Blast From The Past: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

"One must always be careful of books," said Tessa, "and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us."

I first discovered Cassandra Clare through the movie-The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. Before then, I had only heard that she was an author. After this movie, I decided to give her books a go (A chance if you will😊). I read the first three books in the Mortal Instruments before I took a break. I liked them, but I didn't love them like so many other people did. Luckily my friend recommended The Infernal Device Series to me. She said they were a prequel worth reading. Thus, began my journey with Casandra Clare. 

I had very little hope in this series since I didn't enjoy the Mortal Instruments. However, the first chapter had me hooked. I read this book in one day, to my family's disappointment 😊. I was a complete slug all day, (by the way, totally worth it!). The journey this book took me on, was one I won't forget.

Summary: 

                    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 discovered that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters-including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves u against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with  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 

Review: 

    I loved this series from the very beginning to the end. My favorite book was Clockwork Princess, (the third and final installment in this series). The plot was fantastic. There was every paranormal creature known to man, and yet the plot wasn't too crowded or busy. The story shaped the characters flawlessly and vice versa. Their personalities matched their actions and thoughts extremely well. I really got to understand everything about the shadowhunter world and the events that led to the Mortal Instrument Series. The romance was amazing. This book was the first book I picked up that detailed more than just a kiss. (I may have skimmed past those scenes, but don't hate. I was young and in my mind I was like WHAT?) The romance was not a major part of the book, which was good because it didn't need to be. It was a simple side story. I really liked reading about the culture in the 1800s. I definitely will reread this series again. 

After Reading: 

    I really enjoyed this series. It took you on a great adventure. I remember vivid scenes like their first breakfast together. The small, human-like, actions were what made this book. In a world full of supernaturals, it was really funny to watch these creatures do such mundane things. 

My mind was shocked by what happened at the end, especially the end of the whole trilogy. Trust me, you don't see it coming! 

Advice:  

    I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend this book if you like paranormal, fantasy fiction books, or if you are just a big Cassandra Clare fan. I loved the series and the romance in it. It was a very entertaining and enjoyable read. I had my nose in this book the whole day, until I finally finished it. Then I bought the second book on kindle the same day, because I couldn't wait for the physical copy😊. 

    

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

                                                   

Ok So I know this book came out a while ago, and it got a lot of hype, especially from the Netflix Movie. But am I the only one that actually liked the book more? Don't get me wrong, I really liked the movie, but I just thought the book went a lot smoother and I could relate to the characters better. Anyway, let's get to this review! (even though it has been a while, oh well)

This book follows a young girl who is entering her junior year of high school, when her love letters (letters she wrote to her crushes when she was younger) were mailed. What's even worse, was that a couple people read them and then tried to talk to her about them. Uh oh. This is a disaster. 

To start off-the characters

    -I really liked Lara Jean, and what she represented. I thought she was very sweet, naive, innocent, and comedic. (Especially Lana Condor and the little faces and expressions she made). She loved to bake, which I easily relate to. The only difference is that she can cook well and I can't. LOL. I digress, anyway I liked how Jenny Han was able to create a protagonist that has flaws, and has a little bit of everyone in her. Whether it be a little uptight, and a rule-follower, or very sensitive and comedic.

    -Peter. Oh Peter, oh Peter. Are there any words to really describe you? I liked him and didn't at the same time. I do not know why, but there is something about him that I am not a big fan of. On the flip side, he can be very harming when he wants to be, especially to Lara Jean. I liked Peter the majority of the book, just not the last few chapters. He is a popular jock, with a lot of friends, but inside has a kind and caring personality. It just takes the right person to figure him out. 

    -The rest of the secondary characters made the book. Lara Jean's best friend, Christine, and her two sisters made it such a fun and unique atmosphere. The culture was also really cool. I liked in the book how it went into more detail about her culture, than it did in the movie. But I guess that is what the time limit is all about. Anyway, overall the character were very good, and very fun to read about. 

The CHEMISTRY:

    -Oh I felt it all right. The chemistry was very good, and there were some moments where even I was like should I be reading this because I feel like I'm intruding on something. :)) It was very clever and well written, the chemistry was a little more on the cute and flirty side, but i am just assuming that because it is a YA book. 

The Writing: 

    -I thought Jenny Han did an exceptional job with this book. The writing was very good, and the description was also very well written. It wasn't all description and details which I prefer in most cases. She didn't give you details the whole book, but rather a story, and a good one at that. Han did not have any grammar or spelling issues, so well done to her and her editing crew. I am never a fan of syntactical errors. 

 Plot: 

    -The plot was very good. I liked how they became pretend boyfriend and girlfriend, and that she had a list. I thought that was very funny and original. The beginning was grab worthy, but the ending I felt kind of lacked. The ending just seemed a little too fast for me. I would have liked a little more conversation, but that could very well just be me. 

Overall:

    -The book was very well put together. Not all authors have the ability to organize a book well and consistently, but Han did. The characters were generally likable, and the comedy aspect was very fun and I laughed a couple of times. 

Rating: 3.5 stars

    -I am giving this book 3.5 stars just because I felt like the characters could have been a little more built up, and that the ending felt a little rushed. However, definitely give this book a read if you like a cute, fun romantic comedy in a book. Also if you liked the movie too. I mean Noah Centineo, hello!