Gilded: Blog Tour and review

I'm on the blog tour for GILDED!!! Huge thanks to Macmillian for my spot on the tour and Edelweiss for the e-galley!

Marissa Meyer is the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of The Lunar Chronicles, Heartless, The Renegades Trilogy, and Instant Karma, as well as the graphic novel duology Wires and Nerve. She holds a BA in Creative Writing from Pacific Lutheran University and a MA in Publishing from Pace University. In addition to writing, Marissa hosts The Happy Writer podcast. She lives near Tacoma, Washington, with her husband and twin daughters.

http://www.marissameyer.com

Marissa Meyer, #1 New York Times-bestselling author, returns to the fairytale world with this haunting retelling of Rumpelstiltskin. Long ago cursed by the god of lies, a poor miller's daughter has developed a talent for spinning stories that are fantastical and spellbinding and entirely untrue. Or so everyone believes. When one of Serilda's outlandish tales draws the attention of the sinister Erlking and his undead hunters, she finds herself swept away into a grim world where ghouls and phantoms prowl the earth and hollow-eyed ravens track her every move. The king orders Serilda to complete the impossible task of spinning straw into gold, or be killed for telling falsehoods. In her desperation, Serilda unwittingly summons a mysterious boy to her aid. He agrees to help her… for a price. Love isn't meant to be part of the bargain. Soon Serilda realizes that there is more than one secret hidden in the castle walls, including an ancient curse that must be broken if she hopes to end the tyranny of the king and his wild hunt forever.

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The first time I read Cinder I knew I would be falling head over heels for Marissa Meyer. She shook me with Scarlett, then proceeded to wound me with Cress and Winter. When it came time for Renegades to hit my greedy hands, I already knew I was going to die at the hands of this author.

And I was A-ok with it.

This book didn't surprise me because I knew the perfection I was getting into and I gladly succumbed to my tenth death by Meyer's. I said Celia do you want to keel over today? I said, why not? I have nothing else going on.

We start the book with one of my favorite tropes in the whole wide world: the girl and the town pariah with the secret powers. But hey, let's add a twist on the tale of Rumplestiltskin but make him a hot ghost (maybe? I won't tell ;D) but also add a twisted, sadistic king that I may have batted an eyelash at once or twice (there's something wrong with me. I KNOW THIS)

Marissa is the queen at retellings this shouldn't be news to anyone. You should also be aware that she's one of my heroines. Ever since I heard that she'd written Cinder during Nanowrimo, I vowed to do it every year and see if I could follow in her footsteps. That hasn't happened yet, but I'm still young and kicking. I got some things up my sleeves. ;)

I'm veering off course, but what's life without a little bit of wackiness?

Speaking of wackiness, after Serilda is taken to the Erlking for one night, she's forced into a room and told to spin straw into gold. I failed to mention that she was blessed by a god and possessed golden spinning eyes that wherever I thought about gave me vertigo. Anyhow, a boy named Gild shows up and helps Serilda in exchange for material possessions. Knowing that she cannot run from the Erlking every year during the Wild Hunt, she devises a plan to outwit him. But friendships, feelings, and loss impede her journey resulting in a cataclysmic ending that will have you SCREAMING.

This German-inspired world was splendid. Serilda's life at home with her father is low-key and chill until the Erkling messes it all up. But hey, we get a peek into a castle filled with ghosts and horrors. It reminded me a bit of Pans Labyrinth whenever Ofelia goes into those hidden worlds; you don't know what you're getting, but you have to know it's not going to be pretty.

Serilda is determined to figure out her place in the world, but with any girl who gets thrust into a terrifying castle every year, she's going to have her moments. My only qualm with her was her reaction to one hard-hitting moment. For such a big loss, it felt very glossed over and her emotions, very flippant.

The romance: cute, and sooooo star-crossed. I can't handle it. I want to squeeze Gild and pinch his ruddy cheeks.

The ending will have you REELING. It sorta ends on a cliffhanger, so prepare to groan very loudly. Shut your windows and make sure your kids are asleep or they'll think something's up.

Fairyloot announced a special edition of this book and I am swiping it faster than I can eat a bag of Fritos.

Overall:

I had the best time reading this book and I think you will too.