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Happy Book Week to
CRESS by Marissa Meyer!!!
(Just in case you somehow didn't know why we're celebrating A Week of Rapunzel all week long!)
CRESS by Marissa Meyer!!!
(Just in case you somehow didn't know why we're celebrating A Week of Rapunzel all week long!)
To celebrate, you could win...
all THREE books in the Lunar Chronicles series out so far (CINDER, SCARLET, CRESS),
a Rampion Poster,
AND
a CRESS Comb!!!
Keep reading to the end to see more!
B O O K T R A I L E R:
YouTube Link
HER SATELLITE MADE ONE FULL ORBIT around planet Earth every sixteen hours. It was a prison that came with an endlessly breathtaking view--vast blue oceans and swirling clouds and sunrises that set half the world on fire.
When she was first imprisoned, she had loved nothing more than to stack her pillows on top of the desk that was built into the walls and drape her bed linens over the screens, making a small alcove for herself. She would pretend that she was not on a satellite at all, but in a podship en route to the blue planet. Soon she would land and step out onto real dirt, feel real sunshine, smell real oxygen.
She would stare at the continents for hours and hours, imagining what that must be like.
Her view of Luna, however, was always to be avoided. Some days her satellite passed so close that the moon took up the entire view and she could make out the enormous glinting domes on its surface and the sparkling cities where the Lunars lived. Where she, too, had lived. Years ago. Before she'd been banished.
Did you see yesterday's AWESOME guest post with Marissa Meyer? Jump inside Cress's Black Folder and get a sneak peek at Marissa's writing process!!
I'll admit it now (and you all know it anyway): I'm biased when it comes to this series. I did, however, try to be as impartial as possible when reading and reviewing the book, so this review is based on the book's merits and not my love-fest revolving around Marissa Meyer. ^.~
It is getting harder and harder to review Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles series. She has a way of turning my brain to mush. I'm pretty sure she's out to get me. And you. And all of us. Meyer has a glamour all her own, and brainwashes us all into falling in love with her over and over again...and deservedly so. If you've yet to experience the Lunar Chronicles, you're in for a real treat. There's so much imagination and innovation throughout the series. I'm always in awe of high concept ideas, especially well-executed ones, and Meyer makes me love sci-fi, a genre I don't frequently read and enjoy. If you've only read CINDER and didn't continue due to predictable plot points, rest assured that SCARLET and CRESS are game changers. Still fairy tales, but oh, so, so much more.
I think that CRESS features my favorite cover in the entire series. It is so gorgeous and SHINY in person!!
You can enter once per day if you tweet on Twitter or if you comment on a new Week of Rapunzel post daily!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
O P E N I N G H O O K:
When she was first imprisoned, she had loved nothing more than to stack her pillows on top of the desk that was built into the walls and drape her bed linens over the screens, making a small alcove for herself. She would pretend that she was not on a satellite at all, but in a podship en route to the blue planet. Soon she would land and step out onto real dirt, feel real sunshine, smell real oxygen.
She would stare at the continents for hours and hours, imagining what that must be like.
Her view of Luna, however, was always to be avoided. Some days her satellite passed so close that the moon took up the entire view and she could make out the enormous glinting domes on its surface and the sparkling cities where the Lunars lived. Where she, too, had lived. Years ago. Before she'd been banished.
(Page 1, US ARC edition)
I'll admit it now (and you all know it anyway): I'm biased when it comes to this series. I did, however, try to be as impartial as possible when reading and reviewing the book, so this review is based on the book's merits and not my love-fest revolving around Marissa Meyer. ^.~
It is getting harder and harder to review Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles series. She has a way of turning my brain to mush. I'm pretty sure she's out to get me. And you. And all of us. Meyer has a glamour all her own, and brainwashes us all into falling in love with her over and over again...and deservedly so. If you've yet to experience the Lunar Chronicles, you're in for a real treat. There's so much imagination and innovation throughout the series. I'm always in awe of high concept ideas, especially well-executed ones, and Meyer makes me love sci-fi, a genre I don't frequently read and enjoy. If you've only read CINDER and didn't continue due to predictable plot points, rest assured that SCARLET and CRESS are game changers. Still fairy tales, but oh, so, so much more.
You would think that each book in the Lunar Chronicles series would be self-contained, right? One book per fairy tale character. You would, however, be wrong in this assumption. The four books form one cohesive series and characters from previous books intermingle in each new one with their own POVs, creating one full, consecutive story.
So do yourself a favor and read CINDER and SCARLET first. Read my double-review of these books instead. Otherwise, the following review of CRESS will slightly spoil you!!!
CRESS picks up where SCARLET takes off...eventually. First, of course, the novel takes the time to introduce us to its title character. Cress is a dreamer. Trapped alone in a satellite orbiting Earth, she lives a lonely existence. She's taught herself to be a wiz at hacking databases, etc, however, and has been keeping close tabs on Cinder and her crew. She's especially fascinated with the rugged Captain Thorne, idealizing him in ways that could be deemed as unhealthy. Except...what else is there to do when you're alone in a satellite except dream and make up stories? When Cinder brings her intergalactic campaign against the Lunars into space, Cress and Cinder collide, and Cress's world will never be the same. No one's will.
I love the way Meyer took the tale of Rapunzel, twisted it inside out, turned it upside down, mixed it all together, and spit out a brand-new story that still has the base recipe of all that makes Rapunzel good and wonderful. Rather than being trapped in a tower, Cress is, of course, trapped in a satellite that orbits Earth! There are still so many other elements that are the same as well, but you need to be surprised when you read them. It's half the fun! CRESS alone really showcases the lengths Meyer went when researching her novels as well. Cress is, of course, a type of lettuce. As is Rapunzel...and rampion, too, for that matter. And Rampion just happens to be the name of Captain Carswell Thorne's ship. And the name Carswell just happens to mean "lives at the watercress stream." And if his last name, Thorne, is any indicator, going by the way a witch throws a prince out of a long-haired heroine's tower, causing him to be blinded by thorns....hmmm, yeah. If you think that Thorne is the main love interest in CRESS...you'd be right. And that's how much attention to detail is in all of these books. We've previously met Thorne. Cress, too, for that matter. Did you realize what important roles both would play later on?
In fact, in CRESS, we even get to meet Winter, and I am SO EXCITED to read her story next year. Winter is...a very, very unique soul. It will be amazing to get in her head and see the world through her eyes. I'm so psyched to see how Meyer pulls this one up. My expectations are so high for Winter's character (And, of course, her book) after meeting her in CRESS! We'll also be seeing Jacin again, too, hmmm! Winter is one more shining example of how far Meyer is willing to go to create unique characters. She also makes them very realistic and down-to-earth. Cress has unhealthy fantasies that need to be pulled apart as she's introduced to reality. Thorne is not the perfect man she's dreamed him up to be, and she has to learn to appreciate who he actually is as a person. Meyer's also not afraid to dirty everyone up or let bad things happen. Scarlet goes through absolute hell in CRESS, and I couldn't believe that Meyer went as far as she did, but I was really proud of her capabilities to do so, too. Meyer has grown so much and come so far as a storyteller, and CRESS is a huge, shining example of this.
I seriously can't wait to see what happens in the final book. It's promising to be one heck of a knock-out!
Winter is Coming...
Are you prepared?
C O V E R D E S I G N:
There's even concept art for before CINDER's final look was conceived!
There are these barely-visible sparkles resting atop the red ribbon. When you shift the book and it hits the light, this effect makes it look like that ribbon is actually sparkling!!! It's my favorite element of this book. I can't stop staring!
I also really like how the books have stayed on theme with the same color palette despite being so different from one another. I love that the ribbon was red here, and entwined with all that pretty gold hair!
I can't wait to see what WINTER looks like. I'm betting on a shiny red apple...or ruby lips...or both!
~*~
O F F I C I A L I N F O:
Title: CRESS
Author: Marissa Meyer
Release Date: Feb. 4, 2014
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan
SUMMARY:
Rapunzel’s tower is a satellite. She can’t let down her hair—or her guard.
In this third book in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.
Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker—unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.
When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.
In this third book in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.
Their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker—unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.
When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can.
~*~
****Giveaway*****
Enter to win
one of TWO complete sets
of all three Lunar Chronicles books
currently out...
CINDER SCARLET CRESS
Enter to win
one of TWO complete sets
of all three Lunar Chronicles books
currently out...
CINDER SCARLET CRESS
as well as an awesome CRESS comb
and a Rampion poster!
Two lucky winners in the US/CA will win!
and a Rampion poster!
 |
| Don't you want a stylish CRESS comb and Rampion poster!? |
You can enter once per day if you tweet on Twitter or if you comment on a new Week of Rapunzel post daily!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
I have to read Cress because after Cinder and Scarlet I can't imagine not reading it. I'm going with the series to the end! No way I can stop now.
ReplyDeleteA year! A year until Winter! Nooooo!
DeleteI sort of wish I was reading CRESS again for the first time. At least there are novellas!
I need to read Cress because I need to see where this story goes! I am hooked.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Marissa being able to glamour! She is so wonderful. I LOVE the Lunar Chronicles and I really hope that one day she will tour close enough for me to go meet her! Cress was awesome! And I can't believe it is another year before Winter comes out!
ReplyDeleteI love the video trailer! I haven't started this series yet but with all this excitement over Cress I am getting pumped to pick it up!
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited to read Cress. I have liked your review and will come back to it after I have read Cress. For popular books I don't like to read reviews until after I have read the book especially when I know how much I'm going to love the novel.
ReplyDeleteI am currently reading Scarlet and I am in love with this series! Cress is definitely a must read for me! The world that Marissa Meyer created is just amazing! I can't wait for more books from her!
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ReplyDeleteI'm listening to the audio version of Cress right now, and OMG, I never want it to end. This book is incredible, and the audio narrator does an outstanding job.
ReplyDeleteI finished Cress yesterday and I basically sat around the rest of the day wondering what i'm going to do with myself. I loved that last scene with Cinder and Kai and just everything about the book. It was so AMAZING and I can't believe I have to wait until 2015 for Winter!
ReplyDeleteI need to read Cress because I have actually been dying to read the Lunar Chronicles series since it was released. And what better time than when multiple books are out? That way, I don't have to wallow in grief for a year.
ReplyDeleteAwesome review! I definitely need to pick this book up ASAP! I love how much detail you put into your review. You're right, Marissa is a fabulous author! :)
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