'Cress'

If you haven't explored the Young Adult genre yet, I suggest you do it.  When I go to the library, I generally check out the YA section before I wander over to Fiction. There are some incredible YA books being published right now, and one series in particular has kept me awake as I read far into the night.  

I love the dystopian settings in many adult S/F-Fantasy books, and it seems to be the setting of choice for many new YA novels.  'Hunger Games' is a prime example.  

But the main theme of 'female revolutionary' grabbed my attention.  It's about time that girls evolved into human beings capable of fighting alongside boys.  In fact, most of the girls portrayed in these books are total bad asses, which, to me, is a breath of fresh air.

Of course, there will always be a bit of romance in the stories.  And why not?  People are attracted to each other; it's nature.  And sure, the girls feel all tingly inside when they are kissed.  Who isn't?  But when that kiss is followed by a bad-ass fighting scene, I'm in reader's heaven.

That brings me to 'The Lunar Chronicles', a fantastic series written by the equally-fantastic Marissa Meyer.  By the way, Marissa, thanks for putting Book Hog on the cape! *wink* *wink*.

'Cinder', the first in the series, is about a young female cyborg mechanic who is ignored/used by her awful stepmother.  But Cinder has a secret, a secret that she discovers not far into the series.   The Lunar Queen Levana is hell bent on conquering Earth, and in order to do that, she becomes betrothed to Prince (soon to be Emperor) Kai of Earth.  It is a stimulating, beautifully-written story, which leads us to...

'Scarlet', the second in the series.  Scarlet lives on a farm in France with her grandmother, and...well, read my review from last year.

And now we have 'Cress', the third book.  A book I couldn't put down.  Cress is Meyer's Rapunzel, a young Lunar girl trapped not in a tower, but a satellite.  She monitors the comings-and-goings of Earth's military, discovering their secrets for her Queen.  But Cress is lonely and, left to herself, becomes a serious hacker.  When Queen Levana wants her to find Cinder and her accomplice, Captain Thorne, Cress uses her hacking talent to find and contact Cinder.  A revolution is in the making, and Cress, Wolf, Scarlet, Thorne, and Cinder lead the charge.

It's wonderful to be so excited about a series, be it adult or YA or Independent Reader.  And once you read 'Cinder', you'll be excited, too.  Book Hog bets this series will be just as popular as Suzanne Collins' 'Hunger Games' series. Marissa Meyer has a genuine gift of putting her readers right inside the action and stimulating so many emotions. The quality of her writing remains consistent throughout. 'The Lunar Chronicles' is a great take on the familiar fairy tales we all love...

...and now with kick-ass heroines.


'Cinder', the third book in 'The Lunar Chronicles' by Marissa Meyer, is now available at your library and local bookstore.