Review: Fairest by Marissa Meyer

Series: The Lunar Chronicles

Hardcover: 272 pages

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Genre: Fairy Tale | Sci-Fi

Date of Publication: January 27, 2015

My Rating: 5 out of 5

Synopsis: 

Pure evil has a name, hides behind a mask of deceit, and uses her "glamour" to gain power. But who is Queen Levana? Long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress in The Lunar Chronicles, Levana lived a very different story--a story that has never been told...until now. 

New York Times--bestselling author Marissa Meyer reveals the story behind her fascinating villain in Fairest, an unforgettable tale about love and war, deceit and death. This extraordinary book includes a special full-color image of Levana's castle and an excerpt from Winter, the exciting conclusion to The Lunar Chronicles.

Review: 

As if we didn't know before... 

Queen Levana is CRAZY!

At first I had a pinch of sympathy for the unloved, verbally abused young Levana, but then she unleashed a whole bundle of psycho and I changed my mind. Watching Levana become consumed by her own manipulation added such depth to the villain's character. 

In Fairest, we find that Levana's parents have been killed and she must now bare the brunt of her sister's abuse alone. After seeing how horribly her family treated each other and their subjects, it is no surprise that Levana grew up to become a deceitful, selfish, manipulative witch determined to let nothing stand in the way of her gaining power. 

With every book Marissa Meyer releases, I become more and more impressed with her story telling ability and her unique writing style. She has become one of my favorite authors. I am anxiously looking forward to finishing Winter, the final book in The Lunar Chronicles series. 

Amazon | Twitter | Author | Goodreads

The Lunar Chronicles Series:

Cinder (January 2012)

Scarlet (February 2013)

Cress (February 2014)

Fairest: Levana's Story (February 2015)

Winter (Coming November 2015)

Review: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Series: The Lunar Chronicles (Book 2)

Hardcover: 452 pages

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Genre: Fairy Tale | Sci-Fi

Date of Publication: February 5, 2013

My Rating: 5 out of 5

Synopsis:

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 turned 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.

Review:

Wolf is so attentive to his alpha female.

I love Scarlet and Wolf. It doesn't take him long to fall completely for her. He is a big teddy bear that just needs a hug for all he has been through. Ugh! I swooned so many times because of these two.

Heartthrob Thorne joins Cinder when she breaks out of jail. He is the comedic sidekick that the story needed. Thorne is amazing! He is charming, hilarious, and absolutely full of himself--in an endearing way.

Though Cinder is amazing, I am delighted to say that the story gets better and better. I can't say that I like Scarlet better, but I would say I like it just as much because of the characters. The great thing about Meyer's writing, is that she has found a way to seamlessly stitch together the happenings of people all over the world into the same story. It flows so smoothly. The reader is not left wondering what is happening to people in other cities. The story follows Cinder, Scarlet, Prince Kai, and Levana. Marissa Meyer is brilliant!

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The Lunar Chronicles Series:

Cinder (January 2012)

Scarlet (February 2013)

Cress (February 2014)

Fairest: Levana's Story (February 2015)

Winter (Coming November 2015)

Trailer:



Author Bio: Marissa Meyer

Author Spotlight

 

Marissa Meyer is the New York Time's bestselling author of The Lunar Chronicles. She received her Bachelor's in Creative Writing and Children's Literature from Pacific Lutheran University, and went on to receive a Master's in Publishing from Pace University. (She knows her stuff) Before her wildly popular book series, she worked as an editor in Seattle and even became a freelance typesetter and proofreader. She currently lives in Tacoma, Washington.  

I think the most charming thing about Marissa is that she is a big geek like me. Some may have first discovered Marissa under her pen name "Alicia Blade" on Fanfiction.net. There she wrote Sailor Moon fan fiction. She is a Moonie enthusiast who enjoys cosplay, and I'm sure she geeks out on the Sailor Moon Crystal reboot.

Her debut novel Cinder echoes her love of the 90s anime and reinvents the classic fairy tales we all know and love. Her writing style is full of plot and intrigue that is fast paced and engaging. I have fallen in love with her works and I look forward to reading more from her.

Works:

The Lunar Chronicles:

Cinder (January 2012)

Scarlet (February 2013)

Cress (February 2014)

Fairest: Levana's Story (February 2015)

Winter (Coming November 2015)

"Glitches" (Prequel to Cinder)

"The Queen's Army" (Prequel to Scarlet)

Author Links

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon | 

Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Series: The Lunar Chronicles (Book 1)

Hardcover: 400 pages

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Genre: Fairy Tale | Sci-Fi

Date of Publication: January 3, 2012

Synopsis:

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 pass, 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.

Review:

Holy cow, this book is good!

And when I say good I mean that it has been years since I've read a book that I liked as much as Cinder. For a debut novel, I am thoroughly impressed by Marissa Meyer and I can only hope that when I finally publish my first book my story will be as complex and developed as hers. Marissa has created a world with multiple layers of pain, suspicion, intrigue, and romance. I don't know much about the mechanical and medical side, but it seems like Marissa did her research. I've never been a sci-fi fan, but I've always loved fairy tales and this one is a superb retelling of the classic Cinderella.

I am so glad I finally read Cinder. I'm glad I only just discovered it because there are two other books out, so I won't have to wait to continue the story. I hope to have Scarlet by the end of the week. Kudos to Marissa Meyer for a fantastic story. Her writing style flows between perspectives without any confusion--mainly because she uses third person, which I greatly appreciate. Her story-telling is top notch. I was definitely reminded of Sailor Moon in terms of the matriarchy and the nature of the villains, but the development of the lunar characters is strictly Marissa's.

There is character development, plot twists, and great mythology. It is very predictable, but the story is so good I easily looked past it. I can continue to gush, but that would be redundant. Cinder is an absolute must read. Go get it now!

Rating: 5 out of 5 owls

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The Lunar Chronicles Series:

Cinder (January 2012)

Scarlet (February 2013)

Cress (February 2014)

Fairest: Levana's Story (February 2015)

Winter (Coming November 2015)

Trailer:





Review: Fathomless by Jackson Pearce

Genre: Fairy Tales | Mermaids

Synopsis:

Celia Reynolds is the youngest in a set of triplets and the one with the least valuable power. Anne can see the future, and Jane can see the present, but all Celia can see is the past. And the past seems so insignificant--until Celia meets Lo. 

Lo doesn't know who she is, or who she was. Once a human, she is now almost entirely a creature of the sea--a nymph, an ocean girl, a mermaid--all terms too pretty for the soulless monster she knows she's becoming. Lo clings to shreds of her former self, fighting to remember her past, even as she's tempted to embrace her dark immortality.

When a handsome boy names Jude falls off a pier and into the ocean, Celia and Lo work together to rescue him from the waves. The two form a friendship, but soon they find themselves competing for Jude's affection, Lo wants more than that, though. According to the ocean girls, there's only one way for the Lo to earn back her humanity. She must persuade a mortal to love her...and steal his soul. 

Review:

Jackson Pearce amazed me once again with her unique story-telling. She has such an amazing talent for capturing the essence of fairy tales and making them something new. Fathomless is a retelling of the famous story The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Anderson. I loved the combination of the mermaids and the three sisters, who remind me of the Fates in Greek mythology. 

Normally I don't care for the double perspective, but Jackson made it work. It worked in Sisters Red and it worked in Fathomless. I loved her descriptions of the ocean. She made it so ark and mysterious. Even the mermaids reflected the vast darkness of the deep water. This was not your typical Disney fairy tale. These mermaids are mindless creatures that kill for the hope of stealing a human's soul to become an angel. Once becoming a mermaid these girls lose all touch with their humanity and memories. It is only by returning to the shore that they can begin to regain their past lives. 

Celia was the typical third sister that doesn't feel as if she good enough in comparison to her sisters. She feels out of place and lonely. The narrative between Celia and Lo has multiple layers of complexity that really add dimension to the plot. I especially liked the subtle ties from the previous books. I can really see how the stories are beginning to intertwine. 

My only complaint is that there was almost too much angst. It started from the first page and didn't end. I didn't feel like that angst was fully resolved by the end; however, this is a continuing series so I expect that I will have that in the next installment. 

Overall, Fathomless rose to my expectations. I love this series. Jackson definitely delivered once again.

Rating: 4 out of 5 owls

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Reviews: Sisters Red | Sweetly

Review: Switched by Amanda Hocking

Genre: Fantasy

Synopsis:

When Wendy Everly was six years old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. Eleven years later, Wendy discovers her mother might have been right. She's not the person she'd always believed herself to be, and her whole life begins to unravel--all because of Finn Holmes. 

Finn is a mysterious guy who always seems to be watching her. Every encounter leaves her deeply shaken...though it has more to do with her fierce attraction to him than she'd ever admit. But it isn't long before he reveals the truth: Wendy is a changeling who was switched at birth--and he's come to take her home. 

Now Wendy's about to journey to a magical world she never knew existed, one that's both beautiful and frightening. And where she must leave her old life behind to discover who she's meant to become...

Review:

I will start this one off with by expressing my appreciation for Amanda's creative spin on troll legends. The "tryll" are not the gastly beasts of the common fairy tales we have all grown to love. These trolls are insanely beautiful, talented in magic, and tres chic when it comes to fashion and parties. 

I really like that Wendy came from a very tragic past. Her human mother tried to kill her when she was a child. Add that bit of drama to the fact that (like every other teenager on the planet) she cannot get past her negative self-image and low self-esteem, Wendy is definitely one angsty teen. 

After the handsome Finn comes into the picture and reveals that she is actually a changeling and must return to take over the tryll throne, Wendy's world is rocked in a way that no teen's should be. She shifts from having one mother who tried to kill her to a super rich and gorgeous mother who has no emotional attachment to her whatsoever and merely wishes to use Wendy for her own personal gain. 

Talk about some family love. I thought that given the situation Wendy handled the cards life dealt her with as much gumption and determination as possible for a teenage girl. 

My only hang up is the writing style. I wasn't too fond of it, though there were definitely quote-worthy moments. As a genre it's not what I usually read (this was my first novel about trolls), but I bought a used copy of the Torn to see what happens next. 

I've been on the fence about the rating for this one, so I'm going to give the novel a chance and give it a 4 out of 5. I'm hoping my reservations are there simply because I'm new to this sub-genre.

Rating--4 out of 5 owls

Trailer:

Review: Hook's Pan by Marie Hall

Genre: New Adult | Fantasy | Fairy Tales

Synopsis:

Trishelle Page has known pain in her life, but instead of it making her weak, she's stronger. Confident. That is until the day a fairy kidnaps her during her staring role in Peter Pan's play and tells her not only do fairy tales exist, but that she'd the soul mate of the pirate they call Hook, making her question everything she ever thought she knew. 

Captain James Hook is a man at the end of his rope. He's not the villainous bastard tales have made him out to be. So when the curvaceous blonde drops, literally, at his feet he aims to prove it to her. If only to get her into his bed. 

What neither one knows is that fate and magic are conspiring and they can deny the attraction all they want but the end is already written, it's just a matter of getting there. 

Review:

I really liked the twist Marie Hall took in revamping the classic Peter Pan fairy tale. Hook is a smoldering, misunderstood brute who only wants revenge for the murder of his mermaid love. That all changes when Trishelle drops at his feet. These characters are headstrong and stubborn. There is enough character development between their steamy interactions to keep the plot interesting. 

The imagery was so delicately woven that I felt like I was seeing everything that Hook and Trisha were experiencing. The mermaid realm is simply beautiful. I enjoyed the witty banter and the realness of the characters. Trisha and Hook did not like each other at first, and I appreciate that. 

Normally I do not like typical "reincarnated" soulmate love stories; however, Trisha remained an individual and didn't regain all of her soul's memories and start having multiple personalities. She started off as Trisha and she stayed Trisha. I'm very excited that there are other novels in this series. I will definitely check them out. 

I received a copy of the text on NetGalley, so I didn't realize that this was the fifth in the series. It serves as a stand alone novel, though there are multiple references to the previous books. I think it's worth the read and I will definitely read the rest of the series.

Rating:4 out of 5 owls

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Review: UnEnchanted by Chanda Hahn

Genre: Fairy Tales

Synopsis:

Mina Grime is unlucky, unpopular, and uncoordinated; that is, until she saves her crush's life on a field trip, changing her high school status from loser to hero overnight. But with her new found fame brings misfortune in the form of an old family curse come to light. For Mina is a descendant from the Brothers Grimm, and has inherited all of their unfinished fairy tale business, which includes trying to outwit a powerful Story from making her it's next fairy-tale victim.

To break the fairy tale curse on her family and make these deadly occurrences stop, Mina must finish the tales until the very Grimm end.

Review:

I LOVE this book!

Those who know me personally know about my obsession with fairy tales. I even focused my thesis in college on the darker aspects of the original tales. The grimmer (pun intended) the tale, the better.

When I read the summary I was a little skeptical. It sounded like the plot of the Grimm series on NBC. But it was free, so I downloaded it. It sat in Nook Wonderland for about two months before I decided to read it. After the end I was left wondering why did I not read this earlier?! 

I immediately bought the second book, Fairest, and I will be starting it after I finish this review.  

Now, I want to be clear on several aspects concerning this wonderful, amazing, brilliant, fantastic novel. Twitter is probably mentioned six dozen times, the tales are not like a Disney movie, it is a YA book so many of the characters are petty and shallow, and if you don't like the Disney "and they lived happily ever after" endings then I will metaphorically get tickled to death by your reaction to this book. For me, the ending was the best part. The foreshadowing made it a little obvious, but that's peachy-keen for me. I won't spoil it, but know that it is grand. 

I loved how the tales took on a twist based on how Mina lived it. The stories would change based on the decisions she made. Mina experienced great character growth and became mentally stronger as the plot progressed. Brody's sweet but come on, Jared is fae. Enough said. 

Chanda's spin on the classic fairy tales is creative and exciting. I have no doubt that I will be reading this series over and over again.

Rating: 5 out of 5 owls

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Book Release: Fathomless by Jackson Pearce

Fathomless was released on 9/04 this month and I can't wait to read it. Jackson Pearce's novels Sisters Red and Sweetly are amazing, so I have high expectations for the third installation in the series. 

Synopsis: Celia Reynolds is the youngest in a set of triplets, and the one with the least valuable power, Anne can see the future, Jane can see the present--therefore essentially read minds--and all Celia can do is see the past.

Lo doesn't know who she is or who she was. Once a human, she is now almost entirely a creature of the sea--an undine, a nymph, a mermaid; all terms too pretty for the soulless creature she knows she's becoming. The other ocean girls, her "sisters," tell her there's only one way for her to earn her soul and humanity back--convince a mortal to love her, and steal his.  

Lo thinks a soul is within her grasp when she saves a guitarist, Jude, from drowning. When Celia intervenes, she accidentally reads Lo's past, calling out Lo's long-forgotten human name. The two forge a friendship, meeting by the shore to remember Lo's old life, to talk, to share secrets they'd never tell their "real" sisters.

Yet, remembering makes Lo more desperate than ever for a soul--and despite Jude's blossoming romance with Celia, she can't resist longing for his. Straddling the line between humanity and darkness, Lo struggles to find her place on either side, while Celia wonders just what she and her power have unleashed. But the sister you choose can be more powerful than those you're born with--in a fight against Lo's sisters and the waves themselves, Jude and Celia risk their lives to save Lo from her own darkness. But it is a soulless, wanting existence better than none at all?

Read my review here

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Review: Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Genre: Fantasy | Fairy Tales

Synopsis:

Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris—the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other young girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead.

Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts ferociously alongside her. But even as more girls' bodies pile up in the city and the Fenris seem to be gaining power, Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves. She finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an ax and Scarlett's only friend—but does loving him mean betraying her sister and all that they've worked for?

Review:

I've mentioned this before on my review of Sweetly, but I have to say it again--Jackson Pearce is a genius and a brilliant story teller. Her imagery is beautifully horrific, the characters are intriguing, and the story is a unique twist on a classic fairy tale. Sisters Red is a perfect blend of mystery, adventure, and romance. 

Jackson had me hooked from start to finish. I have very few negative things to say, and those are merely preferences rather than anything negative about the writing. First off--I'm not a fan of foul language, though I understand that some things just can't adequately be conveyed without it. The F-bomb is used about 3-4 times, so be warned. However, I would like to say that while I did not appreciate it, the story was still superb. The other aspect I did not appreciate was how Silas kissed both sisters. It's just one of those stupid jerk moves that just irks me. Still love Silas, though. The last nuance that typically annoys me, but was so masterfully incorporated that I quickly got over it, was the dual points of view. I don't like switching between two different perspectives. It's annoying and distracting. Yet, I have to admit that Jackson has a seamless transition that reflects the relationship between Scarlett and Rosie. 

So, while there are several aspects that usually irk me past the point of acceptance, Jackson's writing is so ensnaring that I can live with them. I love that I kept finding myself surprised.  By the end I kept thinking "wow, this book was so good."

Rating: 5 out of 5 owls

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Review: Madly & Wolfhardt by M. Leighton

Genre: New Adult | Fantasy | Mermaids

Synopsis:

Madly is your average nearly-eighteen year old girl—for a princess, that is.

Madly James is thoroughly enjoying her internship in the small town of Slumber when the unthinkable happens—there’s a prison break in Atlas, the magically-protected home of Madly’s race. A traitor has set free eight Lore, the spirits of what humans know as fairy tales, and they are making their way to Slumber to awaken their descendants.

The first spirit to arrive is that of Ulrich Wolfhardt, a man that was once obsessed with wolves and a young maiden he would follow through the woods. After a bite from a wolf, Wolfhardt’s obsession with the girl became an unnatural hunger and the young maiden’s grandmother cursed him with a fate worse than death. And now he’s back…with a vengeance and a bite that can infect others as well.

Madly must learn the identity of Wolfhardt’s descendant and stop him before he kills again and spreads his curse across the earth. But the only person strong enough to help Madly is Jackson, the Sentinel who vowed to protect her and the one person capable of breaking her heart. Can Madly resist forbidden love long enough to save the world from Wolfhardt? Or will she have to sacrifice her heart and her destiny to save the ones she loves?


Review:

I was very impressed with Leighton's combination of mermaid folk-lore with fairy tales. Madly and Wolfhardt features the story of Little Red Riding Hood with a twist. Don't worry, I won't give away the ending. Madly is the princess of Atlas charged with the task of saving bother her home and all of humanity. No pressure, right? Add to that a healthy dose of mystery and a forbidden romance and you have a winner. Jackson, a sentinel and Madly's guardian,  is a sexy hunk of man-flesh. I was relieved when Madly and Jackson finally embraced their attraction for each other. Considering that Madly and Jackson are tied, I was relieved when Aiden, Madly's intended, found someone else to care for. He was such a sweet character I didn't want to see him heartbroken. Leighton definitely amped up the intensity in both the suspense and the romance in the second novel in her Madly series. Her novella was great, but Wolfhardt is amazing. I'm very interested in seeing the direction Leighton takes in the next installment, and I'm also going to check out her other books.



Rating: 4 out of 5 owls



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Book 1: Nook | Kindle

Book 2: Nook | Kindle

Review: Entwined by Heather Dixon

Genre: Fairy Tales

Entwined is a lovely reworking of the classic fairy tale The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Azalea, the princess royale and eldest sister, loses her mother to childbirth. Though newly born Lily survives the ordeal, the tragedy of losing their mother hits the family hard. The girls' father, whom they call 'Sir' or 'the King', begins to drift farther away than before. He demands that the girls give up dancing in order to fulfill the year-long period of mourning. The girls, now dressed in black, must also lose their father in a war, as he leaves to lead the troops. Despite their father's many restrictions, the girls are determined to find a way to dance, a talent inherited by their beloved mother. Upon discovering a magic passageway, the girls begin to take nightly visits to the mystic pavilion looked over by the Keeper. However, this beautiful eternal dance is not what it seems. The girls must face a more dangerous threat than mere family rules. It becomes a battle between dark magic and love.

The most endearing aspect of the novel is the close bond that all the girls share. The realization of their father's love, merely expressed differently than their mother's, emphasizes the importance of vocal confirmation of love and affection between family members. There are tidbits of romance throughout, which add a nice subplot, but it is not the primary focus. Familial love and honesty are the major themes of the novel. To put it simply, Entwined is delightful.

Book Trailer:



Rating: 5 out of 5 owls



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Review: Sweetly by Jackson Pearce

Genre: Fairy Tales

Synopsis:

As a child, Gretchen's twin sister was taken by a witch in the woods. Ever since, Gretchen and her brother, Ansel, have felt the long branches of the witch's forest threatening to make them disappear, too.

Years later, when their stepmother casts Gretchen and Ansel out, they find themselves in sleepy Live Oak, South Carolina. They're invited to stay with Sophia Kelly, a beautiful candy maker who molds sugary magic: coveted treats that create confidence, bravery, and passion.

Life seems idyllic and Gretchen and Ansel gradually forget their haunted past — until Gretchen meets handsome local outcast Samuel. He tells her the witch isn't gone — it's lurking in the forest, preying on girls every year after Live Oak's infamous chocolate festival, and looking to make Gretchen its next victim. Gretchen is determined to stop running and start fighting back. Yet the further she investigates the mystery of what the witch is and how it chooses its victims, the more she wonders who the real monster is.

Gretchen is certain of only one thing: a monster is coming, and it will never go away hungry.

Review:

Where was this novel during college when I wrote my dissertation on the sacrifice motif in fairy tales? To put it bluntly, this novel is wonderful. From the first sentence I was hooked. I could not put Sweetly down. Not only did the subtle references to motifs and themes common to traditional fairy tales tickle my love for folklore, but Pearce's descriptions of the painful torment of losing a sibling--a twin--are heart wrenching. The reader cannot help but become emotionally attached to Gretchen. Once again, I appreciate the maturity of the protagonist, Gretchen, and her brother Ansel. Gretchen and Ansel have a strong sense of reason and adult maturity that tells of  life quickly thrust into adulthood. 

Pearce's interpretation of the age-old tale of Hansel and Gretel combines the supernatural elements of pagan influenced folklore with the beliefs and customs of modern society. These supernatural elements are tastefully subtle and add mystery to the plot. Perhaps my favorite aspect of the novel is the somewhat tragic ending. I love the "what goes around comes around" finale. This novel is definitely one that I will enjoy reading again and again.

Rating: 5 out of 5 owls

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