Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Cinder by Marissa Meyer



This novel takes so many elements and just- whoosh- whisks it all together into a batch of goodness.

This book is beautiful, with its exciting and suspenseful plot guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat. This book is science fiction, fantasy, and romance all mixed together. This book is in third person, from Cinder's perspective, occasionally switching perspective.
Cinder is a retold fairy tale- Cinderella, but in this case, she's a cyborg set in futuristic times. There are the Lunars, who live on the moon and are ruled by the "evil queen", Levana. There's the plague, which is threatening to destroy all of humanity, Cinder is also a very skilled mechanic, and the beginning throws you into a bustling street with booths. The ball from the Cinderella story is also included in this story, although Cinder doesn't want to go.
Cinder is a likable, sarcastic character that will leave you rooting for her every step of the way. She makes mistakes, and is disliked by most of society. Her family, like in the Cinderella story, hate her. Except for Peony, one of the sweetest characters, who actually appreciates Cinder.
Iko is an android and one of the most lovable characters. She has an evolved personality chip, and wishes to be human. She also has a major crush on Kai, the prince of the Commonwealth. Kai is a prince who feels hopeless and all alone. When he meets Cinder, he finds someone that he can trust and speak to easily.
This setting is set in the Commonwealth in futuristic times, where Kai is loved and Cinder is despised, where Iko isn't appreciated and a dark plague is threatening to kill all Cinder loves.

Did I love, hate, like, or dislike this book? Yes, I liked this book. I would give it four stars. I think that Marissa Meyer showed the fact that Cinder is a cyborg wonderfully, giving a nice and smooth plot, without any awkward writing parts. I recommend this for those who love science fiction, retold fairy tales, and complicated romances.


Thursday, June 16, 2016

Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton


This book is amazing and wonderful and composed of so many beautiful elements.
Alwyn Hamilton takes a romance, a desert, a couple of guns, and mixes it all together! This book is in first person from Amani's  perspective.
Amani is exceptionally skilled at shooting a gun, because she grew up in a place where they have a weapons factory. She longs to get out of Dustwalk, and she tries to. Multiple times. She's great at deceit and trickery, capturing the heart of Jin, a foreigner. Amani is one of my favorite characters ever, because she is clever, sassy, and actually made me laugh out loud a couple of times.
This book is different from many other young adult fantasy books because the main character, Amani, actually makes mistakes (gasps and shudders). The character development is evident, and yet subtle. It's also difference because Amani actually saves her own skin and risks others, knowing fully what she is doing. She's not some self-sacrificing girl, she actually cares about herself and wants to survive. Another thing that sets this apart from other books is that she's not magically skilled. She actually tries, and fails the first couple of times.
The plot isn't the fastest, but it gets faster near the end, with exciting conflicts for Amani to tackle.
The setting is mainly in the desert, and the imagery is wonderful. This book is nerve-wracking. This is the type of book that you eagerly turn the next page, but you want to slow down and savor every last detail.
Do I like, love, or hate this book? Well, I love it! I would give it five stars. This is definitely for people who like a middle-eastern~ Wild West~ sort of feel.