Guest Review: Red – Kate SeRine

“My name is Tess Little. But everyone calls me Red.”

Once upon a time, a spell went awry, stranding Make Believe characters in the ordinary world. Since then, Tess “Red” Little—a/k/a Little Red Riding Hood—has worked as an Enforcer for the Chicago branch of the Fairytale Management Authority. But, consider yourself warned—she’s not just some waif with a basket of goodies. All grown up and with nothing to lose, a gun and combat boots is more her style. And Red’s new assignment threatens to be short on happily ever afters…

Someone is murdering transplanted Tales in gruesome fashion. The list of fictional characters capable of such grisly acts is short and includes more than one of Red’s old flames. And if that wasn’t bad enough, there’s another complication, in the form of sexy, enigmatic Nate Grimm, the FMA’s lead detective and part-time Reaper. Used to following her own rules and living life on the edge, Red has managed to avoid taking on a partner until now. But Nate’s dark side makes him perfect for a case like this. That is, if she can trust him. Because if there’s one thing Red knows for sure, it’s that believing in the wrong person can have big, bad consequences…

Series:  Transplanted Tales #1
Release Date:  August 2, 2012
Publisher:  Kensington
Source:  NetGalley
Buy the book at:

Reviewer’s Thoughts:

Red, as in Little Red Riding hood, has been an enforcer of the law for years. Hunting down tales who get a little out of hand is just one of the ways Red spends her day. That is until Death comes knocking with a case that will either make or break red. Forced to take on a partner Red finds herself in the all too familiar situation of fight or flight. Now she will have to face her past and secrets that have been kept from her for decades; no longer able to run she will have to find the courage to face the big bad wolf.

Detective Grimm is all too comfortable with death, probably because it’s what he does for a living. He has spent generations bringing the dead home as one of many Grimm Reapers, and now after decades of watching from a far he finally gets the chance to do what he has been aching to do for decades. Having her in his arms is all he could dream of, and now when his dream is standing right in front of him, he must find a way to tell her the truth without losing her forever.

I believe it is the differences between these two characters that make them. Red with her stubbornness and short fuse mixed with Death and his unbelievable patience makes for (in my opinion) the perfect pair. She struggles most of the way, frustrated because she can’t seem to figure Grimm out, but also intrigued and dying to know more….no pun intended. Then you have Grimm, who has waited patiently for so long to tell her how he feels, to be close to her, and tell all the secrets he has been keeping from her.

I really enjoyed the love story behind this and felt as if I could relate one hundred percent; but the story line itself really takes the cake. I do believe had the author used regular characters it might not have been as interesting; but it’s the fact that you get storybook characters working real time jobs that makes for a very interesting murder investigation and an even more interesting love story.

Guest Reviewed by: