Book Review: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

February 4, 2013 by 5 Comments

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
Release Date: February 5, 2013
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Source: ALA 2012
Rating: ★★★★★ 
Buy It: Amazon | Book Depository

Cinder returns in the second thrilling installment of the New York Times-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 and 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 has no choice but to trust him, though he clearly has a few dark secrets of his own.

As Scarlet and Wolf work to unravel one mystery, they find another when they cross paths with Cinder. Together, they must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen who will do anything to make Prince Kai her husband, her king, her prisoner. – Goodreads

Review:
After having loved Cinder so much, I was left with grabby hands for the rest of the books in the Lunar Chronicles series. It should be no surprise that Marissa Meyer did it again: just like with her twists to the original Cinderella fairytale in Cinder, she made Red Riding Hood her own in Scarlet and, hell, she made this installment even BETTER than the last. Seriously, Marissa Meyer stepped up her game and made Scarlet such a thrilling ride to experience.

Initially I was a little worried about reading Scarlet because I had grown attached to Cinder, Kai, and everyone else in the first book, so much. Would I be able to invest myself the same way with a new cast of characters? By the first chapter Marissa Meyer had me going, “Yes, I can!” Scarlet is different from Cinder, but she’s equally awesome.. As she unraveled the mystery of her grandmother’s disappearance, she displayed just how capable and strong she was; I completely admired her loyalty and tenacity.

And the boys! Wolf and Thorne are such a contrast to the other, but I fell in love with them both. How do you do it, Marissa Meyer? WHO ELSE DO YOU HAVE UP YOUR SLEEVE? I WANT TO MEET THEM. Really, though, Wolf was so mysterious and, as hard as it was for him, I loved the conflict he experienced. The uncertainty between him and Scarlet was so, so good and I loved their progression in the book. As for Thorne, I was sold on him immediately. He’s such a vibrant character, has so much swagger, and I found myself completely delighted by him and his humor. MORE THORNE.

I didn’t have to worry about missing Cinder, Kai, Iko, etc, so much because Marissa Meyer included them in Scarlet. Woohoo! With Cinder, she’s the second main POV in the book so it was great to not be left in the dark about what was going on with her. The bigger picture is coming into focus and I’m so excited for it!

Scarlet was pretty much a perfect sequel because it had everything I loved about the first book and THEN SOME. The stakes were higher, there was energy on every page, Marissa Meyer infused humor effortlessly, and she had my heart racing through several scenes. Those grabby hands after Cinder? They’ve made a return after the end of Scarlet and I’m so sad that Cress and Winter seem forever away.

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Book Review: The Assassin’s Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke

November 5, 2012 by 3 Comments

The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke The Assassin’s Curse by Cassandra Rose Clarke
Release Date: October 2, 2012
Publisher: Strange Chemistry
Source: Purchased
Rating: ★★★☆☆ 
Buy It: Amazon | Book Depository

Ananna of the Tanarau abandons ship when her parents try to marry her off to an allying pirate clan: she wants to captain her own boat, not serve as second-in-command to her handsome yet clueless fiance. But her escape has dire consequences when she learns the scorned clan has sent an assassin after her.

And when the assassin, Naji, finally catches up with her, things get even worse. Ananna inadvertently triggers a nasty curse — with a life-altering result. Now Ananna and Naji are forced to become uneasy allies as they work together to break the curse and return their lives back to normal. Or at least as normal as the lives of a pirate and an assassin can be. – Goodreads

Review:
Oh man, after all of the glowing reviews for Cassandra Rose Clarke’s The Assassin’s Curse I was really excited to read it because it sounded like my type of read. Feisty girl pirate, an assassin, a curse, and a reluctant alliance between them? I was sure there would be hearts in my eyes for this book. It looks like I set my expectations a bit too high, though, because The Assassin’s Curse only turned out to be an okay read for me.

First, there was so much going on and yet I never felt truly invested in Ananna and Naji’s journey. There was a lack of urgency, and despite their ups and downs along the way, and the attacks they encountered, I didn’t feel the danger. I also didn’t feel any romantic chemistry between Ananna and Naji. Friendship? Sure, but I expected more unresolved sexual tension. Instead I only encountered Ananna’s growing feelings — which didn’t make too much sense to me — while Naji was just…there. Speaking of, I wish I had gotten a better grasp on his character. I’m all for the mysterious type, but he lacked development to truly make me care for him. Maybe next time.

I did, however, like Ananna, the main character. I loved her vibrancy, her intelligence, and her determination. She refused to let her future be controlled and I admired her independence. The inclusion of magic and pirates was also great. I was totally into discovering more about the mythology of Ananna’s world and I’m glad Cassandra Rose Clarke spent a good amount of time with those elements.

While I didn’t quite love The Assassin’s Curse, I think the last few pages are setting up for an excellent sequel and I definitely plan on returning to read it. There’s so much potential and I’m curious to see where Cassandra Rose Clarke takes Ananna’s story next.

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Book Review: The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson

October 10, 2012 by 4 Comments

The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson
Release Date: September 18, 2012
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Source: Purchased
Rating: ★★★★★ 
Buy It: Amazon | Book Depository

In the sequel to the acclaimed The Girl of Fire and Thorns, a seventeen-year-old princess turned war queen faces sorcery, adventure, untold power, and romance as she fulfills her epic destiny.

Elisa is the hero of her country. She led her people to victory against a terrifying enemy, and now she is their queen. But she is only seventeen years old. Her rivals may have simply retreated, choosing stealth over battle. And no one within her court trusts her-except Hector, the commander of the royal guard, and her companions. As the country begins to crumble beneath her and her enemies emerge from the shadows, Elisa will take another journey. With a one-eyed warrior, a loyal friend, an enemy defector, and the man she is falling in love with, Elisa crosses the ocean in search of the perilous, uncharted, and mythical source of the Godstone’s power. That is not all she finds. A breathtaking, romantic, and dangerous second volume in the Fire and Thorns trilogy. – Goodreads

Review:
As you might remember, Rae Carson’s The Girl of Fire and Thorns was a perfect fantasy read for me. I screamed, I squeed, I cried, I fangirled…I was pretty much the physical embodiment of exclamation points over it. Yes, it WAS that good and The Crown of Embers immediately became one of my most anticipated titles of 2012. Friends and I tried to track it down at BEA, I missed it at ALA by a day, and then, when I actually got the book in my hands on release day, work and real life got in the way so I didn’t get the chance to read it until recently, TWO WEEKS later. Agony, let me tell you! Anyway, enough personal anecdotes, The Crown of Embers was astonishing and, hello, yes, much gushing ahead!

First off, Rae Carson’s pacing was so energetic and intense. A LOT happens in The Crown of Embers, and it was easy to see that the stakes were much higher from the first chapter. From there on out, it was a complete adventure with Elisa, Hector, and everyone else and, HOLY CRAP, things got crazy! There were twists and turns, political drama, and so much danger. I was glued to the pages and only stepped away from the book when absolutely forced to. Needless to say, The Crown of Embers had my heart racing with every page turn.

Next is Elisa. MY QUEEN. I am so, so proud of her growth. She has so much weight on her shoulders, and it would be so easy for her to crumble under it, but instead she grows and matures. She demonstrated so much determination and courage, both in standing up for herself and her kingdom, and I continue to look forward to cheering her on. Trust me, Elisa is a character to admire.

And then, of course, there’s the romance. I won’t say a lot about it, but excuse this outburst here and now: OHMYGODOHMYGOD, SUCH PERFECTION. No, really, Rae Carson knows how to build a relationship based on mutual respect and admiration and I was completely crazy over it. I held my breath during their scenes because their chemistry was so palpable and, gah, more of this in my reads, por favor.

Basically, The Crown of Embers is such a quality read and I wish I could put this series into the hands of everyone I know. If you haven’t read it yet, please do so that I can have more people to gush with. Filled with great writing, adventure, romance, and a fierce heroine, this is one fantasy series that I cannot recommend enough.

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Book Review: Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger

October 2, 2012 by 9 Comments

Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger
Release Date: October 2, 2012
Publisher: Aladdin
Source: BEA 2012
Rating: ★★★★★ 
Buy It: Amazon | Book Depository

Twelve-year-old Sophie Foster has a secret. She’s a Telepath—someone who hears the thoughts of everyone around her. It’s a talent she’s never known how to explain.

Everything changes the day she meets Fitz, a mysterious boy who appears out of nowhere and also reads minds. She discovers there’s a place she does belong, and that staying with her family will place her in grave danger. In the blink of an eye, Sophie is forced to leave behind everything and start a new life in a place that is vastly different from anything she has ever known.

Sophie has new rules to learn and new skills to master, and not everyone is thrilled that she has come “home.” There are secrets buried deep in Sophie’s memory—secrets about who she really is and why she was hidden among humans—that other people desperately want. Would even kill for.

In this page-turning debut, Shannon Messenger creates a riveting story where one girl must figure out why she is the key to her brand-new world, before the wrong person finds the answer first. – Goodreads

Review:
I wish I had read more books like Shannon Messenger’s Keeper of the Lost Cities when I was younger, but I’m so glad to be able to read this now. This book is a winning combination of excellent characters and an exciting adventure, all while also being very heartfelt and touching.

To start off with, Sophie is the best type of main character. She was so interesting (she’s twelve, but in high school…WHAT) and I really enjoyed her journey of self-discovery in Keeper of the Lost Cities. Yeah, she does find out about this amazing world where things are so far from the norm, and she deals with it all so well, but ultimately she’s just a girl who cares about her family and friends above all else.

The rest of the characters were so great, too, and I was especially taken by surprise by how much I grew to love Grady and Edaline. Shannon Messenger had a strong focus on family and MY HEART GREW ABOUT TEN TIMES because of them. I love how she developed these relationships and how she explored the ups and downs of their situation. The three main boys in this book also had me grinning from ear to ear because they are all so adorable. I do have my favorite, but I’m eager to get to know them all further in the upcoming books.

Shannon Messenger’s world in Keeper of the Lost Cities had me going, HELLO WHEN CAN I VISIT? It’s so richly detailed, full of quirks and interesting things, and it was so much fun discovering every new aspect. Really, even if you hated the rest of the book (IMPOSSIBLE), Shannon Messenger’s worldbuilding is good stuff.

Keeper of the Lost Cities was such a delightful read and I’m eager for more adventures with Sophie. I hope you all pick this up and love it as much as I do!

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Book Review: Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

July 16, 2012 by 7 Comments

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
Release Date: July 10, 2012
Publisher: Random House Children’s Books
Source: Netgalley
Rating: ★★★☆☆ 
Buy It: Amazon | Book Depository

Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty’s anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high.

Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered—in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen’s Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life.
– Goodreads

Review:
Seraphina by Rachel Hartman is one of those “in the middle” books that are so difficult to put into words how I feel about. Quality writing, rich world building, main character that evolved throughout the course of the novel? Check, check, and check! All present. If I wanted to go the shallow route, I would even mention how fantastic the cover is — so completely refreshing and original from the majority of what’s out there in the YA genre. And yet…there’s something that held me back from completely loving Seraphina and from making it the favorite I wanted it to be.

I started Seraphina a few weeks ago and it took me some time to really get into it. I actually ended up putting it aside a few times, but I always returned to it because I was sure I was just in one of those reading moods that make it difficult to get into anything. Was that the case this time around? Both yes and no. There were moments when I thought, “Yes, I’m finally fully into this!” and hated that I had to step away from the book for real life things. However, those moments were also followed by others where I was removed from the story due to feeling bogged down by details. It’s great that Rachel Hartman created such an intricate world in Seraphina, but at times I felt that it slowed down the pace for me. Thankfully, she never failed to recapture my attention.

As far as characters go, I loved Seraphina. She’s layered, vulnerable, strong, smart, and passionate. This was very much a journey of self-discovery for her and it was so easy to empathize with her character as she faced many realizations and truths about herself and her past. Kiggs, Gisselda, and Orma made the core side characters and their dynamic with Seraphina was a definite highlight. Love interest and friendships, Rachel Hartman fully developed these relationships and, though I definitely had my ups and downs with the book as a whole, these characters were what kept pulling me back in.

Although there were moments when I wasn’t completely engaged with Seraphina, I do think Rachel Hartman has a lot to offer in her debut with her complex world building, layered characters, and rich storytelling. It’s a lot like the music Seraphina plays in the book: it gradually builds and builds into something truly magnificent and I’ll look forward to seeing how it continues in the next book in the series.

 

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