The City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

So a friend recommended The City of Bones by Cassandra Clare and I read it over the weekend. She gave it glowing reviews, saying it had a great plot, was well written, and had a steamy bad boy (which, I am totally a sucker for.) So she gave a glowing review.

I however, cannot.

Wow, where to start! Well quite soon after I started reading, I noticed that the story was more of a POV from Clary, but it was like she was talking in third person if that makes any sense. It was well written and I understood the characters intentions and had a gust for how they where feeling, but I never really saw a huge character change or whatever. Clary had this huge thing happen in her life along with a ginormous revelation and she just acted kind of "whatever" about it.

I also thought that at times the storyline became to much. There was just too much to explain and I found myself skipping over the long narratives. I felt like there was allot of useless information that didn't give any insight to the story, didn't help the plot develop.

A good thing I can say is that I loved Jace. He was easy to read and I could understand his actions and the motives behind them. Well, except for the kiss because that was unexpected. I shamelessly admit that I wish there had been more kissing and romance between Jace and Clary, but maybe it's just not their time yet.

Overall, the book was okay, but not great. Would I recommend? Certain people might like it, but I however, am still deciding if I should read the sequel.

Rate: 3/5

Shadows by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Shadows by Jennifer L. Armentrout is a novella that takes place before the first book in the Lux Series, Obsidian. Its's almost like a 0.5 before the 1.0 that is Obsidian. 

So I really loved reading this book! It was really cool to get to have a sneak peak into the lives of Daemon, Dee, Dawson, and Beth before Dawson and Beth disappeared! I loved the fact that it was a dual POV (Point of View) from Beth and Dawson's point of views and then switched to Daemon's at the end. 

The first part (or main part) about Dawson and Beth was so fun to read! I loved getting to read what it was really like for Dawson to give up everything for his girl. It gave a great perspective after having read Obsidian, Onyx, and Opal to see what it was really like for a Luxen to fall in love with a human. It  helped me understand the reactions from the other Luxen when Daemon showed affection for Katy. 

Also a great plus was fully being able to accept why Daemon had tried his best to push Katy away from his and his family. Sure, you got what happened and you knew why he acted the way he did when he finally spells it out for you, but when you actually read it in Shadows? It's nearly mind blowing. 

Something that was truly haunting was the last chapter, in Daemon's POV. It was an experience, for lack of a better word, to delve into his thoughts and really see what is was like for him to loose his brother. Having lost a friend who was like a brother to me recently, I didn't think I could ever witness someone write what that pain felt like, and Miss Armentrout did it perfectly. It was touching and sad at the same time to see Daemon turn from a badass teen filled with angst and worry into someone who really cared about his brother, who would do anything to take away the pain of his little sister; to someone who cried and screamed at the injustice in the world. It was awe inspiring to witness such a character change happen right before my eyes, and I truly appreciate that. 

Rate for Story Line: 5/5

Rate for Syntax and Diction: 4.5/5

A Girl Of Fire and Thorns Sequel: The Crown of Embers

So recently I've been reading out the wazoo and between school and work I have finally found some time to update my blog!

So a while ago I read The Crown of Embers, a sequel to The Girl of Fire and Thorns, by Rae Carson. It is a breathtaking sequel that readers will literally eat up. I loved this book with all my heart! It stars Queen Elisa (after her husband's untimely death) ruling her city with her loyal Guard, Hector of Ventierra at her side. Together, they tackle the budding war between her people and the Inviernos, who have spies in the city, the Quorum lords forcing her to get married, and the newly found evidence of a sacred power located in the southern kingdom- a power so great that only someone with a Godstone can channel it. While they battle for their lives and the lives of their people, Elisa and Hector form a relationship that isn't, well, appropriate for their social positions. They begin to have feelings for each other and only are able to express/act on them while on the run from an Invierno Assassin.

I honestly can say I LOVED this book! It was filled with suspense, fighter, and thank the LORD, some romance that was much needed. Hector is totally drool worthy which is a huge plus. He is so honorable that it makes you love him and hate him at the same time (Ex. NO! Hector! I don't care that you have to guard Elisa's life! Just friggin KISS HER! ect.) We watch Elisa turns from a simple princess who liked to read into a regal queen, fully capable of ruling a country and stealing the heart of her Guard. This book has everything a good book needs. It draws the reader in and doesn't let go until the shocking ending. Reading this book was an experience and I totally recommend it!

Rate: 5/5

Looking For Alaska; The Reviews Are In!

So basically in one day I have read Looking For Alaska, by John Green, and all I could say after was, "Wow." This book was beautifully written, using creative imagery and awesome character dialogue to paint a picture for the reader. I liked the book because it was in my norm for what I usually read (Upper YA, YA Romance, Humor) and it had something I wasn't expecting: deeper meanings.
Throughout the book, the Green's main Character, Miles nicknamed Pudgy, looks for what he calls the "Great Perhaps" and on his way to finding it, he enrolls in his father's old boarding/prep school. There he makes friends with his roommate, the Colonel and the Colonel's group of friends: Takumi, Lara, and a cunning, powerful, and sexy girl named Alaska. Together they wreck havoc at the school, pulling intense pranks and drinking and smoking under the radar. Filled with undeniable attraction, this book pulls the reader in, not wanting them to let go. So we follow Pudgy on his journey and after tragedy strikes, he may or may not have found the "Great Perhaps." We travel through the junior year of a few high school students and get to see what it's really like to have loved and lost.

On a side note: This book has some interesting hidden metaphors and not wanting to give away too much, but the literary artwork throughout the book, weaves itself into a beautiful tapestry, painting love, loss, despair, depression, anger, and tragedy. This book is a work of art; calling it anything else would be a travesty.

Rate: 5/5

This Is What Happy Looks Like

So you know that sucky feeling you get when you are really excited about reading a book that you just got and you didn't really like it? Yea, that's how I feel. I read This Is What Happy Looks Like, by Jennifer E. Smith over the past few days and to be quite honest I was never really enthralled by it. I'm a fan of dual POV but I am not on the fan boat of third-person writing. The way it was written felt almost forced, like nothing that was happening was natural or it didn't flow. I never felt connected with the characters, not having had a true access to their feelings and what they were really thinking and wanting. Sure, the author tried to paint it out by describing what the character felt, but it just wasn't enough. I also felt that everything that happened was expected and I was never surprised by anything. The story seemed to zip by so fast that I really couldn't enjoy it. I know I'm an obvious lover of series but in all honesty this book would have flowed much easier if the whole thing hadn't been jammed into one book. There wasn't any trial and error or heart-wrenching emotion and when the two main characters expressed their feelings I wasn't jumping up and down like an idiot like I usually do. Sure, I liked that they had a sort of happy ending but you need more buildup then a few little mishaps.

Rate: 2/5

Girl of Fire and Thorns By Rae Carson

Okay, so recently I have read Girl of Fire and Thorns, the first book in a three book series which is written by up and coming author, Rae Carson. I have actually had the INSANELY GREAT pleasure of meeting Ms. Carson and listening to a talk she gave about her experience as a writer. Love her to death; such a great person and absolutely hysterical (while talking she called one of her ex's a "douche canoe" which is awesome since we were in a Catholic School)! So anyway, she's a great author and person but her book....Holy. Poop. This is one book I could not put down! So it stars this girl, Princess Elisa, who recently turned 16 and is already being married off. Oh, and she's also a chosen hero of God, bearing a magic stone in her bellybutton called the Godstone. So you could say her life is pretty heavy. Anyway, the name of the man she is marrying is Alejandro DeVega and he is the King of Joya de Arena. They marry and turns out he's a pretty spineless king (No offense, Rae, but I only liked Alejandro for his looks) and has a huge problem on his hands; The Inviernos have declared war and the defenses are crumbling-fast. All this goes on as Elisa tries to adapt to the hotter climate of the desert, struggle with her weight, and form a relationship with the King, only to find out he is hiding something from her. Then, her world is thrown of-kilter by being kidnaped by someone she thought was on her side. She travels to a distant village where she takes refuge and gets to know one of her kidnappers, Humberto and the local priest. Then, she has a task thrust upon her that even she, a bearer of the Godstone, may not even be able to handle. Read this insanely awesome book with a great story line that's easy to follow, a sparking romance, and a kick-ass heroine who pretty much is a heaping of awesome sauce with extra sauce.

Rate: 5/5

Opal: The Latest Installment in Lux Series

*SPOILER ALERT

Holy. Lord. This book.....Okay so we have been following Katy and Daemon's story for two books now and just be warned; If you haven't read the first two books yet (Obsidian and Onyx) than this will probably be a spoiler (as noted in my all caps pre-heading).
So Daemon and Katy have FINALLY admitted their love for each other. Everything seems well and then BANG: Dawson shows up; the twin brother of Dee and Daemon, come home after all the efforts to find him. Now that he's home, things get dicy. Daemon does't get to see Katy as often but boy when they do see each other, things get spicy. Things start to get better but then out of no where, Surfer Boy Blake comes back and blackmails Katy and Daemon into helping him break into a government compound to save his friend Chris and maybe even save Dawson's human girl, Bethany. Filled with intense love between Daemon and Katy, the government swooping in to their lives and ruining everything, and Dawson's return: all these things make for a great book. Daemon and Katy have started a beautiful relationship, but what happens at the end of the book may rip them apart. Only reading will see! So go and read this book, the third installment in the Lux Series, because it is totally kicking every Sci-Fi/Fantasy novel's butt.

*SPOILER ALERT

Rate: 5/5