Fairest - Marissa Meyer (Levana's Story - Lunar Chronicles Supplementary Story)

Now this was a great recovery for Marissa Meyer.  After Cress I was a little worried.

This book tells Levana's story right from the beginning.  It explains why she always wears a shroud and she doesn't have mirrors around and won't appear uncovered in front of the camera.  But it delves into her psyche as well.  Her inner thoughts and fears. 

I didn't like Levana any more but after reading this I understand her better.  This is definitely a must read for the Lunar Chronicles!

Cress - Marissa Meyer (Book 3 in the Lunar Chronicles Series)

Ah book 3.  This one frustrated me a bit.  After the tumultuous Scarlet this one felt a bit flat to me.

Cinder and gangs only hope is a hacker named Cress.  Will Cress be able to give them the information they need to overthrown Levena and bring an end to the blah blah blah man I even feel like it's flat writing this. 

Marissa captures the bare bones of Rapunzel's fairy tale character (long hair - check, isolation - check, rescued - check) but this book feels more like a filler or bridge to the next book than anything.  Nothing...happens...until the very end.  There are conversations and more characters introduced (like Cress) and your knowledge bubble of Lunar fills a tiny amount but all in all this one was a tougher read.

Scarlet - Marissa Meyers (Book 2 in the Lunar Chronicles Series)

Scarlet is the second book in the Lunar Chronicles series.

The book starts off introducing us to Scarlet (aka Little Red Riding Hood).  Scarlet meets Wolf, a street fighter and they uncover clues about Scarlet's grandmother which lead them to Cinder.

Again Marissa Meyer's take on an old fairy tale character is fantastic.  And the love story between Scarlet and wolf is something out of a romance novel (without the naughty bits).  At first I felt this could have been a stand alone novel but Marissa interweaves Scarlet and Wolf into Cinder's story and I started to get little bit of a bigger picture to the whole story/world.  It left me frustrated (as did Cinder) that I didn't have the next book. ><

Cinder - Marissa Meyer (Book 1 in the Lunar Chronicle Series)

I picked this book up at Chapters on a Whim.  One the lovely end displays, the cover captured my interest (what do you know those end displays DO work!)

Story takes place in New Beijing, at a time when a virulent plague is sweeping the country.  The Lunar people are bidding their time, waiting to strike; a young untried emperor has a lot on his hands and one second class mechanically gifted cyborg citizen will be become caught up in a fight for earth itself.

I loved this take on Cinderella.  Marissa Meyer covered all the basic story points: stepmother - check, stepsisters - check, menial labor Cinderella - check, fancy dress ball - check.  But she took the story to a whole new level and transformed it into a new story.  Cinder is a great character.  Marissa has taken the little cinder girl, stripped away what I used to imagine her to be and given her grit, a fighting spirit and cybernetic leg. 

I couldn't wait to read the next one in the series...

The Dressmaker - Kate Alcott

I'm not a history buff but I do enjoy reading books set in any time period.  Kate Alcott writes about the Titanic and the fateful days leading up to and after it's demise.

The story is based on the written testimonies that occurred after the sinking of the Titanic.  She states in the back of her book: "The basic bones of the story are true...All else is fiction, with the exception of a puzzle at the heart of this tragedy for which there is no single answer: why did only one lifeboat make an attempt to save those dying in the water?  It is on that question that my story is build."

The story revolves around Tess, a young woman who became a maid to Lady Duff Gordon just before boarding the Titanic.  As it centers on her and her thoughts and struggles and not on the politics around her I found this book quite intriguing.  Of course the trial and her employer affect her and her life but it wasn't as tedious as I though it was going to be.  Kate Alcott does an awesome job at drawing you into the story and make you want to keep flip pages.

I love how she filled in the human side of the transcriptions and made the people real.  Full gambit of emotions on each character - you love them, you hate them, you love to hate them, you ache for them and you cry for them. 

I would definitely recommend this book

Th1rteen R3asons Why - Jay Asher

I was apprehensive about reading this AND very, very curious.  As a sufferer of clinical depression and having had suicidal thoughts multiple times I thought this book might trigger something dark inside me. 

But this book was nothing like I thought.  The story is about Clay.  He receives a package in the mail from Hannah who had committed suicide a few weeks before and the package contain cassette tapes for him to listen to. 

Reading about the events that lead up to her death and what caused her emotional state was very rewarding and freeing for me.  In life there is cause and effect.  Someone's action's may cause us undue stress and they have no clue.  It was a great reminder for me to remember to watch people reactions and how they react can have nothing to do with me or what I said or did.

The ending was heartbreaking but also I learned something.

This book isn't for everyone but I would recommend it.

The Jewel - Amy Ewing (Book One)

The concept of this novel captured my attention - young women are tested for a special ability and are auctioned off to royalty to be child carriers.  Sounds strange right?  The concept in the back of my mind reading this was always there and definitely colored my feelings reading this HOWEVER the writing was very well done and Amy pulled me into the world she created very easily. 

Describing surrounding, feelings and observation from Violet's perspective.  The story doesn't take place when she's first taken from her home, but instead is from just before she's auctioned off.  Her thoughts on the whole process, with a few flash backs into her past on what happened through he testing and leaving her family.  But not enough of flashbacks that you are confused by the timeline.  Just enough to fill you in.

I really enjoyed this young adult novel and can't wait for the second book! (Cause I'm left with a ridiculous cliff hanger ><)