Book Review ---> Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

By:  Cassandra Clare
Series:  The Infernal Devices #1
Published By: Margaret McElderry - 2010
Pages:  476 Hardcover
Rating:  4
Book Cover Rating:  4
Read:  August 2011
Genre:  Steampunk, Young Adult, Paranormal, Historical Fiction

First Line: The demon exploded in a shower of ichor and guts.

Black Disaster Fairy's Take:
This Fairy was in love with the City of Bones so I had to give this prequel Steampunk wonder a whirl!!  Plus I am ashamed to admit this beauty was perched on my shelf for way too long.


Tessa Grey is our damsel in distress if you will.  In the beginning she leaves America and heads for London to meet up with her older brother, Nate.  Shortly after she arrives she gets herself kidnapped by a crazy duo appropriately named the Dark Sisters!  These ladies push her to do painful tasks that reveal to us and her that she is not as human and normal as she thought.


It seems dramatic, however, don't let that fool you.  The beginning of this novel is very much on the slow pace.  Skip 50 pages if you will.


Aha!  Now we get to meet the dashing silver haired Jem, the mouthy bad boy you want to slap and kiss at the same time is Will, and a handful of other shawdowhunters.  Now Clare is getting somewhere!  These boys make the pages fly and I hope more of their stories appear in the following books.  


Now please do not fret.  If you did not pick up the City of Bones or any of the following in the series.  It is very much ok, at least a little bit.  You would have a bit more of an understanding if you have read the Mortal Instruments first.  Tessa does a good job at bringing the Shadowhunter world to the reader.  As she struggles to find out more of the world and of how her origins fit into it the reader is given information slowly.  Tessa is also wonderfully strong and confident which was intriguing giving the time frame.  I was expecting more of a daffodil who had to have matching parasols and shoes.


This is a prequel I remind myself but there were so many similarities between this book and The Mortal Instruments.  The characters are about the same.  Tessa resembles Clary for me.  As Will does Jace and Jem is like Alec.  I would even say Jessamine is Isabelle.  I was hoping for more of a jump into something that did not seem like a remake.


Overall, Clockwork Angel was a good read. Truly.  Victorian London, clockwork automons, and the mysterious twist add enough to make it a dark Steampunk read.

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

City of Fallen Angels (Mortal Instruments, #4)

By Cassandra Clare

Publisher: McElderry Books, 2011

424 pages, hardcover

Date Finished: 11/5/2011

Genres: Young Adult, Coming of Age, Fantasy, Action, Romance

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.
~from goodreads.com~

~First Line: " 'Just coffee, please.' "
~Last Line: "We are one."

Review: This novel was once so far at the top of my "anxious to read" list that you had to tilt your head back. Now that I've read it, it's definitely lived up to what I'd hoped.

Clary and Jace aren't exactly terribly wishing that they weren't related anymomre. So, of course, they're dating. A beautiful love I have ti say. They have their on and off moments, though, when they can't be around each other for whatever reasons. It's actually all quite confusing sometimes.

But, getting past the romance, someone's trying to kill Simon. Of course, they aren't succeeding because of *voice fades out :)* but at least they have the courage to try, right? Jace is, surprisingly, helping Simon by being his bodyguard, so to speakk. Simon's also being guarded by quite the interesting new character -- Jordan Kyle. I won't get into who he is, and he's back and all that, but I will say that he's a very good charrie addition to the series/book.

City of Fallen Angels has maintained the 5-Wings rating of Bones, Ashes, and Glass; now join me in tilting out heads back to look at City of Lost Souls on my "anxious to read" list. :D

Quotes from the Book:

" 'Jace has. I mean, I assume he has. I don't know for sure. But if you ever need anything . . .' She let the sentence hang in the air.
'Need anything?'
'Protection. You know. So you can be careful,' Isabelle said. She sounded as practical as if she were talking about extra buttons. 'You'd think the Angel would have been foresighted enough to give us a birth-control rune, but no dice.' "

" 'Good organization,' said Magnus. 'I knew the man who founded it, back in the 1800s. Woolsey Scott. Respectable old werewolf family.'
Alec made an ugly sound in the back of his throat. 'Did you sleep with him, too?' "

" 'He's pretty attractive, if you like the messy-haired, broad-shouldered, shiseled-good-looks type.'
Magnus put his head in his hands.
'Or there are plenty of girls here, since apparently your taste goes both ways. Is there anything you aren't into?'
'Mermaids,' said Magnus into his fingers. 'They always smell like seaweed.' "

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Angel (Infernal Devices, #1)

By Cassandra Clare

Publisher: McElderry Books, 2010

541 pages, Kindle Edition

Date Finished: 30/3/2011

Genres: Young Adult, Coming of Age, Fantasy, Romance, Action

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.
~from goodreads.com~

~First Line: "The demon exploded in a shower of ichor and guts."
~Last Line: " 'Why don't you tell me what the problem is?' "

Review: Ah-mazing! Cassandra Clare has done it once again! Even though there was a long pause in my reading the book, Clockwork Angel's pages passed quicker than I'd realized during my reading.

Our main character, Theresa Gray, better known as Tessa, opens the novel by getting off a ship in dreary London. The Dark Sisters, Miss Dark and Mrs. Black, play a big part in the plot of the book, even if they aren't exactly nice to Tessa when they meet her in London.

Anyhoo, on to my favorite character: Jem. Jem is super-caring. I think he was such the perfect friend; the perfect guy period, really. Will has been his best friend since the age of about twelve; even though Will can be a true *female dog* sometimes, Jem never gets angry with him. Jem's nice to Tessa, helps out whenever he possibly can, and has a wonderful sense of humour that reminds me of Jace :). He made me wish that I actually knew a (or some) guys like him in real life.

Anywho, Clare really did impress me once again. I'm now anxiously awaiting Clockwork Prince's release in September! :D

Quotes from the Book:

" 'Beauty fades, but cooking is eternal.' "

" '...Cleverness that comes too late is hardly cleverness at all...' "

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

City of Glass (Mortal Instruments, #3)
By Cassandra Clare
Publisher: McElderry Books, 2009
541 pages, paperback
Date Finished:
Genres: Action, Some Adventure, Coming of Age, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult

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?
~from goodreads.com~

~First Line: "The cold snap of the previous week was over; the sun was shining brightly as Clary hurried across Luke's dusty front yard, the hood of her jacket up to keep her hair from blowing across her face."
~Last Line: "She looked as the fireworks exploded in a shower of sparks -- sparks that painted the clouds overhead as they fell, one by one, in streaking lines of golden fire, like angels falling from the sky."

Review: "..........................." That's what my noise level was like after I finished this novel. It was better than fantastic, better than marvelous or wonderful or spectacular. I cried during the book. I was so hating the fact that I finished the book, but I'm super-glad that the next book, City of Fallen Angels, comes out in April.

Clary and Jace find out so much about themselves in this novel; like, they REALLY do. There's a major, but very short, battle in the story. The characters -- all of them -- are so much more developed. They grow up so much in City of Glass, and that's definitely a good thing. So with the battle, of course, there was action. There wasn't oh-so-much adventure, but I liked that we weren't just in New York in this installation of the Mortal Instruments series.

Honestly... Ugh. I can only say so much without spoiling. One thing that I will tell you, though, is that there are 2 deaths and one half-death. The first death I was shocked; the second I was sad, but didn't cry; the third -- geez, I cried like a baby. But the person comes back to life by a spectacular being, so we're straight :).

OH! More evil Valentine in this one!

Anyway, read this book!




(10 out of 5 Kisses)

Quotes from the book:

" 'Clary,' Jace said.
Simon was caught off guard. 'Clary?'
'Clary,' Jace said again. 'You know: short, redheaded, bad temper.' "

" 'I don't remember the Clave inviting you into the Glass City, Magnus Bane.'
'They didn't,' Magnus said. 'Your words are down.'
'Really?' the Consul's voice dripped sarcasm. 'I hadn't noticed.'
Magnus looked concerned. 'That's terrible. Someone should have told you.' "

"Samuel's voice rose to a scream. 'GO AWAY!'
Simon looked sideways at Jace. 'I think he means it.'
Jace shook his blond head in exasperation. 'You had to make a crazy jail friend, didn't you? You couldn't just count ceiling tiles or tame a pet mouse like normal prisoners do?' "

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

City of Ashes (Mortal Instruments, #2)
By Cassandra Clare
Publisher: McElderry Books, 2008
453 pages, paperback
Date Finished: 24/ 10/ 2010
Genres: Coming of Age, Young Adult, Action, Some Adventure, Fantasy, Some Romance

~First Line of Book: "The formidable glass-and-steel structure rose from the position on Front Street like a glittering needle threading the sky."
~Last Line of Book: " 'Yes,' Madeleine said. 'I mean I can show you how to wake your mother up.' "

Review: OH MY GOSH!! This book was such an incredible sequel to City of Bones. There was a little more romance, but not much. Unfortunately, Clary & Jace's relationship is sort of icky right now, especially by the time you get to the end of the novel. It's like they want to be more than brother and sister, but they don't want to disappoint others.... So annoying. They should hust follow their hearts already! But this is no time for love advice. Frankly, I'm the last person that should even be giving it. LOL.

Anyway, we had some more awesome humour, but sadly, we didn't have as much as we did in City of Bones. Clary also gets a chance to visit the Fair Folk, or in other words, the faeries. The Seelie Court might be beautiful, but like it's queen, it's full of cruel realities.

WARNING: Simon is having a weird time in his life since he learned about Clary and Shawdowhunters, etc. His world is about to get even weirder/ worse. But you have to read to figure out what happens! :D

I'm telling you, if you loved/ liked City of Bones, you will definitely enjoy this sequel. This series is unquestionably promising!

Rating:


Quotes from the Book:

"Alec looked taken aback. 'Last time we faced a demon, she just cowered and screamed.' Seeing Clary's acid glare, he shot her an apologetic glance. 'I'm sorry, but it's true.' "

" 'Isabelle says the Queen of the Seelie Court has requested an audience with us.'
'Sure,' said Magnus. 'And Madonna wants me as a backup dancer on her world tour.'
Alec looked puzzled. 'Who's Madonna?' "

"This one caught the sleeve of Jace's jacket and tore it across.
'My jacket,' said Jace in a rage, and stabbed down at the thing as it rose, piercing its back. It shrieked and disappeared. 'I loved that jacket.' "

"She'd cried loudly enough that the man sitting across from her had offered her a tissue, and she'd screamed, What do you think you're looking at, jerk? at him , because that was what you did in New York. After that she felt a little better."

Read It With A Buddy #1 - City of Bones

Read It With A Buddy is a spin-off of a feature we started on Goodreads, called the Buddy Read. People who are interested in the same book can decide on a date to start reading it together, and they discuss as they go, answering questions or just talking. Elyssa and I recently finished a Buddy Read for City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. We will provide you with general book info and the product of our combined reviews for the book. Hope you enjoy our united efforts,

--Zakiya, the walking butterfly

___________________________________

City of Bones (Mortal Instruments, #1)
By Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Simon Pulse, 2007
485 pages, paperback
Date Finished: 6/?/2010 (Elyssa) , 6/28/2010 (Zakiya)
Genres: Fantasy, Adventure, Action, Young Adult, Coming of Age

First Line of Book: " 'You've got to be kidding me,' the bouncer said, folding his arms across his massive chest."

Notice: In this review, the blue writing is Elyssa (aka Twisted Book Junkie), while the green is moi (me).

Review: First off, I think I need to make it clear that this book is full of tons of witty humor, and if you had a highlighter for great quotes, most of the book would be covered in bright yellow!

Clare's first book for The Mortal Instruments Series just pulled me in deep. Her words spun a fantasy world that had me loving the characters, caring about them. I stayed up late New Year's Eve reading this book early into the morning. Yup, this Twisted Book Junkie spent New Year's with Jace, Clary & Simon. (I recently re-read this book for a challenge.)

**I should mention that Elyssa and I had a little difference in our main characters. We both agree, as can anyone else who has read this book, that Clary and Jace are automatically into focus. Twisted decided to close up on Simon, while I focused more on Isabelle and Alec.**

Cassandra Clare did an excellent job of starting the Mortal Instruments series. From the moment Clary saw Jace, Isabelle, and Alec killing that demon in Pandemonium, the book got even more interesting. A great book . . .

Clary Fray's mother disappears, and soon, Clary befriends local Shadowhunters Jace, Isabelle, and her brother Alec. Together, they recover the Mortal Cup (and unfortunately end up giving it to the enemy) and Clary's mother. They fight against vampires, fight with werewolves, and visit a wizard in hiding. Everything Clary thought was just stories is really apart of her world, and she didn't even know it.

This book starts off with normal teenager Clary Fray who grew up in NYC with her mom, who is a painter. Of course, like a normal teenager, Clary got into a fight with her mother. However, when she came back home she did not get grounded. She got the shock of her life! The apartment was torn up, her mother was no where to be seen, and a hideous black thing attacked her.

Jace is introduced into this story. He is the bad boy that just has steamy good looks. Picture that, now toss in a darkly dressed attitude, and add weapons that help the boy kick butt at killing demons. *Drool* He helps Clary learn about the world that Calry's mom tried so hard to keep hidden from her. Soon Clary's geeky-in-a-cute-way best friend Simon camping out at her Uncle Luke's. Here Jace, Clary, and Simon end up breaking in to his apartment... to find out that he knows about the world of demons, Shadowhunters, and downworlders.

This book really was a great start to the series. It was recommended to me by Elyssa, actually. I was glad that this was another action / adventure book; Clare provided us with action around every corner, and Clary was always getting to visit new places in the world she never knew about. It was thrilling to read everything, although I found myself skipping half a page sometimes, trying to find out what was about to happen. Then, of course, I had to go back and read what I skipped :). Sometimes, I didn't even bother going back!

This book was very thrilling. There were so many twists and turns, but Clare definitely wove her words perfectly throughout the whole book. For me there was never ever a down point. Can we say ORIGINAL!?! I Loved this book. IT was such a great start to a series, and I highly recommend this book.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. It was one of those that I would recommend to anyone who wasn't too picky about what they read.

~WARNING~ There is a big huge twist at the end of the book that will totally floor you! I figured out what was going to happen, but I was still very floored to see it in ink!

Look For:

City of Ashes: The Mortal Instruments #2

City of Glass: The Mortal Instruments #3

City of Fallen Angels: The Mortal Instruments #4 (Not Released Yet)

Clockwork Angel... COMING SOON! (So excited!)

Rating:

Quotes from the Book:

" 'Is this the part where you start tearing off strips of your shirt to bind my wounds?'
'If you wanted me to rip my clothes off, you should have just asked.' "

" 'If you were half as funny as you think you are, you'd be twice as funny as you are now.' "

" 'Just because you call an electric eel a rubber duck doesn't make it a rubber duck, does it? And God help the poor b----rd who decides they want to take a bath with the duckie.' "

" 'The meek may inherit the earth, but at the moment it belongs to the conceited. Like me.' "

" 'Don't.' Clary raised a warning hand. 'I'm not really in the mood right now.'
'That's got to be the first time a girl's ever said that to me,' Jace mused."

" 'Also, I'm sleeping with your mom. Just thought you should know.' "

" 'You hate the Silent Brothers,' protested Isabelle.
'I dohn't hate them,' Jace said candidly. 'I'm afraid of them. It's not the same thing.'
'I thought you said they were librarians,' said Clary.
'They are librarians.'
Simon whistled. 'Those must be some killer late fees.' "

" 'It's so . . . dark,' she said lamely.
'You want me to hold your hand?'
Clary put both her hands behind her back like a small child. 'Don't talk down to me.'
'Well, I could barely talk up to you. You're too short.' "

" 'You shouldn't remember me,' he said. 'I threw up a glamour as hard as a wall as soon as I saw you. You should have run right into it face-first -- psychically speaking.'
If you run into a psychic wall face-first, do you wind up with psychic bruises?"

" 'I was expecting something . . . you know.' He gestured with his hands, indicating something roughly the size of a house cat.
'It's the Mortal Cup, Jace, not the Mortal Toilet Bowl,' said Isabelle."

" 'I should have guessed you were Jace's sister,' he said. 'You both have the same srtistic talent.'
Clary paused, her foot on the lowest stair. She was taken aback. 'Jace can draw?'
'Nah. I was just kidding. He can't draw a straight line.' "