Mini Reviews #18

I believe the 18th Mini Reviews edition should have something for every YA reader. Angels, demons and sinners, a cyborg mechanic from a futuristic China and mermaids. Today I'm reviewing SWEET PERIL by Wendy Higgins, CINDER by Marissa Meyer and OF TRITON by Anna Banks.

Sweet Peril (Sweet Evil #2) by Wendy Higgins

Anna is still the good girl at heart, no matter how many innocent humans the Dukes make her turn into sinners. Together with Kopano, the Son of Wrath she's travelling the world to find new allies in fellow Nephilim and ultimately fight for their freedom. Her feelings for Kaidan are true, they can help her win this war...or put her in great danger.

We meet new Nephilim, Zania and Flynn. Kopano, Blake and the twins are in for a fight against the Dukes as well.

With our jet set queen Anna travelling to meet the other Nephs we are seeing different cultures and exotic places. The change in scenery is well-done, taking us to places all over the world. It's a lovely collection of new impressions and the travelling makes SWEET PERIL so much more exciting. Whenever we were granted a scene with Kaidan all my senses were set on high alert, forbidding myself to miss even the tiniest details. This boy sure is the right to be the Son of Pharzup, the Duke of Lust. SWEET PERIL allows us to see many new facets of him, e.g. his emphatic and selfless character. Anna and Kaidan are exploring their domestic and cuddly side as a couple a bit. As much as they can be smoking hot, they can be cute as hell, too. 

5/5 ***** SWEET PERIL - The seven sins have never been sweeter and more tempting! 

After an amazing first book in the SWEET EVIL trilogy, I read SWEET PERIL in only one day. Engagingly written as it is, it was just as addicting as Wendy Higgins debut novel. Don't underestimate Kaidan Rowe's lust or better love spell!

Publisher: Harper Teen

Publishing Date: April 30^th 2013
Length: 371 pages
Keywords: YA, fiction, romance, lust, sins, travelling

Source: Bought

Goodreads Summary 

Sweet Peril Excerpt 

Author's Homepage

Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1) by Marissa Meyer

Cinder is just a simple mechanic with a step-mother and two step-sisters. That's until she meets Prince Kai and gets on the bad side of Lunar Queen Levana by awakening Kai's interest. See the fairy-tale parallels? Of course, it's Cinderella!

CINDER is set in New Beijing, so there are apparent Chinese and Asian influences on characters and story. New Beijing has an original history which is currently determined by a plague that's spreading through the nation.

There are a bunch of fairy-tale retellings, but this one has an impressive magic of its own. Marissa Meyer took just one idea of an old story and made her very own story out of it. A very basic Cinderella retelling is pimped with a futuristic sci-fi interface. Who would think to make cinderella a cyborg? Sadly, I didn't click with the cyborg elements, even though they were inventive and a highlight for other readers. 

Kai and Cinder's dialogues are too funny, sometimes even sneaky and allusive, hinting at a more romantic interest on both sides. Their love story did help make CINDER a more interesting read, but wasn't a highlight either.

3,5/5 ***/* CINDER - A futuristic and cyborg-tastic fairy-tale world created by Marissa Meyer with much care and love for detail.

CINDER is not as explosive as I thought it could be, but unlike any other YA novel I've read. Marissa Meyer wrote a fairy-tale retelling of a whole new quality. She invented her own world, with the potential to not only be home to one fairy-tale character but a few more, like Rapunzel or Little Red Riding Hood. A versatile world I'm definitely coming back to!

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Publishing Date: January 20^rd 2012
Length: 387 pages
Keywords: YA, fiction, futuristic, cyborg, fairy-tale retelling, romance

Source: Bought

Goodreads Summary 

Cinder Excerpt 

Author's Homepage

Of Triton (Of Poseidon #2) by Anna Banks

Being the reason for starting a war between the two kingdoms of Poseidon and Triton isn't the worst there can be about your life, right? Finding out that your mother is the long-lost Princess of an underwater kingdom is worse. You are forbidden to be with your love, a true Prince. And what about learning that as a Half-Breed both kingdoms want to see you dead? 

OF TRITON might fill the spot next to OF POSEIDON on your book shelf, but barely adds progress to the actual story. What happened to Anna Banks' brilliant plot of the first book? Couldn't see it continuing in this sequel.

As Emma's mother's past is very important for the story in this second book, parts of her history are recapitulated and reconstructed and with that the story took a direction I couldn't enjoy that much anymore. Her mother's infuriating temper doesn't allow any discussions at all. And so she couldn't very well count on me to feel any kind of sympathy towards her. Then Emma and Galen's relationship isn't as fresh and as adventurous as in OF POSEIDON (which I loved). Can we please just abandon the adults in this story and let the teens have their sexy times?

3,5/5 ***/* OF TRITON - Not as much splashy underwater fun as the first book offered.

This is probably the shortest sequel ever. OF TRITON is weaker in story-building and romace-wise than the first book in the series.  Nevertheless it felt great to be back with our awesome sea crew, because Emma, Galen and their friends sure provide entertainment. I'm setting all my hopes on OF NEPTUNE to be the worthy and epic conclusion to OF POSEIDON.

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Publishing Date: May 28^th 2013
Length: 246 pages
Keywords: YA, fiction, underwater kingdom, mermaid, romance

Source: Bought

Goodreads Summary 

Of Triton Excerpt 

Author's Homepage