Book Tour: Book Review of RED by Annie Cardi

As always, I am thrilled to be apart of a TBR and Beyond book tour. Want to check out the full tour? Chick here!

Summary:

Moving to Hawthorne was something Tess and her mom never anticipated, but after Tess’s mom loses her job, it’s their only option. Tess’s grandparents welcome them into their home, but with the condition that Tess and her mom attend church, something Mom isn’t too pleased about. But Tess enjoys the church community, finding a place in youth group and the church choir. Faith fills a void Tess didn’t know she had.
After a very personal decision goes public, Tess faces daily harassment and rejection by her former friends, and singing in the church choir is no longer an option. When she meets some kids in the music room, her only place of solace in the school, who don’t judge her for what’s happened, she learns to find her voice again. Against the backdrop of the Spirit Light Festival, Tess will need to find the strength to speak out if she has any chance of ending a silent cycle of abuse in Hawthorne.

Content Warning: Religious Themes, Abortion, Bullying, Slut Shaming, Trauma, Grooming, Sexual Assault

Check out Red on Goodreads. Find Red on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and IndieBound

My Thoughts:

I cannot recommend Red enough. After the first few pages, I knew this would be one of those books that stays with you for a few years to come. Not only that, but I finished it in one day. While Red is a YA book, many older readers will enjoy Cardi’s storytelling.

Red is a modern take on Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. In case you need a brief refresher, Hester Prynne has a child named Pearl while awaiting the arrival of her husband. It is truly a scandal. She refused to name the father of her child and is punished, while the father lives without judgment. Cardi takes this classic tale and shapes it to fit into our modern time. I do not want to call it a retelling of The Scarlet Letter; instead, think of Red as inspired by the classic.

So let’s get into it. What is Red about? After the loss of her father and a stroke of bad luck, Tess and her mother move back to her mother’s hometown of Hawthorne. This is an attempt to save money and start again. You are left with the impression that Tess’s mother has a good relationship with her parents, but there is history there that is not explored. Tess’s grandparents are members of the local church and overall have a very traditional outlook on life. Tess ends up joining the local church and finds a community within the church.

Everything is perfect until she is faced with a challenging personal decision. What was meant to be a secret from everyone but her mom becomes town gossip within a few days. While Tess deals with the daily harassment and judgment, she wonders who told her secret. Cardi shines in detailing how Tess fell in love with her church community and then her struggles with the community throughout the novel.

Red deals with heavy topics, but there are points of hope. Tess discovers she has friends who accept and support her regardless of her experiences. Through the discovery of new and old friendships, she learns that her situation is sadly not as unique as she was led to believe. All the while, you are wondering who Tess was involved with and why he remains a mystery. It is heartbreaking once you have a full understanding of Tess’s journey.

Red is a story of surviving, finding one’s voice, forgiveness, hope, friendship, and finding comfort in faith. If any of these topics sound interesting, then Red is for you.

About the Author

Want to a copy?

1 person will win a finished copy of Red (US Only)! The giveaway will run from January 22nd until February 2nd. Click here for more information.