I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Red by Alyxandra Harvey
Published by Entangled Teen on March 10, 2015
Pages: 198
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

Bad girls burn hot…

Red is the color of Kia Alcott's hair.
It's her temper, which blazes hot and always gets Kia into way too much trouble.
And it's the color of fire. Fires that Kia can start…just by thinking about them.

When her latest “episode” gets her kicked out of school, Kia is shipped off to her grandmother, who works for the wealthy Blackwoods. It's an estate shrouded in secrets, surrounded by rules, and presided over by a family that is far from normal…including the gorgeous and insolent Ethan Blackwood.

Ethan knows far more about the dangers of the forest surrounding the estate than Kia can ever imagine. For this forest has teeth, and Ethan is charged with protecting the outside world from its vicious mysteries.

But inside, even the most vibrant shade of red doesn't stand a chance against the dark secrets of the Blackwood family…

I’m a huge Alyxandra Harvey fan, so when I got an email from Entangled Teen, informing me I could sign up to review her new book, Red, I shrieked and pounced! It sounded so epic, I couldn’t wait to read it! I’ve read all of Harvey’s currently published books (The Drake Chronicles, The Lovegrove Legacy books, Haunting Violet and Stolen Away). And though The Drake Chronicles will always be my most beloved Harvey read, Red definitely comes in at a close second! I loved the plot, the characters, the writing, everything!

I loved Kia right away. She was snarky and sarcastic. I laughed out loud when she made fun of herself and cliches and stereotypes. I loved the way she stood up for herself; she didn’t let anyone push her around and she snapped back when they tried. She also wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty; she resorted to snooping and spying to get the answers she needed. I loved her ability and the way she fought to gain control of it. She was a very realistic, relatable character and I loved her personality and her growth from beginning to end.

I loved being inside Ethan’s head! Usually, it’s the girl who has this epic destiny and the guy is along for the ride. But this time, it was the guy who had dangerous family secrets, with a future his father planned out for him, one he was told he couldn’t run from. Though he accepted that he couldn’t fully escape his destiny, he also fought against it, refusing to do exactly as his father wished. He took what he viewed as sad and barbaric and turned it into a great thing. I’d love to see what happens next with the changes he made!

I totally and completely shipped Kia and Ethan. They were hilarious together and I loved their banter. Ethan had his moments in the beginning where he was really mean and pushed Kia away, but in the end, they worked really well together and complemented each other. Again, I’d love to see what the future holds for them.

My absolute favorite character (outside of Kia and Ethan) was Sloane. I loved her personality, her attitude and the way she embraced Kia as a friend. There were two major twists with Sloane. One twist, I loved! It was so cool and epic and it fit her personality perfectly. The second twist broke my heart and had me screaming at my iPad. But then that ending!!! I definitely didn’t see that coming and I’m very pleased with the way Sloane’s story ended. I’d definitely like to read more and see what happens next!

Another character I loved was Abby. She’s so fierce, kind and protective. I loved the revelations she shared with Kia and I loved the twist at the end with her. Clare and Sara were great characters, as well, though we didn’t see as much of them. And Tobias wasn’t too bad.

I couldn’t stand Justine in the beginning. She was so mean and horrible. I understand why she behaved the way she did, though, and she redeemed herself in the end. Justin always seemed to be in the background. I felt really bad for Colt, though. That was heartbreaking! And, of course, I couldn’t stand Holden, Ethan’s father. I can’t even really explain why, because he was really nice to Kia in the beginning. But I just didn’t trust him at all. I think part of that was because I hated how he treated Ethan and his friends. It was obvious the Cabal had consumed Holden. Plus, he had a little bit of a power trip fueling his actions.

The major twist at the end was epic, but I also figured it out pretty early on, mostly because I’m a huge fan of Charmed and recognized the big bad creature for what it really was. It was heartbreaking to see Ethan come to terms with it, though. But it was very well done and even though I figured it out, I still enjoyed seeing it play out. The other major twist at the end (which I briefly mentioned earlier) shocked and saddened me, but I loved the way it played out, as well.

Like I said, I’ve read all of Alyxandra Harvey’s books. And I must say (Again, despite being a HUGE Drake Chronicles fan), Harvey’s writing in Red was her best yet. It flowed so nicely and I never felt confused or lost. The plot was epic and (at least for me) very original and intriguing. I especially loved all the mythological creatures and supernatural elements! I would REALLY LOVE to see a sequel for this! The ending felt a little rushed and, considering where all the characters left off at the end of Red, I’d love to see what happens next for all of them.

I absolutely, highly recommend this book. If you’re already a fan of Alyxandra Harvey, you’ll love it! And if you haven’t read any of her books, I’d suggest starting with this one or The Drake Chronicles.