The Lunar Chronicles Book Tag | #TLCBookTag

Having just finished the last book in the Lunar Chronicles series last week -- at least until the graphic novels release, yay! -- and having met Marissa Meyer at her Stars Above signing on Saturday, I'm still kind of riding a Lunar high. I plan on posting about the signing a little later, but I also remembered that Brittany created this tag awhile back to celebrate the release of Winter, and I thought, why not? No time like the present, right? =)

CINDER | The cyborg

a book that’s often misunderstood or underappreciated

People either hated this book or they loved it. It has one of the most unlikable main characters I've chanced upon in awhile, but I kind of like when I'm not supposed to particularly like a character. It always makes me want to gain a deeper understanding of the character and see why they tend to push people away.

KAI | The prince

a book about royals/royalty

I'm re-reading the entire Fire and Thorns series via audio right now, so it's fresh on my mind. I love how Elisa is raised up from a nobody princess to the queen of a land that is not her own...and that she makes it her own. She will do whatever it takes for her people, and she sacrifices a lot in the process.

ADRI | The evil stepmother

a book with a horrible/cringe-worthy parent

The vileness of Grace's father in this story knows no end. It makes me sick just thinking of what he did to her and would have potentially done to her sister.

IKO | The spunky sidekick

a book with your favorite happy-go-lucky character

Levi FOREVER! He was the perfect counterpart to Cath's serious side, and they made the most adorable couple!

SCARLET | The rescuer

a book with a character on a mission

Shazi is on a mission to end Khalid's reign of terror, and though it doesn't go exactly as planned, she still accomplishes what she set out to do. Man, I can't WAIT for the sequel!

WOLF | The fighter

a book with a brutal fight (with words or fists)

That fight between Manon Blackbeak and Aelin was phenomenal and everything I'd hoped it would be: fierce, bloody and death-defying.

LEVANA | The villain

a book with the absolute worst villain

The Dane twins just generally made my blood run cold whenever they were on the page. I like my villains at least a tiny bit sympathetic, thankyouverymuch.

THORNE | The rascal

a book with the biggest schmoozer

I just adored the silver-tongued Han from the Seven Realms series. He continuously gets himself into -- and then back out of -- scrape after scrape.

CRESS | The hacker

a book about technology, or sci-fi

Illuminae was my favorite book last year. I've already read it twice and am considering another re-read very soon. Kady is the hacking queen. She even hacks into one spaceship while stationed on another. I bow down to her prowess!

ERLAND | The doctor

a book with an illness or revolving around medical issues

I don't really ever intend to read books that feature illness or medical issues because they inevitably lead to the sads, but I actually really enjoyed this one when I listened to the audiobook recently. It's tragically sad but ultimately hopeful.

WINTER | The unsound mind

a book with the craziest character you’ve ever read

This book epitomizes #quietYA, but it also features one of the craziest characters I've ever met in YA. Wild Awake was kind of a wild ride that took a detour through Crazytown, and Kiri, the main character, is the mayor.

JACIN | The soldier

a book with a military theme

I loved this book about a girl fighting to attend a boys' military academy. I can't believe I ever thought it wouldn't be my kind of book.

That was too fun! I'm not tagging anyone because I don't know who's already done this tag since it's been around for a few months, but if you too are still riding a Lunar high, feel free to participate, too! And look for my #StarsAbove tour post soon!

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Labels: book tags, favorites, funfunfun, lunar chronicles

STARS ABOVE! I Never Want This Series To End!!!

Title: Stars Above
Author: Marissa Meyer
Narrator(s): Rebecca Soler
Series: The Lunar Chronicles, a collection of short stories
Length: 9 hrs 58 mins
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Publication Date: February 2, 2016
Source: purchased hardcover for shelf and audiobook for immediate immersion =)
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

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...

I'd read a couple of these short stories previously, but I am beyond excited to have them all together in one collection, especially with some new stories, too! I'll be getting a copy of this book signed tomorrow at the Stars Above tour stop here in North Texas tomorrow, but I couldn't wait to read it, so I downloaded the audiobook earlier this week. =)

The Keeper - 4 stars
If you've read the Lunar Chronicles in full, you'll already know how Cinder and Scarlet's paths came to cross. But this story does more to add to Scarlet's grandmother's backstory than to either of the girls'. And from it, you can determine that Scarlet is basically the spitting image of her grand-mère, personality-wise, anyway. It is because of Michelle Benoit that Scarlet is so prepared for what's to come...

Glitches - 4 stars (originally reviewed 12/2/12)
Short and sweet, this prequel story shows us Cinder's introduction to her new family and not only her reaction but their reaction to her. I think it was pretty evident in Cinder that Adri was not happy with Cinder's addition to her family, but Glitches presents a little more background as to why.

I thought it was rather endearing to see how Cinder was acclimating not only to her new role in a family that mostly objected to her presence but also to her new status as a cyborg. She can't remember the accident or much of anything of her life before coming to New Beijing, but it's obvious to her how very different she is now. I loved Cinder's character in the first full-length novel in this series, and it hurts my heart to see how her situation in that novel came about.

The Queen's Army - 4 stars (originally reviewed 12/2/12)
I would be fine if we never encountered the Lunar queen again in this series, but I know that's not going to happen. Having the ability to compel others to bend to one's will makes a person a very worthy adversary, and so I know we have much more of Levana's presence to tolerate. Though, I do hope she gets her comeuppance, especially now that I know the full extent of the atrocities she is willing to commit.

I did like the introduction to Z in this short story, and I hope that his character is featured prominently in the upcoming Scarlet. Possibly as Wolf? Scarlet is a retelling of Red Riding Hood, so it would make sense. And after reading this short story, it seems totally possible that Z becomes known as Wolf, who is described in the synopsis of Scarlet as "a street fighter" who "clearly has a few dark secrets of his own".

Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky - 5 stars
Oh, I just knew Carswell Thorne was a good guy, even when he pretended he was just that rakish guy who got by on his good looks and charm. Sure, his scams are criminal -- criminal but funny -- even as a teenager, but Cress isn't the only girl he played knight-in-shining-armor to her damsel-in-distress for. Thorne has long been my favorite character in this series, and I could honestly read a whole other series based on his exploits alone. A ne'er-do-well who's actually a swoonworthy rogue with a heart of gold? YES, PLEASE.

After Sunshine Passes By - 4 stars
*sniff* I think Cress' backstory was probably the hardest to get through. I mean, none of the heroines of the Lunar Chronicles has had an easy go of it, but Cress is just so isolated and...sad. And to see her at nine years old, cast off and unwanted, left to man a satellite ON HER OWN. I knew Sybil was a monster, but she is just. So. HEARTLESS. The song was sweet, though. o_O

The Princess and the Guard - 5 stars
I'll admit, I was very intrigued to see how Winter and Jacin fared through their childhoods into young adulthood on Luna, and I was not disappointed. I loved getting a peek at Winter before she stopped using her Lunar gift and succumbed to the crazy. And Jacin was as devoted in those early days as we find him later in the series, though definitely a little more easy-going. Of course, becoming part of the Royal Guard changes a man, especially when the queen is Levana. Even so, this story was full of the feels and left me even more enamored of the friends-to-more couple from Winter.

The Little Android - 4 stars
I think I started reading this one when it was up on Wattpad, but I definitely don't remember finishing because I would remember THE SADS. I mean, that's some serious heartbreak right there. And I feel like this short story stays truer to the text of the original tale than any of the other characters arcs. Which is probably why it's so devastatingly brutal: the original fairy tales were not the bearers of sunshine and rainbows that the Disney versions are.

The Mechanic - 4 stars
I'm not always sure I'm going to like getting another character's perspective on a scene I've already read, but this short and sweet story of Cinder and Kai's first meeting from Kai's point-of-view is adorable. I always wondered what made Kai come back himself and ask Cinder to the ball...what intrigued him so much about Cinder. And now I know and love his character a little bit more now. Not that I didn't like him before...he just wasn't my first choice for Cinder. :P

Something Old, Something New - 5 stars
Wow. This story made it all worth it. I like to pretend I'm an unfeeling monster sometimes, but I was seriously tearing up while listening to this one. And it wasn't even necessarily who was getting married, but just the fact that the gang's all together again and doing what they do best: being there for each other. I've really loved going on adventure after adventure (or dangerous mission after dangerous mission, if we want to get technical), and I'm really going to miss this cast of characters. I'm supremely glad that Marissa Meyer decided to give them this send-off...they deserve it as much as her readers do.

From my previous reviews of the audiobooks, just in case you needed further convincing: Sooo worth it to hear Rebecca Soler bring these characters to life again. I don't think I'd like these books half as much if it weren't for her narration. That's a lie. I'd still love them, but it just wouldn't be as much fun because I wouldn't make Cinder sound as feisty in my head, Kai wouldn't seem nearly as regal, Scarlet wouldn't have that slight French accent, and Thorne, well, okay, Captain Carswell Thorne will always be that swoonworthy rogue. But you get the picture. Some audiobooks are just books that are being read to you via some unknown narrator, but the Lunar Chronicles on audio is like having a movie going inside your head. It's impossible not to put yourself in the story, to imagine everything as it's happening and hope for the best right along with the rest of the crew. Rebecca Soler's narration of this series is pure magic, and just. So. Much. Fun.

Stars Above features some old stories and some new ones and backstories galore, plus a sneak peak at the author's new stand-alone, Heartless. And it's worth every penny. I'm dragging my husband to the signing and I was telling him about the series, how the author rewrites favorite fairy tales and then weaves them so that each heroine is a apart of the others' stories, and he was quite intrigued. I'm sure his agreeing to go with me had nothing to do with the Thai food I promised him afterward. ;0) This will be my first time meeting the author and I am SO VERY EXCITED!!!

GIF it to me straight:

About the author:

Marissa Meyer lives in Tacoma, Washington, with her husband and three cats. She’s a fan of most things geeky (Sailor Moon, Firefly, color-coordinating her bookshelf . . .), and has been in love with fairy tales since she was given a small book of them when she was a child. She may or may not be a cyborg. Cinder is her first novel.

Find Marissa:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest

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Labels: audiobooks, beautiful covers, fairy tales, fantasy, favorites, lunar chronicles, macmillan, marissa meyer, must-read, novellas, retellings, reviews, sci-fi

{Review in a GIFfy} OMGITSOVERWHATISLIFEEVEN?!? - WINTER by Marissa Meyer

Title: Winter
Author: Marissa Meyer
Narrator(s): Rebecca Soler
Series: The Lunar Chronicles, book #4
Length: 23 hrs 30 mins
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Publication Date: November 10, 2015
Source: purchased hardcover for shelf and audiobook for immediate immersion =)
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

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?

So, yeah, that was me on Tuesday, upon waking and realizing it was Winter release day. I had pre-ordered a hardcover, but I'm an impatient person -- I mean, really impatient -- and I wanted to avoid anyone spoiling it for me, so I immediately downloaded the audiobook. I had no idea how long this book was expected to be, so when I saw that the audio was 23 1/2 hours long, I did a double-take. But it makes sense with all the loose ends and character arcs the author had left to tie up.

I'm not going to go into the story because if you've made it to this point, you know what's at stake. You know Levana is batshit. You know what sacrifices Cinder and company are willing to make to bring her reign of terror to an end. And you know who you ship and where your OTPs stand. I pretty much stand by what I said in my review of the Cress audio and so I'll just put this here:

Sooo worth it to hear Rebecca Soler bring these characters to life again. I don't think I'd like these books half as much if it weren't for her narration. That's a lie. I'd still love them, but it just wouldn't be as much fun because I wouldn't make Cinder sound as feisty in my head, Kai wouldn't seem nearly as regal, Scarlet wouldn't have that slight French accent, and Thorne, well, okay, Captain Carswell Thorne will always be that swoonworthy rogue. But you get the picture. Some audiobooks are just books that are being read to you via some unknown narrator, but the Lunar Chronicles on audio is like having a movie going inside your head. It's impossible not to put yourself in the story, to imagine everything as it's happening and hope for the best right along with the rest of the crew. Rebecca Soler's narration of this series is pure magic, and even if I were to get an advance copy of Winter -- assuming they will exist -- I'd still probably opt for the audio version because it's just. So. Much. Fun.

No matter how much I started off enjoying this series, I'm constantly surprised by it. Each book just gets progressively better, introducing new characters and new villains and new romances. And somehow, no one ever gets left out or sidelined in order to concentrate on a different story arc. No matter who the leading lady is in each book, the others are not forgotten. I follow the author's blog and Twitter and I know how crazy-organized she is and has to be in order to keep all of these storylines in check, so I can imagine how easy it might be to let a character fall by the wayside. But Meyer never does, and you seriously have to applaud what a masterful storyteller she is.

And I love seeing how everyone's story is coming together, how everyone fits into this giant picture Meyer undoubtedly has in her head. Her reimagining of some of my favorite childhood fairy tales is beautifully done, and I love how the author has woven bits of science and fantasy into her stories to create something fresh and vibrant and completely her own.

In this installment, it's Snow White's turn in the spotlight, with Winter as the damsel in distress, living with her deranged stepmother on Luna, within her own hero's grasp and yet so far out of his reach. It is so funny to me that while reading, I get so caught up in the story that I don't remember it's a retelling until one of the elements in the original story comes to pass, and then I'm like OMG YAAASSS!!!

I loved Meyer's take on Snow White, but I don't know that I could say I loved it more than any of the other heroines' arcs...because I love them all equally, obsessively, and completely. Don't ask me to pick a favorite because I absolutely CANNOT and WILL NOT and SHOULD NEVER be forced to do such a thing.

I will say that I appreciate the author's efforts to make her characters so dynamic and diverse, most obviously in Winter. You've got mental instability, bi-racial coupling, interplanetary-coupling...there's something for everyone and everyone for someone. Those ships...MY GAWD.

The swoons and kissing scenes in this book are pretty epic. I liked to pretend that I didn't hear it the first time and go back and listen again. And again. To the point that someone would see me blushing and ask what I was listening to and I'd finally have to move on. =)

• Winter and Jacin are adorable. But they let that whole class thing get in their way for far too long. Winter is whimsical and Jacin is resolute, and they're kind of perfect for each other.
• Cress and Thorne are yin and yang. She's innocent to the world and he's taken advantage of all it has to offer. I'd ship Thorne with just about anyone, though, as long as I got to hear his quips. I shipped him with Cinder at first because their banter was ah-mazing.
• Scarlet and Wolf are my OTP. They just...the bond, the love, the strength there...THAT IS LIFE. Even after everything they've been through and suffered, they still have the strongest relationship of all.
• Cinder and Kai are...they're the bones of the story. Without them, everything else falls apart. And together, they are a rock.

Obvs, I could have used more kissing. ALWAYS MORE KISSING. And I would really have liked to see a bromance develop between Kai and Thorne. I saw something there at one point, and I didn't want it to end. Maybe we'll see more of it in Stars Above? Maybe more kissing, too, yes?

I don't know if it was because I was listening or the pacing just really picked up in the second half, but it flew by. Like, I may need a re-listen very soon so I can parse some things out. (Or, I guess, I could just revert to my hardcover.) It was just so jam-packed with ALL THE THINGS HAPPENING and the mind-melds and manipulations and it was like who's doing WHAT? And NO, DON'T DO THAT...STAAAAAAHPPP!!! For a minute there, I thought I might never recover.

And then I went to my happy place and this is basically all I remember:

Worth it, though. SO. WORTH. IT. This is one of my absolute favorite series, and I've listened to all of the books on audio and I REGRET NOTHING. Every character, every story line, every single minute spent with these books has been amazing. Marissa Meyer is on my auto-buy list, and if she's not on yours yet, then you probably haven't read one of her books because if you had, you'd be hooked. I just loved these books so much. I could re-read them again right now. And I just might because I seriously don't know what to do with all these feels!

About the author:

Marissa Meyer lives in Tacoma, Washington, with her husband and three cats. She’s a fan of most things geeky (Sailor Moon, Firefly, color-coordinating her bookshelf . . .), and has been in love with fairy tales since she was given a small book of them when she was a child. She may or may not be a cyborg. Cinder is her first novel.

Find Marissa:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest

Previous posts in this feature:

Of Metal and Wishes
The Kiss of Deception
Between the Spark and the Burn
Blue Lily, Lily Blue
This Shattered World
A Court of Thorns and Roses
The Heart of Betrayal
Of Dreams and Rust

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Labels: audiobooks, beautiful covers, book trailers, fairy tales, fantasy, favorites, lunar chronicles, macmillan, marissa meyer, must-read, retellings, review in a giffy, reviews, sci-fi

Waiting on Wednesday: Winter & The Immortal Heights

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's WoW selections are...








's Pick:

Title: Winter
Author: Marissa Meyer
Series: The Lunar Chronicles #4
Publisher: Feiwel & 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.

I blame Jen for getting me hooked on these books. They are amazing, and I'm dying to get my hands on Winter. Especially after reading Fairest a few weeks ago. :) And that cover... LOVE





's Pick:



Title: The Immortal Heights
Author: Sherry Thomas
Series: The Elemental Trilogy, book #3
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication Date: October 13, 2015

In a pursuit that has spanned continents, Iolanthe, Titus, and their friends have always managed to remain one step ahead of the forces of Atlantis. But now the Bane, the monstrous tyrant who bestrides the entire mage world, has issued his ultimatum: Titus must hand over Iolanthe, or watch as his entire realm is destroyed in a deadly rampage. Running out of time and options, Iolanthe and Titus must act decisively to deliver a final blow to the Bane, ending his reign of terror for good.

However, getting to the Bane means accomplishing the impossible—finding a way to infiltrate his crypt in the deepest recesses of the most ferociously guarded fortress in Atlantis. And everything is only made more difficult when new prophecies come to light, foretelling a doomed effort....

Iolanthe and Titus will put their love and their lives on the line. But will it be enough?

With The Immortal Heights, Sherry Thomas brings the acclaimed Elemental Trilogy to its breathtaking conclusion.

I was super impressed with the sequel to The Burning Sky...I think I may have enjoyed it even more than the first book. So, it will be with some trepidation and some seriously high expectations that I embark on this final installment of the Elemental Trilogy. Still, I know Sherry Thomas can pull it off. The way she made me fall for Iolanthe and Titus again and again in The Perilous Sea, and the adventure they've embarked upon together...it's, well, impressive. ;0) I can't wait to read how their story ends!


What are you desperately waiting for this Wednesday? Let us know in the comments or share a link to your own WoW post!

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Labels: fantasy, favorites, harper-collins, lunar chronicles, marissa meyer, sherry thomas, the elemental trilogy, waiting on wednesday (wow), winter