Snow & Rose by Emily Winfield Martin 

“Snow and Rose didn’t know that they were living in a fairy tale – people never do.” -Emily Winfield Martin

Two young sisters (Snow and Rose) move with their mother into a small cottage in the middle of the woods after their father’s mysterious disappearance. Yet the woods are far from normal. When the girls explore the woods, they discover many strange things. A library that doesn’t lend out books but objects like scissors or a small key, a boy named Ivo whose family sells mushrooms that glow or explode, a bear who saves them from bandits after they rescue him from a bear trap. They soon discover a gnome who’s always in need of a rescue from the strange creatures within the forest, and he’s tied to the mystery of the woods. The mystery of why people go missing, including the girl’s father. Snow and Rose must be brave, kind, and smart to solve the mystery or risk falling under the same spell that broke their family apart. 

The novel is a retelling of the classic story “Snow White and Rose Red” by the Brothers Grimm. The characters in this story are different from the ones in the original fairy tale. Snow is confident, loud, and childish, while Rose is quiet, shy, and mature. As sisters, they bring out the best in each other and balance out the worst in each other. Snow helps Rose become more confident, and Rose helps Snow calm down when she gets too emotional. The woods the girls venture into have many twists and turns that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. 

I enjoyed this book and the wonderful story it tells. The author, Emily Winfield Martin, does a wonderful job of combining mystery, action, and wholesome moments into her writing, whether it’s the girl running away from a pack of wolves or helping their mother make jam for winter. I would recommend this book to pre-teens and adults alike who would like to take a break from reality and enjoy living in a fairy tale deep in the woods.