Shadowhunters Poster Giveaway

Last Thursday I went with my sister-in-law to see Cassandra Clare and Michelle Hodkins on their tour. We had a blast and I have two signed Shadowhunter posters to giveaway here on the blog. Check out the giveaway after the pics. Good Luck. :)

read more

Clockwork Angel

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

The Infernal Devices #1

Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos. 

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What’s more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own. 

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length . . . everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world. . . . and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

I really enjoyed Clare's Mortal Instruments series, so I figured I would give this prequel series a try. It caught me off guard, however, as it really wasn't much like any of the Mortal Instruments books. This book is set in the 1800s, and seemed very accurate to the time period. I found the entire book fascinating, and the differences in culture are amazing. The humor is very dry and everything is so very formal. I cannot imagine what it must have been to live in such a time period.

It seems the love triangle theme is making an appearance in this series as well. I'm not entirely sure whether or not Jem is really a candidate for Tessa's affections, as he hasn't said anything of the sort, but I do get the feeling there is something there. He is so kind and caring and the only one who can even remotely deal with Will. I think we have only begun to see the true kindness and caring, and I can only hope there is a possibility of that being directed towards Tessa.

On the other end of the spectrum of Jem's personality is Will. Will reminds me slightly of Jace's character from The Mortal Instruments, but not enough to completely excuse his rudeness. Jace wasn't ever really overtly rude, sarcastic yes, but he still was mostly respectful of those deserving it. Will on the other hand behaves absurdly. However, for a few brief moments in the book his gruff armor cracks and we get a glimpse of some part of him that he's kept locked away. I'm going to reserve my final judgment on him for now, because I do not want to harshly judge him without all the facts, but the way he treated Tessa at the end was horrible. I only hope that the is some good excuse for this major character flaw.

I really enjoyed this book, which actually surprised me after I realized it wasn't what I expected. I came into it thinking it would be just like The Mortal Instruments books, which of course it isn't. I'm not usually a fan of historical fiction, but this one was quite impressive, and I cannot wait to see what is in store for Tessa as she finds out the truth in her heritage.

Rating:

Buy now at Amazon:
Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices, Book 1)

read more

City of Glass

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

The Mortal Instruments #3

To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters—never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.

As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadowhunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadowhunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City—whatever the cost?

Love is a mortal sin and the secrets of the past prove deadly as Clary and Jace face down Valentine in the third installment of bestselling series the Mortal Instruments.

This book starts out with the whole gang preparing to go to the Shadowhunter city, Idris. Clary is going to seek out a warlock that knows how to wake her mother, while everyone else is going to talk about the brewing war. Jace of course, being the overprotective person he is, does everything he can to keep Clary from coming, and he almost succeeds. When she arrives, Jace, being the fool he is, does everything he can to get her to leave. I have to say that I was surprised that Clary believed the cruel things he said. She should have known he was just trying to protect her by getting her out of the city.

There were plenty of heartbreaking moments in this book. It seemed like everyone's relationship came to a head. I won't go into detail as to not spoil the book, but there is one relationship I can talk about as this event happens in the very beginning of the book. Simon, for once, did the smart thing. He broke off the romance between himself and Clary. She was only trying to forget her feelings for Jace as well as trying to not lose Simon. She needs him, just not in the way he wants her too. I was really glad Simon realized it was better to have her in whatever way was real then a faked or forced romance. That definitely showed a major maturity on his part.

I really enjoyed this book, and I just couldn't put it down. It was just as captivating as the first two books. While most things were tied up at the end of this book, there were some events that left unanswered questions. I look forward to reading the future books, seeing more in their world, and finding out how the new changes effect all the characters.

I'm going to do something I don't normally do, and write about a MAJOR SPOILER here. I chose to do this because this "event" just needs to be talked about. So, if you don't like spoilers please do not read any further.

****Spoiler Warning****

****Spoiler Warning****

****Spoiler Warning**** 

****Spoiler Warning****

****Spoiler Warning****  

I knew it! I knew Jace and Clary just could not be siblings. The author couldn't possibly be that cruel! Now, all of the hints about them finally make sense. The two were inexplicably drawn to each other from the start and I was so happy to read that they finally got to be with each other. Every heart wrenching moment between the two of them came jumping back at me and I just exhaled in relief. I didn't realize just how much the angst had been building up in me as well. I think the best books are the ones where you are so submersed that you feel every emotion as if it is happening to you, and this was no exception. The book really was the perfect ending to the first trilogy. I understand the series is going to continue, but the focus will be more on Simon I think. So I was glad this first trilogy ended on such a happy note.

Rating:

Buy now at Amazon:
City of Glass (Mortal Instruments)

read more

City of Ashes

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

The Mortal Instruments #2

Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go—especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil—and also her father.

To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings—and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?

In this breathtaking sequel to City of Bones, Cassandra Clare lures her readers back into the dark grip of New York City's Downworld, where love is never safe and power becomes the deadliest temptation.

The repercussions of finding out Jace is Valentine's son hit everyone hard, but had the most devastating impact on Jace and Clary. While they are trying to figure out their new roles with each other, Valentine doesn't give them a break. He continues with his plot to destroy all of the downworlders as well as the Shadowhunter's Clave. Because of this, Jace's loyalty is constantly tested and questioned throughout the book. Almost everyone believes he is Valentine's spy and he spends most of this book fighting against imprisonment. In the end, one person's revenge could cost them everything, as without their help, it could all easily crumble.

Anyone who read my Review of the first book in this series, City of Bones could tell that I was completely shocked at the twist in the end of the book. I didn't go into to much detail because I didn't want to spoil such a major event. However, now that I've read the second book, I just have to talk about said event. Never would I have expected Jace and Clary to be siblings! The heartache is completely evident between the two throughout this book as they both try to deny/hide their feelings for each other. I cannot imagine finding out the person you love is completely unattainable. They could have overcome almost any other obstacle, but this one just won't go away no matter how much they may want it to.

Its funny that the "love triangle" aspect continues throughout this book considering Jace is her brother, but it does make sense since neither Clary nor Jace can just turn off their feelings. As much as I love Simon's character and his absolute loyalty to Clary, I just don't feel the "romance" between the two of them. I think Simon is truly in love with her, but one side just isn't enough. Clary of course loves him, but its more of an extremely close brother love, the type of love she should have for Jace. I think there are only two reasons she shows any romance at all towards Simon. One, she is trying to forget about Jace, something that just doesn't look likely, and two, because she is afraid of losing Simon. Even though her feelings might not be romantic, she cannot bear the thought of losing him. The poor girl is just in a losing battle on all sides.

There were plenty of shocking moments in this books, and one character in particular was irrevocably changed. Everything about the world and the characters seems so real. All the emotions are felt right along with the characters as they go through the things they do. I love a book/series that really sucks you in, and this one is no exception. The most impressive would have to be Valentine's character. Sometimes the villains in books just don't come across as completely believable or a major threat. However, Valentine is truly a nefarious character as everyone who he comes in contact is utterly destroyed in one way or another. Everyone loves a "good" bay guy to "hate, and Valentine fits that bill perfectly.

Rating:

Buy now at Amazon:
City of Ashes (Mortal Instruments)

read more

City of Bones

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

The Mortal Instruments #1

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder—much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It’s hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing—not even a smear of blood—to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy? 

This is Clary’s first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It’s also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace’s world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . .

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare’s ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

Clary is a 15 year old girl who has a "crazy" mom that seems extremely overprotective. However, Clary quickly realizes that there may have been a reason for all this when she starts to see things other people can't see. When her mother is taken, she is thrust into a world with shadowhunters, demons, vampires, and other creatures. Clary must quickly seek the truth to her heritage and past, if she is to have any hope in rescuing her mother as well as any hope for her own survival. There are plenty of twists and turns that will leave Clary with the knowledge that while she may want to, there is no going back to the way life was before. She will be forever changed.

For most of this book, I seemed to realize things long before Clary did. Usually, a clueless character would annoy me, but that definitely isn't the case in this book. The reader's prior knowledge was just enough to keep away confusion and suck them into the characters. I love Jace's character. He acts so sarcastic and concieted, but you can really see all of that is a front to hide his real feelings. He has been through so much and lost even more, so he shuts everyone out, refusing to let himself care. Well, that is until Clary comes along. Something about the two of them just seems to ignite the other. They really bring out the best and worst in each other.

Its funny how sometimes the cover of a book can be the determination on whether to give a book a shot. I was in the bookstore the other day, not somewhere I get very often on account of the kiddos, and I saw this book. Absently, I remembered seeing it before on other blogs, but I have to say the images do not do the real cover justice. I don't know why I'm so drawn to them, but I think the covers for this series are some of the best I've seen in a long time. They are really captivating and are honestly the biggest reason I decided to read them.

I'm not usually a big fan of fallen angels and nephilim books. Well, I guess that isn't entirely true as I have enjoyed some of the ones I've read. It would be more accurate to say that they aren't usually my first choice. However, I can honestly say I am very glad I read this book. I absolutely loved it! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and was hopelessly sucked in. The only "bad" thing I can say about the book would be the shocking twist at the end. Its one of those that leaves you just hoping its all a trick because you don't believe the author could really be that cruel. Hopefully future books will resolve this issue, but even if they don't the book was still amazing, and I highly recommend it.

Rating:

Buy now at Amazon:
City of Bones (Mortal Instruments)

read more