Scarlet - Review

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

The Lunar chronicles book two

Available now

www.penguin.co.uk 

What's it about?

This is not the fairytale you remember.

But it’s one you won’t forget.

Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. The police have closed her case. The only person Scarlet can turn to is Wolf, a street fighter she does not trust, but they are drawn to each other.

Meanwhile, in New Beijing, Cinder will become the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive – when she breaks out of prison to stay one step ahead of vicious Queen Levana.

As Scarlet and Wolf expose one mystery, they encounter Cinder and a new one unravels. Together they must challenge the evil queen, who will stop at nothing to make Prince Kai her husband, her king, her prisoner . . .

My review 

Scarlet is another exciting adventure in The lunar chronicles. It's the second book in this four part series of futuristic retelling's and this time its Little red riding hood that gets taken into the future and really becomes a life of its own. Though there are themes of the original story that's being retold, it also has its own style and a story of its own, much like the first book Cinder.
I really enjoyed the book and how the main plot is evolving along with the new characters and Meyer's twist on 'The big bad wolf,' I think he may have been my favourite character. Not that I didn't like Scarlet and her red hoody.
Amongst many many retelling's of these popular stories, I really love what Marissa Meyer has done with them so far, I've already said she's made the stories her own but it's worth retelling (get it?!) because they are wonderful books and certainly for fans of so many genres, sci-fi, fairy tales, its all there.
I enjoyed the third person writing style and didn't get lost flitting between so many characters as they all have their own distinct voice and I found 'Captain' Thorne's humour to be a welcome relief during tense times in the story.
There was plenty of action, drama and a lovely dash of romance and a particularly hot scene towards the end that I won't spoil for you! So if you liked Cinder, pick up Scarlet now!

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Guest post; Marissa Meyer

How I became a Bookaholic

by Marissa Meyer.

Is it possible to be born a bookaholic? Because I can’t remember a time when that term didn’t apply to me. In fact, though I have no memory of it, I’m told that my favorite “toy” when I was still in the cradle was a lamb-shaped book with squishy covers. A book! But of course it was!

Some of my earliest true memories are of my brother and I climbing into my parents’ king-size bed on either side of my Mom and cuddling against her as she read “Black Beauty” and “The Legends of King Arthur” and a great many Dr. Seuss books—how I felt for the Sneeches! How I understood Yertle the Turtle! How I despised those goons who only walked North and South and wouldn’t compromise when their paths collided! (My four-year-old self questioned, why doesn’t one just go under the other?)

I don’t remember learning to read. At some point it seems that I simply could. And I did. I hungered for stories the way some kids hunger for cardboard forts or chocolate chip cookies. (Okay, I hungered for those things too… but only so I could eat cookies in my fort while enjoying a great book.)

Perhaps what enticed me most about books is that they were an infinite gift. There were always more stories to read, more adventures to explore, more characters to befriend. I could slip into Narnia one day and fight dragons on Mt. Doom the next and then become a pioneer on the prairie or a pirate on Treasure Island, and on and on and on. Books never grew tiresome, and I never ran out of them.

To this day, both the great blessing and the great curse of being a Bookaholic seems to be that there are always, always more stories to fall in love with.

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
The Lunar chronicles book two

This is not the fairytale you remember.

But it’s one you won’t forget.

Scarlet Benoit’s grandmother is missing. The police have closed her case. The only person Scarlet can turn to is Wolf, a street fighter she does not trust, but they are drawn to each other.

Meanwhile, in New Beijing, Cinder will become the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive – when she breaks out of prison to stay one step ahead of vicious Queen Levana.

As Scarlet and Wolf expose one mystery, they encounter Cinder and a new one unravels. Together they must challenge the evil queen, who will stop at nothing to make Prince Kai her husband, her king, her prisoner . . .

About the author

Marissa Meyer lives in Tacoma, Washington, with her fiancé and their two cats. Marissa enjoys road-tripping, wine-tasting, and hunting for priceless treasures at antique shops. 

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Set in the UK (2)

'Set in the UK' is a series of posts me and Donna, my UK appreciation month co-host over at Book passion for life, will be running throughout November to highlight books that are set in the UK for you to discover.

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance. Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire.

Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in.

It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.

Scarlet is a retelling of Robin Hood told from the perspective of Will Scarlet and is set in Nottingham.
I loved this book, I loved the way it was written in the way that Scarlet would've talked then and the story was great too. You can see my review here if you'd like to find out more.

Scarlet - Review

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

Available 7th June 2012

www.bloomsbury.com

What's it about?

Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance. Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire.

Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in.

It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.

My review

 Though I don't know as much about the story of Robin Hood as I'd like I am really interested in it so when I heard of this retelling I knew I had to get my hands on it!

This was a great retelling and I really loved it, I loved the twist of Will Scarlet being a girl in hiding and the secrets that came out were great. I also really enjoyed the way it was written - how they talked then - It made me feel really immersed in the world and story and I found I couldn't stop talking like it after lol

Scarlet was a great character, she's small and tough and can hold her own amongst the lads but she's hiding from her past and seemed angry a lot of the time, but I enjoyed reading her.

The camaraderie between the band was great and the sexual tension between Scarlet with both Robin and John Little was gripping, it's safe to say I was hooked and couldn't wait to see who she'd end up with.

The story itself was also interesting and fitted in well with the time that it's set in, I got a genuine sense of what it was like then and how people lived.

I'd definitely recommend Scarlet and will be looking out for more by the author.

My thoughts on the cover

I really like this cover, you can see she's dressed as a boy but the wisp of hair shows she's a girl, you can also just see her scar on her cheek which is prominent to the storyline and I'm glad they including the knife since she's so good with them! I also like how she's hidden in dark and leaves to show the secrets she has. It's a great cover!

Favourite quotes

'He caught my wrist before I were full out the door. "Scar," he said, rough, like rocks were running over his tongue. "I have done so many unforgivable things in my life. Don't let failing to save you be another."

'His fingers loosed mine, and before I could cry their loss, his trembly hand slid over my cheek. "I'll keep your heart, Scar," He whispered. "If you keep mine."

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