City of Ashes

by Cassandra Clare

Ok, I'm finally returning to The Mortal Instruments trilogy after a short break for Jenna Fox, the completion of the Gregor series, The Penderwicks, and various other fantasies and paranormal fiction. I've been on a bit of a paranormal kick lately actually and after I finish this series I'm not sure what I'll read next. My roommate is teasing me that she's frightened by my book choices, which really just makes me want to read them even more! Thankfully Cassandra Clare gives the reader enough clues in City of Ashes that it did not take me long to recall the sequence of events of the previous book - which I read about 2 months ago.

Anyways, I was told that City of Ashes was the slowest of the series, and a bit of a disappointment, so I went into the book not expecting much of it. Maybe that's part of the reason, but I really enjoyed this book. I think I may have enjoyed it more than the first book, City of Bones.

At the end of the first book we get the (supposed to be) shocking news that Clary and Jace are actually brother and sister. (A little nod to Star Wars there?) :) So a good part of City of Ashes involves the pair of them trying to deal with this knowledge and fight off the continuing romantic feelings they have for each other. Meanwhile, Clary is trying to start a romantic relationship with Simon, even though she doesn't feel that way toward him. Simon knows it and it just causes all kinds of messes. Ah the love triangle - a perennial favorite among YA novels.

Last book we were introduced to werewolves and vampires. The werewolves were good (or at least, not evil) and the vampires were mostly bad. However, in this book we get to see more of the vampires and they are not portrayed as negatively - although Jace certainly holds no fondness for them.

Valentine is up to his oddly predictable tricks again, yet still elusive to all Shadowhunters. Quite the slippery fellow, that Valentine.

Towards the end of this book I am starting to suspect that Clary and Jace may not actually be brother and sister. No confirmation or denial of this suspicion so I'm continuing to mull it over in my mind. Not such a great thing when it's already 1am and you're lying in bed trying to figure out all the possible ways they might not be related but it would be reasonable for everyone to think they are (as they do now). I have a number of theories. Here's hoping I can report I was right in my next blog entry - appearing here upon my completion of City of Glass. Now I must end this entry so I can go read!

Stange Angels

by Lili St. Crow

Zombies and Djamphirs and Werwolfen, oh my!

Dru Anderson is alone and scared. The book jacket, however, proclaims her to be a "Night Hunter. Knife Thrower. Heart Breaker." as well as "not afraid of the dark." But she never goes hunting at night, she never throws a knife (although she does wield one at times as well as an assortment of guns), she doesn't break anyone's heart, and she is very scared of the dark! She should be - her dad leaves her behind most evenings while he's out hunting the things that "go bump in the night". One evening he doesn't return home. The next night, he does - as a zombie. Dru must muster up all of her courage to dodge the zombie that used to be her father, and kill him before he can kill her. She's left traumatized and utterly, completely alone.

Thankfully, Dru soon makes a loyal friend in Graves. He helps her the best he can, not knowing the true danger that Dru is in, because someone - something - wants Dru dead, and he's still searching for her.

I liked Dru despite her not being as tough as the book packaging portrayed her to be. She could handle a weapon, and she knew how to defend herself to an extent, but she was still scared out of her wits and desperate for someone to help her. She gets that help through Graves as well as the mysterious djamphir Christophe.

One aspect of the book that started to bug me near the end was how the smell of EVERYTHING had to be described. I learned that Graves smelled like deodorant and smoke. Christophe smells like apple pie (that's weird). Dru's mom used to smell like "perfume and goodness." Zombies smell like a whole host of nasty rotting things. Christophe smells like apple pie. When something bad is about to happen, Dru can smells (and taste) oranges. When something REALLY bad is about to happen, it smells(/tastes) of WAX oranges. Christophe smells like apple pie. Did I mention that Christophe smells like apple pie? Yeah, the author did too - a lot! I wish I'd counted.

My biggest complaint of this book however, was the language. The story was interesting and different from other books of the genre but it was just littered with profanity! I tried to just read over it, but that would certainly stop me from recommending this book to most people I know - despite the interesting story.

The Awakening

by Kelley Armstrong

I really wasn't sure if I would like this series when I started it, but soon found that the beginning to the trilogy, The Summoning, was very engrossing. So when the sequel came out earlier this year I was eager to read it.

It has been a while since I read the first book, and I could only remember vague details about the plot. I was worried that I would have trouble following the plot of this book. Thankfully though, the author does a wonderful job of placing clues throughout the book to remind you of what occurred previously. Our main character, Chloe will simply mention previous events during the narration when it's important to the current events. It seemed like every time I'd start to think, "Wait, what happened in the last book?", I'd find the very next sentence answered my question.

The characters are interesting and varied. We see less of Rae in this book and more of the annoying Tori, who you can't hate completely because you feel bad for her. Chloe, Tori and the boys Derek and Simon continue to try to piece together what's really going on with the mysterious Edison society and how it will effect their futures. This is where my complaint lies however. The bulk of this book consists of the group running away, almost getting caught, escaping, getting found, nearly getting caught again, and then, again, barely managing to escape. A lot of new questions are posed, but few are answered. I understand that this is the middle of a series, but it really FELT like the middle book - a continuation of a previous story with relatively little resolution. I was finally starting to feel like we were moving out of the run away/just avoid getting caught cycle when the book ended on a cliff-hanger. Frustrating.

That being said though, I'm eagerly awaiting the final book and hoping for all the resolution that this part was missing.

Silvertongue

by Charlie Fletcher

Holding the third book of a trilogy (or the final book of a series of any length actually) in your hands always brings an exciting and sad feeling. On one hand you're anxious to see how the story concludes - sometimes a story that you've absorbed yourself into for quite some time. However, it is also sad to know that once you reach the end of this book it really will be the end of the story (at least in most cases.) And while I hate for a good story to end, I also am annoyed when an author won't let a story end, and it gets stretched out so much that it almost ruins the reasons you liked it in the first place. But that's besides the point here.

Silvertongue is the third and final part to the series by Charlie Fletcher that began with Stoneheart and continued with Ironhand. In the series we meet the young boy, George, who by accident is thrown into a alternate reality of London where statues walk and talk and are constantly on the edge of war with each other. The statues made to represent life are called "spits". The makers who created them are said to have put a bit of their hearts into their work and therefore the spits fight for life and what is good. The statues that are made to provoke fear are called "taints" and they include many fanciful creatures and gargoyles that are bent on destruction and who follow the ancient darkness bound in the London Stone. In the first book George reawakens the war between the two factions of statues when he breaks the head off a dragon statue in front of the museum. In his run for his life he is aided by many spits and a girl named Edie that he meets along the way. George and Edie both think they are simply two kids caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, but throughout the course of the book they (and we) learn that there is more to each than meets the eye.

In Silvertongue we find George and Edie once again working together with the spits of the city to confront a new darkness that has entered London. The new darkness teams with the old and soon the London of spits and taints is thrown out of time. The clock strikes thirteen, snow falls unceasingly, and all other humans vanish. It is a race against time as George must face his final appointed battle, and all must fight to banish the darkness back to where it came from.

Very satisfying conclusion to a unique and enjoyable series. I'm looking forward to see what Fletcher writes next!

The Penderwicks

by Jeanne Birdsall

I picked up this book on a whim at a local used book store. It sounding interesting, and I liked the cute cover on the British edition (seen here).

The Penderwicks almost defies description. Not much happens in this book, but it has a sort of sweet sleepy quality. Usually I am drawn to books with lots of fantasy, supernatural elements and action - things not at all present in this book. Even so, I did not dislike it - but I didn't really love it either.

The story is simple, and much more realistic than I am used to in the books I read. The characters are charming - all four of the Penderwick sisters are very distinct. Rosalind is the strong practical one, Skye the impulsive tomboy, Jane the imaginative writer, and Batty the playful youngster.

The "villain" of this story isn't quite as villainous as I'd prefer a villain to me. Sometimes you can't really blame her for being so mad, and then she has such a sudden change of heart at the end that it makes the whole thing seem weird.

There is a sequel to this book, and while I like the characters, I don't think this book has interested me enough to want to go pick up the second one.

Gregor and the Code of Claw

by Suzanne Collins

It took me a little longer than I anticipated, but I finally finished the Gregor series. Contrary to Suzanne Collins' usual style, book four ended on a cliff-hanger and book five continues the story right from that point.

Gregor once again finds himself wrapped up in a conflict in the Underground. Soon-to-be-Queen Luxa has declared war on the rats, and Gregor finally learns what "The Prophecy of Time" has to say about his involvement. We heard about this prophecy in the last book, but no one would tell Gregor what it says, however, Collins does not make us wait much longer - Gregor finally gets to read the prophecy within the first chapter of book five - and he learns that this prophecy calls for his death.

Gregor must face his fears all while grappling with the questions of the looming war. Is it right? How can you distinguish your friends from you enemies? What is it that causes one to become evil? Are they born evil, or do outside influences make them that way? Don't we all have some evil in us or our pasts?

Many tough questions for a book aimed at upper-elementary readers. Collins seems to be promoting an anti-war message, but the book never feels preachy. My one complaint of the series is that the ending is a little too ambiguous for my tastes. Gregor's future is left largely unexplained. I would have liked a little more resolution than offered, but on the whole I really enjoyed the series and would highly recommend it.

Gregor and the Marks of Secret

by Suzanne Collins

Forth Gregor book and I'm running out of new things to say!

This is the first book of the series were we don't start out with a new prophecy. Gregor returns to the Underland this time around to visit his mom who's still being held in the hospital in Regalia. Quickly though, he gets involved in solving a mystery alongside his friend Luxa. The pair discovers that something mysterious is happening with the Underground mice colony. Headstrong Luxa immediately starts off on a quest to solve the mystery and Gregor, not wanting to have Luxa leave him behind, accompanies her. The pair will soon discover that more is happening in the Underland than anyone is aware of.

The Underland is, once again, a fun place to be. This book strays a little from Collins' typical style - ending with a cliff-hanger, which makes me thankful that I have the fifth book already waiting for me!