Review: SCARLET by Marissa Meyer

Title: Scarlet

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publication date: February 5, 2013

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

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.

Review: 

I read a post not too long ago about how you might be afraid to give a negative review for a book that is written by an author you adore. Or a book that has had such high ratings. I will try my best to not let my biased feelings and emotions get in the way, but...guys. 

Marissa Meyer is an amazing writer and Scarlet is her testimony to that fact.

**WARNING**

This is the second book in the series. 

If you have not read Cinder, I do not recommend this review.

It may contain spoilers from only Cinder.

Scarlet is feisty and strong willed. She is loyal to her grandmother and is determined to save her from whatever has kidnapped her. When her father comes to her house, she knows that whatever does have her grandmother is dangerous since they tortured her father (that is not a spoiler). Everyone in the village thinks that her grandmother is crazy and Scarlet is overreacting. But then she meets Wolf. Wolf is a very cute street fighter. She keeps him at a distance, but soon they both go on the journey to rescue her grandmother. 

That's the summary of the beginning. My thoughts? 

My favorite chapters in Scarlet were when Cinder appeared. Pretty soon, Cinder popped up almost every other chapter and I was thrilled. Because between the two characters, Cinder won for me. She had gotten tougher, more sarcastic, and less timid. She took charge (the first time we see her is when she is breaking out of prison) and even used her Lunar glamour. We also meet "Captain" Thorne, who was absolutely lovable. He was also in prison and they met very Count of Monte Cristo-like with Cinder appearing in his jail cell and they both worked together to find a way out of there. Not only was he lovable, but hilarious. He made me smile and laugh through the whole thing, definitely one of the best additions Marissa Meyer could have done, in my opinion. Like she says on her Twitter profile, "Fond of...sexy spaceship captains."

Iko? She comes back! Iko was one of my favorite characters in Cinder and while not having as much of a spotlight in this one, she still made me smile. We also see bits of Kai in there, which I was immensely grateful for. I wanted to see what he was up to and how he was feeling. Don't worry, you do. And Wolf is a great addition to the story in the way that you never really could understand him until the end. Was he really the Big Bad Wolf or was he just misunderstood? 

The characters and plot built-up were great. However, there is always a but because I have to mention the negative for me. 

Let me explain a little more about why I did not like Scarlet as much as Cinder. Along with the facts I mentioned above about Cinder, I was not a huge fan for Scarlet. She was determined and focused, which I love. But she was blind to the things around her and annoyed me quite a bit in some parts. She did not pull me in and like my friend Alice says in her review, we go back to an ignorant character after going through such a revelation with Cinder. I can deal with that sometimes, but this time, I did not think the execution on Scarlet's revelations were done as well. While pigheadedness can be a good thing, it can also lead to doom. Hers was doom for me in some areas. Areas, I unfortunately cannot explain due to spoilers. 

At one point, she was even being a butt to Cinder and I was about to hop off my treadmill before I talk all ghetto to her for speaking that way to MY character, thank you get really upset. Although that might have been due to all the stress I had already been having in the novel so it all built up to a big thing where I was getting set off easily. 

All in all, Marissa Meyer gets another thumbs-up from me. The ending? It hints at what will happen in the next novel (actually, Cinder lays it all out), but I wish we had gotten an extra sliver of what will happen with the next protagonist, Cress (Winter is the last one:). I was actually freaking out when I closed it and realized there wasn't even a cover to drool over. 

Verdict: A great sequel that does not beat the first one, but does a well-done job at tension.

Cover Love #9

Hosted by Bookshelvers Anonymous

I'm going with another Rapunzel-themed cover this week, I could not resist!

Title: My Name Is Rapunzel

Author: KC Hilton

Publication date: 2013

Publisher: Still unknown

My tale has been told again and again, and I’ve heard each one. Except for my hair, I barely recognize the pitiful renditions. Muddled versions, crafted to entertain laughing children…but the children wouldn’t have laughed if they’d known the real story. It wasn't their fault. They didn't know the truth. Nobody did.

My name is Rapunzel and I will tell you my story. I will tell you the truth.

It's Rapunzel. She looks like she is about to fight. Personally, I like the lighting. I'm not too sure about the different patterns in the light, but they must be important, right? I'm not sure if this cover is actually pretty or if it is my biased, Rapunzel-loving mind that goes "Ooh!"

Along with my love for this cover, the synopsis gets me insanely excited. It's a win-win.

What cover do YOU love this week?

Top Ten Tuesday: Books at the Top of My Spring 2013 List

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

The book world is fantastic. There are so many books coming out, I had a hard time resisting some I saw in early June. But this is the spring list so I will only be pulling ones from March, April, and May. So here are some of the books on the top of my spring TBR list.

In no particular order with book titles linked to Goodreads in another window:

1. Five Summers by Una LaMarche

Release date: May 16

Guys, summer books are fun. This one does not just involve summer, but camp. Friendship. Falling outs. Reunion weekend. Most likely boys. It sounds like a great fun read you would take to read in the sun. 

2. Transparent by Natalie Whipple

Release date: May 21

The girl is invisible. Need I say more? 

3. The Program by Suzanne Young

Release date: April 30

I'm guessing this is dystopian. The protagonist's world has a worldwide epidemic of suicide so true feelings are forbidden. You can see where this is going. 

4. The Summer I Became a Nerd by Leah Rae Miller

Release date: May 7

Not only is this cover so cute, but the whole plot? It sounds very beach-y. Cheerleader has a secret nerd inside of her. Inside nerd slips up around cute nerd guy. Cute nerd guy whisks her away. Adorable. 

5. The Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elston

Release date: May 14

I know I have had this as my WW before, but how can I resist highlighting it again? It's about witness protection program!

6. Beauty by Nancy Ohlin

Release date: May 7

A retelling of one of my favorite fairytales, Beauty and the Beast. Yes, please. 

7. The Boyfriend App by Katie Sise

Release date: April 30

Another really cute-sounding read. It's also contemporary, of course. This time of the year and the summer is when you really pile on the make-you-smile contemporary reads. Basically, geeky Audrey is hurt by her father's death and BFF's transformation so to get money for college, she makes the boyfriend app. Of course, things will go wrong.

8. Dark Triumph by Robin LaFevers

Release date: April 2

The sequel to Grave Mercy! Holla. More nun assassins, twists, romance, and death.

9. How My Summer Went Up in Flames by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski

Release date: May 7

I know, I have a summer book addiction. But this is also a cute cover and look! Road trip time. It is a win-win situation.

10. Zits: Chillax by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

Release: May 21

Is it pathetic to say that this book is easily in my top two even though it is a comic book? Zits is my all-time favorite comic. I'm a bit too excited for this one.

Honorable mentions: 

This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith (I'm getting a preorder from a giveaway!), The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen, That Time I Joined the Circus by J.J. Howard, Towering by Alex Flinn, My Life After Now by Jessica Verdi, Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt

I could keep going on so I'll stop. 

What is on the top of YOUR spring TBR list? 

Review: 52 REASONS WHY I HATE MY FATHER by Jessica Brody

Title: 52 Reasons Why I Hate My Father

Author: Jessica Brody

Publication date: July 3, 2012

Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux (Macmillian)

Being America’s favorite heiress is a dirty job, but someone’s gotta do it. 

Lexington Larrabee has never to work a day in her life. After all, she’s the heiress to the multi-billion-dollar Larrabee Media empire. And heiresses are not supposed to work. But then again, they’re not supposed to crash brand new Mercedes convertibles into convenience stores on Sunset Blvd either.

Which is why, on Lexi’s eighteen birthday, her ever-absent, tycoon father decides to take a more proactive approach to her wayward life. Every week for the next year, she will have to take on a different low-wage job if she ever wants to receive her beloved trust fund. But if there’s anything worse than working as a maid, a dishwasher, and a fast-food restaurant employee, it’s dealing with Luke, the arrogant, albeit moderately attractive, college intern her father has assigned to keep tabs on her.

In a hilarious “comedy of heiress” about family, forgiveness, good intentions, and best of all, second chances, Lexi learns that love can be unconditional, money can be immaterial, and, regardless of age, everyone needs a little saving. And although she might have 52 reasons to hate her father, she only needs one reason to love him.

Review: 

Lexington Larrabee is the youngest of five, the only girl, and the only one still under eighteen in the Larrabee clan. Her father is a business mogul and not at all around for his children. Since her mother died when Lexi was young, she actually can't remember a time when they were a family and has been told the same thing about her mother, that she was "loving, maternal, etc." but nothing else. When Lexi crashes her car into a store, her father lays down the law. Lexi has to take on a new minimum-wage job every week for the next year if she wants to get her multi-million trust fund. 

Do you know what I loved most about this story? The humour. Jessica Brody writes Lexi's narrative in such a hilarious way, I couldn't stop smiling. Her writing throughout all of this captured my attention and I had to store this book in the WHY Didn't I Read This Sooner?! pile of books. 

One of the reasons why I liked Lexi so much was that while she was trying to overcome her problems and she was a spoiled heiress at first, she learned. She grew. She matured. Most of all, she had dry humour, wit, and sarcasm on her side. Her humour isn't over the top or a joke, it's real and entertains me. MCs who successfully bring in the humour and snark/sarcasm/genius lines capture my heart pretty quickly. 

But the RIGHT kind of unhappy. 

Then Jessica Brody tackles the daddy-daughter issue. Parents are frequently played as a major part of the YA MC's problems. In lots (if not all) of Sarah Dessen's novels, the MC has pretty awful parents. In 52 Reasons, Lexi has a dead mother who she knows nothing about (and whatever she might know about her, she has doubts whether they are real) and a workaholic father who has a stone for a heart. 

Starving for those empty, one-word appraisals that I would hungrily gobble up and store in my cheeks like a chipmunk who didn't know when it would be able to eat again.

After years of knowing she would never get a real conversation out of her father, she avoids him. She even admits that she has spent more time with Bruce, her father's personal lawyer. Throughout the course of the story, she tells and explains some pretty sad things about her life. Playing with hired help, talking to her father's portrait, waiting for her father to pop in the house for a couple minutes. As a girl who loves her father and being close to him, the thought of anyone (fictional or not) with this relationship made me want to hug her. However, I did not feel as if Lexi was going all WAH WAH on me, complaining/whining about everything. 

Plus, Jessica Brody does not make it like everyone else's parent sob story. Some elements will always be the same and it needs to be that way, but she makes Lexi's story her own. She makes the Larrabee story interesting and fresh. Lexi goes from spoiled to hard-working and I loved seeing her work her way through the process. 

The video updates were other nice touches through the whole book. We didn't see her at every job so to make up for it, Lexi paints a vivid picture in each update for each of her jobs. We see her transform in that way too and making positive comments instead of complaining ones. It made me want to go get those kinds of jobs. (I wondered if the flower delivery job was really that uplifting. It seemed nice.)

The romance was not a central part in the story, but I was glad that it wasn't. Luke wasn't swoon-worthy, but he was lovable. The only issue I had with this was my confusion. Something happened with Luke and I wish it was explained or concluded later. (No spoilers here!) 

From the first line:  

My father is going to kill me.

To the next line and the lines after that until we reach the final end, I was entertained. I loved the elements to it and was thoroughly enjoying myself. After many "eh" books, I finally was back in stride. 

In the end, all I have to say is: BRAVO! 

Verdict: A humorous, entertaining novel that made me craving for more of the author's novels.

Wishlist Wednesday #13

Title: The Moon and More

Author: Sarah Dessen

Publication date: June 4, 2013

Publisher: Viking Juvenile

Luke is the perfect boyfriend: handsome, kind, fun. He and Emaline have been together all through high school in Colby, the beach town where they both grew up. But now, in the summer before college, Emaline wonders if perfect is good enough.

Enter Theo, a super-ambitious outsider, a New Yorker assisting on a documentary film about a reclusive local artist. Theo's sophisticated, exciting, and, best of all, he thinks Emaline is much too smart for Colby.

Emaline's mostly-absentee father, too, thinks Emaline should have a bigger life, and he's convinced that an Ivy League education is the only route to realizing her potential. Emaline is attracted to the bright future that Theo and her father promise. But she also clings to the deep roots of her loving mother, stepfather, and sisters. Can she ignore the pull of the happily familiar world of Colby?

Emaline wants the moon and more, but how can she balance where she comes from with where she's going?

Sarah Dessen's devoted fans will welcome this story of romance, yearning, and, finally, empowerment. It could only happen in the summer.

The last line of the synopsis from Goodreads says "...fans will welcome this story of romance, yearning, and, finally, empowerment." I would definitely welcome it. I would welcome it so much that I would probably jump up and down if I ever got accepted for an ARC of this. 

What are you wishing for this week? 

Top Ten Tuesday: Series That I'd Like to Start But Haven't...Yet.

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

This week on Top Ten Tuesday, we get to list series that we would like to start, but haven't. Yet. Oh goodness, time to tackle the TBR pile.

1. Matched by Ally Condie

I have heard such great things about this series. Whether it be an overall series someone loves or the romance, it does not matter. I seem to see this everywhere. I WILL be getting to this soon. 

2. Iron Fey by Julie Kagawa

Another series, I have seen everywhere. When I had my giveaway a couple months ago, I had asked people what their favorite YA book was. This series kept cropping up. 

3. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

HOW CAN THIS BE, you ask. I was never allowed to read this because of the witchcraft. I do not have a burning desire to start it now either, but I am interested to see how I like it. With the movies, books, and everything else the fans adore about it, I feel a bit out of the book blogger loop. 

4. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

I have watched the movies tons of times, have even read the first two books. But I STILL have not read the rest in this series and keep meaning to. Someday. 

5. Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

I never really heard of this series until Boundless came out and then it was all "AH THIS IS SO GOOD" from all the bloggers. I vow to read this very soon. 

6. Chemical Garden by Lauren Destefano

To be honest, for the longest time, I never knew what this series was even about. But if I heard Wither, Fever, or Sever, I knew what series they were talking about because I have seen the covers and heard the titles numerous times. 

7. The Queen's Thief by Megan Whalen Turner

Like Anne of Green Gables, I have read at least ONE book in this series. I read The Thief out of bribery from my sister Shelver. She keeps clamoring about the romance in the second book and I know I really should read the rest of the series. I'm just a horrible procrastinator. 

8. Across the Universe by Beth Revis

This series sounds fantastic. I heard a few mixed reviews on the first two, but I heard the last one is amazing.

9. Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

I actually thought I had read this for the longest time, but I realized that I, in fact, have not. The covers kind of throw me off, but that really is no excuse.

10. The Mara Dyer trilogy by Michelle Hodkin

Not pictured: The Retribution of Mara Dyer

Ever since the first one came out, I have been antsy to read this series. With the second one, everyone went all gaga on it. I am determined to start this series before the third one comes out. I have until October. Should be easy...right? 

~*~

Well, there's my list. You can see how badly I procrastinate, but I promise I shall get better. 

What series have you not read yet, but want to? 

Book Blogger Confessions #2

Hosted by For What It's Worth and Midnyte Reader

This week on the fun meme of Book Blogger Confessions, the topic is giveaways. And this time, it's a bit like an interview.

Q: As a blogger, how do you feel about extra entries, required entries etc? 

For me, I do like and enjoy extra entries. Not only for my own personal giveaways here, but also when I go enter somewhere else. As a blogger, I can have them be a follower, follow on Twitter, give me book recommendations by commenting, and/or have them tweet about it to spread the word. I think extra entries are very beneficial. Required entries? It can go either way. But as for all entries, I do not want the readers having to go through so many hoops. There's a limit on how many entries there will be and the number is not 37. 

Q: Do you have a system to choose/announce winners and keep prizes organized? What method works best for you when hosting a giveaway? (Rafflecopter/Google Doc's or other)

I announce by emailing the winner and giving them 48 hours to respond. I don't announce on my blog or do anything else. I MIGHT also announce on Twitter if they are on there. Choosing also goes with my method. "Always" sounds so confining, but I will probably always use Rafflecopter. It's easy for me and I think the people entering as well. With Rafflecopter, it chooses randomly for me. 

Q: What do you do about people who enter your giveaways but don't follow instructions exactly? 

You mean...cheaters? THEY SHALL GET MY WRATH OF DISAPPOINTMENT AND DOOM SHALL DESCEND OVER THEM. 

Well, if the cheater is a winner, I will pick another winner. If a cheater is someone else, I probably won't know about it and there's nothing I can do. But if someone doesn't complete something that they said they completed or lied or anything in that way, I won't give the prize to them. Their fault. 

Q: Have you ever had problems hosting a giveaway sponsored by an author or publisher who is supposed to send the prize to the winner and doesn't? How have you handled these issues?

No. I have never had a sponsored giveaway before so I do not qualify for this question. Hey, if an author or publisher wants to sponsor a giveaway here, contact me. 

Q: As a prize winner - what do you do if your prize never arrives? Do you contact the blogger or just let it go? 

If it's sponsored by a publisher or author? I haven't been in that situation, but if it's been a long time and doesn't come, I will contact the blogger. They have probably been in contact with the other party even if it is not their fault. If it is just the blogger's giveaway, I will definitely contact the blogger. Although it is very nice of them to give their stuff away, it is also their responsibility to follow through. I entered. I most likely followed them. I did everything they asked of me and did not cheat. I earned it. You told me I won. Now send it. 

~*~

Man, I'm in the giveaway mood now. I've only participated in two hops, but I'm thinking of either: doing another one or doing an individual one. Actually, if all goes according to plan, I will soon have two signed Ally Carter books to give away. You'll just have to keep checking back, I guess :) 

What are your feelings with all these giveaway questions? Have you had problems with giveaways before? 

**ANNOUNCEMENT** 

Blue Sky Bookshelf as been nominated for the Noob Award for Book Blogger Twitter Con (#BBTC) hosted by Parajunkee and The Bookish Brunette. This is not me telling you to go vote for me (you should vote for whoever you want to), but me letting you readers know what is happening. Even if you do not vote for me, you should vote for someone in BBTC. The event will take place April 1 to April 7. The voting started March 1. The run-offs will end March 8. Then the finals will take place March 13. For more information, go HERE.