Unmade Blog Tour‏: EVERYTHING IS AWFUL (As I’m Sure You’ve All Noticed) by Kami Glass

I'm so excited to be the publication day stop for the Unmade blog tour today! To celebrate, the wonderful Sarah Rees Brennan has written an exclusive never been seen before piece from Kami's paper The Nosy Parker with Kami catching readers up and giving her thoughts on events before book three. Needless to say if you haven't read books one and two there will be spoilers ahead, you have been warned.

EVERYTHING IS AWFUL 

(As I’m Sure You’ve All Noticed) 

by Kami Glass 

I am not certain about writing this article, because articles are meant to report the news. They are meant to convey new information to people who did not have said information before.

The information I have is information you already know.

You all know magic is real. You know there are sorcerers among us in this little town, that there always have been, and the Lynburn family always considered themselves the sorcerers’ leaders.

You all know that Rob Lynburn has taken over Aurimere, the ancient manor on the hill above Sorry-in-the-Vale, and set himself up as the true Lynburn leader, the ruler of this town. You know he killed a girl with one of his long golden knives.

You know he is demanding another sacrifice.

You know people have died fighting him. You know that the town has been made a magic prison, a golden cage with borders we cannot cross and no way to get a message to those outside those borders. You know Rob Lynburn tried to take my little brother and sacrifice him.

You know that Rob Lynburn’s nephew Jared Lynburn, one of the people who stood against Rob, has disappeared. He went into Aurimere to get my brother back, and he did not come out again.

It has been weeks since he was last seen, him or his mother Rosalind Lynburn. It has been weeks since the sorcerers who stood against Rob Lynburn died in the Crying Pools. It has been months since Rob Lynburn demanded his sacrifice.

It is not as if any of you could possibly have missed the ring of fire surrounding the house on the hill. There are shadows coming to life in the town square and creatures stirring in the woods. Sorcerers are walking among us and making no effort to conceal their identity. ‘How are you feeling, Sergeant Kenn?’ you might ask a policeman you once had faith in. ‘I’m feeling evil!’ he might well reply. 

Since I cannot tell you anything you do not know, perhaps you can tell me something. Write it in an editorial letter. Come up to me in the street. I would truly like to have this information.

Are any of you ever going to do anything about what you know? Are any of you ever going to act? 

Are you going to give Rob Lynburn his sacrifice, or let him take one? Could anyone in the town I grew up in, could anyone among the people I trusted, be that weak? Could anyone be that evil?

If we do nothing, be assured he will come. Rob Lynburn has Aurimere. He is watching us. He is not watching over us. He is coming for this town. He has his hand stretched out, and he is still holding his knife.

Maybe there is one last thing that you, dear reader, do not know yet.

One of you knows where Jared Lynburn is.

One of you knows what happened to him.

You may know that much, but something you do not know yet is this. I am looking. I am searching for you. I will not give up.

I am going to find you out.

Check out Wondrous Reads tomorrow for the final stop of the tour.

Happy Unmade day everyone!

Review for Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead

Warning
This is a review for the fifth book in the Bloodlines series and so may contain spoilers from the previous books.

Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead
Publisher: Penguin
Release: 29th July 2014
Genre: YA, Vampires, Magic, Paranormal Romance
Source: Bought




Synopsis:

"In The Fiery Heart, Sydney risked everything to follow her gut, walking a dangerous line to keep her feelings hidden from the Alchemists.

Now, in the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, Sydney and Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive.

For Sydney, trapped and surrounded by adversaries, life becomes a daily struggle to hold on to her identity and the memories of those she loves. Meanwhile, Adrian clings to hope in the face of those who tell him Sydney is a lost cause, but the battle proves daunting as old demons and new temptations begin to seize hold of him...

Their worst fears now a chilling reality; Sydney and Adrian face their darkest hour."

Review 
Silver Shadows was a book that I was hugely anticipating not only because I love this world and characters so much but because of *that* agonizing cliff hanger at the end of The Fiery Heart. Silver Shadows was such an emotional rollercoaster to read with plenty of highs and lows for Sydney and Adrian. Once again the book is told in alternate chapters between the two which worked particularly well here with Sydney and Adrian being apart for a large chunk of the book.

Sydney is in the alchemists re-education centre and I have to say that Richelle Mead really impressed me with the world building for this. I was in equal parts fascinated and horrified at just how messed up the alchemists and their methods are. Their punishments for Sydney were really extreme and disturbing to read but at the same time I thought it was really clever how their lessons fit around their morals. Nothing is ever done purely for the shock factor but is appropriate for the alchemist’s beliefs and way of life.

Sydney really impressed me in this book. She’s grown so much and I was so proud of how strong, clever and bad ass she was despite everything she was going through. Adrian however really annoyed me at times. Sydney was being so brave whilst Adrian was off getting drunk and going to parties with a girl who blatantly likes him as more than a friend. I know that’s how Adrian deals with things but I couldn’t help feeling frustrated with him at some points.

The last hundred pages of the book gave me everything I love about this series. There was romance, high action, suspense and plenty of surprises that have really set up the conclusion to this series in the final book The Ruby Circle. I have so many theories but at the same time I have no idea how this is going to play out. February can’t come quickly enough!

The Ruby Circle Theory 
(Spoilers from Silver Shadows ahead!)
Highlight to read
So in Silver Shadows Adrian started hearing the voice of his late Aunt Tatiana. He was also carrying around the ruby cufflinks that she gave to him which he then had made into Sydney’s engagement ring. What if an undiscovered aspect of spirit is that you can talk to the dead if in possession of something valuable of theirs or something you both have a connection to? Or what if spirit users can somehow infuse someone’s spirit into an object kind of like a horcrux? Regardless I think that given the title these rubies and Tatiana are going to play a big part in the final book.

Spoiler Review/ Discussion for City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Walker
Release: 27th May 2014
Genre: YA, Paranormal
Rating: 4/5 stars
Source: Bought





Summary:

"Darkness has descended on the Shadowhunter world. Chaos and destruction overwhelm the Nephilim as Clary, Jace, Simon, and their friends band together to fight the greatest evil they have ever faced: Clary's own brother. Nothing in this world can defeat Sebastian - but if they journey to the realm of demons, they just might have a chance. Lives will be lost, love sacrificed, and the whole world will change. Who will survive the explosive sixth and final installment of the Mortal Instruments series?"

WARNING 
This is the sixth and final book in The Mortal Instruments series and WILL contain spoilers not only from the rest of the series but for City of Heavenly Fire itself. It’s starting to become a bit of a thing where I review the last book in a favourite series with spoilers so that I can freely share all of my thoughts and feelings and find out what you guys thought too.

Review/Discussion
The Main Story/ Characters:-
I have to start off on a not so positive note here and say that plot wise I don’t think this is the strongest of Cassie Clare’s books. I honestly felt that the main story was dragged out to fit in Emma and Jem’s stories. The Middle was quite slow for me and I could have done with a couple of hundred pages being edited out.

It felt like it took a long time to get to the crux of the story with The Clave messing around making dumb decisions and twiddling their thumbs at the beginning (seriously, why are they even in charge?) And then towards the middle it felt like we spent a lot of time traipsing through hell looking for Sebastian. I personally would have liked a tighter, snappier plot. It felt like in the end when it came to these characters and their story there wasn’t really much more to tell and we were covering old ground.

Emma and the Blackthorns:-
I really enjoyed getting to know Emma and the Blackthorn family. City of Heavenly Fire basically acts as a prequel to Cassie’s new series ‘The Dark Artifices’ and I really like where this series is heading. I really liked Emma and this book certainly set up a lot of drama for her with her parent’s murder, hints at a future war against faeries, and Emma planning on becoming parabatai with Julian.

Is it just me or is anybody else under the impression that Ty is Autistic? I have two family members who have Autism and he seemed to have a few of the traits. If this is the case I think it will be fantastic to have a Shadowhunter with Autism. We need more books featuring characters with disabilities without them being “issue books”.

Jem and Tessa:-
And so we come to my favourite part of this whole book. I am a HUGE The Infernal Devices fan so basically any mention of the Carstairs and Herondale relationship and I was a blubbing mess. I loved that Jace was the one who turned Brother Zachariah back into Jem and again found that very fitting for the Carstairs/ Herondale relationship.

Tessa and Clary’s chat at the end of the book made me so happy and I thought the whole Fairchild + Gray = Fray thing was pretty cool. I wonder how long Cassie has been planning that one!?

In our UK edition we get a The Infernal Devices comic strip of Tessa and Jem’s wedding and I sobbed and sobbed and sobbed and basically re-lived my intense The Infernal Device feels over a few pages. Even though it wasn’t an actual part of the book I couldn’t *not* mention it because it was so beautiful.

I really loved how many nods Cassie Clare gave to The Infernal Devices and the characters and how she showed that no one is every really gone through them. I can’t begin to explain my joy when I read that Jem and Tessa are off to LA so there’s a very big possibility that they’ll feature in ‘The Dark Artifices’. Hurray!

My Favourite Moments:-
• Jocelyn holding Jonathan as he died.
• Simon saving Izzy and drinking Alec’s blood.
• Jem stealing Church.
• Simon naming his band ‘The Mortal Instruments’ and remembering Clary.
• Seeing the characters ‘hearts desires’ in the demon world.
• That gorgeous Epilogue. Seriously Cassandra Clare is the queen of beautiful endings.

Overall although City of Heavenly Fire was not my favourite Cassandra Clare book I was still really happy with the ending and am really looking forward to ‘The Dark Artifices’.

What did you think of City of Heavenly Fire?

Spoiler Review/ Discussion on Allegiant by Veronica Roth

Allegiant by Veronica Roth 
Publisher: Harper Collins
Release: 22nd October 2013
Genre: Dystopian, YA, Sci-Fi
Rating: 3/5 stars
Source: Bought





Goodreads Summary: 

"The faction-based society that Tris Prior once believed in is shattered—fractured by violence and power struggles and scarred by loss and betrayal. So when offered a chance to explore the world past the limits she’s known, Tris is ready. Perhaps beyond the fence, she and Tobias will find a simple new life together, free from complicated lies, tangled loyalties, and painful memories.

But Tris’s new reality is even more alarming than the one she left behind. Old discoveries are quickly rendered meaningless. Explosive new truths change the hearts of those she loves. And once again, Tris must battle to comprehend the complexities of human nature—and of herself—while facing impossible choices about courage, allegiance, sacrifice, and love."

WARNING
This is the third and final book in the Divergent trilogy and WILL contain spoilers not only from the first two books but Allegiant itself. I usually don’t write spoiler reviews but could not review this book any other way and I found it therapeutic to get my feelings on what happened out there. If you haven’t yet read Allegiant I wouldn’t recommend reading this review unless you want to be spoiled on pretty much everything that happened. Go read the book and come back and share your thoughts.

Review/Discussion 
Firstly, I want to get it out there that my overall rating (3 stars - which is fairly low for this series considering both Divergent and Insurgent got a 5 star rating from me) is not purely because I was upset about the ending for this book. One thing that is irking me is that some people who loved the book are assuming that everybody who didn’t like it didn’t like it purely because of the ending and whilst that may be true for some readers that wasn’t the case for me. I simply didn’t feel that Allegiant was as good of a book as the first two in the series and found it to be a weak ending. So this review isn’t a rambling mess of emotions I’m going to split my thoughts into four subheadings talking about specific aspects of this book.

Beyond Chicago, Experiments and Genes:
After Edith Prior’s big revelation at the end of Insurgent I had a good idea as to where Allegiant might be heading with Chicago being an experiment city and the Divergents having genetically “pure genes.” My theories were confirmed in this book and all Allegiant really did for me was colour in the shades of grey in between that I hadn’t already figured out. In short I guess I was expecting something more. Divergent and Insurgent were full of twists and turns and revelations and so I kept waiting for there to be some crazy twist that would take this book to a whole other level that sadly never arrived.

Whilst I loved finally getting those missing links to connect the dots I felt like the information was pretty much dumped on us all in one go and although I loved all the science and corruption to begin with about half way through the book I was waiting for somebody to actually step up and do something about what was going on.

With no twists, little action and a slower pace I didn’t find Allegiant’s plot to be as exciting as Divergent or Insurgent and I guess I was just expecting more. To me it felt like the plot was very weak and Roth knew it so to leave a lasting impression she’d create the most shocking and brave ending ever. I’d rather have had a stronger plot to be honest.

Tris and Tobias:
My first thought when I found out that Allegiant would be from both Tris and Four’s point of view was “She is going to kill Tris!” To me it was clear because why else would you suddenly on the last book introduce a whole new narrative? Unless that original protagonist was going to die and the new narrator would lead readers to those closing chapters. I had this awful suspicion and I didn’t want to believe it so I pushed it to the back of my mind hoping I wasn’t right and that Roth simply wanted to give readers a glimpse into Four’s head.

I started off really enjoying having Four’s point of view; I loved getting to know Tobias in this new way. However again at about half way through I felt that Veronica lost that distinctiveness and Tris and Tobias’ chapters would start to merge together for me. I’d have to flick back to the start of the chapter to figure out who I was supposed to be reading from. When Tris and Tobias were separate it wasn’t too bad and I liked getting to see the different things going on at one time but when they were together whose chapter I was on would get completely lost to me despite making a conscious effort to keep track. I’m not sure if the dual narrative didn’t work for me because the voices weren’t distinctive enough or if I was just used to reading from solely Tris’ perspective. Either way I had mixed feelings on the way this story was told.

That Ending:
What did I think of Tris dying? I still honestly don’t know myself. Part of me feels like her story came full circle. She was both selfless and brave and it was a powerful and fitting end to this wonderful character. A lot of people are saying that her death was pointless and without meaning and whilst a part of me suspects that Veronica Roth killed Tris because this book wasn’t great and she needed to do something to make it memorable I have to admit that the way her death was handled fit with Tris’ character and didn’t feel forced.

The other part of me was mad. Devastated, actually. Don’t get me wrong I don’t mind sad endings. I actually loved Mockingjay and Clockwork Princess and The Fault in Our Stars (a book well known for being heartbreakingly sad) is one of my all-time favourite books. But what I didn’t like about this book was how hopeless it was. It was actually bleak and depressing to read. In stories about corrupt societies I want there to be justice, I want good to defeat evil, and I know there will be sacrifices along the way - I’m okay with that. In Allegiant Tris dies, Tobias is left a shell of his former self, and the bad guys go on living. “But it’s okay readers because the world is better and it’s all because of Tris!” Is the silver lining Roth offers us. I don’t care. I couldn’t care less what the world is like now because the characters I loved and wanted this safe and fair world for are gone. They’re not here to see the outcome of everything they fought for. Yes I’m including Tobias in this because I feel like a huge part of him died when Tris died, in the end we are left with a person so different from the Four we met and loved in Divergent. What are we left with? As a reader who has loved and cherished this series and has cheered the characters on? An empty body. An Uriah of a story. The people I loved were gone. The newly reformed society worthless to me as a reader. Turn off the damn machine.

Tris’ death aside let’s talk about the other things that went down in that ending. I HATED how easily everything was resolved with Tobias and Evelyn in the end. I actually got to the end of that chapter and said “seriously?” I wasn’t buying it. After all this build up there was no war, no battle, no argument, no honesty, no communication, no passion. After everything Evelyn put Tobias through and after how hard Evelyn fought for her beliefs they just hugged it out and everything was peachy. No! I refuse to accept this as a conclusion to all these years of planning and built up anger and pain. Just, no. Although I was ever so slightly happy that Four had somebody in his life again what with Tris dying and everything. Really convenient the timing of that actually *rolls eyes.* 

My Favourite Parts:
I really enjoyed learning about Tris’ Mom through her journal. And although I didn’t like that Tris died what she died for and how she went with her mother coming for her was well done. I also loved how they chose to spread Tris’ ashes – she really would have loved that. And I loved those last few moments of happiness between Tris and Four and how I got to see one of my favourite Divergent memories through Four’s eyes. That was devastating but beautiful – I sobbed my way through that short but moving chapter.

Overall I guess you could say that I have mixed feelings over Allegiant. There was some good and some bad and a whole lot of stuff that I’m still muddling over in my head. Although it was definitely my least favourite book in the series it wasn’t a bad book and I both loved and hated it all at once. I’d love for you to share with me your thoughts on this book and to vent your feelings in the comments, whether you loved it or hated it. I just ask that if you do decide to comment lets please keep this drama free and respect both the author and one another’s opinions.

Spoiler Review/ Discussion on Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare 
Publisher: Walker
Release: 19th March 2013
Genre: Steampunk, Paranormal Romance, Historical Fiction, Young Adult
Rating: 5/5 stars
Source: Bought

Goodreads Summary: 

"Tessa Gray should be happy - aren't all brides happy? Yet as she prepares for her wedding, a net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. A new demon appears, one linked by blood and secrecy to Mortmain, the man who plans to use his army of pitiless automatons, the Infernal Devices, to destroy the Shadowhunters. Mortmain needs only one last item to complete his plan. He needs Tessa. And Jem and Will, the boys who lay equal claim to Tessa's heart, will do anything to save her."

WARNING 
This is the third and final book in The Infernal Devices trilogy and WILL contain spoilers not only from the first two books but Clockwork Princess itself. I usually don’t write spoiler reviews but could not review this book any other way and I found it therapeutic to get my feelings on what happened out there. In short Clockwork Princess was INCREDIBLE go read it and then come back and discuss, okay?

Review/Discussion 

"“You know that feeling,” she said, “when you are reading a book, and you know that it is going to be a tragedy; you can feel the cold and darkness coming, see the net drawing tight around the characters who live and breathe on the pages. But you are tied to the story as if being dragged behind a carriage and you cannot let go or turn the course aside.”" ― Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Princess 

A lot of people rave about The Mortal Instruments series and whilst I do enjoy those books The Infernal Devices is one of my favourite series of all time and so I was anxious and excited for Clockwork Princess and was literally counting down the days on my calendar for this final instalment. I raced through this 568 page monster in less than 48 hours and by the end my eyes actually hurt from all of the tears I had shed. Happy tears, sad tears and tears of pure grief over this series ending.

On Plot, Mortmain, and Links to The Mortal Instruments:-
Clockwork Princess is one of Cassie’s more slower paced novels plot wise. Instead of lots of action and fight scenes the book is very emotionally driven and the focus is mostly on saying a final farewell to these beloved characters. I kind of wished the take down of Mortmain was longer, all of these books were building up to this twisted villain who in the end got snuffed out like a bug. However I was really happy that Tessa was the one to kill Mortmain it was so ironic and felt so right. When Tessa changed into her Angel I literally gasped, I didn’t see that one coming at all and although I was expecting a bigger final battle it was a fitting end to Mortmain.

One of the things I love about this series is the foreshadowing Cassandra Clare does for The Mortal Instruments. In this book we find out that Henry and Magnus actually created the portals which I loved. We also find out how Church ends up in New York and Magnus’s comment on all Lightwood’s looking the same had me in stitches! One thing I did pick up on that I haven’t seen anybody else comment on was how Clary’s middle name is Adele. Clary and Adele (Tessa’s mother) were both Shadowhunters who were brought up as Mundanes and I wonder if Cassandra Clare intended to give us a clue to the Adele story-line by the use of that name. Its little details like this that I absolutely love about the books set in this world. Cassandra Clare’s world building is so rich and detailed.

On Characters, Relationships and Teams:-
It was so hard saying goodbye to the characters in this book; I love all of them so dearly! Charlotte was such a bad ass and I absolutely loved her strength. Henry was adorable and I loved his friendship with Magnus in this book – finally somebody who gets his genius! Sophie and Bridget were courageous and loyal and Cecily was a wonderful new character who reminded me so much of Isabelle! I loved Will and Cecily’s relationship and how protective Will was of his little sister. I also grew to really love the Lightwood brothers in this book as they struggle between family loyalty and doing the right thing. I was so pleased with who everyone ended up with and that everybody got a happy ending – hurray to not killing anybody off! I’m really going to miss this family of the London Institute.

Of course this series wouldn’t be what it is without our beloved trio Will, Jem and Tessa. I’ve never been purely Team Will or Team Jem. I wanted both of them to be happy and loved both boys so much. I always wished that there was a way for Tessa to be with both of them but couldn’t see how that would work so I was mighty impressed that Cassie found a way to make that happen. No matter what team you’re on I feel like both sides have their share of heartbreak and happiness in this book.

“Most people are lucky enough to have even one great love in their life. You have found two.” ― Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Princess 

What blew me away about Clockwork Princess and what made this book so phenomenal in my opinion was the complexity of our trio’s relationship. Will and Jem are like two halves of a whole – literal soul mates. Their relationship was really well explored and described to us in this book and I consider their friendship up there with the greats like Harry, Ron and Hermione and Frodo and Sam. Cassandra Clare made me feel and understand their relationship and what it means to be Parabatai. To my surprise Jem and Will’s relationship became the most important relationship to me in this series. Their heart to hearts was the source of most of my tears over Clockwork Princess.

On THAT Epilogue:-

“They say you cannot love two people equally at once,” she said. “And perhaps for others that is so. But you and Will—you are not like two ordinary people, two people who might have been jealous of each other, or who would have imagined my love for one of them diminished by my love of the other. You merged your souls when you were both children. I could not have loved Will so much if I had not loved you as well. And I could not love you as I do if I had not loved Will as I did.” ― Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Princess

I know that the epilogue is causing a lot of conflict between the fandom especially for Will fans but you know what guys? No one would be happier with that epilogue than Will. It’s that simple. I personally LOVED the epilogue. I LOVED that both boys got to be happy with Tessa in their lifetimes. There is NO WAY that Will would want Tessa to live out eternity a lonely, grieving, widow and he would be so happy that Jem and Tessa had each other. And I’m sorry but if you think otherwise do you really know Will Herondale at all!? Have we even been reading about the same character!? I can seriously imagine him doing a little jig and singing a song about it up in Shadowhunter heaven. I, unlike a lot of readers, didn’t feel like either love belittled the other but instead created something special, something greater. I think that Tessa, Will and Jem’s circumstance is a unique one that required a unique ending I don’t think a lot of authors could have pulled that epilogue off but for this story it worked beautifully.

Overall Clockwork Princess was a phenomenal if bittersweet ending. I usually hate love triangles but Cassandra Clare has created the ultimate triangle in The Infernal Devices one of respect, love and loyalty that runs from angle to angle between all three characters. I’m now going through a mourning period over the end of what has become one all my all-time favourite series. Clockwork Princess was a masterpiece of a conclusion and The Infernal Devices will always hold a special place in my heart.

“Every meeting led to a parting, and so it would, as long as life was mortal. In every meeting there was some of the sorrow of parting, but in everything parting there was some of the joy of meeting as well.” ― Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Princess