Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Cress by Marissa Meyer | Book Review

Posted January 2, 2014 by Jana in Book Review, Young Adult Fiction / 39 Comments

Cress by Marissa Meyer
Series: The Lunar Chronicles #3
Also in this series: Cinder, Scarlet, Fairest, Winter, Stars Above
Published by Feiwel and Friends on February 4, 2014
Genres: Dystopia, Fantasy, Retelling, Romance, Steampunk
Pages: 560
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher (Mail)
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Rapunzel’s tower is a satellite. She can’t let down her hair—or her guard.

In this third book in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only 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 goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.

When I think of Cress, I have a very hard time containing the love I have for it. And then I think, “HOLY CRAP. SO GOOD.” I loved Cinder, and I loved Scarlet. But Cress? Oh my. It’s in a league all its own. As always, my main points are bolded. :)

1. Cress is the most creative Rapunzel retelling I have read in my entire life. Rapunzel’s tower is a satellite? What? And the book takes place in the Sahara Desert? Whoa. And Rapunzel is a hacker? YES. And THEN it’s all smashed together with Cinder’s and Scarlet’s stories? Yes please! I love that these three fairytale ladies are kicking butt, taking names, and reclaiming their world from the evil Queen Levana. Marissa Meyer is a genius.

2. I’ve said it once (actually, twice), and I’ll say it again. Thank you, Marissa, for giving us amazingly strong heroines. While Cress is more naive and awkward, as any Rapunzel should be, she is still brave and feisty and strong. I just loved her. Cinder is just as freakin’ amazing as ever, but MORE. We’re getting down to the wire. It’s wedding time, and she has to do something to stop Kai from marrying Queen Levana and ruining the world. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and Cinder went crazy. She is discovering her lunar abilities even more, and really pushing herself beyond her limits. I am so proud of her. And Scarlet, wonderful Scarlet. It was so nice to see her again.

3. Don’t get me wrong. I love the ladies, but the MEN. Oh my. Thorne has swept me off my feet countless numbers of times, but he completely stole my heart in Cress. He’s full of so much snark and sarcasm. I just know his one-liners will be referenced forever. He gets knocked down a level of two in Cress, and experiences some weak moments. I loved seeing this new side of him, all vulnerable and caring. And Wolf, be still my heart. What a big teddy bear. He also struggles in this book, and I had ALL THE FEELS for him. Kai. *swoon* We are finally getting to know him better. He’s so charming and realistic. I love how concerned he is for Cinder, watching her pop up on the news as a wanted criminal and hoping she never gets found.

4. There is so much action and drama packed into Cress’s 560 pages that I could hardly handle myself. Bam, bam, bam. Something huge is either happening, or has just happened. The recovery time between jolts is so short that I felt like I was on this never-ending roller coaster of emotions and feelings. So much happens! And when something REALLY crazy happens and the group gets split up, not even knowing if everyone is alive, I tore through those pages like you wouldn’t believe. Cress is definitely the most action-packed novel of the three, and even though it’s so long I wanted more and more.

5. There are still so many mysteries we are left with. The plague. The state of the planet. What’s going to happen to everyone? Who can be trusted? I’m being really careful not to give anything away here, so forgive my vagueness.

6. Marissa’s writing is flawless. I feel like I’ve seen a lot of growth in her since Cinder, and I am so proud of her.

I have so much love for Cress, and can’t imagine Marissa Meyer topping this one. She has proven to us before, though, that she can and she will. The Lunar Chronicles series is my absolute favorite. I don’t know whether I should pine for Winter or dread it, because I never want to leave these characters and their amazing world.

Sky on Fire (Monument 14 #2) by Emmy Laybourne (Book Review)

Posted June 17, 2013 by Jana in Book Review, Young Adult Fiction / 13 Comments

Sky on Fire by Emmy Laybourne
Series: Monument 14 #2
Also in this series: Monument 14
Published by Feiwel and Friends on May 28, 2013
Genres: Dystopia, Post-Apocalyptic, Survival
Pages: 212
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher (Mail)
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Trapped in a superstore by a series of escalating disasters, including a monster hailstorm and terrifying chemical weapons spill, brothers Dean and Alex learned how to survive and worked together with twelve other kids to build a refuge from the chaos. But then strangers appeared, destroying their fragile peace, and bringing both fresh disaster and a glimmer of hope.

Knowing that the chemical weapons saturating the air outside will turn him into a bloodthirsty rage monster, Dean decides to stay in the safety of the store with Astrid and some of the younger kids. But their sanctuary has already been breached once. . . .

Meanwhile, Alex, determined to find their parents, heads out into the darkness and devastation with Niko and some others in a recently repaired school bus. If they can get to Denver International Airport, they might be evacuated to safety. But the outside world is even worse than they expected. . . .

If you read my review of Monument 14 last summer, you know I got quite attached to the children in this series. I’m not sure if it’s because I work with children all the time, or what, but I just had to know what happened to all of them–especially the ones who drove off in search of help at the end of the last book. What a cliffhanger to end on! Luckily, Sky on Fire picks up right where we left off and it does not take too much time to refresh your memory before being thrown right back into the action. As always, my main points are bolded.

1. I feel like there was a lot more action in this installment. Half the kids are driving a torn up bus through the ravaged towns and cities in search of a way to a safer world. Their goal is to make it to the Denver airport. All the while, they are trying to keep exposure to the atmosphere at a minimum, due to the dangerous effects of the chemicals in the air. This part of the story was the most exciting, and had me flying through the pages. The kids get attacked, their bus gets stolen, they find a little humanity left in the world, and they really get pushed to the limits. I was SO scared for them as I read.

2. And then we have the kids who stayed back at the store. Most of them become aggressive, murderous monsters when exposed to the chemicals, so they end up waiting things out in the hopes that their friends bring back rescuers. They are faced with their challenges as well including walls being torn down and letting the chemicals in, losing their electricity, and dealing with intruders.

3. I really like how the story flips back and forth between the two brothers, Alex and Dean. Alex, the younger brother, decided to go off in the bus with Niko and the others, while Dean stayed back with a pregnant Astrid and the little ones. We get to read Dean’s story as it happens, and Alex’s in the form of a journal he kept as a letter to Dean in case they didn’t make it.

4. Because such a huge part of the story takes place outside of the store, we finally get to see what’s really going on in the world during this time. The chemicals have absolutely decimated the place. These chemicals are so powerful, that they dissolve rubber after a few hours. The few remaining survivors are pretty much insane, heartless, or not even human anymore. The world has been plunged into complete darkness. Scary! I really liked seeing what’s been going on outside the store.

5. Alex really shown in this novel, whereas I hardly remember him as being anything more than annoying in the first one. He has had to grown up, mature, and learn to remain level-headed. I liked reading his thoughts much more than Dean’s this time around.

6. Dean’s chapters were rather monotonous. There’s only so much that can happen in a store, and though some more intruders arrive and a romance blooms (one I’m not so sure I like, for that matter), I really looked forward to getting back to Alex.

7. Our supporting characters do not play the same dynamic roles this time around, and I really did not get to hear much about them. I missed little doomsday priest Batiste, although he is there piping in every once in a while. I think a little character development had to fall to the wayside since Alex was writing about his impressions, not giving us a play-by-play of what everyone is up to. Honestly, I didn’t mind much. I was so interested in what was going on, and how things would turn out, that I didn’t crave the dialogue between characters as much as I would have if they had all stayed in the store.

8. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. SO much happened! I had to keep reminding myself that these kids had only been living like this for a couple of weeks, because it’s insane how much happens to them and how long it takes to get places.

9. I was super satisfied with the ending (holy crap, it was tense and insane) until the last paragraph or so. I was thinking we were done, but BOOM. Cliffhanger! We are not done with kids of Monument yet, and I’m kind of excited to see where things go next.

All in all, Sky on Fire is a great read. It’s fast, action-packed, and I love those kids! I just want to squeeze them and save them from their world. They still have the strong determination to survive that they did in Monument 14, and I just LOVE watching children being portrayed in books as strong. I still love how much they care for each other. They are tenacious and smart, and they work with what they have. I just loved reading about them. Definitely read this book if enjoyed Monument 14, because I’m pretty sure I like this one better!

Of Triton (The Syrena Legacy #2) by Anna Banks (Book Review)

Posted April 11, 2013 by Jana in Book Review, Young Adult Fiction / 11 Comments

Of Triton by Anna Banks
Series: The Syrena Legacy #2
Also in this series: Of Poseidon, Of Neptune
Published by Feiwel and Friends on May 28, 2013
Genres: Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Romance
Pages: 246
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher (Mail)
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In this sequel to OF POSEIDON, Emma has just learned that her mother is a long-lost Poseidon princess, and now struggles with an identity crisis: As a Half-Breed, she’s a freak in the human world and an abomination in the Syrena realm below. Syrena law states that all Half- Breeds should be put to death.

As if that’s not bad enough, her mother’s reappearance among the Syrena turns the two kingdoms—Poseidon and Triton—against one another. Which leaves Emma with a decision to make: Should she comply with Galen’s request to keep herself safe and just hope for the best? Or should she risk it all and reveal herself—and her Gift—to save a people she’s never known?

Oh my. I was so excited when I found out about Of Triton, and was even more excited when I received an ARC in the mail! I loved Of Poseidon. LOVED IT!!! It was funny, had amazing characters, I loved the dual perspectives (which we get in Of Triton again), I loved Anna’s take on mermaid and Greek mythology, I loved the intense moments, I loved the writing style and the gorgeous underwater descriptions, and the ending killed me! I was catapulted off a cliff with that ending, and craved the sequel immediately. Of Triton was amazing. Everything I loved about Of Poseidon was there, and so much more. As always, my main points are bolded!

1. I still love the characters so much. Galen is so amazingly protective of those he loves, and I adore that about him. He is always there, and has the back of whoever needs him. Emma has grown in maturity and bravery. I really liked Emma’s mother, as well. She was still protective, but has learned that Emma is smart on her own. She turns into more of a friend than a mom in this book, and I liked her much more. And I loved the secondary characters: Grom, Poseidon King Antonis (who is so grandfatherly and sweet!), Rayna, and Toraf. I loved seeing familiar faces and meeting the new ones!

2. Of Triton is full of just as many one-liners and ohmysweetgoodnesses as Of Poseidon, and I love that the humor is understated enough to make you laugh without being overbearing and roll-your-eyes cheesy. So much of Anna Banks’s sense of humor and personality shines through in her writing.

3. This book is so action-packed! From the first page to the last, Anna holds nothing back. After a quick memory refresher, we’re off! I was whipping through this book. I see no signs of the sophomore slump with Of Triton. Not only do we get to follow up with our favorite friends, we get SO much more information! And the gift of Triton appears, which was SUPER exciting. And we get thrown with crazy twists and turns, plus some really sweet and tender family moments. Oh, and there’s a ton of stuff that needs to be worked out between the two syrena kingdoms. I really could not have asked for more.

4. Anna’s writing is gorgeous. I’m still enamored with her storytelling, her writing style, and her details. She gives us all the details!

5. We get more knowledge of the syrena. Their history, the inner workings, their laws and abilities, etc. And we learn more about some of the main characters. We get all the knowledge!

6. There’s a pretty good chance I loved this more than Of Poseidon. And if you’ve read my review, you’ll wonder how that’s even possible.

Ok, so after reading and re-reading my review, I think it kind of sucks. Haha. But I have no idea what to do to make it better! Basically, I loved Of Triton and wanted to write a short, sweet review that gave nothing away. At all. Because you don’t deserve any spoilers. Anna Banks is now officially on my auto-buy list. I’ve read everything of hers, and I have loved allllll of it! Of Poseidon lovers will not be disappointed at all by Of Triton, well except for the fact that it’s so short. Haha. I can’t wait for Anna to write a million more books!

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (Book Review)

Posted February 14, 2013 by Jana in Book Review, Young Adult Fiction / 36 Comments

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
Series: The Lunar Chronicles #2
Also in this series: Cinder, Cress, Fairest, Winter, Stars Above
Published by Feiwel and Friends on February 5, 2013
Genres: Dystopia, Retelling, Romance, Science Fiction, Steampunk
Pages: 454
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher (ALA)
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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.

I have been thinking about how much I loved Cinder for over a year now, and Scarlet picks up right where Cinder drops off. The exact day, actually. I loved that! We get to jump right back in and pick up where we were, while learning new things about this crazy world, the Lunars, and our favorite characters!

1. For some reason, I had no idea that Cinder was going to be in this book! I was delighted when I learned what a huge role she was actually going to play in it. And her android, Iko, was there… and we even got some Kai time! Yay! So glad to see them all again. :)

2. It was also so much fun learning about some new characters: Scarlet and Wolf. Scarlet is a strong, confident character who makes a great team mate for Cinder in this ongoing quest against the Lunar Queen. I love the emphasis placed an female heroes in this series. Marissa has created two equally feisty, brave, determined, charismatic, and smart ladies to drive the story on. Wolf is sexy and swoonworthy, and exactly the kind of bad boy this story needed. His sensitive nature and core instincts make him both a ticking time bomb and the most loyal companion you could ask for. Do not get on his bad side, though. Cinder has her own male counterpart, Captain Thorne, and he’s kind of hilarious. I just kept picturing this completely oblivious, clumsy, cocky guy who is always slightly drunk. He lightened things up quite a bit, and also became a character I really loved.

3. I enjoyed the balance of humorous dialogue and serious, sometimes heartbreaking moments. Scarlet’s banter with Wolf was utterly charming, while her discussions with her grandmother pulled at the heartstrings.

4. This is not your typical book 2 of a series, where nothing important happens. Scarlet has SO much going on! There’s space flights, running from the law, romance, Lunar attacks, kidnapping, fights, and NEWS. So much news!

5. Yet again, the world building is immaculate. Last time, Beijing. This time, Paris. Yes, people. Paris in the future is amazing.

Overall, Scarlet is just as wonderful and captivating as Cinder. Clearly, Marissa is not a one hit wonder. I can’t wait for the next book!

The Raft by S.A. Bodeen (Book Review)

Posted August 20, 2012 by Jana in Book Review, Young Adult Fiction / 4 Comments

The Raft by S.A. Bodeen
Published by Feiwel and Friends on August 21, 2012
Genres: Contemporary Fiction, Survival
Pages: 231
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher (ALA)
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Robie is an experienced traveler. She’s taken the flight from Honolulu to the Midway Atoll, a group of Pacific islands where her parents live, many times. When she has to get to Midway in a hurry after a visit with her aunt in Hawaii, she gets on the next cargo flight at the last minute. She knows the pilot, but on this flight, there’s a new co-pilot named Max. All systems are go until a storm hits during the flight. The only passenger, Robie doesn’t panic until the engine suddenly cuts out and Max shouts at her to put on a life jacket. They are over miles of Pacific Ocean. She sees Max struggle with a raft.

And then . . . she’s in the water. Fighting for her life. Max pulls her onto the raft, and that’s when the real terror begins. They have no water. Their only food is a bag of Skittles. There are sharks. There is an island. But there’s no sign of help on the way.

Ever since I read Hatchet by Gary Paulsen in elementary school, I’ve been captivated by survival stories on TV, in movies, and in books. And there are so many of them! Lost, Survivor, Terra Nova, Castaway, On the Island, etc. I could go on and on. It’s fascinating what we humans will do in order to survive. When I saw The Raft on a table at ALA, I knew it had to come home with me. I was excited to be able to devour another exciting story of survival. Sadly, this book was very lackluster for me. I just didn’t enjoy it. I did not find it as believable as I have other versions of a similar story. As always, my main points are bolded. :)

1. The bulk of the book takes place on a raft in the middle of the ocean. Obviously, not a lot can happen on a raft. That’s exactly what we were given: not a lot. Of course, this is incredibly realistic. I mean… I know that real life is not like Lost, where supernatural things are happening all the time. At the same time, though, I would have enjoyed a little more action to break the monotony of the happenings in the raft. I got bored.

2. The setting = a raft. Let me just say that the author did not paint any images in my mind that looked like anything more exciting than a yellow raft in the middle of a bunch of water. But really, how could she? Sometimes it rained. Sometimes it was sunny. It got dark, and then it got light again. There’s just not a lot you can do with that.

3. Because the book is so short and takes place in such a small amount of time, we don’t get to learn a lot about Robie or Max. And those are really the only two characters that are mentioned across more than 2-3 pages. There’s no character development, no relationship, no nothing.

4. There was a little suspense every now and then, but it could have been so much more. I felt like the writing style took away from the possibilities that could have been there in the more tense moments. The writing was very staccato, with short, blunt sentences and very few long, flowing sentences. Perhaps this was the author’s goal: to create a feeling of tenseness with sequences of multiple short sentences. I just didn’t feel it, though.

5. The emotion did not seem real to me. This book is full of hard and/or sad moments, and Robie was completely flat and emotionless. I mean, if I were there I would have been crying and panicking and really freaking out. She seemed totally removed from the situation, even though she was in the very center of it.

6. A small twist happens that kind of makes you go, “Oh… ok. That kind of makes a little more sense.” But really, I was just ready to be done at that point. I didn’t even like the twist, but at least it made sense. Meh.

Overall, I think the story is what I had a problem with. Not the author. I have a feeling I would enjoy other works of hers. It takes a lot for a survival story to grab me and really pull me in. When I read a book, I’m looking for more than just a picture of reality. I loved the idea, but I was hoping more would be done with the execution to make it exciting, while still being somewhat realistic.