So for awhile, I planned to write these reviews. They were on a few of my random lists of books I needed to review. I even wrote them on my calendar (more times than one, I should add). But never did they get reviewed. At least by me, I am sure someone else somewhere has done a lovely job. Then I realized the perks of purchasing a book: No pressure to review! But alas, I still felt like I should give them a mention, so why not?
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
Series: The Lunar Chronicles #1
ebook, 390 pages
Published January 3rd 2012 by Feiwel & Friends
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.
Short version: I know, I am ridiculous for not reading this sooner. I agree! Are you on the fence? Read Val @ The Innocent Smiley’s review of Cress, that is what pushed me over the edge! I liked it, quite a bit actually. The story was fun, I adore Cinder as a character, and it had exactly zero of the typical “fairy tale” stuff I was so worried about. My only (minor) qualm was that I was able to predict what was going to happen next really easily in most cases. Still, a very enjoyable story, and I cannot wait to read Scarlet ASAP! 
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
Paperback, 480 pages
Published July 22nd 2014 by Candlewick Press
Synopsis:
“Books are often described as ‘mind-blowing,’ but this is one of the few books in which, while reading it, I have exclaimed aloud, ‘Oh. My. God.’ on multiple occasions. I won’t tell you anything else about it. Just read it.” — John Green
Seth drowns, desperate and alone. But then he wakes. Naked, thirsty, starving. But alive. And where is he? The street seems familiar, but everything is abandoned, overgrown, covered in dust. He remembers dying, his skull bashed against the rocks. Has he woken up in his own personal hell? Is there more to this life, or perhaps this afterlife? From the acclaimed author of the Chaos Walking trilogy and A Monster Calls comes one of the most provocative teen novels of our time.
Short Version: It was good. It was Patrick Ness, of course it was good. It didn’t lure me in the same way the Chaos Walking series did, or even how A Monster Calls did. But it was definitely a solid book that had some twists I certainly did not expect.
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository
ebook, 474 pages
Published May 7th 2013 by Putnam Juvenile
Synopsis:
After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.
Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker.
Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother—or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.
Short Version: I liked it, though it was incredibly dark. There is not a lot of hope in this book, it is just one big old bag of depression. Had there been a few more lighter moments, I think it would have helped the pacing as well, and made me like it a bit more. That said, I will definitely be reading Infinite Sea. 
Have you read any of these books? Thoughts?
Have you flat out not felt like reviewing a book? Do you do it anyway?
The only one I’ve read is The 5th Wave, and loved it, though this was before blogging so haven’t reviewed it either. I feel really guilty not reviewing the books I buy, but it’s just so nice to read a book without thinking about what you’re going to say in a review. I have been making more list-review types for them lately though, for when I run out of reviews for the month and everything or making it into a Why you should read this author type of thing if it’s a series or have more than one book out.
Ohh, that is a good idea! I like that, especially when you just cannot come up with a whole post about certain books. (I agree though, it is fun to not have to actually worry at all about saying anything. I do that a lot with series finales, because I know I am not going to go into any detail in a review anyway.)
I just bought More Than This not too long ago, and I’m looking forward to reading it. I haven’t read the Chaos Walking Trilogy yet, but I did enjoy When A Monster Calls.
Also, I was recently nominated for the Liebster award, and I nominated you as well. So if you haven’t done it yet, or if you want to do it, check out my post. I would love to hear your answers to my questions.
Aw thanks! I will definitely check it out 🙂 And More Than This was definitely good, and not what I expected (in a good way though!) so I hope you love it!
There are some books that would be so hard to review that I just don’t! I just say “GO READ IT PEOPLE.” and hope that they listen 😉
Sometimes I feel like I can’t convey all that I want to! So I’ll stew on the review for a while or just try my best.
Great post!!
Rachel @ A Perfection Called Books
Hahah exactly! And I do the same thing- wait and hope it comes around, but usually it just gets worse 😉
Loved Cinder & The 5th Wave! You have to get to the other Lunar Chronicles books, they’re just as amazing! I haven’t read the sequel to The 5th Wave yet though, hesitant because one of my friends was not a fan even though she loved the first one. I’ve been wanting to read the Patrick Ness book too!
When it comes to books I purchase, it’s a hit or a miss on whether or not I review them. If it’s part of a series and I reviewed the other books in the series, I’ll review them. Otherwise, it depends on if I can put my thoughts into coherent sentences and how busy I am. My blog is devoted mainly to early reviews, NetGalley reviews, and blog tours. If I read a book I purchased and get the ‘I want to review this’ feeling then I’ll review it, but I’m not one who posts a review on every single book that I read.
I really have to have more of that mindset- that it really IS okay not to review a book!
And I have heard the same about The Infinite Sea (I confess, that is why I haven’t bought it yet too!), and it worries me because I didn’t *love* the first one, I found it a bit slow in parts. I will get to it, but it isn’t quite top priority.
I own Cinder (won it from… somewhere) but I haven’t read it yet. I’ll get to it eventually. Maybe once I’m finished writing this book and my series is done so I can take a break for a bit.
I have to tell you, I am reading your book now, and I. LOVE. IT. You kept me up wayyy too late last night!
But yes to Cinder! It was fun. I mean, there were certainly awful parts, because it isn’t the happiest of stories, but there were enough lighthearted moments that it was still really entertaining.
I haven’t gotten a chance to read these yet but own Cinder and The 5th Wave. I haven’t read any books by Patrick Ness yet but want all of them, and More Than This sounds really good. I’m glad you liked these books and really enjoyed your mini reviews of them! I can imagine The 5th Wave being really dark, yikes!
I bought both of them ages ago, and finally got around to reading them recently. And you definitely should read some Patrick Ness, I find his writing to be so, so amazing!
And yes, The 5th Wave was depressing! The story was good, but just so, so depressing! I hope things have a cheerier outlook toward the end!
Okay, this is funny because last year after I read 5th Wave and Cinder I never reviewed them because I just couldn’t! So, yes. Sometimes I don’t feel like reviewing a book, and as long as it’s not a review book, most the time I don’t force myself(unless I’m really behind and haven’t reviewed anything in a while). =)
Hahah I think they are just “that kind” of books. Plus, I am like, the last person to read Cinder, so why bother?
Also, I cannot comment on your review. I wanted to but… (and I really hope you see my reply!) This was the book I DNFed and cannot bring myself to tell the author! I feel so bad because she seems SO nice so I am just… avoiding it 😉
I love this idea, because there’s quite a few times I don’t feel like reviewing a book, or even that I don’t know how to review it. I think I’m definitely going to have to use this lovely idea of yours.
I’m glad you enjoyed Cinder! I picked Cinder up earlier this year, and I read 160ish pages before I had to return it to the library. While I enjoyed it, I just wasn’t hooked. However, I bought both Cinder and Scarlet from Book Outlet a few months back, and I’m hoping to receive Cress for Christmas so that I can marathon what’s out so far of the series. 🙂
I’ve heard good things about More Than This, and bought it on a whim with a birthday gift card. Here’s yet another reminder for me to brush off the dust and read it!
I feel very similar to you re: The 5th Wave. I thought that it had problems with the pacing and could’ve been a bit shorter. That being said, I did enjoy it and I really have to read The Infinite Sea before my library loan expires!
Thanks for sharing, Shannon. 🙂
Oh, Book Outlet. All my money disappears to the Book Outlet 😉 I think Cinder really picked up toward the end, though I was pretty curious from the start.
I definitely recommend any and all books by Patrick Ness! And yes, The 5th Wave DEFINITELY could have done with about 100 fewer pages, you are so right!
I haven’t read any of these books. I wanted to read The 5th Wave….but I don’t need depression right now hehe
I understand, sometimes I just don’t have much to say about a book. I usually do series reviews for these ones. I enjoyed your mini mini reviews. 🙂
I’m so happy you liked Cinder! Yeah it was totally and completely predictable, but I still loved it!
I own Fifth Wave and I’ve heard good things about it, but a big bag of depression? Nope, I think I’ll put this one off now. Thanks for saving me!