Clockwork Princess

So true to my rant in my last post, I have finished reading the last book in the Infernal Devices; Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare.

I thought this book was amazing, and an immensely satisfying end to the series. Whatever words come out of my mouth (or keyboard) won't be enough to express how much I love this book. It just won't. So I'll sum up some more important points that I want to mention.

Since the Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices are somewhat related, all the pieces seem to fall into place after this book. A lot is explained, and I like that.

Okay, that was two sentences. But I've been dying to talk about the best thing of all. And I'll try to make it more interesting than above.

The love triangle: I am not totally fond of love triangles in YA books, because I hate how you have to choose between one or the other. It causes jealousy and anger. But this book proves that love triangles can truly be a 3-way relationship, all tangled up in complicated ways. The two boys, Will and Jem, and the main character, Tessa, aren't connected by jealousy or anger at all. They all care for each other, yet cause pain to each other because they can't satisfy all three of them. I'll explain each relationship in more detail:

Will and Jem: These two are parabatai, and have been best friends for years. Although they both love the same girl, they aren't aware of each other's feelings until later on. And they would never want to cause pain to each other, because of such a strong bond that has kept them together. Will owes Jem for his understanding personalities, and for being his anchor and guide in his journey to cope with the life he has to bear. Jem understands this, and is always the one to step aside and comfort Will. They cannot afford to lose each other, or else they will permanently lose a part of themselves. This is the relationship that makes this kind of love triangle possible; one that doesn't stem from jealousy or enemies.

(The next might be spoiler, but not much.)

Will and Tessa: Will loves Tessa. Yet he knows he can't show it, or else risk hurting and losing Jem for a reason that he can't bear. He doesn't want the guilt that his own selfishness had caused the person he hung on to as a reason to keep living, pain, and an end to Jem's happiness. That is why he is willing to bear the pain and step aside to let his parabatai be happy, while sacrificing his own happiness.

Tessa to both: Tessa loves both of them equally, which is essential. There isn't a single choice that will leave her happy, because of the knowledge that choosing one means hurting the other. It's so complex, yet so amazing.

Ugh, I'm done ranting, this is all I can do. I give it 10 out of 10. :D

Clockwork Princess: A Rant

Okay, so this isn't a review, but a rant by me, about a book that I cannot wait to be published next month. It's the Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare and is the last book of the trilogy, the Infernal Devices. It is one of my favorites, and I cannot wait. Not only is it a rich and fascinating take on the world Clare has created, it will solve the most epic love triangle ever, for no other love triangle has gotten me as riled up as this one. Without giving spoilers, there are two very very very very likable boys, who are best friends, and have been ever since they were twelve. You can't possibly not like one or the other; you just may favor one over the other for different reasons. They both like the same girl, who has a connection with both, but is unable to make a certain decision on who she loves. The thing is, every single character in the story is likable. Even the bad guys are likable, because their personality is interesting and how they interact with others gives a great deal of conflict, which keeps the story going. The character's relationships are all intertwined with one another, so tangled the web is that it becomes complicated, and the reader becomes more involved with their backstories and their actions. This is what makes a great story; not only the plot, but the great immense complications of the characters' relationships. This has been one of my favorite series ever, and that concludes my endless rant. :D

Cherub

Cherub by Robert Muchamore. It's about a 12-year old boy, James, and how he gets recruited into an organization for young spies called CHERUB. Though he's a troublemaker, he's also intelligent, which makes him perfect material for CHERUB. In this book, he gets recruited, goes through tough training, and gets sent on his first mission.

BEWARE. THIS MAY BE MY LONGEST REVIEW YET.

I had a lot of problems with this book. I loved the Alex Rider series. I loved the Gallagher Series. I could barely get into the Genius series by Catherine Jinks before I had the urge to throw it at the wall. There are a ton of books I could compare Cherub to. To be brief, it wasn't all that bad. It was interesting enough that I got through it okay, but there were so many things that got on my nerves.

First off, are the characters. James, the main character, is 12-years old, yet he gets drunk, finds himself in police custody, and deals with an abusive stepfather. The actions he takes, it makes him seem like he's supposed to be older. His younger stepsister, Lauren, and how he talks about how he worries about her constantly, made it a complete shock to find that Lauren in 10-years old. Instead of being a responsible older brother, turns out he's only 2 years older than his sister. I had to keep reminding myself throughout the book that James was still only 12-years old, because he didn't act like it.

Next, is my understanding of what makes James spy potential. They call James a troublemaker, but intelligent. I couldn't find any evidence of why he might be intelligent. The way they measure, is by how quickly he can calculate sums in his head. Okay, he's a human calculator, so what? How is that useful? A characteristic of a spy should be cleverness, not intelligence. He seemed pretty stupid to me. He never used his head, and pretty much acted just like a 12-years old. Bravo.

Now onto the plot. A little less than half way through the book, James begins his basic training. Two-thirds of the book, and James finishes his training, and shortly goes on his first mission. Thus ends the book when his mission ends. I liked reading about James harsh training the most. It's about survival, and being pushed to your limits. They have to endure 3 months of nearly no sleep and endless training for 100 days straight. If you get an serious injury, or quit at anytime during the whole time, you are forced to start over from day 1 when the next training course begins. This was my favorite part because these recruits actually start to use their brains and resources in order to survive. It was interesting to read. I loved this part.

The mission, well I couldn't get into it. James acts like a whiny 12-year old, and thinks about who are the good guys and who are the bad guys. It ends the book talking all about moral and common sense, and good and evil. Basic theme for younger readers. Which may be why James is portrayed at a younger age. Which is why it annoyed me so much. Many books have that same theme, but it isn't as direct and obvious as in this book.

Many books have ingenious plot ideas, yet seriously lack in characterization. This book lacked in both areas. A spy school, may be a very interesting idea to write about, but it isn't original. The characters seemed so fake and artificial. This book didn't make much of an impression on me.

My Rating: 6 out of 10 stars

The Fault in Our Stars

Okay, I know I haven't been posting lately. So I have a lot of books to review and catch up on.

Description: Hazel meets Augustus at Cancer Support Group and falls in love with him. Although her life has never been normal again after she has been diagnosed, she still finds a world where she can enjoy herself. But is cause her to re-examine life and death and the legacies everyone leaves behind. (Very brief, I know.)

The Fault in Our Stars was the first book I read by John Green, and what struck me most was the unique style he wrote in. Even in such a sad story and such a serious topic, he still manages to bring humor into it that makes the story more light-hearted. The interesting characters, the sarcastic jokes, left me smiling the whole way. Though I admit that the plot didn't seem very promising, John Green is an author that writes well and causes his readers to think deeper into the heart of the story, to have mixed feelings, and to relate to the characters he presents. I really enjoyed this book.

My Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

City of Lost Souls

Okay! So the City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare is the fifth book in the Mortal  Instruments series. Which also means that if you haven't read the first four books, this review will have a ton of spoilers. (Hint, hint.) Ah, so now that everyone who didn't want the book to be spoiled for them has left, onto the review.

Recap: Basically, Jace is now "part" of Sebastian. Stab one, and you'll also have stabbed the other. Wonderful, considering that Sebastian has the whole Clave on his trail, his murder high on their priorities. Jace is just another Shadowhunter, so who cares if he dies in the process? Well, Clary, Isabelle, Alec, Simon, and Magnus are all naturally worried. And the rest of the gang.

So they have to track Jace and Sebastian down, and find a way to kill Sebastian without killing Jace, and they also have other things going on, and yeah. I feel like I'm doing a terrible job at this review. Okay... moving on.

This book was good. I enjoyed it, as I enjoy all of Cassandra Clare's books. They are just so well-written, and in such a fascinating world. However, somethings were just getting old after, what, five books? The romance thing was a bit annoying. There are 4 or 5 couples among the main characters, not counting the side characters. Plus, the epilogue at the end hinted at yet another problem for the next book. Not that cliffhangers and suspense isn't what I usually crave, but it's just too much!

Some people say that the author should've just finished the series after book 3, but I don't agree. I think it's still interesting to see the aftermath, and explore more of the various problems that pop up. I love this series. Yes, there are some things that annoy me greatly, but those are minor concerns. I love how it also ties in to the Immortal Instruments series, and can't wait to read the last books of both series. Same as always, great book.

My Rating: 8 out of 10 stars