Fairest: Levana's Story (The Lunar Chronicles #0.1) by Marissa Meyer - Paul's Review

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Title: Fairest: Levana's Story
Author: Marissa Meyer
Recent Release Date: January 27, 2015

My Fairest Pre Reading
My Cress (#3) Review
My The Little Android (#2.5) Review
My Scarlet (#2) Review
My The Queen's Army (#1.5) Review
My Cinder (#1) Review

Ashley's Cress (#3) Review
Ashley's The Little Android (#2.5) Review
Ashley's Scarlet (#2) Review
Ashley's The Queen's Army (#1.5) Review
Ashley's Cinder (#1) Review



Synopsis: In this stunning bridge book between Cress and Winter in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles, Queen Levana’s story is finally told.

Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who is the fairest of them all?

Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story – a story that has never been told . . . until now. 

Marissa Meyer spins yet another unforgettable tale about love and war, deceit and death. This extraordinary book includes full-color art and an excerpt from Winter, the next book in the Lunar Chronicles series. 

------------------------------------------------------------

Review: I cannot get enough of Marissa Meyer's writing! Fairest may look like a fullsized book, but it's more like a hardback novella, being only 220 pages. The chapters are not numbered, but just breaks in the text. Cinder, the first book in the series, is 390 pages. And with each subsequent book, the length has increased. 

This was an originally unplanned book and although it is very enjoyable, it just adds some background to the main series. Fairest follows Levana's whole story from when her parents first passed until she rules over the moon as Queen. Seeing a villain's story is always interesting. 

I liked seeing how much of the Queen Levana in Cinder came from her environment and how much was just her. There's definitely a combination. I was prepared for a contrived sympathy-inducing story, but Levana's background matched her character very well. 

There are many references to the many characters of The Lunar Chronicles. It is cool to see them younger and to learn more about their origins. This book got me really hyped for Winter, which won't be out until November. 

The evolution of Levana's glamour was probably my favorite part of this book. 

I give this book a 4.5/5, only because I wanted more. The story seemed so short compared to the other books in the series. I didn't feel as close to Levana as I felt to each of the protagonists of the other books after reading them. I highly recommend this to fans of The Lunar Chronicles series, especially for those waiting for Winter so anxiously like I am. 


--PAUL

Fairest: Levana's Story (The Lunar Chronicles #0.1) by Marissa Meyer - Paul's Pre-reading

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Title: Fairest: Levana's Story
Author: Marissa Meyer
Recent Release Date: January 27, 2015

My Cress (#3) Review
My The Little Android (#2.5) Review
My Scarlet (#2) Review
My The Queen's Army (#1.5) Review
My Cinder (#1) Review

Ashley's Cress (#3) Review
Ashley's The Little Android (#2.5) Review
Ashley's Scarlet (#2) Review
Ashley's The Queen's Army (#1.5) Review
Ashley's Cinder (#1) Review



Synopsis: In this stunning bridge book between Cress and Winter in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles, Queen Levana’s story is finally told.

Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who is the fairest of them all?

Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story – a story that has never been told . . . until now. 

Marissa Meyer spins yet another unforgettable tale about love and war, deceit and death. This extraordinary book includes full-color art and an excerpt from Winter, the next book in the Lunar Chronicles series. 

------------------------------------------------------------

Why?: I have ABSOLUTELY LOVED every book in The Lunar Chronicles! An ensemble sci-fi YA series based on fairytales! There is nothing about that I dislike. This book follows Queen Levana. I'm super excited to discover her origin. Even though she is super villainous, I'm sure by the end of this book I'll be at least somewhat sympathetic. I think this will really contribute to the emotions of the last book Winter. 

Expectations:   I'm expecting a tragic origin story that lead Levana to who she is in the rest of The Lunar Chronicles. I'm sure I'll see Levana become more villainous from the events in this book. 

Judging a book by its cover: I love this cover. It is perfect. The inside flap is also perfect. 


--PAUL

Cress (The Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer - Paul's Review

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Title: Cress (The Lunar Chronicles #3)
Author: Marissa Meyer
Year Published: 2014

My Cress (#3) Pre-ReadingMy 
The Little Android (#2.5) Review
My Scarlet (#2) Review
My The Queen's Army (#1.5) Review
My Cinder (#1) Review

Ashley's Cress (#3) Review
Ashley's The Little Android (#2.5) Review
Ashley's Scarlet (#2) Review
Ashley's The Queen's Army (#1.5) Review
Ashley's Cinder (#1) Review


Synopsis: Rapunzel’s tower is a satellite. She can’t let down her hair—or her guard. 

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

Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker—unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice. 

When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Review: This series just keeps getting better. I really like how much of an ensemble story it has become. The main cast each have their own stories that take place in different locations, but everything connects in such a wonderful way. There really isn't a main character anymore. Cress of course takes the center stage for this book, but Cinder and Scarlet are still right there. I love how quirky the characters are. They're very Whedon-esque. Iko, Cress, and Thorne are three of my favorite when it comes to quirks. And I bet Winter is going to be even more unique!

I can't separate my love for Joss Whedon from what I love about this series. Everything I love about Whedon's works is present in this series. I always imagine the Rampion's insides as that of a Firefly-class starship. 

This is a retelling of the Rapunzel story. There are many very obvious references, but there are also subtle references to the original story. If you aren't familiar with the fairy tale and only Disney's version you may want to find a telling of it first. I think knowing the original story adds to this one, but it is not necessary. The story is its own, especially since all the other characters don't necessarily follow the retelling. But, some characters from past books take on unexpected roles in this book. I also love how Winter is being set up.

The ensemble cast is handled so well and I really enjoy how the characters interact with eachother. The couples don't only interact with their potential love interest, but with all the characters in unique and interesting ways. Cress and Wolf is one example. 

This was one of those books I couldn't put down, but never wanted it to end. I am glad these books are getting thicker. I hope Winter is even longer! I give this third book in The Lunar Chronicles a 5/5. I highly recommend this series.     


--Paul

Cress (The Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer - Ashley's Review

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Title: Cress (The Lunar Chronicles #3)

Author: Marissa Meyer

Year Published: 2014

My Cress (#3) Pre-Reading

My The Little Android (#2.5) Review         

My Scarlet (#2) Review
My The Queen's Army (#1.5) Review
My Cinder (#1) Review

Paul's Cress (#3) Pre-Reading

Paul's The Little Android (#2.5) Review

Paul's Scarlet (#2) Review

Paul's The Queen's Army (#1.5) Review
Paul's Cinder (#1) Review

Synopsis: Rapunzel’s tower is a satellite. She can’t let down her hair—or her guard. 

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

Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker—unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice. 

When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.

----------------------------------------------------------

Review: I don't understand how one series can be so incredible. Each book gets progressively better, and I wasn't sure that was going to be possible after Cinder. Everything about The Lunar Chronicles is just so good that I don't know why everyone hasn't read these books! I had ridiculously high expectations for Cress, and Marissa Meyer blew every single one of them out of the water! 

My favorite part about Cress was the ensemble cast. It reminded me of a Joss Whedon show - everyone is somewhere in the world doing something, but it never feels like one character is left out because they're saving a different part of the world. It also never really feels like there's one main character. Sure, Cinder might be the most important character and the one who brings everyone together, but this group wouldn't be successful without each and every person. And not a single member of the ragtag crew is left underdeveloped. Somehow we jump all over time and space and I never felt overwhelmed or like things were just thrown together. Every single detail is important and comes back in some way. 

Even details from the first book! We're given more background in this book, and I think it's crazy how well some of the reveals were set up. We've known Cress since book 1, and we've even been hearing bits and pieces about Winter since book 1. And characters are connected in ways that I would not have imagined. I could guess some of the relationships, but it was still really neat to read about how the reveals are made to the characters and to see their reactions. 

Although this book, and the series really, are very character heavy, the plot is still pretty intense and moves along at a pretty good pace. I was never bored and I didn't feel like there were parts where I was trudging through just to get to the next part. Like I said before, every detail is important. As upset as I was at times about characters being split up, I really enjoyed reading about what was going on in other parts of the world. Or worlds, I guess? And I thought it was really interesting to read things from the perspective of pretty much every character. We see things from Cinder, Thorne, Scarlet, Cress, Kai, Sybil, Levana, Dr. Erland... Pretty much everyone gets at least a chapter's worth of story to tell.

I could talk about this book forever and discuss all of the theories I have about what will happen in Winter (speaking of Winter, I think she's going to be my favorite character. She's kind of awesome in the few scenes she's in), but you should really just read it for yourself.  I would recommend this series to basically everyone, but especially to fans of Joss Whedon, Sailor Moon, fairy tales (I loved all of the subtle and not-so-subtle nods to the original fairy tales too!), and sci-fi YA. Actually, just sci-fi in general. It's not too bad for a younger audience either, although I think it might be a little overwhelming with all of the characters. If you've read Cinder and Scarlet, read Cress ASAP! If you haven't read the first two books.... what are you waiting for?! 5/5!

--Ashley

Cress (The Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer - Paul's Pre-Reading

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Title: Cress (The Lunar Chronicles #3)
Author: Marissa Meyer
Year Published: 2014

My The Little Android (#2.5) Review
My Scarlet (#2) Review
My The Queen's Army (#1.5) Review
My Cinder (#1) Review

Ashley's The Little Android (#2.5) Review
Ashley's Scarlet (#2) Review
Ashley's The Queen's Army (#1.5) Review
Ashley's Cinder (#1) Review


Synopsis: Rapunzel’s tower is a satellite. She can’t let down her hair—or her guard. 

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

Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker—unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice. 

When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Why?: I have absolutely loved this series so far. It always reminds me of a Joss Whedon production. There are so many interesting characters and I'm loving how the main cast keeps increasing. I pre-ordered this book and because of work am only getting around to it now. I am so ready for this book. 

Expectations: I'm expecting a more ensemble feel in this book since a third main character is going to be introduced. I'm hoping for a very interesting retelling that plays off of the fairy tale, but in a completely original way. There's only one more book after this one so I am expecting the ending to leave me with so much momentum. I'm excited to see Thorne's interactions with Cress and I think we meet Winter in this one as well. 

Judging a book by its cover: I love how simple these covers are. There's always a red element that relates to the original fairy tale. I also am still a fan of the title font. 


--Paul

The Little Android (The Lunar Chronicles #2.5) by Marissa Meyer - Paul's REVIEW

Goodreads | Wattpad

Title: The Little Android (The Lunar Chronicles #2.5)
Author: Marissa Meyer
Year Published: 2014

My Scarlet (#2) Review
My The Queen's Army (#1.5) Review
My Cinder (#1) Review

Ashley's Scarlet (#2) Review
Ashley's The Queen's Army (#1.5) Review
Ashley's Cinder (#1) Review



Synopsis: The Little Android is a retelling of The Little Mermaid, set in the world of The Lunar Chronicles by New York Times-bestselling author Marissa Meyer.

When android Mech6.0, saves the life of a handsome hardware engineer, her body is destroyed and her mechanics discover a glitch in her programing. Androids are not meant to develop unpractical reasoning or near-emotional responses… let alone fall in love.

---------------------------------------------------

Review: Unlike the other short stories in Marissa Meyer's The Lunar Chronicles, this story doesn't give us a new glimpse into a character we already know's life. I liked seeing a different part of the world. The story followed the original The Little Mermaid in a really cool way substituting the mermaid for an android. This is no Disney story. 

I liked seeing references to the world that we already know and love, but I wanted a stronger connection to the main story. Maybe these characters will appear later in the series. 

I give this short story a 4/5. I really enjoyed it and highly suggest it to anyone who has read the main books in the series. It is even free to read on wattpad. 

--Paul

Cress (The Lunar Chronicles #3) by Marissa Meyer - Ashley's Pre-Reading

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Title: Cress (The Lunar Chronicles #3)
Author: Marissa Meyer
Year Published: 2014

My The Little Android (#2.5) Review
My Scarlet (#2) Pre-Reading
My Scarlet (#2) Review
My The Queen's Army (#1.5) Review
My Cinder (#1) Pre-Reading
My Cinder (#1) Review

Paul's Scarlet (#2) Pre-Reading
Paul's Scarlet (#2) Review
Paul's The Queen's Army (#1.5) Review
Paul's Cinder (#1) Pre-Reading
Paul's Cinder (#1) Review

Synopsis: Rapunzel’s tower is a satellite. She can’t let down her hair—or her guard. 

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

Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker—unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice. 

When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.

Why?: I read and absolutely loved Cinder and Scarlet and have been waiting (incredibly impatiently) for this next installment. I want to know how the story continues for Cinder and Scarlet, I want to know how Cress will be involved, I want to know more about Levana, and I just have so many other questions that I am looking forward to having answered!

Expectations: If this were any other series, I would say that my expectations are probably unrealistically high for this book. But, since Marissa Meyer has proven that she does, in fact, know what she is doing, I feel like my ridiculously high expectations are probably justified. I want so much out of this book and this series!

Judging a book by its cover: I really like this cover... a lot. I love how it matches the rest of the series, and I love how it showcases Cress' most recognizable trait. I also love the colors and how the title looks and I'm just really excited to finally have this book on my shelves. 


--Ashley

Paul's Top 5 Books Read in 2013

2013 was another great year for Young Adult books. I read over 50 books in 2013 and I want to share my Top 5 books that are not sequels. I'll also throw in the sequels I enjoyed at the end. One thing that I absolutely loved about 2013 was the inclusion of LGBT in so many Young Adult books. 

Here are the TOP 5 BOOKS I read in 2013 that are not sequels:

5. Crewel by Gennifer Albin

4. Skulk by Rosie Best

3. The Burning Sky by Sherry Thomas

2. Pantomime by Laura Lam

1. Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan

And here are some amazing sequels, some of them even conclusions to a series:

          

       

     

What were your favorite books of 2013? Check out my reviews of these books by clicking on the titles for the TOP 5 and the cover images for the sequels. 

--PAUL

Scarlet (Scarlet #1) by A.C. Gaughen - Ashley's Review

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Title: Scarlet
Author: A.C. Gaughen
Year Published: 2013

My Pre-Reading

Synopsis: Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance. 

Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in.

It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.


Review: I can't believe I put off reading this book for as long as I did. That was such a huge mistake, because it was all sorts of fantastic. I love how Gaughen is (mostly) true to the classic Robin Hood story, and keeps all of the major characters there in one form or another. Robin, Little John, Much the miller's son, Will Scarlet, Friar Tuck, and all of the rest of the noteworthy gang are there, and they retain their identifying characteristics; Scarlet and Robin are very close, John is a brawny woodsman, Much is the miller's son who had his hand cut off as a punishment, etc. Even though these are old and well known characters though, Gaughen does an amazing job recreating them and making new and her own.

And I love Scar. She's strong and free-willed, but she's still so afraid of her past and her emotions. She's so very real, and it's really interesting to see how she grows and changes and matures over the course of the book. Her relationships with the other boys also seem very real, and the really awkward relationship between Scar and John made me laugh quite a bit. But it's very well done, and I'm glad things ended up the way they did.

At first, the dialect was kind of hard to get past. After the first few chapters or so though, I got used to it and I don't think the story would have worked as well if it hadn't been written the way it was. I think it really helps to get inside Scar's head and see how and what she's thinking, and to sympathize with her and her decisions. Her voice is so strong that to have everything in proper English would have really destroyed the character. So if you're having a hard time with that, just give it a little while. You'll stop noticing as you become more invested.

The story has so many twists and mysteries that are all revealed in a timely fashion, and the more you know the more secrets you wish you knew. I don't want to give too much away, but there was one twist that I thought I saw coming and was really excited when it actually happened. The world and the story are rich and exciting, and I can't wait to revisit it in the next two books. I'm just upset that book two doesn't come out until 2014!

I would totally recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of Robin Hood stories, or just enjoys fairy tales that have been re-imagined. Or to anyone who is looking for a good adventure story with mysteries, secrets, and a little bit of romance. And I mean, one of the suggested things to watch if you want to learn more about Robin Hood is Mel Brooks' "Robin Hood: Men in Tights," so I think that just makes this book that much more awesome. This has been one of my favorite reads this year, and it definitely deserves a 5/5! Go pick it up ASAP!


--Ashley

Scarlet (Scarlet #1) by A.C. Gaughen - Ashley's Pre-Reading

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Title: Scarlet
Author: A.C. Gaughen
Year Published: 2013

Synopsis: Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance. 

Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in.

It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.

Why?: I love when classic stories get a fun, new twist, and this book seems like exactly that! A girl in Robin Hood's merry band of thieves? I can't wait to find out why Scarlet is there, how she became a thief, and what her secret past is. Plus, action, secrets, and romance! This sounds like exactly the kind of book I would love.

Expectations: I've heard so many good things about this book that I kind of expect quite a bit from it. While I expect there to be elements of the Robin Hood story we all know and love, I'm also hoping for some new perspectives and fun, new characters. And lots of mysteries as to why there's a girl among the boys and why she's so loyal to Robin.

Judging a book by its cover: I really love this cover. It looks like it features a female Robin Hood, so I would probably pick this up off a bookshelf somewhere. Because who doesn't love a good Robin Hood cover?


--Ashley

Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2) by Marissa Meyer - Ashley's Review

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

My Pre-Reading
Paul's Review
Paul's Pre-Reading


And, in case you missed them last year:

My CINDER Review
Paul's CINDER Review


Cinder was my absolute favorite book of 2012, and I think Scarlet is in the running to be my favorite of 2013. I absolutely love how Meyer takes the different classic fairy tales an intertwines them in such a way that you would never really know they didn't belong together. I think the way in which the two girls are connected was brilliant, although I was really glad they didn't meet until the very end. It made it way more interesting, especially when one character learns something that you really want the other one to know. 

Instead of having just one perspective, like Cinder, this one has about two and a half. You get to see what's happening with Cinder, Scarlet, and every so often you get to hear from Prince Kai. The Prince Kai sections are completely heart-breaking, since he's still struggling with being in love with Cinder since she lied to him about being a cyborg and about being a Lunar. And even though you know that she didn't know about being Lunar, he doesn't know that she just found out. 

I also really loved how Meyer took the world she created in Cinder and expanded it so much further. Now, instead of just the Eastern Commonwealth, we get to learn how Europe is handling the future. And it makes me want to learn more about the rest of the world. I really want Cinder and Scarlet to head to Africa and meet up with Dr. Erland. I think he's got a lot of information that Cinder and Scarlet need to hear, and I'm anxious to learn more about what he knows as well. 

One of my favorite parts of this book was how, even though I knew from the first book that Cinder is the missing Lunar princess, I sometimes doubted if it was true. If I hadn't known, I would definitely be having a mental battle over whether Cinder or Scarlet was the princess. I think there's a strong case for both, except that Cinder has the whole being rescued from a near death experience thing going for her. 

I could go on and on about this book, but I think you should all just read it for yourselves. I would also LOVE to see this series become a movie series, especially if it was directed by someone who knows how to handle an ensemble cast (like Joss Whedon!). I would definitely recommend Scarlet to anyone who has read Cinder, and also to anyone who enjoys fairy tale retellings. Especially ones with sci-fi and fantasy overtones. Actually, I think everyone should read this series because I think there's something in it for everyone. A 5/5 for sure! I wish I could rate it higher.


--Ashley

The Queen's Army (The Lunar Chronicles 1.5) by Marissa Meyer - Paul's Review

Ashley's Review
My Scarlet Review

READ IT NOW: TOR.COM

Title: The Queen's Army (Lunar Chronicles 1.5)
Author: Marissa Meyer
Year Published: 2013

Synopsis: 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.

Review: I read this short story after Scarlet. I was already familiar with the characters introduced here. I think this short story adds to the characters of Ze'ev and Ran whether you have read Scarlet yet or not. Seeing Ze'ev's perspective adds to his actions throughout Scarlet.  

It's always great to get a behind-the-scenes kind of story from a book series you love. This short story does not disappoint. I hope Meyer decided to write more! 

I liked that we got to see the moon. I'm guessing we will get a better look at it in Cress or Winter, though. I like seeing things from the Lunar perspective. 

I give this short story and recommend it to anyone who has already read Cinder and is planning on or has already read Scarlet. I give it a 5/5.

-PAUL

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer - Ashley's Pre-Reading

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Title: Scarlet
Author: Marissa Meyer
Year Published: 2013

Synopsis: The fates of Cinder and Scarlet collide as a Lunar threat spreads across the Earth...

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.

Why?: Cinder was my favorite book of 2012, so I've been anxiously awaiting this sequel since last January. I love fairytale retellings, and Marissa Meyer did such a good job with her retelling and re-imagining of Cinderella that I can't wait to find out how she tells Little Red Riding Hood's story. Plus, I'm really curious as to how Scarlet and Cinder end up together.

Expectations: I expect and epic sci-fi/fantasy retelling of another classic fairy tale. Lots of mystery, adventure, and a little bit of romance thrown in. Plus, there's the bit about Cinder being the most wanted fugitive in the entire Commonwealth, so I'm expecting a huge manhunt and a pretty angry Lunar Queen. Cinder set my expectations super high though, so I'm really hoping Scarlet lives up to them.

Judging a book by its cover: This cover looks a little more cartoon-y than the cover for Cinder, but I still love it. I would most likely pick this up in a bookstore or library, especially because I'm drawn to anything that looks like it might be based on a classic fairy tale. 


--Ashley

The Queen's Army by Marissa Meyer - Ashley's Review

Read it free here: http://www.tor.com/stories/2012/11/the-queens-army

Title: The Queen's Army
Author: Marissa Meyer
Year Published: 2012

Synopsis: 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.


I'm so glad that I read this before I read Scarlet. It was really nice to find out about some of the characters in Scarlet before they make an appearance, and to find out why they act the way they do. Plus, it's also a little bit of a continuation from Cinder - we know Levena is up to something and is creating an army of genetically modified soldiers, but we have no idea why or what they are. 

I really loved seeing the way Ze'ev interacted with his "pack" and how he develops over the course of the story. He's smarter than he pretends to be, and a better fighter than he lets on, but he doesn't want to be the Alpha. I think it's fairly important to learn about Z before we see him in Scarlet, because it certainly helps explain a little bit about his mentally and why he does the things he does.

Marissa Meyers' short stories do not disappoint, and I would strongly recommend this to fans of her Lunar Chronicles series. Especially if you haven't read Scarlet yet! And even if you have, I think this is still an excellent read and will really open your eyes a little bit more. 5/5, and I hope there are more short stories to go along with Cress and Winter! 


--Ashley

Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2) by Marissa Meyer - Paul's Pre-Reading

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

My CINDER Review
Ashley's CINDER Review

Title: Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles #2)
Author: Marissa Meyer
Year Published: 2013

Synopsis: Cinder returns in the second thrilling installment of the New York Times-bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She’s trying to break out of prison—even though if she succeeds, she’ll be the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn’t know about her grandmother and the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother’s whereabouts, she has no choice but to trust him, though he clearly has a few dark secrets of his own.

As Scarlet and Wolf work to unravel one mystery, they find another when they cross paths with Cinder. Together, they must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen who will do anything to make Prince Kai her husband, her king, her prisoner


Why?: Cinder was one of my favorite books of last year. It was such an amazing combination of so many things I like: fairytale retelling, sci-fi, and young adult. Scarlet is the sequel/companion, introducing a new lead character and a new fairytale: Little Red Riding Hood. 

Expectations: I expect Scarlet to be the main feature, but I am hoping Cinder plays a pretty big role. I want to learn more about the Lunar Kingdom and the Queen. From what I can gather, it seems like the Lunar Chronicles is going to be an epic gathering of characters, like The Avengers. I am hoping for interesting interactions between new characters and old characters, leading up to an epic ensemble cast. 

Judging a book by its cover: I really like this cover. The "red riding hood" is on the cover. Pale skin and ginger hair can also be seen. I like the font of the title. 

-PAUL