Review 104. Cassandra Clare – City of Ashes.

Title: City of Ashes.
Author: Cassandra Clare.
Pages: 453.
Published: March 25th 2008.
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books.
Sort: Part 2 from ‘The mortal instruments.’
Review part 1: City of Bones.

Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?

Rating:

I’m happy to say that this book is as good as the first one. The quality of the story and the plot is high and I really enjoyed this book.

Summary.
Clary’s life has drastically changed. From a normal teenager girl to a Shadowhunter with a mother in coma, a new-found brother (Jace) and a transformed friend (Simon) - who might become more than ‘just’ a friend.

Jace is also in trouble. His adoptive mother sends him away, because she is afraid he might turn to his father’s side. When the Inquisitor from the Clave comes for him, he is locked away in the dungeons in the City of Bones. Valentine slays the brothers and takes another Mortal Instrument with him: the Sword. He tries to persuade Jace to join him and his quest.

There are also strange killings going on. Someone is slaying the Downworlders. When Simon and one of Luke’s werewolves are taken away, it’s obvious who took them. Valentine has a master plan; he wants to raise an army of demons to attack the Clave. Can they stop him before it is too late?

Opinion.
I’m still not satisfied with the whole Clary-Jace-brother/sister-thing. It actually made me feel a bit disgusted. So, I better be right about them!

There is a lot going on in this book. (Clary and Simon are in some sort of relationship, Downworlders are dying, her mother doesn’t wake up, Valentine is trying to manipulate Jace and Jace has to deal with the Inquisitor.) Despite that, the story was easy to follow and I liked the constant pace. The plot was good and the ending left me excited for the next book.

There were some things that bothered me. Clary.. I like her, but I expected her to finally kick some butt. She is a Shadowhunter in name, but not in action. She recently found out that she has a gift for Runes, but that is hardly explained. I hope that we will get more background about it. The same for Jace newfound talent.

One major complain I have is a spoiler, so you need to go over the text:
When Valentine sliced Simon’s throat and drained him from his blood, I expected him to die. It would be much more believable. When Jace brought him back to life with his blood,  I could buy it. But when Simon is exposed to the sunlight and he didn’t burn to death, I rolled my eyes. 

“I've got a stele we can use. Who wants to do me?"
"A regrettable choice of words," muttered Magnus.”

Top 10 Tuesday (24). New authors.

Hosted at: Broke and the Bookish.

Top Ten Favorite New-To-Me Authors I Read In 2012.

1. Lauren Oliver. While I'm wasn't blown away by her Delirium, I really liked her MG Liesl & Po.

2. Jodi Lynn Anderson. My favorite fairytale retelling ever. I love, love, love Tiger Lily.

3. Victoria Schwab. I liked The near witch and the short novella, so I can't wait to read her other books.

4. A.C Gaughen. She totally rocked her retelling from Robin Hood in her book 'Scarlet.'

5. Jessica Day George. Her writing-style and characters are great and I'm looking forward to read the third book 'Princess of the silver woods.' in the Princess series.

6. Julie Kagawa. I'm so happy that I've read 'The Immortal rules', because it got me hooked to her incredible world-building. Right after that I devoured her 'Iron Fey' series. She is now an instant-buy for me.

7. Veronica Roth. Oh, wonderful and great Divergent. You made me fall in love with the Dystopian genre.

8. Marissa Meyer. Science-fiction and me: that's normally not such a success. Meyer showed me that I can enjoy it! Cinderella as a cyborg, it's still one of the most unique fairytale retellings I've read.

9. Jackson Pearce. After the magnificent Sisters Red and the great Sweetly, I can say that I will buy anything she writes.

10. Sarah J. Maas. How much awesomeness do you want in a book? A female assassin, an attractive Chaol and a spooky mystery.

Some other authors I have to name: Cassandra Clare, Alethea Kontis, Heather Dixon, Emma Cornwall & Stefan Bachmann.
Leave a link to your top 10! :)

Showcase Sunday 17. Swag.

Hosted by: Books, Biscuits and Tea.

I had a great week! I won Sweet Evil at Rainy Day Ramblings. I was surprised when it arrived, because it was signed and I got two signed bookmarks as well! I also won some bookmarks from the birthday giveaway at Pieces of Whimsy and I got a signed bookmark from Gretchen McNeil, because I was part of the Ten promotion team :)

Netgalley provided me two e-books:


And I was contacted by Aimee to review these two e-books:


My next showcase is going to be even better, because there are some great books on their way to me.

What is your haul this week?

Review 103. Alissa M. Libby – The king’s rose.

Title: The king’s rose.
Author: Alissa M. Libby.
Pages: 297.
Published: March 19th 2009.
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile.
Sort: Stand-alone.

Life in the court of King Henry VIII is a complex game. When fifteen-year-old Catherine Howard catches the king?s eye, she quickly transforms from pawn to queen. But even luxury beyond imagination loses its luster as young Catherine finds her life?and her heart?threatened by the needs of an aging king and a family hungry for power. Will their agendas deliver Catherine to the same fate as her infamous cousin, Anne Boleyn, sacrificed at the altar of family ambition. Engaging historical fiction with a throbbing YA heartbeat, this thrilling novel will draw readers into the intrigues and dangers of the Tudor court.

Rating:

Summary.
Catherine Howard, cousin of Anne Boleyn, is just another pawn in the Howard family. They are hungry for power and money – and they will sacrifice everyone in order to gain it. Henry VIII is recently married to his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, but she isn’t as pretty as expected. He divorces and he asks Catherine to be his fifth wife. He is now at the age of forty-nine, while Catherine is fifteen years old. She is a beauty, but she is also naive and young. She must give up her old life; which also means her love for Thomas.

Life at court is dangerous. The King has mood swings and Catherine can’t get pregnant. When her past comes into her present, she must do everything to stay in the good graces of the King. But when the rumours are spread and an old lover starts to talk, Catherine starts to fear for her life. So much, that she takes matters into her own hands – a decision that makes things even worse.

Opinion.
I know a lot about Anne of Boleyn, one of the most famous Queens from Henry VIII, but I didn’t know much about Catherine Howard. Based on her character in television show The Tudors, I expected her to be annoying, but I liked her voice. She is still very young, so she doesn’t see that they use her as a poppet. I found her story incredibly sad. She will do anything to keep the King happy, but that also means that she can’t follow her heart.

This story also shows how dangerous Henry is. He gives his love easily, but he takes it away in a whim. When Catherine is locked in the Towers, she ‘sees’ the ghost from Anne Boleyn. I liked how those two stories entwined.

I recommend this book to lovers from The Tudors. It gives a good insight in the short life from Catherine as Queen. While nothing really happens, I was never bored by her voice. It’s rich and detailed. She handled her forced status as Queen in a great way for a fifteen year old girl and my heart ached for her.

I do not know what has happened, but from what I just saw of Henry I can imagine what is true: he has discovered a thorn on his rose. I have shattered the heart of the King of England. God knows what will become of me, now.

Review 102. A.E Rought – Broken.

Title: Broken.
Author: A.E Rought.
Pages: 384.
Expected publication: January 3rd 2013 by Strange Chemistry.
Sort: Stand-alone.
Source: Netgalley & Publisher.

Imagine a modern spin on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein where a young couple’s undying love and the grief of a father pushed beyond sanity could spell the destruction of them all. Emma is broken, a hollow shell mechanically moving through her days. She and Daniel had been made for each other, complete only when they were together. When she encounters newcomer Alex Franks, only son of a renowned widowed surgeon, she's intrigued despite herself. He's an enigma, melting into shadows, preferring to keep to himself. But he is as drawn to her as she is to him. He is strangely... familiar. The closer they become, though, the more something inside her screams there's something very wrong with Alex Franks.

Rating:

There is an extremely long blurb on Goodreads and it gives away so much from the story, that I decided to adjust it.

”Promises are like hearts, easily broken.”

Summary.
Emma recently lost her boyfriend and true love, Daniel. She is overwhelmed by sadness and she spends her days wandering on the graveyard – their special place. When she meets newcomer Alex, there is something familiar about him. He knows things about her he actually could not know and they have a certain chemistry. Their friendship develops into a dangerous relationship, because his father doesn’t want Alex together with Emma. And he will do anything to keep them separated.

Opinion. 
I felt sorry for Emma. I can’t imagine how it must feel like to lose your boyfriend. Everybody expects her to move on and she finally starts to feel better when Alex comes into her life. He gives her the same feelings as Daniel. I like Emma’s personality. She stands up for herself, even when the girls at school are giving her a hard time.

“Pathetic?” I stalk up to them. “You wanna know what’s really pathetic? Your lives are so damn empty you have to fill them up with what’s happening in mine.”
 
Alex is lost and broken; in need of love. He died, but his father managed to revive him and that has huge consequences. Especially when he finds out how his father “created” him. This father figure is a terrible person! He is the perfect villain and he scared me. 

The relationship between Emma and Alex went fast, but somehow it also made sense. I had troubles with the slow pace. The beginning is mostly about Emma’s grief and I understand that it’s hard for her, but it dragged. I wished that the action started earlier in the story, because that part was good and creepy.

Mel in Movieland | Books-to-movie, part three.

Welcome to my new feature, where I will be coming books and movies! I bet you can guess how I came up in the name, but in case you aren’t; Alice in Wonderland. You can find my inspirations in this post Fairytale news: other content.

I know that I'm a day too late, but I had a Sinterklaas celebration yesterday (that is a holiday here in The Netherlands :)) But I still want to share this with you. I have found quite some books which are rumored to be filmed. Here is the list with some possible books-to-movies: (click on the titles and you are taken to IMDb)

-This dark endeavour: The apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein.
-Darkfever.

-Before I go to sleep.
-Daughter of smoke and bone.

-The luxe.

-Unwind.

-My name is Memory.

-Blood red road.

-Miss Peregrine's home for peculiar children.

-Pinocchio.

-The Passage. I'm reading this book at the moment and while I think that the concept is great for a book, I'm not sure how this is going to work out on the screen.

-The night circus.

-The giver.

-And this one scares me so much: The book thief. You know that this is one of my favorite books if you've read my review and you also can see that it makes me nervous by reading my Feature and Follow from a while ago.

What do you think about this list? There are some more titles, but I will be using them next week if you find this interesting enough :)

And I've saved the best. There is going to be a television show about Dracula and Jonathan Rhys Meyers is casted as Dracula! *swoon* The date is set on 2013 - ..., I can't wait.