Winter by Marissa Meyer

Inserted pictures used in this review are not mine.
This excludes my name.

Title: Winter
Author: Marissa Meyer
Page count: 823 pages
Date published: November 2015
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
My rating: 6 OUT OF 5 STARS!

Blurb:

Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.
Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won’t approve of her feelings for her childhood friend—the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn’t as weak as Levana believes her to be and she’s been undermining her stepmother’s wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long. Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters?

This is it. The conclusion of the Lunar Chronicles, one of my favorite series that I've had the pleasure to read. There's no more story to tell after this book. Everything comes to a head in Winter. Either Cinder will become the Queen of Luna or the plans of current Lunar Queen Levana will come to fruition and she will become unstoppable. This book is where the fates of all our favorite characters are hung in the balance. War is coming. It's all down to the wire now. Cinder, Kai, Cress, Thorne, Wolf, Scarlet, Winter, and Jacin are going to have to fight for their lives and the lives of the people they love. But one thing is for sure... war is inevitable. No one is safe.


Where do I start with this big (this book is over 800 pages) gem? I've been patiently awaiting the release for Winter from the moment I finished Cress. I remember thinking that Cress would be my favorite book of the series but since finishing Winter my mind has changed. Winter is mind-blowing. Now I understand why it took so long for this book to be released. There is so much depth to this book. The plot outline is simply genius, and I'm astounded by the depth of Meyer's mind to have a story so intricately woven from start to finish. I told a friend of mine earlier in the week that the plotting of this series reminds me of Harry Potter because the seemingly insignificant pieces of information from the first book becomes very important by the time the last book comes around. I know that Meyer outlined this series and it's apparent that this kept her plot together throughout all four books. The books in The Lunar Chronicles are intricately woven together so I wouldn't suggest reading books out of order. Start with Cinder, the first book, and make your way through the series.

My initial thoughts after finishing Winter was bittersweet happiness. I was and still am so impressed with the way this series ended. I can't help but be a little sad though. I've grown to love Cinder and her gang as I read the books, and I didn't want it to end. Even if the ending is so good. This series has left a lasting impression on me and sometimes once the story is over it's hard to move on to another book, especially after reading something so magnificent.

Yes, this book and its predecessors are magnificent.

The book begins after the events of Cress. Most of the gang is aboard the Rampion. Minus Scarlet, who is a prisoner on Luna. As this book is a big part of Winter's story, you'll read a lot of chapters in Winter's point of view and that of her true love, Jacin. I love all of the characters in this series but I'll admit that it was refreshing to read from two new point of views. As you could probably gather at the end of Cress, Winter isn't in the most sound state of mind. She represses  her lunar gift which in turn makes her a little crazy. I love her craziness though. It's entertaining to read about. There is never a dull moment with Winter's point of view.

It was so much fun to see more of Luna. The gang spends 99% of the book on Luna, and I loved every minute of it. It was nice to finally read about Luna after having heard so much about it throughout the series.

Cinder & gang are as lovely as ever. I like that their group is so loyal to each other. Each of them is completely different from the other but they all work so well together. All have their own faults and insecurities but they're nothing if not valiant and fierce and brave. Even Cress learns to stand on her own two feet and break out of her shell if even just a tiny bit.

The romance that makes this series so popular is just as adorable and endearing as it was in the other books. Maybe even more so. I ship all of the couples (Cinder & Kai, Scarlet & Wolf, Thorne & Cress, Winter & Jacin) but my favorite couple has still stayed the same. Thorne and Cress are just too cute not to love the most. That said, all couples have some sort of "awww" moment in Winter that makes me giggle like a schoolgirl. If you're a lover at heart this book won't disappoint.

One of my favorite things about Winter is that there is never a prolonged dull moment in the 800+ pages. The second I was beginning to get a little bored in between climatic scenes the plot would get rolling again. I never got truly bored with this book and that's saying something considering the enormous page count. There was always something going on that piqued my interest long enough for the plans of my favorite characters to go haywire and send me to a near heart-attack.

Let's just say that shiz hits the fan. No one is safe. The characters are going to have to put their lives on the line for the Lunar cause. This is scary because if you've read this series then you know how psycho Levana and Aimery are. They wouldn't blink twice about killing our beloved characters and that. scared. me. to. death. I spent most of the battle scenes cringing and biting my nails.. all the while desperately wishing that someone would kill Levana.

Speaking of Levana..

I spent a good part of this book despising Levana and wishing that she were dead. She's been horrible through the entire series but she's downright evil in Winter. I once thought that she could be redeemable but have long since discarded that idea. Levana is twisted. There is nothing good left in her. Her ideas and dreams for Luna are warped and have corrupted her to the point where she's willing to commit all kinds of horrible acts.

All of this is why she makes such a good antagonist. Levana is the character that you love to hate. There's more to her than just blatant craziness. I suggest that you read Fairest, the novella in Levana's point of view from her life as a child all the way up to how she became queen. It really gives an insight to some of the reasoning behind Levana's madness. I didn't pity her one bit but I did understand her better after knowing her backstory. Levana is such a strong character and such a good villain. I think that her point of view in Winter was very interesting and I always enjoyed reading through her 'eyes'. The way she feels and experiences things are so much different from Cinder and her gang. Levana is the true crazy one. Not Winter.

UGH. I just love this series and hate that it's ended. The ending was perfect. It was everything that I could have hoped for. I'm sad to see it end but I'm happy I had the opportunity to read it. This will be a series that I re-read for many years to come. And force others to read. He-he.

Until next time,

                 

Lailah by Nikki Kelly

   

                                                                                       

Title: Lailah

Author: Nikki Kelly

Page count: 388

Date published: 2014

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

My rating: 1 out of 5 stars!

Blurb:

The girl knows she’s different. She doesn’t age. She has no family. She has visions of a past life, but no clear clues as to what she is, or where she comes from. But there is a face in her dreams – a light that breaks through the darkness. She knows his name is Gabriel.

On her way home from work, the girl encounters an injured stranger whose name is Jonah. Soon, she will understand that Jonah belongs to a generation of Vampires that serve even darker forces. Jonah and the few like him, are fighting with help from an unlikely ally – a rogue Angel, named Gabriel.

In the crossfire between good and evil, love and hate, and life and death, the girl learns her name: Lailah. But when the lines between black and white begin to blur, where in the spectrum will she find her place? And with whom?

Gabriel and Jonah both want to protect her. But Lailah will have to fight her own battle to find out who she truly is.

I DNF'd (did not finish) this at page 66. The first two chapters were already red flags for me - I will later talk about them - and I told myself that I would still give this book a shot. If I still disliked this book by page 100, I would quit reading it. The only problem was that this book got progressively worse as I delved deeper into the story, and I just couldn't take it anymore. 

The main problem with this book is the character, Francesca. Or Cessie. Or Lailah. Whatever the hell she calls herself. It's besides the point. She could have a name that I absolutely adore and still be the incompetent idiot that she was/is. The other problem was the torturous love triangle that she reader will be forced to experience as the story goes along. 

But first I have to talk about the main character. For my sake and your own, I'll call her Lailah considering that is this book's title after all. Lailah is the typical dumb blonde that is used over and over again in young adult literature. She acts like a Plain Jane with the how-could-any-guy-love-little-ole-me type of personality. But she's got special powers that make her sooo unique, right? She's plagued with visions of her past lives but doesn't know who she really is. She can also heal really fast. And, of course, there is a sexy man that haunts her dreams. Lailah conveniently knows his name. Gabriel. With no home and no one to care for her, Lailah lives practically homeless, never staying in one place for very long. One day, however, her life changes. This happens in chapter one.  

He was hunched over in a heap on the ground. My first instinct was to turn and run away as fast as I could, but he was hurt and in pain. I stopped myself from bolting, but kept my distance. Perhaps he could smell my fear.

And how, pray tell, would someone be able to smell fear? If they were a Vampire, of course. And that's just what this mysterious man, who will eventually be known as Jonas, is. Lailah knows all about Vampires (not sure why vampires is capitalized in this book but it is) and their predatory nature. She was even attacked by a Vampire before. She should be hauling ass away from this guy to save her life, but what does she do? She helps him into a car (which is not her own might I add) and takes him back to an abandoned home where she has been staying.

Hmm. Something about this feels off to me. Oh, maybe it's due to the fact that the main character just invited a complete stranger into her home. Not to mention that he is part of a species that caused her bodily harm! If I wanted to roll my eyes and scream at that moment, I was really going to explode when I continued reading.

The same as every other night, I set a fire in the ancient fireplace, but for the first time since I had taken up residence in this house, I had someone to share warmth with. Strange how suddenly, even in the most bizarre of situations, a house can feel like a home.

Okay. Cool. Lailah is a complete and total idiot. She met Jonas all but two seconds ago and now she's feeling sentimental enough towards him to compare his appearance into her life as a warm fuzzy feeling. She totally disregards the idea that he can sink his fangs into her neck and drain all of the blood right out of her.

Now this is where the story gets ridiculous. Keep in mind by this time I'd already told myself I would give this book a shot but these next quotes from pages 18 and 19 made me start to rethink that idea.

Page 18:

Everything about him looked as though he had been carefully carved by an expert craftsman and then breathed into life. I was sure this was how they survived. Jonah's extreme beauty had given him away instantly. Thanks to the Vampire I had once ignorantly befriended, I now knew what hid beneath features like that. I was angry for allowing myself to be sucked in by his looks; they were merely a mask, disguising what he truly was - a killer.

Page 19:

Running his lips close to my neck, his breath tickling my skin, I found my insides doing strange somersaults, and suddenly I wasn't afraid anymore. His bottom lip skimmed my earlobe, sending little shock waves through me. He lingered and then whispered, "I meant... thank you." His words were sincere and soft - I felt my heart flutter.

Well. That escalated quickly. *facepalm*

As you can probably tell, the romance (or whatever you'd like to call this) is not realistic, and I can't help but laugh at the idiocy of it all. I don't know what Nikki Kelly was thinking when she decided to introduce such a scene on PAGE 19. Lailah had just went on to say that Jonah was a killer and then she lets him get close enough to her to where his lips are at her neck. He's a Vampire, for God's sake! Can she be any more stupid? Oh, she can because then her heart sprouts wings and flies away at his touch.

Someone PLEASE put me out of my misery. Why did I waste my time on this book? I should have agreed with my instincts and gave this one up when I saw the warning signs. This book only gets worse when Gabriel (surprise surprise) appears a couple of chapters later. Lailah and Gabriel have a moment where Lailah learns that Gabriel is an Angel. Again, surprise surprise. They have a bunch of little moments from then on out, but Lailah is also feeling connected to Jonah as well.

Whatever. I'm not sticking around to see how this love triangle plays out.

I do not, in any way, recommend this. I wouldn't even make my worst enemy read this. I can't believe I wasted precious time on reading this when I could be reading my brand-new copy of Winter by Marissa Meyer. Shame on me. I've learned my lesson, folks.

                                                     Until next time,

 

 

Ensnared by A.G. Howard

Title: Ensared

Author: A.G. Howard
Page count: 420 pages
Date published: Jan 2015
Publisher: Amulet Books
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars!

Blurb:

After surviving a disastrous battle at prom, Alyssa has embraced her madness and gained perspective. She's determined to rescue her two worlds and the people and netherlings she loves. Even if it means challenging Queen Red to a final battle of wills and wiles . . . and even if the only way to Wonderland, now that the rabbit hole is closed, is through the looking-glass world--a parallel dimension filled with mutated and violent netherling outcasts. In the final installment of the wildly popular Splintered trilogy, Alyssa and her dad journey into the heart of magic and mayhem in search of her mom and to set right all that's gone wrong. Together with Jeb and Morpheus, they must salvage Wonderland from the decay and destruction that has ensnared it. But if they succeed and come out alive, can everyone truly have their happily ever after?

It's the final fight for Wonderland. Everything falls into place in Ensnared. Alyssa must do whatever it takes to save Wonderland from Red's darkness. Sacrifices will have to be made. Tough choices will come to pass. Secrets will be revealed. 

It's safe to say that Ensnared was a helluva ride. Starting out and finishing strong, this book does not let up with the twists and turns, action, romance, magic, and mystery. It will leave you, as the reader, on your tip toes throughout all 420 pages. It will make you scream in agony and cry tears of joy. You'll wish that this book will never end because, let's face it, Morpheus is quite lovely and you'll never want to let  him go. 

I am so pleased with this book.

This has everything that I wanted and more. The reader will get some sweet and adorable scenes with Alyssa and her father. The chapters are never boring. Something is always happening in this book. I never once thought to myself that I wished something interesting would happen because something interesting always was happening. In this book, the reader will learn Red's past and the reasoning behind her actions. Alyssa will find her two loves, Morpheus and Jeb, and learn that one of them isn't the same since they were captured by Red and taken to AnyElsewhere. Alyssa will have to make some tough choices that will ultimately decide the fate of Wonderland and everything she loves. 

Alyssa has come so far from the girl she was in Splintered. She's grown to love and care for Wonderland in a way that she thought she never would. Wonderland has become an important part of her. She's fallen in love with Wonderland's insanity. She was so insecure and naive in the Splitered and since then she's grown up into a woman befitting a queen. She has the passion and strength that it will take to rule as Wonderland's queen and I'm so happy that she's matured. The development of Alyssa as a character throughout this series has been gradual but steady. As time passed, Alyssa's mindset began to change. She's more quick to think about the consequences of her actions before she does them. She's cunning now and that's what she needs to be in order to be a good and fair queen. Not only that, but she's learned the ways of Wonderland and what makes it tick. In order to make Wonderland a better place, she has to understand it in ways that no human ever could. She has to accept the netherling side of her heart and embrace it. And she does.. all the while keeping her human side in tact and a big part of her decisions in life. She has learned to accept herself for who she truly is, part human and part Wonderland, and that is the greatest thing she could ever do. 

I'm very pleased with how Alyssa grew as the series progressed, and I'm glad to see that it all tied together in her final journey. I couldn't ask for better character growth than what A.G. Howard gave me and so I applaud her for that. 

As for Alyssa's dilemma with the two men vying for her heart, the choice is much harder. Alyssa's heart is literally being torn in half from a spell that Red put upon her. Her netherling side and her human side are at war and it's killing her. A big part of that is her feelings for Jeb, her lifelong best friend and mortal knight, and Morpheus, the long-lost man from her dreams of Wonderland as a child. Both Jeb and Morpheus have a special place in Alyssa's heart and no matter what she does she can't shake either of them. She loves them both in her own way and can't stand to hurt either one of them. But there will come a time when she has to decide who she wants to have a future with. 

“Jeb is an anchor; he holds me grounded to my humanity and compassion. But Morpheus is the wind; he drags me kicking and screaming to the highest precipice, shoves me off, then watches me fly with netherling wings. When Jeb's at my side, the world is a canvas--unblemished and welcoming; when I'm with Morpheus, it's a wanton playground--wicked and addictive.” 

Her romance with Jeb has built up from years of friendship over the course of Alyssa's life. Needless to say, there's definitely chemistry between the two. I didn't like Jeb and Alyssa together in Splintered or Unhinged and refused to believe that Alyssa shouldn't be with Morpheus, but I have to admit that I did enjoy their relationship in Ensnared. Their relationship is a slow-burning love with trust and loyalty at the center. While it's not a whirlwind romance full of mystery and passion like with Morpheus, Jeb and Alyssa have a beautiful love as well. I hated Jeb in the first and second books because he tried to control Alyssa at every turn but I think that Jeb really understood in this book that Alyssa is strong and capable of making her own decisions. He had his own character growth as well and became something more than the jealous boyfriend. This is the reason why I could finally see why Alyssa loved him. They have so much history that it can't be denied. Despite the changes in Jeb (you'll understand what I mean when you read the book), there is a sweet intangible love that can't be erased or destroyed. As much as my past self would hate to admit this I have to... Jeb and Alyssa should be together. 

BUT the only problem is that Alyssa should be with Morpheus as well. Unlike Jeb and Alyssa's love, the love between Alyssa and Morpheus is full of magic and passion. It's a fiery hot love that burns everything it touches. No one can just get rid of a love like that. It's the kind of love that stays with you. And it should. Alyssa can't just erase her feelings for Morpheus. He is the perfect match for her. He understands her in ways that she doesn't even understand herself. He embraces her faults and strengths and loves her all the more for it. He doesn't want to control her or make her weak. He wants to stand beside her as she takes everything she can out of life. He sees her as his equal. He wants and needs her desperately. That's what their love is.. desperate. It's the kind of love that you get one taste of and realize what you've been missing all your life. 

"Jebediah has given up on you, but I never will. I can offer you the security you desire. If you'll but be mine, your heart will forever be sheltered in my care. Yes, we will quarrel incessantly and fight for dominance. And yes, there will be ravishes of passion, but there will also be gentle lulls. That is who we are together. You'll never need fear that your love is not reciprocated. For although you've made me feel things I am not equipped for... I cannot stop feeling them." His chin quavers. "You opened Pandora’s box within me. Set loose the imaginings and emotions of a mortal man. And there is no closing it ever again.” The jewels under his eyes twitch between dark purple and blue. “As much as I abhor being anything akin to human, Alyssa, I wouldn’t dare try to close it. Because that would mean losing you."

I adore Alyssa and Morpheus together. Their love is and never will be easy but that doesn't mean that it isn't real. They'll have to fight for love every single day but I know that they'll always choose to. This isn't infatuation. This isn't a crush. This is real, unbridled love. It doesn't go away. No matter what happens and whom Alyssa chooses, she will spend the rest of forever in love with Morpheus and vice versa.

As for the ending and the fate of Wonderland, you'll just have to read it. I will say that I thought the ending was fitting. All of the missing pieces throughout the series are solved and placed in order to create a masterpiece. Alyssa chooses who she wants to spend her life with and I respect her decision. I kind of had a feeling about what her choice would be before she made it as it hints toward it in the last bit of the book so I wasn't really surprised. I think the ending will satisfy readers in some way or another. 

Overall, I was so pleased with Ensnared. It was the perfect ending. (I just read on Goodreads that A.G. Howard is making a companion novel called Untamed which will share three stories that take place after the events of Ensnared, so you can bet that I'll be reading it!) 

                                                                Until next time,