Showing posts with label Marissa meyer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Marissa meyer. Show all posts

Saturday, 31 October 2015

Fairest - Mini-Review!

Author: Marissa Meyer
Part of a series? The prequel novel to the Lunar Chronicles series.
Synopsis: Long before the events of the Lunar Chronicles, Levana was simply a Princess living in her sister's shadow. In Fairest, it is revealed how Levana went from that to the terrifying Queen she is now.
Rating: 4.5 stars.

This book was very creepy but very good! The backstory Marissa Meyer came up with is so twisted and brilliant that I completely didn't expect it, and I was constantly torn between feeling sorry for Levana and feeling horrified by her actions! I would definitely recommend reading this if you've already read the Lunar Chronicles as it adds to the world of Luna, as well as Levana's character.



*SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT ON!*

Fairest really toyed with my emotions! One moment I was pitying Levana, the pale girl that was always overlooked by her family, the girl who was hurt by her sister, the girl who had no idea what love was. And the next she was killing people and manipulating minds and goodness knows what else!! This book didn't make me feel completely sorry for her as in the end the things she did were too awful, but it did help me understand her more in a way. Levana is such a wonderful villain, and it was interesting to read about what made her become the way she is in the Lunar Chronicles (which is actually quite similar to the way she is in Fairest).

The world of Luna was explored more in Fairest, and it's so interesting! I love how fake everything in the court is, but how no one would dream of saying that, and the relationship between Evret and Winter (and SELENE!!!) was lovely to read about. The scenes between the two, and between Winter and Selene added a bit of light relief to an otherwise dark plot. Fairest didn't just give us a better view of Luna but of some of the characters we know and love already (or will do when Winter comes out!!) : Jacin, Winter, Selene. I can't wait for Winter to come out!

What were your thoughts on Fairest? Let me know in the comments(:
Thanks for reading(:

Sunday, 11 October 2015

Cress - Review

Title: Cress
Author: Marissa Meyer
Part of a series? The third book in the Lunar Chronicles
Synopsis: Cress has been stuck in a satellite for most of her life. An expert hacker, she's been keeping a close eye on the band of fugitives Levana wants dead while dreaming about Earth and a certain Captain But she's going to find out that life on Earth may not be what she expected.
Cinder has accumulated an odd mix of friends, and now she's determined to save the Commonwealth and Kai from Queen Levana. The only problem is how to stop a woman as powerful as Levana, who may have something even worse than what Cinder thinks planned.
Rating: 5 stars.

Marissa Meyer has done it again! The Lunar Chronicles is fast becoming one of my all-time favourite series, and Cress did not disappoint. In this book Cress is introduced, and I loved her from the first chapter. She's sweet and different to Cinder and Scarlet in that she isn't streetwise, and she was a lot more vulnerable than our other two protagonists.

The plot completely took me by surprise. I can never guess what's going to happen in The Lunar Chronicles, but Cress was the most surprising. There was definitely a feeling that the overall story is coming to a close and that something big is building up, so I am very excited to read Winter in November!

*SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT ON - GO READ CRESS THEN COME BACK!*

I loved the world-building in this book. At first, when I started reading Cinder, I was worried about all of the sci-fi terms, as I don't generally read books in this genre, but by now I feel fairly comfortable with portscreens etc. The desert scenes were possibly my favourite, along with the ball scenes, and I had such a clear picture of Cress and Carswell walking over sand dunes in my mind.

As usual, the character in The Lunar Chronicles were one of the best features of Cress. I love how relentlessly evil Levana is, and the small chapter that was written in her point of view was very intriguing. My opinion of Throne (whom I loved in Scarlet) changed a little as, like Cress, we think he's a hero in Scarlet, but in Cress it's revealed that he kind of isn't. One thing that really struck me as different is the fact that there isn't necessarily a reason for Carswell's actions, which is so different to other characters in other books. He is a chancer and a gambler and quite self-centred, and it was refreshing to read a character who is genuinely flawed for no apparent reason. That being said, I still really really like him. A LOT.

And Iko! She is one of my favourite characters in this series, and I was so happy for her when she got the escort android body. She truly is 'the most human android', and she always provides some laughter to a serious scene.

In Cress we also were introduced to Princess Winter, and I have to say that I like her already. I think she and Jacin will be cute together in Winter (I hope!), and I'm very interested in finding out more about her.
The only thing about Cress that mildly bothered me was that there was a large portion of the book where we didn't know what was happening to Scarlet, but her chapters were so horrifying that it was also kind of a relief! I can't believe that Levana chopped off her little finger. That being said, I love how The Lunar Chronicles focusses on all of the characters and that the cast gradually builds up with each book.

Bring on Winter!

What did you think of Cress? Let me know in the comments.
Thanks for reading(:

Wednesday, 19 August 2015

Scarlet - Review

Title: Scarlet
Author: Marissa Meyer
Part of a Series? The second book in the Lunar Chronicles
Synopsis: Scarlet Benoit is certain that something bad has happened to her grandmother when she goes missing from their farm in France. But when the police close her case, she has to turn to Wolf, a street fighter, in order to save her grandmother. And along the way, she finds out that her grandma has been keeping some huge secrets from her...
Meanwhile, Cinder is trying to break out of prison after the disastrous events of the ball. Having to trust the cocky Captain Thorne and still coming to terms with what Dr. Erland told her, Cinder's journey takes her to a certain French farm...
Rating: 4.5 - 5 stars (I can't decide!).

Just like Cinder, Scarlet had me hooked until the very last page. There's something about the Lunar Chronicles that makes you want to read on and on and on until you've finished, and then makes you want to read the next book straightaway. Maybe it's the fact that the characters are so realistic, or that the world is so futuristic, or that the plot is so fast-paced. Whatever it is, it works on me!

*SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT ON*

Scarlet picks up right where Cinder ended, and introduces our new protagonist, Scarlet Benoit. From the start, I knew I was going to like her; just by reading the first chapter you find out that she's caring and loyal to her grandmother, but has a temper (the tomatoes bit was what made me like her!). Wolf was a great love interest, and I did not guess that he was Lunar at all, although I did think that his wolfish behaviour was because of someone altering his genes.

And can we just talk about Mr Carswell Thorne? I loved Thorne so very much! Without him, I think that Scarlet could have been very serious and grim, but Thorne injected humour into the story. I especially liked how he kept teasing Cinder by saying, "Are we having a moment?" and he has become one of my favourite characters out of any book. It also made me laugh when Thorne decided they should search for Princess Selene, as for once we as readers know more than a character in a book!

I was so happy that Iko came back into the story! If you've read my review for Cinder (which you can find here), you'll know that I was devastated when Iko was pulled apart. She was one of my favourite characters in Cinder, and I loved how insecure she was about being a massive ship. She's an android, but her character is just as real as any of the humans (or Lunars, or Cyborgs).

The plot of Scarlet was fast-paced, which was why it shocked me when we were reminded that Scarlet and Wolf had only known each other for like a week. I liked that Marissa Meyer acknowledged that they wouldn't be in love with each other in that small amount of time, and how Scarlet was quite practical about it. I have no idea what could happen next in Cress, but I hope that they help Kai and overthrow Levana (who is EVIL!). In Scarlet we find out more about what Levana is planning, and the powers of the Lunars feel a lot more frightening in this book, perhaps because we see Cinder use her powers even when she doesn't know what she's doing. That unpredictability of Cinder's powers makes her seem dangerous, and now I can see that she might win against Levana, whereas in Cinder it looked very doubtful.

I can't decide whether to give this 5 stars or 4.5 stars. I gave Cinder five stars, but I'm not sure I enjoyed Scarlet as much. BUT I did still really enjoy it, and I can't wait to read Cress!

What did you think of Scarlet? Did you like it more or less than Cinder?
Thanks for reading(:

Saturday, 1 August 2015

July Bookhaul

July has ended, and I've managed to accumulate a crap-load of books.
Oops.
But it was to be expected, as July was YALC month (read about my YALC plans here), and I bought eight books at YALC alone. And then I had already bought a few books before YALC. And then it is possible that I ordered two other books off of Amazon after YALC. Possibly.
Oh well! I'd rather have lots of books to read than none.
Because I've bought so many books, and read a lot as well, I'm splitting up my bookhaul and wrap-up, so here is my July bookhaul!

The Haul:
  • 1984 by George Orwell - This is one of the books I have to read for school in September, so I thought I would buy my own copy, as I'd feel more comfortable writing thing in a book I own (although even that will be awful!).
  • Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan - This is the book that has made me realise that I have to really think about the word 'lightning' before I spell it!
  • The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon - I have been really excited to read this book. I read the summary and thought it sounded amazing, and there are so many good reviews of this book.
  • Off the Page by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer - After seeing this book just about everywhere thanks to Booksplosion, I decided to cave and buy it as the premise sounded great: a fictional character coming out of their book. How many times have we wished that could happen?
  • Scarlet by Marissa Meyer - I loved Cinder (my review is here), and badly wanted to continue on with The Lunar Chronicles, so I bought this and....
  • Cress by Marissa Meyer - Now I can read these and be up to date by the time Winter is released!
  • The Good Girls by Sara Shepard - The second (and final) book in The Perfectionists series, The Good Girls picks up right where The Perfectionist left off. Being a huge fan of Sara Shepard, I had to buy it and read it straightaway!
  • Trial By Fire by Josephine Angelini - I've been meaning to pick up this trilogy for a while, as it seems to be about magic and time travel, and I love books about time travel.
  • Let's Get Lost by Adi Alsaid - This sounds like the perfect summer read, and the cover is gorgeous, so I bought it!
  • I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson - Everyone seems to love this, so hopefully I will too!
The books I bought at YALC are mentioned in my YALC Adventures post, which you can find here.

I have actually read four and a half of the books I've bought in July already, so if you weren't going to check out my wrap-up, you should as I had a great reading month! Have you read any of the books I've mentioned? If so, what did you think? Let me know in the comments.
Thanks for reading(:

Monday, 1 June 2015

May Book Haul & Wrap Up!

Despite being in the middle of exams, May has been quite a good reading month for me! I read four and a half books, and all of them were really good. I also seemed to have been in a reviewing mood this month; I reviewed three out of the four books I read! And yes, I know I said I was on a book-buying ban, and yes, it does say book haul in the title. BUT, I only received two books: Rook by Sharon Cameron, which I pre-ordered in April and looks STUNNING, and Night School by C.J.Daugherty, which I received from Atom books. So that's progress, right? Let's be honest, fellow booklovers, when we say, "I'm on a book-buying ban", we really mean, "I will be less books this month, but not none."


Onto the books I read in May!
  • Cinder by Marissa Meyer. I LOVED this book. At first, I was a little unsure of what to expect as there has been so much hype around The Lunar Chronicles; I was worried that I wouldn't love it as much as everyone else. Luckily, I was pleasantly surprised! I gave this 5 stars, and my full review is here.
  • Fire With Fire by Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian.  It had been a while since I read Burn for Burn, but I really enjoyed it when I did, and this sequel did not disappoint. 4.5 stars. Full review here.
  • And then I read Ashes to Ashes by Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian, the concluding book in the Burn for Burn trilogy, and...wow. 4.5 stars. Full review here.
  • The final full book I read in May was The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare, Maureen Johnson, and Sarah Rees Brennan. Overall, I loved each story, and it was so nice to be back in the Shadowhunting world I love. The Bane Chronicles was humorous and full of the fantabulous High Warlock of Brooklyn, before he became the High Warlock of Brooklyn. The writing styles of the authors mostly blended together well, and there were malec feels, which made me very happy! And a certain wonderful Welsh Herondale in it, which made me VERY happy. I would have done a full review on it, but school got in the way. Anyway, I gave this book a 4.5 stars, which seems to be my average review rating of this month! What can I say? I read some great books in May!


The book I'm currently reading is Night School by C.J. Daugherty, and a review of it will be up as soon as I can!


What books did you read in May? What was your favourite? Let me know!
Thanks for reading(:

Sunday, 3 May 2015

Cinder - Review

Title: Cinder
Author: Marissa Meyer
Part of a Series? Yes, The Lunar Chronicles
Synopsis (from Goodreads): Cinder, a gifted mechanic in New Beijing, is also a cyborg. She's reviled by her step,other and blamed for her stepsister's sudden illness. But when her life becomes entwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she finds herself at the centre of a violent struggle between the desires of an evil queen - and a dangerous temptation.
Rating: 5 stars

Wow. I finally get what all of the hype over the Lunar Chronicles is about! If they're all as strong as Cinder, I cannot wait to read them! Cinder has got to be one of my favourite protagonists ever; she was so likeable and relatable and just so REAL. It feels like it's been a while since I've read a book where I could picture meeting a person with the protagonist's personality. Kai is adorable and, once again, felt real. The plot was convincing and made sense, not predictable at all and not boring at any part (although I kind of suspected towards the end that Cinder was...Cinder, if you get what I mean*coughs* ending *coughs*). I would have liked to know that there's a MASSIVE cliff of a cliffhanger at the end before I had read it, because now I'm desperate to read Scarlett! Also, don't look at the cast on Goodreads because there's kind of a spoiler about the identity of someone in it (which I did NOT know about. Thanks Goodreads).

*SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT ON SO GO READ CINDER AND COME BACK*

Peony. Iko.

*runs to friend and cries*

But seriously, I couldn't believe it when Peony died. I genuinely thought that they would find a cure throughout the novel, and when Levana gave Kai the cure I immediately thought GIVE IT TO PEONY! I was reading this in public, so I didn't cry, but that's what I felt like doing. And Iko's kind-of death was heartbreaking, because I love that android!

Pearl was confusing: she would be horrible to Cinder's face, and then have moments of kindness which would leave me puzzled. I think she'll be a bigger part of the plot in Scarlett and Cress, which is good because we didn't really find out much about her in Cinder.

I was so sure Dr. Erland was the bad guy when we first met him, but that theory clearly wasn't right! I thought something weird was happening at the beginning when he convinced Cinder to not attack him with a wrench, but I never made the link between that and the powers of the Lunars (which are quite scary, but not as scary as Queen Levana).

The political tensions between the Lunars and the Earthens was surprisingly fun to read about! I loved the way Meyer didn't tell us everything about the world, but rather slipped things in like the Fourth World War and the fact that Lunars live ON THE MOON, and everyone is fine with it because it's normal to them. I hope we get to go onto the Lunar planet in the other books, as I think it would be really interesting to read about. I also hope that Cinder finds a way to defeat Levana and become Queen!

My favourite scene had to be the ballroom scene. I loved the image of Cinder walking through the crowds even though she's terrified, even though her dress is ruined and she's wearing her old foot, just to warn Kai. Levana was terrifying in this scene, especially when she almost confined Cinder to shoot herself. I almost cried when Kai didn't kiss Cinder, and when he said he was going to marry Levana, and...well, for most of that chapter, really.

The writing was superb. Everything flowed well, and it was an easy world to get sucked into. I was a little apprehensive at first, having never really read much sci-fi, but I understood everything and didn't feel daunted by the world. Also, did anyone else's picture the androids like Eva in Wall-e?

I wish I had read this book sooner! And I wish I could say that I'm now onto Scarlett, but I won't be buying that until July, after exams:(

Have you read Cinder? What did you think? Let me know in the comments.
Thanks for reading(: