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😊. 

    

Blast From the Past: Tumtum and Nutmeg Series by Emily Bearn

Blast From the Past: 

    This series was one of my favorite children series I ever read. I read this series with my mom when I was really young and to this day, I still love it. Literally right after we finished this series, I searched the house for Tumtum and Nutmeg. I used to be jealous of Arthur and Lucy, because they had Tumtum and Nutmeg. ( Now, if I ever saw Tumtum or Nutmeg, I will scream! This actually happened unfortunately. There was a mouse in my room, and I was terrified. I did not sleep in my room for a whole week after the mouse.) 

    Back to the book now! ( I digress a lot.) This was such a fun adventurous book to read, especially at a young age. I remember being extremely entertained, and constantly wanting to read the book over and over. Tumtum and Nutmeg made me fall in love with reading. I loved the feeling this book created. 

Summary:

   "Deep inside the broom cupboard of Rose Cottage, two mice live in great style. Tumtum and Nutmeg lead cozy ad quiet lives, secretly looking after Arthur and Lucy, the disheveled human children of the cottage, never dreaming that so many exciting adventures will soon find them. But when evil Aunt Ivy, a squeamish schoolteacher named Miss Short, and pirating pond rats threaten the safety of those they hold dear, the courageous pair will stop at nothing to save the day. In three thrilling tales with charming illustration in every chapter, Tumtum and Nutmeg--along with the valiant efforts of veteran hero General Marchmouse, Ms. Tiptoe's bouncing ballerina army, and a team of caged gerbils--prove that small-size mice can have world-size hearts." 

                                                                        -Goodreads 

Review: 

     As I keep saying, this series is one of my favorite childhood tales, well other than Pippi Longstocking and Winnie the Pooh. These tales were very light-hearted, and charming. When I was younger, I was so engaged in this book, I wanted to keep reading until my eyelids were so heavy. The adventures Tumtum and Nutmeg went on, were so unique and original. The character and personality these two mice had, created such a fun and exciting environment. This book had everything. It had humor, adventure, character, fluidity, and so much more. I had so much fun when I read this book. I give it 5 stars because of how original the premise is, and how fun it was to read. 

After Reading: 

    I work at the YMCA with children, and whenever they ask me what to read next, I always say "Tumtum and Nutmeg". I mean, what's not to love? You have two very cute and charming mice that go on really fun adventures. I read this about 10-12 years ago, and I continue to remember how much I love reading this. I remember the nights my mom and I read this book together. I remember laughing at General Marchmouse, and Tumtum all the time. This is a book that lives on in your memory!

Advice: 

    I HIGHLY recommend reading this! Whether you read this book with your children, or by yourself, it is such a fun read no matter the age. There is something for everyone in this book; a little adventure, a little romance, and even some laugh at loud moments. 

Final Points:

    -Tumtum and Nutmeg is a really fun read for anyone. Their adventures together are really cute and funny. 

    -The story-lines are so original, and entertaining, you will never be bored. 

    -If you see a mouse in your house, maybe it's Tumtum and Nutmeg. (You never know...)

    -Go Read This Book!!!

    

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.