Mark This Book Monday: A Curious Tale of the In-Between and The Copper Gauntlet!!

Hello there guys!

Welcome to what I've decided to call the Middle Grade edition of this week's Mark This Book Monday!

Today I have two of my BEA ARCs that I read for ARC August up for review and for are MG books, so both count towards my MG reads category on the 105 Challenge!

 

A Curious Tale of the In-Between by Lauren DeStefano

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I'm not the biggest middle grade reader ever, but I do enjoy some MG books now and then. After reading my BEA ARC of A Curious Tale of the In-Between I know I'll read any and all MG that Lauren DeStefano will write!

Pram is a lil girl that lives with her aunts at the home for the elderly that they run. She's always been special as she can see ghosts, but her aunts think that she's just peculiar and has imaginary friends, which is easier than to think she sees ghosts.

Once I started reading the book I wasn't sure what to expect because I had not re-read the summary since I added the book to my TBR GR list and my BEA list.

But I really enjoyed reading about Pram and how despite being peculiar and not wanting to be someone that she isn't she makes a friend when she goes to school, but she also tries to keep her friendship with ghostly Felix. Clarence and Pram help each other with their own issues that they feel adults can't or won't help.

I was quite intrigued when I saw where the book went with the ghosts storyline and how it was great in terms of world building but also character development, not just for Pram. Villains are not just black and white, even if their actions are despicable enough.

I really don't want to say much about that part, because it is heartbreaking and kept me quite on my toes and turning the pages fast, it's my fave part of the book and I think I enjoyed it as much as I did because I had no idea what to expect from it!

The ending of the book had enough closure to make it a story unto itself but it also left enough open for more of Pram and Clarence and Felix adventures and I cannot wait to read the sequel, which I hope it'll be equally as creepy, disquieting, heartwarming and endearing as this one! Well deserved 4 stars for this one!




The Copper Gauntlet by Holly Black

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I enjoyed reading the first Magisterium book last year, so when I had the chance to grab an ARC of The Copper Gauntlet at BEA this year I didn't hesitate!

As in The Iron Trial we find ourselves with characters and situations that might remind us of other stories at first sight, three friends, a magic school, a connection between the bad guy and one of our heroes... does it ring a bell? Well, this book did it again, and took things in the most unexpected and unfamiliar direction you could expect.

Callum finds himself in an even worse situation than he did in the first book, because he has a big secret to keep about himself, one that makes hum doubt his every choice, and not only that but he suspects his dad is no longer on his corner.

Aaron and Tamara continue to be his friends and partners in crime (and escaping from home and the Magisterium and fighting unexpected Elementals... you know, the usual!) but they find themselves facing a few issues about trust and priorities that end up with Cal and Tamara butting heads.

I was quite surprised about the final showdown and how it was resolved, but also glad for how the auhors once again went for the less expected course of action. I might have not connected with this book as much as I would have liked, but I really enjoyed it nonetheless and will be looking forward to the sequel. 3 to 3.5 stars.



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Mark This Book Monday: ARC Review of The Iron Trial by Cassandra Clare and Holly Black!

For second and final Mark This Book Monday I have another ARC review, but I was approved for this one on Netgalley by Random House UK (thank you!!) and it releases tomorrow in the US and on Thursday in UK!

As an ARC, I also count it towards my 2014 Review Pile Reading Challenge and I hope it'll help to move my ratio upwards on NG!

The Iron Trial by Holly Black

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


When I first requested this book I wasn't entirely sure I'd be approved for it, so thank you so very much Random House UK for the approval on Netgalley!

I was quite intrigued about this book cause it was co-written by Cassandra Clare and Holly Black and though I really like (some even love) Cassandra Clare books, I've never read anything by Holly black, so I was intrigued by the story and the writing style!

I read some reviews that said the similarities to Harry Potter turned them off the book, and I can understand how on the surface it can be similar, mainly because who can read anything about a school for magic and not think Hogwarts? But, even if I was reminded about Harry Potter on occasion, I felt that there were well enough differences to keep the book fresh as it is. I just don't advise reading it back to back after reading HP!

Callum is our main character and he has got magical powers and has always known that he would be tested to be taken to the Magisterium (school for magic) but he has been told repeatedly by his father that the mages are evil, that the Magisterium is the most dangerous place in the world and that he needs to flop the exam to avoid going there and remain home with him. Callum's dad is/was a mage, so he's either right about things or up to something and witholding information to boot.

But Callum gets in and we enter this quite interesting world of magic with an underground school, students "leveling up" with metal bracelets for each year, personalized lessons in very small groups (seems like 3 might be the usual number) with a mage that will be your teacher and mentor during your stay at the Magisterium. The way the authors described the Magisterium and the rules of this world was very visual and engaging and unique. The three students end up as fast friends after some trouble might have seemed a bit familiar, but trouble either unites people or tear them apart, so it's not unusual to appear in books.

The notion of the different kinds of magic and of the Enemy of Death as the bad guy they're fighting against was also one that although at first look might have seemed familiar it was quickly flipped on its feet and managed to surprise me. Actually the book took a few detours from the easily expected that were quite cool and very much welcome, so keep this in mind, even if it seems the book might go on typical and well trodden roads... it really won't!

So very much deserved 3.5 stars and I'm quite curious where the next book will go and I'm gonna be expecting the unexpected!



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Tell Me Tuesdays #9!!

Tell Me Tuesdays is a meme/feature created by the awesome ladies of Please Feed The Bookworm and La La In The Library where we can share how we choose the book we are currently reading from our TBR pile!

I'm always curious about that, cause as much as I tend to make myself a rough schedule for books to read and the like, I'm quite a mood reader and sometimes I just HAVE to ignore my schedule and read something else!

 The Iron Trial by Holly Black & Cassandra Clare

From NEW YORK TIMES bestselling authors Holly Black and Cassandra Clare comes a riveting new series that defies what you think you know about the world of magic.

From two bestselling superstars, a dazzling and magical middle-grade collaboration centering on the students of the Magisterium, an academy for those with a propensity toward magic. In this first book, a new student comes to the Magisterium against his will -- is it because he is destined to be a powerful magician, or is the truth more twisted than that? It's a journey that will thrill you, surprise you, and make you wonder about the clear-cut distinction usually made between good and evil.

 Linked by Imogen Howson

Elissa used to have it all: looks, popularity, and a bright future. But for the last three years, she’s been struggling with terrifying visions, phantom pains, and mysterious bruises that appear out of nowhere.

Finally, she’s promised a cure: minor surgery to burn out the overactive area of her brain. But on the eve of the procedure, she discovers the shocking truth behind her hallucinations: she’s been seeing the world through another girl’s eyes.

Elissa follows her visions, and finds a battered, broken girl on the run. A girl—Lin—who looks exactly like Elissa, down to the matching bruises. The twin sister she never knew existed.

Now, Elissa and Lin are on the run from a government who will stop at nothing to reclaim Lin and protect the dangerous secrets she could expose—secrets that would shake the very foundation of their world.

Riveting, thought-provoking and utterly compelling, Linked will make you question what it really means to be human.


Just last week I got approved for The Iron Trial on Netgalley (that you Random House!!) and after Lies We Tell Ourselves, I really needed something light, so a magic school and kids seems like the right choice. I also just started Linked cause it is my chosen Alyssa's Reads recommendation for August and I'm running out of month to read it!

So what are you all guys reading and how and why did you decide to pick up that book? Shiny new ARC? Comfort read? Scheduled for review? Must have new release? Tell me!!

Friday Reads: City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare!!!

Happy Friday everyone! Today's book for the Friday Reads entry is one of those highly awaited books and the final book of a series (I'm reading quite a few series enders this year I feel...) and I'm very happy to report it was NOT a disappointment and actually could be said the book that makes the series worth it!

It is part of my 2014 Book Blogger Summer Reading Program books and I thought I was doing quite well with the challenge, but I've realized I'm like 4 books behind now! Need to catch up soon!

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


City of Heavenly Fire is one of those books that simply make a whole series. I had quite liked the first three books, but then City of Fallen Angels and to some degree City of Lost Souls left me feeling a bit so-so. Jace was getting a bit too closed off and whiney and the relationship with Clary was getting a bit odd...

I will try to keep my review completely spoiler free for the book, but I don't think I'll be able to keep it spoiler free for the rest of the series.

But, when I started City of Heavenly Fire I knew that I was not going to be let down with this one at all, even if when I started reading first we got to read about Emma Carstairs but soon enough we see how important hers and Julian's POV will be for the book, and what a great introduction to the next series!

One of my favourite things of this book was how finally all the interactions were based more in communication and being truthful to each other than on missunderstandings. There are secrets and people that you cannot trust and alliances that you wouldn't expect, but not all that much of the "I'll be brooding here and even if it'd be cause for later trouble, I won't tell you about it" that irritated me a bit on previous books.

There are quite a few different POVs in the book and all of them are very much important to offer a complete view of the story. It's not just about Clary and Jace, but also about the rest of the Shadowhunters and the werewolves and the vampires... There's plenty of action, heartfelt moments, plot progression, laughs, quirky moments and moments that made me cry. I also loved how some of the storyline is relevant to The Infernal Devices trilogy, so ties to the prequel as well as the sequel series!

It's hard to talk much about this book without giving anything away unwittingly so I'll be keeping this review short. The ending was great, with some historical references that very wisely will make us think of what's to come, but for now we got a quite satisfactory ending, with plenty of sadness, happiness and a certain bittersweet feel to it! The comic at the end of the book? Amazing and made me cry so VERY MUCH!! *sigh*

Very well deserved 5 stars for this one, and Cassandra Clare has managed to snare me again and I'll be looking forward to read Emma's & Julian's story in Lady Midnight next!



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Waiting On Wednesday #39!!

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly feature hosted at Breaking The Spine  that spotlights those can't-wait-to-get-my-hands-on-them books that we are eagerly awaiting!

What book am I metaphorically-biting-my-nails-for this week? City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare!!

Goodreads Summary:

"ΕRCHOMAI, SEBASTIAN HAD SAID.

I am coming.

Darkness returns to the Shadowhunter world. In the 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 Dark 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 world in the thrilling final installment of the classic urban fantasy series The Mortal Instruments!"

Why am I eagerly awaiting City of Heavenly Fire? Well, I just NEED to know what's going to happen with Clary and Jace!! I need to know what the destiny of all the characters! Even if I'm quite scared to see who will survive, cause I fear the death toll will be high in this one...

What are you all (im)patiently awaiting this week?

Friday Reads: Mini Reviews: Fracture Me by Tahereh Mafi and The Last Stand of the New York Institute by Cassandra Clare!

Hello there! For this week's Friday Reads I'm gonna have another two mini reviews! Novellas are so much fun to read, and sometimes they can change your whole vision of a series!


Fracture Me by Tahereh Mafi

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


As usual, Tahereh Mafi shows us how amazing her writing is. This novella is Adam's POV of the ending of Unravel Me and it's a complete change of style from the rest of the series, Adam's voice so different from Juliette's!

The power of different POV's and how they come across from other character's POV's is very well shown here. We met Adam in Shatter Me and he ended up being Juliette's ally & friend and way more than that. And I was Team Adam if I had to choose from that triangle (which curiously enough is one of those triangles that are relevant and not so annoying). But then came Destroy Me, and I started to warm up to Warner much to my surprise, and then Unravel Me with its many twists and revelations and I find myself a bit more on Team Warner. I was hoping to see if Fracture Me would do for Adam the same thing that Destroy Me did for Warner, and maybe it did, but for me the reaction was quite the opposite.

Adam annoyed from the first page itself with his treatment of James, his kid brother. Yes, there's a lot of tension and stress but you don't treat your only family like that! And even though he redeems himself a bit on that front, it's clear through the pages of this novella that he just doesn't understand Juliette and despite his hoping for a HEA, he's be beyond frustrated with Juliette and her issues. He clearly can't begin to understand what Juliette issues really are, and with his protectiveness there's no way he'd help Juliette control and develop her powers.

This novella has done a wonderful job at bringing us into Adam's head, it might not have been what I would have hoped for, but you can't say that Mafi didn't do a fantastic job of giving him his own voice.

Well deserved 4 stars for this novella, and now I can't wait for Ignite Me even more than before!



The Last Stand of the New York Institute by Cassandra Clare

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I think the closer we get to the events of TMI the more I like these novellas, and this one I will have an even bigger amount of love because we get to spend some more time with Tessa, and I really love Tessa Gray!

We get to see the start of the Circle and Magnus facing some of Valentine's allies and Valentine himself. We also are introduced to the doubts in Lucian and how the seed of his doubt in Valentine's great purpose might have been planted. We meet quite a few Shadowhunters that we will hear about later on. And we also get to meet Clary and her mum, and not only that we discover the origin of the last name that Jocelyn and Clary are using when they live as mundanes.

Magnus has some really conflicting feeling about this new generation of Shadowhunters and even more for some of the families that he once knew, but despite everything he seems to be quite prone to niceness the older he gets and less likely to hold a grudge. I guess when you live centuries it might seem quite pointless.

A very short but entertaining read, quite enlightening adding some more perspective to the Circle and the Uprising. A 4 star read.



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Mark This Book Monday: Mini Reviews for Bitter Sweet Love and What to Buy The Shadowhunter Who Has Everything!

Hey guys! I'm starting the week with another edition of Mark This Book Monday's mini reviews for a pair of novellas.


What to Buy the Shadowhunter Who Has Everything by Cassandra Clare

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This installment in the Bane Chronicles has to be my favourite so far. Not only it is contemporary with TMI, but also gives us a glimpse of what's happening outside of Clary & Jace's perspective. Not only that, it also gets into the more personal side of Magnus, the one that show us his human part more than his flamboyant warlock side.

Magnus is hired to summon a demon on Alec's birthday, and while he waits for the client to return, he analizes his relationship with Alec, relives a few memories, makes a pair of calls for help and manages to find the perfect gift for Alec.

Getting to see their relationship from a first person POV made me care even more for these two's relationship, and I'm so hoping they'll survive the last TMI book! To use the proper phrase for this... I so ship these two!



Bitter Sweet Love by Jennifer L. Armentrout

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Bitter Sweet Love is our introduction to the new series by Jennifer L Armentrout about gargoyles, which made me quite excited since the books about gargoyles aren't really all that common!

This novella is our first introduction to the world of the Wardens, gargoyles that have a very patriarchal structure (that bothered me a bit) and their purpose is to fight demons to keep humanity safe.

All of that we find out through the story of Jasmine and Dez, two childhood inseparable friends that were going to be "mated" (get officially together according to Wardens' law) before Dez suddenly left and stayed away for 3 years. Then he returns and tries to win Jasmine back. We also get a peek at the main characters for White Hot Kiss, the first book proper on The Dark Elements series. I'm also hoping we'll get to see Jasmine and Dez again as the series progresses.

Bitter Sweet Love was a very much entertaining and sexy read, with the trademark swoons and humour I've come to expect from JLA, so I think this new series will be another I'll be following. A 3.5 to 4 stars read.



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Mark This Book Monday: Mini Reviews of No Place Like Oz and The Fall of the Hotel Dumort!

Hello everyone! This week's first Mark This Book Monday are No Place Like Oz by Danielle Paige & The Fall of the Hotel Dumort by Cassandra Clare and Maureen Johnson and are part of my November is for Novellas challenge!

These ones are my third & fourth novella read, so I only have one more to go to complete my challenge!


No Place Like Oz by Danielle  Paige

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


When I first heard about Dorothy Must Die I was quite excited, since I love alternative stories and I'm a huge fan of Wicked, so I thought that an alternative story where Dorothy returns to Oz and ends up being evil would be great, so I decided to dip my toe in the waters and read this novella first. At 196 pages is more than just a short story and it's the how our dear sweet Dorothy goes from wholesome to evil.

No Place Like Oz starts with Dorothy back in Kansas and not so happy to be back as she thought she'd be. She enjoyed the attention she got when she returned and now she finds settling back to her quite ordinary life in the Kansas' farm is near impossible. Everyone thinks all her stories are lies and she feels very much apart. But then on her 16th birthday she is taken back to Oz, with her aunt and uncle in tow this time!

The progression of the story was interesting but somehow the change was a little too subtle at first and then too clear. We meet with other well known characters and we're not entirely sure who the bad guys are or why a choice is better than others. I found some of the suggestions of what Oz does to those who come from outside quite intriguing and I'm still curious enough to read Dorothy Must Die, but I wasn't swept up by the story. I think it managed to show us how Dorothy might have turned bad, but I'm afraid it was done a bit too much in the fairy tale way and not with too much depth. Hopefully the Dorothy in the book will be a bit of a more formidable villain with depth!

An interesting enough read, but not gripping or mind blowing so it gets 3 stars.


The Fall of the Hotel Dumort by Cassandra Clare

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


The Fall of the Hotel Dumort is the next instance in the Bane Chronicles, and this one takes us even closer to the present date, since it takes place in the 70's.

Magnus returns to the US after a pair of years away and finds New York changed, with the vampires acting very violent & randomly. The Downworlders are worried about a possible intervention of the Shadowhunters that wouldn't be just against the vampires, but would put the Accords in danger.

This episode does help us understand a bit better the relationship between Camille and Magnus in TMI, and they each react to meeting again. It also gives us the reason as to why the hotel it's called Dumort now. Seems that the closer to present time we get, the better the stories that Magnus is involved in are weaved in the known human history.

An entertaining read that deserves 3.5 stars.



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Mark This Book Monday: Mini reviews for Saving Raphael Santiago and The Moth In The Mirror!

Hello everyone! This edition of Mark This Book Monday is a bit late, but my schedule and life is still adjusting after vacation and even more since I've barely had a day off since I came back!

Today's reviews are for two novellas I've read to try and make sure that at least one of my challenges for the month will be a success!

Two down, three to go!


Saving Raphael Santiago by Cassandra Clare

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The Bane Chronicles are always a fun read and a quick one, but some are more memorable than others.

This one it's one of the more memorable ones, it might be cause we encounter another character that we know from the Mortal Instruments series, and that I always found quite intriguing, or it might also be cause we see the kinder side of Magnus. Here he's his usual charming and outrageous self, but we see the side of him that doesn't mind getting in trouble to help others.

We get the backstory or even more aptly name, the beginning of the story of Raphael Santiago, the same Raphael we met on TMI and we do learn about how he was turned and we get a bit of a look at what makes him tick and we see how he started the road to being where he is when we met him on TMI.

All in all a very good read, probably one of my faves of the series, with a very good balance between humour, seriousness and background info! Well deserved 4 stars.



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The Moth in the Mirror by A.G. Howard

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This novella was quite awaited since it features both Jeb and Morpheus and is a different POV for some of the scenes from Splintered. Also it'll help us with the wait till Unhinged!

The Moth in the Mirror has both Morpheus and Jeb's POV. Though all the scenes from Splintered are from Jeb's POV we also get a bit of a look into Morpheus' head, which is quite interesting! We get a bit more info on what was going on that we didn't know before and we understand a bit better Morpheus' motivations.

It also managed to make me even more excited for Unhinged that I already was so big kudos to Anita Howard for that! A very well deserved 4 stars to this one!



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Mix It Up Monday: Cafe Bombom Cupcakes & The Infernal Devices Trilogy by Cassandra Clare!

Hello everyone!

Happy Monday! I'm sure some of you might not agree with me, but when you've worked the weekend, and you have Monday off, it is quite an awesome day! If you still don't think Monday is a day worth acknowledging, let me recommend you my friend Bianca's blog and her Motivation Mondays posts!

My own contribution to make Monday a better day will be a new cupcake recipe I finally tried last week and a new book series, so it's gonna be another Mix It Up Monday!


For the Monday Munchies part today, I present to you: Cafe Bombom Cupcakes!

I got the idea for this recipe one day at my bro's, I was grabbing something from the fridge for my sis and I saw this tube of skimmed condensed milk, and I was surprised that condensed milk was now available in skimmed version and in a "pour-easy" ketchup-like container, and my sis told me they bought it to make cafe bombon for when their friends come over. Now, I'm not sure how many of you may know what we Spaniards call "cafe bombon", the translation would be bombom coffee literally, but in essence it's an espresso with a shot of condensed milk (more or less depending on personal taste). That got me thinking into making Cafe Bombon cupcakes!

I used the coffee cupcake base recipe from the Cappuccino cupcakes from "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World" (really, it's like my Holy Grail of baking!), used an apple corer, filled the whole with condensed milk (skimmed!) and then I had planned to use chocolate mousse to top them, but I didn't have all the ingredients, so I decided to use Cream Cheese frosting with a pair of added tablespoons of nutella for good measure!

They were quite a success with my co-workers on Wednesday night shift, I must say!

And as for the Mark This Book Monday bit, today I'm gonna be highly recommending you all a trilogy which final book came out last week: The Infernal Artifices by Cassandra Clare.

Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/series/54144-the-infernal-devices

You might have heard about The Mortal Instruments series, also by Cassandra Clare, after all they have a movie based on the first book, City of Bones, coming out this summer. Well, this series is a prequel to that one, and on my very humble opinion as a reader, a superior one! I've loved The Mortal Instruments, and I started reading The Infernal Devices to go into the Shadowhunters world waiting for the last book on the TMI series that comes out next year, but once I started reading Clockwork Angel I was hooked for good!

Clockwork Angel, Clockwork Prince and Clockwork Princess. Each book keeps getting better than the previous one, and that is quite saying something. The plot keeps unravelling and deepening with each turn of the page, and we keep on discovering new information and getting new questions. The main characters, Will, Jem and Tessa are the first love triangle in a book that hasn't rubbed me off wrong at any moment, and their journey of love, friendship, loss and loyalty is amazing, the kind that makes you feel happy about humankind. But not just the main characters have that kind of emotional depth, it's something I have to say about Ms Clare, she knows how to bring their characters to life!

The trilogy is set up in Victorian times Great Britain, in the London's Shadowhunters Institute, and it begins with Tessa's journey from New York to London, to meet up with his brother. Tessa's journey to discover who and what she is will continue throughout the books and it is the key to the fight the Shadowhunters have against the villain in these books, a man raised by demons that want to take revenge on all Shadowhunters, since they destroyed his adoptive demonic parents.

All characters have their own demons to fight, emotionals or otherwise, and it's a story of companionship, loyalty and coming of age, and it's also a story of love, love inconditional and selfish and selfless love.

I can't really say anything else about the series without spoiling some of the plots, so I all I can add is: grab a copy and start reading!

I'm so in love with this series that I'm gonna be buying the hardcovers aside from already having the eBooks, I'm already waiting for an autographed copy of Clockwork Princess in the mail!