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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
4.5 stars
I'll admit that I started Stitching Snow with some trepidation - most of my friends that had read it had given it 3 stars max. But lo and behold, in a strange twist of fate, I'm a positive black sheep, because I FREAKING LOVED THIS BOOK. It was creative, fun, sci-fi-tastic, and a well-executed stand alone debut novel.
The first thing that got me on the "this-book-is-awesome" bus was our main character, Essie. I hadn't read the book's premise in a while, so the exact nature of her identity was somewhat of a mystery to me - and that worked really well to keep me intrigued. The book starts off that she's in a cage fight with miner guys, which she just does every once in a while to score some extra cash. Um, that's so bad ass and awesome. She's also a tech wiz, with great hacking and engineering skills - the latter of which she uses to build/modify seven more or less autonomous drones (which, if you didn't get, would be the dwarves). The drones are so cute, guys. They each have their own personalities, and Dimwit is absolutely adorable and super fun to tease. And it was just so sci-fi and awesome.
Essie is a bit dry and sarcastic at times, which I can definitely appreciate, and she's keeping quite a few secrets, so she's majorly suspicious of others. She doesn't really let people get close to her - emotionally and physically - which almost reaches compulsive levels but makes total sense when you later understand her backstory. I just felt her character was really well constructed. Though she's a fighter, she's not the strongest, and she works hard for what she can achieve. And though she keeps a brave face, she has emotional vulnerabilities because of her past that sometimes she just can't hold back. It made her really real to me, and I sympathized with her a loooooot.
Cue the ever so cute Dane. How much do I love this ship? A heck of a lot. It was not instalove at all. In fact, they start off suspicious of each other, which grows to open disdain, but then... THEN... you know. Things happen. The romance wasn't the main focus of the story at all - which I loved, because hello, they had a solar system to save - so the development maybe wasn't as thorough as I would have wanted, but all the little moments between them stole my heart anyway. I mean, Essie naively wondering why she didn't punch him after he kissed her? So many giggles. And Dane is so lovely and patient and protective - the "princess and her guard" vibe worked perfectly for me. The ending was particularly excellent. OH MY FEELS. They are the sweetest, and for them alone I would almost want a sequel.
I also thought the world building was really cool. I loved that we got to see different planets with different climates and different cultures. I loved the sci-fi tech - THOSE FREAKING DRONES - and having such a techy main character. There was even a bit of magic, as well, in the "Transitioning" power that the Exiles hold, where they can transport themselves into the minds of others. It was a cool power, though a bit underdeveloped, but mostly functioned well to set up the societal issues. I loved the set up of this dystopian-esque regime. It was a bit confusing at first, because in the first half it was hard to understand what exactly was going on and how that government was operating, but it really came together in the end. There is some creepy dystopian shit going on here, and it was fantastic to read about. The ties to Snow White are subtle and wonderfully incorporated, showing respect for the source material, but creatively twisting it into an entirely new story.
I felt the plot was really strong as well. It had a great mix of action, mystery, courtly intrigue, adventure, and romance. I was thrilled with the action-packed fights, completely enthralled with the politics of this corrupt world, curious about the characters' backstories, and greatly amused by the subtle humorous moments. Many people will want to compare this to The Lunar Chronicles and... I guess it's fair, but I wouldn't dare say that I find this worse than that incredible series. I think it's on par, and it is significantly different. If you nitpick, I'm sure you can find plenty of parallels, but when the source material is the same, I don't really feel like doing that. I felt it was really well executed, especially for a stand alone sci-fi novel with a definite dystopian angle. Though parts may have felt a bit rushed, everything tied up nicely and rather realistically as well.
Summing Up:
I'm happy to say that I freaking loved Stitching Snow. I thought it was a really creative sci-fi take on Snow White, with impress worldbuilding, fun characters, and an exciting plot that definitely kept me turning the pages. Ultimately, because it's a standalone, I do feel like some elements of the story don't have the full emotional effect they might have had, had there been more room to expand, but I don't really mind that in the long run. Here's an excellently constructed stand alone sci-fi fairytale retelling that I think is definitely worth your time.
GIF it to me straight!
Recommended To:
Fans of The Lunar Chronicles who don't mind a bit of overlap.
*ARC received at BEA in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the contents of the review.
I'll admit that I started Stitching Snow with some trepidation - most of my friends that had read it had given it 3 stars max. But lo and behold, in a strange twist of fate, I'm a positive black sheep, because I FREAKING LOVED THIS BOOK. It was creative, fun, sci-fi-tastic, and a well-executed stand alone debut novel.
The first thing that got me on the "this-book-is-awesome" bus was our main character, Essie. I hadn't read the book's premise in a while, so the exact nature of her identity was somewhat of a mystery to me - and that worked really well to keep me intrigued. The book starts off that she's in a cage fight with miner guys, which she just does every once in a while to score some extra cash. Um, that's so bad ass and awesome. She's also a tech wiz, with great hacking and engineering skills - the latter of which she uses to build/modify seven more or less autonomous drones (which, if you didn't get, would be the dwarves). The drones are so cute, guys. They each have their own personalities, and Dimwit is absolutely adorable and super fun to tease. And it was just so sci-fi and awesome.
Essie is a bit dry and sarcastic at times, which I can definitely appreciate, and she's keeping quite a few secrets, so she's majorly suspicious of others. She doesn't really let people get close to her - emotionally and physically - which almost reaches compulsive levels but makes total sense when you later understand her backstory. I just felt her character was really well constructed. Though she's a fighter, she's not the strongest, and she works hard for what she can achieve. And though she keeps a brave face, she has emotional vulnerabilities because of her past that sometimes she just can't hold back. It made her really real to me, and I sympathized with her a loooooot.
Cue the ever so cute Dane. How much do I love this ship? A heck of a lot. It was not instalove at all. In fact, they start off suspicious of each other, which grows to open disdain, but then... THEN... you know. Things happen. The romance wasn't the main focus of the story at all - which I loved, because hello, they had a solar system to save - so the development maybe wasn't as thorough as I would have wanted, but all the little moments between them stole my heart anyway. I mean, Essie naively wondering why she didn't punch him after he kissed her? So many giggles. And Dane is so lovely and patient and protective - the "princess and her guard" vibe worked perfectly for me. The ending was particularly excellent.
Spoiler
How much do I freaking love that SHE is the one who kissed HIM to wake him up? PERFECTION. CRUSH THOSE GENDER ROLES YES YES YES.I also thought the world building was really cool. I loved that we got to see different planets with different climates and different cultures. I loved the sci-fi tech - THOSE FREAKING DRONES - and having such a techy main character. There was even a bit of magic, as well, in the "Transitioning" power that the Exiles hold, where they can transport themselves into the minds of others. It was a cool power, though a bit underdeveloped, but mostly functioned well to set up the societal issues. I loved the set up of this dystopian-esque regime. It was a bit confusing at first, because in the first half it was hard to understand what exactly was going on and how that government was operating, but it really came together in the end. There is some creepy dystopian shit going on here, and it was fantastic to read about. The ties to Snow White are subtle and wonderfully incorporated, showing respect for the source material, but creatively twisting it into an entirely new story.
I felt the plot was really strong as well. It had a great mix of action, mystery, courtly intrigue, adventure, and romance. I was thrilled with the action-packed fights, completely enthralled with the politics of this corrupt world, curious about the characters' backstories, and greatly amused by the subtle humorous moments. Many people will want to compare this to The Lunar Chronicles and... I guess it's fair, but I wouldn't dare say that I find this worse than that incredible series. I think it's on par, and it is significantly different. If you nitpick, I'm sure you can find plenty of parallels, but when the source material is the same, I don't really feel like doing that. I felt it was really well executed, especially for a stand alone sci-fi novel with a definite dystopian angle. Though parts may have felt a bit rushed, everything tied up nicely and rather realistically as well.
Summing Up:
I'm happy to say that I freaking loved Stitching Snow. I thought it was a really creative sci-fi take on Snow White, with impress worldbuilding, fun characters, and an exciting plot that definitely kept me turning the pages. Ultimately, because it's a standalone, I do feel like some elements of the story don't have the full emotional effect they might have had, had there been more room to expand, but I don't really mind that in the long run. Here's an excellently constructed stand alone sci-fi fairytale retelling that I think is definitely worth your time.
GIF it to me straight!
Recommended To:
Fans of The Lunar Chronicles who don't mind a bit of overlap.
*ARC received at BEA in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the contents of the review.
This is definitely a lot of fun, but it's hard to look past the many parallels to the 'Lunar Chronicles' by Marissa Meyer.
Around the Year in 52 Books Challenge Notes:
- 1. A book you meant to read in 2015 but didn't
Around the Year in 52 Books Challenge Notes:
- 1. A book you meant to read in 2015 but didn't
Darn that is cute. Love Snow White being a tough mechanic and hacker and the seven dwarves being robots.
Essie is one of those badass characters you can't help but love. She's a an intelligent woman who had to learn how to take care of herself. She's prickly, aloof, a fighter (literally), she's great with her hands and builds these 7 amazing robots and continues to do all the coding for them as well. She multifaceted and super talented. She is a prime example of rising from tragedy and abuse and turning it into fuel to become something more.
This book was a good one time read, but I didn't love it, and probably wouldn't have read any more if it was a series.
Stitching Snow was good and definitely better than i thought it would be. They had a lot of secrets and things between them that you didn't get to figure out until later in the book. It kinda seemed on the boring side when they went into the more robotic parts but once they got past that to her needing to return to her birth place it greatly improved. Does show some slight similarities to Cinder but despite any likeness Snow still manages to be an original and fun story. Really like it in the end.
arc from NetGalley
arc from NetGalley
I love my fairy tales, especially spin-offs of fairy tales, and this book went steps beyond.
At first I didn't see really any similarities between this and the fairy tale Snow White's story, aside from the 7 drones (which are actually kind of cute). But as I read more, the similarities kept popping up, even some from the Grimm's tale :)
Though it does have similarities with a popular fairy tale story, there is a very interesting and original story line about a new princess who frankly, kicks some serious butt :) There are tons of action, with a tyrannical king and a war raging in Essie's home land, mystery, and of course it wouldn't be a fairy tale without a little love ;)
Essie is probably one of my new favorite heroines! She's snarky, independent, and I wasn't kidding about the butt-kicking thing. Essie has a pretty interesting life, between fixing mining robots and cage fighting the local drunks. Her life is turned upside down when she meets Dane and is forced to go back to her old life to help her people.
This was such a great book and I could barely put it down!!! I really hope R.C. Lewis writes more books like this because she is a fabulous writer! The story was unique, the characters heartwarming (the villains you hated), and it left me with the best happily ever after :) A well deserved 4.5/5 stars!!! <3
At first I didn't see really any similarities between this and the fairy tale Snow White's story, aside from the 7 drones (which are actually kind of cute). But as I read more, the similarities kept popping up, even some from the Grimm's tale :)
Though it does have similarities with a popular fairy tale story, there is a very interesting and original story line about a new princess who frankly, kicks some serious butt :) There are tons of action, with a tyrannical king and a war raging in Essie's home land, mystery, and of course it wouldn't be a fairy tale without a little love ;)
Essie is probably one of my new favorite heroines! She's snarky, independent, and I wasn't kidding about the butt-kicking thing. Essie has a pretty interesting life, between fixing mining robots and cage fighting the local drunks. Her life is turned upside down when she meets Dane and is forced to go back to her old life to help her people.
This was such a great book and I could barely put it down!!! I really hope R.C. Lewis writes more books like this because she is a fabulous writer! The story was unique, the characters heartwarming (the villains you hated), and it left me with the best happily ever after :) A well deserved 4.5/5 stars!!! <3
Thanks to NetGalley and Disney Book Group for the eARC of this in exchange for an honest review!
What at first sounds eerily similar to Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles turns out to be something else entirely. Sixteen year old Essie has been minding her own business on Thanda, a mining planet under the rule of Windsong. When she is not tinkering with mechanical devices or “stitching” code, Essie is entering spurs (or fights) with men in Mining Settlement Forty-Two for their shares in the mine stock. Her drones have taken on the risky work in the mine that used to kill workers at a high rate, so the men have very little to keep them occupied other than betting on fights.
When a Garamite shuttle crash lands on Thanda, Essie begrudgingly agrees to help its pilot, Dane, get back to working order and out of her life. Only Dane is not who he says he is, and Essie is whisked back into a world she fled eight years prior.
No surprise here--Essie is the long lost Princess Snow. Yes, there is an evil stepmother, but what would a retelling of Snow White be without her? Olivia’s attempt to kill Essie sent her running from Windsong but King Matthias blamed the Candarans (or “Exiles”) for kidnapping his princess. This led to a war between the two planets, and now Essie is tasked with usurping her father’s corrupted regime.
Overall, I found Stitching Snow an intriguing retelling of a classic fairy tale. Some of my favorite quotes:
"Do what needs doing, even if it terrifies you."
“Most things in life are a bit of good with the bad, aren’t they?”
“Feelings can’t be wasted. Knowing they’re real for however long they last makes them worth having.”
What at first sounds eerily similar to Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles turns out to be something else entirely. Sixteen year old Essie has been minding her own business on Thanda, a mining planet under the rule of Windsong. When she is not tinkering with mechanical devices or “stitching” code, Essie is entering spurs (or fights) with men in Mining Settlement Forty-Two for their shares in the mine stock. Her drones have taken on the risky work in the mine that used to kill workers at a high rate, so the men have very little to keep them occupied other than betting on fights.
When a Garamite shuttle crash lands on Thanda, Essie begrudgingly agrees to help its pilot, Dane, get back to working order and out of her life. Only Dane is not who he says he is, and Essie is whisked back into a world she fled eight years prior.
No surprise here--Essie is the long lost Princess Snow. Yes, there is an evil stepmother, but what would a retelling of Snow White be without her? Olivia’s attempt to kill Essie sent her running from Windsong but King Matthias blamed the Candarans (or “Exiles”) for kidnapping his princess. This led to a war between the two planets, and now Essie is tasked with usurping her father’s corrupted regime.
Overall, I found Stitching Snow an intriguing retelling of a classic fairy tale. Some of my favorite quotes:
"Do what needs doing, even if it terrifies you."
“Most things in life are a bit of good with the bad, aren’t they?”
“Feelings can’t be wasted. Knowing they’re real for however long they last makes them worth having.”
I’m going to be honest
This was not extremely well written
Or maybe I just didn’t like the writing style
I found it very fast paced and rushed
ALSO THERE WAS NO WORLD BUILDING WHATSOEVER
WHAT HAPPENED????
i liked this quote though
“Wouldn’t want to botch the pretty girl’s face, right? Idiot.”
This was not extremely well written
Or maybe I just didn’t like the writing style
I found it very fast paced and rushed
ALSO THERE WAS NO WORLD BUILDING WHATSOEVER
WHAT HAPPENED????
i liked this quote though
“Wouldn’t want to botch the pretty girl’s face, right? Idiot.”
4.5 stars. I really loved this, I'm so glad I gave it a chance!! A few issues but overall I thought it was wonderful. Longer review soon.