Review: City of Bones

 

Title: City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments, #1)

Author: Cassandra Clare

Publisher: McElderry

Release Date:  February 19th 2008

Format: Paperback (Given by Amelia @ The Authoress)

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder—much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It’s hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing—not even a smear of blood—to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary’s first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It’s also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace’s world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . .

I remember picking this book up in hardback format when it first came out. I remember wanting to read it SO badly, and I remember taking it to my mom to buy it. She told me no, because of the cover. Yes, she judged the book by its cover. Blasphemy! But that's what mom's do. They don't like their daughters seeing sexy guys, even if the guy is barely on the cover of a book. So, I have waited many years to get my hands on a copy of this book, and I was finally able to when Amelia sent me a copy via R.A.K. To say I was excited is a bit of an understatement.

So, given that background, I started reading this book with anticipation that it was going to be great. Plus, I read many reviews on it giving it high praises. (Even my friends loved the series.) Usually, when that happens, I'm always let down. However, I was not let down in the slightest when it came to this book.

The plot of the story is fantastic! It starts out with what seems like an average teenaged girl's life which morphs into something more. That something more becomes a brand new world created exclusively by Cassandra Clare. The world borrows parts of general myth about fey and mystical realms and glamour but its all combined to form something completely original. If the characters weren't so awesome, I'd be even more in love with the world than I am. Whiiiccch, brings me to characters...Is there an adjective I haven't used yet that could accurately describe them? I don't think so. These characters are wonderful creations and they're planned out beautifully. All the characters seem to be well-rounded and diverse. Jace is the hot, witty, dangerous guy. Simon is the nerdy, cute, and funny dude. Alec is the "sparkly", snarky, sidekick. Isabelle is the beautiful, goddess-like, b**chy girl. Then, last but not least, Clary is the artsy, awkward yet bold, teenager. All of these guys put together pack one fantastic array of characters. Jace and Simon are going to make you laugh, no doubt. Clary is easy to sympathize with and she isn't annoyingly weak. Alec.....I can't describe him without giving away a juicy bit of the book! Isabelle...well, she's meant to be hated.  As diverse as these characters are, they still work together in a unique way. 

Anyway, I should cut short my fan-girling. So, basically, if you like a fantasy style, kick-butt adventure story with awesome guys and a fantasmagorical plot....then this is the story for you. If you've been deprived of reading it for the last few years like I have, find a way to get your hands on one! You won't regret it. 

I gave it FIVE out of FIVE Sporks

P.S. Fantasmagorical is a word I created years ago that I keep in my arsenal of words for special things. This is one of them.

"Waiting on" Wednesday: Scarlet

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.


This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Scarlet

by A.C. Gaughen

Release Date: February 14th 2012

Publisher: Walker & Co

From Goodreads;

Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance. Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in. It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.

Comments;

I love the Robin Hood legend and I think that twists upon legends like that are SO interesting. Also, I love the time period and such. Not to mention, I LOVELOVELOVELOVE the cover. Seriously.  I would love a poster of it. It looks so elfy and pretty. And anyone who knows me, knows I love elves. So, to say I'm looking forward to this book is a bit of an understatement. :D

What is your pick?

Teaser Tuesday

 

 

 

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

It's Tuesday again! Here's my teaser: (I usually don't do just two sentences. Whatever it takes to finish the blurb.)

"She said nothing, biting the inside of her lip. She hated the idea of someone reaching inside her head, touching memories so private and hidden that even she couldn't reach them. "She doesn't have to do anything she doesn't want to do," Jace said suddenly. "Does she?" " - pg 167 of City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Review: Secret Society

 

Title: Secret Society

Author: Tom Dolby

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date:  October 1st 2009 

Formant: Paperback (ARC from Nicki @WORDforTeens)

An eccentric new girl. A brooding socialite. The scion of one of New York's wealthiest families. A promising filmmaker. As students at the exclusive Chadwick School, Phoebe, Lauren, Nick, and Patch already live in a world most teenagers only dream about.

They didn't ask to be Society members. But when three of them receive a mysterious text message promising success and fame beyond belief, they say yes to everything—even to the harrowing initiation ceremony in a gritty warehouse downtown and to the ankh-shaped tattoo they're forced to get on the nape of their necks. Once they're part of the Society, things begin falling into place for them. Week after week, their ambitions are fulfilled. It's all perfect—until a body is found in Central Park with no distinguishing marks except for an ankh-shaped tattoo.

Secret Society comes with a wonderful synopsis to make you want to read it, and it has a very interesting plot to suck you in. At least, that's how it was for me.

After reading a quarter of the book, I realized that this book hadn't reached its full potential yet. The characters weren't fleshed out so there was hardly anything to relate to with any of the characters. The plot was fantastic but I think that it could have been so much bigger. The essence of the plot wasn't fleshed out either, so when I ended the book, I felt like I sort of wasted my time.

However, there are good things about the book! The main idea of the plot - a secret society that brands people and gives them all the success they want - is very alluring. I couldn't put the book down, because I wanted to now what would be the Secret Society's next move. It had a few surprises and confusing twists but that made it all the better.

Character wise, I first liked Nick and Phoebe best. Phoebe was an artsy teenager without a lot of money. Nick was the handsome, down to earth, rich guy. However, over time, Phoebe became a whiny, annoying character but Nick stayed the same. At the end of the book, I loved Nick and Patch the best. Patch was adventurous and challenging. He did things that most others would be afraid to do and I always was interested in how it would end for him. I was sorta surprised at his ending.

As a whole, there were some serious downfalls in the book but all its good things combined, I gave it three sporks. I'm not sure if this interests me enough to read the sequel, though.

"Waiting On" Wednesday: Dead to You

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.


This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:

Dead to You

by Lisa McMann

Release Date: February 7th 2012

Publisher: Simon Pulse

From Goodreads;

Ethan was abducted from his front yard when he was just seven years old. Now, at sixteen, he has returned to his family. It's a miracle... at first. Then the tensions start to build. His reintroduction to his old life isn't going smoothly, and his family is tearing apart all over again. If only Ethan could remember something, anything, about his life before, he'd be able to put the pieces back together. But there's something that's keeping his memory blocked. Something unspeakable...

Comments;

I like Lisa McMann's stories. They're easy to read and they usually have a great plot. I would love to read this, considering her writing style. I also wonder how the cover has anything to do with the story....?

What do you think?