Review: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

 

In a time when Shadowhunters are barely winning the fight against the forces of darkness, one battle will change the course of history forever. Welcome to the Infernal Devices trilogy, a stunning and dangerous prequel to the New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series. 

The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them.... 

(Goodreads summary)

Jen's Review 
I absolutely loved this book, and just from this book alone, I can already say that I love The Infernal Devices trilogy a lot more than The Mortal Instruments series. I have always loved historical settings in books, so I really liked the fact that it was set in 19th century London. I loved the storyline in this book as well. It moved along at a good pace, I found it very captivating and Clare does such a fantastic job with those plot twists that kept drawing me in and I just had to keep reading.  

However, I think the main reason why I loved this book so much was the characters. I absolutely loved Tessa. She was smart and resilient and coped better than most would have after being suddenly thrust into a dangerous world that she has known nothing about and learning a big secret about herself. I also thought it was very interesting that Tessa was actually a Downworlder and not a Shadowhunter like I had been expecting. It was a different perspective to read from and I liked it.
Then there is Jem. I have much love for Jem. He has a gentle and caring nature about him. He is quiet and just a little mysterious, which I loved. Jem is perfection (aside from that little secret he is hiding). Charlotte was also another of my favourite characters. She is only young (I was actually surprised when I found out her age!) but she is very strong and determined, as women had to be to be heard in those times. 

And now onto the characters I didn’t love so much. Jessamine. I just cannot stand her. She is selfish, rude, obnoxious, and just a complete bitch if she doesn't get her own way. So irritating! My hate for her only increased as the book went on. 

Then there is Will, who was just so frustratingly annoying. Nice one minute and just a complete jerk the next. Despite that, I really tried to like him. But he just had this air of arrogance about him and that really got on my nerves. I did not like that at all. 

I wasn't really a fan of Nate either. He was supposed to be the protective older brother and yet he just came across as pampered, ignorant and naive. The fact that he was not opposed to Jessamine practically throwing herself at him didn't help matters. Although of course it turns out there was a more evil and sinister side to him that I didn't see coming at all. 

Overall, this book was fantastic and I gave it a 5/5 rating. If you were a fan of The Mortal Instruments, then definitely read this series. If you weren’t such a fan of The Mortal Instruments, then pick up this book anyway, you just may be pleasantly surprised.


Mel's Review
This series is a must read for any Mortal Instruments fan, but more than that, this is a book series that can also appeal to anyone who has not read any of the Mortal Instruments books. I have much love for this series, for it's nineteenth century England setting, for it's enticing world that's a tad darker than the Mortal Instruments, it's likeable and hardy characters and just the overall plot and twists that you just don't see coming.

Tessa fit's in well with my list of favourite heroines (such as Hermione Granger, Celaena Sardothien, Katniss Everdeen and Tris Prior, etc). She's found herself unexpectedly in the hands of the sinister Mortmain who wants to use her as a weapon, and she's forced to use powers she didn't know she possessed and still she bides her time for her chance to escape.

I had mixed feelings about Will early in the series. He is very hot and cold towards Tessa and it's so frustrating until you find out why he behaves that way and is then somewhat redeemed, since his reason is kind of understandable. But when Will's a jerk, he's a jerk!

And yes, there's Jem. My favourite character of the whole Shadowhunter world. He's the quiet, kind-hearted musician with a heartbreaking past and a stigma that's both keeping him alive and killing him. He's half Chinese and spent his youth at the Shanghai Institute, so he speaks Mandarin too (Yay! I love languages!). I love this character so much that I named my cat after him (mostly I couldn't think of a name, but I liked Jem because it's short and uncommon and yes, the vet receptionist still spelled it wrong).

I loved the appearance of Magnus Bane. Being a warlock, he's immortal, so of course he is alive throughout both the Infernal Devices and the Mortal Instruments.

Jessamine is an all round unlikeable character. She's spiteful and petty and it's clear that she doesn't want to be there. She hates the Shadowhunter world and shamelessly sulks when she doesn't get her way. The whole way, you're just waiting for that one redeeming quality. It takes a while...

But overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Clockwork Angel and when I finished it, I wanted to go straight onto the next book! I gave it a rating of 5/5.

Jen's June 2015 Book Haul

Left side 
Don't Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hr Bookstore by Robin Sloan
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins 
P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han 
The Testing, Independent Study & Graduation Day by Joelle Charbonneau
Burn for Burn, Fire with Fire & Ashes to Ashes by Jenny Han & Sioban Vivian 

Right side 
Delirium, Pandemonium & Requiem by Lauren Oliver 
Slammed, Point of Retreat & This Girl by Colleen Hoover 
Confess by Colleen Hoover 
Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover 
Hopeless, Losing Hope & Finding Cinderella by Colleen Hoover 
Wings by Elizabeth Richards 
Elixir by Hilary Duff 
The Mortal Instruments Companion by Lois H. Gresh

Reader Problems Tag

Jen

1. You have 20,000 books on your TBR. How in the world do you decide what to read next?

Whatever I’m in the mood for. Usually there will be one that I am just dying to read. If I’m just not feeling it I’ll pick up another one. If I can’t get into that one then I give up for the moment and watch TV.

2. You’re halfway through a book and you’re just not loving it. Do you quit or are you committed?

This totally depends on the book, how committed I am to the story (particularly if it’s a sequel or companion novel) and if there is anything at all that would make me want to continue (such as the mention of another character whom I love).

Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater was one I just absolutely could not finish. I hated the characters and everything about that book. I do hate not finishing a book so I tried, but there was nothing even remotely redeeming about it so after about 100 pages I just couldn’t anymore and I have not regretted my decision.

Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins is one book where I went the opposite way. Everyone and everything about this book was irritating me to no end, but I did persevere and eventually finish the book because I wanted to get to the third book in this companion series (which was thankfully a whole lot better and actually turned out to be my favourite book of the series). It also helped that there were brief mentions of characters from the first book in this companion series that made the second one somewhat bearable.

3. The end of the year is coming and you’re so close, but so far away on your Goodreads reading challenge. Do you try to catch up and how?

Haha I am actually having the opposite problem right now. I have been reading like there is no tomorrow and have actually already increased my goal once because I surpassed it. But if at the end of the year I do find myself in a position where I need to catch up I will most likely turn to graphic novels and short stories.

4. The covers of a series you love do. not. match. How do you cope?

I actually don’t have this problem! This is exactly one of the reasons why I do not buy books in a series until they have all been released.

But I have started buying some fantasy series because it will be years before the final book is out and I just can’t wait that long. I need those books now! If there was a cover change at some point I would be very frustrated and upset, but if I really loved that series, I would seriously consider buying the entire set in matching covers.

5. Everyone and their mother loves a book you really don’t like. Who do you bond with over shared feelings?

Mel. Our tastes in books are pretty similar so we usually share the same opinions about books. If we do happen to have different opinions about a book (and I can’t think of a book where this has happened yet) then I will probably look up reviews on Goodreads. Someone somewhere will share the same opinion as I do!

6. You’re reading a book and you are about to start crying in public. How do you deal?

I don’t read in public very often, but I would probably just stop reading and wait until I got home to continue.

7. A sequel of a book you loved just came out, but you’ve forgotten a lot from the prior novel. Will you re-read the book? Skip the sequel? Try to find a synopsis on Goodreads? Cry in frustration?!?!?!?

I don’t tend to have this problem! Being neurotic enough to not start a series until all the books have been released does pay off sometimes!

But I have started reading the A Song of Ice and Fire series and there will definitely be years of waiting in between sequels being released. But that series is so hugely epic and popular there are multiple sites out there that have detailed chapter summaries so I could always refer to those if I needed to.

8. You do not want anyone. ANYONE. borrowing your books. How do you politely tell people nope when they ask?

Luckily I don’t really have this problem. I had one friend in the past who borrowed a book and returned it in a damaged condition. When she saw how I reacted she never asked to borrow a book again.

The only friend now who might want to borrow a book from me is Mel and I know I can trust her.

9. Reading ADD. You’ve picked up and put down 5 books in the last month. How do you get over your reading slump?

I would probably pick up a graphic novel or an old favourite that I wouldn’t mind re-reading (i.e. Harry Potter) and if that still wasn’t working, then I would give up on reading for a while and watch TV.

10. There are so many new books coming out that you’re dying to read! How many do you actually buy?

It would probably depend on what I can afford. But I would try to buy the ones I am most looking forward to first.

11. After you’ve bought the new books you can’t wait to get to, how long do they sit on your shelf before you get to them?

This depends on how soon I can finish whatever book I’m already reading, if I already have other books that I am dying to read already lined up and what kind of reading mood I am in.

Mel

1. You have 20,000 books on your TBR. How in the world do you decide what to read next?

I basically just look at the stack and see if I can decide if there’s one that I want to read more than the others. Or I choose by genre.

2. You’re halfway through a book and you’re just not loving it. Do you quit or are you committed?

It depends on how bad the book is. I’ve only quit one book in recent years and I do not regret it at all. I have no thoughts about continuing the book at a later date either. Usually I’ll give a book another chance, if it’s not too bad, eg, in high school I had to read The Great Gatsby, but hated it and gave up. I’ve now had to read it for uni and it wasn’t as bad as I remembered it being. Also in high school, I started The Lord of the Rings, but I had homework and assignments getting in the way, which made the sheer size of the book a bit daunting, so I gave up to continue at a later date and I’ve gotten through book one of The Fellowship of the Ring!

3. The end of the year is coming and you’re so close, but so far away on your Goodreads reading challenge. Do you try to catch up and how?

This year is my first Goodreads challenge! But since uni finishes around October/November, I have a feeling I’ll be spending the remainder of the year getting those last few books done. And if I really have to, I’ll choose shorter books.

4. The covers of a series you love do. not. match. How do you cope?

I usually deal with it until I find them going for a good deal or if I absolutely cannot pass up the opportunity, eg, I recently found the first 3 Harry Potter books in Hardcover (UK covers) and in excellent condition and now my whole set is hardcover! Woohoo!

5. Everyone and their mother loves a book you really don’t like. Who do you bond with over shared feelings?

Jen. And the book is The Fault In Our Stars by John Green.

6. You’re reading a book and you are about to start crying in public. How do you deal?

I did drama for a few years, so I can keep a straight face. Otherwise I shut the book and leave it for when I’m at home.

7. A sequel of a book you loved just came out, but you’ve forgotten a lot from the prior novel. Will you re-read the book? Skip the sequel? Try to find a synopsis on Goodreads? Cry in frustration?!?!?!?

I don’t often forget the events in the previous book, but if I did, I’d probably reread the book after I’ve read the new one. I know, weird.

8. You do not want anyone. ANYONE. borrowing your books. How do you politely tell people nope when they ask?

I tell them I’ve been burned before by people I thought I could trust with books and they’ve given the book back in worse condition. They usually understand. The one person I trust with my books is Jen and I’ve on more than one occasion lent my books to her previously.

9. Reading ADD. You’ve picked up and put down 5 books in the last month. How do you get over your reading slump?

I watch tv shows. Lots and lots of tv shows. From season 1.

10. There are so many new books coming out that you’re dying to read! How many do you actually buy?

As many as I can!

11. After you’ve bought the new books you can’t wait to get to, how long do they sit on your shelf before you get to them?

As soon as I finish the book I was already reading, which I push myself to finish quicker!

Review: City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

Goodreads summary: 

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 third installment of the New York Times bestselling series The Mortal Instruments.


*BEWARE POSSIBLE SPOILERS*

Jen's Review 

I loved this book. It picked up right where City of Ashes left off in that cliffhanger ending. I really liked where the storyline went and all the many twists and turns that I did not see coming, but made me want to keep reading. I love how this book refers back to important plot points from the previous two books and really ties the series together well. I loved how the big secret surrounding Clary, Jace and Valentine was finally revealed. Right from the first book I knew that somehow Clary and Jace were not siblings. I just had no idea how Clare was going to pull that one off when it seemed for certain that they were, but I really liked how it turned out in the end. 

I also really liked the character development that is seen, especially with Clary. While she did start off by doing something reckless and impulsive (again), she does a lot of growing up and I really like how she seems to have matured by the end of the book. And of course I have to mention that I love how things end up between Clary and Jace.

The only characters that I really had problems with were Valentine (of course) and once again, Simon. I don’t know what it is about him, but I just really do not like him. Sebastian was also another character I did not like, and for good reason. I knew there was something off about him right from when he was first introduced, I just was not expecting him to turn out to be who he was revealed to be in the end! 

Overall, this is the first book in The Mortal Instruments series that I can honestly say I loved and gave a 5/5 rating. The author did a great job of bringing everything together in the end, and I would have been satisfied with how it ended if the series had been concluded as a trilogy. But having said that, I am glad that there are more books in the series for me to look forward to!

Mel's Review 

This book quickly became my favourite of the series when I first read it. I loved the plot twists and the sense of adventure that this book brought to the table. And the City of Glass (Alicante) has been a favourite location within the books as a well thought out fantasy city that fits right in with the modern world without being too otherworldly.

Clary and Jace's relationship goes through some dramatic ups and downs, with the outcome being both surprising and relieving. While I did have doubts about Jace's heritage as revealed in City of Bones, I still did a fist pump and "YES!". More surprising, however, was finding out who his real family was and how close he was to this revelation in the end of City of Ashes (remember when I mentioned throwing the book across the room? If the Inquisitor had survived, he would have found out sooner).

The introduction of Sebastian brought a few mixed feelings of suspicion and dread. This guy was not going to be nice at all...

A few characters did make their departure, and especially for one particular character I was absolutely heartbroken (why would you do this to me?!!)

This book, without a doubt, deserves the 5/5 rating that I gave it. Amazing.

Review: P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han

Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter.

She and Peter were just pretending. Except suddenly they weren’t. Now Lara Jean is more confused than ever.

When another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?

In this charming and heartfelt sequel to the New York Times bestseller To All the Boys I've Loved Before, we see first love through the eyes of the unforgettable Lara Jean. Love is never easy, but maybe that’s part of what makes it so amazing.

(Goodreads description)

This book was so much better than the first one! I absolutely loved it! Jenny Han’s writing is just superb and I could not stop reading. There were so many feels with all the relationship and friendship drama going on, but I love that so I enjoyed the plot of this book a lot more than the first book. 

*** WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILERS ***

I definitely liked most of the characters in this book a whole lot more than in the first book. Lara Jean has definitely stepped out of her comfort zone, become more confident and sure of herself as a person. She does have her jealous and insecure moments, but I can forgive her for those because she did have a good reason! However, I did not like the fact that her friendship with another guy had become something more, and she knew this, and yet did nothing to stop it.

Kitty has also grown up a lot from the first book and was definitely nowhere near the annoying little kid from the first book. I love her attitude and the way she just tells it like it is. She is also quite resourceful and perceptive for a little kid.

The one exception was Gen. I have so much hate for her. She is without a doubt, my most hated character of this series. I definitely hated her in the first book but my hatred just kept increasing as this book went on. She is cruel, calculating and vindictive. We do find out some secrets in the end which may explain why she is the way she is, but definitely does not excuse it. I did have some sympathy for her in the end, but the things she did were completely unforgivable. Did I mention that I hate her?

There was yet another love triangle in this book (but that was to be expected). Not with who I had thought though. Josh was essentially written out of the equation fairly early on and I was so glad for that, as I shared my opinions about him in my review of the first book.

Cue the new guy in the equation, John. He was just eh. He wasn’t a bad character, in fact I think he was written the way he was so that the reader would have to like him, but I just didn’t. Solely because he was quite clearly supposed to end up being part of the love triangle and create more problems between the couple.

I really liked the way Peter changed and how his character grew throughout this book. He showed that he wasn’t the complete jerk he seemed to be, but could actually be genuinely caring and respectful. I loved seeing the protective side of him come out! What I didn’t like and what completely frustrated me about him though was that he was constantly with his ex-girlfriend and always rushing to her side, and yet he completely failed to see how that made his current girlfriend feel. I admire and respect the fact that he was comforting a friend, but the way he handled things with his girlfriend (lying and keeping secrets from her) was completely wrong.

Overall, there were some incredibly annoying and frustrating moments, but also some equally sweet moments that just made go warm and fuzzy inside. The author definitely did have me worried for quite a while, but I got the pairing that I was hoping for in the end so I was extremely happy. My only complaint was that it ended where it did. It was definitely a fitting way to conclude the series, but it did feel a little rushed. Also, I wanted an epilogue because I NEED more! This book definitely deserves the 5/5 rating that I am giving it. All the stars. It gets all the stars.

Review: To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

 

Lara Jean keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her.

They aren't love letters that anyone else wrote for her, these are ones she's written. One for every boy she's ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she can pour out her heart and soul and say all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly Lara Jean's love life goes from imaginary to out of control.

(Goodreads description)

I was so excited to finally read this book. I absolutely love Jenny Han’s writing and this book was no different. It was fast paced, had a whole lot of drama but also a strong family dynamic throughout this book which I liked.

I have mixed feelings about the characters though. I would have hoped that there would have been much more personal growth by the end, but that didn’t happen. Maybe that will happen in the second book though!

Lara Jean struck me as very naive and innocent from the start and remained that way for much of the book. While she did mature a lot, I feel like she still has some growing up to do. Kitty is the youngest child and she was just such a brat and very clearly used to being babied and getting her own way. She was extremely annoying at the beginning but she did get better towards the end.

Margot was the eldest sister and basically the one who held the family together after their mother died. Unfortunately I did not like her character and my dislike only increased as the book went on. When she left home, it felt like her family was now at the bottom of her priorities. Then when she came home for the holidays she didn’t like that things weren’t the same as they were before she left. She almost seemed upset that her family did actually manage to cope without her.

I also feel like the whole premise for the book, the love letters being sent out to all the boys, wasn’t really a main part of the book at all. They were sent out and Lara Jean was upset about it at first, but then that’s not mentioned much at all throughout the book. It is revealed who sent the letters out in the end, but even then that was just swept aside like it didn’t matter anymore. It just didn’t seem very realistic to me, that Lara Jean wouldn’t try harder to find out who sent them in the first place (and it really isn’t that hard to work out), and then in the end just say “Oh well, never mind.”

Now onto the love triangle. To be honest, I didn’t really think much of either of the boys. Peter was such a complete jerk for much of the book, except for those very few and brief moments where he could actually be a decent and caring person. What really annoyed me about him was that he was clearly still not over his ex-girlfriend, and the fact that he didn’t stand up for Lara Jean when his ex-girlfriend was spreading rumours about them and everyone was talking about them.

Josh was the nice guy that everyone likes, but what completely ruined him for me was the fact that he had dated Margot. What guy likes someone, then dates their older sister for two years, and then when they break up, suddenly realised that he never stopped liking the younger sister. Then there’s also the thought of kissing someone and doing other things with him that he’s done with your sister. No. Just no.

But despite all of the problems that I had with this book, I still loved it and could not put it down. That chapter with all the Harry Potter references! Amazing! Loved it! Ultimately, it was Jenny Han’s fantastic writing that made me absolutely love this book and I still had to give it a 5/5 rating.

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas Review

Goodreads summary:
Crowned by Evil.
Bound by Duty.
Divided by Love.

Celaena Sardothien, royal assassin, is the King of Adarlan's deadliest weapon. She must win her freedom through his enemies' blood - but she cannot bear to kill for the crown. And every death Celaena fakes, every lie she tells, put those she loves at risk.

Torn between her two protectors - a captain and a prince - and battling a dark force far greater than the king, Celaena must decide what she will fight for: her liberty, her heart or the fate of a kingdom...

Review:

Oh. My. God.

I thought the first book was amazing. This one is better! I could not stop reading. I read it in a day and immediately started Heir of Fire!

The characters are as consistent as the first book, and the story just flows on from the end of Throne of Glass. I love the development of all of the characters, especially Celaena and surprisingly, Dorian, who has discovered that he too has some special abilities.

Some of the way, I was thinking, "Celaena, just do what you're told!" but where's the fun in that? Lol. And then it turned out that I was right!

I loved the advancement of the relationships in this book. I wasn't really fond of the pairing in the first book, but this one got it right (I ship those two so much!).

There were a few new characters, as well as one favourite character of mine that is gone for (as far as I know) good. This departure was necessary though, as it triggered the climax of the story (and ripped my heart out along the way).

If there's one thing we can all learn from this series, is that you should never push Celaena's Berserk Button. Shit goes down, and down it went!

I don't know how I got the impression that Celaena didn't remember her past before she became an assassin, but that's what I thought from the start of Throne of Glass, and then I realised as the story progressed, that Celaena knows exactly who she is and hides it on purpose, not only because she doesn't want anyone to know, but that she'd rather not take up that particular role again.

Whilst the book didn't end on much of a cliffhanger, Chaol's realisation in the last chapter that Celaena isn't who he thought she was gives the impression that his attitude toward her is going to change dramatically. For better or worse, I'm looking forward to finding out!

I can't wait to finish Heir of Fire, and I'm sure it won't disappoint! I give Crown of Midnight a rating of 5/5.

Mel's May Book Haul

Harry Potter boxed set 2014 edition (Pretty, pretty hardcovers!)

(Top to bottom)
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas
The Heir by Kiera Cass
The One by Kiera Cass
The Elite by Kiera Cass
Sisters of Blood and Spirit by Kady Cross
Allegiance by Wanda Wiltshire
Broken Juliet by Leisa Rayven
Bad Romeo by Leisa Rayven
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
A Game of Thrones Puzzle Quest 

June 2015 TBR

Jen (I feel like this is an ambitious TBR so I probably won't get to all of these books) 
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (audiobook) 
The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan 
The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan 
The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan 
The Crow by Alison Croggon 
The Singing by Alison Croggon 
Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare 
A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han
P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han
Sweet by Tammara Webber 
Confess by Colleen Hoover
The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult 

Mel 

For the time being, I'm just going to finish the books on my "Currently reading" list on Goodreads right now:

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas
Where Rainbows End by Cecelia Ahern
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

May 2015 Wrap Up

Jen

This was kind of a weird reading month for me in that I read quite a few graphic novels and not as many books as I usually manage to read in a month. But for most of the month I was stuck in a weird mood where I only wanted to read fantasy. So while I didn’t read many books, and certainly not most of the ones I had on my TBR, I did tackle some of the bigger books on my shelf that I had been wanting to read for a while, and I did finally manage to read a classic, so I still feel a sense of accomplishment at the books I did read.

Amulet graphic novel series by Kazu Kibuishi:

- Volume 1: The Stonekeeper → 4/5

- Volume 2: The Stonekeeper’s Curse → 5/5

- Volume 3: The Cloud Searchers → 4.5/5

- Volume 4: The Last Council → 4.5/5

- Volume 5: Prince Of The Elves → 4/5

- Volume 6: Escape From Lucien → 4/5

The Gift by Alison Croggon → 4.5/5

The Riddle by Alison Croggon → 4/5

Slated by Teri Terry → 4.5/5

Fractured by Teri Terry → 4.75/5

Shattered by Teri Terry → 4.75/5

Legend: The Graphic Novel by Marie Lu → 4.5/5

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix audiobook → 5/5

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince audiobook → 5/5

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin → 5/5

A Game of Thrones: The Graphic Novel Volumes 1-4 by Daniel Abraham → 5/5

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare → 5/5

Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices: Manga #1) → 4/5

Very Good Lives by J.K. Rowling → 5/5

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt → 5/5

Dragon Dawn by Carole Wilkinson → 3.5/5

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan → 5/5

The Lightning Thief: The Graphic Novel by Rick Riordan → 3.5/5

The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan → 5/5

Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters Graphic Novel → 3/5 

Mel

This month's reading was kinda pitiful, but I've had a bit to do for uni, like essays!

Downcast by Cait Reynolds → 3/5

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas → 5/5

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (audiobook) by JK Rowling → 5/5