18/09/2019
3.75 ⭐
This is honestly such an interesting and fun idea, and I'm so glad I read it because I LOVE different ideas like this in media! I struggled a bit reading this in the beginning because of how Leon is written but I really really started to enjoy this around pg 150 and I ended up loving this by the end!!

TW: Past unhealthy/Abusive (mentally) relationship - talked about often (abuse is a main theme with multiple characters), therapy, character convicted of a crime he didn't commit 

12/09/2019
3.75 ⭐
I have no idea how I feel about this book tbh, mostly I'm just feeling underwhelmed. I definitely think the first half was better than the second and I really liked Georgie but I didn't love this like the other romances I've read this year, which really sucks. BUT, if you're looking for some seriously steamy scenes you should DEFINITELY pick this up!! 

11/09/2019
3.75 ⭐

This was so much fun! It's honestly so much fun to be back in this world! 

25/07/2019
3.5 ⭐
I'm actually kind of surprised that I enjoyed this as much as I did. A bunch of my friends have read this but not really liked it, but I loved the art and the characters + it's really diverse so I think if I see volume 2 at the library I'll for sure pick it up! 

26/07/2019
3 ⭐
This was pretty fun and I'll definitely be picking up volume 3 but I hope those little inserts from Julie's graphic novel weren't important because I skipped over them completely. 

27/7/2019
3.5 ⭐
This series is some serious fun! I can't wait to continue the series later this year!

01/08/2019
4.5
Holy fuck, that was intense. I'm going to need a minute to form my thoughts, but know that I found this incredibly hard to read and loved it very very much. 

04/08/2019
1.5 ⭐
Honestly, all I can say is yikes. rtc

FIND THIS REVIEW AND OTHERS ON MY BLOG
★☆☆☆☆

TRIGGER WARNINGS: Death, loss of a loved one, death of children, injury, abandonment, relationship cheating,

Character Guide ⇩
►Clary Fray → Main character, Shadowhunter
►Simon Lewis → Clary’s best friend, Daylighter/Vampire
►Jace Wayland → Shadowhunter, love interest
►Alec Lightwood → Shadowhunter, Gay
►Izzy (Isabelle) Lightwood → Shadowhunter, cute and powerful, I love her a lot
►Magnus Bane → High Warlock of Brooklyn, Bisexual, powerful, very chill
►Luke Garroway → Wolf, A good dad
►Jocelyn Fray → Clary’s mother Shadowhunter
►Maia → biracial, wolf, ptsd, scar along her neck
►Jordan → Maia’s ex
►Lillith → First of all demons

City of Bones | ★★★☆☆ | review
City of Ashes | ★★★☆☆ | review
City of Glass | ★★★★☆ | review
Clockwork Angel | ★★★★☆ | review

“This was Jace being brave, Simon thought, brave and snarky because he thought Lilith was going to kill him, and that was the way he wanted to go, unafraid and on his feet. Like a warrior. The way Shadowhunters did. His death song would always be this – jokes and snideness and pretend arrogance, and that look in his eyes that said, I’m better than you.”

First up, I just want to say that this is a looong and negative review, so please be aware and maybe grab a snack! So, let’s get into the review!

I listened to this book on audio because that’s the easiest way I could get through this book while also travelling to and from Uni and let me tell you, I made a MISTAKE! The audiobook is dually narrated and it’s awful. Just awful. The man’s voice is barely legible and while for some books having 2 narrators can be really helpful, these two are both awful and having two narrators was just distracting.

Now, onto the actual book! I was barely into chapter one when I realised I was not going to enjoy this one. Everything about this series is flatter than TID – the characters are more boring and do more scandalous things and I’m over here like, next! The characters just seem set in their moulds already and so I don’t really care about what’s going to happen next because I know it will probably be fine for the main trio… it doesn’t really feel like there are stakes.

I just feel like this was such a disappointing read after I enjoyed Clockwork Angel, also straight up, there were TOO MANY povs.

“Or maybe it’s just that beautiful things are so easily broken by the world.”

THE GOOD

I’m going to be honest with y’all this section is going to be short, a lot shorter than the other sections in this review. The two (yes, only two) things I liked about this book were Clary and Alec.

I thought Clary was a lot more likeable in this book because she didn’t take any sh*t from Jace which I really appreciated. She really matured in this book so I’m interested to see how she develops in the rest of the series. *fingers crossed there’s some actual character development in this series* 🤞🤞🤞

The second thing I liked about this book was Alec. I don’t think I realised how much I appreciated his little sarcastic comments until he was literally gone. I think he’s going to end up really stepping up (which we saw a bit of in book 3) and becoming a leader in this series, but honestly, I think he would also be a really good healer. Either way, he’s hella cute and VERY good at his job! I appreciate him a lot.

Also, side note: I think I’ve mentioned this in every review so far but, are Simon and Jace going to be friends??? Because I’m down with that.

“Still I pictured having you for fifty, sixty more years. I thought I might be ready then to let you go. But it’s you, and I realize now that I won’t be anymore ready to lose you then than I am right now. Which is not at all.”

MALEC

I’ve decided that Malec gets their own section because seeing them again brought me so much joy and realising where their storyline is going to go in the next book brought me so much pain. I don’t deserve this and neither do they.

•My first reaction to Magnus and Alec finally coming back into the plot was “finally 2 people with personalities who I don’t hate!” if that tells you anything about me or the characters.
•Malec is back and immediately angsty whyyyy

“…I watch my brothers give their hearts away and I think, Don’t you know better? Hearts are breakable. And I think even when you heal, you’re never what you were before.”

THE EH | *SOME SPOILERS*

SIMON & ISABELLE

Can I say something controversial (yet, so brave)? Simon and Isabelle have zero chemistry.

This is just my personal opinion, and I’m saying this knowing that these two are endgame, and with them not having that much character or relationship development at this point. Also, side note but this really annoys me – Isabelle gets some of the least page time of any of the characters so she’s practically a side-side character at this point, I’m really hoping this changes soon!

I really think there’s more “chemistry” between Maia and Simon but it’s pretty clear that they’re not “endgame” so this is really weird to me. I feel like it was obvious who Clary was going to end up with but maybe CC cares a lot less about Simon? I honestly don’t know. Simon and Isabelle have no chemistry whatsoever but I think if they actually talk to each other and get some good character development I’ll believe that they’re endgame and start shipping them, until then I just want to see more Isabelle since we know hardly anything about her and she is one of the most underdeveloped characters in the series, which is really saying something!

SIMON

There is A LOT more Simon in this book which I’m pretty sure no one asked for but, okay. I find it so interesting how I don’t really mind him in the movie and I even really liked him on the show but in the books, I have to agree with Jace – he’s really fucking annoying and kind of useless. Like, yeah he’s a vampire and his family situation is seriously shitty, but everything else in his life?? Not bad in comparison. He’s got 2 beautiful ladies wanting to date him (he’s a fucking cheater wtf), he’s got a good bond with luke, he’s in a good spot with Clary and he’s still part of a band and all that stuff. AND YET HE’S STILL SOO WHINY.

Also, straight up he’s a cheater and I don’t really understand why this was a necessary plotline at all but basically, this was really petty and his reasoning for not breaking it off with one of them was immature, self-indulgent and selfish. Personally, I think the best outcome for this would have been if Iz and Maia had found out and started dating each other. I like to think that this happened in a parallel universe. I am glad that they both blamed Simon though, and didn’t take it out on each other, I’m super happy that they’re friends now, that made me really happy.

Basically, I can’t believe I was actually warming up to Simon’s annoying ass in City of Glass only for CC to pull this shit on me now.

THE OTHER CHARACTERS (BUT MAINLY A JACE AND CLARY RANT)

Honestly, I just don’t care enough about Jace to feel sorry for him and I feel so bad about that but at the same time I just want to get through this book so I can move onto reading Clockwork Prince. I feel like this is the only downside to reading the books in publication order, it can take you out of the story to read one series with better writing and characters and then be put back in the TMI series with all the teen angst and lack of manners. I found TID charming (even though I wasn’t a big fan of Will) and honestly, I’m finding TMI annoying.

↦ TID – the fun aunt that you love
↦ TMI – that annoying cousin that turns up to all the family events and you kind of want to strangle them but that’s definitely illegal

•I cannot stress to you how much I could not care less about the latest Jace/Clary cockblock. I know it’s going to become a much bigger plot-device and it’s going to somehow create EVEN MORE angst and I’m not here for it. I live for the day writers/authors realise you can still have a good story without angst and tearing couples apart.

•I don’t care about any of these characters except for Alec (who isn’t even fuckn here) and Izzy (who is getting zero page time)

EVERYTHING ELSE

•omfg I just realised Jace and Clary aren’t gonna bang until the last book I can tell the angst is gonna kill me and not in a good way.
•Also, can we leave the love triangles in the 1st trilogy, please?
• I AM UNDERWHELMED
•The narration is truly terrible. I hate it a lot. 0/10 do not recommend.

“No. That’s Clary; shes’s my best friend.” Simon pocketed his phone. “And she has a boyfriend. Like, really, really, really has a boyfriend. The nuclear bomb of boyfriends. Trust me on this one.”

THE BAD | *SOME SPOILERS*

So, my main “bad” rant for this book is Jordan Kyle. Are we really surprised? I mean, I’ve already ranted about our other problematic boys so we knew Jordan wasn’t going to get through this review scot-free.

Okay, so I don’t have a PhD in werewolves or wolves, in general, or anything like that but, I feel like CC is trying really hard to give Jordan an excuse for hitting Maia & rage-turning her into a wolf (something that he did on purpose and dramatically changed the outcome of her life, and also her appearance) and I’m sorry but I’m not going to fall for that shit.

The reasoning in this book is that Lycanthropy (infected, not born a wolf) gives the infected victim violent urges for the first few years (high suicide rate, huge domestic violence rate) of being bitten. But, I’m just not convinced that this is enough of a reason.

↦In my opinion, he hit her and that excuse is just not enough for me, so I’d be really interested to know your guys’ opinions in the comments!
I just feel like this is a total excuse for abuse, and if this plotline was going to be used as an exploration of abuse I’d accept it, but I really don’t think it’s going to be. I think Jordan and Maia are “endgame” and that they’re going to conveniently forget that it ever happened and live happily ever after and we’ll probably never see them again once this series is over and that feels awful and icky to me.

↦Also, his fake name was Kyle and I’ll never get over that

“Hearts are breakable,” Isabelle said. “And I think even when you heal, you’re never what you were before”.”
So, this review is almost over! But, I did have a few other little observations I wanted to tack on here! I hope you enjoyed, thank you for reading! 💕

•How do these characters not have awful PTSD – especially Jace???? Is this something we’ll see in future books? Because this isn’t “normal” Shadowhunter stuff that they’re trained for either.

•I feel like Jace only had two personality traits and I hate them both. Brooding or Rude & Sarcastic – sometimes both at once and this is why I don’t like him. I was finally starting to like him in book 3. Is he gonna be like this for the rest of the series??? What is it with all the guys in these books (except Luke) being trash???

•Why I didn’t like this book – very little “action” – mostly teen angst and secrets. This book is 90% angst and 10% plot that was tacked on in the last 50ish pages.


TRIGGER WARNINGS: Death, loss of a loved one, death of children, injury, abandonment, relationship cheating 

19/08/2019
1⭐
That was rough.

Twilight | ★★☆☆☆ | review

TW: Death, injury, loss of a loved one, unhealthy relationship (not challenged), panic attacks
★☆☆☆☆

Character Guide ⇩
►Bella Swan → Main character, human
►Charlie Swan → Bella’s father, Chief of Police
►Edward Cullen → Vampire, can read minds
►Alice Cullen → Vampire, can “see” the future
►Jasper Hale → Vampire, controls emotions
►Rosalie Hale → Vampire
►Emmett Cullen → Vampire
►Jacob Black → Bella’s best friend, lives on the Reservation, werewolf
►Jessica Stanley → Bella’s friend (Anna Kendrick)
►Angela Weber → Bella’s friend
►Mike Newton → Bella’s friend
►Billy Black → Jacob’s father

“Tonight the sky was utterly black. Perhaps there was no moon tonight—a lunar eclipse, a new moon. A new moon. I shivered, though I wasn’t cold.”

Listen, y’all already know this isn’t going to be a positive review. I was already on the struggle bus with this book before we even reached page 20, so if you liked this book but don’t want to read my review, I understand and thank you for stopping by! Please feel free to tell me why you DID like this book, in the comments because I’d love to hear a different opinion!

Disclaimer over! This book was a mess oh my f*cking God.

“What happens when you lose your heart’s desire?”

So, let’s get to it: why didn’t I like this book?

•Too long chapters. I struggle to read books with long chapters because I just don’t have the attention span, so this was seriously difficult because some of the chapters were 30+ pages.

•I was constantly having to pause at every few paragraphs to pace and stand around because I was confounded by everything in this book.

•There are a lot of comparisons to Romeo + Juliet so you know it’s a mess.

•Bella is actually really rude and I’m not here for it.

•Bella really thrashed therapy (page 96) and I find it interesting that neither for her parents bring it up again even though she clearly needs help

BELLA’S PARENTS

I actually feel really sad for Charlie because he’s gone through it ever since Bella came to Forks, but at the same time, he hardly spends any time with Bella (this was the same in the first book) and he never really does anything to outwardly help Bella and her depression. That being said, he does do more than Bella’s mother. Like, Charlie will put in some effort every now and again but Bella’s mum is barely a character and instead of coming down to see how daughter who is clearly suffering with mental health problems, she’s planning a 2nd honeymoon to Disneyland????????????

Charlie does bring up therapy at some point in the book but Bella shuts that down because therapy is crazy people and she’s not a quack etc etc. And it’s never brought up again, he also suggests that she move back to Phoenix with her mother and Bella says no, because if she moves away she might have a chance of moving on from Edward too and she doesn’t want that.

“But if I were to go to Jacksonville, or anywhere else bright and unfamiliar, how could I be sure he was real?”

I really think the best thing Bella’s parents could have done for her was get her out of Forks and get her to a therapist. She was so dependant on Edward for her continued living for most of this book and it was tragic to read about.

Also, I know that some people do call their parents by their first names and so does Bella. But, I think that this is just further proof that Bellas has a really bad relationship with her parents. She acts more like they’re colleagues she has to put up with than anything else and I think it’s very weird.

Also, random but I wish Charlie would get a side plot in this series. I know he won’t but I wish he would get some more page time to make him more of a character rather than background noise. I think it would be great if he had a side romance or even just a hobby that isn’t working or fishing. Honestly, I think it would make more sense if he was in a relationship with Billy because that would also bring him into the plot more and, but I know that’s definitely not going to be a thing.

PLOTHOLES??? MAYBE???

•Are you telling me that Alice never “saw” Bella in the 4ish months before she started hanging around the wolves??? She never saw how shit Bella was doing? This is ridiculous. Also, this is making me realise that I have no ideas how any of their “powers” work. Bella wasn’t around Jacob the whole book so I find it difficult to believe that Alice never once saw Bella in a vision, especially because I’m pretty sure she can’t control what she does and doesn’t see???

“Speak of the devil, and the devil shall appear.”

MY THEORY

So, I have a theory. I think Edward even talks about this in the first book, but he’s a predator, right? So, I get the feeling that everything Bella feels for Edward is just a result of her being close to him and not being able to protect herself from him because she’s a human.

Apart from the really gross age gap of like, 90ish years which i feel like, ordinarily would gross anyone out. Bella often talks about how intoxicated she is by Edward which makes me think that maybe he gives off certain Vampy pheromones or that he’s compelling her because the poor girl can’t think straight or even breathe around him & all she ever talks about are his looks which makes me think that their relationship is very superficial and shallow.

If you’ve seen The Vampire Diaries you’ll know what I’m talking about but if not you can watch this video, but basically, I think that Edward (on purpose, or not) affects Bella’s decisions and choices throughout the series. We read it as manipulation but I think that while it is partly that, it’s probably some weird vampy pheremones messing with Bella’s mind. And this would also explain why everyone is obsessed with the Cullens in book 1.

I think this also makes sense because every time Bella mentions Edward she talks about his appearance and usually compares him to a statue of a god. Bella also literally has no regard for her own life which makes me think that her brain has kind of gone out the window and it’s actually quite terrifying, because before she met Edward she was reasonably mature and on top of her shit but as soon as she met him her brain fully waked out the door.

Also straight up, all of chapter 4 supports this theory. I feel like this chapter was just more evidence that Bella was compelled/intoxicated by Edward. She’s only interested in hearing his voice and will do anything to hear it even though it’s not real. She’s an empty person and it just shows how unhealthy their relationship was.

“Your hold on me is permanent and unbreakable. Never doubt that”

MY THOUGHTS ON BELLA & EDWARD

BELLA:

•Bella is confusing. She 100% wants to be a vampire but is also making plans to go to college

•”They were probably nice guys. Safe. I lost interest.” (114)

•”I’d forgotten her by the time I was inside.” (117) Bella is so dismissive

•Bella says 1 thing, Edward says no, Bella says fine and comes up with an excuse for why that was what she wanted/the best solution all along.

•Bella and Edward aren’t honest with each other wow this relationship is the pits.

•Bella is literally having a panic attack because of Edward wtf (pg 56)


I’d be really interested to know if Bella would still be interested in Edward if he didn’t look like a 17 year old because obviously, he’s over 100 yrs old. I tweeted about this and asked what age gaps in books people were okay with and everyone said they’re NOT okay with teens and adults in a romantic relationship. So, why is a 17/18 year old and a 20-something(+) yr old man creepy and predatory but Bella (17) and Edward (117) is okay, just because he looks like a 17 year old????

EDWARD:

•Take a shot every time Bella compares Edward to a marble statue of a god 😫

•Edward never listens to Bella, it’s like she’s white noise to him or something

•Edward treats Bella like a child so much that she even comments on it a few times. I don’t really understand why Edward likes Bella tbh, especially if he’s constantly treating her like a child.

•Is Edward ever described as anything but perfect?

•Bella describes Edward EVERY TIME he’s on page

•So they’re not meant to go out in sunlight but Edward can go to Phoenix and stay inside and it’s fine??? I don’t get how it works tbh. (he bought her tickets so I’m assuming this will happen in book 3?)

•Edward is always making Bella anxious and nervous

•”He looked like a God” lol no pressure Rob Pat

•RE: The breakup: he literally blames her for everything “You’re no good for me, Bella” – knowing that she would believe him, no wonder she gets so fucked up in this book.

•”I would like to ask one favour, though, if that’s not too much.” – he has a lot of nerve

“It was depressing to realise that I wasn’t the heroine anymore, that my story was over.”

So, in conclusion, this book was a wild ride and I actually didn’t totally hate it, like it has some good moments. But, overall, it’s too much and it’s so long and Bella is Awful with a capital A. I didn’t talk about him at all in my review, but the best part of the book was definitely Jacob and learning more about the wolves. But, I’m also pretty sure that he does some bad stuff in book 3 so I’m going to try not to get too attached lol.

Also, side note, a reason why I think it’s so hard to talk about the characters in this series, and why I think it must have been hell to adapt them onto the screen is because most of the characters don’t feel like people, they’re just plot devices &/or clichés and it’s kind of awful.

Also, and I swear this is the last thing I’m going to talk about – oh my god what does everyone else in the town think Edward did to Bella??? It kind of sounds like Jacob thinks Edward raped her or something and that tracks with her nightmares but, like what does the rest of the town think??? Also if we’re going with that thought why the hell does Charlie, the literal Chief of Police in Forks, and Bella’s dad, let Edward back into town?? I’m honestly flabbergasted how did I never think about this before????

TW: Death, injury, loss of a loved one, unhealthy relationship (not challenged), panic attacks

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02/09/2019
4.5 ⭐

This book broke me. It hit so close to home it had me crying on the bus and cry-laughing every couple of pages. I have never related so much to a character in my entire life and honestly, just thinking about how valid this book makes me feel makes me want to start crying all over again.

Remember, whoever you are and however you identify. You are valid and you do not need people in your life who think otherwise. You are valid and you matter and I love you.

(Okay, speel over, I'm gonna go cry in the bathroom before class starts bc that was a legit rollercoaster.)