Tuesday, February 12, 2013

"Season"-ed Snack Size Reviews

I enjoyed  a couple of really delectable treats this past week, both of which have a French flair, and I'm pleased to share my "snack size" thoughts on them today! Want to hear something extra sweet? One of them (Piece de Resistance) is only $.99 for Kindle (as well as the previous book in the series, Bon Appetit), while the first book in that series (Let Them Eat Cake) is FREE for Kindle! (The special deal lasts through Thursday.) A delicious way to celebrate Valentine's Day, no?

Piece de Resistance by Sandra Byrd

Rating: Spring

I jumped from the first book to this third book in the "French Twist" series - paperback copies, because those covers are just too sweet! - with relative ease, although I'm sure reading all three adds that much more enjoyment to the reading experience. This conclusion is certainly satisfying, and it's a pleasure to join Lexi as she discovers how best to serve others and how to reconcile her big dreams with God's grand plans. For a step-by-step look at a slice of a twenty-something young woman's life - full of troubles and creative marketing schemes and recipes - Piece de Resistance is a real treat.

Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

Rating: Spring/Summer

The cover really captures the feel of this book - the wind rustling through Scarlet's cape (or hoodie, as the case may be) and the book's pages as the characters and reader sprint through the story. The plot is full of exciting escapes and escapades, with a great balance of action and interesting characterization. Love the sacrificial love and the hint of Beauty & the Beast mixed in with the Little Red Riding Hood fairy-tale twists. A great addition to the "Lunar Chronicles" series that builds off of Cinder and makes the wait for Cress and Winter quite challenging. Note that there is some disturbing content - this sequel is much more violent than Cinder.

Note: "Seasoned" or "unseasoned" is in reference to my book rating system. Thanks to Juju of Tales of Whimsy for the inspiration regarding mini reviews!

10 comments:

Julie said...

I downloaded Let Them Eat Cake yesterday but held off on the other two, after reading yours and Casey's reviews though I went ahead and got the other two since they are at such a great price right now :)

So glad you liked Scarlet, but you are so right, I forgot that this one is more violent than Cinder. I still enjoyed it and like you said, waiting for the last two in the series is going to be quite challenging :(

Tales of Whimsy said...

Great minis. Thanks for the warning on Scarlet.

Amber Holcomb said...

Julie,

Oh, I hope you enjoy them! I haven't read the second one, but the first and third books are sweet. :) And it's pretty hard to beat the prices!

I really did enjoy Scarlet! Such an exciting read - it was hard to put down! The violence is more prominent, and I imagine it will probably remain so in the rest of the series, what with all that is to come... But I'm still very eager for Cress and Winter! Now to endure the waiting...

~Amber

Amber Holcomb said...

Juju,

Thank you! And no problem! :) I suppose it's kind of like The Hunger Games and a lot of other dystopian-type books... The violence is a part of the package deal, generally. I just want to let more squeamish/sensitive readers know that there's more gore in this sequel than in Cinder.

~Amber

Charity U said...

I just got the first Sandra Byrd book...can't wait to read it! And I want to read "Scarlet" too, since I've read "Cinder." Fun post! :)

Amber Holcomb said...

Charity,

Yay! Hope you enjoy it! :)

As for Scarlet, if you enjoyed Cinder, I think you'll love the sequel. :) Like I said in the review, though, it is more violent, with more bloodshed and fighting and the like, just as a heads up!

~Amber

Rissi said...

Looking forward to Scarlet (and Cinder). Thanks for the great reviews, Amber. :)

Amber Holcomb said...

Rissi,

I'm looking forward to hearing what you think of them! :) I've found it to be a rather fascinating series so far; I hope you love it, too!

Thank you for stopping by and reading the reviews! :)

~Amber

May the K9 Spy (and KC Frantzen) said...

You'll be thrilled with any of Sandra's books. I can say from personal experience. Her Ladies in Waiting series is very different from the aforementioned, and well worth the time to read.
You WILL enjoy!
Thanks for the info on Scarlet too.
Always a pleasure Amber!

Amber Holcomb said...

KC (and May!),

Her books are fabulous, for sure! I've actually read the first two in the "Ladies in Waiting" series, and I'm getting the third one for review, so I know what you're talking about! :)

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and taking the time to read mine! Always a pleasure to have you visit! :)

~Amber