Cress : @marissa_meyer (Lunar Chronicles #3) | BookTalk w/ @sslluvsbooks

Rating: 67%

Series: Lunar Chronicles #3

Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Fiction,

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Publication Date: February 4, 2014

Page Count: 550 

Format: Audiobook

Source: Overdrive via Library

Goodreads ~ The Book Depository ~ Amazon ~ B & N

Synopsis : In this third book in the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army.

Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.

Disclaimer: This review contains spoilers for the events that have taken place in the series previous novels - Cinder and Scarlet. On Loving the Language of Literacy, the term "BookTalk" refers to a thorough review including a clearly marked spoiler free and spoiler filled section.

Background & Backstory?

In my August 2015 Reading Wrap-Up, I expressed my distress having to do with the Lunar Chronicles. Besides Queen of Shadows, Winter is a many people's most anticipated release for 2015. I marathoned Cinder and Scarlet back in Summer 2013 and I actually purchased Cress upon its release last year. The first two books in the series never impressed me, both earning a 3.5/5 stars and I consider it pretty average. Everyone insists Cress changes everything in terms of reader's opinions but despite the hype from the bookish community, I never got around to reading it. Until last month when I started feeling left out because everyone wants to read Winter.

What Was My Reaction Upon Finishing?

I can see why everybody said Cress changes everything. Why isn't Winter here!?

Even though I had expectations for this novel, I don't think those are what hindered my enjoyment of Cress, and I'm sad to say this but my opinion of the series overall didn't change with the addition.

Something I didn't expect to enjoy was the third person point of view throughout the story. Often, I wish for first so as to get a more intense glimpse into their minds - I don't sound like an evil mastermind at all. However, there are simply too many characters to accomplish a 1st person POV and so many places to be simultaneously. I enjoyed seeing the opposing forces and the tension knowing I was powerless as a reader to do anything for them. Plus it was extremely funny to see confusion from two different characters on the same matter - you know what I'm talking about with that android escort body *winks*.

I suppose the largest factor established in Cress that we hadn't seen previously was the huge scope of the universe. I've got to admit at times it was difficult to distinguish Cress's voice from little Cress or even Iko. She seemed so justifiably innocent and naive. Of course the fact that the audiobook's narrator's intonations weren't that different for the two characters impacted that. It was interesting to see her discover the Earthen world as we see it as "the future," but from the perspective of someone not Earthen but not Lunar either. 

***Spoiler Alert***

Scarlet Benoit had obviously been tested before but I personally recognized her strength as a character throughout the Lunar interrogations and torture sessions as she was used as no more than a play thing. 

I finally know what everyone was talking about when they fangirled over Captain Carswell Thorn. I couldn't help but see him from Cress' admiring perspective even if he annoyed me to no end when I was reading Scarlet, and that admiration was multiple further when he protested against Cress' attempts in finding some shred of goodness in him. Plus, when he gave her a kiss to remember on the roof of the palace... that was just icing on the cake.  

Emperor Kaito has always been a favorite of mine and his stale mate situation tugged at my feels - especially because of the serious Heir of Fire vibes, if you catch my drift. It's obvious that all he wants is peace and good for the commonwealth but in many ways he's stronger than his father because of his desire to stay true to his values. Even though a huge issue I had was not being invested enough in the characters, I HAD to fangirl when he finally kissed Cinder and it seemed that they were united against Levana for the good of the universe.

I couldn't help but feel frustrated most of the time with Cinder because of the serious middle-of-the-series syndrome she was suffering from in terms of character development. It's clear she's ready to undertake the responsibility as queen but at the same time, she has understandable albeit aggravating doubts about her own moral compass as her lunar powers increase.

Our glimpse of Princess Winter is brief when she asks for Scarlet as a plaything but it's enough to know that she is seriously off her rocker. Obviously Winter is the final retelling of Snow White but I always assumed she would be sane. Whether it's merely because of living her entire life on Luna or being the daughter of someone as power hungry as Levana, she is clearly not. I am extremely intrigued to see where her arc goes.

Despite severely disliking Dr. Erland I understood him and was heartbroken at the scene where Cress learned he was her father and the one after that where he was tortured by Levana and died. He played a crucial role throughout the series and I'm a bit nervous to see how the characters will cope without him.

How Likely Is It That I Will Read Another Book By This Author?

75% | With everything said, I begrudgingly have to admit I will probably read Winter because the last chapter of Cress was too enticing not to continue with the series.

Conclusion: Even though my thoughts on the series as a whole are still extremely mixed, Cress was hands down the best addition to the series and set up the series for a hopefully stunning arc to be completed in Winter.

A Flurry of Ponderings' Blogger Quiz

Let's be honest, I wasn't sure what I wanted to post today, so you're getting my answers to a handy little  quiz A Flurry of Ponderings has created (we'll just forget the fact that the link-up closed a long time ago). Personally, I love these kinds of tags and/or quizzes because they let you know a little more about myself as well as maybe expose you to new books you haven't heard of previously so without further ado.... The Blogger Quiz.

What are your top three book pet peeves?

Particular me is now wondering whether she meant my pet peeves about the book itself (condition) or the book's content (insta-love). 

My top three pet peeves about the physical book: 

Would it kill you to make the cover that much longer?

1. When it's really large, and has that strip of color on the actual first page of the book, which makes the paperback cover a centimeter shorter than it should be. 

Book One!

2. The order of the books aren't labeled. I mean, how hard would it be for the book jacket designer to put SOMEWHERE what number the book is. Instead, I have to rely on the praise on the back for what I'm guessing, is the previous book. 

This could be book one or 79 for all the information this jacket gives me.

3. When my paperback library books have stupid stickers covering the synopsis. I mean, you're librarians, you want to encourage the reading of the book, not make the reader clueless as to whether or not they want to read it. Us 21st century teenagers are too lazy to drag out our phones to view the full synopsis.

I might want to know what kind of person Celaena is

My top three pet peeves about the book's content: 

1. A Slow Beginning. I know a lot of books have good, quality content with vivid description that makes them a bit slow paced. But would it kill an author to introduce the story in an action-packed, epic way? For example, a lot of high fantasy books need a lot of world-building, therefore slowing down the book's pace, but an author could easily insert an awesome scene where the main character fights against some terrifying force that looms over them for the entire series.

2. Common Dystopian Tropes. I know in the past few years, dystopia has EXPLODED and I love that. What I do not love is feeling like I read a book thats content was copied and pasted. It seems like if you add something special to the book "everyone has a clone in the world that they need to kill" then make the protagonist want to rebel against the government, then BOOM. Bestselling dystopia. [I haven't read Dualed by Elsie Chapman yet, but the book was on the top of my head, but don't let me deter you from the book just because I used its premise as an example]

3. Common Love Triangles. I say common because there are some love triangles that I LOVE and am sincerely torn between which character the protagonist should choose. Yet, nowadays, so many of these love triangles are the same.... the longtime-best-friend-turned-boyfriend and the new-dark-and-mysterious-guy-thrust-into-the-story-to-create-conflict

What book would you love to see come out as a movie?

I have not had much luck with movie adaptations, in terms of liking the adaptation. I think We Were Liars by E. Lockhart would be an interesting adaptation. If you don't know, there's a huge plot twist in the end, and I would love to see how a director could convey the series of events without making the plot twist evident.

What are three bookish secrets?

1. At times, I will start four books at different times, then gradually read pieces of all of them until a week later when I FINALLY finish them all.... usually within a period of one or two days. I don't know why I can't read a book from cover to cover then pick up the next one like a normal person.

2. I am horrible at reading TBR books that I own. Library books are no problem, I go through them like nobody's business. Yet, once I own the book, I pretty much forget about it, or give it up in exchange for other books because library books have a deadline and I feel compelled to make them my priority.

3. I procrastinate when it comes to blog tour books. Even if it was a tour I was DYING to participate in, I am known to be up late the night before my tour date trying to finish the darn book. You would think the deadline would make me read it immediately (like with library books) but it kind of deters me. My brain obviously doesn't like sticking with one opinion or pattern.

When was the last time you cried during a book?

I don't cry because of books. I'm emotionless.

How many books are on your nightstand or on the floor by your bed?

19. There are 19 books on my nightstand and other surface where I keep my TBR books because I ran out of room. on my nightstand. Yeah.... I have issues. 

Do you read with music on or in silence? What music do you listen to?

95% of the time I read with music. Most of the time I just put on Pandora or a Spotify playlist and just listen to that. I find it comforting because I'm the kind of person that doesn't like silence much, and at times it's really ironic when the music matches the events in my book. 

Name three books you would recommend to everyone.

Contemporary



Fantasy



Dystopian

What is your most anticipated book of 2014 that has yet to be released?

EVERYONE who has ever visited Loving the Language of Literacy before knows the answer to this is The Young Elites by Marie Lu.

Describe your reading style in 5 or less words:

Young Adult
Dystopian
Contemporary
Romance
Thought-Provoking

What are four of your favorite book character names?

1. June: Legend Trilogy 
2. Waren: Shatter Me Trilogy
3. Jaron: Ascendance Trilogy
4. Celaena: Throne of Glass
5. Elise Dembowski: This Song Will Save Your Life 

The Aesthetics: The Journey to Fortitude (1)

"Fortitude explores what lies in the heart of human emotions.... something that is not easily done with words. Yet, Sofia manages to do so through characters readers can relate to. A must read." --- Tina Chan @ The Book Landers

"Intelligent and thought provoking. Sofia weaves a tale through the lives of four individuals that will ultimately shape the journey of one. Fortitude is a beautiful exploration of social and emotional adversities that challenges the reader to examine the world around them before writing their own future." --- Mal @ LilaJune's Book Saloon

"Heartbreaking, sweet, hopeful. A thought-provoking tale of emotions, wholeness, and the tumultuous teenage years." Nathania S'Worth @ One Woman's Opinions.... About Books and Writing

Welcome! Welcome! Welcome to the mini series that will dominate my blog (not really) for the next five weeks known as The Journey to Fortitude. What is this mini series all about, you may ask. Well I don't know if anybody from Twitter remembers reading a tweet, asking if they wanted to hear about the writing of this lovely short story. And even if you didn't read that tweet, you're here anyway reading this post, right? 

*Sidenote: Did anyone notice the mini series title? The Journey to Fortitude? I didn't want to say "Behind the Scenes of Fortitude," and I think "The Journey to Fortitude" has a nice ring to it*

The Journey to Fortitude Schedule

6/15: The Aesthetics: The Journey to Fortitude (1) ---- This is this week's post where I shared the appearance (front/back cover, spine), official book pages (copyright, title, dedication, about the author), and of course, the backstory.

6/21: The Long Awaited Story Itself: The Journey to Fortitude (2) ---- This is the post you're reading right now, with is purely the short story/novella itself, and I can't wait for you to read it which ended up being a little under 10,000 words.

6/29: The Premise: The Journey to Fortitude (3) ---- This is where I talk you through the entire thought process that made Fortitude what it is today, the many different ideas when it came to premise, and everything else.

7/5: The Revisions: The Journey to Fortitude (4) ---- This is where I talk about revisions. Oh joy! A writer's BFF. Just kidding, they were really tough for me to do, especially because thoughts changed and evolved, but I talk you through the intense process, as well as working on the deadline.

7/13: The Annotated Version (5) --- I believe this title is self explanatory. A lot of English teachers butcher a story by making their students try to interpret different events, sentences, and so on. I have been victim of this cruel fate, and this is the closing post where I reveal the story behind each chapter so in the one in a million chance teachers would want to make their students interpret my writing, I would have the real answers here.

Ze Backstory

Before I start, I would like to establish (just for the record, you know) that I am not blind in terms of symmetry and font. I pixelated my middle/last name for privacy issues throughout all the images. As many of my lovely readers know, I love backstories, and of coures I am going to tell you the backstory for Fortitude -I mean, it is my novella. So, at the very end of April, my teacher told the class about an assignment we would have to have done by Open House. My peers that had visited the classrooms the previous year had already known about the project, while I was wary about it because I had assumed pictures were necessary. (Trust me, even my stick figures have issues) Luckily, my teacher quickly explained the guidelines, which were pretty chill, and didn't confine me in the box I had been trapped in all year long. Cue me thanking the heavenly lord above. 

These were the three guidelines: 

1. It has to be between 20 and 22 8.5'11 

2. It can be a chapter book or picture book 

3. No poetry

The assignment was met mostly with groans since we had just finished testing, and were only a month away from the end of school. But I, as the budding authoress (at least in my head) was simply ecstatic with the news. There were more groans all around as my English teacher (she seems to be famous by the amount of times I have mentioned her on my blog) also explained that students needed to make the book as professional as possible by adding a title, copyright, dedication, and about the author in their books.

Ze Title Page

The moment you open my book, you will see my title page which is extremely simple, as the only requirements were the title and author. I also inserted the "publisher" and logo of my publishing house, which if you zoomed in, you would notice is a compass rose. Fun Fact: My publishing house of Fortitude is actually a mock title of one of my personal WIPs. Invenio means "discovery" in Latin (thank you google translate), and I thought a compass was very fitting because they help people make discoveries.

Ze Copyright Page

On the other side of the page -when I say that, I mean the other side of the cardstock which I glued my other piece of paper on top of- you will see my copyright page. Now, I went a little overboard with this, trying to make it AS CLOSE to an actual books as humanly possible. All I needed to do afterwards was add the different genres Fortitude is catalogued under, and I would have been all set. As you can see, there is the notice about none of the book being reproduced -essential. The disclaimer that everything in the book is a work of ficiton. And various information such as the author and the font it was printed in -a nice detail. What I am most proud of on my copyright page is the one sentence summary of Fortitude that you would see as the blurb on lists such as the New York Times Bestselling. My mom was quite skeptical as how I could possibly sum up my story, when you read it next wekk, you will know that it is REALLY  out there, but I did it.

Ze Dedication Page

So I pondered my dedication page for quite a while because I honestly did not want to put "For my loving mother and father who helped me every step of the way." That is a great dedication if you want to thank your mom and dad for helping you with your novel.... it just wan't for me. I actually also reached out to my lovely friends from Twitter, and they said it wasn't too cheesy. I remember thinking of it and knowing that that is what I wanted to say. My hope would be that people who wanted to become authors would read this and be inspired, and that people who are authors would know that this book wouldn't have been possible without them. 

About Ze Author

The next 21 pages is the story itsef, and then it's the about the author. If you look closely, you might notice that the quote above my (exttremely blurred out) head is the same one on the Loving the Language of Literacy banner. (The blurring was done because I look like a dork in the mandated school picture that had to be included, as well as privacy reasons) And just for the record, since I'm already making this post all about myself, I might as well mention that the quote is mine. The funny part about it, is that it was taken from an essay I wrote this year, so it's kind of like recycling words.... ish. While my personal information is pixilated out of the image, you can see that I think where I live is too sunny, I like running, reading, blogging, writing, and quote pinning, and a multitude of other factoids such as my love for the Legend Trilogy (you know I had to put that in there). I promptly end the About the Author by mentioning the number one profession I would like to pursue (even though being a skilled under-the-covers reader is wonderful) is to become an Authoress like Jo March from Little Women, and write "The Great American Novel."

Sample Pages

These are just soem examples taken directly from the hard copy book itself, which displays the format that was consisten throughout the novella. There would be the chapter number, name/time/location stamp, quote, the chapter itself, and then repeat. As you can see, the chapter number was the largest font in Times New Roman 18, then name/time/location stamp was in Courier 12, and the quote itself was in italicized Times New Roman 12. And just for the record, there were A LOT of single sentences that were centered throughout the novel so I could accentuate my point. In case you were wondering, the name/time/location staamps were necessary because in each chapter, the narrator, date, and location that particular section of the book the story took place in, changed. 

So there you have it! The aesthetics and background for my novella Fortitude. If you liked the content of this week's post, stop by Loving the Language of Literacy next Sunday for the novella itself. No I would like to know, have you ever had a school assignment that was similar? Have you written and/or are writing a novel/novella of your own? Would you like to write as a profession? Tell me in the comments below and check back next week for the novella itself.

{Blog Tour+Giveaway+Playlist+Review} These Gentle Wounds: Helene Dunbar

THESE GENTLE WOUNDS by Helene Dunbar
Release Date: May 8, 2014
Paperback, 312 pages
Publisher: Flux
Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Tough Issues / PTSD

Sometimes I wish I’d lost a leg or something. Everyone can understand that. They never get it when what’s been broken is inside your head.

Five years after an unspeakable tragedy that changed him forever, Gordie Allen has made a new home with his half-brother Kevin. Their arrangement works since Kevin is the only person who can protect Gordie at school and keep him focused on getting his life back on track.

But just when it seems like things are becoming normal, Gordie’s biological father comes back into the picture, demanding a place in his life. Now there’s nothing to stop Gordie from falling into a tailspin that could cost him everything—including his relationship with Sarah, the first girl he’s trusted with the truth. With his world spinning out of control, the only one who can help Gordie is himself . . . if he can find the strength to confront the past and take back his future.

Amazon | B&N | IndieBound | Goodreads

April 14^th – DanaSquare  – Review


April 15^h – The Reader and The Chef – Review


April 16^th – Angie's Reading Dungeon – Review/Playlist


April 16^th – Alice Marvels – Review


April 17^th – Escaping One Book at a Time – Review/Guest Post


April 17^th – Dizneee's World of Books – Review/Top Ten


April 18^h – The Happy Booker – Review/Guest Post


April 18^th – Loving The Language of Literacy  – Review/Playlist


April 18^th – Our Wolves Den  – Review


April 21^st – A Bump On A Log – Review


April 22^nd –  – Review


April 23^rd – A Diary of A Book Addict   – Review/Top Ten


April 24^th – Books & Chocolates  – Review


April 24^th – What A Nerd Girl Says – Review


April 24^th – Chelsea's Reading Adventures  – Review


April 25^th – The-Society.Net  – Review


April 25^th – Books With Bite – Review


April 25^th – Curling Up With A Good Book– Review/Character Profile

Helene Dunbar usually writes features about fiddles and accordions for Irish Music Magazine, but she’s also been known to write about court cases, theater, and Native American Indian tribes.


She's lived in two countries, six states, and is currently holed up in Nashville with her husband, daughter, two cats, and the world’s friendliest golden retriever.


THESE GENTLE WOUNDS is Helene’s debut novel with Flux Books.

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Playlists

Bands that no longer exist:

As anyone who writes to a playlist knows, the music you listen to day after day, and let’s be honest, year after year, while you’re writing, and revising, and then editing a book, tends to take on a life of its own. I know that I feel a connection to my playlist songs that is different from the connection I feel to a song or band I just happen to like and listen to casually. So it’s painful to see that connection severed because a band breaks up or is reincarnated in a completely different configuration. 
During the writing of an earlier manuscript, I discovered a band from Oxford, England, called A Silent Film (in the interest of honesty, I’m going to admit to hearing them through a blog post of Maggie Steifvater’s which is where I’ve found a number of bands who end up on my “favorites” list). I planned business meetings around their gigs, I’ve made close friends with people I’ve met at shows. I seriously dig them.
Then I discovered that most of ASF’s members used to be in a punk band called Shouting Myke. That Shouting Myke was actually playing live when I was living in Oxford and I didn’t know about it, will haunt me until I’m old(er) and grey. But I’m not sure I would have appreciated them at that point, anyhow.
I ordered an old, dusty, used copy of the Shouting Myke CD from the UK. And I laughed because they sounded SO different from ASF. But then I listened again. And again. And, well, again. And then I put almost every song on the CD on my TGW playlist. 
Now one thing about me and music….I HATE screaming. I mean, hate it. And this CD has screaming and it makes me cringe. BUT….the music and the lyrics and the lost “why doesn’t anyone love me-ess” and the “where do I fit in-ness” of this album just nailed so much of Gordie’s (and honestly Kevin’s and probably Sarah’s) angst that I had to get over it and just deal. These Gentle Wounds was better for that and if you can handle a little punk screaming, then check them out and then listen to the magnificence of A Silent Film. You can thank me later.

*I recieved this book from Lady Reader's Bookstuff fo review purposes which does not in the slightest affect my honest review of the book*

Where do I even begin with this book? How do I start telling you the numerous ways this book touched me? How do I even begin to try and explain when you haven't read it yet?

I think the best way to describe this is as a rich meal. These Gentle Wounds had all of the different types of foods that make you remember why you live to eat. The meat is delicate, and tender. The baked potatoe is drowned in butter, spices, and crispness on the outside. The wine (not that I've had any) is exquisite, it's scents permeating your nostrils the way only the high quality kind will. The bread is light, airy, and still warm from the oven. I hope you get the picture. 

The point is that this meal is something you wouldn't trade for the world because of all of its phenomenal qualities, just like this book. One of my highest praises, and I'm sure anybody else's if they have read These Gentle Wounds are the highly developed characters. Gordie, Sarah, Kevin, Jim, even the more minor ones have the quality that all authors strive for. It goes beyond being relatable, because what takes talent is making characters seem real when they're situations are extremely rare.

Gordie could be very standoffish, and off putting if he wasn't written well. In fact, that's whfat he thinks he appears as to the people around him. Instead, readers were given an inside look into his head. You're probably sitting there thinking, "That's what first person is supposed to do Sofia. Didn't you go through 3rd grade?" Like I said before about this story, you have to read it to understand. Gordie has PTSD because his mother did something unspeakable five years before. He wakes up soaked with sweat frequently, he goes off on 'spins' where he has vivid flashbacks and time escapes him. All he can feel is pressure from what happened to him. I could have ended up saying, "Okay....so what?" almost the entire book because of how bizarre the situation was. Instead, it was as if his character's hands reached out a touched my heart on the most incline way possible.  

Kevin, Gordie's half-brother, took the brunt of his step-fathers anger, which I am pretty sure you can interpret. It would almost make more sense if Kevin were the one with PTSD because of what Gordie's father did to him. Instead, we learn that Kevin is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to Gordie's protection and safety. He was sort of like Gordie's watch dog. If Helene Dunbar reads this review, she will probably be rolling her eyes and saying, "This review is crazy, first she compares my writing to food, and now one of my main characters to a watchdog?" Let me just explain, Kevin is loyal, Kevin is protective, and he would never let anything happen to his brother. At a young age, he had to deal with his step-father's abuse, seeing his biological father on a few occasions, and all of that transitioned into him becoming the sole-caretaker, and shrink, for his little brother. Kevin is basically Gordie's anchor in life, and you know that he would kill to keep Gordie safe.

Sarah is an interesting character. She's a photographer, ex-bad girl, sister to golden-boy hockey player, Luke Miller, and one of the most understanding characters I have ever met. She becomes Gordie's love interest in this story, and does more than you could ever imagine for him. To Gordie, Sarah isn't just some girl, she becomes his second anchor, and the only person outside of his brother that he can confide in. By herself, I don't think I would like Sarah that much, but through Gordie's eyes, I see what a magnificent person she is, and what it feels like to be in love. She listens wholly without judgement, she adds humor, a ray of sunshine, and proof that Gordie can love and be loved. 

It's amazing how well Helene Dunbar captures the act of falling in love, while the two of them are still teenagers. The reason that sentence is written so poorly is because I was trying to avoid the words ''teenage love" because their relationship is not just another flash in the pan. However, the sensations of falling in love when you are a teenager are there because of how Gordie experiences everything for the first time with new eyes. Their love is pure. There is a scene where it seems as if Kevin is about to beat Sarah up because he's afraid she will hurt Gordie. Sarah responds with a full arsenal of defenses to her love and admiration for Gordie. This might seem like nothing, but to Gordie, who is having doubts because of what happens at the story in that time, what she says means everything. 

On one of my many-category reviews, I have 'originality' as a category, and frankly, I don't know how this story could be more original. It's a tale of tough issues, grief, and sadness, but it also remains hopeful, and is about finding love, who you are, and how to face your fears. This one book will move mountains more than a thousand books in another genre. 

The mental aspect of Gordie is something I have never read about before. Everyone talks about being broken after something tough and having to put yourself back together again, but never what it's like to be broken inside your head. It's something that's incomprehensible to others, as the beginning of the synopsis says, but the readers are given a unique window to see what it's like. 

There is a lot more I can say, but it can't be put into words -unless they're about dogs or food- the feelings that were prodded and poked with this novel. My last plugin for all of you is that you have to buy this book when it hits shelves on the 8th of May. I normally am very conservative with my money, but you can bet on the day These Gentle Wounds comes out, I will be the first in line to get my own copy.

{Spoiler Alert} The Runaway King: Jennifer A. Nielsen

Rating: 9.5/10

Series: The Ascendance Trilogy #2

Genre: Fantasy, Thriller, Young Adult Fiction

Publication Date: March 1, 2013

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Page Count: 331

Format: Paperback

Source: Book Orders

Goodreads Synopsis: A kingdom teetering on the brink of destruction. A king gone missing. Who will survive? Find out in the highly anticipated sequel to Jennifer A. Nielsen's blockbuster THE FALSE PRINCE!

Just weeks after Jaron has taken the throne, an assassination attempt forces him into a deadly situation. Rumors of a coming war are winding their way between the castle walls, and Jaron feels the pressure quietly mounting within Carthya. Soon, it becomes clear that deserting the kingdom may be his only hope of saving it. But the further Jaron is forced to run from his identity, the more he wonders if it is possible to go too far. Will he ever be able to return home again? Or will he have to sacrifice his own life in order to save his kingdom?The stunning second installment of The Ascendance Trilogy takes readers on a roller-coaster ride of treason and murder, thrills and peril, as they journey with the Runaway King!

*This is new feature I will be doing when I want to write a review of a book with my unfiltered feelings. I will post two versions of the review, spoiler filled, and spoiler free so people can still read the review and hear me gush about how good it is without the plot being spoiled for them. If you want to read the spoiler free click here*

*Check out my spoiler free review and spoiler filled review of The False Prince, which is the first book in the stunning Ascendance Trilogy*

*There are spoilers for The False Prince and definitely for The Runaway King in this review so click out of this right away to the spoiler free version so you don't find out what happens*

My Backstory: Another back story....because the entire paragraph for The False Prince's backstory was definitely not long enough. Anyway, I finished The False Prince last Saturday morning. I then had to eat lunch, then spent my entire rest of the afternoon doing a math project. While I was taking an alleged "break" I started reading The Runaway King. On Sunday, I had church and more working on my math project so I only got to page 75 on The Runaway King. On Monday morning while I was reading in ELA class, I was just not feeling the same feelings. All of that changed come about 30 pages later. I read the next 200 something pages in one sitting and please excuse my language. What. The. Hell? The Runaway King was a phenomenal roller coaster of non-stop action. I went back to my roots of reading in the bathroom just because I felt it would be nice to end each book the way I have before. Yes, I am extremely weird.

Plot: The reason I wasn't loving The Runaway King in the beginning was because the action wasn't as fast and furious as it was in The False Prince. Of course that only lasted for the first 100 something pages, but after that, when Jaron goes to the pirates, everything changes and I am practically ripping the pages out of the book. 

The events left me like this...

The Runaway King is the very core and definition of page-turner. When reading, I felt as if I couldn't breathe. It wasn't one of those "this piece of art work took my breath away" kind of situations but the story literally knocked my breath of me. I felt like things were being pelted at me and it was the best feeling in the world. (Yes. I am that crazy to enjoy things being thrown at me) I laughed, sighed (in annoyance with Jaron), and almost hyperventilated with this book. I consider myself a fast reader but reading The Runaway King....was FAST! My eyes would trail down the page, then go on to the next one. And the cliffhangers were continuous. Just when you thought you could return to the real world to do things like brush your teeth or get ready for school, there was more of Jaron being an idiot or him fighting 15 people at once with a broken leg. 

The cliffhangers just keep happening over and over, and Jaron keeps getting out of them but I still (am stupid enough to) think Jaron is finally doomed. I mean....Roden broke Jaron's LEG and he still didn't back down. That is where things got a little bit unrealistic, but the action didn't slow for a millisecond. Jaron scaled a freaking CLIFF, then fought Roden for the pirate king crown and all the mini-events in between.  

Romance: I completely understand the dynamics and set up for the love triangle in The Runaway King, but I still don't like it. Amarinda and Imogen have become BFFs...like totes, bla bla bla, Jaron will do anything for Imogen and Amarinda is meek and mild as ever. I know others would say differently, and this is my own opinion but I do not see/understand the 'sparks' between Jaron and Imogen. There are examples in the book for how imogen is strong, and willful, and more of my unusual requirements for a female character. I just don't see them and even though it would never happen, seems an almost submissive and dominant relationship because Jaron is so headstrong and Imogen is compassionate and a used-to-be servant.

Pacing: I honestly don't know how Jennifer Nielsen does it. By that, I mean that I have no idea how the heck she is so talented to be able to write what she writes, and not make me annoyed. Jaron is a cat with nine lives, no matter HOW HARD people try, he just can't be killed. Nielsen leaves you thinking at the end of almost every chapter that he's done for, he's doomed, he's burned a bridge that can never be crossed, he's said something he shouldn't have. 

And Jaron comes out of these situations better off than he was before

I swear, if this were any other author or character, I would have thrown my book against the wall in pure annoyance, but she pulls it off. 

Writing Style: Oh My Gosh, the Legend Trilogy feels came back big-time in this novel, but when I read The Runaway King, it was for a different reason then The False Prince. With The Runaway King,  it was the narration that made me reach up to the heavens and thank the lord (which is weird since I'm not overly religious) Jennifer A. Nielsen is alive to quench my thirst while Marie Lu is still working on The Young Elites. 

Jaron is not Day.

Jaron is not Anden.

But Jaron sure as heck sounds like the two of them.

Let me explain a little for those of you that haven't read The Legend Trilogy by Marie Lu. Daniel Altan Wing or 'Day' is a notorious criminal in the Republic of America who is very similar to Jaron, but that's another post/story altogether. Anden Stavropolous on the other hand is the boy-king that has been raised and groomed to take over the Republic of America. It is as if someone had put an equal amount of Anden, an equal amount of Day into my mothers Nutri-bullet, and a Jaron smoothie came out. I'm not saying Jaron isn't his own person/individual, quite the contrary, he is the most unique character I have ever met. Circumstantially, he is the smoothie. Jaron can't be the carefree boy he was even five days ago that he was with Bevin Conner. He has a duty and responsibility to a kingdom he loves, and he can't be quite as rambunctious and bent on making the lives of the people around him horrible. It's a battle between being the center of grief (in the good grief way, not the somebody died grief way) for all of his regents and subjects, and trying to be a ruler that people believe is too young, inexperienced, and without a good head on his shoulders. Somehow, Nielsen pulls it off the same way she miraculously makes Jaron realistically escape from everything and makes readers perceive him as a saint rather than a devil.

One of the last things I would like to say about The Runaway King is that this is a book for all ages (part of the reason I don't know whether to classify the book as Young Adult or Middle Grade). While the general feel of the book (setting and set-up wise, not 'the feels') may be for littler ones, it was still just as appealing to myself, and others that are older than the targeted age for this book. The themes were wonderful especially the "I never run away or back down" considering the title is The Runaway King. At the same time, Nielsen pulls off having a ton of fighting and face-to-face confrontations, and there is no trace of gore or graphicness to be seen which I know parents (such as my own who are horrified when it comes to violence) appreciate a lot.

Conclusion: This is one of the best books I have read in terms of pacing, style, and themes, and has definitely gained a place of honor on my bookshelves.

  
Be sure to check my lovely friend Tina Chan's review of The Runaway King at her blog The Book Landers. If you are Legend fangirl you HAVE to talk to her, and even if you aren't you should talk to her and follow her blog because that's just how awesome she is.