As Red as Blood: Salla Simukka

**Copy provided by author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

For a book that had a quote as awesome as this:

"Once upon a time, there was a girl who learned to fear.
Fairytales do not begin this way. Other, darker stories do."

I was expecting something much more exciting that a book that just left me like this...




This book was a mix of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Hangman's Daughter, and some weird version of a not as intelligent Sherlock Holmes. I think the main problem I had with the main character was that she was only in high school. Ugh, she showed it too much. She made some of the stupidest decisions ever. Not that I blame her, think back to yourselves at that age....yeah, not great to be sleuthing around with some pretty dangerous people right? Right.

Add to that the fact that we are supposed to cheer for a little rich girl as a side character and it was too much. The side characters were so flat they were basically stickers. Sorry, but it is true.

Now onto what I liked about the book, instead of just trashing it. I loved some of the things the author wrote, she did a phenomenal job of writing some pretty vivid and intense scenery. There were entire pages filled with amazing writing and quotes as stunning as the one above. I felt like I was really there with the characters. After about 50% through the book, it really picks up, and then I had a hard time putting it down, just because I was curious as to how it ended.

There were a few unanswered questions that I hope will be explained more thoroughly in the second book. Such as...Who is this mystery man that our female lead cannot get over? What will become of Polar Bear? And Elisa stays in contact, will she become a central character? Guess I'll find out.

Overall, the book was ok, but not something I would recommend unless you really liked The Hangman's Daughter and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.