April Recap: Shadowhunters and The Raven King

April was a quiet month for me which was nice, especially because the upcoming months will be more busy than quiet as I start a full-time position at the museum. I'm definitely excited to finally be employed full time at an institution that I love, but I know I will soon be missing these lazy April weeks of watching TV and reading.

This month, I finally took the time to watch Season 1 of Shadowhunters, based off of The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare:

While a lot of people - myself included - were disappointed with the movie adaptation of the series that was released a few years back, I remained cautiously optimistic that they would do a better job with an episodic adaptation of the series. And thankfully, my optimism was not misplaced - the acting and writing still isn't great and I'm not sure what to make of all the changes that were made from the books... But it was still definitely more watchable than the movie. And is it weird that I was still kind of into it despite all its flaws? I don't know, it's easy entertainment (all episodes were made available on Netflix in Canada) and it's addictive once you get going. I will continue watching when they do a second season. Has anyone else watched Shadowhunters? I'm curious what the consensus is from fans.


Also in April, I was presented with the final instalment of The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater in all its glory:

Even though I only read the first three books last month, the series already has a special place in my heart and I was so sad to see it come to an end already. Nevertheless, I dug right into The Raven King as soon as I had a chance. I won't be posting my thoughts or a review anytime soon because a) I'm still processing it, and b) I'm worried that even my raw reaction might spoil the book for others in some way. But feel free to DM me if you've read it too and want to discuss!

Blog Posts in April

Waiting On Wednesday: Penguin Summer 2016 Catalog
Muggle Monday: Chamber of Secrets Illustrated Edition
Muggle Monday: Fantastic Beasts Teaser Trailer Released
Muggle Monday: Career of Evil (Cormoran Strike #3) Review - 5 Stars
Series Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi - 2.5 Stars
Series Review: The Raven Cycle (#1-3) by Maggie Stiefvater - 5 Stars
March Recap: Little House, Raven Cycle, and Easter Weekend

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

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Published: May 27, 2014
Pages: 733
Source: Bought
Rating: 4 Stars

ΕRCHOMAI, SEBASTIAN HAD SAID.

I am coming.

Darkness returns to the Shadowhunter world. As their society falls apart around them, Clary, Jace, Simon and their friends must band together to fight the greatest evil the Nephilim have ever faced: Clary’s own brother. Nothing in the world can defeat him — must they journey to another world to find the chance? Lives will be lost, love sacrificed, and the whole world changed in the sixth and last installment of the Mortal Instruments series!

This review is spoiler-free

In short: City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare does not pack the punch that the original Mortal Instruments trilogy finale had, but was still a good read overall.

I have been a fan of The Mortal Instruments series since its release in 2007 (and prior to that I was a big fan of Cassandra Clare's Harry Potter fanfiction). I recall thinking the story and world in the first instalment, City of Bones, was pretty derivative (take one part Harry Potter, another part Buffy the Vampire Slayer, add a smidgeon of Star Wars, and there you have City of Bones), but I instantly fell in love with the characters and the humour of the series and said features remain my favourite parts of Cassandra Clare's writing today.

I was perfectly happy with the ending of the original trilogy in City of Glass - it really was a fantastic finale - but when presented with an opportunity to read more from these beloved characters in the form of a new trilogy, a continuation of the series, I was keen. I loved the series, why wouldn't I be excited for more? Well, my attitude changed at some point when I realized that this second trilogy wasn't living up to my love for the original trilogy. I can be picky about series finales; a good series finale is one in which the final book raises the stakes, goes out with a BANG, and is the best instalment in the series. City of Glass gave me all that. So I needed City of Heavenly Fire to give me that and MORE.

And well, it came close. There was certainly action aplenty and of course there was the emotional pain and turmoil that Cassandra Clare is so well known for. I like how the story played out and where the characters ended up - in some cases in good positions and in some cases bad. It was a good finale, but the fact remains that the City of Heavenly Fire ending was just not as good as the original ending in City of Glass. I felt that certain issues were wrapped up too easily, some resolutions were resolved too conveniently. The final showdown seemed a bit abrupt, and thus anticlimactic. And as far as emotional feels, well, it came no where close to those of Clockwork Princess.

And as for these beloved characters of mine, what does it mean that my favourite scenes in City of Heavenly Fire were actually the ones involving characters from Clare's steampunk trilogy, The Infernal Devices, and the ones involving new characters from her upcoming new Shadowhunter trilogy, The Dark Artifices? Well, it indicates to me that as much as I love the Mortal Instruments gang, I am ready to move on. Their story has been played out and they deserve some rest now because Clare sure put them through a lot of crap over the years. It's time to say good-bye finally, and it's sad, but I'm ready for something new.

So while City of Heavenly Fire didn't pack as much of a punch as I needed from a finale for one of my oldest favourite series, it was still a good read overall. I definitely wouldn't say no to Mortal Instruments character cameos in Cassandra Clare's next Shadowhunter trilogy, but I'm satisfied with their ending in City of Heavenly Fire and I'm ready to move on. Bring on The Dark Artifices!

Previously, my reviews of City of Fallen Angels and City of Lost Souls.

Other Reviews:
Books in the Spotlight
Ex Libris
Nori's Closet

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

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Published: May 8, 2012
Pages: 535
Source: Bought
Rating: 3.5 Stars

What price is too high to pay, even for love? When Jace and Clary meet again, Clary is horrified to discover that the demon Lilith’s magic has bound her beloved Jace together with her evil brother Sebastian, and that Jace has become a servant of evil. The Clave is out to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. As Alec, Magnus, Simon, and Isabelle wheedle and bargain with Seelies, demons, and the merciless Iron Sisters to try to save Jace, Clary plays a dangerous game of her own. The price of losing is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost?

In short: Though I am no longer as enamoured with this series as I once was, Cassandra Clare does a good job of getting me amped up for the conclusion of The Mortal Instruments in City of Lost Souls.

It saddens me that this series that I once loved has become a bit of a chore to read. I really enjoyed the original Mortal Instruments Trilogy and I thought City of Glass was a great and epic finale. My thoughts upon the announcement of the expansion of the trilogy to a further three books were conflicted: I do love these characters that Cassandra Clare has created and I was excited to see more from them, but I was also satisfied with the original ending as it stood and wasn't convinced the plot could be dragged out further in any particularly interesting way.

Upon reading the first two books of The Mortal Instruments v2.0, City of Fallen Angels and City of Lost Souls, my thoughts remain similarly conflicted. I do still love spending time with these beloved characters, but it has taken me a while to become truly invested in this whole new story line. The beginning of City of Lost Souls dragged for me and I was worried that I wasn't ever going to find that gripping spark that The Mortal Instruments once had. Thankfully, the story does hit its stride eventually and ramps up to a thrilling final sequence, but I wish my excitement had been incited sooner.

I guess my main concern is that The Mortal Instruments v2.0 and specifically the final book, City of Heavenly Fire, will fail to live up to high standard set by the epic conclusion of the original trilogy. How disappointing would that be if the series ended with a less than stellar finale? It would be anticlimactic. That said, I do still have faith that Cassandra Clare will pull out all the stops for City of Heavenly Fire. She has yet to disappoint me with a finale and I liked the direction she went with the ending of City of Lost Souls, so I haven't lost hope on the series yet!

Previously, my review of City of Fallen Angels.

Other Reviews:
Avery's Book Nook
Burning Impossibly Bright
Mundie Moms

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

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: April 5, 2011

Pages: 424

Source: For Review from Simon and Schuster Canada (Thank you!)

Rating: 4.5 Stars

City of Fallen Angels takes place two months after the events of City of Glass. In it, a mysterious someone’s killing the Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine’s Circle and displaying their bodies around New York City in a manner designed to provoke hostility between Downworlders and Shadowhunters, leaving tensions running high in the city and disrupting Clary’s plan to lead as normal a life as she can — training to be a Shadowhunter, and pursuing her relationship with Jace. As Jace and Clary delve into the issue of the murdered Shadowhunters, they discover a mystery that has deeply personal consequences for them — consequences that may strengthen their relationship, or rip it apart forever. 
Meanwhile, internecine warfare among vampires is tearing the Downworld community apart, and only Simon — the Daylighter who everyone wants on their side — can decide the outcome; too bad he wants nothing to do with Downworld politics. Love, blood, betrayal and revenge: the stakes are higher than ever in City of Fallen Angels.

In short: In this latest installment to The Mortal Instruments Series, City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare features the return of our favourite characters but now with new troubles, consequences, and villains that are not to be missed!

I was so excited for this long awaited return to one of my favourite series! Oh, how I missed the intense action scenes, the witty dialogue, and above all, the characters. I have grown extremely fond of the characters in The Mortal Instruments Series over the years. As I mentioned in my Clockwork Angel review, Cassandra Clare excels at creating characters that all have unique personalities and all have their own side stories. There is not one character who falls flat in this series and I honestly care about all of them and their futures. Simon lovers, like me, will especially enjoy this latest installment as he receives a major emphasis in the story this time around.

The beginning of City of Fallen Angels was a little slow for me and I had a bit of trouble returning to the world. But once I did, it was like I had never left these characters whom I adore so much. It was such a relief to feel this way because I had initially had my doubts about the continuation of a series that started off as only a trilogy. Could Clare create a new and unique plot and new trials and tribulations for our favourite characters, and not have it seem manufactured and forced? Turns out that yes, she most certainly can!

Speaking of new trials and tribulations for our favourite characters, boy, did Clare ever provide us with some doozies! I felt so bad for some of the things the characters have to go through. Poor Simon, hasn't he been through enough change in his life to deal with? Poor Jace and Clary, will they ever get to have their happy ever after? Well, not if Clare has anything to say about it. She has proven time and time again that she is evil and has no problems with playing with her readers' emotions. And no where is this more evident than in the jaw dropping cliffhanger that she leaves us with! Argh!

Overall, City of Fallen Angels is an amazing addition to an amazing series. It was so cool to read this book and then return to my list of Top 10 Questions to be Resolved in TMI Cycle 2. Clare whet my appetite by answering a handful of my questions while still leaving a few of them to be resolved in either City of Lost Souls (to be released in 2012) or City of Heavenly Fire (to be released in 2013). I simply cannot wait!

Other Reviews:
Avery's Book Nook
Poetry to Prose
Supernatural Snark

Stalk the author (not for serious):
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Blog
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Fansite - MortalInstruments.net
Fansite - Mundie Moms

*Read as part of the YA Series Challenge

Top 10 Questions to be Resolved in TMI Cycle 2

Can you believe that the release of City of Fallen Angels is only a month away? The fourth book in The Mortal Instruments Series is set to be released April 5th, 2011 (Right in the middle of finals craziness. Curses!). There's already been tons of excitement leading up to its release, including the release of the full first chapter, the announcement of Ed Westwick and Molly Quinn reading the audiobook, and the soon to be released book trailer!

I thought it would be a good idea to post what I think are the top ten unanswered questions from The Mortal Instruments Series that I hope to be resolved, if not in City of Fallen Angels, then at least sometime before TMI Cycle 2 is over. Cassandra Clare left a few things unresolved from TMI Cycle 1 and I'm DYING to find out the answers!

WARNING: Under no circumstances should you read the following if you have not read the first three books in The Mortal Instruments Series. Spoilers Ahoy!

1. What was Magnus talking to Tessa (from The Infernal Devices Series) about at the end of City of Glass?

From the epilogue of City of Glass:
"Magnus stood in the shadow of a tree, talking to a girl in a white dress with a cloud of pale brown hair. She turned as Magnus looked toward them, and Clary locked eyes with her for a moment across the distance that separated them. There was something familiar about her, though Clary couldn't have said what it was."

2. Why does Tessa look familiar to Clary?

Has Clary met Tessa before? For what other reason could she find Tessa familiar?

3. What did the Seelie Queen mean when she told Clary that her mother's accounts of her past may not be completely true?

Is there something Jocelyn has still yet to tell Clary from her past or was the Seelie Queen just trying to trick Clary? The Seelie Queen cannot lie but she can mislead.

4. What is the repercussion of Simon's curse, the Mark of Cain?

Clary marks Simon with the Mark of Cain, a powerful protection spell. This supposedly makes Simon invulnerable to anyone who tries to harm him. As Raphael says, "Any harm done to him will rebound upon the doer sevenfold."

5. Who will Simon choose: Isabelle or Maia or neither?

I am not on any particular Team for this. Does anyone have a preference?

6. If Magnus is immortal and Alec isn't, then what kind of effect will this have on their relationship?

I love Alec and Magnus together possibly even more than Clary and Jace. I'm worried how this is going to be resolved although I understand that not everyone's story can have a happy ending.

7. Why did Madam Dorothea predict that Jace would fall in love with the "wrong person"?

Is Clary the "wrong person" or is someone else? Is Madam Dorothea's prophecy just BS?

8. What is the repercussion of Jace being brought back to life?

Cassie posted a CoFA cookie back in May of last year indicating that Jace may be in trouble with the Silent Brothers for upsetting the balance of life and death.

9. Is Sebastian/Jonathan really dead?

Jace supposedly kills Sebastian in City of Glass (he breaks his spine and penetrates his heart with a seraph blade) and yet his body is never recovered.

10. Who is going to be the "Big Bad" in TMI Cycle 2 now that Valentine is dead?

There will be a new villain in the Second Cycle and according to Cassie, it is someone we've already met in either TMI Cycle 1 or The Infernal Devices. I'm absolutely baffled. Does anyone have any ideas?

Thoughts, predictions, theories, anything I missed? 

Let me know in the comments!