Book review 8: City of Heavenly Fire, Cassandra Clare

City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments #6) by Cassandra Clare

Things to know:

• I read the original English version
• It was published May 2014
• It has 725 pages
• It is set in New York 2007 / 2008 (shortly after book 5)
• I started: 10th February 2015 and ended it: 11th Feb

Nearly everything is fine between Clary and Jace now, the only put downs are that Sebastian is still out there somewhere and because of the heavenly fire inside of Jace, the two of them can't really touch each other. Okay, maybe nothing is really fine...
Alec is still trying to talk to Magnus, hoping that they'll be together again and Simon and Isabelle really have to DTR (determine the relationship)!

Sebastian is starting to attack institutes, turning the shadowhunters into endarkened, thus the Clave decides that all the shadowhunters should assemble in Idris to be save and make further decisions. Whilst everyone is in Idris, Maia and Jordan are trying to help with the problems Maureen is causing. But everything is (and everyone are) going to hell...

First of all; I really LOVED this book, the best book out of the series (maybe together with book 1, I can't really decide). The action starts right at the beginning, and we finally find out who Magnus' father is (though personally I already had an idea). I was surprised by the ending, I really like how it ended, not some "and they lived happily ever after" ending, a bit more... "realistic". Though, halfway through the book I had the feeling, that CoHF is a commercial for the new shadowhunter series which is going to be published this year. 

I didn't like the epilogue at all (just like with "The Infernal Devices"), I would have wished for something else... But then again, I think this was made so that "The Dark Artifacts" series will be bought by readers. 

I can't tell you much more, because I really don't want to spoil anything here, but if you are deciding, if to carry on reading is a good idea after book 5: YES it is!! finish the series, this book really was great!!

Lisa~

Book Review 7: The Bane Chronicles, Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees-Brennan, Maureen Johnson

The Bane Chronicles by Clare, Rees-Brennan and Johnson

Things to know:

• I read the original English version
• It was published 2014
• It has 502 pages
• Includes 11 short stories
• It is set in Peru (different cities) 1791, 1885, 1890 + 1962, Paris + Alps 1791, London 1857 + some years after infernal devices, New York 1929, 1953, 1977, 1989, 1993 + 2007
• I started: 26th January 2015 and ended it: 10th February

BEWARE: "The Midnight Heir" and "The Voicemail of Magnus Bane" contain MAJOR SPOILERS if you haven't finished "The Infernal Devices" and "City of Lost Souls". Read those books before, as there are also small spoilers in other stories otherwise!! My review will as well! YOU ARE WARNED!

I'll start of with telling you a bit about each short story, won't be much though, as they are mostly less than 50 pages long.

1. What Really Happened in Peru:

 Well... I guess you can guess what this story is about... it is set in 4 different years in which Magnus was in Peru, for different reasons, and what he did over there. This is somehow a followup to the running-gag why Magnus was banned from Peru :)

2. The Runaway Queen:

Queen Marie-Antoinette needs help, and a handsome guy asks Magnus to help her - he just can't say no. 

3. Vampires, Scones and Edmund Herondale:

Magnus meets Edmund Herondale (Will's father) and is an eyewitness on how the latter falls in love with a mundane.

4. The Midnight Heir:

James Herondale (Will's and Tessa's son) is in trouble.

 5. The Rise of the Hotel Dumort:

In this story you will find out why even mundanes think that the old Hotel is cursed.

6. Saving Raphael Santiago:

What could this be about??? Guess!
Answer: about Raphael who was kidnapped by a Vampire.

7. The Fall of the Hotel Dumort:

Vampires are starting to overkill mundanes and leave their bodies everywhere. Magnus is helping the Werewolfs find a solution without the Shadowhunters noticing. 

8. What to Buy the Shadowhunter Who Has Everything 

(And Who You're Not Officially Dating Anyway):

Magnus has a job, for which he has to summon a demon. Whilst doing so he is thinking about what to get Alec for his Birthday and is discussing this with the demon.

9. The Last Stand of the New York Institute:

Magnus has to deal with the Circle and Valentine. A few years later Jocelyn comes to seek help for Clary.

Also revealed: why Jocelyn chose the surname Fray.

10. The Course of True Love (And First Dates):

This is the first real date of Alec and Magnus and perfectly shows what is going on in the latter's mind :D

11. The Voicemail of Magnus Bane:

Alec, Clary, Isabelle, Simon and some others are leaving Voicemails on Magnus' phone, to convince him to get back together with Alec.

As often the case with short story collections I like some stories more than others. 

First of all those I liked:

What Really Happened in Peru - as it gives a huge insight in Magnus' past.
Vampires, Scones and Edmund Herondale - helps you understand more about his past. How he got to know Camille, why he later helped Jocelyn, etc.
The Course of True Love (And First Dates) - this is by far my favourite short story!!I loved it so much. I want more Alec and Magnus!!

I neither liked nor hated:

 The Midnight Heir - I didn't really get the point of this story, or why it's been told. Yes, it is mentioned a few times that Tessa is the only Warlock able to have children... but you get that info by reading "Clockwork Princess". I did enjoy some more Will and Jem moments though (and Magnus is hilarious).
Saving Raphael Santiago - There were really funny moments here, and you get to know Raphael a bit more, I just didn't enjoy it as much as other stories.
What to Buy the Shadowhunter Who Has Everything - This is really funny but I would have loved some more moments with Alec actually being there too!
The Last Stand of the New York Institute - This story explains a lot, and I think it's good I read it before "City of Heavenly Fire", bur it wasn't fun reading. It was split in 2 stories, and I didn't really get into either of them. Too short!

I didn't like:

The Runaway Queen - Point? I really don't know why this story has been told... Okay, you'll find out why Magnus isn't that fond of Vampires... but nothing new really. 

The Rise of the Hotel Dumort - Here again, I didn't get into the story. It just makes you want to know who Magnus' father is.
The Fall of the Hotel Dumort - This is the story of a memory Magnus lost. I would have wished a further explanation on what the consequences of everything where.
The Voicemail of Magnus Bane - This really has no point!! Just voicemails after each other with no reaction or anything... Boring!! Liked this the least!!

I must say, most stories are too short, there is always something missing... 

This isn't a must read, but some stories are still fun. You decide :)

Lisa~

Book review 6: City of Lost Souls, Cassandra Clare

City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments #5) by Cassandra Clare

Things to know:

 

• I read the original English version
• It was published May 2012
• It has 535 pages
• It is set in New York 2007 (directly after book 4)
• I started: 8th January 2015 and ended it: 26th Jan

So, first of all, some of you might have noticed how long it took me to read this. For me in 95% of the time you can see how much I like a book on how quickly I get through it... Guess how catching this one was?

Okay, but some contents first. After Jace disappeared with Sebastian, the Clave prioritize to find Sebastian. Clary and the others found out though, that there is a very strong bond between the two boys, which causes them to feel each others pain meaning; kill one, the other dies too. The Clave would kill either of them just to get rid of Sebastian, after all Jace is only a common Shadowhunter to them.
Then one night Jace and Sebastian turn up in Clary's room and ask her to come with them. Luke gets badly hurt trying to protect Clary and Jocelyn, while Jace and Simon disappear again. At the same time Alec, Magnus, Izabelle, Simon, Maia and Jordan are also trying to find Jace before the Clave does, bending some laws doing so...
After Clary gets a hold on special Fairy rings with which the people wearing them can communicate with each other mentally. She gives one to Simon and then she goes off, and hopes Jace will take her with him, which he does...

Back to my opinion; After I finished book 4, I really didn't want to read the next one, but I gave it a chance reading the first few chapters... At some point I started re-reading some books I loved and read ages ago and only read CoLS on my 10min train ride to uni... And I never really got into the book, it had some interesting moments, but nothing really catchy. I only finished this so "quickly" because I had night-shifts this weekend, and after I finished all my shift tasks I would always read until the next costumer came. And then, finally, the last 3 or 4 chapters were a great read, especially the epilogue was awesome. A lot of things happened, things that actually are interesting to me.
The problem with this series is, that somehow the story turns its self in circles. Clary and Jace are in love, but can't be together, it's boring! Yes, I will read the last book, to finish the story, but I'll take a short break and read the "Bane Chronicles" first, as for now it seems to be more fun :)

Okay, I know, this time I was very negative, but that's just how I read this... I hope this wasn't too bad for you to read.

Lisa~

Book review 5: The Shadowhunters' Codex by Cassandra Clare and Joshua Lewis

 The Shadowunters' Codex (The Mortal Instruments & The Infernal Devices) by Cassandra Clare and Joshua Lewis

English Version

German Version

Things to know:

• I read the (translated) German Version
• It was published February 2014
• It has 320 pages
• I read this on 9th January 2015

You can read this book with no fear of spoilers after you read book 4 of "The Mortal Instruments".

This book is a Guide to the Shadowhunter world. It is supposed to explain the way of a Shadowhunter to a person who is in training to become one. It gives you information about weapons, martial arts, demons, downworlders, angels, geography, etc. At the same time Clary, Simon and Jace put some notes into it to actualise it, Clary asked Luke for help on some info about Werewolf and even Magnus Bane added 2 really sarcastic pages to this Codex.




When I read about this book, I was hoping for something different then I actually got. Yes, I was hoping for a Codex written for Shadowhunters, but I thought that Clary and the others would write more into it. There are pages without any notes from one of them or others with just some sarcastic notes next to it. The improved comments of Clary and co were there, but I wished there would have been more input.
Also this seems to address a child. Yes, the series is supposed to be for (young) teenagers, but honestly, the Codex is supposed to be for Shadowhunters, people who train to kill - mostly demons. I don't think it's really realistic to make it sound as if the readers are children if they are training to be soldiers...

The sketches inside are awesome, many different artists worked on this. Some of the discussions Clary, Jace and Simon have in this book are just absolutely funny. I had moments were I couldn't stop laughing. 
But the information of the Codex itself was very dry, and I have to admit, I skipped some bits of it...
Some more sketches for the demons and angels would have been great. Or maybe Luke, Magnus, Alec and Izzy actually writing into it as well would have been fun too


Is this a must to read?
Definitely not!
But if you are a fan and want to get some extra info, go on and read it :)
Though, most information shouldn't be new to the reader as long as the actual series carefully.

On goodreads, I only gave 2 out of 5 stars, because of the reasons named above. If not for the awesome artworks, I would probably only have given it one.

Lisa~

Book review 4: City of Fallen Angels, Cassandra Clare

City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments #4) by Cassandra Clare

Things to know:

 

• I read the original English version
• It was published April 2011
• It has 424 pages
• It is set in New York 2007 (6 weeks after book 3)
• I started: 7th January 2015 and ended it: 8th Jan

I would really advice you to read the Infernal Devices series before you read the book. It is not absolutely needed, but it will make it a better read for you and answers questions like:
Why does Brother Zachariah look different than the other brothers?
or
Who is Will?


After the Mortal War was won thanks to Clary, she came back to New York. Finally she can be together with Jace, which both are enjoying a lot! At the same time her mother and Luke are planning their wedding, Alec and Magnus are travelling together (sending funny photos to Jace) and Simon is dating... both Maia and Isabelle. Everything should be fine, but Jace is having strange dreams which make him distance himself from Clary, Simon has to leave his home, because his mother thinks he is a monster, Jocelyn finds out about a woman who left her child alone in a side street and Alec learns about parts of Magnus's past.



As you might have noticed, there is a lot of messy things going on and nobody is really happy. I was hoping that after book three at least Clary and Jace would have a somewhat stable relationship. But no, they don't. I've read (urban)fantasy novels in which a couple gets together, and then for the following books, is happily together (with normal relationship problems) and these books are still great. There don't always have to be on-off relationships to make a story interesting. Of course, this is my opinion, and I bet there are people around who like these kind of relationship, but making this last over a series as long as this one is making me not want to carry on reading it.



SPOILER STARTS
As I know how book 4 ends, I also know that in book 5 Clary and Jace will still not be happily together, and I really don't want to pick up the book... I have moments like these sometimes, when I think the series or book isn't promising anymore, but it usually doesn't happen in between books.
Spoiler Ends



Excepts for this, it took me a while to get into the book (again), but I mentioned this problem in this series before... 

I don't want to write more at this point, as the novel ends somewhere in the middle of a story.

Lisa~

Book review 3: City of Glass, Cassandra Clare

City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments #3) by Cassandra Clare

Things to know:

• I read the original English version
• It was published March 2009
• It has 541 pages
• It is set in New York and Alicante, Idris in 2007 (shortly after book 2)
• I started: 6th January 2015 and ended it: 7th Jan

Now that Clary knows that there is a cure to her mother's coma, she needs to go to Idris to find the Warlock with the cure. Luckily the Clave even invites Clary to come to Alicante to speak with her, but Jace doesn't want her to go, as he is scared that the Clave will use her like an instrument. Jace asks Simon to lie for him, that Clary changed her mind and didn't want to come with them. When Magnus Bane opens a portal to Alicante (which is only allowed as some one is waiting on the other side for them), they are attacked by Foresaken and to save Simons live, Jace takes him with him through the portal. 
When Clary arrives at the institute shortly later with Luke, Magnus is waiting for to tell her what happened (except the part with Simon). Clary is panicking and finds out she can make portals of her own through which she goes, Luke follows her, and they land in Lake Lyn, which is poisonous for Shadowhunters.
Luke takes Clary to Alicante as quickly as possible to get her an antidote breaking some laws doing that as Downworlders aren't allowed to enter except if invited and even Shadowhunters are supposed to go through a guarded gate.
As soon as Clary is better Luke disappears and she is left with Amatis, Luke's sister. Feeling abandoned Clary goes to find Jace, who she finds kissing a girl. After the interruption Jace screams at Clary, who goes back to Amatis's house with a boy named Sebastian guiding her. Sebastian even helps her find the Warlock she is searching for.
At the same time, Jace finds out that Simon wasn't send back to New York by portal, but that he is imprisoned, left to starve...




This book can be read like the end of a triology, it doesn't have an open ending and all problems seem to be solved. 
I liked this book more than the previous one, it was catching from the first chapter, more happened and there weren't as many unneeded scenes. I like how it has a "happy ending" but not too happy. 
With some things which happened I would have loved a further explanation though. For example, how was Valentine able to catch Ithuriel. Throughout the series so far it seemed impossible, but how was he able to? And also how was he able to keep him imprisoned?
But maybe these questions will be answered in one of the 3 books left. Though honestly I doubt it. 



Well, I am happy I am already this far ahead on my reading schedule.

Lisa~