Christmas Book Haul 2

It's that time of year again folks! I hope you have all had an amazing festive period whether you celebrate Christmas, any other holidays, or nothing at all. 

As per usual, it isn't really Christmas without family, gifts and, of course, books! I thought for this post I would do a quick update on the state of the books I got last Christmas (blog post can be found here) and then dive into the literary wonders I received this time round.

Last year's books:

Eragon's Guide to Alagaesia by Christopher Paolini

This was the first book I completed in 2016 and I gave it a 4* review.

Illustrated Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J. K. Rowling

I'm still yet to finish this one, but the images are just beautiful!

Wars of the Roses: Bloodline by Conn Iggulden

Oops I haven't even started this one yet.

Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan

Ahh yes this one was so good! I gave it a 5* review.

The Company of the Dead by David Kowalksi

Don't think I've even started this one either.

The Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan

I haven't even touched the first of this trilogy. Maybe this year?

The Copper Gauntlet by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

I loved this one so much I actually finished it back in 2015, just after Christmas! It got a 4* review.

The Enchanted Forest Postcards by Joanna Basford

I've done a few of these now and I'm still super obsessed with how pretty they are. Check out my adult colouring page here.

And now onto this years books!!!

The Bronze Key by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare

Already read this one and I am so in love with it! It had a great twist and I'm heartbroken and I just need the next one like right now. Review shall be up soon.

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

I read this back when it came out and gave it a glorious 5* review which you can read here. This was the edition I really wanted because it's so beautiful and is stamped by Cassie, but it was sold out when I wanted to get it. You should've seen the look on my face when I found some in my local Waterstones just before Christmas! I practically ran across the store crying! So yes, I am very glad to finally add this to my collection.

Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy by Cassandra Clare

In case you haven't noticed, I'm a pretty big Clare fan. I've wanted to read these short stories about Simon for a while now, but, as I did with The Bane Chronicles, I patiently waited until they were released as a full collection. Can't wait to get stuck in!

Wars of the Roses: Ravenspur by Conn Iggulden

Still haven't read Bloodline, but I needed this beautiful hard back edition to add to my collection.

Heartless by Marissa Meyer

I am a h.u.g.e. Meyer fan. The Lunar Chronicles is one of my favourite series ever and I've been dying to get my hands on Heartless since its release. This edition is gorgeous and I can't wait to get started! Find my review for Stars Above here, including links to the 4 main books of The Lunar Chronicles.

Magnus Chase and the Hammer of Thor by Rick Riordan

As you can see above, I loved the first book in the Magnus Chase series and can't wait to get stuck into this one.

Illustrated Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

Seriously, you can never read Harry Potter enough times. These illustrated editions are just a gorgeous collection to any Potter collection. They're almost too pretty to read!

Taylor Swift - This Is Our Song by Tyler Conroy

I have been a dedicated Swiftie for over a decade now so as soon as I saw this book, I knew I needed it. I'll probably get super jealous of all the fans when I read it (I still haven't seen her live - she always plays too far away for me to affordably go see) but I'll live with it because I just need more Swift in my life.


So there we have it! These are all the books I got for Christmas. Leave a comment with the ones you received!

Book Review: Stars Above by Marissa Meyer

Stars Above – Marissa Meyer

*Warning – may contain spoilers*

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

First published: 2016

Edition: Paperback

Pages: 369

Blurb:    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 a special bonus excerpt from Marissa Meyer’s upcoming novel, Heartless, about the Queen of Hears form Alice in Wonderland, Stars Above is essential for fans of the bestselling and beloved Lunar Chronicles.

History of my copy: I picked up Stars Above a couple months back. After falling head over heels in love with The Lunar Chronicles, I just knew I had to buy it!

As with a few of my other recent reviews, I finished Stars Above nearly two months ago but have only just got around to doing the review. This is my last review of a book from over a month ago, I've finally caught up!
Usually with short stories, I take a while to read them as I treat each story individually but, in this case, I read it pretty quick because it was so good!

I hadn’t read any of the stories before I got the collection. I also didn’t read the Heartless extract – it would only make me yearn for the book even more!

The Keeper: Although this story took me a while to get into, I ended up rather enjoying it. I had a huge amount of respect for Michele Benoit for taking Cinder in, but never really thought about the impact it would have had on her life. It was really nice seeing a little Scarlet too! Overall, this story was a good one, adding a good amount of background to The Lunar Chronicles.

Glitches: Oh my gosh this story was amazing and heart-breaking at the same time! It was awesome to see Cinder being introduced to her new family and to see her friendship with Peony develop from the beginning. However, it was clear that Adri was never going to accept her. The moment when Garan discovered he had letumosis was devastating! However, the best part of this short story was Iko! Cinder putting Iko back together! Cinder and Iko uniting! Ah I love Iko!

The Queen’s Army: As Wolf is one of my least favourite characters, I was actually pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this story. Finding out how he transitioned from man to wolf, and how he reached the post of alpha was actually the kind of back story I needed to appreciate him a lot more.

Carswell’s Guide to Being Lucky: In contrast to the previous story, I was a little disappointed by this one. Thorne is one of my favourite characters from The Lunar Chronicles, but whilst he still felt like the same character, the younger version just didn’t quite feel right. I’m glad the story was included but, on the other hand, I wouldn’t have been bothered if it wasn’t included in Stars Above.

After Sunshine Passes By: This story broke my heart. Here we read about Cress and how she became to be the Queen’s spy. The way the Lunars treat shells is horrid and honestly, poor little Cress deserved so much more. I loved this story, especially as Cress is one of my favourite characters, and it gives a really good glimpse into how lonely her life must have been.

The Princess and the Guard: Whilst I’m not a huge fan of the pairing (I love them and they work really well, but they aren’t my favourite), I really adored this story. Seeing their friendship develop, with hints of a romance between them, was something truly magical. It was also really interesting watching Winter grow as a person, and seeing how events influenced her usage, or rather lack of usage, of her gift. This story really helped emphasise Levana’s terror and was a brilliant back story to the main series.

The Little Android: This miniature story, which I’m assuming is based on The Little Mermaid judging by the name, isn’t about any of the characters in The Lunar Chronicles. Despite that, I kinda enjoyed it and it was nice reading about some other things that happen in the universe. It shows just how human and emotional androids can be (just like Iko!) and certainly makes you think twice about whether they should be treated like humans or not.

The Mechanic: Cinder and Kai’s first meeting. From Kai’s point of view. Do I even need to say anymore?! I absolutely adored this scene, and seeing it from Kai’s perspective only made it better! It was great to see what they both thought of each other from the start and ohmygosh I want to read the whole series from Kai’s viewpoint!

Something Old, Something New: Something borrowed, something blue. The topic of this story is obvious from the title – someone is getting married! Unfortunately for me, it was my least favourite couple, Scarlet and Wolf. Despite that, it was a thoroughly enjoyable story! Winter and Jacin could have had a beautifully fairy-tale wedding, Kai and Cinder could have had a glorious royal one, and dear god, the feels from a Cress and Thorne wedding!!! Alas, we settle for the rustic, homely wedding of Scarlet and Wolf, an event that turns out rather adorable. What I did appreciate is that, due to being the least extravagant of the pairings, this wedding was small and allowed the reader to focus on the main characters of the story. In addition to this, the ending has a completely swoon-worthy proposal, but I’ll leave you to find out who it’s between!

To read or not to read: Read. I 100% recommend Stars Above to any fan of The Lunar Chronicles. (And everyone else, but fully recommend reading the main series first). As you may know, I’m not a huge fan of short stories but, as with every other story she writes, Meyer pulls it off amazingly and creates a great anthology of tales that delve you even deeper into the futuristic world that she has created.

| Cinder | Scarlet | Cress | Winter |

Book Review: Winter by Marissa Meyer

Winter – Marissa Meyer

*Warning – may contain spoilers*

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Puffin books

First published: 2015

Cover: Paperback

Pages: 823

Blurb:    Winter is admired for her grace, kindness and beauty, despite the scars on her face. She’s said to be even more breath taking tan her stepmother, Queen Levana.

When Winter develops feelings for the handsome palace guard, Jacin, she fears the evil Queen will crush their romance before it has a chance to begin.

But there are stirrings against the Queen across the land. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even find the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress and Winter claim their happily-ever-afters by defeating Levana once and for all?

History of my copy: After seeing The Lunar Chronicles all over Bookstagram, I knew I needed to try the series. I don’t regret it at all and as I made my way through each book, I’ve desperately gone out and bought the next.

Sometimes I go into the final book of a series worried that, whilst good, it doesn’t bring the satisfying ending I craved. Winter was no exception here, and I couldn’t help but be kept at the edge of my seat, terrified that one of the main eight (Cinder, Kai, Scarlet, Wolf, Cress, Thorne, Winter and Jacin) wouldn’t get their happy ending. However, my fears were unwarranted as this book was a fantastically amazing end to the series. In fact, it’s one of my favourite books of all time and the series has managed to join others such as Harry Potter by Rowling and The Infernal Devices by Clare as one of my all-time favourite series! Honestly, why did no-one make me read these books before?!

Plot: Winter, the fourth and final instalment in The Lunar Chronicles, follows the gang as they infiltrate Luna with 3 goals in mind: to rescue Scarlet, to stop Levana’s marriage to Kai and to start a revolution, thus placing Cinder aka long-lost Princess Selene rightfully on the throne. As with the three previous novels, Winter is a loose retelling of a fairy-tale, this time Snow White. Whilst we get the main events from the traditional story (beautiful step-daughter, faked murder and being poisoned by an apple), once again the story takes on a whole mind of its own in the epic climax of the series.

         At first, I thought that there would be too many main characters to handle but, as the plot develops, each earns their individual place in the group and helps bring down Levana’s regime both from the inside and out.

         I’m going to keep quiet about the tiny details of the plot, leaving you to discover the story yourself, but I am going to mention possibly my favourite romance scene of all time. THAT MOMENT BETWEEN CRESS AND THORNE WAS SO GODDAMN BEAUTIFUL I WAS LEFT BREATHLESS.

         I need to know what happens after Winter though. I want a catch-up on all the characters (hopefully Stars Above will help with that). And I need to know what happened to Luna after Cinder abdicated and what happened once she became Empress of the Eastern Commonwealth. Ahh I need to know every single thing that happened in each of their lives.

Setting: For the first time in the series, the book takes place on Luna. I actually really love the concept of Luna and how Meyer has created this wonderful world on the moon. One thing I would love is both a map of the sectors on Luna and perhaps a history of its relationship with Earth. It’s clear that a lot of thought went into the designing of Luna from the transport systems through to the different sectors. Artemisia is described beautifully, mainly focussing on the palace and the seemingly never-ending Lake.

Characters: In my reviews for Cinder, Scarlet and Cress, I covered most of the main characters so I’m going to switch things up a bit and perhaps write about the ships throughout The Lunar Chronicles.

               First of all, we are introduced to Cinder and Kai. I really like Cinder and everything she stands for and, whilst I wasn’t so keen on Prince Kai at first, I am now totally in love with the pair of them as they are with each other. The duo complement each other so well and, now that an alliance is needed between Earth and Luna, what better way to do so than to unite the pair!

               Scarlet and Wolf are couple number two. I really love the character of Scarlet and think she also works with Winter really well. However, although I found Wolf intriguing at the start, I think he’s become a bit too forced. Is it bad that I kind of wish he had died protecting Scarlet or something? His life seemed a bit too tortured and difficult to be ‘real’. Maybe I seem a little harsh with this but, if I were to give any of the couples an unhappy ending, it would be Scarlet and Wolf. Besides, Scarlet is strong enough to survive on her own.

               Cress and Thorne! Are there even words to describe my love for these two? From the very start I’ve shipped them so hard and Winter certainly didn’t disappoint in that department. In fact, the scene where Thorne sort of finally declares how he feels about her is one of my favourite scenes ever. It was so breathtakingly beautiful! Wow I so need a Carswell Thorne in my life. Honestly, I’d protect these two precious babies to my death.

               Last but not least, we have Winter and Jacin. I never was a huge fan of Jacin but he earned some respect in this book, especially for protecting Cress. His devotion to Winter was sweet, but a little too over-powering at times. Winter, however, I love! She wears her scars, both physically and mentally, without batting an eyelid, and I do believe that is mainly down to Jacin’s help. One thing I really loved is her refusal to use her Lunar gift and her reasons why. Queen Levana and the thurmatages, especially Aimery, really tortured the poor girl so is it any wonder why she ended up so crazy in her own beautifully unique way? I couldn’t help but grin whenever she howled like a wolf and sang that silly song. I also admire the faith that Jacin and Scarlet had in Winter and how they never purposefully let her down. I have nothing but respect for her courage throughout the book, especially when she finally used her Gift to protect her friends.

               Now, if you’ve read any of my other reviews of The Lunar Chronicles, you will know that I have an undying love for everyone’s favourite android/spaceship/escort droid, Iko! I love how funny she is! Whilst I do miss her as The Rampion, it’s great to see how much help she is now as the beautiful escort droid. And she has an important part as she contains the information regarding the chip that can protect humans and Lunars alike from the Lunar gift! Yes Iko!

               Finally, I feel as if I should talk about the Lunar royalty of the series: Queen Levana and Queen Channary. I so desperately want to know more about these two and cannot wait to get my hands on Fairest which, as far as I’m aware, does contain the pair. I know not much is learnt about Channary, and I’m not sure if I can believe Levana after how horrid and deceitful she is, but I actually think Channary is worse than Levana so I can’t wait to read about her! As for Levana herself, underneath it all I can see a very damaged, confused and bullied character, but that doesn’t excuse her actions. After all, Cinder too had her share of bad upbringing and familial torture, but has become a good person. Yes, I pity Levana, but I also admire Meyer for making a truly terrifying villain who still has emotions underneath all that. It’s a hard job to do, but Meyer successfully created a wonderful villain who creates this vibe of pure evil and manipulability.

To read or not to read: Read. Like right now. Read the whole series and never stop reading it. Winter has it all. Powerful, pure evilness in the Lunars, a bunch of badass heroines and heroes, a super awesome revolution, moments where your heart is in your throat, and you can’t form sentences and you just don’t know how they could all possibly survive. And, of course, it has our favourite android Iko who makes us laugh even when we’re crying.

Needless to say, I’m in a complete book hangover. I rushed out and bought Stars Above (I need more okay!) and will probably be getting Fairest sometime soon too. But then I will be upset because the series truly will be over.

|Cinder|Scarlet|Cress|

Book Review: Cress by Marissa Meyer

Cress – Marissa Meyer

*Warning – may contain spoilers*

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Puffin Books

First published: 2014

Cover: Paperback

Pages: 550

Blurb:    Incarcerated in a satellite, an expert hacker and out to save the world – Cress isn’t your usual damsel in distress.

                Cress grew up as a prisoner. With only netscreens for company, she’s forced to do the bidding of the evil Queen Levana. Now that means tracking down Cinder and her handsome accomplice Emperor Kai. But little does Queen Levana know that those she seeks, and the man she loves, are plotting her downfall…

                As paths cross and the price of freedom rises, happily ever after has never seemed further away for Cress, Scarlet and Cinder.

                This is not the fairy tale you remember. But it’s one you won’t forget…

History of my copy: I picked up Cress along with The Elite a couple weeks ago. Having recently read Cinder and Scarlet, I have been desperate to finish the series. Now I just have to wait and see when I can get my hands on Winter.

Cress is hands down my favourite book in the series so far. So much happens, but at the same time, things start to be tied together. I was a bit slow at reading it at first, due to a couple bad days, but then yesterday I read the last half of the book because I couldn’t put it down! That rarely happens to me, as I enjoy having numerous books on the go at once.

Plot: Cress starts with Cinder, Thorne, Scarlet, Wolf and Iko rescuing Cress, the girl with the D-comm chip. However, things don’t go directly to plan, and the group gets split up. At this point, the book gets frustrating as you want to know what happened to everyone, but you follow only one of the group’s stories and then suddenly, when something is about to happen to them, you flash to someone else! It’s so frustrating because the story is so gripping and you just need to know! And, whilst all this is going on, you’re yelling at Kai to not marry Levana.

         Cress and Thorne end up remaining in the satellite as it plummets to Earth, before being stuck in the Sahara Desert, made even worse by the fact that Thorne is blinded. They eventually make their way to Dr. Erland (and wait until you discover his secret!), but it certainly wasn’t an easy path, and the terror you feel for Cress is immense.

         Scarlet ends up as a hostage of Sybil Mira and taken to Luna, where she is tortured by Levana and becomes a pet of Princess Winter, which introduces the title character of the last book in the series.

         Wolf, Iko and Cinder remain on the Rampion and end up heading to Dr. Erland too, where the eventually meet back up with Cress and Thorne. When they are all united, apart from Scarlet, and Iko is given a new body (no more spaceship Iko!), they break into the palace and kidnap Emperor Kai.

         The plot of this book is so fast paced and interesting, it just keeps drawing you in.

Setting: Cress has numerous settings from the vast emptiness of the desert, to the confined prison of Cress’ satellite. From the magnificence of the New Beijing palace prepared for a royal wedding, to Scarlet’s cage back on Luna. I can’t wait to discover more about Luna in the final book.

Characters: Meyer’s characters are absolutely brilliant. They are flawed, they are misfits, and yet you still love every single thing about them.

                Cress is adorably sweet and innocent, and her reaction to everything Earthen makes my heart ache for her a little more each and every time. And, although at first I couldn’t see Thorne and Cress together, now it’s probably my main ship from these books. Thorne himself changes a little in this book, as he is now blind, but Meyer portrayed that so well. It was nice to see a main character end up with a disability as impacting as blindness.

                I still love Iko so much! The problem is, I find her hard to imagine as this beautiful escort droid when I’m so used to the Iko from Cinder. However, her character is just as funny as ever, and there are so many moments when I had to put the book down just to laugh at Iko for five minutes, especially when she was the spaceship.

                I was never hugely fond of Dr. Erland, but in Cress you learn a lot about him, and your heart will shatter into a million pieces when he finally reveals his secret to the person it matters too. (I’m avoiding spoiling it because it’s just so good!)

To read or not to read: Read. Read. Read. I loved this book sososososo much! It makes you feel frustrated, elated, heartbroken, angry and so much more. You will cry, you will laugh, you will squeal in pure delight. It makes you feel everything. I really don’t think words can show how amazing this book is. Go read it right now!

World Book Day 2016

So, the most important day of the year in the book world is here! Happy World Book Day to fellow bibliophiles world wide, although I believe it's only celebrated today in the UK.

Now that I'm in sixth form, dressing up as my favourite book character is no longer an option, which is a real shame. I remember those primary school costumes that my mum spent hours on, my favourites being this beautiful mermaid tail we made with individual scales (although it was a pain to sit down in) and one year we had to wear a book-themed hat, for which we made this Charlotte's Web inspired top hat, with straw and soft animals.

There are also more recent memories, such as only a few years ago when I went as a shadowhunter, which was a lot of fun. I also went as a Hogwarts student numerous times.

World Book Day was first celebrated in 1995, and has become an annual celebration ever since, loved by bookworms both young and old. It's mostly celebrated in Primary Schools to encourage young children to read more, especially nowadays when games consoles and TV are becoming more and more popular. I highly support this motive, ass I feel that reading is an important part of development to both encourage imagination, and to help people become more accepting and open-minded of the world, and to help them in making decisions. For me, I find it much easier to make difficult and stressful decisions, if I can relate it to a book character and remember how they reasoned through it.

Although I always have numerous books on the go, I usually have a main one that is my priority to finish. Currently, Cress by Marissa Meyer is my main read, and I love it so much! The Lunar Chronicles just get better and better. I hope that I shall finish it soon, with a book review being posted within the next week.

So what books are you currently reading? And, if you're celebrating world book day, what are you up to?

A Day in the Life of a Medical Student

Well, sort of.

As any of you who regularly reads my blog may know, I am an aspiring doctor. As I am now in Year 13, this year I had the exciting (yet daunting, I won't lie) task of choosing which medical schools to apply. I narrowed it down to Cambridge, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Plymouth. I've had interviews at all (apart from Edinburgh, which doesn't interview anyway), and with an unsurprising rejection from Cambridge, I am glad I have a back up now that I have an offer from Plymouth, which I received in December. And I only have to get AAA!! (Let me clarify, AAA is the lowest a medical school will ever offer.)

Today, I was lucky enough to be able to partake in a medicine offer-holder day at Plymouth, along with 19 others who will hopefully become my course-mates next year. Unlike the majority of the group, I only live a little distance away from Plymouth, and actually go to school in the city, so there was no long car or train journeys for me. Although, I think going to Edinburgh will make up for that. With this blog post, I want to explain the sorts of things medical students, especially those that go to Plymouth, get up to, something I hope will both be interesting to anyone, and perhaps a helpful insight to anyone hoping to pursue a career in medicine.

In the first part of the morning, we got to have a look at Clinical Skills, a vital part of training that ranges from communication and teamwork, to actual procedures. Plymouth's Peninsula medical school has fantastic facilities for this, including a range of dummy patients and even a simulated ward, where you work with actors who pretend to be a wide range of different patients you may encounter. Fortunately for me, I was quite familiar with the facilities as I did my Year 10 work experience with the medical school.

Aside from a tour of the facilities, we got to perform a couple practical tasks. First of all, we got to intubate dummy patients, which is when you push a pipe down their trachea so that they can breathe. It's surprisingly difficult, and I think we all instantly appreciated why we don't try this on real people first, as most of us managed to inflate the stomach rather than the lungs, and no-one did it particular fast, so I'm sure our whole room of patients would have died if they were real. But don't worry, I'm sure that in 5 years time we'll be able to do it with our eyes closed! (Not literally, that could be a little dangerous...)

Another exciting thing we did, was learn how to perform intramuscular injections. Perhaps not as exciting to write about, but learning how to keep things uncontaminated, and how to correctly draw up a solution and inject it into (once again a dummy) patient was fun, and surprisingly complicated!

The day also consisted of a tour of the university and Student Union, a free lunch, and an overview of the course and how Plymouth, as a modern uni, is different to those that try the traditional approach to medicine.

In the afternoon, we got to watch an hour of a PBL session. PBL, problem based learning, is when students work in small groups to focus on a case, where they apply previous knowledge, and go away to research new topics, to understand the situations, how things can be done differently, and perhaps even form a diagnosis or solution. It's a very modern way of learning, and different to the traditional lecture-based method. At first, I wasn't too keen on the idea, but now it has been broken down a little, and now I've had a chance to watch a session, it seems like a really interactive way to learn.

After I had finished at the university, I popped into the city centre to do a spot of book shopping. I ended up buying The Elite by Kiera Cass, and Cress by Marissa Meyer (the previous books of both series have been reviewed, so go check them out from the Review page!). I also had a discussion with a man who worked in Waterstones about Red Queen and it's sequel. He, like me, wasn't that sold with Red Queen, although found the ending good. He has, however, convinced me to consider continuing with the series. (Red Queen has also been reviewed).

If anyone has any questions about Plymouth uni, medicine/medical school, applying to uni, etc, please feel free to comment! Also, if any of you reading this are medical students, I'd love to hear about where you study and what you think of it.

Book Review: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Scarlet – Marissa Meyer

*Warning – may contain spoilers*

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Puffin Books

First published: 2013

Cover: Paperback

Pages: 452

Blurb: Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. The police have closed her case. The only person Scarlet can turn to is Wolf, a street fighter she does not trust, but they are drawn to each other.

Meanwhile, in New Beijing, Cinder will become the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive – when she breaks out of prison to stay one step ahead of vicious Queen Levana.

As Scarlet and Wolf expose one mystery, they encounter Cinder and a new one unravels. Together they must challenge the evil queen, who will stop at nothing to make Prince Kai her husband, her king, her prisoner…

History of my copy: So this was the third book I got from Waterstones just after Christmas. (You can find reviews for the other two books, Reasons to Stay Alive and The Selection here.) Having read and loved Cinder, I knew I just had to get my hands on the next book in the series, and I am so glad I did.

I absolutely loved this book! I will admit that I found the beginning a bit slow and confusing as we were suddenly faced with the new character Scarlet, when all I cared about was Cinder escaping! But after a few chapters, I really did start to get into it and I ended up adoring this one more than Cinder. Now I just have to wait a long time to get my hands on Cress…

Plot: Probably my only major problem with Cinder was just how predictable it was. (I know, it’s based on Cinderella, but it still felt just a bit too obvious). So, of course, when I started Scarlet I was expecting Wolf to have killed Grandma and be horrible to Scarlet. Wrong! This book was hardly like the fairy-tale at all! Whilst it of course kept key parts (I especially loved Scarlet’s red hoodie, bringing a modern feel to the traditional red cloak), this book was nothing like what I expected. And the way it weaved into the story from Cinder was exquisitely done! I would have preferred a little more development on Wolf’s, Scarlet’s and Thorne’s character, but I’m hoping there will be a lot of that to come in the next books.

Setting: I am still so in love with the way Meyer has set these fairy tales to be in the future after the Fourth World War. It adds such an interesting spin to it all! And perhaps to give us hope that, even in a world of destruction, lunar wars and a horrendous plague, fairy tales really do still exist. As a fugitive, Cinder obviously cannot remain in New Beijing, and thus most of this book takes place in France, mainly Paris, which gives us a chance to see how other countries are faring in this modern world. Meyer is a brilliant writer at settings, and just truly makes you feel that you really are there alongside them.

Characters: Cinder still remains one of my favourite characters of course, and this book does well with showing how she is coping with her new found identity. If you read my review of the previous book, you will know that I wasn’t a huge fan of Prince Kai. However, throughout Scarlet, I have learned to like him a little more now that we get to see the side of him that’s running a country, not the side that’s of course, flirting with and falling in love with the main character.

             Captain Thorne and Scarlet are both new characters in this book, and two that I would like to know more about. At first, Thorne annoyed me, but he has grown on me, just as he has on Cinder. Scarlet, however, is much more likable, and I particularly like how well she and Wolf complement each other.

Which, of course, brings me to Wolf! He’s probably one of the most interesting characters I’ve discovered in a while. Is he good, or bad? Do I love him or hate him? Can I even trust him? Who knows! I need more of him in my life, and I really hope Meyer delves into his back story some more at some point so we can see just why he is the way he is.

Iko! How could I discuss the characters without mentioning my beloved Iko! She is still hilarious and just so Iko-like, despite now being in a much, much larger body. I’m so glad Iko came back, and we don’t have to lose her for a long time again any time in the future.

To read or not to read: Read. Read! Read! Read! Honestly, stop reading reviews and go buy the book right now. Even if you weren’t a huge fan of Cinder, go read Scarlet because, in my opinion, The Lunar Chronicles have just got even better!

Book Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Cinder – Marissa Meyer

*Warning – may contain spoilers*

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publisher: Puffin Books

First published: 2012

Cover: Paperback

Pages: 387

Blurb:    A forbidden romance.

                A deadly plague.

                Earth’s fate hinges on one girl…

                Cinder, a gifted mechanic in New Beijing, is also a cyborg. She’s reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s sudden illness. But when her life becomes entwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s she finds herself at the centre of a violent struggle between the desires of an evil queen – and a dangerous temptation.

                Cinder is caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal. Now she must uncover secrets about her mysterious past in order to protect Earth’s future.

                This is not the fairy tale you remember. But it’s one you won’t forget.

History of my copy: As mentioned in my review of Throne of Glass, Cinder and the rest of The Lunar Chronicles are books that are hugely popular in the Instagram book community. Because of this, I knew I had to give it a try.

                                      It is now custom in my family to buy a new board game each Christmas to play over the festive period and throughout the year. This year, to save having to pay postage, my mum allowed me to get Cinder as it wasn’t on my Christmas list.

I will admit that after my disappointment with Throne of Glass, I was a little bit apprehensive about this book. However, despite how predictable the book is (which is expected as a version of Cinderella), I really did enjoy this one!

Plot: I’m sure almost everyone is familiar with the story of poor old Cinderella, the burden of her step-family, who strikes lucky and ends up falling in love with the Prince to live happily ever after. As based on that story, there are, of course, many parallels. There’s the outcast, Cinder, who is both cyborg and later revealed to be Lunar, hated by her stepmother and Pearl (although adored by her other stepsister Peony). There’s the beautiful Prince Kai. There’s the ball and ‘pumpkin ride’ (Cinder’s rescued car), and there’s the infamous ‘glass slipper’, although in this case it is Cinder’s too small foot.

         On top of the fairy tale likeness of this book, there is the deadly plague and the imminent war with the Lunars, giving twists to the familiar story in each and every chapter.

Setting: Another fantastic thing about this book, is that it is set in the futuristic New Beijing after the fourth World War. This really does transform the traditional fairy tale into a whole new story where technology has really advanced, and where wars with alien species is a real possibility.

Characters: This is one of the few books where I have genuinely loved the main female character. Much too often they are written unrealistically and too perfectly, yet Cinder remains relatable, funny and really gets you to feel for her. She also represents how stereotypes are all to present, even in the future. Cyborgs and Lunars are outcast for what they are, before people even know who they are.

                Moving on to another main character, I will admit that I don’t like Prince Kai too much. Although I will praise Meyer for avoiding the trap of ‘perfect’ female characters, she has created the generic flirty, pretty boy that just gets on your nerves. Yes, his thoughts are well constructed and there certainly is a charm to him, I’m just getting sick of boys who just need to flash a smile to get a girl to fall in love with them.

                One of my favourite character in this story isn’t a person at all, but is Cinder’s droid Iko! She is funny and sweet, kind to Cinder and has her heart (or personality chip I suppose?) in the right place, even if she should probably think before she speaks sometimes. I was as devastated with her ‘death’ as I was Peony’s (which means I shed a tear or two), but I can’t wait to see Cinder put her chip back into another droid to bring her back.

To read or not to read: Read. Although, as mentioned before, the story is rather predictable (for example, I guessed the real identity of Cinder quite early on in the book), it is also different enough from the original fairy tale to keep you hooked, wanting to find out just how the events will play out. I really do recommend this book, especially for anyone who loves stories with a twist.