What do you think?
Rate this book
Threads of Red
Not yet published
Expected 6 Oct 26"Red Riding Hood" meets "Goldilocks" in this sweeping fairy-tale retelling where love, jealousy, and magic collide.
Red Grimshaw has sworn to protect her younger sister, Kristell, not only from the poverty that plagues their family but also from their mother's cold ambition, which treats the sisters as nothing more than marriage bargaining chips.
But when Kristell flees her unwanted betrothal into the forbidden deep woods, she is bitten by an ice snake and falls into a deathlike sleep. Red has no choice but to venture into the cursed forest to find her grandmother--a conjurer who might be the only one who can save Kristell from death.
Armed with only her grandmother's enchanted red cloak--alive with its own mysterious magic--Red quickly discovers that the woods are a place where wolves howl, bears roam, and the trees themselves respond to magic's call. Joined by both her rival, Goldi Martin, and the boy they both love, Carrigan Woods, Red's path is quickly tangled with jealousy, secrets, and impossible choices.
As time ticks away for Kristell, Red and her friends must reach Grandmother's house before the night of conjures, when the woods are filled with magical beasts intent on hunting down any intruders.
In a world where conjurers are feared and love can be both a blessing and a curse, Red must learn that every spell has a cost, every heart hides a truth, and bravery is written in threads of red.
Red Grimshaw has sworn to protect her younger sister, Kristell, not only from the poverty that plagues their family but also from their mother's cold ambition, which treats the sisters as nothing more than marriage bargaining chips.
But when Kristell flees her unwanted betrothal into the forbidden deep woods, she is bitten by an ice snake and falls into a deathlike sleep. Red has no choice but to venture into the cursed forest to find her grandmother--a conjurer who might be the only one who can save Kristell from death.
Armed with only her grandmother's enchanted red cloak--alive with its own mysterious magic--Red quickly discovers that the woods are a place where wolves howl, bears roam, and the trees themselves respond to magic's call. Joined by both her rival, Goldi Martin, and the boy they both love, Carrigan Woods, Red's path is quickly tangled with jealousy, secrets, and impossible choices.
As time ticks away for Kristell, Red and her friends must reach Grandmother's house before the night of conjures, when the woods are filled with magical beasts intent on hunting down any intruders.
In a world where conjurers are feared and love can be both a blessing and a curse, Red must learn that every spell has a cost, every heart hides a truth, and bravery is written in threads of red.
272 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication October 6, 2026
About the author
Julie Wright
63 books750 followers\Julie Wright wrote her first book when she was fifteen. Since then, Julie Wright books have received several starred reviews, have been chosen as Teen Readers’ Choice Award Nominees, Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selections, Tome Society Book Award winners, Whitney Award winners, and have been listed in the American Library Association’s top ten romances.
She’s a sucker for almost all things nerdy: Doctor Who, Disneyland, the Marvel Universe, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, fairytales, and Jane Austen. She believes in second chances, getting up and trying again, and in the power of generosity and compassion.
She has one husband, six kids, two grandbabies, one dog, and a varying number of houseplants (depending on attrition). She loves writing, reading, traveling, snorkeling, hiking, playing with her family, and watching her husband make dinner.
She’s a sucker for almost all things nerdy: Doctor Who, Disneyland, the Marvel Universe, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, fairytales, and Jane Austen. She believes in second chances, getting up and trying again, and in the power of generosity and compassion.
She has one husband, six kids, two grandbabies, one dog, and a varying number of houseplants (depending on attrition). She loves writing, reading, traveling, snorkeling, hiking, playing with her family, and watching her husband make dinner.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 2, 2026
This was such a fun read! I had a hard time putting it down. The story was so captivating. I have always been a fan of fairy tales with a twist. How each of the stories were intertwined added to the enjoyment of the story especially when the animals came into play.
I was left wanting a little more at the ending, but can also see the strategy for ending it the way it did.
A fantastic read when you are looking for something lighthearted and for pure enjoyment.
I was left wanting a little more at the ending, but can also see the strategy for ending it the way it did.
A fantastic read when you are looking for something lighthearted and for pure enjoyment.
August 22, 2026
Red Grimshaw promised to protect her sister Kristell from anything that comes their way. They grew up in poverty and their mother wanted Kristell to marry a rich guy to have higher status in their society. To escape the betrothal, she ran to the deep woods and got bitten by an ice snake and falls into a deathlike sleep. To find cure, Red needed to go to deep woods and look for her conjuror grandmother.
Wearing her grandmother’s magical red cape, she ventured to the woods. Red faces magical challenges alongside her rival, Goldi, and the boy they both love, Carrigan. They race against time to reach grandmother’s house before magical beasts hunt them down. They had to work together to survive and save their province.
This was a fun read. I love fairytales and I never knew Red Riding Hood and Goldilocks story would be so good together. You get to meet the bears and other monsters. I love Goldi. She’s my fave character in the story. She was a bully and became a really good friend in the end. I feel like there should be more story about Kristell. I don’t know if this will be a book series but I wish the book was a little longer because I want more. This book is about friendship, love and caring for other people.
This is a clean young adult fantasy so no spice and cursing. Thank you to the author for the eARC
Wearing her grandmother’s magical red cape, she ventured to the woods. Red faces magical challenges alongside her rival, Goldi, and the boy they both love, Carrigan. They race against time to reach grandmother’s house before magical beasts hunt them down. They had to work together to survive and save their province.
This was a fun read. I love fairytales and I never knew Red Riding Hood and Goldilocks story would be so good together. You get to meet the bears and other monsters. I love Goldi. She’s my fave character in the story. She was a bully and became a really good friend in the end. I feel like there should be more story about Kristell. I don’t know if this will be a book series but I wish the book was a little longer because I want more. This book is about friendship, love and caring for other people.
This is a clean young adult fantasy so no spice and cursing. Thank you to the author for the eARC
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I received this ARC from the publisher.
Loreda "Red" has long been an outcast in her village. When her sister Kristell is promised to a not-so-nice boy by their mother to try to raise the family's status, Kristell goes in search of their grandmother, an outcast conjurer. But then Kristell is gravely injured, and Red knows the only way to save her is to seek out their grandmother herself. Donning grandmother's red cloak, Red heads into the forest... only to discover Goldi, the mean girl at school, and Carrigan, Red's crush and the boy who Goldi plans to marry, are following her. Can these three work together to save Red's sister and the kingdom?
This was a fun fairytale mash-up, with elements of Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and Sleeping Beauty. I loved seeing Red and Goldi go from competitors to friends as well as the slow burn romance between Red and Carrigan. There could have been more with Kristell but maybe this is the start of a series. This story would also be good for an upper middle grade reader as the romance stays pretty clean and the danger isn't too violent.
Loreda "Red" has long been an outcast in her village. When her sister Kristell is promised to a not-so-nice boy by their mother to try to raise the family's status, Kristell goes in search of their grandmother, an outcast conjurer. But then Kristell is gravely injured, and Red knows the only way to save her is to seek out their grandmother herself. Donning grandmother's red cloak, Red heads into the forest... only to discover Goldi, the mean girl at school, and Carrigan, Red's crush and the boy who Goldi plans to marry, are following her. Can these three work together to save Red's sister and the kingdom?
This was a fun fairytale mash-up, with elements of Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and Sleeping Beauty. I loved seeing Red and Goldi go from competitors to friends as well as the slow burn romance between Red and Carrigan. There could have been more with Kristell but maybe this is the start of a series. This story would also be good for an upper middle grade reader as the romance stays pretty clean and the danger isn't too violent.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This mash up uses elements from Little Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and Sleeping Beauty to create a new story. Like the best fairy tales, you have a deep, dark wood, a cloaked witch, and monsters that hunt in the night. Pampered, rich Goldi and poor, abused Red are thrown together on a desperate journey through the woods to find a cure for Red’s sister after a snake bite puts her to sleep. Along the way, the girls learn more about each other and their own prejudices, becoming friends.
The author does a great job building atmosphere: the village feels bleak, the woods both quiet and terrible. You can feel Red’s hope that this time her mother will be kind and loving, even as the reader knows not to trust her. The more experienced reader will see several plot twists coming, but the writing makes it a fun trip anyway.
Audience: appropriate for an advanced middle grade reader and up. If you like twisted fairy tales like The Sisters Grimm series, the relationship dynamics of Agatha, Sophie, and Tedrose in The School of Good and Evil series, or the sacrifice and loyalty Katniss has to her family in The Hunger Games, you will find something to like here.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
You won’t want to stop reading
This is a fast paced story with mystery, danger, hidden identities, and romance that will keep you wanting to keep reading. I had a very hard time setting it down. Red is a daughter of a poor family and the granddaughter of a conjuror exiled to the deep woods. When Red’s sister is bitten by an ice snake the only hope for her survival is their grandmother. So Red sets off to the deep woods dressed in the red cape her grandmother had sent to her and joined by Goldi, her rival, and Carrigan, the man both Red and Goldi love. Their quest will have them facing down a monster, their own fears, and questioning things they have always taken for granted. I simply wanted to keep reading to the end. It was hard to stop. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy. This is my review and all thoughts are my own.
This is a fast paced story with mystery, danger, hidden identities, and romance that will keep you wanting to keep reading. I had a very hard time setting it down. Red is a daughter of a poor family and the granddaughter of a conjuror exiled to the deep woods. When Red’s sister is bitten by an ice snake the only hope for her survival is their grandmother. So Red sets off to the deep woods dressed in the red cape her grandmother had sent to her and joined by Goldi, her rival, and Carrigan, the man both Red and Goldi love. Their quest will have them facing down a monster, their own fears, and questioning things they have always taken for granted. I simply wanted to keep reading to the end. It was hard to stop. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy. This is my review and all thoughts are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was such a fun YA fairy tale fantasy! I loved the combination of Red Riding Hood and Goldilocks; it felt unique and yet familiar enough to be easy to get into. The romance was nice without being overpowering, so this would be a good fit even for younger readers, and I liked that Red and Goldi had a clear arc in their friendship. The magic and history/setup of the world were so fascinating; I wished we got more time to spend with some of that besides shocking reveals/twists. I also feel like I wanted a little deeper of the relationship between sisters, as that was clearly a theme here, but some of it was more told than shown. The forest was a great balance of creepy and protective. Overall, I really enjoyed and highly recommend this read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I am a sucker for a fractured fairy tale, and what could be better than Goldilocks and Red Riding Hood in the same room?
Red is trying hard to help her family, but whatever she does, she always seems to fail. Now her mother has betrothed her sister to an abuser. She has to stop it, so into the woods she goes, in a red cape,to find her magical grandmother. She didn't plan on having company for the journey, but they become a godsend.
The premise is fun, the characters well developed. There are twists and turns all over the place. This is a fun read!
Thank you to net galley and Shadow Mountain for the opportunity to read an early release copy.
Red is trying hard to help her family, but whatever she does, she always seems to fail. Now her mother has betrothed her sister to an abuser. She has to stop it, so into the woods she goes, in a red cape,to find her magical grandmother. She didn't plan on having company for the journey, but they become a godsend.
The premise is fun, the characters well developed. There are twists and turns all over the place. This is a fun read!
Thank you to net galley and Shadow Mountain for the opportunity to read an early release copy.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I received an ARC of this book at the Public Library Association conference.
If you like fantasy or fairy tale remixes, then give this book a try. If I could give 1/2 stars, then I'd give this 4.5 stars.
This is a mix of Red Riding Hood and Goldilocks. But it's not just a mash-up of the two, and I think it really stands on it's own. The characters were good, the setting was great, and it avoided a lot of the tropes found in YA and fantasy. I will definitely be reading more of this author's works.
If you like fantasy or fairy tale remixes, then give this book a try. If I could give 1/2 stars, then I'd give this 4.5 stars.
This is a mix of Red Riding Hood and Goldilocks. But it's not just a mash-up of the two, and I think it really stands on it's own. The characters were good, the setting was great, and it avoided a lot of the tropes found in YA and fantasy. I will definitely be reading more of this author's works.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
“Fairy tales are more than true. Not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us dragons can be beaten.”
Who would win in a fight, Red Riding Hood or Goldilocks? This book answers that with a fantastic love triangle, enemies-to-friends girls, sisterly love, and an imaginative twist on the classic fairytales we enjoy. Perfect for fans of Caraval, Forest Grimm, Once Upon A Time, and Cinder.
Who would win in a fight, Red Riding Hood or Goldilocks? This book answers that with a fantastic love triangle, enemies-to-friends girls, sisterly love, and an imaginative twist on the classic fairytales we enjoy. Perfect for fans of Caraval, Forest Grimm, Once Upon A Time, and Cinder.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
What a great book with such an interesting mix of fairy tale stories. Red Riding Hood and the Wolf, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Sleeping Beauty and a bit of Cinderella. Clever and full of intrigue and action. With love stories, an enemy to friend story, magic and mystery this is one you won't want to put down.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Where do I start? I received this book from an author event and I was absolutely blown away again at the storytelling of Julie! This was more than a fairy retelling! She magically wove two beloved fairytale characters as well as enchanting creatures in one engrossing story. I will definitely be reading this again and again!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC.
I really wanted to like this book as fractured fairy tales are some of my favorites to read and the description was really intriguing. Sadly, Loreda “Red” was just not as interesting as she had the potential to be. A lot of her decisions just didn’t make sense with the villain telegraphed long before the big reveal…
It was a clever idea, it just didn’t work.
I really wanted to like this book as fractured fairy tales are some of my favorites to read and the description was really intriguing. Sadly, Loreda “Red” was just not as interesting as she had the potential to be. A lot of her decisions just didn’t make sense with the villain telegraphed long before the big reveal…
It was a clever idea, it just didn’t work.
May 29, 2026
I enjoyed this advanced reader’s edition of Threads of Red. It is a fresh take on the Red Riding Hood and Goldilocks fairy tales. Characters were well established, good world building, a love story on the side. An easy and quick read, but also quite satisfying.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you to the publisher for providing this ARC-- I look forward to reading and updating my review once it's complete!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews