Review: Wires and Nerve Volume 1 - Marissa Meyer

The first graphic novel from #1 New York Times and USA Today bestseller Marissa Meyer!

In her first graphic novel, bestselling author Marissa Meyer extends the world of the Lunar Chronicles with a brand-new, action-packed story about Iko, the android with a heart of (mechanized) gold.When rogue packs of wolf-hybrid soldiers threaten the tenuous peace alliance between Earth and Luna, Iko takes it upon herself to hunt down the soldiers' leader. She is soon working with a handsome royal guard who forces her to question everything she knows about love, loyalty, and her own humanity. With appearances by Cinder, Cress, Scarlet, Winter, and the rest of the Rampion crew, this is a must-have for fans of the bestselling series.

Lunar Chronicles Series:
Glitches (free prequel short story can be read online here)
The Little Android (free short story can be read online here)
Cinder
The Queen's Army (free short story can be read online here)
Scarlet
Cress
Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky (free short story can be read by signing up for Marissa Meyer's newsletter)
Fairest
Winter

Wires and Nerve:
(Graphic novel series staring Iko set after the events in the Lunar Chronicles books)
Wires and Nerve Volume 1
Wires and Nerve Volume 2: Gone Rogue

Visit Marissa Meyer's website for more information

Review:
I'm not sure why it took me so long to get around to reading this graphic novel (especially considering I bought my copy back in 2017!) but I'm so glad I finally gave it a chance. I love Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles series and Iko was such a fantastic character all the way through so I was really excited when it was announced that she was getting her own spin off duology. I wasn't sure how it would work as graphic novels compared to the rest of the series but I actually liked getting to see drawn representations of each of the characters we've come to know and love. I will warn you now that this graphic novel contains HUGE spoilers for the main series so if you've not read the previous books I wouldn't advice starting with this graphic novel but for fans of the originals I'm sure you'll enjoy being back in this world.

Iko's story starts not long after the events in Winter and gives us the chance to see how each of the previous couples are getting along now. Some have been able to happily return to their old lives but others, like Cinder, have a lot more work to do to prove themselves. Iko is loyal to her friends above anything else and is like a protective older sister when it comes to Cinder but helping her settle into her role as queen isn't something she is really able to do. What Iko can do to help is deal with the wolf-hybrids created by Levana, the hybrids have been asked to return to the moon for retraining but a group of rogues remain on earth and are currently causing all kinds of trouble. As an android Iko is uniquely qualified to go after these super soldiers but even with her extra skills it's not going to be an easy task.

I really enjoyed being back in this world, Iko is just as much fun as I remember her being and I love the sense of humour she brings to the series. Although my personal preference is usually for more colourful artwork I thought the blue, white and black palette used for this novel worked really well. I liked the artist's vision of each of the main characters and didn't have any problems telling who was who just by looking at them. It was fun seeing where everyone's life is at right now but I'm really hoping to seem them all reunited in the next graphic novel.

I'm including pictures of the first couple of pages so that you can see each of the main characters for yourself:

Cinder, Kai, Thorne, Scarlet & Wolf

Cress, Jacin, Winter & Iko

Source: Purchased

Other reviews of this book:
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Hardback / Paperback:

Etsy Finds: Magnetic Bookmarks - HappyHelloCo

I love looking for new fandom sellers on Etsy, there are just so many amazing creators making items from bookmarks to candles and everything else you can possibly think of. I've brought from a few of them over the last few years but for some reason I've never got around to reviewing the products here on my blog. I thought it was about time I changed that so keep an eye out for some random Etsy Finds posts over the next few months. I'll start by posting about products I've purchased but I'll probably branch out onto items on my wish list later on.

Today I want to talk about the store HappyHelloCo. This shop sells the most adorable magnetic bookmarks from a lot of popular bookish fandoms but also related to TV shows and movies and all sorts of other cute designs. They've branched out into selling cute enamel pins, stickers and keychains too but I've not purchased any of those yet so I'm going to focus on the magnetic bookmarks today.

I've placed several orders with HappyHelloCo over the last few years and have been thrilled with all of the bookmarks I've received from them. I love magnetic bookmarks because you don't run the risk of them falling out of the book and losing your place but to be honest the bookmarks I've bought are almost too cute to stick inside a book so I love using them as shelf decorations too.

Harry, Hermoine & Ron from the Harry Potter series (Purchase here)

Newt, Tina, Queen & Jacob from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Purchase here)

Kaz, Nina, Inej, Matthias, Jesper & Wylan from Six of Crows 

(Purchase a slightly updated version here)

Mister Kindly, Mia and Tric from the Nevernight Chronicles (Purchase here)

All of the main characters from The Lunar Chronicles series 

(Purchase slightly updated versions here, here and here)

Okay so these aren't bookish but as you can see I adore Pumbaa and Timon so I couldn't resist these!

(Purchase them here, now only available as part of a set with Simba and Nala)

I've included links to each item above but you can also just browse the whole HappyHelloCo store here, they have so many fantastic designs so I'm sure everyone will find something that they love.

In the interest of clarity this was NOT a sponsored post (I will always mention it when I receive products for review). I purchased these items for myself and did not receive a discount or compensation for reviewing them here.

Book & Nook Unboxing - February 2018 Monthly Candle Collection - Fairytale Magic

I'm a bit late posting about this because I received my box about a month ago now but I really love this collection so I had to give Book & Nook a shoutout on my blog anyway. Since I've been enjoying receiving the Fairyloot boxes but my favourite items are usually the candles I figured it would be fun to try out one of the candle collections I'd come across on Etsy.

The Book & Nook theme for February was Fairytale Magic and I knew it would include items related to Alice in Wonderland, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella and The Lunar Chronicles so as a HUGE fairytale fan it was perfect for me. The box included five 4oz candles as well as a bookish item and a bookmark and was only £19.99 + Shipping which I thought was a pretty great deal.

Here are the contents of my box:

The bookish item this month was a "Happily Ever After" room spray and I have to admit that I didn't love it as much as the candles, I'm not really keen on the scent of it unfortunately, but I still think the box was brilliant value just for the candles.

The candles included were:

1. Stars Above - inspired by the Lunar Chronicles the scent is Lotus Blossom, Magnolia and Bergamot.
2. Glass Slipper - inspired by Cinderella the scent is English Pear, Mistletoe and Freesia.
3. Tale as Old As Time - inspired by Beauty and the Beast the scent is Amber, White Peach Blossom and Gold Orchid.
4. Mirror Mirror - inspired by Snow White the scent is Pink Peony, Summer Flowers and Gardenia Blooms.
5. Down the Rabbit Hole - inspired by Alice in Wonderland the scent is Chamomile, Strawberry and Peppermint.

The candles all smell lovely and they're all topped with glitter for that little extra sparkle. I love the tin designs too and they look lovely on my bookcases.

Since I was placing an order I also treated myself to this Strange the Dreamer inspired Weep candle (you might as well order big to save on shipping costs right?!).

The colour has been designed to match the UK hardback design (which incidentally is the same as the US paperback!) and the scent is Strawberry, Orange and Green Apple and it's almost good enough to eat LOL. Strange the Dreamer is one of my favourite books and I can't wait to reread it with this candle burning in the background, I'm sure the smell will help me fall even deeper into the story.

If you've not bought anything from Book & Nook before I can't recommend them highly enough, they're not doing a monthly box for April but I'll definitely be buying more candles from them in the future. You can find their products on Etsy or buy directly from their website and they are also on Instagram.

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Most Anticipated Releases for the Second Half of 2017

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week has a different theme & you can find all the details about how to join in HERE.

Today's topic is Top Ten Most Anticipated Releases for the Second Half of 2017. (Yes I realise I'm posting this on a Wednesday but I already had something scheduled for yesterday!)

1. Wildfire - Ilona Andrews - This is kind of a cheat since I have an arc so I've already read it (twice!) but I'm such a fangirl of everything Ilona and Gordon write and this series is my favourite so I HAD to include it!
2. Silver Silence - Nalini Singh - I'd also include Archangel's Viper on this list because I adore both the Psy-Changeling and the Guild Hunter series.
3. The Scorpion Trap - Pippa DaCosta - If you like the sound of Egyptian gods roaming around modern day New York then you HAVE to give this series a try!
4. Godsgrave - Jay Kristoff - Nevernight was one of my favourite books last year so this one was a no brainer, I can't wait for more of Mia and Mr Kindly's adventures.
5. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Illustrated Edition - J.K. Rowling & Jim Kay - I've read this whole series a million times but it'll never be too many and these illustrated editions are absolutely gorgeous.
6. The Language of Thorns - Leigh Bardugo - I love the Grisha world so I'm excited to go back to it with this collection of short stories. I'm also really looking forward to her upcoming superhero book Wonder Woman: War Bringer.
7. Renegades - Marissa Meyer - I'm really excited we're seeing a trend of superhero books this year, I've enjoyed everything else Marissa Meyer has written so I have very high hopes for this new duology.
8. Artemis - Andy Weir - I loved The Martian so Artemis jumped to the top of my wish list the minute I heard about it.
9. La Belle Sauvage - Philip Pullman - I read the Dark Materials series when it was first released, in fact I've reread it too many times to count over the years so I'm thrilled he's decided to return to this world.
10. Forest of a Thousand Lanterns - Julie C Dao - Not only is the cover for this one beautiful but it's also described as "The Wrath and the Dawn meets Snow White and the Huntsman in this dark and mystical East Asian fantasy reimagining of The Evil Queen legend" and I can't possibly resist a blurb like that!

Review: Heartless - Marissa Meyer

UK Cover

Long before she was the Queen of Hearts, Catherine Pinkerton was just a girl who wanted to fall in love.

Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next queen.

Then Cath meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the king and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into an intense, secret courtship. Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.

From New York Times bestselling author of The Lunar Chronicles, Marissa Meyer, comes a vision of Wonderland like none you've seen before, telling the untold story of the girl who would the notorious Queen of Hearts.

Visit Marissa Meyer's website for more information

Review:
As a huge fan of Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles I was really excited to see what she would do with an Alice in Wonderland retelling and couldn't wait to get started on Heartless. This isn't exactly a retelling though, it's more of an imagined prequel to the story most of us already know and love. Did you ever wonder why the Queen of Hearts acts the way she does? Why she's so obsessed with tarts? Why her favourite catchphrase is "Off with their heads"? I have to admit it never really crossed my mind to think about who she could have been before she was the queen but that's where Marissa Meyer's wonderful imagination comes into play.

You see once Catherine was just a girl who loved to bake, a girl who dreamed of opening her own bakery and perhaps finding a loving husband who would support her career choice. Catherine's skills in the kitchen and the delicious treats she bakes have captured the attention of the king and he is determined to make her his bride even if that's the last thing she wants. Unfortunately Catherine is also cursed with an ambitious mother, one who would stop at nothing to make sure her daughter became the next queen, even if it means Catherine will never be able to find true happiness.

Heartless starts with a much lighter tone than I expected, Catherine is obsessed with the idea of opening her own bakery and it's pretty much all she thinks about in the beginning, she spends time creating new delicious treats and trying to figure out how she will be able to open her shop without her parent's support. She's a sweet girl, rather naïve and very easy to life. As the story continues it gradually gets darker and darker as Catherine is forced into a role she never wanted. The further she gets from her goal the more bitter she becomes and it's incredibly easy to feel sorry for her and to understand how she ended up the nasty queen we met in the original stories.

Marissa Meyer did such a fantastic job of capturing the feel of Lewis Carroll's stories, the world feels very familiar yet the story is different enough to be interesting and she's included all of my favourite characters along with some fun new ones. I loved her take on the Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter with his tea parties and you'll even see the Jabberwock. Fans of Alice in Wonderland will absolutely love this book and I'm really hoping that we'll get more retellings from this author in the future.

Source: Received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Other reviews of this book:
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Hardback / Paperback / Kindle:

US Cover

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I read in 2015

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week has a different theme & you can find all the details about how to join in HERE.

Today's topic is Top Ten Books I read in 2015 which I have to say has been a really difficult one for me. It's just too hard to narrow it down to only 10 books! I decided to break it down into 3 categories - YA, NA and Adult - and was going to allow myself 5 books from each but even that ended up being too difficult. So I figure if I'm going to cheat I might as well REALLY cheat so here are my top 26 books of 2015 (Yes, I know that's a crazy amount of books but considering I've read around 250 books this year I don't think it's unreasonable LOL. Books are listed in the order I reviewed them & I've included links to my reviews.

My top YA books of 2015:

1. Golden Son - Pierce Brown
2. These Broken Stars - Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
3. Shadow Study - Maria V Snyder
4. Froi of the Exiles - Melina Marchetta
5. End of Days - Susan Ee
6. The Shepherd's Crown - Terry Pratchett
7. Six of Crows - Leigh Bardugo
8. Winter - Marissa Meyer
9. A Thousand Nights - E.K. Johnston
10. Illuminae - Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
11. Asking for It - Louise O'Neill

My top NA books of 2015:

1. Rock Hard - Nalini Singh
2. A Court of Thorns and Roses - Sarah J Maas
3. Once Pure - Cecy Robson
4. Anything but Broken - Joelle Knox
5. This is One Moment - Mila Gray

My top Adult books of 2015:

1. Dark Debt - Chloe Neill
2. Magic Shifts - Ilona Andrews
3. The Great Zoo of China - Matthew Reilly
4. Shards of Hope - Nalini Singh
5. Archangel's Enigma - Nalini Singh 
6. Sweep in Peace - Ilona Andrews
7. Ties That Bind - Pippa DaCosta
8. Alien in Chief - Gini Koch
9. Uprooted - Naomi Novik (review will be posted soon)
10. The Martian - Andy Weir (review will be posted soon)

So do any of my choices match yours? Which other absolutely amazing books have you read this year?

Review: Winter - Marissa Meyer

This is not the fairy tale you remember.
But it's one you won't forget.

Winter is admired for her grace, kindness and beauty, despite the scars on her face. She's said to be even more breath taking than her stepmother, Queen Levana . . . 

When Winter develops feelings for the handsome palace guard, Jacin, she fears the evil Queen will crush their romance before it has a chance to begin.

But there are stirrings against the Queen across the land. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even find the power to launch a revolution and win a war that's been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress and Winter claim their happily-ever-afters by defeating Levana once and for all?

Lunar Chronicles Series:
Glitches (free prequel short story can be read online here)
The Little Android (free short story can be read online here)
Cinder
The Queen's Army (free short story can be read online here)
Scarlet
Cress
Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky (free short story can be read by signing up for Marissa Meyer's newsletter)
Fairest
Winter

Wires and Nerve:
(Graphic novel series staring Iko set after the events in the Lunar Chronicles books)
Wires and Nerve Volume 1
Wires and Nerve Volume 2: Gone Rogue

Visit Marissa Meyer's website for more information

Review:
Winter, the long awaited finale to the Lunar Chronicles, was probably one of my most anticipated reads of 2015 so it's no surprise that I dropped everything to dive straight in when my copy arrived. Not many authors can pull off a book that's over 800 pages long but still has me gripped from beginning to end but Marissa Mayer achieved it and Winter was truly EPIC. I did have an issue with one thing towards the end of the book but apart from that I loved every minute of this book and it took me on an emotional roller coaster ride that I won't be forgetting any time soon.

I want to talk about how much I love all the characters in this series (well, apart from Levana who is one of the most despicable character's I've ever read about LOL). I love how unique each of the couples have been and how they've all had their own important roles to play in the series. Cinder has been a brilliant character from the beginning, I love how smart she is and the way she always looks out for the people around her. She never wanted to be the missing Lunar princess but she knows she's the only one who can rightfully take the throne from Levana so she's taken on the responsibility to save her people even when the thought of becoming a queen terrifies her. Kai is a great match for her, he understands responsibility probably even more than she does, everything he does is to protect the his people even when it means making horrific sacrifices like agreeing to marry Levana. Their relationship has been quite a slow burner but it's so sweet to watch and I loved it.

Scarlet and Wolf have been through hell and back already but their troubles are only just beginning. At the start of Winter Scarlet is being held captive on Lunar and Wolf is at a complete loss without her. My heart broke for everything these two have to endure and I think they're probably my favourite couple because of the way they're both so determined to find a way back to each other. Nothing is going to stop them and they have some of the sweetest moments in the book alongside some of the most upsetting. Thorne always makes me laugh, no matter what situation the group find themselves in he always manages to lighten the mood and add a little humour. There is a lot more to him than meets the eye though and I enjoyed getting the chance to dig deeper into his character in this book. Cress is the sweetest and most innocent of the group, she has led such a sheltered life and has never really been in physical danger in this way before but she steps up to the plate wonderfully and I was so proud of how brave she has become here.

Winter and Jacin may be the newest couple in the series but I think they're possibly the cutest. Winter comes across as completely crazy most of the time and she's definitely damaged thanks to the Lunar sickness she has from refusing to use her abilities but underneath the madness she can be surprisingly intelligent and she has some really interesting insights into other characters and the situation they're all in. Jacin has loved Winter forever but he knows they'll never have a future, after all she's a princess and he's merely a guard. He will do anything to protect her though and as much as some of his actions are questionable and made me angry his heart is in the right place and he has a reason for everything he does. Never once does he care about his own life, it's all about what needs to be done to protect Winter and I admired him for the way he looked out for her. I also loved seeing the two of them together and even now I've reached the end of the series I'm having trouble picking out a favourite couple to ship. I can't forget to mention Iko, the sweetest little boy crazy android you could ever hope to meet, she is just so adorable and adds a huge amount of fun to the series.

What I love about Marissa Meyer, aside from her ability to create fantastic characters and a wonderfully imaginative world, is the way she manages to take such well known fairytales and completely twist them on their heads. She includes enough elements to make them recognisable but at the same time manages to create something unique and completely her own. This series has been full of incredibly highs and horrifying lows and Winter nearly turned me into an emotional wreck but the journey was so, so worth it. I did mention that there was something towards the end that irritated me but I can't go into too much depth without giving spoilers so I'll just say that I didn't like the way they used Levana's disfigurement against her, they had plenty of other ammunition to use considering all the horrific things Levana has done and that just made me feel really uncomfortable. In any other book I'd have probably marked the story down for that but I was so completely invested in this series and so gripped for the entire book that I can't bring myself to give it less than five stars. It truly has been a memorable journey and although I'm sad it's over I'm very happy with the way everything came together.

Marissa Meyer was already an auto-buy author for me but finding out that her next book, Heartless, is going to be based on Alice in Wonderland has just made me even more eager to get my hands on a copy!

Source: Purchased

Other reviews of this book:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Quick Review: Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky - Marissa Meyer

Thirteen-year-old Carswell Thorne has big plans involving a Rampion spaceship and a no-return trip out of Los Angeles.

A short story that appeared in Target exclusive copies of Cress. (You can also subscribe to Marissa Meyer's newsletter and this short story will be emailed to you for free!)

Lunar Chronicles Series:
Glitches (free prequel short story can be read online here)
The Little Android (free short story can be read online here)
Cinder
The Queen's Army (free short story can be read online here)
Scarlet
Cress
Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky (free short story can be read by signing up for Marissa Meyer's newsletter)
Fairest
Winter

Wires and Nerve:
(Graphic novel series staring Iko set after the events in the Lunar Chronicles books)
Wires and Nerve Volume 1
Wires and Nerve Volume 2: Gone Rogue

Visit Marissa Meyer's website for more information

Quick Review:
Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky is a free short story in Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles that was originally only available in Target exclusive copies of Cress which was a huge disappointment to international readers like me who had no chance of buying a copy. Thankfully this story is now available to anyone, all you have to do is sign up for Marissa Meyer's newsletter and she'll send you a free copy of it. Don't you just love it when author's give something back to their fans? I know I do so I really appreciate this gesture!

I'm not going to go into much detail about this story because it's really short and it would be too easy to spoil. Instead I'll just tell you that it's about Captain Thorne's school days, he's only thirteen years old in this and you can already tell what a loveable rogue he's going to grow into. I loved reading about his crazy money making schemes and it was interesting to learn more about his background. Was it too short? Of course it was, let's be honest anything less than a full length novel (& probably not even that!) wasn't going to give me my fill of Thorne but as an extra freebie read I loved every minute of it.

Source: I received a free copy by signing up for Marissa Meyer's newsletter.

Other reviews of this book:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Quick Review: The Little Android - Marissa Meyer

The Little Android is a retelling of The Little Mermaid, set in the world of The Lunar Chronicles by New York Times-bestselling author Marissa Meyer.

When android Mech6.0 saves the life of a handsome hardware engineer, her body is destroyed and her mechanics discover a glitch in her programming. Androids aren’t meant to develop impractical reasoning or near-emotional responses . . . let alone fall in love.

Lunar Chronicles Series:
Glitches (free prequel short story can be read online here)
The Little Android (free short story can be read online here)
Cinder
The Queen's Army (free short story can be read online here)
Scarlet
Cress
Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky (free short story can be read by signing up for Marissa Meyer's newsletter)
Fairest
Winter

Wires and Nerve:
(Graphic novel series staring Iko set after the events in the Lunar Chronicles books)
Wires and Nerve Volume 1
Wires and Nerve Volume 2: Gone Rogue

Visit Marissa Meyer's website for more information

Quick Review:
I absolutely love Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chroncles series and I love that she's written so many short stories set in this world that she gives to fans as little freebies. The Little Android is actually a retelling of The Little Mermaid (the original version rather than the Disney one) and it can be read for free on Wattpad HERE.

I have to admit that when I saw the title I had hoped the story might be about Iko, the funniest little boy crazy android who happens to be one of my favourite characters in the series, but now I've read the story I'm kind of glad it was about a new character! This story works as a complete stand alone so it doesn't matter if you've read any of the other books - although if you are familiar with the series you'll be pleased to spot a small appearance from Cinder!

I'm not going to go into details of the plot - it's free, and short so it'll only take you about 20 minute so you have absolutely no excuse not to read it yourself! - but this is a really cute but rather bitter-sweet story that gave me all the feels at the end.

Thanks Marissa Meyer for all these extras, can you please write lots more of them because I'm not ready to say goodbye to this world or these characters yet!

Source: Read for free on the Wattpad website here.

Other reviews of this book:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.