Book Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Rating:★★★★★

Synopsis: The first book in the Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer! See where the futuristic YA fairytale saga all began, with the tale of a teenage cyborg who must fight for Earth’s survival against villains from outer space.

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

With high-stakes action and a smart, resourceful heroine, Cinder is a Cinderella retelling that is at once classic and strikingly original.

Review: I have read this book before but I finally decided to read the full series!! I had put it off for a while but I shall wait no longer!! This book is brilliant, fantastic, extraordinary and all other synonyms of amazing! The Cinderella story is my favourite storyline of all time and although I don’t read many dystopian books, the dystopian twist on this story was just… phenomenal!

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Book Review: Girl at Heart by Kelly Oram

Rating: ★★★★ and a 1/2 or 4.5 stars

Synopsis: As the daughter of a successful Major League pitcher, Charlie Hastings has baseball in her blood. Unfortunately, being the only girl on her high school baseball team, Charlie has always been just one of the guys.

When her best friend, and secret love of her life, asks another girl to the prom, Charlie is devastated. She’s tired of being overlooked by boys because she’s not like other girls. Suffering a massive identity crisis, she decides to hang up her cleats and finally learn how to be a girl.

But with only two weeks until the state championships, the Roosevelt High Ravens can’t afford to lose their star catcher. Team captain Jace King makes her a deal: Don’t quit the team, and he’ll help her become the girl she’s so desperate to be. After all, he’s got four sisters, one of whom happens to be a cheerleader. He knows a thing or two about girls. (And if he can win her heart in the process, all the better.)

From the bestselling young adult author of Cinder & Ella, V is for Virgin, and the Avery Shaw Experiment comes a new sweet romance that’s sure to leave you with all the feels! Girl at Heart is a clean and wholesome sports romance that will leave you with warm fuzzies and an itch to watch a baseball game.

Review: I had been wanting to read this book for a while but kept putting it off. And what better time than to read it in quarantine. And my verdict is “this is so cute, my heart exploded!”, some bits were not that cute but overall it was just so heartwarming and sweet.

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Book Review: #TheRealCinderella by Yesenia Vargas

Rating: ★★★★

Synopsis: A modern-day teenage Cinderella. An all-star varsity basketball player. Will the chemistry disappear when they go from anonymous to face-to-face?

Geeky Ella Reyes is at the bottom of the totem pole at Westwood High. Her ultra-popular stepsisters refuse to be seen with her at school, and every day she comes home to a mountain of chores.

Ella’s only friend (and maybe crush) lives on the other side of her phone’s screen. She and Baller929 know everything about each other, except their real names.

When they have a chance to meet at her school’s Halloween ball, Ella must figure out a way to get there without her stepmom or stepsisters finding out.

Is revealing her identity to Baller929 worth risking the one good thing left in her life? Or is he too good to be true?

Review: Another Cinderella retelling!!! This one is a modern retelling and I really liked it! So the main character named Ella (Daniela actually) has the whole Cinderella package,evil stepsisters, demanding stepmother and an online crush named Baller929.

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Book Review: Geekerella by Ashley Poston

Rating: ★★★★

Synopsis: Cinderella goes to the con in this fandom-fueled twist on the classic fairy tale.

Part romance, part love letter to nerd culture, and all totally adorbs, Geekerella is a fairy tale for anyone who believes in the magic of fandom. Geek girl Elle Wittimer lives and breathes Starfield, the classic sci-fi series she grew up watching with her late father. So when she sees a cosplay contest for a new Starfieldmovie, she has to enter. The prize? An invitation to the ExcelsiCon Cosplay Ball, and a meet-and-greet with the actor slated to play Federation Prince Carmindor in the reboot. With savings from her gig at the Magic Pumpkin food truck (and her dad’s old costume), Elle’s determined to win…unless her stepsisters get there first.

Teen actor Darien Freeman used to live for cons—before he was famous. Now they’re nothing but autographs and awkward meet-and-greets. Playing Carmindor is all he’s ever wanted, but the Starfield fandom has written him off as just another dumb heartthrob. As ExcelsiCon draws near, Darien feels more and more like a fake—until he meets a girl who shows him otherwise.

Review: The Cinderella story retelling is one of my favourite types of books and this one is one of my favourites. It combines fandoms with fairytales and celebrity romances as well as the evil stepmother and stepsisters.

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Book Review: The Blood Spell by C.J. Redwine

My Rating: ★★★★ and 1/2 or 4.5

Synopsis: Blue de la Cour has her life planned: hide the magic in her blood and continue trying to turn metal into gold so she can help her city’s homeless. But when her father is murdered and a cruel but powerful woman claims custody of Blue and her property, one wrong move could expose her—and doom her once and for all. The only one who can help? The boy she’s loathed since childhood: Prince Kellan. Kellan Renard, crown prince of Balavata, is walking a thin line between political success and devastating violence. Newly returned from boarding school, he must find a bride among the kingdom’s head families and announce his betrothal—but escalating violence among the families makes the search nearly impossible. He’s surprised to discover that the one person who makes him feel like he can breathe is Blue, the girl who once ruined all his best adventures. When mysterious forces lead to disappearances throughout Balavata, Blue and Kellan must work together to find the truth. What they discover will lead them to the darkest reaches of the kingdom, and to the most painful moments of their pasts. When romance is forbidden and evil is rising, can Blue save those she loves, even if it costs her everything?

Review: I rarely read books set in the past or historical fiction books ( I’ve only ever read 2, The Beast’s Heart by Leife Shallcross and Riches to Rags by Casey L. Bound) but this book was incredible. If I could find more historical fiction books like this, I would definitely read more of this genre. This book was a retelling of Cinderella (fairy tale retellings are one of my favourite kind of books) but it had so much more than the basic story. Continue reading “Book Review: The Blood Spell by C.J. Redwine” →

Book Review: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

My Rating: ★★★★ or 4 stars

My Songs: It’s Time (Acoustic) by Imagine Dragons

These songs are personal to me, they remind me of this book (they may be songs that were popular during the time that I read this, with lyrics that relate to this book or it might just be random)

Synopsis: In an alternate United States, love has been declared a dangerous disease, and the government forces everyone who reaches eighteen to have a procedure called the Cure. Living with her aunt, uncle, and cousins in Portland, Maine, Lena Haloway is very much looking forward to being cured and living a safe, predictable life. She watched love destroy her mother and isn’t about to make the same mistake.

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena meets enigmatic Alex, a boy from the “Wilds” who lives under the government’s radar. What will happen if they do the unthinkable and fall in love?

Review: This book is a journey. It is in my top ten books even though it only has a 4-star rating. When I first read this book, I was entranced and I loved it so much but after rereading it I realised that this book isn’t as amazing as when I first read it. The story is one that has stuck with me for ages so that is why it is my top ten. There is one thing that kind of let this book down otherwise it was incredible. In this book, love is a disease; when you turn 18 the government forces you to get an injection that stops you from feeling love and any other strong emotions. Magdalena (or Lena) is soon reaching the age where she is injected with the ‘cure’. She then meets Alex, an outlaw who is against the government system and lives in the ‘Wilds’. Alex and Lena meet however Alex doesn’t tell Lena that he is from the Wilds. When Lena is told, she is at first hesitant however she and Alex soon start growing closer eventually falling in love. She must keep her relationship with Alex a secret all the while figuring out whether she should have the ‘Cure’ or become an outlaw. Continue reading “Book Review: Delirium by Lauren Oliver” →

Book Review: All The Little Lights by Jamie McGuire

My Rating:★★★★★

Synopsis: The first time Elliott Youngblood spots Catherine Calhoun, he’s just a boy with a camera, and he’s never seen a sadder and more beautiful sight. Both Elliott and Catherine feel like outcasts, yet they find an easy friendship with each other. But when Catherine needs him most, Elliott is forced to leave town. Elliott finally returns, but he and Catherine are now different people. He’s a star high school athlete, and she spends all her free time working at her mother’s mysterious bed-and-breakfast. Catherine hasn’t forgiven Elliott for abandoning her, but he’s determined to win back her friendship…and her heart. Just when Catherine is ready to fully trust Elliott, he becomes the prime suspect in a local tragedy. Despite the town’s growing suspicions, Catherine clings to her love for Elliott. But a devastating secret that Catherine has buried could destroy whatever chance of happiness they have left.

Review: This book deserves to be hyped up. All the Little Lights is one of the first dozen books I read- and to my ‘books I’ve read’ library, is a classic. I literally read this once a week – not the whole book obviously but perhaps a couple of paragraphs or a chapter. I can actually quote some of this book by heart. Apparently this is a coming of age book however I think it veers more towards Young Adult side. The plot line is amazing and the plot twist at the end!! I’m telling you now, this book is a hidden gem. Continue reading “Book Review: All The Little Lights by Jamie McGuire” →