I completed Illuminae a while back and I finally have some time to tell you why this was so much more than an audiobook. So much more. It's a full cast audio production. Not only is the book presented in a unique way, it's prepared so artfully that it's turned into one amazing audiobook. Read on to find out why this unique story earned a 5 bookmark rating.

​Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers | Listening Library​
Release Date: October 20, 2015
Format: Audio MP3
Pages: Hardcover: 600 pages | Audio Length: Approx 11.75 hours
Narrator: Olivia Taylor Dudley , Lincoln Hoppe , Johnathan McClain
Source: Audible
Genre: YA Science Fiction, YA Fantasy
Review Date: November 16, 2016
Rating: 5 bookmarks

​Synopsis: This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she’d have to do.

This afternoon, her planet was invaded.

The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that’s little more than an ice-covered speck at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. With enemy fire raining down on them, Kady and Ezra—who are barely even talking to each other—are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit.

But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what’s really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again.

Told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents—including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more—Illuminae is the first book in a heart-stopping, high-octane trilogy about lives interrupted, the price of truth, and the courage of everyday heroes. 

At first when I found out how this book was written - through dossier of documents, I wasn't sure if I would enjoy the format of the book so I put it off for a while. Several months later, I was still interested in this story and by then I'd heard that the audiobook was just amazing, so I thought, why not?  The Audiobook version it is. That was the best choice I made.  While I seriously love how the physical  book looks and I appreciate how unique this story is told, I was more than happy the full cast audiobook.

I have a Shelf Addiction book club read for you today. We met online and chatted about this last week. Read on to see what I thought about this fairy-tale retelling with lots of buzz around it.

Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Release Date: February 16, 2016
Format: ebook
Pages: 387
Source: Library
Genre: Fairy-tale Retelling, YA Fantasy
Review Date: April 18, 2016
Rating: 2 bookmarks

Synopsis: Lorelai Diederich, crown princess and fugitive at large, has one mission: kill the wicked queen who took both the Ravenspire throne and the life of her father. To do that, Lorelai needs to use the one weapon she and Queen Irina have in common—magic. She’ll have to be stronger, faster, and more powerful than Irina, the most dangerous sorceress Ravenspire has ever seen.

In the neighboring kingdom of Eldr, when Prince Kol’s father and older brother are killed by an invading army of magic-wielding ogres, the second-born prince is suddenly given the responsibility of saving his kingdom. To do that, Kol needs magic—and the only way to get it is to make a deal with the queen of Ravenspire, promise to become her personal huntsman…and bring her Lorelai’s heart.

But Lorelai is nothing like Kol expected—beautiful, fierce, and unstoppable—and despite dark magic, Lorelai is drawn in by the passionate and troubled king. Fighting to stay one step ahead of the dragon huntsman—who she likes far more than she should—Lorelai does everything in her power to ruin the wicked queen. But Irina isn’t going down without a fight, and her final move may cost the princess the one thing she still has left to lose.

I've included a quick YouTube video featuring the author discussing The Shadow Queen. The video really had me excited for the title so it saddens me to say that this book came in at a 2.5.  Since I don't do half ratings, I seriously had to weigh if I should round up or round down.  I hate to say it, but I went with rounding down and let me tell you why. First, I hate to report this rating as this book was made my highly anticipated book likes of 2016.  So of course naturally had high hopes. Second, not only is this book inspired by Snow White, it IS Snow White with dragons and witches.  Sadly I didn't find that the world building was strong enough to support the fantasy aspects.

Hey friends, 

Thanks for stopping in to check out my thoughts on Cress, the third book in the Lunar Chronicles series.  Read on to find out why I recommend this title! Be sure to watch the coordinating video on my Book Tube channel!

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends | Macmillan Audio
Release Date: February 4, 2014
Format: Audio MP3
Pages: Hardcover: 550 pages | Audio Length: Approx 15 hours
Narrator: Rebecca Soler
Source: Library Borrow
Genre: YA Fantasy, YA Fairy Tale Retelling
Review Date: March 16, 2015
Rating: 4 bookmarks

Synopsis: In this third book in the Lunar Chronicles, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana and her army. 

Their best hope lies with Cress, a girl imprisoned on a satellite since childhood who's only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker. Unfortunately, she’s just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice. 

When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a high price. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has. 

Similarly to the previous two installments in the Lunar Chronicles series, Cress falls on the younger side of the YA spectrum. I think that if the characters were a tad older, that would make this series perfection for me. Regardless of that, I enjoyed it anyways.

I'm very much looking forward to Winter.  I'm listening to Fairest now, and it's making me even more anxious to find out both how Winter will play into the things going on in the present time line and how things with the war and Queen Levana will be resolved.  I anticipate a firecracker of an ending.

Rebecca Soler did an amazing job with narration.  She's able to stretch and bend her voice to the many characters in the story. Her narration was always on point with what was going on in the scenes. She was excited, sad, hurt, etc. when the story called for it.  Soler was able to make me as the listener feel the story through her words and that really enhanced the experience even more. 

If you enjoyed both Cinder and Scarlet, then you will enjoy Cress as well.  I certainly did.  If you haven't gotten into this series yet, but you enjoy fairytale retellings, then The Lunar Chronicles is one that you should absolutely check out! Especially in audiobook format.

Happy Reading & Listening,
~Tamara
On a mobile device? Watch the coordinating video here!

Hey friends, 

Thanks for stopping in to check out my thoughts on Angelfall, the first book in the Penryn & the End of Days trilogy.  Read on to find out why I recommend this title! Be sure to watch the coordinating video on my Book Tube channel!

Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton
Release Date: May 23, 2013 (first published May 21st 2011)
Format: Paperback
Pages: 326 pages
Source: Publisher Giveaway
Genre: YA Fantasy
Review Date: March 2, 2015
Rating: 4 bookmarks

Synopsis: It's been six weeks since the angels of the apocalypse destroyed the world as we know it. Only pockets of humanity remain. 

Savage street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. 

When angels fly away with a helpless girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back....

Fantasy mixed with Angel politics, a little bit of horror, with a tiny bit of religious undertones; which mostly consist of the reader finding out that God tells the Arch Angel what to have the other Angels do.  It’s an intriguing and creative mix of things going on.  I assume that we’ll get more into that part of things in the next book or so.

I had one issue with the book. I didn't like that there was a lot crammed into the last 35-40% of the book. Instead of bread crumbs of information being dropped along the way from page one, the story was pretty ABC for the first 150 pages, then all of the sudden - BAM! Not that the beginning was slow or boring, it just didn’t have that wow factor until halfway in.  The plot started to take off and all sorts of crazy things started happening.  I really got into the book after that point. I expect and hope that World After starts at the pace that Angelfall ended on. 

I enjoyed Angelfall and I look forward to starting World After very soon. Have you read Angelfall? If so, please share your thoughts on it.

Happy Reading, 
~Tamara

On a mobile device? Watch the coordinating video here!

Hey friends, 

Thanks for stopping in to check out my thoughts on Scarlet, the second book in the Lunar Chronicle Series.  Read on to find out why I recommend this title! Be sure to watch the coordinating video on my Book Tube channel!

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends | Macmillan Audio
Release Date: February 5, 2013
Format: Audio MP3
Pages: Hardcover: 452 pages/ Audio Length: Approx 11 hours
Narrator: Rebecca Soler
Source: Library Borrow
Genre: YA Fantasy, YA Fairy Tale Retelling
Review Date: February 25, 2015
Rating: 4 bookmarks

Synopsis: Cinder, the cyborg mechanic, returns in the second thrilling installment of the bestselling Lunar Chronicles. She's trying to break out of prison--even though if she succeeds, she'll be the Commonwealth's most wanted fugitive.

Halfway around the world, Scarlet Benoit's grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana, who will do anything for the handsome Prince Kai to become her husband, her king, her prisoner.

If you recall, my biggest issue with Cinder was that she was so young. Scarlet helped reduce my apprehension about that because she's older than Cinder, by two years I believe.  While Cinder is still obviously in the series, the focus was split so I was able to get a little bit of an older feeling story at times. Not by much, but I'll take it.

So far I find these stories somewhat predictable, but there's a pretty decent twist at around 51% where we find out something interesting about Scarlet. Predictability would be my second issue with the series. I say that, but it's minor issue because this is a young adult series after all.  Not to downplay YA writing, but especially when it feels like it's geared toward a younger audience, there seems to be a more simplistic story overall.

Rebecca Solar was on point with her narration of all the characters.  I was able to listen to Scarlet while doing other things and not need to rewind.  Solar reading Meyer's work is a great combo.

Up next is Cress, the retelling of Rapunzel.  I've already started it and I'm enjoying it as well.  We've already met Cress, and if you're reading along, you probably can spot her.  I'll give you a clue, she first appears in Cinder.

Are you reading or listening to the Lunar Chronicles? If so, what book are you on? I'd love to hear what you thought of both Cinder and Scarlet.  

Happy Reading & Listening,
~Tamara
On a mobile device? Watch the coordinating video here!

Hey friends,

Thanks for stopping in to check out my thoughts on Cinder, the first book in the Lunar Chronicle Series.  Read on to find out why I recommend this title! Be sure to watch the coordinating video on my Book Tube channel!

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends | Macmillan Audio
Release Date: January 3, 2012
Format: Audio MP3
Pages: Hardcover: 390 pages/ Audio Length: Approx 10 hours
Narrator: Rebecca Soler
Source: Library Borrow
Genre: YA Fantasy, YA Fairy Tale Retelling
Review Date: February 11, 2015
Rating: 4 bookmarks

Synopsis: Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. 

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future. 

Prince Kai was indeed a prince charming type, but he basically acted like a young teenager instead of an Emperor in training. I don't recall hearing his age, but I thought that he and Cinder were either the same or about the same age.  I do have to give it to Kai, in the end, he pulled it together and seemed more like a leader instead of a love struck teenager.

Essentially this is a coming of age story. As the plot moves forward we start to learn more about Cinder and what she is and who she is. It's ultra light on the romance, so this is more of a traditional YA story. As a side note, I just loved the Iko android character.  If there is ever a time when we will be able to own an android and give it a personality, I'd love an Iko. She's so cute. 

I enjoyed the audiobook narrator, Rebecca Soler.  She did a good job of sounding young, but not baby-like.  I always worry about a really childish sounding voice when it comes to YA audiobooks, but Soler was able to pull it off.

Cinder is a easy and fast paced read.  I recommend it for anyone who enjoys fairy tale retellings.  Whether you're reading or listening, it's good option for something light and fun.

Have you read Cinder? If so, please share with me what you thought of the book.


Happy Reading & Listening,
~Tamara
On a mobile device? Watch the coordinating video here!

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Release Date: September 17, 2013
Format: Paperback
Pages: 336
Source: Publisher via Goodreads First Reads
Genre: YA Fantasy, YA Dystopia
Review Date: Recorded October, 2014
Rating: 2 bookmarks

Synopsis: Welcome to New Vegas, a city once covered in bling, now blanketed in ice. Like much of the destroyed planet, the place knows only one temperature—freezing. But some things never change. The diamond in the ice desert is still a 24-hour hedonistic playground and nothing keeps the crowds away from the casino floors, never mind the rumors about sinister sorcery in its shadows.

At the heart of this city is Natasha Kestal, a young blackjack dealer looking for a way out. Like many, she's heard of a mythical land simply called “the Blue.” They say it’s a paradise, where the sun still shines and the waters are turquoise. More importantly, it’s a place where Nat won’t be persecuted, even if her darkest secret comes to light.

But passage to the Blue is treacherous, if not impossible, and her only shot is to bet on a ragtag crew of mercenaries led by a cocky runner named Ryan Wesson to take her there. Danger and deceit await on every corner, even as Nat and Wes find themselves inexorably drawn to each other. But can true love survive the lies? Fiery hearts collide in this fantastic tale of the evil men do and the awesome power within us all.

Publisher: Little Brown Young Readers
Release Date: First published & Audio unabridged edition on April 8, 2014
Format: Audio MP3
Pages: 613 (Hardcover)  /  Audio Length: Approx 18 hrs and 11 mins
Narrator: Khristine Hvam
Source: Library Borrow via Overdrive
Genre: YA Fantasy (High Fantasy)
Review Date: August 6, 2014
Rating: 5 bookmarks

Synopsis: By way of a staggering deception, Karou has taken control of the chimaera rebellion and is intent on steering its course away from dead-end vengeance. The future rests on her, if there can even be a future for the chimaera in war-ravaged Eretz.

Common enemy, common cause.

When Jael's brutal seraph army trespasses into the human world, the unthinkable becomes essential, and Karou and Akiva must ally their enemy armies against the threat. It is a twisted version of their long-ago dream, and they begin to hope that it might forge a way forward for their people.

And, perhaps, for themselves. Toward a new way of living, and maybe even love.

But there are bigger threats than Jael in the offing. A vicious queen is hunting Akiva, and, in the skies of Eretz ... something is happening. Massive stains are spreading like bruises from horizon to horizon; the great winged stormhunters are gathering as if summoned, ceaselessly circling, and a deep sense of wrong pervades the world.

What power can bruise the sky?

From the streets of Rome to the caves of the Kirin and beyond, humans, chimaera and seraphim will fight, strive, love, and die in an epic theater that transcends good and evil, right and wrong, friend and enemy. 

At the very barriers of space and time, what do gods and monsters dream of? And does anything else matter?

I finished this novel 3 weeks ago and for some reason it took me forever to get my thoughts together for this review. This story was a long time coming.  After I pretty much inhaled Daughter of Smoke and Bone and Days of Blood and Starlight, then I was waiting, and waiting, and waiting. Was Dreams of Gods and Monsters everything I hoped for? Yes, and more!

In all honesty, there's not much I can say about this book without giving away major spoilers. I don't want to do that, because you need to savor every moment of this artfully written book.  Taylor has a gift with words. While her writing style is a somewhat whimsical, it's still captivating and you feel the characters pain, joy, relief, or whatever the feeling is.

In a nutshell, finally, the Chimaera and the misbegotten Angels come together to fight a common enemy! Bastards and Beasts fight together against the Seraphim hierarchy. Against Jael. In essence against the white wolfs Chimaera reign as well. The Angels have come to earth and not for what the humans may have imagined.  Karou, Akiva and their joined army fight to save the humans. To save Kirin.  This is war, there's nothing pretty about war.  Betrayal, lies, backstabbing, and the whole nine contribute to this stories many layers.