The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Genre: Historical Fiction
Page Count: 552

SUMMARY (FROM GOODREADS):

Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier, and will become busier still.

I've been hearing about this book for ages and I finally picked it up to see what all the hype was about.  Well, if you haven't read this yet, this book most definitely lives up to the hype.

THE CHARACTERS:

I connected with Liesel so much.  The fact that she recognized how powerful words are and how she loved both reading and writing certainly made me resonate with her the most.  I also liked how three-dimensional she was. Problems that she came across wouldn't just pass straight through her - she would think about those obstacles and use what she's experienced in the past to help her with her decision -- she was written perfectly.

The other characters were great as well.  I loved Rudy and Hans and even Death's characters.  They were all fantastic, and if I wrote a paragraph about each, you wouldn't make it to the end of this post.

THE PLOT:

Perfectly executed. There were a couple slow spots, but the action and the suspense really made up for them.  There were twists and subplots that were compelling and that I didn't see coming. 

THE WRITING:
Phenomenal.  That's all I can say.  There was at least two quotable phrases on each page -- hundreds of beautiful metaphors and insightful sentences.  Markus Zusak's writing really made the story vivid and you knew how each scene felt, smelled, and looked like all in gorgeous detail.  He's definitely become one of my favorite authors for his writing style.

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Saving June by Hannah Harrington

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Page Count: 336
Stars: 5 / 5

GOODREADS SUMMARY:

‘If she’d waited less than two weeks, she’d be June who died in June. But I guess my sister didn’t consider that.’

Harper Scott’s older sister has always been the perfect one — so when June takes her own life a week before her high school graduation, sixteen-year-old Harper is devastated. Everyone’s sorry, but no one can explain why.

When her divorcing parents decide to split her sister’s ashes into his-and-her urns, Harper takes matters into her own hands. She’ll steal the ashes and drive cross-country with her best friend, Laney, to the one place June always dreamed of going — California.

Enter Jake Tolan. He’s a boy with a bad attitude, a classic-rock obsession and nothing in common with Harper’s sister. But Jake had a connection with June, and when he insists on joining them, Harper’s just desperate enough to let him. With his alternately charming and infuriating demeanour and his belief that music can see you through anything, he might be exactly what she needs.

How do I even explain how much I loved this book? When I first picked it up, I was unsure if I would like it or not. I figured that it would just be a very sad story because of the description. The thing is: it wasn't. Not entirely, anyway.

Once I began this book, I couldn't put it down. Hannah Harrington's writing is SO GOOD - she's become one of my all-time favorite authors because of it.  This book was never boring, and I love it when I find a book like this.

THE CHARACTERS:

I connected with Harper, the main character, even though I'm not very much like her.  Since this novel is told in first-person, you get to see the inner workings of Harper's mind.  Her thought processes seemed very realistic, and she was three-dimensional and I really began to feel for her. When times got tough, I was rooting for Harper all the way.  

I struggled to connect with Laney, Harper's best friend, at first.  As the story unfolded, I really began to care for her and hope the story panned out well for her.  

As for Jake, I was very unsure of him at first.  The first scene with him, he seemed very dark and mysterious, leading me to think this would end up like your typical "dark/mysterious cheesy romance" but it wasn't!  As I learned more about Jake, I ended up loving him too!  

All in all, the characters were perfect and imperfect in all the right ways.

THE PLOT:

Their roadtrip was full of random stops and fun scenes, and I loved how much music played into the story.  Being a lover of music myself, it was so fun to see the author make references to artists I listen to and songs I love.  Overall, the plot was nicely paced and compelling.

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Pivot Point by Kasie West

Genre: Sci-Fi / Romance

Page Count: 343

GOODREADS SUMMARY:

Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.

Well, this book has definitely made my favorites list.  First of all -- just look at the cover!  I've been wanting to read this book ever since I came across it on GoodReads a couple months ago and eagerly awaited the release date, February 12th, 2013.  I had high expectations for this book, and it managed to exceed them!  The writing style was amazing, the characters were intriguing, the plotline is very original, and then there's the ending.  

The ending completely surprised me and it broke my heart and -- (I should stop talking or else there will be spoilers).

I read this book in under 24 hours because it's very fast-paced and I loved every second of it. Now I can't believe I have to wait a year for the second installment in the series! (Update: the second book is called 'Split Second'. How cool is that?)

I loved how the author had you rooting for a certain potential future in the beginning, and you knew that you wanted Addie to pick that future for sure, but then something would happen in the other potential future that would make you switch sides.  My emotions were all over the place and I never knew what was going to happen next.

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Cinder by Marissa Meyer

The author of this book was touring in my area, so I picked up this book to read.  By looking at the summary, I was unsure whether or not to read this book; it's not the kind of book I would usually read.  There are tons of good reviews for this book though; so I picked it up.

This book completely exceeded my expectations!

I finished this book in less than 24 hours.  It was fast-paced -- there were barely any slow spots.  I loved the characters and the book is not exactly like the fairytale Cinderella like I was expecting -- it's actually quite different, which makes it really enjoyable and intriguing to read!
I recommend this to fans of YA sci-fi and fantasy.

Summary (from GoodReads):
Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl. . . . 

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

~~~

~thespectacularbookworm

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi

This is the second book in the Shatter Me series.  To see my review of the first, click here.

First off, I absolutely love Tahereh Mafi's Shatter Me series.  Her writing style is phenomenal!  There are so many interesting metaphors in this book, just like with the first.  This book is very fast-paced and I loved delving deeper into the world Juliette lives in!  There was also a lot of character development in this one and it was overall everything I was expecting and more.

If you like YA and/or dystopian fiction, you will not be disappointed in this series.

Summary (from GoodReads):

tick
tick
tick
tick
tick
it's almost
time for war.

Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.

She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.

Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.

In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life.

~~~

~thespectacularbookworm

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

I really, really liked this book. At first I was unsure of it, but by the end I was dying for the sequel. The plotline is very original, and I loved the main characters Todd and Viola--you didn't really see into them at first, you didn't really know their story, but you soon learn more about them and I liked how the author did that. He kept you on the edge of your seat--this book is really fast-paced and it's just a really good dark dystopian fiction. I recommend it to fans of The Hunger Games, or if you want to get hooked on another YA series!

Summary (from GoodReads):
Prentisstown isn't like other towns. Everyone can hear everyone else's thoughts in an overwhelming, never-ending stream of Noise. Just a month away from the birthday that will make him a man, Todd and his dog, Manchee -- whose thoughts Todd can hear too, whether he wants to or not -- stumble upon an area of complete silence. They find that in a town where privacy is impossible, something terrible has been hidden -- a secret so awful that Todd and Manchee must run for their lives.

But how do you escape when your pursuers can hear your every thought?

~~~

This book was a great way to start the year! 
Hopefully, 2013 will be full of spectacular books.

~thespectacularbookworm

Speechless by Hannah Harrington

I absolutely loved this book.  I wasn't expecting it to be nearly as good as it was. It's made my favorite books list of 2012, which is saying something.  All of the characters were created perfectly, and I found myself understanding and caring about every one of them, even the bad characters.  The plot was executed very well in my opinion, and I'll definitely be rereading this book in the future.  I'd recommend this for fans of Lauren Oliver's Before I Fall, the movie Mean Girls, or if you just need a good YA realistic fiction book to read.

Summary (from GoodReads):
Everyone knows that Chelsea Knot can't keep a secret

Until now. Because the last secret she shared turned her into a social outcast—and nearly got someone killed.

Now Chelsea has taken a vow of silence—to learn to keep her mouth shut, and to stop hurting anyone else. And if she thinks keeping secrets is hard, not speaking up when she's ignored, ridiculed and even attacked is worse.

But there's strength in silence, and in the new friends who are, shockingly, coming her way—people she never noticed before; a boy she might even fall for. If only her new friends can forgive what she's done. If only she can forgive herself.

~~~

~thespectacularbookworm

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

This is the second book in The Caster Chronicles. To see my review of the first, click here.

I loved Beautiful Creatures, and the sequel is even better! I like the new characters and you learn more about characters that lingered in the background of the first book, and it's much more exciting and fast-paced than Beautiful Creatures.  If you liked Beautiful Creatures, I would definitely recommend to continue the series.  Now I have to get my hands on the third book in the series, Beautiful Chaos! 

Summary (from GoodReads):
Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen.

Sometimes life-ending.

Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems.

~~~

The Caster Chronicles
BOOK ONE: BEAUTIFUL CREATURES
BOOK TWO: BEAUTIFUL DARKNESS
BOOK THREE: BEAUTIFUL CHAOS
BOOK FOUR: BEAUTIFUL REDEMPTION

~~~

~thespectacularbookworm

Teen Angst? Naaah... by Ned Vizzini

This book was really fun to read. It's full of short stories from Ned Vizzini's teenage years, and they're all very relatable stories.  This is a really good book if you're looking for a light, comedic YA read.  I really enjoyed this book.

Summary (from GoodReads): 

“The events in these stories are real. Some names have been changed so I don’t get yelled at.” —Ned Vizzini
 
Ned Vizzini writes about the weird, funny, and sometimes mortifying moments that made up his teen years. With wit, irony, and honesty, Teen Angst? Naaah . . .  invites you into Ned’s world of school, parents, cool (and almost cool), street people, rock bands, friends, fame, camp, Cancún (almost), prom, beer, video games, and more.

~thespectacularbookworm

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

I heard of this series a couple years ago, and I regret not having picked it up until now.  It was a really thrilling book and it was fun to read!  I liked how many characters were very mysterious--it made you want to keep reading and not put the book down until you've finished!  I recommend this to fans of YA fiction, fantasy, Harry Potter fans, Twilight fans, or really anyone who likes an addictive series.

Summary (from GoodReads):
There were no surprises in Gatlin County.
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.
At least, that's what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

~~~

Plus there's a movie of Beautiful Creatures coming to theatres February 13th, 2013! Watch the trailer here (this trailer contains minor spoilers!):

~~~

The Caster Chronicles

BOOK ONE: BEAUTIFUL CREATURES

BOOK TWO: BEAUTIFUL DARKNESS
BOOK THREE: BEAUTIFUL CHAOS
BOOK FOUR: BEAUTIFUL REDEMPTION

~~~

~thespectacularbookworm

Every Day by David Levithan

I loved this book completely.  The characters were real, and it was so interesting to see the different lives that A experiences throughout the book.  This book kept me intrigued, and not once did I find myself at a dull part because the whole book is interesting!  It was very well-written and I'm planning on reading some other books by David Levithan.  This book was amazing and I definitely recommend this to anyone who's a fan of YA fiction.

Summary (from GoodReads):
Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl. 

There’s never any warning about where it will be or who it will be. A has made peace with that, even established guidelines by which to live: Never get too attached. Avoid being noticed. Do not interfere.

It’s all fine until the morning that A wakes up in the body of Justin and meets Justin’s girlfriend, Rhiannon. From that moment, the rules by which A has been living no longer apply. Because finally A has found someone he wants to be with—day in, day out, day after day.

With his new novel, David Levithan, bestselling co-author of Will Grayson, Will Grayson, and Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, has pushed himself to new creative heights. He has written a captivating story that will fascinate readers as they begin to comprehend the complexities of life and love in A’s world, as A and Rhiannon seek to discover if you can truly love someone who is destined to change every day.

~~~

You should definitely read this!

~thespectacularbookworm

The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin

This is the second book of the Mara Dyer series. See my review of the first here!

Everything that was amazing in the first book is in the sequel--and more! This book was full of mystery and so much suspense.  There were constant twists that kept me at the edge of my seat and completely awed. You get to know Mara and Noah better in this one, and it ends with a big cliffhanger, as the first book did.  Overall, this book was fantastic and very fun to read. It's 544 pages long, but it doesn't feel like that when you're reading it.  The book is such a rush, and I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who liked The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. 

If you haven't read The Unbecoming, I'd recommend you read it if you love mystery, suspense, psychological thrillers, and/or amazing YA novels.

Summary (from GoodReads):

Mara Dyer once believed she could run from her past.
She can’t.

She used to think her problems were all in her head.
They aren’t.

She couldn’t imagine that after everything she’s been through, the boy she loves would still be keeping secrets.
She’s wrong.

In this gripping sequel to The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer, the truth evolves and choices prove deadly. What will become of Mara Dyer next?

~~~

~thespectacularbookworm

The Scott Pilgrim Series! by Brian O'Malley

The first volume in the Scott Pilgrim series.

THIS SERIES WAS FANTASTIC. I read every single book within a week. First of all, all six volumes are graphic novels, and I loved the cartoon-style of it! It was a mixture of action, romance, and comedy and it was so fun to read. There's a movie, too (it was made in 2010) but I think the books are better, like always. I STRONGLY recommend this to people who like graphic novels, comedy, video games, action, and romance. You won't be disappointed.

Summary of Vol. 1 
(from GoodReads):
Scott Pilgrim's life is totally sweet. He's 23 years old, he's in a rock band,  he's "between jobs", and he's dating a cute high school girl. Nothing could possibly go wrong, unless a seriously mind-blowing, dangerously fashionable, rollerblading delivery girl named Ramona Flowers starts cruising through his dreams and sailing by him at parties. Will Scott's awesome life get turned upside-down? Will he have to face Ramona's seven evil ex-boyfriends in battle? The short answer is yes. The long answer is Scott Pilgrim, Volume 1: Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life.

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The Series:
VOL. 1: Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life
VOL. 2: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
VOL. 3: Scott Pilgrim and the Infinite Sadness
VOL. 4: Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together
VOL. 5: Scott Pilgrim vs. the Universe
VOL. 6: Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour

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For more info, visit the website.

~thespectacularbookworm

Paper Towns by John Green

First of all, I already knew John Green was a fantastic author from reading The Fault In Our Stars (and by the way, if you haven't read that yet, YOU SHOULD) and Paper Towns was a great book also!  I strongly recommend this for fans of John Green, fans of The Fault In Our Stars, fans of realistic fiction and/or fans of YA fiction!

Summary (from GoodReads):
Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs back into his life--dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge--he follows.

After their all-nighter ends and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues--and they're for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees of the girl he thought he knew.

Printz medalist John Green returns with the brilliant wit and searing emotional honesty that have inspired a new generation of readers.

~~

You should read it!

For more information, visit John Green's website.

~thespectacularbookworm

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Since I'm waiting for Cassandra Clare's City of Heavenly Fire (book six in The Mortal Instruments series which comes out in 2014) I decided to pick up the first book of her prequel series, The Infernal Devices. And it was amazing! I can honestly say that I liked this book more than City of Bones (book one in The Mortal Instruments series) and the characters were intriguing -- I could relate to Tessa, Jem's really nice and his past is quite sad, and Will seems to be keeping many secrets. I recommend this book for fans of urban fantasy, fans of steampunk, and fans of The Mortal Instruments series.

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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The Infernal Devices Trilogy

BOOK ONE: Clockwork Angel
BOOK TWO: Clockwork Prince
BOOK THREE: Clockwork Princess (RELEASES MARCH 19, 2013)
~~

~thespectacularbookworm



The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

First of all, I'd heard many great things about this book before I started it, so naturally I had high expectations. AND IT EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS! This book was funny and beautiful and real and heart-breaking. I recommend that you read it if you like realistic fiction and/or romance. But be warned -- this book is extremely sad.

Summary (from GoodReads):

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumors in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumors tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

~~

You should read this book!

~thespectacularbookworm

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

CAUTION: This is the fifth book in The Mortal Instruments series. To see my review of the first one, click here.

So this book was really good! Definitely one of my favorites in the whole The Mortal Instruments series. This book was gripping --it's 534 pages and I finished it in just a few days. It was hard to put down and full of action, romance, and humor. I don't know what I'm going to do until the last book comes out (it doesn't come out until 2014). Well, as usual, I recommend this book for lovers of urban fantasy and The Mortal Instruments series. :)

Summary (from GoodReads):
  Jace is now a servant of evil, bound for all eternity to Sebastian. Only a small band of Shadowhunters believe he can be saved. To do this they must defy the Clave. And they must act without Clary. For Clary is playing a dangerous game utterly alone. The price of losing is not just her own life, but Jace's soul. Clary is willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost? What price is too high to pay, even for love?




~~

The Mortal Instruments Series
BOOK ONE: City of Bones
BOOK TWO: City of Ashes
BOOK THREE: City of Glass
BOOK FOUR: City of Fallen Angels
BOOK FIVE: City of Lost Souls
BOOK SIX: City of Heavenly Fire (RELEASING IN MARCH 2014)

~~

~thespectacularbookworm

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

CAUTION: This is the third book in the Mortal Instruments series. To see my review of the first, click here. 

This book was so thrilling!  So far, it's my favorite in The Mortal Instruments series. There's action, romance, humor, vampires, faeries, warlocks, werewolves, and of course, Shadowhunters. The characters were all three-dimensional, the plotline was amazing, and it was just an all-around spectacular book! If you haven't read this series, and you love fantasy, you should read it as soon as possible! :]

Summary (from GoodReads):
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 Shadowhunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadowhunters 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 newfound powers to help save the Glass City -- whatever the cost?
Love is a mortal sin and the secrets of the past prove deadly as Clary and Jace face down Valentine in the final installment of the New York Times bestselling trilogy The Mortal Instruments.

~~~

The Mortal Instruments Series
BOOK ONE: City of Bones
BOOK TWO: City of Ashes
BOOK THREE: City of Glass
BOOK FOUR: City of Fallen Angels
BOOK FIVE: City of Lost Souls
BOOK SIX: City of Heavenly Fire (RELEASING IN MARCH 2014)

~~~

~thespectacularbookworm

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

CAUTION -- This book is the 2nd book in The Mortal Instruments series.  For info on the first, click here. Spoiler Alert for anyone who hasn't read City of Bones!

I liked this book much better than the first, so if you didn't like the first very much, DON'T GIVE UP ON THE SERIES.  I liked getting to know each character better, and there are so many nail-biting moments where I was on the edge of my seat anxious to see what would happen next.  I definitely recommend this to people who like YA and fantasy!

Summary (from GoodReads):
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?

In this breathtaking sequel to City of Bones, Cassandra Clare lures her readers back into the dark grip of New York City's Downworld, where love is never safe and power becomes the deadliest temptation.

~~~

The Mortal Instruments Series
BOOK ONE: City of Bones
BOOK TWO: City of Ashes
BOOK THREE: City of Glass
BOOK FOUR: City of Fallen Angels
BOOK FIVE: City of Lost Souls
BOOK SIX: City of Heavenly Fire (RELEASING IN MARCH 2014)

~~~

~thespectacularbookworm

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

First of all, I thought this book was great! There were a few parts that I thought dragged on a bit, but otherwise it was very fast-paced and exciting!  There's everything: vampires, werewolves, fairies... I recommend this book for people who like fantasy. :)

Summary (from GoodReads):
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.

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The Mortal Instruments Series
BOOK ONE: City of Bones
BOOK TWO: City of Ashes
BOOK THREE: City of Glass
BOOK FOUR: City of Fallen Angels
BOOK FIVE: City of Lost Souls
BOOK SIX: City of Heavenly Fire (RELEASING IN MARCH 2014)
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Hope you enjoy the book as much as I did!

~thespectacularbookworm