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Dark Goddess Chronicles #1
Lethal Red Riding Hood
Bloody Scarlet, the skull collector of the Crimson Forest, is just a cautionary tale to keep children from wandering in and getting lost — isn’t she? Well something’s out there.
In a world dominated by a cruel Inquisition that sees demons and witches everywhere it turns, Keely just wants to make a dishonest living convincing the obscenely wealthy to part with their excess riches through guile and trickery.
When the Inquisition shows up to destroy her life anyway, Keely goes on the offensive rather than scurry back into the shadows. To set it up for a fall she lures the Inquisition into an invented race to find a heretical book of prophecy that may never have existed.
When Keely builds her lies on existing rumors, though, and points the hunt in the direction of the Crimson forest, a new player introduces herself to the high stakes con game as a deadly wild card.
Whether or not the woman in red is the real Bloody Scarlet, the closer Keely gets to the dark, twisted heart of the forest the more quickly things spiral out of control.
In a world dominated by a cruel Inquisition that sees demons and witches everywhere it turns, Keely just wants to make a dishonest living convincing the obscenely wealthy to part with their excess riches through guile and trickery.
When the Inquisition shows up to destroy her life anyway, Keely goes on the offensive rather than scurry back into the shadows. To set it up for a fall she lures the Inquisition into an invented race to find a heretical book of prophecy that may never have existed.
When Keely builds her lies on existing rumors, though, and points the hunt in the direction of the Crimson forest, a new player introduces herself to the high stakes con game as a deadly wild card.
Whether or not the woman in red is the real Bloody Scarlet, the closer Keely gets to the dark, twisted heart of the forest the more quickly things spiral out of control.
403 pages, Paperback
Published October 4, 2020
9 people are currently reading
73 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 25, 2021
What a wild ride !!!! You guys know I am a sucker for a 🧚♀️ fairy tale !!! Throw in a mix of shenanigans and you’ve got this little gem. I will definitely give book 2 a shot.
I received an ARC via BookSirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Happy reading everyone!!!
I received an ARC via BookSirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Happy reading everyone!!!
January 8, 2021
A big thank you to Leonard and Ann Marie Wilson for gifting me a review copy of their book in exchange for an honest review! First of all, I just want to say that Keely is my girl! If I could turn into any animal, it would be a cat, so it just makes sense that she’s my FAVORITE character out of this whole book. She’s also very cunning and intelligent. The perfect protagonist to Bloody Scarlet.
Of course, there are similarities to The Little Red Riding Hood, like the wolves and the Wolf’s Tooth (which is an important setting in the story) and Bloody Scarlet, and as the title suggests, Scarlet is very lethal and has her own army of deadlings that Keely and her friends/acquaintances must face.
There’s a lot going on in Lethal Red Riding Hood. It’s dense. The book took me a while to read, and at first, it was hard to get into. Not that it was slow or uninteresting, it was just a lot to catch up on. Once I got to know the characters, settings, and plot more, it was easier to get lost in the story. The only thing I couldn’t wrap my mind around was near the end when Keely tricked Scarlet into getting too close. I’m trying not to give too many details away, but I felt like it was too easy. Other than that, it was a great first book in the chronicles.
If you’re interested in retellings and witches, give it a try! I’m very curious to know what y’all think of the ending!
3.5 stars
Of course, there are similarities to The Little Red Riding Hood, like the wolves and the Wolf’s Tooth (which is an important setting in the story) and Bloody Scarlet, and as the title suggests, Scarlet is very lethal and has her own army of deadlings that Keely and her friends/acquaintances must face.
There’s a lot going on in Lethal Red Riding Hood. It’s dense. The book took me a while to read, and at first, it was hard to get into. Not that it was slow or uninteresting, it was just a lot to catch up on. Once I got to know the characters, settings, and plot more, it was easier to get lost in the story. The only thing I couldn’t wrap my mind around was near the end when Keely tricked Scarlet into getting too close. I’m trying not to give too many details away, but I felt like it was too easy. Other than that, it was a great first book in the chronicles.
If you’re interested in retellings and witches, give it a try! I’m very curious to know what y’all think of the ending!
3.5 stars
spfbo7
September 20, 2021Read this as a guest judge (With FanFiAddict) for SPFBO 7.
October 4, 2021
Fan of fairytale retellings? Oh and if you love fantasy books, this is definitely one you would want to read. I’m honestly wasn’t expecting that this book would be this good, sometimes I try to no let high expectations get all over my head because is definitely not pleasant when I get disappointed. So , yes, I do recommend this book. Im going to read book 2 as soonest I clear some days in my calendar.
October 26, 2020
Start to Finish - a Wild Ride!
I am a huge sucker for a fairytale retelling, so I thought I knew what I was getting into when I started this book. I was wrong. This isn't just Little Red Riding Hood, but make it darker and add some blood. (okay, a lot of blood!) It is entirely possible that there was a blender involved in the creation of this book. Or a wood-chipper.
It is really hard to write a review of this book because 1)there is so much to say and 2) so much I don't want to give away. So, I'm not going to say very much. I will say that I really really enjoyed it. I loved the main character, Keely. She was fun and complicated in the ways of all good protagonists. I also enjoyed reading about Keely's crew. There is a point in the book where quite a few people start to show up all at once and it took me a bit to keep them all straight in my head. Once I had names straight, I loved following along with Keely's crew. The villains were well written too. The Inquisition... (shudder). I found Bloody Scarlet to be a very interesting villain - not what I expected at all. I kept having to revise my ideas of what she was and what she wanted throughout the story.
I enjoyed this book. It was fun and interesting and not what I was expecting in a really good way. I look forward to more from the Dark Goddess Chronicles.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I am a huge sucker for a fairytale retelling, so I thought I knew what I was getting into when I started this book. I was wrong. This isn't just Little Red Riding Hood, but make it darker and add some blood. (okay, a lot of blood!) It is entirely possible that there was a blender involved in the creation of this book. Or a wood-chipper.
It is really hard to write a review of this book because 1)there is so much to say and 2) so much I don't want to give away. So, I'm not going to say very much. I will say that I really really enjoyed it. I loved the main character, Keely. She was fun and complicated in the ways of all good protagonists. I also enjoyed reading about Keely's crew. There is a point in the book where quite a few people start to show up all at once and it took me a bit to keep them all straight in my head. Once I had names straight, I loved following along with Keely's crew. The villains were well written too. The Inquisition... (shudder). I found Bloody Scarlet to be a very interesting villain - not what I expected at all. I kept having to revise my ideas of what she was and what she wanted throughout the story.
I enjoyed this book. It was fun and interesting and not what I was expecting in a really good way. I look forward to more from the Dark Goddess Chronicles.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 8, 2021
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
What a wonderfully twisted version of not just one but multiple stories! The different stories in here are taking your favorite tales and filtering it through the viewpoint of a character stuck in the discourse of survival.
The plot in this story is a fun adventure in and of itself even without the glorious character interactions. The characters are stuck in an unforgiving world where it’s do or die and their actions reflect that.
Our main character has a wonderful blend of flaws and strengths who truly feels she understands who she is. Yet, as we follow her along, we find that maybe she’s just fallen into what she had to do rather than what she wants to do. It’s a story of self discovery well worth the trip.
What a wonderfully twisted version of not just one but multiple stories! The different stories in here are taking your favorite tales and filtering it through the viewpoint of a character stuck in the discourse of survival.
The plot in this story is a fun adventure in and of itself even without the glorious character interactions. The characters are stuck in an unforgiving world where it’s do or die and their actions reflect that.
Our main character has a wonderful blend of flaws and strengths who truly feels she understands who she is. Yet, as we follow her along, we find that maybe she’s just fallen into what she had to do rather than what she wants to do. It’s a story of self discovery well worth the trip.
November 5, 2020
If you like fairytales, this is for you! If you like fantasy? Also for you! Interesting characters, and a LOT going on! So much, it can be easy to get confused. I would recommend.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 23, 2021
This novel was really interesting. As far as fairy tale retellings go, this was a good one. And yet, when I started reading it, I was of a complete different opinion. Why, would you ask? Simply because, when you begin the story, you are looking for the original fairy tale. And I am of a mind to say that a good fairy tale retelling needs to give you enough of the original to understand why it is a retelling.
I even thought that I might have picked up the wrong book, so far it seemed from the summary I had read before.
The thing is the actual tale comes later in the story, so keep reading and you will see it !
The characters are extremely well-developed. This is also one of those plots that leaves you hanging on barely breathing as you go on reading. The thing that didn't work for me (and just for me) was the multiplicity of narrators and focalizations. I felt that there were too many of them and sometimes because of the unusual names, it was hard for me to keep up.
I know that I can't wait to read the next volume so what are you guys waiting for?
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I even thought that I might have picked up the wrong book, so far it seemed from the summary I had read before.
The thing is the actual tale comes later in the story, so keep reading and you will see it !
The characters are extremely well-developed. This is also one of those plots that leaves you hanging on barely breathing as you go on reading. The thing that didn't work for me (and just for me) was the multiplicity of narrators and focalizations. I felt that there were too many of them and sometimes because of the unusual names, it was hard for me to keep up.
I know that I can't wait to read the next volume so what are you guys waiting for?
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 21, 2020
Second time reading through and it is still an awesome rollercoaster of a read
I have now read the book twice and enjoyed it thoroughly both. Like any good rollercoaster it starts off easy and a bit deceiving. You think you know how this story is going to go and then bam, there is a turn and then another turn and then you’re suddenly shouting at the drop off.
Leonard and Ann have a way of making the story rollicking, romantic and riproaring fun (also mythically terrifying, deep and foreboding and a good reason to take up nail-biting again). The story has strong world-building, believable characters in a setting that is steeped in danger, mystery, politics, and spooky stories; also beware the inquisition has real bite here.
I highly recommend this novel for those looking for a spooky mythic twist to their fairytales. It was definitely a great way to spend a rainy night.
Though I will say, I’m likely to be looking at ponds a bit oddly for the next little while. *shudder*
I have now read the book twice and enjoyed it thoroughly both. Like any good rollercoaster it starts off easy and a bit deceiving. You think you know how this story is going to go and then bam, there is a turn and then another turn and then you’re suddenly shouting at the drop off.
Leonard and Ann have a way of making the story rollicking, romantic and riproaring fun (also mythically terrifying, deep and foreboding and a good reason to take up nail-biting again). The story has strong world-building, believable characters in a setting that is steeped in danger, mystery, politics, and spooky stories; also beware the inquisition has real bite here.
I highly recommend this novel for those looking for a spooky mythic twist to their fairytales. It was definitely a great way to spend a rainy night.
Though I will say, I’m likely to be looking at ponds a bit oddly for the next little while. *shudder*
Read
February 2, 2022 I'm a sucker for a good fairytale retelling, but that's not exactly what we're getting. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson pull elements from classic fairytales weaving them into a creative and dark world of their own making. Filled with dangers both known and unknown Keely drags both her motley cast and the reader on an adventure. This book had wonderful worldbuilding, great characterization and excellent writing. My only complaint was the amount of POV's in the book. This paired with the flash backs meant there were times that I got really confused then had to go back and reread a section to get my bearings. Even with that I still felt Mr. and Mrs. Wilson did a great job creating a story that was a mix of fantasy, mystery, sprinkled with romance and even a little horror. The plot swept me along, keeping me interested and engaged enough to keep reading despite my confusion.
Received via Silver Dagger Book Tours in exchange for an unbias review.
Received via Silver Dagger Book Tours in exchange for an unbias review.
August 5, 2022
Lethal Red Riding Hood, introduces readers to a fascinating fractured fairy tale world. It tells the story of Keely, a con artist living in a bleak world dominated by the Inquisition, who attempt to seek out and destroy all magic. When Keely becomes a target of the Inquisition, she has to run the greatest con of her life, one that sends her crashing into the path of the mythical figure known as Bloody Scarlet. I love a fractured fairy tale, and this is a great one. The fantasy world is thoroughly imagined--it was like there was a whole epic fantasy there, between the lines of this fairytale story. And the darkness was very satisfying. That much worldbuilding, and the incorporation of so many genres, in a relativley short book, did make for a dense read that was slightly hard to get into, but it's such an innovative book that I would still highly recommend it.
September 21, 2021
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I had mixed feelings about this book. I found the premise of this book to be intriguing. But I found other parts of the book to be a bit harder to get into. I found all the main characters to be interesting and the various perspectives that offered that. I found the world to be interesting but very hard to follow at times. The plot seemed potentially interesting but I just never seemed to get into it. Although at the same time I did keep reading this so I may have gotten into it more than I though.
Overall 3/5 stars.
I had mixed feelings about this book. I found the premise of this book to be intriguing. But I found other parts of the book to be a bit harder to get into. I found all the main characters to be interesting and the various perspectives that offered that. I found the world to be interesting but very hard to follow at times. The plot seemed potentially interesting but I just never seemed to get into it. Although at the same time I did keep reading this so I may have gotten into it more than I though.
Overall 3/5 stars.
November 5, 2022
I really wanted to like this novel as I adore fractured fairy tales and retellings. I think this one had way too many points of view and characters which hindered my enjoyment in reading this one. The storyline was great when I wasn't bogged down with whose point of view and figuring out what was going on (lots of backtracking and rereading of parts). That is why it took me way longer than usual to read it. I loved the horror elements added as well as making the familiar fairy tale unique and their own. It was a great read for Spooktober but it really shouldn't have taken me the whole month to read it.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
January 15, 2022
Little Red Riding Hood with a bloody chilling dark twist! I really wasn't expecting this book to be as dark as it was but I loved it! Keely was a great main character! She has everything we look for in a fantasy character but she also has her faults so it's really easy to like her! Really all of the characters are well written! I liked how the author blended the fairytale with some fantasy and horror! Overall a really great read! Happy reading everyone!
December 1, 2022
Keely spends makes her living by tricking rich people out of their money. When she leaves town to escape the Inquisition she decides to get her revenge on them by planting rumors about a heretical book of prophecy. Things do not go smoothly, and somewhere out there is Bloody Scarlet - definitely someone to steer clear of.
As more of Keely's past is revealed she becomes a much more complex character. I really enjoyed this book, and I want some magic boots just like Keely's.
As more of Keely's past is revealed she becomes a much more complex character. I really enjoyed this book, and I want some magic boots just like Keely's.
February 1, 2022
The book jumps to too many different characters in too many different locations, with the connection too hard to keep track of. Some breaks are so abrupt that it feels like chapters are missing. I gave it several tries, but each time I started reading I quickly grew bored or frustrated. Never finished it.
July 28, 2021
Good, old-fashioned horror at its best! A captivating, suspenseful, twisted and chilling delight!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews