Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Title: Cinder 

Author: Marissa Meyer

Series: The Lunar Chronicles #1

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

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.

 Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes | Google Play

“Imagine there was a cure, but finding it would cost you everything. It would completely ruin your life. What would you do?”

 

Cinder is the retelling of Cinderella with a side of Cyborg. The story begins with Cinder a well-known mechanic. She is a teenager but she is great at her job. It probably helps that she is part Cyborg. 

Cinder's at her work stand when she's approached by Prince Kai, the next in line to become Emperor of New Beijing's Eastern Commonwealth. Prince Kai asks Cinder to fix his personal android. It seems she (the android) has important information. After they cross paths, Cinder is thrown into a world of death, revelations, and politics.  New Beijing is dealing with a deadly plague known as Letumosis. There is no antidote, no cure. Cinder has no idea that because of it, her boring life is about to change.

I love my Disney's princesses. Cinderella is one of them. As you can imagine, Cinder is loosely based on this fairytale. Yes, Cinder has a step-mother and two step-sisters. There's a prince. A famous ball. Cinder is mistreated by her stepmother just like in the books. That's where the similarities mostly end. 

First major change,  Cinder is a Cyborg. Second big change, the moon has inhabitants. They are called lunar and they have powers. Manipulation of human minds is one of them, they also are able to use glamor, just like the Fae. I believe these specific changes are the main reason why I enjoyed this story so much despite guessing the plot from the beginning. 

After reading Cinder, I'm going to be starting Scarlet next. 

“Mirrors have an uncanny way of telling the truth.”

Cliffhanger: Yes

4/5 Fangs

Unbinding (World of the Lupi #11) by Eileen Wilks

Goodreads

Synopsis

After questing through the sidhe realms with her ex-hellhound lover, Nathan, Kai Tallman Michalski has finally returned home. But she knows Nathan will eventually be called back to serve his queen—and Kai will have to decide whether to enter her majesty’s service as well. Sure, the job comes with great bennies, but there’s one big downside: she would have to swear absolute fealty to the Queen of Winter.

For now, though, Kai is glad to be home, and glad that Nathan completed his mission for his queen with surprising ease. But what seemed to be a quick conclusion turns out to be anything but. The two of them helped thwart the sidhe god of chaos—and he is not happy about that. He’s got plans for them. Plans, too, for the sidhe who killed him some three millennia ago. Nor has he abandoned his plans for Earth, as they learn when chaos begins bursting out all over...

Buy Now

Amazon

Unbinding centers on Kai and Nathan.

If you have read the prior books you know Nathan used to be a Hellhound and he has pledged his loyalty to the Winter Queen. She cares for him and she has offered to care for Kai too. Kai is still undecided. 

Kai has a Gift and she also has a little sidhe in her. For me the best part of the book consisted of how unsure Kai is of herself and her Gift at the beginning of the story but when Nathan is captured she takes over the investigation and by the end of the book her character has grown and she knows what she wants. 

Nathan's love for Kai is undeniable. You know this is a man who will do anything in his power to keep her safe. I think he surprised himself in realizing he cared for others too. He cared for Dell, Kai's familiar and also for the Lupi. 

I like Dell, she was smart and instrumental in Kai's survival. 

We also get Cullen and Cynna and I adore them as a couple. Their book was one of my favorites in the series. 

Benedict and Arjenie play a big part too. I love how smart she is and when she refers to Benedict as a "poor baby" it made me smile. 

I know a lot of people missed Lily and Rule but even though I would have enjoyed reading about them I was very pleased with the story the way it was. 

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

With You (Tear Asunder 0.5) and Torn from You (Tear Asunder 1) by Nashoda Rose

With You

With You (Tear Asunder 0.5)

This prequel novella is the story of how Sculpt meets Emily.

Emily is a shy girl who needs to learn how to fight. She needs personal defense classes and she believes getting them from the illegal underground fighter Sculpt is the best way. Convincing him is another story.

Sculpt is an alpha male. He is an illegal fighter, he has tattoos and he is in a band. His voice is amazing and his band Torn will hit it big sometime soon. When Emily asks for his help he agrees after he learns why she needs it in the first place.  Soon he wants more from "Mouse" and the rest is history.
Wait, not so fast. This is just the beginning and Oh My, what a cliffhanger.

I love Emily and Sculpt. He is sexy and dangerous but he falls for Emily big time.

“Mouse.” He fell to the side and brought me with him so I was snug to his chest, my legs tangled within his. “Emily. You’re a fuckn’ trophy. My trophy.”

Sculpt is the perfect combination of hot tattooed, illegal fighter and rockstar all into one.

You will devour this book and start Torn from You immediately. I guaranteed it.

“Lego building.” 
I jerked at his words. “What?” 
“You think too much.” 
“So? I have a lot on my mind. And what does Lego have to do with it?” 
His dark eyes narrowed. “You build up blocks in your head in techno color.”

4/5 Fangs
ML

Torn from You (Tear Asunder #1)
by Nashoda Rose

Torn From You

Torn from You begins just after the ending of With You.
This is a dark contemporary romance.  So if you don't like this type of book please refrain from reading it.


The first half of the book deals with sex trafficking.
Emily is abducted and taken to a place in Mexico.
Raul is the leader and he is not a good man nor is the people around him.

Emily is beaten and she will be sold to the highest bidder unless Sculpt wins a fight.
Emily is broken. She believes Logan has betrayed her and she wants to escape.  Her sanity is at stake when she witnessed heinous acts committed around her.

The second half of the book deals with Emily's life after 2 years have gone by.
Her group of friends have expanded and now includes old friends like Matt, Kat and Georgie and new friends like Deck and the Tear Asunder band members.

I hate to give spoilers away but this book gave me a serious book hangover. The story is dark and it was hard to read for me. I hate women being hurt and the picture Nashoda paints is so real that it's scary.
Emily is a survivor and despite the horrible situation she was in, she never really surrendered.  Her road to healing is a long one but I was very happy where the story went.
Sculpt/Logan won me over.  I thought about how much I love Caleb from Captive in the Dark and I can definitely add Logan to that list.  He was the perfect combination.
I'm dying to read all of the other character stories. I even wonder about Kai and Raven.
If you are able to read this type of romance, this is a must read.

Favorite quotes:

“You hate what I pretended to be. You hate that I wasn’t your knight in shining armor. You hate that I made you fear me. But don’t run from the truth, Eme. You want to hide behind your Lego blocks and not take the chance at being vulnerable again. But the truth is you’re more vulnerable now, because you are hiding.”

“Mouse, we can fix this.”

“It’s not just broken, Sculpt. It’s shattered.”

 “I will smash through them.”

“Smash through what?”

“The Legos, Emily.”

“Deck needs a fucking army of red ants shoved up his ass.”

“All sweet was out; hot and scary with a teaspoon of sweet was in.”

“I loved you. You used that against me,” I whispered in a ragged voice.

“No. I used it to save you.” 

“Dream sweet, Emily.” 

“Ethan? From Strikeback?”

I turned to Ethan. “You from Shrrikeback?” My words came out very slurred, but it sounded like he understood me.

“Yeah, Princess. My band.” He smiled and winked.

“He says yep.”

“Did I just here him call you Princess?”

“I can’t erase you. I tried, but I can’t.”

“You can’t erase what’s engraved.”

“You, Emily. You’re worth fighting for. I fought all my life, but never for anything worthwhile. Now ... Now I’m fighting for my heart. Bullshit ends here and now.”

4/5 Fangs
ML

You can buy the both books as one volume: