ARC Review: Undue Influence by Jenny Holiday

Undue Influence
by Jenny Holiday
Self-published
LGBT, contemporary, romance, retelling

Second chances only come around once.

Eight years ago, Adam Elliot made the biggest mistake of his life. Now that mistake is coming back to haunt him. His family’s beloved vineyard has gone into foreclosure, and the new owner is the sister of the only man he’s ever loved—the man he dumped under pressure from family and friends who thought the match was beneath him. 

When Freddy Wentworth, aka the bad boy of Bishop’s Glen, left town with a broken heart, he vowed never to return. But a recently widowed friend needs his help, so here he is. He’s a rich and famous celebrity chef now, though, so everyone can just eff right off.

But some things are easier said than done. Despite their attempts to resist each other, old love rekindles—and old wounds reopen. If they want to make things work the second time around, they’ll have to learn to set aside their pride—and prejudice.

This modern retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion is a standalone novel that can be enjoyed by Austen-philes and by those allergic to the nineteenth century.

I must confess that I haven't actually read Persuasion yet. Undue Influence just sounded good and it definitely did a great job at making me want to read Persuasion soon. It's a great second chance romance featuring likable characters. In short, I adored it. Adam is adorable character, he's mild-mannered and quiet while his mother and sister are snobby and loud. Adam's family owns a vineyard which they're about to lose because of poor financial management and Adam's trying to navigate his life when he meets his old boyfriend, Freddy, after eight years. Freddy is just great. It's difficult to say anything else since I just liked him - he's nice, kind and just darn adorable. There's certainly a chemistry between the two of them!

Undue Influence is a brilliant love story, it's both sweet and somewhat heartbreaking, but it'll mend any breaks it causes. Adam and Freddy are brilliant both individually and together, and it's almost impossible to not root for them. I highly recommend it, if you're looking for a great second chance romance, adorable love story or a Jane Austen retelling!

4 of 5 stars

Add on Goodreads

(A copy of this ebook was provided in return for an honest review.)

Review: And The Ocean Was Our Sky by Patrick Ness

An The Ocean Was Our Sky
by Patrick Ness
Published by Walker Books
YA, fantasy, retelling

With harpoons strapped to their backs, the proud whales of Bathsheba's pod live for the hunt, fighting in the ongoing war against the world of men. When they attack a ship bobbing on the surface of the Abyss, they expect to find easy prey. Instead, they find the trail of a myth, a monster, perhaps the devil himself...

As their relentless Captain leads the chase, they embark on a final, vengeful hunt, one that will forever change the worlds of both whales and men.

Patrick Ness is known for being creative, for experimenting in a way others don't.  And The Ocean Was Our Sky has to be most experimental of his works; it's a Moby Dick retelling from the point of view of the whales. It's as odd as it sounds, but somehow Ness made the story of a pod of whales hunting down the legendary devil of Toby Wick deep and profound. It's a brutal and raw look on humanity, but also to the treatment of others, of strangers, no matter of species.

Best part of this short story are the illustrations. Rovina Cai is certainly talented, and the illustrations bring the story alive. Truthfully, I spend more time staring at the illustrations than reading. It's a gorgeous book and I'm definitely giving one star more only for the brilliant illustrations.

4 of 5 stars

Add on Goodreads

Review: Pride and Modern Prejudice by A.J. Michaels

Pride and Modern Prejudice
by A.J. Michaels
Published by Dreamspinner Press
LGBT, contemporary, romance, retelling

What happens when Jane Austen's immortal characters are thrust into 21st century Pennsylvania, with an all-male twist?

Liam Bennet has always been a good judge of character, but when William Darcy is thrown into his social circle, everything spins out of control. Darcy is proud, cold, arrogant - and strangely captivating. When Liam's brother and Darcy's business partner start seeing each other, Liam cannot avoid this enigmatic businessman. But does he want to?

As Liam struggles to find his identity in college and acknowledge his feelings, he must deal with the fortunes of his four brothers, his gossiping mother, and the possibility of a large inheritance that could save his family from financial ruin. Emotions come to a boil when George Wickham, a world-weary musician, stumbles into town and ignites a feud with Darcy. He threatens to expose a long-hidden past, and Liam must decide for himself who William Darcy really is and what he really wants.

I love Pride and Prejudice and it seems I'm a fan of modern M/M retellings of it as I have now read few and liked them. Pride and Modern Prejudice is great retelling that stays true to the original and there isn't a lot that's changed, except the modernization and main setting in the USA (don't worry, there'll still be travelling to England and visiting Pemberley!) There are some twists to the story - and not just the male cast - that just made it surprising enough and captivating. For example, I really enjoyed how Georgiana had bigger and more surprising role in the story. There's also interesting take on Liam's grandfather's inheritance, which is promised to go to his first grandson who marries, and oh boy it's an interesting to see how everyone reacts to that. Still, some things remained same such as Collins being unbearable, which was very comforting.

I do think that part of Pride and Prejudice's charm is the setting and time period, which is absent on these modern retellings. However, I think Michaels managed to create such a strong connection to the characters - mainly to Liam Bennet - that I didn't find the story lacking despite the change of setting and time period. It was fascinating to see William Darcy and Charlie Bingley as business partners of a social media company and Liam and Charlotte as college students whereas Jamie had recently graduated from college and just starting his career. Even more fascinating and captivating was to follow Liam and Darcy's developing relationship. There's chemistry and it kept me turning the page faster and faster.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story and it kept me captivated until the very end. My only complain about the story is how the sex scene took the fade to black and ignored the very next day route. I don't know whether the author just didn't want to include it or if it was done as a nod to the original, but it felt a little frustrating on a modernized story after a long slow burn romance. I love slow burn and I'm not completely mad of the exclusion of the sex scene, which is why it won't have an effect for my rating. I just want to mention it as the only disappointing aspect of the story.

I highly recommend Pride and Modern Prejudice for all those who love Pride and Prejudice and want to see a M/M twist on it. Or even if you have never read the original, I'd still recommend to pick this one up - who knows, maybe it might spark you to pick up the classic!

5 of 5 stars

Add on Goodreads

ARC Review: Circe by Madeline Miller

Circe
by Madeline Miller
Published by Bloomsbury Publishing
eARC
Mythology, fantasy, retelling, historical

In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe has neither the look nor the voice of divinity, and is scorned and rejected by her kin. Increasingly isolated, she turns to mortals for companionship, leading her to discover a power forbidden to the gods: witchcraft.

When love drives Circe to cast a dark spell, wrathful Zeus banishes her to the remote island of Aiaia. There she learns to harness her occult craft, drawing strength from nature. But she will not always be alone; many are destined to pass through Circe's place of exile, entwining their fates with hers. The messenger god, Hermes. The craftsman, Daedalus. A ship bearing a golden fleece. And wily Odysseus, on his epic voyage home.

There is danger for a solitary woman in this world, and Circe's independence draws the wrath of men and gods alike. To protect what she holds dear, Circe must decide whether she belongs with the deities she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love.

Circe was one of my most anticipated releases for 2018, because Miller's debut The Song of Achilles is one of my all time favourite books. Circe includes a lot of Ancient Greek myths; the tension between Titans and Olympians, feuds and dalliances between gods, Daedalus, Ariadne and the birth of Minotaur, Jason and Medea, and even Achilles and Patroclus get a mention, and of course, Odysseys and his involvement with Circe. I liked reading these myths as retellings through Circe's immortal eyes.

Maybe it was just me, because so many seems to love Circe, but I couldn't connect with Circe as a main character. First she's so naive and a little bit spineless when it comes to her family and the Olympians; it was almost impossible to connect that Circe to the legendary witch of Aiaia. Then there's a twist when Circe snaps and becomes ruthless witch who cares nothing for men, gods and sea nymphs. It's abrupt change and while the naive Circe frustrated me at times, I could barely stand her after she becomes the legend I knew. However, there's few times when I liked Circe and rooted for her; when she meets Prometheus at the beginning, and when she spends time with Daedalus and Ariadne.

What kept me going was curiosity. Miller is a good writer and she can bring myths and legends alive. Circe might not have awoken such emotional response from me that The Song of Achilles did, but it was a solid retelling that included many well known myths from Ancient Greek. I admit that I had high expectations and I was prepared for similar emotional rollercoaster that The Song of Achilles put me through, even when I knew I've always been more invested in Ancient Greek tales of adventure, romance and war than tales of Circe and witchcraft.

Anyway, there was both moments that captivated me and moments when I was bored and disconnected from the story. This is mostly case it's me and not the book, because so many have embraced and loved Circe. If you find the premise interesting and you love myths and legends, I highly recommend Circe.

3 of 5 stars

Add on Goodreads

Thank you, Bloomsbury Publishing, for giving me a chance to read and review Circe!

(A copy of this ebook was provided in return for an honest review.)

ARC Review: Out, Proud, and Prejudiced by Megan Reddaway

Out, Proud, and Prejudiced
by Megan Reddaway
Published by Less Than Three Press
eARC
LGBT, contemporary, romance, retelling

One's proud, one's prejudiced, and they can't stand each other.

Quick-tempered Bennet Rourke dislikes Darius Lanniker on sight. Darius may be a hotshot city lawyer, but that doesn't give him the right to sneer at Bennet, his friends, and their college. It doesn't help that Bennet's restaurant job has him waiting at Darius's table. So when his tutor recommends him for an internship at Darius's Pemberley estate, Bennet isn't sure he wants it. He's also not sure he can afford to turn it down.

Darius is a fish out of water in the small college town of Meriton, but something keeps pulling him back there. He's helping out a friend with business advice, nothing more. If he's interested in Bennet, it's not serious. Sure, Bennet challenges him in a way no other man has. But they have nothing in common. Right?

Wrong. Their best friends are falling in love, and Bennet and Darius can't seem to escape each other. Soon they're sharing climbing ropes and birthday cake, and there's a spark between them that won't be denied. But betrayal is around the corner. Darius must swallow his pride and Bennet must drop his prejudices to see the rainbow shining through the storm clouds.

A modern retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.

Out, Proud, and Prejudiced is a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice, where the main characters are gay. There are some differences to the original tale, but there isn't any radical changes. I went in knowing this and not expecting to be surprised, and I enjoyed the story a lot. I only have to say that the blurb is misleading as there isn't a dual point of view, because the only perspective is Bennet's and Darius's inner thoughts are not on page.

Despite expecting that there wouldn't be big surprises plot or character wise, there were some elements of suspense and I enjoyed the story. It took me a little while to warm up for the characters and situation; mostly because of the modern setting, as I've always felt that a lot of the charm for Pride and Prejudice is the time period. However, Reddaway made the story work well in modern setting, where Bennet and his friends studied hospitality in a college and Darius was a hotshot city lawyer.

The relationship dynamics have changed from the original tale; Bennet and Jamie are best friends and flat mates instead of siblings and so on. I enjoyed the dynamics between characters. Jamie's one of my favourites because he's kind and adorable, and I loved his relationship with Tim. Of course, Bennet and Darius get the limelight with their initial mutual dislike and slow progress of learning to stand each other. Both are proud men with prejudices, and I found it especially delightful read to see how they found they both enjoyed climbing and such. It was really good that Bennet and Darius had a lot of interaction - there's a trip to Brighton, climbing, and surprise visits to Pembroke. It was a really slow burn, but it was to be expected and I truly enjoyed their interactions.

Out, Proud, and Prejudiced was engaging read and especially captivating at the end. It would have been even better reading experience, if I'd been able to stop comparing and looking for links to the source material. In any case, it's a good contemporary retelling with M/M romance. I do recommend this for both fans of Pride and Prejudice and fans of M/M contemporary romance.

Now, I just want to re-read the original and watch one or two movie adaptations.

4 of 5 stars

Add on Goodreads

Thank you, Less Than Three Press, for giving me a chance to read and review Out, Proud, and Prejudiced!

(A copy of this ebook was provided in return for an honest review.)

Book Blitz + Giveaway: The Piper's Price by Audrey Greathouse

The Piper’s Price
Audrey Greathouse
(The Neverland Wars, #2)
Published by: Clean Reads Publishing
Publication date: February 21st 2017
Genres: Fairy Tales, Retelling, Young Adult

Peter is plotting his retaliation against the latest bombing. Neverland needs an army, and Peter Pan is certain children will join him once they know what is at stake. The lost boys and girls are planning an invasion in suburbia to recruit, but in order to deliver their message, they will need the help of an old and dangerous associate—the infamous Pied Piper. 

Hunting him down will require a spy in in the real world, and Gwen soon finds herself in charge of locating the Piper and cutting an uncertain deal with him. She isn’t sure if Peter trusts her that much, or if he’s just trying to keep her away from him in Neverland. Are they friends, or just allies? But Peter might not even matter now that she’s nearly home and meeting with Jay again. 

The Piper isn’t the only one hiding from the adults’ war on magic though, and when Gwen goes back to reality, she’ll have to confront one of Peter’s oldest friends… and one of his earliest enemies.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

THE PIPER'S PRICE

Complete Playlist:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMtUnDVkgb7dOS3Nf-qVFMuOcqFZ_gFQ2

1. Impossible Girl #1

The Impossible Girl

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFFWhBnZots&list=PLMtUnDVkgb7dOS3Nf-qVFMuOcqFZ_gFQ2&index=5

She's the first one of her kind, and the last one in her line.

She's a creature so rare, you can't be sure she's really there.

Sometimes I like to remember that Gwen really is in a unique position, and look at her from the admiring eyes of everyone else around her. She might not admit it, but this is her song.

2. Start With Goodbye, Stop With Hello

Eliza Rickman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtEGD1JcMOg

We'll start with goodbye, stop with hello 

Never a hand hardly to hold...

Even though this is a more of a love song, it reminds me of Gwen and Peter because of how full of paradox and confliction all Peter's relationships are. It seems pertinent when he sends Gwen away from Neverland in the start of the book.

3. Businessmen

Snowapple

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-lXmTdntkg

Thousands of them businessmen crumbling, crawling up the stairs

Two thousand of them sleepy eyes fighting against time...

This song (and its music video especially) captures a little bit of the anonymous antagonistic force that Gwen starts to hunt down and put faces and names too in this installment of the story.

4. Seven Years

Lukas Graham

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHCob76kigA

It was a big, big world but we thought we were bigger

Pushing each other to the limits, we were learning quicker...

This song seemed to be all over the radio while I was drafting The Piper's Price, and I think it captures Gwen's fear of how fast growing up can happen.

5. Circles

Machineheart

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IECxREipzqE

If I get tired and say that I wanna change my mind

Pull me in a circle, so I can change it one more time...

If this doesn't sum up Gwen's decision making process, I don't know what does. She pulls 180 degree turns in her head so often, she always seems to circle back 360 degrees by the end of her fretting. She's very consistent for someone so conflicted.

6. I'm in Love Again

Maria Mena

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzjMsqmLo5k

Oh I'm in love again, again,

And you may call me tomorrow my friend, yes,

You may kiss me again and again...I'll hold on tight

There's nothing better than realizing you're in love and getting a second chance at things with a good friend. I can only imagine how this song loops in Gwen's head every time she sneaks out to meet up with Jay.

7. Phoenix

The Jane Austen Argument

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6WVpIqKL8s

Oh, what have I become? And where is my mother?

Oh, bring me my sticks and spices, that I may build this birthing pyre...

It wouldn't be a complete playlist without a melancholy song about questioning who you are and wondering if it wouldn't be such a bad idea to start this whole “life” thing all over again.

8. The Pied Piper

Del Shannon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isE5-WnRkZc

This was on a “Hits of 1960s” CD my Dad had, and I loved it for inexplicable reasons as a child. I like to imagine this peppy love song is playing as Piper walks into the bar, and its upbeat tempo curdles his already dismal mood.

9. I Walked Alone

Rachel Rose Mitchell

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZFi8XOdN5M

If one's as good as their word,

There's nothing good in you 

And there's nothing I can do.

When Gwen makes a shady deal with the Piper and gets burned, you have to wonder whom she's more frustrated with: the mysterious man who tricked her, or the cocksure boy who sent her on the mission in the first place?

10. Come Little Children

From Hocus Pocus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1t8-_pI1-9Q

Come Little Children, I'll Take Thee Away,
Into a Land of Enchantment...

Nothing says “kidnapping children with song” like this classic, originally sung by Sarah Jessica Parker for Disney's Halloween-y “Hocus Pocus” movie. I ended up going in a very different direction with. 

Author Bio:
Audrey Greathouse is a lost child in a perpetual and footloose quest for her own post-adolescent Neverland. Originally from Seattle, she earned her English B.A. from Southern New Hampshire University's online program while backpacking around the west coast and pretending to be a student at Stanford. A pianist, circus artist, fire-eater, street mime, swing dancer, and novelist, Audrey wears many hats wherever she is. She has grand hopes for the future which include publishing more books and owning a crockpot. You can find her at audreygreathouse.com.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

GIVEAWAY! (INTL)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

ARC Review: Peter Darling by Austin Chant

Peter Darling
by Austin Chant
Published by Less Than Three Press
Ebook (received via NetGalley)
LGBT, fantasy, retelling, romance

Ten years ago, Peter Pan left Neverland to grow up, leaving behind his adolescent dreams of boyhood and resigning himself to life as Wendy Darling. Growing up, however, has only made him realize how inescapable his identity as a man is.

But when he returns to Neverland, everything has changed: the Lost Boys have become men, and the war games they once played are now real and deadly. Even more shocking is the attraction Peter never knew he could feel for his old rival, Captain Hook—and the realization that he no longer knows which of them is the real villain.

Peter Pan is one of my favourite fairytales, and Captain Hook certainly is my favourite villain ever, so when I heard there was a retelling of Peter Pan as a transgender and possible relationship with Captain Hook, I wouldn't have missed it by any chance. Peter Darling did more than meet my high expectations as I fell irrevocably in love with this story.

For one, Chant's writing style and world-building was perfect for the fairytale setting, especially for a retelling of Peter Pan; it gave the feeling of mystical, a little bit whimsical, and a bit vicious Neverland, a land made of dreams, lost boys, and fairies. And seriously, the description of Hook's clothes and hair were perfection (and I couldn't get enough of those). Of course, there's adventures and lots of fighting especially in the beginning when Peter goes back to Neverland and naturally he and Hook get back to fighting their war.

It was all good, until it became brilliant. The main characters went through a huge character development around the halfway mark of the story, and at this point I really fell in love with the story - and more importantly, with Peter and Hook. Okay, I loved Hook from the beginning but not necessarily Peter. I liked him and felt for him in the flashbacks that contained gender dysphoria as Peter was often misgendered. However, before the character growth, Peter was quite boyish and a bit naively vicious but I loved how he started to realize that world is not as black and white, and that Hook is not necessarily the villain he had made him to be. There were also a few secondary characters worth mentioning, as I really liked Ernest and Tinker Bell.

Overall, Peter Darling was touching and beautiful story that did not let me down. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down as I devoured every page. My only complain is that the book could have been longer as I couldn't get enough of it! Magnificent story, truly. All the diversity that got representation was fantastic. I just really fell in love with the story! And yes, I ship Peter and Hook with all my heart.

I highly recommend this to everyone. It's simply a must read.

5 of 5 stars.

Add on Goodreads

Thank you, Less Than Three Press, for giving me a chance to read and review Peter Darling!

(A copy of this ebook was provided in return for an honest review.)

ARC Review: Mad About the Hatter by Dakota Chase

Mad About the Hatter

by Dakota Chase

Published by Harmony Ink Press

e-ARC (from publisher via Netgalley)

LGBT, YA, retelling, fantasy, romance

This isn’t his sister’s Wonderland….

Henry never believed his older sister, Alice’s, fantastic tales about the world down the rabbit hole. When he’s whisked away to the bizarre land, his best chance for escape is to ally himself with the person called the Mad Hatter. Hatter—an odd but strangely attractive fellow—just wants to avoid execution. If that means delivering “Boy Alice” to the Queen of Hearts at her Red Castle, Hatter will do what he has to do to stay alive. It doesn’t matter if Henry and Hatter find each other intolerable. They’re stuck with each other.

Along their journey, Henry and Hatter must confront what they’ve always accepted as truth. As dislike grows into tolerance and something like friendship, the young men see the chance for a closer relationship. But Wonderland is a dangerous place, and first they have to get away with their lives.

I was super excited about Mad About the Hatter because of the idea that it would be Alice's brother Henry going to the Wonderland, and of course, about the possibility of romance between Henry and Hatter. While the writing was good, the story itself fell a little flat. I felt like it focused on all the wrong things, and that's why I couldn't connect with the story as much as I wanted. It's more like a description of all the madness in Wonderland rather than romance between Henry and Hatter, or even any sort of self-discovery journey. It was more like a walk through Wonderland where so much stuff happened that it became predictable and boring. The best part of the book was when they were actually in England; that was the part I enjoyed the most. Otherwise, I feel like the title should be 'Mad About the Wonderland' because that's what the story focused on.

The focus on scenery and the madness in Wonderland left a little place for actual character development. Or even a character study in the first place. There was always something happening or somewhere to go, which meant that the story didn't take a breather and focus on the characters even a bit. I like character driven stories, and while I don't mind action at all, I mind quite a bit when there seems to be all the action and no character development. That's why I felt a little distanced from the story, and I never became too invested on the characters fates. The story was okay, but it wasted the huge potential it had.

I can recommend this to those who want to read pages after pages of description of everything that goes on in the Wonderland, and who don't mind the romance - or the characters - being side tracked by that. But if you want passionate romance, then this might not be for you.

3 of 5 stars.

Add on Goodreads.

Thank you, Harmony Ink Press, for giving me a chance to read and review Mad About the Hatter!

(A copy of this ebook was provided in return for an honest review.)

Review: Stars Above by Marissa Meyer

Stars Above (Lunar Chronicles, #4.5)

by Marissa Meyer

Published by Feiwel & Friends

Paperback (purchased)

YA, retelling, sci-fi

The enchantment continues....

The universe of the Lunar Chronicles holds stories—and secrets—that are wondrous, vicious, and romantic. How did Cinder first arrive in New Beijing? How did the brooding soldier Wolf transform from young man to killer? When did Princess Winter and the palace guard Jacin realize their destinies?

With nine stories—five of which have never before been published—and an exclusive never-before-seen excerpt from Marissa Meyer’s upcoming novel, Heartless, about the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, Stars Above is essential for fans of the bestselling and beloved Lunar Chronicles.

--The Little Android: A retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid,” set in the world of The Lunar Chronicles.Glitches: In this prequel to Cinder, we see the results of the plague play out, and the emotional toll it takes on Cinder. Something that may, or may not, be a glitch….The Queen’s Army: In this prequel to Scarlet, we’re introduced to the army Queen Levana is building, and one soldier in particular who will do anything to keep from becoming the monster they want him to be.Carswell’s Guide to Being Lucky: Thirteen-year-old Carswell Thorne has big plans involving a Rampion spaceship and a no-return trip out of Los Angeles.The Keeper: A prequel to the Lunar Chronicles, showing a young Scarlet and how Princess Selene came into the care of Michelle Benoit.After Sunshine Passes By: In this prequel to Cress, we see how a nine-year-old Cress ended up alone on a satellite, spying on Earth for Luna.The Princess and the Guard: In this prequel to Winter, we see a game called The PrincessThe Mechanic: In this prequel to Cinder, we see Kai and Cinder’s first meeting from Kai’s perspective.Something Old, Something New: In this epilogue to Winter, friends gather for the wedding of the century...

Stars Above is a collection of short stories from the Lunar Chronicles universe and all except Little Android centers around the well known characters from the series. The collection is as diverse as the series itself, and I really enjoyed reading those stories and getting a good ending for the series with the epilogue Something New, Something Old.

I liked how all the main characters got their own novella, and some of them brought more to the series than others but all of them were really enjoyable. I loved how the Princess and the Guard novella exploided Winter and Jacin's past and why they made the choices that led them to the situation they were at the beginning of fourth book. However, the one I most loved besides The Queen's Army, which I have read and reviewed previously, was The Keeper that tells the story of Michelle. She's strong character and I loved to see how she got involved the whole business with keeping Cinder save, and of course, it featured little and fierce Scarlet so it was just perfect. And of course, Something New, Something Old was so good with the wedding of century (even if I wished the narrator character would have been different but well, cannot get everything).

I highly recommend this for any Lunar Chronicles fans, because I'm sure there's something for everyone as the novellas features different characters from the series. My personal favourites were The Keeper and Something New, Something Old, as well as previously read The Queen's Army - for the reason that they all featured or centered around my favourites, Scarlet and/or Wolf.

4 of 5 stars.

Add on Goodreads.

Review: Winter by Marissa Meyer

Winter (The Lunar Chronicles, #4)
by Marissa Meyer
Published by Puffin
Paperback (purchased)
YA, sci-fi, retelling, romance

Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won’t approve of her feelings for her childhood friend—the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn’t as weak as Levana believes her to be and she’s been undermining her stepmother’s wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters?

Winter was a great conclusion to the great series, and despite it being over 800 pages long, it kept me captivated. It was full of plans, adventure, danger, great romance, incredible character and brilliant world-building. It was everything I could ever wish from a last book of a series - of any book. Winter was pure genius from the first page until the very last word.

The feels hit really hard on me during Winter. There were so many aspects, so many plot lines to tie, and Meyer did it all brilliantly. I felt for the characters, especially for all the main characters, and I devoured the story because I needed to know what happened to them. I had some problems with a few main characters during the previous books, mostly with Cinder, Cress, and Kai. Cinder and Kai's character developments were amazing and I cared for them and their fates a lot now. Cress annoyed me previously but now she had strength and she was less jealous and judgmental than before. Scarlet, Wolf, and Thorne continued to be the holders of my heart, and especially Scarlet and Wolf (both together and separately) gave me the greatest feels because they are my favourite characters of The Lunar Chronicles. I need them to be happy for the rest of their lives, they must live at the farm and have many cubs because they are perfect together. I love how Wolf is both sweet and vicious, and how he's loyal to Scatlet no matter what happens. Scarlet so bold, fierce, and sarcastic, and she is such amazingly strong character that I couldn't help but love her from the beginning. Also Winter and Jacin, stole a tiny piece of my heart. Both of them so different from the rest of the characters, and Meyer truly portrayed mental illness well through Winter and her struggles. Winter was so sweet, intelligent and beautiful inside and out. I loved how quirky she was. Jacin's sense of loyalty and his protectiveness were the thing that made him great, but I also loved how much self restrain he had and his sarcastic moments were so hilarious.

Everything was perfect and I loved the journey so much. I devoured the story and it's truly captivating. Scarlet is still my favourite book from the series but Winter is not far behind. It's utter perfection, and I couldn't recommend it enough. Now I just need the Stars Above because I truly want to read the epilogue for the chronicles.

I highly recommend Winter, and the whole Lunar Chronicles.

5 of 5 stars.

Add on Goodreads.

(My reviews of Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress.)

Review: Cress by Marissa Meyer

Cress (#3, Lunar Chronicles)

by Marissa Meyer

Published by Square Fish

Paperback (purchased)

YA, sci-fi, retelling

Even in the future. there are damsels in distress...

In the third installment of the Lunar chronicles, Cress, having risked everything to warn Cinder of Queen Levana's evil plan, has a slight problem. She's been imprisoned on a satellite since childhood and has only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress a great hacker. Unfortunately, she's just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue of Cress involving Cinder, Captain Thorne, Scarlet, and Wolf goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes as a high price. Meanwhile, Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.

I feel so conflicted about Cress. The beginning was so good and I was so thrilled to meet Cress, the new character. I liked her in the beginning, and everything was so good. However, the book started to drag in one point. There wasn't enough Scarlet nor Wolf, who are my darlings and favourites in the Lunar Chronicles. Cress also started to annoy me as she was so incredibly naive, jealous, and judgmental for the middle part of the book. Although, Cinder continued to grew and I liked her more and more, even if no one will ever have more of my love than Scarlet and Wolf (I need another book full of them. Only them. For eternity.) There was some new characters who intrigue me, namely Jacin and Winter, and I have to admit that I finally started to like Kai a little bit. I still feel like his character is very predictable and a bit of boring because of that even if he has very good reasons to be that way, and I can respect that.

The ending, however, made up for a lot of the parts where Cress was dragging and a bit boring. It made the fire burn again, and now I want to read the last installment, Winter, immediately. That's also why I feel so conflicted about rating Cress. Most of my resentment for the book were lack of my favourite characters and the sheer amount of Cress being annoying during the middle of the book. However, there was some character development in there, so I truly hope that I'll like Cress more later.

The plot was good, and there were so many things that changed so many things, and the world-building and description continued to be so amazing. I'm anxious to know how Meyer will wrap everything up, and even more so I want to know what happens to my darlings and everyone else. I'm torn between giving Cress three and four stars because even though it was a solid installment, I simply can't get over how it took me six months to finish it because of how annoyed I was by Cress and the bit dragging parts of the plot in the middle (it dragged mostly because of the multiple perspectives so I guess I must forgive it for that). So I'll give it four stars, especially because the last part of the book made up for some flaws it had.

4 of 5 stars.

Add on Goodreads.

Review: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles, #2)
by Marissa Meyer
Published by Square Fish
Paperback (purchased)
YA, fantasy, sci-fi, retelling, romance

Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the 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 or 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 is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

Scarlet was everything I hoped Cinder to be. Don't get me wrong, I liked Cinder well enough - I loved the world building and the futuristic twist to the fairytale, but I didn't connect with the characters (Cinder, Iko, Kai, etc.) Scarlet was totally different right from the start: I fell in love with the characters, head over heels. Scarlet was fierce, independent, smart and just darling human being. Wolf, oh my, he literally ate my heart; I love him to pieces and will continue to do so forever (the rest of the series is better have Wolf or I'm going to be mad!). Michelle Benoit rocked. And Captain Thorne was hilarious and charming, and I really want more of him. In comparison to all these brilliant characters Cinder was quite meh and until the end, I really couldn't respect her decision. I still liked her okay, but mostly I just wanted less her chapters and more Scarlet's. Kai... well, he's predictable, which makes him boring.

Basically, character wise Scarlet rocked my world. The plot was also brilliant (even though I yet again guessed the big twists) and Meyer's writing style and world building are fabulous. And romance, don't get me started on that! I need more of it and I will not be satisfied until I get what I want.

I highly recommend people to read Scarlet - even if Cinder (the first part of the chronicles) wasn't that amazing, Scarlet makes everything more intriguing, better and it's just brilliant. I'll totally recommend this series to everyone, just so they can read Scarlet and love it like I do. I seriously hope there'll be more Scarlet and Wolf on the last two instalment of this series, because of them this one was so utterly brilliant that I can't do anything else but love it (and Wolf!) with all I have.

5 of 5 stars.

Scarlet on Goodreads.

Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles, #1)
by Marissa Meyer
Published by Square Fish
Paperback (purchased)
YA, retelling, sci-fi, romance, dystopia

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl.

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

Cinder's strong point was definitely the amazing world-building and Meyer's writing style. It's fast paced, thrilling, and just keeps going, and it does not feel like you're reading a long book. There's very detailed description of the world, and many aspects of it, which I absolutely loved. Meyer knows how to build a fantasy world, which is unique, still has the fairy tale feeling, and how to describe it to make it feel real.

However, I did not connect with the characters the way I wanted. Cinder was a smart, hard working and witty main character, but something did not click and while I liked her, I wasn't truly enchanted with her, and I didn't feel her anguish. It didn't help that the love interest, Prince Kai, was boring. He's the crown prince, the future emperor, he should be powerful and great, and have charm and character. However, he lacked all of that. He was just a boy, not a great leader or charming in any way. Mostly he was just boring, which was very disappointing for me. I truly hope Kai will have lots of character development in the other books, because otherwise I'm not going to get along with him. The other obvious disappointment was how little Cinder and Kai had chemistry. There was no chemistry and the romance felt so forced that I cringed many times while reading. Overall, none of the characters made me care about them, so the story felt a flat for me. I see all the potential, and I will continue with the series. Cinderella has never been my favourite fairy tale, so I will give Meyer a chance to make me love her other characters.

Overall Cinder was a good reading experience, and it has so much potential. I just couldn't care about the characters and the big twists of the story were predictable. Meyer has a great potential, and I live in hope that she'll sweep my feet underneath me with the next installment of the chronicles, Scarlet.

3 of 5 stars.

Cinder on Goodreads.

Review: Shadow of the Wolf by Tim Hall

Shadow of the Wolf (Sherwood's Doom, #1)
by Tim Hall
Published by David Fickling Books
Paperback (purchased)
YA, retelling, fantasy

A world of gods and monsters. An elemental power, rising. This is Robin Hood, reborn, as he has never been seen before…

Robin Loxley is seven years old when his parents disappear without trace. Years later the great love of his life, Marian, is also taken from him. Driven by these mysteries, and this anguish, Robin follows a darkening path into the ancient heart of Sherwood Forest. What he encounters there will leave him transformed, and will alter forever the legend of Robin Hood.

Disappointment. I had a great expectations: it's a Robin Hood retelling, blurbed by Sally Green, intriguing synopsis - basically everything just clicked. Tim Hall is a great writer, the style was good and just right for the Medieval times. I just couldn't care less about the characters in the end. I fell in love with Robin at the beginning and I continued to love him, but I couldn't stand how stupid things he did and the choices he made. He made all the wrong ones, because every time he had it good, Marian showed up and he deserted everything to do her bidding which lead him trouble every time. Marian was the thing I loathed most: she was mean, selfish and well, bitch. Still Robin praised her, even though she was mean to him and called him names. Robin endured the worst but he was belittled by everyone, especially Marian, which was strange as Marian seemed to do nothing during the story (and she accused Robin of doing nothing). I think the author shipped Robin and Marian, and tried to force the reader to like them together even though they were no good together - Marian was no good to Robin. My personal dislike towards Marian and how she was praised from time to time affected my reading experience, and if being honest, I could care less about Marian and about what Robin was ready to do for her. The plot partly evolved around that which made me just hope for the end. I probably won't read the sequel (when I bought the book, I was convinced it was a standalone) because I don't care anymore what happens to them.

Basically I loved everything but Marian, which makes it strange how I ended up disliking the story overall. Or maybe not, because even though the story was all about Robin, Marian was the one who Robin was all about, so in a way the story was all about Marian. I just couldn't get into what was so great about that mean, arrogant and selfish girl, who caused trouble everywhere she went to.

I apologize as this review is starting to be more about a rant about Marian than anything else. As I previously stated, the writing style itself was great and there was some intriguing, complex supporting characters - about who I'd like to hear more. Robin was a love for me until I just couldn't care anymore because of his obsession towards Marian and all the bad choices he made because of her. What I'm trying to say is simple: the story itself was good, it didn't blow my mind or anything, but it was good. I just can't agree with the choices characters made and I can't understand the obsession and worship the characters and the story itself had towards Marian - and this kind of ruined the reading experience for me.

If you want to read well written story about retelling of Robin Hood with interesting twists, Shadow of the Wolf might be a right book for you. But if you can't stand mean, arrogant and selfish characters, this might not be right story for you.

2 of 5 stars. 

(I simply can't give more because the reading experience didn't end pleasantly).

Shadow of the Wolf on Goodreads.

Review: The Sleeper and the Spindle by Neil Gaiman

The Sleeper and the Spindle
by Neil Gaiman
Illustrated by Chris Riddell
Published by Bloomsbury
Hardback (borrowed from library)
Fantasy, graphic novel, retelling

A thrillingly reimagined fairy tale from the truly magical combination of author Neil Gaiman and illustrator Chris Riddell – weaving together a sort-of Snow White and an almost Sleeping Beauty with a thread of dark magic, which will hold readers spellbound from start to finish.

On the eve of her wedding, a young queen sets out to rescue a princess from an enchantment. She casts aside her fine wedding clothes, takes her chain mail and her sword and follows her brave dwarf retainers into the tunnels under the mountain towards the sleeping kingdom. This queen will decide her own future – and the princess who needs rescuing is not quite what she seems. Twisting together the familiar and the new, this perfectly delicious, captivating and darkly funny tale shows its creators at the peak of their talents. 

Lavishly produced, packed with glorious Chris Riddell illustrations enhanced with metallic ink, this is a spectacular and magical gift.

Picking up The Sleeper and the Spindle at the library was a random decision. It looked like a fast read and I have been meaning to read a graphic novel for a time - and it's a retelling so I decided to dive into it right away.

I'm truly happy I picked this one up. The illustrations are absolutely beautiful in a kind of gory way, and I loved how the story entwined two different fairy tales and twisted and molded until it was a unique retelling story. Gaiman is also a master of writing old fairy tale style that brings in mind Grimm Brothers style and all those childhood tales I read when I was younger. The characters were also interesting; the queen, the three dwarfs, the sleeper and the old lady. There were all of the usual character arcs but with twists so it wasn't predictable at all. The story came into the end way too soon, I'd loved to read more.

The Sleeper and the Spindle is truly an enchanting tale with wonderful illustrations. I wish Gaiman and Riddell will work together in the future as I'd love to read more retellings from them. I highly recommend this to everyone in a need of quick and good read!

4 of 5 stars.

The Sleeper and the Spindle on Goodreads.