What if Little Red Riding Hood chose to stay with the wolf and rescue her grandma? A Wolf’s Rose by M. C. Kennedy combines that classic fairy tale with Beauty and the Beast to create a new and deeper story of hatred, forgiveness, and redemption. Roshien, a messenger for the king, wants to prove worthy of her role and protect her family from the villains who have already killed her parents and next kidnap her grandmother. Unique supporting characters pose new challenges, and Kennedy’s world creates a colorful tapestry to explore a familiar tale.

Best for: Teenage readers who like fairy-tale retellings and darker stories.

Discern: Some battle violence, enemies-to-lovers trope, magic used by fantasy creatures, villains make deals with a dark lord.