Book Review #721 - The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air #1) by Holly Black

Jude was seven years old when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

In doing so, she becomes embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, discovering her own capacity for bloodshed. But as civil war threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

 

 

My Rating: 8/10

 

 

I read this book straight after I finished the Wings series and whilst I would usually read a couple of book between picking up a book in a similar genre, I couldn't on this occasion as this book was for book club.

 

I have tried reading Holly Black before (not including her books with Cassandra Clare) and have never been able to get into them so I was rather worried this book would suffer the same fate.

 

 

When I first started this book, I found it really slow and if it wasn't for book club I probably would have given up. It took me around 100 or so pages though and then I couldn't put the book down. I ended up staying up until around 4:00am to finish it and read it entirely in one sitting.

 

 

The faeries in this book were simply amazing. I loved the mythology behind them and because the narrator Jude was a human surrounded by these immortal creatures, they were rather scary at times. This was the first book I have read where the faeries were portrayed on the darker scale - and I loved it.

 

 

I don't usually enjoy politics in books but I found this was one of my favourite elements in this story especially as the story progressed. There were so many twists along the way, it was never boring.

 

 

I loved Jude as a narrator. She was kidnapped from her human world and so has virtually grown up in the faerie realm her entire life. Even though it is completely dangerous for her there, this is the only home she has ever known so she doesn't have many options.

 

 

Jude's twin sister on the other hand makes entirely different life changing decisions than Jude and so I am eagerly anticipating the next book to see where that, and about a thousand other things are going to go as this book has endless possibilities.

Book Review #720 - Destined (Wings #4) by Aprilynne Pike

Laurel used to think she was an ordinary girl from Crescent City, California. She never would have believed she was truly a faerie from a realm called Avalon.

Now Laurel must risk her life to save Avalon from destruction by Yuki—a rare and powerful Winter faerie—and troll-hunter Klea. But Laurel won’t have to fight alone; David and Tamani, two boys she loves in different ways, will be by her side, along with her best friend, Chelsea.

 

 

My Rating: 7/10

 

 

This is the fourth book in the Wings series and is definitely my favourite so far. I loved the amount of action there was in this book especially as it was told over a 24 hour period.

 

 

Laurel didn't annoy me as much in this book as she had in previous books and I think this was because she finally started to mature.

 

 

David really developed a lot in this book as well, and I think he finally grew on me. He took his role in the battle to save Avalon from trolls very heroically.

 

 

Overall, I was really satisfied with how this book and series ended and so I am really undecided on whether to read the recently written fifth book which is set 10 years after the events of this book.

Book Review #719 - Illusions (Wings #3) by Aprilynne Pike

Laurel hasn't seen Tamani since she begged him to let her go last year. Though her heart still aches, Laurel is confident that David was the right choice.

But just as life is returning to normal, Laurel discovers that a hidden enemy lies in wait. Once again, Laurel must turn to Tamani to protect and guide her, for the danger that now threatens Avalon is one that no faerie thought would ever be possible. And for the first time, Laurel cannot be sure that her side will prevail.

 

 

My Rating: 6/10

 

 

Due to the constant possibility of a troll attack, Tamani enters the human world and becomes a student at Laurel's human school. This quickly causes tension between Laurel and David which I was totally okay with as I have never felt a spark between them anyway and prefer them as friends.

 

 

I loved that this book had a number of twists along the way, more than the first two books combined although I felt like the romance took way more focus that it needed to.

 

 

Like with Spells, Laurel's indecisiveness between David and Tamani was frustrating. She still continued to lead both of them on.

 

 

I loved the whole mystery surrounding Yuki and this was my favourite part of the book as it was something that was different from anything previously dealt with in this series. Plus, it sped up Laurel's indecisiveness.

 

 

Overall, I felt like this book tied up a lot of minor threads whilst setting everything up for the final book which I can't wait to read.

Book Review #718 - Spells (Wings #2) by Aprilynne Pike

Although Laurel has come to accept her true identity as a faerie, she refuses to turn her back on her human life - and especially her boyfriend, David - to return to the faerie world.

But when she is summoned to Avalon, Laurel's feelings for the charismatic faerie sentry Tamani are undeniable. She is forced to make a choice - a choice that could break her heart.

 

 

My Rating: 5/10

 

 

This book begins with Laurel going to study at the academy in Avalon, the secret faerie realm. I absolutely loved the setting of Avalon and how authentic and magical it felt. I only wished that more of the book could have been set there.

 

 

This book delved a lot deeper into the world of faeries and trolls as well as the characters. I especially liked the insight into Laurel's pre-human life.

 

 

The love triangle strengthened in this book. I think a love triangle is well written when the outcome divides readers. With this book however, of the reviews I have read, all have sided with Tamani.

 

 

In this aspect, I felt like Laurel through her decisiveness was stringing both David and Tamani along and I it frustrated me that she could not simply just make up her mind.

 

 

Laurel learns more about her role as a fall faerie. I loved the whole idea about the hierarchy amongst the faeries based on what season they blossom. I thought that element was really creative and unique.

 

 

Overall, I feel like this book started setting things in motion for future instalments and I can't wait to see where this story is going to go.

Book Review - Wings (Wings #1) by Aprilynne Pike

Laurel was mesmerized, staring at the pale things with wide eyes. They were terrifyingly beautiful—too beautiful for words.

Laurel turned to the mirror again, her eyes on the hovering petals that floated beside her head. They looked almost like wings.

In this extraordinary tale of magic and intrigue, romance and danger, everything you thought you knew about faeries will be changed forever.

 

 

My Rating: 7/10

 

 

I read and reviewed this book back in 2012 and here is my original review. I decided to review it again because I didn't feel like that review accurately portrayed my opinions.

 

 

This was a very easy book to read. I read this straight after finishing Ready Player One and so the larger print sized helped me fly through this book.

 

 

Laurel has always known she was different but it isn't until she starts school after a lifetime of homeschooling that she realises just how different she is.

 

 

As if the fact Laurel can only eat fruit and veggies wasn't weird enough, Laurel notices a small lump on her back which soon blossoms into a large flower.

 

 

During this whole discovery Laurel never tells her parents which I thought was strange considering her close relationship with them. Instead she tells her new friend and nerd David who helps her come to the realisation that she is not human.

 

 

I never really liked David. He seemed too perfect and tries too hard. I can see that a love triangle is going to develop between him, Laurel and another non-human in Tamani. This could even potentially develop into a love square if Chelsea is considered as she seems to have an unrequited crush on David.

 

 

I really loved the unique mythology of how the faeries are plant type creatures and the lifelong feud between them and the trolls whose goal is to get into the secret faerie realm of Avalon.

 

 

Overall, I thought this was a solid first book in a series and I am intrigued to see where this story will go in future novels.

Book Review #715 - Strange Angels (Strange Angels #1) by Lili St. Crow

In Strange Angels, Dru Anderson has what her grandmother called “the touch.” (Comes in handy when you’re traveling from town to town with your dad, hunting ghosts, suckers, wulfen, and the occasional zombie.) Then her dad turns up dead—but still walking—and Dru knows she’s next. Even worse, she’s got two guys hungry for her affections, and they’re not about to let the fiercely independent Dru go it alone. Will Dru discover just how special she really is before coming face-to-fang with whatever—or whoever— is hunting her?

My Rating: 6.5/10

I decided to read this book when I discovered that I surprisingly had the entire series on my shelves. I have found these books at thrift shops over the years and so this book has been on my TBR for a significant period of time. 

I'm a massive fan of the TV show Supernatural and there were very minor elements in this book that reminded of it, such as Dru's father being a hunter since her mother had died and him dragging her around the country to hunt monsters. 

Dru was a character I feel like I never really got to know. She went through so much in this book that she had to put on a strong exterior and I felt like this wasn't the real her, but we never really got to see past it.

I loved that this book creates its own lore when it comes to the monsters such as how Dru's father became a zombie. 

I really wanted to love this book more than what I did but I couldn't help but feel I would have loved it had I read it 5-10 years ago. 

Dru meets a mysterious guy called Graves who like Dru is all alone. I would have liked Graves to have had more character development as not much is explored with him especially as he is present for a significant portion of the book.

Dru also meets another mysterious guy called Christophe, but he is mysterious as in not human. 

Dru was very indecisive and I found that frustrating especially at the pivotal moments. 

There were also moments in the book especially the action scenes where I felt like I wasn't getting the whole picture. 

I had planned to marathon read this series but after reading this first book I already feel like I need a break from it which can't be a good sign. 

Book Review #660 - A Court of Thorns and Roses (A Court of Thorns and Roses #1) by Sarah J Maas

Feyre is a huntress.

She thinks nothing of slaughtering a wolf to capture its prey. But, like all mortals, she fears what lingers mercilessly beyond the forest. And she will learn that taking the life of a magical creature comes at a high price...

Imprisoned in an enchanted court in her enemy's kingdom, Feyre is free to roam but forbidden to escape. Her captor's body bears the scars of fighting, and his face is always masked - but his piercing stare draws her ever closer. As Feyre's feeling for Tamlin begin to burn through every warning she's been told about his kind, an ancient, wicked shadow grows.

Feyre must find a way to break a spell, or lose her heart forever.

My Rating: 4.5/5

After reading and loving Throne of Glass I had extremely high expectations for this book. 

The protagonist in this book Feyre was very reminiscent of Katniss in the way she looked after her family and just how generally strong she was. 

The world building in this book was intricate and amazingly imaginative. 

I have not really enjoyed faerie books in the past (it's probably my least favourite in the fantasy genre) and so it surprised me how much I enjoyed that aspect of it.

I loved how the history between the humans and faes was mentioned throughout and I am looking forward to this being expanded upon further into the series.

Tamlin was a complex character and I am looking forward to his development over future books. I loved how reserved and mysterious he was. 

I feel like there is a potential developing love triangle between Feyre, Tamlin and Rhysand which I am not sure how I feel about because love triangles seem to rarely work. 

Lucien was a character that was mysterious and at first I couldn't figure out if he was on Feyre's side or not. Lucien being present in a lot of scenes with Feyre and Tamlin and occasionally adding witty commentary made the tone lighter and also prevented the story from getting sappy. 

I am not completely sure what I feel about Rhysand. I feel like he wasn't developed adequately enough to formulate a real opinion about. 

The plot was based on a number of fairy tales, but builds so much onto them that it is easy to forget its a retelling. 

The ending was unexpected and left me wanting to read the sequel straight away. 

Book Review #648 - Revelations (Blue Bloods #3) by Melissa de la Cruz

Schuyler Van Alen's blood legacy has just been called into question: is the young vampire in fact a Blue Blood, or is it the sinister Silver Blood that runs through her veins? As controversy swirls, Schuyler is left stranded in the Force household, trapped under the same roof as her cunning nemesis, Mimi Force, and her forbidden crush, Jack Force.

When an ancient place of power is threatened in Rio de Janeiro, however, the Blue Bloods need Schuyler on their side. The stakes are high, the battle is bloody; and through it all Schuyler is torn between duty and passion, love and freedom.

My Rating: 3/5

The romance in this book does not appeal to me at all. I didn't feel any connection between Schuyler and Oliver, but I do love their friendship. 

As for Schuyler and Jack, I feel like Jack is severely underdeveloped considering the large part he continually plays in the series. 

The vampire lore in this series continues to develop with every book, but I still feel like I am still a very long way off completely grasping it all. 

Bliss is one of my favourite characters and so I loved the amount of development her character went through. There has always been a little mysteriousness surrounding her and so it was good to finally get some answers. 

The only negative thing I can say about this book, and in fact the series as a whole is that it is rather shallow. 

If there was less name dropping or brand dropping or the characters weren't such socialites then more emphasis would be placed on the actual plot and the story would move faster. 

The pacing of the book could have been better as I spent most of the book waiting for something to happen, only to have to wait until the last 20 or so pages. 

This book left me with so many unanswered questions that I will more than likely be picking up book 4 in the near future. 

Book Review #638 - Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3) by Sarah J. Maas

My Rating: 4/5


Source: Bought


Goodreads

Consumed by guilt and rage, Celaena can't bring herself to spill blood for the King of Adarlan. She must fight back...

The Immortal Queen will help her destroy the king - for a price. But as Celaena battles with her darkest memories and her heart breaks for a love that could never last, can she fulfil the bargain and head the almighty court of Terrasen? And who will stand with her? 

Given the way Crown of Midnight ended you might have thought I would have started this one straight away. However, because of a poorly timed family holiday I was unable to pick this book up until about a week later. 

I thought that Throne of Glass was rather simplistic for a fantasy novel and the perfect set up for the rest of the series. Crown of Midnight added so much depth and development to all the key areas. Heir of Fire however seemed to try to do too much. 

The book follows three different storylines - Celaena, Chaol and the new character Manna. The only issue I had with this was that I found that it disrupted the rhythm and flow of the story. 

The universe in this book expanded so much in this book that I think it warranted multiple maps like The Song of Ice and Fire series. 

Rowan was a character that I found rather cold at first, but his unwavering loyalty towards Celaena won me over eventually. 

I have mixed opinions about Dorian. On his own, I find him boring and dull. When he is with Chaol or Celaena however, he is quite interesting. 

I loved the amount of backstory that was given about Celaena's past and am looking forward to continuing on with the series. 

Book Review #637 - Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2) by Sarah J.Maas

My Rating: 4/5


Source: Bought


Goodreads

Crowned by Evil.

Bound by Duty.

Divided by Love.

Celaena Sardothien, royal assassin, is the King of Adarlan's deadliest weapon. She must win her freedom through his enemies' blood - but she cannot bear to kill for the crown. And every death Celaena fakes, every lie she tells, put those she loves at risk.

Torn between her two protectors - a captain and a prince - and battling a dark force far greater than the king, Celaena must decide what she will fight for: her liberty, her heart or the fate of a kingdom... 

Throne of Glass was a book that I enjoyed, but also a book that I had a number of issues with. 

Crown of Midnight however is my favourite second in a series book since Catching Fire. 

Celaena becomes more of the bad ass she was supposed to have been in TOG and I think this is due to the amount of time she spent with Chaol. I think that both of them as characters really feed off one another and bring out the best traits in one another. 

Whilst Dorian is a character that I really don't have any problems with, the relationship between Chaol and Celaena was a lot more believable and real than his relationship with Celaena. 

Chaol having to face his family and getting his loyalty questioned really opened his character up and enabled enormous character development. 

Dorian was a character that really surprised me and proves that I was obviously underestimating him by only seeing him as the third point on a love triangle. He is a lot stronger than I gave him credit for. 

I love the setting as well, it has a very cinematic feel to it and I so I would really love to see some kind of movie/TV adaptation of this series. 

There were so many plot twists throughout this book but the ending was completely unexpected. 

I had planned on reading another book after this one, but with that ending I had no choice but to pick up book 3 Heir of Fire. 

 

Book Review #595 - The Lovely and the Lost (The Dispossessed #2) by Page Morgan

My Rating: 4/5

Source: The Five Mile Press

Buy: The Book Depository

Goodreads

Gabby and Ingrid may have saved their brother, but their journey is far from over. Ingrid must learn how to control her powers before they begin to control her. She wishes Luc would help her, but he's refusing... Meanwhile Gabby has thrown herself into the Alliance, despite the eye patch she now wears thanks to a hellhound. But there are major changes afoot. When Nolan returns from the trials of the traitorous Alliance members he brings his father and his cousin, whose first order is to remove Chelle, Ingrid, and Gabby from their duties - women are no longer welcome.

But Paris needs hunters, especially now murder is sweeping the city again. Whole families are being slaughtered in their sleep, at the dinner table - even while out in the family carriage. Just who or what is behind these slayings? The action, romance, and devastatingly dark secrets revealed in THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE CURSED continue as Ingrid and Gabby fight for their loves, their lives and their city.

This is the sequel to The Beautiful and the Cursed. 

I loved this book so much more than the first. I decided not to re-read the first book before reading the sequel even though I didn't really remember anything other than the basics from it as I read it over a year ago. 

This book was written perfectly to refresh the reader of what occurred in the first book before diving into the next adventure. 

These books have a certain eeriness to them which lingers on every single page. It was definitely a perfect October read. 

The character development in this book was significant especially with Grayson. It helped that we had chapters from his POV. 

I love the mythology in this series. It seems really thought out and researched. 

The ending was amazing with an absolutely shocking cliff hanger and I cannot wait to get my hands on the third book The Wondrous and the Wicked. 

Book Review #557 - Existence (Existence #1) by Abbi Glines

What happens when you're stalked by Death? You fall in love with him, of course.

Pagan Moore doesn't cheat Death, but instead, falls in love with him.

Seventeen year old Pagan Moore has seen souls her entire life. Once she realized the strangers she often saw walking through walls were not visible to anyone else, she started ignoring them. If she didn't let them know she could see them, then they left her alone. Until she stepped out of her car the first day of school and saw an incredibly sexy guy lounging on a picnic table, watching her with an amused smirk on his face. Problem is, she knows he's dead.

Not only does he not go away when she ignores him, but he does something none of the others have ever done. He speaks. Pagan is fascinated by the soul. What she doesn't realize is that her appointed time to die is drawing near and the wickedly beautiful soul she is falling in love with is not a soul at all.

He is Death and he's about to break all the rules.

My Rating: 3/5

I read this book on my iPad in less than a day. The main reason why I finished it so quickly was because it had long chapters and I hate stopping mid-chapter. 

I loved the paranormal element in this book. Even though I have read plenty of books about the ability to see spirits this book presented that idea in a totally unique way. This is the aspect I am most interested in seeing developing throughout the rest of the series. 

The biggest problem I had with this book was the characters. They were all bland and without real personalities. The relationships between them were too rushed especially the romantic ones. 

Dank was the character that I felt the least connected to. Next to nothing about him is known until the end of the book and it felt unrealistic that Pagan would be completely in love with a guy she knows nothing about. 

I loved that this book was quite short as I was able to read it very quickly but I also feel like the length is the reason why I found so many flaws with it. Had it been longer then characters and their relationships could have been developed further. 

Given the way the book ended I am definitely going to be looking out for the sequel. 

Book Review #489 - Dreamer's Pool (Blackthorn & Grim #1) by Juliet Marillier

In exchange for help escaping her long and wrongful imprisonment, embittered magical healer Blackthorn has vowed to set aside her bid for vengeance against the man who destroyed all that she once held dear. Followed by a former prison mate, a silent hulk of a man named Grim, she travels north to Dalriada. There she'll live on the fringe of a mysterious forest, duty bound for seven years to assist anyone who asks for her help. 

Oran, crown prince of Dalriada, has waited anxiously for the arrival of his future bride, Lady Flidais. He knows her only from a portrait and sweetly poetic correspondence that have convinced him Flidais is his destined true love. But Oran discovers letters can lie. For although his intended exactly resembles her portrait, her brutality upon arrival proves she is nothing like the sensitive woman of the letters. 

With the strategic marriage imminent, Oran sees no way out of his dilemma. Word has spread that Blackthorn possesses a remarkable gift for solving knotty problems, so the prince asks her for help. To save Oran from his treacherous nuptials, Blackthorn and Grim will need all their resources: courage, ingenuity, leaps of deduction, and more than a little magic.

My Rating: 4/5

I received this book for review from Pan MacMillan Australia. 

This book was a lot different to the other Juliet Marillier book that I have read. This one follows the stories of 3 vastly different characters, all of whom have split chapter narrations. 

The other difference I found with this book was the age of the characters. I have only read one of her YA titles but I understand that even with her other adult novels, the characters are still relatively young. In this book however even though their ages are never revealed they are obviously older than usual. 

I love the historical elements that Juliet Marillier books all seem to have and this book is no different having been set in ancient Ireland. 

I always have trouble in high fantasy books with characters names and pronunciations, so it was helpful to have the index at the beginning of the book and I found myself flicking there quite regularly. 

I understand that this book is loosely based on the fairy tale 'Goose Girl'. I had never read nor heard of this story before and this proves I need to read more of that kind of genre. 

I highly recommend Juliet Marillier's writing to both fans of fantasy and historical fictions as she really blends these two genres perfectly. 

Book Review #450 - City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments #6) by Cassandra Clare

ΕRCHOMAI, SEBASTIAN HAD SAID.

I am coming.

Darkness returns to the Shadowhunter world. As their society falls apart around them, Clary, Jace, Simon and their friends must band together to fight the greatest evil the Nephilim have ever faced: Clary’s own brother. Nothing in the world can defeat him — must they journey to another world to find the chance?

My Rating: 5/5

This book was one of my most eagerly anticipated books of 2014.

In the lead up to its release, I decided to re-read the entire series. I definitely fell more in love with the shadowhunter world.

City of Glass is still my favourite book of this series, but City of Heavenly Fire runs a close second.

I loved the introduction of Emma as she reminded me of a mixture of Clary and Jace. I am definitely looking forward to reading more about her in The Dark Artifices series.

This book was a lot longer than the others because it deals with a lot more plot twists, action and characters.

I had numerous ideas on how this series would end, and whilst I wasn't completely accurate I was on the right track.

Possible Spoiler: Out of all the plot twists and endings, the Simon one surprised me the most.

This was the first time (probably because I re-read the entire series in under a week) that I felt a connection to both Izzy and Alec.

There was a significant more romance in this book compared to the others which will please a lot of people.

I have yet to read The Infernal Devices series so a lot of references to the characters from that series and their ancestors went a little over my head.

Book Review #448 - The Beautiful and the Cursed (The Dispossessed #1) by Page Morgan

Ingrid Waverley is a young woman to be reckoned with. Faced with her brother's mysterious disappearance after an abrupt move to Paris, she is determined to discover what has happened to him. Soon she and her sister Gabriella are drawn into a Parisian underworld more terrifying than they could ever have imagined, but watching over them are two impossible (and impossibly handsome) young men. Luc is a 'Dispossessed', an ancient gargoyle whose sworn duty it is to protect the humans who inhabit his abbey. Nolan has secrets of his own too. He is a member of the Alliance - a shadowy group dedicated to keeping Paris safe from the demonic forces that threaten to destroy it.




Secrets, danger and hidden powers stalk the girls in this beautifully imagined paranormal romance that will keep readers gripped from beginning to end - and one thing is for sure - you'll never look at a gargoyle in the same way again....

My Rating: 3/5

This was a completely unique and refreshing book to read. I really loved the depth of the mythology behind the gargoyles existence.

Because of the uniqueness of the gargoyles, there is a lot of explaining of terminology and whilst I thought the amount of it slowed the pacing down a bit I do think it was required.

I would have preferred there to have been one narrator as I've read a lot of multiple narrations recently. I really enjoyed all of the characters differing perspectives though. 

I wasn't that interested in the romance in this book. I'm not a fan of love triangles, so that might be why.




 

Overall, I loved the concept and now that the world building has been done am hoping that the sequel will be even better.

Book Review #359 - The Tide Breaker by Sonya Watson

When it is discovered that Abrianna, an Amalgam, survived the mass cleansing orchestrated by Destiny her life becomes less then desirable since her only options are to be controlled or die.

 

 

My Rating: 2.5/5

 

 

I received this book for review from the author. The author's Goodreads page can be found here.

 

 

The major problem with this book is that it offers no introduction. The reader is thrown into the story immediately with absolute no world building.

 

 

I really wanted to love this book, but I just found it incredibly hard to follow. The characters all blended together and the plot jumped all over the place it was really confusing.

 

 

I liked the paranormal aspect to it, although I think that a lot more could have been elaborated on.

Book Review #351 - City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments #5) by Cassandra Clare

Jace is now a servant of evil, bound for all eternity to Sebastian. Only a small band of Shadowhunters believe he can be saved. To do this they must defy the Clave. And they must act 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. 

Clary is 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?

 

 

My Rating: 4/5

 

 

This is my least favourite in this series so far. It had been around 3 months since I read book 4 and so it took me a while to get back into the Shadowhunter world.

 

 

Sebastian was the character that surprised me the most in this book. I actually felt sorry for him. Underneath his evilness, he actually seems quite vulnerable, innocent and very lonely. I wanted to believe that he had changed, but I knew that he would have had an ulterior motive.

 

 

Although I felt like the plot in this book was significantly weaker than the previous books, I still liked reading about the world and the characters.

 

 

I would have liked more interaction between Clary and Simon as I really like their friendship but am glad that Simon seems to have developed a romantic relationship of his own.

 

 

I didn't really feel the need for Jordan and Maia to be included. They were barely mentioned at all throughout, and whenever they were it felt like it was only to remind you that they still existed.

 

 

The ending of this book was completely not what I had expected. The cliff hangers in this series always seem to come out of nowhere.

 

 

Now while I am waiting for book 6 (City of Heavenly Fire) to be published, I might finally start reading The Infernal Devices series.

 

 

 

 

Book Review #324 - City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments #4) by 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 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 now 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 one.

When Jace begins to pull away from Clary without explaining why, she 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.

 

 

My Rating: 3.5/5

 

 

Given that the first three books were meant to be a trilogy, I wasn't really sure what to expect from this book. I thought that it was a little weaker in terms of plot than the original three but was glad to be back in the world of Shadowhunters.

 

 

When I first started reading this book and found out that Simon was the dominant character I didn't think I was going to like it as much as what I did. Simon just isn't one of my favourite characters at all, but I did quite like him in this book.

 

 

It was good how the vampire dynamics were explored a little deeper. It is also good to see how Simon is adapting to his new life not only as a vampire, but also as a daylighter.

 

 

Alec was a character that really irritated me throughout the entire book. He was really insecure with his relationship with Magnus.

 

 

Jace was another character that I liked less in this book. He wasn't as mopey as he was in book three but still annoyed me. His relationship with Clary was all over the place.

Book Review #322 - City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments #3) by Cassandra Clare

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?

My Rating: 4/5

This series is pretty addictive, and each book seems to be better than the last.

There seemed to be even more action in this book than the previous two combined. The final battle is where the majority of the action occured.

There were a number of plot twists, but I didn't feel like any of them were shocking. I saw the main one coming a mile away.

There seemed to less of Clary in this book, which in a way was a good thing because I thought that a number of other characters really developed because of that. 

I didn't really like how the book was no longer set in Brooklyn. I didn't feel like the new setting of Idris was developed enough.

Jace was a character that I liked in the first book, but he seems to be getting weaker and weaker as the series progresses. He was really mopey in this book.

Book Review #321 - City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments #2) by Cassandra Clare

 

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?

 

 

My Rating: 4/5

 

 

I honestly don't know why it has taken me so long to continue this series, especially when it seems to be as good as the hype.

 

 

I liked this book a little bit more than the first, and only because I thought it contained more action especially with the ending.

 

 

It was good how there was a stronger involvement from the werewolves, vampires and faeries. I have read enough of Young Adult literature though that the plot twist with Simon was not surprising at all.

 

 

The romance aspect is nowhere as dominant as is with most YA paranormal books which I am really enjoying.

 

 

I don't really know what to think about Clary's relationship with Jace. The chemistry between them is undeniable, but I couldn't overlook the fact that they are brother and sister. As for her relationship with Simon, I prefer them as friends.

 

 

I am interested in seeing what happens when Clary's mother wakes up as she will shed more depth on the Clave and Valentine.