#192 Book Review: Clockwork Princess

Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices #3)
Release Date: 19 March 2013
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Walker Books Australia
Source: Publisher for Review
Format: Paperback
Where to Buy:  Fishpond | Booktopia
More Info: Goodreads

Summary:

Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy

Tessa Gray should be happy - aren't all brides happy?
Yet as she prepares for her wedding, a net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute.
A new demon appears, one linked by blood and secrecy to Mortmain, the man who plans to use his army of pitiless automatons, the Infernal Devices, to destroy the Shadowhunters. Mortmain needs only one last item to complete his plan. He needs Tessa. And Jem and Will, the boys who lay equal claim to Tessa's heart, will do anything to save her.

Cover:
Do I even need to comment on this? It's PERFECT. When the cover was revealed, I jumped, squealed and danced around. Tessa looks extremely gorgeous in that dress, with her hair pinned up and her hands holding the codex. A perfect cover for an epic conclusion to the series!

Story:

The final battle to stop the Infernal Devices...

I don't think I can even properly review this book. I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE Clockwork Prince but Clockwork Princess? To me, it's better and I dare say it's perfect. Some might not agree but what's perfect about it is the way Cassie ties everything together and ends it.

So here's a little story of my experience when reading the book:

At 6 PM Sunday:
THIS IS IT. I HAVE THE BOOK. SQUEEEEEEEEEE

At 9 PM Sunday:
OH NO I JUST REALISED I STILL HAVE AN ASSIGNMENT TO WORK ON. *stops reading*

At 6 AM Monday:
Eating breakfast while reading Clockwork Princess has got to be the most brilliant idea I've ever had.

At 6 PM Monday:
Oh yeah, oh yeah, I finished my assignment. *continues to read*

At 8 PM Monday:
WHAT? WHAT JUST HAPPENED? *punches book but strokes the book afterwards*

At 11 PM Monday:
*sobs* *grabs tissue* I can't do this anymore. *sobs* SOMEONE HELP ME. GIVE ME STRENGTH TO FINISH THIS BOOK. WILL TESSA JEM *clutches heart*

At 1:30 AM Tuesday:
.............................................................*collects pieces of broken hearts* *glues the pieces together* Dear goodness, if a book can kill you, it's Clockwork Princess.

As you can see in that little diary above, Clockwork Princess is an emotional journey of love, heart-break, bonds and fighting for the ones you love. I'm sure you've read a gazillion reviews on this book and mine would probably end up saying the same thing; but Clockwork Princess is brilliant. It's beautiful, it's heart-wrenching and what's amazing about it is the book leaves you with beautiful lessons and notions such as how a strong bond does not have to be someone bonded to someone by blood, or that one can only love one person romantically in their whole life. Having one love is a great thing but to have two loves? It's magnificent. Even though the story is also dealing with Mortmain and his Infernal Devices, this story is not just about that. It's a whole lot more and this story of love, survival and bond is what shines from this book. Of course, as expected from Cassandra Clare, she gives you many surprises along the journey, breaks your heart and mends it by the ending. The epilogue is bittersweet and yes, I could not have asked for a more better epilogue than that.

Characters:
Uh-oh, this is a dangerous section. Why? BECAUSE...while I loved the story so much, the main reason why is because of the characters. I LOVE ALL OF THEM! (the protagonists ones only actually) Well certainly most of my love goes to Tessa, Jem and Will but Charlotte, Henry, Cecily, Gabriel, Gideon, Sophie and Magnus are such incredible characters I could not help but love their stories and moments. This book is not just Tessa, Jem and Will's. It's also theirs and together, all these characters create perhaps the best book from Cassandra Clare I've ever read.

*SPOILER WARNING*

However, I do have to dedicate a small piece of section to Tessa, Jem and Will. Thank goodness I've calmed down or else I would only be able to say ASJKFGHFGJHFGH which none of us can read certainly. So...*takes a deep breath* I'm sorry to say this but I'm still Team Will. I love love love Jem and even if I love Will more, I would selfishly defend Jem so that no harm can fall upon him. His frail beauty, his love for music, his pure heart and his ability to speak Chinese, is it even possible for anyone to hate him? Jem's will to live and fight for those he loves is like a bright star which refuses to die. His parabatai bond with Will is just...beautiful. Will and Jem's bond is unbreakable and they are two different people fused together with the same good heart and kindness.

"You are the first dream, the only dream I ever was unable to stop myself from dreaming. You are the first dream of my soul, and from that dream I hope will come all other dreams, a lifetime's worth."

Will, Will, William, the sound of your name itself warms my heart so much. Your blue eyes, how you used to be so broken, your curse, your love for words, your fierce love for Tessa, I have always loved you since Clockwork Angel. You are perfect for Tessa, never doubt that. I love how that ice façade of yours has slowly cracked and disappeared. Underneath it lies your beautiful, kind and selfless heart which is not a surprise for those who truly know you.

Tessa, I don't really know what to say besides how I adore you so much. Tessa is the epitome of a great female heroine who deals with everything in her life so well. Her ability to endure the hardships and her strong undying love for the people around her, she is amazing.

Overall:
Oh wow, that has got to be lengthiest review I've ever written! Anyway...Clockwork Princess is an epic conclusion to the Infernal Devices series. Cassandra Clare takes you on an emotional journey of love, heart-break, friendship and not to forget breaking your heart to pieces along the way and mending it towards the end. This probably sounds cliché but this is not a goodbye, Clockwork Princess. I can ensure you that this is the series I would be re-reading in the future so I can go through that emotional journey all over again. Thank you Cassandra Clare for writing this beautiful brilliant epic series.

5 Forget-Me-Not flowers for Clockwork Princess! (But honestly, I'd give all the stars in the constellations if I could to show how much I love this book)

Thank you Walker Books Australia for the review copy!

Check out the book trailer below!

#119 Book Review: City of Lost Souls

City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments #5)
Release Date: May 8th 2012
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Walker Books Australia
Source: Publisher for Review
Format: Paperback
Where to Buy: Fishpond | Booktopia | Dymocks
More Info: Goodreads

Summary from Goodreads:

The demon Lilith has been destroyed and Jace has been freed from her captivity. But when the Shadowhunters arrive to rescue him, they find only blood and broken glass. Not only is the boy Clary loves missing–but so is the boy she hates, Sebastian, the son of her father Valentine: a son determined to succeed where their father failed, and bring the Shadowhunters to their knees.

No magic the Clave can summon can locate either boy, but Jace cannot stay away—not from Clary. When they meet again Clary discovers the horror Lilith’s dying magic has wrought—Jace is no longer the boy she loved. He and Sebastian are now bound to each other, and Jace has become what he most feared: a true servant of Valentine’s evil. The Clave is determined to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. Will the Shadowhunters hesitate to kill one of their own?

Only a small band of Clary and Jace’s friends and family believe that Jace can still be saved — and that the fate of the Shadowhunters’ future may hinge on that salvation. They must defy the Clave and strike out on their own. Alec, Magnus, Simon and Isabelle must work together to save Jace: bargaining with the sinister Faerie Queen, contemplating deals with demons, and turning at last to the Iron Sisters, the reclusive and merciless weapons makers for the Shadowhunters, who tell them that no weapon on this earth can sever the bond between Sebastian and Jace. Their only chance of cutting Jace free is to challenge Heaven and Hell — a risk that could claim any, or all, of their lives.

And they must do it without Clary. For Clary has gone into the heart of darkness, to play a dangerous game utterly alone. The price of losing the game is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she even still trust him? Or is he truly lost? What price is too high to pay, even for love?

Darkness threatens to claim the Shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series.

Cover:
Absolutely gorgeous! I love how the cover finally features Jace and Clary together. Clary's dress looks so fierce and her hair looks amazing! 

Story:

What price is too high to pay, even for love?

City of Lost Souls completely took my breath away. It is the 5th book in the series but I love it as much as the first, second, third and fourth book. Cassandra Clare truly knows how to write a series so engaging, gripping and romantic it will hook you from the very first page.

City of Lost Souls picks up from where City of Fallen Angels ended. Clary tries to find Jace and when she finds him, she noticed that something is wrong with Jace. The answer: Sebastian. Jace and Sebastian are now bound to each other. Kill Sebastian and you'll kill Jace too. Can Clary save Jace and break the bond between him and Sebastian?

This book is fairly thick, about 500 pages but it did not feel like 500 pages at all. I couldn't stop reading. Once I got into the book, I just had to continue reading and find out more about what was happening. The book was written from different POVs so we got to see what's going on in their heads and I love it. The book was fast-paced, filled with actions, amazing romance and the ending made me desperate for the next book!

Characters:
Clary is still our kick-ass heroine! She is so brave and will do anything to find Jace. She is not afraid of facing dangers and her love for Jace is so strong that she is willing to take the greatest risks for him. Her chemistry with Jace is still so amazing and romantic. Jace is still the same sort of arrogant but hot shadowhunter although he is controlled by Sebastian throughout the book. Jace is still Jace, but he is not Clary's Jace. 

While I loved Jace from the first book, I really liked Simon as well. His relationship with Isabelle is so cute and sweet. I would definitely want a best friend like Simon. He always supports Clary and is always ready to help her.

Magnus and Alec are my favourite couple in the book too! They are completely adorable and perfect for each other. I also really liked Maia and Jordan even though I did not quite paid attention to them in the previous book. 

Sebastian, what can I say? You surprised me a lot. I can't even decide if you're pure evil or merely a wretched and sad person who needs a family to support you.

To summarize, the characters are all brilliant!

Overall:
City of Lost Souls is simply put, brilliant. Cassandra Clare never ceases to take readers in an exciting, romantic and gripping journey back into the world of The Mortal Instruments. The last book in the series, City of Heavenly Fire, is going to be out in 2014 but I'm going to patiently wait for it because Cassandra Clare will deliver yet another brilliant book worth the wait to conclude the whole series.

5 Forget-Me-Not flowers for City of Lost Souls!

Thank you Walker Books Australia for the review copy!

Check out the book trailer!

#33 Book Review: Clockwork Prince

Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices #2)
Genre: Young Adult, Steampunk
Pages: 496
Published: December 6th 2011
Author: Cassandra Clare
Source: Owned

Summary from Goodreads:
The situation at the London Institute has never been more precarious. With Mortmain and his clockwork army still threatening, the Council wants to strip Charlotte of her power and hand the running of the Enclave over to the unscrupulous and power-hungry Benedict Lightwood.

In the hope of saving Charlotte and the Institute, Will, Jem, and Tessa set out to unravel the secrets of Mortmain’s past—and discover unsettling Shadowhunter connections that hold the key not only to the enemy’s motivations, but also to the secret of Tessa’s identity. Tessa, already caught between the affections of Will and Jem, finds herself with another choice to make when she learns how the Shadowhunters helped make her a “monster.” Will she turn from them to her brother, Nate, who has been begging her to join him at Mortmain’s side? Where will her loyalties—and love—lie? Tessa alone can choose to save the Shadowhunters of London…or end them forever.

My review:


Cover:
The cover represents Jem, with his cane and his Victorian attire. Can I just say Jem looks absolutely gorgeous in the cover? I imagined Jem just like the model in the cover. I think the model really represents Jem very well! I absolutely love the cover. The first thing I did when I found the book was hugged it since I have been having troubles getting a copy of the book and when I did, I felt extremely happy that my struggles were over!

5 Forget-me-not flowers for the cover!

Story:
[Reminder: This is a spoilery review of the book] Clockwork Prince continues the story directly from Clockwork Angel, dealing with the Magister. The book explores more characters such as the Lightwoods (Gabriel, Gideon, Benedict) and also the swoon-worthy boys, Will and Jem. In Clockwork Angel, Will said some horrible things to Tessa which made Tessa distance herself from him. She gets closer to Jem as they try to understand the problem going on with the Magister and his automatons. Charlotte deals with a big problem which might cause her to lose her leadership over the Institute and was asked by the Consul to find any clues related to Mortmain in a given time. Will, Jem and Tessa finds out about the Magister's past while dealing with their own feelings. In Clockwork Prince, you will find out about what precisely is going on with Will and his deal with his coldness towards people. This book is very addictive, you can never stop reading because you want to know what happened with the characters and the romance is just so yummy! My heart completely breaks when I found out about Will and his curse. I was very confused as to which boys I'm siding on since Jem is also dying. I felt very sad for both of them but a girl can never choose 2 boys. The romance in this book is just in the right proportion and very romantic. It's not sappy but it tears your heart and make you feel sad for the characters. I usually hate love triangles but Clare writes it very well that I just can't help but really enjoy reading the love triangle in this book. There was no encounter of the Magister directly with the characters of this book, but the problem still goes on and  Nate, Tessa's sister is also back as the evil 'brother'. The story flowed so well and I find myself flushing hard every time there is romance between the characters. What I felt quite annoying was I had forgotten lots of things from Clockwork Angel that when I begin reading this book, I couldn't quite understand how the things connect to Clockwork Angel. Thanks to my blogger friends who helped in Twitter, I finally remembered what happened and this made the book UTTERLY SPECTACULAR! 


Characters:
Choosing the boys is the most difficult choice I cannot imagine myself being faced with like Tessa. Jem and Will are both the complete opposite of each other. They're both so fragile, sad and very sweet at the same time. They treasure and love Tessa with all their heart. Choosing one of them would break the other's heart. That's how I felt. At first, I was completely Team Will but then seeing another side of Jem in this book makes me like him too. The ending though, made me felt so sad. I wanted both of them to be happy at the same time but alas, it's impossible. I really liked Tessa in this book. Even though she felt heart-brokened by Will in the end of Clockwork Angel, she is not like 'stay away from me' the whole time with Will. Will made her open her heart again and although she made her choice in the end, I will understand her for doing that. She loves both boys and I honestly hope that she will be happy with her choice. Clare's characters has always been very enjoyable to read and made me wish they were real. But if you still insist, I must say that Will has always been in my heart since the beginning when I read Clockwork Angel. Yes, I feel sad for Jem and I liked him too but after knowing more about why Will is so cold to others, it made me like him even more. His curse was just so sad and it finally convinced me that I have actually liked Will more than Jem. I understand that Jem’s dying but his ‘blindness’ with his parabatai’s feeling for Tessa made me a little annoyed with him. That includes Tessa too, for being ‘blind’ about Jem’s feelings until the end.



Overall:
Utterly heart-breaking. The ending was just so sad. I stayed up all night to read this book and I am now very dying to read Clockwork Princess though it's going to be out about 2 years (2013) from now. I truly hope that the end of the trilogy would be a happy ending but Clockwork Prince will definitely satisfy readers who have been waiting for so long since Clockwork Angel. Team Will! One of my favourite reads of 2011 with such a gorgeous cover that you'll find yourself hard to believe that you've read this book and even so difficult to let it go. 

5 Forget-me-not flowers for Clockwork Prince!

Check out the awesome trailer too!

And the Masquerade ball trailer!

Cover Crazy #4

Cover Crazy is a weekly meme hosted by The Book Worms. I really want to adore all those beautiful book covers out there! Today, I got 2 book covers. A complete opposite of each other. I think..I'm going to start with the fancy one.

I'm so obssessed with The Infernal Devices series too. This cover is just wow. Will looks pretty similar to how I imagined him and the background of London is perfect! I bloody fancy this. [In British accent]

And now for the complete opposite of this cover:

So I recently posted a review on this book. What I adore most? The simplicity but the depth of the cover. It's just a mere paint spray can with a bright vibrant yellow colour and a phrase coming out of the spray. The graffiti can though is more than just a can. The title is in a graffiti font and the contrast of yellow and black is perfect. Makes the can eye catching against the black colour. A very complete opposite of Clockwork Angel above.

The 2 book covers above are not only completely different in covers, but the story too. One is about paranormal theme while the other is a YA realistic book. What do you think? And how about your cover crazy? I'd like to check it out too!