Book Review: Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

THE INFERNAL DEVICES WILL NEVER STOP COMING

A net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. Mortmain plans to use his Infernal Devices, an army of pitiless automatons, to destroy the Shadowhunters. He needs only one last item to complete his plan: he needs Tessa Gray.

Charlotte Branwell, head of the London Institute, is desperate to find Mortmain before he strikes. But when Mortmain abducts Tessa, the boys who lay equal claim to her heart, Jem and Will, will do anything to save her. For though Tessa and Jem are now engaged, Will is as much in love with her as ever.

As those who love Tessa rally to rescue her from Mortmain’s clutches, Tessa realizes that the only person who can save her is herself. But can a single girl, even one who can command the power of angels, face down an entire army?

Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment, and the tangled threads of love and loss intertwine as the Shadowhunters are pushed to the very brink of destruction in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy.

Be sure not to miss the special first edition of Clockwork Princess, complete with an exclusive family tree.

-barnesandnoble.com  

Clockwork Princess takes place not too long after Clockwork Prince.  Mortmain has disappeared with little to know hope in finding him.  Jessamine was their only shot and she has seemed to have lost her mind and keeps babbling something about Idris.  Ever since Will found
out about Tessa and Jem's engagement he has completely avoided her and since Cecily won't go home he has taken up the task of training her to be a Shadowhunter.  When Gabriel Lightwood show's up at the institute covered in blood they find that Benedict Lightwood has reached the final stage of demon pox and they are forced to slay him.  But what they find within the Lightwood libriary is much more disturbing.  "THE INFERNAL DEVICES ARE WITHOUT PITY, THE INFERNAL DEVICES ARE WITHOUT REGRET, THE INFERNAL DEVICES ARE WITHOUT NUMBER, THE INFERNAL DEVICES WILL NEVER STOP COMING".  Mortmain may be gone but he is definatly not finished with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute.  He has bought and block all trasnport of yin fen to London and without it or a cure Jem with die very soon.  Clockwork Princess is the most heartbreaking, beautiful, action packed story that I have read in a long time.  Unlike some series where the first book is the best that the series ever produces this triology has kept getting better with each book.  I'm not big on love stories or love triangles for that matter (I feel like they have been over done lately) but I absolutely loved this one.  It will go down on my list as one of the greatest competable with that of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth.

Jem is the most kind, selfless person real or fiction, dead or alive that has ever been.  While I knew that to some degree in the first too book, I didn't realize the full capacity of it until CP2.  For this reason I think that everyone should read this books if only to have something to strive for in day to day life.

Gabriel Lightwood was an interesting character to follow in CP2.  While Gideon evolve in the last book it was Gabriel that changed the most in this one.  In the previous two books you only know Gabriel to be Will's greatest enemy (besides himself) and blindly loyal to his father.  But in CP2 Gabriel is a tormented character.  Should he be the son his father raised him to be or the Shadowhunter that the world needs him to be?  The dynamics between him and Gideon have changed as well.  A part of him still feels betrayed by Gideon for leaving him and his father for the London Institute.

Will's sister that arrived at the end of CP may have became one of my favorite characters if the three main ones did not manage to outshine her so much in this last book.  She is brave, determined, and loving in all of the right times.  She manages to "ruffle Will's feathers unlike anyone else" and captures Gabriel's attention unlike anyone ever has.  Although this wasn't her story I would like to have gotten to know her character better.

Will is someone that he wasn't in the last two books.  His curse was broken.  Almost as if by coincidence as Jem is dying he is able to let other people in.  Don't get me wrong he is still his hilarious, witty self.  But the motives behind his actions are no longer the same because he know longer has to fear that those that love him will die.  You see a loving side of him that was only ever shown towards Jem.  He is surprisingly fearously protective of Cecily which makes for funny situations at the least.  The biggest part of this book is that he can't keep a lid on his feelings for Tessa. 

Cassandra Clare is the bestselling author of The Mortal Instruments and Infernal Device series.  She is currently working on a new middle grade series with Holly Black and will also have yet another Shadowhunter series, The Dark Artifacts, in the not soon enough future.  TMI City of Bones will hit the big screen this coming August. 

PS sorry for the delayed review. I thought the book came out on the 29th not the 19th.

Mainstream Monday: Trylle Movie News!

Happy news everyone!!

I'm taking a break from my insane wedding planning to share what came across my news feed late last week.

Terri Tatchell (District 9) is aiming to make The Trylle Trillogy her next movie project!

Just like the rest of us, Terri says that when she read the Trylle books, the images were so beautiful and vivid that this story HAS to be made into a film for the big screen. You can see the full article here.

Amanda Hocking seems to think that Terri is the best fit for this project and knowing her history as a (as Terri put it) "movie buff", I trust her judgement. If you want to see Amanda's article about her thoughts with the project, click here. Media Rights Capitol officially has the rights to the book and Terri is working on a layout for the screenplay. They hope to begin filming this fall. However, a director has not been chosen and no actors have been selected.

Of course, like any project, this could fall through. But we at The Ink Puddle are pumped for the opportunity Amanda has been presented with no matter what happens.

We want to know what you think! Are you excited? Who are some of your celebrity choices when it comes to Finn, Loki and of course, Wendy? Stay tuned because we'll announce our favorites for the part next Monday!

Book Review: Hunted By P.C. and Kristin Cast

What if the hottest guy in the world was hiding a nameless evil, and all he wanted was you?

At the start of this heart-pounding new installment of the bestselling House of Night series, Zoey’s friends have her back again and Stevie Rae and the red fledglings aren’t Neferet’s secrets any longer.  But an unexpected danger has emerged. Neferet guards her powerful new consort, Kalona, and no one at the House of Night seems to understand the threat he poses.  Kalona looks gorgeous, and he has the House of Night under his spell. A past life holds the key to breaking his rapidly spreading influence, but what if this past life shows Zoey secrets she doesn’t want to hear and truths she can’t face?

On the run and holed up in Tulsa’s Prohibition-era tunnels, Zoey and her gang must discover a way to deal with something that might bring them all down.  Meanwhile, Zoey has a few other little problems.  The red fledglings have cleaned up well – they’ve even managed to make the dark, creepy tunnels feel more like home – but are they really as friendly as they seem?  On the boyfriend front, Zoey has a chance to make things right with super-hot ex-, Erik, but she can’t stop thinking about Stark, the archer who died in her arms after one unforgettable night, and she is driven to try to save him from Neferet’s sinister influence at all costs.  Will anyone believe the power evil has to hide among us?

-barnesandnoble.com

The nerd herd and red fledglings barely escaped Neferet's wrath and Kalona's spell.  Stevie Rae has a bowe in her chest and Stark has come back as a red fledgling minus the humanity.  The Raven Mockers have killed several of the Tulsa humans.  Thank goodness Zoey has zero guy problems at this point.  Wrong.  Just when her and super hottie Erik are getting back together, Heath shows up at the depot and causing a jealous guy show down.  When Zoey manages to break them up and walk Heath to the car she is attacked by a raven mocker and is so injured they have to go back to the House of Night.  Let's just say the welcome back wasn't warm.   Hidden has a new danger that the other House of Night books had yet to touch on.  It contains secrets, new relationships, action, love, and good vs evil that will leave you wanting more.

What I really like about this book is Stark.  Yes he lost his humanity and is an ass.  But when you see him with Zoey you see a spark of who he used to be.  My favorite parts of the book that I like the most are the ones that contained Stark.   

Darius is kind of awesome.  He puts up with and seems to love Aphrodite.  He always seems so serious and put together and basically saves the day every time.  He is strong enough to stand up to Kalona and Neferet and sticks to his guns.

There is some new found tension that wasn't there before between Stevie Rae and Zoey.  Stevie Rae is better but you can't go through what she has without being different.  The fact that Stevie Rae is trying so hard to hide that she is a different person puts a wedge between her and Zoey.  Without her best friend Zoey and Aphrodite become close because Aphodite is her only confident and actually becomes a great friend.

Heath plays a bigger role in this book as well.  In the other books he just the guy that Zoey was with as a human and she imprinted with.  In this book you see him as more than a not so smart football player that is borderline stalker.  He has depth and is really sweet and caring and while some may see him as a lapdog of a boyfriend his character really steps it up in this book.

 The House of Night Series is written by P.C. and Kristen Cast.  P.C. cast has written several series and she has received several awards for them.  Kristin Cast is P.C.’s daughter and has written a few other series herself.  She currently goes to college in Oklahoma, where they both live.  To learn more visit www.pccast.net.

Review: From Man to Man by David E.M. Emrys

 "Every man has a past, none more so than Draven Reinhardt. Abandoning his old life to settle down as a villager, he struggles to fit in, let alone hold down a job. When opportunity offers the much needed coin, Draven is torn between a promise and a purpose. 

But, what’s one last job if you’ve already got blood on your hands?
‘From Man to Man’ is the story of how one man can change – or not – for the best. Prequel to the upcoming novel ‘It Began With Ashes’, the short (6400 words) introduces the reader to a world of suspense, intrigue, and action."

Draven has traded in his life as a mercenary for the life of a villager for the sake of his wife and son. But he seems to be having quite a time adjusting to his new life. Constantly getting in fights and losing his job, it's clear that he needs to do something in order to support his family. So, when an opportunity arises that offers the money that he so desperately needs, Draven must decide which choice is the best one for him and his family, even if that choice means going back on a promise. From Man to Man is the short prequel to David E.M. Emrys's Wroge Elements series.

I have to say, I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick and simple read, which is always something I like, especially when I'm busy with schoolwork. I liked that the reader was able to see things from Draven's perspective. In my opinion, it made the story feel more realistic, even though it was set in a fictional village. It helped me feel like I was actually right there with Draven throughout all of the action of the story.

Another thing that I really liked about this story was the world that the author created. From the very first page, it was obvious that the story was set in a fictional world. And that's always fun for me, because it clearly shows the author's ability to weave a web of intrigue and imagery for readers. This story was no exception. It kept me interested from the very first description of the village where Draven lived and I was hooked until the end.

I also enjoyed how well-developed Draven was as a character. It's evident from the beginning that he has a secret past that he doesn't want to talk about. Yet, gradually throughout the story, the reader is given enough details to understand some of his background, as well as the kind of person he is. This went a long way to increase my interest in the story itself. Draven was such a strong character, that he made me want to keep reading. If I had to name something that I didn't particularly care for about this story, it'd have to be that it was so short. I got to the end and wanted to read more. So, I guess it's a good thing that there's another novel available.

I rate this book: 

Like I said, I really enjoyed reading this story. It was quick, simple, and very intriguing. If you like stories with action, mystery, and well-developed characters, then you should definitely check out From Man to Man. It's a perfect prequel to Emrys's Wroge Elements series. And if you find that you enjoy From Man to Man, then be sure to check out the first novel in the series, It Began With Ashes. I know I will be. 

David Emrys, known as D to his friends, is a serving soldier and author. He has clearance to know more than he should, but not the sense to know better. Leaving education with no more than a fifteen year old's understanding of English Literature, D’s storytelling craft is self-taught. Growing up with the heroic tales written by authors such as David Gemmell and James Barclay, D was inspired to write stories of his own. After joining the army D used his free time to focus on his dream of sharing shelf-space with his idols. D testifies to the fact that the pen is indeed mightier than the sword – but swords make for better letter-openers. He lives where the army send him, but home is in Chelmsford with his girlfriend. They say that behind every great man there is a woman pulling the strings, but she lets him dance to his own song whilst being the perfect partner in step. D claims that his books would not have been written without her. David Emrys is not his real name. Nor is D.

Guest Post: David E.M. Emrys

Hey everybody! We've got a guest post for you today from new author, David E.M. Emrys. David is the author of From Man to Man and It Began with Ashes. Everyone, please welcome David!

_______________

Can there be such a thing as too much fantasy?

Is the fantasy world over-populated? It’s a valid question and one that keeps raising its ugly head in the current era of ‘Lord of the Authors: The Fellowship of the Fantasy’.

Without battling out the topic of Indie vs Traditional, I want to take a moment and talk about fantasy worlds. A simple blog post can’t cover every single fantasy tome to have ever graced a book shelf (or a digital market place like Amazon, for all you e-publishing gurus), but we can highlight a few.

J.R.R. Tolkien with his elves, and his dwarves, his hobbits with their hairy feet, and his trolls. Ringwraiths, a dark lord, and a powerful artefact that is a curse to all those who bear it.

George R.R. Martin with his thrones, and his games, the squabbles of men, and the treachery, futility and thick-fast plots (oh, and if you’ve watched the tv adaptation, there’s a fair share of boobage, too).

Peter V Brett – demons galore! How ‘man’ (and woman!) can overcome their fears for what they believe is right.

Mark Lawrence explores the moral depravity of a Prince who won’t let anything – or anyone – stand in his way, even if that involves burning the world just to keep warm.

Michael J Sullivan brings bromance to the fold (Webster’s unofficial definition of bromance: bro-mance, a combination of brother and romance, meaning ‘a brotherly romance’ between two males. Often seen sharing large quantities of bruises, beauties, and beatings) with a healthy dose of death-defying escapades and swashbuckling adventures.

John Gwynne breaths fresh life into the folklore and legend side of fantasy, giving Giants, Wyrms and even Angels a gritty new lease with a Nordic/Celtic feel.

Brent Weeks forefronts assassins in one, and mages in another, but above all else they struggle with their own powers for further means.

Brandon Sanderson…magic, need I say more? But then again, his world-building is second to none.

Joe Abercrombie touts more knives than any sane man should ever need, but lucky for us not all of his characters can be deemed sane enough to count or care for that matter. But when all is said and done, it’s down to being what you’re meant to be, and (as he often states by way of infamous barbarian Logen NineFingers) once you've got a task to do, it's better to do it than live with the fear of it.

I’ve barely even touched the surface here. I could go on for hours. James Barclay, David Gemmell (big daddy of British heroic-fantasy), Robert E Howard, Patrick Rothfuss, Robert Jordan, David Dalglish, Mazarkis Williams, Moses Sirergar III, Ben Galley, Steven Erikson, Christopher Paolini…ok, ok – I’ll stop.

So, fantasy is a busy world(s). But each and every one of them is different. Yes, a lot of them share themes or creatures (elves, dragons, hobbits, dwarves, damsels in distress…hobbits, or other creatures with hairy feet?), but would you really say: ‘No more’! Heck, I’m sure if you asked a lot of these authors they’d admit to being inspired by one another. Of course they would.

Ok, let’s imagine if someone said ‘No more’ to Robert Jordan. Would we have the Peter V Brett’s, and Christopher Paolini’s of today? ‘Put that pen down’ David Gemmell…and voila, no John Gwynne’s or James Barclay. How many would we lose if Robert E. Howard had run out of ink on the first page, and Conan had been lost to an unfinished sentence?

IMAGINE THE CHAOS if someone told J.R.R. Tolkien to shave his hobbit and write a romcom. Think of the children, pray for their futures!

Publishing is an ever changing industry, and fantasy is an ever changing realm of possibilities. If you’re Indie or Traditional, reader or writer…could you really say NO to one last fantasy? And before you start culling dwarves, shaving hobbit feet, or cashing in dragon fangs for the last copy of ’50 Shades of Grey’ from Amazon…just remember:

A Fantasy author isn’t just for Christmas. They’re for life.

(And even then, they’ll think of a way to come back and haunt you from the afterlife – they’re fantasy authors after all).

D. E. M. Emrys. Author. Soldier by day, Soldier by night - Writer in between. Knows war to write war.

David Emrys, known as D to his friends, is a serving soldier and author. He has clearance to know more than he should, but not the sense to know better. Leaving education with no more than a fifteen year olds understanding of English Literature, D’s storytelling craft is self-taught.

Growing up with the heroic tales written by authors such as David Gemmell and James Barclay, D was inspired to write stories of his own. After joining the army D used his free time to focus on his dream of sharing shelf-space with his idols.

D testifies to the fact that the pen is indeed mightier than the sword – but swords make for better letter-openers. He lives where the army send him, but home is in Chelmsford with his girlfriend. They say that behind every great man there is a woman pulling the strings, but she lets him dance to his own song whilst being the perfect partner in step. D claims that his books would not have been written without her.

David Emrys is not his real name.

Nor is D.

_______________

Thanks so much for that, David! You guys should be sure to check out David's books; the links are below for you. And be on the lookout for a review of Emrys's From Man to Man later this week. 

Published Works:

'From Man to Man'

Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/From-Man-Wroge-Elements-ebook/dp/B009QY4EAS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350387280&sr=8-1&keywords=d.+e.+m.+emrys

Amazon.co.uk http://www.amazon.co.uk/From-Man-Wroge-Elements-ebook/dp/B009QY4EAS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361318621&sr=8-1

'It Began With Ashes'

Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Began-Ashes-Wroge-Elements-ebook/dp/B00ACLW7TO/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_2

Amazon.co.uk http://www.amazon.co.uk/Began-Ashes-Wroge-Elements-ebook/dp/B00ACLW7TO/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1360708069&sr=1-2

Mainstream Monday

Happy Mainstream Monday!!!  There has been a LOT of news in the mainstream story world the past few weeks.

Julie Kagawa, author of the Iron Fey and Book of Eden series, sign a six digit contract with Harlequin for a series that isn't set to come out until 2015.  All that has been released about the series is that there are supposed to be five books.  But that isn't all of the news.  Universal has already snatched up the books, all five, to be made into movies or a series.  I am a huge Julie Kagawa fan and although as of now I would love to see the Iron Fey be made into a movie I'm excited to check out these new books and definitely excited for another book series to look forward to.

With Harry Potter's 15th aniversary coming up Scholastic announced that they will be rolling out a new shipment of covers for all of the books in paperback.  Illustator, Kazu Kibuishi, will be doing the covers.  Each cover will be a scene fromteh book and the characters in the that particular scene.  The imagery for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone has already be released.  The Harry Potter books are the reason I love to read.  Until I started reading those, reading was a chore and a struggle so these books are near and dear to my heart.  I part of me hates the idea of the covers being redone and a part of me is planning on running out and buying them all.

Divergent, by the young and talent Veronica Roth, is also in the long process of coming to the big screen.  The only character currently cast is Shailene Woodley as Tris.  You may know Shailene from Secret Life of the American Teenager or The Descendents.  The movie rights were taken by Summit Entertainment in March 2011 and the movie is currently set to release on March 21, 2013.  The screen writer is Evan Daugherty, who is best known for his work on Snow White and the Huntsman.  A lot of people are probably going to say, "Oh it's another Hunger Games" but for these books blew the Hunger Games Triology right out of the water.  The second Hunger Games book, Catching Fire, was basically the same as the first and then the third one completely flopped for me.  I'm a rereader but that is one series I probably won't reread.  While all of the Divergent books are out yet so far so good.  The second one was just a killer as the first.  The third book, that's title and cover have not been released yet, is set to come out October 22, 2013.

 





 The information found for todays post is from IMDB, MTV's website, and USA Today.

  

Review: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

"There were no surprises in Gatlin County. 
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.
At least, that's what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.

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."

Gatlin is just a normal Southern town. Small, rural, and quiet. Nothing interesting happens in Gatlin, South Carolina. That is, not until Lena Duchannes arrived in town. Beautiful, smart, and dangerous, Lena carries a secret that she is trying desperately to keep hidden from the narrow-minded townspeople. But there's one person in town that she can't hide anything from - someone who shares a mysterious connection to her. Ethan Wate is drawn to Lena, the girl he's been having dreams about night after night before she ever set foot in Gatlin. Surprises are coming to Gatlin on Lena's heels. Surprises that could very well turn the town on its head. Beautiful Creatures is the first novel in the Caster Chronicles by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. And it's sure to leave you on the edge of your seat, from beginning to end.

I picked this book up after seeing the trailer for the new movie adaptation a few times. And I could not put it down once I started reading it. The authors have done a fantastic job of weaving a story of love, loss, and magic that is simply breathtaking. I loved how vivid and descriptive they were throughout the entire novel. Every single detail made me feel like I was right there in Gatlin County with Lena and Ethan every step of the way. That feeling of everything being so very real is something that really made me want to keep reading.

I also really enjoyed the fact that the reader is able to see everything from Ethan's point of view. Because he is the narrator of the story, we are able to experience things as they happen for him and Lena throughout the entire novel. We share his thoughts, his feelings, and get to see his actions firsthand, which only adds to the realness of the story. And, considering he's a mortal who has been immersed into the magical world of a Caster family, it's almost as if Ethan serves as our guide to the strangeness that surrounds Lena and her family.

Another thing that I really, really liked about this book was the relationship between Ethan and Lena. These characters are so well-developed that it's difficult not to see them as real people while reading. And, since you guys know I'm a sucker for romance, it should come as no surprise that I was rooting for them as a couple from the very beginning. The authors did a flawless job with the characters of Ethan and Lena, and developed their forbidden relationship in such a phenomenal way that it kept me intrigued throughout the entire book.

I rate this book: 

If you haven't read Beautiful Creatures, I seriously recommend that you pick it up as soon as you can. It's an amazing and quick read that is sure to please all types of readers. And the best part: It's been made into a movie that just came out yesterday! So grab a copy of the book and be sure to check the movie out, too. I know I'll be headed to the movie theater in the very near future. Will you?

Margaret Stohl is the author of the ICONS series, as well as the New York Times, USA Today, Publisher's Weekly, Los Angeles Times, Indie-Bound and Internationally Bestselling co-author of the Beautiful Creatures Novels. She is a graduate of Amherst College, where she won the Knox Prize for English Literature and earned a MA in English from Stanford University. She also completed classwork for a PhD in American Studies from Yale University.

Kami Garcia is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly & international bestselling co-author of the Beautiful Creatures Novels (Beautiful Creatures, Beautiful Darkness, Beautiful Chaos & Beautiful Redemption). She is also the author of Unbreakable, the first book her solo series, THE LEGION. Kami grew up outside of Washington DC, wore lots of black, and spent hours writing poetry in spiral notebooks. She has an MA in education, and taught in the Washington DC area until she moved to Los Angeles, where she was a teacher & Reading Specialist for 14 years. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, son, daughter, and their dogs Spike and Oz (named after characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer).