Review: Where There's Smoke by Cari Z

Where There’s Smoke (Panopolis, #1)
by Cari Z.
Published by Riptide Publishing
LGBT, fantasy, sci-fi, romance

Panopolis is a rough place to be an average Joe. I came here looking for adventure and excitement, but nobody cares about one more normal guy in a city filled with super-powered heroes. The closest I’ve come to glory is working in a bank that villains often rob.

But then I maybe accidentally-on-purpose helped a villain escape the hero who was trying to save the day. Imagine my shock when, a week later, that villain asked me out for coffee. One date turned into more, and now I’m head over heels in love with Raul.

Falling in love with the guy dubbed the Mad Bombardier isn’t without its downsides, though. I’ve had to deal with near-death encounters with other villains, awkwardly flirtatious heroes who won’t take no for an answer, and a lover I’m not sure I can trust. It’s getting to the point where I know I’ll have to make a choice: side with the heroes, or stand fast by my villain.

Either way, I think my days as a normal guy are over.

I have no idea why it has taken me so long to read Where There’s Smoke, because it’s right up on my alley. Panopolis is a city of heroes and villains – they literally rule there, bank robberies are completely normal, and heroes are expected to sweep in to save the day before the police is alerted. It is heroes versus villains attitude without in between in Panopolis, and I love to read about the moral dilemmas and explorations of who are the heroes and villains. Where There’s Smoke certainly has that as Edward, a bank employee and ordinary guy, falls for Raul, who’s an infamous villain called Mad Bombardier.

Cari Z begins the book with a dedication for those, who have always preferred the villains, and that hit me hard. Most of the time I prefer the villains, particularly in the fairytales, and love the antiheroes. Where There’s Smoke offers a great perspective of the heroes and villains. There’s glimpses of a blog posts where an anonymous critic writes about casualty statistics and conspiracy theories about government and their involvement of the creation of the heroes and villains.

Edward and Raul’s relationship is a focus of the book. I’m a bit baffled how much I liked their story, because there’s only Edward’s point of view, very little build-up in the beginning of their relationship, no sex and it’s a pretty short novella (less than hundred pages). But there’s some kind of magic that Cari Z weaves because I felt for both Edward and Raul. Raul’s painted clearly as one of the bad guys but he’s likable; he has a good and believable backstory, he has a conscience and he doesn’t kill people. There’s plenty of moral ambiguity, especially since Edward knows what he’s getting into and questions whether it makes him guilty by being in a relationship with a villain when he doesn’t participate in Raul’s actions. It’s just so good, I liked their chemistry and both of them together and separate.

My only complain is the length. I wish this had been a full-length novel. There’s a sequel which I’ll dive into shortly but Where There’s Smoke would have been perfect if it had been longer. It’s still a great quick read, which I certainly recommend.

4 of 5 stars

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Review: Renegades by Marissa Meyer

Renegades (Renegades, #1)
by Marissa Meyer
Published by Pan Macmillan
YA, fantasy, sci-fi

Secret identities. Extraordinary powers.She wants vengeance. He wants justice.

The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies―humans with extraordinary abilities―who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone . . . except the villains they once overthrew.

Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice―and in Nova. But Nova’s allegiance is to a villain who has the power to end them both.

"We were all villains in the beginning."

How could I not be absolutely captivated from the start with a first sentence like that? I love villains, anti-heroes and morally grey characters. Even more so, I love when it is difficult to tell who are the bad and good guys. It's all about perspective - everyone's a hero of their own story. Renegades plays with that idea to the T: Nova is an Anarchist, sworn for vengeance, and Adrian is a Renegade, part of organisation in a mission to protect and fight the villains. What makes Renegades more than a cliché forbidden love story, is the execution and attention to everyone's motives. I usually take sides pretty quickly, but this time, I liked both sides. There's no traditional good versus evil, but two sides that have both good and questionable intentions. It's complex, which makes it oh so good and addicting.

Characters are the best thing here. The world-building is alright, but it's more character driven story. There's plenty of action, backstories and history, but I feel like the characters and their personal conflicts are the driving force here. It's perfect that way, because there's a great cast of characters. Nova's resourceful and she doesn't give up or give in - Renegades failed her family and are tormenting her found family, so she'll do whatever it takes to tear them down. Adrian's a sweetheart: he's the goody-two-shoes type of guy, but he's also determined to have justice and ready toe the line if that gets him closer to finding his mother's killer. There's also a whole bunch of other intriguing characters. Adrian's team and family are great, and Nova's found family, the Anarchists, are brilliant.

I'm not most coherent right now, but to put it in a simple way - I love Renegades. It's basically everything I want in a book. It's captivating and stunning, and I'm going to read Archenemies right after because I need more of this world and characters. So yes, I highly recommend it to everyone. But specifically for everyone who likes superheroes and supervillains, quests for vengeance and justice, and sworn enemies and undercover operations.

5 of 5 stars

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ARC Review: Boot by Shane Hegarty

Boot
by Shane Hegarty
Published by Hodder & Stoughton
Middle grade, sci-fi, adventure

When toy robot, Boot, wakes up at a scrapyard, it has no idea how it got there and why it isn't with its owner, Beth. It only has two and a half glitchy memories, but it knows it was loved, which means something important to humans.

Boot soon realises its emotions make it different to other robots, who just function and don't think. Boot is scared but tries to be brave, which is hard when its screen keeps showing a wobbly, worried face. Luckily Boot meets Noke and Red - other 'advanced' robots who have learned to survive in secret.

With its new friends by its side, Boot is determined to find Beth and the gang set off on a dangerous adventure. Everything Boot thought it knew about the world is changing and things aren't as simple as it remembers...

Boot is heart-warming and delightful story about a toy robot, who boots up in a junkyard with only two and half glitchy memories of his owner, Beth. Boot also feels things he's not supposed to: he's a robot, but has love in his heart and determination to find Beth. On his search for her, Boot meets other robots and humans. There's plenty of adventures and insightful moments that makes reader bonder about humanity and technology.

I thoroughly enjoyed Boot. It's sweet and fast paced, and one of those books that cross generations. I'm sure both younger and older readers will find the story delightful. Hegarty is pretty good at writing middle grade story that's not dumbed down.

The proof copy I have doesn't have many illustrations, but the few there are, gorgeous. There's full page illustrations and plenty of space reserved for more, so I think the finish book will be absolutely beautiful - I'll definitely check it out once it comes out next month!

4 of 5 stars

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

Review: Vicious by V.E. Schwab

Vicious (Villains, #1)
by V.E. Schwab
Published by Titan Books
Fantasy, sci-fi

Victor and Eli started out as college roommates - brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same ambition in each other. A shared interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong. 

Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl with a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find - aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the arch-nemeses have set a course for revenge - but who will be left alive at the end?

I read Vicious for the first time two years ago, and I have been meaning to write a review ever since, but I can never find the words. After a re-read, I still don't have the right words to describe the utter awe and love that I have for Vicious. Vicious is an embodiment of everything I have ever wanted from a story; antiheroes, villains, betrayal, and revenge. Villains and antiheroes have always intrigued me and more often than not, I root for them in books and movies. More than that, I find the line between villains and heroes, and what makes a person one of either, absolutely fascinating. Vicious tackles all of that and Schwab delivers magnificent story with so many favourite quotes of mine. Needless to say that Vicious has been one of my all time favourite books for years - and a re-read only solidified more.

I could wax poetry for hours about Vicious. It's so insightful and deep, but there's plenty of action and mystery to make it captivating and a ultimate page turner. The structure is perfect for the story, the multiple timelines are woven together so seamlessly that the story flows oh so beautifully. It's brilliant. Even more so are the characters. In Victor Vale's words, there are no good men here - and it can be applied to the female characters, too. No one's innocent and that's what makes it all interesting. It's fascinating to be inside the heads of people who aren't good but not necessarily bad either (well, not all of them, I maintain that Eli and Serena are worst). Victor Vale is my favourite and I will never stop rooting for him. Mitch and Dol are precious and should be protected at all cost. Nevertheless, Schwab's magic here is that she makes a reader to understand everyone's motives and perspective; I did understand everyone, even if I didn't like them.

I cannot recommend Vicious enough. Read it!

5 of 5 stars

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ARC Review: To See the Sun by Kelly Jensen

To See the Sun
by Kelly Jensen
Published by Riptide Publishing
eARC
LGBT, sci-fi, romance

Survival is hard enough in the outer colonies - what chance does love have?

Life can be harsh and lonely in the outer colonies, but miner-turned-farmer Abraham Bauer is living his dream, cultivating crops that will one day turn the unforgiving world of Alkirak into paradise. He wants more, though. A companion - someone quiet like him. Someone to share his days, his bed, and his heart.

Gael Sonnen has never seen the sky, let alone the sun. He's spend his whole life locked in the undercity beneath Zhemosen, running from one desperate situation to another. For a chance to get out, he'll do just about anything - even travel to the far end of the galaxy as a mail-order husband. But no plan of Gael's has ever gone smoothly, and his new start on Alkirak is no exception. Things go wrong from the moment he steps off the shuttle.

Although Gael arrives with unexpected complications, Abraham is prepared to make their relationship work - until Gael's past catches up with them, threatening Abraham's livelihood, the freedom Gael gave everything for, and the love neither man ever hoped to find.

Science fiction is not my go to genre, especially if the story has something to do with space, however, To See the Sun's premise intrigued me; it's not too often that there's a M/M romance that's something else than contemporary. I'm extremely happy that I picked this one up! To See the Sun is a beautiful read, with a right mix of quiet moments and nail biting action. It's character driven, but there's a plot there too and interesting side characters.

Speaking of characters, I could easily identify with both Bram and Gael; Bram, who's quiet, strong and confident, and Gael, who's a survivor and tough in so many ways. Both so different but dreaming same kind of dreams; Bram to have a quiet life with someone to spend it, and Gael just wants to connect and something to go smoothly for once. Their tentative companionship is beautiful, from the tender and fragile feelings to deepening relationship. Absolutely captivating and hard to put down - I almost lost sleep for multiple nights because I didn't want to stop reading.

I have nothing to critique or anything bad to say, I simply love To See the Sun. It's a great M/M romance, which I can recommend to everyone who needs a little bit tender romance and pulsing action. There's barren space frontier with all kinds of experimental farming, mining and small frontier community. There's strong and complex characters, and there's even a bad guy who's not antagonist just for the sake of it - there's reason behind everyone's actions. I already praised how I could identify with the main characters, but there's also young and determined Aavi and saloon running Maya and her brother and mayor, Orfeo.

I highly recommend this one, it certainly surprised me in a very positive way.

5 of 5 stars

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Thank you, Riptide Publishing, for giving me a chance to read and review To See the Sun!

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

Review: The Fever Code by James Dashner

The Fever Code (The Maze Runner, #0.6)
by James Dashner
Published by Chicken House
Hardcover (purchased)
YA, dystopia, sci-fi

The world has ended: the earth is scorched, and fever rages through the population. Out of the chaos, a boy emerges with the power to change everything: Thomas. This is the start of his story. An electrifying Maze Runner prequel, The Fever Code holds all the answers: How did WICKED find the Gladers? Who are Group B? Whose side are Thomas and Teresa really on? Lies will be exposed. Secrets uncovered. Loyalties proven. You'll never see the truth coming...

Note to other readers, please don't read this book before the original trilogy, because this is basically full of spoilers.

I read the original Maze Runner trilogy years ago and absolutely loved it; The Fever Code is something I've been waiting for years. 

I was both pleased and disappointed with this one. I mean, I got to know the origin stories of the characters I fell in love so long ago: Thomas, Newt, Minho, Chuck, Alby and many others. The story offered even bigger insight of WICKED (which is just that they are all bad and screwed up for doing all this and you can't convince me otherwise). Some parts really broke my heart, especially the beginning with Thomas's childhood and how WICKED treated the young Gladers. But oh my did I love all the scenes with the Glader gang, and to see how their friendship was build. How Newt has always been so adorable, how Minho had probably the most fight in him, how Chuck was always the adorable little brother, and everything. Just everything. Although, I wanted to smack Thomas a few times because he had a tendency to be a bit naive when it came to certain things.

The only thing I could have done without was Teresa. I despised her from the very beginning, since I read The Maze Runner, and this just cemented my hate for her. The level of hate I have for Teresa as a character is the same level with Dolores Umbridge, and I just hate her with everlasting passion. Teresa was rude, boring and just downright wicked.

The first half of the story was really good, it had answers and actions and heartbreak, but then it slowed a bit too much. The middle was mostly boring, especially since it mainly included only Thomas and Teresa, and nothing happened. The last hundred pages or so picked up nicely again.

Overall, I liked The Fever Code, but I can't help but be a little disappointed because of the boring middle bit and how much focus there was on Teresa at times when I was interested in everything else. Would I recommend it? Yes, if you're a fan of the trilogy, then yes.

4 of 5 stars.

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Review: Reborn by Jennifer Rush

Reborn (Altered Saga, #3)
by Jennifer Rush
Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Hardcover (purchased)
YA, sci-fi, romance

The Branch is in shambles, but Anna, Sam, Cas, and Nick can't rest easy. Remnants of the organization lurk unseen and the flashbacks to their old lives are only getting stronger--especially Nick's.

Following scattered memories and clues from his Branch file, Nick sets off alone in search of answers and in search of the girl who haunts his dreams. But the sleepy town where she lives in full of secrets and Nick soon learns that uncovering their shared past may have deadly consequences.

Why Altered saga doesn't get more love? If you ask me, it's perfection in every way; I devour the books. I read them in a one day and I never read that fast. They're all captivating, gripping and absolutely brilliant. Reborn continues that and I need to people love this series more, okay?

Jennifer Rush is a queen and I shall kneel for her; her stories gets me every time; they take a good grip of me, captivate me and won't let go even after the last page.

Reborn was fast paced, captivating and full of action, mysteries and romance. Nick finally got his own book, and he's so precious! Nick's broody and lethal, and Reborn finally gives reader a chance to get into his head. Elizabeth also had a point of view, and while it did get me a while to warm up for her but I did eventually. Also, I loved how the others made a brief cameos because I just love them too. Now I just wish that Cas and Trev get their own books, too.

I highly recommend the whole series to everyone as it's brilliant, and one of my favourites!

5 of 5 stars

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ARC Review: Tin Man by Lisa Henry & Heidi Belleau

Tin Man (Bliss, #1.5)
by Lisa Henry & Heidi Belleau
Published by Riptide Publishing
e-ARC (received via Netgalley)
Adult, LGBT, dystopia, sci-fi

Petty thief Ashoka “Ace” King knows better than to get in the way of Tophet’s Anti-Terrorist Unit. Rightfully feared in Tophet’s crime-ridden underbelly, a face-to-face encounter with an ATU is almost certainly a death sentence. But Ace has never been one to follow the rules.

Soren Lau might be an ATU rookie, but he’s not naive enough to believe everything his superiors tell him. Then again, he’s not stupid enough to disobey them, either. If he doesn’t shoot and kill as ordered, he might be next on their list.

But when Soren meets Ace, a moment’s hesitation is all it takes to put both their lives on the line. They don’t know each other, they don’t trust each other, and there’s no way in hell they can both walk away from this alive. But with suspicion and mortal danger mounting against both of them—and the forbidden attraction blazing between them—there’s nothing they can do but try.

Tin Man can be read as a standalone, but it compliments beautifully Bliss as it's set in the other side of the tracks than the full length story.

Tin Man is edgy. The world, the city of Tophet, is grim and dark, and it seems there's little to no hope for the better. However, the characters, especially Ace and Soren, makes what they believe is best for them out of the situation. I really liked the contrast between the characters: Ace as a thief, living on shadows and on the edge of society, whilst Soren was a rookie for Anti-Terrorist Unit (mix of police and military), hunting down criminals. Ace and Sore are very intriguing characters and I feel like there could have been a bit more development and more detailed descriptions if the story wasn't as short as it is (a bit over hundred pages).

The plot was good for the length of the story but it had potential to be longer, especially since that would have made the story even better; more detailed, more development, and probably give a bit more closure at the ending. The ending came too soon, in my opinion, but it was left hopeful and a bit open, which fit the story well enough.

Overall, it was a very good complimentary novella. I'd just wish it was a full length novel, which would have made it even better.

4 of 5 stars

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Thank you, Riptide Publishing, for giving me a chance to read and review Tin Man!

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

Review: Saga Volume 1 by Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Stables

Saga, Volume 1
by Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Stables
Published by Image Comics
Paperback (borrowed from library)
Graphic novel, adult, fantasy, sci-fi

When two soldiers from opposite sides of a never-ending galactic war fall in love, they risk everything to bring a fragile new life into a dangerous old universe.

From bestselling writer Brian K. Vaughan, Saga is the sweeping tale of one young family fighting to find their place in the worlds. Fantasy and science fiction are wed like never before in this sexy, subversive drama for adults.

I had high expectations for Saga because so many people were raving about it. While I liked the graphic style and the use of colour, the storyline itself didn't make me like it a bit. Saga certainly is fast paced, but I couldn't connect with the characters at all. I wasn't concerned for any of them and by the end I couldn't care less for the heroes of the story. Overall there just wasn't anything to keep me attached to the story because it wasn't able to get me into the story in the first place.

Also the explicit content made my stomach churn - not because the sexual content but all the core stuff. I couldn't enjoy the story because of that and especially because of this one spider character (I'm severely arachnophobic).

I'm not going to continue with Saga as it simply isn't for me. But if you enjoy something that's really sci-fi and you don't squirm from lots of core (or sexual content), then Saga might be for you.

2 of 5 stars.

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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.

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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.

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(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.

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Review: The Queen's Army by Marissa Meyer

The Queen's Army (The Lunar Chronicles, #1.5)
by Marissa Meyer
Published by Square Fish
Paperback - bonus content in Scarlet (purchased)
YA, fantasy, sci-fi, novella

It is time. The boy must leave his family to serve in the Queen's army. To be chosen is an honor. To decline is impossible. The boy is modified. He is trained for several years, and learns to fight to the death. He proves to the Queen—and to himself—that he is capable of evil. He is just the kind of soldier the Queen wants: the alpha of his pack.

The Queen's Army is a novella about the background of Wolf (or Ze'ev Kesley, but I'll forever prefer Wolf), and it tells about the training Wolf got and how he become an alpha. It's no secret that I fell in love with Wolf heads over heels when I read Scarlet. Therefore I had great expectations for The Queen's Army - and it met all of them. It's a short novella, around eighteen pages, but it captures Wolf's character perfectly and it's truly captivating. The whole concept of Wolf fighting to keep the little bit of humanity he had left - him fighting hard so that he wouldn't become utterly mindless beast with fur and all.

For all its shortness, The Queen's Army is probably one of the best - if not the best - novella I've ever read. It's captivating, brilliant and there's absolutely nothing unnecessary as novellas usually are full of. I highly recommend this for everyone who loves The Lunar Chronicles, and Wolf. Because he's darling (and he ate my heart; I don't even want it back). 

5 of 5 stars.

The Queen's Amy 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.

Book Blitz: Elevated by Daniel Solomon Kaplan

 

Elevated (Elevated Saga, #1) 

by Daniel Solomon Kaplan
Publication date: September 23rd 2014
YA, sci-fi

 

Most kids can’t wait until Elevated Day, when they can finally unlock their hidden superpower. Rose remains a skeptic. While the treatment reveals a power, the outcome is irreversible and abilities can range from amazing to a nuisance. On top of that, she holds a deep rooted grudge against the treatment that turned her father into an Unsound, one with abilities so dangerous as to force them to a life of exile.

Her choice sends her down a path of discovery, as she seeks to learn more of the truth around the treatment and what really happened to her father. Fed up with lies, Rose wants nothing more than to learn the whole truth–even if it means accepting her fate as an Elevated.

Elevated on Goodreads.

 

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Author bio

Daniel Solomon Kaplan is a playwright turned author after much arm twisting from his wife. He currently has several novels in the works, including CATALYST, the next book of the Elevated Series, scheduled to debut before the end of the year.

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Excerpt

 

A tap on my shoulder causes me to lurch.

“You’re next,” Elliott says.

What did I do to deserve waiting with this guy? “Yeah.”

“Can you really do it?” Elliott asks.

“Do what?”

“Live not knowing, not seeing what could be.”

“I could ask you the same question.”

He’s puzzled.

“Let’s say you go through those doors and become an Unsound. And you get locked away from your family and friends for your entire life. Tell me you won't wonder what a normal life could be.”

Elliott leans in. “You know an Unsound, don’t you?”

I nod. “My dad.”

He turns his head away from me. “I’m sorry.”

I’ve always faced the same reaction. They think it’s sympathy, but it’s fear. As much as everyone talks about genetics not factoring in and your parents not determining your powers, having an Unsound in the family is mark of shame. Most don’t discuss it. The only person in my high school that knows is Aaron. After the torture thrown at me in middle school, the last thing I want to do is let anyone know.

The exit door stands to my left. I want to bolt. Want to get out of this place. Something keeps me glued to my chair.

“Rose. I know you’re scared. But if you leave now, you won’t get another chance.”

He’s right. With millions of kids involved, getting another appointment is near impossible. I would end up with the other Basics. I stare at the screen, willing the phoenix not to fly by again.

“Rose. Think about this.”

“You think I haven’t? It’s all I’ve thought for years. I’m not like you, or the other kids here. You sit there, blindly waiting for your number to be called, trusting everything will be—“

“You don't know me at all.” For the first time, there’s terror in Elliott’s face. He turns back to watch the screen.

“So you’re scared too, then.”

Did he feel as helpless as I did?

Elliott takes a deep breath. “I can't control which system I was born in. I can only control how I cope with it.”

“That's the only power you think you have?” I ask.

“It’s the only power any of us have. Anything else is an illusion.”

My heart jolts as the phoenix flies by and displays my number. The mechanical voice cuts through me. “Now serving A535. That's A535. Thank you.”

I’m still. Trapped between two worlds. Somehow, none of the thinking, the planning or the debating have prepared me for this moment. Elliott stands and tries to nudge me out of my chair. I won’t move. I’ll wait here. If they want me so bad, they can drag me through those doors. A part of me wishes they would. The exit is a few steps away.

“Rose, please!” His blue eyes plead with me.

 







Trailer Reveal: I Heart Robot by Suzanne van Rooyen

I Heart Robot
by Suzanne van Rooyen
Published by: Month9Books
Publication date: March 31st 2015
YA, sci-fi, romance

 

Sixteen-year-old Tyri wants to be a musician and wants to be with someone who won’t belittle her musical aspirations.

Q-I-99 aka ‘Quinn’ lives in a scrap metal sanctuary with other rogue droids. While some use violence to make their voices heard, demanding equal rights for AI enhanced robots, Quinn just wants a moment on stage with his violin to show the humans that androids like him have more to offer than their processing power.

Tyri and Quinn’s worlds collide when they’re accepted by the Baldur Junior Philharmonic Orchestra. As the rift between robots and humans deepens, Tyri and Quinn’s love of music brings them closer together, making Tyri question where her loyalties lie and Quinn question his place in the world. With the city on the brink of civil war, Tyri and Quinn make a shocking discovery that turns their world inside out. Will their passion for music be enough to hold them together while everything else crumbles down around them, or will the truth of who they are tear them apart?

 

I Heart Robot on Goodreads.

 

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Author bio

I'm a YA author with a penchant for the dark and strange. I primarily write speculative fiction but enjoy literary writing as well. I occasionally delve into adult genres too.

I'm a musician and have a Master's degree in music, but I prefer writing strange stories, baking peanut butter cupcakes and playing with my shiba inu.

I'm repped by Jordy Albert of the Booker Albert Agency.

Publicity manager for Anaiah Press.

 

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And now, the super awesome trailer!

 

Drum rolls!

 

 

Book Blitz + Exclusive Excerpt + Giveaway: The Apollo Academy by Kimberly P. Chase

The Apollo Academy (The Apollo Academy, #1)
by Kimberly P. Chase
Published by: Harlequin
Publication date: February 22nd 2015
NA, sci-fi

Take off with this dynamic, thrill-seeking, sexy New Adult Science Fiction series debut. Welcome to the exclusive Apollo Academy, where Aurora is about to discover that achieving her dream is only the first step towards her future.

As the heiress to Titon Technologies, eighteen-year-old Aurora Titon can have whatever she wants—clothes, expensive gadgets, anything money can buy. But all she really wants is to escape her pampered, paparazzi-infested life for the stars. Becoming the first female pilot to train as an astronaut for the exclusive Apollo Academy is exactly the chance for which she has been waiting.
Flying is everything she ever dreamed, her best friend also got into the Academy, and the paparazzi is banned from campus. Everything would be perfect, but for her unreciprocated crush on a fellow student, the sexy astronaut bent on making her life hell, and the fact that someone keeps trying to kill her.

The most important education doesn’t happen in the classroom…

The Apollo Academy on Goodreads.

 

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Author bio

Kimberly P. Chase holds a Bachelor's Degree in Aeronautical Science from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, which basically means she's kind of a geek and loves flying airplanes. Naturally, her books tend to include aviation, hot flight instructors, aviator glasses, and—let's not forget—kissing! When Kimberly's not writing or reading, she's hanging out with her husband, five-year-old son, and two dogs in Charleston, SC.

 

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Exclusive Excerpt from THE APOLLO ACADEMY:

(Chapter 10. Aurora in flight training with Sky, her domineering (and not to mention hot) flight instructor.)

Whoop, whoop. ‘Thrust warning, loss of main engine one.’ Whoop, whoop.

The shrill warning bell caused the hair on the back of Aurora’s neck to stand on end. She thrust the throttles on the remaining two engines full forward. She knew Sky stood behind her simulation panel, probably smiling as she struggled to recover from the engine failure he’d just caused with the flick of a switch.

He'd been overseeing everyone’s progress and of course decided now to come over, waiting until she was at an extremely critical altitude before creating this failure for her to handle.

Whoop, whoop. ‘Stall imminent.’ Whoop, whoop.

Aurora knew she was approaching the aircraft’s stall speed, but the loss of a single engine made it extremely difficult to control the overly large shuttle. Her yoke shook, another warning that a stall was close.

Aurora had to resist the urge to pull the nose of the aircraft up.

"Aurora, you’re going to stall if you don’t increase your airspeed," he whispered right next to her ear. She jumped, accidentally pressing her foot down on the rudder pedal. She still felt his breath on her cheek. Sky’s constant hissing in her ear was more distracting than being yelled at.

“Shit!" She didn’t even have a chance to alter the course of events because she was at too low of an altitude to recover from the spin she'd just entered.

‘Terrain, terrain.’ Whoop, whoop. ‘Pull up, pull up.’

She wasn’t going to make it. It was like her last simulation flight all over again.

The screen cracked and blacked out when the shuttle hit the ground, killing everyone on board. This was followed by flashing red lights and a loud siren that alerted her and everyone else around her of the failure.

She slammed her finger down on the automatic warning system. The red warning lights swarmed around her, making her cringe in on herself. She already knew she had messed up; she didn’t need the incessant light show. If Sky hadn’t scared her half to death, she wouldn’t have stomped down on the rudder so hard at such a low speed. Okay, so maybe scared wasn’t the right word, but his breath on her face definitely distracted her.

"Damn it, Sky!" she said taking her frustration out on the one who was really responsible for her crash.

Now sitting down beside her, his large frame towered over her. He whispered in her ear, "Tell me why you crashed."

He was still too close. "Oh, I don’t know, maybe because you scared me half to death by hissing at me." She touched her ear. "Who does that? It made me stomp down on the rudder."

Sky grinned, showing off his dimples. "Are you saying you were distracted by my very presence?" He had the audacity to wiggle his eyebrows suggestively.

Heat ran to Aurora’s face, but instead of backing down like she normally would, she decided to wipe that grin off of his face. She'd had it with everyone treating her differently. It might not have been the best idea, but she flirtatiously leaned toward Sky anyway. His eyes widened in surprise.

Now that he was distracted, she discreetly pulled a piece of gum from her bag on the seat next to her. "Here, maybe next time your breath won’t cause so much trouble."

 

His mouth opened in shock, and Aurora took the opportunity to place the gum into his mouth. The instant she did it, she felt horrible. What was wrong with her? That was the most immature thing she’d ever done.

Sky calmly shut his mouth and popped a bubble, but the grin on his face was definitely gone. 

Oh stars, he was going to make her regret that . . .