June 2015 Wrap Up

Jen 
I read quite a few graphic novels and companion books this month and while I did not read all the books on my TBR, I did get to a majority of them. I also finished three series and got two other series off my overall TBR, so I am happy with that. 

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han → 5/5 
P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han → 5/5 
The Crow by Alison Croggon → 2.5/5 
The Singing by Alison Croggon → 4/5
The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan → 5/5 
The Titan's Curse: The Graphic Novel → 3/5 
The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan → 5/5 
The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan → 5/5 
City of Bones: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion by Mimi O'Connor → 5/5 
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling (audiobook) → 5/5 
Harry Potter Film Wizardry by Brian Sibley → 5/5 
Harry Potter: The Creature Vault by Jody Revenson → 5/5 
Harry Potter: Magical Places from the Films by Jody Revenson → 5/5
Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare → 5/5 
Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices: Manga #2) by Cassandra Clare → 4/5
Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare → 5/5
Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices: Manga #3) by Cassandra Clare → 4/5
A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin → 4.5/5 
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (audiobook) → 4.75/5 
Twilight: The Complete Illustrated Movie Companion by Mark Cotta Vaz → 5/5 
The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau → 4.5/5 
Independent Study by Joelle Charbonneau → 5/5 
Graduation Day by Joelle Charbonneau → 4.5/5

Mel
While I didn't get through all of the books on my currently reading list on Goodreads which I put on my TBR for June, I did read a few other books that I picked up because I was in the mood to read them, and I'm okay with that!

Very Good Lives by JK Rowling → 5/5
Troll Mountain by Matthew Reilly → 4.5/5
Where Rainbows End by Cecelia Ahern → 4.5/5
Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan → 5/5
Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan → 5/5
   

Jen's Game of Thrones Book Haul!

This haul has been accumulating for a while now, ever since I finally started reading the A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin. It didn't take long for my love of the series to escalate into a full blown obsession. 

The Lands of Ice and Fire: Maps from King's Landing to Across the Narrow Sea by George R.R. Martin 
Game of Thrones: A Pop-Up Guide to Westeros by Matthew Christian Reinhart
A Game of Thrones Puzzle Quest by Tim Dedopulos 
A Game of Thrones: The Graphic Novel, Vols 1-4 by George R.R. Martin & adapted by Daniel Abraham
Inside HBO's Game of Thrones by Bryan Cogman
Inside HBO's Game of Thrones II by C.A. Taylor 
The World of Ice and Fire: The Untold History of Westeros and the Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin, Elio M. Garcia Jr. & Linda Antonsson

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