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Book Review: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. The Mortal Instruments Series #1.

Published: 2008, Simon Pulse

485 pages

Synopsis: (From Cassandra Clare's website )

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. Clary knows she should call the police, but it's hard to explain a murder when the body disappears into thin air and the murderers are invisible to everyone but Clary.

Equally startled by her ability to see them, the murderers explain themselves as Shadowhunters: a secret tribe of warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. Within twenty-four hours, Clary's mother disappears and Clary herself is almost killed by a grotesque 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....

Valerie's Thoughts:

The first few chapters were a little confusing because of the terminology used to describe the different types of people and monsters in the book. The only one I recognized was Nephilim and that's because it has been mentioned in other books I've read. After the descriptions of the Downworlders, Shadowhunters, and the like are mentioned, it was no longer that confusing.

The story was very interesting and it seems like it would be fun to try to see what local buildings actually look like if they were not being hidden behind a glamour to protect the people inside.  Clary and Jace are wonderful characters, although Jace can be a bit of a pain at times. You still want them to get together and date, and it heads in that direction, then a shocking twist happens. One I did not really expect to come. Near the end, it lets you decide who you believe is telling the truth.  I am looking forward to seeing where the story goes next.

Book Review: Torment by Lauren Kate

Synopsis:

Hell on earth. That's what it's like for Luce to be apart from her fallen angel boyfriend, Daniel.

It took them an eternity to find one another, but now he has told her he must go away. Just long enough to hunt down the Outcasts-immortals who want to kill Luce. Daniel hides Luce at Shoreline, a school on the rocky California coast with unusually gifted students: Nephilim, the offspring of fallen angels and humans.

At Shoreline, Luce learns what the Shadows are, and how she can use them as windows to her previous lives. Yet the more Luce learns, the more she suspects that Daniel hasn't told her everything. He's hiding something- something dangerous.

What if Daniel's version of the past isn't actually true? What if Luce is really meant to be with someone else?

The second novel in the Fallen series... where love never dies.

Our thoughts:

After falling in love with Daniel in the first book, Fallen, we found it kind of hard to like him as much in Torment since he keeps pushing Luce away in order to protect her. You just want them to stay together, but he makes it difficult. He comes through in the end, and we love him again.

It was great to discover that the Shadows are helpful to Luce, instead of her having to be afraid of them.

Some great new characters are introduced in this book. Two of whom being Miles and Shelby. Both of them help Luce work with the Shadows and help her to explore her past lives.

The end, however, left a big "What?" in our heads. We are hoping that it would be resolved in book three, Passion. JoAnna re-read the ending, and is still confused about what happened to the real Luce. If you have read this book and understand the ending, could you please do JoAnna a huge favor and explain it in an e-mail to vanceminions@gmail.com She would GREATLY appreciate it!

Book Blogger Hop - April 22-25, 2011

This week's question comes from Christina who blogs at The Paperback Princesses.  She asks:

 "If you find a book you love, do you hunt down other books by the same author?"

Of course! Especially since most of the books we read are from a series. Since we primarily hunt down new books in the library based on how interesting the cover is, and what the synopsis is, we try to see if it is in a series. If it is, we try to find out what number in the series it is and if we can find the others. If it is not the first one in the series, we place it on hold so we can read the series from the beginning. There is nothing worse than reading a book, only to find out it is a part of a series and that's why it doesn't make much sense. It's a good thing that JoAnna looks up the book covers and information online first to have a better idea of the author and the series. It also is a huge help when the books themselves list what book number it is either on the spine or near the title page.

In My Mailbox - April 18, 2011

Hosted by: The Story Siren

In our mailbox, or rather, on the library's hold shelf is Entwined by Heather Dixon.

Synopsis:

Azalea is trapped. Just when she should feel that everything is before her . . . beautiful gowns, dashing suitors, balls filled with dancing . . . it's taken away. All of it. The Keeper understands. He's trapped, too, held for centuries within the walls of the palace. And so he extends an invitation. Every night, Azalea and her eleven sisters may step through the enchanted passage in their room to dance in his silver forest. But there is a cost. The Keeper likes to keep things. Azalea may not realize how tangled she is in his web until it is too late.

Released: March 29, 2011, 480 pages

Reading level: Young Adult

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Philosophical Friday - April 15, 2011

 

Time for some more things to ponder and laugh over this weekend:

 

I am going to start using big words to sound smart...

Sorry. I mean, utilizing gargantuan idioms to simulate intelligence.

 

 

 

 

Every girl deserves a knight in shining armor...

too bad they are all fictional characters and already taken.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Dark Rising

 "Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:
Lacey Weatherford's "The Dark Rising" (Of Witches and Warlocks #4)
Release date: Slated for June 24, 2011.



Synopsis from Goodreads:

When Portia Mullins discovers the love of her life is still alive, her heart soars. But reality sets in immediately causing it to plummet when she realizes that he doesn’t remember his past life with her. Unwilling to give up on him, she embarks on a loving quest to help restore his life to him.
Vance Mangum sees the beautiful girl standing before him claiming to be his wife, and while he can’t remember her, he also can’t deny the intense pull he feels between them. Not knowing where else to turn, he agrees to give her the time she’s asked for and to help her in the effort to recover his memories.
The two quickly reconnect with one another, but dark surprises are lurking in the wings when Vance discovers a desperate longing for something he feels he can’t withstand. Will he be able to resist? Or will evil raise its head in a new form, leaving Portia as the prey of the very man her heart desires?
Darkness reigns supreme in this haunting tale of love and desperation, Of Witches and Warlocks, The Dark Rising.



I'm really looking forward to continuing the story with Portia and Vance. Book 3 (Blood of the White Witch) really makes you want to know what happens next. If you are thinking about starting to read the series and are just as impatient as I am, I suggest you wait until The Dark Rising comes out. It also doesn't help with my lack of patience when there are a few certain people teasing me about it! But my day will come.... not soon enough though.


Be sure to also check out our movie version of Waiting on Wednesday HERE!