Did you know you're more likely to be struck by lightning than win the lottery? Maddie isn't much of an impulsive character, but on a whim she buys a lottery ticket... And then Maddie's life gets turned upside-down. No, she didn't get struck by lightning, she won the lottery. 
Like many of Kasie West's books, Lucky in Love is stock full of cliches, but that just makes the story all the more adorable and enjoyable. 
Maddie, the main character, is someone who likes to be in control. She has a perfect plan for her future... but her life is thrown into chaos when she, shockingly enough, wins the lottery. I enjoyed Maddie's character. She's practical, for the most part, and I could relate with her determination. Though, yes, she could be naive at times and the way she was spending her money drove me a bit crazy at times, it was all good. I still really liked Maddie's narrative, she's part of what made this book so good. 
Maddie's love interest is Seth, a wannabe filmmaker. He's a darling sweetheart. Very lighthearted, he and Maddie made quite the cute pair. 
Maddie's friends, Elise and Blaire, were good characters as well. They were well rounded, not flat like the side characters in West's last novel, By Your Side. These girls have their own personalities that you can really picture while reading this book. 
Same with Maddie's family, yes, they could be insufferably irritating at times, but they felt like real characters, which was another aspect of why this book was so good. The characters felt real. 
All in all, I would give Lucky in Love 7/10 stars, it was a great romance. Really cute, though I wasn't invested enough in the romance to squeal a lot while reading it, I still found myself smiling while reading certain pages. I recommend this book if you're looking for a feel good, cutesy novel, also if you haven't read any other of West's books, they're fantastic. I especially recommend P.S. I Like You and The Fill-In Boyfriend. They're cliche and that's what makes them such cute reads. 
Synopsis: 
​
Can’t buy me love…

Maddie’s not impulsive. She’s all about hard work and planning ahead. But one night, on a whim, she buys a lottery ticket. And then, to her astonishment--

She wins!

In a flash, Maddie’s life is unrecognizable. No more stressing about college scholarships. Suddenly, she’s talking about renting a yacht. And being in the spotlight at school is fun…until rumors start flying, and random people ask her for loans. Now Maddie isn’t sure who she can trust.

Except for Seth Nguyen, her funny, charming coworker at the local zoo. Seth doesn’t seem aware of Maddie’s big news. And, for some reason, she doesn’t want to tell him. But what will happen if he learns her secret?

If you've ever wondered what might happen if you were trapped in a public library with a mysterious brooding boy who may or may not have a checkered past... Well, this book may answer that question. By Your Side is written by Kasie West, one of my favorite romance authors. Her books are filled to the brim with cliches, but the fun kind, not used in an annoying way. 
By Your Side follows Autumn Collins who, as previously mentioned, gets trapped in the library for a weekend with the school's mysterious bad boy, Dax Miller. On the outside, it would seem that Autumn is your typical popular girl. She has a ton of friends, and the perfect boyfriend-ish figure. On the outside, Dax is your typical delinquent character. He's been to juvie, and keeps to himself. Frequently skipping classes and scaring everyone else enough to stay away from him. 
Of course, everyone is a whole lot deeper than how they appear on the outside. That made these characters more interesting to follow, especially since their problems seemed to compliment each other (what good couple's don't?) 
All in all, By Your Side is a very quick read, and a good romance. I couldn't help but be attached to the other guy-- Jeff, as well. The characters are fairly interesting, but for the most part this book didn't quite do it for me. It didn't have me squealing in excitement or adoration over the heartstopping romance like some of Kasie West's other stories. Still, it was a good read, just not my favorite. I would give By Your Side 6.5/10 stars. It was good, just nowhere near great. I wasn't exactly attached to the characters in any way, or their relationships. But I still did find myself tearing my eyes away from the book in the awkward moments, which means I could feel some of the emotions of the book. 
While the main characters are fairly well rounded, most of the other characters are VERY flat. I guess there wasn't enough time to characterize any of them. Some of the parts of the book just seemed unnecessary, like they're just there to add length. That is, the book still was very quick. I would definitely recommend some of West's other books more than this one (P.S. I Like You, On the Fence, The Fill-In Boyfriend etc.), it still was a good read. 
Synopsis: 
​
When Autumn Collins finds herself accidentally locked in the library for an entire weekend, she doesn’t think things could get any worse. But that’s before she realizes that Dax Miller is locked in with her. Autumn doesn’t know much about Dax except that he’s trouble. Between the rumors about the fight he was in (and that brief stint in juvie that followed it) and his reputation as a loner, he’s not exactly the ideal person to be stuck with. Still, she just keeps reminding herself that it is only a matter of time before Jeff, her almost-boyfriend, realizes he left her in the library and comes to rescue her.

Only he doesn’t come. No one does.

Instead it becomes clear that Autumn is going to have to spend the next couple of days living off vending-machine food and making conversation with a boy who clearly wants nothing to do with her. Except there is more to Dax than meets the eye. As he and Autumn first grudgingly, and then not so grudgingly, open up to each other, Autumn is struck by their surprising connection. But can their feelings for each other survive once the weekend is over and Autumn’s old life, and old love interest, threaten to pull her from Dax’s side?

"Sometimes the people who mean the most to us, like our family, do things that make it difficult to love them, but we do anyway because that's what love is." 
Awe, imagine running into a handsome boy, spending the evening with him and then finding out he's part of one of the most famous bands in the world. And then that he wants to see you again. Having trouble seeing it? Well, Paper Hearts will help you out with the imagery, because that's what this book is all about... or at least that's how this book starts out. 
Paper Hearts is the second book in Ali Novak's Heartbreak chronicles. The first book was called the Heartbreakers, following an aspiring photographer, Stella Samuel, as she accidentally falls in love with the Oliver Perry, the lead singer in the world famous band, The Heartbreakers. If you haven't read that book yet, I highly recommend that you do. It's an adorable, quirky read that will have you squealing from joy all the way through it (that is, if you're like me and you squeal when you're reading basically anything good in a book.) If you're interested, go check out my review on it. 
Paper Hearts follows Felicity, a hardworking girl who just happens to run into Alec Williams, a member of the Heartbreakers-- possibly the most famous band in the world. She and Alec immediately hit it off, which is how he ends up helping her chase down her runaway sister. Yeah, sorry if that was bad, I don't know how to explain this book without spoiling it. 
This book includes a cute romance and an impromptu road trip-- what's not to love? Oh, and don't forget an adorable boy. It's been a while since I read The Heartbreakers, but I do remember seriously enjoying this book, so of course I ordered this book when it came out. While I was reading the Heartbreakers, I had certain expectations from reading the Wattpad version of it. Those expectations left me a little disappointed when some things didn't happen (JJ and Cara, anyone?). I had no expectations for this book because I never read The Queen of Hearts on Wattpad. 
I actually couldn't tell you which book I like more, because I love the characters in the Heartbreakers and I love the romance as well, but I think Ali's writing has improved in Paper Hearts and the plot of Paper Hearts is so well thought out... I can't decide! Also it's been a while since I read the first book (it's sitting right next to me at the moment), so I couldn't provide an honest, unbiased opinion since I just read Paper Hearts. 
Anyway, my point is both books are fantastic and I hope all of you romance lovers will pick them up. There are some cliches but who doesn't love a good cliche? There's a good and bad way to use cliches, and these stories are the good cliches. 
I'd give Paper Hearts 8/10 stars, it was a fantastic novel. One that, like the first book, had me squealing in delight, so much so that my cat got freaked out and ran from my bedroom, but hey, it was worth it. One of the most exciting things for me while reading Paper Hearts was seeing the other Heartbreakers as well as Stella. I was waiting since the beginning to run into the other boys and when we finally did !!! I was seriously excited. Don't get me wrong, I did really like the characters introduced in this book, but seeing old (old being I've already met them) characters just made my heart jump with joy.
My one little eh about this book was how quick everything went. It didn't quite feel like instalove, but the attraction between Alec and Felicity sparked up very quickly. Sure, there can be attraction at first sight, but they seemed to develop a deep connection with each other very quickly. And the looking back, I realize that most of the book happened in a couple days making the romance look a whole lot more rushed and quick. Like to me, that definitely wouldn't be love yet. Still, it was only a little problem. Not one that irked me throughout the entire book, I actually really enjoyed it mostly while reading it. Just sometimes when the drama would go down I would think hold up, how long have you two known each other? 
Alec is very sweet, but then again I already knew that from my previous experience with both versions of the Heartbreakers (the Wattpad and the published version). It was nice being able to spend more time with him in this book. He's the quiet, not brooding but deep one. While the shy type isn't exactly my type when it comes to books (except in real life I've been known to like shy guys so...), I couldn't help but swoon a bit over Alec in this book. He's just such a sweetheart. I always enjoy seeing the Heartbreakers around each other-- they're just so cute and fun together. 
Felicity, I didn't mind her. It's not like I absolutely loved  her character, but I understood where she came from, and why she did the things she did. She didn't annoy me, but I just didn't love her. All in all, I think she's a good match for Alec. She's very hardworking and diligent, which I appreciated .
"Hatred takes up more space in your heart than you realize, and it doesn't leave room for things like love and joy." 

Synopsis: 
"I'm sorry," he said, slowly untying the ribbon that held his mask in place. "It's just-I didn't want you to think of me any differently." 
Somehow I kept my mouth from falling open. I knew his face, but my mind couldn't accept that he was the person looking down at me. 
"My real name is Alec."
Felicity has her entire future planned. Ever since her older sister ran away, she's had the full weight of her mother's expectations on her shoulders. So she works hard to get straight As and save for college. 
Except sometimes the best things in life are unplanned-like when Felicity meets a handsome, masked stranger while she is volunteering at a charity masquerade ball. She never thought he'd flirt with her. And she certainly never thought he'd turn out to be a member of the world-famous Heartbreakers band, Alec. 
Then Felicity uncovers a shocking family secret. Suddenly, she, Alec, and her two best friends are off on a road trip to find Felicity's missing sister. And she's about to discover that unexpected turns have a peculiar way of landing her right where she needs to be...

(Also just side note about the tagline on the front: HOW IS ALEC THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN HELP HER FIND HER SISTER? He has a car, but yeah.) 
Anyway, thanks for reading, 
Anj

Coming Up For Air is the 8th and possibly final book in Miranda Kenneally's Hundred Oaks Series. This is a series of companion novels, meaning each book centers around a different character / couple, but still includes characters from previous books. 
This novel follows 17-year-old Maggie as she struggles to balance her career (swimming) with relationships. All Maggie ever has time for is swimming. She's been training ever since she was a toddler to be an Olympic athlete, and she's so close to her dream... But all her swimming is holding her back from having a normal life and normal relationships, and Maggie's starting to realize that she might be missing out. 
All in all, this was not one of my favorite Hundred Oaks novels. The way the relationship starts (or at least, the physical part) was just so awkward and uncomfortable for me. I mean, yeah, the boy is cute and sweet, but just... I don't want to spoil you all, but it just was really awkward and weird. And I just felt really weird reading it. 
I really enjoyed the side characters and the relationships with them, as well as the cameos from my favorites from other books (looking at you, Jordan). Though, it's kind of weird seeing them all grown up. 
If you're reading this and haven't read any of the previous Hundred Oaks books, I highly recommend that you start at the beginning, with Catching Jordan. Not only will you be spoiled on the outcomes of previous books if you read later books first, but I thought the first couple books were the best in the series. I never got nearly as attached to the romances or the couples after the first few books, I still really enjoyed most of the novels, I just wasn't all in with them. They're still really good, cute books to read if you're in the mood for contemporaries and I love seeing other couples appear in later books. Basically this is a really fun, cutesy series that is great for anyone wanting a contemporary. 
I'd probably give Coming Up For Air 6/10 stars, it ended well, but something about the writing felt weird to me as well as just... the way the physical relationship started is just so weird and uncomfortable. Not my favorite in the series, but it's still worth the read. 
Synopsis: 

Swim. Eat. Shower. School. Snack. Swim. Swim. Swim. Dinner. Homework. Bed. Repeat.

All of Maggie’s focus and free time is spent swimming. She’s not only striving to earn scholarships—she’s training to qualify for the Olympics. It helps that her best friend, Levi, is also on the team and cheers her on. But Levi’s already earned an Olympic tryout, so Maggie feels even more pressure to succeed. And it’s not until Maggie’s away on a college visit that she realizes how much of the “typical” high school experience she’s missed by being in the pool.

Not one to shy away from a challenge, Maggie decides to squeeze the most out of her senior year. First up? Making out with a guy. And Levi could be the perfect candidate. After all, they already spend a lot of time together. But as Maggie slowly starts to uncover new feelings for Levi, how much is she willing to sacrifice in the water to win at love?

Since I think this is the last book in the series, I'll list the books favorite to least favorite: 

1. Stealing Parker 
1a. This is by far my favorite book in the series. Every time I reread I can't contain the giant grin spread across my face and my squeals of happiness from the sheer adorability of the story and its romance. (This is contradicting previous reviews, but just after so many rereads I have to say this is my favorite).
2.Catching Jordan
3. Jesse's Girl
4. Racing Savannah 
5. Breathe, Annie, Breathe
6. Defending Taylor 
7. Coming Up For Air 
8. Things I Can't Forget

Anyway, thanks for reading, 
​Anj

The best kind of villain is the kind you can almost sympathize with. The kind you can almost root for, or can at least understand. The kind that you almost don't want to see get defeated because they're just that good at being bad. 
Because You Love to Hate Me is an anthology of 13 stories about villains. Each of these stories are written by different authors (advertised as famous, but I've never heard of some of them // some of them don't have stories published?), with prompts from 13 famous book tubers. That's actually how it came to my attention. I find it amazing how these authors built fascinating worlds from the short little prompts. Like many bind ups of multiple stories, some stories were a hit with me and others were a miss. I'll give a quick overview of how I felt about each story. 
While reading this, I almost wanted to sleep while I continued reading it. See, I was tired and some stories I was just so done with, but others were actually worth the time. 

Synopsis:
Leave it to the heroes to save the world--villains just want to rule the world.

In this unique YA anthology, thirteen acclaimed, bestselling authors team up with thirteen influential BookTubers to reimagine fairy tales from the oft-misunderstood villains' points of view.

These fractured, unconventional spins on classics like "Medusa," Sherlock Holmes, and "Jack and the Beanstalk" provide a behind-the-curtain look at villains' acts of vengeance, defiance, and rage--and the pain, heartbreak, and sorrow that spurned them on. No fairy tale will ever seem quite the same again!

Featuring writing from . . .

Authors: Renée Ahdieh, Ameriie, Soman Chainani, Susan Dennard, Sarah Enni, Marissa Meyer, Cindy Pon, Victoria Schwab, Samantha Shannon, Adam Silvera, Andrew Smith, April Genevieve Tucholke, and Nicola Yoon

BookTubers: Benjamin Alderson (Benjaminoftomes), Sasha Alsberg (abookutopia), Whitney Atkinson (WhittyNovels), Tina Burke (ChristinaReadsYA blog and TheLushables), Catriona Feeney (LittleBookOwl), Jesse George (JessetheReader), Zoë Herdt (readbyzoe), Samantha Lane (Thoughts on Tomes), Sophia Lee (thebookbasement), Raeleen Lemay (padfootandprongs07), Regan Perusse (PeruseProject), Christine Riccio (polandbananasBOOKS), and Steph Sinclair & Kat Kennedy (Cuddlebuggery blog and channel).


The Blood of Imuriv by Renee Ahdieh
Prompt given by Christine Riccio (PolandbannasBOOKS) (aka my favorite booktuber) 
This story was good, despite my issues wth Ahdieh's books, she is a good writer. And the prompt? A hilarious prompt that only Christine would come up with. The story gives a good villain origin story, and actually made me want to read more. See the hero this villain would one day be up against, and the story that could come out of this world. 7/10 stars. (Also Christine's bit at the end was fantastic) 

Jack by Ameriie
Prompt given by Tina Burke (The Lushables) 
I'm going to be honest here, I did not like this story. The writing felt like something a seventh grader might write and the story and main character weren't compelling. In fact, this was one of those stories that I just wanted to be done with. This was not a villain I loved to hate, this was a villain that I didn't like in the slightest and found to be actually really irritating. Wait-- that's actually how I would describe how I would feel about the entire short story. 4/10 stars. 

Gwen and Art and Lance by Soman Chainani
Prompt Given by Samantha Lane (Thoughts on Tomes) 
Pretty good story, and while sure, Gwen did manipulate, I wouldn't exactly consider her a villain. This story is told in the from of texts, which made it rather unique and cool. I did enjoy reading this one-- it was a quick read, that actually did tell a story as well. 6.9/10 stars

Shirley & Jim by Susan Dennard 
Prompt Given by Sasha Alsberg (abookutopia) 
Two people I absolutely love! And this story was actually a lot of fun to read. Dennard is a great author, she wrote an intriguing story that I really wanted to see more of. In fact, could we get more of it? Haha. Even though I don't know anything about Sherlock, I still really enjoyed this story. 7.5/10 stars. 

The Blessing of Little Wants by Sarah Enni 
Prompt by Sophia Lee (thebookbasement) 
This story was okay. I didn't really care for it, but it was well written and the only reason it felt a little rushed was because it had to be a short story. The protagonist (or shall I say antagonist?) wasn't all that interesting. I didn't find myself rooting for her. 6/10 

The Sea Witch by Marissa Meyer 
Prompt given by Zoe Herdt (readbyzoe) 
Marissa Meyer is a great author, and of course she gave us a well written story. While it was a good story... I was definitely rooting against the main character (she's a little creepy), but you know... it's a good origin story for a villain, and this girl is definitely going to become a villain. It was a good story, though. 7/10 stars. 

Beautiful Venom by Cindy Pon 
Prompt given by Benjamin Alderson (Benjaminoftomes) 
THIS STORY WAS AMAZING. I've never even heard of Cindy Pon before, but her writing is beautiful. This was probably my favorite short story, scratch that. It was my favorite short story. 8/10 stars.

Death Knell by Victoria Schwab 
Prompt given by Jesse George (JessetheReader) 
Wow, I've never read anything by Victoria before, but her writing is beautiful. I'm definitely going to pick some of her books up soon. I liked this story, didn't love it but I liked it. It was beautifully written with a good story to tell. 7/10 stars. 

Marigold by Samantha Shannon 
Prompt by Regan Peruse (PeruseProject) 
I do love the Victorian Era type feel of this story, and the twist of it was fun. It really was a fun read, just not one that I absolutely loved, I mean I could see where it was going before it even got halfway through.  7/10 stars.  

You, You, it's All About You by Adam Silvera
Prompt by Catriona Feeney (Littlebookowl) 
Interestingly, this is written in 2nd person. I wasn't all that into the villain, but... I really enjoyed the twist at the end of the story with Karl. That made me want to read more into the story and the going ons in this world. 6.8/10 stars

Julian Breaks Every Rule by Andrew Smith 
Prompt given by Raeleen Lemay (padfootandprongs07)
This story was fun, but not all that interesting. It had a plot, but barely. 6/10 stars. 

Indigo and Shade by April Genevieve Tucholke
Prompt by Whitney Atkinson (WittyNovels) 
It had a haunting feel and I could see exactly where it was going. The protagonist wasn't really a villain at all, he was kind of dull, but I still did enjoy reading the story. 6.5/10 stars. 

Sera by Niccola Yoon
Prompt given by Steph Sinclair and Kat Kennedy (Cuddlebuggery) 
This story had an eerie feel to it. It wasn't anything riveting or that I was particularly attached to, though. It was okay. 6/10 stars. 

Something I found surprising about these stories was that a lot of the "villains" didn't actually feel like villains. Not in the way where they're supposed to be likable villains but in the way that they actually just don't really count as villains at all. 
Anyway, the average for this book is 6.6/10 stars. Overall, it's a fun read if you have the time to sit down. 

Thanks for reading, 
​Anj

Ready to be transported to an ancient world of war and magic? Reign of Serpents continues the journey of young Alexander of Macedon, as he works his way towards becoming Alexander the Great. Historical knowledge and fantasy are twisted together to form an enchanting series that will be sure to enrapture its readers. 
​Reign of Serpents is the third book in the Blood of Gods and Royals series. As mentioned previously this series follows Alexander before he became the Great. It seamlessly mixes fantasy with history, creating a fascinating story. The first two books are two of my favorites, if you have yet to read this series? What are you waiting for?! Go pick Legacy of Kings up now, if you need more convincing, I do have book reviews up for both of the previous books, so feel free to go check them out. (Legacy of Kings & Empire of Dust) 
Now, if I'm being completely honest here, this book was a little bit of a disappointment for me. A lot of the elements of the story felt rushed, or just too easy. Like a problem would be introduced, just to be resolved in the next few pages. For me, there wasn't much suspense in the story, because after a few times I realized all the issues would quickly be fixed. 
Also, while the unique use of third person present tense worked for the most part in the past books, it made the narrative feel strange at points as well as the reader feel a bit disconnected from the story. 
One of my biggest issues, though, was the way the story would cut out some of the most interesting scenes. For example, a character breaks out of being captured and must find a way to safely get away from their captor. This escape is not actually shown in the story, only described later as an after thought after they were already in relative safety. Then, another big time this showed up was when a character was killing someone, only it didn't show that happening. Just descried it later as, again, an afterthought. In fact, it seemed like a lot of the action didn't actually occur when our main characters present, or if it did, it wasn't described as it was happening. 
I believe that some of my issues with this book could have been resolved if it had only been a bit longer. The story was too crammed together. It was in a hurry to just get to the BIG moments, that it missed the small ones the hold a good tale together. 
I'm going to give Reign of Serpents 6/10 stars, it wasn't horrible, but it wasn't great either. I wasn't left yearning for the next book as the last two have left me. I was just done with the book, and that felt okay with me. I would recommend reading this one, though, if you've already read the first two. There are some very rewarding moments for fans of certain characters, and like I said before, it wasn't horrible. I certainly won't be quitting the series, I've come to far and am too invested in these characters' fates to leave them now. 
 Synopsis: 

New York Times bestselling author Eleanor Herman entwines the real scandals of history with epic fantasy in this action-packed follow-up to EMPIRE OF DUST.

In REIGN OF SERPENTS, the ancient power of Snake Blood threatens the known world. While Prince Alexander struggles with a very deadly inner demon, his betrothed, Zofia, is on her way to him, to unite their kingdoms…even as she begins to realize where her true allegiance lies. The fierce Cynane meets her match-not in her future husband, the deranged king of Illyria, but in her great-great-grandfather, Talus, possessor of Smoke Blood, who will teach her the true meaning of betrayal. And marooned together on an island in the Mediterranean, romantic tension blooms between Katerina and Hephaestion as they learn of lost civilizations and discover a device that could help them do the impossible: kill the last living god.

SPOILERS BELOW FOR REIGN OF SERPENTS 
One of the easiest *get out* scenarios that was in this book was the way Riel was killed. Sure, he might not actually be dead, but if he is... Really? That's how a God will go out? WITH A COMB? (Yes, I do realize that Jacob's blood is on the comb, but really? I think a God should go out in a more epic way.) 
Another easy scenario is when Kat uses the whale to kill the hydra. She got out before the hydra was actually killed, which also is an example of how the story doesn't actually show the good action moments. 
I have to say the only tie I was held in suspense and actually excited for the story was when I thought there would be a Kat Jacob reunion. AND IT DIDN'T HAPPEN. Honestly really looking forward to the next book because I want my Kat Jacob reunion. I still can't tell what endgame is, I thought it was Kat and Heph, but after reading this book... It seemed like Jacob still had a decent shot. 
I didn't really care for the oracle of delphi character, I would have flipped out if she and Jacob became a thing-- I thought it was going in that direction, but thankfully no. She left so thanks oracle character. 
I'm looking forward to seeing more of Alex in the next book-- I do love his character. And I was perfectly okay with us not seeing too much of Cyn, she aggravates the hell out of me, and Zofia? yeah, I still don't love her. She annoys me. 

Anyway, thanks for reading, 
​Anj

The enchantment continues....

The universe of the Lunar Chronicles holds stories—and secrets—that are wondrous, vicious, and romantic. How did Cinder first arrive in New Beijing? How did the brooding soldier Wolf transform from young man to killer? When did Princess Winter and the palace guard Jacin realize their destinies?

With nine stories--five of which have never before been published—and an exclusive never-before-seen excerpt from Marissa Meyer’s upcoming novel, Heartless, about the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, Stars Above is essential for fans of the bestselling and beloved Lunar Chronicles.

--
The Little Android: A retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid,” set in the world of The Lunar Chronicles.
Glitches: In this prequel to Cinder, we see the results of the plague play out, and the emotional toll it takes on Cinder. Something that may, or may not, be a glitch….
The Queen’s Army: In this prequel to Scarlet, we’re introduced to the army Queen Levana is building, and one soldier in particular who will do anything to keep from becoming the monster they want him to be.
Carswell’s Guide to Being Lucky: Thirteen-year-old Carswell Thorne has big plans involving a Rampion spaceship and a no-return trip out of Los Angeles.
The Keeper: A prequel to the Lunar Chronicles, showing a young Scarlet and how Princess Selene came into the care of Michelle Benoit.
After Sunshine Passes By: In this prequel to Cress, we see how a nine-year-old Cress ended up alone on a satellite, spying on Earth for Luna.
The Princess and the Guard: In this prequel to Winter, we see a game called The Princess
The Mechanic: In this prequel to Cinder, we see Kai and Cinder’s first meeting from Kai’s perspective.
Something Old, Something New: In this epilogue to Winter, friends gather for the wedding of the century...

Stars Above, a novella binding that expands the universe of the Lunar Chronicles. I'll admit, some of these novels were hit and miss for me. I really only picked up this book so I could read the last novella so that I could see the wedding of the century... That turned out not to be the wedding that I wanted. Not at all. I made myself read through all of the book, only to read the wedding and find out that it was the couple I cared the least about. 
Alright, here's a few mini reviews of each novella. 
The Little Android-- no, sorry this book was a miss for me. 4/10 stars, I really didn't like this story much at all. The idea of a cyborg freaked me out for YEARS, so the idea that an android falling in love just... It just creeped me out a little too much, sorry. Also the only really fun thing I like about this story was catching the ever so brief glimpse of Cinder. Otherwise, I was not invested in this story at all. 
Glitches-- Alright, this story was alright. 6/10 stars, it was cute, seeing Cinder's younger days. There were some smaller issues (glitches, you could say), that didn't work all together perfectly with everything done in the story (like how could Garan have put his plans into Iko? She was broken?), but it was a pretty good story. Not my favorite, but it was okay. 
The Queen's Army-- yeah, this was another miss for me. 4/10 stars. Sorry, Ze'ev, I never actually cared for you, and really, there was nothing in this story that made me change my mind. 
Cardwell's Guide to Being Lucky-- yeah, I'm biased. Very biased. I loved this story, though, just like I love Captain Thorne. 7/10 stars, it was adorable and I'm going to love rereading it. 
The Keeper-- ​you know, this book took me by surprise. I thought it would be a story I'd drag my feet through, but instead? I was actually fascinated by the story. We barely saw Michelle in Scarlett, and this story gave me a real chance to see what she was really like. 7/10 stars, I actually really enjoyed it. 
After Sunshine Passes by-- not bad, not great. I don't particularly love Cress, but it's not like I hated this novella, I just wasn't overly interested. 6/10 stars. 
The Princess and the Guard-- YES YES YES! Jacin and Winter are one of my favorite couples of the series. This story had me swooning with heart eyes all the way through it. It's a beautiful story that I absolutely loved. I'll be reading this one over and over again. 8/10 stars. 
The Mechanic-- This story was an absolute HIT. OF COURSE I wanted, no, NEEDED to see this from Kai's perceptive. Now can I just get the rest of Cinder from Kai's perspective? Thanks. This book was a gift from God. 8.5/10 stars. 
Something Old, Something New-- alright. I'm sorry for the lower rating of this story, but the overwhelming disappointment of the story just flooded my senses. And I also just wasn't invested except for the parts including all the other characters aside from the ones actually getting married. 6.8/10 stars. Good story, but not what I was hoping for. 
Overall, the average rating for this novella bind up is 6.36/10 stars. I would definitely recommend it just for the few amazing stories that will just brighten your day. :) 
Well, thanks for reading this short review. 
Anj

Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all? Delve into the depths of the origin story of the ever mysterious Queen Levana. The wicked Queen who does terrible deeds. No one knows what she truly looks like or why she does the things she does... Until now. 
Fairest tells the story of Levana Blackburn since she was a little girl, growing up in the shadow of her ever beautiful, scheming sister, Channary. It also provides a love interest for Levana, and giving her reasoning for the way she acts... Not that it makes her actions any better. 
Was Fairest a riveting story that I just couldn't put down? Not exactly. In fact, I was kind of reading Fairest more to just be over with the book instead of actually enjoying the journey. I just wasn't all that interested in Levana's story-- and the actual story itself wasn't helping. See, even though Levana does have a sad life, for me that doesn't exactly excuse her behavior. I kept having to look up from my book at the wall and say, "This b**ch is pyscho." She's insane and she just uses people to get what she wants. Yeah, she's a villain, but not one that I can even find it in my heart to sympathize with. 
All in all, I would give this book a 5.8/10 stars. It was well written, and I did enjoy seeing Winter & Jacin as children as well as what actually happened with Selene, but this book didn't make me any more caring about Levana-- in fact, it just made me dislike her more, which is the exact opposite of the book's purpose. I guess if you're in love with the Lunar Chronicle Universe and interested in Levana, try it out. But I don't exactly think this book is required to make the series' experience better. It's not really needed. 
Synopsis: 

In this stunning bridge book between Cress and Winter in the bestselling Lunar Chronicles, Queen Levana’s story is finally told.

Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who is the fairest of them all?

Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story – a story that has never been told . . . until now. 

Marissa Meyer spins yet another unforgettable tale about love and war, deceit and death. This extraordinary book includes full-color art and an excerpt from Winter, the next book in the Lunar Chronicles series.

Anyway, thanks for reading, 
Anj