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 Recommendation: If I Stay by Gayle Forman

So I read this book all the way back in 2014. About six years ago. That's crazy that time has passed so much since I read this book. 

Anyway, I originally read this book because I saw the movie and had a crush on Jaime Blackley. It was a small one, but I'm pretty sure anyone who saw this movie, had a small crush on Jaime. Raise your hand if you had a crush on him. *raises my hand as high as I can*

I decided to give this book a try, and I really liked it. I liked the story line, and I loved the ending! I don't know if it's just me (it usually is) but the ending was fantastic. The way Gayle Forman was able to create such a breathtaking ending, was incredible. 

Summary: If I Stay follows Mia, a gifted musician, with a family everyone longs for, and a boyfriend everyone wishes they had. Mia has to choose between following her dream of attending Julliard and becoming an accomplished cellist, or following her heart and staying with her family and the love of her life. Either way, there are positives and negatives with both choices. But then one morning, her entire life is turned around. Mia must answer the question that remains: Should I stay or should I go?  (anyone automatically think of the song by The Clash?)

Overall Review: 

This book is filled with everything from happiness, laughter, and love, to sorrow, tears, and loss. Forman is able to write a book filled with parallels to show readers that life has no opposite. There is no opposite for true love and life, because it is eternal. Forman writes such a breathtakingly beautiful story that has many readers and fans in tears. I loved the message she proves in this book, and the meaning behind life. 

Rating: I give this book 4.5 stars. I loved the characters, and the story Forman writes. It is just a masterpiece. I did not give it 5 stars because at some times I felt that the book had many memories strung together. Some of the memories just seemed kind of pointless to me. But still, I highly recommend this book, because this story touched my heart, and even today I think of this story. It leaves a lasting impact on you. 

Series Recommendation: The Lux Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout

The Lux series is one of my favorite young adult series I have read so far. The characters are very well written, so much so, that I feel like they are real living humans. Unfortunately, they are just characters. 

But can you imagine if these characters are actually alive? Wouldn't that would be cool? I mean, what would really happen? Also, does that mean that there are aliens on Earth? Really hot aliens???

If there is, where do I sign up? 

Back to the book series... 

Summary: 

    The series starts off with the first book: Obsidian. Our h, or protagonist, moves to West Virginia with her mom. Katy (our h) eventually meets her neighbors, the Black family. She hits it off immediately with Dee, but not Daemon, Dee's brother. Katy sees Daemon as hot, arrogant, and infuriating. But when Daemon literally stops time to save Katy's life, she realizes they are not humans. She learns that they are called Luxen, and they have the ability to bend and wield light. In order to survive, Katy needs to stick to Daemon, much to her dismay. Not only does Katy need to worry about Daemon's arrogance, but the Luxen's enemy: the Arum as well. 

Review: 

    Let me just start off by saying how much I love Daemon. I mean he is literally one of my book boyfriends. He is everything I need and want; protective, Alpha, hilarious, caring, loyal, and so much more.

     I love the relationship between Daemon and Katy. There is so much depth and character in this couple, which is why it is one of my favorites. Daemon is very egotistical, but Katy is always there to keep him in check. Those scenes are so funny, I vividly remember myself laughing out loud. 

    Armentrout created these characters in such a realistic and relatable way, that I constantly found myself wondering if I am similar to Katy, or Dee. The answer to that question is yes and no. I feel like Katy sometimes, and then at other times I feel like Dee. 

    The supernatural/fantasy/paranormal aspect plays a big role in this book, which is one thing I really like. I feel that a fantasy/paranormal book should have a lot of action, and not just fight scenes. I do not like the monotonous feel of fighting scenes, I need other action scenes. This book has this. The supernatural aspect is an important part. I mean, one of our main characters is an an alien, so obviously there is supernatural beings. There is also romance in this book too, but it meshes very well with the supernatural part. 

    Overall, I loved this series. It is such a good read, and a quick one. This series keeps you on edge, and constantly has you guessing. I love the feeling of time traveling within books, and this series I felt like I was time traveling the whole time. 

Why Recommend: 

    Other than the fact that there are hot alien characters, this book has depth and character. It creates a new world within a world. In other words, this book has a world (the supernatural one), within the real world (Earth/humans). The personalities of these characters add to the story, making this series even more unique. One thing I loved was that this series is completely unique and original. There are some parts that other fantasy/paranormal books have, like the characters, but the situations and actions within this series are very different. I loved this book, and highly recommend this to you. 

If you love swoon worthy boys, a kick ass heroin, and a spectacular rad, then definitely PICK THIS BOOK UP. 

Blast From the Past: Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

Blast From the Past:

     I read this book all the way back in 2009 with my mom. Every night she would read me a chapter of the book, up until we finished it. I loved it. Then I reread this book by myself in 2014. I loved it even more because I understood it a lot more. I used this book in countless school projects and research papers as well. 

    This book actually got me into mythology. I read all about Chinese mythology, then I widened my horizon. I learned about Greek mythology, Egyptian Mythology, and Norse Mythology. I loved them all. My love of mythology got so big that I decided to write a book using all the stories and gods, but that clearly didn't happen. I look back on this book with great fondness. This introduced me to my culture, a culture I learned about, especially the fun and interesting side. My love of dragons came out of this book, and now they are my favorite animal, even if they do not exist. (In my head they do :D). 

    I love this book and the way Lin incorporated the Chinese myths into Minli's journey. 

Summary:

    Minli, a young girl, and her parents live in the valley of Fruitless Mountain. She spends her days working in the rice fields, and her nights listening to her father's stories about the Old Man on the Moon, the Jade Dragon, and many others. However Minli's mother believes these stories are all just nonsense, and wants Minli to focus on the fields, but Minli doesn't agree. She believes these stories and embarks on a quest to find the answer to her question: How can her family change their fortune? On this quest, she encounters an assortment of characters and creatures, including a Dragon, who decides to join Minli. 

Review:

    This book was soooo good. I loved it. Lin incorporated many myths and characters in a phenomenal way. There were so many stories that all added. But each one was different, in a perfect way. Each character Minli met along the way had their own story and myth, which I thought was incredible. All the characters made the story, and I even loved Minli's parents adventures too. It is such a good read for anyone, at any age. I cannot recommend this book enough. It has everything in it: A magical cast, enchanting stories, long lasting messages and themes. To put it simply, just read it. You will not regret it. I give this 5 stars, it was THAT GOOD. 

After Reading: I still think about this book and the stories today. I loved them and cannot get enough. I won't spoil the book, but my favorite stories are towards the end. The actual ending was so fantastic, and so put together, it was like watching everything come together. It was a masterpiece. I do not know how else to tell you about this book. I loved it as a child, and I still love it now. 

The Message:

    The messages in this book are so important! I loved how Lin was able to show a complete spectrum on Minli, and her journey. From the beginning to the end, this book tied it all together with each new story. 

Final Points:

    -This book helped me understand and accept my culture. It influenced my life so much, and I am forever grateful. 

    -I loved reading this book. It was just such a fun read. I fully enjoyed myself reading this book. I smiled, and laughed at times. It was THAT GOOD. 

    -Everyone should read this book, because it will take you on a journey to discover Minli, and yourself along the way.