Book Review: Heartless by Marissa Meyer
Heartless by Marissa Meyer Also by this author: Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles, #2), Renegades
Published by Feiwel & Friends on November 8th 2016
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult Fiction
Pages: 453
Source: Purchased
Amazon
Goodreads
MY REVIEW:
Marissa Meyer’s Heartless is one of the most wonderful, whimsical, and heartbreaking books I’ve read this year. It was actually one of my most anticipated reads for 2016, but for reasons I can’t explain, I’m just now getting around to reading it. Thankfully though, it was so worth the wait! I devoured Heartless in just a couple of sittings and feel like I can’t sing its praises high enough.
For anyone unfamiliar with the premise for Heartless, it’s meant to be an origin tale for the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, basically providing a plausible backstory for her and explaining what then led her to become the character that we all love to hate. Well, not only does Meyer create a plausible backstory for the Queen of Hearts, complete with new characters and an original storyline, but she is also able to do all of this while retaining all of the whimsy and wonder from the original fairytale. Although I knew the story would ultimately end badly for Meyer’s heroine, I still loved reading every magical moment of her journey.
LIKES
Cath. Even knowing that she would eventually become the Queen of Hearts, I still fell in love with Cath right away. She’s smart, sassy, and a girl ahead of her time. While most girls in the kingdom of Hearts would dream of having a chance to marry the King and become Queen, Cath has absolutely no interest in that whatsoever. Why? Because she and her best friend and maid, MaryAnn, have their own dream. They want to go into business together and open a bakery. Cath is a gifted baker and MaryAnn has a head for numbers, so they have a whole business plan all worked out and ready to go, if only Cath’s parents would just let her follow her dreams instead of theirs.
Jest. Jest was actually my favorite character in Heartless. He is the new court jester for the King of Hearts, and he’s mysterious, a bit roguish, witty, and a real showman when it comes to entertaining the King and his guests. He piques Cath’s interest from the first moment she watches him perform, and there is an instant connection between them when they finally come face to face. I don’t know if I’d call it love at first sight, but there’s definite chemistry there and once Cath and Jest do start to get closer, it’s almost impossible not to root for them, especially when the alternative for Cath is the ridiculous, always giggling King of Hearts. I swear, that King is way more of a fool than his court jester. I just cringed every time I read a scene with him in it, haha.
Characters and Scenes from the Original Fairytale. I thought Meyer did a brilliant job of seamlessly weaving so many beloved characters and memorable scenes from Alice in Wonderland into her story. It made me smile every time I came across something familiar, whether it was the mischievous Cheshire Cat, being just as much of a pain in the rear as he is in the original tale, or Caterpillar smoking his hookah pipe and asking “WHO…ARE…YOU?” or the Mad Hatter (Hatta in Meyer’s tale) with his tea party, and especially the croquet match where they used hedgehogs for balls, flamingos for clubs, and the deck of cards as wickets. And don’t even get me started on what Meyer did with the Jabberwock…it was brilliant! Much of my excitement while reading was because I was so eager to see how else she had incorporated elements from the original tale into Heartless.
Shout-outs to Other Famous Rhymes. As if all of the cameos by characters from Alice in Wonderland weren’t enough, Meyer takes it a step further and includes a couple other famous tales that are sure to be recognized by most, if not all readers. Peter Peter, Pumpkin Eater and his wife actually play a major role in the story, and then there’s also the most delightful shout-out to Edgar Allan Poe’s famous poem, The Raven. There is literally a raven, a sidekick of Jest’s of course, flying around and quoting lines from ‘The Raven: “Nevermore!” And you might read this and think that sounds kind of hokey, but nope…trust me, it’s fabulous!
The idea that a sexist world is what ultimately creates the Queen of Hearts. As much as I kept hoping something miraculous was going to happen and save Cath from the dreaded fate we all know is in store for her, I thought it was somewhat poetic that sexism plays such a huge role in Cath’s fate. I swear, if I lived in a place where no one took me or my dreams seriously and where everyone told me it was my duty to marry some daft king, I’d be running around yelling ‘Off with their heads!’ too. Just ugh!
After everything goes dreadfully wrong for Cath and it appears she has no options left other than to marry the King, her parents try to make amends by asking what would make her happy (even though it’s already too late), Cath’s response just says it all: “How different everything could have been if you had thought to ask me that before.” (I have to admit I shed a few tears when I read that line.)
DISLIKES/ISSUES
I loved pretty much every aspect of this story (aside from the ending of course since we already know, because this is an origin story, that Cath is doomed to become the Queen of Hearts. *cries*). The only thing I didn’t particularly care for were the character names, Cath and MaryAnn. They just seemed so ordinary compared to so many of the other names we came across. Obviously, the names in no way hampered my enjoyment of Heartless, but I kept wishing the names were a little more whimsical in keeping with the rest of the story.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Heartless is one of those books I’d recommend to almost anyone. I loved that it was an original read but that it also had so many familiar elements and characters that reading it reminded me of my childhood. Meyer’s take on the original tale made me laugh and it made me cry. If that kind of read is one that appeals to you, then definitely consider giving Heartless a try.
RATING: 4.5 STARS
GOODREADS SYNOPSIS
Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland and a favorite of the unmarried King, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, she wants to open a shop and create delectable pastries. But for her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for a woman who could be a queen.
At a royal ball where Cath is expected to receive the King’s marriage proposal, she meets handsome and mysterious Jest. For the first time, she feels the pull of true attraction. At the risk of offending the King and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter into a secret courtship.
Cath is determined to choose her own destiny. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.
About Marissa Meyer
“One of my first spoken words was “story” (right along with “bath” and “cookie”), my favorite toy as an infant was a soft, squishable book, and I’ve wanted to be a writer since I first realized such a job existed.
When I was fourteen my best friend introduced me to anime and fanfiction—over the years I would complete over forty Sailor Moon fanfics under the penname Alicia Blade. Those so inclined can still find my first stories at fanfiction.net. Writing fanfic turned out to be awesome fun and brought me in contact with an amazing group of fanfiction readers and writers. As Alicia Blade, I also had a novelette, “The Phantom of Linkshire Manor,” published in the gothic romance anthology Bound in Skin (CatsCurious Press, 2007).
When I was sixteen I worked at The Old Spaghetti Factory in Tacoma, Washington, affectionately termed “The Spag.” (Random factoid: This is also the restaurant where my parents met some 25 years before.) I attended Pacific Lutheran University where I sorted mail that came to the dorm, carted tables and chairs around campus, and took writing classes, eventually earning a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing and Children’s Literature. Knowing I wanted a career in books, I would also go on to receive a Master’s degree in Publishing from Pace University (which you can learn more about here). After graduation, I worked as an editor in Seattle for a while before becoming a freelance typesetter and proofreader.
Then, day of days, someone thought it would be a good idea to give me a book deal, so I became a full-time writer. CINDER was my first completed novel, though I have an adorable collection of unfinished ones lying around, too.
I married my husband in 2011, two months before the release of Cinder, and we adopted our two beautiful twin daughters, Sloane and Delaney, in 2015. Reading lots and lots of bedtime stories is most definitely a new favorite pastime.”
Marissa Meyer in her own words, from www.marissameyer.com
Blog Tour: Project Pandora by Aden Polydoros – Review & Giveaway
Project Pandora by Aden Polydoros 
Series: Assassin Fall #1
Published by Entangled: Teen on August 1st 2017
Genres: Thriller
Pages: 372
Source: Netgalley
Amazon
Goodreads
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Today I’m participating in the Chapter by Chapter Blog Tour for Project Pandora by Aden Polydoros. It’s my first time participating in a blog tour, so I’m pretty excited to be trying something new here on The Bookish Libra. My stop on the tour is a book review, so without further ado, here are my thoughts on Project Pandora.
MY REVIEW:
Project Pandora, written by Aden Polydoros is the first book in the Assassin Fall series. It’s a dark and gritty story that focuses on Project Pandora, a secret program designed to create a team of teenage assassins. Using mind control and psychotropic drugs, the Project Pandora doctors have systematically “programmed” these teens from birth to “activate” when they hear the phrase “Olympus is Rising.” They could be in the middle of anything – at home, at work, at school, anywhere — but as soon as they hear that phrase, they immediately switch over into assassin mode until the mission they’ve been assigned is complete. As if that isn’t alarming enough, once they come out of that “activated” state, the teens have no memory of what they have done or the murders they have committed. Creepy, right? Why on Earth would anyone want to turn a bunch of teenagers into assassins? What’s their endgame with this project? And how have they gotten away with it thus far? As soon as all of these questions started swarming around in my head, I knew I was hooked…
The novel follows the perspectives of four teens who have been trained/brain washed by Project Pandora. First, there’s Tyler and Shannon who, when they aren’t in full-on assassin mode, appear to be pretty typical teenagers. They go to high school, do normal teen activities, and they also both happen to live with foster families. Then there’s Katherine, who is also a fairly typical teen, although she is also the daughter of a senator and has a bit of a rebellious streak because she’s tired of her parents expecting her to be Little Miss Perfect all the time. Lastly, there’s Hades. As you can probably guess based on his name, there is very little about Hades that is typical. Hades is also the only one of the four who is aware of his role in Project Pandora.
So what happens when those who have unknowingly been a part of this project slowly begin to realize they are not fully in control of their minds and bodies and are committing crimes while under someone else’s control? Can they break free? And most importantly, can they stop Project Pandora, which clearly has been created with a sinister purpose in mind?
LIKES
There’s so much to love about Project Pandora. It’s one of the more unique storylines I’ve read and it appeals to both my love of science fiction and my love of fast-paced thrillers. Here are just a few of the book’s highlights for me:
Multiple Points of View. Sometimes multiple points of view works for me, sometimes it doesn’t. In the case of Project Pandora, however, I thought presenting the story through the eyes of several who are under the influence of mind control was truly fascinating. The reader gets to follow these characters through their day-to-day lives, see what happens to trigger them to flip over into assassin mode, and then watch them flip right back over once the kill has been made. It does make for a somewhat disjointed narrative at times as characters like Tyler and Shannon start having these almost out-of-body moments while they’re in the middle of a “job” as if they’re watching themselves kill people. I think the disjointedness is to be expected though since both you and the characters you’re reading about are simultaneously trying to piece together what is happening and why. As I was reading scenes like these, I kept thinking what an incredible film this would be.
Hades. Hades quickly became my favorite character in Project Pandora. I don’t know if that was supposed to happen, but I always find morally ambiguous characters so fascinating, and Hades is about as morally ambiguous as they come. He’s definitely what I would consider to be an anti-hero. Not only is Hades aware that he is participating in this project, he even goes so far as to tattoo notches on his forearm to keep track of how many he has killed. Even though he’s a hardcore killer who seems pretty content to do what he does, there’s still just something about Hades that made me very sympathetic to him.
Dark and Full of Action and Suspense. Pretty much everything about this book is dark, twisted, and full of mystery and intrigue. The idea that a group of people could be twisted enough to turn a bunch of children into weapons was mind blowing, and I just couldn’t stop reading until I knew if these kids would be okay or not. If they broke free of the mind control, would they be safe or would the others involved with the Project come after them if they suddenly went rogue? Would the people behind this project be brought to justice for both the murders they’re responsible for and for what they did to these children? There’s just so much there to keep sucking you into the story and turning those pages! I literally could not put this book down once I got started.
Unique Format. In addition to using alternating chapters from the four teens to tell the story, the author has also inserted case files throughout the novel. In an almost flashback-like fashion, these case files provide insight into each of the main characters while they were going through the ‘programming’ phase of the Project. I thought it was a creative way to add background information about each character and about the inner workings of the Project itself. It also lent the novel an almost sci-fi feel, which I really liked.
DISLIKES/ISSUES
Overall I really enjoyed the read. I did, however, have a couple of areas where I just wanted a little more from the story. I’d classify these as my own personal reading quirks though and they probably wouldn’t faze most other readers.
Not enough connection with the characters. Even though I had tremendous sympathy for them because of what had been done to them and felt outraged by the whole concept of the project, I just didn’t really feel all that connected to any of the characters on a more personal level. I feel confident though that this will change now that this first book has laid all of the groundwork for the rest of the series and we can focus even more on the characters.
Needed more information about the Project and its motives. I really wanted more information about Project Pandora. We’re given a number of hints to indicate what it’s all about, but I thought a lot of the information was a bit vague and was left with more questions than answers. Again, I’m sure my questions will be answered in future books, but I’m just impatient, haha!
FINAL THOUGHTS
If you’re looking for a light and fluffy read, this is not the book you’re looking for. On the other hand, if you like a book that will take you on a dark and twisted, action-packed ride, with a plot that’s a conspiracy theorist’s dream, then Project Pandora will blow you away!
RATING: 4 STARS
Thanks so much to Netgalley, Entangled Teen, and of course to Aden Polydoros for allowing me the opportunity to preview and review Project Pandora.
GOODREADS SYNOPSIS
Tyler Bennett trusts no one. Just another foster kid bounced from home to home, he’s learned that lesson the hard way. Cue world’s tiniest violin. But when strange things start happening—waking up with bloody knuckles and no memory of the night before or the burner phone he can’t let out of his sight— Tyler starts to wonder if he can even trust himself.
Even stranger, the girl he’s falling for has a burner phone just like his. Finding out what’s really happening only leads to more questions…questions that could get them both killed. It’s not like someone’s kidnapping teens lost in the system and brainwashing them to be assassins or anything, right? And what happens to rogue assets who defy control?
In a race against the clock, they’ll have to uncover the truth behind Project Pandora and take it down—before they’re reactivated. Good thing the program spent millions training them to kick ass…
PURCHASE LINKS:
Amazon | Amazon.com.au | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | Entangled
FOLLOW THE REST OF THE PROJECT PANDORA BLOG TOUR:
Chapter By Chapter Project Pandora Blog Tour Schedule
GIVEAWAY DETAILS:
Project Pandora Prize Pack (US) or a $10 Amazon Gift card (INT)
About Aden Polydoros
Aden Polydoros grew up in Long Grove, Illinois, the youngest of three children. Aden’s family moved to Arizona when he was in second grade. As a kid, he spent much of his time exploring the desert near his home. When he wasn’t searching for snakes and lizards, he was raiding the bookshelves of the local library. As a teenager, Aden decided that he wanted to be a writer. He spent his free time writing short stories. He was encouraged by his English teacher to try his hand at writing a novel, which inspired him to begin PROJECT PANDORA. The YA thriller is set for publication with Entangled Publishing in Summer of 2017. He is represented by Mallory Brown of Triada US.
ARC Review: Emma in the Night by Wendy Walker
Emma in the Night by Wendy Walker Also by this author: The Night Before
Published by St. Martin's Press on August 8th 2017
Genres: Mystery, Thriller
Pages: 320
Source: the Publisher
Amazon
Goodreads
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via the Publisher. All opinions are my own.
MY REVIEW:
Wendy Walker’s Emma in the Night is a captivating psychological thriller that centers on an unsolved missing persons case. Three years earlier, seventeen year old Emma Tanner and her fifteen year old sister Cass, disappeared. A thorough investigation was conducted but no trace of either sister was ever found and the case went cold. That is, until Cass suddenly turns up at her mother’s home with a harrowing tale of how she and Emma had been abducted and held prisoner on an island and that they need to go back and save Emma. As Cass recounts her story to law enforcement, a forensic psychiatrist on the case, Dr. Abby Winter, starts to get the feeling that Cass may not be telling them the whole story. Driven by some disturbing parallels she sees between Cass’s mother and her own, who suffered from Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Abby decides to take a closer look at Cass, Emma, and their family. Will Abby uncover a truth that is even more shocking than the tale Cass has come home with, or will she become so obsessed with the parallels to her own life that she can no longer work the case objectively?
LIKES
Emma in the Night is one of those books that it’s best to go into knowing as little as possible, so aside from information already mentioned in the synopsis, I’m going to keep my comments as general as I can. That said, here are some elements of Walker’s novel that I thought made for effective storytelling.
Dual Point of View. Emma in the Night is told in alternating chapters from the viewpoint of Cass, the sister who has returned, and from Abby, the forensic psychiatrist who has been working the case since the sisters first went missing. I loved watching the mystery unfold this way, especially as the writing style for each point of view was so distinctive. Cass’s point of view sometimes came across confused and a little disjointed, while at other times, it almost sounded too precise, to the point of being calculated. It became clearer with each passing chapter that she may not be a very reliable narrator. As I became more and more suspicious of what she was saying sometimes, it was then nice to switch to a chapter from Abby’s perspective and see that she, as one who was listening to Cass tell her story, had some of the same questions and doubts I did.
Flawed Characters. I have a thing for flawed characters. I find characters with flaws to be so much more human and therefore interesting than characters that are too perfect. Well, let me tell you…this book is packed with flawed characters! We’re talking the textbook definition of a dysfunctional family right here. Interestingly enough, none of the characters are all that likeable either, maybe with the exception of Abby and the detective she works with. Likeable or not though, they are some of the most fascinating characters I’ve ever read. There is an unhealthy power struggle in this family that is one of the biggest driving forces in this novel. Who has the power? Who wants the power? Who is willing to go to the furthest extreme to grab the power?, etc. It’s a tug of war that dominates and taints every aspect of their lives.
Intricate, Suspenseful Plot. If you like a thriller that will keep you guessing until the final pages, Emma in the Night is your book. I kept coming up with what I thought were very plausible theories about what happened the entire time I was reading, only to have my theories immediately debunked. I became as obsessed with the case as Abby was and devoured the entire book in less than a day because I just had to know if Cass was telling the truth or not. I never did guess the truth about what happened and was completely shocked when it was finally revealed, so major kudos to Walker for crafting such an intricate and unpredictable storyline.
Portrayal of Narcissistic Personality Disorder. I majored in Psychology in college and remember reading many case studies on persons who suffered from this disorder. I appreciate that Walker clearly did her research and gives the reader an accurate portrayal not only of an individual who has NPD, but also of what it’s like to live with someone who has it.
DISLIKES/ISSUES
The only real issue I had with Emma in the Night was the pacing. At first it seemed to move a little slowly for my liking. I came to quickly appreciate that though because it slowed me down and made me pay close attention to everything Cass was saying and especially how sometimes what she said didn’t quite mesh with what she was actually thinking. I think I might have missed some of the subtleties if the novel had started off at a break neck pace. Once I sensed something was off in Cass’s narrative and got caught up in trying to figure out the full story about what happened to Emma and Cass, the pacing became a non-issue.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Emma in the Night is a well-crafted and truly riveting psychological thriller. If you’re looking for a suspenseful read that you won’t be able to put down once you start reading, I highly recommend this one.
RATING: 4.5 STARS
Thanks so much to St. Martin’s Press and Wendy Walker for allowing me to preview an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shapes my opinion of the book.
GOODREADS SYNOPSIS
From the bestselling author of All Is Not Forgotten comes a thriller about two missing sisters, a twisted family, and what happens when one girl comes back…
One night three years ago, the Tanner sisters disappeared: fifteen-year-old Cass and seventeen-year-old Emma. Three years later, Cass returns, without her sister Emma. Her story is one of kidnapping and betrayal, of a mysterious island where the two were held. But to forensic psychiatrist Dr. Abby Winter, something doesn’t add up. Looking deep within this dysfunctional family Dr. Winter uncovers a life where boundaries were violated and a narcissistic parent held sway. And where one sister’s return might just be the beginning of the crime.
About Wendy Walker
Wendy Walker is a former family law attorney in Fairfield County, Connecticut who began writing while at home raising her three sons. She published two novels with St. Martin’s Press and edited multiple compilations for the Chicken Soup for the Soul series before writing her debut psychological thriller, All is Not Forgotten. Her second thriller, Emma In The Night, will be released August 8, 2017.
Wendy earned her J. D., magna cum laude, at the Georgetown University Law Center where she was awarded the American Jurisprudence award for her performance in Contracts and Advanced Criminal Procedure. She received her undergraduate degree, magna cum laude, from Brown University and attended The London School of Economics and Political Science as part of her undergraduate studies.
Prior to her legal career, Wendy was a financial analyst at Goldman, Sachs & Co., in the mergers and acquisitions group. She has also volunteered at the ACLU, Connecticut Legal Services and Figure Skating in Harlem where she served on the Board of Directors for over twelve years.
Wendy is currently writing her third thriller while managing a busy household.