Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Genre: Contemporary / Realistic Fiction
Page Count: 357 pages
Series: Perfect Chemistry (Book One)

GOODREADS SUMMARY:

A fresh, urban twist on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers.

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created 'perfect' life is about to unravel before her eyes. She's forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for: her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. 

Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.

In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

So I read this book a few weeks ago after hearing how great it was from GoodReads reviews and such, and so I had high hopes for this book! Fortunately, my hopes were exceeded.  First off, if you're looking for a light read, pick up a different novel - this book has loads of drama that kept me on the edge of my seat.  I applaud the author because Perfect Chemistry is really well-written.

THE MAIN CHARACTERS:

The author could've easily made Brittany a bratty rich girl, but she didn't.  I loved how Brittany cared for her sister more than herself - she is practically the only person in her family that truly loves and cares for her sister, and I thought that really showed who she is as a person.  

As for Alex, he was VERY three-dimensional.  He's known as the "bad boy" and he acts like one around his friends, but you can see his true personality when it shows around his brothers and around Brittany.

THE PLOTLINE:

I felt like the plot dragged a bit in the beginning, but once it picks up it's very exciting and fast-paced.  It's basically a modern-day Romeo & Juliet, which I liked!  The story is definitely well thought-out and THE ENDING.  I loved the Epilogue especially.  I won't spoil anything, but the ending is fantastic, seriously.

OVERALL:

Very well-written story, enjoyed the moral of looking deeper than the surface, and would recommend to anyone in need of a good contemporary.

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SP: Kingdom of the Wicked by Derek Landy

Genre: Dark / Fantasy / Action
Page Count: 607 pages
Series: Skulduggery Pleasant (Book Seven)

GOODREADS SUMMARY:

The seventh installment in the biggest, funniest, most thrilling comedy-horror-adventure series in the universe - and the follow-up to 2011’s number-one bestseller, Death Bringer…

Magic is a disease.

Across the land, normal people are suddenly developing wild and unstable powers. Infected by a rare strain of magic, they are unwittingly endangering their own lives and the lives of the people around them. Terrified and confused, their only hope lies with the Sanctuary. Skulduggery Pleasant and Valkyrie Cain are needed now more than ever.

And then there's the small matter of Kitana. A normal teenage girl who, along with her normal teenage friends, becomes infected. Becomes powerful. Becomes corrupted. Wielding the magic of gods, they're set to tear the city apart unless someone stands up against them.

Looks like it's going to be another one of those days…

(To see my review of the past six books in the series, click here.)

This book was so much fun to read.  It'll make you laugh out loud and the twists are unpredictable.  Loved it!  Reading this made me quite excited to get the next installment, Last Stand of Dead Men, in about two weeks!

The plot was very fast-paced and full of action and twists - it feels like the 607 pages are only 50.  There was a sci-fi twist on this story, and I really liked it.  

Argeddion has been the most interesting villain yet - probably because he was a pacifist.  Very strange to see a villain who really wants the best for the world.  

Skulduggery and Valkyrie are still their witty selves and the finale was fantastic.  The last fifty pages or so were epic.

So if you've read the previous Skulduggery novels, definitely don't miss this one.  If you've never read a book in this series, they're great and I highly recommend them to fantasy readers.

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My Sister's Reaper by Dorothy Dreyer

Genre: Fantasy / Paranormal
Page Count: 275
Series: Reaper's Rite (Book One)

GOODREADS SUMMARY:

Sixteen-year-old Zadie’s first mistake was telling the boy she liked she could bring her dead sister back to life. Her second mistake was actually doing it.

When Zadie accidentally messes with the Reaper’s Rite that should have claimed her sister Mara, things go horribly wrong. Mara isn’t the same anymore—Zadie isn’t even sure she’s completely human, and to top it off, a Reaper is determined to collect Mara’s soul no matter what. Now Zadie must figure out how to defeat her sister’s Reaper, or let Mara die … this time for good.

I discovered this on GoodReads and because of the good reviews and the intriguing summary, I picked it up. 

THE CHARACTERS: 

Zadie was a pretty believable character -- she reacted as I would expect her to and I liked her sarcasm.  I just wish more of her backstory was given to give her a little more depth. 

Lilura was probably my favorite character because she was such a sarcastic old lady and I enjoyed seeing her go from hating Zadie to liking her.

Gavin was an interesting character.  Once I got a third of the way through the book, I expected to never see him in the story again; I figured he was only there for the beginning of the story to help the plotline move along, so I was pleasantly surprised when he was a much bigger part of the story than I ever could've thought.

Throughout the entire book, I thought Chase was very mysterious.  We never really get to know Chase very well in this story, so I'm hoping in the next installment of this series his personality is revealed.

THE PLOT:
The storyline was very fast-paced and there was action or a new fact was discovered every couple pages, and it all led up to an exciting finale.  

My main issue with the plotline of this book was that it was pretty predictable (seeing as I have read a lot of fantasy novels) and nothing that was revealed surprised me.  Also, the finale was over in just a few pages, when I was expecting a grand twenty-or-so pages of pure adrenaline and excitement. 

OVERALL:

I enjoyed reading this book but I didn't find it very new and exciting.  A good finish-in-one-sitting mystery/thriller, so I'd recommend if you have a few extra hours and want something different. 

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Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn

Genre: Dystopian / Sci-Fi
Page Count: 325

GOODREADS SUMMARY:

When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep.

Sixteen-year-old Kira Moore is a zero, someone who can’t read thoughts or be read by others. Zeros are outcasts who can’t be trusted, leaving her no chance with Raf, a regular mindreader and the best friend she secretly loves. When she accidentally controls Raf’s mind and nearly kills him, Kira tries to hide her frightening new ability from her family and an increasingly suspicious Raf. But lies tangle around her, and she’s dragged deep into a hidden world of mindjackers, where having to mind control everyone she loves is just the beginning of the deadly choices before her.

I saw this on the Kindle Store and bought it right after reading the summary.  I loved the idea and as I began getting further and further into the story, I loved how it played out.  This story is not one of those typical Hunger-Games-Look-Alike, it's fresh and exciting.

THE MAIN CHARACTER:

Kira was a fun character to follow.  Since she can't read minds, she's discriminated against a lot in her school, so even within the first chapter, I felt for her and the hardships she deals with everyday.  She definitely developed through the story as more and more obstacles were thrown at her.

THE PLOT:

You may think the beginning is a little slow, but as soon as you get past those first couple chapters it's non-stop action and suspense and drama.  I loved it!  

The plot twisted in ways I didn't see coming at all and I loved how I never knew what was going to happen in the next chapter - it makes it so much fun to read!

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I strongly recommend this book to sci-fi lovers, dystopian lovers, and really anybody who has an e-reader (it's only $2.99!)

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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

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.

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

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~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.

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

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The Caster Chronicles

BOOK ONE: BEAUTIFUL CREATURES

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

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~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

Ember by Jessica Sorensen

This is the first book in the series called "The Death Collectors" and it was pretty good. It was interesting and kept me wanting to read more and more, and it was written well, but upon finishing it, I'm not left with any excitement about the series. Overall, it's pretty good, so if you like dark young adult books, I'd recommend this for you! (Plus it's only $0.99 in the Kindle Store!)

Summary (from GoodReads):
What if you knew when someone was going to die?

For seventeen-year-old Ember, life is death. With a simple touch, she knows when someone will die. It’s her curse and the reason she secludes herself from the world. The only person who knows her secret is her best friend Raven. 

Then she meets Asher Morgan. He’s gorgeous, mysterious, and is the only person Ember can't sense death from. So when he pushes into her life, she doesn’t mind.

But when unexplained deaths start to haunt her town, Ember starts questioning why she can’t sense Asher's death and what he may be hiding.

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~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

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)
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~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?




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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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~thespectacularbookworm

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

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

This book was good, but I didn't think it was the best out of The Mortal Instruments series. Of course, there was still action, romance, and humor, but it wasn't my favorite of The Mortal Instruments books. I recommend this for people who like fantasy, and, obviously, fans of The Mortal Instruments series. :)

Summary (from GoodReads):
The Mortal War is over, and sixteen-year-old Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. She's training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Her mother is getting married to the love of her life. Downworlders and Shadowhunters are at peace at last. And - most importantly of all - she can finally call Jace her boyfriend.

But nothing comes without a price.

Someone is murdering Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine's Circle, provoking tensions between Downworlders and Shadowhunters that could lead to a second bloody war. Clary's best friend, Simon, can't help her. His mother just found out that he's a vampire and now he's homeless. Everywhere he turns, someone wants him on their side - along with the power of the curse that's wrecking his life. And they're willing to do anything to get what they want. At the same time he's dating two beautiful, dangerous girls - neither of whom knows about the other one.

When Jace begins to pull away from Clary without explaining why, she is forced to delve into the heart of a mystery whose solution reveals her worst nightmare: She herself has set in motion a terrible chain of events that could lead to her losing everything she loves. Even Jace.

Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge. The stakes are higher than ever in City of Fallen Angels.

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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)

~~

~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)

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~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.

~~~
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)
~~~

Hope you enjoy the book as much as I did!

~thespectacularbookworm