Review: A Midsummer Night #nofilter (OMG Shakespeare) by William Shakespeare & Brett Wright

Title: A Midsummer Night #nofilter

Series: OMG Shakespeare

Genre: YA, fantasy, retelling

Authors: William Shakespeare & Brett Wright

Publication date: January 2016

Published by: Random House Books for Young Readers

Source: Purchased hardcover

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Synopsis: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, one of the greatest stories ever told... in texts?!

What if the fairies and star-crossed lovers of the forest had smartphones? A classic is reborn in this fun and funny adaptation of one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays!

Four lovers who can’t decide who they have a crush on.
One mischievous fairy with a love potion.
Total chaos in the fairy world, the human world, and everywhere in between!

♥️ and h8. The classics just got a whole lot more interesting. ;)

tl;dr A Shakespeare play told through its characters texting with emojis, posting photos, checking in at locations, and updating their relationship statuses. The perfect gift for hip theater lovers and teens.

A glossary and cast of characters are included for those who need it. For tl;dr means too long; didn’t read.

My rating: ★★★☆☆

I’m not gonna lie, Shakespeare is not for me. And while I’m curious about his work, I’m not curious enough to read the OG material 😆 I did listen to a podcast though... And read this book. Lol.

Review: Chain of Thorns (The Last Hours #3) by Cassandra Clare

Title: Chain of Thorns

Series: The Last Hours #3

Previous books in this series: Chain of Gold (#1) | Chain of Iron (#2)

Prequel short stories: The Penultimate Hours

Other series in the Shadowhunter Chronicles: The Infernal Devices | The Mortal Instruments | The Dark Artifices

Author: Cassandra Clare

Genre: YA, urban fantasy, historical

Publication date: January 31st 2023

Published by: Margaret K. McElderry

Source: Purchased hardcover

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Synopsis: James and Cordelia must save London—and their marriage—in this conclusion to the Last Hours series from author Cassandra Clare.

Cordelia Carstairs has lost everything that matters to her. In only a few short weeks, she has seen her father murdered, her plans to become parabatai with her best friend, Lucie, destroyed, and her marriage to James Herondale crumble before her eyes. Even worse, she is now bound to an ancient demon, Lilith, stripping her of her power as a Shadowhunter.

After fleeing to Paris with Matthew Fairchild, Cordelia hopes to forget her sorrows in the city’s glittering nightlife. But reality intrudes when shocking news comes from home: Tatiana Blackthorn has escaped the Adamant Citadel, and London is under new threat by the Prince of Hell, Belial.

Cordelia returns to a London riven by chaos and dissent. The long-kept secret that Belial is James and Lucie’s grandfather has been revealed by an unexpected enemy, and the Herondales find themselves under suspicion of dealings with demons. Cordelia longs to protect James but is torn between a love for James she has long believed hopeless, and the possibility of a new life with Matthew. Nor can her friends help—ripped apart by their own secrets, they seem destined to face what is coming alone.

For time is short, and Belial’s plan is about to crash into the Shadowhunters of London like a deadly wave, one that will separate Cordelia, Lucie, and the Merry Thieves from help of any kind. Left alone in a shadowy London, they must face Belial’s deadly army. If Cordelia and her friends are going to save their city—and their families—they will have to muster their courage, swallow their pride, and trust one another again. For if they fail, they may lose everything—even their souls.

My rating: ★★★★★

We all carry a light inside ourselves. It burns with the flame of our souls. But there are other people in our lives who add their own flames to ours, creating a brighter conflagration.

Review: We Jace you a Clary Xmas by Cassandra Clare

Title: We Jace you a Clary Xmas

Series: The Mortal Instruments | The Dark Artifices

Author: Cassandra Clare

Publication date: December 2020

Published by: Cassandra Clare

Genre: YA, urban fantasy

Source: Newsletter freebie

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Synopsis: "A Holiday Compendium of Clace Extras"

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Awake
Jace's first meeting with Clary in City of Bones, from Isabelle's point of view

2. When Midnight Comes
Jace's view of his first kiss with Clary

3. Because It Is Bitter
The scene that takes place during pages 170-174 of City of Ashes, in the chapter ​The Seelie Court​, here from Jace’s point of view. Boy, is Jace bitter here.

4. Jace POV Manor Scene
Over the years, many people have asked for this — Jace’s point of view of the “hot and heavy” scene in THIS GUILTY BLOOD, Chapter Nine of City of Glass. I’ve taken a few liberties here — the scene goes on a few moments past what happens in the printed version of CoG — but then so did the original draft!

5. The Act of Falling
Jace’s perspective on the alleyway kiss in City of Fallen Angels

6. Our Waking Souls
Jace and Clary connect during a trip to Faerie, takes place during Lord of Shadows

7. A Long Conversation
Jace and Clary marriage proposal, take one.

8. A Love That Never Tires
Jace and Clary marriage proposal, take two.

My rating: ★★★★★

A collection of short stories just about Clary and Jace? Yes please!

Review: Queen of Air and Darkness (The Dark Artifices #3) by Cassandra Clare

Title: Queen of Air and Darkness

Series: The Dark Artifices #3

Previous books in this series: Lady Midnight (#1) | Lord of Shadows (#2)

Other series in the Shadowhunter Chronicles: The Infernal Devices | The Mortal Instruments

Author: Cassandra Clare

Genre: YA, urban fantasy

Publication date: December 2018

Published by: Margaret K. McElderry

Source: Purchased hardcover

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Synopsis: What if damnation is the price of true love?

Innocent blood has been spilled on the steps of the Council Hall, the sacred stronghold of the Shadowhunters. In the wake of the tragic death of Livia Blackthorn, the Clave teeters on the brink of civil war. One fragment of the Blackthorn family flees to Los Angeles, seeking to discover the source of the disease that is destroying the race of warlocks.

Meanwhile, Julian and Emma take desperate measures to put their forbidden love aside and undertake a perilous mission to Faerie to retrieve the Black Volume of the Dead. What they find in the Courts is a secret that may tear the Shadow World asunder and open a dark path into a future they could never have imagined.

Caught in a race against time, Emma and Julian must save the world of Shadowhunters before the deadly power of the parabatai curse destroys them and everyone they love.

My rating: ★★★★★

This book was a rollercoaster ride. If I had to pick one gif to describe my experience reading this book, it would definitely be this one:

Review: Lord of Shadows (The Dark Artifices #2) by Cassandra Clare

Title: Lord of Shadows

Series: The Dark Artifices #2

Previous books in this series: Lady Midnight (#1)

Other series in the Shadowhunter Chronicles: The Infernal Devices | The Mortal Instruments

Author: Cassandra Clare

Genre: YA, urban fantasy

Publication date: May 2017

Published by: Margaret K. McElderry

Source: Purchased hardcover

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Synopsis: Would you trade your soul mate for your soul?

A Shadowhunter’s life is bound by duty. Constrained by honor. The word of a Shadowhunter is a solemn pledge, and no vow is more sacred than the vow that binds parabatai, warrior partners—sworn to fight together, die together, but never to fall in love.

Emma Carstairs has learned that the love she shares with her parabatai, Julian Blackthorn, isn’t just forbidden—it could destroy them both. She knows she should run from Julian. But how can she when the Blackthorns are threatened by enemies on all sides?

Their only hope is the Black Volume of the Dead, a spell book of terrible power. Everyone wants it. Only the Blackthorns can find it. Spurred on by a dark bargain with the Seelie Queen, Emma; her best friend, Cristina; and Mark and Julian Blackthorn journey into the Courts of Faerie, where glittering revels hide bloody danger and no promise can be trusted. Meanwhile, rising tension between Shadowhunters and Downworlders has produced the Cohort, an extremist group of Shadowhunters dedicated to registering Downworlders and “unsuitable” Nephilim. They’ll do anything in their power to expose Julian’s secrets and take the Los Angeles Institute for their own.

When Downworlders turn against the Clave, a new threat rises in the form of the Lord of Shadows—the Unseelie King, who sends his greatest warriors to slaughter those with Blackthorn blood and seize the Black Volume. As dangers close in, Julian devises a risky scheme that depends on the cooperation of an unpredictable enemy. But success may come with a price he and Emma cannot even imagine, one that will bring with it a reckoning of blood that could have repercussions for everyone and everything they hold dear.

My rating: ★★★★★

Let me just say that the fact that this book started off with a Jace cameo made me extremely happy 🥰

Review: Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices #1) by Cassandra Clare

Title: Lady Midnight

Series: The Dark Artifices #1)

Other series in the Shadowhunter Chronicles: The Infernal Devices | The Mortal Instruments

Author: Cassandra Clare

Genre: YA, urban fantasy

Publication date: March 2016

Published by: Margaret K. McElderry

Source: Purchased hardcover

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Synopsis: The Shadowhunters of Los Angeles star in the first novel in Cassandra Clare’s newest series, The Dark Artifices, a sequel to the internationally bestselling Mortal Instruments series.

It’s been five years since the events of City of Heavenly Fire that brought the Shadowhunters to the brink of oblivion. Emma Carstairs is no longer a child in mourning, but a young woman bent on discovering what killed her parents and avenging her losses.

Together with her parabatai Julian Blackthorn, Emma must learn to trust her head and her heart as she investigates a demonic plot that stretches across Los Angeles, from the Sunset Strip to the enchanted sea that pounds the beaches of Santa Monica. If only her heart didn’t lead her in treacherous directions…

Making things even more complicated, Julian’s brother Mark—who was captured by the faeries five years ago—has been returned as a bargaining chip. The faeries are desperate to find out who is murdering their kind—and they need the Shadowhunters’ help to do it. But time works differently in faerie, so Mark has barely aged and doesn’t recognize his family. Can he ever truly return to them? Will the faeries really allow it?

My rating: ★★★★★

Lady Midnight takes place 5 years after the end of The Mortal Instruments, and about 3 years after the end of Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy. In this series we follow the new characters we met in those last two books of TMI, the Blackthorn kids and Emma Carstairs, who is a distant relative of Jem! There are some sketchy murders going on in LA. that Emma thinks might be connected to the murder of her parents, who were killed all those years ago during Sebastian's attack on the institutes.

Review: Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy by Cassandra Clare

Title: Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy

Stories in this collection: Welcome to Shadowhunter Academy (#1) | The Lost Herondale (#2) | The Whitechapel Fiend (#3) | Nothing but Shadows (#4) | The Evil We Love (#5) | Pale Kings and Princes (#6) | Bitter of Tongue (#7) | The Fiery Trial (#8) | Born to Endless Night (#9) | Angels Twice Descending (#10)

Previous series: The Mortal Instruments

Authors: Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, Maureen Johnson, Robin Wasserman

Genre: YA, urban fantasy

Publication date: November 2016

Published by: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Source: Own hardcover

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Synopsis: Simon Lewis has been a human and a vampire, and now he is becoming a Shadowhunter. But the events of City of Heavenly Fire left him stripped of his memories, and Simon isn’t sure who he is anymore. He knows he was friends with Clary, and that he convinced the total goddess Isabelle Lightwood to go out with him…but he doesn’t know how. And when Clary and Isabelle look at him, expecting him to be a man he doesn’t remember…Simon can’t take it.

So when the Shadowhunter Academy reopens, Simon throws himself into this new world of demon-hunting, determined to find himself again. His new self. Whomever this new Simon might be.

But the Academy is a Shadowhunter institution, which means it has some problems. Like the fact that non-Shadowhunter students have to live in the basement. And that differences—like being a former vampire—are greatly looked down upon. At least Simon is trained in weaponry—even if it’s only from hours of playing D&D.

Join Simon on his journey to become a Shadowhunter, and learn about the Academy’s illustrious history along the way, through guest lecturers such as Jace Herondale, Tessa Gray, and Magnus Bane. These ten short stories give an epilogue to The Mortal Instruments series and provide glimpses of what’s in store in The Dark Artifices.

My rating: ★★★★★

When I first got this book I had still only read the first 3 books in The Mortal Instruments and probably The Infernal Devices, so I was not the biggest fan of Simon. But then I finally read the remaining of TMI and I fell in love with the guy! The way he sacrificed himself City of Heavenly Fire and lost his memory to save everyone from the demon realm... he’s such a stand up guy. How could I dislike someone like that? It made me so sad that this happened to him, but I am so happy we got more of his story here! It was such a great journey and I loved following him through his 2 years at the academy!

Review: Bitter of Tongue (Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy #7) by Cassandra Clare & Sarah Rees Brennan

Title: Bitter of Tongue

Series: Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy #7

Previous novellas in this series: Welcome to Shadowhunter Academy (#1) | The Lost Herondale (#2) | The Whitechapel Fiend (#3) | Nothing but Shadows (#4) | The Evil We Love (#5) | Pale Kings and Princes (#6)

Previous series: The Mortal Instruments

Author: Cassandra Clare & Sarah Rees Brennan

Genre: YA, urban fantasy

Publication date: August 2015

Published by: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Source: Own hardcover

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Synopsis: After Simon is kidnapped by faeries (why is he always kidnapped?), he uncovers rumors of a secret weapon Sebastian left behind for the faerie queen. He must escape the Fey, relying on his only ally, former Shadowhunter and Dark Artifices character Mark Blackthorn.

My rating: ★★★★☆

In this story, some students from Shadowhunter Academy go on a mission, a mission where Simon runs into freaking Mark Blackthorn! It was so sad! 😭 I hate that the Shadowhunters didn’t do anything to save him in City of Heavenly Fire. After the mission they then go to Helen’s wedding. Which, again, was sad because Mark wasn’t there and Helen is still in exile. And then seeing poor Juilan taking care of all of his siblings... it really pulled at the heartstrings 😭

Review: Pale Kings and Princes (Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy #6) by Cassandra Clare & Robin Wasserman

Title: Pale Kings and Princes

Series: Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy #6

Previous novellas in this series: Welcome to Shadowhunter Academy (#1) | The Lost Herondale (#2) | The Whitechapel Fiend (#3) | Nothing but Shadows (#4) | The Evil We Love (#5)

Previous series: The Mortal Instruments

Author: Cassandra Clare & Robin Wasserman

Genre: YA, urban fantasy

Published by: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Source: Own hardcover

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Synopsis: Simon has an encounter with Downworlders and is reprimanded for not following the rules for Academy students interacting with Downworlders. A story within a story: Andrew Blackthorn, while a student at the Academy, becomes enthralled by a faerie and has two children with her: Mark and Helen.

My rating: ★★★★☆

Our guest in this story is Helen Blackthorn! It was a nice surprise, but it was also awful because she’s still in exile 😫 I absolutely hate how they’re treating Helen! I’m glad she at least has Aline though, and they’re getting freaking married! 😆

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

Title: City of Heavenly Fire

Series: The Mortal Instruments #6

Previous books in this series: City of Bones (#1) | City of Ashes (#2) | City of Glass (#3) | City of Fallen Angels (#4) | City of Lost Souls (#5)

Author: Cassandra Clare

Genre: YA, urban fantasy

Publication date: May 2014

Published by: Margaret K. McElderry

Source: Purchased hardcover

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Synopsis: In this dazzling and long-awaited conclusion to the acclaimed Mortal Instruments series, Clary and her friends fight the greatest evil they have ever faced: Clary's own brother.

Sebastian Morgenstern is on the move, systematically turning Shadowhunter against Shadowhunter. Bearing the Infernal Cup, he transforms Shadowhunters into creatures out of nightmare, tearing apart families and lovers as the ranks of his Endarkened army swell.

The embattled Shadowhunters withdraw to Idris - but not even the famed demon towers of Alicante can keep Sebastian at bay. And with the Nephilim trapped in Idris, who will guard the world against demons?

When one of the greatest betrayals the Nephilim have ever known is revealed, Clary, Jace, Isabelle, Simon, and Alec must flee - even if their journey takes them deep into the demon realms, where no Shadowhunter has set foot before, and from which no human being has ever returned...

Love will be sacrificed and lives lost in the terrible battle for the fate of the word in the thrilling final installment of the classic urban fantasy series The Mortal Instruments!

My rating: ★★★★★

“Heroes aren't always the ones who win,” [Clary] said. “They’re the ones who lose sometimes. But they keep fighting, they keep coming back. They don't give up. That's what makes them heroes.”

Here we are—the end. I was not ready, but I did it. And I loved it! As I knew I would, but I just didn’t want it to end 😩

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

Title: City of Lost Souls

Series: The Mortal Instruments #5

Previous books in this series: City of Bones (#1) | City of Ashes (#2) | City of Glass (#3) | City of Fallen Angels (#4)

Author: Cassandra Clare

Genre: YA, urban fantasy

Publication date: May 2012

Published by: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Source: Purchased hardcover

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Synopsis: The New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments continues—and so do the thrills and danger for Jace, Clary, and Simon.

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?

Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge. Darkness threatens to claim the Shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series.

My rating: ★★★★★

But there was something about the coldness at the back of this Jace’s eyes that shook her, something far off and unreachable that made it harder than ever to push away the question always at the back of her mind: Is any of the real Jace still in there? Is there anything left to save?

Soo, Jace is gone and is being influenced by Sebastian and I am not okay 😭

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

Title: City of Fallen Angels

Series: The Mortal Instruments #4

Previous books in this series: City of Bones (#1) | City of Ashes (#2) | City of Glass (#3)

Author: Cassandra Clare

Genre: YA, urban fantasy

Publication date: April 2011

Published by: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Source: Purchased Hardcover

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Synopsis: The Mortal War is over, and sixteen-year-old Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. She’s training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Her mother is getting married to the love of her life. Downworlders and Shadowhunters are at peace at last. And—most importantly of all—she can finally call Jace her boyfriend.

But nothing comes without a price.

Someone is murdering Shadowhunters, provoking tensions between Downworlders and Shadowhunters that could lead to a second, bloody war. Clary’s best friend, Simon, can’t help her—his mother just found out that he’s a vampire, and now he’s homeless. When Jace begins to pull away from her without explaining why, Clary is forced to delve into the heart of a mystery whose solution reveals her worst nightmare: she herself has set in motion a terrible chain of events that could lead to her losing everything she loves. Even Jace.

My rating: ★★★★★

City of Glass had such a great ending, it wrapped things up really well, so for the longest time I was super nervous to read this one. And oh my god, it turns out I had every reason to be nervous because

Review: The Shadowhunter's Codex by Cassandra Clare and Joshua Lewis

Title: The Shadowhunter's Codex

Series: The Shadowhunter Chronicles

Authors: Cassandra Clare and Joshua Lewis

Genre: YA, urban fantasy

Publication date: October 2013

Published by: Margaret K. McElderry

Source: Purchased hardcover

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Synopsis:

Delve into the details of all things Shadowhunter with this illustrated guide to the knowledge and lore of the Shadowhunter world.

Since the thirteenth century, the Shadowhunter’s Codex has been the one and only manual for Shadowhunters looking to brush up on their demon languages, learn proper stele use, and discover just what exactly a pyxis is. Featured in both The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices, this guide is a necessity for any young Nephilim on their journey to becoming a Shadowhunter. Beautifully illustrated, the Codex contains images of the famous Shadowhunter homeland of Idris, as well as depictions of demons and other Downworlders.

But this isn’t just any copy of The Shadowhunter’s Codex. It’s Clary’s copy, and as an artist herself, she’s sketched pictures of her friends and family in the book, and scrawled helpful advice in the margins. Of course, she couldn’t exactly stop Jace or Simon from adding their thoughts either. Part encyclopedia, part history, part training manual—complete with commentary from Shadowhunters who have seen it all—this beautiful guide is a perfect supplement to the #1 New York Times bestselling series.

My rating: ★★★★★
The Shadowhunter’s Codex basically has all the information you need to know about Shadow World and being a Shadowhunter. It was very informative but it was also fun thanks to all the little notes left by Simon, Clary and Jace. The book also has some really beautiful images on the inside, and even the hardback itself is gorgeous! (You can click on the images to make them larger.)

Review: City of Glass (The Mortal Instruments #3) by Cassandra Clare

Title: City of Glass

Series: The Mortal Instruments #3

Previous books in this series: City of Bones (#1) | City of Ashes (#2)

Author: Cassandra Clare

Genre: YA, urban fantasy

Publication date: March 2009

Published by: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Source: Own hardcover

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Synopsis:

To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters - never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.

As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadowhunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadowhunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City - whatever the cost?

My rating: ★★★★★
City of Glass takes place mostly in Idris, the Shadowhunters very own country, which I actually really liked because it was a really cool setting. The Shadowhunters go there for some Clave meeting, but Clary heads over there to save Jocelyn’s life. At the end of City of Ashes Clary was given a possible way she may be able to wake up her mother. But boy do things go down once they get there!

Review: UnEnchanted (An Unfortunate Fairy Tale #1) by Chanda Hahn

Title: UnEnchanted

Series: An Unfortunate Fairy Tale #1

Author: Chanda Hahn

Genre: YA, urban fantasy, fairy tale retelling

Publication date: December 2011

Published by: Chanda Hahn

Source: Amazon freebie

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Synopsis:

Mina Grime is unlucky, unpopular and uncoordinated; until she saves her crush's life on a field trip, changing her High School status from loser to hero overnight. But with her new found fame brings misfortune in the form of an old family curse come to light. For Mina is descended from the Brothers Grimm and has inherited all of their unfinished fairy tale business. Which includes trying to outwit a powerful Story from making her it's next fairytale victim.

To break the fairy tale curse on her family and make these deadly occurrences stop, Mina must finish the tales until the very Grimm end.

My rating: ★★★☆☆
I was very excited to read this book because I love fairy tale retellings and the premise of UnEnchanted sounded amazing! Basically there is a Grimm curse that kills the descendants of the Grimm brothers... unless they can break it by living through the fairy tales. It’s such a cool concept! However, the execution was not so great 😬

Review: City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments #2) by Cassandra Clare

Title: City of Ashes

Series: The Mortal Instruments #2

Previous book in this series: City of Bones

Author: Cassandra Clare

Genre: YA, urban fantasy

Publication date: March 2008

Published by: Margaret K. McElderry

Source: Own hardcover

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Synopsis:

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? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go — especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil — and also her father.

To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings — and if he is, what is he trying to do? 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?

My rating: ★★★★★
I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: I love this series! The Mortal Instruments is one of my all time favorite series and I’ve honestly lost count how many times I’ve re-read the first three books in the series. Lol.

Review: City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra Clare

Title: City of Bones

Series: The Mortal Instruments #1

Author: Cassandra Clare

Genre: YA, urban fantasy

Publication date: March 2007

Published by: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Source: Purchased OG hardcover & 10th anniversary edition

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Synopsis:

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder― much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing―not even a smear of blood―to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know...

My rating: ★★★★★
This book, man, where do I even begin. I’ve read this book SO many times, and on my recent re-read I thought, well, it’s time for a review. Lol.

Review: Endlessly (Paranormalcy #3) by Kiersten White

Title: Endlessly

Series: Paranormalcy #3

Previous books in this series: Paranormalcy (#1) | Supernaturally (#2)

Author: Kiersten White

Genre: YA, paranormal

Publication date: July 2012

Published by: HarperTeen

Source: Library book

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Synopsis:

In Endlessly, pink-loving, butt-kicking Evie has way too much on her to-do list. Paranormals are begging her to open a faerie gate so they can leave the human world, something Evie’s not sure she has the power to do. The Dark Queen is torturing humans and must be destroyed.

On top of all that, Evie’s prom is coming up. She’s not sure what to wear, and, oh, yeah, her shape-shifting boyfriend, Lend, has been cursed so that he falls into an enchanted sleep whenever he and Evie are in the same room…and even Evie’s ex-boyfriend, the faerie Reth, can’t reverse the dark magic.

An epic battle is looming, and the choices Evie makes will determine the fate of whole paranormal world—and her own life.

My rating: ★★★★☆
And we have come to the conclusion of the series. A series I started 7 years ago and have only finished it just now. Heh. Hehe...

Review: Supernaturally (Paranormalcy #2) by Kiersten White

Title: Supernaturally

Series: Paranormalcy #2

Previous book in this series: Paranormalcy

Author: Kiersten White

Genre: YA, paranormal

Publication date: July 2011

Published by: HarperTeen

Source: Library book

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Synopsis:

Evie finally has the normal life she’s always longed for. But she’s shocked to discover that being ordinary can be...kind of boring. Just when Evie starts to long for her days at the International Paranormal Containment Agency, she’s given a chance to work for them again. Desperate for a break from all the normalcy, she agrees.

But as one disastrous mission leads to another, Evie starts to wonder if she made the right choice. And when Evie’s faerie ex-boyfriend Reth appears with devastating revelations about her past, she discovers that there’s a battle brewing between the faerie courts that could throw the whole supernatural world into chaos. The prize in question? Evie herself.

So much for normal.

My rating: ★★★★☆
Evie is trying to live a normal life with Lend. Going to high school, going on dates... just normal teenager stuff. But if you think Evie’s left IPCA behind for good, think again! She starts taking jobs on a case by case basis, with her own rules, but things just go wrong. So much for normal.

Review: Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices #2) by Cassandra Clare

Title: Clockwork Prince

Series: The Infernal Devices #2

Previous book in this series: Clockwork Angel

Author: Cassandra Clare

Genre: YA, urban fantasy, historical

Publication date: December 2011

Published by: Margaret K. McElderry

Source: Own Hardcover

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Synopsis:

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street—and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa’s powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister’s war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move—and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, but her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will—the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

My rating: ★★★★★

Tessa’s brother, Nate, had once promised her everything in London—a new beginning, a wonderful place to live, a city of soaring buildings and gorgeous parks. What Tessa had found instead was horror and betrayal, and danger beyond anything she could have imagined.

The Shadowhunters of London are still out looking for Mortmain and stop him from achieving his plan with the Internal Devices. However, what they have found is even more betrayal.

I love this series, but the love triangle just hurts my soul so much! You all know how much I despise love triangles, they are messy, and the one in this one..