Book Info:
Long before she was the terror of Wonderland — the infamous Queen of Hearts — she was just a girl who wanted to fall in love.Catherine may be one of the most desired girls in Wonderland, and a favorite of the yet-unmarried King of Hearts, but her interests lie elsewhere. A talented baker, all she wants is to open a shop with her best friend and supply the Kingdom of Hearts with delectable pastries and confections. But according to her mother, such a goal is unthinkable for the young woman who could be the next Queen.
At a royal ball where Cath is expected to receive the king's marriage proposal, she meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker. 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 an intense, secret courtship.
Cath is determined to define her own destiny and fall in love on her terms. But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters, fate has other plans.
Hardcover, 464 pages
Expected publication: November 8th 2016
by Feiwel and Friends
Source: ARC from publisher
When I heard that Marissa Meyer was publishing a new book, another fairytale retelling, I was so happy! Unfortunately, living in the UK, I knew that I would likely never get my hands on an ARC, and that made me so sad. And when I found out I was going to ALAAC2016, I realised one I would not be there in time to pick up an ARC - I felt like crying. But fortunately, one of my lovely blogging friends, Amanda picked up a copy for me. Thank you Amanda! I adored The Lunar Chronicles, so I was a little nervous that this new book wouldn't live up to her previous novels, but it totally did!
Okay, so this book guys, THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!
The characters:
- Catherine - a fun, fiesty girl who sticks up for herself but I aslo loved that she was sensitive and had some faults (i.e. she could be very stroppy). She acted like a realisitic 17 year old, rushing into love and falling out with her parents and I loved that!
- Jest - *swoons*
- I loved how kind and sweet Jest was, but with a little touch of rebelion. I'm not keen on bad boys (apart from Noah Shaw and Carswell Thorne ;) ) so Jest is the perfect man for me.
- Hatter - perfectly mad and I loved his back story! I loved hearing where he and Jest came from and their reasons for the way they were.
- The writing - as always, Marissa Meyer's writing was gorgeous, lyrical and descrpitive! I just love everything she wrties and I would read her grocery lists.
- The story - just as weird and exciting as I had hoped. I love the way that Meyer developed the original weirdness of Alice's story, and made it so charming.
- The baking - one of my fave things about this story. I adored the beautiful descriptions of lemon tarts and rose macerons and YUM YUM YUM ^-^
- We all know how this story has to end, because it's a prequel and the foreshadowing KILLED me. I knew what was going to happen before it did but I was still screaming WHYYYYYY at 1am. All the tears.
