Rapid Reviews: Cinder, Daughter of Smoke and Bone & A Darker Shade of Magic

This is a new totally unoriginal feature that I’m starting on my blog because I’m lazy. It’s basically just going to be me giving really quick rapid thoughts of books I’ve read a while ago and just haven’t had the time to write a full review for. They’re kind of like mini reviews, but even more mini. There’s going to be nothing technical about these, it’s just my thoughts and feelings.

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Title: Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles #1)
Author: Marissa Meyer
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Pages: 387
Buy: Amazon – Book Depository
Australia: Angus & Robertson – Booktopia
Follow Marissa Meyer on Twitter

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl.

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

🌙 Cinder and Iko’s characters individually and their friendship. Iko was hilarious. I’ve seen some people say Iko annoyed them, but I adored her. Cinder was a brilliant main character. She may have done a few reckless things, but she had a valid reason for doing so. I was rooting for her the whole time.

🌙 The fact that there wasn’t really a romance between Cinder and Kai. This slower build up actually made me wish there was. I rarely get involved in the romance between two characters, but I totally wanted Cinder and Kai to have a happily ever after.

🌙 Levana seems like she’s going to be such an incredible villain and I can’t wait to learn more about her.

🌙 Cinderella is my favourite fairy tale and I thought Marissa Meyer did a great job retelling it.

🌙 Cyborgs. Do I even need to say anything else?

🌙 There were tropes and it was a tad predictable. I’m not sure if I can count this as something I disliked though because I honestly didn’t care whilst reading it. I was really caught up in the story. It did affect my overall rating though so.

🌙 THAT ENDING! WHAT THE HELL, MARISSA MEYER?

★★★★☆

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Title: Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #1)
Author: Laini Taylor
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Pages:420
Buy: Amazon – Book Depository
Australia: Angus & Robertson – Booktopia
Follow Laini Taylor on Twitter

“Errand requiring immediate attention. Come.

The note was on vellum, pierced by the talons of the almost-crow that delivered it. Karou read the message. ‘He never says please’, she sighed, but she gathered up her things.
When Brimstone called, she always came.”

In general, Karou has managed to keep her two lives in balance. On the one hand, she’s a seventeen-year-old art student in Prague; on the other, errand-girl to a monstrous creature who is the closest thing she has to family. Raised half in our world, half in ‘Elsewhere’, she has never understood Brimstone’s dark work – buying teeth from hunters and murderers – nor how she came into his keeping. She is a secret even to herself, plagued by the sensation that she isn’t whole.

Now the doors to Elsewhere are closing, and Karou must choose between the safety of her human life and the dangers of a war-ravaged world that may hold the answers she has always sought.

🎨 Laini Taylor’s writing style is EVERYTHING: “She moved like a poem and smiled like a sphinx.” I know not everyone is into flowery prose, but it is my FAVOURITE.

 🎨 The settings felt so alive. I felt like I was actually in Prague. The wanderlust is real, guys.

🎨 Zuzana! I can’t express how much I L O V E Zuzana. She was hilarious and SUCH A GOOD FRIEND! It was great seeing her have substance and not just being reduced to conveniently showing up.

🎨 Karou and Zuzana’s friendship is incredible. It’s honestly one of the things I loved the most about this book. It is so great seeing a positive female friendship in YA. I feel like it’s even less common in fantasy. It was incredibly refreshing.

🎨 The relationship Karou had with Brimstone, Issa and others from Elsewhere.

🎨 The entire story and all the characters and the world was so unique and creative. It was unlike anything I’ve read before.

🎨 The romance between Karou and Akiva. This might change once I continue the series, but at this stage it just wasn’t something I connected with. This is probably on me because I have a hard time connection with past live things.

🎨 The pacing was really slow at the start.

🎨 THAT ENDING! WHAT THE HELL, LAINI TAYLOR?

★★★★☆

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Title: A Darker Shade of Magic (A Darker Shade of Magic #1)
Author: V.E. Schwab
Genre: Adult Fiction, Fantasy
Publisher: Tor Books
Pages: 384
Buy: Amazon – Book Depository
Australia: Angus & Robertson – Booktopia
Follow V.E. Schwab on Twitter

Kell is one of the last Travelers—rare magicians who choose a parallel universe to visit.

Grey London is dirty, boring, lacks magic, ruled by mad King George. Red London is where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire. White London is ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne. People fight to control magic, and the magic fights back, draining the city to its very bones. Once there was Black London – but no one speaks of that now.

Officially, Kell is the Red Traveler, personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell smuggles for those willing to pay for even a glimpse of a world they’ll never see. This dangerous hobby sets him up for accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She robs him, saves him from a dangerous enemy, then forces him to another world for her ‘proper adventure’.

But perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, Kell and Lila will first need to stay alive — trickier than they hoped.

⚔ E V E R Y T H I NG!!!!!!!!!!

⚔ No. Seriously. I loved everything.

⚔ Lila Bard. My brutal, kickass pirate thief. Such an amazing female character!!!

⚔ The relationship between Kell and Rhy. Be still my heart.

⚔ The world building was amazing. I find it so hard to understand fantasies, but this was explained so brilliantly. I loved the magic and the parallel Londons so much.

⚔ Holland. My conflicted, complex, evil son. I have a weakness for characters that are genuinely conflicted and not just “hot and sassy”. I don’t know if I’m supposed to love Holland, but I do. So there’s that.

⚔ The fight scenes were INCREDIBLE. Everything was so intense.

⚔ If you’ve never read Adult Fiction before, but want to start then this is such a great starting point! It’s like a more Adult YA? If that makes sense.

 

⚔ THAT V.E. SCHWAB RIPPED OUT MY HEART AND REFUSES TO GIVE IT BACK

ALL OF THE STARS.

EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM. 

★★★★★

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Have you read any of these? Are they on your TBR?

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

I hope you’re all having a fantastic day xx