Review: City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments #5) by Cassandra Clare

 Source: Bought/Personal Library

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry

Release Date:Already Released.
Number of Pages: 534 (Hardcover)

(Goodreads Link.)

I haven't included the description from Goodreads because I don't want to spoil anyone who doesn't want to read the description...if you do want to read it, it can be found on the book's Goodreads page.

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I was extremely torn after I finished the book before this one, City of Fallen Angels, so I was going into CoLS just hoping that I would love it like I'd loved the first three books...and thankfully, I did! :D I am super happy to be able to say that I absolutely loved City of Lost Souls, and I'm extremely excited for the final book, City of Heavenly Fire now...and we have to wait until 2014 for it! It's gonna be a long wait, but at least now if I decide to reread the series, I know it'll end for the time being on a note I'm happy with...so yay for that! :D

One big difference between CoFA and CoLS from the first three books, is that that there are way more narrators! Instead of just being more Jace and Clary centric, these ones include lots of Simon, some of Alec, and in CoLS's case, even some of Maia (and some other characters who shall not be named to avoid spoilers :P)! I like that there are more sides to the story now, but it's definitely a big shift from the earlier books. Hopefully it's one that most fans will adapt to, and like. :)

The biggest thing I'm going to stress in this review is the fact that even if CoFA left you conflicted and kind of tormented (like it did for me :P), then you can still enjoy City of Lost Souls! I seriously was kind of nervous about going into this one because I was just so out of it after I read CoFA. I didn't even know how to react. I knew I loved the writing, but the story as a whole left me just so sad, and so broken up inside...so when I read CoLS I was just hoping and hoping that this one would end on a better note for me...and it did! Yes, it had a cliffhanger, like most of Cassandra Clare's books, but this one wasn't nearly as brutal as CoFA, and it left me content and excited for CoHF rather than feeling all jumbled! What I'm trying to get at here is that I think if CoFA wasn't necessarily a hit for you, you shouldn't be afraid to keep going with CoLS because if you don't read it, you might just miss out on one amazing story! :D

I think by now we all know the characters in this series, but I'll mention some just because. I've read some reviews where people said Clary annoyed them, but I've always loved Clary...I don't care what anyone says. I think Clary is a great heroine. She's strong, determined, and always stands up for what she believes in. She may be impulsive, and doesn't always consider her own safety, but she does it for the people she loves, and I can't help but admire her for that. Yes, maybe she mopes around about Jace and misses him...but seriously? Wouldn't you?! Honestly, I think some people forget that characters are supposed to be people too, and that they're supposed to behave as if they have feelings. :P Anyway, I think Clary is awesome, and I think that she's grown a lot over this series, and in CoLS she really shows it. She shows off some of her awesome Shadowhunter moves, and proves as always that she is willing to do whatever she can for what she believes in and to help those she loves. I'm going to avoid talking about my number one YA heartthrob, Jace, because I really don't want to ruin anything for you all...but I will say that he is in the book, so don't worry, he shows up. :P

So, if you've been afraid to start CoLS because you were unsure after CoFA, I'm going to encourage you to give it a shot! Also, if you've been waiting to read the final three books in this series until they all come out to avoid cliffhangers...I say go for it now! CoLS ends on a great note...one I was seriously okay with it ending on, so I think if you're waiting, it's time to pick it up. :)


Have you read City of Lost Souls?
Are you waiting to read the last three books until they're all out (I actually know someone who's doing this, which is why I'm asking in case you were wondering :P)?
Did you read City of Fallen Angels? Were you torn like I was?
Anything else you'd like to share? Haiku's about Jace? Rants about Clary (or should I say counter-rants since my comment turned into a bit of a rant :P)?
Whatever it is, feel free to discuss. :)

Purchase Links:
Book Depository: UK / US
Amazon: UK / US / Canada
Barnes and Noble

Fanfic Favourites! :D

Remember how I said that I'd be recommending some fanfiction, or just basically raving over the ones I love, while also pimping my friend's work...well the time is nigh, she's just posted the first chapter of her new story, and I have some awesome recommendations for you! :D

So, my friend paper-fl0wers has posted the first chapter of her newest fic, Raziel's Angel. == Click link to go to Chapter 1! :) This fanfiction is about Jace and Clary from The Mortal Instruments, it's AU (Alternate Universe), but they're still Shadowhunters. It's rated T (Teen), so it's not going to be a racy fic. I know some people don't like those, while others may be disappointed that it isn't one. :P haha I really enjoyed the first chapter, she's set up a world where Clary's grown up as a Shadowhunter, and is the daughter of Luke, not Valentine. Then Jace, is the adoptive son of Valentine. Plus, I love Jace and Clary...so I adore this! :)

If you'd like the description of Raziel's Angel again, its:

Jace and Clary have been best friends since childhood, but a tragic event pushes Jace away from her and forces him to make difficult decisions. He then has to struggle to figure out the difference between what is right and what he's been told is right.

I'm also going to be helping her beta it, by throwing ideas back and forth. Right now, she has limited time to get onto the computer, so it might take a while for new chapters to show up, but I'll keep you updated when new chapters are posted. :)

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I also have a couple of my favourite fanfics that I'm going to recommend! These one's are complete, so you can just keep reading until the end if you want to. :P

The first one is by ddpjclaf, who I absolutely love! She's fantastic, and her fics are so amazing! Seriously, you'll be wowed! The one I'm going to recommend today is called, Turbulence. == Click link to go to Chapter 1! :)

It's also about Jace and Clary from The Mortal Instruments (obviously I love TMI fanfics, but I have a huge soft spot for anything by ddpjclaf). This one is rated M (Mature), so it's definitely one that some people might not want to read. It has some pretty serious subject matter, and has some lemony moments, but in general, the M is more for serious stuff, like abuse, etc. This one is AU (Alternate Universe), AH (All Human), OOC (Out of Character), and fluffy (moments that make you go...Awwww, and the kind of kissy scenes that make you go all warm and fuzzy inside). I'm giving you all this lingo so you can understand the descriptions. haha I'm thinking maybe I should just make a whole post on Fanfiction lingo...would that interest anyone?

Turbulence is also posted in completion on its own blog, but I'm going to warn you that there is a music player on it...so don't blame me when the music scares you. haha  Here's the link: Turbulence Blog. You can also find videos, a playlist, and various art for Turbulence on the blog. :)

Here's Turbulence's description:

While dealing with a loss, Clary befriends her new neighbor's troubled foster-son. Can their friendship help them let go of the pain or will their pasts intervene and rip them apart? AU/AH PRETTY OOC. VERY FLUFFY. A wee bit of lemonade.

PS. Jace plays guitar and sings in this one...and he plays soccer. *sigh* Oh, how I love Turbulence Jace. ;) 

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And my last recommendation is written by GreenPuma, and it's called Facebook Friends == Click link to go to Chapter 1! :)

This one isn't about TMI! haha This one is a Twilight fic, centered around Edward and Bella. It's AU (Alternate Universe), AH (All Human), and OOC (Out of Character). It's also rated M (Mature), and this one definitely has "adult" material in it, of course, there's also swearing. It's now completed, so you won't have to wait for more chapters. :) I loved this one. I'm a sucker for anything that mentions Facebook...so this story's title had me interested right away, and then I read it, and I was hooked! I love how this fic has Facebook added into it, through statuses, and chats...it's awesome! :D Plus, you'll notice with these recommendations that I mostly read AH and AU fics for Twilight, I'm a sucker for really well written ones.

Here's Facebook Friends' description:

Bella is shocked when her sexy but standoffish lab partner, Edward, friends her on Facebook. Will Alice, convince her to accept Edward's friend request? Or will she write it off as a prank of the conceited, spoiled rich kid she knows him to be?

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So, that's my first actual recommendation post for Fanfiction, I hope that at least a few of you are interested, and if you are please let me know! I want to make sure at least one person actually wants some great fanfiction to read! I'm not sure how frequently I'll be doing these posts, but I made a button for it, so you'll know when you see the button that it's about Fanfiction. 

Also, I will only recommend fanfiction that are well written, seriously. I've read some of the ones that aren't, and I've finished them too....I'm one of those people who find it hard to not know how something ends, so I will not put you through that. :P 

I mentioned making a post about Fanfiction lingo, but you might've missed it in my all my words up there, so would anyone be interested in a post exclusively about Fanfiction and it's lingo? You know terms, like OOC, AH, AU, the different ratings, Mary Sue, OTP? If you are let me know, and I'll start compiling one, and I'll research to see if I can find some I don't already know. :)

If you read fanfiction, what do you like to read it about? And what are some of your favourite pairings?

Happy Reading!!!

♪♫ Ambur

Review: City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

(Click to go to the City of Ashes Goodreads page.)

I've already shared my love for the City of Bones, so now it's City of Ashes' turn. :)

This book definitely has more dark parts than City of Bones, and it's packed full of action. After the revelation at the end of City of Bones, which I'm sure anyone who's read knows what I'm talking about...Clary and her friends have even more challenges up ahead. 

 In City of Ashes, There is a transformation, more magic, more demons, a prison escape, and an authoritative figure hungry for vengeance. I'm trying not to give away anything to big from this book, but I'm hoping I've peaked your interest with those snippets right there.

I'm a huge Jace fan...if that wasn't already blatantly obvious from my review of the City of Bones, but boy does that boy go through some classic teenage angst here. His life is a never ending woah is me fest in here, but to be honest, homework seems easy and not worth complaining about compared to what he goes through.

We see tonnes more of Simon, which is always awesome...especially when Jace is also around. Jace and Simon together equals written gold, they're hilarious...and LEGEN....wait for it...DARY (note: yes I do watch How I Met Your Mother, how can you tell? :P). Simon definitely faces his own challenges in City of Ashes, and he grows a lot as a character...and I'm not talking about getting his first chest hair, although that might have happened, but we don't know about it if it did....

Magnus Bane's role just gets bigger and bigger in this series, and honestly, I don't think anyone's complaining there. Magnus is an amazing character...even without all his magic and immortality, he'd still be awesome. He's definitely one of my favourite characters in the series, I mean how can you not love someone who is that obsessed with glitter?!

I don't want to say too much about Clary because she's kind of centred around the whole cliffhanger from City of Bones, but I will say that she definitely comes into her talents and skills in this one. I think Clary's an amazing character personally. I know some people think she's a weak heroine, but I think she's one of the strongest. She never gives up and waits for someone else to save her, and she's always trying to get involved with the action. Some might call her reckless, but I think she just thinks with her heart rather than her head sometimes, and I just can't fault someone for that. It's amazing to see a character who has that much love, and honestly, isn't that why we all loved Harry Potter so much?

We also meet a new character, Maia. I liked Maia, but again, I don't want to give too much away. She's biracial, and also a downworlder, so she kind of brings in other races, both from the Shadow World and from the ordinary everyday world. She's definitely a fierce character and you do not want to make her angry.

Izzy and Alec are also getting bigger and more definied as characters in City of Ashes. We get to know both of them a little better, and Izzy has one of my absolute favourite lines from this book.

Here's a fanmade banner with that line:

I found this on DeviantArt. I can't remember the artist's name. If you're the artist or know who it is, I'd loved to know. Thanks. :)

Ok, so obviously, you can see that the characters are becoming more developed, which definitely made me grow more attached to the series. I absolutely loved City of Bones, and City of Ashes too. It has the whole forbidden thing going on, and it is an amazing action-packed story. In fact, I recommended and borrowed this series to one of my guy friends and he loved it....which was awesome because it finally gave me someone to talk about the series with. He liked Simon more than Jace though...go figure. :P

Anyways, I think that The Mortal Instruments series in general, is great for boys and girls. It's one of those series that seems to not have gender, sexual or racial boundaries...it doesn't have age restrictions either. I'm sure I'll still love this series years from now. Cassandra Clare has done an amazing job at making the series reachable to all. She has romance, action, and even religious tales woven within the story. One of the biggest things I love about this series are the quotes from Paradise Lost, Dante's Inferno and other classic works. I love how Cassie ties the quotes into the chapters and the different sections of the stories. They even inspired the series, and one day I'll finally read the classics...and maybe I'll finally catch all the references within the series.

Here are a couple of links for you:

Cassandra Clare's Livejournal

The Mortal Instruments Website

Here are the Goodreads pages to the other books in the Mortal Instruments Series:

City of Bones -- 1st Book in the Series

City of Glass  -- 3rd Book in the Series

City of Fallen Angels - Release Date: April 5, 2011

 City of Lost Souls - Set for Release In: May 2012

City of Heavenly Fire - Set for Release In: September 2013

If you've already read City of Bones, and haven't read City of Ashes yet, what are you waiting for??

If you haven't read any of this series yet, why not?? Is there a reason??

And if you've read City of Ashes, what we your thoughts??

Ok, I'm done with the questions now :P

Happy Reading Everyone, and Happy Holidays!! :)

♪♫ Ambur

Review: City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

CITY OF BONES by Cassandra Clare

(Click to go to the City of Bones Goodreads page.)

I'm a huge Cassandra Clare fan. I've yet to find one of her books that I didn't like. City of Bones was her first published book, and it's no wonder why it's so popular. It's full of action, as well as characters that you can't help but feel like you're friends with.
Clary is a fierce and definitely stubborn heroine. I loved that she was never afraid to get right into the action, despite the fact that she was so inexperienced in the Shadow World. She’s also witty, I love reading books where the characters just have lines that bounce off one another, and City of Bones is definitely one of those books. Some of the banter in this book is hilarious. If I were in stand-up, I’d be tempted to steal some of it if I could find the right situation to use it in.

Clary’s best friend, Simon, is another amazing character. He’s the go-to friend. Simon’s that friend that you know you can always count on, even if you totally pissed him off. He’s the best guy friend that most girl’s wish that they had, and I don’t mean that he likes to shop and all that, he’s just a reliable, friendly and awesome person to be around.

Well, I’m not going to talk about all of the characters here, but I have left my favourite one for last. He is of course, Jace. Oh how I loved reading about Jace. He is without a doubt, my biggest book crush ever. I’ve read the three books that are out five times, and it’s been months since I read them last and Jace is still the bomb diggity in my eyes. I won’t lie, I think he is freaking gorgeous, but I also love his personality. He’s definitely harsh at times, and knows how to hurt people, but at other times he is so sweet and he’s so funny. He has some of my favourite one-liners in the series, Simon has some too, but I just love some of the things Jace says. I may just have to do a post of some of my favourite lines in this series. :)

Okay, so I’ve told you about some of the characters, and why I love them, but now I’m gonna tell you a little more about the book as a whole. I’ve heard people say that they really didn’t like this book, and that they couldn’t get past the beginning. To be honest, I never had that problem. I was drawn in as soon as that blue-haired guy tried to get into Pandemonium. But, if you do have a problem with getting into the beginning, I just have to say...keep going! It’s an amazing story, within an amazing world that seemed to seamlessly fit within our own. You can almost believe that Shadowhunters, demons, and downworlders really exist, and that we just can’t see them. I love that New York was the main setting for the series. I’ve never been there, but boy do I want to go someday...so many amazing things to see, and I love that Clary and the others are so familiar with it all. I felt like I knew the city too.

The first time I read City of Bones I finished it probably within a day (to be honest, I think I’ve pretty much read it at that pace every time, it is that awesome), and I was so glad that I’d already purchased City of Ashes because I couldn’t wait to read more. I also got lucky and started this series right after City of Glass came out, so I had absolutely no wait time, because at that time, City of Glass was the last book. Now there are going to be three more books in the series and I couldn’t be more excited. I can’t wait to read City of Fallen Angels!

I’m planning on reviewing City of Ashes and City of Glass as well, and I’ll probably do Clockwork Angel too, why not right? :P

Here are a couple of links for you:
Cassandra Clare's Livejournal
The Mortal Instruments Website

Here are the Goodreads pages to the other books in the Mortal Instruments Series:
City of Ashes - 2nd Book in the Series
City of Glass - 3rd Book in the Series
City of Fallen Angels  - 4th Book in the Series
City of Lost Souls  - 5th Book in the Series
 City of Heavenly Fire  - Set for Release In March 2014


Also,  I absolutely love the idea of Alex Pettyfer for Jace, so I just have to leave you with a fanmade picture ;)

Cassandra Clare MEGA Giveaway on Paperback Dolls!!!!

Okay, first, I think this may be my favourite contest ever!!! TONS of Cassandra Clare/Shadowhunter goodies being given away! How can I resist an offer like that???? I can't... : p
Even if you've never read these books I still suggest you enter because they are so worth having!!! : D

http://paperbackdolls.blogspot.com/2010/08/cassandra-clare-mega-giveaway.html

Happy reading, and good luck to anyone who sees this! : D