Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare
The Infernal Devices #3
Release Date: March 19, 2013
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Source: Bought
Rating: 2 out of 5/Troll

Tessa Gray should be happy - aren't all brides happy?
Yet as she prepares for her wedding, a net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute.

A new demon appears, one linked by blood and secrecy to Mortmain, the man who plans to use his army of pitiless automatons, the Infernal Devices, to destroy the Shadowhunters. Mortmain needs only one last item to complete his plan. He needs Tessa. And Jem and Will, the boys who lay equal claim to Tessa's heart, will do anything to save her.

Lmao, this book though. I should point out that I only read this book because SOMEONE harassed me into it. Not mentioning any names BUT THEY KNOW WHO THEY ARE *stares accusingly*

Clockwork Princess begins with Jem and Tessa engaged and ready to be married, Will being very sad about it and that Mortmain guy still hovering around in the background as the ~obligatory antagonist~. Cecily, Will's sister, is now one of the main characters (and incidentally one of the few I liked) and the mystery of who or what Tessa is is solved. At least I think it is. Still not sure I understood it tbh, not that I tried very hard. Obviously the love triangle is resolved, in an ~entirely unique~ way.

Another Cover Reveal: City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

*le gasp* What do you all think? I like it. There are no creepy green eyes in this one. I'm surprised that they didn't chop half of Jace's face off like they did with Simon's on the COFA cover.

Let me know your thoughts on this! It's very different to any of the other covers.

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare
The Infernal Devices #2
Release Date: December 6, 2011
Publisher: Walker Books
Source: Bought
Rating: Bland

The situation at the London Institute has never been more precarious. With Mortmain and his clockwork army still threatening, the Council wants to strip Charlotte of her power and hand the running of the Enclave over to the unscrupulous and power-hungry Benedict Lightwood.

In the hope of saving Charlotte and the Institute, Will, Jem, and Tessa set out to unravel the secrets of Mortmain’s past—and discover unsettling Shadowhunter connections that hold the key not only to the enemy’s motivations, but also to the secret of Tessa’s identity. Tessa, already caught between the affections of Will and Jem, finds herself with another choice to make when she learns how the Shadowhunters helped make her a “monster.” Will she turn from them to her brother, Nate, who has been begging her to join him at Mortmain’s side? Where will her loyalties—and love—lie? Tessa alone can choose to save the Shadowhunters of London…or end them forever. - Goodreads

Clockwork Prince picks up just after Clockwork Angel ends. Charlotte is now struggling to stay as the head of the London Institute, Mortmain is still on the loose and the Shadowhunters aren’t sure what to do.

I absolutely loved the first book in the Infernal Devices trilogy, but unfortunately I didn’t enjoy Clockwork Prince. This book was very disappointing for me, as I am a fan of most of Clare’s other novels and I was expecting great things.

There is very little action in this novel which caused the plot to drag on. I was tempted many a time to skip pages just to see if it picked up, but of course I couldn’t do that because I hate spoilers! In addition to the lack of exciting scenes, the romance between Tessa, Will and Jem totally takes over this novel. There was far too much focus on the love triangle, and to be honest I thought that Clockwork Prince felt like a spin off or a fan fiction because of this.

Tessa, whom I absolutely adored in Clockwork Angel for her strong personality, made me want to tear my eyes out. I am so annoyed with her! I hate what she’s doing to Jem and Will, and she also comes across as a complete idiot at times. Tessa has turned into one of those weak, ignorant, indecisive female protagonists that I so despise.

We learnt a fair bit about Will and his backstory in this book, which I definitely enjoyed. I would have preferred it if it had played out differently, but of course I can’t go into detail on that due to spoilers!

Jem didn’t really have a huge storyline in Clockwork Prince other than to please Tessa. This was a huge let down, because I loved Jem’s character in the first book and I wanted him to do more than blend in with the wall.

In addition to Will’s development, we also see a lot of other characters in this book. We learn lots about various members of the Lightwood family, the Fairchild family, Mortmain and others. I enjoyed this, but in order for these side plots to be included the action was toned down. I would have preferred to have had more action over the miniature side plots.

Throughout the novel, the characters came out with references to- and quotations of what is now classic literature and poetry, which felt almost humorously out of place within the story or dialogue.

I’m sorry to say this, but I also thought that Clare’s writing style was very awkward to me. There were lots of awkward – I’m totally overusing this word, sorry! – sentences in terms of structure, with an excessive use of commas at times which was unnecessary and choppy. The dialogue in this book was also bland, and at many points in the story I wasn’t able to tell if a character was talking or if it was part of the paragraph.

Overall, I was extremely disappointed with Clockwork Prince. I think I am going to have to give up on Cassandra Clare’s books, as this is the second in a row that I haven’t enjoyed. I’m not sure if the fact that so many of her books being written and published in a short space of time is affecting the writing, but I don’t like this new style. As a result, I can’t recommend this novel, and I will not be reading Clockwork Princess.

I hope I managed to convey my thoughts and feelings on this book well enough, it was an extremely difficult review to write.

Book Review: City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

Release Date:

Publisher:

Rating: 1 out of 5

Recommended? If you're a die-hard fan of the series. Otherwise, I'd give it a miss.

Buy the Book: Amazon US

City of Fallen Angels takes place two months after the events of City of Glass. In it, a mysterious someone’s killing the Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine’s Circle and displaying their bodies around New York City in a manner designed to provoke hostility between Downworlders and Shadowhunters, leaving tensions running high in the city and disrupting Clary’s plan to lead as normal a life as she can — training to be a Shadowhunter, and pursuing her relationship with Jace. As Jace and Clary delve into the issue of the murdered Shadowhunters, they discover a mystery that has deeply personal consequences for them — consequences that may strengthen their relationship, or rip it apart forever. 

Meanwhile, internecine warfare among vampires is tearing the Downworld community apart, and only Simon — the Daylighter who everyone wants on their side — can decide the outcome; too bad he wants nothing to do with Downworld politics. Love, blood, betrayal and revenge: the stakes are higher than ever in City of Fallen Angels. - Goodreads page

*Warning – this review contains spoilers from the previous books in the series. I don’t suggest reading this review unless you’ve read the other books. Of course, if you enjoy spoilers then go right ahead! This review is also kind of a rant. I apologise in advance.*

Like what seems like everyone else in the YA blogoverse, I was so frikkin’ excited to read this book. I thought the TMI series was over with City of Glass, and yet I was craving more Jace and Clary, and Magnus Bane!

City of Fallen Angels picks up a short six weeks after City of Glass ended. The first chapter – which you may well have read online – is told from Simon’s point of view. That’s right, a whole chapter dedicated to one POV! Unheard of in this series, right? Until now at least.

During the first few chapters, the reader really gets a feel for how much the world – and the characters - has changed. First off, Simon is now dating both Isabelle and Maia. Yeah, I felt the same way. What the hell, Simon? I lost a bit of respect for him there, to be honest.

The main plot is that a series of Shadowhunters have been killed, and this in itself sounded very similar to the plot of City of Ashes. I did enjoy the storyline, but it wasn’t until the last few chapters of the book that it picked up and I started loving it.

SLIGHT SPOILER

One plot point, however, was one that I hated and that I wish had never been included. I won’t say when or why, but Isabelle and Alec end up killing humans. This is so out of character for them, and for all Shadowhunters, because they’re meant to protect humans. And worst of all, Isabelle and Alec DIDN’T CARE?! It didn’t affect them at all.

SPOILERS OVER

Also, I must point out something about Izzy and Alec. As you know, their brother was killed in City of Glass – a mere six weeks ago – and yet the only person who seems to be showing any emotion about this is Maryse. I can’t remember one instance in which Izzy or Alec think about Max, let alone grieve him. This part almost killed me, because I know for a fact that if my brother or sister had died, I would NOT have dealt their death in six weeks. Probably not even in six months.

Jace is also having a few problems that I will not go into, but I’ll just say that it was very frustrating to say the least. His relationship with Clary is still as complicated as ever, and that got on my nerves. Why can’t they just be happy? Must the woes of their relationship be dragged through another three books? It’s not necessary. I’d rather see them as a happy couple – which you don’t see very often in YA!

Clary, who was once a brilliant protagonist, didn’t have much to do in this book. And it wasn’t until the ending that she actually reminded me of the old Clary from the first half of the series.


I loved that there were some references and mentions from Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices series)! I got so excited, I almost jumped around and happy danced whenever Will was mentioned!

Like I said, the ending is probably one of the only parts of this book that reminded me of the first half of the series. And yet, even this was lacking somewhat. There is a HUGE cliffhanger ending, so if you don’t like cliffhangers then I don’t suggest reading this book until the next book is out. But then again, you’d have to wait a whole year.

Overall, whilst I did enjoy City of Fallen Angels, it didn’t feel like The Mortal Instruments to me. So many things had changed, and the characters seemed to have completely lost their personality traits. Even the writing seemed very rushed, with lots of commas thrown in everywhere. I did enjoy this book, but nowhere near as much as the others. I kind of wish that Cassandra Clare had just left the trilogy as it was – a trilogy. 

Book Review: City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare
Release Date: March 24, 2009
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Rating: 3 out of 5
Recommended? Yes!
Buy the Book: Amazon US |Amazon UK

To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters -- never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight. 
As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadow-hunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadow-hunters 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 new found powers to help save the Glass City -- whatever the cost? - Goodreads page

This review contains some spoilers from the previous two books in the series. I don't suggest reading this review until you've read the other books!

City of Glass is the third book in the Mortal Instruments series, however it was meant to be the final book in a trilogy, before Cassandra Clare decided to write three more books. This is very apparent in the novel, as this book holds all of the necessities of a finale! There is non-stop action, along with heart breaking scenes and moments.

I shan’t say much about the plot, because whereas I am usually great at being spoiler-free, I don’t think I’d be able to manage it for this book! Just remember that the plot is fantastic, as are the characters. If you’re familiar with this series then I don’t need to tell you that Clare is a brilliant writer. She has an amazing ability to capture the reader and drag them into her world.

I loved Clary’s part in this book. She has always been very mature for her age, and yet she seems to become even more so as this book comes to a close. And it’s completely understandable considering how much she goes through! Her storyline intertwines with a lot of others, and whilst it's complicated, it's very compelling!

Jace and Clary discuss their relationship as siblings with feelings for each other a lot in this book. The struggles that these two go through is insane – but in a good way! I’m extremely happy with how their relationship turned out but, again, I won’t ruin it for you!

Simon also had a superb role in CoG. I know he was a big part of CoA (book 2) but in this book he seemed to be a lot more active, if that makes sense. There was so much going on with Simon, and his development was so, so intriguing as certain things were done to him, and I loved reading about how he was coping with being a vampire!

Overall, like Clare’s other books, City of Glass is a fantastic read. Like I said, it did wrap up very nicely and left few loose threads. However, there is still a lot more to be explored!

Book Review: City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

Release Date: February 24, 2009

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Rating: 4 out of 5

Recommended? Yes.

Buy the Book: Amazon US|

Amazon UK

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?

Warning: This review contains spoilers from City of Bones (book 1). I suggest you read that first before reading this review! :)

The overall plot was just as excellent and intriguing as that of City of Bones but although there was a lot of stuff going on, it just didn’t feel like it. After my reread and thinking about how I was going to review the book, I just kept thinking “What actually happened in this book?”

This is in no way because of Cassandra Clare’s writing skills – nothing wrong there – I think that the pacing of some scenes is just a little slow, or even a little rushed.

I didn’t get that much out of Clary in this book, because she seemed very... preoccupied... with Simon. There didn’t seem to be much character growth there, however I did still love her because she’s badass!

Her relationship with Jace was a very interesting topic. I loved reading about their feelings for each other, and how they were both struggling due to them newly finding out they were siblings.

Overall, I loved this book so much, but it just wasn’t up to par with the first book in the series. I’d definitely recommend reading it if you enjoyed the first one – even if you didn’t particularly like the ending. And if you’ve already read this book, then hurry up and get to the third!

City of Fallen Angels Cover Revealed!

I know I said that I wasn't going to post, but I couldn't concentrate on my coursework after I saw this. If any of you have read Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments series and loved it, then you've probably been waiting just as expectantly as I have for this cover to be revealed.


Without further ado, here it is:

I... I'm not sure if I like it. *Cries*. The bottom part is gorgeous, and matches up with the rest of the books really well. Plus, the swirls and patterns are stunning, but I don't like seeing Clary's face. It just doesn't seem right to me that her face is in full view, whereas on the previous covers the faces have been half chopped off. 

And the model for Clary looks really old as well. Couldn't they have found a younger one? I love her hair though! It's so pretty. 

Overall, I'm not a fan. But who cares about the cover? I think this is one book/series I will make an exception for. I refuse to judge this book by it's cover because I know it's going to be AWESOME! 

What do you guys think of the cover?

City of Fallen Angels is going to be released in April, 2011. *Cheers*

Book Review: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

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....

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end. - Goodreads




The plot ultimately revolves around Clary discovering that she is, in fact, part of a secret and mysterious world rather than the ordinary human girl she thought she was. The plot moves quickly, Cassandra Clare literally throws you right in on the first page. The fast pacing continues throughout the book, literally right to the very end, yet it still manages to flow very nicely. A huge pat on the back to Cassandra Clare for pulling this off! 


Unfortunately, I was spoiled before I read this book, so that HUGE plot twist at the end did not have a huge effect on me as I knew how everything was going to pan out. I do suggest not reading any spoilers on this book until you've finished reading it.


As a main character, I liked how Clary was strong willed and fiesty. She didn't let anyone push her around, which was great. Clary is an ordinary girl which I suppose a lot of people could relate to in that way - unless you're really a Shadowhunter, in which case, why are you reading my review when you should be out saving the world? However, for some reason I couldn't fully connect with her which slightly took away from my expereince with this book. 


Jace, on the other hand, is who really kept this book going for me. I enjoyed his arrogance - which did sometimes get a bit much, but it was fun nonetheless - and his sarcastic humour. Jace was definitely my favourite character in this book, as he had so many sides to him, and what Cassandra Clare was telling you was barely touching the surface.


Simon, Clary's best friend, was a fun character to read about, and I really liked him. However, he did do some pretty silly things which made me feel sorry for him rather than laugh. 


The other secondary characters such as Isabelle, Alec and Luke all played a fairly large role in this book, which I loved. Often, secondary characters such as these get thrown around and used as plot devices, but Cassandra Clare did a brilliant job with them.


A lot of people were very put off by the ending and the twist that I mentioned earlier. However, I do encourage those people to continue reading to see how everything works out, because the next two books in the series are just as good - if not better - than this one! 


Overall, I really loved this book. If you've read my review on Clockwork Angel then you'll know that I'm a big fan of Cassandra Clare's books. If you've read this book, then let me know what you thought of it!

Rating: 4/5

Buy City of Bones at:

Amazon UK|Amazon US|Book Depository

Format: Paperback, 448 pages

Publisher: Walker Books Ltd.

Publication Date: 2 Jul 2007 (UK)

The Mortal Instruments Series:

City of Bones (2007)

City of Ashes (2008)

City of Glass (2009)

City of Fallen Angels (2011)

City of Lost Souls

City of Heavenly Fire

Book Review: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
The Infernal Devices #2
Release Date: August 31st, 2010
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Rating: Essential
Recommended? Yes!
Buy the Book: Amazon UK | Amazon US

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 the 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. - Goodreads Page

I am a huge fan of Cassandra Clare's previous series - The Mortal Instruments - and I have to say that, to start with, I was a little worried about Clockwork Angel because I had a feeling that the storyline and the characters were going to be repeats of those in TMI. However, being the huge fan that I am, I couldn't wait to start CA, despite my reservations. I was very pleased to find that I loved Clockwork Angel! I thought it was really good.

Cassandra Clare captured the feeling of Victorian London - where the novel is set - extremely well, right down to the minor dialogue and even certain buildings! The attention to detail was certainly impressive and that meant that the description was as excellent as always. I found that yet again I could slip right into Clare's world and had a lot of trouble putting the book down. I loved how there was a good mixture of different magical and mythical beings, such as shapeshifters, vampires, warlocks and... robots?!

I thought that Clare could have done a slightly better job in making this book/series more original and stand out more than her other one, because to begin with a lot of the characters were very similar to the ones in TMI. I think after a few chapters the characters really started to come into their own. I know a lot of people found Jace (from TMI) and Will (ID) to be the same person (Cassandra Clare seems to have a thing for hot witty teenage boys), however I have to disagree. There are certainly similarities in the characters, both have a certain charm to them and both have witty comebacks and attitudes. But for those who have read both books, Will is quite obviously cruel and he pushes people away. He also seems to be a compulsive liar. Jace, on the other hand, is kind and he loves his family and friends and would do anything for them. Plus, he doesn't lie.

Tessa was a lot like Clary, however she seemed more mature which is probably appropriate for a young adult of the Victorian era.

Overall, this book is excellent and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys the young adult and fantasy genres. You can even read this book without reading Clare's previous works, as it stands as an individual novel!