Clockwork Angel

Author: Cassandra Clare

Series: Book One of The Infernal Devices

Summary: (inside flap) Magic is dangerous-but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks, and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, who are members of a secret organization called the Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessas's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by-and torn between-two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length....everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

Review: Amazing writing! I fell in love with the story from like the third page on and found it impossible to put down. The setting is my favorite kind for romantic stories and the dialogue set the time perfectly.

The spoken words were natural and flowed in such a lovely manner. I absolutely loved Will's sarcastic character and James was a pleasure to think about. Tessa herself was probably a weak character if judged by our standards, but for her time, she was brave and courageou. She spoke out of turn and handled Will quite well. I wished she had fought a little more in the actual battles, but getting saved is the nice way to fall in love.

Do I think you should read this book? Yes, you must. If you liked the Mortal Instruments series, which I have also read, then you will like this book even more in my opinion.

There is a slight plot detail that may dissapoint readers of the Mortal Instruments. Most of the characters in the previously written series are in this book with their names replaced. Mostly though, the personalities remain intact, but I prefer this book because it has more action. The book is seamlessly written and Victorian London is the most wonderful of settings. It was a pleasure to be able to read this book and hopefully you will find it as engaging as I did.

Rating: 1 2 3 4 5

MATCHED

Author: Ally Condie

Release Date: November 30, 2010

Summary: Society matched them, but love set them free.

In the Society, Officials decide. Who you love. Where you work. When you die.

Cassia has always trusted their choices. It's barely any price to pay for a log life, the perfect job, the ideal mate. So when her best friend appears on the Matching screen, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is the one...until she sees another face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. Now Cassia is faced with impossible choices: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path no one else has ever dared follow--between perfection and passion.

Review: Lately, it seems like dystopian novels are very popular. I don't usually like those types of stories, because they take longer to play out. I became interested in this one because of the fact that love was at the center. The cover is also gorgeous! I really like the color green, so it definately caught my attention because of that too.

The main character is a believable one. She doesn't start out hating the government or wanting to overthrow it or anything. Everything in her life was perfect and all the choices were made for her. She didn't feel suffocated by the rules of the Society and she didn't see her freedom as false. It was until the rules got in her way that she even took notice of them.

Although the Society matched her parents, she felt that they were choosing the wrong person for her. Xander was her best friend and Cassia was very happy to be matched to him. Until she started falling for Ky Markham that is. Cassia felt that their love story wasn't a summer fling. She loved him like she didn't love Xander. Cassia's parents were a testomonial to the fact that the Matching system worked, but she also felt in her core that it would not work for her.

Like most dystopian societies, the government deserves to be destroyed. There are some very bad things that they do that no one can accept. Even though the inhabitants live happy and fulfilling lives, they would question the authority if they knew that they were puppets in a play.

The book was pretty good and while the pace slowed in parts, the romance between Cassia and Ky is enough to make you keep reading. They are sweet and realistic.

Rating: 1 2 3 4 5

Explanation: It was a good story and the protagonist was likable, but there were a few slow parts. I can't give it a five because a five to me means that the book is impossible to put down. It was a good book, but not a five. I would say that it is worth buying even so. A great plus is that the cover is so lovely!

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1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
2. The Maze Runner by James Dashner