The Mortal Instruments By Cassandra Clare

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Warning: please don't read a synopsis if you haven't read the preceding book as it might give away spoilers.
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City of Bones: 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. The 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?

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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 that looks 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 suddenely get the sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know...

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City of Ashes: 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.

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To complicate matters, someone in New York 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 his father?

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City of Glass: 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.

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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?

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Now, I'm pretty sure there isn't anyone in the book community that hasn't read or at least heard of Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instrument series and I for one enjoyed it just as much as everybody else seemed to. This series is exciting, gripping, exhilarating and quite addictive. There's so much going on and to discover in the world that Clare has created that you never get bored with it. There are a lot of twists and turns that keep you reading for longer than you initially sat down for. Filled with an array of characters, including likable and relatable Clary, handsome yet infuriating Jace, to evil and scary villans like Valentine, there's a lot to enjoy.

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I loved the whole new world that Clare has created and in some respects it relates to the likes of Hogwarts and Middle Earth. I wouldn't say it is as epic as these worlds but it's still brilliant. There is a lot of new and inventive demons, that are truly scary at times, and you really feel the danger and threat that they cause to the Shadowhunters. The Shadowhunters are a whole new brand of warriors, that have there own set of rules, myths and legends.

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The characters are all fully developed throughout the three books. You get to learn and connect with them, especially Clary, Jace, Simon, Alec and Isabelle. Also, as the story progresses throughout the novels, the dangers seems to increase, especially with the City of Ashes. There is palpable fear and peril that makes the world feel even more real and urges you to carry on reading just so you can make sure your favourite characters make it.

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Cassandra Clare's writing is very smooth and easy to follow and like I said before is very addictive. There something in it that makes you feel like you can't stop reading and you need to know what happen's next. She also seems to have a wonderful sense of humour that is woven throughout the series, and there were actual moments where I laughed out loud. She also has the ability to write fantastic action scenes which really come across when the Shadowhunters were fighting various demons and keeps you on the edge of your seat.

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Filled with action, mystery, romance and pure enjoyment this series is a must for any fans of fantasy YA. There are going to be another three books in this series but this time focussing on Simon as the main charater. I can't wait! I'm also excited to read the first installment in her Infernal Devices trilogy (the Clockwork Prince).

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Random Passage: "Is this the part where you say if I hurt her, you'll kill me?"

"No" Simon said, "If you hurt Clary she's quite capable of killing you herself. Possibly with a variety of weapons."

In My Mailbox (11)

In My Mailbox is hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren.
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I got four book this week:
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1. Nocturnes By Kazuo Ishiguro
2. Angel By L. A. Weatherly
3. World Without End By Ken Follett
4. The Distant Hours By Kate Morton

The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow By Washington Irving

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is a chilling tale of romantic rivalry and supernatural terror. The story begins with Ichabod Crane becoming the new schoolmaster of Sleepy Hollow. Ichabod comes to the idea of marrying the wealthy Katrina Van Tassel.
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This book is the rare occasion where I actually prefer the film to the novel. Having watched the film years ago and loved it this may be the reason I didn't connect to the book or enjoy it. Don't get me wrong it was still okay but I didn't think it was anything special. There is in fact not much resemblance between the movie and the book except for there being a headless horseman and many of the characters names.
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It was a very short story at less than one hundred pages. I felt that we didn't get to know the characters at all. In the book, Ichabod Crane is actually a school teacher and doesn't come across at all likeable. I felt that the main plot of the story was Ichabod Crane's rivalry with Brom because they were both vying for the affections of Katrina Van Tassel. So in a way I think the book is misrepresented. I settled down on Halloween to read this expecting to be slightly scared with a chill down my spine, whereas I got a slightly dull story about a man infactuated with one of his elder students and then gets run out of town by a headless horseman who may or may not be real.

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I did like Irving's Autumn atmosphere though. He did capture the essence of the season well. Also, the part where Ichabod Crane is chased out of the village is quite exciting, so that you feel as if you are watching it. So, overall a good quick read, but not at all scary.
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Random Passage: From the listless response of the place, and the peculiar character of it inhabitants, who are descendants from the original Dutch settlers, this sequestered glen has long been known by the name of SLEEPY HOLLOW, and its rustic lads are called Sleepy Hollow Boys throughout all the neighbouring country. A drowsy, dreamy influence seems to hang over the land, and to pervade the very atmosphere.

In My Mailox (10)

In My Mailbow is hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren.
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I got a plethora of books this week:
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1. Rampant By Diana Peterfreund
2. Once A Witch By Carolyn MacCullough
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3. Beautiful Darkness By Kani Garcia & Margaret Stohl
4. Gone By Lisa McMann
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5. Zombies vs. Unicorns By Various (edited by Holly Black)
6. The Body Finder By Kimberely Derting
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7. Nevermore By Kelly Creagh
8. The Extraordinary Secrets Of April, May & June By Robin Benway
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9. Jessica's Guide To Dating On The Dark Side By Beth Fantaskey
10. Crank By Ellen Hopkins
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11. Betrayals By Lili St. Crow
12. Jealousy By Lili St. Crow
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13. The Complete Poetry By Edgar Allan Poe

14. Gone By Michael Grant

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15. Hunger By Michael Grant

16. Anna Karenina By Leo Tolstoy

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17. This Year It Will Be Different By Maeve Binchy

18. Never Let Me Go By Kazuo Ishiguro

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19. Goodnight Mister Tom By Michelle Magorian

20. The Little Princess By France Hodgson Burnett

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21. The Pirate's Daughter By Margaret Ceezair-Thompson

22. The Wilding By Maria McCann

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23. A Place Of Secrets By Rachel Hore

24. The Forgotten Garden By Kate Morton
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I went a bit over the top this week didn't I? However, I did get quite a good deal on some of them from the local market and charity shop. I'm especially looking forward to Nevermore and Zombies Vs. Unicorns.

Radiant Shadows By Melissa Marr

Hunger for nourishment.
Hunger for touch.
Hunger to belong.
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Half-human and half-faery, Ani is driven by her hungers.
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Those same appetites also attract powerful enemies and uncertain allies, including Devlin. He was created as an assassin and is brother to the faeries' coolly logical High Queen and to her chaotic twin, the embodiment of war. Devlin wants to keep Ani safe from his sisters, knowing that if he fails, he will be the instrument of Ani's death.
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Ani isn't one to be guarded while others fight battles for her, though. She has the courage to protect herself and the ability to alter Devlin's plans - and his life. The two are drawn together, each with reason to fear the other and to fear for one another. But as they grow closer, a larger threat imperils the world of Faerie. Will saving the faery realm mean losing each other?
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Alluring romance, heart-stopping danger, and sinister intrigue combine in the penultimate volume of Melissa Marr's New York Times bestselling Wicked Lovely series.
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The first book (Wicked Lovely) I really enjoyed. I thought it was a great twist on the whole idea of faeries. The second and third books (Ink Exchange and Fragile Eternity) I did't enjoy as much but still quite liked. Finally the fourth book (Radiant Shadows) I wasn't as keen on. I thought it was okay but didn't grab me as much as the others. I almost gave it up to start with because I felt it was such a slow start, but the end really picked up and redeemed itself. There was alot of new and interesting ideas but at times it was very confusing with the large amount of new characters.
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I didn't care for the characters first until about half way through when I finally started to like Ani and Devlin. Ani is a halfling that belongs to the Dark Court. She likes to to put up a fight and is not afraid to confront anyone. In the end, I quite liked her because she was brave and got over being whiny and sulky. By the end she had less hard edges and was more likable and I think that was down to her falling for Devlin. Ani is also unique when it comes to being a faery becasue she has these special or enhanced powers. However, they were never really explained and I never really understood why they were so imporatant to the High Queen and her twin and how they could change the shape of the faery world.
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Devlin was the antihero of the book. The product of logic and war, he starts of being quite a selfish and driven character; he doesn't think about or care about other people and Ani is the flaw in that plan. For some reason he becomes drawn to her and feels the need to protect her. I like how he became more human in terms of feelings instead of the controlled robot he was at the start. He became more vulnerable and was willing to sacrifice himself if Ani was ever in trouble.
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One character I didn't understand at all was Rae the 'dreamwalker'. There was no explanation for where she came from or what happened to her in the end. She doesn't really have a back story and seems to just appear out of thin air. I didn't understand her character at all and it was never made clear how she even managed to be in Faerie at all. I didn't see the purpose of her in the story. Also there was no trace of Keenan or Aishlinn and Seth was only really present near the end. We learn that apparently Keenan has disappeared but that's all that's said on the matter. Maybe that will be built upon in the next novel. Two characters I still liked from the previous books were Irial and Bananach. Bananach is a truly malevolent person and is a fantastic villian. Whereas Irial is a complex character with many different sides.
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Towards the end of the book, the pace did pick up and I actually liked the ending. I liked how Marr explained the Faerie realm being about balance between order and disorder, shadows and radiance. Showing how it has a good side and a bad side but how both are needed for it to work. Basically Bananch and Sorcha represent the two sides to the Fairie realm and the plot in the end was about the possibilities of what might happen if the scales were to tip in the favour of one over the other.
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Whilst,eventually I did start to like Radiant Shadows, it came a bit late. In the end, I did like the two main characters and would like to see them more developed in further sequels but there still felt like there was something missing in this installment. However, I would recommend it to people that have already read the first three in the series as it's still a nice way to get immersed in Marr's unique Faerie realm.
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Random Passage: Like many faeries she knew, he was sculpture-perfect, but instead of being wrought of shadows like those in her court, this faery had a tangled feel to him. Shadow and radiance. He didn't look much older than her, until she saw the arrogance in his posture. Then, he reminded her of Irial, of Bananach, of Keenan, of the fearies who walked through courts and crowds confident that they could slaughter everyone in the room. Like chaos in a glass cage.

Sisters Red By Jackson Pearce

Scarlett March lives to hunt the Fenris - the werewolves that took her eye when she was defending her sister Rosie from a brutal attack. Armed with a razor-sharp hatchet and a blood-red cloak, Scarlett is an expert at luring and slaying the wolves. She's determined to protect other girls from a grisly death, and her raging heart will not rest until every single wolf is dead.

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Rosie March once felt her bond with her sister was unbreakable. Owing Scarlett her life, Rosie hunts fiercely alongside her. Now Rosie dreams of a life beyond the wolves and finds herself drawn to Silas, a young woodsman who is deadly with an axe - but loving him means betraying her sister and has the potential to destroy all they've worked for.

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Jackson Pearce delivers a dark, taut fairy tale with heart-pounding action, fierce sisterly love, and a romance that will leave readers breathless.
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Sisters Red is a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood but also a continuation of the story. In this story, the big bad wolves are known as the Fenris and can look like your average human being until they can't hold back their hunger and end up turning into savage wolves. However Scarlett has a knack of spotting Fenris even when they still appear to be human. Scarlett and her sister Rosie are left to defend themselves when an attack occurs, leaving their Grandma dead, Scarlett marred, and the sisters all alone. Scarlett ends up taking it upon herseld to rid the world of as many werewolves as she can.

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Scarlett as a character appears fearless and ruthless when it comes to the Fenris. She's got this power that keeps pushing her. It's almost as if she has this hunger inside for death and savagery like the Fenris, but in her case it's the need to protect the innocent not to destroy it. Rosie, unlike Scarlett, doesn't have a clear goal. She feels obligated to hunt the Fenris because that's what Scarlett wants and she feels guilty not wanting the same because of how Scarlett saved her life and took the brunt of the attack from the Fenris when they were younger. Also, the romance between Rosie and their friend, Silas, was really sweet and endearing.

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I think Jackson Pearce did a good job with recreating werewolves. They came across as frightening and cunning. Pearce's writing was smooth and easy to read and at times completley absorbing. The actions scenes were fantastic and kept me on the edge of my seat and there were even a few violent and grizzly scenes. She also managed to capture the bond between sisters really well. How they may want completely different things and lifestyles, yet they don't want to be apart and still want what's best for each other in the end.

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I really enjoyed Sisters Red even if I did see the twist coming. It was a fresh take on a classic fairy tale. I hear there is going to be a companion novel to Sisters Red, but with this one based on Hansel and Gretel. I can't wait!

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Random Passage: Would I trade that in, give it away for the hunt? I stumble down the stairs of a subway. No. I couldn't trade it in again. Not now that I know what it is to be loved. Not now that I've stepped out of the cave and into the sun.