8October 2015Entertainment

Usually I don’t just pick up a book and start reading it. I have to be encouraged by a friend to start something, or I have to read a review of a book before I start it. I know I’m picky, but I don’t want to waste my time reading a book that starts off really good, but ends horribly. So, following my usual process for starting a book, I asked for the recommendation of a friend and started Cinder, by Marissa Meyer.

Let me backtrack; I didn’t ask for a friend’s recommendation, she gave it without my asking for it. Amy Heusinkvelt was praising Cinder to the skies, so to see what the big deal

was, I picked it up. My first reservations came when I read a synopsis and the first word was “sci-fi.” I am not a sci-fi girl. I’m more of a historical fiction, romance, fantasy girl, so sci-fi usually doesn’t come up on my radar as a good book, but Cinder is different.

Cinder isn’t just a science fiction novel, though. It’s based off of the fairy tale Cinderella, so there’s romance, adventure, and action involved, too. Cinder is set in the future, in the Eastern Commonwealth. Linh Cinder is a cyborg, which is half robot, half human. Cyborgs were considered to be inferior humans and were forced to do the most menial jobs. Cinder was adopted, but her stepmother treats her poorly and forces her to

work as a mechanic. She is thrown into the path of Prince Kai and finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle for freedom between Earthens and the technologically advanced Lunars.

I really enjoyed reading this book, but there were some downsides. It started off sort of slow, but I didn’t mind that because she used that time to expose the reader to new terms that end up being pivotal to the story. Towards the middle to end of the story, the pace picks up and a lot happens in the last four chapters. It was a little dizzying as I finished, but after reading the chapters a few times over, I understood what happened.

Another downside to the book is that it is a

little predictable. I mean, it is about Cinderella, and everyone knows the fairy tale, but even in this original story, you learn the plot twist early on.

Notwithstanding, Cinder is a great action story. It’s full of danger, close calls, and harrowing escapes, but it also has plenty of romance and does a good job of examining deeper issues such as dignity, self-esteem, and discrimination.

Cinder is the first book in a series of five, so it ends in a semi-cliffhanger. I finished the book satisfied, but still thirsting for more.

If you are looking for an easy read that has both action and romance woven throughout, then Cinder is the book for you.

With the rise of excellent streaming-media services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu Plus, it’s easier than ever to ditch your discs and stream content directly to your TV or mobile device.

When talking about online video streaming, the first website people think of is probably Netflix. However, Netflix is only one of the many websites that offer instant video streaming.

Personally, I prefer Netflix because of the familiarity and easy to use website. Amazon Prime and Hulu Plus offer almost, if not better plans though. Not to mention, every website has all nine seasons of everyone’s favorite, One Tree Hill.

In my opinion, Netflix is the most popular video streaming website. I often wish it had a larger variety of newer movies. Contrary to my wishes, Netflix has made the decision to drop many of

their movies and TV series. The company will be adding newer releases as time goes on, but they are getting rid of many classics such as some of the original Batman movies and M*A*S*H. I

think most people will be in an uproar due to the 1990 version of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles being taken off. Eight dollars a month does not get you very far on Netflix. Netflix actually does

not offer very many additional features, unlike Amazon Prime.

An Amazon Prime account includes instant video, free music, early access to the newest releases of technology and books, and much more. Amazon Prime memberships even allow you to buy food on the Amazon website. They give you free, two-day shipping, which is almost a necessity in today’s online shopping world.

Cinder: New twist on old taleBy Gabby Middendorf

Editor

goodreads.com

Amazon Prime offers a $99 annual membership, which totals to $8.25 a month. This is practically a steal considering everything an Amazon Prime memberships offers. You are able to access and receive so much more with an Amazon Prime account than a Netflix or Hulu Plus membership.

According to 10 Top Ten Reviews, Hulu Plus is actually ranked higher than Netflix, and is in a tie with Amazon Prime. Hulu frequently updates their videos so there is no problem finding the shows or movies people want to watch. The only downside to that is they still have to watch the commercials. Like Netflix, Hulu Plus is also $7.99 a month.

Some people might not be willing to switch to

a different video streaming company mainly because of the familiarity they have with their current provider. Netflix is my favorite because I have been using it for so long. It would honestly be hard to switch to a completely foreign website, but it would be worth it considering how much more Amazon and Hulu offer.

If you are planning on getting Netflix, I would advise you to do your research before you subscribe to a membership. If you currently have Netflix, consider switching to one of the other websites that offer many better features than Netflix. Netflix might be the most popular and easy to use, but it’s definitely not the best investment.

P r i m e p l a c e t o g e t y o u r f l i c k sBy Emma Ruskamp

Staff Reporter

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