Clockwork Prince

By Cassandra Clare

(Warning this book review will not make sense if you have not read my review for the first book in the series called Clockwork angel.)

HMMMMMM.... where to start... WELL, while reading this book... it took some of my hair, my self control, and my soul. No big deal.

Like the first one it had me shocked, and all I wanted to do was scream. In my opinion, that's how you tell if a book is good or not, by how much it affects you. Well this one killed me inside so I give it a full 10/10.

As Tessa learns more about the truth, what she might be and what really happened in her past, the Shadowhunters also discover more. On there search for Mortmain, which is the evil Magister in the last book, they realize they are in deeper than they thought. There is a lot more than meets the eye, including dreadful conspiracies and crushed alliances causing more harm than good. What will be the consequences if they choose family? What will be the consequences if they choose law? A choice no one person should ever have to make.

The second book in the Infernal Devices series focuses on the hunt for Mortmain, for if the Shadowhunters in charge of the London Institute don't find him in two weeks, they will lose the institute. Its a rush of time as the Shadowhunters must confront truths they don't want to believe are true, and hunt down people from their past that might have some answers. Tessa has to go through this all while having to deal with her relationship with Will. She knows she has feelings for him... but it doesn't matter because she feels he doesn't have feelings for her since hes always treating her badly, but could there be a specific reason for that?
There is one side of him that always seems to be pushing her away, but then there is another side that checks on her when she has a nightmare, or if shes hurt. Leaving Tessa with confusion and pain                                                               of him not wanting to be with her.

As it always goes, for every bad thing there must be something good, right? That would be Jem. Wills best friend, and Parabatai... which makes him as close as a brother. As Will pushes Tessa away, she gravitates towards Jem, the person who is always there for her.
                                                       
Soon enough Jem and Tessa have an unbreakable bond of friendship.

Will true feelings make themselves known?
Or will it be to late?

This book really caught me off guard... multiple times. I couldn't hide how surprised I was at some of the things that happened, causing me to complain to my whole family at how the book ended. It took some part of my heart! I cant wait to read the next one, this is definitely one of my favorite books. I hope for those of you who have read it, or decide to read it, will enjoy it as much as I did. :)

This book really deserved the rating 10/10. It is the first individual book I have rated to receive 10 out of 10! It is very well deserved!


Have you read Clockwork Prince?

Do you Agree/Disagree with my opinions?
Are you a fan of the book?
Let me know in the comments! I'd love to hear!

To: All my viewers...

Always remember, 

Laugh often, 

Love without control, 

And smile till your cheeks grow sore... and then just a tad bit more! :) 

Clockwork Angel

By Cassandra Clare


Cassandra Clare has done it again.
Being my favorite author, I can honestly say she did not disappoint me in this book.
She has a special way of writing that always makes you want MORE. She gives you just enough information to grab you... but refuses to give you just enough to make you feel satisfied... so you'll read more. Cassandra really is a gifted evil genius.

This story takes place in gloomy London, year 1878. The main character Theresa, (Tessa) a sixteen year old New Yorker, has received a note from her brother that she should come to London to stay with him due to their aunts passing. When she arrives on the docks of London, expecting to see her brother Nathaniel, she is surprised to instead be approached by two ladies who go by the name, "The Dark Sisters." They tell her Nathaniel sent them to pick her up, and they would take her to him.

Flash forward six weeks later, Tessa's entire world has been flipped upside down. She doesn't know where her brother is, The Dark Sisters have captured her and tortured her, forcing her to change, to use her 'power' she wasn't even aware she had. If she wouldn't do as told, they would kill Nathaniel. The Dark Sisters told Tessa they were preparing her power for a man called "The Magister." She was to marry him after the Sisters were done training her. This new found power of hers lets Tessa be able to turn into anyone who has ever lived... as long as she is holding something that belongs to them. In my opinion, it sounds like a really cool power to have. Tessa, however views it as a curse. The night she is to wed The Magister, something happens. These strange people with tattoos and black clothing show up, and rescue her, but not before she sees The Dark Sisters true form.

Now Tessa is in the home of her rescuers, not knowing whether they can be trusted or not. Shes confused, and afraid, all she wants to do is find her brother. Her saviors, (also known as Shadowhunters) told her they would help her find him... if she would help them in return. At this point Tessa doesn't know what to believe. Shes finding out things about herself that makes her question her whole life.. including even who her parents are, or what they are.

This definitely makes my top list of favorite books. Its addicting to say the least, with action, suspense, and things you would NEVER expect to happen. It left me with a gaping mouth. Its a roller coaster that takes you right along with it, with characters that you will fall in love with.

I would definitely recommend you read this book if you're a fan of surprise, suspense, and romance. This would be perfect.

Overall I give it a 9/10. Only because its the first book in the series.

Have you read Clockwork Angel?
Do you Agree/Disagree with my opinions?
Are you a fan of the book ?
Let me know in the comments! I'd love to hear!

To: All my viewers...

Always remember, 

Laugh often, 
Love without control, 
And smile till your cheeks grow sore... and then just a tad bit more! :)

Don't Close Your Eyes

Lisa McMann

This is a very unique book, with an interesting plot that id bet I wouldn't be able to come up with myself.
Before I explain what this book is about, I want to explain that "Don't close your eyes" is actually three books put into one, its a series and you can buy them separately. Their individual titles are "Wake, Fade, and Gone."


The beginning of this book I found to be very confusing... it kept jumping around from different times to different years all throughout Janie Hannagan's life, but as the story settled in it got much better.

Janie has a gift, (or a curse...) depending on how you look at it. She is a dream catcher. Which means she has the ability to go into other peoples dreams. That sounds pretty cool huh? Well it comes with a catch. She has no control over it. If someone falls asleep in the same room as her, she is automatically sucked into their dream. So you can imagine if she happens to be driving and someone fell asleep with their window open in the house on the side of the street... it could be very dangerous. She looses all her senses when she is about to go into someones dream. She cant feel her arms or legs and she ends up as worthless as a rag doll. Until the dream is over and she regains her vision.

Janie is lost, confused, and angry that she was chosen to suffer with this curse. All while having to put up with her alcoholic abusive mother. With all this bad going on in her life, there must be something good, correct?
That would be her love Cabel, the one good thing in her life.

As the story goes on it gets a lot more complicated, she finds out even more downsides to her 'gift' as if things couldn't get any worse. She finds her long lost father she never knew, that is in a... coma!

It seems that in the book for every bad there is something good, which is a good life lesson, teaching you that something good can always happen. There are a lot of surprise twists and unexpected events that every good book should have. Lisa Mcmann did an excellent job with the twists. Overall Ill say this is a good book, not a waste of time, but if it were this book vs something Cassandra Clare wrote, Id choose Cassandra in a heartbeat.

This book isn't the worst, but its definitely not the best. Overall I give it 6/10 stars.

Have you read Don't Close Your Eyes?
Do you Agree/Disagree with my opinions?
Are you a fan of the book ?
Let me know in the comments! I'd love to hear!

To: All my viewers...

Always remember, 

Laugh often, 
Love without control, 
And smile till your cheeks grow sore... and then just a tad bit more! :) 

THE SIREN

This weeks review is "The Siren" by Alison Bruce

                                            Author Alison Bruce





This story begins with a matchbook from a club dropped and left to burn in a kitchen sink and a little boy named Riley who only wants to watch Thomas the Tank. While peacefully snuggling with her small son, Kimberly sees a news bulletin of a car being pulled out of the water and the passenger identified.

This disturbs her as more than a random news event, since she knows very well who was in that car and worries that the whole event is coming back up, literally in the form of the car and figuratively in the form of murder.

Her first inclination is to talk with someone who already knows the details, her best friend Rachel. Rachel is married to the unlikable Stefen. Within a short twist of events, and while babysitting Riley, Rachels house ends up on fire. The police are able to find the body of Rachel but not Stefen or little Riley.

Thus the entrance of police investigator Gary Goodhew.He finds Kimberly understandably distraught but reluctant at the same time to give any information that might help find her son.

The characters in this book are very well defined and easy to get inside of. You are able to relate to and understand each of their motivations which is a great ability this author has.

Goodhew comes across as a quirky but highly capable detective and part of the enjoyment in reading this book is seeing how he relates to everyone in his life. While not detracting from the solving of the mystery itself, this adds another note of flavor to the readers senses.

The author is British so there are British phrases and terms used as well as the description of places and things uniquely British in origin. This is not a deterrent to the story however. Her descriptions are so well written that it is quite easy for an American reader to immerse themselves in the story through out.

This book is part 2 in a series of 5. I read it first as it was given to me and I didn't realize that it was part of a series featuring detective Goodhew. It is well enough written though that I will go on to read the other books, if for nothing else, it will be interesting to see how Goodhew evolves as a character. He is hard to forget when you put the book down. 

If you would like to read the series from the beginning, the first book is entitled "Cambridge Blue". I think a reader will heartily enjoy meeting this intuitive and character and his offbeat approach to life.    

Indie
http://thebookloverz.blogspot.com/

The reading of all good books is like a conversation with the finest minds of past centuries. - Rene Descartes

A long long sleep

By, 

Anna Sheehan 

Imagine your whole world, everything you care about, love, the small things you take comfort in, gone, right before your eyes. You were put into stasis, by your parents, the head owners of one of the largest companies in the world. They were supposed to wake you up when they got back from their business trip, but instead you find out they died in a helicopter accident while you were asleep, leaving you all alone, no one to wake you up.  

You wake up 62 years later, to a boy standing over you, once he realizes who you are, your world changes even more. Now 'you' are the soon to be owner of your dead parents business, once you come of age of course. You just woke up, you're drained with stasis fatigue, your overwhelmed by loss, and you have all these responsibilities. You have to find your place in a world where everything has changed, technical wise, to the way people speak, to going to a new school and dealing with students who hate you for reasons you cant even understand... sounds pretty bad huh? Well that isn't even the worst part. 

Who's living this horrible life? Sixteen year old Rosalinda Fitzroy. Once you read this story you will be super thankful that, that isn't your name. Now I know what I was thinking while reading this book, 

"Seriously? How could her life get any worse?"

Although if you think about it, the story line is sad, and for those of you who don't like sad stories, you probably don't care to read this book, but ill tell you this book isn't a waste of time. There is always something about it that grabs you and intrigues you to turn the next page to see what happens. It is well written, and lets you be able to connect with the characters. Its full of surprises and unexpected turns, that at first lets you think you understand everything and you know whats going to happen, then it takes a sharp right and you're left in an intriguing shock. 

One thing I enjoyed from this book is how despite everything that happened, Rose would find something she still enjoyed doing, like painting or sketching, and focused on that. Or how she would take comfort in her dog that was given to her. I'm not sure if that was the Author was trying to go for, but it spoke to me, how there always seemed to be something good in her life, even through all the bad. It reminds me of one of my favorite quotes in The Hunger Games series. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Ill give it... 6 out of 10. I strongly recommend. 

Have you read A long long sleep?
Do you Agree/Disagree with my opinions?
Are you a fan of the book ?
Let me know in the comments! I'd love to hear!

To: All my viewers...

Always remember, 

Laugh often, 
Love without control, 
And smile till your cheeks grow sore... and then just a tad bit more! :) 

The Fault In Our Stars
John Green 

To be kind, I will start this post, not being 'myself.' I will leave my opinion out of it, for now...

The Fault In Our Stars, where to begin? Well, its a best seller, its written by a man, (which you don't see in teenage books as often) and its a very touching story that really lets you understand the true value of life and loved ones.

Sixteen year old Hazel Grace, (or as she wishes to be called 'Just Hazel) is the main character in the book. Sadly, Hazel is diagnosed with thyroid cancer, unfortunately it is stage 4, and there is metastasis forming in her lungs. Wishing she could be a normal teenager, Hazel spends mostly all her time, watching Americas Next Top Model, or reading her favorite book, An Imperial Affliction. Her mother wants her to go out, and live her life and make friends, by going to a support group, but honestly, there's not much Hazel hates more than support groups, but she wants to make her mom happy, so she agrees. She constantly feels guilty about her disease and fears the day when she dies, knowing it will destroy her parents.

One day, while suffering her way into support group, she notices a new face shes never seen before, and believe me, this is a face she would've remembered.

His name is Augustus Waters. Seventeen year old boy full of metaphors. His type of cancer is Osteosarcoma, which caused him to lose a leg, but thankfully its been a little over a year and his last PET scan said he was cancer free.

Immediately Augustus and Hazel are attracted to each other, but Hazel doesn't want to get in a relationship with him simply because she views herself as a grenade, she will explode and hurt the people around her, and she doesn't want to do that to Augustus.

This story is full of great life lessons, and gives you a new way of thinking about the world.
It really does a good job showing the struggles of whats its like to have cancer, from people treating you different out of pity, and giving you free stuff, or how people view them as infectious, and admire their inspirational 'battles' with cancer, but really all Hazel wants is to be treated like a normal person.

This book can really open your eyes to new points, otherwise never would've crossed your mind. Its very honest, and true, but boy, the whole idea is depressing.

My opinion: No, just no....
unless you enjoy very sad stories and like thinking about death,
than no.

I enjoyed the meaning behind some of the quotes, it gave me a new way of thinking... but overall I did not enjoy the book.

It was difficult to bond or draw close to the characters for me, and the love story part didn't really seem true. It just was written like two teenagers who liked each other and then they hooked up, there was no loving mad passion that causes deep, love.

I know this is the type of story you think the characters would be deep, and very emotional, but quite honestly, that couldn't be more from the truth. Despite everything, the characters seemed, light hearted and never missed a moment to joke around. That may work for some people, but to me, I don't think a deep drama should clash with funny go lucky humor.

Another thing that bothered me was it bounced from one scene to the other. One moment Hazel is with (blank).. then the next moment, (blank) is dead. Which just left me like..... "wat."

I think what I'm trying to say is that it doesn't give you time to prepare... but that's just my opinion.

I saw the trailer for the movie that will be coming out in June, and it brought tears to my eyes. I think, for the first time in history, (write this down) the movie will be BETTER, than the book... I know, crazy, right?


Overall, I'd give this book,

                                               

                                                     
                                                          3 out of 10 stars



Have you read The Fault In Our Stars?
Do you Agree/Disagree with my opinions?
Are you a fan of the book ?
Let me know in the comments! I'd love to hear!

To: All my viewers...

Always remember, 

Laugh often, 
Love without control, 
And smile till your cheeks grow sore... and then just a tad bit more! :) 

IF YOU WERE HERE

Alafair Burke
http://alafairburke.com/


Who do you trust?

That is the ultimate question in this latest mystery thriller by lawyer
Alafair Burke.

  McKenna Jordan is a reporter just doing her job. Its a slow news day and she is chasing  leads on some less then promising story lines. When an event comes up about a woman rescuing a boy who fell on the tracks in the subway seems like just another story - at first.  

Only when she reviews the cell phone recording of the incident made by a 
bystander, something gives her pause . The way the woman moves when she runs, her profile as she lefts the boy off the track and on to the platform, all have an eerily familiar look. Is it her good friend   Susan Hauptmann, who disappeared and was never found 10 years ago? 

McKenna uses her contacts as a as lawyer-turned-journalist,  to dig deeper in to the story and what appeared at first as a human interest piece quickly becomes a life and death hide and seek. Not only for McKenna but for those around her. The more she tries to unravel the mystery, the more people get hurt. 

The second half of the book zigs and zags  quickly and with less character dialogue and more action  a complex storyline  is pulled together leaving no loose ends. 
  
This book is well written but starts off slow. If you can endure that, you will enjoy reading it as it picks up about a third of the way through and carries that tensile quality all the way to the last page. 

This is a second novel by an up and coming young writer you will want to keep your eye on.  Not the best book I have ever read but the ending has enough twists to make this book weigh in as a good read. ~

till next time, keep reading!

Indie
http://thebookloverz.blogspot.com/

The reading of all good books is like a conversation with the finest minds of past centuries. - Rene Descartes