Tag: Books: Young Adult

Review: Cinder

Posted 11 March, 2015 by Lianne in Books / 12 Comments

The Lunar Chronicles (The Lunar Chronicles #1)
By: Melissa Meyer
Format/Source: Hardback; my purchase

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.

I’ve long heard wonderful things about The Lunar Chronicles amongst fellow book bloggers. I picked up the first book in the series when I was out with my best friend before Christmas and yeah, decided to read it now 🙂

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Review: The Rithmatist

Posted 12 February, 2015 by Lianne in Books / 6 Comments

The Rithmatist (Rithmatist #1)
By: Brandon Sanderson
Format/Source: Hardback; my copy

More than anything, Joel wants to be a Rithmatist. Rithmatists have the power to infuse life into two-dimensional figures known as Chalklings. Rithmatists are humanity’s only defense against the Wild Chalklings. Having nearly overrun the territory of Nebrask, the Wild Chalklings now threaten all of the American Isles.

As the son of a lowly chalkmaker at Armedius Academy, Joel can only watch as Rithmatist students learn the magical art that he would do anything to practice. Then students start disappearing—kidnapped from their rooms at night, leaving trails of blood. Assigned to help the professor who is investigating the crimes, Joel and his friend Melody find themselves on the trail of an unexpected discovery—one that will change Rithmatics—and their world—forever.

Was a bit on a roll with Brandon Sanderson’s books recently; I finally got around to reading The Alloy of Law (review) and afterwards decided to start reading this book, the last book left on my to-read pile by him.

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Review: Christmas with Anne and Other Holiday Stories

Posted 22 December, 2014 by Lianne in Books / 4 Comments

Christmas With Anne and Other Holiday Stories
By:Lucy Maud Montgomery
Format/Source: Hardback; my purchase

Share Anne’s delight at receiving the dress of her dreams, the joy of a young woman reunited with her long lost brother on Christmas Eve, and the surprise of a trio of sisters who inadvertently end a family feud by arriving at the wrong uncle’s house for Christmas dinner.

Featuring some well-loved characters from the Anne of Green Gables books, as well as plenty of new characters, this collection of short stories by L. M. Montgomery celebrates the joys and tribulations of Christmas and the hope of the new year.

The perfect escape during the hectic holiday season and all year round.

So this is the only Anne of Green Gables-related book that I’ve read prior to reading Anne of Green Gables (review) a few weeks ago. This book was given to me when I was 11 as part of a Secret Santa my class held that year (even then my classmates knew I was a big reader 😛 ). I decided to re-visit the book partly because I finally read the classic, and because it’s almost Christmas (could use a festive read).

This book is part of the A Year in Re-Reading: a 2014 Reading Challenge that I am participating in.

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Review: My True Love Gave To Me

Posted 22 December, 2014 by Lianne in Books / 0 Comments

My True Love Gave to Me
Edited By: Stephanie Perkins
Format/Source: Won a copy via a giveaway contest held at Whimsical Nature

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…

This beautiful collection features twelve gorgeously romantic stories set during the festive period, by some of the most talented and exciting YA authors writing today. The stories are filled with the magic of first love and the magic of the holidays.

Been hearing a lot about this collection in the last few weeks leading up to Christmas. Indeed it does boast a list of very familiar and popular YA authors; of the list I’ve only read stuff from Rainbow Rowell and Jenny Han. So what better way to introduce a reader to the other authors than by some holiday short stories? I won a copy from a giveaway contest recently held at Whimsical Nature.

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Review: If I Stay

Posted 10 September, 2014 by Lianne in Books / 4 Comments

If I Stay
By: Gayle Forman
Format/Source: Paperback; my purchase

In the blink of an eye everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall what happened afterwards, watching her own damaged body being taken from the wreck. Little by little she struggles to put together the pieces- to figure out what she has lost, what she has left, and the very difficult choice she must make. Heartwrenchingly beautiful, this will change the way you look at life, love, and family.

If I Stay is one of those many books I’ve heard so much about since becoming more active in the blogosphere a few years ago. I sort of kept it at the back of my mind–too many books, too little time–but it was recently adapted into a movie. The trailer piqued my interest further, so I picked up a copy of the novel to read for myself.

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