The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa

Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.

Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart

*****

I loved the Iron Daughter just as much as the previous book, the Iron King. It was a fast-paced, adventurous book with a wonderful team of characters and an intriguing world full of treacherous fairies.

I will keep this review short, since my thoughts are pretty similar to my opinion on the first book in the series. You can read my review of The Iron King here. If you have not read The Iron King yet, this review might contain some spoilers.

First, I loved the development of Meghan and Ash's romance. The beginning was heart-wrenching, and the ending made me infinitely happy. It also left some open questions as to what will happen to Ash in the future, so I will definitely have to pick up the sequel.

Puck was just a lot of fun in this book. He made me laugh, just as he did in the first book. The only thing I did not particularly like was his crush on Meghan. I'm not the biggest fan of love triangles, and in this case it is so completely obvious who "the one" is that I just felt Meghan's feelings for Puck felt forced and unreal.

The storyline was as always gripping, action-packed, taking you from one world into the other and never leaving you bored. And what is more, there is a mysterious, sarcastic cat popping up every now and then, which is always a plus. The description is beautifully done, but it didn't slow the plot down. Julie Kagawa sure knows how to find that balance.

All in all, a completely worthy sequel with a great ending. I will definitely continue with this series.

Find my video review the first two books of the Iron Fey series here.

My rating: ☆☆☆☆

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

*****

Beautiful Creatures is a rich, atmospheric read. It is beautifully written and full of literary references. It contains a sometimes sweet, sometimes desperate romance. However, it did not knock me out of my socks (which are woollen and warm and were made by my grandma, thank you very much.)

While I definitely appreciated the beautiful descriptions and the almost lyrical writing, the attention to detail and the vivid painting of the setting, this also slowed the story down, making it hard for the plot to develop any momentum or suspense. Furthermore, the plot twists and action seemed poorly distributed. There is a heap of them in the last fifty pages, but hardly any in the preceding five-hundred.

What I liked about this book were, for one, the characters. They all have distinct personalities and I especially appreciated the well-developed secondary characters. What is more, almost all of them had their secrets, even the "good" ones, and therefore this book could mostly avoid the stereotypical good and evil clichés, painting its characters in shades of grey rather than only in black and white. I especially appreciated the authors' attention to the Southern dialects which gave all of the characters an authentic feel whenever they spoke.

A further thing I liked was the romance. I've heard many times that it is a textbook case of insta-love, and yes, while Ethan falls for Lena fairly quickly (okay, immediately) I thought the reasons behind this were well explained. Nothing ever changes in Gatlin, and Ethan feels like he doesn't fit in and he doesn't want to fit in, so obviously, when a beautiful, different girl arrives in town, he would immediately want to grasp this opportunity for change, for something different. I loved to see how they grew to depend on each other, how they cling to each other with a certain degree of desperation because they can be completely open with each other in a town full of secrets. They can be themselves around each other, which is what they both needed. But their romance is also sweet, as it tends to be with fifteen/sixteen-year-old protagonists. I thought their connection extended well beyond only physical attraction, and I loved to read about their companionship.

As far as plot goes, there are definitely a lot of secrets to be uncovered, but while a lot of hints are dropped, barely anything big ever happens throughout the book. As I stated in the beginning, I thought it lacked suspense and momentum in certain places, especially the beginning was slow. The book took its time setting up the atmosphere, which is nice, but simply left me bored sometimes.

All in all, a beautifully written, different YA novel with its own lore and lyrical beauty and a unique way of portraying magic.

My rating: ☆☆☆(☆)

Geek Girl by Holly Smale

Harriet Manners knows a lot of things. She knows that a cat has 32 muscles in each ear, a "jiffy" lasts 1/100th of a second, and the average person laughs 15 times per day. What she isn't quite so sure about is why nobody at school seems to like her very much. So when she's spotted by a top model agent, Harriet grabs the chance to reinvent herself. Even if it means stealing her Best Friend's dream, incurring the wrath of her arch enemy Alexa, and repeatedly humiliating herself in front of the impossibly handsome supermodel Nick. Even if it means lying to the people she loves. 

As Harriet veers from one couture disaster to the next with the help of her overly enthusiastic father and her uber-geeky stalker, Toby, she begins to realise that the world of fashion doesn't seem to like her any more than the real world did. 

And as her old life starts to fall apart, the question is: will Harriet be able to transform herself before she ruins everything?

*****

Yeah, the goodreads summary sounds rather cheesy, but don't let that deter you: THIS BOOK IS AWESOME. Seriously, I don't think I have ever laughed as much. I spent the better part of this sitting on my couch and giggling or outright lol-ing.

What makes this book so great? The writing. It's witty, full of funny facts that you don't really need to know but that are just so weird that you want to memorise them, and the story-line pulls you in and doesn't let you go. I couldn't stop reading, needing to know how Harriet navigates her awkward self through the fashion world, whether she would get a happy ending with Nick, whether she would fall down on the runway, whether she would re-unite with her best friend whose dream she hijacked...

And that leads me to the characters. Harriet Manners is so relatable. At least if you have ever in your life felt out of place, like you needed to change in order to fit in... I was the tall, awkward, quiet girl at school who wore unfashionable glasses, liked to read and didn't like parties, so yeah, I could definitely see myself in Harriet. (Minus her awesome knowledge of random facts and her plan and list making tendencies.) Then there are Harriet's parents, who have silly little (and bigger) fights about little things. Her father basically stayed a child himself and is eccentric and funny (except if he's your father, of course). And there's Annabel, Harriet's step-mother, who might seem like the bad guy at the first glance, but who is, in fact, very level-headed and smart and badass. There's Wilbur, Harriet's very much over the top agent, Nat, her loyal best friend, and Toby, her super-geeky stalker. I loved the whole bunch of them, they're all such distinct, funny, strong characters.

And then there's Nick. This book features the best "awkward girl meets handsome boy" scene I've ever read. Because it takes place under a table, (which becomes a bit of a running gag.) The scenes between Nick and Harriet probably made me laugh the hardest because Harriet copes with nerves by spewing forth random facts like wikipedia gone mad. (Well, not really, but I just fancied using that phrasing.) Their romance is sweet and adorable and there's just not enough scenes with the two of them in it. I NEED MORE.

And if that weren't enough, this book also comes with a great message. Be yourself and love yourself, because you're awesome just the way you are. It's just such a heartwarming story.

I'm telling you, the first thing you need to do on the 28th of February is go to a bookstore and pick up a copy of Geek Girl. It's awesome and made my nerdy heart beat faster with excitement at finally having found a kindred spirit (albeit in book form.)

My rating: AWESOMENESS. er. ☆☆☆☆☆

Spark (Elemental 2) by Brigid Kemmerer

Gabriel Merrick plays with fire. Literally. Sometimes he can even control it. And sometimes he can't. Gabriel has always had his brothers to rely on, especially his twin, Nick. But when an arsonist starts wreaking havoc on their town, all the signs point to Gabriel. Only he's not doing it. And no one seems to believe him. Except a shy sophomore named Layne, a brainiac who dresses in turtlenecks and jeans and keeps him totally off balance. Because Layne has a few secrets of her own...

*****

Aaaah loved this book! I flew through it in less than two days. Like, one and a half days. And that is really fast for me. This series is my ultimate delicious guilty pleasure, a bit like eating Nutella out of the jar...

Okay, enough gushing. This book basically has all the good parts of the first one in the series but none of the parts that I didn't really like in Storm. For one, no love triangle. Now I love a good love triangle, but I never really cared for Hunter in Storm. (Although I have to say I warmed up to Hunter a bit because of his bromance with Gabriel in Spark.)

This book focuses very much on the relationship between Gabriel and Layne, and it's just so sweet; good-looking tough temperamental guy falling for shy nerdy girl... My favourite kind of couple. There was considerably more kissing in this book than the last one, and what is more, kissing between the right people. I loved how protective Gabriel is, I loved how Layne, even though she's shy, is a strong character and I loved how Layne and Gabriel slowly start opening up to each other.

Of course, the Merrick brothers are still as awesome as ever. They have their conflicts, but in the end they're family and they work it out. I loved Michael's story-line in this book, and also the conflict between Gabriel and Nick, and how they miss each other... yeah, bromance <3

Even though the story focuses more on the romantic development and on the conflict and relationships both in Gabriel and Layne's family, there is also the plot-line with the arsonist and the mystery of who is starting those fires. Yeah, this plot-line had to take the backseat, but I didn't really mind.

The story is told, as in the last book, from both Gabriel and Layne's point of view, and we got to see a lot from the guy's perspective this time. I loved Gabriel's struggles with his powers and also with his school work, how he slowly came to accept help and gain control. It was nice to have insight into his inner conflicts.

Overall, this book is more focused on the characters and the romance than the first one in the series, but it is by no means boring and plot-less. It's fast-paced and full of deliciously hot guys. Awesome.

My rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

Storm (Elemental 1) by Brigid Kemmerer

Becca Chandler is suddenly getting all the guys... all the ones she doesn't want. Ever since her ex-boyfriend spread those lies about her. Then she saves Chris Merrick from a beating in the school parking lot. Chris is different. Way different: he can control water just like his brothers can control fire, wind, and earth. They're powerful. Dangerous. Marked for death.

And now that she knows the truth, so is Becca.

Secrets are hard to keep when your life's at stake. When Hunter, the mysterious new kid around school, turns up with a talent for being in the wrong place at the right time, Becca thinks she can trust him. But then Hunter goes head-to-head with Chris, and Becca wonders who's hiding the most dangerous truth of all.

The storm is coming.

*****

Am I the only one who is a bit sad that the paranormal romance trend is slowly dying? Because if it's well done, this is my favourite genre ever. I really devoured this book and when I wasn't reading it, I couldn't stop thinking about it. Luckily, the sequel is already out!

So what made this such an irresistible read? Easy. The Merrick brothers. I loved every one of them, I loved their family dynamic, I loved how they fight amongst each other, and I loved it even more when there were moments of tenderness between them. (There weren't many, but some.) Also, have I mentioned that they're all dark-haired and, the way I imagined them, way hotter than on the cover?

This book is told from the point of view of Becca Chandler and Chris Merrick. Becca was an okay protagonist, although a bit too trusting sometimes. I loved the scenes from Chris' point of view, I wish there had been more of them. It was definitely refreshing to see what's going on in the guy's head since with paranormal romance, you usually only get the girl's point of view. One thing that bugged me a little was the third person narration. The writing style, to me, felt like it would have been much better suited to first person. However, with the switching of perspective, I understand why Kemmerer chose third person.

I loved the elemental powers. It was a unique new paranormal aspect unlike anything I've read before. I also loved the beginning, how you're in the middle of the action from the first page on. I wasn't a big fan of Hunter's, but oh well, what is a paranormal romance without a love triangle? I wish that there would have been some more scenes with Becca and Chris and a little less with Becca and Hunter, and that is basically the only criticism I have.

Storm is a compelling, fast-paced read with irresistible male protagonists that you'll fall in love with. A must for all paranormal lovers out there.

My rating: ☆☆☆☆

Anna And The French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming,beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend. 

But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss

*****

So I've been putting off writing this review because this book was just so... unexpected. Special. Amazing. I'm not the biggest contemporary fan, but with Anna and the French Kiss, I was hooked from the first page. The love interest is irresistible, Anna is a fun, relatable protagonist, and their story is just so sweet and beautiful and all the good adjectives.

I really enjoyed the story being set in Paris. I could really relate to Anna's hesitation of going out in a strange city where she doesn't even know the language. Even though Paris might seem a cliché setting for a romance novel, it wasn't cheesy or just in Paris for the sake of being set in Paris, but the descriptions seemed alive and served as the perfect backdrop for Anna and St. Clair's unfolding romance.

I loved all of the characters and I really enjoyed that it wasn't only focused on the two main characters, but had a varied cast of people who were all dealing with their own problems. While I often feel that contemporary books lack plot, I never got bored with this one. Only towards the end did I feel like the story was a tiny bit dragged out (my mind was just like GET TOGETHER ALREADY), but otherwise, the obstacles Anna and St. Clair had to overcome seemed believable and not just random misunderstandings as it so often happens in bad romantic comedies.

Perkins' writing is so much fun and just so... real that I was always entertained and could picture everything happening right in front of me. Oh, and have I mentioned that St. Clair is irresistible?

I feel like this review just doesn't do this book justice, and I can't really put into words what is so great about it. It just gave me all the right feelings and it was so beautiful that it was almost painful to close the book and come to the realisation that these people aren't actually real. But then, as Dumbledore once said, the things happening inside our heads are real, too. And that is the thought I comforted myself with as I put this book down and immediately ordered the companion novel, Lola and the Boy Next Door.

My rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

*****

Wow... Yeah, still trying to absorb all of that. SO MUCH HAPPENED IN THIS BOOK! Seriously, I don't think I've ever read a book where a plot twist lurks on the corner of every other page.

After the first few chapters, I thought "meh, this really isn't anything new, just another naïve teenage girl who is completely oblivious to the fact that her best friend has a crush on her." Then the conversation with Robbie happened and she found out about the fey, and I was still like "meh, read this conversation a thousand times before in some form or another (the most epic of those being "Yer a wizard, Harry.") And then they entered the Nevernever. And it was just like COLOR EXPLOSION.

Really, I love this world Kagawa has created. It's so alive and full of dangers lurking everywhere. Treacherous yet beautiful, colourful and wonderful (as in full of wonders) and there's always something in motion. I'd love to go there if it weren't for the fact that there's something waiting to kill you behind every tree you walk by. It's a brilliant world, one that I'm eager to revisit in the next book in the series.

Meghan was... well, I'm sort of torn. She seemed a bit naïve and immature at times, but then she was also wonderfully down-to-earth and direct at other times. All in all, I think I liked her. I looooved the two male leads, though. Ash is absolutely swoon-worthy. He's dark-haired, conflicted, and good at sword-fighting; three of my favourite things combined! And then there's Puck, who is funny and light-hearted and the life of the party. Scratch that, he IS the party. And then there's Grim, and I just can't resist a talking cat. He's cryptic and lazily sarcastic and does whatever he wants, as cats are wont to do. My inner crazy cat lady was just leaping with joy whenever he appeared in a scene. I loved to see Meghan, Ash, Puck and Grim all together, they make an awesome badass adventure team.

The romance was sweet and there was just the right amount of it, although it was rather stereotypically YA, as in, we can't be together but we're so in love and always have been from the moment we met. But like I said, I have a soft spot for Ash, so I generally enjoyed it.

To conclude, The Iron King is an adventurous, colourful, action-packed novel. It's a light, fun read that you can easily get lost in. I promise, you won't be bored.

My rating: ☆☆☆☆(☆)

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

A zombie who yearns for a better life ends up falling in love—with a human—in this astonishingly original debut novel.

R is a zombie. He has no memories, no identity, and no pulse, but he has dreams. He doesn’t enjoy killing people; he enjoys riding escalators and listening to Frank Sinatra. He is a little different from his fellow Dead.

Not just another zombie novel, Warm Bodies is funny, scary, and deeply moving

******

After seeing the movie trailer, I expected Warm Bodies to be a comedy. It was not. I found this story to be full of deep thoughts about civilisation, humanity, hopes, dreams and what makes us want to stay alive.

I loved seeing the characters develop throughout this story. R, who goes from being really indifferent and slightly cynical to actually wanting things and chasing after them. Julie, who goes from being "messed-up" to actually standing up to her father. And the supporting characters were great, too. Nora, Julie's friend is really badass, and M, R's zombie friend is both loyal and funny.

I thought the love story between R and Julie was really sweet. The plot kept steadily moving forwards, although whenever R had one of his flashbacks (when he eats a brain, he experiences the memories of that person) and also the collective voices of humanity he "heard" were sometimes a bit stalling. A further issue I had was the use of the pronoun "I". Sometimes, "I" was R, and sometimes, when he had flashbacks to Perry's life (who is Julie's former boyfriend) "I" was Perry. At times, this could get a little confusing.

While R's inner life with all the flashbacks and collective memories he kept "hearing" was sometimes a hindrance to the plot development, it certainly is a great platform for reflecting on human society. Thus, there were a lot of images and symbols and quotable passages that enriched the novel and made it more than just another boy falls for girl and they eventually get together story. Take for example R, who, in the beginning, waits until the elevators turn on in the abandoned airport where he lives. He rides up and down those elevators, not going anywhere, but there isn't much else to do. In the end, he climbs a ladder, trying to reach the light. This is an example that shows how Marion's writing style is laden with metaphoric images. I really enjoyed that aspect of the book, but I guess it might be lost on the impatient reader.

Another aspect I highly enjoyed was Marion's portrayal of a post-apocalyptic society. I think the setting was really smart and well described, with all of humanity living in their stadium cities, building walls around themselves just to survive a little bit longer...

All in all, an enjoyable read that was both tender and sweet, but also raised a lot of big questions and made me think.

My rating: ☆☆☆☆

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street—and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa’s powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister’s war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move—and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will—the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

*****

This book made me laugh. And this book made me cry. THE FEELS, GUYS!

As far as plot goes, there was definitely less fighting and action-packed scenes in the sequel compared to the first book in the series, Clockwork Angel. And this is really the only criticism I have. It was, at times, a bit slow moving and I was sort of fighting my way through some passages.

But then the drama! I think this is the first time I can't decide on a team because Will and Jem... We definitely find out more about Will's past in this book, and while I first thought his curse was extremely cheesy, Cassandra Clare managed to make me see past that and just... it was heartbreaking! And then Jem is so good and so much in love and how can you deny a dying person anything? I really can't see how this epic love triangle will be resolved, and I simply can't wait for Clockwork Princess to come out!

This book definitely lives off character development and romantic tension. I loved how much more depth Clare added not only to the three main characters (Tessa, Will and Jem), but also to Sophie, Jessamine, Benedict Lightwood, Charlotte and Henry. And while the beginning and middle where sometimes lacking in action scenes, the last third definitely kept me on my toes.

As for the laughing part... There's one scene with Will that literally made me laugh out loud. I somehow wished there had been more of the light banter between Will and Jem, but I also enjoyed the more dark, lonely path Will took in this book. As for Tessa, I can't say I liked all of her choices, but I can see why she made them.

All in all, a worthy sequel to Clockwork Angel that set up one of the best love triangles I have ever read. The writing is, as always, flawless, and I can't wait to read the final instalment in the series!

My rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

Imaginary Girls by Nova Ren Suma

Chloe's older sister, Ruby, is the girl everyone looks to and longs for, who can't be captured or caged. When a night with Ruby's friends goes horribly wrong and Chloe discovers the dead body of her classmate London Hayes left floating in the reservoir, Chloe is sent away from town and away from Ruby.

But Ruby will do anything to get her sister back, and when Chloe returns to town two years later, deadly surprises await. As Chloe flirts with the truth that Ruby has hidden deeply away, the fragile line between life and death is redrawn by the complex bonds of sisterhood.

With palpable drama and delicious craft, Nova Ren Suma bursts onto the YA scene with the story that everyone will be talking about.

*****

I've had Imaginary Girls sitting unread on my iPad since last summer. I admit, it was the cover that drew me in. And after having read the book, I think the cover is even more amazing because it fits the story so well. It's absolutely beautiful, yet somehow eerie, and picks up a lot of elements from the book, like the white dress and the red ribbon.

I'm having a hard time making up my mind about this book. Maybe that is because it was so different. Usually, you can draw a clear line between contemporary and paranormal/fantasy in YA fiction. With this book, you can't. While there are supernatural aspects, they are neither explained, nor the main theme of the story. The main themes in my eyes are such things as trust, manipulation, loss... It is a character-driven novel that revolves all around Ruby, who is beautiful and captivating and bursts with energy and can make everyone do whatever she wants. Sometimes, she is such a sweet older sister to Chloe, looking out for her and having fun with her, but then there's her other, manipulative, selfish, and sometimes downright evil side. Chloe, on the other hand, trusted her sister blindly at the beginning, and only slowly came to question her behaviour.

None of the characters were particularly likeable, but that did not stop me from being fascinated with their twisted, rotten relationships. This novel often made my skin crawl with unease, it made me shiver, and it was delightfully eerie. Until the end, you could not really know what was real and what was just in Chloe's mind, whether the stories Ruby told her were true or just invented. It is for the reader to decide what he or she wants to believe because Chloe is not the most reliable of narrators.

One issue I had was the lack of plot. In this respect, it is very much like a contemporary novel; it focuses on relationships. And while those evolving relationships were sometimes enough to pull me in and keep on reading, I also felt like sometimes (especially in the beginning) it was a bit repetitive. The underlying creepiness and mystery was definitely there, but sometimes, I wished it had been even creepier and more mysterious.

To conclude, this is definitely a different book out there amongst all the YA fiction, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys character-driven, eerie and dark books. I would not recommend it for those who need romance in their YA, because the romance stays very much on the sidelines.

My rating: ☆☆☆

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What’s more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length . . . everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world. . . . and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

* * * * *

So for those of you who don't know, I'm a huge fan of Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instrument series, and I have no idea why I didn't pick up the Infernal Devices series sooner... because man, I've been missing out. Clare writes my favourite love interests ever, and she has the uncanny ability to make me care deeply for all of her characters... Except, that is, if they're super evil villains which we all love to hate.

The characters are, in my opinion, what make this book. I love tiny, tough Charlotte who runs the London Institute, I love her bumbling, awkward husband Henry and his malfunctioning inventions, I even love vain Jessamine who made me giggle with such comments as "I hate witchlight. It makes my complexion look absolutely green." And then there are Will and Jem. Both have a dark, mysterious past and are equally alluring. While Will is like the little devil on your shoulder, keeping up a very enjoyable bad boy facade (awesome sense of humour included), Jem resembles the little, reasonable angel on your other shoulder (who happens to play the violin!). I very much enjoyed the banter between the two boys, and generally the family dynamic of the Institute inhabitants.

Tessa, the main character, is likeable enough, but in my opinion, not outstanding. She shines the most in the scenes with Will because next to Jem, she is the only one who knows how to handle him and occasionally, she can even shut him up. However, I did like the mystery surrounding her heritage and her past.

The writing is beautifully done and I rather enjoyed the setting of Victorian London. I have a weakness for luxurious dresses, carriages and men fighting with swords. What is more, the steampunk elements (the book is called Clockwork Angel, after all) gave it a dark and creepy edge, which I very much enjoy. It was a well-paced book, only at times a bit slow moving.

Overall, I enjoyed Clockwork Angel very much and am looking forwards to reading the sequel. I'd love to find out more about Will's past, which stays in the dark in the first book. I'd recommend this book to anyone  who enjoys the YA genre and irresistible, intriguing male leads.

My rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

My Rating System

Hi! My name is Marlin, and this is my book blog. I'm a first year English student at university, and I've always loved to read. I'm also a three time NaNoWriMo winner, a scarf collector, a cat lover, a TV shows enthusiast, a lazy person and occasionally a songwriter.

I will mostly be reviewing Young Adult books on this blog, simply because that is what I mostly read. If you have any requests for reviews, feel free to drop me a comment!

So I quickly wanted to introduce my rating system. I will be awarding the books I read stars, depending on how much I enjoyed them. Yes, I stole this idea from Goodreads, and I will also be sticking pretty close to what the ratings signify on Goodreads.

☆ - I didn't like it. I wouldn't recommend it.

☆☆ - It was okay. This means I didn't like it, but it was readable because it had at least one redeeming quality.

☆☆☆ - I liked it. This means the book was overall enjoyable, but it had some flaws.

☆☆☆☆ - I really liked it. This means I enjoyed the book and would recommend it.

☆☆☆☆☆ - It was amazing. I reserve this rating for my absolute favorite books.

Of course, this rating system is overly simple, and usually matters are more complex than that. But if you are not in the mood for reading the entire review and just want to know my basic judgement on a book, you can just have a look at how many stars I awarded it and roughly know how I felt about it.

Also, a quick note about the summaries that I will post of books. They are all copy and pasted from Goodreads, unless I state otherwise. Goodreads is an awesome website that helps you to discover books, keep track of the books you're reading and have read, and find other bookish people. But I'm sure you all know about it, so no more on this subject. If you want to add me as friend on Goodreads, you will find me here:

http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/8678229-marlin-elina

That is all. Have a wonderful day, and happy reading!