Title: Scarlett and the Dark Woods

Series: Autumn Fairy Tales #3

Author: Mary Mecham

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Fantasy, Retelling, Romance

Rating: 4.5 stars

Review:

She is one of the protected elect. He is a shunned shapeshifter. Can Scarlett rescue her grandmother before her heart is stolen?

When her grandmother is cast out as unworthy after facing Hamelin’s annual Shunning, Scarlett knows she must brave the dangers of Darkwood Forest if she will have any chance of saving her grandmother. Her perilous adventure becomes a race against time. She needs to find Gran before the previously shunned get to her first.

Scarlett’s efforts came too late. As her magic dwindles the farther into the forest she ventures, she becomes hopelessly lost, and is forced to accept help from Greyson, the shapeshifting wolf who is stalking her every footstep—and who Scarlett suspects of knowing Gran’s location.

If she manages to save her grandmother, Scarlett is faced with another impossible join Gran and live her life as an outcast or return to the rest of the elect, safe but alone. As she struggles to find the right path forward, Scarlett realizes that more than her grandmother’s future is at stake. Her heart is too.

Can Scarlett resist her inexplicable, rising attraction to the shunned wolf she despises long enough to protect the woman who raised her? – summary from Goodreads

Scarlett and the Dark Woods is a fantastic dystopian-fantasy retelling of the Little Red Riding Hood!

I really enjoyed this book, which surprised me a little! I have read a few other books by Mary Mecham, and I really enjoyed them, but when I say dystopian on the cover of this book, I hesitated. I enjoy dystopian, but I wasn’t quite sure what to expect with this book. I shouldn’t have worried, because I loved it so much!

There were definitely dystopian aspects to this book, but it was still a fantasy book. I loved how it was all woven together, and how the elements of the fairytale were incorporated. It was very well done, and I loved all the snippets of the original story. The way the wolf was incorporated was my favorite! This is one of the few shifter books I have read, and I have to say that I do enjoy that part of the book. The way the red hood was put into the story was also nicely done. I haven’t seen the Huntsman done in this way before, and I liked it. This book switched the roles for a few of the characters, and I liked the change from the original.

I will also say that there is a touch of Pied Piper retelling in there. It is very subtle, and not at all the focus of the book, but was something I noticed and enjoyed!

The magic and world-building was very well done. The town of Hamelin was very dystopian and a little eerie. There was something off with the town, though you could see why characters were supporting that town. Edenbrook was a lovely setting, and I loved the atmosphere and friendliness of everyone who lived there. I also loved the contrast between Edenbrook and Hamelin.

I loved the storyline itself. It was very interesting and engaging! I loved the secrets and mysteries surrounding everything, and how Scarlett had to figure out what was happening. It was perfectly fall, especially if you wanted a little bit of a mystery.

The characters were also wonderful! The main character, Scarlett, was irritating in the beginning, but I liked her more and more as the story progressed. She had nice character development and started thinking outside of the strict confines that her town had put upon everyone.

I loved Greyson! He was a little childish in the beginning, but he quickly grew into a fun character, and he was very kind and caring for those around him.

The relationship between these two was so sweet! It definitely started off rocky, but it quickly grew into something better. They had nice banter and they came to deeply care for the other! It was so sweet and I loved them!

The epilogue was my absolute favorite part of the book. I love when epilogues include proposals, weddings, pregnancy announcements, and toddlers. But my all-time favorite epilogues are when the characters are married, and have been for years, and have kids! I love that peek into their future, and it just makes me so happy! And I got that in this book! I love, love, loved that ending!

Scarlett and the Dark Woods is a wonderful dystopian-fantasy retelling of Little Red Riding Hood with romance and interesting twists on the original!