Spring Break read that will nonetheless leave the reader appreciating these well-crafted characterizations, and perhaps a greater understand of what goes on in a teenage girl's head.
Primarily for teen girls; male readers may be put off by the pacing and genre. Older readers nostalgic for high school "slice-of-life" stories may also highly enjoy this.
Positives:
- generally positive messages and role models for teen girls
- excellently-written characterizations
- reading difficulty: medium (a few hours)
- extremely humorous character moments and climax
Negatives:
- main character Sophie Greene may seem like a negative role model at first; requires reading until resolution for positive messages to show themselves
- some readers may be disappointed at the completely realistic setting and only light allusion to fairy tales depending on what they expect from the title and premise
Other similar works by author:
- "Castle Heights" series, of which Little Miss Red is #3 (Cindy Ella, Geek Charming, Wicked Jealous)
- "The Corner of Bitter and Sweet"
Other similar works by different authors:
- "The Clique" by Lisi Harrison (fewer positive messages, flatter writing)
- "The A-List" by Zoey Dean (much fewer positive messages, much flatter writing)
- "How My Personal, Private Journal Become a National Best-Seller" by Julia DeVillers (easier reading level)
Plot: Sophie Greene is feeling that her life in love and academia is stuck in a rut. Captivated by her favorite novel heroine, "Devon Deveraux," she wishes for a globetrotting life full of excitement and a revolving door of perfect boyfriends. When her current beau wishes to press the "pause button" on their relationship, when she is caught red-handed at cheating at a school photo contest, and when she must put her Spring Break plans on hold to visit her grandmother in Florida, things only seem to be pushing Sophie deeper into that rut. However, a mysterious, charming and potentially dangerous (in all the right ways) stranger who sits next to her on her flight brings promise of exactly the type of thrilling adventures Sophie only read and dreamt about.
While very light on plot, Little Miss Red demonstrates Robin Palmer's craft at creating believable, three-dimensional and memorable characters. The dialogue and Sophie's first-person perspective are very well-written and snappy. Palmer deftly gives sympathy for Sophie's boredom and desperation, including her failed attempts at cheating. Overall, a highly recommended light summer or Spring Break read that will nonetheless leave the reader appreciating these well-crafted characterizations, and perhaps a greater understand of what goes on in a teenage girl's head.
Primarily for teen girls; male readers may be put off by the pacing and genre. Older readers nostalgic for high school "slice-of-life" stories may also highly enjoy this.
Positives:
- generally positive messages and role models for teen girls
- excellently-written characterizations
- reading difficulty: medium (a few hours)
- extremely humorous character moments and climax
Negatives:
- main character Sophie Greene may seem like a negative role model at first; requires reading until resolution for positive messages to show themselves
- some readers may be disappointed at the completely realistic setting and only light allusion to fairy tales depending on what they expect from the title and premise
Other similar works by author:
- "Castle Heights" series, of which Little Miss Red is #3 (Cindy Ella, Geek Charming, Wicked Jealous)
- "The Corner of Bitter and Sweet"
Other similar works by different authors:
- "The Clique" by Lisi Harrison (fewer positive messages, flatter writing)
- "The A-List" by Zoey Dean (much fewer positive messages, much flatter writing)
- "How My Personal, Private Journal Become a National Best-Seller" by Julia DeVillers (easier reading level)