Book Review: Stars Above

Title: Stars Above

Series: The Lunar Chronicles

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Publication Date: February 2, 2016

Add it to Goodreads

The enchantment continues....

The universe of the Lunar Chronicles holds stories—and secrets—that are wondrous, vicious, and romantic. How did Cinder first arrive in New Beijing? How did the brooding soldier Wolf transform from young man to killer? When did Princess Winter and the palace guard Jacin realize their destinies?

With nine stories—five of which have never before been published—and an exclusive never-before-seen excerpt from Marissa Meyer’s upcoming novel, Heartless, about the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, Stars Above is essential for fans of the bestselling and beloved Lunar Chronicles.

The Little Android: A retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid,” set in the world of The Lunar Chronicles.
Glitches: In this prequel to Cinder, we see the results of the plague play out, and the emotional toll it takes on Cinder. Something that may, or may not, be a glitch….
The Queen’s Army: In this prequel to Scarlet, we’re introduced to the army Queen Levana is building, and one soldier in particular who will do anything to keep from becoming the monster they want him to be.
Carswell’s Guide to Being Lucky: Thirteen-year-old Carswell Thorne has big plans involving a Rampion spaceship and a no-return trip out of Los Angeles.
The Keeper: A prequel to the Lunar Chronicles, showing a young Scarlet and how Princess Selene came into the care of Michelle Benoit.
After Sunshine Passes By: In this prequel to Cress, we see how a nine-year-old Cress ended up alone on a satellite, spying on Earth for Luna.
The Princess and the Guard: In this prequel to Winter, we see a game called The Princess
The Mechanic: In this prequel to Cinder, we see Kai and Cinder’s first meeting from Kai’s perspective.
Something Old, Something New: In this epilogue to Winter, friends gather for the wedding of the century...

Book Review: Winter

Title: Winter

Series: The Lunar Chronicles

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Publication Date: November 10, 2015

Source: Purchased

Add it to Goodreads

Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.
Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won’t approve of her feelings for her childhood friend—the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn’t as weak as Levana believes her to be and she’s been undermining her stepmother’s wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long.
Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters?

Soundtrack Saturday (23)

Happy Saturday, everyone! I hope you've been enjoying your weekend, and that it's starting to warm up if you've been dealing with an eternal winter.

If you've been following The Hardcover Lover for a while, you know just what happens on Saturdays on the blog. Yup! That's right - Soundtrack Saturday! If you've never noticed the meme before or are just new to the blog, I'll explain things for you:

Soundtrack Saturday is a book meme created and hosted by me so I can share my love of music with my readers. But this is a book blog, so of course, books are involved! The soundtracks are actually book soundtracks! As I'm reading, or as soon as I finish, I compile a list of songs that go well with the book.

As with all bookish memes, there are a few steps to follow to help you create your own Soundtrack Saturday post:

• Choose a book that you've read
• Create a mini (four songs) or full soundtrack (ten-fifteen songs) for that book based on characters and plot details
  
  • For more detailed instructions, please visit the meme's homepage.
• Please credit me somewhere in your post
  
  • It can be as simple as "Soundtrack Saturday was created by Erin at The Hardcover Lover."
• Leave a comment on my blog post if you enjoy the feature
• Add your name to the link-up tool 

This week's book for Soundtrack Saturday is Fairest by Marissa Meyer. I loved reading this one and as I was reading, I had to jot down a bunch of songs that came to mind!

"Young and Beautiful" by Lana Del Ray
"Love is a Battlefield" by Pat Benatar
"Mirror" by Ellie Goulding
"Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Lorde
"Night Changes" by One Direction
"Burning Gold" by Christina Perri
"Wasting All These Tears" by Cassadee Pope
"Devil May Cry" by The Weeknd
"Seven Devils" by Florence + The Machine
"Somebody That I Used to Know" by Goyte
"Dust to Dust" by The Civil Wars
"Glory and Gore" by Lorde

So there's my Soundtrack Saturday. I wanted to catch some of Levana's hopeful moments and many of her evil moments. Let me know if you'd add any other songs to the playlist.

Be sure to link up if you created your own Soundtrack Saturday! I'd love to see what everyone's reading.

Waiting on Wednesday (18)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly book meme created and hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that bloggers and readers are anticipating.

It's very easy to participate in the meme. All you need to do is make a post about an upcoming release that you're waiting on, make sure you've linked back to Breaking the Spine, and then add your name to the link-up tool.

I'm waiting on another sequel this week, but this time, it's for the final book in Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles series. If you have been around since the beginning of The Hardcover Lover, you will remember that these were some of the first books that I reviewed on my blog. I waited until Cress was released to start them, but I quickly became a huge fan.

In case you missed it, the cover for Winter was revealed last week, and it is beyond gorgeous! I can't wait to read it and see how the series concludes!

Title: Winter
Series: The Lunar Chronicles
Author: Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Publication Date: November 10, 2015

Here is the stunning conclusion to the national bestselling Lunar Chronicles, inspired by Snow White.

When Princess Winter was thirteen, the rumor around the Lunar court was that her glamour would soon be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana. In a fit of jealousy, Levana disfigured Winter. Four years later, Winter has sworn off the use of her glamour altogether. Despite her scars, Winter’s natural beauty, her grace, and her gentleness are winning admiration from the Lunar people that no amount of mind-control could achieve.

Winter despises her stepmother, but has never dreamed of standing up to her. That is, until she realizes that she may be the only one with the power to confront the queen.

Can Cinder, Prince Kai, Scarlet, Wolf, Cress, Thorne, Princess Winter, and the palace guard Jacin find their happily ever afters? Fans will LOVE this amazing conclusion to the series.

So... are you also waiting on this book? If you are, let me know, and be sure to check my blog for my reviews of Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Fairest. I'd love to connect with other Lunartics!

What else are you waiting on this week? Be sure to let me know in the comments or leave a link to your Waiting on Wednesday post.

Book Review: Fairest

Title: Fairest (The Lunar Chronicles 3.5)

Series: The Lunar Chronicles

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Publication Date: January 27, 2015
Rating: ☆☆☆

Add it to Goodreads | Buy it from Amazon

In this stunning bridge book between Cress and Winter in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles, Queen Levana’s story is finally told.

Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who is the fairest of them all?

Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story – a story that has never been told . . . until now.

Marissa Meyer spins yet another unforgettable tale about love and war, deceit and death. This extraordinary book includes full-color art and an excerpt from Winter, the next book in the Lunar Chronicles series.

My Review

When I first started reading Fairest by Marissa Meyer, I was a little confused as to why it was being labeled as a bridge book or a midquel. Most of Levana's story takes place before the events in Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress. Though the novel definitely connects Queen Levana to all of the main characters in The Lunar Chronicles, I just don't see how it truly operates as a bridge book because it contains a lot of new information. Even after finishing the book, it felt more like a prequel instead of a bridge book. It could very well have been expanded and been a full length novel just like the other books in the series.

After binge-reading  Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress this past summer, I was excited to learn more about this scientifically thrilling world of Marissa Meyer's. I will admit that I was more looking forward to Winter, but I was also looking forward to Fairest. After finishing Fairest, I found myself a bit disappointed but not enough to make me dislike the book. I just wanted more. The plot in Fairest is set, but the world-building really isn't. I was hoping to learn more about Luna and its technological developments, but Meyer briefly mentions what readers will remember from the other books in the series. I was also hoping to get a better image of Luna in my mind, but what Meyer describes isn't quite fulfilling (but the art on the inside is!).

As you know, this is Levana's story, and it starts when she is fifteen. She finds herself in love and ready to marry this man. Unfortunately, things don't work out for Levana and her husband. You would think that this would harden Levana, but you'll discover that there's still more to Levana than just an unrequited love affair. I found that a lot of the details and connections were predictable, but it didn't make me dislike the book. It just solidified how well I know the stories.

Do I like Levana any more than I did in the previous three books? I'm not saying that I completely hated her in the other books because she's a much needed foil, but I don't think this book changed my opinion of her. At this point, Levana is meant to be an unlikeable character, but that's why I like her as a character. Because of this book, I do understand Levana's history a lot better, which is what I think Meyer was going for with this book.

The Friday 56 (15)

The Friday 56 is a weekly bookish meme hosted over by Freda at Freda's Voice. The rules are super easy to follow, and this feature is a great way to share the books you're reading with other bloggers and readers.

So what do you need to do to participate in The Friday 56?

• Go to page 56 (or 56% for e-readers like Kindle and Nook) of the book you're currently reading
• Grab a few sentences to share with your blog's readers, but be sure not to spoil anything too major
• Add your name to the link-up on Freda's blog

 This week, I'm reading Fairest by Marissa Meyer. It's a companion book in The Lunar Chronicles series, and gives readers the backstory to Queen Levana. I'm sure many of you remember how I fell in love with these books this past summer, so it's only fair that Queen Levana gets to take over my blog for a little while.

"A young woman stepped out of the line of thaumaturges, dressed in a maroon-red coat, with glossy raven's-wing hair falling down her back. She was beautiful in the way that all members of the queen's entourage were beautiful, but there was also something admirable in the way she held herself. A confidence that glimmered. Though her station was beneath the head thaumaturge, her posture and faint smile seemed to indicate that she didn't much believe herself to be beneath anyone at all."

I'm sure all of you Lunartics know exactly who Meyer is describing in this scene from Fairest.

But if you haven't read these books... what are you waiting for? This is such an awesome connection to the books! Seriously... Go read them now! They are among some of my favorite books, and I highly recommend them to everyone!

What are you reading this week? As always, feel free to let me know or leave a link to your Friday 56 posts in the comments. I'd love to see what everyone is reading this week!

Soundtrack Saturday (12)

Soundtrack Saturday is a bookish meme that I created so I can share the many songs that pop into my head while I'm reading a book. On Saturdays, I will either post a mini (four songs) or a full soundtrack for a book that I've read or am currently reading. Anyone and everyone is more than welcome to participate. For more information, feel free to visit the meme's homepage or ask me any questions.

Like all other bookish memes, there are a few things to do:

• Choose a book (any book)
• Create a mini or full soundtrack or playlist for the book
• Credit me and my blog in your post
• Leave a comment on my Soundtrack Saturday post
• Add your name to the link up tool

You don't have to use my image, but either feel free to use it or make your own.

This week's book of choice is Cress by Marissa Meyer. I've already done a mini-soundtrack for this one, but I like the book so much that I wanted to expand the soundtrack.

1. "Everybody Hurts" by Avril Lavigne
2. "Burning Gold" by Christina Perri
3. "Lights" by Ellie Goulding
4. "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons
5. "Give Me Love" by Ed Sheeran
6. "Lightweight" by Demi Lovato
7. "Roar" by Katy Perry
8. "Hurricane" by Bridgit Mendler
9. "Just a Kiss" by Lady Antebellum
10. "Bleeding Love" by Leona Lewis
11. "Team" by Lorde
12. "Wrecking Ball" by Miley Cyrus

As always, feel free to leave your links in the link-up tool. I'd love to see what soundtracks you're creating!

Soundtrack Saturday (11)

Soundtrack Saturday is a bookish meme that I created so I can share the many songs that pop into my head while I'm reading a book.

On Saturdays, I will either post a mini (four songs) or a full soundtrack for a book that I've read. Anyone and everyone is more than welcome to participate. For more information, feel free to visit the meme's homepage or ask me any questions.

I's also like to apologize for not posting last week. Things were pretty hectic personally. If you posted a Soundtrack Saturday last week, feel free to include the link in this week's link-up.

Like all other bookish memes, there are a few things to do:

• Choose a book (any book)
• Create a mini or full soundtrack or playlist for the book
• Credit me and my blog in your post
• Leave a comment on my Soundtrack Saturday post
• Add your name to the link up tool

You don't have to use my image, but either feel free to use it or make your own.

This week's book is Scarlet, the second book in The Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer.

1.  "Jailhouse Rock" by Elvis Presley
2.  "Dirt" by Florida Georgia Line
3.  "Country Strong" by Gwyneth Paltrow
4.  "Secrets" by OneRepublic
5.  "Bad Blood" by Taylor Swift
6.  "Drops of Jupiter" by Train
7.  "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton
8.  "Clarity" by Zedd
9.  "Don't Trust Me" by 3OH!3
10.  "Free Fallin'" by Tom Petty
11.  "Me & My Friends" by Tim Meyers & El May

Soundtrack Saturday (10)

Happy Saturday! You know what that means... another Soundtrack Saturday post from The Hardcover Lover.

In case you missed it, I started my own meme, and this is it. On Saturdays, I will either post a mini or a full soundtrack for a book that I've read. Anyone and everyone is more than welcome to participate, and it's actually a pretty quick post (at least for me). For more information, feel free to visit the meme's homepage.

Now with all bookish memes, there are a few things to do:

• Choose a book
• Create a mini or full soundtrack or playlist for the book
• Credit me and my blog in your post
• Leave a comment on my Soundtrack Saturday post
• Add your name to the link up tool

You don't have to use my image, but either feel free to use it or make your own.

For this week's Soundtrack Saturday, I'm making a soundtrack for Cinder, the first book in Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles series.

1. "Mirror, Mirror" by Jane Taylor
2. "Invisible" by Hunter Hayes
3. "Manic Monday" by The Bangles
4. "The Scientist" by Coldplay
5. "The Only Exception" by Paramore
6. "Nothing Left to Say" by Imagine Dragons
7. "Warrior" by Demi Lovato
8. "Counting Stars" by OneRepublic
9. "Royals" by Lorde
10. "Let Her Go" by Passenger
11. "White Blank Page" by Mumford & Sons
12. "Wrecking Ball" by Miley Cyrus

Top Ten Tuesday (9)

Top Ten Tuesday (TTT) is an original meme hosted The Broke and Bookish. This feature was created because they are fond of lists and list making. It's perfect for me because I also love making lists. Each week, there is a new topic, and you get to create a Top Ten list based on it!

Ten Places Books Have Made Me Want To Visit:

1. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry - I'm pretty sure that every person who's read the Harry Potter books would love to visit Hogwarts. I can't wait until I can take a trip to Universal Studios to see the theme park. It almost makes it feel real.
2. Santorini, Greece - I've been wanting to see this place since I read The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. It seems like a beautiful place to unwind.
3. Paris, France - I really had no intention of visiting Paris until I read Anna and the French Kiss. I'd been told that it was a filthy city and that many people don't enjoy their time there. Well... Stephanie Perkins changed my mind. I'm hoping to get to Europe soon, and Paris will definitely be a stop.
4. Dystopian Chicago - Okay... I know it seems kind of strange to want to visit a world like this, but I think it would be interesting to see what has happened to Chicago. I would have so much fun walking around and viewing the dried up lake and destroyed buildings.
5. Panem - You're probably thinking that I'm really crazy now, but I'd really want to see what America looks like in ruins. Plus the Capitol would be such a site to see.
6. Luna - Ever since I've read Cinder, I've been thinking about how cool it would be to live on the moon. I would probably stare at the Earth all day, but can you imagine how beautiful all the stars would look like from the moon?
7. New York, New York - Young Carrie Bradshaw makes the city seem magical and cruel in Summer and the City. I'm still pretty young, so I think I'd experience some  of the same things. Plus, it's New York. I think every American should see the New York skyline at least once in their life.
8. Zanzibar Bay - I loved Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler, and she made the west coast seem like it's the place to be. Oh, and I love collecting beach glass, so I know how I'd spend most of my time there.
9. Neverland - There's a child in me who wishes that I never grew up. I'd love to explore Neverland and see Peter Pan, Captain Hook, and Tinker Bell.
10. London, England - I've kind of always had this place on my list, but reading Bridget Jones's Diary really made me want to visit London.

Soundtrack Saturday (2)

Soundtrack Saturday is a book meme that I created so I can share my picks for some songs that I think of when I'm reading a book.

I'll be completely honest here. I think of music all the time when I'm reading. I just love imagining a certain song that fits a moment in a book. Or I think of a song that suits a character. It's kind of my thing.

It's pretty simple to participate in Soundtrack Saturday, and you only need to think of four songs each week to go along with a book you're reading or have read. Trust me on this one. It's easier to use a book you've read recently.

Guidelines:

• You can use my image or make one of your own
• Please link back to my blog somewhere in your post
• Create a soundtrack for your chosen book
• Add your name to the link-up tool so others can find and read your post
• Have fun

Songs:

• Include a song that you think goes well with the beginning of your chosen book
• Include a song you think fits a character in your chosen book
• Include a song that represents a relationship in your chosen book
• Include a song that fits the ending of the book

Waiting on Wednesday (5)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly book meme hosted by Breaking the Spine. On Wednesdays, we (as readers) shine the spotlight on an upcoming release or two that we can't wait to get our hands on.

My pick for this week is probably not a surprise to anyone who frequently reads my blog posts. I've fallen in love with The Lunar Chronicles, so the book I am waiting on this week is Fairest by Marissa Meyer.

Fairest is scheduled to be released on January 27, 2015, so there is still some time left for me to wait. I can't wait to learn more about Queen Levana because I can't help but think that a lot of the story is missing.

I have so many questions. How did Levana come to be so cruel? What was Cinder's mother like? How is Winter treated? And most importantly... How did people come to live on the moon? But I am really excited for the full-color art. How freaking awesome is that going to be?

Synopsis:
In this stunning bridge book between Cress and Winter in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles, Queen Levana’s story is finally told.

Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who is the fairest of them all?

Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story – a story that has never been told . . . until now.

Marissa Meyer spins yet another unforgettable tale about love and war, deceit and death. This extraordinary book includes full-color art and an excerpt from Winter, the next book in the Lunar Chronicles series.

 

So what are you waiting on this week? Let me know in the comments or leave a link to your post.

Review: Cress

Title: Cress

Series: The Lunar Chronicles

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Publication Date: February 4, 2014

Source: Purchased 

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

Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who's only ever  had 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 of Cress goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.

My Review

 

Oh my stars!

I have to start my review off by stating that the third book in The Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer is, in my opinion, the best one yet! I can only hope (and I truly expect) that more amazing things are on the way in Fairest and Winter.

Once again, Meyer's stellar use of dramatic irony had me hooked. I did not want to put this book down! I couldn't wait to see what happened when the characters found out information that I already knew. It was almost addictive to keep reading just for their reactions.

The newest main character, Cress, is by far the most adorable naive character I've ever come across in a YA book. Her story is so captivating and entertaining. I wouldn't have cared if Meyer wrote over a thousand pages for this book. I would have read it just to learn more about Cress because she is just that cute and quirky.

I also love how Meyer perfectly entwines Cress' story with those of the other characters, like Cinder, Thorne, Scarlet, Wolf, and Kai. It was wonderful to see how she was connected to them and how she can work with them. I truly hope that we see Cress grow and mature a little more in the next book like we've seen Cinder grow since the beginning of the series.

Now... the ending! I'm so happy. I loved the ending. It was the perfect cliffhanger, and I've been waiting for Cinder to say those words since the end of Cinder. I'm so glad that she is finally confident enough to reveal her secrets, and I cannot wait to see how this unlikely group of heroes will use that to their advantage in Winter.

 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading (5)

Alright, everyone. It's Monday, so it's time for another edition of "It's Monday! What Are You Reading?" The meme is hosted by BookJourney. Each Monday, you get to share the book or books that you are today and during the rest of the week.


It's a holiday in the United States, so it's been a pretty laid back day here, and I've read just a little bit so far, but I plan on doing more reading as the day turns into the evening.

Last week, I was reading Cress by Marissa Meyer, and I'm still working on reading it. It's a pretty long book, and I've just been so busy that I haven't had a chance to finish it. It'll actually be the longest book I've read this year until I finish another one that I'm reading. I really hope I'll finish it by the end of the night. Right now, I only have about two hundred pages to go. So it's very possible that I wind up finishing it before the day is over.

I'm also reading Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. I have a hardcover of it, and it's just so big that I don't take it from place to place, so I read a little bit before bed. I've kind of been neglecting it for a few days, but I'm going to make it a point to keep reading it because I'm enjoying it.

This week, I'm also going to start reading Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins. I just got it in the mail last week, and I've been dying to get my fingers between the pages. I need to know what happens with these two new characters. And I need to finish it so I can move on to Isla and the Happily Ever After. 

So that's what I'm reading this week. What are you reading this week? As always, feel free to leave a comment, and I'll be sure to reply. And feel more than welcome to leave a link to your post for the week so I can drop by and check it out.

Happy reading!

The Friday 56 (4)

The Friday 56 is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Freda at Freda's Voice.

It is quickly becoming one of my favorite memes because I love sharing a little bit of what I read with people. This book meme gives me the chance to share something from the books I'm reading with people other than just my friends.

If you want to participate, all you need to do is link your post to Freda's blog. (She posts a linky when she posts her Friday 56.) Then you open the book closest to you (or the one you're currently reading) to page fifty-six (or 56% on your e-reader). From there, you find a sentence or two that you want to share that will make someone who hasn't read the book want to read it. Just try not to spoil anything. We don't want to give away any major plot details.

This Friday, I'm reading the third book in Marissa Meyers' The Lunar Chronicles series. By now, I'm probably sure that you're sick of seeing stuff from The Lunar Chronicles posted all over my blog. I really haven't had a lot of time to fly through this series like I wanted to, but I'm glad to be reading them for the All About YA group. The books are fun and entertaining. I really feel like Cress might be my favorite once I've finished them. I kind of love "Rapunzel" stories.

"'We've extended an invitation to Her Lunar Majesty to join us via netscreen, but our offer was not accepted.'"

So obviously, this is a spoken line in the book. I don't think it really spoils anything, but it does show us how rude Queen Levana can be. It's not like Emperor Kai is asking her to fly down to Earth for a meeting. It's just a netscreen conversation.

So what is everyone reading this Friday? As always, feel free to let me know in the comments or leave a link to your Friday 56 post.

Have a great weekend, and happy reading!

Review: Scarlet

Title: Scarlet

Series: The Lunar Chronicles

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Publication Date: February 5, 2013

Format: Hardcover, First Edition

Source: Purchased from Amazon

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 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.

My Review

So I've had a bit of time since finishing Scarlet to think about my review, but it doesn't really make writing it any easier. While I am truly enjoying the series, I felt like Scarlet lacked some of the key energy that Meyer had in Cinder. I never wanted to stop reading Cinder, but I had a harder time reading Scarlet. It's not that I didn't like this book; it's just that this one felt a little slower. It wasn't as intense as Cinder for me.

Picking up where Cinder left off, Scarlet continues the tale of Cinder. She escapes from prison and takes another prisoner with her, and together, they are outlaws on the run from the Commonwealth. We are also introduced to two new characters, Scarlet Benoit and Wolf, and their attraction to one another does drive a lot of their part of the story, but there is a little bit more than just romance with these two characters. They each have stories of their own, and figuring them out makes reading this one fun.

While I would say that this book is more romantic than Cinder, I also found it to have a bit more action. There are some battle scenes, and I think they were okay. They certainly could have been written better and with more enthusiasm. I lost interest in many of them, even though I know that the fighting and the rebellion is an important part of this series.

Remember that picture that Kai was shown in Cinder? It's an integral part of this novel, and I was kind of angry with myself for being so distracted and missing it right away. Because of it, Kai is forced to make a decision that could change the history of the world yet again. Like how awesome is it for Meyer to have these young characters making so many important decisions? I love it! But I couldn't help but find myself angry with the choice that Kai makes. I know he is making it for what he thinks are all the right reasons, but he is being naive. It bothered me because at the end of Cinder, I really thought that he would grow to be the great leader that he's supposed to be, but it looks like he still has some growing up to do, and I'm fine with that. I'm sure things will change, but the choice just didn't sit well with me when I read it. I think he could have done something else to calm things.

All in all, I didn't think the book was terrible, but I just wanted a little bit more out of it. There is another cliffhanger, so I grabbed Cress, and I hope to see some things become resolved.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (4)

Okay... so I know that not a lot of people enjoy Mondays, but this book meme makes Mondays just a little more bearable. I don't know about you, but Mondays, especially Mondays when I actually have to work, could use a little cheer. I'm babysitting three kids today, so a little reading while they are playing is just the trick to make the day go by a little bit faster.

For those of you who might start school today, Happy First Day of School! I personally always loved the first day of school, even though it meant less time to read what I wanted to read. Just remember that it's a new year, and everything is fresh again. There is so much to learn, so go out there, and try your best.

Everyone else, Happy Monday! I hope you had a great weekend.

Mondays are starting to become a favorite of mine because of It's Monday. It's a really cool book meme that's hosted by BookJourney. Each Monday, you get to share the book or books that you are reading during the week.

This Monday, I've decided to continue reading the books in The Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer. The Goodreads group I'm a mod for is reading the series starting next month, and because I'm in charge of the BOTM and Series Reads, I decided to get ahead on the reading so I could be better prepared when people start posting on the discussion boards. (If you're interested in joining us, the link to the group is on the left column of my blog.)

I finished Scarlet last night, so today, I'm going to read Cress. The cliffhanger ending in Scarlet was enough to make me want to jump in the pages again. I need to find out how Cinder is going to act on her promise to Iko and basically the rest of the world, even though they don't know about her yet.

I'm also excited to meet Cress. From what I've seen, Cress is based on Rapunzel, and I already think we've met her, just not officially. I can't wait to see how Cinder, Thorne, Scarlet, and Wolf work together to overthrow Levana. And obviously I need to know that Kai is not insane! I hope he figures out a way to save the planet without sacrificing himself. He seems like he is going to be such a great emperor.

I've also noticed that Cress has a very high average rating on Goodreads, so of course, I am excited to start it. If you've read it, I'd love to hear your thoughts, but maybe after I finish. I don't want to spoil myself because this is a series that no one has spoiled for me, and it's really made it an enjoyable series to read.

Synopsis:
In this third book in the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had 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 of Cress goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.

The Friday 56 (3)

The Friday 56 is a weekly bookish meme hosted by Freda at Freda's Voice.

If you want to participate, all you need to do is link your post to Freda's blog. Then you open the book closest to you (or the one you're currently reading) to page fifty-six (or 56% on your e-reader). From there, you find a sentence or two that you want to share that will make someone who hasn't read the book want to read it.

This Friday, I'm working my way through Scarlet, the second book in The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. So far, I'm really enjoying it. I just wish I had a little more free time to read it.

"She called up the blueprint of the jail's interior structure to check the direction while she waited for Thorne to clamber up behind her. Switching on her built-in flashlight, Cinder started to crawl."

 So what is everyone reading this fine Friday? As always, you can either let me know in the comments or leave a link to your "Friday 56" post for the week. I'll be sure to check them out!

Top Ten Tuesday (4)

Top Ten Tuesday (TTT) is a weekly meme hosted by the ladies over at The Broke and Bookish. Each week, there is a different topic, and all you need to do is give your answers in the form of a top ten list. They love making lists. I love making lists. It's a win for them, and it's a win for me.

This week is about book recommendations, more specifically the top ten books that your friends recommend to you because they think you'll love it or because the book is just so popular that it is just being recommended all of the time.

This one is kind of tough for me because people often recommend books to me that I just don't want to read. I try to be as polite as I can, but sometimes, I just know that I don't want to read a book. When I get a recommendation on Goodreads that I know isn't for me, I just ignore it. It's a little bit tougher when it happens in real life, though.

I recently opened another recommendation on Goodreads, so I am using some of the books from there. I'm also using some books that I've been told to read in the past.

1. The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling -  I'm not afraid to admit this, but I didn't read the Harry Potter books until I was twenty-three despite so many middle school and high school friends practically begging me to read them. I tried to read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone when I was in sixth grade, but it wasn't for me. After more people in college told me to give them another try, I finally did, and I couldn't be happier with myself. They are by far the best books I've ever read.
   
2. The Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer - These were another set of books that my high school friends wanted me to read. I gave them a shot after my younger sister read and loved them, but I threw Twilight book at her head after three pages. Meyer's style just wasn't for me.
   
3. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green - Everyone was passing this book around and recommending it. Everyone. Even some of the students I interact with thought I would enjoy it. I read it. I hated it. End of story.
   
4. The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer - It seems like everyone is reading these books, and I'm currently binge reading the released books in the series. I am actually really happy that people told me to read these because I kept passing them up in the store. So far, I'm enjoying them.
   
5. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell - As a substitute teacher, I saw a lot of young girls reading this book. When I was in a long-term substitute position, I spent my prep periods in a middle school library. The school librarian was the one who finally convinced me to read it. I enjoyed it, and I went on to read all of Rainbow's books.
   
6. Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern - I got an email that said I would enjoy this book. It's also been recommended to me on Goodreads a few times. I haven't read it yet.
   
7. If I Stay and Where She Went by Gayle Forman - Obviously these two go hand in hand. For the longest time, I ignored the recommendations on these ones just because I wasn't sure that I would like them. I thought about it for a bit, and gave them a try. These are two of my favorite books, and I even passed If I Stay on to my mom because she was really curious about the movie.
   
8. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes - My one friend from college keeps telling me to read this. She's told me to read it so many times that I've lost track, but I am going to keep my promise and eventually read it because she's not much of a reader.
   
9. Anna and the French Kiss series by Stephanie Perkins - I had seen this book everywhere, and then it started showing up in my automatic recommendations from Goodreads. Then my Goodreads friends started recommending it to me, so I when I found it at a used bookstore, I grabbed it. I loved it, and I'm currently waiting on Lola and the Boy Next Door to get here.
   
10. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky - My eleventh grade English teacher was obsessed with this book. I paid enough attention to his fanboy moments to know that I wanted to read the book. I kid you not... my English teacher was a Stephen Chbosky fanboy. He would rave about the book and Jericho all the time. When I finally got to college, the whole English department started recommending it. It turns out that they were planning to bring Mr. Chbosky in to speak to us. It's one of my favorite books ever. I had Stephen sign it, and then a year later, I met him again.