REVIEW: Fractured by Karen E. Hoover

Series: Newtimber (Book 1 of 5)
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Pub Date: June 21, 2014, Trifecta Books
Format: eBook (.mobi)
Source: I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

There was absolutely no way a black dragon hovered outside of Newtimber. Sianna rubbed her eyes, but the dragon was still there, clutching a round object that looked like a spotted egg. And then the egg fell, hitting the ground like an atomic bomb, sending out waves of a slow-moving fog that distorted everything it touched.

The citizens of Newtimber change. The old man down the street stretches into a screaming tree. Sianna’s skateboarding friend, Matt, transforms into a giant green dragon. Pegasus. Sirens. Griffins. Vampires. Zombies. Creatures from the myths of every culture come to life through the people.

Even Sianna changes, her skin becoming stone hard, and she gains the ability to travel from the human realm into the dimension of the fae, using it to free her father from prison and enlist his aid in battling the evil bent on taking over the world.

One person to heal a family, a town, and save the world. It seems an impossible task, but with the help of her new friends, it could happen.

Right?

MY THOUGHTS
Well, by now those of you who've been reading my blog over the years are probably aware of how much I enjoy Karen E. Hoover's books. I have a special place in my bookish heart for her ever since we connected after her publisher asked me to review The Sapphire Flute, which was Karen's first publication. (We can be on a first-name basis here, right, Karen?) Tomorrow is the official launch day of her latest book, Fractured, and since I'm too excited to wait, I am sharing my review today in celebration! For anyone interested, you can join the official Facebook Release Party that's happening on Wednesday the 25th! Ahhh... Look at that shiny cover up there, isn't it pretty?

Perhaps you've noticed that I haven't been writing reviews of any books I've read lately, much less taken on any official review books from authors or publishers. But I always like to make an exception for Karen and tend to jump at an early chance to read her books! Once again, with Fractured, Karen does not disappoint, delivering a fun, fast-paced read. I couldn't believe it when the story was over and naturally, I really wanted to know what came next. While this is the first book in the five-book Newtimber series, it does not end in dramatic cliffhanger fashion -- just enough to make you wish you could grab the next book, but it not enough to make you tear your hair out in frustration (for those of you who detest cliffhangers).

Though Fractured is similar to Karen's Wolfchild Saga in that it is a YA book dealing with elements of fantasy and mythical creatures, that is where the comparison ends. Fractured takes place during the present time, and as such, Sianna is very much a modern-day teenage heroine in a more familiar and perhaps more relatable setting. Sianna is spunky, but you will also see that she can be vulnerable and has a lot to learn about herself. Her supporting cast consists of some family and new friends she meets along the way, and they are made all the more interesting as they change into a HUGE variety of fantastical creatures that Sianna never dreamed actually existed. Truly, the premise behind the story is what helped to make it fresh, new, and above all, fun. I didn't feel like I was reading about the same old Fae world that you come across in YA books these days.

I only have two real "complaints" about this book. One, unless I missed something in the story, it appears that editing didn't catch a name change that must have been made for one of the characters. Natalia, one of the more prominent supporting characters in the book, actually began the story as Natasha. When all is said and done, it's a pretty minor complaint, I know, but since I was thrown for a bit of a loop when I came across it while reading, I thought it was worth mentioning. Perhaps it won't be in the final version of the book and was only in my copy.

What is my other complaint, you ask? The story was perhaps a wee bit too short! The Kindle page count estimates this book at 214 pages and I really think the story might have benefited from another 50-75 pages to flesh out some of the storyline and characters, as well as paint a more vivid picture of Newtimber and the Fae world. I love that Fractured was a fast-paced page-turner, but I felt like the character development and world-building weren't quite as strong as they were in Karen's Wolfchild Saga. Or perhaps the soft spot in my heart for that series has clouded my judgment -- it is certainly possible! :-)

The bottom line: Fractured is a fun, clean read and most importantly, a fresh take on YA Urban Fantasy. It's another of Karen's books that I'm saving for my daughter to read when she gets older!

About Karen Hoover:

• Website
• Facebook Page
• Follow Karen on Twitter
• Goodreads Page

Purchase Links:

• Fractured (Newtimber #1): Amazon, B&N
• The Sapphire Flute (Wolfchild Saga #1) - guys, this one is FREE on all major outlets at the time of this post: Amazon, B&N, Smashwords
• The Armor of Light (Wolfchild Saga #2): Amazon, B&N, Smashwords
• The Emerald Wolf (Wolfchild Saga #3): Amazon, B&N, Smashwords
• Two Souls Are Better Than One (The Misadventures of a Teenage Wizard #1): Amazon, B&N, Smashwords

*It should be noted that these are NOT affiliate links. I just want you to go buy Karen's books because she's awesome!

REVIEW: The Collector by Victoria Scott

Series: Dante Walker #1
Genre: YA Paranormal
Pub Date: April 2013, Entangled Teen
Format: Paperback, 352 pages
Source: Purchased from Amazon.com

Dante Walker is flippin’ awesome, and he knows it. His good looks, killer charm, and stellar confidence have made him one of hell’s best—a soul collector. His job is simple: weed through humanity and label those round rears with a big red good or bad stamp. Old Saint Nick gets the good guys, and he gets the fun ones. Bag-and-tag.

Sealing souls is nothing personal. Dante’s an equal-opportunity collector and doesn't want it any other way. But he’ll have to adjust, because Boss Man has given him a new assignment:

Collect Charlie Cooper’s soul within ten days.

Dante doesn't know why Boss Man wants Charlie, nor does he care. This assignment means only one thing to him, and that’s a permanent ticket out of hell. But after Dante meets the quirky Nerd Alert chick he’s come to collect, he realizes this assignment will test his abilities as a collector…and uncover emotions deeply buried.

MY THOUGHTS
I'm a huge fan of YA paranormal and urban fantasy, but I will say that The Collector is not like most of the books I typically read in those genres. Yes, I could tell that just based on reading the synopsis. In the last few weeks, though, I had seen a few Teaser Tuesday posts with excerpts from Victoria Scott's debut and couldn't help but find myself drawn to the book after reading those little snippets. And after a grueling week of work with precious little time to read, this was exactly the kind of book I needed to get my reading mojo back on -- it was fun, it was quirky, and yes a bit dark at times, but it made me laugh and smile, too... In short, I loved it!

Usually I find myself turned off by YA books that feature dialogue laced with today's popular slang and typical teen quips. In this book, Dante is the primary "abuser" of said phraseology. And if I'm 100% honest, I will admit that it did annoy me, but I'm also fully aware that this book isn't necessarily being written with me in mind. ;-) Not that any of that really mattered in the end because what really mattered is the story is just fantastic! A few chapters in, I wasn't totally sure what to make of the book but all I knew was that I couldn't put it down. In fact, I read the entire book in one sitting and refused to turn out the light to go to bed until I had read the last page.

I loved seeing Dante's transformation slowly unfold after he meets Charlie. He irritated the heck out of me in the beginning with his obnoxious arrogance and pretty terrible treatment of Charlie, but trust me, I think you'll find your opinion of him changes by the end of the book. Well, mine did, at any rate... Along with the paranormal storyline, Scott uses a creative approach to address teenage insecurities about appearance and beauty (or lack thereof) through Charlie, who is a bit of a dork, albeit an endearing one. Yes, Dante's behavior towards her is deplorable and I hated how he threw her flaws in her face and made her believe them herself, but he does eventually begin to redeem himself as the story goes on. I'm holding out hope that he improves his character even further in the next book. I can't say that I found Dante particularly swoon-worthy in this book, but maybe there is hope for him yet... :-)

As it was, I kept turning the pages, not only to see Charlie's friendship with Dante grow and change, but also to find out just how Dante's schemes to collect her soul panned out. I mean, how could anything good come of that?! There were a few twists and turns along the way, and what a climax! I suppose the ending was not completely surprising, but I am definitely glad this first book ended the way it did. It's a bit of a cliffhanger, but happily, the relationship piece of the puzzle is put into place before we are left hanging and waiting for The Liberator.

I have to confess I'm a little surprised by just how much I enjoyed The Collector. Other than the modern slang and language that didn't appeal to me, though, the writing is great. The story is fast-paced and witty, and Scott is able to paint a detailed picture so that I could see the entire book playing out almost like a movie in my head. For those reasons, and the fact that the book kept me up WAY past my bed time, there was no way I could give it less than five stars.


*I would like to note that this is Mature YA (language and adult situations), so please be aware of that going in.

Read this book...

~ If you like Stained by Ella James
~ If you like The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare
~ Modern YA paranormal romance/urban fantasy

REVIEW: Stained

Stained by Ella James
My rating: 2 of 5 stars



I've been interested in discovering more independent authors lately and was hoping to find a new favorite. Unfortunately, that is not the case with Ella James and her Stained series.

THE GOOD: With more than its fair share of originality in its presentation of Nephilim, the story has a lot of potential. I was a little worried that the book would come across as dull and too cliched because -- let's face it -- a lot all of these supernatural beings are just overdone in today's YA world. (Not that this stops me from reading about them, mind you.) Without a doubt, it takes some talent to make paranormal YA feel fresh and make you feel like you are actually reading a new story.

THE BAD: The writing. Okay, I know I am not a writer and though I would dearly love to write a book or several, that's just not who I am and I am coming to accept that. However, I have read enough over the years to be able to come to a reasonable conclusion about the quality of writing in a story. Many times I found myself cringing at the author's choice of phrasing and the voice of Julia's character and consequently, the entire story. I understand wanting to paint a picture with vivid words and analogies, but it was as if James chose to use overly dramatic descriptors for practically everything in the story. It became ridiculous pretty early on. Not to mention some additional editing would have helped to uncover and correct some easy-to-spot grammatical/spelling errors, which seem to be all too common in independent publications.

THE UGLY (UGH-LY?): A toss-up between the supposed budding romance between Julia and Cayne/Cayuzul and the ridiculously juvenile voice in which the story is told. Take your pick. Somehow, the vernacular/slang of the modern teen just sounds utterly ridiculous when immortalized in the pages of a book. Cringe-worthy, indeed.

For me, the writing was enough of a turn-off that I simply can't see myself continuing the series, unless someone out there can convince me that it will get better. It's a shame, because at those rare times when I could look beyond James's annoying choices of phraseology, I really felt like I was getting a glimpse of the makings of an original paranormal series. But in reading other reviews of this book here and on Amazon.com, I would say I am in the minority, so you can just take my review for what it is -- my opinion and just one of many.

Originally posted at Goodreads. View all my reviews

Review: City of Lost Souls

Title: City of Lost Souls
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy
Pub Date: May 2012, Simon & Schuster
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased from BN.com

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

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 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, Alec, 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 weapon 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 do it without Clary. For Clary is playing a dangerous game utterly alone. The price of losing 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?

My Thoughts

Holy cow, there is a LOT going on in City of Lost Souls! At first I thought I wasn't going to be able to keep up with all of the plot lines that were breaking off of the main story, but in the end it wasn't really too much to keep track of. While I am one who admits to having a fondness for happy endings, this book doesn't wrap every piece of the story up with a pretty bow and I am totally okay with that because the way some events played out was totally necessary and appropriate. (Don't you love the vagueness of my attempted spoiler-free reviews?) Of course, this book also isn't the last in the series, so there is still time for "and they all lived happily ever after."

{CAUTION: Spoilers ahead if you haven't read City of Fallen Angels.} So call me crazy, but I actually enjoyed Jace and Clary more in this book, probably because I'm so sick of "I love you but we can never be together, blah, blah, blah." For me, the fact that Jace was possessed for the majority of the story actually made the times when he wasn't possessed a little less annoying. But if he and Clary don't finally make it to their happily ever after by the end of the last book, I'm throwing out all of these books! ;-) Other interesting side stories: (1) Alec -- just what is he thinking by listening to Camille's tempting offer? (2) Simon tells his sister about what he is now. Will she handle it better than his mother did? 


{We now return to the spoiler-free zone.} Even though I was a bit disappointed with City of Fallen Angels, it ended with just enough intrigue to make me dive right into City of Lost Souls and I'm really glad I did... except for the fact that I have to wait until March 2014 to read the finale! This book is fast-paced with a much stronger plot, so really held my interest the entire way through and was much more reminiscent of the first three books in that respect. I think I will have to plan an entire series re-read before that last book comes out so that I can really savor the ending. Fans of this series should be pleased with City of Lost Souls!

My Rating

Review: City of Fallen Angels

Title: City of Fallen Angels
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy
Pub Date: April 2011, Simon & Schuster
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased from Amazon.com

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

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 Thoughts

Well, it has been a LONG time since I read and reviewed the first three books in The Mortal Instruments series. I honestly wish I had time to re-read them before jumping back into the books with City of Fallen Angels. I just feel like there are so many details that I have forgotten or are fuzzy, but it wasn't too hard to get caught back up in the story of the Shadowhunters and Downworlders after the end of the Mortal War.

In my opinion, Cassandra Clare's biggest strength with all of these books is the characters. Everyone in these books is so unique and the mix of personalities in the focal group provides a lot of entertaining interactions. I'll admit that I have been getting frustrated with Jace and Clary's relationship and the roadblocks they keep hitting, but I suppose it shouldn't be that surprising given what they are up against, despite the Mortal War being over.

I'm actually finding it difficult to say some of the things I keep thinking about this story because they are a bit on the spoiler-y side, and even though this book has been out for awhile, I do try my best to keep my reviews spoiler-free. :-) One thing I can say, though, is that I felt like this book was the weakest of the series in terms of the plot -- it was flimsy and pretty predictable. It is helped along with some excellent dialogue (another of Clare's strengths) and the addition of some new characters, but I found myself just skimming through parts to get to the end to see where we would be heading with the fifth book.

City of Fallen Angels is still a good read (just not Clare's best) and I'm very glad I continued on with the series -- I immediately had to jump in to City of Lost Souls and will be sharing my thoughts on that book with you tomorrow. Just don't be too surprised if you don't feel like City of Fallen Angels lives up to the standard set by the first three books in the series.

My Rating


My reviews of the first three books
City of BonesCity of AshesCity of Glass

Review: Shadow Eyes

Title: Shadow Eyes
Author: Dusty Crabtree
Genre: Young Adult, Fiction, Paranormal
Pub Date: February 2012, Musa Publishing
Format: eBook (.epub)
Source: In full disclosure, I received my copy for review from Dusty Crabtree. Many thanks for the opportunity to read and review your debut work and share it with others!

Synopsis

Iris thought she could ignore the shadows...until they went after everyone she loved.

Iris Kohl lives in a world populated by murky shadows that surround, harass, and entice unsuspecting individuals toward evil.  But she is the only one who can see them.  She’s had this ability to see the shadows, as well as brilliantly glowing light figures, ever since an obscure, tragic incident on her fourteenth birthday three years earlier. 

Although she’s learned to cope, the view of her world begins to shift upon the arrival of three mysterious characters.  First, a handsome new teacher whose presence scares away shadows; second, a new friend with an awe-inspiring aura; and third, a mysterious and alluring new student whom Iris has a hard time resisting despite already having a boyfriend.

As the shadows invade and terrorize her own life and family, she must ultimately revisit the most horrific event of her life in order to learn her true identity and become the hero she was meant to be.

My Thoughts

Well, if you saw my Sunday Salon guest post from Dusty Crabtree, at the very end you will have noted that I stayed up until after 2:00 am last night to finish Shadow Eyes. I simply could not put this debut book down, even though I will admit I was tired and so ready to go to sleep. I just had to find out what was going to happen to Iris and her family, not to mention everyone else who was constantly affected by these spooky, evil shadows that Iris was seeing. Of course, we don't actually have all of those pressing questions answered; the end of Shadow Eyes is quite a cliffhanger.

I was really impressed with the cast of characters in this book. I thought this bunch of high schoolers was very realistically portrayed, down to their emotions and actions. Iris does come across as a rather weak female lead at times, though she does have her own kind of strength that finally really comes through towards the end. Her friends Lexi and Nicole actually reminded me of a couple of girls I went to high school with. And then there is the obligatory attractive male teacher that every girl has a bit of a crush on, but is there more to Mr. Delaney than meets the eye? When it came to some of the more intriguing characters, I knew something was up, but I just wasn't sure what it was going to be.

What really drives the story and makes you want to keep turning the pages (or tapping the right side of your e-reader screen, as I did) is the desire to find out just what it is that happened to Iris that causes her to see these shadows. A tragic event is hinted at many times, but not until the end do we learn what has happened to Iris. The story twists and turns and I the big plot twist towards the end was one I didn't see coming. And make no mistake, Shadow Eyes deals with some pretty intense issues that I am sure many people like Iris (and her family, in some instances) face every day. This isn't some fluff paranormal adventure that we are dealing with here, which makes it a refreshing read.

I highly recommend Shadow Eyes. I think Dusty Crabtree's writing will captivate you and Iris' story will keep you up late into the night as it did me -- unless you are lucky enough to be able to spend your day reading it!

My Rating




Other Goodies

Check out Dusty’s blog at http://dustycrabtree.wordpress.com/
Find her on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/dusty.crabtree.1
Follow her on twitter at https://twitter.com/dustycrabtree
Buy Shadow Eyes at http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=176
(also available at all major online bookstores)
View the book trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7UP9A0Fm78

Review: Clockwork Angel

Title: Clockwork Angel
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Pub Date: August 2010, McElderry Books
Hardcover, 478 pages
Book Source: Purchased from Amazon.com

Synopsis


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.

My Thoughts

Those of you familiar with my blog and books I've read probably know that I loved Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series. Clockwork Angel serves as a prequel to those books, and while I generally hate to see series end and look for related books, I have to admit it took me quite awhile to really get into this one.

I really can't put my finger on what it was about this book that caused me to really have to plod through nearly half of it before it clicked for me. Part of it may have been that I didn't find a lot of the characters to be very compelling (initially), or perhaps it's the fact that the story just seemed to move slowly for awhile. Whatever the case, eventually the plot found a good rhythm and I was finally pulled into the story and couldn't put it down. As always, Clare resolves some aspects of the storyline but leaves us hanging on perhaps the most interesting points. I would rather have some resolution than have the entire story left wide open, though!

Those of you who enjoyed the Mortal Instruments series will likely enjoy this book. It might be beneficial to read this one not long after finishing that series, though. I have read so many books since finishing those, that it took me awhile to get back up to speed with the premises behind the story.

My Rating: >

Other reviews of Clockwork Angel:

Just Your Typical Book Blog ~ YA Reads ~ Dark Faerie Tales

Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf ~ Bitten By Books

If you have reviewed this book and would like to see a link to your site listed here, please leave a comment with the link to your review!

Review: City of Glass

Title: City of Glass
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: Fiction, Young Adult, Paranormal
Pub Date: March 2009, Simon & Schuster
Hardcover, 541 pages

Synopsis

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 her best friend, 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 Thoughts

I will start out by saying that this book was basically a perfect finish to an amazing series. City of Glass was definitely my favorite book of the three. This series has been likened to Harry Potter, and by the time I finished it I could certainly see some similarities, though I don't think it has as wide a reading audience as Harry Potter.

The characters are so well-developed throughout the story, you can't help but create attachments to them. Well, attachments to the likable characters, at any rate. And happily, every character with evil intent gets their just desserts by the end of the book, as well. Unlike the second book, I thought City of Glass jumped right into the action and did not stop until the end of the book. The story was incredibly gripping and at times, very emotional as well. When I closed the book, I had a feeling of great satisfaction at the way Clare resolved the story, which I think is a sign of a successful and well-written series.

If you enjoy paranormal books and series, I can't recommend The Mortal Instruments series highly enough. I eagerly await the next book that Clare has to offer.

My rating:



Other reviews of City of Glass:

One Librarian's Book Reviews ~ Books & Other Thoughts
Becky's Book Reviews ~ LiyanaLand! ~ Karin's Book Nook
Tez Says ~ Hope's Bookshelf ~ Tales of a Ravenous Reader
Em's Bookshelf ~ YA Reads ~ Wondrous Reads
Persnickety Snark ~ TV and Book Addict ~ 50 for Jen
The Story Siren ~ Frenetic Reader ~ Bookshelves of Doom
The Joy of Reading ~ A High and Hidden Place
Today's Adventure ~ {Insert Book Title Here}

If you have reviewed this book and would like to see your link listed above, please leave a comment!

Review: City of Ashes

Title: City of Ashes
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: Fiction, Paranormal, Young Adult
Pub Date: March 2008, Simon & Schuster
Hardcover, 453 pages

Synopsis

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.

My Thoughts

What can I say about this book? Cassandra Clare really has a great series going with her Mortal Instruments books. I was ready to pick up #3 and start reading as soon as I put down City of Ashes, but my conscience stopped me in order to write this review. And after all, I'd hate to start mixing up the two books before writing my review for this one.

Once again, looking at a world with all walks of supernatural life, coupled with bits of religion (Christianity) sprinkled throughout makes for a fascinating read. I've picked up several new bits of mythology in reading these books and it's obvious that Clare must have done a great deal of research to write these novels. She also has a great ability with dialogues, as I mentioned in my review of City of Bones. I have to say I would have liked to see a bit more of the sarcastic banter in this book--it really was toned down until about the second half. Perhaps that's why it took me a little longer to get into the story, as well. It just seemed a bit slower this time around, until I got a little over halfway through, and then at that point I really couldn't put the book down. By the end of it, I still had several unanswered questions; hence, the temptation to pick up City of Glass and dive in. This book is definitely a cliffhanger that leaves you wanting more.

The main cast of characters is still enjoyable to read about, with a few new faces thrown in this time around, as well. The Inquisitor is a truly unlikeable woman (hmmm, a bit reminiscent of Dolores Umbridge??) and I found it difficult to believe that she could behave the way she was. Even given what we find out about her life towards the end of the book. Her unwillingness to listen to the truth was a little over the top, in my opinion. But I suppose that is what makes us love to hate her. We also meet a new young werewolf, Maia, and I am curious to see if she plays a role in City of Glass.

Fans of City of Bones will certainly enjoy this sequel. I know I did, though perhaps not quite as much as that first book.

My rating:



Other reviews of City of Ashes:

Em's Bookshelf ~ SciFiGuy ~ Love Vampires ~ About Books
Reader Rabbit ~ YA Reads ~ Tez Says ~ Becky's Book Reviews
Teen Troves ~ Karin's Book Nook ~ The Book Obsession
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Sunday Salon (06.07.09): Review: City of Bones

Happy Sunday, Saloners! I've gotten away from "Week-In-Review" posts and have shamefacedly been absent from the Salon for the last few Sundays. I just haven't had much to post about and have decided that I will only have review posts for my monthly recaps. This week, however, I just happened to finish City of Bones in time for a Sunday review, so that will be my Sunday Salon post for the day!

Title: City of Bones
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Pub Date: 2007, Margaret K. McElderry Books
Hardcover, 485 pages

Synopsis

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. . . .

My Thoughts

I actually received this book in the mail several weeks ago, finally ordering it despite the hype, yet it still took me awhile to finally read it. Shame on me! Given the reviews I've read from many reviewers I share similar tastes with, I don't know why I was so hesitant to read this. I had a hard time putting this book down, and never did for long. Just about every supernatural creature (demons, vampires, werewolves, fairies, witches, warlocks, etc.) is present in this book, whether a character in the story or simply talked about. I thought this added a lot of dimension to the story, as opposed to just focusing on vampires or faeries, or a couple of the various supernatural races.

City of Bones is fast-paced with witty writing. It has been a long time, if ever, that I have read a book that is so full of well-timed sarcastic dialogue and I really enjoyed it. Being of a sarcastic nature, myself, I really thought that Clare did a great job working that into the story. Really, the dialogues felt very realistic to me, not forced or fake, as I sometimes find with some books. I also enjoyed the characters. Clary is a great heroine, very dynamic and full of spunk. And yes, there's a bit of a love triangle--I seem to be reading about those often these days. Both Jace and Simon are perfect to fill those last two spots in the triangle, and it is interesting to watch their story develop. Clare did a great job with all the characters in this story--I think her gift for writing sharp dialogue really helped with their characterization and development.

Can I say that with all the twists and turns in the plot, many of which I could see coming, one of the biggest twists of all actually caught me by surprise? Of course, I won't tell you what that is, and actually there are probably two "really big twists" so I'll let those of you who have read this wonder which one I'm referring to. :-) I have already ordered books 2 and 3 of The Mortal Instruments series and can't wait to pick up the story in City of Ashes.

My rating:



Other reviews of City of Bones:

Becky's Book Reviews ~ Em's Bookshelf ~ Reverie Book Reviews
The Book Reader ~ Tower of Books ~ YA Reads
Just Add Books ~ About Books ~ Karin's Book Nook
Reader Rabbit ~ The Bookshelf Reviews ~ The Book Muncher
One Librarian's Book Reviews ~ A High and Hidden Place
{Insert Book Title Here}

If you have reviewed this book and don't see your site listed above, please leave me a comment with the link to your review and I'll add it to the list!!