Showing posts with label CASSANDRA CLARE. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CASSANDRA CLARE. Show all posts

Monday, May 6, 2013

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare


Title: Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices #3)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Release Date: March 19, 2013
Source: Purchased
Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository
Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy.

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.

Here's the thing about Clockwork Princess, I was absolutely terrified of the book. As much as I was dying to read it and find out how everything would end, I was still terrified of what it would do to my poor heart. And at times I was perfectly legitimated in my fear because Cassandra Clare really knows how to break my heart over and over again. But at different times, she also managed to help piece it all back together.

All Tessa Gray wants is to protect those she cares about. But there is only so much that is in her control. With Jem seemingly getting more and more sick every day, Tessa can't help but feel like she has to do something to help him. And with the threat of Mortmain looming over the London Institute, everyone is on edge, afraid of an attack that can happen at any moment. But what if there was something Tessa could do that would protect the Shadowhunters? Should she risk her own life in order to keep everyone she loves safe…or will they even let her?

As I've said, I was absolutely terrified when I started reading Clockwork Princess. Having read all of Cassandra Clare's books to date, I know what she is capable of doing and how that has affected me in the past. And my fears were completely legitimated. As those who were receiving my texts while I was reading can attest, there were many moments when I was afraid that the story just couldn't hurt me any more than it already had. Because, honestly, that's what the story did: it broke my heart over and over again. But don't get the wrong idea because it is a fantastically written story. There were so many scenes that took be completely by surprise, both good and bad. And some of those scenes are what helped me piece my heart back together. Until the epilogue came along (please excuse the mini rant that it about to come). The thing about Clockwork Princess is that it had the perfect ending, one I was completely satisfied with. And that ending came before the epilogue. That's not to say that the epilogue wasn't good, because parts of were. But then there was that another part of me that made me kind of mad. And the way things played out, it felt a little like a cop out to me. And I'm sure some of you who've read the book might agree. So my final say on that? The book should have ended before the epilogue and still been just as fantastic, if not even more so.

Here's the thing about the characters in Clockwork Princess: I adore them all…well at least the good guys. Over the course of the three books I have come to care about so many of them. But if I'm being completely honest, in Clockwork Princess, Gideon, Sophie, Cecily and Gabriel completely stole the show. Those four characters quickly became some of my favourites in this series. Without giving too much away, the interactions between these four people were often what helped put parts of my heart back together. But that doesn't mean I still don't love Will, Tessa and Jem. Because those three people have a special place in my heart. The thing about these three characters is that Cassandra Clare managed to write their stories in a way that made it so I have never really been able to decide who Tessa should be with. And somehow this leads me back to the epilogue. Again I apologize if this quickly dissolves into me ranting some more. Without revealing what happens, with the way things played out, I was perfectly happy with who Tessa ended up with at the end--the end that came before the epilogue. But then the epilogue came about and all of a sudden it made me feel like the relationship Tessa had had with one of the boys was rendered meaningless because of what happened in that part of the book. But moving on from my anger with the epilogue, Will, Jem and Tessa are what broke me in this book. And as much as they were responsible for my heart breaking, I will not stop loving them because that's just how attached to these characters I've become. 

Pushing my anger with the epilogue aside, Cassandra Clare's Clockwork Princess was a fantastic read. Any moment I wasn't reading I spent wishing I could be back in that world, watching everything unfold alongside some of my favourite characters. As much as this is a story that will break your heart, if you haven't already discovered the world of the Infernal Devices, you should consider doing so.

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Thursday, May 24, 2012

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare


Title: City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments #5)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Release Date: May 8, 2012
Source: Purchased
Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository
The demon Lilith has been destroyed and Jace freed from captivity. But when the Shadowhunters arrive, they find only blood and broken glass. Not only is the boy Clary loves missing, so is the boy she hates: her brother Sebastian, who is determined to bring the Shadowhunters to their knees.

The Clave's magic cannot locate either boy, but Jace can't stay away from Clary. When they meet again and Clary discovers the horror Lilith's magic has wrought--Jace and Sebastian are now bound to each other, and Jace has become a servant of evil. The Clave is determined to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. 

Only a few people believe that Jace can still be saved. Together, Alex, Magnus, Simon, and Isabelle bargain with the sinister Seelie Queen, contemplate deals with demons, and turn at last to the merciless, weapon-making Iron Sisters, who might be able to forge a wagon that can sever the bond between Sebastian and Jace. If the Iron Sisters can't help, their only hope is to challenge Heaven and Hell--a risk that could claim their lives.

And they must it without Clary. For Clary is playing a dangerous game utterly alone. 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? What price is too high to pay, even for love?

I absolutely love Cassandra Clare and everything she writes. So I had been waiting on City of Lost Souls pretty much since reading the final pages of City of Fallen Angels. It proved to be an absolutely fantastic read and Cassandra Clare has really proved once again that she is a master writer.

Jace and Sebastian have disappeared and no one can seem to find a trace of them. And now that Clary has been cleared of having been involved in their disappearance, the Clave is no longer making finding Jace a priority. But that's not stopping Alec, Isabelle, Simon and Magnus from finding a way to get Jace back while Clary is off risking her own life to find Jace and Sebastian. But once both boys are found, separating them could be difficult. Because of Lilith, Jace and Sebastian are bound, what happens to one happens to the other. Unless they can find a weapon that will hurt one but not the other, Jace could be lost for good.

Once again with this review I will be apologizing because I may not be entirely coherent when expressing my feelings for this book. City of Lost Souls was beyond fantastic. The story picked up right where City of Fallen Angels left off and from there the story took off. What I love about Cassandra Clare's stories is that there is always so much going on but it's all happening to different people in different places. The story is told in the third person and has multiple perspectives so it creates a certain sense of suspense. As a reader I could only follow so many characters at once so I would always hope the story lines would merge in time for everything to work out. And like with all books in this series, I was left begging for the next book.

I have so much love for the characters in the Mortal Instruments series. After being with them for five books I feel like I really know them and I will always root for them...at least the good ones. In City of Lost Souls I couldn't help but want Clary to successfully get Jace back and for Jace to become himself again. And with the other characters, I just wanted things to work out for them. The characters Cassandra Clare wrote just feel entirely real and even though I didn't always like certain characters (*cough* Sebastian *cough*), I could still see where they were coming from. All that to say that I've definitely grown attached to these characters and I can't wait to see how everything will turn out for everyone in the final book. 

If you haven't started reading the Mortal Instruments series yet, you are definitely missing out. With City of Lost Souls, Cassandra Clare's series has only gotten even better. If you pick up City of Lost Souls, or any of the books in this series, you won't be disappointed. 

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Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare


Title: Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices #2)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Release Date: December 6, 2011
Source: ARC from Publisher
Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo
In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when it becomes clear that the mysterious Magister will stop at nothing to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends. With the help of handsome, tortured Will and the devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal and fuelled by revenge. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister knows their every move--and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa is drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets, and give Tessa answers about who she really is? As their search leads to deadly peril, Tessa learns that secrets and lies can corrupt even the purest heart.

Words cannot even describe how excited I was to receive an advance review copy of Clockwork Prince back in October. I had to delay reading it for a few weeks, but when I finally read it, I really couldn't put it down. Cassandra Clare is an amazing writer, and she proved it again with Clockwork Prince.

After the big fight with the Magister, the Shadowhunters of the London Institute are under the scrutiny of the Clave and Tessa is doing everything she can to try to help them. After everything they have done for her, Tessa feels a little responsible for what happened, especially since it's her the Magister is after. But there's a lot more going on in Tessa's life, what with not knowing who to choose between brooding Will and attentive Jem. Not only that but Tessa still doesn't know exactly who or what she is. As Tessa and the Shadowhunters try to find the Magister, they discover that there may be more going on than meets the eye, and more people involved than was originally thought. Now not only does Tessa have to help stop the Magister and his plans, she also has to figure out which boy she wants to give her heart to.

Cassandra Clare is most definitely a master of her craft. And I absolutely love her writing. Right from the first page, I was so excited to be back in the world Cassandra Clare created and reading her words. The world she created is simply and absolutely magical one, and even then it still felt completely real. I've been to London many ties before and know the city really well, but reading Clockwork Prince, I felt like I was discovering a whole new city, that's how great a writer Cassandra Clare is. And then there's the characters she creates, and those alone are reason enough to read the books.

I have grown so attached to all the characters in this series, even the ones who turn out not to be so great. Tessa is an absolutely wonderful heroine, even though sometimes I questioned some of what she said and did. But still Tessa is amazing and I absolutely love her. And how she manages to make up her mind between Will and Jem is a complete mystery to me. Normally, I can pick on of the boys in the books I read, but here I can't seem to choose between Will and Jem. On the one hand, Jem is completely attentive and sweet and perfect at all times. On the other there's Will who hurts everyone around him most of the time, but then there's that other side of him that I absolutely love. And then there's me in the middle constantly being pulled from one side to the other, unable to make up my mind. Cassandra Clare is just particularly gifted at creating absolutely dreamy boys.

Clockwork Prince is absolutely amazing, so much so that I may have to read it again when it comes out. Cassandra Clare once again wrote a fantastic story that kept me on my toes the whole way through. Now I just have to wait for the release of Clockwork Princess... 

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Wednesday, April 20, 2011

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare


Title: City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments #4)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Release Date: April 5, 2011
Source: Purchased
Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Chapters
The Mortal War is over, and 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 important of all--Clary can finally call Jace her boyfriend.

But nothing comes without a price.

Someone is murdering the Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine’s Circle, 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 how he’s homeless. Everywhere he turns, someone wants him on their side--along with the power of the curse that’s wrecking his life. And they’re willing to do anything to get what they want. At the same time he’s dating two beautiful, dangerous girls--neither of whom knows about the other.

When Jace begins to pull away from Clary without explaining why, she is forced to delve into the heart of the 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.

Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge. The stakes are higher than ever in City of Fallen Angels.

It’s been two years since I read the first three books in the Mortal Instruments series so I was really looking forward to jumping back in with City of Fallen Angels. I loved being back with all those characters I had fallen in love with the first time around. If anything, I love Cassandra Clare and her writing even more now that I’m done reading her latest book.

Everyone is back in New York and recovering from the events that took place in Idris. Clary can finally call Jace her boyfriend and not be afraid, Luke and Jocelyn are planning their wedding, Alec and Magnus are on a romantic trip together and Simon is dealing with having two girlfriends. But of course all the peace didn’t last very long. Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine’s Circle are turning up dead all over town and the cause of their deaths could not be more mysterious. On top of everything else, Jace starts acting mysteriously and no one, not even Clary, can seem to figure out what’s going on with him. With a new enemy in town, the stakes are higher for everyone.

Cassandra Clare is a master storyteller. The way she writes the story is just absolutely wonderful and magical and I absolutely cannot get enough. No matter how tired I am or what else I have to do I just kept on turning page after page, until there were none left to turn. The Shadowhunter world she created is also absolutely amazing. There are so many layers to it and there’s always something new to learn. I read a lot of books and there aren’t that many that have a world so well built and a story that is so superbly written. My only problem with the book was the ending, not because it was bad but because it was amazing and left me totally hanging.

Not only does Cassandra Clare write incredible stories but she also creates incredible characters. And it’s not just one character that stands out, it’s all of them. As much as I love Clary and Jace, I loved being able to see more of the other characters. It was great to get scenes told from Isabelle’s, Alec’s and Magnus’s points of view. What I particularly liked what how much of the story was told from Simon’s point of view and getting to know so much more about him. As for Clary and Jace, I really enjoyed seeing Clary grow and develop as a Shadowhunter and how she dealt with her relationship with Jace. Speaking of Jace, he is still as great as ever. He has his dark moments but I can’t bring myself to dislike him one little bit. Much like with the story, with what happened to the characters at the end, I can’t wait to know what happens next.

I’ve already said it but Cassandra Clare is a master of her craft. She writes incredible stories with even more incredible characters. I can’t wait to find out what comes next in both her Mortal Instruments series and her Infernal Devices series. 

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Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Excited for City of Fallen Angels!

With the release of City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare fast approaching, I thought I would share a little about what makes me love The Mortal Instruments series so much and what I hope to see in this next book.


I first read the original three books in this series a long time ago and fell in love. For the most part I was happy with how City of Glass finished and was just looking forward to reading Clockwork Angel, the first book in the prequel series The Infernal Devices. But then last year it was announced that there would be three more books coming out. I was beyond excited to see what Cassandra Clare would come up with next.


I know I’m probably not the only one to be looking forward to this next book just to get more of Jace. Let’s be honest, who wouldn’t want more of him? I was so happy when everything turned out okay (for the most part) for him and Clary in City of Glass. Them not being siblings was a huge plus, though I would have gladly taken him if it wasn’t an option for Clary.


When I think about City of Fallen Angels, I look forward to seeing how all the different relationships will develop. What will happen to Clary and Jace now that they can actually be together? Which girl will Simon choose, Isabelle or Maya? Shadowhunter or werewolf? What’s going to happen to Alec and Magnus? With Jocelyn and Luke now that they’re getting married? There are so many different relationships in this series and I honestly cannot wait to see how they will develop.


It should also be quite interesting to see how different characters adapt to their new situations. Clary is now a Shadowhunter and Simon a vampire. They both have a lot of adapting to do. Simon is especially special, what with being the only vampire that can go out in daylight and not die.


The Mortal Instruments series is one of my all time favorite series, and I cannot even begin to describe how excited I am for the release of City of Fallen Angels. For now I leave you with the countdown widget for the book and the first newly released book trailer. If you ask me, it all looks pretty awesome.







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Monday, September 20, 2010

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare


Title: Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices #1)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Release Date: August 31, 2010
Source: Purchased
Buy the Book: Amazon / Book Depository / Indigo
Magic is more dangerous--but love is more dangerous still.
When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosse 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, who are 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 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’ll say this now, and I’ll probably say this again in this review but, I love Cassandra Clare and the stories she writes. They are simply amazing and quite addicting. Every time I pick up one of her books I wanted to do nothing else then just sit there with it and read it until I’ve gone through it all, and even then I want more. The same thing happened with Clockwork Angel. Even before I started reading I knew I would love it just because of how much I had loved the three books of The Mortal Instruments series. To put it simply, Cassandra Clare and her story most definitely did not disappoint.

All Tessa Gray wanted to do was go to England so she could be reunited with her brother, the only family she had left. But when she gets there, things definitely don’t turn out the way she expects them to. After having been held captive for weeks by two women calling themselves the Dark Sisters, Tessa is rescued by London’s Shadowhunters and taken in at the Institute. From there, things don’t really get easier for Tessa. She still has no idea where her brother is or what is happening to her. With the help of new friends Tessa will learn that there are some things in life that are a lot more difficult and dangerous than they appear, like magic...and love.

There are so many good things to say about Clockwork Angel that I don’t even know where to start. Cassandra Clare has always, in my opinion, had an amazing story-telling ability. Every time I read one of her books I am transported to a whole new world. I feel like I can see and live everything the characters go through. And every time I never want to leave, that’s how good the world Clare creates are. There is something almost magical about her writing that captures you and keeps you prisoner until the story is over. And if you’re like me, you just want to stay there even when the story is over.

Clare also creates these amazing characters. I loved Tessa from the start. Even though she wasn’t always at her best, she almost always put others before her which is something I can’t help but admire. She was always blaming herself for things that weren’t her fault but that just shows how much she cared about the others around her. I especially loved to see how she grew throughout the story. At the beginning she appeared as a scared little girl, but by the end she would hold her ground and I was proud of her for it. I didn’t expect she would become someone this strong and I loved her for growing so much.

Will and Jem. I’ll be honest, I’m not sure yet if I’m Team Will or Team Jem. I loved both boys so much. Sure, Will would often get on my nerves but then there would be moments where he was the most caring and compassionate person and I just couldn’t help but love that about him. It’s easy to see he’s afraid of opening up but he would just gain so much if he did. I have big hopes for Will in the future, mostly that he’ll learn to open up and not be scared to get close to people. Jem was just so caring and gentle in everything he did, it was so hard to picture him being a Shadowhunter and seeing him in the middle of battle. It was almost like he didn’t belong there. Seeing how much he cared about Tessa and how he was with her sometime made me wish I were Tessa. I honestly loved both boys and if I had to choose I would have a very hard time.

With Clockwork Angel, Cassandra Clare has once again written a magical story that will transport readers to another time and place whether they want to or not. There’s no use in resisting, this book will take you to places you never imagined were possible

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