Winter (The Lunar Chronicles #4) The Final Book!

                Happy Friday readers!  So today I am so excited to have finished a book I've been listening to for a while and dying to know how it ends.  Only downside is when I'm not going on a trip my daily commute is like 10 minutes round trip which is great for sleeping in and MPG but not so great for banking audiobook time.  Also I apparently need some new headphones since the little buds never stay in my ears and other things I could do while listening always seem louder than my phone without them so….its a learning process.  Plus as much as I just wanted to read the end of the book I couldn't after listening so long I was attached to the way the it was narrated.  This book is the Winter by Marissa Meyer, the final book in The Lunar Chronicles.  Being the final book there will be spoilers through the first three books (Cinder, Scarlet, & Cress), duh.

Rating:  5 Stars

                OMG can I just take a moment to say how much I completely adored this book!  Because I did!

                So we pick up where we left off in Cress.  Scarlet is held on Luna in a cage, a pet for Winter, our new POV and Levana's step daughter whom is a bit off her rocker.  Cinder and the rest of the crew are working out their plan to take her throne from Levana and end the war  Having last kidnapped Kai before his wedding, Captain Thorne healing from loss of sight and Wolf completely desperate to find Scarlet they have a lot of disadvantages in their way.  Jacin had previously been helping them but turned on them and now he is back on Lunar, back to where he needs to be by Winter's side.  Despite her marred face and her refusal to use a glamour she is still the most beautiful around and her childhood friend, Jacin, will do anything to keep her safe. 

                I liked getting the new perspective of Winter, each book I feel the new story line/POV has really added to the plot and I like Winter.  Her mental instability is clear and as she struggles with it you get a sense for her.  That she would let this happen to herself just by refusing to use her gift, by refusing to do what others Lunars do so easily and without thought or care really shows her strength.  Winter also has this eternal sweetness about her.  She is truly kind, not in trying to be good she simply is by default.  That translates throughout and her random little 'crazy talk' was enduring.  I also enjoyed the dynamic of her and Jacin and his protective instinct towards her.  He was a bit gruff and hard to trust in the previous book, with good reason, but he was doing what he did for a good reason. 

                 Winter pretty much takes all the awesome things from the previous books and combines that and then some in this stunning conclusion that just had me completely captivated.  So much was happening and so many different moving parts in the plan as well as with our characters.  I loved seeing the couples we've come to know and root for as they dealt with everything thrown at them.   I love all of the characters deeply and they only improve on it with each book but I think my favorites just for pure hilarity of some of their lines are Iko and Captain Thorne.  There is so much tension and even when he was the cause of the tension he was able to bring some levity in with his signature charm. 

                We also get to meet a bunch of new characters on Lunar.  This is the first time we get to really take place there, the majority of the story revolves in Luna.  This involves dealing with Lunars who have the gift and when most of your crew can be manipulated this only amps up the danger.  They take on impossible odds but even when they aren't together they are all working towards one main goal:  End Levana. 

                There were parts I cried in.  I squealed with excitement in others.  Gasped in shock.  Or even groaned loudly about some things that frustrated me.  Parts where so much was happening both action wise and intricate plot wise that I was ready to strangle the next person who interrupted me.  Seriously.  We also had more nods to the fairytales which rounded it all out.  Everything was so beautifully wrapped up and kept going until the last moment, I kept thinking there weren't nearly enough minutes of the audiobook or pages (as I kept following by chapters at the end) to do everything that needs to be done.  Still Meyer was able to do just that, keep me stuck in the world and still wrap things up in a fitting way.  I'm not saying I don't want more, because let's be honest I do.  I always want more but I am so happy.  I don't think anyone could be disappointed with this. 

                I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below on this wrap up or series as a whole.  It is for sure one of my favorite series of all times.  I think my favorite ship in this was Thorne and Cress, while I shipped all the pairs they edged ahead, probably because of Thorne and my crush on him but then again I adored Cress and her sweet naïve yet determined attitude, but yeah Thorne.  Tell me your favorite ship!  Or moment…or just tell me all the feels! 

               

                Until next time…