Kazumi Reads

Plot Summary:
In the final installment of The Lunar Chronicles, readers read about the life of Princess Winter, the stepdaughter of Queen Levana. While Levana scours the universe for Cinder, Winter finally learns the identity of Cinder who happens to be her blood relative. More importantly, Winter continues to communicate with Scarlet, who happens to be an ally of Cinder. In order to take down Levana, Cinder, Kai, Wolf, Cress, and Thorne devise a plan that is not only dangerous, but could result in the their deaths. In order to infiltrate the Lunar Kingdom, Kai convinces Cinder that they only way they will get close to Levana is to go through with wedding. In other words, Cinder must bring down Levana at the coronation, which is not only risky, but could seal the fates of every Lunar and Earthling. Despite the danger, Levana must be stopped because she is the key to supplying the antidote to the plague that is destroying the citizens of Earth. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the crew, Levana is planning something even more evil and that is to not only destroy Cinder, but Winter as well. As Cinder and her crew uncover the horrors of Levana's rule, they learn the real reason behind her hatred for both Cinder and Winter. This is an epic conclusion to an amazing adventure where five young women must not only battle evil, but they must for the sake of those they love and hold most dear.

Critical Evaluation:
 I will admit that I am a huge fan. Not only is it genius to put a science fiction spin on fairy tail characters, it's even more awesome when they know how to fly space ships, hack networks, and be all around bad asses while maintaining their beautiful spirits. I was very, very happy with this conclusion because it did not end in a WEDDING! OMG! Thank you so much Marissa Meyer for providing a story for strong young women where they decide their fates, who they love, and how they will live their lives. This series will be a forever fixture on my book shelf because I want to read it with my future children where everything great in literature collide. Although Winter is not tough like Cinder or Scarlet, her strength lies in her kindness. Unlike Levana, the people love her not just for her beauty, but because of her gentle spirit. More importantly, Winter refuses to use her powers on her subjects, which is why she suffers from hallucinations. Winter literally dies a little with each episode, but she refuses to hurt her people. More importantly, her love for Jacin is so beautiful and his loyalty and love for her is so refreshing! One thing I got to had to Marissa Mayer is her ability to create beautiful couples. Although I am a huge Team Scarlet/Wolf, Team Winter/Jacin is my second favorite. All in all, this was a fantastic ending and I can't wait to read Marissa Meyer's next series!

Information about the Author:
According to the author's 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 Fantasy, Teen Romance
 
Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 8 & up
 
Books Similar to Winter:

• Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
• Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
• Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige

Awards & Recognition:

“In this final book in the Lunar Chronicles, the stepdaughter of the wicked Queen Levana joins Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress to defeat the Queen and restore Cinder―aka Selene―as the rightful ruler of Luna. Yes, it's another one of Meyer's very fractured fairy tales, in which she offers a new amalgam of Grimm's fairy tales, science fiction, violence, women's lib, and romance. Our Snow White stand-in, Winter, is beautiful in spite of facial scars, kind to all she encounters, mentally fragile, and in love with her lowly guard, Jacin . . . Meyer's series has sold well and achieved a degree of acclaim. This conclusion's cinder-block size should only drum up further interest.” ―Booklist, starred review

Plot Summary:
The only life Darrow has ever known is the dangerous life of a helldiver. As a helldiver, Darrow mines precious gases of Mars to help those on the surface create a world where every living creature can live on the surface. Known as the Reds, Darrow and his brothers battle the heat, flames, and pitt vipers of Mars to win a bounty of items that will benefit his clan. Although Darrow is content with his life, his father's ghost haunts him because he decided to "dance" and speak out against the the Golds; by speaking out against the Golds--you die. Although this has been going on very several hundred years, the Reds continue to what they do with no questions asked. When Darrow's wife, Eo, opens his eyes to the truth of their people, she asks him to do the impossible: create a world where their children can be free. Unfortunately, Eo pays the ultimate sacrifice that forces Darrow to make a choice: either continue living a life of servitude or fight. After being saved by the rebellion, Darrow has the opportunity to take his revenge, but ti required a lot more than dying. He literally has to change who and what he is. After infiltrating the institute that trains young Golds to become elite military leaders, Darrow not only has to work with these young men and women, he has to hide the fact that he is Red. Pierce Brown has written a story that not only defies space itself, it will take readers onto a journey where blood, whatever its color, will be spilled and the corruption that that has oppressed the blood races will be exposed.

Critical Evaluation:
As a new writer, Pierce Brown has set the bar high when it comes to amazing storytelling. Given the popularity of Dystopian fiction, Brown has created a world that is not only terrifying, but could very well be our future if we don't take care of environment and each other. Darrow's characters development is not only dramatic, but all of the trials that he had to endure have proven just how tough and tragic his character is. This story is definitely violent, but the violence portrays how this society functions. When Darrow realized that if he was going to pass his trials, he had to do one thing: conquer. If he was to complete his mission to not only be an elite military leader and savior for the Reds, he knows that he cannot let his desire to belong and be loved get in his way. What's heartbreaking is that Darrow has formed some amazing friendships with his fellows Golds, but, in the end, he has to destroy them if he wants to accomplish his mission. This story will probably try every emotion we have to not only portray the evils of humankind, but it dares to give us hope that Darrow will succeed. As Darrow progresses, it will be very difficult to see him struggle with some of the decisions he had to make for the sake of survival. Furthermore, his relationship with Mustang will pull at the heartstrings because it can only end in tears. This is a breathtaking story that will not only make your blood pressure rise, but you will be up in the late hours trying to figure out if Darrow has what it takes to succeed.

Information about the Author:
According to the author's website:

Pierce Brown spent his childhood building forts and setting traps for cousins in the woods of six states and the deserts of two. Graduating from college in 2010, he fancied the idea of continuing his studies at Hogwarts. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have a magical bone in his body. So while trying to make it as a writer, he worked as a manager of social media at a startup tech company, toiled as a peon on the Disney lot at ABC Studios, did his time as an NBC page, and gave sleep deprivation a new meaning during his stint as an aide on a U.S. Senate campaign. Now he lives Los Angeles, where he scribbles tales of spaceships, wizards, ghouls, and most things old or bizarre.

Genre:
Science Fiction

Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 10 & up

Books Similar to Red Rising:

• Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
• Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
• Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Awards & Recognition:
From Amazon.com

“[A] spectacular adventure . . . one heart-pounding ride . . . Pierce Brown’s dizzyingly good debut novel evokes The Hunger Games, Lord of the Flies, and Ender’s Game. . . . [Red Rising] has everything it needs to become meteoric.”—Entertainment Weekly

“[A] top-notch debut novel . . . Red Rising ascends above a crowded dystopian field.”—USA Today
 
“Red Rising is a sophisticated vision. . . . Brown will find a devoted audience.”—Richmond Times-Dispatch

“A story of vengeance, warfare and the quest for power . . . reminiscent of The Hunger Games and Game of Thrones.”—Kirkus Reviews
 
“Fast-paced, gripping, well-written—the sort of book you cannot put down. I am already on the lookout for the next one.”—Terry Brooks, New York Times bestselling author of The Sword of Shannara
“Pierce Brown has done an astounding job at delivering a powerful piece of literature that will definitely make a mark in the minds of readers.”—The Huffington Post
 
“Compulsively readable and exceedingly entertaining . . . a must for both fans of classic sci-fi and fervent followers of new school dystopian epics.”—Examiner.com

“[A] great debut . . . The author gathers a spread of elements together in much the same way George R. R. Martin does.”—Tor.com

“Very ambitious . . . a natural for Hunger Games fans of all ages.”—Booklist

“Ender, Katniss, and now Darrow: Pierce Brown’s empire-crushing debut is a sprawling vision.”—Scott Sigler, New York Times bestselling author of Pandemic
 
“A Hollywood-ready story with plenty of action and thrills.”—Publishers Weekly
 
“Reminiscent of . . . Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games . . . [Red Rising] will captivate readers and leave them wanting more.”—Library Journal (starred review)