Cress (The Lunar Chronicles, 3) Paperback – February 4, 2020

What can I say really? This is another fantastic installment of the series - I liked it more than the second book, because the action, plot and characters just came together so well. With an ever growing cast of main characters, this story became even more urgent and suspenseful as they all had to deal with different complications. And the characters are one reason this series is so strong. They all have such different, vivid personalities, ones that are true to their fairy tale counterparts, but so much more expressive and dimensional in Marissa Meyer's hands. I couldn't believe how well each character stood on their own (actually except for Wolf, I feel like he's not as well developed as everyone else). The credibleness and the bravery of these characters is inspiring in many ways - in how inspiring it is to read such fantastic storytelling and in how they take on their challenges despite impossible odds. There's really a sense of consequence in this book that keeps the story authentic I think. Because the decisions made by Cinder and others are devastating, but necessary. And that just kept me completely invested in the story.With so many amazing characters, it would make this review way longer than it should to point out what was great about each one, but let me just focus on Cress who is the new addition to the group and who is so engaging and adorable - with a few flaws, but still desperate to live up to expectations and overcome her past. She's so quirky and enthusiastic about many things, and I think the author should be applauded for creating such a memorable, spirited third female heroine to add to this world.In this book I think we got to learn more about every character - they all took on more definition and shade, and I was just so impressed by how believable they are. Kai, who was a little insipid in the second book for me, became a much stronger character in this, in a very understated way I think. He's so selfless, and yet hopeful that reading how he was forcing himself to do what he thought was right was so heartbreaking for me. And talk about heartbreaking - I was not expecting my emotions over Dr. Erland. Who seemed like he would not be very significant after the first book, but I was completely wrong. This book is just filled with fantastic, realistic characters.But don't forget the storytelling is amazing too! With stakes being raised higher and higher as Cinder tries to find a way to take power from Queen Levana, the suspense of the story built excruciatingly til the end. I so wish I could read faster, because my nerves were shot with all the twists and turns, the betrayals and revelations that are made in this book. But this book and the whole series are an amazing read. With just one more book to go, the story has taken on such epic proportions. The last line was chilling, satisfying and aggravating because I can't wait to know what happens next!

This series just gets better and better! I loved this installment and it has me dying for more!!! When I saw that the third book would be Rapunzel I was beyond excited to read it. What I love the most is that we get new fairy tale characters, but still get all of the previous ones as well. Each book just adds more awesome to the story, which also ups the intensity and more world building! The stories all intertwine fabulously and I love the direction it's heading. I will try to continue this review without totally fan girling all over the place.Cress is the newest addition to this fantastic series, and this book focuses a lot on her. Instead of being trapped in a tower though, she is trapped in a satellite. She is a shell and is useless to the Lunar Queen, Levana. She does have a particular skill that is handy though. The ability to hack computers and help hide the ships of the Lunars going to Earth is just one of the things she is forced to do. She is also supposed to be tracking Cinder, which she is, but she will not tell them she has found her. She manages to get rescued, but things don't go as planned. She learns a lot in the short time that she has had freedom, some of it very crushing. I loved Cress. She was very smart, a little naive, but totally bad@$$. She always thought of herself as a damsel in distress, but she is very capable of holding her own. She is not afraid to fight back, or fight for what is right.We still have the rest of the cast that we have grown to love in the previous two books, and they just get better and better too. The relationships and alliance they form with one another is great. There is doubt and trust issues of course, but it makes it more believable to me. Things don't ever go easy or as planned and it makes for some strained interactions and some scenes that are quite entertaining.The romances are wonderful too. Yes, I say romances because now that we have added more characters, and still have the old ones there are more than one. Cress is very taken with Thorne, and although he is arrogant and a bit off-putting, he obviously has feelings for her too. I enjoyed seeing them interact with each other and thought that they were very sweet. Then there is the thoughts of Kai that Cinder has. She tries to deny her feelings for him, but of course they are there. He has them as well, but doubts them since he doesn't really know anything about her. Wolfe and Scarlet is another romance that is floating on yes or no, but it's very real. The best thing about all of them though, is they don't overshadow the main story. They are present, but what is important always comes first.The world building in this series is amazing. There is so much going on in so many different places, but the author always makes sure to paint a clear picture for the readers. It's so easy to get drawn into the story and totally lost in the world. It's full of action, tension, adventure, violence, and awesomeness!! It's a book that even at 500+ pages, is easy to fly through. Almost impossible to put down, and leaving you needing more, this was one heck of a ride. I am practically desperate for the next book and will be counting down the many, many days until I can read it! If you are a fan of this series and haven't pre-ordered this book yet, you need to ASAP!! I have and can't wait for my copy to arrive in all its gorgeousness!!!*An advanced copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any compensation.