Cinder by Marissa Meyer

 

Series: The Lunar Chronicles
Author: Marissa Meyer
Page Count: 400
Published: January 3rd, 2012
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
  5 Stars ★★★★★ 

In this retelling of the Cinderella story, Cinder is a cyborg mechanic living in New Beijing. Adopted by a man who died years ago, she is left with her hateful stepmother and two stepsisters. Being a cyborg comes with many tensions and inconveniences, including prejudice from fellow citizens and the cyborg draft, an initiative to help the scientists of New Beijing find a cure for the plague that has devastated the world.

Things change when Prince Kai approaches her, asking Cinder to fix his android. What starts as a business encounter turns into something more as Cinder faces new struggles and learns of hidden truths that could change everything. 

I was intrigued by this book's high ratings and seemingly endless praise. I finally decided to pick it up, and I can conclude that it is one of the most original, enjoyable and riveting books that I have ever read. I was skeptical at first, as stories of cyborgs and androids generally aren't included within my usual reads, but I must say that I agree with all the five-star ratings and raving reviews. 

The world-building in this book blew me away. I was completely and utterly engrossed in the world of New Beijing, and all of the social norms, prejudices and political issues that revolved around it. I feel that in a way, it mirrors our world: people are quick to judge those who are different (like many judged the cyborgs), people become desperate in hard times (for example, times of illness), and of course, there was the tricky and intriguing world of politics. All of these issues were portrayed in a way that made them seem incredibly realistic despite being dystopian and within the realm of science fiction, and this added a whole new dimension to the reading experience that I feel many books, unfortunately, lack. 

This was a refreshing retelling of Cinderella. The use of cyborgs and "hovers" and extraterrestrial beings made for an original tale and a nice break from the more fantasy-oriented retellings of fairy tales. Cinder herself was a perfect combination of the traditional view of Cinderella - mistreated, hopeful and pleasant - and an original personality. I hope that readers get to see more of her in the next book!

All of the other characters, including the stepmother, stepsisters (one friendly and one not-so-friendly) and the prince fulfilled their roles from the original fairy tale, however the author also went above and beyond to make them unique and much more than just overused, stock cliches. The combinations of the characters, unique twists and the world itself brought the book to life as I read it and I never wanted to put it down!

While there were some twists that I could definitely see coming, this didn't take away from the reading experience at all. Any disappointment that came from being able to guess some of the big reveals was erased by the author's writing style. I read it for hours on end without needing to take a break, and the time seemed to fly. I was sad when I flipped to the last page, because I don't have the next book yet! 

I recommend this to fans of YA and science fiction. Even if you're not a big fan of science fiction, give this book a try! You won't regret it. 

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Ash by Malinda Lo

 

Series: N/A
Author: Malinda Lo
Page Count: 264
Published: September 1st, 2009
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
 5 Stars ★★★★★

Ash's mother dies, and soon after her father marries Lady Isobel. But when her father falls ill and dies as well, she is left in her stepmother's care. They move away from her childhood home to a new one, where Ash lives her life as a servant. 

 She becomes acquainted with a fairy, Sidhean, and later meets the king's huntress, Kaisa. While she's grateful for their company, she longs to attend the various events taking place around her home, including dances and hunts. But while her wishes may be granted, they come at a price.

 I don't read many fairy tale retellings but this one was worth reading. I was worried that it would be exactly the same as the story, Cinderella, which it was based on, but the author changed things up a bit in interesting and enjoyable ways. I liked the way that fairy stories played a part in this book, and the way that Sidhean was portrayed. He wasn't open and generous as the fairy godmother in the Cinderella stories that I've read, instead everything had a price and this added some tension and a bit of suspense. However, I do wish that the author had added more scenes with Sidhean because I wanted to know more about him. 

I thought Ash was a great main character, she tried to make the best of her situation and she never truly gave up, even when things seemed impossible. She was strong and determined, and at times a little bit impulsive, but she was overall very likeable. Kaisa was also a great character and a good love interest, however I wish the author had added more dialogue between her and Ash. I wanted to know more about Kaisa's life!

The world-building was incredible, I felt like I was there with Ash throughout the whole book and I could picture the settings vividly. The descriptions were amazing, the author describing everything in detail so that I could see everything as Ash did. I usually get bored when there is too much description but I was completely entranced by the way everything seemed to come alive like a movie in my mind. 

I do feel like the ending was a bit rushed and almost convenient. While this didn't take away from the quality of the book overall, it irked me a bit that everything was resolved so easily. If the curses or spells that had been cast upon Sidhean were really so strong as to make him feel emotions as intense as love, it shouldn't have been so easy for Ash to get out of paying the price for her wishes. 

This was a great retelling of Cinderella, with a few twists and amazing world-building. I recommend this to those looking for books with LGBTQ characters without a focus on coming out, fans of fairy tale retellings and those who enjoy fantasy novels.

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The Heartless City by Andrea Berthot

Series: The Gold and Gaslight Chronicles

Author: Andrea Berthot
Page Count: 241
Published: August 17th, 2015

Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press

  4 Stars ★★★★

I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for a review.

It's 1903 and London is quarantined. A drug that turns humans into 'Hydes',  monsters of great strength which tear out peoples' hearts, has devastated the population. 

Elliot Morrissey, son of one of the physicians searching desperately for a cure, is an empath due to an experiment gone wrong. When he meets Iris, he can tell that there is something different about her, and he's right. After she appears to return from the dead, she is offered a room in the palace, and it is discovered that she can heal herself amongst other amazing abilities.

During her stay in the palace, Elliot and Iris grow closer, and secrets are revealed about those he thought he could trust. Not all is as it seems, and he and Iris are determined to get to the bottom of things.

I'm usually not a fan of historical fiction but when I was approached about a potential read and review, I thought I'd give it a shot. I was pleasantly surprised and I can say that this book truly impressed me.

One interesting thing about it is my feelings towards the characters. Whether or not I liked or disliked a character was absolute and there was no in between, which was a nice change from previous reads. The characters themselves were very unique and the protagonists were incredibly likeable. They were not cut-out characters, archetypes or cliches. 

The world it was set in, a quarantined historical London, was so well set up it often felt like I was really there with the characters. I understood everything about the world, descriptions were very clear and whenever I sat down to read I was instantly sucked into the story.

The plot seemed a bit reminiscent of the whole zombie infection thing at first, and I was wary I would be getting a run-of-the-mill monster virus story. But I was wrong! This is, so far, the best "virus"-themed story I have ever read. The backstory was intriguing, the effects were truly devastating and the whole idea of using something to gain or maintain power was expertly intertwined with the "virus" concept. 

The romantic aspect of the story was incredibly well done. While not fading completely into the background amid the overall plot, it didn't overshadow the main conflicts of the story. Forbidden romance always excites me and there was a sprinkle of that in here as well. 

The only thing that I took issue with was the occasional overuse of descriptive words. At times I felt a bit overwhelmed with descriptions and adjectives, but this became less and less as I progressed through the book.

Do I recommend? Absolutely! If you read young adult fiction or historical fiction add this to your list! If "virus"-themed books are your thing this is a must read. I really enjoyed this book and I am hoping to read the sequel.

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Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Series: Fairytale Retellings

Author: Jackson Pearce
Page Count: 328
Published: June 7th, 2010

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

  4 Stars ★★★★

Scarlett and Rosie's grandmother died in a werewolf attack when they were young, and Scarlett is now severely scarred and left with only one eye, as a result of protecting Rosie from the Fenris wolf. Years later, they hunt the Fenris, still haunted by memories of that fateful and traumatic day. 

Silas, their family friend, woodsman, and hunting partner returns to their small town just as they find they must move cities so that they can track the wolves and save the Potential....a regular man at risk of being targeted by one of the three Fenris packs and changed into a werewolf. But as Rosie becomes distracted by life outside of hunting and questions all that she has ever known, tensions bloom. Will they be able to find the Potential in time? Or will the Fenris claim him as another of their soul-less pack members?

First of all, I really liked how the author gave Silas, Rosie and Scarlett all distinguishable, unique personalities. It made for an interesting dynamic and their interactions were never boring.

However, I didn't truly like Scarlett. I wanted to like her, to see her as a hero. After all, she saved Rosie at the price of her own appearance and health! But I found Scarlett to be extremely manipulative and uptight, and I hated how she always made Rosie feel guilty. So to me, she was not a likeable character.

Rosie was the complete opposite. Open to new experiences and far from manipulative, I got angry when she felt guilty for doing normal things, thanks to her sister. Scarlett also seemed to make Rosie feel like she owed her everything..... I understand feeling gratitude towards the person who saved your life, but to take advantage of that gratitude was unacceptable. 

Silas was a great character. He was gentle and sincere, yet he was also fierce and emotional. He wasn't perfect but he was admirable. 

There isn't really a love triangle, which I know some people may appreciate. I personally appreciated it, and I feel that if the author had included a love triangle, it would have distracted from the main plot points. There is a romance and some romantic allusions and actions towards a third person, but certainly not a full-blast love triangle. 

I thought it was interesting that the author chose to make the Fenris werewolves true monsters. She didn't romanticize them in any way and I truly disliked them. This is a breath of fresh air when it comes to werewolves in current young adult fiction..... While I love myself a good paranormal romance and a supernatural love interest, I really enjoyed this take on werewolf mythology. 

The book felt a little slow at times but the pace in general was quite good and kept me interested throughout the whole novel. The climax was crazy and the ending was perfect. Be warned: the climax and the ending will play with your emotions! 

I recommend this book to those interested in werewolves and to those who want a novel that strays from the paranormal male, human female romance trend. If you like YA stories about monster hunting then this book is for you. 

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Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid by Jan Harold Brunvand

Series: N/A

Author: Jan Harold Brunvand

Page Count: 256
Published: October 15th, 2004

Publisher:W.W Norton & Company

5 Stars ★★★★★

This book is a compilation of urban legends both new and old. It contains multiple versions of many urban legends and compares older stories with their modern incarnations. 

From the classic scary story 'Bloody Mary' to chain emails warning of the newest dangers, this book is sure to have something for everyone. 

I found myself revisiting many of the scary stories I had shared with my friends as a child as I read this book, and I appreciated that the author included the sources of the stories and that he compared and contrasted different retellings. 

Amongst these older and more familiar urban legends were newer ones, stories that I hadn't heard before. I was disturbed by many of them; rats disguised as dogs, venomous snakes hiding inside bed sheets and children's clothing. I enjoy being unnerved and as a result this book was perfect for me.

Deliciously disturbing and perfectly eerie, this compilation of urban legends is not for the faint of heart or the easily upset. I'd like to mention that it contains stories which include emotional deaths and child neglect. As these are themes which some may be sensitive to I feel it is an important courtesy to give potential readers a heads up

I recommend this book to those who love creepy stories and urban legends, and to those interested in learning about different versions of popular and sinister stories. If you love horror-esque tales, this is definitely for you.

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Splintered by A.G Howard

Series: Splintered

Author: A.G Howard
Page Count: 371
Published: January 1st, 2013

Publisher: Amulet Books

  4 Stars ★★★★

Alyssa's mother is currently residing in a mental institution because she claims to talk to and hear bugs and plants. She was admitted after an incident where she cut Alyssa's hands in the garden, and Alyssa still has the scars to remind her.

Alyssa harbors a secret crush on Jeb, her enemy's boyfriend, and she can also hear the whispers of plants and bugs, just like her mother claims to hear. She dreads her future, fearing that it will be spent in an institution just like her Wonderland obsessed mother.

However, a shocking discovery and an encounter with a figure from her past leads her straight to the supposedly fictional Wonderland, but nothing is exactly as Lewis Carroll described in his works. With Jeb she ventures through perilous landscapes to the heart of Wonderland, hoping to fix all of her ancestor's, Alice's, mistakes. With the mysterious and infuriating Morpheus, they continue on, but something isn't right, and she will soon face a deep betrayal....

I was quite impressed with this book. I really appreciated how it deviated from the "average" YA novel by ditching the "insta-love". I have no problem with insta-love, when I'm in the right mood for it. But the romance in this book was not only meaningful but understandable, concrete, and at times heart-wrenching.

The author described the characters and landscape in great detail, especially the netherling creatures and the outfits sported by them, which really added to the reader's ability to truly visualize Wonderland and it's inhabitants.

There were times when I had to push myself a little to get to the next chapter, but the author made up for that in their descriptions, characters, and other mind-blowing events in the story.

I most definitely recommend this novel! Fans of YA, fantasy, romance, and paranormal stories will really appreciate this book. If you're looking for a unique story full of plot twists and emotion, this is for you! 

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