Introduction
I first came across this book series a few years ago, It sounded interesting enough but for whatever reason I never got around to reading it.
I actually watched the movie a while back, which after reading the book let me tell you wasn't half as good. On a whim at my local bookstore, I decided to pick this book and the book two and three up and give the series a try.
I actually watched the movie a while back, which after reading the book let me tell you wasn't half as good. On a whim at my local bookstore, I decided to pick this book and the book two and three up and give the series a try.
Summary
I know this series is rather popular and I'm sure many people have read or at least heard of this series regardless I'll give a little "back story" as to what the book series is about or at least the first book.
The main character's name is Clary Fray, is fifteen years old and just shy of turning sixteen. She is "cute" in looks but never really considers herself "beautiful" she is never petite in both height and weight and unruly curly red hair. Clary's best friend is named Simon Lewis, he is your typical brunet dorky teenage boy and typically as you expect he Clary "friend zones" Simon and for most of the book Clary doesn't even realize that he has liked pretty much their entire lives.
In comes the "bad ass shadow hunters" while at a club for "all ages" Clary happens to notice three teenagers who all are very hot and dressed in black and another teenager (she suspects) becoming violent with each other and head into a storage room. So she does what any, silly adolescence girl does and runs after them, with no help I might add.
After a brief violent affair she witness one of the "boys" by the hand of the other "teens" and comes to find out that there is a secret hidden world where: vampires, werewolves, fairies, warlock and witches all exist. As well as Demons and Angel there for Nephilim exist as well.
From a series of events which happens to have her Mother kidnapped,by and evil shadow hunter everyone believed was dead and a family friend randomly does out of the picture. She finds out that she like the rest of the shadow hunters ( Jace Wayland, Isabelle Lightwood and Alec Lightwood) are Nephillim aka Human Angel hybrids that fight and kill demons and belong to a secret ancient society(The Clave) that humans or "mundanes" have no idea exist because they use a "glamour" of sorts and hide the supernatural world around them.
That's all I will say for the summary, if you guys want to more well you can look at other reviews, search the web for spoilers or just go read the book!
Now, on to my review. I won't reveal much else about the story line (if I can resist).
Review
I know this series is rather popular and I'm sure many people have read or at least heard of this series regardless I'll give a little "back story" as to what the book series is about or at least the first book.
The main character's name is Clary Fray, is fifteen years old and just shy of turning sixteen. She is "cute" in looks but never really considers herself "beautiful" she is never petite in both height and weight and unruly curly red hair. Clary's best friend is named Simon Lewis, he is your typical brunet dorky teenage boy and typically as you expect he Clary "friend zones" Simon and for most of the book Clary doesn't even realize that he has liked pretty much their entire lives.
In comes the "bad ass shadow hunters" while at a club for "all ages" Clary happens to notice three teenagers who all are very hot and dressed in black and another teenager (she suspects) becoming violent with each other and head into a storage room. So she does what any, silly adolescence girl does and runs after them, with no help I might add.
After a brief violent affair she witness one of the "boys" by the hand of the other "teens" and comes to find out that there is a secret hidden world where: vampires, werewolves, fairies, warlock and witches all exist. As well as Demons and Angel there for Nephilim exist as well.
From a series of events which happens to have her Mother kidnapped,by and evil shadow hunter everyone believed was dead and a family friend randomly does out of the picture. She finds out that she like the rest of the shadow hunters ( Jace Wayland, Isabelle Lightwood and Alec Lightwood) are Nephillim aka Human Angel hybrids that fight and kill demons and belong to a secret ancient society(The Clave) that humans or "mundanes" have no idea exist because they use a "glamour" of sorts and hide the supernatural world around them.
That's all I will say for the summary, if you guys want to more well you can look at other reviews, search the web for spoilers or just go read the book!
Now, on to my review. I won't reveal much else about the story line (if I can resist).
Review
This book was really easy to get into! I was surprised as soon as I picked it up I was hooked! I must admit that I have a soft spot in my heart for young adult books though, obviously I have broaden out a bit when it comes to my book selection I always find myself coming back what it seems my favorite genre.
I think the thing I love most about young adult books, is they way they are written a wide array of audiences can enjoy the stories produced in this genre.
Any way, back to my review! Clary well, I will admit when I first started reading this book was a bit well let's just say it annoying. Of course she is irrational and compulsive (it seems like most of the character in the book I've been reading are). That becomes frustrating and after awhile I will admit that it became predictable which isn't always a bad thing but still and like I said above I had seen the movie prior to reading the book (Let me just say I enjoy, book much more than the movie and the casting of movie was pretty bad expect for Luke and Simon. I love both of the actors who play them from Being Human and Misfits) At some points in the book I found myself wanting to reach into the pages and slap Clary! I know a tad bit dramatic but still. I understand that Clary (her character anyway) is a teenage girl which obviously, I know what it is like to be a teenage girl being that I am in my early twenties, it wasn't that long ago that I was that age. Clary is can be really jealous, petty and just plain mean! Did I mention impulsive yes, she is very impulsive and she constantly doesn't seem to care or doesn't realize the consequences of her actions (the entire book really) Clary, isn't the worst "main character" and towards the end of the book Clary even admitted that "she grew up" after all the things she saw. ( I hope in book two she is not so, well stupid) Being that said I grew to tolerate her in this series and maybe even slightly like her as a character (at least enough to keep reading the series)
I feel the same way about the rest of the character in the series as well, Jace annoyed me at first but I grew to like him and even cheer on Clary and Jace's budding romance *Spoiler Alert* I was just disappointed when Jace turned out to be her "brother" especially after they kissed and they both are pretty much in love with each other. It pretty much is obvious that down the line, it will be revealed that they aren't related surprise surprise. *End of Spoiler*
Alec, I thought was whinny and annoying at first (there seems to be to many love triangles in this book and it's getting a little to complicated. Just saying) I really am rooting for Alec and Mangus to get together (just saying!) He turns out to be not "so bad" I guess, though he really isn't in the story that much to tell. Isabelle, well I really don't have much to say about her other than she is suppose to be beautiful and she can fight well and her and Clary have some rivalry going on *Spoiler* Some how, the rivalry between Clary Isabelle and Alec all seems to go away by the end of the book and the accept her apparently. *End Spoiler*
Simon on the other hand, I think I liked him better in the beginning of the book rather than the end. He was cute and dorky at first and light hearted, in a way he reminded me of Xander from Buffy he offered some comical relief. Towards the end of the book, he became "serious" and all "manly" which was kind of dull to be honest to me it felt like he lost most of his personality. I also, enjoyed Luke in the story as well and just over all liked him as a character.
I know many people compared, Valentine to Voldemort of the Harry Potter series and I was actually thinking the same thing in a way. Though, I don't really have anything else to say about him other than that.
I think my favorite thing about this book was the setting and story line of the over all story, it probably made the entire story ten times better without both the characters would really fall flat. The world Cassandra Clare created was beautiful and well crafted to say the least. I think that was really sucked me into this book, is I just wanted to learn more about the Shadow Hunters and the world that they live in! I look forward to to reading the next book in series and finding out what happens next!
Happy reading everyone!
Kiki aka Alaska Book Girl!
I think the thing I love most about young adult books, is they way they are written a wide array of audiences can enjoy the stories produced in this genre.
Any way, back to my review! Clary well, I will admit when I first started reading this book was a bit well let's just say it annoying. Of course she is irrational and compulsive (it seems like most of the character in the book I've been reading are). That becomes frustrating and after awhile I will admit that it became predictable which isn't always a bad thing but still and like I said above I had seen the movie prior to reading the book (Let me just say I enjoy, book much more than the movie and the casting of movie was pretty bad expect for Luke and Simon. I love both of the actors who play them from Being Human and Misfits) At some points in the book I found myself wanting to reach into the pages and slap Clary! I know a tad bit dramatic but still. I understand that Clary (her character anyway) is a teenage girl which obviously, I know what it is like to be a teenage girl being that I am in my early twenties, it wasn't that long ago that I was that age. Clary is can be really jealous, petty and just plain mean! Did I mention impulsive yes, she is very impulsive and she constantly doesn't seem to care or doesn't realize the consequences of her actions (the entire book really) Clary, isn't the worst "main character" and towards the end of the book Clary even admitted that "she grew up" after all the things she saw. ( I hope in book two she is not so, well stupid) Being that said I grew to tolerate her in this series and maybe even slightly like her as a character (at least enough to keep reading the series)
I feel the same way about the rest of the character in the series as well, Jace annoyed me at first but I grew to like him and even cheer on Clary and Jace's budding romance *Spoiler Alert* I was just disappointed when Jace turned out to be her "brother" especially after they kissed and they both are pretty much in love with each other. It pretty much is obvious that down the line, it will be revealed that they aren't related surprise surprise. *End of Spoiler*
Alec, I thought was whinny and annoying at first (there seems to be to many love triangles in this book and it's getting a little to complicated. Just saying) I really am rooting for Alec and Mangus to get together (just saying!) He turns out to be not "so bad" I guess, though he really isn't in the story that much to tell. Isabelle, well I really don't have much to say about her other than she is suppose to be beautiful and she can fight well and her and Clary have some rivalry going on *Spoiler* Some how, the rivalry between Clary Isabelle and Alec all seems to go away by the end of the book and the accept her apparently. *End Spoiler*
Simon on the other hand, I think I liked him better in the beginning of the book rather than the end. He was cute and dorky at first and light hearted, in a way he reminded me of Xander from Buffy he offered some comical relief. Towards the end of the book, he became "serious" and all "manly" which was kind of dull to be honest to me it felt like he lost most of his personality. I also, enjoyed Luke in the story as well and just over all liked him as a character.
I know many people compared, Valentine to Voldemort of the Harry Potter series and I was actually thinking the same thing in a way. Though, I don't really have anything else to say about him other than that.
I think my favorite thing about this book was the setting and story line of the over all story, it probably made the entire story ten times better without both the characters would really fall flat. The world Cassandra Clare created was beautiful and well crafted to say the least. I think that was really sucked me into this book, is I just wanted to learn more about the Shadow Hunters and the world that they live in! I look forward to to reading the next book in series and finding out what happens next!
Happy reading everyone!
Kiki aka Alaska Book Girl!
