Comic Review: Wires and Nerve: Volume 2 - Gone Rogue (The Lunar Chronicles series) by Marissa Meyer and Stephen Gilpin

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Release Date: January 2018

Volumes: 2.

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Book 1.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Iko – an audacious android and best friend to the Lunar Queen Cinder – has been tasked with hunting down Alpha Lysander Steele, the leader of a rogue band of bioengineered wolf-soldiers who threaten to undo the tenuous peace agreement between Earth and Luna. Unless Cinder can reverse the mutations that were forced on them years before, Steele and his soldiers plan to satisfy their monstrous appetites with a massacre of the innocent people of Earth.

And to show he’s serious, Steele is taking hostages.

Cinder and Kai, Scarlet and Wolf, Cress and Thorne, and Winter and Jacin all feature in this epic new battle. But it is Iko who must face her deepest fears when she uncovers the truth about her own unusual programming.

Review:

I didn't realize that this series was only two volumes long, or I would have read it faster.

I didn't mind the plot line in this series. We get to see Iko adventure out on her own, hunting down the beasts, and trying to stop Alpha Steele from his nefarious plans. Of course, she gets to meet up with the rest of the group at different intervals, as they are always there for each other and ready to help when it's needed. I did like getting to see Iko grow into her own, explore her humanity and what makes her who she is when she's a robot, and her relationship with Kinney grow.

While I might not have loved the actual plot of this particular spin-off—any more time that I get with this group of characters is the best. Getting to see Cress and Thorne, Scarlet and Wolf, and Cinder and Thorne together again is always my favorite.

I really think this series would make an amazing TV show. It would have to be a long one, and it would be amazing.

Teaser Tuesday[261]: Renegades (Renegades, #1) by Marissa Meyer

Renegades (Renegades, #1) by Marissa Meyer

Genre: YA Sci-fi

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan)

Release Date: November 7, 2017

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Secret Identities. Extraordinary Powers. She wants vengeance. He wants justice.

The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies—humans with extraordinary abilities—who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone...except the villains they once overthrew.

Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice—and in Nova. But Nova's allegiance is to a villain who has the power to end them both.

Excerpt:

“'Are you looking forward to having a new teammate starting today?'

Adrian blinked.” (Hardback, pg. 195)

What are you reading right now?

Teaser Tuesday[228]: Heartless by Marissa Meyer

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

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Heartless by Marissa Meyer

Genre: YA Supernatural; fairy-tale Alice in Wonderland retelling/interpretation

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan)

Release Date: November 8, 2016

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Long before she was the terror of Wonderland—the infamous Queen of Hearts—she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love.

Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next queen.

Then Cath meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the king and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into an intense, secret courtship. Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.

In her first stand-alone teen novel, the New York Times-bestselling author dazzles us with a prequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

Excerpt:

“'What were you and Jest talking about, anyhow?' asked the King.

'Oh. Uh—you, Your Majesty. And your phenomenal croquet--'” (Hardback, pg. 121)

What are you reading?

Novel Review: Winter (The Lunar Chronicles, #4) by Marissa Meyer

Rating (Out of 5): ~5

Genre: YA Fantasy/Sci-fi Romance; Fairy-Tale Retelling

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan)

Release Date: November 10, 2015

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Teaser Tuesday. Wishlist Thursday.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won’t approve of her feelings for her childhood friend–the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn’t as weak as Levana believes her to be and she’s been undermining her stepmother’s wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters?

The Cover:

I love all of the covers in this series. I think they're pretty much perfect. The contrast of the red and the blue, with the red showing the main symbol for the fairy-tale story, is beautiful. They're simply and gorgeous, focusing on the important part of the story. I love it.

Review:

I don’t think that I can ever write a review that expresses my complete and utter love for this series, so I’m just going to do my best here.

This conclusion could not have been any better. It was everything I wanted it to be and I can’t believe it’s over. I love it unconditionally, I should make that clear.

We fully meet Winter, and she’s crazy. Literally going insane because she won’t use her powers. But she has Jacin, who will do anything he can to help her.

Scarlet and Wolf finally seeing each other again is beautiful and makes me want to cry they make me so happy. I hadn’t even realized I loved them as much as I do until this book. Ohmygod they make me so ridiculously happy.

Cress and Thorne is almost as good as Scarlet and Wolf. Thorne is my favorite, even if he is frustrating at time, and I love how Cress pushes him and stands up to him, even as she loves him so much. I want to see their adventures after this, seriously. They’re the best.

I love Cinder, of course, our witty, hard-edged heroine. And while Kai doesn’t stand out to me as much as the others, I do think that they’re a good match. I love their ending, and I believe that they do have a good future ahead of them.

Aside from the romances, I love the relationship that Winter and Scarlet form, and of course Thorne and Cinder are my favorite friendship. Their banter is so nice.

I won’t spoil too much of the main plot, but I do love what happens. It’s intense and surprising, and long. A lot happens in regards to Levana, but I love how it all works out.

I would read a dozen more books about these characters, and I just want more. More more more. I know I’ll be re-reading this series in the future, because I love it to pieces, and I'm looking forward to the novella collection.

Teaser Tuesday[189]: Stars Above: A Lunar Chronicles Collection by Marissa Meyer

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

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Stars Above: A Lunar Chronicles Collection by Marissa Meyer

Genre: YA Paranormal; Short Story Collection

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan)

Release Date: February 2, 2016

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Wishlist Thursday.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The enchantment continues....

The universe of the Lunar Chronicles holds stories—and secrets—that are wondrous, vicious, and romantic. How did Cinder first arrive in New Beijing? How did the brooding soldier Wolf transform from young man to killer? When did Princess Winter and the palace guard Jacin realize their destinies?

With nine stories—five of which have never before been published—and an exclusive never-before-seen excerpt from Marissa Meyer’s upcoming novel, Heartless, about the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, Stars Above is essential for fans of the bestselling and beloved Lunar Chronicles.

--
The Little Android: A retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid,” set in the world of The Lunar Chronicles.
Glitches: In this prequel to Cinder, we see the results of the plague play out, and the emotional toll it takes on Cinder. Something that may, or may not, be a glitch….
The Queen’s Army: In this prequel to Scarlet, we’re introduced to the army Queen Levana is building, and one soldier in particular who will do anything to keep from becoming the monster they want him to be.
Carswell’s Guide to Being Lucky: Thirteen-year-old Carswell Thorne has big plans involving a Rampion spaceship and a no-return trip out of Los Angeles.
The Keeper: A prequel to the Lunar Chronicles, showing a young Scarlet and how Princess Selene came into the care of Michelle Benoit.
After Sunshine Passes By: In this prequel to Cress, we see how a nine-year-old Cress ended up alone on a satellite, spying on Earth for Luna.
The Princess and the Guard: In this prequel to Winter, we see a game called The Princess
The Mechanic: In this prequel to Cinder, we see Kai and Cinder’s first meeting from Kai’s perspective.
Something Old, Something New: In this epilogue to Winter, friends gather for the wedding of the century...

Excerpt:

“With that one kill, he had ensured that she would never turn him into a monster.” (Hardback, “The Queen’s Army”, pg. 116)

What are you reading?

Wishlist Thursday[143]: Stars Above (The Lunar Chronicles Collection) by Marissa Meyer

Stars Above (The Lunar Chronicles Collection) by Marissa Meyer

Genre: YA Fairy-Tale Retelling; Short Story Collection

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Release Date: February 2, 2016

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Goodreads Synopsis:

The enchantment continues....

The universe of the Lunar Chronicles holds stories—and secrets—that are wondrous, vicious, and romantic. How did Cinder first arrive in New Beijing? How did the brooding soldier Wolf transform from young man to killer? When did Princess Winter and the palace guard Jacin realize their destinies?

With nine stories—five of which have never before been published—and an exclusive never-before-seen excerpt from Marissa Meyer’s upcoming novel, Heartless, about the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, Stars Above is essential for fans of the bestselling and beloved Lunar Chronicles.

--
The Little Android: A retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid,” set in the world of The Lunar Chronicles.
Glitches: In this prequel to Cinder, we see the results of the plague play out, and the emotional toll it takes on Cinder. Something that may, or may not, be a glitch….
The Queen’s Army: In this prequel to Scarlet, we’re introduced to the army Queen Levana is building, and one soldier in particular who will do anything to keep from becoming the monster they want him to be.
Carswell’s Guide to Being Lucky: Thirteen-year-old Carswell Thorne has big plans involving a Rampion spaceship and a no-return trip out of Los Angeles.
The Keeper: A prequel to the Lunar Chronicles, showing a young Scarlet and how Princess Selene came into the care of Michelle Benoit.
After Sunshine Passes By: In this prequel to Cress, we see how a nine-year-old Cress ended up alone on a satellite, spying on Earth for Luna.
The Princess and the Guard: In this prequel to Winter, we see a game called The Princess
The Mechanic: In this prequel to Cinder, we see Kai and Cinder’s first meeting from Kai’s perspective.
Something Old, Something New: In this epilogue to Winter, friends gather for the wedding of the century...

Why?:

Given how much I love this series, there’s no way I won’t be picking up this book. I will probably be picking up anything Meyer writes at this point, though. And even if I’ve read some of these already, I believe that there are new stories mixed in, and I can’t wait to complete my collection with this gorgeous volume. I love the cover on it.

I can’t wait for this one.

Special Mention:

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys out on February 2, 2016—I’ve only read one of Sepetys’ books, but I rather liked that one. I still need to pick up her first one, but now this book is on my radar as well.