Kazumi Reads

Plot Summary:
After revealing herself to Cinder, Criss has put herself in danger. Locked away in a satellite, with no one to talk to other than "Little Cress," Cress has taken it upon herself to be a guardian of Earth. Although she has been instructed to report back to Levanna, through Lady Sybil, Cress has decided that she will protect Cinder and her crew. However, after taking a look at Thorne, Cress has taken an interest in this wanted criminal and is slowly developing feelings for him. When Cinder contacts Cress, they have decided that the best way to take down Levanna is with Cress, which means, they are on their way to rescue her. Excited, and nervous, Cress is ready to venture out on her own. What was supposed to be an easy rescue, turns awry when Lady Sybil shows up unexpectedly, which leads to disaster: Cress and Thorne are trapped in the satellite that is careening straight for Earth and Scarlet has been kidnapped by Sybil. With no way to communicate with the Rampion, Thorne and Sybil must face the Saharan Desert on their own while Cinder is trying to save a badly injured Wolf. Luckily, Cinder has decided to seek out Dr. Erland, who is in Africa, who not only has some even more devastating new, but is about to be reunited with someone he had lost long, long ago. On the other side of the planet, Kai is struggling with his decision to marry Levanna, but is desperately trying to keep her from destroying the Earth. However, with the new information he has in regards to Cinder and the Princess Selene, his feelings for Cinder are multiplying especially when he realizes that she isn't the monster her stepmother made her out to be in. In fact, Kai also learns that Cinder is immune to Leutomosis and that the antidote Levanna gave him is actually the cure they have been waiting for. Lastly, now that Scarlet is Lunar custody, she is trying to escape but is unable to fight their "powers." Fearing that she may never escape, Scarlet yearns for her grandmother and Wolfe, but then Scarlet does something that will change her fate forever.

Critical Evaluation:
Honestly, Marissa Meyer is so unbelievably awesome and is on her way to greatness. I cannot express how awesome and uplifting it is to read, and go on an adventure, with insanely powerful young ladies. Contrary to the "damsel in distress" that we are all accustomed to, Meyer's fairy tale heroines are smart, funny, quirkly, vulnerable, and down right adorable (especially Cress). In this installment, readers are getting to know the young lady who has been trapped in her satellite for many years and they will just fall in love with her. Could it be her naivety? Her innocence? Or could it be the fact that she is probably one of the most empathetic person we have come across? Cress may be a "shell" but her heart is so big that there is no way she was destined for a lifetime in a satellite. In fact, there is something about Cress that threatens Levanna so, by losing her, and Cinder, the holes in her plans are getting bigger and bigger. What I love most about these books is that all even though all of the young ladies have their "handsome prince," but, in reality, the ones who have needed the saving have been Kai, Wolf, and Thorne. Who would have thought!? In this day and age, women are taking on bigger, and larger roles, where it's about time they are being recognized for their abilities and Meyer provides young teens girls with amazing examples. I may not be a mother, yet, but I love to mother the teenagers I work with so I highly approve of this series because it is really meant for young people (in general). Now, I am not saying that the young men in this story are weak (quite the contrary), but they have met their matches in these young ladies, which is not only attractive, but worth fighting for. At the end of the day, all of them are fighting for one thing, which is freedom from Levanna and the desire to be happy and loved. I am SOOOOO anxious about the final installment and I am ready for any twists and turns that Marissa Meyer may have designed because, DARN IT, the woman can WRITE!

Information about the Author:
According to her website:

One of my first spoken words was “story” (right along with “bath” and “cookie”), my favorite toy as an infant was a soft, squishable book, and I’ve wanted to be a writer since I first realized such a job existed.

When I was fourteen my best friend introduced me to anime and fanfiction—over the years I would complete over forty Sailor Moon fanfics under the penname Alicia Blade. Those so inclined can still find my first stories at fanfiction.net. Writing fanfic turned out to be awesome fun and brought me in contact with an amazing group of fanfiction readers and writers. As Alicia Blade, I also had a novelette, “The Phantom of Linkshire Manor,” published in the gothic romance anthology Bound in Skin (CatsCurious Press, 2007).

When I was sixteen I worked at The Old Spaghetti Factory in Tacoma, Washington, affectionately termed “The Spag.” (Random factoid: This is also the restaurant where my parents met some 25 years before.) I attended Pacific Lutheran University where I sorted mail that came to the dorm, carted tables and chairs around campus, and took writing classes, eventually earning a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing and Children’s Literature. Knowing I wanted a career in books, I would also go on to receive a Master’s degree in Publishing from Pace University (which you can learn more about here). After graduation, I worked as an editor in Seattle for a while before becoming a freelance typesetter and proofreader.
Then, day of days, someone thought it would be a good idea to give me a book deal, so I became a full-time writer. CINDER is my first novel, though I have an adorable collection of unfinished ones lying around too.

I now live with my husband and our three cats (Calexandria Josephine, Stormus Enormous, and Blackland Rockwell III), who go in and out, in and out, about eight hundred times a day. My favorite non-bookish things include Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, re-watching episodes of Firefly, and playing all manners of dress-up.

Genre:
Teen Sci-Fi, Teen Fantasy, Teen Romance

Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 9 & up

Books Similar to Cress:

• Towering by Alex Flinn
• Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Awards & Recognition:
From Amazon.com:

"Once again, Meyer offers up a science fiction fantasy page-turner that salutes women’s intelligence and empowerment . . . Old and new romances, unfinished story lines, and the prognostication of wartime horrors all pave the way for Meyer’s much anticipated next installment, Winter, expected in 2015." - Booklist "This multilayered, action-packed page-turner is sure to please series fans." - The Horn Book