LADY MIDNIGHT by CASSANDRA CLARE (2016)

Title: Lady Midnight
Author: Cassandra Clare
Series: The Dark Artifices #1
Pages: 698
Published: Mar 8th 2016
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books


I got this as soon as I heard it was out. I saw it at WHSmith but didn't have money with me so when I went to Waterstones the day after I bought it. The Waterstones copy had fancy blue edges that I was very pleased with. And then I heard that the WHSmith had fan art in it which I had missed. I got slightly annoyed at myself but then I thought that there is an unlimited amount of fan art online.

It took my a while to adapt to the book. I had just fallen asleep crying the night before from the ending of City of Heavenly Fire and still recovering from it not to mention that Emma and Julian had been 12 years old in City of Heavenly Fire and they were all of a sudden 17. After a few chapters though, I was hooked.

I was afraid that the characters might be dull and the plot less unique after two series set in the same Shadowhunter world. But fear not! This book was sooooo good. All the characters were special and unique and had really strong personalities. I loved little details such as Ty's way of thinking, Dru's love for horror movies, Tavvy's need for a push animals, Liv's talent in maths not to mention Julian's passion for painting and Emma's fear for running and fondness for vintage clothes. The plot was crazy good, full of action and tension like in all Clare's books. 

I absolutely adore Mark Blackthorn and I started to ship him and Christina until Perfect Diego turned up and ruined it. I loved their moments of talking and from the beginning I thought Christina and Mark may develop a bond which he couldn't with his siblings or Emma. His torn emotions for his family and the Hunt was great. And I thought for a good while that he might choose the Hunt (it wouldn't have surprised me considering what Clare has done to us in the past) but I think it was evident after the whipping that he wasn't.

The whipping itself was an amazing scene. I'm just gonna leave it at that.

The plot surrounding the poems and Malcolm were all really clever. I must have been as confused as everyone else. And I like that no dramatic irony is created, but that we know just as much as the characters and find out with them.

Finally, I am so grateful that Clare keeps returning to her other characters and we get to catch up with their lives. Simon and Izzy getting married. OMG!!!! And Malec having children. Everything about it is just wonderful. That Jem and Tessa keep on turning up and the link to Kit Rook. The only pain is seeing Jem and Tessa without Will. Hopefully though we will get a glimpse of him in The Last Hours, the new trilogy that Cassandra Clare is coming out with in 2017.

The Infernal Devices will forever be my favourite series from Cassandra Clare because nothing can beat Wessa and I'm in love with Victorian London. However, this book had brought different values to the spotlight. In all her books, themes such as love, friendship and betrayal have been precent. But never has family been so important as in Lady Midnight. This plot surrounded around family and the importance of it and I feel like that aspect of life can often be overlooked in fantasy or science fiction. If you want to cover that theme you often have to turn to the YA contemporary genre, but this was interweaved so well in the plot and through the characters.

Plot Summary:

In a kingdom by the sea...

In a secret world where half-angel warriors are sworn to fight demons, parabatai is a sacred word. A parabatai is your parter in battle. A parabatai is your best friend. Parabatai can be everything to each other - but they can never fall in love.

Emma Carstairs is a warrior, a Shadowhunter. She lives for battle. Alongside her parabatai, Julian Blackthorn, she patrols Los Angeles, where vampire party on the Sunset Strip, and dearies - the most powerful of supernatural creatures - teeter on the edge of war with Shadowhunters. When bodies of human and dearies are found murdered in the same way Emma's parents were when she was a child an uneasy alliance is formed. This is Emma's chance for revenge and Julian's chance to get back his brother Mark, who is being held by the dearie Courts. All they have to do is solve the murders within two weeks... and before the murderer targets them.

Their search takes Emma from sea caves full of sorcery to a dark lottery where death is dispensed. And each clue she unravels uncovers more secrets. What has Julian been hiding from her all these years? Why does Shadowhunter Law forbid parabatai to fall in love? Who really killed her parents - and can she bear to know the truth?

My Rating:

10/10
One of the best. So looking forward for the next book.

Other Books in this Series:

Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices #1)
Lord of Shadows (The Dark Artifices #2)

Queen of Air and Darkness (The Dark Artifices #3)

Other books by Cassandra Clare:

City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1)
City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments #2)
City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments #3)
City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments #4)
City of Lost Souls(The Mortal Instruments #5)
City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments #6)

Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices #1)
Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices #2)
Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices #3)

CITY OF LOST SOULS by CASSANDRA CLARE (2012)

Title: City of Lost Souls
Author: Cassandra Clare
Series: The Mortal Instruments #5
Pages: 535
Published: May 8th 2012
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books


I started reading The Mortal Instruments before the film had come out which was a couple of years ago, but I didn't finish the series. At the time the final book "City of Heavenly Fire" had not come out and this book was therefore the last one out so far. And I was not quite ready to let go of the characters yet so I decided to wait until the sixth one had come out until I would read it. But then when the sixth one did come out I hadn't read the fifth book and I took a break of almost three years before I decided to pick up the book again this June. I am so happy I decided to finish of "The Mortal Instruments" though because I've really missed the Shadowhunter world and returning to the series was like saying hi to a long lost friend.

I have to admit that I was lost at times and had to remind myself of what had happened in the previous books, but I soon caught on.

I had a really hard time accepting Jace. I know that he was bound to Sebastian and therefore acted differently and Clary kept on reminding us that but I still thought he was annoying. I missed Jace and after four books about him where I really liked his character I felt as though he had completely disappeared. This Jace was different and not what I remembered and though I knew it wasn't really him I couldn't accept that as an excuse. Spoiler! In the scene towards the end when he has managed to tear his mark that binds him to Sebastian and comes into Clary's room telling her that he's him again I thought I would melt. I was so relieved that he was himself and that the actual Jace that I remembered after my long break of reading the books still existed.

Simon and Isabelle are by far my favourite characters. I have nothing against Clary and Jace, I absolutely love them, don't get me wrong. But they are the perfect couple. He's the perfect hero and she's the perfect protagonist and they're just perfect with perfect obstacles that they handle perfectly and I love it. Simon and Isabelle however have a relationship which I ship more however, because it's so real and believable. Isabelle has the issue of admitting that she loves Simon and Simon is shy. Simon is not the ripped romantic hero with amazing super powers and that makes him perfect. Because despite being undead and a vampire he's so completely human.

I love Magnus's appearance in "The Mortal Instruments" and "The Infernal Devices" and his relationship with Alec is awesome. I understand that Magnus got upset about Alec visiting Camille, but I also understood why Alec did it. Magnus walking away from Alec at the end upset me so much and I was seriously worried that that relationship would be over forever. 

I absolutely ship Jordan and Maia and I think Jordan is absolutely adorable. During the early books when Maia was first introduced to us I was torn between shipping Simon and Isabelle and shipping Simon and Maia. But as Jordan stepped into the picture all problems were solved and Simon and Isabelle may seriously be my OTP at the moment (this changes over time guys, so this statement may pop up again with a new couple in the future).

Plot Summary:

"What price is too high to pay, even for love? when Jace and Clary meet again, Clary is horrified to discover that the demon Lilith's magic has bound her beloved Jace together with her evil brother Sebastian, and that Jace has become a servant of evil. The Clave is out to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. As Alec, Magnus, Simon, and Isabelle wheedle and bargain with Seelies, demons, and the merciless iron Sisters to try to save Jace, Clary plays a dangerous game of her own. The price of losing is not just her own life, but Jace's soul. She's willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost?

Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge. Darkness threatens to claim the Shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series." - Goodreads

Favorite Quote:

"Speaking of hope. Did you see that shot Alec got off with his bow thats my boyfriend." - Magnus

My Rating:

9/10

The only reason this got a lower rating than the others is because I could not stand Jace's behaviour when he was bound to Sebastian. The lack of the actual Jace was painful.

Other Books in these Series:

City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments, Book 1)

City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments, Book 2)

City of (The Mortal Instruments, Book 3)

City of (The Mortal Instruments, Book 4)

City of (The Mortal Instruments, Book 5)

City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments, Book 6)

Other Books by Cassandra Clare:

Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices, Book 1)

Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices, Book 2)

Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices, Book 3)

Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices Book 1)
Lord of Shadows (The Dark Artifices Book 2)
Queen Air and Darkness (The Dark Artifices Book 3)

CITY OF BONES by CASSANDRA CLARE (2007)

Title: City of Bones
Author: Cassandra Clare
Series: The Mortal Instruments #1
Pages: 485
Published: Mar 27th 2007
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books


It took me a while to actually start reading this. A few of my friends had read it and when one of them said 'she goes to this club and sees someone get murdered, but no one else can see them' I kinda felt 'um, ok, don't know if this is my kinda book'. But when I read it I got a whole new experience than that.

I read the Clockwork Trilogy first because, well, it takes place before The Mortal Instruments (except Clockwork Princess had not yet come out at that time).

Cassandra Clare has such imagination! This isn't just sci-fi. It's well thought through and the things that link the book together with the Infernal Devices is just really clever. Things like the family names, the objects and the how it's hidden. Everything is very well thought through. Thumbs up for that!!

I borrowed the books at the school library so I didn't even have to wait until I could go buy it, they were right there. Now, I've bought the whole series so they stand untouched on my book shelf and my mum keeps on reminding me that I have this whole unread series at home and I'm like 'no, I've read them, I read them at school, I just like to have my own copies, especially of the books I like'. I have to admit though, I prefer a bookshelf with physically read books that books that look brand new. Yet, I can't just take the books and bend the spine to make them look read (they're still so pretty) because I haven't, not that specific copy you know. I guess I'll just have to re-read them. I'm weird that way. Really weird.

I opened the book up a while ago just to read the first sentence and get that flashback for a moment and I realised that Clary is only 15! FIFTEEN!! I'm eighteen. Almost makes me feel like I should read adult books right now and I kinda want to at moments, but can't let go of YA fiction quite yet. Is it ok to still be reading YA books when you're like 25, cause I bet I will  be, no doubt.

Plot Summary: 

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 the smear of blood - to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

Favorite Quote:

"The boy never cried again, and he never forgot that he'd learned: that to love is to destroy, and that to be loved is to be the one destroyed."

My Rating:

10/10

Other Books in these Series:

City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments, Book 1)

City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments, Book 2)

City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments, Book 3)

City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments, Book 4)

City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments, Book 5)

City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments, Book 6)

Other Books by Cassandra Clare:

Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices, Book 1)

Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices, Book 2)

Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices, Book 3)

Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices, Book 1)
Lord of Shadows (The Dark Artifices, Book 2)
Queen of Air and Darkness (The Dark Artifices, Book 3)