Latest Read: Cress by Marissa Meyer

Here are the basics ...
Cress (Lunar Chronicles, #3) by Marissa Meyer
Publication date: Feb. 4, 2014
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Category: Young Adult - Fantasy / Science Fiction
Source: Received ARC from publisher in exchange for review. (Thanks!)

Summary: In this third book in the Lunar Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. They’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and their best hope lies with Cress, who has been trapped on a satellite since childhood with only her netscreens as company. Cress is an excellent hacker—unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and Thorne. When a daring rescue goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing stop her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only ones who can. (Adapted goodreads.com)

My thoughts…

(Note: I try to be vague in my review but keep in mind this is the third book in the series!)

The good: The Lunar Chronicles is a series that gets better and better with each new book and the latest, Cress, is currently my favorite of the bunch. (I say currently because I wouldn't be surprised if I say the same thing next year about Winter!) With so many characters in play now - Cinder, Thorne, Scarlet, Wolf, Kai, Cress, Dr. Erland, Iko and the villians - it's a daunting task to keep everyone's perspective important and cohesive but the author manages it perfectly. Even though Cress and Thorne easily stole my heart in this one, everyone had a role to play that added to the overall story. And as the book progressed, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough as it all built up to a turning point that I've been waiting for since the last page of Cinder.

Cinder, Thorne, Scarlet and Wolf are fugitives on the run from Queen Levana and together they are trying to come up with a plan to overthrow her and save Earth. They run into a lot of obstacles along the way, are separated and face individual dangers (more on that in a minute!) but the end goal is to have Cinder claim her rightful throne. While Cinder still fears what it means to be Lunar or a Queen for that matter, she is ready to fight to save Earth and the people she loves. I love how they are such an unlikely team and yet bring different strengths and personalities to the table as they fight the bad guys. Cress is brought into the mix as a skilled hacker who has warned Cinder in the past of Levana's plans. Unfortunately, Cress is also under Levana's orders to find Cinder but that doesn't stop her from trying to help them. It's Cress' earnest desire to help that convinces the team to try and rescue her from the satellite she's been living on alone. Of course that plan ends in chaos and practically everyone is separated. But that's when the story takes off and we really get to know Cress.

As always, I'm impressed by how the author takes small details from fairy tales (in this case, Rapunzel) and incorporates them into her books. Cress is this tiny hacker who's a little bit out there but who can blame her after being in isolation for so long. If anything, she's handled her situation extremely well. She's innocent, intelligent, a daydreamer and curious about the world around her. She's also funny! Of the three heroines thus far, Cress is the only one to make me laugh out loud. That alone made her so refreshing. Amidst all the fighting and urgency of their adventure, it was nice to have this character who found joy in stopping to smell the roses. She's a bit infatuated with Thorne and after this book, I totally got why. I liked his character before but in Cress, he totally brings the swoon. This series just has a great cast of heroines and heroes to love.

(No) reservations: The pacing was steady, really pushed the series forward and ended on just the right note.

Do I recommend?: Yes! As much as I've loved this series since I began reading it, I didn't consider it one of my favorites. But let me tell you - now I do.

Happy reading!