Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles #2) by Marissa Meyer Summary: The fates of Cinder and Scarlet collide as a Lunar threat spreads across the Earth...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. It turns out there are many things Scarlet doesn't know about her grandmother or the grave danger she has lived in her whole life. 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.
Source: I purchased a paperback. Add to Goodreads Review: Scarlet was even better than Cinder! I have to admit, I wasn’t sure I would enjoy Scarlet. I wasn’t ready to open up to new characters when so much was hanging in the balance in Cinder’s story. Fortunately, while Scarlet did introduce a new story line with new characters, Cinder still had her story in this installment. I thought I wouldn’t hear from Cinder at all until her adventure aligned with Scarlet’s, but I got two different story lines that eventually tied together, which I enjoyed. Cinder is a character I really liked, but I am happy to say that I liked Scarlet just as much. I love how the author has created such fierce heroines who get me to root for them every step of the way. Like the first book, this novel was based on a fairy tale I was familiar with, but the story line was still unpredictable, thrilling, and enjoyable. I love the way the author takes familiar stories and weaves them into a futuristic world. Many parallels were recognizable, but the overall plot isn’t at all. I loved Wolf. I thought his character was mysterious and intriguing. I wanted to know more about him the entire time. Why did he fidget so much? Why was his nickname Wolf? What was he a part of? I was totally engrossed in his adventure with Scarlet. I was rooting for the two of them, as I sensed chemistry from the beginning, but I loved not knowing whether or not he was trustworthy. Thorne was another awesome character. I can’t wait to see more of him in the next books. He was hilarious and his presence made Cinder’s serious adventure a little more fun to read about. He made me laugh out loud often and I thought he, like Iko, was a character who helped Cinder be a better person in the end. The adventure in Scarlet was even more action packed than Cinder. The world was in peril, Cinder was a wanted fugitive, and Scarlet's missing grandmother was somehow connected to Cinder's problems. I loved the way it all connected. I never would have thought anyone could take a fairy tale and make such a flawless futuristic world to put them in, let alone connect Cinderella to Red Riding Hood so well. I'm not a huge fan of retellings because they are typically predictable once the parallels are known, but these books surprise me often. In fact, when I am reading, I can't wait to see how the author introduces another parallel. For instance, I wondered when or if there would be a moment where Scarlet is tricked into thinking a wolf (or wolf-like being) was ever her grandmother and when it sort of happened, I was floored by how awesome and genius the moment was! I am definitely going to grab Cress. I’m going to get it for Kindle since I’m impatient. I must know what happens next! I highly recommend the series!
