Owl Crate & Everland Review

I just wanted to take a moment to tell you lovely readers about a great bookish subscription service called OwlCrate. For those of you who have not heard of this service, its $29.99 + S&H. Thing is is you use this special code NEWMEMBER you'll be able to knock off a bit of cash. Every month there is a different theme in each box you can expect:

• Hardcover book 
• 3-5 quality bookish items.

This months OwlCrate theme is Steam Punk and out of the 3 months of using this service I have to tell you that this box is my favorite and I had use for each and every item in this box. As for the book, it was called Everland by Wendy Spinale. So here's what I got:

I wish I got a better shot of that ring but its really cute, it based of The Infernal Devices. It was designed by Sparks Emporium.

Then there's the Skeleton Key by Crystal Compass Designs. Soon as I saw that necklace I put it on straight away. It has a long chain and its super cute and I loved it.

The other key item, is from Elope. It's labeled Metal Accessories, its a broach or pin. I'm thinking I might put it on a hairclip because I don't use pins much but I'm in love with that key and it needs to be used and shown off. The details are incredible.

Some other items that came in the box was the steamp punk inspired nails wraps. I don't use them often and find them pricey in general and was glad to have gotten them in this box. Also there is like 2 weeks worth of nail wraps, so basically when I instantly ruin on while putting on or so I can go for the back ups which is handy. Also there is a link to how to put them on so that's helpful.

Temporary Flash Tattoos based off the book was also included in the box in the shapes of Cogs, Wings and such. So cute.

The last bookish item recieved was the Art Print by Creative Daffodil Studios as a tribute to J.M. Barrie. Its a Peter Pan inspired print.

Continue reading to see the review to this fantastic book I received in this book.

Anyways should any of you decide to subscribe please use this referral link I'd appreciate it! Referral Link Click Here

Everland by Wendy Spinale

Genre: Fantasy, Retelling, SteamPunk, Romance, Young Adult, Fairy Tales, Historical Fiction, Dystopia

Goodreads: Click

Purchase Link: Amazon | B&N

Pages: 320

Published May 10th 2016 by Scholastic Press

London has been destroyed in a blitz of bombs and disease. The only ones who have survived are children, among them Gwen Darling and her siblings, Joanna and Mikey. They spend their nights scavenging and their days avoiding the ruthless Marauders -- the German army led by Captain Hanz Otto Oswald Kretschmer.

Unsure if the virus has spread past England's borders but desperate to leave, Captain Hook hunts for a cure, which he thinks can be found in one of the survivors. He and his Marauders stalk the streets snatching children for experimentation. None ever return. Until the day they grab Joanna. As Gwen sets out to save her, she meets a daredevil boy named Pete. Pete offers the assistance of his gang of Lost Boys and the fierce sharpshooter Bella, who have all been living in a city hidden underground. But in a place where help has a steep price and every promise is bound by blood, it will cost Gwen. And are she, Pete, the Lost Boys, and Bella enough to outsmart Captain Hook?

Last night I refused to go to sleep until I had finished this book. It was that good.

I loved this book it was so imaginative, fun, and enjoyable. I loved when I can come across retelling, even better if its steampunk another genre I don't really come across. When I do I'm never disappointed. I loved this book. There is so much to love, the characters, the fact that you'll get different point of views from multiple characters including Hook. I thought this was a really great reimagining of a classic. There was plenty of action going on from the very start to draw the readers in. I want write more about this book on why I loved it to much but you should see for your self. Bump it to the top of your TBR list you'll be happy you did.

Review : Stitching Snow

Stitching Snow by R.C. Lewis Genre: Dystopia, Retelling, Fairy Tales, Romance, Young Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Adventure Goodreads: Click Purchase Link: Amazon Pages: 338 Published October 14th 2014 by Disney-Hyperion Synopsis: Essie lives in Thanda that's known for its mines. To help save a couple minors lives shes fixed up a couple of droids to do the job and does cage fighting on the side for money. Things start to get complicated when a ship crash lands near by rather then getting the authorities she helps the pilot Dane so that he can leave quietly. Little did she expect to get kidnapped and sent back to her home where she willingly left with the help of a few people. There is nothing but corruptions and death by the hands of her father the King and his wife where she came from. Review: I really enjoyed this book. If you are a fan of Lunar chronicals I think you'll enjoy this book.If you enjoy a kick butt princess with brains then then this book is for you. I loved getting to know Essie's characters. I loved that even if there was the love interest Dane I wasn't over the top being a romance.I loved that when there were times of trouble she always make sure to keep her and her words of wisdom to help others. I loved that there was always something going on to keep things interesting and to keep the readers on their toes. Overall a great story I really enjoyed it!

Review : Cruel Beauty

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Fairy Tales, Retelling, Mythology, Magic, Paranormal, Demons
Pages: 342
Purchase Link : Amazon

Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast in this sweeping fantasy about one girl's journey to fulfill her destiny and the monster who gets in her way-by stealing her heart.

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle—a shifting maze of magical rooms—enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

Review:

This book was quite unexpected. I absolutely love retelling. This was a interesting and unique take on Beauty and the Beast. Not at all how I thought it would turn out which made it more fun and entertaining. I loved that there was so much going on, I loved getting to know their own little tales. There is so much twists and turns that'll keep the readers on their toes. I look forward to checking out the next book I hear that its a Little Red Riding Hood retelling.

Scarlet

"I think I realized that I would rather die because I betrayed them, than live because I betrayed you."

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer ( The Lunar Chronicles #2)
Stars: 5 of 5
Format: Hardcover
Genre: Young Adult, fantasy, Dystopia, Fairy Tales, Retelling, Steampunk, Romance
Pages: 464

Summary:

Cinder is locked up with the intention of breaking out, with the help of an inmate she goes on a search for a women who helped her escape. Maybe she can help her know more about herself and how to work with her powers.

Scarlets grandmother is missing and no one wants to help. Everyone knows her grandmother is crazy and she probably just ran away. Scarlet knows theres something wrong when her grandmother just leaves without a trace and not contact her. With the help of a stranger, Scarlet will go find her grandmother but will find herself in trouble.

(Anyone else find this a wee bit creepy?)

My thoughts

Of all the fairy tales Red Riding Hood was my favorite and I love how the author retells these fairy tales in a unique way. I mean I've read many remakes of many fairy tale and none come close to this Lunar Chronicles series. I love that these retelling of fairy tales have a unique twist of dystopian era and Syfi.

When I heard about this book I was a little worried because I cinders story hasn't ended. I thought that this book was just going to be Scarlets view and I was relieved to find that this story goes back and forth between Scarlet and Cinder to know whats going on. I liked how the author made this complex story that someone managed to merge into one another.

I loved how fast paced this book was, loads of action and fighting. Theres almost always something going on. I liked how pushy Scarlet was and how she stood her ground, when she wanted to find her grandmere and no one was doing anything about she did whatever it took to find her grandmere. I wish I could've seen more with the relationship between Wolf and Scarlet though like I got to see with Kai and Cinder.

With this last picture I just wanted to show off my nails, they arent anything special but because I was bored I decided to paint my nails the same color as the cloak and the sparkling silver reminds me of the Lunars. So I painted the tips of my nails the sparkling silver and on one nail painted a crescent  I'm not quite sure if you can see it from that picture tho.

Oh and I wanted to share this with you, I just figured this out its a prequel to Scarlet on Wolf its called The Queens Army.

Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer

"Even in the Future the Story Begins with Once Upon A Time." - Cinder by Marissa Meyer 

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Stars: 5 of 5
Format: Paperback
Genre:  Young Adult, Diastolic, Romance, Fairy tales, Science Fiction Retelling.
Pages: 390

Summery

Theres nothing special about Linh Cinder, shes just young cyborg mechanic who lives with her step mother, two sisters and her best friend android, Iko. When her sister fall ill, she is blamed by her Step mother and sister and gets sent away to be used as a testing subject so her step mother wont have to deal with her anymore.

Slowly information about a past she remembers nothing of starts to resurface revealing her true self. On top of that she keeps crossing paths with the soon to be emperor of Beijing and end up with a romance that was destined to never be.

My thoughts.

I liked this book so much I was too much that I've already started writing half this review before it even finished. I just wanted to say the imagery is amazing. Other then reading my other hobby includes Painting/Sketching and this book has enough descriptions to get me actually itching to draw a picture of what Cinder could possibly look like or the other characters  I love the twist and turns that occur in this book. I've read a lot of adaptions to the Cinderella story and most of them where predictable and this wasn't, I love that I keep getting surprised of what is going to happen next. There is no other Cinderella adaption like this. Even the ending got me curious of what happens next, Thank goodness Scarlet (The next book in this Lunar Chronicles) is out and my library is already in process to get it to me before the end of the week.

(Written after book was read) There is so much to like about this book from the imagery  the way its fast paced, I liked how well the characters were written. I liked that it had a different setting with the whole Dystopia thing, normally when I find a book that's dystopian its based where the US was this book is based in Beijing. With this book what I ended up getting is a book wit humans, cyborgs, androids and aliens. I'm not a big fan of Aliens I believe I've mentioned that before, the only other book I've read with aliens was In The After. Most of what I've come across in this book is different from what I normally read, so this book was kind of out of my reading comfort zone.

What I also liked about this book is that it didn't go overboard with romance or that whole love at first sight kind of thing, you can tell there was a interest between the prince and Cinder but it was subtle. Too many YA books go overboard with the romance and this just has a little touch of if which I appreciate. It wasn't over the top and it wasn't too little, it was just enough romance thrown in.

My favorite character had to be Iko, yea she only lasted like half the book but that "glitch" she had gave her a great and funny personality. I almost kept forgetting that she was an android, even Iko would almost forget. "I have a glitch, too. Sometimes I forget that I'm not human. I don't think that happen to most androids." (That was from the short story Glitch which is a special bonus in the book. If you would like to check out the Prequel Glitch  Click Here ) She is the most girlish robot I've ever heard and I like the little comments she says in the book.

(Illustration by Goni Montes)