Review: Fairest by Marissa Meyer

Title: Fairest
Author: Marissa Meyer
Series: The Lunar Chronicles #3.5
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publication Date: January 27th, 2015
Source: Purchased
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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.

Oh my gosh, I've waited so long for this book. The Lunar Chronicles, I had originally put off for a while. I just was not interested in them at all. But they were so well loved by EVERYONE, that I just had to try them. My friend Jess and I had decided to make them buddy reads.. so we read them all back to back. 

So when it came out.. we had to do a buddy read. It's been hard lately, being as busy as I am, and as busy as she is.. but we came together and got this one done. My goodness I miss reading with her. And what a fantastic book to start out with after our lull. 

If you thought that Queen Levana was crazy after reading Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress.. well you were right. lol. But crazy might not be a strong enough word to describe her. And heck, her whole family. 

There are so many things that I loved about Fairest. One being the length. This is no half ass novella. It's got girth! Some novellas are kinda pointless. They give you a tiny bit of insight, but they are mainly to tide you over until the next installment. Fairest is so much more than that. 

The most important thing that I loved is getting to know Levana. At times I really felt bad for her. We learn where her obsession with no mirrors stems from. We learn why she's F'd up in the first place. We learn so freaking much! It's a hear breaking punch to the gut. Nothing excuses her for the horrors she's unleashed through out her life, but I understand what has made her the monster she is. 

Also, we learn a little bit about Winter, and I don't know about you all, but I cannot freaking wait to get my hands on that book. 

I loved Fairest so much.. SOO SOOOOOO Much. <3 These books are awesome. 

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

Read More

Labels: cinder, crazy, cress, fariest, favorites, feiwel & friends, lunar chronicles, marissa meyer, novellas, retellings, reviews, scarlet

Waiting on Wednesday: The Summer After You and Me & Lion Heart

"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: The Summer After You + Me
Author: Jennifer Salvato Doktorski
Series: n/a
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: May 1st, 2015

Sunbathing, surfing, eating funnel cake on the boardwalk—Lucy loves living on the Jersey Shore. For her, it's not just the perfect summer escape, it is home. And as a local girl, she knows not to get attached to the tourists. They breeze in over Memorial Day weekend, crowding the shore and stealing moonlit kisses, only to pack up their beach umbrellas and empty promises on Labor Day. Lucy wants more from love than a fleeting romance, even if that means keeping her distance from her summertime neighbor and crush, Connor.

Then Superstorm Sandy tears apart her barrier island, briefly bringing together a local girl like herself and a vacationer like Connor. Except nothing is the same in the wake of the storm. And day after day, week after week, Lucy is left to pick up the pieces of her broken heart and broken home. Now with Memorial Day approaching and Connor returning, will it be a summer of fresh starts or second chances?

I need this book. I live in Pa, so the Jersey Shore has always been a summer destination for us. Until Sandy rolled through and destroyed Sea Sides Board walk. It's back up and rebuilt, but without all the rides and stuff that used to be there. Its just not the same. I can't wait to read this, just for the setting alone. :) Plus.. summer romance and all. I love that stuff.






's Pick:



Title: Lion Heart
Author: A.C. Gaughen
Series: Scarlet, book #3
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Publication Date: May 19, 2015

The eagerly-awaited conclusion to the Scarlet trilogy delivers another action-packed and romance-filled adventure.

Scarlet has captured the hearts of readers as well as the heart of Robin Hood, and after ceaseless obstacles and countless threats, readers will finally find out the fate of the Lady Thief.

Imprisoned by Prince John for months, Scarlet finds herself a long way from Nottinghamshire. After a daring escape from the Prince's clutches, she learns that King Richard’s life is in jeopardy, and Eleanor of Aquitaine demands a service Scarlet can’t refuse: spy for her and help bring Richard home safe. But fate—and her heart—won’t allow her to stay away from Nottinghamshire for long, and together, Scarlet and Rob must stop Prince John from going through with his dark plans for England. They cannot rest until he’s stopped, but will their love be enough to save them once and for all?

I only just discovered this series right before the last book released, and I am a forever fan now. A girl impersonating a boy and carrying on as a thief, falling in love with Robin Hood? Yes! A thousand times YES! If you haven't picked up this series yet, you don't know what you're missing. But maybe you should wait until this final book is out, after that cliffy in Lady Thief...yikes.


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

Read More

Labels: a.c. gaughen, beautiful covers, bloomsbury, favorites, jennifer salvato doktorksi, retellings, scarlet, the summer after you and me, waiting on wednesday (wow)

{Mini} Reviews: The Lunar Chronicles 1-3 by Marissa Meyer

Title: Cinder
Author: Marissa Meyer
Series: The Lunar Chronicles #1
Publisher:  Macmillan
Publication Date: January 3rd, 2012
Source: Purchased
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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

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

These are my thoughts on books 1-3, so there may be spoilers unless you've read all three of these books.

AHHHHHH!!! Why did I wait so long to read this book!!! I’ll tell you why. Fairytale retellings don’t really wet my muffin. I’ve read a few, but it takes me a while before I get the urge to pick one up. So many things can go wrong, especially when your messing with stories I loved as a child.

Take Cinderella for instance… a cyborg Cinderella? Come on now, that sounds lame as shit. Or so I thought. You see, I saw the cover and saw everyone talking about it when it came out. Still, I thought, Nah! This book is not for me. Then Scarlet came out… more raving! *sigh* Really? It can’t be that good, it doesn’t sound that good. Alas, Cress was released and I couldn’t put it off anymore. The blogger applause was deafening, so I proposed to Jess that we give Cinder a try and if we liked it, then we would read the others.

WE Loved it!!! Our normal 25% a day turned into finishing it in about 48 hours. Lol. Some books you just can’t put down. You just can’t. I think Jess almost wet herself the night I told her we could continue reading past 50%, she was fiending, but truth be told, I was too!

As a retelling of Cinderalla, I thought it was excellent. So different and original, but I loved all the little details that were thrown in, that would immediately bring my mind back to the fairy tale.

Love Love LOVED!!!! This Book!

Title: Scarlet
Author: Marissa Meyer
Series: The Lunar Chronicles #2
Publisher:  Macmillan
Publication Date: February 5th, 2013
Source: Purchased
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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.

The week after we read Cinder, we picked up Scarlet. It picks up right where Cinder leaves off. I was pleasantly surprised to see that not only do we read from two knew pov’s, we still got to keep everyone elses!

It confused me at first, but I quickly got used to it bouncing around between them all. And it really gave you a feel for what was going on at all time. Scarlet, she’s feisty and I like her. I liked Wolfe too, but I’ll be honest, I’m still weary of him. He’s the wolf!!! Ya know?

The same as in Cinder, this retelling is so original. I’m kind of blown away honestly and I’m not sure how she comes up with this stuff. Authors are awesome. I loved that you get to learn more about Cinder. More about the revelations that are revealed at the end of book one. It’s good stuff.

Title: Cress
Author: Marissa Meyer
Series: The Lunar Chronicles #3
Publisher:  Macmillan
Publication Date: February 4th, 2014
Source: Purchased
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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.

Oh my freaking gosh, If I thought these books couldn’t get any better, boy was I wrong. Cress, I loved her. Rapunzel is one of my favorite stories, so I was all over this one.

Again, it’s such an original take on the whole thing. So much happens in this one. There is an “OMG, No WAY!” moment towards the end. I love those moments. I love how all these books tie into each other, and the characters too.

This was another buddy read with Jess. We read them all in three weeks. We thought Cress was the last one! Nope, now we have to wait for Winter. *sigh*. It will be worth it I’m sure.

I decided to review all of these together, because they are just too good to review on their own. I had trouble finding enough words for mini reviews. I really feel like if you haven’t given this series a try, you should! The first one is only 2.99 for kindle I believe, so you should totally....

Give it a shot!!! 

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

Read More

Labels: cinder, cress, macmillan, marissa meyer, retellings, reviews, scarlet, the lunar chronicles

Review: Lady Thief by A.C. Gaughen

Title: Lady Thief
Author: A.C. Gaughen
Series: Scarlet, book #2
Publisher: Walker Childrens
Publication Date: February 11, 2014
Source: received from publisher via Netgalley
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Scarlet’s true identity has been revealed, but her future is uncertain. Her forced marriage to Lord Gisbourne threatens Robin and Scarlet’s love, and as the royal court descends upon Nottingham for the appointment of a new Sheriff, the people of Nottingham hope that Prince John will appoint their beloved Robin Hood. But Prince John has different plans for Nottingham that revolve around a fateful secret from Scarlet’s past even she isn’t yet aware of. Forced to participate at court alongside her ruthless husband, Scarlet must bide her time and act the part of a noblewoman—a worthy sacrifice if it means helping Robin’s cause and a chance at a future with the man she loves. With a fresh line of intrigue and as much passion as ever, the next chapter in Scarlet’s tale will have readers talking once again.

You know when a sequel just blows your ever-lovin' mind, leaves you screaming and angry and in ruins?  Lady Thief is that kind of sequel.  I don't know how the author managed to make me fall even harder for these characters, but she did. And now my poor heart is in tatters after that ending.

Okay, so, if you know the story of Robin Hood fairly well, a lot of what happens in Scarlet and Lady Thief won't come as a surprise to you, but the way that events unfold is sure to.  You might think for a second that in this one instance, Gaughen's going to go the traditional route and orchestrate the same sequence of events you've come to know as the history of Robin Hood and his Merry Men.  But you'd be wrong.  Though I've had many of my theories pan out over the course of these two books, I still feel like the story is remarkably fresh.  I think the fact that I'm able to foresee a lot of what's to come is actually one of my shortcomings, not the author's.

I am still so in love with the fact that Scarlet is who she is, that she's survived what she has, and she still manages to persevere, to fight and love and do what she can for the people of Nottingham.  Scarlet's narrative is sparse but that doesn't keep her from painting a very brutal picture for us.  She doesn't hide her feelings nearly as well as she once did, though, and with what's going on now, it's no surprise.  I had so hoped that she'd finally get her chance at happiness, but it looks like it wasn't meant to be, at least not yet.

Robin is a bit broken after what he suffered in the first book, and Scarlet bears the brunt of his inability to cope.  As such, she's forced to make a decision that will change the course of her and Robin's future, though not as either of them expected.  Neither of them knows of the stratagems already at play when Scarlet accepts a bargain from Lord Gisbourne, and when Prince John involves himself in her affairs, all hell breaks loose for Scarlet.

Fortunately for Scarlet and Rob, they find -- or rather, make -- time for romance along the way.  Because of their honor and devotion to each other, I feared we'd go another book without so much as a single kiss between them, but they put that aside to bask in each other while they can.  Nothing about their future is set in stone, and if the past is any indication, they have a long road to travel before they can truly seek solace in each other's arms.  So it was nice to see them give in to their hearts and take a moment or two for themselves, even if doing so was technically wrong.  (I'm not here to judge, but Scarlet is a married woman.  Just sayin'.)  Their love story is raw and achingly painful, but deliciously so, and despite all odds, I'm still betting on them.

The other characters' stories have all become compelling in their own rights.  [Little] John may finally be over his roguish ways, which is quite the change from the first book.  Much is showing just how capable he is and is full of worthy advice for Scarlet.   Even Gisbourne's story arc proves quite intriguing.  He may be pure evil incarnate, but in the beginning, he was such an enigma and as much as I loathed him, I still wanted to know how he came to be the man he was.  I got more than I bargained for in that respect, but it's fitting and makes the story that much more captivating.

As I said, if you know anything of the lore surrounding Robin the Hood and his entourage, you can guess where the story is headed for both him and Scarlet, especially with the death of the sheriff and Prince John's political machinations while his brother is away.  But the ways in which the end result was achieved were still shocking and at times, utterly heartbreaking.  Guard your heart, folks...you're in for a bumpy ride.  And if you're waiting until the third book is out because you've heard about the tear-inducing cliffy at the end of Lady Thief...well, that's all well and good, but it's still going to be there whether you wait or not, and you can't change what happens, much as you'll want to.  So, what I'm saying is, hurry up and read it so we can discuss and be miserable together while we wait for book three.  ;0)

GIF it to me straight:

I won't be able to wait another year...I won't...iwontiwontiwont.

About the author:

I am shamelessly addicted to staying up far too late (it feels like stealing time), diet coke (it burns so good), Scotland (stupid country stole my heart and won't give it back. Interpol has been ineffective for prosecution) and thieves (so I guess I'm not that mad at Scotland).

Find A.C.:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Tumblr

Read More

Labels: a.c. gaughen, bloomsbury, favorites, must-read, retellings, reviews, robin hood, scarlet

{Audiobook} Review: Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

Title: Scarlet
Author: A.C. Gaughen
Narrator:  Helen Stern
Series: Scarlet, book #1
Length:  6 hrs 56 mins
Publisher: Audible, Inc.
Publication Date: July 16, 2013
Source: purchased
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible

Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance.

Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in.

It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.

That's me, upon finally diving into Scarlet and realizing I've been putting off a very, very good book for ages...and for no good reason.  I'm glad I finally had the sense to snatch up the audio in an Audible sale. Especially since the audiobook was freaking fantastic!  You, too, can experience the awesome in ebook form for only $2.99 for a limited time:  Kindle and Nook. Or you can pick up the incredible audio, too, so we can squee about the awesomeness together, but it's going to cost you a bit more coin.

So, I've always liked the story of Robin Hood:  a merry band of thieves stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, whom the rich more than likely got their wealth from in the first place. Which is obviously one of the reasons I added this book to my TBR all those months ago. But I also love a story  revolving around a girl masquerading as a boy...and getting away with it.  This type of protagonist has to prove herself less in a "man's" world, but she also has to prove to the reader and to herself that she is, underneath the disguise, still just a girl.

A lot of people think Robin Hood and revert to their childhood, envisioning this:

I wish that were the case for me.  No, I was subjected to a different Robin Hood many times by coaches in high school who were "teaching" history classes.  I don't know what it was, but they all showed this film ad nauseum whenever they didn't particularly feel like holding a regular class:

That's not the worst movie ever, but I've seen it too many times now to appreciate it anymore.  If there ever was anything to appreciate.  I'm not a big Costner fan myself.  The point of this tangent, though, is to explain -- partially -- why I put off reading Scarlet for so long.   I was afraid of being disappointed.  This book offers up several aspects that my reader's brain craves:  a fierce heroine, thieving, secrets, and a romance with a historical figure I'd fallen for way before I'd ever picked up the novel.  And so I was hesitant, not wanting to get my hopes up, only to have them dashed away by a book that couldn't live up to my expectations.

Except, it totally did.  Honestly, this story was even better than I could have imagined.  I don't know if it was the fact that I was listening to the audio, and that the narrator was so perfectly perfect for the book, or if it's just because I loved the story that much, but I could not stop listening to this book.  I was there with the characters, traipsing through the woods, hiding in the trees, rescuing my friends.  I'm absolutely astounded at how easily, how thoroughly, the author was able to engage my thieving, lying alter-ego and pull me into this story so completely.  And the narrator was impressive, as well. No deep, throaty voices for Robin and the gang.  Just a rough Cockney accent for our dear Scarlet and the merry men and a more refined voice for the Hood.  It made these characters feel like old friends.

Scarlet is just so unbelievably entertaining, with its familiar story and its deadly twists, and I can't believe I waited until now to experience it myself.  Immediately, you're going to recognize some old friends and old enemies, but there are plenty of new faces, friends and foes alike, to keep the story interesting and fresh.  The fact that Will Scarlet is actually a girl in this story aides the book in being an entirely unique retelling of Robin Hood, but that's not even the half of it. There are so many secrets and lies peppered throughout this story, and it will really keep you on your toes if you're not paying attention.

The romance, though I very much enjoyed its development, was kept very much to the background, but I think that's to the benefit of the novel and to the characters, as Scarlet really isn't the romantic type.  She's fierce.  She's a thief, she's a liar, and she is downright deadly with a blade in her hand.  And you'll soon discover that Scarlet is definitely not the type of girl you want to cross.

This is a retelling, and so much of this story will feel like familiar territory.  But I found it an entirely refreshing take on an old favorite, and I'm thoroughly impressed with the author's execution of this story.  Gah, I feel like all I did was gush about the book and that I didn't tell you anything really useful, like about the plot or the characters, but honestly, you won't care...not really.  The story is just too much fun to worry about things like that, even though those aspects are great, too.  Here's all you really need to know, though:  Scarlet is a kickass heroine who can take out opponents three times her size with the simple throw of her knife, she steals to help the people of Nottingham, and she's falling for Robin of Locksley.  Big time.  Oh, and everyone thinks she's a boy.

My only complaint?  The story was too short.  :P  Good thing I already have the sequel in my possession!  Eeeeeeee!!!  =)

GIF it to me straight:

I can read the sequel now?  Yes?!?  YES!!!

About the author:

I am shamelessly addicted to staying up far too late (it feels like stealing time), diet coke (it burns so good), Scotland (stupid country stole my heart and won't give it back. Interpol has been ineffective for prosecution) and thieves (so I guess I'm not that mad at Scotland).

Find A.C.:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Tumblr

Read More

Labels: a.c. gaughen, audiobooks, beautiful covers, bloomsbury, favorites, historical fiction, must-read, retellings, reviews, robin hood, scarlet