Winter didn’t want to give up easily this year. Five inches of snow in April thwarted my outdoor plans.
So what to do when winter won’t give up? Read books, of course! Here are the best of what I’ve read during this season we are optimistically calling “spring.”
Scarlet and Cress
A few months ago, I read Cinder, the first in the Lunar Chronicles series. I found this mash-up of fairy tales and science fiction a joy to read.
While Cinder retold Cinderella as a cyborg, Scarlet, the second in the series, takes a fresh look at Little Red Riding Hood. Scarlet, however, is no scared little girl in need of a huntsman to take down the wolf. Instead, Scarlet goes off on her own quest to find her missing grandmother. She ends up allying with a lunar fighter named Wolf to help Cinder take out the evil lunar queen.
I was so taken with the story, I read the third in the series: Cress.
This novel takes the tale of Rapunzel and gives it a space age twist. Instead of being locked in a tower, the heroine, Cress, is trapped on a satellite, alone with only an artificial intelligence for company. Every few weeks the wicked witch who trapped her there comes by with supplies, and to make sure Cress is doing the secret computer spying the evil lunar queen has ordered.
When Cinder and her gang try to rescue Cress, things go terribly wrong. Scarlet ends up captured, the others are separated. They’re all in a race against time to reunite and prevent the lunar queen from taking over planet Earth.
There’s something for everyone: action, adventure, romance, self-discovery and shocking revelations. Best of all, there’s still one more in the series.
Republic of Thieves
Recommended to me as “fantasy that is fun,” I thought I’d give it a try.
It took me awhile to get into it, probably because it’s the third of the series, and I hadn’t read the other two. Still, it was entertaining, and I got very interested in the fate of the main characters.
The world building was extraordinary, the plot a complex riddle, the character development superb.
A fun read? Absolutely. But not really my thing.
My problem with it is that the main characters are basically a bunch of thieves. Likeable, engaging and attractive, but still thieves. My tastes run more to characters who are on the side of good, no matter how badly they may mess up.
But if this isn’t an issue for you, then go for it. I’m sure you’ll love it. Just read the other two first.
Love is Messy
I took a break from all the fantasy to check out a contemporary romance by Callie Sutcliffe. Love is Messy is a compelling story that pulled me right in. The heroine of the story, Bridget, finds her life in shambles. The aftermath of a horrifying incident shoves a wedge between Bridget and her husband. In desperation, she flees and finds herself in a small town where she starts to put the pieces back together. This is a story about two people who love each other, but when pushed to their limits, they question their future together.
Not only was the ending satisfying, but there are two more books in the series to come.
What books have you read and enjoyed lately? Tell us about them in the comments!