The Hype Train is Arriving, Reached, and…. It Left

You know that feeling when you’re anticipating a bunch of soon-to-be released books yet are wondering how in the world you could possibly read them all? Then one by one, they are published. You buy a few, borrow some from the library, but lets face it: we’re not all speed readers and if you’re like me (AKA a slow reader), many of those books end up unread. And after awhile, your excitement just kind of dies down and you question whether you actually still want to read it.

With time being more constrained due to school and other things in life now, I’ve become more picky in the books I choose to read. This is a compilation of the books I realise I might never read despite my initial enthusiasm *cries*. Why am I sharing it? I guess a teensy part of me still hopes some of them would catch my attention again. So if you think any of the books below are worth giving a shot, drop me a comment! (This list is also very condensed as I didn’t want the post to be too long, I might do a part two… but it depends)

Winterspell by Claire Legrand

My little sister has been bugging me to read this one ever since I asked her to sample it for me (yes, it’s weird) and she ended up loving it. While I love retellings (and have never read a Nutcracker retelling yet), love the gorgeous map in the book, and the pretty cover, its average Goodreads rating (3.71) has me reconsidering. I know, I know, I’m one of those sad people who can’t help but let Goodreads ratings affect my view of a book. Overall, I’m still pretty interested in this one.

Review: Fairest by Marissa Meyer

Published January 27, 2015 · Feiwel & Friends
GOODREADS · THE BOOK DEPOSITORY · AMAZON

WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR CINDER, SCARLET, AND CRESS.

In this stunning bridge book between Cress and Winter in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles, Queen Levana’s story is finally told.

Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who is the fairest of them all?

Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story – a story that has never been told . . . until now.

Marissa Meyer spins yet another unforgettable tale about love and war, deceit and death. This extraordinary book includes full-color art and an excerpt from Winter, the next book in the Lunar Chronicles series.

Rating: ★★★★★

Fairest is a strange book to love. It was twisted and brutal, with a main character – Levana – whom you can’t help hate but sympathise with at the same time. With this story, Meyer did something other authors rarely would – humanise a villain. In doing so, she gave readers a deeper understanding of Levana’s actions and motives. It made me more invested in the Lunar Chronicles and how it’ll end – not that I wasn’t already dying for Winter!

Review: Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch

Published October 14, 2014 · Balzer + Bray
Goodreads · The Book Depository · Amazon

A heartbroken girl. A fierce warrior. A hero in the making.

Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since.

Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again.

So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.

Rating: ★★★★

Snow Like Ashes was among the many new fantasy novels I had been looking forward to reading last year (incase you don’t know, I’m a huge fantasy fangirl). Raasch had created an incredible world filled with cunning, impending war, hope, and underlying magic. However, while this novel was fascinating, it definitely has room for improvement.