A Lunar Chronicles Collection (The Lunar Chronicles)

The writer doesn't' take any risk. Book is too predictable along with the series. I myself did not read these books however my gf who i bought them for did. She was not a fan , although i got her the whole series. She says it was a good read but once you read more of her work you feel as if you're in a cycle where the reader can always predict the authors next move.

I've enjoyed the series up until this collection of short stories. I kept thinking that these were chapters that had been cut from the original books - were cut and collected for the purpose of getting another book sale. They would have been fine in their place in the books, but it put me off to feel like I'd paid for some editing sweepings.

Because I came to this series a bit late, I had not read any of the previous novellas that were released. So I went into this very blind, and let me tell you, Meyer is just as talented at novellas as she is at long-form stories.

From a literary point of view, a novella should be intriguing, a bit of a tease for the longer series it represents – but it should also standalone as a story. To me, Meyer imbues each story with just enough detail so that we feel for the characters, but holds back enough that if I were a new reader, I would definitely want more.

I should note, though, that I felt a marked difference in the newer and older stories – while the previously released stories provide insight, they don’t quite have the depth that the newer ones achieve. The new material not only spans more half of this book, but those stories also boast a confidence and more descriptive writing that really makes them breathe. Although I enjoyed each and every one of these stories, the new ones have arrow-sharp theme and direction, and because of that, I liked them the most.

THE KEEPER

The Keeper is the story of Michelle Benoit, and of how this tough, wonderful woman came to care for two of our heroines, Cinder and Scarlet. We also finally get Scarlet’s proper genealogy. A short prequel, but one that really characterizes Michelle, and why Scarlet was so desperate to find her. It was also amazing to hear all that happened BEFORE Cinder but AFTER Fairest.

GLITCHES

Taking place very soon after the end of The Keeper, this is the story of Cinder’s first few weeks of consciousness and how she came to live with the Linhs. It’s essentially the very early parts of the Cinderella story, where her father dies and leaves her in the care of the stepmother and stepsisters.

A few things become clear very quickly in this story: Cinder has a lot of extra skills from her cyborg side that will become useful, Adri has always had a fear/prejudice against cyborgs, and Linh Garan hints at some very valuable technology that will come into play later in the novels. I loved how Meyer really got in the head of eleven year old Cinder, a girl who has no idea how to deal with her cyborg aspects, or the prejudice that she’s facing. A moving story with an expected, but emotional ending.

THE QUEEN’S ARMY

I was dreading reading this one because honestly, I feel like we’ve been put through the wringer with Wolf and Scarlet already. I did appreciate this backstory on Ze’ev, Ran and the Kesley family and how Ze’ev came to be an Alpha in the Queen’s Army.

Big things I didn’t realize: how young the kids were that Levana took – Ze’ev is just 12 when he’s taken and genetically modified, and it’s just as frightening and gruesome as you expect. I also didn’t realize how much the thaumaturges are stretching and learning their abilities by having the packs as their playthings. It’s not just the physical modifications, but the mental ones that truly make the Lunar special operatives one of Levana’s worst evils (I would still argue that letumosis is worse, but…). Fascinating and dark, but I feel like I understand Ze’ev a lot better now.

CARSWELL’S GUIDE TO BEING LUCKY

This one was just okay for me – I had hoped to get the story about Thorne acquiring the Rampion, but this short story featured a younger Thorne helping a girl who has been bullied in school. It was fairly predictable, showing how Thorne used to be before he met Cinder and Cress – which is essentially Han Solo from Star Wars: a ne’er-do-well with thoughts only on how to get rich or get girls quick. And yet, like Han Solo, you can’t help but be charmed by him. At his heart, Thorne is actually interested in anyone who can see through his rough exterior, and someone who is more interested in other things than in being charmed by him. Contrary, but it also makes it clear why he ends up liking Cress in the end. Cute, but not essential, in my opinion.

AFTER SUNSHINE PASSES BY

Wow. As if you didn’t already hate Sybil Mira before this, this story shows Cress’ early talent at system programming, and how she eventually ends up captive in her satellite. Although very short, Meyer brilliantly shows Cress’ longing for freedom and her sweet nature and contrasts it to Mistress Sybil’s complete lack of empathy. Even though this was so sad (seriously, what is WITH the kids in this series constantly being taken and hurt and tortured?!), I loved this little window we get into nine year old Cress’ mind, and finding out little things that made her, well, her.

THE PRINCESS AND THE GUARD

Wonderful. I feel like Winter and Jacin are the most underrated couple in the Lunar Chronicles universe, mostly because we meet them last and get very little of their friendship leading up to their romance. Here, finally, we see Winter and Jacin, first as eight year olds, then as teenagers, and Winter’s devastating, but incredibly brave decision to forego her Lunar gift (seriously, Winter is DEFINITELY a Gryffindor). I think this is one of the darkest stories in the book, and the most illuminating of just how sick mind manipulation can be. Brilliantly written and devastating. My second favorite of the book.

THE LITTLE ANDROID

Did not expect to love this one like I do – what an amazing retelling of The Little Mermaid! It was refreshing to get a story from The Lunar Chronicles universe that just touches peripherally on our main characters, but also continues some of the threads of prejudice, freedom, bravery and sacrifice that so characterize the main novels. Mech 6.0 turning into a “loving” android, surpassing her artificial intelligence is the perfect foil for the original Little Mermaid story, and I love that this isn’t the Disney-fied version, either (even though I have a MAJOR thing for Ariel). Even though this is more a character story for the android and the love interest is pretty much a dream boy, it’s still an adorable and genuine story. Very clever and beautifully written retelling.

THE MECHANIC

I have a confession to make: I didn’t ship Kai and Cinder together at all in the first book. I KNOW. I just…got more friendly, light flirting feels than swoony ones. But The Mechanic finally gives me those feels about their first meeting. By writing Kai and Cinder’s first meeting from Kai’s perspective, Meyer has given me a new look at what was going on there, and yeah, it’s shippy and I am ON BOARD. Normally I’m pretty wary of “told from the other character’s perspective” style books, but this one…this one actually added to my love of these two characters and their relationship. A little short, but worth reading.

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW (OR STARS ABOVE)

And now we come to the one you’ve all been waiting for. Not gonna lie, this was the first thing I flipped to when I got this manuscript, and I’m sure a lot of you will, too. You won’t be disappointed; I teared up several times during this. It was just so darn delightful to be with our favorite characters again, and to NOT be doing it while agonizing over their welfare.

Told from Cinder’s point of view two years after the war on Luna, Something Old, Something New tells the story of a special wedding for two very special characters. While the rest of The Lunar Chronicles had funny and sarcastic moments, Something Old, Something New finally allows Marissa Meyer to really flex her humor writing muscles. This story shines with well-deserved optimism and CUTENESS. Those of you with shippy hearts will be very, VERY satisfied.

Aside from the shippiness (because we know that’s the most important, but I have to say something coherent!), what I really loved about this story is that it depicts a world where Luna and Earth are working together, but restoration is still continuing. Not everything is perfect after Winter – it’s like the end of The Lord of the Rings, where you come back home, but realize that the bigger events do have a ripple effect and have changed and shaped not just the characters, but their external lives. It’s truthful to what I’d expect in the fallout from war, and it celebrates the imperfections of life.

To me, this story was an absolute gift to fans. Every character rings true, and it’s funny, sweet, charming…it’s an ending that leaves your heart full. If you were looking for the perfect coda to The Lunar Chronicles, this is it.

THE FINAL WORD:

Full of Marissa Meyer’s signature world-building, and snarktastic dialogue, STARS ABOVE is definitely essential to your Lunar Chronicles collection (the epilogue alone is worth it, I promise!). If you were thinking of giving these a pass, don’t. Unlike many other anthologies I’ve read, these stories are well-worth your time and add a lot of depth to the characters and plot that we know and love.

I'm a big fan of The Lunar Chronicles, but I confess I had not read any of the novellas associated with them. I know, I can't understand why either. Having all of the "prequel" stories (as well as five new ones) in STARS ABOVE is a gift to this reader. Anyone who reads this will also get a teaser of Marissa Meyer's novel, HEARTLESS. Yes to everything offered in STARS ABOVE! I'll be reviewing each story individually; the sample of HEARTLESS will not be commented on.

The writing, character development, and setup for each story is solid. The greatest strength throughout is the world building. It's so easy to slip into the different landscapes Ms. Meyer writes about. It makes me sad that this is a closing to the characters.

THE KEEPER: 4/5 stars.
This talks about Michelle Benoit, fighter pilot and Scarlet's grandmother. She's always been a fascinating character to me and I was really happy to get a glimpse into her life. She's tasked with something important in here, which changes her life. There's a lot of time leaps--years ago by to move the story forward, which is both a pro and con. While I understand that it's a short story, it seems like there were some things that happened between those years that could have been discussed.

GLITCHES: 4/5 stars
Originally found in the paperback version of CINDER and online as an e-book. This talks about Cinder's new life with her adoptive family. It's very crushing to see how her adoptive mother, Adri, and her daughter Pearl treated her, but at the same time, this story manages to be hopeful and endearing. Again, there are time leaps, but this one is satisfying if you are familiar with the series.

THE QUEEN'S ARMY. 4.5/5 stars
Originally found in the paperback version of SCARLET and online as an e-book. A boy, Ze'ev, who will be known as Wolf, is chosen to be a specially tailored soldier in the Lunar Queen's army. I'm biased about this one because Wolf is my favorite of TLC's heroes. This is a good glimpse into what being in the army is like, but this also suffers from time leaps. There was a lot to be explored as Wolf trains and learns, yet we get flashes of it. However, the payoff is worth it. Wolf for the world!

CARSWELL'S GUIDE TO BEING LUCKY: 3/5 stars
As far as I know, this is an unreleased story except to Marissa's newsletter subscribers. I liked Carswell in the books. He was the wise-cracking ne'er-do-well that always made me smile. He'd talked about his upbringing before in TLC, and in this story we see him at his...worst? Imagine my sadness at seeing Cinder's best friend and cohort being a complete jerk to save his hide. I was supposed to care about this guy? To be fair, he does have some serious character growth, but his attitude put a damper on my enjoyment. I never thought a character could get to me as much as he did.

AFTER SUNSHINE PASSES BY: 4/5 stars
Also previously unreleased. Cress wasn't always a girl in a satellite. I actually had to close the book after I finished it and close my eyes. This is one of the shortest pieces and it's heartbreaking. I wanted to give Cress the biggest hug.

THE PRINCESS AND THE GUARD: 3.5/5 stars
Previously unreleased. This highlights the time Winter vowed never to use her Lunar gift, and the repercussions that come with it. It was a good look into Winter's life after; however, Winter and Jacin have always been an iffy pairing for me because Jacin only seems to have one character trait: to protect Winter. But there's a creepy overtone throughout this whole story, which was well done.

THE LITTLE ANDROID: 5/5 stars
Originally available online. Oh my god, this story. AFTER SUNSHINE had me meditating for calm; this one had me setting the book down to cry. A retelling of THE LITTLE MERMAID, this story touches on the themes found in the original: love and sacrifice and how they coincide with one another. Unfortunately, it seems like this always pertains to women, and this story handles those themes expertly.

THE MECHANIC: 3/5 stars
Previously unreleased. This is more like a paraphrased first chapter to CINDER told from Kai's point of view. It doesn't really add anything, except that he takes a liking to Cinder. It's fun if you're looking for that, but if you wanted something which adds to the series, you will be disappointed.

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW: 5/5 stars
Previously unreleased. This is the story all the fans were looking for. All I will say is that there is a wedding, there is laughter, and there is a satisfying ending. The strength is the friendships; you can feel all the love and joy each person shares for another. Cinder and Iko...that friendship is perfection.

This is a satisfying collection of stories, and this series is one I will hold near and dear to my heart.

Stars Above was a delight. Sheer delight. For a fan of The Lunar Chronicles who just had not gotten enough of the series when Winter was read and done, this collection of novellas came as a delicious dessert.

Stars Above is a compilation of nine stories. All, but one are prequels of sorts. Several were already released as in-between stories setting up the reader for the newly releasing full-length novel coming behind it while perhaps six were new and never before released.

Each of the stories is a snippet into the lives of many of the characters before they became the older heroes and heroines of the full-length novels. Only two novellas fall outside that. The Littlest Android is a Little Mermaid retelling and is a standalone story parallel to the beginning of Cinder and Something Old Something New is a long epilogue- sequel to Winter.

I loved each and every story for how it enriched the series and I definitely needed that last one, Something Old Something New, because Winter ended in a way that I felt needed just a bit more. But, surprisingly, the story I loved the best was the bittersweet standalone, The Littlest Android.

For the most part, the stories are expansions on shorter references within the novels so that I was familiar with each to a certain extent. It was fascinating getting the stories from the different points of view and feeling like I was right there when it was happening rather than the shorter summaries the characters gave in the later novels.

So, this is great for a nice follow-up to the series, bringing together all the shorter stories from before and adding several new ones. Definite fan gift from the author and worth the read whether the reader reads them in release order with the bigger novels or waits to read them after the series is over.

I read the Lunar Chronicles as they came out, until Stars Above. Life was too busy for me to read, so I set it aside and forgot about it. I got a giftcard and decided to buy it since it’s the only Marissa Meyer book I don’t have, other than Winter, and I remembered I had never read it.

This book truly was the great conclusion of the Lunar Chronicles series that I had hoped it would be. It has a few odd stories tossed in that happen in the LC universe but only briefly have to do with any of the main characters. I enjoyed the story of The Littlest Android a lot (Meyer’s take on Anderson’s Little Mermaid story), and I love how Meyer kept to the true ending of the story, not the Disney-esque happily-ever-after.

The story with Carswell was funny and gave a bit of back history on him. It wasn’t hugely important, but it was a nice read in between the heavy ones.

The Keeper is the first story in the novel and was heavy, to say the least. It covers the time from when Cinder comes to Earth as a baby to when she is finally awoken and given to her guardian. The story takes place from Scarlet’s grandmother’s perspective and is so sad.

Glitches was once available to be read off Meyer’s website and was included in this novel. It tells about when Cinder arrives at her new home and the first few weeks she lives there. Once again, another hard to read mini story as Cinder had a hard time in her new life.

In The Queen’s Army, we finally see when Wolf was taken in for his original training and augmentation. Considering how you come to know him in the series, I’m surprised he had a lick of kindness left in him after he went through what he did in training.

After Sunshine Passes tells us a little about the life Cress lived as a Shell up until she was abandoned at her space station. Heartbreaking and also somewhat hope-filed (because if you’ve read the series, you know what eventually happens).

The Mechanic was hysterical. Kai and Cinder’s first meeting, but from the prince’s perspective. I snickered the entire time I was reading this because Kai was too cute for words, but also a typical boy when around a girl he likes.

The Princess and the Guard tells about Winter and Jacin, but specifically why Winter chose to stop using her gift and how her sanity spiraled away from there. If you’ve read Fairest, you already know how twisted Levana is. It has been two years since I read it and I forgot how utterly disgusting Levana was. There is nothing redeeming about her, and the events in The Princess and the Guard once again cement that fact–Levana is 100% evil and will not change.

The last story was what I think everyone was waiting for. Something Old, Something New was the great ending to the Lunar Chronicles and was so utterly perfect. Relationships were cemented in permanent ways and you got to see what everyone was doing two years after Winter. It was simply perfect.

Since I started reading Marissa Meyer’s books, there has not been a single time where I have been disappointed. When Winter came out, it was around the time of Allegiant (the greatest flop in the history of book series), and I was so worried that in the end Meyer would not be able to pull through. But she did. Beautifully so. And somehow, even after the series has ended, Stars Above raises the bar with that final story. The other stories were amazing fillers. They explained so much behind characters we didn’t see too often or even ones that we only saw later on in life (such as Cress and Thorne). I don’t want to say no if she ever puts another Lunar Chronicles book out, but I’m fulfilled when it comes to this series.

This is a collection of 9 short stories set in the world of the Lunar Chronicles. In this collection, the reader gets to discover how Wolf became the solider he is, a young Carswell Thorne, how Cress ended up on the satellite, how Cinder arrived in New Beijing, Cinder and Kai's first meeting from his perspective, how Scarlet came to the farm, a wedding, and more. They are arranged in chronological order.

Story: The Keeper
Michelle Benoit, Scarlet's grandmother, finds herself the guardian of a young lunar girl. This girl is important, but she must be kept hidden. Then her young granddaughter Scarlet arrives. Michelle knows that she will protect both Scarlet and the young girl at all costs. But what will it be?

My Thoughts: This is actually a prequel to Scarlet. Time passes rather quickly in this story. Since I have never read the prequel story before, I really enjoyed this one. I loved getting more of Scarlet's background and seeing how Cinder received her cyborg parts. Rating: 4.5 stars

Story: Glitches
Cinder has arrived in New Beijing and now meets her new family. Cinder soon finds herself at odds with her new family, and then tragedy strikes when Linh Garan is stricken with the plague.

My Thoughts: Cinder's book is a retelling of Cinderella. This is a prequel story for it. It explains how the stepmother is left raising the girls. This glimpse into the eleven year old Cinder is both touching and rather sad. Touching because I know what she will become. Sad because of how she's treated. Rating: 4 stars

Story: The Queen's Army
Ze'ev Kesley is only 12 years old when he is chosen to become a part of the army that the queen is building. He's ripped away from his family and given injections that change him. He's forced to prove himself over and over.

My Thoughts: Wolf has been my favorite character since he first appeared. But this backstory of his shows just how cruel Levanna was. My heart hurt for the boy that was Ze'ev. But this story made me love him more. Rating: 5 stars

Story: Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky
Carswell Thorne is young. Very young. And he's already proven himself to be adept at getting what he wants. But is he really just trying to gain the attention of his parents?

My Thoughts: This one was rather humorous for me. I enjoyed getting to see the young Thorne. And to see, in part, how he became the man that falls for Cress. Cute. Definitely light-hearted, especially after reading Wolf's backstory. Rating: 4 stars

Story:After Sunshine Passes By
Crescent Moon is a shell. But she's very talented at anything related to a computer. She hopes to be of use to the queen, but doesn't like Sybil Mira. When Sybil realizes exactly how skilled Cress is at computer programming, she takes Cress to an isolated satellite. There Cress is left on her own.

My Thoughts: This was probably the shortest of all of the stories. And once again, it just shows how far those who work for the queen will go to ensure that the queen remains queen. But, at least this story explained how Cress came to the satellite. Rating: 5 stars

Story: The Princess and the Guard
Princess Winter is used to playing with the son of one of the palace guards. Jacin is Winter's best friend. But he's so much more than that. He's her protector. Sure, he's got his own dreams of being a doctor, but Princess Winter is more important. As Winter grows, she realizes what using her Lunar gift does, and wants nothing to do with it. Will Jacin stay beside her?

My Thoughts: While this couple is not my favorite, I have to admit that this story made me understand their relationship so much more. My heart broke for Winter as she realized the end result of not using her gift. But I actually came to really like Jacin for the way he stay with her. Rating: 4.5 stars

Story: The Little Android
Mech 6.0 is a mechanic working on a luxury ship. When the owner's son falls into a vat of oil, she dives in after him - at the expense of her own functionality. A new body later, Mec 6.0 is watching from a distance as the young man falls in love with the client's daughter. Yet he doesn't know how she feels.

My Thoughts: I loved this story. It's a retelling of the Little Mermaid, and is just beautiful. This is the only story that doesn't really feature any of the main characters. I've read the Han Christian Anderson fairy tale and it is heart breaking. This one had me in tears. Meyer stays true to the Anderson story and not the Disney version. Rating: 5 stars

Story: The Mechanic
Prince Kaito has a problem. His trusted android, Nanci, isn't working. He needs her. Because she has information about the missing princess Selene. Kai has heard of a mechanic name Linh Cinder who has a reputation of being able to fix just about anything, so since he's desperate, he leaves the palace and heads to the New Beijing market. He doesn't expect to discover that Linh Cinder is a cute teenage girl close to his age. He also doesn't realize how important that this mechanic is going to be in his own life.

My Thoughts: I loved seeing this from Kai's perspective. Because at first, I didn't like the dynamic between Kai and Cinder. It grew on me through the series, but I didn't like it at first. This though, showed that he liked her from the beginning. Of course, it gives glimpses of what they're going to mean to each other later on, but this first meeting, from his perspective was so sweet. It was like one of those awww moments. Rating: 5 stars

Story: Something Old, Something New
This is the wedding of the century. Cinder, Iko, Cress, and Thorne arrive at Scarlet's farm where they meet up with Kai, Winter, and Jacin. There has been a wedding being planned, but which couple will be the one to get married? And will everything go off without a hitch considering that in attendance there will be an emperor, a princess, a queen, and more than a few Lunars?

My Thoughts: This is the story that I was by far the most excited about. It is the reason that I bought the book. I have to say, that this is the perfect conclusion to the series. The wedding was obviously going to be one of the four couples, but which one? I knew which couple I was wanting, but I'd have been happy with any of them. This story is set 2 years after Winter. And I have to say, that I LOVED it! I'm trying really hard to be spoiler free here, so I can only gush about how delightfully cute it is.
Rating: 5 stars

Overall thoughts: This is the perfect companion to the Lunar Chronicles. More so in my opinion than Fairest. While some of the stories were better than others, all were good.

I read this book for pure pleasure.

Overall rating: 4.67 stars, rounded up to 5 stars.

I always like to point out the following when I review a book like this . . . being a middle aged man I am very far from the target demographic for this kind of series. I believe that this series is targeted at kind of 16 to 24 year old women. My point here is that if I like these books that if you are part of that target demographic I think you would like these even more than I do.

Having said that I thoroughly enjoyed this series. I think of the series as fairy tales meet sci-fi. These are just fun books with great characters man of whom are loosely based upon fair tale characters. If that sounds at all interesting to you get a copy of the first book and start reading!

This installment is essentially the back stories for each of the main characters (one chapter each) and closes up a few holes in the plot (the last two chapters). If you have read through the first 4 novels in this series you really should read this as well . . . you will enjoy it.

The book does flow from chapter to chapter very well but since each chapter is the backstory of a different character that is not a fault that has a lot of bearing on the enjoyment of the book.

It was fun to revisit the Lunar Chronicles world again. I really enjoyed this series and these characters. I had already had a chance to read Glitches, The Queen’s Army and The Little Android before and enjoyed them just as much the second time. I really liked The Keeper, which is about Scarlet’s grandmother Michelle. It was interesting to see her story, how she became a part of the biggest secret ever. I thought Carswell’s Guide to Being Lucky was good. Definitely the Carswell Thorne we know and love, but a little bit deeper. After Sunshine Passes By was short, but powerful and a bit sad. I always felt horrible for Cress and this just made me feel worse for her. The Mechanic was a good read for Kai and Cinder shippers. Their first meeting from Kai’s point of view was short, but exactly what I wanted.

The Princess and the Guard was one story that I really couldn’t wait to read and I would have loved to read it before Winter, but it still packed the same amount of punch reading it after the series ended. I really liked Jacin and seeing him in this short story as Winter’s friend and protector really made me like him more. My heart broke for Winter in this story as we see why she refuses to use her Lunar gift and why she’d rather brave the Lunar sickness. We also get to see how her step-mother Queen Levana interacts with her and it’s just horrible. I loved this story and it made me really want to go back and re-read the series, especially Winter so I could see more Winter and Jacin moments.

My favorite story of the book though would have to be Something Old, Something New. This takes place after the end of Winter and it was absolutely perfect. This is what I was hoping for. A glimpse of how the characters are doing, how they are coping and living now that Levana is gone and they are free to be who they want to be. There is a wedding and some hilarious moments. There are some moments that made me tear up, especially the end. I don’t want to give anything away, so I will just say if you loved the Lunar Chronicles, you have to read this. Even if you don’t read any other story in Stars Above, you have to read Something Old, Something New. It is perfect and absolutely worth your time. Thanks Marissa Meyer for giving us this closure.

I finally had the chance to read this precious book. I know, I know, it has only been a couple of weeks since it released. But I should have read it back then. Hmph. I was nervous, because I don't want these books to be over. Sniffs. I'm the biggest fan of this world. Of these characters. Of this author. Of everything.

This collection of short stories from the Lunar Chronicles world was everything I wanted it to be. Such perfection. The writing is all kinds of gorgeous, like with all the books by Marissa. I had read a few of these stories before, but most were new. And I loved reading and re-reading all of them. Was also so much fun.

I am the biggest fan of the Lunar Chronicles books. Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, Fairest and Winter were all perfection. I re-read them just this November, but while reading Stars Above I got such a huge need to re-read them all again, right away. Ahh. I don't have time for that. But I will be re-reading them all in a few months, I think, and I cannot wait. Because these books are truly the best. I love how all the characters fit together. I love the friendships. And all the different romances. Eee. And the story is simply so amazing. These books have been the best. I'm so glad Marissa wrote Stars Above. And that it got published so fast after Winter. Especially love that epilogue. Sigh. All the love. I shall now say a little of each story in this book.

The Keeper. This story was so interesting. I loved reading about how Michelle, Scarlet's grandma, ended up keeping Cinder hidden. I adored this story. But it was also so sad, because we get to meet Logan, her once lover. I hated that they hadn't gotten to be together all those years ago. But I also understood it so well. But still. He didn't know about Scarlet or her dad. Which was heartbreaking. Sad face. But anyway. I adored Michelle. And young Scarlet too, so much. Their relationship was the best. Makes me so sad now.

Glitches. This was a story I had already read before. But re-reading it was so amazing. It shows when Cinder first arrived at her new family, age eleven. It was heartbreaking too. Garan seemed like he could have been such a nice dad to her. But he, of course, had to go off and die. Ugh. Still bitter about that, lol. Because it made it so that Adri and Pearl was so cruel to Cinder. Sad face. I loved reading this story again. Because Cinder and Iko are adorable. And Peony. I loved that young girl so much. Heartbreaking.

The Queen's Army. Another story I had read before. But loved reading it again. So much. This is the story about how Wolf ended up being a special soldier for Levana. And oh, it is such a sad story. And so heartbreaking. And mean. Yet I love it so much. Wolf's real name is Ze'ev. Which is pretty awesome. We see a bit about his parents, whom seemed awesome. I really don't like his younger brother, though. Oh, this story. So mean. How they changed the way he looks. It was not okay. And so much fighting. Ahh.

Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky. First time reading. And I should have read it earlier. It was just so good. Carswell Thorne is the most adorable thirteen year old boy in this story. Well, he isn't the very nicest boy, but I liked him so much. I adored his sort of crush on Kate Fallow. I loved getting to know him more. Oh, this boy is amazing. And oh my god. There is a Carina in this one! Eeee :D It made me the most happiest. Never any characters with my name. Eeek. Thank you Marissa. <3 I loved this. So much.

After Sunshine Passes By. This story was so stunning. And evil. And heartbreaking. I loved getting to know nine year old Cress. Whom is just the sweetest child. But oh, it broke my heart to learn how she ended up locked in that satellite alone for all those years. She was sort of tricked by Sybil. Which was the meanest. Especially as she had friends among the other shells. It hurt my heart a lot. Cress is just the sweetest girl. And I want all the best for her. I also still hate Sybil. She is an evil woman. Shudders.

The Princess and the Guard. I adored this story so much. It was also the most heartbreaking one, I think. Getting to read more about Winter and Jacin was so amazing. I adore them both so much. They were so cute when they were younger, though they still are. We get to know when Winter falls in love. We get to see when and how she got those scars on her face. Shudders. It was awful. We get to fully know why she stopped using her gift. It was pretty sad. Winter and Jacin has the very best friendship.

The Little Android. I had read this one before too. And oh. I think I loved it more this second time I read it. It is based on the original The Little Mermaid, and so it is heartbreaking. It is the story of an android, Mech6.0. I liked this android so much. She's different. Like Iko. And she's in love with a boy. Whom is in love with someone else. Mech6.0 gets a different android body to get closer to him, and it is so painful for her. Oh. This story was amazingly done yet so heartbreaking. I did like the ending. Mostly.

The Mechanic. Eee, this short story was incredible. Oh, how I love Kai. He is the cutest. My favorite character in this series. Which I sometimes feel alone in feeling. Hmph. But he is the best. And I love him the most. And reading about his first meeting with Cinder, from his point of view, was the best. He's so cute. And I loved how he was crushing on her from the beginning. I loved reading his thoughts on things too. Just, so in love with this boy. And this story. Ahh. I just. I want more of everything. Always.

Something Old, Something New. The epilogue to Winter. I cannot. It was everything. So beautiful. Too short, lol, yet so perfect. There is a wedding. Not the one I wanted the most, but my second wish. And it was all kinds of beautiful. This story takes place two years after Winter. It is told from Cinder's point of view. It was perfection. These characters are the best. I loved seeing them all again. All the love. And oh my gosh, romance between Cinder and Kai is still the best thing in the world. Sniffs. I need more. <3

Heartless Chapters. There were only two short chapters from Heartless at the end of this book. But oh my gosh, they were amazing. Truly. And I loved reading them so much. But it was also a bit bittersweet, because I want this book so badly, and it isn't out until November. Ugh. And I know there are ARCs out there. And I know I won't be getting one. And it is breaking my heart a little. Because I am in love with Catherine already, and I need to know what happens next. I know this book will be all kinds of amazing.

I have now written so much about this book. But I couldn't not write it all. Stars Above was everything I wanted it to be. Such stunning short stories. Such perfect writing. And these characters are my favorite. I adore Marissa so much. And I cannot wait to read her upcoming books. I just, oh. I wish there would be more stories after this epilogue. More Cinder and Kai. I'm wishing for it. And hoping it will happen one day. You must all read this. After Winter. It is the most perfect book. All the stars for all the stories. <3

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This review was first posted on my blog, Carina's Books, here: [...]

4.5 Stars
Reviewed by Annie and posted at Under The Covers Book Blog

For fans of the Lunar Chronicles, there’s plenty of reasons for rejoice! Marissa Meyer has packaged all her novellas in the Lunar Chronicles in one pretty package for all of you to enjoy. Inside this collection are five never-before-released stories but there are nine stories in total. Of course there were a few stories that I was most looking forward to reading. Once I picked up this book and started reading though, one thing became abundantly clear to me – these stories are more of the “slices of life” type as opposed to full-fledged short stories. So while many of these are considered prequel to many of the books in the series, I would not suggest reading these stories before the four main books in the series. FAIREST is also a prequel short story but that one is way more developed than the ones you’ll find in here. Again, I suggest reading FAIREST after the others.

So as I was saying, these stories are more like “slices of life”, meaning that they can’t standalone as a solid story but something more like a teaser of what happened before or after certain events in the series. They just give further insight into some characters, almost like a treat for loyal fans who just can’t seem to get enough. I enjoyed all of them as Meyer writes abundantly well and I just love learning more about her characters and her world. But I will say that for the majority of the stories, a lot of them were somber in tone. There’s a wash of sadness that is casted over them, making me feel more sympathetic to the characters. It’s a bit depressing actually.

It should come as no surprise to report back and say that Thorne’s story was my favorite. He’s one of my favorite characters in the story. If there was one story that I wish was written and included in this anthology it would be a story for Iko, who is one of my other favorite characters in the series. Hell, I would love a full book for her because I think she is such a bright light to this series.

That being said though, there’s plenty to love with STARS ABOVE. If you haven’t read this series yet, I highly suggest you do. Don’t be like me and put it off because you’re missing out on a great story, some amazing characters and perhaps a new auto-buy author in Marissa Meyer.

The Lunar Chronicles is one of my favorite series. I was so happy to be able to read more of this saga so soon after the publication of Winter. This collection includes back story on all of the main characters in the series, as well as a wedding story that takes place 2 years after the conclusion of the 4 main books.

I've read and reviewed some of the stories in this collection before, so I only read the new additions. And I was patient enough not to skip ahead and read the wedding story first. Below are my impressions of the book in general and reviews of the stories I hadn't read before.

The Keeper

I loved this story! We get a glimpse of Michelle Benoit, her relationship with Logan, and the responsibility of hiding Selene for all those years. The story covers 11 years, hitting the high points. I enjoyed reading about young Scarlet as well. Meyer proved her genius yet again with her explanation of the origin of Cinder's name.

5 stars

After Sunshine Passes

This story was so sad. It chronicles young Cress and the origin of her satellite. Her desperation for Sybil's approval broke my heart. She was still as imaginative and hopeful as ever, and I enjoyed that. Since this was a story that was pretty much known from flash backs in the original books, I didn't love it quite as much as some of the others.

4 stars

The Princess and the Guard

Hooray! More Jacin and Winter. I really fell in love with them both in Winter, and I was kind of sad they didn't get more time in the series. This story was perfect! It gives their background. We get to see them playing together as children. Meyer shows Jacin's devotion to Winter. I absolutely loved this story. It was so sweet.

5 stars

The Mechanic

When I read Cinder the first time, I wasn't sold on Cinder and Kai. But as the series continued, I began to appreciate Kai more and more. This story tells of their initial meeting, but from Kai's perspective. I LOVED it! I enjoyed getting into Kai's head a little more and seeing his vulnerability. I like him even more now.

5 stars

Something Old, Something New

No spoilers, I promise!

This story was perfect. I loved knowing what happened with everyone two years after the end of the series. There was a lot packed into this short story. When they make the movies, I hope they'll even cover this tale as a final movie or an epilogue to Winter.

It was just so fun to read about the whole gang back together again. I love the banter! That has always been a huge part of what I love about this series. The characters are so endearing, so comfortable with each, and so fun to read about.

5 stars

[...]

I loved the Lunar Chronicles, so when I found out there was another book coming out full of short stories I just couldn't wait to read it. Some of the short stories in this book have already been released by the author on either tor.com or on her own website. There are 9 short stories and I have previously read 4 of them, so nearly half of them, free from releases from the author. You can get Carwell's guide to being lucky on Marissa Meyers website if you subscribe to her newsletter and Glitches, The Queen's army and The little android can be found on Tor.com.

But the new ones, the ones I had never read before that are in this book are absolutely awesome! I love The Keeper, which is a short story in how Cinder comes to be with Michelle Benoit. You get to see Michelle's point of view which you don't really get to see in any of the other books.

After Sunshine Passes By is a short story about how Cress came to be in the satellite. I don't think this one gave us that much new information then we have already seen in Cress. But it was a great short short none the less.

I think my favorite one was The Princess and the Guard. This one answers some questions that i have had about Winter. Like how she exactly got her scars and when exactly she decided to stop using her Lunar gift. It is hinted to a bit in Winter, but this short story clears up everything.

The Mechanic is Kai point of view when he first meets Cinder, so it is everything we have seen before but what Kai is thinking which is pretty cool.

Something Old, Something New is really cute and it is based in the future 2 years after the books, when all the other short stories were in the past. This one is about Scarlet and Wolf getting married and it is really cute. It is nice to get some more closure of the characters. But it made me want to have more!

3-1/2 stars.
This was just the book I needed to read during these past stressful weeks. I got to revisit with old friends from the Lunar Chronicles series through this collection of novellas about the histories and futures of the characters. There were nine novellas that managed to explain all the remaining mysteries from the novel series. They were well-written and engaging.

I normally do not appreciate novellas as much as their associated sequel novels. In fact, I usually dislike novellas because they take the author away from the business of writing the next full-length novel and are normally not as enjoyable, or of as high quality, as the novels. Perhaps I liked these novellas more than I thought I would because I had already read the full series of novels when I read this collection of novellas. In that way, these novellas were simply a bonus—a gift of more time with the characters. Whatever the reason, I felt these were all fun stories on their own with well-developed story arcs and engaging storylines. I didn’t feel that they had been crafted as fluffy afterthoughts to appease the fans who demanded more. Instead, these were enjoyable additions to the main story. The last one was my favorite (Something Old, Something New – or Stars Above) as it picked up after the series left off. But, I really enjoyed them all.

This is a fun book of short stories/novellas that fit in nicely between the stories in the Lunar Chronicle series.

I didn't read these all at once but found a nice order to read them in after/before certain books and it really gave better or new understanding to the characters in the books. Many also recommend just reading all the stories after reading all the books. This would also be a very good, and very safe, way to read them as well. It's all just what you feel would work best for you :D I am a loser though anyway and didn't write the order down in which I read them to add to this review, sorry. However, a quick search will bring up some good suggestions on a good order. Of course, one of the reviews already here might also give the information or suggest something else so I'll stop rambling about it now and move on!

I really enjoyed reading these stories since they gave more insight into all the different characters throughout the series. The last story in the book, Stars Above, takes place after the events in Winter so please don't read that until you are done the series!!! The others take place before the events of the stories that each character is a major player in. The writing for the stories is impeccable as always and I really enjoyed each one. I'll not give spoilers but recommend this book to anyone who is into these books!

Reader thoughts:
I loved all the retelling pieces that fit together so well in these short stories. "The Little Android" might have been my favorite, even though it had nothing to do with the rest of the stories (except that it made Cinder into Ursula, ha).

I didn't care to see Carswell's past. He's too deceitful for me to like him. He promises every girl that he'll go with her to the dance. He tricks his classmates out of their money by selling lotion and calling it acne cream. He fails math because he can't be bothered to do the homework but claims he knows it all anyway. (As a math teacher, this really bugs me. Students who skip practicing what they learn won't retain the learning in the long term. Copying off another student's work teaches you nothing.)

I also wasn't sure what to think of the last story. It had Scarlet's and Wolf's wedding (yay!) about two years after Levana's defeat. The other couples are still dating.
One of the scenes has Cinder and Kai waking up in bed together (ick). Why? Everything is so clean in this series, why even imply that these two are doing anything less than honorable? My hope is that I missed something in listening to the audiobook, and maybe Cinder and Kai were just waking up on the couch together, or something, because they had fallen asleep after staying up late talking. Yeah.

Writer thoughts:
Some of the scenes in these stories felt so right, so important, that I wonder how they didn't get into the main books. That must have been hard for MM to choose which ones stayed and which ones could not.

Here are the scenes that would have fit perfectly with the main books:
3 scenes: Scarlet's grandma accepting Cinder, naming Cinder, and waking Cinder.
3 scenes: Cinder meeting Audry, fixing Iko, and losing her new father to the plague.
2 scenes: Cress leaving other shell children and moving to the Rampion at age 8.
7 scenes: Winter saving the maid, talking with her dad about appropriate use of powers, playing with Jason, hearing about the maid's death, deciding never to use her powers, going crazy for the first time, and being forced to cut open her face.

I guess MM had to consider what was actually necessary for the readers. Besides, her books were probably long enough anyway. Still, I do like and understand Winter so much better now.

I do not think I can explain my level of gratitude to Marissa Meyer, the author, that she wrote a whole book of short stories versus what seems every other authors need to write novellas. The fact that she added a story for each character and managed to help bring more to what we already know about the characters from the Lunar Chronicles was enlightening. The Book didn't repeat past actions or merely expand on what knowledge was already shared but helped show how each character got to where they were and pieces of their history. Of course the last story was more like adding another ending to the chronicles and showing a happily ever after of fairy tales. I am sad the series is over, yet also glad because the stories have been concluded, the work is set out for the readers to imagine their own happily ever after, and all the characters are wrapped up. There were some stories I enjoyed more than others such as learning more about Scarlett's grandmother and more about Winter who I thought was a character who could have been expanded upon in the series. I still feel the worst about Wolf, especially since the trials he went through were the most frightening for me. My least favorite story has to be Thorne's. Honestly, I did not feel it showed much or answered any questions but instead led to more. I still do not understand how he ended up stealing or becoming a captain. I can't wait for her next book.

Stars Above is a collection of short stories from the Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer. The book contains nine different stories from the series that most are a more in depth look into things that had happened along the way and how these characters came to be who they were in the books. The last story however is a bit of an epilogue to Winter, the last book in the series to tie up the story quite nicely.

As with most companion novellas to a big series I found myself completely enjoying this collection of stories. You get a deeper look into the characters and events that had transpired all throughout which brings a lot more detail into the story. I'd definitely recommend this one to any fan of the Lunar Chronicles series and kind of wished I had some of these to read along with the books they had related to but it was still a nice look back at the events taking place even though it had been a while since I'd finished the series.

I really enjoyed this anthology. Most of the stories were about the characters in The Lunar Chronicles when they were young. We have stories about Cinder, Scarlett, Wolf, Thorne and Winter. We also have a wonderful culminating story about Wolf and Scarlett's wedding.

I enjoyed getting glimpses of my favorite characters when they were young. The writing was engaging and the characters well-drawn. It was nice to revisit the world of the Lunar Chronicles again after being away for a few years.

The Little Android was the only story whose character was new to me. I enjoyed this story about an android who falls in love, has her heart broken, and who delights in seeing the stars.

My copy ends with a preview of Heartless which I have sitting on my Kindle.

This review is definitely not spoiler-free, my loves. So proceed with caution as Stars Above reveals the aftermath of The Lunar Chronicles.

It did not cross my mind as I looked at Stars Above that it would include a real epilogue story to The Lunar Chronicles. I only believed that it was a collection of short stories about the characters before they came to be in this saga. It wasn't until I was reading a tweet from Marissa Meyer that I became insanely excited in the idea. In the days leading up to its release, FierceReads polled the question of who readers thought the wedding (yes, a wedding takes place!) was for - logically, I only ever believed Scarlet and Wolf would be the reasonable couple. However, in the depths of my soul, I wanted Cinder and Kai to be the ones to be the one exchanging vows. Little did I know, I got more than I hoped for and I was satisfied with the turn of events that left me squeezing about the ending.

It's pretty hard to write this review without spoiling the book. For a second time, I will post that this review contains spoilers. So please read with caution if you decide to go on. I will say that the spirit of the characters and the storytelling that Marissa Meyer is so good at doing is prevalent in this short story. Of course, I expected no less. I'’m sure that she was excited to sit down and wrap up the story she had begun years ago.

I was so so happy that I was not thrown into the get-together immediately - that I got to start the story with Cinder (the first!) and where’s she’s left off. If you have gotten to Winter, then you know that what Cinder proposed in the matters of the Luna monarchy have gone through and have come to fruition. It is her first time leaving Luna since her arrival and I think the emotions she goes through with leaving Luna and coming back to Earth is so endearing. She feels afraid leaving because something might happen, but she’s so nervous about going to Earth and seeing Kai and everyone. It’s so so endearing.

When the gang finally gets back together, I told myself that this is what I came for - when all the characters are getting introduced into the short story - I gave a monumental YES! THAT’S HER/HIM and they’ve become more and more like their characters in the time that’s passed. And of course, I was right in my prediction of who the wedding was for - SCARLET AND WOLF! I was so happy to see that they finally decided to tie the knot. They’ve lost so much, but they’ve found each other and one day they’ll have little pups digging themselves into the gardens. I still remember when Scarlet wondered about Wolf and whether he was going to come back to Earth with her while his mother was on Luna. Man, good times. And now they were getting married!

I was so happy to see the gang coming together and planning a surprise wedding for Scarlet since she didn’t want the media blowing up about it (since Queen Selene and Emperor Kai are present). It brought me back to the old stories about how they worked together to accomplish impossible tasks. I especially loved reading the respective girls’ and boys’ scenes where they were dressing Scarlet up and the boys were decorating the downstairs for the wedding.

But the best part of the epilogue for me was the ending when Kai and Cinder share some time alone after everyone’s danced their hearts’ out. He shows her the place where she was held when she was first taken from Luna and gives her the closure (or at least some comfort) in regards to that part of her life that she didn’t remember beyond being on fire. AND THEN THE BEST MOMENT EVER HAPPENS and Kai is so endearing. I loved him so much for how he regarded Cinder and the way he expressed his desire to be with her - And how he wanted to make her his empress. Just kill me.

All in all, I have no complaints to really express to you. I have yet to read the other short stories, but I certainly don’t think I would be disappointed when I know the great writing that Meyer is known for - there will come a time soon when I go back and read those stories. For now, my heart is content with a happily ever after.

Stars Above is a collection of nine short stories that are about the main characters from the Lunar Chronicles. The one exception takes place in that same world, but with new characters.

Six of the stories tell an incident from the childhood of one or more of the main characters. In addition to being uniformly downing, these stories do not add any thing new. Each tale has already been told, albeit more briefly, in the four Lunar Chronicles books, and being expanded with multiple depressing details did not give any more depth to the characters or their history.

"The Little Android" is a retelling of the Little Mermaid, and it, too, was sad. I honestly found it hard to finish.

"The Mechanic" retells the introduction of Kai to Cinder from his point of view; again, nothing new was revealed and it was of no interest to rehash that meeting.

"Something Old, Something New" was the only redeeming feature in this collection. This story takes place two years after the end of Winter and brings all the characters together again for a wedding. This was a lighthearted, enjoyable story that is sure to please the fans.

Meyer's prose was good throughout the stories, a solid four stars. The lack of new plots, though, made this just an okay volume. I recommend readers of the series to skip to the end of the book and read "Something Old, Something New", giving the rest a miss.

I usually hate prequels, because they’re so predictable and boring. Especially after the cliché and really annoying Fairest novella, that told the tale of how evil Queen Levana claimed the throne. However, this prequel was far from annoying, because all the beloved characters from the Lunar Chronicles are back, and we finally get to find out what happened before the events in the series.

We get to learn about Scarlet and how she left her negligent father to live with her grandmother, who was holding young Cinder or as they called her Princess Selene, in her basement. Then we learn more about Winter, and her love with Jace and how she received those awful scars on her face, and we get to see when Cress moves into her satellite. There was also a glimpse into the future, after the events of that took place in the series and that was pretty amazing.

My favorite short story was of course the stories with Scarlet, because Scarlet is my favorite character in the series and it was really interesting to learn more about her past and how she came to be the badass little read she is now. Cinder’s story was really interesting as well, but not really because a lot of her story was explained throughout the series, and I think Cress’s story fell a little short. There wasn’t much detail about her past life, just a little glimpse into what happens to shell children. Winter’s story was good, it was second best to Scarlet, I enjoyed reading about her life as a child and her brave decision not to give into her magic, even though it made her crazy, literally.

Other stories in the novel were a bit boring, I expected to love Wolf’s story because he is Scarlet’s man, but I surprisingly enjoyed Caption Thorne’s story. It was fun to see him as a high school student, and he definitely lived up to my expectations of being a con-artist and a player. Gotta love Captain Thorn Carswell!

Overall, I did really enjoy reading this, and it definitely exceed my expectations of a prequel novel. I’m so happy with the ending, and how everyone’s story played out and I’m sure fans of the series will love this novel as well. 4 stars!

~ Lametria @ LazyBookLovers

** spoiler alert ** Blissfully perfect. If you are a Lunar fan and have read the entire series in order, this is the perfect ending to the series. To some, it may not be the picture perfect book as it is a combination of short stories focused on the main characters of the series. For the die hard fan, it was lovely getting to know the beloved characters all over again. Meyers brilliantly hits everyone's backstory, making you fall in love with everyone all over again. As a fan of Scarlet and Wolf's story, I was smitten to read about their wedding. I usually do not grin like a lunatic reading books, but you just can't help yourself in the last chapter of this book. I was smiling and laughing right along with all the other characters. I know all good things must come to an end. While the ending of this book leaves itself open for another book, it leaves the reader completely satisfied with all the events. Thank you Marissa Meyer, for a beautiful series. One that I know I will find myself coming back to.

Quick, easy reads. Something Old, Something New is like an epilogue to the Lunar Series.

I think you could read Glitches before any of the full length books in the series, but, to avoid spoilers and for some context for the short stories, I recommend reading at least

Cinder before:
The Little Android
The Mechanic

Scarlett before:
The Keeper
The Queen's Army
Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky
After Sunshine Passes By

Cress before:
The Princess and the Guard

Winter before:
Something Old, Something New

If you prefer the backstories after the main stories, then move
Glitches after Cinder
Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky after Cress
After Sunshine Passes By after Cress
The Princess and the Guard after Winter

First of all, this book should be the last book read out of the entire series. Only in that manner does this book have as great of an impact. I absolutely loved reading the back stories of all of the characters that we've come to love in the Lunar Chronicles. From how Cress became trapped on a satellite to Thorne's younger days in high school, prior to him becoming an intergalactic fugitive. The book is fashioned into many short stories and I loved reading the back story of all of the characters and seeing how all of the puzzle pieces fit together. One story though completely puzzled me because I had no idea how it fit into the main storyline (The Little Android). It introduced characters that I don't recall reading about previously and after wrapping up, I was left thinking, "Whaaaatt? What was that about?!" The last story was a nice way to tie everything together though and I felt it gave readers a nice ending.

Oh, yes she did. She did it, again! Marissa Meyers keeps writing, and she keeps succeeding. Taking somewhat of a break from writing a novel in the Lunar Chronicles series, Meyers writes Stars Above, a novella. Although Stars Above ties in with the Lunar Chronicles series, it is composed of nine short stories told from different perspectives: “The Keeper,” “Glitches,” “The Queen’s Army,” “Carswell’s Guide to Being Lucky,” “After Sunshine Passes By,” “The Princess and the Guard,” “The Little Android,” “The Mechanic,” and “Something Old, Something New.” Every single book in the Lunar Chronicles series is a spin-off of a well-known fairytale so these short stories are similar to a collection of behind-the-scenes fairytales. Each short story is a thrill; Meyers manages to combine heartbreaking emotions, exciting relationships, and intense action, into nine exhilarating stories.

The first short story, “The Keeper,” gives the reader additional background information about Scarlet Benoit, her grandmother, and the secrecy regarding the long lost Princess Selene. “Glitches” and “The Mechanic” focus on Cinder’s backstory and how she met Prince Kai - her now-husband. Queen Levana’s army and personal stories of her guards are included in “The Queen’s Army” and emphasize the queen’s evilness. I’m sure you can guess what “Carswell’s Guide to Being Lucky” is about…Captain Thorne, of course! “The Princess and the Guard” is about Winter and her true love Jacin, and “The Little Android” is a cute little story about Iko and how she found Cinder. “After Sunshine Passes By” touches on Cress’s past and how she was placed on her satellite at such a young age after being taken away from her family on Luna. Lastly, “Something Old, Something New” is about the wedding and unification of the Lunar planet and Earth — a bondage ensuring world peace. The magnificent blending of these nine wonderful stories just make the Lunar Chronicles easier to fall in love with . You will learn more information on each character than the series provided, and each book in the series will flow much more effortlessly after you read Stars Above.

I obviously enjoyed reading the Lunar Chronicles series, so when Marissa Meyers dropped the novella Stars Above, I had to read it. I’m absolutely obsessed with the series and the story line behind each book. Engrossed with Meyers’s humorous, creative writing style, personable characters, and relatable themes, made this book so much fun to read. Stars Above is one of those books you would choose to read instead of sleeping. It’s one of those books you cant seem to put down no matter how hard you try. But mostly, Stars Above is one of those rare books where you end up falling so hard for the characters that when something happens to them, it truly feels like it affected you too. Yes, the book is that amazing. It truly exceeded my expectations and kept my Lunar Chronicles fever high. Everybody should read this book. If you love fantasy, outer-space, romance, fairytales, or even robots, you’ll love this book. Guaranteed. Stars Above is out of this world. Literally. I strongly urge you to grab this book at your local bookstore on the Best-Sellers shelf— right where it belongs.

I really enjoyed this collection of short stories that complement Meyer's fantastic Lunar Chronicles. If you haven't read the novels (Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, Fairest, and Winter), I would recommend reading them before you read “Stars Alone,” since some of the stories here aren't quite meaty enough to stand alone and others will be spoilers. However, “The Princess and the Guard” and “The Little Android” are great stand-alones. “The Princess and the Guard.” is a very powerful and thought-provoking five-star story.

Meyer's writing style is easy to read. It's not pretentious or convoluted, but that's not to say it's simple. When you watch professional ice skaters, they make triple toe loops look simple too.

The pacing, characters, emotion, the way the stories fill in the backgrounds of the characters we love...everything is very good. Highly entertaining for fans of the series.

Aces, I missed them. I missed every single one of the chcracters.
It was amazing to meet them again. Yes, ok, you got me, I missed Thorne (Captain Thorne!) the most, but hey, he's in my top 5 book boyfriends. Can't blame a girl for her feels.
Oh, Hi, Carswell. You're looking good? come on, let me jump your... um.... ship?

Ok, back to reality.
Every single tale (except for Carswell's and, "Something Old, Something New" and "The Mechanic") deals with loss, despair, tragedy, death, hard decissions all caused not only by supervillains but regular people (like Linh Adri). Still, they're gripping and they make you wanna curl into a ball and just reconsider your life choices.

I liked every single one of those stories. Some more that the others, but they're all worth reading.
When I've read Winter last year I wasn't really ready to let this world go. "Stars Above" gave me not only background stories but also a feeling of closure.

I'm still not the biggest fan of Kai, but Jacin is growing on me and I like to see his relationship with Winter.
Iko! OMG, Iko! She's my favourite character (except for Thorne, obvi) and I was beyont thrilled to meet her again. She's the cuteast and the funniest thing there is. Her lines are priceless.

Fantastic. I adored the new novellas and was happy to re-read those that I've read prior. I adored seeing Winter and Jacin from when they were younger, to see how strong they are and how deep their relationship flows. To see Kai's POV upon first meeting Cinder was also adorable and the ending of "that mechanic was going to change everything" was positively brilliant. The epilogue "Something Old, Something New" was just perfect. I absolutely loved how Marissa Meyer showed us a glimpse into the "after" for all of these relationships. Though I would have maybe liked a bit more from Jacin and Winter, I think that she did them all justice. The passion of Scarlet and Wolf, subtly of Cress and Thorne, sweetness of Winter and Jacin and comfort of Cinder and Kai shone through absolutely. As did the strength of each couple, and the familial feel of the group as a whole. It was a perfect ending.

Finally The Happily Every After Epilogue I Have Been Waiting For! I had Stars Above on hold from the library for almost a straight month. I can not tell you how excited I got when I finally received this amazing book from the library. I think I might of scream a little bit of joy when I check it out of the library, of course people were staring and laughing at me. But they all understood my feelings exactly when I got this book in my hands. Now I will tell you I am not a big fans of short stories, I do occasionally do like to read them but mostly of the time I don't read them because I always want more out of the short stories. But I have read four out of nine novella's of the Stars Above on Wattpad and I really love and enjoyed them so much. I really do love going back into the world of the Lunar Chronicles that I can't get enough of it. But also I wanted to read the final epilogue of this fantastic series and sadly said my goodbyes to the Lunar Chronicles world. Plus too read who gets marry at the end of the book, and I tell you I was not disappointed with Stars Above. I absolutely and totally love and enjoy each and every story in this amazing book especially at the happily ever after at the end of the book. I will truly miss this amazing and fantastic world but I will most definitely re-read the whole series in the near future!

I am not normally a fan of novellas, and was not even going to read this. It was on my shelves though, so I knew I had to at least give it a try. This was a perfect companion to The Lunar Chronicles series and I really enjoyed it.
It was so fun getting to learn more about these characters. I liked seeing how everything played out before the actual books started.

I loved learning more about how both Scarlet and Cinder came to live with the Grandmother. Cress was my favorite in the series, so of course, I loved learning more about her story. All of them were great except for one which did not focus on a main character.

Overall, I loved these.

I just - it was amazing! When I got this book, I may or may not of skipped to the wedding, and IT WAS AMAZING!

Out of all the nine stories, I liked "Something Old, Something New" the best. That story was the epilogue of [book:Winter|13206900], and wedding scene. It's kind of hard to review this book because it has multiple stories in it, so the best I can do is say I loved all nine stories. I loved reading the Lunar Chronicles, so when I heard that a companion novel would come out, I just freaked out. Now that's it's out and I've read it, I'm still freaking out.

What I'm basically saying: This book was super awesome and you should go read it.

I love knowing all the backstories to all the characters from the lunar chronicles. There is also an afterward which is a mini story after what happened in Winter. I only wished there was more about Thorne and Cress in the after part, in Mainly focused on Scarlet and Wolf's relationship and then Cinder and Kai. The different novella books were really good in showing how why the characters are the way they are. In Thorne's backstory, we get to know what really happened when he helped Kate Fallow, When she was mentioned in the desert in Cress. I hope there's more to the series, I'm so sad that it is over.

Stars Above is a short story collection from the Lunar Chronicles universe. It has nine stories in it. Some of these stories were originally published at the back of Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress. Others were completely new.

Seven of the short stories are prequels about our favorite character: Cinder, Kai, Scarlet, Wolf, Cress, Thorne, Winter, and Jacin. One of the stories retells The Little Mermaid and one is an epilogue to Winter.

Basically, these short stories are great and I loved them. They give us more backstory and then the epilogue we’ve all been waiting for.

This review first appeared at Orandi et Legendi.

Stars Above was everything I wanted - and more. I hadn't read any of the old short stories before, so everything was new to me. And I'll admit it: novellas and short stories aren't really my thing. I tend to skip them, even if they're part of a favorite series. But I had to make an exception for this one. I've been reeling since I finished Winter, no book able to compare. I was desperate to be back with these characters.

I was not disappointed.

This collection of vignettes is a perfect end to the Lunar Chronicles. While most of the sections fill in the backstory gaps rather than introduce new information, it was entertaining and heartwarming to see the story played out from different perspectives. 'The Little Android" was an insanely creative adaption of "The Little Mermaid," and was probably my favorite part of the entire collection. The last story--"Something Old, Something New"--is the ending we were all hoping for Cinder and the gang. If you enjoyed Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter, be sure to give this one a read. You won't regret it! I enjoyed it so much more than Fairest.

If you loved the Lunar Chronicles then Stars Above is for you! Some of the stories are better than others but they fill in several gaps and answer questions you might have had from the series such as, How exactly did Winter get the scars on her face? How did Cinder end up with her adoptive family? What was Carswell Thorne like as a kid? How did Cress come to be in the satellite? Are Cinder and Kai going to get married or what??

If you want answers to any of those, read this collection of stories...

~~~Review posted on The Heart of a Book Blogger~~~

Stars Above is a bind-up of several novellas and short stories from The Lunar Chronicles. I had read all of the previously published/shared stories, but I was really happy with the five new stories, especially Something Old, Something New, which takes place a couple years after Winter! If you love The Lunar Chronicles, you’ll definitely love reading some of these other stories.

I really enjoyed this book! I do wish it was introduced to be a bit earlier into the series! It gave us an inside look as to why Winter won't use her powers, what happens when the wolf soldiers are picked and why Thorne is the way he is.
Overall the book was good, it did drag in a few places, but if you like the series... this is a great companion book!

Your enjoyment of this one will depend entirely on how much you love the characters of The Lunar Chronicles. If you utterly adore them and just want more time with them, then you’ll find this well worth your time. If you wanted stories with new information about the characters, then you’re going to be disappointed because the majority of these tales function more like highlight reels or deleted scenes. They aren’t telling you anything that you don’t already know.

I wasn’t a huge fan of Winter, so I was hoping that this book would give me a better way to say goodbye to Lunar Chronicles, but by the time I finished the fifth story, I was thinking about leaving the book unfinished. Then I got to The Princess and the Guard. You can read my thoughts on this story below, but suffice to say it’s the main reason this book’s getting three stars instead of two. In fact, all three of the stories that I really liked were found in the final pages of this book. If you get your hands on this and aren’t enjoying yourself, think about skipping ahead to the last four stories.

Now onto a list of the stories, my thoughts on them, and a rather large rant that you’ll find hidden under a spoiler tag in the section about the last story:

The Keeper – a look at Scarlet’s grandmother and her relationship with both Cinder and Scarlet. There’s not really a plot in this one, it’s just a clip reel that spans from the day she takes in Cinder to the day Cinder leaves her care. Every major event that occurs is one that we already knew about from the books. 2/5

Glitches – a look at Cinder’s life with her step-family during the time when her step-father was still alive. Once again, it’s not so much a story as a clip reel that shows how much Peony likes Cinder and how much Adri doesn’t. I’d be hard pressed to say that anything new is revealed here, but it’s interesting to see Cinder learning how her cybernetic augmentations work. 3/5

The Queen’s Army – the story of how wolf became genetically modified and earned his place in the pack. Everything we see here was either only mentioned in the books or left out entirely, so it is somewhat interesting to read. With that being said, if you don’t adore wolf, then you’re not going to enjoy this one. 3/5

Carswell’s Guide to Being Lucky – A glimpse into the life of thirteen-year-old Carswell Thorne. Once again, this is a story without much of a plot; it’s just some scenes jammed together that give us an idea of what Carswell’s life was like at this age. It won’t add anything new to your image of him and it doesn’t improve the plot of the main books, so I found it a rather pointless read. Side note: I have to say, I was surprised that the issue of no tolerance policies was briefly touched on. This series takes place hundreds of years in the future and these are still an issue? Maybe it won’t bother most readers, but that really dragged me out of the story. 2/5

After Sunshine Passes By – this is, essentially, the detailed recounting of the day that Cress was taken to her satellite and it introduces a lot of things that don’t make sense. (view spoiler) 2/5

The Princess and the Guard – A look at Winter’s life during the time when she initially stopped using her gift. This is the first story that I really enjoyed reading. Winter got very little attention in her book, so it’s nice to finally meet her and get a chance to understand her. When the main books gave us her logic for not using her gift, it seemed a bit far-fetched. Actually seeing how the events played out made her choice way more plausible. Oh, and I now love Jacin when before I found him as interesting as cardboard. This story seriously needed to be part of the main series because it develops Winter in a way that her eponymous novel never did. 5/5

The Little Android – A retelling of The Little Mermaid that has nothing to do with the characters from the Lunar Chronicles, but is set in the same world. This doesn’t mean that it’s a bad story, though. Far from it. It’s an enjoyable little tale that most fans will probably love. My only complaint is a minor nitpick that I’m including in case someone else reads this and can think of a good explanation: (view spoiler) 4/5

The Mechanic – Cinder and Kai’s first meeting from Kai’s point of view. Nothing revolutionary, but it’s cute and Cinder/Kai lovers will probably enjoy this. 3/5

Something Old, Something New – A happily-ever-after ending to the series that focuses around a marriage. It’s a fun little story for the most part, but I do need to rant about something: (view spoiler) Now that that’s out of the way, I’ll close by saying that I’m glad that I read this one, too. It shows the main characters interacting in a way that they never got to during Winter and it feels like a much better epilogue then the one the main series gave us. It’s cheesy, but what did you expect? 4/5

Great book! It helped resolve some of the lingering questions about the series and added depth to the characters. I read half of it about 1/2 way through the Lunar Chronicles series, and the other half when I finished. I think this was perfect. It helped me feel more connected to the character's story line, then completed parts of their story afterward.

I didn't enjoy this near as much as I wanted to. I think the problem was that it was mostly prequel shorts, and prior to the series starting, all of the characters honestly had pretty terrible lives. It felt like a step back in character development in the wrong way, I guess? I did enjoy "Something Old and Something New" though.

Some of the stories included in this bundle were ones I'd already read, but for the stories that were new, I was SO excited to read them. I particularly loved the stories that took place AFTER the events of Winter. There's so much more story possible and I'm glad the author took the time to give that to us. For a collection of short stories, I felt it read fairly smoothly. If you enjoyed The Lunar Chronicles, you're going to want to pick this one up!

Unlike Fairest, this one is not required reading and I would give you permission to skip it if it weren't for one hidden gem. The "star" of this anthology was "The Little Android," a re-telling of The Little Mermaid. It is heart-breaking and beautiful and fits so flawlessly into the Lunar Chronicles wor;d that you need to read it. Now.

This was a series of short stories, mostly prequels about each of the characters from the Lunar Chronicles. My favourites were the one about Winter, and the last one (an epilogue).

The book also included the first two chapters of Heartless, her new standalone novel. They made me hungry! The book looks more interesting than I thought it would, me not being a huge fan of Alice in Wonderland. I might try it out eventually.

Most of the stories are fine. Not remarkable, but fine. Mostly, the stories don't feel like they're complete stories, but deleted scenes. The final story was really fun and sweet, but I kind of wished the author had used that story for the denouement of "Winter", rather than what she did; it wrapped the story up better and more concisely.

This is a huge series! There aren't six books to this series but eleven! Four are mostly short stories, but they're fillers. They fill in the gaps between the novels. I read on Marissa Meyer's website, that the stories could be read in three ways. First was as the books came out; easy enough. Next, as the novels released, with the short story fill-ins or in chronological order. I chose chronological order, so I read Fairest first. Then... well, you'll see as I review. I have to say though, Meyer's a cool storyteller! I really enjoyed these books. All of them.
(Lunar Chronicles original banner found on Google and edited by me.)
There's a total of nine stories in Stars Above, but I'm going to only mention one at this time, and that's the one that jives with my chronological storyline. In The Princess and the Guard, the story of Winter picks up. It's after the tragedy that occurred in Fairest, but I won't say what that tragedy is, in case you've not read the series because that would offer up a SPOILER! Anyway, she's learned to survive and is doing her best to make her Queen and step-mother happy.

What I love most about Meyer's stories is the way she allows you to develop a relationship with both the pro and antagonists. You don't just know Queen Levant's evil and why she shuns her beautiful step-daughter Winter- you experience it. You feel Winter's hurt from the constant rejection. You know everything there is to know about these people, so when you discuss the stories with your friends, eavesdroppers will think you're speaking of real people! You know them that well!...
*For the full review: [...]
*Book series is from my personal library.

I'm in Lunar Love Stars Above is an epic read the emotions pour from every page!!!! I was up all night reading and never wanted it to end! WOLFLET & KAIDER ARE AMAZING I'm Totally crushing!!! Something Old, Something New was My Top fave absolutely beautiful!!! The Lunar Chronicles can't end yet We Need More Cresswell Kaider Winter & Jacin Plzzzz Marissa Meyer!!!

A collection that gives some backstory of the series characters but mostly feels like sections that were edited out of the final books. Definitely to be read after reading the series, but not necessary.

This volume was a collection of short stories based on the characters in the Lunar Chronicles series. I liked the tales and the background provided of each character. While it's not essential you read the book, a lot of it was hinted in the main novels, it is nice to drop in on the world and see how everyone is doing.

Having read most of the stories in this book, I was a little hesitant to pick this one up, even though I love the series. But each story was well worth reading. I love the little glimpses we got into each one of their lives and watching how these novellas knit the whole story line together.

Most of the stories are prequels except for The Mechanic (which goes over the very beginning of Cinder from Kai's POV) and the last one (Something Old Something New). I prefered to read the prequel stories and The Mechanic before reading Cinder.

I really enjoyed these short stories. I liked that it fleshed the background of everyone and the last finished off the tale.

I didn't read the sample of Heartless as I truly dislike samples - give me the book and let me judge on that.

OMG! This is the exact conclusion I wanted. I mean the end of winter was good but I didn't feel satisfied the way the series ended. But when I found out Marissa had these nine short stories coming out I was ecstatic. I was completely squealing at the end and almost in tears, this is my absolute favorite fairytale series in the world. I'm very sad that it is done but I just want to say thank you Marissa Meyer so much for such an awesome adventure! And I'm looking forward to your next book heartless? I think it was.

It's a very cute story and a nice 'ending' for the series. However I'd probably prefer it had been written from any other POV since Cinder is kinda my least-favorite character in all of this.
I will really miss all of these characters, and I'd give anything to have a tv show based on these books!

I very much loved the backstories; I wish there were more! And "Something Old, Something New" (essentially an epilogue) just great! Although it took me a while to get to it, I am thoroughly glad I read this book full of short stories!

This is a really great addition to the series. I loved learning all the back stories and getting to know these characters a bit more. I believe it should be read after you finish the series as I feel you appreciate the stories more, especially the last story in the book. Just my opinion, though.

This stories did not bring anything new to the Chronicles and it was actually very boring to read. It was like reading the same stories over again but without the excitement of the books have. It is almost like she didn't even try with this book. Here publisher, here's a book, print it, people will buy it anyways. And the ending was meh. Let with me feeling just, meh.

I was excited to read this book because I wanted more after the series ended. I really liked it, because it really helped make sense of the characters and where they came from and the back story, but sometimes I got a little bored on some parts, but overall I really enjoyed it.

This book is absolutely beautiful. If you've read the series, then this book wil be your whole social life. Trust me, it goes by much too quickly. you'll cry when you're done because IT CANT JUST BE OVER WHHHYYYYYY

i almost cried when i read Cress' story because she just wants somone to love her and she wants to fit in with everyone else. but i think Winter's story was the saddest of them all! but other than those 2, the book was great!

Ok, really?! This is so stupid and disgusting that I stoped reading after about 7 pages. Kids, do not READ PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE YOU WILL BE GROSSED OUT AND YOU (99.99999 percent ) WILL GET NIGHTMARES! Warning if you like this sick stuff dont read on.1. Her toes fell of one by one..... REALLY! 2. Beheadind in the first pages! Not like I recommend it but if you do add beheading at least get to know the characters ! 3. I gave up after this one. Her boyfriend was to be killed (again with the beheading ) Now that is just reaal sick. Advice to author. Please make better books! It might have been because I only got a sample but please! This is almost as bad as the walking dead! I am still a kid. There is a lot in the world I dont understand but this.is just so TERRIBLY HORRIBLE AGAIN KIDS I MADE A MISTAKE PLEASE READ AND LISTEN TO ME!!!!!!!!!!! My favorite books are books like Percy Jackson , The guardians saint Nicholas North and the battle of the Nightmare king, and I am just starting to read it but probably Harry Potter. (and the fart dictionary ) I only left a 1 star reveiw becausethere wasint a 100,000,000- star review . FOR ONE LAST TIME KIDS PLEASE DONT READ UNLESS IF YOU ARE COCO AND YOU LIKE BEHEADINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!