Review Detail

Gretchen and her brother Ansel still can't get over that day when their sister was taken by a witchlike monster in the woods. Gretchen still feels as if the witch will make her disappear too.

After their stepmother kicks them out, Gretchen and Ansel come across the Southern town Live Oak and are invited to stay with Sophia Kelly at her sweetshop. Gretchen can feel the magic of the chocolate and other sweets and feels for a moment safe from the witch. But rumors circulate in the town that Sophia is a witch and is behind a number of disappearances of local teens. This seems to happen during the annual chocolate festival. Gretchen seeks out the truth. In the meantime can she save not only herself but the other girls of Live Oak?

I really love Jackson Pearce's writing. SISTERS RED made my top ten YA list of 2010. SWEETLY is the companion novel and doesn't disappoint.

I love how Pearce spins her unique twist on a classic fairy tale into a spooky modern day story which is complete with monsters, guilt, and even romance. Sophia has a twisted CHOCOLAT feel to her. Just like that movie, Sophia does bring her own kind of magic to town but with a terrible cost.

The images and descriptions are crisp and fresh. One of my favorites has to be at the beginning when she describes Gretchen's baby sister:

...her hair was like broken sunlight, identical to the girl's standing besides her.

Gretchen's character starts off as a teen afraid of the hidden witch that stole her sister to a heroine who's willing to push past her fears in order to save not only herself but others in Live Oak. Sophia is a mixture of Southern charm and mystery. The town's bad boy Samuel also shows some vulerabilites and reveals his own secret. I liked the chemistry between him and Gretchen.

The backdrop of the South is also a character. The woods, the town that slowly dies, to even the local museum which houses a pair of Robert E. Lee's boots add much favor to this tale.

The climax is fast-paced with a heart pounding revelation.

Love this story! Can't wait for more!