howlinglibraries's Reviews (1.85k)

That was so good. I loved these characters so much and every single page was just the most emotional, beautiful story. I gather that the author's intent was not only to tell a story, but also to remind readers of how important it is that we keep an eye on our loved ones and make sure that they're doing okay — because sometimes, you have no idea how close to the edge someone in your life might be. I know it certainly reminded me that I need to check on the people who matter to me, too. ♥ Thanks for that, Ichigo.

“I didn’t want to tell you this originally, but coming out isn’t a one-time thing. It happens over and over. It happens to me every time I talk about Eli with someone new. It happens every time someone asks if I’m single. It happens hundreds of times. I’ve skirted around it, I’ve lied, I’ve changed the subject, I’ve done everything. Sometimes you don’t want to and that’s okay. It’s shitty that you have to keep doing it, but that’s the way things are right now. I hope it will change.”

I waited way too long to write this review, so I'll keep this pretty brief. I had been wanting to start reading a bit more NA contemporary work, so when I saw a tweet promoting Chelsea Cameron's work, I decided to glance at her bio. As soon as I realized that she specialized in own-voice f/f love stories, I was hooked, and when I saw that this book was super cheap on the kindle store, I snatched it up and read it right away!

Chord isn't perfect, and I'll be up front about that. There are quite a few spelling and grammatical errors - which is not a deal-breaker by any means for me, but I know it is for many readers - and the dialogue, at times, feels overly casual and a little bit over-simplified. The plot is, if I had to average it out, probably 70% romance and 30% a queer coming-of-age story, with little excitement outside of that realm, so if you don't enjoy books that are primarily about love and embracing one's queerness, I would probably not recommend this one for you.

That said, if you do enjoy a good, cutesy, sexy f/f story, I highly suggest giving Chord a try! There is representation from so many different segments of the LGBTQIA+ community here, as well as the fact that one of our protagonists is plus size, which, hello, yes please! She's super sexy and her love interest absolutely adores her curves and describes her in such a way that is never, ever demeaning or fat-shaming, so I was living for that portrayal.

There's also a ton of super cute banter, some really heartfelt discussions about sexuality and mental health, and a lot of romance that never shies away from showing the authentic sides to relationships, like the awkwardness that can come with a couple's first time, or the experimentation and questioning that accompanies any individual exploring their sexuality in a new light.

All in all, like I said, this book does have some minor flaws, but I thought it was such a delightfully fun read and I couldn't put it down. I stayed up way too late and finished this one in one sitting, and will happily be reading more of Chelsea's writing in the future!

#1 City of Bones ★★★★☆
#2 City of Ashes ★★★☆☆
#3 City of Glass ★★★★☆
#4 City of Fallen Angels ★★★★★
#5 City of Lost Souls ★★★★★
#6 City of Heavenly Fire

I’ve loved this series since the first book, but what really stood out to me in this fifth book is how much darker the tone suddenly got. It’s not just the events that happened in the book, but the world itself feels much bleaker and there’s a slow-building sense of dread, which makes sense, as our little team begins to prepare themselves for a war unlike anything they’ve seen so far.

“There are some people — people the universe seems to have singled out for special destinies. Special favors and special torments. God knows we’re all drawn toward what’s beautiful and broken; I have been, but some people cannot be fixed. Or if they can be, it’s only by love and sacrifice so great it destroys the giver.”

Even among characters who usually take on every scenario with a smile, there’s this anxiety building up, this urgent tension that bleeds right off the pages. If nothing else, it‘s a terrific example of how far Cassandra Clare’s writing has progressed. Everything is more authentic and three-dimensional, the stakes are getting higher with each misstep and twist, and it’s just… fantastic. I think this may have been my favorite book in the series so far, and I could barely stand to put it down.

“How was the Seelie Queen?”
“Same as usual.”
“Raging bitch, then?”
“Pretty much.”

It wouldn’t be a Shadowhunters book without some absolutely adorable character moments, banter for days, and loads of development in personalities, though. Simon and Izzy, both having been characters I did not like at all in the first two books, had me 100% in love with both of them by this end of this one. Simon has come into his own so well as the Daylighter—as this protective, self-sacrificing, noble little hero—and Izzy is so tough, such a rock for her loved ones. There’s a scene where Izzy is described as “a mother cub defending her young”, and that perfectly sums up how I view her relationship with her loved ones.

“Speaking of hope, did you see that shot Alec got off with his bow? That's my boyfriend.”

Of course, I can’t review this one without discussing Alec and Magnus. Some of the incidents between these two—especially involving Alec—broke my heart over and over. I know it’s hard to be in Alec’s position, but Magnus is forevermore my sweet little bisexual warlock baby, and I wanted to climb into the book and slap the shit out of Alec a few times. Either way, I think this was the most time we’ve gotten to spend with Magnus in any book in the series so far, and I was here for it, okay?

“I don’t care. He’d do it for me. Tell me he wouldn’t. If I were missing—”
“He’d burn the whole world down till he could dig you out of the ashes.”

Finally… Clary and Jace. Where do I even begin? My heart hurts for them. Everything in the world has conspired against their happiness, yet still they fight for each other, and it’s so precious. Before I started this series, if you had told me they would become one of my all-time favorite OTPs, I would have laughed in disbelief, but here we are. I love the romances that Cassandra Clare builds, and the agonizingly slow, angsty progression between Clary and Jace has to be my favorite.

She turned and looked at him. “Ducks?”
A smile tugged the edge of his mouth. “I hate ducks. Don’t know why. I just always have.”

Jace has grown so much from his self-obsessed little asshole self (though let’s be real, I loved him then, too), and Clary has become this powerhouse of a character. It describes her perfectly when the other Shadowhunters say that Clary essentially charges into any given situation, regardless of risk, and finds a way to fight through it. She never lets anyone tell her “no”, and she always mucks things up a bit along the way, but she always makes it right by the end. She’s a tremendously unlikely heroine, and I love her for it.

“Kill me, little sister.”

The last thing I wanted to touch on is Sebastian, and his entire arc as a villain. Based on the actions of Valentine in the first few books, I suppose I expected Sebastian to feel predictable-but-fun in the same way, but honestly, he’s so much more complex and mentally broken than his father was. While I can appreciate the writing of his character, I can’t fathom why so many people seem to root for him; but either way, one thing I’m sure of is that I positively dread seeing what he comes up with next.

Content warnings for attempted rape, homophobia, and slut-shaming (all challenged).

You can find this review and more on my blog, or you can follow me on twitter, bookstagram, or facebook!

#1 City of Bones ★★★★☆
#2 City of Ashes ★★★☆☆
#3 City of Glass ★★★★☆
#4 City of Fallen Angels ★★★★★
#5 City of Lost Souls ★★★★★
#6 City of Heavenly Fire

You know how, sometimes, you pick up a series that’s already popular, and everyone tells you, “Book ___ is the best!” and “Book ___ is the worst!”, and so you set up these weird sorts of expectations in your subconscious, and then you go into the one that everyone tells you is the “worst” and you’re like… “holy crap, this book is amazing”?

No? Just me?

“Hearts are breakable,” Isabelle said. “And I think even when you heal, you’re never what you were before.”

Jokes aside, I went into this book unsure of what to expect, but I was completely blown away. I thought the pacing in the story was excellent, the plot kept me intrigued without a dull moment (which I can’t say for any of the previous books or Clockwork Angel), and the character development was more than I could’ve asked for.

“What’s the point in wasting a perfectly good brick wall when you have someone to throw against it, that’s what I always say.”

The star of the character development in this installment was Isabelle, for me. I never disliked her, but she didn’t feel fleshed out to me until this book, when I suddenly found myself absolutely loving every single scene she existed in. Of course, that’s not to dim the fact that I still love and cherish my sweet angst-baby Jace, or my sweet, sad little bisexual warlock Magnus. I just want to protect all of them.

“I’m always so glad I have no idea what you’re vacantly chattering about,” said Jace. “It fills me with a sense of peace and well-being.”

Another facet to Fallen Angels that I loved was the development in the Downworlders’ section of things, with learning about the Praetor Lupus, politics in the world of vampires, the creation of warlocks, and more. Many of these were things that were touched on in the first three books, but it felt to me like a lot of world-building was caught up on in this installment.

“If love were food, I would have starved on the bones you gave me.”

Of course, a book in this series would be nothing without its angst and heartache, and I can’t help but eat up every last bite. I’m a sucker for drama in a story like this, and I have come to realize that I’m not sure if I believe any author can do such a wonderful job of creating mountains out of molehills as Cassandra Clare does. Between that and how much I love her characters, I feel like this installment is a good time to say that it’s official: I am ridiculously hooked on her writing, and can’t imagine not following this universe of stories (however many series it may be) all the way to the end.

You can find this review and more on my blog, or you can follow me on twitter, bookstagram, or facebook!

#1 City of Bones ★★★★☆
#2 City of Ashes ★★★☆☆
#3 City of Glass ★★★★☆
#4 City of Fallen Angels ★★★★★
#5 City of Lost Souls ★★★★★
#6 City of Heavenly Fire

A lot of people told me that the series picked up with book three, and I have to say that those people were absolutely right—this was an easy 4.5-star read and I almost rounded up to 5, even. The pacing was better than the first two books, the character development was delightful, and all of the delicious angst and romance and fighting that Cassie writes so well was present and accounted for.

“And now I’m looking at you,” he said, “and you’re asking me if I still want you, as if I could stop loving you. As if I would want to give up the thing that makes me stronger than anything else ever has.”

First, we gotta talk about Jace and Clary. I won’t spoil in this review, but if you’ve read the book, you know about the big twist, and I was so freaking ready for it! I knew it was coming because I’d been spoiled for it back in Bones, but I think knowing it was coming was even better than if I hadn’t, because it was just this fantastic buildup that constantly left me tearing through the next chapter, waiting to get to the big reveal.

“I know it’s wrong—God, it’s all kinds of wrong—but I just want to lie down with you and wake up with you, just once, just once ever in my life.”

There are so many fantastic moments between the two of them, and even though I know they’re not a tremendously popular one as far as Cassie’s ships go, I’m a sucker for the bad-boy-gone-good, so Jace totally has my heart in this series. He made me cry, like, three times—and okay, yeah, I cry at books a lot anyways, BUT THAT’S BESIDE THE POINT. He’s precious.

“They didn’t,” Magnus said. “Your wards are down.”
“Really?” The Consul’s voice dripped sarcasm. “I hadn’t noticed.”
Magnus looked concerned. “That’s terrible. Someone should have told you.” He glanced at Luke. “Tell him the wards are down.”

The real MVP of this series, though, hands down, is Magnus Bane. My god, I know I rambled about him forever in my review for Ashes, too, but I just love this weird little fabulous warlock so much. He’s so damn funny—like, literally makes me laugh out loud in almost every scene he’s in—and he works his witchy little ass off to keep the Shadowhunters safe, even when the Nephilim treat him like garbage half the time. Plus, the development in his romance with a certain Shadowhunter? RIP me, because the cuteness is TOO MUCH.

“No,” Simon said. “If you hurt Clary, she’s quite capable of killing you herself. Possibly with a variety of weapons.”

Probably the most unexpected thing for me, though, was how much I grew to tolerate (okay, maybe even like, just a little…) Simon. I couldn’t stand him in either of the first two books, but he grows so much and really comes into his own in this one, and I respected his character development a lot. Something that fascinates me about reading this series is watching just how quickly Cassandra Clare’s writing evolved, between Simon’s shift from lovesick/kicked puppy to actually-not-totally-useless-dude-friend, and Clary/Isabelle’s growing understanding of one another and the way they move away from the trope-y girl-hate that happens a little in Bones.

Magnus looked at Alec as if he’d lost his mind. “Your city is under attack,” he said. “The wards have been broken, and the streets are full of demons. And you want to know why I haven’t called you?”

Overall, I know this series gets picked at a bit nowadays, because it does fall into some of the standard mid- to late-2000s paranormal fantasy tropes, but honestly, I encourage anyone who hasn’t ever read these books to give them a try. The writing is flawed (though, like I said, quickly improving as I continue reading), and the characters make some pretty idiotic choices every now and again (more like all the time, but it’s part of the charm, I swear), but this series has just been such a fun ride for me. The books are so fun and action-packed, full of angst and drama, and honestly, for the time in which they were published, they’re pretty remarkably well-stocked with diverse characters and representation. They’re not perfect, but they’re certainly worth your time.

“Good things come to those who wait.”
“I always thought that was ‘good things come to those who do the wave’,” said Simon. “No wonder I’ve been so confused all my life.”

(I don’t have anything else to say, I just really liked this quote.)

#1 City of Bones ★★★★☆
#2 City of Ashes ★★★☆☆
#3 City of Glass ★★★★☆
#4 City of Fallen Angels ★★★★★
#5 City of Lost Souls ★★★★★
#6 City of Heavenly Fire

I was originally going to give this installment 4 stars like I did with the first one, but after I thought about it for a while (er… the two freaking months it took me to get around to reviewing it, that is), I ultimately decided that I couldn’t really justify it, no matter how much I loved the ending. You see, my problem with Ashes is that, while the last 20% or so is fantastic, everything leading up to that point is booooring. That said, this review won’t be as in-depth as my Bones review was, so I apologize for skimming over things a bit more, but “meh” reviews are really tough for me to write! (Anyone else?)

“I don’t want to be a man,” said Jace. “I want to be an angst-ridden teenager who can’t confront his own inner demons and takes it out verbally on other people instead.”

The angst is real in this book, and I don’t mind teenage angst at all—in fact, I’m often quite the sucker for it—but it never felt legitimate in this series? Maybe I’m jaded because I came into the series so late. Maybe, had I read these books when they were brand new and I didn’t have a clue what was coming, I would be crying right alongside these characters and eating it up, but as it stands, I just kept kind of doing that “hurry up” gesture towards my book and rolling my eyes a bit.

“I’ve got a stele we can use. Who wants to do me?”
“A regrettable choice of words,” muttered Magnus.

We also spend a lot of time with a lot of new characters in this one, whether it’s the Lightwood parents, some vicious old Shadowhunters, Fae folk, more demons, or members of Luke’s pack. I enjoyed the introductions of the newbies, but sometimes, it felt like characters were being introduced for the sole purpose of acting as props, rather than actually being fleshed out fully. One character in particular that I’m hoping we see more three-dimensionality from in the future is Maia, because her sassy little self had my heart from the get-go and I wanted more time with her.

“Is standing by the window muttering about blood something he does all the time?” asked Simon.
“No,” Jace said. “Sometimes he sits on the couch and does it.”

Another thing that was a huge positive for this book is how much time we got to spend exploring the more magical “Downworld” side of things, whether it was meeting the Fae people under the lake, or seeing Magnus show off as the incredible warlock he is. Magnus Bane might actually be my favorite character so far—since he hangs out with the teens, it can be hard for me to keep in mind that he is this incredibly old, powerful being, so whenever he gets the chance to remind everyone, I’m so here for his fabulous bisexual self.

“I thought I’d lie on the floor and writhe in pain for a while,” he grunted. “It relaxes me.”

Of course, my favorite thing about this book is the same as what I enjoyed most in Bones—no matter what your thoughts on Cassie’s writing are, you have to admit that she writes really adorable, hilarious banter, and watching the characters interact with each other is so much fun. The one-liners and snarky remarks alone are enough to keep me coming back for more, and in case you hadn’t already guessed, I will most certainly be picking up the third book in the series as soon as I get the chance. A lot of people have told me the second book is their least favorite and that it’s all uphill from here, so I cannot wait to see what comes next.

You can find this review and more on my blog, or you can follow me on twitter, bookstagram, or facebook!

#1 Binti ★★★★★
#2 Home ★★★★☆
#3 The Night Masquerade ★★★☆☆
#1-3 Complete Trilogy Edition ★★★★☆

Even back then I had changed things, and I didn’t even know it. When I should have reveled in this gift, instead, I’d seen myself as broken. But couldn’t you be broken and still bring change?

I feel a little bit guilty about this, so let me get it out of the way first: I know I said in my reviews of the first two novellas that I wanted more world-building, but I didn't want this much of it. Whoops! I definitely think the biggest drawback with The Night Masquerade is that it tries to cram in a lot of information to make up for the lack of depth in the world and history of the first two pieces of the series.

That said, I still more or less enjoyed this installment! It started off very slow for me, but around the halfway mark, picked up a lot and brought in some serious action and suspense, as well as a few tragic moments I wasn't expected and definitely got a few Feels from. I wouldn't say it wrecked me or anything, but things got heavy here and there.

Mostly, though, I just wish we'd gotten a little more time with certain characters—some new, some old. I found myself missing the weird little companionable moments I'd grown accustomed to, and I wasn't thrilled with the sudden introduction of romance to the plot.

All of that in mind, while this was a somewhat disappointing finale, it was still an enjoyable series that I'm glad I read. I think Nnedi Okorafor has a tremendous wealth of potential and natural talent to draw from, and I genuinely cannot wait to read her work again in the future.

Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this review copy in exchange for an honest review!

#1 Binti ★★★★★
#2 Home ★★★★☆
#3 The Night Masquerade ★★★☆☆
#1-3 Complete Trilogy Edition ★★★★☆

There was always so much I didn’t know, but not knowing was part of it all.

Despite how much I loved the first novella in this series, the second one fell flat for me in a few ways and I struggled to get through it at times. The lack of world-building that mildly bothered me before ended up being a big obstacle for me in this sequel, as I still feel like there's very little depth being given to the setting or the occurring events. The characters, thankfully, are a little more complex, and I would say this is probably the most character-driven sci-fi story I've ever read, which would be great for anyone who prefers that style in their SFF reads.

On a happier note, just like I mentioned in my review of the first installment, there's so much goodness here when it comes to Binti's relationship with her culture and the Himba people, as well as our introduction to the incredibly fascinating and lovable 'Desert People' or Enyi Zinariya (I'm endlessly fascinated by the descriptions of their hand motions). I also was absolutely amazed by the PTSD rep as Binti worked through her panic attacks and nightmares from what happened in the first book. We really get to see her struggle through her friendship with Okwu and question some of her own coping mechanisms, and it's tough to read about at times because it feels so real and heavy, but it's beautifully crafted.

While I may not have enjoyed Home as much as Binti, I feel like this one picked up towards the end and renewed my excitement to see how the whole thing ends in The Night Masquerade!

Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this review copy in exchange for an honest review!

I’ve accepted it: I’m 3/3 on Talia’s books now and have devoured each of them in 24 hours or less, and have given each of them 5 stars. To say that she has become my favorite adult contemporary romance author would be a tremendous understatement.

The hurricane was a woman. A woman with laughing eyes and a heart-shaped face and a figure that could kill a man. A woman whose dark, springy curls gleamed like midnight, who had incongruously chubby cheeks and brown-sugar skin.

First, there’s what initially drew me to Talia’s writing: the diversity in her character casts! As far as I’m aware, almost every single title she has written features a plus-size black woman, and the men are often unique in their own way as well; in this case, Ruben is bisexual and this is actually a very important facet of his character arc, which I positively loved seeing. (Hello, bi rep, all day long, please!)

Dragging Cherry into his life felt like dragging a princess off to his lair. He was almost certainly the dragon in this fairytale.

Of course, at this point, I’m under the impression that a Talia Hibbert title wouldn’t be complete without a healthy dose of angst (and I am such a freaking sucker for it!), and this one does not disappoint. I haven’t read the fake dating trope much in my life, but I love how it’s executed in this one, and the gradual buildup between the two leads is absolutely precious and pays off so well.

“Always slaying dragons? And coming home half-dead, thinking no one will care.”

More than anything, though, I loved Ruben’s character. He’s been through so much trauma in his life, and all he wants is to protect others from experiencing the same things he’s suffered, but he keeps finding himself in circumstances he couldn’t have predicted or prevented. He is selfless to a fault, and just so damn sweet that you can’t help but want to squeeze him.

“I have a theory,” he said, his voice mild, “that under the right circumstances, you would be capable of murder. I should add that this aspect of your personality is one I appreciate.”

Of course, the romance isn’t just angsty and sweet. It’s full of adorable banter, loads of mutual respect and care, and (of course) steamy scenes, which are always written well and never come off as cheesy or over-the-top. There’s a slight dom/sub dynamic going on and there are brief moments of conversation where they establish comfort levels and so forth, and as I’ve come to expect from Talia’s books, consent is not just sexy, but it’s a bare-minimum requirement at all times.
All in all, another successful Talia Hibbert read—and now I can’t wait to dive into the next one!