[Review] Cinder by Marissa Meyer--Book one in the Lunar Chronicles

* check out the "extras" section for giveaways! *

Title: Cinder {goodreads}

Authors: Marissa Meyer

Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 29/12/2011

Publisher: Penguin UK: Puffin
RRP: $16.95

Source: Publisher sent for review
Precautions: 11+ - Mild violence/death
Series: #1 in the Lunar Chronicles

Pages: 370

My Rating:

Good read

Summary:

(From AU/UK pb)

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. Is she brave enough, and strong enough, to help save everything?

My thoughts: 

~ Final thoughts ~

Cinder is a grippngly intense sci-fi/dystopian reimagining of the well-known Cinderella fairytale. It's got the basics that make the ever-popular fairytale, but Meyer has cleverly turned it on its head.

Cinderella-'Cinder'-is a cyborg and a talented mechanic, whose prince charming is charming indeed; whose community is riddled with a deadly plague, as well as ongoing threats of war against the Lunars; whose identity is a complete mystery. And it is her true identity that may just be the savior of New Beijing and the world as they all know it.

All in all, CINDER is not to be missed! The first book in the Lunar Chronicles is action-packed and full of interesting ideas with an ending that will leave you wanting more.

~ MY THOUGHTS (in full) ~

If I do have children (if the Big Guy doth let it be so), and more specifically a daughter, this would be the type of book I'd love for her to indulge in. It's got so much appeal to girls, but Meyer's 'version' is much grittier and fantastical, with a heroine that kicks butt!

Cinder has great talent and inner-strength that shines through and through. Not even that--she's different in a way that makes her instantly exiled and unpopular, and while she never completely embraces these differences, readers will be able to sympathise with her insecurities.

Prince Kai is kind of your average pretty-boy Prince Charming. He's got the easygoing attitude and he and Cinder share similar ideals about the world. Even in the face of adversity, he tries his best to stand his ground. Readers will be sure to fall for Iko, Cinder's android buddy, and Peony, Cinder's (nice) stepsister--but you'll wish you hadn't after the events that unfold.

What also sprung out at me was the whole backstory with the Lunars and the New Beijing Commonwealth society. If you thought that cyborgs and androids in a Cinderella re-imagining was far-fetched, you'll be even more blown away when you are introduced to the Lunars. They're, quite literally, out of this world and insane!

Of course there is a romance between Prince Kai and Cinder, but there are barriers that disable them to be together. I'm totally rooting for them though! Even from chapter one I wanted them to end up together because they're just so cute, and two is better than one. :P

What didn't agree with me was the fact that I was able to guess a lot of the [ZING!] moments due to its predictability leading up to a moment. Also, the ending just left me with a strange feeling ... like it's unfinished and there's meant to be a special chapter latched on at the end. There is a sense of oncoming action and struggle, but we only get to see the lead-up to it, which is frustrating since we have to wait another year to find out what happens next!

The third person narrative worked fine enough, and I was able to feel Cinder's thoughts and feelings with ease. It took a couple of chapters to get the hang of the writing style.

Quotes:

* from the UK ARC and may differ to the final version

First lines

"The screw through Cinder's ankle had rusted, the engraved cross marks worn to a mangled circle. Her knuckles ached from forcing the screwdriver into the joint as she struggled to loosen the screw one gritting twist after another. By the time it was extracted far enough for her to wrench free with her prosthetic steel hand, the hairline threads had been stripped clean.

Favourites

(Peony will be joining Cinder and Iko as they go to the junkyard looking for machine parts)

"Reaching out, Cinder pulled her [Peony] back. "Careful, your dress."
     Peony surveyed her skirt, then the grime-covered shelves, then waved Cinder's concerns away. "Really, can I [come]? Sounds exciting."
     "It sounds dirty and stinky," said Iko.
     "How would you know?" said Cinder. "You don't have scent receptors."
     "I have a fantastic imagination."

(p. 33)

Buy:

* cheapest Australian e-store price

AUSTRALIAN RESIDENTS

Fishpond * | Readings | Dymocks | Angus & Robertson | Borders | The Nile

INTERNATIONAL READERS

Amazon | The Book Depository

All links from Booko, because I'm too lazy to search each individual store anymore.

Extras:

Trailer

Other reviews of 'Cinder'

Alpha Reader: 4/5 stars {link}
inkcrush: "a wild ride" {link}
Nice Girls Read Books: 5 stars {link}
Stacked: "one buzzed novel that totally delivers" {link}

Giveaways and author events

* all giveaways are open as I post this



{International} Giveaway and Book Signing Recap @ Between the Covers
{International} Audiobook Giveaway @ IceyBooks
{US only} Audio Giveaway @ Karin's Book Nook
{US only} ARC Giveaway @ Shorties & Sweets
{US only} ARC Giveaway @ Popcorn Reads 
{US only} Audio Giveaway @ Ramblings of a Teenage Bookworm
{US/CAN only} Book and Mirror Giveaway @ My Bookish Ways
{UK only} Book Giveaway @ A Dream of Books
{UK only} Book Giveaway @ Feeling Fictional

Virtual Book Blog Tour! (from writing to wontons to music)

I have received this review copy in return for an honest review.

Challenge: 2012 Debut Author Challenge

YA Historical Fiction Challenge 2012 & January is for the past

I'm such a fan of historical YA fiction, and I'm glad that Sab over at YA Bliss seems to feel the same way, since she did make this challenge a reality. I've already started off the year on good terms with my historical YA books, so I've deemed January 2012 my personal month for historical YA. With a couple others sprinkled in.

Level 2, I choose you! (because it rhymes)

This means that I solemnly (well, actually I'm giddy because I love HYAF) swear that I shall read at least 10 historical YA book in 2012.

Level 2: 10 books

My list so far includes (own | read | intend to own in 2012):

• Plain Kate/Wood Angel by Erin Bow
• Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys (re-reads count . . . right?)
• The Girl in the Steel Corset (#1) by Kady Cross
• The Luxe (#1, Luxe) & The Lucky Ones (#3, BYT) by Anna Godbersen
• Vixen & Ingenue (#1, #2) by Jillian Larkin
• Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly
• What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell
• Faithful by Janet Fox & Forgiven (#1, #2) by Janet Fox
• In the Shadow of the Lamp by Suzanne Dunlap
• Emerald by Karen Wallace
• Guardian of the Gate & Circle of Fire (#2, #3, Prophecy) by Michelle Zink
• When We Were Two by Robert Newton
• Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood
• The Jewel and the Key by Louise Spiegler
• Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis

Progress count: 3/10

I'm a paperback book buyer, so lots of HB releases in 2012 will be part of my 2013 Historical YA challenge. ;)

If you're planning on reading ANY of the following books, or you're participating too, please do friend me on Goodreads! I'd love to discuss and share opinions on historical YA. :)

[Review] Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs

Title: Tempest Rising {goodreads}

Authors: Tracy Deebs

Publication (dd/mm/yyyy): 01/09/2011

Publisher: Bloomsbury UK
RRP: $15.99

Source: Publisher sent for review
Precautions: 12+ - Violence and slight gore
Series: #1

Pages: 340

My Rating:

Satisfying

Summary:

(From the UK PB)

Tempest Maguire wants nothing more than to surf the killer waves near her Californian home and hang out with her boyfriend. But Tempest is half mermaid and, as her seventeenth birthday approaches, she will have to decide if she really does want to ttay on land or if she wants to give herself to the ocean like her mother did before her.

When she meets Kona, a gorgeous surfer whose uncanny abilities also hint at an other-worldly life, the lure of the sea becomes too strong and Tempest finds herself in the midst of a battle for survival. The entire ocean's future hangs in the balance.

Is she brave enough, and strong enough, to help save everything?

My thoughts: 

~ Final thoughts ~

In 'Tempest Rising', expect an evocative depiction of underwater life, that highlights the characteristics--both serene and deadly--of a world so foreign. This glorious setting wraps itself around a tender story that is told by an irritating heroine whose inane naivety does more harm than good in her actions.

What shines through in this book is its vivid imagery and setting--this is a great summer read--as well as the satisfying amount of focus on oceanic mythological creatures. The exploration of betrayal and grief, family and friends, identity and self-discovery, belonging, home, love, come through in every single page.

Recommended for paranormal fans. If you're a fan of surfing, the beach and ocean, or mermaid stories this book is worth picking up. Overall I wasn't blown away, but it's not bad by any means, and I do wish to continue reading on.

MY SYNOPSIS

Tempest, 16-going-on-17, is a beach critter whose heart resides in the surf. She's just an average teen, until one day while surfing she loses balance on the board and almost drowns due to the obvious wipeout. Tempest NEVER wipes out. On the verge of losing consciousness, she seems to grow a tail underwater, giving her the ability to make it back to the surface within a second.

Tempest can't explain what happened that day--at least not to her friends and gorgeous surfer boyfriend. But she can't ignore the changes that are going on. Like her mother, who disappeared five years earlier, Tempest is part-mermaid. She has a choice: stay on land with all that she knows, or join the world that her mother (supposedly) left her to become part of.

An ancient battle of intense hardship and turmoil beckons her. She may just be the answer to help stop the war that has gone on far too long. Her name isn't Tempest for nothing.

I've always loved being near or in water, so books that are set at the beach or in the ocean are welcome anytime. Deebs' portrayal of the underwater world evoked in me a desire to go scuba-diving or something. I'd love to see the "phosphorescent shades of blue and green and red and yellow" that light up and can be seen for miles (167). The descriptions are beautiful and were never sparse or in excess; there was always just the right amount of visuals.

The plot unfolds pretty quickly--I can say I was never bored. The book mentions and describes mermaids, selkies and other sea creatures which just made the whole setting more believable. I liked that Tempest focused on mermaids being the only part-human sea creature, because I'm sure that's what many people know only of. There are some deadly and evil creatures in the book, capable of doing nasty things. Think along the lines of decapitation and impalement. Action and peril persist for the last half of the book, with the first half setting a good foundation of what comes later. I deem this book 'unputdownable' for the last half of the book.

There is a love triangle, kind of, in this book. But it's not like the whole two-guys-fighting-for-the-girl. The girl, Tempest, is already with someone--Max. They have a rocky on-and-off relationship, but there are grounds of deep trust and caring laid out firmly. Until Tempest meets Kona, a mysterious surfer guru whose skills are phenomenal. I can't say I loved the romance aspect of this book, but I was satisfied with the way Tempest's relationship with Max ended up. As for Kona . . . I don't know. I wasn't swept away by their romance or anything. It was a tad too insta-romance-y for my tastes, but I'm sure others found it all irresistible.

I liked the characters, for the most part. I don't even want to talk about Tempest too much, since she irritated me way too many times, but she's a bit of a Mary Sue and whiny and immature. And now, a list of characters I enjoyed:

- Tempest's surfer guy friends ~ With them, Tempest is just one of the guys. I'm mentioning them collectively because they don't have established, distinct personalities or backstories--they're pretty minor characters.

- Tempest's dad ~ He's got such a chilled personality (like Raymundo from Rocket Power!), and is also faithfully dedicated to his wife, despite her leaving him. He's got that unyielding strength that is pretty beautiful.

- The enemy!!! Haha. Well, at least they kept it interesting.

What continued to disturb me about this book was the writing style. It's in the choppy rhythm of the sentences. Example: "The humming inside me grew worse, took over me, until I felt like one huge, vibrating guitar string. I didn't know what it was, hadn't felt anything like it before." (265) The little sentence additives (the extra details within the commas) clawed at me. These sentences actually read like song lyrics (try it). It would have been fine if they didn't find their way to nearly every single paragraph. I only noticed this in the second half of the book--I actually liked the way the first half was written.

One thing I'm still deciding on is the ending. I'm thinking I didn't like it that much. There really wasn't too much consideration on her family, and the way it was written, it felt a bit all over the place and hazy. Or maybe that was just me.

Quotes:

First lines

"I was ten the first time I saw her. I remember this clearly, because my mother left exactly two weeks later--on my eleventh birthday. (Prologue)

Favourite lines

"I still don't know what possessed me to do what I did next. Ignoring the rain, ignoring the cold, ignoring my chattering teeth and half-frozen appendages, I climbed out of the car and let the rain and the wind wash over me.
       It tore through my hair, whipped against my tender skin until tears of pain rolled down my face. Lightning rent the sky, flashed above the ocean like a bomb exploding mere moments before thunder shook the ground. And still I stood there, refusing to get back in the car where it was safe.
       My name isn't Tempest for nothing." (p. 49)

Buy:

* cheapest Australian e-store price

AUSTRALIAN RESIDENTS

Fishpond * | Readings | Dymocks | Angus & Robertson | Borders | The Nile

INTERNATIONAL READERS

Amazon | The Book Depository

All links from Booko, because I'm too lazy to search each individual store anymore.

Extras:

US Cover

Other reviews of 'Tempest Rising'

The Story Siren: "Tempest Rising is FINtastic!!" {link}
Books with Bite: 5 stars {link}
Nice Girls Read Books: 4 stars {link}
IB Book Blogging: 4 fairies {link}

I have received this review copy in return for an honest review.

Challenge: ---

[Review + Giveaway] Sister, Missing by Sophie McKenzie

Title: Sister, Missing {goodreads} 
Authors: Sophie McKenzie
Publication: January 2012 (AU/UK)
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
RRP: $16.99 
Source: For review (thanks to publisher!)
Precautions: 11+ - Violence, guns, relationship (clean)
Pages: 250 (ARC copy)
Series: #2, sequel to Girl, MIssing {review}

My Rating:

Summary:

It's two years after the events of Girl, Missing and life is not getting any easier for sixteen-year-old Lauren, as exam pressure and a recent family tragedy take their toll. Lauren's birth mother takes Lauren and her two sisters on holiday in the hope that some time together will help, but a few days into the holiday one of the sisters disappears, under circumstances very similar to those in which Lauren was taken years before. Can Lauren save her sister, and stop the nightmare happening all over again?

My thoughts: 

* this is the sequel to Girl, Missing ~ if you have not read that book, you have been warned that there are spoilers in this review *

~ Final thoughts ~

I'm surprised--I found myself deeply moved by the end of this book, the sequel to 'Girl, Missing'. The dramatic and thrilling plot, the twists and turns, and the more well-rounded and developed characters really demonstrate literary development made on McKenzie's part.

MY SYNOPSIS

Lauren Purditt has figured out a system with her two families--her adoptive and her paternal, and it works most of the time. Two years later, Lauren takes her little sister Madison to the beach . . . and loses her. The events of two years ago are happening all over again, because if Lauren knows anything at all, she knows that Madi isn't just lost--she was taken.

Her American, birth mum is distraught, left in tatters by the situation. Her new boyfriend Rick, is supportive and eventually takes charge of the situation, having had experience in crime cases in the past. Lauren is convinced the kidnapper is Sonia Holtwood, the very same villain who almost killed her two years ago who was also let out of jail recently. Could history be repeating itself? And just what does the offender want from her?

MY THOUGHTS

Sister, Missing held my attention from beginning to end - I was simply not able to let go of the story and the twists and turns that came with it. I was kept on edge the whole time. In my opinion, the suspense was written much better in this book than its predecessor.

Lauren is just as stubborn and selfish as she was in the first book - in her pursuit in finding and rescuing her little sister, she does the following (and this is just the tip of the iceberg): ignores her other sister's outward expressions of grief and worry--instead she berates her when she attempts to make nice; runs directly into trouble, unarmed, without a plan, endangering her best friend as a result.

The other characters we met in 'Girl, Missing' that we also see in 'Sister, Missing', were much more likeable. Even Shelby, who used to abuse Madison. Especially Shelby. It felt like, by the end of it all, that Shelby had grown as a person, and we as readers really know her.

Jam and Lauren have been maintaining a long-distance relationship for two years, and Lauren has concerns that their fire has died down. When he arrives, he appears more distant and distracted, and Lauren has doubts about his feelings for her now. Their interactions are sweet and their relationship is sure to enchant younger teens.

The writing matches the pacing, so for that it's not that complex. The sentences are cut short so as to keep the flow going. This makes for a really quick read. The ending is bittersweet and also leaves room for questioning and further thought as to what may have happened afterward.

I was worried that I would not like this book at all, but this book's ending was its saving grace. Overall, the plot points were much more suspenseful and had me on edge at all times. I really just could not put this book down! If you're looking for a quick YA thriller, give this series a try. I might actually miss a couple of the characters--they really grew on me!

Trailer:

Buy:

* cheapest Australian e-store price

AUSTRALIAN RESIDENTS

Fishpond | Readings | Dymocks | Angus & Robertson | Borders | The Nile

INTERNATIONAL READERS

Amazon | The Book Depository

All links from Booko, because I'm too lazy to search each individual store anymore.

Giveaway:

Aussie only.

The first one to comment with "I love thrillers!" will win:

• Girl, Missing by Sophie McKenzie (Finished copy)
• Sister, Missing by Sophie McKenzie (ARC)
• Various YA swag, whatever I have that features thriller/mysteries

I will e-mail the winner, so make sure to provide your e-mail address when you comment!


* I'm very behind on my giveaways, which I will work out soon *

Extras:

Developing the characters in Sister, Missing
Sister, Missing playlist

I have received this review copy in return for an honest review.

Challenge: ---

[Review] Girl, Missing by Sophie McKenzie

Title: Girl, Missing {goodreads}

Authors: Sophie McKenzie

Publication: January 2012 (repackaged)

Publisher: Simon & Schuster
RRP: $16.99

Source: For review (thanks to publisher!)
Precautions: 11+ - Mild violence and kidnapping

Pages: 282

My Rating:

Summary:

Lauren has always known she was adopted but when a little research turns up the possibility that she was snatched from an American family as a baby, suddenly Lauren's life seems like a sham. How can she find her biological parents? And are her adoptive parents really responsible for kidnapping her? She manages to wangle a trip across the Atlantic where she runs away to try and find the truth. But the circumstances of her disappearance are murky and Lauren's kidnappers are still at large and willing to do anything to keep her silent...

My thoughts: 

~ Final thoughts ~

Girl, Missing by Sophie McKenzie, while a chilling and heart-thumping thriller, lacked logic and character likeability, which made it difficult to enjoy completely. With several heartfelt moments, a budding romance that stands from solid grounds but is shakily executed, and sinister villains that make for intense suspense, I have no doubt that 11-14 year olds will eat this up. Most of all, this book addresses the Who am I question, in which many readers will be able to sympathise with Lauren's situation of having been adopted and never knowing her real parents.

MY SYNOPSIS

Lauren is adopted and has never known her real family, so when she is asked this Who Am I question for a school homework task, she begins to wonder what her real parents were like. Frustrated that she's never been able to remember, she asks her best friend Jam's mum, a spiritualist, to help her. In a state of deep relaxation, she remembers. Lauren, age 3, and her real mum, long black hair and spirited smile, playing hide-and-seek at a beach somewhere. In her heart, she knows she needs to--by any means necessary--find her real family. Upon research, she discovers a Martha Lauren Purditt, whose details match . . . but Martha was born in America. Lauren's always lived in London. But Lauren needs to know, so she sets up a family vacation, to America.

The overall story was compelling and one that I'm sure many people will be able to relate to. If I were adopted, I'd have wanted to know who my 'real family' was too. What McKenzie does a bit differently to other authors who have touched on this subject, is that she delves into the legal implications of international adoption. She also gives Lauren a choice, and room to decide whether she wants to go back to her old life in London--the life she's always known, or to return to the parents who have spent forever trying to recover the child that had been taken away from them.

What really didn't agree with me about the plot was just how unbelievable so many of the actions and decisions were. And how the right characters just happened to be there at the right time--or the wrong time, in Lauren and Jam's case. To me, it was just way too illogical and coincidental for me to believe it all. Also, money. It never seemed to be a problem for anyone--and to travel from London to America isn't that cheap that people can be whizzing from one country to the next, without seriously breaking the bank. Once again, this might be something that younger readers will be able to forgive.

In GIRL, MISSING, there was an expansive cast of characters, but I was never confused or unable to keep up with remembering names and roles. More the problem was in the one-dimensional feel the majority of them had. A little of the dialogue was stiff, and the only character that seems to develop or change during the course of the book is Lauren. That said, I did find a couple to be extremely likeable, and I wouldn't mind seeing them return in the sequel. (Madison, Glane, Jam's mum Carla) Despite the bits of maturity that Lauren picks up along the way, I never got to the point where I cared about her, or even what happened to her. Her selfishness was just so unforgiveable.

On the upside, McKenzie's writing is fairly easy to get through. It's simple and gets to the point. You'll be turning those pages, wanting to know how things turn out for Lauren in her quest for self-discovery.

Quotes:

First lines

"Who am I?
     I sat at the computer in Mum's office and stared at the essay heading. New form teachers always give you homework like that at the start of the year.
   Who am I?

Buy:

* cheapest Australian e-store price

AUSTRALIAN RESIDENTS

Fishpond * | Readings | Dymocks | Angus & Robertson | Borders | The Nile

INTERNATIONAL READERS

Amazon | The Book Depository

All links from Booko, because I'm too lazy to search each individual store anymore.

Extras:

Inspiration for writing Girl, Missing

I have received this review copy in return for an honest review.

Challenge: ---