Book Review: Cinder - Marissa Meyer

Cinder - Marissa Meyer

So, last week, I finished this book.  I had my eye on this story for nearly a year now. Sometimes, the mystery in your mind is more satisfying then a story that... isn't.

Twisted Fairytales seems to be a new sub-genre in YA fiction. This is where Cinder belongs. I might put it lower on the totem pole, below Miss Jackson Pearces' Sister's Red,  Sweetly and SOON TO COME OUT - Fathomless. 

I forgive the predictable plot that mirrors Cinderella, as it should, the predictable characters are less easier to forgive. Perhaps it isn't even that - perhaps I just was unable to connect with Cinder. I adored her sidekick Iko (think of Eve from Disney's Wall-e), and her step-mother with step-daughters were done well enough. The refreshing part of this story was 1 sister was not evil (although, predictable unlucky Cinderella puts this sister in jeopardy).

The romance between Cinder and the Prince fell flat. It was obvious the Prince had interest in her, but you never knew quite why. Cinder wasn't far enough on a scale to tip it in her favour. She wasn't extremely homely or extremely pretty or extremely funny or extremely brash.. I think to gain the Prince's favour in any way, she'd have to stand out from the crowd. So, WHY does Prince show her any interest to being with?

Cinder had good ambitions and had a good heart, she had good reasons to make the choices she did. I did feel pity on her and I did want her to 'win'.. and she might have 'won' but never 'triumphed'.

The other twist to the tale probably stems from the authors love of Sailor Moon (okay, you found me out - that's really the reason why I wanted to read this book so badly).  Maybe it was my imagination, but I could easily pick out the Moon-esque similarities (the gloves, the lunars, prince is an ethic tuxedo mask). It's not a BAD thing by any means, but perhaps these themes/ideals could have been woven more intrictaly in the story.

It felt like the narrator was an excited young girl trying to tell me an epic love story. Usually when that happens, details are left out. Atmosphere suffers. The mood is a constant high. 

I liked this book. I will read the sequel. When I want a 'twisted fairytale' done right, I'll go to my Jackson Pearce part of my bookshelf and re-read those. 

Fantastic Giveaway - Hurry!

Click here to enter a fantastic giveaway!

Over at a blog I follow (and read just about every day), they have been having a fantastic large giveaway, that ends in just a couple of days.

It all starts with Remembrance.  Lizzie Davenport, a classy lady reincarnated, has fate shoved in her face when Drew Carmichael transfers into her school. She's immediately hooked, fascinated, can't take her eyes off him... but, he's nothing but a cold icicle. 

If you haven't read this series, this give-a-way is a perfect chance in getting immersed into a fate-smashed, i love you but i don't love you story. The 3rd (and final) book has been revealed and it sounds like the story will take you right to the 'beginning' of their time.. 
I love history stories like this, and it sounds like it has a really great push and pull love-hate-fate relationship. 

Good luck to all entrents!

Book Review: Revived - Cat Patrick

Revived - Cat Patrick

This is the only non-zombie zombie book I've read. For the record.

It's taken me a little while to capture what I really want to say about this story -- it's more than just 'I really liked it'. While I did like it, very much, I wanted to point out several things this author achieves besides writing a captivating story.

A - Due to the nature of the secret-drug Revive, the agency calls the man in charge 'God'. The agents are thus denoted as 'Disciples'. Even as the story is told through a young woman's point of view, there is a definite symbology (a word I just created) to religion. She's lived this kind of life and taken for granted everything she's been told as the truth and nothing but the truth.  The perfect alignment of circumstances - she  begins to ask her own questions, and to see the grey areas of places she knew as Black or White.

I particularly liked this, and perhaps it is my own imagination, but it's a sly way for Cat Patrick to have Daisy identify with people coming of age, coming to realize they have to form their own thoughts and opinions around heavy issues - Life, Death, 'Religion' (the secret government agency she's with) and other Adults (when you realize, just because they are older, does NOT mean they are right).

B - Healthy detachment. Hear me out - a love story consists of person meeting person, person needing person, person doing everything possible to be with person, no matter the obstacle.  Cute, right? Sometimes.  In this case, Daisy is able to keep her love-interest at a healthy arms-distance, even through very difficult times. Maybe this is because she's used to just up and leaving? Maybe this is because there are more serious issues at hand? (MORE serious than a YA love interest?! Gasp, say it isn't so! BUT IT IS!) My point is, while I sat and rooted for this young couple, I was almost proud of Daisy's ability to separate when necessary, to have patience and believe in things will work out. To give the other person room to Breathe and sort his crap out. *

*Having said all this, there are times when they move mountains to be together. Thumbs up for that!


I'll stop the wall of text here.. and give you words that also describe this book;

-Awesome
-Gripping
-Fantastically well done - point of view wise
-Strong Heroine
-Page Turner (i was carrying this around with me, even into the bathroom)
-Surprisingly no zombies for a drug that revives people from the dead...

Book Review - The Selection, Kiera Cass

The Selection - Kiera Cass

I'm not in a writing mood, but I just had to get this one down on screen-paper.

Full disclosure, I got this story mixed up in my head. It was rec'd to me by a perfect friend, and we must've been talking about several books at once, because I thought this story was going to involve a plane crash and a deserted island full of beauty queens. Kept waiting for that plane crash to happen -- but when they landed safely, I was surprized! Anyway,

I --loved-- reading this book because:

- A strong female heroine, in the shadows of despair, is able to keep what's important in front of her and that's enough. She's not for wanting anything (except maybe more food) because she already knows what she has is great. That takes strength and character, and Miss Cass didn't have to heave on a sad backstory to make us see and believe it.  So, kick ass girl? Yep. Cool name? Yep.

- The love interest indeed sounds great. Seems special to her. Through America, we learn what HE has done, sacrificed, and what he would do for those he loved. Clearly they were on the same page in terms of values. Except... he has a tragic flaw.  Realistic relationship problems at that age? Yep. Ironic intrigue? YEP.

- When introduced to a world she can't have, America stays herself. Independence. Confidence in who she is, even when swarmed with temptations.  Good role model for impressionable ladies minds? Yep.

- Love triangle -- this is where things get good and juicy. The prince of the story? I like him. I like him because he's the boy from the other, other side of the track. At first unattainable, but then, he shows America something she hasn't had the freedom or space to see -- how a friendship can grow, and what that can mean for her.  Little by little, he wins her over. It seems clear to us that he see's a spark in her and is just as stubborn as she is, even though he can do it more diplomatically. I enjoyed their banter. Because - it wasn't oozing with romance. It had a much stronger foundation.

- I want America to be crowned.

- I want the next book in my hands tonight.

Preview: The Moon Dwellers (David Estes)

Okay, I am rampaging through the internet and coming up with all these other authors I've never seen before but immediately want on my bookshelf. I mean, their books. On the shelf. Not.. them.. really.. well..

Preview: The Violet Fox (Clare C. Marshall)

The Violet Fox - Clare C. Marshall

I came across this website last night, and then I came across this preview of a book, and then I wanted to review this preview!

At first glance, it seems to be a dystopian-fantasy-adventure-excitement-in-a-book! Mark your calenders; OCTOBER 13, 2012!

Blurb...

There are two kinds of people in the land of Marlenia.

The Marlenians, who live on the surface,

and the Freetors, who are forced to live underground.

The war between them ended two hundred years ago, but the Freetors still fight for the right to live under the sun. Fifteen-year-old Kiera Driscoll embodies the Freetors’ hopes as the Violet Fox. In a violet cape and mask, she sneaks around Marlenia City stealing food and freeing her people from slavery.

Read more...

I strongly encourage you to read more, and to visit Clare's website. She's a Canadian YA author, and while I haven't read any of her material --yet--, I'm going to be keeping my eyes and clicks on her.

While there is many YA books out there with a strong female protagonist, there is not enough strong female protagonists that wear a mask and cape. I'm pulled between imagining The Violet Fox as a Robin-Hood(who can wear tights better) or a Katsa from the Graceling series (an insta-favourite of mine)

I enjoy stories that begin with a good vs evil obvious side, and then the grey matters slowly bleed into the middle where you're not sure exactly what's the right and wrong thing to do. The moral battle of a (strong female) protagonist is especially important, in my humble opinion, when young impressionable minds are soaking up the words and stories.  I'm not young, but my mind is still impressionable! Make me do good, Miss Marshall -- Make me do good!

Book Review: The Darkening Dream - Andy Gavin

The Darkening Dream, Andy Gavin

I finally finished reading this book. Here is my review on it;

What I submitted to GoodReads.com - 

" I really liked how the setting was much earlier in the century, and how some history and mythologies coalesced into the story.  "

I don't like to give negative feedback of any kind. I couldn't do any better, even if I spent my whole life writing! 

It's not NEGATIVE feedback I want to give. It's just a difference of opinion, I suppose. Let me explain --

One of the biggest reason I wanted to read this book was because I learned that Andy Gavin, the author, had been in the gaming industry. Since I am a big fan of the gaming industry, I thought he might be able to put in a more fantastical - adventurous - spin to the story inside. I had thought it would greatly benefit the writing, in a different way.  And it did! It absolutely did! Where the story took you was akin to an RPG, and there was a lot more adventure than expected.

The thing is...

Maybe you can't have all the elements put together to create one perfect story. Maybe you need to pick a path, and stick to that path - especially on the debut - to highlight the story the author is trying to tell.

For instance, the story's setting takes place earlier in the century. Great! I love me some old-timey teen proprietary. I think Andy does this very well - of course there was hormones back in the day, and of course teens acted on it. It was well done.  It was realistic.

The history and mythology and religion themes of the story -- put together ... like a...... big ...... ball.... of coloured yarn.... so, in the end, there was a big ball of different threads of different colours that, combined, was a bit messy. Hebrew + Greek + (not much christian - even though that was the run of the mill religion then?) + Eastern Mythology = a lot of different paths mixed into one. This was confusing, and when the end came around, I was basically reading to just be along for the  ride. I didn't understand (probably my own stupidity, I'll admit) but it was so off the chart from the beginning of the story that, to make this read-able, I had to imagine I'm watching an anime.

Suffice to say, the story was interesting, but I didn't quite like it. There was a lot of great elements to the story -- but, it's not one I would recommend or read again. 

:(