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.

Belladonna by Fiona Paul

Title: Belladonna (Secrets of the Eternal Rose #2)

Author: Fiona Paul

Publisher: Philomel

Release Date: July 16, 2013

Source: From publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

Cassandra Caravello is trying to forget Falco, the wild artist who ran off with her heart, as she grows closer to her strong, steady fiancé, Luca. 

But Luca seems to have his own secrets. When he's arrested by soldiers in the middle of the night, Cass's life is once again thrown into chaos. She must save Luca, and that means finding the Book of the Eternal Rose--the only evidence that will prove he's innocent.

So begins her journey to Florence, a city haunted by whispers of vampirism, secret soirees and clandestine meetings of the Order of the Eternal Rose. And home to Falco, who is working for the Order's eerily stunning leader, the Belladonna herself. 

Can Cass trust her heart to lead her to the truth this time?

Nothing is as it seems in this seductive thriller, where the truth may be the deadliest poison of all.

Other than with a few exception, I do this thing with series where I'll read the first book and then promptly forget that there are more books to come. And that's why Fiona Paul's Belladonna had been sitting, unread, on my shelves for the last six months. After having now read it though, I remember why I love this story and these characters so much.

Cassandra is determined to forget Falco, the artist who ran to Florence and took part of her heart with her. After everything that's happened, Cass is ready to start the calm and stable life she had been promised when she was engaged to Luca. But things once again go off course when soldiers come to her aunt's palazzo in the middle of the night to take Luca away. Now it's up to Cass to do what it takes to save Luca before it's all too late. To do so, Cass must travel to Florence in the hopes of finding the Book of the Eternal Rose, the one thing that can help prove Luca's innocence. But in Florence, Cass can also find Falco, but after everything can she really trust him. And will her heart survive it all?

I said this back when I reviewed Venom, but I love the Renaissance. It's always been one of my favourite periods of history to study. So it's almost guaranteed that I'll read any story set in Renaissance Italy. And reading Belladonna, I was reminded of why I love those stories so much. The way Fiona Paul writes, it's almost as if the setting comes to life. As I'm reading, Renaissance Venice and Renaissance Florence take form and I was able to picture both cities as if I were right there. It allowed me to completely lose myself in the story, allowing me to enjoy it that much more. Beyond just the vivid setting, what kept drawing me back into the story was the intrigue and the mystery. This is the kind of story that constantly makes you question everything you know, and everything you're being told. Every step of the way, I felt like I just kept getting more and more confused. Until it was all laid out in front of me, and even then I still didn't trust what I was being told. I guess I'll just have to read the third book, Starling, to find out how it will all end.

Cass has always been a surprising character to me. She's not exactly what you have in mind when you think "Renaissance" and "teenage girl." Basically, Cass is the total opposite of what you would expect. She isn't afraid to do what it takes when it comes to the people she cares about, even when that means putting herself in harm's way. But still, I admired her bravery and her determination. What could use help sometime, is Cass's heart. After Venom, I would have said I was all for Cass being with Falco, but I'm not so sure about that anymore. But that's not to say that I'm completely sold on Luca either. Each boy definitely had his own merits, but it seemed like neither one of them was ever fully honest with Cass. It will be interesting to see how it will all play out in Starling. And hopefully, I'll finally get to see more of Luca. 

If you like intrigue and historical fiction, I strongly recommend you try reading Fiona Paul's Secrets of the Eternal Rose series. I loved reading Belladonna and I can't wait to see how the story will come to a close in Starling.

A Mad, Wicked Folly Blog Tour - Author Interview

Today I have the pleasure of participating in Penguin Canada's blog tour for Sharon Biggs Waller's debut novel A Mad, Wicked Folly. Sharon has been kind enough to answer some questions on behalf of Will Fletcher, one of the characters (and love interests!) in the story. To find out more about him and his story, just keep reading.

What is it like being a police constable in London in 1909?

The suffrage movement took up a lot of police time. 1909 (and the years of suffrage movement in general) was a strange and confusing time for a lot of constables because they weren't used to dealing with the arrest of women. Most women they encountered were members of the working class, namely prostitutes. When the suffragettes came along, constables found themselves dealing with women who were often socially superior and who wouldn't go quietly. The constables were instructed to "act with firmness as well as tact." But sometimes constables were forced to handle them roughly anyway. Many police officers hated treating women in this way, but others relished it. The suffragettes had an odd relationship with the police. They needed them for protection from hostile crowds, but the police were also enforcing rules that suffragists found unfair.

What is is about the Suffragettes movement that made Will want to help them, even though all other police constables seem to be against it all?

William Fletcher is a young man who believes in fairness and in helping people. He feels he's tasked to keep the peace, but he doesn't agree with preventing people from fighting for their rights. When Will became a police constable he promised to protect victims, not create them. In addition, as he tells Vicky, he doesn't see the point in denying half the population the right to vote.

How has Will's job as a police constable helped him write his story?

As a police constable Will sees the suffering of people up close, and so he knows the destructive nature of poverty and how class can hold people in poverty. He's also seen how destructive inequality can be. His beat lies in the wealthiest parts of town, but he lives in a poorer one. Most people in Edwardian England remained in their own area and didn't usually frequent places where other classes lived. But Will moves through all faces of London every day, both in his work life and his personal life. He's able to see and experience life from many angles, and that helps him create believable characters.

What did Will think when he first made Victoria Darling's acquaintance?

I love this question! I thought about it a lot because when Will first sees Vicky, he looks at her like he knows her. I think we all feel this way when we first meet people we have a natural connection with. We get this feeling of, "oh, there you are!" I imagined Will saw the intensity on Vicky's face when she was drawing and recognized that in himself. Here was this potential dangerous situation and Vicky wasn't backing down. Rather, she was frantically trying to capture the scene, like any fervent artist or writer would. (Of course, Will thought she was beautiful, too!) When he heard Vicky denying she was a suffragette, he was intensely disappointed because he had this idea about her, and now he was wrong, and that caused him to act like a rotter. Will hates a coward.

What was it like working and collaborating with Victoria? The two seem to have quite an unusual relationship.

Both Vicky and Will support each other's talents wholeheartedly, and so they both feel encouraged and accepted when working together. You are right that this is unusual because they are both of different classes, but art and literature has a way of transcending class and gender, so if you look at their relationship from this angle it makes perfect sense. Of course, that comes back to bite Will on the bum. He forgets they are from two different worlds and starts to see her as something other than a collaborator.

What does Will hope for in the future?

He hopes that Vicky will be happy to keep collaborating with him and that they will be able to earn money from their work. As far as life with Vicky goes, Will is going to keep that one to himself. :)

Thank you Sharon for being kind enough to answer these questions on behalf of Will. It was great getting to know more about him. If you are interested in seeing what I thought of A Mad, Wicked Folly, be sure to check out my review.

A Mad, Wicked Folly by Sharon Biggs Waller

Title: A Mad, Wicked Folly

Author: Sharon Biggs Waller

Publisher: Viking Juvenile

Release Date: January 23, 2014

Source: ARC from Publisher

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

Welcome to the world of the fabulously wealthy in London, 1909, where dresses and houses are overwhelmingly opulent, social class means everything, and women are taught to be nothing more than wives and mothers. Into this world comes seventeen-year-old Victoria Darlin, who wants only to be an artist--a nearly impossible dream for a girl.

After Vicky poses nude for her illicit art class, she is expelled from her French finishing school. Shamed and scandalized, her parents try to marry her off to the wealthy Edmund Carrick-Humphrey. But Vicky has other things on her mind: her clandestine application to the Royal College of Art; her participation in the suffragette movement; and her growing attraction to a working-class boy who may be her muse--or may be the love of her life As the world of debutante balls, corsets, and high society obligations closes in around her, Vicky must figure out: just how much is she willing to sacrifice to pursue her dreams?

After having recently discovered the awesomeness that is Downton Abbey, I was told that Sharon Biggs Waller's A Mad, Wicked Folly was like if Sybil had gotten her own book. And that's how I was sold on the book. Once I started reading, I pretty much devoured A Mad, Wicked Folly.

All Victoria Darling really wants to do is draw. Away at finishing school in France, Vicky has found ways to sneak out and join an atelier so she can further her art. But when a classmate discovers that she has posed nude for her class, Vicky is sent back to London where her parents take away all her art supplies. But Vicky won't let that stop her. Determined to find a way to get into the Royal College of Art, Vicky agrees to marry Edmund Carrick-Humphrey, the boy her parents have chosen for her. But while out drawing a suffragette protest, Vicky meets Will Fletcher, a young police constable who seems sympathetic to the women's movement. The more her path crosses Will's, the more Vicky finds herself attracted to him. But being with a working-class boy goes against everything that's expected of Vicky. Is she willing to sacrifice it all and follow her heart?

When I was told that this book was comparable to Downton Abbey, if it were all about Sybil, I just knew I had to read Sharon Biggs Waller's A Mad, Wicked Folly. Reading the synopsis and finding out more about the story only reinforced that desire. Once I started reading, it didn't take long for me to know that I would love this story. And I did. I found myself getting sucked in to 1909 London, following the Suffragette Movement, and watching people start to break away from the class system. Sharon Biggs Waller really did her research. A Mad, Wicked Folly felt authentic and real, and I loved the way she presented it all. Seeing the changes happening in London society through Vicky's eyes added to that authenticity. In a way, the changes in society were mirrored in the ways Vicky was changing herself. It was interesting to then see the two sets of changes side by side. But if I'm being completely honest, what I loved most was seeing Vicky and Will's relationship grow and develop. And believe me when I stay that I was totally rooting for them.

Victoria Darling wasn't exactly a typical seventeen-year-old girl, especially no in 1909 London society. But that's what made her such an interesting character to read about. Vicky wasn't afraid to break out of the mold. She could typically be found doing the opposite of what was expected of her, and she thought for herself, something not many girls her age did at this time. But as rebellious as Vicky could be, she still struggled with the idea of leaving her comfortable life behind, and this struggle could be seen in her feelings towards Will. Will was a police constable, a working-class boy who hopes to one day be a writer. He's not the kind of boy Vicky should be spending time with and she knows that, but she can't seem to fight her attraction to him. And I loved seeing that relationship develop, and even if they shouldn't have been spending time together, you could tell they just really worked together. And I was TOTALLY rooting for them.

If you are a fan of historical fiction, you won't want to miss out on Sharon Biggs Waller's A Mad, Wicked Folly. This was a story I absolutely loved and it showed in just how quickly I raced through it. If I'm being honest, I would reread it in a heartbeat.

Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

Title: Masque of the Red Death (Masque of the Red Death #1)

Author: Bethany Griffin

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Release Date: April 24, 2012

Source: Purchased

Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo

Everything is in ruins.

A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them.

So what does Araby Worth have to live for?

Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up…and tantalizing ways to forget it all. 

But in the depths of the club--in the depths of her own despair--Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does. 

And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for--no matter what it costs her.

I have a bit of a them going on here lately: book club has been forcing me to read books that have been sitting on my shelves for ages. And that's how I finally found myself reading Bethany Griffin's Masque of the Red Death. And though it wasn't what I expected, I absolutely loved reading it!

Araby is one of the lucky few. She has a mask to ear to protect herself from the red death. But even with a mask, Araby doesn't take any risks: she avoids going outside unless she has to, and she never touches anyone without being protected. But after one night at the Debauchery Club, things start changing for Araby. She can't seem to get Will, the boy from the Debauchery Club, out of her head. Araby knows she should stay away from Will, even though she knows how dangerous it could be. And Elliott, April's mysterious brother, who keeps appearing in Araby's life. She doesn't know who she can trust. Everywhere Araby turns, someone seems to be keeping secrets from her. Who can she trust, and what will she do to keep herself safe?

Like anyone who's gone through high school English classes, I've read a few of Edgar Allan Poe's stories, but I had never read his The Masque of the Red Death, so I knew very little about the story. So I wasn't entirely sure what to think when I first heard of Bethany Griffin's Masque of the Red Death. I had friends who loved the book telling me that I should read it, but I still wasn't completely convinced. Once again, it took book club choosing the book for me to finally read Masque of the Red Death. As I started reading, I struggled a little to get into the story. But once I got a better understanding of the world and how it all worked, I pretty much got sucked into the story. The world was really unlike anything I'd ever encountered in YA previously. It was dark, haunting and mysterious, and at the end of the day, my own curiosity about it all is what drew me in. I can't imagine what it would be like to live in a world where I would have to live in constant fear of contracting an unknown, airborne, lethal disease. That aspect of the story alone kept me reading because I just wanted to find out more about the disease, where it came from, if there would be a way to cure it. And of course, like any YA story, there was some romance through it all.

As much as I'm getting a little tired of love triangles, it felt like the on Bethany Griffin wrote in Masque of the Red Death really worked. Maybe it was because Araby didn't really know either Will or Elliott, so both had a certain air of mystery about them. Regardless of what it was, I had trouble picking one boy for a good chunk of the book. In the end, though, Will's interactions with his little bother and sister are what won me over. That, and at times, something just felt off about Elliott. Through it all though, I enjoyed getting to know Araby and seeing her change and grow. By the time I finished reading the book, the Araby from the end felt like a completely different person than the girl I met at the beginning of the story. It will be interesting to see how that growth will continue in the sequel (because I still haven't read that either).

I'm glad I've finally read Bethany Griffin's Masque of the Red Death, because it was just as good as everyone had told me it was. Now I just have to read the sequel, Dance of the Red Death, to see how it all ends because i just know it's going to be an interesting read.