Series Review: The Infernal Devices (by Cassandra Clare)

Series: The Infernal Devices
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: Young Adult - Historical Fantasy
Overall Series Rating: 5/5
Books:
Clockwork Angel (4/5)
Clockwork Prince (5/5)
Clockwork Princess (5/5)

Book One Synopsis (Goodreads):
In a time when Shadowhunters are barely winning the fight against the forces of darkness, one battle will change the course of history forever. Welcome to the Infernal Devices trilogy, a stunning and dangerous prequel to the New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series.

The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them....

My Background (with the series):
I started this series right when it first came out - because it was new Clare in the shadowhunter world and it looked like it'd be steampunk-esque (it does have those elements, but not heavily, just tidbits), and I thought the first book was - alright, on that first readthrough, it was fun and interesting. I read the second book, also, when it first came out. And then procrastinated the third because that's, apparently, what I tend to do for trilogies.

And then this year I read the whole thing, in a short period of time (I read this series and most of The Mortal Instruments series such a short period of time it was probably unhealthy), and it changed my opinion on them. The first one, I still think, is just an introduction - and then the next to destroy your heart.

Review:
I love these books - I love these books so much. If you haven't read this series, then you need to read it, because so good oh my god.

Now to try and be coherent, because I hear that's important. My hands down, favorite thing, about this book series is the characters. I just connected to all of them in a way I didn't really the TMI characters. Maybe it was the way things were written, how they spoke to each other (specifically this for the boys), and how everything was described. And these characters are definitely more mature, probably due to the time period it's set it, I feel like a lot of stuff is because of that.

The main trio in this book - Tessa, Will, and Jem - are a fantastic set and I never really thought of them as a love triangle until it hit me that they technically were that, but I didn't mind them as that because it was perfect. I don't know what it was, but these three were perfect together. Will and Jem were just fantastic - parabati (this brotherly, fighting bond) and so ridiculously close from that.

And their relationship was why I loved this book so much, also them with Tessa (and Henry, Charlotte, the Lightwood boys, Sophie - all the characters were fantastic), but specifically the boys. It was one of the reasons I didn't mind their love triangle thing because the boys weren't jealous of each other, didn't want to hurt the other, loved each other. It was - ridiculous and painfully beautiful, which sounds ridiculous but that's the only way I can think to describe it. The time period that this is set it - made it so that their exchanges, the things they could say to each other that present day guys wouldn't was probably what made their friendship (brothership?) so perfect to me.

There's a series arc about automatons and stuff going down, which is also awesome, and parts of it can be completely ridiculous (the worm scene in Clockwork Princess, what was that?), but it was a ton of fun. And definitely a series to read for the characters - and all of the characters, like I said, not just the main three.

I think, to get the most out of this series and The Mortal Instruments - that you should read this series before you read books four to six of TMI, definitely before you read the last one because you'll miss things/not understand them, and it'll ruin the ending of this series for you.

The Mortal Instruments series review

Book Review: Long Live the Queen (The Immortal Empire #3)

Title: Long Live the Queen (The Immortal Empire #3)
Author: Kate Locke
Genre: SciFi/Fantasy (Steampunk, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal), Alternate History, Romance
Rating: 5/5
Page Count: 311 pages (Hardcover)
Publication Date: November 12th, 2013

Plot: (from Goodreads)
Xandra Vardan thought life would be simpler when she accepted the goblin crown and became their queen, but life has only become more complicated. Everyone -- vampires, werewolves and humans -- wants the goblins on their side, because whoever has the goblins -- wins.

Queen Victoria wants her head, Alpha wolf Vex wants her heart, and she still doesn't know the identity of the person who wanted her blood. What she does know is that a project from one of the 'secret' aristocrat labs has gotten free and she's the only one who can stop the perfect killing machine -- a sixteen year-old girl. With human zealots intent on ridding the world of anyone with plagued blood and supernatural politics taking Britain to the verge of civil war, Xandra's finding out that being queen isn't all it's cracked up to be, and if she doesn't do something fast, hers will be the shortest reign in history.
The fantastic conclusion to the series that started with the spectacular undead steampunk debut, God Save the Queen and The Queen is Dead.

Review:
I'm trying not to put big spoilers for the past books in this review. However, if you haven't read the first or second books in this series, then please turn back now. This will be spoiler free for this book, but not those two. And I have reviews of both of them up: God Save the Queen and The Queen is Dead.

This book has that same great atmosphere, characters, fast pace as the other two in this series, but it definiely wasn't my favorite of the series (I think book two was, I really loved book two). That doesn't mean it wasn't good, obviously I really enjoyed it as I gave it five stars, and, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe this is the last book in the series. And I didn't have any problems with how it ended, no spoilers, of course.

There are questions answered in this one and shit goes down in a major way. And man was it good. Once again, all the things I've said before still stand for this book so I'm trying not to just repeat myself here, but there isn't much else to say without spoiling this one.

This series is full of Steampunk fun and Victorian undertones and I really do recommend this series with love, because it's a ton of fun.

Favorite quotes:

"Oh, they'll think about it," I said with a small smile. "Just before I eat their liver."
To my surprise, he smiled. "That's my girl."

He grinned at me. "Most people trust their parents and not strangers. You have a habit of trusting strangers more then family."
I stared at him. "Have you met my family?"

Book Review: The Queen is Dead (The Immortal Empire #2)

Title: The Queen is Dead (The Immortal Empire #2)
Author: Kate Locke
Genre: SciFi/Fantasy (Steampunk, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal), Alternate History, Romance
Rating: 5/5
Pages Count: 352 (Hardcover)
Publication Date: February 5th, 2013

Plot: (from Goodreads)
Nothing lasts forever---and immortality isn't all its cracked up to be.

When her brother Val gets in over his head in an investigation of Half-Blood disappearances and goes missing himself, it's up to Xandra, newly crowned Goblin Queen, to get him back and bring the atrocities to light. Xandra must frequent the seediest parts of London, while also coping with what she is, the political factions vying for her favor, and the all too-close scrutiny of Queen Victoria, who wants her head. Add this to being a suspect in a murder investigation, a werewolf boyfriend with demands of his own, and a mother hell bent on destroying the monarchy, and Xandra barely knows which way is up. One thing she does know is that she's already lost one sibling, she's not about to lose another.

Review:
I talked about how much I loved this world in my review of the first book, but I just want to say it again because the world becomes even richer in this one. I didn't love this book much more then the first one, except for one character we got so much more of but I'm saving that, but maybe a little more. These books are a lot of fun to read, fast passed, and really good to boot.

They're not super heavy on the romance type of books, but - Xandra and Vex's relationship does play a huge part in these books, and in such a good way. Especially because of how supportive he is of her and, even though he's an actual alpha (he's the alpha werewolf of his pack), he doesn't try and tell her what to do. He'll ask, and maybe push her a bit if it's important to him, but he doesn't just tell her something and it's so, and she wouldn't put up with it if he tried - their relationship is just so good and, actually, adorable and it's one of my favorite elements.

Now, the only reason I'd say I loved this book more was because of one character, like I said earlier: Penny Dreadful. She's Val, who is Xandra's brother, sister, so to both of them - they're family. Penny works at this club called Freak Show and is trans and, from what I can tell, a seriously fabulous, impressive drag queen. There are some great descriptions of her outfits, that just made me ridiculously happy, because I love Victorian fashion and in this book it's that but mixed with modern and - basically what I wish my entire wardrobe was.

And now I'm going to go on a bit of a ramble, and I apologize, but this is the first book that had LGBT characters that were treated like everyday people. It was just expected to be accepted as fact from the readers. Xandra's sister, Avery, has a girlfriend (Fiance) Emily and it's not even talked about at first at all, it's just accepted. And I loved that.

There aren't a lot of books with LGBT characters at all, and I haven't read many at all, and I think because most of the descriptions I've read just sound like something sad. And I don't like sad books, I mean I do in a certain mood, but mostly I just can't read something I know is going to make me break down. Also - I've never read a book that had a trans character before. At all. So, yes, they're technically probably 'secondary' characters, but - Penny was in this book a lot, and she's such a great character. Like I said, though it's very accepted and just such a good way to have LGBT characters in books, because they should be there. And now I'm going to stop before I get more into LGBT characters or more diverse characters in general, because - that's probably multiple posts, but I did want to mention it in this review.

And, now to end my rant and review about this book, I just want to say I'd highly recommend this series, whether you care about my whole thing about LGBT characters or not this series is really good and so much fun.

Favorite quote(s):

I told him about my adventure at the chicken place instead.
"I'm beginning to think you shouldn't be allowed to leave the house," he said with a smile. "I've only been back a few days and already you've had more happen to you than most people have in a year." 

Book Review: God Save the Queen (The Immortal Empire #1)

Title: God Save the Queen (The Immortal Empire #1)
Author: Kate Locke
Genre: SciFi/Fantasy (Steampunk, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal), Alternante History, Romance
Rating: 5/5
Page Count: 354 (Hardcover)
Publication Date: July 5th, 2012

Plot: (from Goodreads)
The start of a thrillingly original new urban fantasy series—set in a dark alternate world where the Victorian age never ended...

The Year is 2012—and Queen Victoria still rules with an immortal fist.

She's the undead matriarch of a Britain, where the Aristocracy is made up of werewolves and vampires, where goblins live underground, and mothers know better than to let their children out after dark. A world where technology lives side by side with magic, where being nobility means being infected with the Plague (side-effects include undeath) and Hysteria is the popular affliction of the day.

Xandra Vardan is a member of the elite Royal Guard, and it's her duty to protect the Aristocracy. But things get complicated when her sister goes missing. Xandra will not only realise she's the prize in a dangerous power struggle—but she'll also uncover a conspiracy that threatens to topple the empire itself.

Review:
I read this book when it first came out in 2012 and then never ended up continuing the series. When I picked it up, randomly during the 24 hour read-a-thon, I couldn't remember anything that'd actually happened in it for some reason. And I still don't really remember that first read through of it two years ago, but anyway, onto the actual review.

I really enjoyed this book, overall. I loved the world that was created, that they lived in, it was gritty and fun and had a mixture of more modern and Victorian things. And the Victorian time periods is one of my favorites that to read about, it's interesting to see authors write ways around certain conflicts. This books is much more modern, of course, it doesn't take place in the late 1800's, but still in the Victorian time period - just in 2012. And I haven't read much alternate history, not nearly enough, but I always tend to love it - it's just interesting and this was no exception to that rule, the world building in this was so interesting.

My favorite part of this book, besides the setting, was the characters. Xandra is a kick-ass and just kind of awesome all around main character, and I loved her siblings as well. How they all had the same aristocrat father, but different mothers, and were so different at points. And I like reading about siblings, as an only child it's interesting to me, and all of the Vardan's were just fun to read about in general.

To wrap it up, I'd definitely recommend this book. It was fun and Steampunk, and I'd also highly suggest, if you can read and listen to music, to have Emilie Autumn playing in the background. I had totally forgotten that the author was a fan, until I read the Acknowledgements and Locke mentions her, but it fits the setting so well, almost perfectly.

Favorite quotes:

"Bitch," Penny said slowly, "You are my fucking hero." 

"I assume you've introduced yourselves," I commented.
"Of course," Avery retorted, expression slightly affronted. "His lordship helped me and Em carry in groceries this morning." 

Waiting on Wednesday (2)

Well, WAIT NO LONGER. I should probably explain myself better then that, huh? Well, I was pining for this book, Innocent Darkness by Suzanne Lazear, and then I started talking to the author and I ended up with a copy (signed!) at BEA. And while my crazy life hasn't allowed me to read it yet, which is why I am still waiting for it, you can read it now! It officially comes out today.

And I would totally be doing more to help promote it today, if I could. The problem is that starting at 9am, I will be in the airport and then flying to Chicago, for LeakyCon. Which is awesome, of course, I do love me some LeakyCon, but because of it I've been stressing out which means less reading and then less blogging. Also, I've just been in a huge reading slump.

Anyway, Innocent Darkness is what we're here to talk about, my friends, so let's do that.

Goodreads summary:

Wish. Love. Desire. Live.

Sixteen-year-old Noli Braddock's hoyden ways land her in an abusive reform school far from home. On mid-summer's eve she wishes to be anyplace but that dreadful school. A mysterious man from the Realm of Faerie rescues her and brings her to the Otherworld, only to reveal that she must be sacrificed, otherwise, the entire Otherworld civilization will perish.

Doesn't that sound just so very good? I can't wait! Maybe I can read it on the plane. Anyway, and here is the cover, which is completely gorgeous and drool worthy!

If you want to possibly be entered for a chance to win some prizes, there's an online release party going on here and you can RSVP for a chance to win some cooltastic prizes.

Book Review: Heart of Steel

Book: Heart of Steel (Iron Seas #2)
Author: Meljean Brook
Genre: SciFi  (Steampunk), Romance, Fantasy
Rating: 4/5
Page Count: 311 (Paperback)
Favorite Character: Yasmeen. I completely adored her in The Iron Duke, too, and I was so glad that this one was about her. (And I can't deny that Archimedes was pretty amazing, too).

Plot: (From Goodreads)

The Iron Duke introduced the gritty, alluring adventure of the Iron Seas. Now, Meljean Brook returns to the world where nanotech fuses with Victorian sensibilities—and steam.

As the mercenary captain of Lady Corsair, Yasmeen has learned to keep her heart as cold as steel, her only loyalty bound to her ship and her crew. So when a man who once tried to seize her airship returns from the dead, Yasmeen will be damned if she gives him another opportunity to take control.

Treasure hunter Archimedes Fox isn't interested in Lady Corsair—he wants her coldhearted captain and the valuable da Vinci sketch she stole from him. To reclaim it, Archimedes is determined to seduce the stubborn woman who once tossed him to a ravenous pack of zombies, but she's no easy conquest.

When da Vinci's sketch attracts a dangerous amount of attention, Yasmeen and Archimedes journey to Horde-occupied Morocco—and straight into their enemy's hands. But as they fight to save themselves and a city on the brink of rebellion, the greatest peril Yasmeen faces is from the man who seeks to melt her icy heart.


Review:
I really enjoyed this book, especially considering that awful cover. Yasmeen and Archimedes peaked my intrest in the Iron Duke and I was so glad to learn that this one was about the two of them. I immediately wanted them to get together when she threw him off his ship. That's probably weird, but I had a feeling it would happen eventually.

This book is their story and how it evolves and changes and what changes it. Also, there's a lot of zombies, and I love me some zombies. There's not much more to say about this one without giving too much away. I feel like the plot gives a surprisingly amount a way and I'm glad I didn't read it before hand.

Anyway, try not to let that cover set you off from it. (Seriously, though. What is with that trend among these kinds of books? I don't mean to fixate on it, but it's been annoying me, not just with this book, either).

Book Review: The Iron Duke

Book:  The Iron Duke (Iron Seas #1)
Author: Meljean Brook
Genre: Romance, Historical, Fantasy, Steampunk
Rating: 3/5
Page count: 308 (Paperback)
Favorite character: Mina, definitely. (Of course, loves Yasmeen is also awesome and kick-ass).

Plot: (from Goodreads)

First in an all-new series where seductive danger and steampunk adventure abound in the gritty world of the Iron Seas.

After the Iron Duke freed England from Horde control, he instantly became a national hero. Now Rhys Trahaearn has built a merchant empire on the power-and fear-of his name. And when a dead body is dropped from an airship onto his doorstep, bringing Detective Inspector Mina Wentworth into his dangerous world, he intends to make her his next possession.

But when Mina uncovers the victim's identity, she stumbles upon a conspiracy that threatens the lives of everyone in England. To save them, Mina and Rhys must race across zombie-infested wastelands and treacherous oceans-and Mina discovers the danger is not only to her countrymen, as she finds herself tempted to give up everything to the Iron Duke.


Review:
Overall, this book was okay. Entertaining with some characters that I really like, but I did have some problems with it. I felt like the backstory of the world just didn't feel right to me, the way it was shown to us. It kind of felt like you just got this info dump really early, first few chapters, and then that was pretty much that. And it was just weird, it didn't feel right.

And then, of course, is the Iron Duke. I had some problems with him in general that I'm not going to get into since I'm not going to say anything even a little spoiler-y here. But he was just a little bit too much in every way and I just wasn't that fond of him, especially for about the first 40-50% of the book.

(This is, obviously, not a YA book, but I feel like I should tell you anyway, just in case).

You can find the author through her website, that's a link directly to her series page for this series, as well as guides to this world (which I wish I'd known about while reading). Also, at the top of the page in that link, there's a link to a Steampunk guide, if you are unsure about what exactly that entails.

Book Review: The Looking Glass Wars

Book: The Looking Glass Wars (The Looking Glass Wards #1)
Author: Frank Beddor
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Steampunk (YA)
Rating: 4/5
Page Count: 358 (Paperback)
Favorite Character: At the very beginning it was Dodge, but I think at the end it was Alyss. Or Hatter, who is kind of in the background a bit, but he was awesome. I mean, I obviously still really like Dodge's character but just, sometimes... Well, you'll see.

Plot: (From Goodreads)

The Myth: Alice was an ordinary girl who stepped through the looking glass and entered a fairy-tale world invented by Lewis Carroll in his famous storybook.

The Truth: Wonderland is real. Alyss Heart is the heir to the throne, until her murderous aunt Redd steals the crown and kills Alyss? parents. To escape Redd, Alyss and her bodyguard, Hatter Madigan, must flee to our world through the Pool of Tears. But in the pool Alyss and Hatter are separated. Lost and alone in Victorian London, Alyss is befriended by an aspiring author to whom she tells the violent, heartbreaking story of her young life. Yet he gets the story all wrong. Hatter Madigan knows the truth only too well, and he is searching every corner of our world to find the lost princess and return her to Wonderland so she may battle Redd for her rightful place as the Queen of Hearts.


Review:
Let me start this review off with saying that if you're a diehard Lewis Caroll fan and don't like when people take his world and turn it upside and inside out, then this just isn't for you. Beddor takes such an interesting take on Alice's Adventure's in Wonderland and I loved it. I enjoy retellings and one of my favorites is one that took the story and changed it, remaking it as that person's one Wonderland. (It's the TV miniseries Alice from 2009. I've watched it so many times, it's ridiculous. But I love it).

Anyway, this is a retelling in which Alyss Heart is the daughter of the Queen of Hearts and is trapped in London for many years after her aunt tries to kill her. It sounds interesting, doesn't it? It was so very well done. I love the way that the world is built and how this were explained and how 'Imagination' was explained. I'm not going to say anything about it, but I truly just loved that.

The only read that it's not 5/5 stars (or looking glasses) is because I just, well, I struggled through the middle part in London. I mean, I know it had to be there, but I still struggled through it, a lot. Especially when she's just gotten there. However, the world building, as I said, was good and interesting. The characters were also interesting and it's interesting to see what they'll decide on. The description in this book was very good, it felt like I was walking the streets with them, so to speak. Also, there are illustrations in here, only at one part in the middle, a bunch of color ones. And those just added something extra to the story that I really enjoyed, (I secretly - not so secretly now - wish that more novels had illustrations. For example, the Leviathan series by Scott Westerfeld, those were awesome!)

Book Review: Blameless

Book: Blameless (Parasol Protectate #3)
Author: Gail Carriger
Genre: Romance (Paranormal Romance, Alternate History, Steampunk)
Rating: 5/5
Page count: 374
Favorite character: If not the main choices of Alecia or Lord Maccon. Maybe the Templars. They are definitely the 'bad guys,' but they're just so interesting, especially because of the plot around them. Or Madame Lefoux

Plot: (From Goodreads)

Quitting her husband's house and moving back in with her horrible family, Lady Maccon becomes the scandal of the London season.

Queen Victoria dismisses her from the Shadow Council, and the only person who can explain anything, Lord Akeldama, unexpectedly leaves town. To top it all off, Alexia is attacked by homicidal mechanical ladybugs, indicating, as only ladybugs can, the fact that all of London's vampires are now very much interested in seeing Alexia quite thoroughly dead.

While Lord Maccon elects to get progressively more inebriated and Professor Lyall desperately tries to hold the Woolsey werewolf pack together, Alexia flees England for Italy in search of the mysterious Templars. Only they know enough about the preternatural to explain her increasingly inconvenient condition, but they may be worse than the vampires -- and they're armed with pesto.


Review:


There may very well be spoilers for the first two books in the review, so if you haven't read them what are you waiting for? I highly suggest you do.

I really loved this book and how we got to see Alecia struggling to figure everything out. I can't put my finger on why I loved this book so much since much of it is spent with Lady and Lord Maccon apart, who are so entertaining when together, but I did indeed love it. It may have something to do with them going to France and then Italy or maybe just Madame Lefoux, who I do enjoy a rather lot.

I also love the dialogue, the humor in this book is perfect and hilarious. And with the dialogue and the lovable characters, I guess it was more impossible for me to not like this book then to love it, which I did.  Also, I didn't know that werewolfs could get that drunk, but I guess that they normally, really, can't. It seems to take dedication and, uh, hard work. It wasn't entertaining, per say, but it also was. And infuriating. I kind of wanted to shake him, because he had to know one some level that Alecia was loyal to him.

I highly recommend this whole series, even though I have yet to finish books four and five, I am sure that they will be just as wonderful as these past three have been. Also, this is definitely not my normal genre of books that I read, but I really enjoyed it.

Book Review: Changeless

Book: Changeless (Parasol Protectorate #2)
Author: Gail Carriger
Genre: Romance (Paranormal Romance, Alternate History, Steampunk)
Rating: 5/5
Page count: 388
Favorite character: Besides Alexia and Lord Maccon, I adore Professor Lyall because, as Beta, he puts up with a lot of stuff and I love that he's almost always completely calm, at least, on the outside.

Plot: (From Goodreads)

Alexia Tarabotti, the Lady Woolsey, awakens in the wee hours of the mid-afternoon to find her husband, who should be decently asleep like any normal werewolf, yelling at the top of his lungs. Then he disappears - leaving her to deal with a regiment of supernatural soldiers encamped on her doorstep, a plethora of exorcised ghosts, and an angry Queen Victoria.

But Alexia is armed with her trusty parasol, the latest fashions, and an arsenal of biting civility. Even when her investigations take her to Scotland, the backwater of ugly waistcoats, she is prepared: upending werewolf pack dynamics as only the soulless can.

She might even find time to track down her wayward husband, if she feels like it.


Review:

Let me just say if you haven't read the first book in the Parasol Protectorate series you should go do that, now. Also, there will be spoilers for that book here so you might not want to look. On with the review, then, I love these characters. Gail Carriger writes some amazing characters, even the ones I didn't really want to like or found annoying, I still loved. The pack mentality is fun to read about, especially in this kind of society. And all of the characters are diverse and believable and interesting.

It was fun to read about Scotland and how all of that was handled. Miss Hisselpenny, Ivy, probably gets one of the best lines. While in Scotland, where men wear kilts, she says this: "Alexia," she hissed to her friend, "there are knees positively everywhere!  What do I do?" I was laughing so hard as I read that, poor thing, too many knees for her.

However, I suggest having the third book close on hand, because this one ends with you wants to throttle some characters. I did yell at my book when I finished it. I'm really glad, though, in a round-a-bout way that it ended like that. That there wasn't an instant fix or whatever, even if it was kind of painful to read. No spoilers, I promise, just go read it and enjoy.

I want to add that I'd really love a Parasol like Alexia's, it's sound so pretty and deadly. I love all of the clothes in these books, though, that might just be my obsession with the time, though.