Title: Cinder (Lunar Chronicles #1)
Author: Marissa Meyer
Release Date: January 3, 2012 (hardcover)
Publisher: Feiwal & Friends
Pages: 400
Source: ARC provided by publisher

Overall: 5 Stars

Summary:

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . .

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.  

My Thoughts:
After hearing tons of praise for Marissa Meyer's debut novel Cinder, I knew I had to get my hands on a copy to see what all the excitement was about! I just couldn't wait to see what science fiction spin Marissa Meyer would give to one of my favourite fairy tales. Sure, I thought the novel had its predictable moments but that didn't make the reading experience any less enjoyable... and there were also plenty of times where I was completely surprised. I was addicted to Cinder from the very first page and couldn't put the book down until I was finished! 
 
Cinder was an exciting tale of adventure set in an unfamiliar future where a deadly plague, letumosis, has been steadily killing Earth's population. In the meantime, the Lunars, under the power-hungry rule of Queen Levana, threaten to break the the precarious peace between them and the Earthens. After Prince Kai approaches Cinder with a secret task of fixing an old android, a chain of events are set off which neither of them could ever have imagined. 

Cinder is more than just a talented mechanic with a canny ability to fix what others cannot; she's also a cyborg with a mysterious past that could unlock hidden revelations that may change the fate of more than just her own future. Prince Kai was sweet and down-to-earth, and I didn't envy the vast amount of responsibility resting on his shoulders to protect his people. The friendship which formed between Cinder and Prince Kai left me holding my breath for the magical moment when it would hopefully lead to something more.

I have a wonderful feeling the Lunar Chronicles is already a classic in the making. In any case, you'll be hard-pressed to find a novel that's as creative and original as Cinder among the many YA novels on shelves today. Marissa Meyer has written a Cinderella retelling unlike anything I've ever read before! It's going to be a long wait, filled with high expectations, for the second novel in the series, Scarlet! 

And if you're a fan of Cinder (or interested in reading the book!), I would wholeheartedly recommend reading the short prequel story Glitches, which Marissa Meyer has written for readers to enjoy! Thanks so much to Raincoast Books for providing this review copy!