Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

• Received for review
• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Puffin (7 Feb 2013)
• ISBN-10: 0141340231
• ISBN-13: 978-0141340234

This is not the fairytale you remember.

But it’s one you won’t forget.

Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. The police have closed her case. The only person Scarlet can turn to is Wolf, a street fighter she does not trust, but they are drawn to each other.

Meanwhile, in New Beijing, Cinder will become the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive – when she breaks out of prison to stay one step ahead of vicious Queen Levana.

As Scarlet and Wolf expose one mystery, they encounter Cinder and a new one unravels. Together they must challenge the evil queen, who will stop at nothing to make Prince Kai her husband, her king, her prisoner . . .

Cover:  Another perfect, relevant and beautiful cover for this series.

Scarlet picks up where Cinder left off.  And after I finished Cinder I needed to delve into Scarlet right away.

The same fast paced, action packed sci-fi/fantasy read.

I really liked that we still got to see Cinder, and that her story merges with Scarlet (Red Riding Hood).

I loved that we get a different setting.  Cinder was set in New-Beijing and Scarlet takes place in France.  The diversity helped keep the story fresh.

This was a really clever re-telling of Red Riding Hood.  The way Marissa Meyer introduced the wolf element of the story was amazing.

There were some twists and turns that I didn't see coming.

I liked Scarlet's character but wasn't as attached to her as Cinder, who I found to be the more compelling heroine.  However she is strong minded and doesn't take no for an answer, and she's determined to find her grandmother.

I loved the new characters that we are introduced to.

Wolf- a streetfighter that helps Scarlet track down her missing grandmother but may be hiding something, and the hilarious womanizing convict that escapes with Cinder.

I still wished that we got to see more in Prince Kai's point of view.

The villain, Queen Levana, is one of the best villains I've read.  She is so evil.  You love to hate her.  She tried to murder her 3 year old niece.  Yeah.  That is one mean Queen.

The end of evil. I need book 3 right now!