Book Review of "Clockwork Prince" by Cassandra Clare

Title: Clockwork Prince (Infernal Devices #2)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Classification: YA Fiction, Historical Fiction, Paranormal
Source: Bought from Amazon

Overall Grade:

A+

I thought...

!!!! fdsfsafhuihjjajefnc,xku=gn !!! 

This is what your brain looks like after reading this book!!

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Summary (from Goodreads): 

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends. 

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them. 

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do? 

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

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My Thoughts:


Holy holy holy crap. This book.

If you read this book and do not think that it is FULL OF AWESOME, you are probably an automaton and have been programmed to be immune to the lure of romance and intrigue and kissing and secrets and JEM and Victorian England and FREAKING WILL HERONDALE and general awesomeness and Clary will probably create a rune that kills you soon, so say your last goodbyes.

I'm not going to gloss over the fact that the last two Cassandra Clare books I read (Clockwork Angel, City of Fallen Angels) did not live up to my utter adoration of the first three books in the Mortal Instruments series. I read those three books in as many days, ignoring responsibilities left and right, breathing Jace and Clary and Simon every waking moment.

What I loved about those books came back to me in Clockwork Prince.

Tessa is a fantastic heroine. Her attitude, past experiences, and stoicism remind me of Jane Eyre, one of my all-time favorite characters.

Jem's character is given new dimension in Clockwork Prince. In the first book, we see Jem as merely the foil to Will--the damaged boy with silver hair and eyes who is the only known person on the planet who could be parabatai to Will Herondale. (OH MY GOSH JUST TYPING HIS NAME MADE ME SMILE WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?!)

However, in Clockwork Prince, certain events force Jem to show more emotion than he's used to. We see him angry and frustrated. Finally this boy is given a few flaws! It was terribly refreshing.

But most of all, we see Jem being romantic and sexy. Seriously sexy.

Each of the minor characters is also given new depth: Jessamine, Charlotte, Henry, Nathaniel, the Lightwoods, and Sophie. Magnus Bane is awesome as ever, but also fills a role in this book that made me love him even more.

Then there is Will Herondale.

This is Cassandra Clare at her absolute best. (Yes, I know she has a bajillion more books coming out... but I'm going out on a limb here).

Where Jem is developed into a more functional love interest that readers will certainly root for, William Herondale becomes something else entirely: a tragic hero. An obsession of girls everywhere. Jace squared, cubed, quadrupled.

By the end of Clockwork Prince, we see a new side to Will. We finally get something true about the boy that Tessa is trying desperately to get over. Something that changes your mind about him.

But does it change Tessa's mind...?

That's the question to be answered in December's Clockwork Princess, as well as our remaining questions about the state of the London Institute and the elusive Magister.

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Overall Grade:

A+

I thought...

!!!! fdsfsafhuihjjajefnc,xku=gn !!! 

This is what your brain looks like after reading this book!!

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Book Review of "City of Fallen Angels" by Cassandra Clare

Title: City of Fallen Angels (Mortal Instruments #4)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Classification: YA Fiction, Paranormal
Source: Bought

Overall Grade:

C+

I thought...

Same great characters + world paired with a ridiculous plot.


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Summary (from Goodreads): 

The Mortal War is over, and Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. She's training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Her mother is getting married to the love of her life. Downworlders and Shadowhunters are at peace at last. And—most important of all—Clary can finally call Jace her boyfriend.

But nothing comes without a price.

Someone is murdering the Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine’s Circle, provoking tensions between Downworlders and Shadowhunters that could lead to a second bloody war. Clary’s best friend, Simon, can’t help her. His mother just found out 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 wrecking his life. And they’re willing to do anything to get what they want. At the same time he’s dating two beautiful, dangerous girls—neither of whom knows about the other.

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

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

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My Thoughts: 

I really love The Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices series that Cassie Clare has created, I really do. But this book just missed the mark.

I have a theory that Cassie wrote CoFA as a sort of rough draft and saved the good stuff for Clockwork Prince, the sequel to Clockwork Angel that blew my socks off. Best. Book. Ever.

I know, I know... I'm being pretty brutal here. But I don't know any other way to describe my disappointment with this book.

It certainly wasn't the characters, the world, or the relationships in CoFA that set me off. It was the thing that Cassie is usually the best at: the plot. I simply DO NOT BELIEVE the overall story of this book!

It is too coincidental, too convenient, and really, just too ridiculous. It is clear that the series was meant to end with the third book, City of Glass, and the bad-guys in CoFA were basically resurrected from the dead in order to carry on the story. It's almost insulting as a reader to encounter such a vain attempt at carrying on a series.

My qualms about the plot of this story aside, I must give Cassie props for Simon and Jace. It was incredibly entertaining to watch these guys spend time with each other... especially since they are my two favorite characters in the series. However, I also liked the full cast of characters, from Maya to Magnus Bane! Cassie truly has a talent for keeping a large amount of characters in order and letting them make themselves known throughout the story.

While I was seriously disappointed in the overall direction that was taken in CoFA, I will still continue on with the series. I can't help it really, these books are basically a Class 2 substance.

Seriously, they should be sold by the gram.

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Overall Grade:

C+

I thought...

Same great characters + world paired with a ridiculous plot.



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Book Review of "Forever" by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: Forever (Wolves of Mercy Falls #3)
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Classification: YA Fiction, Paranormal 

Source: Bought

Overall Grade: 
A
I thought...
Higher highs and lower lows make for a perfect end to one of my favorite series EVER!

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Summary (from Goodreads):

The thrilling conclusion to #1 bestselling Shiver trilogy from Maggie Stiefvater

In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. In Linger, they fought to be together. Now, in Forever, the stakes are even higher than before. Wolves are being hunted. Lives are being threatened. And love is harder and harder to hold on to as death comes closing in.

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My Thoughts:

Sam. Grace. Cole. Isabel.

I love these books. I love the writing, I love the way that an otherwise ordinary story is made extraordinary with words and lyrics and poems committed to memory.

But most of all, I love the characters.

Maggie Stiefvater has done an incredible job with The Wolves of Mercy Falls. Each book adds complexity on complexity, as the characters are fleshed out and kissed and lost, but found again.

When Forever begins, each character still has their own set of problems that make their lives particularly difficult. By the end of Forever, these problems are addressed and resolved, but not SOLVED. There is no neat solution to the overall problems... Cole's guilt and tortured past, Grace's relationship with her parents, Sam's love/hate relationship with Beck, Isabel's explosive family life.

Nor is the problem at the heart of these novels, the mystery of the werewolf... disease? toxin? affliction? explained away and wrapped in a box with a shiny red bow. Rather, the issue escalates into a conflict where death, for every main character, is not only probable, but almost imminent.

While this book serves as a perfect conclusion to the series, in that it doesn't feel like a set conclusion, yet leaves very little lingering questions, it also stands out as a seriously enjoyable read on its own. Not only are we able to escape back into the heads of Grace, Sam, Cole, and Isabel, but we are also shown more romance, conflict, and complications than any of the previous books.

Forever is essentially a paranormal coming-of-age story with equal parts romance, thrill, and mystery. It is lyrical and poignant, but very, very readable. It is funny, yet brutal, honest, yet idealistic.

For those readers that are tired of overused clichés and characters that fall flat on the page, read this book. Well, read Shiver and Linger first... then read this one.

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Overall Grade: 

A

Would I recommend it? 

Higher highs and lower lows make for a perfect end to one of my favorite series EVER!

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Book Review of "Fateful" by Claudia Gray

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Title: Fateful
Author: Claudia Gray
Classification: YA Fiction, Paranormal, Historical Fiction
Source: ARC from the publisher

Overall Grade:

B+

Would I recommend it?

Yes, for a wild, fun, historical thrill ride!

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Summary (from Goodreads):

It's about a servant girl named Tess in 1912, who wants to escape from the house where she works, and most particularly the lecherous young lord of the manor. But that's not her biggest problem. While on a voyage to America, where she plans to escape and start a new life, she meets Alec, who's ruggedly handsome, fabulously wealthy, intelligent and yet so clearly troubled that she'd rather not fall for him, but she does. That also is not her biggest problem. Alec, it turns out, is a werewolf ... one cursed to change every night, unless and until he surrenders his independence and joins the Brotherhood, a pack of violently misogynistic werewolves who have been tracking him for months. You'd think that would be their biggest problem, wouldn't you?

But no. Their biggest problem -- though they don't know it yet -- is that they're aboard the RMS Titanic.

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My Thoughts:

Fateful, due to be published September 13th, was such an incredibly fun read!

If a story about a servant girl and an heir to a millionaire's throne set on the Titanic was not thrilling enough, there is also a thoroughly engrossing paranormal plot that adds suspense, danger, and mystery.

Just as most stories like these progress, Tess is frequently stepped upon, insulted, and sometimes assaulted by members of the upper class. I did enjoy this portion of the novel, the clash between social classes, the stories of the characters that defy these distinctions, and those that live their entire lives by these rules.

Although I found the paranormal story line in Fateful to be refreshing, most likely due to its historical setting, the plot was a bit predictable. However, the presence of a long list of other characters and their various side-plots,  such as the Lisle family, Tess' sister back in England, and even her new-found friend aboard the ship, Miriam, added a richness to the story.

Although the individual sections of this novel may fall under scrutiny if examined individually, the whole combination of romance, paranormal, mystery, and adventure serves for a seriously addicting and satisfying read! 

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Overall Grade:

B+

Would I recommend it?

Yes, for a wild, fun, historical thrill ride!

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Book Review of "Nightshade" by Andrea Cremer

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Title: Nightshade (Nightshade #1)

Author: Andrea Cremer
Classification: YA Fiction, Paranormal
Source: Bought

Overall Grade: 
B+ 
Would I read it again? 
... Maybe.
Would I recommend it? 
Yes

 

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Summary (from Goodreads):

Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters' laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart, she might lose everything- including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice?

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My Thoughts:

 

While Nightshade was a thrilling paranormal book that I couldn't put down for the life of me, there was something about the novel that hindered my ability to enjoy it. 
 
For instance, it is no surprise to learn that there is a love triangle in this book, so I don't think that skimming over this is going to spoil the book for those who haven't read it yet! I liked the individual relationships if Calla/Shay and Calla/Ren. However, what I did not enjoy was how easily Calla switched between the two boys without a second thought about being loyal to one or the other. Sure, she feels compelled by different forces, both external and internal, to be with both of these guys, but why doesn't she try to sort out her feelings before she kisses both boys freely, without the other even knowing about it?! That was bothersome.
 
Other than this one major complaint, I enjoyed the rest of the book immensely! I think that world that Cremer created was new and interesting, as well as the mystery aspect. At first I felt confused, as the reader is simply thrown into the thick of things without an explanation of the world, but I soon grew accustomed to it and thought that it was a great way to get the story moving quickly.

All in all, this is a great paranormal read for fans of Vampire Academy and The Mortal Instruments series!

Stay tuned for my review of Wolfsbane, the 2nd book in this series that is going to be released on July 26th!

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Overall Grade: 
B+ 
Would I read it again? 
... Maybe.
Would I recommend it? 
Yes

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Waiting on Wednesday: "Forever" by Maggie Stiefvater

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Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine!


 

This week, I'm anxiously awaiting the conclusion to the beloved Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy by Maggie Stiefvater, one of my favorite Young Adult authors out there today.

Forever (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #3) comes out July 12th 2011! 

If I wasn't possibly moving before then, I would definitely pre-order it. I absolutely loved the first two books in the series, Shiver and Linger!

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Here are my thoughts on the first two installments in the amazing paranormal series:

Book Review of "Shiver" by Maggie Stiefvater

Book Review of "Linger" by Maggie Stiefvater

Now, read what's in store for Sam, Grace, Cole and Isabelle in Forever!
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Summary (from Goodreads):

The thrilling conclusion to #1 bestselling Shiver trilogy from Maggie Stievater

In Maggie Stiefvater's SHIVER, Grace and Sam found each other. In LINGER, they fought to be together. Now, in FOREVER, the stakes are even higher than before. Wolves are being hunted. Lives are being threatened. And love is harder and harder to hold on to as death comes closing in.
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So, what are you waiting on this Wednesday?!

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Book Review of "Clockwork Angel" by Cassandra Clare

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Title: Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices #1)
Author: Cassandra Clare
Classification: YA Fiction, , Historical Fiction, Paranormal
Source: Borrowed!

Overall Grade: 

B

Would I read it again? 

No.

Would I recommend it? 

Yes, fans of the Mortal Instruments series will love it!

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Summary (from Goodreads): 

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.

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My Thoughts:

Cassandra Clare's Clockwork Angel continues to delight her readers with great characters, luxurious writing, and an amazing story. However, readers of her Mortal Instruments series will be thrown off by this novel's slow start.

When we first meet Tessa, she is on her way to London from America to find her older brother who disappeared some months ago. Just after her arrival, she is taken by the mysterious Dark Sisters. This part of the narrative lasts for the good part of 50 pages or so.

It's not until a good way into the novel that Tessa meets Jem, Will, and the rest of the Shadowhunter clan in London. When this finally happens, the pace picks up considerably, as did my enjoyment of the book!

Tessa is a good narrator: as an outsider to the Shadowhunter community, the reader is given a fresh perspective on their lives. We get to learn her intimate reactions to meeting the other characters, and when she struggles to deal with her uncertain origins.

The plot of the novel was as exciting and interesting as those in the Mortal Instruments series, and I found myself wanting to read just one more chapter every time I tried to stop!

However, something that continues to bother me about Cassandra Clare's novels is the clunky-ness and predictability of the writing. While the other aspects of the books are spectacular, I find myself easily annoyed with common descriptions and over-done narration. This makes it impossible for me to read these books again, because they are simply filled with too much: too many unnecessary sentences, too-lengthy descriptions.

Still, I am anxiously awaiting book 2 in the Infernal Devices series, Clockwork Prince, set to be published on December 6, 2011!

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Overall Grade: 

B

Would I read it again? 

No.

Would I recommend it? 

Yes, fans of the Mortal Instruments series will love it!

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Book Review of "Linger" by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: Linger (Wolves of Mercy Falls #2)
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Classification: YA Fiction, Paranormal
Source: Bought

Overall Grade: 

A
I thought...
Maggie Stiefvater is my favorite person.

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Summary (from Goodreads):

In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other.  Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack.  And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

At turns harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love -- the light and the dark, the warm and the cold -- in a way you will never forget.

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My Thoughts:

I'm officially a Maggie Stiefvater fan-girl. I absolutely love her lyrical writing and the ability she has to create emotion on every page.

The characters in this series continue to amaze me! Not only are Grace, Sam and Isabelle explored further, but we also meet the tortured and seriously-hot Cole. Cole is my new favorite! I loved his interesting story and his struggle to abandon his painful past in favor of a future without human emotion. I loved his relationship with Isabelle, as well. What a couple, huh?!

Linger just might have been better than Shiver. Probably because of the addition of Cole and the constant shift in POV from Grace, Sam, Isabelle and Cole. Some people don't like this, but I loved getting into the heads of characters that I have grown to love so much.

Although there have been some complaints about Linger being more slow-moving than Shiver, I didn't mind the pace at all. I found myself savoring each paragraph as I heard each character's story. Stiefvater is so amazing at making every sentence lyrical and interesting.

The only complaint that I have about this series in general is the use of the wolves howling. It seemed like too many chapters were ended with "And then the wolves began to howl." Yes, it's a poignant and appropriate ending, but I started to get sick of it after awhile.

A great sequel to one of my favorite paranormal series ever! Can't wait to read their conclusion in Forever (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #3) out July 12th, 2011!

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Overall Grade: 

A

I thought...

Maggie Stiefvater is my favorite person.

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Book Review of "Demonglass" by Rachel Hawkins

NOTE: There are several spoilers to the novel Hex Hall (the first in this series) even in the description for Demonglass. Just sayin'.

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Title: Demonglass
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Classification: YA Fiction, Paranormal Romance, Fantasy
Source: Bought!

Overall Grade: 

A 

Would I read it again? 

Yes!

Would I recommend it to others? 

Certainly! 

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Summary (from Goodreads): 

Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch.

That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth.

Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers.

But once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they’re using Archer to do it. But it’s not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she?

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My Thoughts:

Love Love Love!

 
I had a hard time putting this book down to go to work, go to bed, pick up the phone... It was addicting from the get go and I loved being back in Sophie's head. She is funny, brave, and real.

The development of characters like Cal, Archer and Sophie's father in the novel were paramount to the book's success. However, while I loved these developments (especially Cal!) I feel like Sophie's friendship with Jenna was neglected a bit. But that's okay, because Jenna's also growing in her own way in the story, so it worked out alright in the end.

The paranormal elements in Demonglass did not disappoint. However, these too, were put on the back burner a bit in favor of Sophie's relationships with others. I'm not saying it was a terrible move on Hawkins' part, because I think it worked really well and helped Sophie become a strong protagonist, but I think that some readers will be saddened by the lack of the more magical elements in the novel.

All in all, the Hex Hall series is quickly becoming one of my favorites! I can't wait to finish up the series next year with the publication of the unnamed Hex Hall #3... especially since Ms. Hawkins left us on a terrible cliffhanger!

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Overall Grade: 

A 

Would I read it again? 

Yes!

Would I recommend it to others? 

Certainly! 

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Book Review of "Shiver" by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: Shiver (Wolves of Mercy Falls #1)
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Classification: YA Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance
Source: Bought

Overall Grade: 

A

I thought...

Simply one of my favorite books ever. Really.

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Summary (from Goodreads):

the cold.
Grace has spent years watching the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—watches back. He feels deeply familiar to her, but she doesn't know why.

the heat.
Sam has lived two lives. As a wolf, he keeps the silent company of the girl he loves. And then, for a short time each year, he is human, never daring to talk to Grace...until now.

the shiver.
For Grace and Sam, love has always been kept at a distance. But once it's spoken, it cannot be denied. Sam must fight to stay human—and Grace must fight to keep him—even if it means taking on the scars of the past, the fragility of the present, and the impossibility of the future.

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My Thoughts:

Wow.

Why didn't I read this book sooner?

I absolutely LOVED Shiver.  I loved the split narrative between characters.  I loved Grace and I loved Sam.  I especially loved Isabel.


Stievater created characters that lived and breathed in the room with me while I read.  When Sam ruminated on the poetry of German poet Rilke, I ruminated with him.  I watched while Grace watched the wolves behind her house and I felt like her wolf was my wolf, too.

The paranormal and romantic sides of Shiver were perfectly balanced and well paced.  I always felt that pull to keep reading, even in moments when the conflict wasn't especially strong.

I know this review isn't very balanced. So I'll try to sum things up:

Shiver is a welcome addition to YA lit's Paranormal Romance genre with its lyrical narration, deep characterization and new element of mysticism in the popular werewolf meme.

The only other thing I have to say about Shiver is a bit of a warning: this book is not the light-and-airy YA read that is full of rainbows and dancing puppies.  It's not dark either. It's neither. It's different.

I'm reading the sequel in this "Wolves of Mercy Falls" series, called Linger, now. I'll let you know what I think. ;)

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Overall Grade: 

A

I thought...

Simply one of my favorite books ever. Really.

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Book Review of "The Dark Divine" by Bree Despain

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Title:  The Dark Divine (The Dark Divine #1)
Author:  Bree Despain
Classification:  YA Fiction, Paranormal Romance
Source:  Public Library

Overall Grade:

B-

Would I read it again?

Probably not.

Would I recommend it?

Sure?

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Summary:

Grace Divine's basically ordinary life is again interrupted by the return of Daniel Kalbi, childhood sweetheart and former best friend of her brother Jude.  That is, he used to be until that night Daniel disappeared... coincidentally the same night Jude came home horribly injured and covered in blood.  Then, Grace and her younger sister were immediately sent away to live with a relative for three weeks, never getting the full story from their parents or Jude about what happened... and where Daniel went.

Daniel's sudden reappearance in Grace's life several years later threatens her potential romance with the gorgeous Pete and her relationship with her family.  You see, Daniel used to be considered part of the Divine family until that night that no one will talk about.  Now he's a blemish on their perfect records and even the mention of his name will send Grace's family members into an uproar, especially Jude, who makes Grace promise that she'll never talk to or see Daniel again after their first reunion moment at school.

But Grace knows Daniel and thinks she is possibly the only one that can help Daniel in his troubled state.  Plus, Daniel seems to know more about the mysterious disappearances and gruesome maulings that have been happening around town...

But when Daniel reluctantly gives up his secret, Grace finds that Daniel isn't the only one carrying a terrible burden...

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My Thoughts:

This book through me off a little.  The bold-faced type of the book may seem trivial, but definitely takes some getting used to when you first start reading.  However, I quickly got past that and started falling into the story.  I love the characters that Despain created, a very well-round cast and very well-written.  I love how Despain was able to write about a religious family (Grace's father is a pastor) without the moral aspect being preachy or trite.  However, where I did find the narrative a little trite was with the relationship between Grace and Daniel.  I found their dialogue, especially Grace's, to be extremely cheesy at times, which definitely hurt my love for these characters.  But, having said that, I still really enjoyed their relationship, a great testament to the strength of the book, since usually a couple weak moments can make me close the book forever.

Also, the plot of the novel was great: it was exciting, mysterious, and a fresh new take on a popular theme in today's YA lit.  Again, however, there were a few areas of weakness.  For example, while the development of Daniel as a re-emerging character, yet a new character for the reader, was great.  I thought the pacing would be too slow and the slow revelation of his secret too teasing, Despain executed the plot in a way that was still exciting, yet built up tension until the big reveal.  However, I found the action scenes to be clunky and awkward, taking a lot of imagination to make sense of Despain's inexperienced narrations.
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Overall Grade:
B-
Would I read it again?
Probably not.
Would I recommend it?
Sure?

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