Sunday, September 25, 2016

Stars Above

September: eBooks/Adiobooks


This was the perfect conclusion to the series. (Yes I am aware there is another novella, Fairest, but I got enough of Levana in the books, thanks.) Here we have a collection of short stories surrounding the pasts of our characters, including one other new one, and a bonus epilogue that takes place 2 years after the events in Winter.

I loved being given a little closer look at some of the things that had been hinted at throughout the series, more detailed accounts of events that helped shape our favorite characters. Along with another, somewhat random, story of an android that only briefly touches Cinder, but is powerful in its own right. Then, the epilogue! Oh wow, it was perfect in the way it finished off the stories of the characters I have grown so close to in the past few weeks. Yes, I found myself wiping away tears more than once while listening to this one.

It is going to be sad saying goodbye to this series. But let's be honest, I will be coming back, perhaps frequently, to revisit these amazing people and their stories. For now, I happily tuck them away among my favorites, and look forward to reading more of Meyer's work in the future. Let me know what you think of the series!

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Winter

September: eBooks/Audiobooks


Oh wow! How do I even write this review? My mind is all over the place because this series was just so incredible. Trying to tell you how amazing it is while not giving away any spoilers in case you have not read it, or any of the series, is hard. There is so much that is incredible about this book and the series in general. Let me try to tell you.

In Winter we have finally reached the end of the story. But things are not as simple as tying up a few loose ends. No. There is a whole bunch to be taken care of! With plenty of characters and many different story lines coming together to get tangled up, it is no wonder that this book is so much longer than the ones before it. And Meyer does an incredible job of handling it all! She weaves these stories, moving around all the knots in the threads effortlessly to bring everything to various points of epic importance, and then the threads are off headed for a new knot the author must work through. There is a lot going on in this book!

Meyer is such an amazing author! Many times I found myself so worried about these characters, I finally had to turn to my friend, the one who recommended the series, and demand "Just let me know it all ends up alright. No details, just reassurance." Because the drama just got so complex, I was sure there was no way this would end well. Hint: It does. Sorta.

After all, things can't magically be made better by the end of the tale. There are still issues to be dealt with. And the fact that Meyer knows this, that she gives you a happy ending with a few issues, makes the story that much better. She gives you hope though, and that is what is important. I really look forward to reading the collection of short stories next in Stars Above.

Let me restate: Meyer writes an incredible story with amazing characters that will stay with you forever after!

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Cress

September: eBook/Audio book


While most of this series has been nonstop action due to the nature of the story, I think this books really brings it all to the front. From the beginning we have our characters running, moving to not only keep ahead of the Queen and the soldiers from Earth, but also to get to the next thing they have to do in order to make things right. Slowly a plan starts to come together for Cinder and her little band of misfits, but in order for her to make things work a lot has to go exactly right. Which of course means that it doesn't.

Without wanting to give away too much I will say that there is plenty of action, drama, and feels in this third book in the Lunar Chronicles. We are also given new characters to complicate the web that Meyer has been spinning, characters with backstories that add not only to the background picture, but to how things will turn out. We get the chance to figure out some more key details to the plot and they are intense revelations.

Even being much longer than the first two books, I had no trouble at all getting through this one just as quickly, the story pulling me along effortlessly. And I eagerly anticipate an incredible final book as I hit download to Winter, the conclusion of the series.

Saturday, September 10, 2016

Scarlet

September: eBooks/Audio book

Of course I rushed to start the next book in the series, and I was not disappointed. While this one starts with new characters, we are quickly shown how Cinder is doing as she bursts onto the scene, literally. In an escape attempt. Thus we meet Captain Thorne whose relationship with his ship rivals the one between Dean Winchester and his Impala. Elsewhere the story actually begins following Scarlet who is looking for her grandmother.

Two separate journeys take us racing through France in an effort to find answers that only one woman can give. And when the stories finally converge it is in full on chaos.

Once more Meyer delivers an incredible story with characters we love from our past as they are re-imagined in this new world.  She also gives us incredible humor that had me laughing out loud as I listened and drama that had me throwing my hands up in need of resolutions. So hang in there, because the next book promises to do more of the same! And I will be starting it as soon as possible!

Thursday, September 8, 2016

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Part 1)


As a lover of the video games, I of course had to pick this one up when I saw it at the library. It took a while to read because I ended up lending it to a friend's daughter so that she could read it first. She enjoyed it and is eagerly waiting for me to pick up the next one for her, which is awesome. So I finally read it today and I love the story just as much as I enjoyed playing the video game.

Himekawa tells Link's tale, from being an odd kokiri with no fairy to becoming the Hero of Time himself. This is only part one, following Link up to a point in middle of his quest to freeing the sages from their curses to help save Hyrule. So if you are a fan be sure to have the next one on hand so you can continue the story.

I will be quickly picking up the next one when I go to the library next for both me and my young friend to read. I may even search out the older games so I can play and delve back into the world of Hyrule!

Cinder

September: eBooks/Audio book


A friend of mine has been a huge fan of this series since the first one came out and has been hounding me to pick them up. I'm pretty sure the only reason she gave me access to her Audible account was so that she could take away my last excuse for not reading them. And now I owe her an apology for putting it off for so long. This book was fantastic!

As I am sure you can tell from the title and cover art, Cinder is a retelling of the Cinderella story. But this one is unlike any you have ever heard. For starters, Cinder is a cyborg. That's right, our leading lady had metal limbs that she hides from everyone around her because of the unveiled contempt people feel toward the half-humans int heir midst. But that part of her sure comes in handy when one of Cinder's stepsisters contracts a deadly plague and Cinder is signed up as a research volunteer to help find a cure. Throw in a prince that needs the renown mechanic, again Cinder, to work on an android of his caring valuable information but has no idea what Cinder is, and you have a story wrought with opportunities for everything to go wrong. And so of course it does.

This story does not have a happy ending. In fact it has no ending because Meyer continues Cinder's tale into the next book, but that is another post. What this story does have is humor that will have you laughing out loud, a love story that is endearing and awkward, intrigue that will have you on the edge of your seat, and a villain you will despise for all the best reasons.  Not only am I going to encourage you to pick this one up and read it right now, but I am going to heavily suggest that you have the next book on standby so that you don't have to wait to know what happens next. (I am already 4 chapters into it.) Even more, I am going to nudge you to listening to the book on tape because the narrator does an amazing job!

In every way this book was wonderful. So go read it!

Monday, September 5, 2016

This Dark Endeavor

August: Texas Teen Book Festival

Held in Austin, TX, TTBF highlights YA authors and their audience by bringing the two together for a weekend to talk about the stories we are falling in love with.


Kenneth Oppel is one of the authors that will be at the Texas Teen Book Festival this year. Focus will be on his book Every Hidden Thing, but I couldn't find that when I went to the library. Instead I was intrigued by this previous book of his. This Dark Endeavor follows the story of a young Victor Frankenstein as he undertakes an adventurous quest into the world of alchemy to find a cure for his ailing brother. Full of action, intrigue, and passion, most of which is embodied by young Victor, Oppel's story gives us a look into Victor's past leading to hid dark curiosity into the world of the dead and the driving force behind his later experiments.

I really did enjoy this one. Oppel did a good job of creating not only a dire situation for Victor that would push him so urgently forward, but he gave an overwhelming amount of chaos behind the endeavor. Add a love triangle that leads to an internal war Victor wages as he tried to help his brother, and it makes for an amazing tale. And Oppel is a gifted writer!

My only draw back was that I was expecting Mary Shelley. This was my own fault and I should have seperated my love of the classic with my curiosity for this new tale. When Oppel's voice, a great one in its own right, was all I read it made the beginning of the novel a little slow going. hat being said I look forward to reading the next book in this little series as well as the book being highlighted at the festival this year. As I said, Oppel is a fantastic writer.

I highly encourage fans of the classic Frankenstein give this one a chance.