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

"Let's not be cruel. One should never save cake for later when it can be eaten now."
Finale books are extremely difficult. It's nearly impossible to meet all the reader's expectations. Sometimes finales can even destroy the reader's view of the series, because if it doesn't end in a satisfying way... It's really hard to remember the entirety of the series (no matter how good) without the blemish of the last one. To name a few finales that, unfortunately, ruined the way I view a series, Allegiant by Veronica Roth, Mockingjay by Susan Collins, The Last Star by Rick Yancy, FREAKING Requiem by Lauren Oliver... etc.
Luckily for us, Winter is not one of those books. Somehow, I don't know how Meyer did it, but she was able to satisfy my every need in this book, and bring the series to a conclusion that I have not one issue with. There are some things I'd wished would happen or happened, but nothing major. Just little things. Really this will go down in history as one of the best finale books there is. It's very close to books like Clockwork Princess, City of Heavenly Fire and Deathly Hallows. It's that good.
If you don't know what this series is, it's really good, I highly reccomend it, and I have reviews on the past three books to give you the basic information you need to know :)
Winter finishes the epic Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. The new characters introduced in the story are Princess Winter, Queen Levana's stepdaughter, and Jacin Clay, a palace guard. We actually got the pleasure (?) of meeting both these characters in the last book. Though, we didn't really get to see the true side of them, because that only really seems to come out when they're around each other.
I have to say, Winter and Jacin might be my new favorite ship for this series. They'd just everything. Winter is this fragile, kind, all-loving (sometimes crazy) girl, and Jacin will do anything to protect her. He's like Julian Blackthorn but not to the extent of making me uncomfortable. Actually, I think I'm almost as in love with Jacin Clay as Winter is. They're childhood friends, but they could never be together because of the social restraints. It's really basically all the romantic cliches along with character archetypes that I love. I love Winter and Jacin's relationship in this book, and was surprised that I was really looking forward to their chapters.
There were no chapters that I was not thoroughly invested in, I loved each and every page-- and there were a crap ton of pages. Some finale's issues are that the book feels rushed. Winter is nothing like that, Meyer was smart and used as many pages as she needed to write a satisfying conclusion. Which, as it turns out, was a lot of pages. That is perfectly okay with me, because not only did I get a great conclusion, but I also got to spend more time in this fantastic world.
Just to show how much I loved this book, I'm going to say I'm giving this book 9/10 stars. It was fantastic. I'm really glad I read this series, it was well worth the extra money I spent on buying the hardcovers as well as the ebooks of Scarlet and Cress so that I could read the books immediately. The pacing is perfect in these books, the plot intriguing and the characters lovable, easy to grow attached to. I don't know what else I could've asked for.
I don't really know what else I can say to try and convince you to read this book. All I really can add before I get into the spoilery section is you won't regret reading this. Anyway, here's the synopsis:

Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mark her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won't approve of her feelings for her childhood friend--the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn't as weak as Levana believes her to be and she's been undermining her stepmother's wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that's been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters? Fans will not want to miss this thrilling conclusion to Marissa Meyer's national bestselling Lunar Chronicles series.

Oh, and just to add here's a list (in order of favorite to least) of my favorite books and couples now that I've finished the books. 

Winter & Jacin 
Cinder & Kai 
Cress & Thorne 
Scarlett & Wolf 

Cinder
Thorne
Jacin 
Kai 
Winter 
Cress 
Scarlett 

Winter 
Cress
Scarlet & Cinder

SPIOILERS BELOW FOR WINTER
I'll just start this out by saying the very minor things I would've liked to change about this book. First off, I know a lot of other people have mentioned it, but I'll say it again. I wish Jacin and Winter felt more like part of the group. Like sure, Jacin does work with them, but neither Winter nor Jacin ever truly feel like they're part of Cinder's little rebel band like the rest of the characters. Especially since neither of them are in the room in the final showdown. Like, even people who really shouldn't have been there (I'm looking at you, Scarlet and Wolf) went in. Jacin and especially Winter have a right to be in there, fighting Levana. Okay, maybe Jacin shouldn't be in there since he's so easily controlled, but Winter. Winter has a right to be involved with the ultimate demise of the evil queen, and yet she's nowhere near. I was waiting for Jacin and Winter to show up the entire time in that throne room, and they never did. I'm gonna be honest here, I really thought Winter was going to shoot Levana in the head while she and Cinder were having that mind control gun off thing lol. 
I touched this earlier, but I just have to mention it again. I LOVE Jacin and Winter's relationship. I love how protective Jacin is of Winter, like he'll do anything for her, and as I said before, not in the creepy Julian Blackthorn way. I love how he's accepting of his fate, too. It just makes his character more likable, in my eyes. He knows he'll never end up with Winter, but he still wants to make sure she's safe, despite how much it might hurt him to see Winter with someone else. Also how Jacin can calm her down from her craziness? Like. Ah. It's so cute. He's so blank otherwise, in showing emotion, but then when he needs to help her? He's all gentleness and worry. It's adorable. And also just Jacin's way of telling Winter she's beautiful and he loves her? Through sarcasm and saying anything but those words? TELL ME WHERE I CAN GET ONE OF THESE BOYS. Jacin would sacrifice his own life for Winter and... Ah. I just love them. 
Also mentioned this earlier. It annoys the HELL out of me that the people who can so easily be controlled by Lunars (@Scarlet and Wolf) always are throwing themselves in situations where they really just become dangers to their own allies. Like WHY, WHY would you go into the showdown with Levana? Like I get that you want to go help your friends, but you'd be more helpful not being in there! they're really just putting their friends in even more danger. I was really expecting that invention that Garan made come into play so that Scarlet and stuff could be immune to Lunar control, but unfortunately that didn't come into play until wayyyy later. 
Speaking of that, let's get onto Adri and Pearl. Honestly? I'm not a good person. I felt no sympathy for either of these women. I kid you not, when it was revealed that Cinder was thrown into the cell with them I looked up from the book with a grin and said "Kill them." Not that I'd actually want Cinder to kill them, but I was really looking forward to Cinder finally getting her revenge on those bitches for the way that they treated her, but instead Cinder chose to be the bigger person. Literally Adri still insists that Cinder is selfish in the cell (and there I really just wanted Cinder to punch her... with the metal hand) and they DISOWN her and PLEDGE LOYALTY TO LEVANA, and yet Cinder still gives them a shit ton of riches. Like sure, that makes her a better person. But I'm not a good person, and I really wanted Adri and Pearl to get what was coming for them. 
While I didn't feel like anything was rushed, I did feel like the whole "poison apple" bit was resolved a bit quickly. Like it didn't feel RUSHED  but it felt like there wasn't much peril involved with it, seeing as they got the antidote in ASAP right after. Do you get what I mean? 
Oh, also, I forgot to mention in my earlier reviews, I will always love Thorne and Cinder's friendship. Like theirs is my favorite friendship in the entire series. 
Oh, one more thing. CRESS IS SO ANNOYING WHEN SHE SPAZZES OVER THORNE AND THAT LUNAR LIKE ITS OBVIOUS HES BEEN MIND CONTROLLED CALM DOWN. Though, I suppose that did spur their relationship so... 

Anyway, thanks for sticking with me, 
-Anj

Legacy of Kings is a action packed series filled to the brim with intrigue, deception and mystery. These books follow Alexander the Great in his teen years, with a twist of fantasy involved as well. If you have yet to read these books, I highly recommend that you do! They're such fun reads. I read both Legacy of Kings and Empire of Dust in one sitting because I was unable to tear my eyes away from the pages. If you haven't read this series yet, I have book reviews for both of them, so if you're interested, go check them out (Legacy of Kings & Empire of Dust). 
This is one of my favorite series, it's right down my alley of fantasy and historical fiction. So I was honored when asked take part of a blog tour to promote the release of the third installment, Reign of Serpents. For this blog tour I got to ask author Eleanor Herman five questions about her books. 
​Here they are!  (FYI Reign of Serpents is out, so you can read it right now!!) 

Out of all the historical figures with intriguing stories, what drew you to Alexander the Great? 

Alexander the Great was one of most pivotal historical characters in world history. He simply didn’t know the meaning of You can’t do that. Though his empire collapsed soon after his death, he had opened up the connection between the Mediterranean and the East. Good flowed both ways, along with ideas and people,reshaping the world as we know it. And he was ripe to become a YA character as almost nothing is known about him before he became king of Macedon at the age of twenty. Which left plenty of room for me to imagine him as a teen!

Do any of the characters in these books mirror your own personality or that of people you know? 

All of the characters mirror aspects of my own personality. Queen Olympias uses her femininity to manipulate, a quality I know is there but choose not to use. Princess Cynane is selfish and, at times, evil, qualities I suppress in my life but love to express in my writing! I am more like Zofia and Katerina: strong, brave, good and determined. As for the guys, well, I never felt that my soul was female. It’s neutral, bordering on male. Guys are simpler than girls. Their emotions aren’t usually as complex. They don’t overthink things. They are more about doing than feeling. So, yes, all my characters are actually me.

What are your favorite types of scenes to write? Why? 

I love writing battle scenes. Though Reign of Serpents is the one book in the series without a battle, I did manage to throw in an epic royal food fight and an earthquake that sends the Temple of Delphi collapsing to the ground in a heap. I love writing the swirl of action. In the middle of a battle—or an epic food fight or an earthquake—you would only catch snatches of what is going on. It would be like some Impressionist painting, and that is loads of fun to write.

In these books there is a lot of magic lore, how did you come up with this? Did you craft it yourself, or build on actual beliefs about magic?  

I love writing about magic. I feel we all have innate magic within us that our society suppresses. To write the magic scenes, I called on my experience living in an African village—with spirits of a cave, a pond, the forest, a sacred stool, and countless ancestors--and my study of ancient religions. I am empathic, myself, feeling the feelings of others, which isn’t necessarily a good thing as they are often stress, anger, and fear. But I do understand that magic is all around us, inside us, and we can tap into it. Jacob has a connection to the physical earth, to rocks and waves and wind. Katerina can enter the minds of animals, Alex can see the memories of people. I called on my own experiences and beliefs to write the magic scenes.
 
What was the hardest part about writing Reign of Serpents? 
 
Juggling the time line of so many characters who have split up and gone to different parts of the world. When Princess Zofia takes a thirty-three day trip from Persepolis to Macedon, I had to stall all the other action to wait for her to get there!

I'm really glad I got to participate in the blog tour, thank you to Glasstown Entertainment for this opportunity! 
And to the rest of the people reading this, I highly encourage you to ​pick up this series. As I've said before, it's just so good! The characters are easy to get attached to, and the plot is intriguing. It's not a series you want to miss out on. 
I know I'm going to pick up Reign of Serpents as soon as I get it, so keep an eye out for my review :) Thanks for reading, 
Anj

"Because if there was one thing Cress knew about heroes, it was that they could not resist a damsel in distress. 
And she was nothing if not in distress." 

Cress has been locked up in a satellite for years with no human contact. She's been trapped by the evil queen's right hand, and other than that she hasn't seen anyone else in years. Sound familiar? *cough* it's a loose retelling of Rapunzel  *cough* Cress is the third book in Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles. This is a spectacular series, and I really regret not reading it sooner. I highly recommend that everyone reads it because, honestly these books are so much fun and it's impossible not to be completely absorbed in the world. 
I was extremely impressed by the first two books (Cinder & Scarlet) (I have reviews for those, if you're interested), and so I had extremely high expectations for Cress... This book smashed through said expectations. Cress is spectacular, full of intriguing but lovable characters and an enthralling plot line. This is definitely the best book so far in the series. Kind of surprising, seeing as most books lose their momentum throughout the series, but these books? They just keep gaining it. 
Cress adds, well, Cress to our lovable team of rebels. Cress is an adorable character, I really relate to her awkwardness. Of course, she hasn't had contact with humanity for a really long time, but somehow I'm still as awkward, if not more so than her. Basically she's a very relatable character that you just can't help but think is very cute. 

"I will be the judge of when you are dying, and when that happens, I guarantee you a kiss worth waiting for." 

Cress's love interest? I think we could have all have guessed who it was from the beginning, our very own Flynn Rider, Captain Carswell Thorne. I know, Flynn Rider is not on the original fairytale, actually the original fairytale is all sorts of horrible, but you know what I mean. Classic Rapunzel definitely doesn't have anything close to having a swoon worthy criminal as a love interest. Seriously, I've been seeing Thorne as Flynn since we met him last book. I'm glad this isn't a whole INTRODUCE BOTH CHARACTERS like Scarlet and Wolf, because we already got to know (and LOVE) Thorne in the last book. 

"'Do you think it was destiny that brought us together?" 
He squinted and, after a thoughtful moment, shook his head. "No. I'm pretty sure it was Cinder.'" 

The plot? As to be expected it is fast moving and a whole crap ton of fun. Our rebel group gets split up from each other (that's not a spoiler, it's in the synopsis!) and they have to remember how to deal on their own// with the allies that end up with them. It's also really nice to see the little hints toward the little references to the original tale of Rapunzel. 

"Her sadness wasn't enough. Her mourning wasn't enough. But it was all she had." 


I would give Cress 8.5/10. It was a spectacularly written and planned book. I really just, I loved it. I highly recommend that you all read it, especially if you've already read Cinder and Scarlet, like WHY WOULDN'T YOU IMMEDIATELY PICK THIS ONE UP?! 
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 higher 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.

SPOILERS 
OKAY THE AMOUNT OF TIMES KAI WAS LIKE OH MAYBE CINDER IS LOOKING FOR SELENE AND THEN OH WHY DOES LEVANA WANT CINDER SO BADLY I WAS JUST LIKE... BOYYY HOW DO YOU NOT SEE THAT CINDER IS FREAKING SELENA? HOW? ARE YOU BLIND? WHAT??? 
I knew Cress was Dr. Erland's daughter ever since book 1 when he mentioned his daughter, and since then I have been waiting for a daddy daughter reunion... Unfortunately, that's not exactly what came to pass and I found it really depressing that he never really got to know his daughter, and the other way around... 
Wolf? Freaking annoying in this book, like yeah, I get it your true love, the girl you've known for once week was captured, now your life is over. But... You know, couldn't you like... BE USEFUL TO HELP GET HER BACK? He just basically turns into a limp rag in this book and god, it was so irritating. 
I did really love the scene of Kai and Cinder FINALLY FREAKING REUNITED ON THE SHIP. Like they finally actually get a good chance to talk and I LOVED IT. I'd been waiting so long for it. 
And finally... That glimpse we saw of Winter kind of really freaked me out. Like she sounds like an insane eight-year-old... How are we going to get though a whole half a book of her narration of her being insane? Like... Hm. That makes me nervous. Though, I did find that I really liked Jacin. He's loyal and I can totally tell that I am going to 100% be on the Jacin x Winter ship next book. Even though, yeah, Jacin betrayed Cinder's group, it was only so he could get back to Winter... 
Anyway, thanks for reading! 
​-Anj

Little Red Riding Hood has a crisis, her grandmother is missing. And the only way for her to find her? Using the help of a mysterious stranger who goes by the name of Wolf... Seem like a good idea to you? Yeah, me either. 
Anyway, Scarlet is the sequel to Marissa Meyer's Cinder, which was a loose, sci-fi fairytale retelling of Cinderella. If you haven't read Cinder, I have a review on that so go check that out (this review will spoil Cinder.) I highly encourage everyone to read this series-- it's not one you want to miss out on. :) Let's get on to the review. 
So Scarlet. Despite the name Scarlet does not just follow Scarlet's story, it also keeps up with Cinder's story. In this book we get to see from several points of view, mainly Wolf, Scarlet, Cinder and Captain Thorne. Scarlet picks up right after Cinder ends, like literally the day of, only it starts from the perspective of Scarlet Benoit, a french farmer. Don't worry! Like I said before, we still get plenty of time with Cinder through both her eyes and Captain Throne's. (We also get to see a bit inside Kai's head as well.) 
Personally I didn't absolutely love Scarlet and Wolf's storyline. It was interesting enough, but I was a lot more invested in Cinder's storyline. Probably because I was already attached to Cinder, and also because there was just, well, I'll address it more in the spoilery section. Scarlet and Wolf's story is great, but not nearly as fantastic or intriguing (to me) as Cinder's. 
I like Scarlet, she's funny, badass and does what needs to be done. Though, I'm not Wolf's biggest fan. Like, I don't dislike him, but out of all our cast of characters I seem to like him least. He's the broody character, and I'm not really that into brooding. 
The final new installment to the team in this book is Captain Thorne. And just *swoon.* He's probably my new favorite character after Cinder. Thorne is my favorite type of character, cocky and hilarious with a heart of gold. 
Scarlet (the book) has the same fast pace as Cinder, but it's even more fun because we already know the setting and (some of) the characters, so we're able to throw ourselves into the world entirely without any reserve. 
I would give Scarlet 8/10 stars, the same as I gave Cinder. For me, 8/10 is a very good rating-- it means this is one of my favorite books. Still, it didn't increase from Cinder because during Cinder i got to be with Cinder for the whole book (or in her area), I just found myself looking forward to seeing CINDER's storyline more than Scarlet's in this book, so that kept it in the 8 (which is still really good), 
Anyway, my point is I really enjoyed this book and am really glad I picked up this series. 

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. 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.

SPOILERS BELOW 

What I started to say earlier, and then realized was a spoiler was that I was not nearly as invested in Scarlet and Wolf's relationship because it felt SO instalove-y. Literally they've known each other for a week and Wolf is like You're the only one and Scarlet's all I'll be your Alpha female. Like... Really? I hate instalove, and their relationship felt very much like instalove, so I couldn't really get attached to it. Like, sure, they're fine together, but I couldn't really bring myself to care either way. Also Wolf, just not my type. Especially not when Thorne is introduced in the same book as him. 
But I do think Wolf's naiveness about food was oddly adorable at the beginning of the book. then as the story progressed on, I found myself caring less and less about him-- though I do love it whenever they bring up the tomato thing again. 

Thanks for reading, 
Anj

Imagine this. The clock strikes midnight, and the dramatic music grows louder and louder as Cinderella hurriedly rushes from the palace. The Prince is only a steps behind, rushing out to catch this mysterious girl. As Cinderella runs down the stairs, three at a time, she trips and falls. Not because her heel fell off, but because her foot did. 
Cinder by Marissa Meyer is a book that I should've read a long time ago-- one that everyone, it seems, has already read and raved about. This book has been sitting on my bookshelf for the last three years, because while everyone's raving about this book convinced me to buy it, I couldn't bring myself to read it. Now, why? Why wouldn't I read a book that it would seem that literally everyone absolutely loves? Well, here's why. The idea of cyborgs kind of really freaks me out. And the idea that Cinder is a cyborg just really pushed me away from the series. 
Ironically, while reading the book I got really pissed off at all the characters who were prejudiced against Cinder because she was a cyborg. 
Basically what I'm trying to say is that I absolutely loved Cinder, despite or maybe because she was a cyborg. You really get used to the idea as you read the book, if you haven't read it, I highly encourage you to. This is not a series you want to miss. If the idea freaks you out, just be comforted knowing it made me uncomfortable as well. You actually grow to like Cinder more because of her cyborgness-- it's really useful. It's not like Cinder is a robot or anything (though there are robots in these books and they're kind of awesome), it's like she's a human, who lost limbs and got them replaced with metal ones. (Plus there's like a computer in her brain, but she still has a human brain, I promise!) 
If you didn't pick up on it yet, Cinder is a fairytale retelling of Cinderella. A very loose fairytale retelling, but it's really fun to see the aspects of the fairytale in there along with all the fun new twists Meyer puts in her story. 
The plot is fast paced, seriously, the action/stuff happening starts in the first chapter. I had no trouble becoming fully immersed in this futuristic world, and I doubt anyone will. While things happened quickly, the book did not feel rushed. In fact, I think the pacing was just right for the story being told. It gave time to get attached to the characters, but nothing felt like it was filler. Everything really needed to be there. 
This book shockingly enough, follows Cinder, (that was sarcasm, if you couldn't tell through text) a mechanic cyborg who lives with a cruel step-mother and two step sisters. Cinder is a fantastic protagonist. She's clever and selfless, and yet not to the extent where it becomes annoying. Her character is one that it is easy to sympathize and side with. I really found myself rooting for her in this book, and am looking forward to seeing more of her story. 
Kai, the prince, is Cinder's love interest. I've literally been shipping the two of them since they met. Like even after their first exchanged words I already really shipped their relationship. Kai is determined and likable-- despite the fact that he was raised to be a politician. He'll do whatever he has to for the good of his country, even if it isn't ideal for him. He's cute and slightly flirtatious as well. All together a very swoon worthy character. 
The last character I'd like to address is Iko, Cinder's android. She is absolutely hilarious and actually one of my favorite characters so far. I look forward to you all meeting her, because I have a feeling you'll be as charmed by the little android as me. 
I would rate Cinder 8/10 stars, it was really exciting and it made me want to immediately want to read Scarlet. Which is why I immediately ordered it on amazon... and then bought it on iBooks. Yeah, I was really excited. 
Oh, and just to clear something up that I was confused about before y'all go diving into this wonderful book (if there is anyone left in the world who hasn't read it), these aren't like a companion series. What I mean by that is that they're all interconnected and still follow the same characters from the previous books' point of view, each book just adds some new characters to our group. I thought this series would be like the These Broken Stars books, where each book has its own full arc for its characters, and while the characters are in the next book, they're not big parts. That is totally not true. This is an actual series that follows Cinder throughout all the books, as well as the other characters. 

Synopsis: 

Sixteen-year-old Cinder is considered a technological mistake by most of society and a burden by her stepmother. Being cyborg does have its benefits, though: Cinder's brain interference has given her an uncanny ability to fix things (robots, hovers, her own malfunctioning parts), making her the best mechanic in New Beijing. This reputation brings Prince Kai himself to her weekly market booth, needing her to repair a broken android before the annual ball. He jokingly calls it "a matter of national security," but Cinder suspects it's more serious than he's letting on.

Although eager to impress the prince, Cinder's intentions are derailed when her younger stepsister, and only human friend, is infected with the fatal plague that's been devastating Earth for a decade. Blaming Cinder for her daughter's illness, Cinder's stepmother volunteers her body for plague research, an "honor" that no one has survived.

But it doesn't take long for the scientists to discover something unusual about their new guinea pig. Something others would kill for.

Well, I hope you all enjoy this book as much as I did! And if you're still weird about the cyborg thing, don't be! You won't regret reading this book.
-Anj 

Bloody, full of actions, lies and deceit, Now I Rise is everything I expected it to be. The second book in Kiersten White's brutal Conquerer's Saga brings the world of Vlad the Impaler to life... That is, if Vlad the Impaler had been born female. An interesting twist on history, the Conquerer's Saga is quite the enthralling series, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in historical fiction, or anyone who just wants a good novel with a lot of action and engrossing storyline and characters. This book is perfect for fans of things like Game of Thrones, the story is dark, (and as stated before) bloody, and full of complex, cunning and fierce characters. The reader is sure to be hooked. 
Now I Rise is book 2 in the Conquerer's Saga, the first book is called And I Darken, if any of this series sounds interesting at all to you, I would recommend you pick up the first book. If you want any more information on it, I did do a book review back in January, so go check that out. 
Anyway, on to Now I Rise. God, I love the titles of this series. And I Darken. Now I Rise. They're just so epic sounding, perfect for the books they describe. 
Now I Rise was quite the fun read. I really enjoyed being reunited with the characters, though the strains on the different relationships ceaselessly irked me. I just want Radu and Lada to be reunited and go rule Wallachia together. Just leave Mehmed behind. 
 I feel basically the same about the characters after finishing this book as I did after finishing the first book. Lada, I love her as a protagonist because of her drive. If she wants something, she will do anything to take it. And she does. She's strong, and always ready for a fight. Yet, she has her flaws. She is not a people person. And when I say that I mean REALLY not a people person. Like I am not a people person, but in comparison to Lada? I am the peopleiest people person in the world. She's really not good at handling interactions. I couldn't help but be a little annoyed at that, like all Lada really knows is violence. The only way she wants to handle things is through force, and to be a good leader you have to have a balance of force and compromise/being good working with others. Lada is not good at working with others, and she won't heed others' advice about it. (*cough* Nicolae.) 
Then there's Radu. Love him, he's a great character. But his biggest flaw is Mehmed. And his love for Mehmed. He'll do anything and everything for the sultan, even going as far as choosing Mehmed over his own sister. Radu's love of Mehmed blinds him to Mehmed's oh so obvious flaws. And that was a CONSTANT source of aggravation for me. Like no, go join your sister and be happy. Screw Mehmed. At the beginning I just could not stand Radu and his constant pining over Mehmed, but as the story continued on I found myself really enjoying Radu's arc. And I'm really looking forward to the direction his character is taking. 
Then the last "main" character of the series. Mehmed. Does he even count as a main character in this book? Maybe a supporting one. He isn't in the story nearly as much as he was in the first book (yay), but he's mentioned a crap ton, because, of course, he's a vital player in the events of the plot. Also unsurprising, most of the time he's mentioned in every paragraph of Radu's. Ugh. I just don't like Mehmed at all now. I didn't like him much after finishing the first book, but reading this one? No. Not a fan. 
The plot was interesting-- I found myself feeling quite invested in the fates of the side characters and the outcome of the big fights and wars. While it told a fun story, I felt the plot was a little rushed. Not in the way of how many trilogy ends with just shoving too much information in your face, this plot was rushed in the way of cutting scenes too short. Like I just felt that we, the readers, needed to be able to delve deeper into the scenes, situations and  characters. Just everything felt short and crisp. The scenes were the bare minimal, getting the information you needed to know and then going ahead to the next scene. While it did get its purpose done, I just was left feeling a little detached from that. Like, I put the book down multiple times and didn't exactly feel the need to pick it back up. Saying that, the story still is enthralling and hard to put down (as proven by how late I stayed up last night), but once you put it down, it just eh. You don't yearn to read it again. Or I should say I didn't yearn to read it again once I put it down. 
All in all, I would give Now I Rise 7/10 stars. It was a very enjoyable read, and I do look forward to reading the next book, but I couldn't help but feel a bit detached from the series just because of how it was written and how almost choppy the book felt because of all the short, information filled scenes. 
Anyway, here's the synopsis: 

Lada Dracul has no allies. No throne. All she has is what she’s always had: herself. After failing to secure the Wallachian throne, Lada is out to punish anyone who dares to cross her blood-strewn path. Filled with a white-hot rage, she storms the countryside with her men, accompanied by her childhood friend Bogdan, terrorizing the land. But brute force isn’t getting Lada what she wants. And thinking of Mehmed brings little comfort to her thorny heart. There’s no time to wonder whether he still thinks about her, even loves her. She left him before he could leave her.

What Lada needs is her younger brother Radu’s subtlety and skill. But Mehmed has sent him to Constantinople—and it’s no diplomatic mission. Mehmed wants control of the city, and Radu has earned an unwanted place as a double-crossing spy behind enemy lines. Radu longs for his sister’s fierce confidence—but for the first time in his life, he rejects her unexpected plea for help. Torn between loyalties to faith, to the Ottomans, and to Mehmed, he knows he owes Lada nothing. If she dies, he could never forgive himself—but if he fails in Constantinople, will Mehmed ever forgive him?

As nations fall around them, the Dracul siblings must decide: what will they sacrifice to fulfill their destinies? Empires will topple, thrones will be won . . . and souls will be lost.

SPOILERS BELOW (BOOK DISCUSSION) 
Alright, I've already been very clear on my stance on Mehmed. So it will be no surprise that I was really rooting for the people of Constantinople to win the fight. Especially after meeting the people of Constantinople. I loved seeing how torn Radu felt-- because yes, these were good people. And then I really didn't appreciate how Radu still chose Mehmed in the end, despite his realizations about Mehmed during his time away. Just UGH. I'm really hoping Radu will be able to break away from Mehmed's grasp on him, and of course, I want him to go and join Lada. 
Literally for the majority of the book it was SHOWN how much these two siblings need each other. They fill out the gaps for each other. They were always thinking What would Lada do? Or What would Radu do? And when Radu thought Lada never thinks what he would do I almost screamed. HOW DOES RADU NOT REALIZE HOW MUCH HIS SISTER NEEDS hIM? AND HOW MUCH HE NEEDS HER? SCREW MEHMED. 
Then there's my issue with Lada. She really needs to fucking learn to like get along with people. Instead of just immediately going stabby stabby. Like I get that it's suppose to be all female empowerment with her, but seriously, if she hadn't killed all those boyars and Tomas, she could've had a lot more power. Sure, they wanted to use her, but that's why she needs Radu, so she can use them. And she needs to be merciful, like I see the practicality of killing all of the Danesti children, but Nicolae, my bae, is right when he tells her she shouldn't. Besides, THERE'S AN OBVIOUS STRAIN ON NICOLAE's RELATIONSHIP WITH LADA AND I FEAR THAT's LEADING UP TO HIM LEAVIN HER AND NOOOO. Nicolae was hardly in this book, like he was there, but he wasn't really vital to all the plot things so he only really got a few lines. I need more Nicolae! 
Anyway, thanks for reading. Love you all. 
​-Anj