Rachel Vincent is about to try her hand at a retelling in Red Wolf! As you can probably guess from the title alone, we're about to dive back into the world of Little Red Riding Hood, but with a twist.

Adele has spent her entire life in one small village. She's never left, as the foreboding woods keep most of the villagers trapped within. For monsters are lurking out in those woods, and each year they seem to grow in number.

However, one night in Adele's sixteenth year, her life was permanently changed. She learned something about herself and her family. Something that will change the way she looks at the woods and her entire village.

“Turn around, Adele...Just turn around and walk in a straight line until you hear the axes. Until you come out of the forest.”

Red Wolf was such an enchanting read (pun not intended, this time!), I found myself sucked in Adele's story, unable to look away. I have always enjoyed Rachel Vincent's writing, and I feel like it truly shined here.

Red Wolf is a thrilling take on the classic tale of Little Red Riding Hood. What I loved the most about this tale, other than the heavy infusion of fantasy elements (more on that in a second), is how much agency Adele's character is given here.

It's refreshing! The magical elements (which I won't detail because it's a spoiler) create a fun twist in the plot, keeping me fully invested in the story. Between those elements, and the fact that Vincent was unafraid to sow room for conversation and discourse along the way, Red Wolf ended up being a surprisingly rich and intense read. One that I would recommend for all fans of fairy tale retellings.

"Turn around, Adele... Just turn around and walk in a straight line until you hear the axes. Until you come out of the forest."

It's been awhile since I have been this invested in a YA fantasy, but here we are. Red Wolf is the binge-worthy Red Riding Hood retelling I've been searching for, and while the foundation of the fairy tale is there, this book takes on an entirely new version of its own, which I love. Wonderfully atmospheric, perfectly paced plotting, and a tinge of romance (a love triangle, but don't worry, it's not THAT kind of a love triangle), my only complaint is that this book is billed as a standalone but ends on a total cliffhanger! Please tell me there will be a sequel? Highly recommend the audiobook if you enjoy that format.

Red Wolf was a clever and unexpected re-telling of Little Red Riding Hood. However, it has very few similarities other than a grand-daughter, grandmother, wolves, a red hooded cape and the dark woods. In this other world, the "dark wood" is quickly taking over the villages. Within the "dark wood," many dangerous monsters exist. Each village has a guard to protect them and patrol their border. As is often the case in tales where monsters and the unknown exist freely, superstitions and distrust of others often abound. If doubts are cast about another villager or their family, they are sometimes wrongly accused of a crime, found guilty and executed before reason can be properly exercised.

It's in this world that our heroine, Adele is planning her future. She wants to marry her beau, live next to her best friend and raise their families together. Unfortunately, there is a great deal she doesn't yet know about herself and her destiny. Many events will happen that will permanently alter her view of the world she thought she knew and her place in it.

I found this book to be quite inventive and atmospheric. As a reader, it was easy to find myself pulled into the storyline. Adele is forced to make heartbreaking decisions for the "overall good." My heart broke for her many times. The story unfolds in a fairly predictable way for the most part. However, it takes some dark twists and turns that I definitely didn't anticipate. I'm hopeful that Ms. Vincent will write more books set in this world. She definitely left the door open to do so.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review this book and the opinions contained within are my own.

Red Wolf is Rachel Vincent’s absolutely dreamy fantasy retelling of Little Red Riding Hood. Sixteen year-old Adele lives in Oakvale, a town surrounded by a vicious dark wood where mankind’s greatest enemies roam, including the feared werewolves. When Adele travels through the dark wood on a trip to deliver pastries to her grandmother, she discovers she comes from a long line of Werewolf Guardians. It is their duty to protect the village, without the townspeople ever knowing of their existence.

Adele must decide, is it worth giving up the future she had planned to fulfil her duties as a Werewolf Guardian. The story had a consistent pace that kept me wanting more. I recommend it for all lovers of the fantasy genre or fairy tales.

I really loved the first 75% of this book. It was atmospheric and gothic and terrifying and gave me so many M. Night Shyamalan The Village vibes. It was an eerie, horror book which I have not read in a long time. I've been on a rom com kick for books so this book totally threw me when I read it. While I enjoyed the first 3/4 of this book the ending fell flat for me. There was so much character development with Adele during the majority of this book and I really wanted to see that same development happen at the end. I can't say much without spoiling the ending, but the events at the end were so rushed and unexpected and completely different than what fit the character throughout the book.

I think that if the author had more time and a few more pages in the book to really match the development at the end to the earlier development in the book, this book would have been 5 stars for me. The changes in Adele's character were just too abrupt at the end and I really would have enjoyed more insight into her decisions. Overall it was a well-written novel and will be perfect for fans of Little Red Riding Hood retellings.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Teen for allowing me to read an eARC in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own.

I enjoyed the concept of this book. It was interesting to find she was the Wolf. Unfortunately Adele became rather annoying to me about halfway through the story. I understand her inability to understand her mother's decisions made sense in the end, however it just made me frustrated reading about her continuously stupid decisions. I felt it was left so open ended; is there another story coming or there just isn't closure to some of the other characters? It's interesting enough I'd recommended it to some of the younger YA readers, but I doubt I would to anyone over the age of 16.
SPOILER ALERT. IF YOU DON'T WANT A SPOILER, STOP READING!
The death at the end of the book felt extremely abrupt. She's so legendary as a guardian, other towns know of her, she battles huge monsters every night for decades, and a mere human takes her down with an ax throw? Seemed so rushed, and overall the story just felt cut short.

really liked this book, it was fun and easy to get through. the mc is a great character she isn’t the usually annoying i liked the side characters even more the main relationship was the best thing. the pacing and the setting of this novel was so good and just made the book even better.

Rachel Vincent’s Red Wolf is a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, but where Red is a wolf – as are her mother and grandmother. They’re guardians against the white wolves and other monsters in the forests that have grown closer around the villages in this vividly-imagined world.

Adele doesn’t find out about her heritage until her 16th birthday, and everything she’s been planning for and dreaming of goes up in ashes. Because in her village, they burn those who turn into wolves. As Adele contemplates the ramifications of what she is, she also learns that she’s betrothed to a carpenter from another village – and he’s coming to visit.

Red Wolf has that classic love triangle that is so common in YA fiction. I’m not fond of the trope, but Vincent does a good job in keeping both boys decent (so you’re not biased). Adele on the other hand, is a tad whiny. Sure, her life’s plan just got upended, but with everything she’s learning about who she is and why she exists, you’d think she’d spare a little thought for those who’re dependent on Adele & her ilk for survival. Instead, she’s selfish and immature (ok, ok, she’s only 16) (which means she’s got a whole life ahead of her) (if she doesn’t ruin it and gets burned at the stake) and costs the village a child.

To be fair, she did save a child, first.

The first half or so of Red Wolf is meander-y and angsty, as Adele gushes over her love and we meet those she shares the village with. The second half is action and despair and hey-this-guy-isn’t-so-bad as Adele learns what she is, meets her betrothed, and realizes there’s a wolf amongst them. And she has to carry out a sentence for the safety of the village.

This isn’t one of the unputdownable books I’ve come to expect from Vincent (I’ve loved many of her titles), but it’s still a good enough story that you want to know what happens. Grab it for your to-read pile this summer – while there’s still a summer! (I’m in WI, where summer can turn into fall overnight, and then you’re shivering in your boots until next July…)

drey’s rating: Pick it up!

Rachel Vincent has done it again! Red Wolf is a dark, fast-paced, thought-provoking YA fantasy novel. The story is filled with rich, well-developed characters and atmospheric world-building. The plot is a twist on the classic Red Riding Hood tale. Adele has always been told to stay clear of the woods surrounding her village until one day, she learns her truth. She is actually one of a long line of guardians tasked with protecting the village from the outside world. Guardians are women who turn into wolves, so I guarantee you haven't read a retelling like this before! Adele is torn between her two worlds. The story is filled with tons of action and beautiful writing. If you enjoy YA fantasy, be sure to check out Red Wolf today!

First sentence: The dark wood moaned—a deep, eerie sound that was more than just the groan of shifting tree limbs. I turned, and my empty basket swung in the crook of my right elbow as I stared into the wooded expanse that enclosed most of Oakvale.

Premise/plot: Red Wolf by Rachel Vincent is a retelling of the classic folk tale Little Red Riding Hood. Mostly. Adele, the heroine, does have a grandmother living deep, deep, deep in the woods. And the woods can be deadly, so Adele does have to be careful when she's taking her supplies. But this is a YA retelling. Adele is no girl, but a young woman--sixteen. And would it even be a YA book without a love triangle???

Readers can expect horror, romance, drama, and secrets. Of course, a few of those secrets are spilled right in the jacket copy. For better or worse, the book's description tells you right out that Adele is a werewolf and that she comes from a family of werewolves... If I'd been writing that description, I would have chosen to do it differently. That could just be me. I like to know as little as possible--most of the time--about a book. Especially in this genre/sub-genre.

My thoughts: I found Red Wolf a compelling, atmospheric read. If Readers In Peril was still a thing--is it still a thing???--I would definitely recommend reading this one for the reading challenge. It offers a few spooks and a good amount of blood. This genre/sub-genre is not a favorite of mine. I didn't go out seeking a book starring werewolves--or shapeshifters. But I am drawn to fairy tale (and folk tale) retellings. I like seeing how other authors treat old tales. (The show Once Upon A Time is/was one of my favorites.)

I do think it will appeal to several different audiences. I think adults who are looking for paranormal thrillers may roll their eyes a bit at the love triangle aspect of it. I know love triangles can really upset some readers who are tired to death of it. But the romance elements were never front and center for me. And that may help some readers out.

What was front and center for me was the whole nurture versus nature aspect of it. Adele is caught up in something she doesn't really understand and she's in over her head. Of course, nature versus nurture has been done a million times before as well.

I liked the openness of the ending. I think it could easily be a stand alone book, and stay a stand alone book. I don't need a tidier ending than what we get here. But I could see how there's just enough room left open so that a series could happen. But again I don't think readers would have to go on to any future books.

I did find myself yelling at Adele a couple times throughout the book. There were times I saw danger that she was blind to. There were times I found her frustrating. But overall, I was drawn into her world.

Quote:

The dark wood takes a little more of you every day that you’re out there, until things that seemed unthinkable a week ago suddenly seem acceptable.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Erica – ☆☆☆☆
RED WOLF is a fantastical retelling of LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD, from the imaginative mind of Rachel Vincent.

To be honest, I'm no fan of retellings, doesn't matter if it's my favorite tale. However, I am a major fan of Vincent's, so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to escape in the LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD world as she sees it.

I'm also intrigued by the dark and mysterious air that wafts around stories featuring primitive villages, with their intriguing folklore to explain the inexplicable.

There truly is a strong likeness in the overall feel between RED WOLF and THE VILLAGE, which is an amazing thing, as I enjoy rewatching the film over and over.

Read from cover to cover, a dark and ominous vibe causing the pages to turn at a rapid rate, I immersed myself in the tale Adele has to tell. Longing to create a life of her own, with the loss of her father, the grief ever hanging over her, Adele wishes to settle down with the boy of her dreams, surrounded by family.

Traipsing through the Dark Wood to visit her grandmother at her mother's behest, Adele is put to a test, one she didn't even realize she was taking, the twists and turns creating an intriguing read.

On the cusp of her birthday, Adele learns of a world she never knew existed, altering her plans for the future. She is now the protector of her village, keeping the villagers safe from the monsters in the Dark Wood. What she wants and desires no longer matters.

While RED WOLF is a retelling of the classicLITTLE RED RIDING HOOD, there are few similarities, ensuring the story has a brand-new feel, allowing the reader to be surprised, to experience the unexpected.

Word of warning, Adele is sixteen, growing up in an isolated village, the story told with a young adult mindset. Some grown adults may find her personality immature or grating, as she has a know-it-all type personality and a stubborn streak a mile wide. Keep in mind, she is a child, even if in her world she would be considered an adult. Her upbringing and the age of the era influences her personality and how she views the world. Strong and capable, Adele is innocent, thrust into a world where werewolves and monsters exist. It was easy for me to be empathetic, understanding why Adele was making the decisions she was making, even if I didn't agree with them, because I have the advantage of looking at the situation as an adult who had access to an education and a wide world view. Adele is an isolated teen in a fairytale, who sometimes rubbed me the wrong way, but I appreciated the authenticity of it.

Is this a romance? No. While there is an undercurrent of romance influencing Adele's choices, the story itself is supported by the fantasy, whimsy, and folklore surrounding Oakvale and the Dark Wood.

While not a cliffhanger, the ending is rather abrupt, which is both satisfying as a standalone while leaving the door cracked open for a sequel.

Honestly, I was surprised in how much I enjoyed it. Not because RED WOLF is Rachel Vincent's creation, but because it was a retelling (not a fan) and I was thoroughly absorbed.

I gave up on this one a few chapters in. It was straight info-dumping, no character or world development at all. Just "hi, I'm your heroine and this is my life OH WAIT NO IT ISN"T good thing someone is here to explain that everything I thought I knew was wrong." It's exhausting and not particularly interesting.

Adele has always known that monsters live in the dark woods. She watched her father burned when she was 8 years old because he had been attacked by a werewolf. Everyone in the village of Oakvale knows to stay away from the woods unless it is necessary. Adele’s grandmother lives in the woods, though, and during one of her visits, she learns that she is from a long line of guardians. She can change into a wolf, but she doesn’t hunt humans, she protects them. What will Adele need to give up to keep the village safe?

Red Wolf is a stand-alone fairy tale re-telling. Vincent introduces Adele’s legacy early on and readers can explore what this means as Adele discovers the truths herself. Even though this is a fairy tale re-telling, readers will see connections to their own lives and decisions they might face in the years to come. I didn’t want to put this book down. Even though this is a one-and-done, I could see more books in this world Vincent has created. I recommend this book to everyone of every age.

This is a story about a wolf in girl’s clothing

For a retelling, this managed to be unique & exciting. The dialogue was so/so, but the creepy atmospheric setting made for a compelling read.

Thank you so much Netgalley & Harper Collin Ch. for this eArc!

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️. 💫/5

I received this an ARC from Netgalley. Red Wolf is a creative re-telling of Little Red Riding Hood. I enjoyed Rachel Vincent's writing style and felt the story flowed extremely well. Adele has to chose between the life she has known and a life with responsibilities she never imagined. Definitely a must read for anybody that enjoy fairy tale retellings!

A fairytale retelling where Little Red Riding Hood is the wolf? Sign me up! I recently read an ARC of Red Wolf by Rachel Vincent, and if you enjoy retellings with a twist, this book is definitely for you!

Essentially, the book is about a girl named Adele, who lives in a small village surrounded by the dark wood, which is a dangerous and mystical forest. On her 16th birthday Adele’s mother sends her into the dark wood, presumably to visit her grandmother, but when she is attacked by a white wolf and she suddenly transforms into a red wolf, she is quickly thrust into a world she has been raised to fear. Now tasked with the immense pressure of hiding her family’s secret while also protecting her village, Adele feels as though there is no longer any room in her life for all her previous hopes and dreams, but is she really willing to give up the life she wanted?

Red Wolf is set to come out on July 27th of this year, and honestly I’m surprised that I haven’t heard more hype about it! Like, where are all the fantasy-lovers at? You’re missing out if you don’t read this wonderful book! There were so many aspects of the novel that I enjoyed. First off, the plot keeps the story moving and makes it extremely hard to stop reading. I stayed up late reading this book because I absolutely needed to know what would happen next.

Also, I have to admit that I have never read a retelling in which Red Riding Hood is also the wolf. That spin on the original fairytale gave the story more depth and made the characters more interesting. Since Adele is not only the innocent Little Red, but also the Big, Bad Wolf, she has the unique attributes of being both the monster and the victim. Rachel Vincent did an exceptional job of blurring the lines between monster and victim and between right and wrong. The morally grey characters and situations in this novel truly make it special.

The one thing I didn’t love about the book was the protagonist, Adele, but I will admit that this is likely due to her immaturity, which is typical for a 16-year-old girl. Adele was constantly trying to find a way to live out her dreams despite her responsibilities and sometimes refused to recognize the reality of her situation. While this was immensely frustrating and annoying as a reader, it certainly accurately reflects Adele’s age and life experiences.

I adored most of the other characters in the novel! Max was extremely likeable, despite the circumstances in which he is introduced in the book. Although the book mostly focused on Adele’s point of view, the other characters came alive through her experiences. While it would have been nice to have a little more depth to some of the characters, leaving the focus on Adele’s narrative made the story feel more realistic, as if it were truly a 16-year-old girl telling the narrative.

Finally, while there wasn’t necessarily any astounding world-building, Vincent made Oakvale and the surrounding dark wood 3-dimensional. The creatures that live in the dark wood sound terrifying, but also fascinating. Like Adele, I know I should be afraid of the dark wood as a reader, but I want to explore the unknown just as much as she did!

So mark July 27th on your calendar because you won’t want to miss out on this adventurous and whimsical book!

Adele and her mother visit her grandmother every month on the night of the full moon. Her grandmother lives in the dark woods - travel requires quick steps, bright lanterns and a sense of urgency.
Her mother is too busy with Adele's best friend's engagement party baking order - Adele braves the woods on her own for the first time. The woods have called to Adele since she was a young girl. This night just amplifies the voice - Adele ascends to her destiny as a Guardian.
And soon meets her betrothed.
Adele and Grainger have been in love since childhood, making plans with their friends for a cottage near each other, raising families. But Grainger is a member of the Watch - those who maintain the dark woods border, keep the lanterns lit - the Guardians natural enemy.
Will Adele forsake her betrothal? Or will Maxime prove himself worthy?
The ending was pretty abrupt, tying everything so nicely together. I'm guessing there will be another book - it just felt very quick and tidy.

What an unexpected book this was!

Red Wolf follows sixteen year old Adele whose grandmother reveals that she is descended from a long line of wolf shifting guardians that protect her small village in secret from the evil creatures that lurk inside the dark woods surrounding it. Struggling to come to terms with her grandmother’s revelation and her new role, Adele must choose between the man she loves and the future she’s always thought she’d have or this new and uncertain path that will protect the lives of the innocent townsfolk and the stranger who was raised to help her.

While I struggled my way through the first 7-8 chapters of Red Wolf, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I ended up enjoying this. Outside of the rocky start, Red Wolf picks up quickly, morphing into a story that held my captive and had me binging it in one sitting!

If you’re a fan of fairy tale retellings, I highly recommend this book!

A retelling of Little Red Riding Hood that definitely brings Rachel Vincent back to her supernatural roots. Having read a lot of Rachel Vincent growing up, I found myself wanting more demons and things that go thump in the night, but she cleverly found a way to embed them all into a small French village by a river. Adele finds out shortly after her birthday that she is a Guardian, tasked to protect her wary village from the very creatures described before, ogres, goblins, basilisks, and wolves, of which Guardians are one of.

However, a few things get in her way: her mother's refusal to let her marry her childhood love and the introduction of pacts and decisions made years before she was aware of who'd she become. She understands why things must be the way they are, why she must turn down her love and serve a town who would rather see her murdered than accept her help, but Adele still can't help but wish things were the way she dreamed.

As difficult choices begin to pile up, Adele is forced to make a decision she doesn't feel ready to make and it may be the one no one expects, even herself.

Red Wolf felt like it could have been a series, world building and character development introduced and rushed through to get to an anti-climatic end. It would have done well as a television show, as the ending would have stopped at a place that felt finished. However, I'm not sure if this ARC was actually unfinished or if there might be a sequel later on down the road, but I'm left expecting more or even just a bit of clarity. As far as Red Riding Hood retellings go, this was a good one, though not one of the best.

3 stars. While this was an enjoyable read, I felt a little too old for it. I love a lot of YA, don't get me wrong, but this felt very... early YA. The main character is irritatingly stubborn and hard to root for. And don't get me started on the extremely tropey love triangle.

BUT the history and fantasy built into this Red Riding Hood retelling was fantastic. It has always bothered me that werewolves are more often than not portrayed as men, and I'm glad to see the shift in recent years of including female werewolves. Making Red herself a wolf was a fun spin on the classic fairytale and one that I was excited to read.

The ending felt a little abrupt (I would hope that there's a sequel to tie up some loose ends and perhaps have our main character much stronger and smarter in a part two), but a good page turner and a good conversation starter with what it means to have to hide who you are for the sake of everyone in your community... even if you never asked for this thing that sets you apart from everyone.

Thank you Harper Collins and NetGalley for the ARC!