Sunday, August 31, 2014

City of Heavenly Fire | Cassandra Clare


In this dazzling and long-awaited conclusion to the acclaimed Mortal Instruments series, Clary and her friends fight the greatest evil they have ever faced: Clary's own brother.

Sebastian Morgenstern is on the move, systematically turning Shadowhunter against Shadowhunter. Bearing the Infernal Cup, he transforms Shadowhunters into creatures out of nightmare, tearing apart families and lovers as the ranks of his Endarkened army swell.

The embattled Shadowhunters withdraw to Idris - but not even the famed demon towers of Alicante can keep Sebastian at bay. And with the Nephilim trapped in Idris, who will guard the world against demons?

When one of the greatest betrayals the Nephilim have ever known is revealed, Clary, Jace, Isabelle, Simon, and Alec must flee - even if their journey takes them deep into the demon realms, where no Shadowhunter has set foot before, and from which no human being has ever returned...

Love will be sacrificed and lives lost in the terrible battle for the fate of the word in the thrilling final installment of the classic urban fantasy series The Mortal Instruments!

This book was absolutely phenomenal. It concluded everything in the most perfect way possible. And even though I'm upset that the series is over and my time with Clary, Jace, and all the other characters is over, I don't think there was a better way to end this wonderful series.

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Ignite Me | Tahereh Mafi

Hey Fantabulous Readers!

I have finally finished the Shatter Me Trilogy, here's my review on the final book Ignite Me.


Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Series Tag | The Lux Series

Hey Fantabulous Readers!

Today we are doing yet another series tag, for the Lux Series.

Question #1: What do you think of the covers?

This series also recently underwent a cover change. It went from the ones below to the ones above. To be honest, I don't like either one of these covers. Both are meh. But I especially hate the new ones. The bright blue shinyness, upsidedown silhouette in the background, and half a face have less than nothing to do with the actual plot of the books. And if I didn't already know about the series, I probably wouldn't even have started it. 


Question #2: Why did you decide to read this series? 

My librarian recommended this series to me. She had told me she really enjoyed it and that I would too. Guess what? She was right! 

Question #3: What was your first impression of the series?

I really liked this series right off the bat. The characters were likable and the whole world was intense and a whole lot of fun to read. As much as the first book is like Twilight, it is so much better and I was into the series from the start. 

Question #4: What was your final impression of the series?

I was really surprised when the series ended since I didn't really see it coming. I'm somewhat upset that it's over, but I think it was ended pretty well, so I'm not upset about it. 

Question #5: Who was your favorite character in the series?

Katyyy. Like i said, she's kickbutt. She's strong and independent and can hold her own which is great.

Question #6: Which character showed the most growth in this series?

Again I'd have to say Katy. She went from this nerd book blogger to a kickbutt heroine in her own messed up dystopian world. She's really great and I love her.

Question #7: How long will you be in post-book depression after reading this series?

Not too long, considering City of Heavenly Fire is next up on my TBR and I'm really really excited to get into that.

Question #8: Dawson or Daemon?  

Definitely Daemon. We saw more of him and he's confident and awesome and hot. 

Question #9: Rate the books in order from favorite to least favorite. 

1. Obsidian
2. Onyx
3. Opposition
4. Opal
5. Origin

Question #10: What's your favorite ship? 

Kaemon, no doubt. Granted we really didn't see many other ships in this book. But Kaemon is pretty kickbutt. 

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Opposition | Jennifer L. Armentrout


Katy knows the world changed the night the Luxen came. 

She can't believe Daemon welcomed his race or stood by as his kind threatened to obliterate every last human and hybrid on Earth. But the lines between good and bad have blurred, and love has become an emotion that could destroy her-- could destroy them all. 

Daemon will do anything to save those he loves, even if it means betrayal.

They must team with an unlikely enemy if there is any chance of surviving the invasion. But when it quickly becomes impossible to tell friend from foe, and the worls is crumbling around them, they may lose everything-- even what they cherish most-- to ensure the survival of their friends... and mankind. War has come to Earth. And no matter the outcome, the future will never be the same for those left standing. 

This is the fifth and final book in the Lux series.

Generally I really enjoyed this book. It was a really good mix of action and romance, although I admit it did seem a bit short. Because this is the fifth book of the Lux Series, I'm going to go straight into my spoiler-filled discussion. I'll link the reviews to the rest of the books below.

Obsidian
Onyx
Opal
Origin

Monday, August 25, 2014

Unravel Me | Tahereh Mafi

Hey Fantabulous Readers!

I just finished Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi, here are my thoughts!


Bout of Books: Day 7 Update

Hey Fantabulous Readers!

Bout of Books 11 is over! Here's what I read!


Currently Reading: 

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

Finished Reading: 

Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi
Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

Pages Read: 167
Total Pages Read: 1728 


Overall, I'm not too happy with this turnout, but at the same time it's more than I expected to read. I'm just hoping I can do better next readathon. Let me know in the comments below how you did! 

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Bout of Books: Day 6 Update

Hey Fantabulous Readers!

The Bout of Books readathon is almost over! Progress time!


Currently Reading: 

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

Finished Reading: 

Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi
Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi
Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

Pages Read: 216
Total Pages Read: 1561

Overall I'm pretty alright with my progress throughout this readathon. Especially considering I was so busy throughout this whole week. I read a lot more than my TBR said...so yay :D 

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Series Tag | Anna and the French Kiss

Hey Fantabulous Readers!

Since the last book of the Anna and the French Kiss Series was just released I think it's time to do the Series Tag!


Question #1: What do you think of the covers?

After the second book the publishing company decided to make a cover change. They changed the original ones (left) to the ones above. I fully support this cover change because I would have picked up this series sooner had it not been for the covers. I love the color scheme and font on the new covers.



Question #2: Why did you decide to read this series? 

For the longest time I had been seeing these books everywhere, but I continually wrote it off as a "stupid girly book" primarily because of the cover. I was sitting in the library one day and decided to pick up Lola and the Boy Next Door since I was bored. My favorite couple from that book was Anna and Étienne, and I was ecstatic when I found out that the first book was about them. 


Question #3: What was your first impression of the series?

I actually read these books out of order. The first one I read was about Lola, so I wasn't impressed but I didn't hate it either.

Question #4: What was your final impression of the series?

I really really think this series went downhill. I loved Anna and Étienne in the first book but each couple started getting more and more irritating and less cute.

Question #5: Who was your favorite character in the series?

Étienne St. Clair. He was perfectly imperfect. *sighs wistfully*

Question #6: Which character showed the most growth in this series?

For this, I'd have to choose Meredith. She went from being in love with St. Clair to just being happy with herself. Also I respect her because she's the only one who didn't end up with someone.

Question #7: How long will you be in post-book depression after reading this series?

To be quite honest, not at all. In fact, I need to read the next book as fast as possible to get rid of the bitter taste Isla left.

Question #8: Étienne, Cricket or Josh? 

Étienne by a long shot. He's confident, but not arrogant. He's sweet and charming but not flirtatious. He's overall just a great guy and his flaws just make you love him more. 

Question #9: Rate the books in order from favorite to least favorite. 

1. Anna and the French Kiss
2. Lola and the Boy Next Door
3. Isla and the Happily Ever After

Question #10: What's your favorite ship? 

Anna and Étienne. Again, there's really no question. Their relationship was written perfectly in the series. From acquaintances to friends to best friends to more than friends. It was at the right pace and it was believable and I love them.

Bout of Books: Day 5 Update

Hey Fantabulous Readers!

I can't believe the Bout of Books is almost over! I feel like I barely did any reading!

Currently Reading: 

Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Finished Reading: 

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi
Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi
Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

Pages Read: 408
Total Pages Read: 1345

Friday, August 22, 2014

Bout of Books: Day 4 Update

Hey Fantabulous Readers!

I didn't really make much progress on Day 4 since I was out all day, but here it is!


Currently Reading: 

Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Finished Reading: 

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi
Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

Pages Read: 107
Total Pages Read: 937

Summertime Madness Tag

Hey Fantabulous Readers!

There's been a tag floating around the Booktubesphere called the Summertime Madness Tag and I was tagged by the lovely Ellen from pottermorebooks! Here it is!


Thursday, August 21, 2014

Isla and the Happily Ever After | Stephanie Perkins


From the glittering streets of Manhattan to the moonlit rooftops of Paris, falling in love is easy for hopeless dreamer Isla and introspective artist Josh. But as they begin their senior year in France, Isla and Josh are quickly forced to confront the heartbreaking reality that happily-ever-afters aren’t always forever.

Their romantic journey is skillfully intertwined with those of beloved couples Anna and Étienne and Lola and Cricket, whose paths are destined to collide in a sweeping finale certain to please fans old and new.

Before the mobs of people swarm my door with torches and pitchforks, hear me out. I love a good love story as much as the next girl, but this was just ridiculous. 

First there was Isla, beautiful name, irritating personality. Insecurities are to be expected and with some of the things Josh did, they were even justified, but at some point it was too much. She was both highly insecure and obsessed with Josh, to the point where it would be considered stalkerish. She was smart, great, but she was willing to throw away her work and effort in an instance for a guy, and she wonders why she wasn't accepted into college. Anna and Lola both had their problems, but there were parts of them we could connect to and relate with. With Isla, she was just the annoying girl who creates unnecessary drama. She's the girl who pushes her family and best friends away for a guy, a decision I cannot respect. 

Then we have Josh. I didn't hate him. But in Anna and the French Kiss I shipped him with Rashmi, even though they didn't really work out I loved them together, so seeing him with another character really made this book hard to read. The communication between the two was awful. While Anna and Étienne's relationship was gradual and gentle, Isla and Josh's was instantaneous and intense. It wasn't believable. I don't believe that the one guy Isla has been crushing on for three years all of a sudden likes her back and has liked her for the past three years as well. 

In Anna and the French Kiss, the fact that the setting was in Paris made the story so much more romantic, with the trips to the movie theater and the Parisian restaurants we really saw why Paris was the city of love. With Isla, it didn't make a difference where they were. And to be quite honest, I didn't even know where they were half the time. 

I was so tempted to stop reading and I ended up just skimming the last couple of pages. Anna and the French Kiss had set such high standards for me, standards that Isla didn't match up to. My favorite part of the book was Anna and St Clair's cameo, which is sad considering the book wasn't even about them. I started hoping that maybe we would start following them inside, but no such luck. 

Overall I really didn't enjoy Isla and the Happily Ever After, it was a disappointment. Do you agree with me? Disagree? Let me know in the comments below! 



Bout of Books: Day 3 Update

Hey Fantabulous Readers!

We're three full days into the readathon! Time for my daily update!

CURRENTLY READING: 

Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout

FINISHED READING: 

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi
Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins

PAGES READ: 170
TOTAL PAGES READ: 830

Bout of Books: Like This, Try This Challenge

Hey Fantabulous Readers!

We're four days into the Bout of Books and today's challenge, Like This, Try This is hosted by the wonderful Writing My Own Fairytale.

Rules: 


1. You must recommend a book based on another book, movie, tv show, etc similar to this: “If you liked _____, you should try _____ because _____.”

2. Any genre and reading level is fine and you may use any set-up you like, so long as you’re recommending a book based on something else and explaining why.

3. Post your recommendation wherever you are posting your read-a-thon updates.


If you liked...



Then you should try...



Both of these are cute adorable love stories. Both books cover real issues in a relationship and both books give you the happy feels. 



Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Bout of Books: Day 2 Update

Hey Fantabulous Readers!

Day 2 of the readathon is now over! Let's see my progress.


Currently Reading: 

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Finished Reading

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Pages Read: 199
Total Pages Read: 660



Bout of Books 11: Sentence Challenge

Hey Fantabulous Readers!

It's Day 3 of the Bout of Books! Today's challenge, the Sentence Challenge, is hosted by the lovely Book Reviews from a Christian Girl.



The rules are simple: for this challenge, I want you to pick some awesome books out and make a sentence with the first two words from each of your books.  I have tried this myself and it can be a little tricky because the lack of verbs in the first two words of the book.  Therefore, you can add another word that is not from the first two words of the books if you wish.  The more ridiculous, the better. 

Here's my sentence: 


Back in the world, it's midnight. 


Here are the books I used: 


Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins
Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi 

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Series Tag | The Infernal Devices

Hey Fantabulous Readers!

So I've decided to start doing a Series Tag, basically after I finish a series I'm going answer a couple questions about the series as a whole.

Today's series is The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare.


Question #1: What do you think of the covers?

I really really like these covers. Although Clockwork Prince and Princess are definitely better than Clockwork Angel. I think it's supposed to be Will, Jem and Tessa? But Will is definitely better looking than that so I don't think it does him justice.

Question #2: What was your first impression of the series?

Honestly this series was really difficult for me to get into. Since I was reading it intertwined with the Mortal Instruments series, by publication date, I had just finished City of Glass, and if you've read City of Glass you know what I mean when I say that it is so action-packed and fast and thrilling. So starting Clockwork Angel was a real struggle and I didn't really like it that much.

Question #3: What was your final impression of the series?

The epilogue of Clockwork Princess is both heartbreakingly sad and happy and I was pretty attached to the characters, but I've heard they make an appearance in City of Heavenly Fire so it's not over. Not yet.

Question #4: Who was your favorite character in the series?

Magnus Bane. I love him so much. What really sealed it for me was when he was walked in on Tessa and Will in Mortmain's lair. He's so funny and chill and laid back.

Question #5: Who did you think was the breakout character of this series?

Sophie, definitely Sophie. She started out as a mundane servant and by the end of the book she was such a strong Shadowhunter.

Question #6: How long will you be in post-book depression after reading this series?

Probably a week or so until I decide to pick up City of Heavenly Fire.

Question #7: Will or Jem?

WILL WILL WILL WILL WILL WILL WILL WILL WILL WILL. I don't not like Jem, but WILL.

Question #8: Rate the books in order from favorite to least favorite. 

1. Clockwork Princess
2. Clockwork Prince
3. Clockwork Angel

Question #9: What's your favorite ship? 

Wessa, although Gophie and Gabriely were really cute too.

Question #10: Who do you tag? 

I tag everyone and anyone who's read this series and wants to answer these questions :) 


Bout of Books: Day 1 Update

Hey Fantabulous Readers!

Day one of the readathon is over! This is what I've read so far!


Currently Reading: 

Opposition by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Isla and the Happily Ever After by Stephanie Perkins


Finished Reading: 

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

Pages Read: 461
Total Pages Read: 461

I started so many books on a whim, so there goes my TBR...

Bout of Books 11: OTP Challenge

Hey Fantabulous Readers!

It's Day 2 of the Bout of Books readathon and today's challenge is the OTP challenge hosted by the lovely Infinite Ink.

The rules are simple. Just tell me about your OTP. It doesn't have to be canon, it can be whatever you so desire. Fangirl the day away.

So my OTP is Percabeth (Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase from the Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series)

Here's a picture of them.


And another.


I could honestly go on forever. Thank god there are fans who are fantastic at drawing and allow me to indulge myself in Percabeth. 

But Percabeth is seriously the best. It took five years for their relationship to even start and they went from hating each other, to being tentative friends, to being best friends, then having crushes on one another, to FINALLY becoming canon. They've been through everything together and, as cheesy as this sounds, they complete each other. Annabeth doesn't depend on him and can stand on her own as a female character. Both of them support each other and strengthen each other. And I just love them so much. They literally make me cry every time I tumblr stalk them...which is a lot. 

Monday, August 18, 2014

Clockwork Princess | Cassandra Clare


Tessa Gray should be happy—aren't all brides happy? Yet as she prepares for her wedding, a net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. A new demon appears, one linked by blood and secrecy to Mortmain, the man who plans to use his army of pitiless automatons, the Infernal Devices, to destroy the Shadowhunters. Mortmain needs only one last item to complete his plan. He needs Tessa. And Jem and Will, the boys who lay equal claim to Tessa's heart, will do anything to save her.

This is the third and final book in the Infernal Devices Series, so I'm going go directly into the spoiler filled discussion of the book, however I will link my reviews to the other books in this series. 


Bout of Books 11: Day 1 Challenge

Hey Fantabulous Readers!

Today is Day 1 of the Bout of Books!

Every day there will be a different challenge and today's challenge is the Bout of Books Scavenger Hunt hosted by the lovely Book Monsters.

Rules

Either take actual pictures of find them online of books that follow the following criteria.

1. A book that begins with "B" (for bout of books) 
2. A book that has been made into a movie or TV Show
3. A series you love
4. An anthology of short stories or poems 
5. A book on your TBR shelf, or your full TBR shelves.

Here are my answers! 

A book that begins with "B" (for bout of books) 



Beautiful Creatures by Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia

A book that has been made into a movie or TV Show.



The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

A series you love.



Percy and the Olympians by Rick Riordan

An anthology of short stories or poems 



Complete Series and Poems of Edgar Allen Poe by Edgar Allen Poe

A book on your TBR shelf, or your full TBR shelves.


Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Bout of Books TBR

Hey Fantabulous Readers!

Bout of Books 11 is coming up and I'm going to try and predict my TBR for the week. My week is pretty jam-packed with volunteer work and plans with friends so my goal isn't too high.



The first two books are the last two books in the Shatter Me Trilogy: Unravel Me and Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi! Ellen and I are hosting a readalong for this series and the live show for it will be on August 29th at 2 pm Eastern time so join us!!
Here's the link to the Goodreads Group!



Then I want to finish up the Mortal Instruments with City of Heavenly Fire. If I do finish all these books, I'm going to be going through severe post book depression.


That's it for my TBR! Let me know in the comments below what you plan on reading for the Bout of Books! 

Shatter Me | Tahereh Mafi

Hey Fantabulous Readers!

Here are some of my thoughts and opinions on Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi! Hope you enjoy!




Friday, August 15, 2014

Words With An Author | Paul Mcavoy

Hey Fantabulous Readers!

Today we will be talking to Paul Mcavoy, the author of the So I Met...Series, we're going to be discussing his latest book, So I Met A Demon!


1. How did you get into writing? When did you first start writing?


I used to read a lot as a kid, and always thought I would like to write my own stories as well. I used to tell stories as a boy and make up puppet shows for my sister Kathy. It was always something I enjoyed doing

2. Where did you come up with the idea for So I Met a Demon? Who/ what is your inspiration?

So… I Met a Demon is part of a series of books featuring different characters, kids in their mid teens who come across various beings of the supernatural. They are not part of a series in which you need to read them all, but ones you can read as and when. There is a mysterious Department of Paranormal Investigations – a government agency who do seem to pop up all the time in the books, however, including the enigmatic Bobby B.

3. Are any of your characters based on people you actually know, if so which ones?

No, all the characters from my imagination, at least consciously anyway!

4. Have you written anything before So I Met a Demon?

I have been writing mostly YA books recently, mainly my ‘So… I Met’ series. But I have had over 20 adult short stories published, some of which feature in my collection ‘Cold Skies’ which is available only in Kindle format at the moment. 

5. If you had to pick only five books from your bookshelf you could keep, what would they be?

Good question, I suppose I would have to pick five favourite authors, along with five of their best books.
Stephen King - The Stand (something epic)
Darren Shan – Lord Loss (something gory!)
JK Rowling - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azbaban (something magical)
Iain Banks – The Crow Road (something funny and poignant)
Suzanne Collins – The Hunger Games (something I have just started reading!)

6.  Who is your favorite character from any book and why?

Wow, what a toughy… one I think I might end up changing my mind with from time to time. Of all the books I have read…. Hmm… Maybe Red from The Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King…

7. How long did the writing process take for So I Met a Demon? From conception of the story to final publication?

Roughly a year and a half from the time I had my first initial idea to when it was released.

8. Who are some of your favorite authors?

Stephen King, Darren Shan, Iain Banks, JK Rowling…

9. What actors/ actresses could you see playing the characters of your book?

I guess my books are for the young adult audience, so that is quite tough to choose…. Would love for Chloe Moretz to be in a film adaptation of one of my books… but not really sure which!

10. How did you come up with the title and cover of So I Met a Demon? Did they morph as you wrote the book, or were they constant?

Because it is part of a series, the so I met bit was easy. As for where it came from in the first place, not too sure.

11. Are you planning to write any other books?

I Have another So… I Met book on the go, ‘So… I Met a Vampire.’ Plus I am writing notes for a totally new series set in a dystopian alternate universe… which I am looking forward to writing.

12. What would your advice be to someone who's aspiring to be a writer?

Read a lot, write a lot, find your own style. Prepare to be rejected by publishers… A Lot! But don’t take it to heart if your work IS rejected. Keep on writing, and remember why you write in the first place… because you enjoy it, because you are compelled to do it.


13. Finally, just to wrap things up, what's your favorite color and why?

This is a tricky question. But I’ll have to say blue. It is the color of the sky on a nice day, the color of the ocean. Plus it is the color of my favourite football (soccer) team!
 Where To Find Him: 
Twitter: @paulmcavoy

City of Lost Souls | Cassandra Clare


The New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments continues—and so do the thrills and danger for Jace, Clary, and Simon.

What price is too high to pay, even for love? When Jace and Clary meet again, Clary is horrified to discover that the demon Lilith’s magic has bound her beloved Jace together with her evil brother Sebastian, and that Jace has become a servant of evil. The Clave is out to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. As Alec, Magnus, Simon, and Isabelle wheedle and bargain with Seelies, demons, and the merciless Iron Sisters to try to save Jace, Clary plays a dangerous game of her own. The price of losing is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost?

Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge. Darkness threatens to claim the Shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series.

Since this is the fifth book in the Mortal Instruments Series, I will be going straight into a spoiler filled discussion of the book, but here are the links to my reviews of all the other books. 
City of Bones
City of Ashes 
City of Glass
City of Fallen Angels

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Clockwork Prince | Cassandra Clare


In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street—and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa’s powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister’s war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move—and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, but her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will—the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.



This is the second book in the Infernal Devices Series and continues where the first book left off. I really do recommend this series and I'll link my review to Clockwork Angel. 

Spoiler-Filled Review

This was a heck of a lot better than Clockwork Angel. One of the main things that I loved was the character development. It was utter perfection. So many of my original opinions about certain characters were completely switched or strengthened.

First, I need to discuss Will. Remember when I said I couldn't understand why people liked him? Well now I do. His story is so touching and we finally understand why he acts so rudely to everyone, especially Tessa. It made sense that the curse was fake because his family wouldn't have stopped loving him just because he left, so theoretically they should have all been dead. But asides from the curse, Will is such a terrific friend to Jem. He does everything and anything for Jem, regardless of the pain he has to go through. 

Then we have Jem. Don't get me wrong, I love Jem. But he's no Will. While Will was tough and mean on the outside, he was selfless and caring on the inside while Jem was just the opposite. He's sweet and endearing on the outside but completely self-absorbed on the inside. He claimed he didn't want everyone worrying about his illness, but took every mistake, every action someone did, as a personal offense. 
Will went and got high, he was obviously making fun of his disease. 
Tessa wasn't romantic and loving towards Jem, it's obviously because of his disease. 
It left little freedom to the other characters and just annoyed me. 

Of course where there are two males and a female, a love triangle ensues. Tessa said she was in love with Jem? Nah, I think she's pronouncing it wrong. It's Will. WILL. W-I-L-L. 
Normally within love triangles, it's fairly easy to predict who the protagonist is going to end up with. It's usually the hot, new guy, never the best friend. But with these three I really don't know, mostly because her and Jem was so out of the blue. I'm leaning towards Will. Mostly because she had to tell herself she loved Jem over and over again. In terms of this love triangle, Tessa failed miserably. She couldn't make a decision and continually went back and forth between the two. One night she'd make out with Will, the next Jem, and so forth. THEN, Jem gets the brilliant idea to propose to her, and instead of saying she'd think about it, or just flat out no, she says yes?! AND THEN, LITERALLY RIGHT AFTER WILL DECIDES TO ADMIT HIS LOVE FOR HER. THIS WAS SUCH BAD TIMING.


Bro Tip 102: When you love someone, tell them right away. Don't wait, otherwise they might get engaged to someone else. 

AND THEN THIS MOTHEREFFER (Jem) was telling Will about his engagement and thought that Will saved Tessa for Jem. NOT EVERYTHING IS ABOUT YOU JEM. And Will being the wonderful person he is let Jem have Tessa. I was actually crying at this point because Will deserves everything, but gets nothing. And the really only option is that Jem dies. Is it bad that I'm hoping it happens?

Besides the love triangle, which caused me the most feels, there are a few more characters I want to talk about. The minor characters were much much more prominent in this book, including Sophie and Jessamine. Sophie was the stand out character in this book. She started out as barely even a side character and slowly climbed her way to the top. 
Anything good I said about Jessamine I take back. The fact that she was willing to betray her family for a way out of the Shadowhunter life is ridiculous. I thought her demeanor might have just been a shell, like Will's was, but she was just as rotten inside as she was on the outside. She has two options in the next book. She can either redeem herself or die.

As soon as the book started we jumped right into the plot. First we have the Enclave meeting where Benedict Lightwood challenges Charlotte's jurisdiction over the Institute, simply because she's a woman and women "think not with their minds but with their hearts" So Charlotte is given two weeks to find Mortmain. They exhaust every path and Mortmain seems to foreshadow every one of their moves, which is a bit suspicious. Mortmain didn't strike me as a particularly intelligent guy. 

They then find an invitation to Jessamine from Nate inviting her to attend Mortmain's ball, held by Benedict Lightwood. For "true love", Jessamine has been spying for Nate, which is exactly why Mortmain knew exactly what to do. 

Since the beginning Will has been making jokes about a disease called "demon pox", which was introduced as a joke, but ended up being a real thing. It's basically the mystical chlamydia.

"Demon pox, oh Demon pox

Just how is it acquired? 

One must go down to the bad part of town

Until one is very tired.

Demon pox, oh Demon pox, I had it all along--

Not the pox, you foolish blocks, 

I mean this very song--

For I was right and you were wrong!"


At least Charlotte got reelected to lead the Institute. And her and Henry made up, which was great. They are a good example for how couples should communicate.

Mortmain is still missing, so I'm assuming that's what the next book will be about. I heard Clockwork Princess is a chock full of feels and I am not prepared at all.
I also don't approve of Jem and Tessa's marriage so I'm not letting it happen.

What was your favorite scene? Mine was definitely when Sophie knocked Jessamine in a panic. She is quickly becoming my favorite female character in this series. 

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

City of Fallen Angels | Cassandra Clare


The Mortal War is over, and sixteen-year-old Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. She’s training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Her mother is getting married to the love of her life. Downworlders and Shadowhunters are at peace at last. And—most importantly of all—she can finally call Jace her boyfriend.
But nothing comes without a price.

Someone is murdering Shadowhunters, provoking tensions between Downworlders and Shadowhunters that could lead to a second, bloody war. Clary’s best friend, Simon, can’t help her—his mother just found out that he’s a vampire, and now he’s homeless. When Jace begins to pull away from her without explaining why, Clary is forced to delve into the heart of a mystery whose solution reveals her worst nightmare: she herself has set in motion a terrible chain of events that could lead to her losing everything she loves. Even Jace.


The stakes are higher than ever in the #1 New York Times bestselling fourth installment of the Mortal Instruments series.

As the fourth book in the series, I'm going to go straight into the spoiler-filled review, but I'll link my reviews to the previous books down below. 

City of Bones
City of Ashes
City of Glass

Spoiler-Filled Review

City of Fallen Angels? 

More like City of Fallen Relationships. 


Literally every relationship in the book faced some issues.

There was Simon and his girl problems. Since the first book his character has changed so much. He's no longer the dorky adorable boy, now he's the hot guy that gets all the girls. Of course I'm happy for him, but I do miss the dorky mundane. In terms of his relationship, I ship him more with Isabelle than with Maia, partly because Maia has another potential love interest and partly because Simon and Izzy are so cute. Sizzy for the win! I just want more of them, hopefully I get that in the next few books.

Then we got Malec. At the beginning of the book, they were traveling across the world, which was really cute. But once they got called back, Magnus had to deal with Camille, who was once his lover, causing a bit of jealousy in Alec, slightly overdramatic but cute nonetheless. I love that they start getting more serious in this book and really start thinking about long term plans. Alec realizes that while Magnus is immortal, he is not. There was talk of immortality for Alec and I'm really wondering if that's going to pan through.

New relationship: Jordan and Maia. Jaia? Mordan? I don't really know. I figured something was off when Kyle joined the band, but I assumed he was an evil spy or something, not a good guy. Thankfull he turned out to be a good guy, and I see a potential relationship between him and Maia. They have history and they know each so I really want them back together.

Finally there was Clace. I am so incredibly disappointed with the lack of cute Clace and am so done with the dramatic Clace. I'm really starting to like Clary more and more. She's grown so much from the first book and she's becoming a more sensible protagonist. Jace, on the other hand, is going downhill. I thought finally being with Clary would bring him back to his usual witty and sarcastic self, but no, of course he has to avoid her for a good part of the book. I get it. He was being tortured in his dreams, but there's this thing called communication. If he had talked to her sooner, they could have found a cure or performed the ritual sooner and prevented a lot of bad things from happening. I really expect some better Clace in the next book.

Overall, I thought the plot was fantastic. I wasn't sure where this book was gonna go after City of Glass but I like where this is headed. The minor characters were much more involved with the plot and the rescue mission which was great because we got to see more of them and learn more about them.

The plot starts with Shadowhunters found dead scattered throughout the city. These deaths coincide with Camille's appearance, so of course she's suspected. She approaches Simon, giving him an opportunity to become powerful, and Simon, being as awesome as he is, refuses and bands together the Shadowhunters to capture her. During her confession, she disclosed that someone else was ordering her to do all of them, but refuse to say who.

Somewhat separately, there was the issue of the babies. A dead baby was found. A completely normal dead baby except that where his fingers should have been, there were claws.



Jace was also heavily involved in the plot. When Clary brought him back from the dead in City of Glass, he imbalanced nature. He began having these really strange dreams about killing Clary, and then he had one about Max, who drew a rune on him to bind him to Lilith, the mother of all demons. Who, coincidentally, was in charge of the demon babies and Camille.

In the church where all of them were, there was a huge coffin that had, surprise surprise, Sebastian's body. I figured that Sebastian still alive for two reasons:
1. Sebastian's body was never found
2. The plot had to go somewhere, and it seemed pointless to create a whole new enemy that had little to no connection to the previous books

Bro tip 101: Never proclaim someone dead unless you have their body to prove it. 

Once Jace was back to normal and Simon had killed Lilith with the Mark of Cain, (I still don't understand why it's a curse for him? Maybe because it's heavenly and he's "damned"?) I expected everything to calm down, but instead Jace and Sebastian step into the circle and exchange blood and get bound together. Seriously? Clary needs to put Jace on a leash or sumthin' cause this kid is always getting in trouble.

I predict more Clace disturbance. Jace is going to be possessed and bound to Sebastian and hurt Clary or avoid her some more. I'm really hoping they unbind Jace and Sebastian, otherwise that's gonna be a problem.

I finally get why people read the Infernal Devices in conjunction with the Mortal Instruments Series. There are crossover places and characters that appear in both books and it's really fun to catch. For example Will Herondale was mentioned a couple times and Camille De Court made a guest appearance.

Let me know in the comments who you ship. I ship Sizzy hard.

Monday, August 11, 2014

Clockwork Angel | Cassandra Clare


In a time when Shadowhunters are barely winning the fight against the forces of darkness, one battle will change the course of history forever. Welcome to the Infernal Devices trilogy, a stunning and dangerous prequel to the New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series.

The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them....

This is the first book in the Infernal Devices Series, which is the prequel to the Mortal Instruments Series. It's the same Shadowhunter world, simply with a new cast of characters. Between this series and the Mortal Instruments there are many characters, places and events that overlap, so it's fun to read them together.