Cress by Marissa Meyer

Title: Cress (Lunar Chronicles #3)

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Release Date: February 4, 2014

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

Rapunzel's tower is a satellite. She can't let down her hair--or her guard.

In this third book in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in two. Together, they're plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker--unfortunately, she's just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice. 

When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can. 

It's no secret that I LOVE Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles. I've devoured every book so far, and with each one, I find myself loving this series more and more. As expected, Cress completely blew me away and has solidified the Lunar Chronicles' position among my all-time favourite series.

Cress has spent the better part of her life alone, in a satellite, doing the Lunar Queen's bidding. But at least by spending all this time alone with netscreens, has been able to pick up some hacking skills that have been quite helpful to Cinder, even if Cinder doesn't know it yet. Cinder is on the run with Captain Thorne, attempting to stay one step of the authorities. And with Scarlet and Wolf's help, Cinder is determined to stop Emperor Kai from marrying Queen Levana. Their only hope though, is with Cress's help. But when their rescue mission takes a turn for the worse, things become even more complicated as the group is torn apart and separated. Now not only do they have to find a way to reunite themselves, they also have to save the world in the process.

Let me get this out of the way before I say anything else: if you haven't already started reading the Lunar Chronicles, go do so now because you are missing out big time. But in all seriousness, Marissa Meyer and her books are amazing. And so it goes without saying that I absolutely ADORED Cress. Marissa Meyer always manages to capture my attention right from page one. In this case, Cress picks up right where Scarlet left off, so right away I was thrown into the middle of the action. And from there, the story just kept on getting better. I loved the way Marissa Meyer re-imagined Rapunzel's story, and I'm happy with how that story played itself out. When I started reading, I was worried that Cress would just spend most of the book stuck in her satellite, but I should have just trusted Marissa Meyer because she did not disappoint me. My only concern now is the year-long wait for Winter, the final book in the series.

Out of all the fairy tale characters Marissa Meyer has introduced so far, I think Cress is my favourite. I don't really know what to say other than the fact she was just relatable. Basically, Cress was like any teenage girl who's ever had a crus on someone famous (except she got to meet, said person). And I loved her, and how innocent she could be. But at the same time, she was a lot smarter and stronger than people gave her credit for. And I loved the side of Thorne she brought out. Because as much of a jerk as he can be, I kinda love Thorne anyway. And of course, I loved getting to know the other characters even better than I already did. Cinder now is so different from the girl I met in the first book, but at the same time, deep down, she's still the same person. And Scarlet is a lot stronger than I initially gave her credit for. It'll be interesting to see what happens to Scarlet in the final book. Regardless of the character, I'm sure there are plenty of surprises in store for us. 

I've said this before, but if you haven't already started reading the Lunar Chronicles, you should really get on that. Cress was truly amazing. There's not a single page of it I didn't absolutely love. I can't wait to see what Marissa Meyer has in store for us in Winter, even though I really don't want this series to end.

Summer Reading - 2013 Edition (3)

Among my friends, I'm known as the book person. As a result, whenever someone is looking for a book recommendation they come to me. This time of the year, this happens a lot since summer is fast approaching and a lot of my friends are typically seasonal readers--as in they read when they have time to do so and that time is often summer. Like I did last year, I thought I would post these recommendations--by genre--here on the blog as well. Up this week, some fantasy and science fiction recommendations.

- The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer - If you haven't heard of Cinder and Scarlet, you are seriously missing out. The Lunar Chronicles are fairytale retellings set in a futuristic world where humans, cyborgs and androids co-exist. Believe me, it's just as awesome as it sounds. Cinderella is Cinder, a cyborg and Little Red Riding Hood is Scarlet, a girl who runs a farm with her grandmother. With the Lunar Chronicles, be prepared to rethink a lot of what you know about fairytales and that's what makes them so awesome.

- Unremembered by Jessica Brody - When I read it, Unremembered wasn't exactly what I thought it would be. But it turned out to be quite the sci-fi read. If you choose to read Unremembered, be prepared to be surprised because for much of the book it doesn't feel like you're reading a sci-fi story. So if you're looking to read some sci-fi that doesn't feel too much like a sci-fi story, then Unremembered is a good option. The only downside is that it's the first in a trilogy and the two sequels aren't out just yet.

- Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes - Even if you aren't a particularly big fan of fantasy, you should still read Morgan Rhodes' Falling Kingdoms. I can't really say whether or not this is a valid comparison or not, but this book has been compared to Game of Thrones. Though I can say that it is a truly fantastic story (no pun intended). Falling Kingdoms is the kind of book that will grab your attention right from the beginning. Though a word of warning, characters have a tendency to die…especially the ones you get attached to.

- The Gypsy King by Maureen Fergus - Again, even if you aren't that into fantasy, The Gyspy King by Maureen Fergus is s story that will grab your attention right away, or at least it did for me. The story was very different from what I thought it would be and from other fantasy stories I've read (not that I've read all that many). And if you still need some convincing that The Gypsy King is a book to pick up, the sequel is coming out this fall, so you won't have to wait that long to find out what happens next. Though if you are outside of Canada, it might be a little trickier to get a copy of this book.

- Witchlanders by Lena Coakley - Witchlanders was one of my summer reading recommendations last year and I still stand behind that recommendation. The story in this book felt incredibly real despite the clear high fantasy elements and the characters were memorable. And for a nice change in YA, the two main characters are boys. Even though Witchlanders is not quite as recent as some of the other recommendations on this list, it's still a great fantasy read if that's what you are in the mood for.

So these are just a few fantasy and sci-fi recommendations and is not an extensive list. If sci-fi/fantasy isn't what you are looking for you can always check out my contemporary and paranormal recommendations or come back next week for some post-apocalyptic and dystopian recommendations.

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Title: Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2)

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Release Date: February 5, 2013

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

The fates of Cinder and Scarlet collide as a Lunar threat spreads across the Earth…

Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She's trying to break out of prison--even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmothers is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner. 

I absolutely adored Cinder when I read it last year and ever since then I have been impatiently waiting to be able to read the sequel, Scarlet. And despite having a copy of the book sitting on my shelf for a few months, it wasn't until recently that I finally found the time to pick it up. Let me just say that Scarlet was just as good Cinder, if not even better, and once again Marissa Meyer wrote a story I couldn't help but love.

Now that Cinder knows who she truly is, she is on the run from Queen Levana and her armies. She knows she has to get to Africa to meet Dr. Erland, but first she wants some answers. But getting answers means finding Michelle Benoit and that means teaming up with Captain Carswell Thorne because without him Cinder doesn't have much hope of getting anywhere. What she doesn't know is that Michelle has gone missing and her granddaughter Scarlet is doing everything in her power to get her back. Even if that means teaming up with Wolf, the mysterious street fighter who may have more going on than meets the eye. Soon enough, as the mysteries unravel, the duos meet each other and team up to stop Queen Levana, because they might be the only ones able to do so anymore.

It shouldn't come as a surprise that Marissa Meyer has now become one of my all-time favourite authors and Scarlet is what confirmed this for me. Because Scarlet was simply amazing. From start to finish the story completely captured my attention and I was just so wrapped up in it all that I had no idea what was going on in the outside world. The story picks up right where Cinder ended, but it does so in a different part of the world with different characters who are just as interesting and compelling as the original ones. I loved just how much action there was in this story compared to Cinder. It just felt like something was constantly happening, something which might have to do with the multiple storylines at play. Right when I thought things were going to calm down, the focus would shift different characters and all of a sudden I would find myself right back in the thick of the action. 

I loved seeing the characters I had come to love in the first book. Cinder was just as fantastic a character and it was great to see her take on more confidence but at the same time I really enjoyed seeing her come to terms and deal with everything she learned about herself in the first book. Kai on the other hand I wished I would have been able to see more of. As much as I loved him in the first book, I feel like I didn't see him enough in Scarlet…and when I did he had the tendency to anger me but I can't really hold it against him considering the circumstances. But to make up for a lack of Kai I had Thorne and Wolf. And while they were no Kai, they weren't so bad. Thorne just made me laugh every single time he opened his mouth. And Wolf was quite the mysterious fellow and he definitely had his shortcomings, but he also had his moments where I couldn't help but swoon just a little. And of course there's Scarlet and there's just so much I could say about her. She was everything I hoped she would be and she took me by surprise on more than one occasion. She just wasn't afraid to run head first into whatever situation was in front of her. I can't wait to see more of her in the future. (Sidenote: I loved the fact that there was a character named Émilie in the book--it never happens that I find character with not only the same name, but who also spell it the same way.)

Marissa Meyer's Scarlet was a phenomenal read. I just couldn't turn the pages fast enough but then there was no more to read and I was begging for more. The Lunar Chronicles have quickly become some of my favorite books and Marissa Meyer one of my favorite authors. And I can't wait to see where she takes the story next in Cress.

Meet Marissa Meyer in Toronto!

Marissa Meyer, author of the Lunar Chronicles is coming to Toronto in just over one week on March 9th. I am beyond thrilled to have the opportunity to meet her in person as I absolutely loved Cinder and with just under 100 pages to go, I am loving Scarlet just as much! Myself and some of the other Ottawa Bloggers are making the trip especially for this event so I just know it's going to be an awesome weekend.

To make things even better, Raincoast Books is running a contest giving one lucky blogger the opportunity to have a one-on-one interview with Marissa Meyer. All you have to do to enter is post a question you would ask Marissa should you win. So my question would be:

Of all the fairy tales out there, why did you choose to adapt Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and Snow White for the Lunar Chronicles?

If you are planning on attending this event be sure to let me know, I always love meeting new people. And if you want more information on this awesome contest, check out the poster below!

Waiting on Wednesday (61)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill of Breaking the Spine where book bloggers devote a post to an upcoming book release they are particularly looking forward to.

THIS WEEK'S PICK:

SCARLET BY MARISSA MEYER

Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She's trying to break out of prise--even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

I cannot even begin to describe how unbelievably excited I am for the release of Scarlet. I absolutely adored Marissa Meyer's debut, Cinder, when I read it earlier this year and ever since I have been dying to find out what happens next with Cinder and Prince Kai. And I'm also really excited to meet new characters. From what I've heard from people who've already read it, it's just as good as the first book in the series, if not even better.

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer will be published February 5th, 2013 by Feiwel and Friends.

Cinder Audiobook Clip

Last week I posted my review of Cinder by Marissa Meyer. It was a book I highly enjoyed and I definitely recommend you pick it up. Today I am offering you a clip from the audio version of the book. I've listened to it myself, and I have to say that it is pretty good. Check it out below.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing this clip.

If you haven't already, be sure to check out my full review of the book to find out exactly what I thought of this retelling of Cinderella.

Enjoy!

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Title: Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1)
Author: Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Release Date: January 3, 2012
Source: ARC from Publisher
Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository

Even in the future, the story begins with once upon a time…

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth's fate hinges on one girl…

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She's a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister's illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai's, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world's future.

In this thrilled young adult debut novel, the first of a quartet, Marissa Meyer's rebooted fairy tale introduces readers to a heroine and a masterfully rafted world that isn't the Cinderella you remember--but it's the one you won't forget.

I remember when I first heard about Cinder I was a little hesitant to read it, but then I heard from trusted sources that it was actually really good. And then I received a copy for review and when I started reading the book, I was drawn in right away. Who knew re-imagining Cinderella in futuristic world with humans, cyborgs and androids would work so well? I certainly didn't but I ended up enjoying every single page.

When she was 11 years old, Cinder was in a terrible hover craft accident which killed both her parents and caused her to undergo surgery that made her a cyborg. Now she works as a mechanic in the market in the city of New Beijing, all her earnings going to her stepmother. Not only does she have nothing to her name, but she gets blamed for everything including her little sister getting sick. But one day, none other than Prince Kai walks up to her mechanic stand to ask for her services. After that day, everything in Cinder's life changes and she finds herself being dragged into affairs she never even knew existed before. And she starts falling for Prince Kai, and against all odds, he seems to be falling for her too.

I am a big lover of fairy tales, so whenever I read a retelling I always go in with pretty high expectations. With Cinder, those expectations were beyond surpassed. It wasn't long before I forgot I was reading a retelling of Cinderella. The story definitely stood on its own and felt like it was a story that hadn't actually been told before. I loved the world that Marissa Meyer created, wehre humans, androids and cyborgs all live together and it felt really real. And her writing was also absolutely great. I was immediately drawn in, and when I finished reading the book, I just wanted more.

Cinder was a whole new kind of Cinderella. Right from page one I loved her and she pretty much made me forget all about the original Cinderella. Granted there were many aspects of her life that were very Cinderella-esque, Cinder was her own character and her own person. She wasn't afraid of standing her ground and doing what she wanted to do. And that was something I really loved about her. Prince Kai was definitely the dreamy kind of prince. My main issue with him was his occasional communication problems. I mean, why couldn't he just say what he meant when it was so obvious how he felt? But other than that he really was Prince Charming. Other than these two, one of the characters that really made the book for me was Iko. Basically she was the android equivalent of the mice in the original story. She was a great character and also a great source of humor and really added to the story.

Overall, Cinder was a really great read. This new take on the classic story of Cinderella will not let you down. If anything, you will forget the old story all together in favor of this new one. It will definitely stay with you once you have finished reading the book.