Currently Reading: Cress by Marissa Meyer (of Foreshadowing and Plot Developments, Oh My!)

Soooooo I kind of stayed awake until 7am for the past couple of days, reading Cress in the wee hours of the morning whilst struggling to put the damn book down and go to sleep, like a normal human being. This means that, for the past few days (even when reading Scarlet) I have been waking up in the afternoon. Oh dear...

Yeah, I ain't no good role model for my little niece right now!

Throws on some tunes, stops watching Buffy and actually continues writing this piece.

I'm not even kidding, I have been hooked on Cress since I started reading it. Already I'm up to Chapter 41, and with only 60 or so chapters in this book, I've pretty much sped through this in just two days. Two. Days. I'm beyond halfway through, and if I'm not careful with how much I read tonight, I could have it finished by dawn, because I literally can't put this bloody thing down. I really like it.

I really enjoy where Cress is going and with how the plot is developing thus far. I find that some of the developments have happened at a pace that was achingly slow for me, however no matter what, this book has had me on edge since I began it. It's taken a different turn to both Cinder and Scarlet, and whilst a romance does indeed blossom here (which I had hoped would not happen, I do admit) the focus is more-so on the characters coming together, their growth as people, and discoveries as well as the rise of a war.

It's gripping, there have been unexpected advancements in the novel and, clearly, maturity - you can sense Meyer's maturity as a writer in Cress, and how we have almost broken away from the Fairy Tales, but not completely. There was one especially shocking plot point in the book that really set me on edge as a reader that I had in no way anticipated, but found me in a fit of discomfort and rage for one of the characters. It was a powerful and rather emotional point in the book, reading the turmoil of this character. I was a tad distraught.

There are still elements of it that can be seen as a little clichéd or obvious in ways, and as I read Cress in the early hours of the morrow, I definitely picked up on the inspiration from Sailor Moon - I've noticed it in smatterings between all three books, actually, however it's most prevalent here, almost glaringly obvious (especially Artemisia; I snorted at that, I won't lie) but it's elements like this, the familiarity of something like Sailor Moon, which I watched during my own childhood, that is nice about the book. It does not borrow from this so heavily however, that it loses its true identity. Throughout, the Lunar World is still the Lunar World, and it is completely its own - Meyer doesn't engulf it in fanfiction fantasies or pre-existing characters. Really, there are only small parallels between the Lunar World and Sailor Moon that I can see in the books, but not so many that it becomes a problem or a headache as a reader.

Also, when reading Cress - and this is no issue, more a discovery - I finally seemed to latch on to some foreshadowing that, stupidly so, I did not see in Scarlet, where said foreshadowing began. The Rampion. For crying out loud, the bloody ship Carswell Thorne loves so damn much is a bloody foreshadowing device for the character Cress and himself, and how they are tied together in a way.
 Took me long enough, aye?

Getting back on track...

Cress is, by far, the best of the three books that have come out already - Cinder of course started it all, and Scarlet continued with the threat and beginnings of a war, however Cress is the story that brings forth the edge and emotion, I believe. It doesn't follow a similar pattern to its predecessors at all, and whilst it does hold that familiar romantic story we've come to know in the past two books, Cress truly comes into its own as a novel. It's gripping, leaves you on edge and begs that you read more. It's a book that I have had a difficult time putting down, and you can be sure that tonight, when I get ready for bed and sit down to read, I will have a hard time falling asleep once again.

I may rub my eyes as the light of a new morning drizzles through my curtains, and I may ache with want of sleep, but I know that no matter what, I won't put this story down until I am satisfied, and honestly? I won't be completely sated until it has all finished, and even then, I will be left wanting more.

Really, I worry for those long months when I have to wait for Winter to come out. That will truly ache...

Until next time, Happy Reading and Writing!

Be sure to sleep, because I won't with all this anticipation building up...
~ Kelly

Currently Reading: Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Listening to: Beauty and the Beast by Q; indivi


Around 5:00pm today:

I'm currently going through a bout of not wanting to see people, to just sit all on my own doing nothing. So I thought, as I'm not really doing anything of worth, why not finally get to doing that Currently Reading post I was meant to start writing a few days ago? You know, just to seem productive and to show that I am still interested in this blog, and that, HEY! I'm reading as well? So yeah, we're gonna get into it, and I'm going to finally get this post rollin'!

12:07am:

... And yet, many hours later, I have only the opening title, and the rest is blank... -sigh-

I'm a terrible blogger, just sayin' XD

After finishing Marissa Meyer's Cinder some days ago, it was of course inevitable that I would eventually begin to read its sequel, titled Scarlet, and return to the world of The Lunar Chronicles. Since beginning the book, which I am trying to read every night right now, I have reached Part Two of the book, which begins with Chapter 11. So far, I am really enjoying Scarlet, though I do admit that I am not flying through it like I did Cinder as of yet.

The beginning of Scarlet feels a little slower than Cinder did in its beginning, though I don't mind that so much; it's setting the tone of the story more than anything, plus, this book is a little bigger, so I anticipate the middle and end to be a lot more thrilling - still, the opening chapters are anything but boring, allowing us to see just who the character of Scarlet is and just what makes her tick.
 It's an enjoyable opening, and Part One is a great opener for introducing our titular character as well as her companion, the mysterious and handsome Wolf.

Much like Cinder before this, the chapters will often switch between characters and continue the story from their perspectives, though with Scarlet, we read from the perspectives of Scarlet herself, Cinder from where she left off in the first book, Prince Kai from the first book, as well as a new character. By doing this, Meyer offers the readers a broader look into the characters of The Lunar Chronicles, creating eyes and ears almost everywhere, and allowing us to delve into various thoughts and feelings. It is this aspect that I am enjoying greatly from Scarlet, as I am able to see the story from all sides, and to see various events develop. It's actually quite exciting!

I'm looking forward to what both Part Two and Part Three have in store for me in this book, because whilst Part One has been more about setting the scene for Scarlet and continuing from where Cinder was left in the first book, I really look forward to how Meyer will develop the story further and how she will create even more chaos for these characters, as well as the possibility of eventually bringing them together. It's turning out to be a great book, one that is extremely atmospheric, and I do anticipate how the story will unfold.

Until next time, when I will have hopefully finished the book and reviewed it, take care!

Happy reading and writing!
~ Kelly

Currently Reading: Cinder by Marissa Meyer (Originally posted on 5/25/2015)

This post was originally on the Wordpress version of my blog, Shambles to Rambles in Wonderland, however that blog is no longer active. I have migrated the post here because I did not want to lose it. Thank you.

Sometimes reading for pleasure can be a struggle, especially when you've become a tad too judgmental for your own liking. I admit, I've been this way for a few years now when it comes to the books that I read, so finding a disappointing book is nothing new to me now. It's when I find a genuinely good book, one that makes me feel excited and gives me that much desired rush of adrenaline, that I am reminded of how amazing these little gems can be.

For the past two days I've been reading Cinder, the first in a series of four from the Lunar Chronicle series by Marissa Meyer, and though I am only just a quarter of a way through it, I'm really enjoying what has happened thus far. It has a great storyline from what I have read so far, and already I am absolutely in love and engrossed in the futuristic setting of this modern Cinderella adaptation. It's fun to imagine, but the story already seems quite dark and is filled with anticipation and keeps me on edge.

When I stop reading it, I want to continue the story because I'm already anticipating what happens next. I really haven't felt such a strong desire to read since I started reading the earlier books in The Southern Vampire Mysteries by Charlaine Harris, or The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins, and those were read quite a while back. So yes, I rather like this book.

Does it matter that I have about five other books on the go right now, as well as this one? Oops!

It's honestly nice to finally be reading a book that I am actually invested in, I have to say; I have always loved fairy tales and their adaptations, whether it is a book or film variant of the tale, and I'm glad that I finally decided to open Cinder and delve into this new world, to take me away and allow my imagination to fly.

I'm only on Chapter Fifteen right now, but hopefully by the end of the night I will be halfway through the book, because I really do like it. It's gripping, the writing is well done, and I am completely in love with the characters and the plot line. Yes, some things were extremely obvious after reading a few chapters, however I do look forward to where this story will go, and how the characters will develop.

... That is, if they develop at all. Here's to hoping they do!

Happy reading!
~ Kelly