Author: Chelsea (Page 85 of 111)

BOOK REVIEW – Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices #1) by Cassandra Clare

August 19, 2014 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices #1)
by Cassandra Clare
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Honestly? I didn’t know what to think when I started reading this novel. It is based in the 1800s (not AT ALL my comfort zone), and the way they spoke, because of being based so far back, was definitely different from what I am used to reading. It had a dark undertone, really the whole novel was dark, but through the darkness came a sliver of light and I was so very drawn and attracted to it. I can’t explain what it was or why I eventually came to enjoy it, but it did eventually get under my skin, and for that I was very surprised.

The story starts with Tessa traveling to London from New York because her brother sent for her, saying how spectacular London was and that since they were all alone now, they should be together. Enter the Dark sisters, the creepiest characters I have come across in a long time. They teach her to use her “ability” in preparation for the Magister. It can only go downhill from there, and while it isn’t a steady decline, it’s as satisfying as it is tremulous. A weird combination, I know, but I grew to love Will, Tess, and Jem, and even Jess in some areas.

They grow to be close, and it is addicting to the reader. The writing takes a bit to get used to, but overall it isn’t bothersome.

While the beginning was ok, and I say ok because at the time I was staring at the pages in utter horror, confusion, and repulsion, the adventure they start to unravel becomes so addicting I couldn’t put it down. Because I hadn’t grown to adore the main characters yet, I don’t feel I enjoyed the beginning, which is a shame. We have Will-the everpresent, mercurial “badboy” who is unable to love, and we have Jem-the sweet, caring, and thoughtful boy. This was definitely YA and there was an heir of innocence, but it was alluring all the same. That is a hard feat to accomplish, and I felt it was done so wonderfully in my opinion.

My taste continues to amaze me, as I have been broadening my horizons and finding more “oh wow, that was good-I never would have thought so” novels. I have to say that immediately after finishing the first installment, I grabbed the second and dug right in. I am fully engrossed in the story, and I hope that the story stays consistently good, because I find this series to be very pleasing and worthwhile.

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BOOK REVIEW – Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices #2) by Cassandra Clare

August 19, 2014 / Chelsea / 2 Comments

Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices #2)
by Cassandra Clare
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

An excellent installment to a surprisingly addictive series. I came upon Infernal Devices in a discussion for another book entirely. It too had a love triangle in it, and some of the girls happened to mention TID and it’s apparently happy ever after for all characters involved. Seeing as how I am becoming increasingly aware of how much I love drama, to an extent, in novels, I had to hop on over and see what TID was all about. Upon reading the synopsis and seeing the cover of Clockwork Angel, I realized that I had passed it up months before. Boy do I ever see the error in my ways.

After the last novel, Tessa is now a permanent fixture in the Institute after Charlotte asked her to stay. We get to see how Tessa is affected after Will’s unforgiveable actions and remarks, and how close her and Jem become because of it. With less time being spent daydreaming about Will(hardly), Tessa finds herself spending more and more time with Jem, thus forming a bond between them. I like both guys a lot. Will has hurt Tessa quite a bit, but underneath it all, I love him because he has a sweet side to him that can’t be entirely hidden, and a passion for his work and also for Tessa. Jem is always there for Tessa, and it becomes increasingly clear he has strong feelings for her. Everyone around him (aside from Will) can see his feelings for her as clear as day, for he wears his heart on a sleeve.

I enjoyed every adventure and could hardly put the book down. I always seemed to be on the edge of my seat and reading at the speed of light-and I still wasn’t reading fast enough. I also adore how each character has such raw passion for who they love and what they believe in. It is hard not to be attracted to each guy when they so obviously are attracted to and care for Tessa. Don’t even get me started on Henry and Charlotte; they definitely add some adorable scenes to the story and make you smile when you least expect it.

So all in all, I really don’t have many words. It is just one of those stories where you feel compelled to tell people about it and insist they read it. I found myself goofily smiling at the pages from Will’s snarky remarks and funny scenarios he found himself in. He always seems to have the funniest facial expressions, and with Jem egging him on, it only fuels the fire. Now I finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, and I can’t wait to see how it all ends and ultimately who ends up with whom.

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BOOK REVIEW – Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices #3) by Cassandra Clare

August 19, 2014 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices #3)
by Cassandra Clare
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Oooh how this book unraveled me. As with all love triangles, I was skeptical as to how it could be accomplished tastefully. Was I completely satisfied with the conclusion of this beautiful trilogy? Yes and no: it depends if I count the epilogue. If I were to count the epilogue as the ending, then no….I really don’t know how I feel, but it’s not 100% satisfied. On the one hand, it was sweet how “the wheel came full turn”. On the other hand, I felt a tad….what’s the word? Unsettled. That’s it-unsettled. Now, without the epilogue, I felt it was tied up nicely and she was with who she should have always been with. I loved both guys, certainly, but one was always the favorite in my heart.

A tearjerker at it’s finest, Clockwork Princess made me bawl like a baby. I loved how both boys were willing to sacrifice everything to help/save/court Tessa. They were both adorable and made me want to jump into this story and solve their little love triangle problem by inserting myself promptly within the pages.

The love and passion that drove Will on his mission to save Tessa was so endearing and I fell more in love with him with each mile he traveled. And Jem, poor Jem. His struggles are so trying and you feel yourself rooting for that impossible cure to be found. His love for Tessa is pure, unrelenting, and undying. His loyalty to Will as his other half is beautiful.

Then there’s the bittersweet, happy ending. As heartbreaking as it is sweet, tears of both happiness and sadness were pouring from my tearducts. I don’t know when I fell so in love with this trilogy, but it knocked me off my feet hard and fast, and I am so sad it’s over. I truly do wish there was another way for the epilogue to have unfolded, because I felt that it took the validity of her love for one particular man and kind of laughed at it’s memory. Not completely..but enough that it left a sour taste in my mouth. You’ll see..it is both beautiful and heartbreaking-all depends on how the reader looks at it. And no-the “memory of his love” is not a spoiler-so many things happen in this book that it couldn’t possibly be explained/ruined by that particular comment. No worries.

Finally, I end this review with a shout out to Cecily. I absolutely adored her character, while at the end of the last book I didn’t want her to necessarily be a part of the story. I LOVE her. I love Gabriel and Gideon and Charlotte and Henry and Magnus-I love them ALL. It is a sad day when I end a series and have to say goodbye to each new character I have fallen in love with, but that time has come, and I am happy to say this is a new favorite series of mine. The journey from book one where Tessa smashed a vase upon Will’s head to the bittersweet epilogue has been a tremulous one, but I couldn’t be happier to have been a part of these amazing stories-I will most definitely re read them one day, hopefully soon, if my poor heart can handle it.

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BOOK REVIEW – Obsession by Jennifer L. Armentrout

August 19, 2014 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

Obsession (Lux #4.5)
by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

The grass is always greener on the other side, right? Well, not that it was any better than the Luxen side, but I still thoroughly enjoyed Jen’s newest addition to the Luxen world of West Virginia. As I have stated multiple times, I am an avid fan of Jen’s writing, and at the moment I am up shit creek without a paddle, because all her series are stuck on cliffhangers until the next installments come out….kill me now.

So we enter Obsession with the notion that we are going to see the bad boy side of things, and while it definitely delivered, we also saw a side to Hunter that was sweet and vulnerable. I never once compared Hunter to the Arum we all know from the Lux series. He was a completely different person *ahem* alien than what we know the Arum to be. I didn’t know whether I could adjust to the other side of the spectrum, because, let’s face it, while the Luxen bash the Arum, the Arum bash the Luxen. I did ultimately have a hard time with this, because it has been instilled in us to hate the shadow guys, but I did my best to be impartial in these areas where people were pointing fingers, otherwise the story would be hard to enjoy.

And yes…oh yes…we got to see our favorite “good” badboy Luxen. It was minuscule, so tiny, but it was enough to make me grin like the Chesire cat in Alice in Wonderland. Jen weaved the stories together so that this book was after Opal, so you can only imagine who our friendly Luxen boy was visiting and who it was about. My heart constricted all over again..just saying…but I will refrain from spoiling…I am strong.

Hunter and Serena had an adorable relationship and it was utterly compelling. I couldn’t put the book down and devoured each and every page. It was a dark, erotic read that I had never seen from Jen before, and I have to say I liked it. Who ever knows if an author so widely known for her YA novels could excel at a steamy read, but how I ever wondered is beyond me..even her YA novels are steamy and exciting. So this leaves me at my final point. Jen is an awesome writer, and none of her books could be labeled badly. I can’t wait until her next masterpiece comes out in July, and until then, this little tidbit better sate me.

****
People who have not read the Lux series are probably horribly confused by this review, but I figure if you haven’t read the Lux series, why would you be looking at this one anyway? Where’s the fun if you don’t already know what’s going on a little? 🙂

Reading Order & Links: Amazon (click on covers), iBooks (click on titles) & Book Depository (click on book #)
Shadows #0.5 Reviews: Jen	Obsidian #1 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	Onyx #2 Reviews: Jen Chelsea
Opal #3 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	Origin #4 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	Obsession (Companion novel) #4.5 Reviews: Jen Chelsea
Opposition #5 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	Oblivion #Companion Novel OBSIDIAN, ONYX & OPAL Told by Daemon Black Reviews: Jen

BOOK REVIEW – Sentinel (Covenant #5) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

August 19, 2014 / Chelsea / 0 Comments

Sentinel (Covenant #5)
by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
It's a beautiful day for a war.

As the mortal world slowly slips into chaos of the godly kind, Alexandria Andros must overcome a stunning defeat that has left her shaken and in doubt of their ability to end this war once and for all.

And with all the obstacles between Alex and her happily-ever-after with the swoonworthy Aiden St. Delphi, they must now trust a deadly foe as they travel deep into the Underworld to release one of the most dangerous gods of all time.

In the stunning, action-packed climax to the bestselling Covenant Series, Alex must face a terrible choice: the destruction of everything and everyone she holds dear... or the end of herself.

5++++++++++ stars

My heart skipped a whole beat, and then sped up in recognition. Ah, I knew that voice. My heart and my soul knew that voice.

There was a time not all that long ago when I was grappling around trying to find something awesome to read…and I was out of inspiration. I had previously read the Lux series by this very author and had fallen in love, so I thought I’d take a chance and jump-jump into a story I had no clue what the blurb was talking about and give Armentrout another opportunity to amaze me-and amaze me she did.

In the darkness, Aiden placed his hand over where mine rested on my stomach, and it stayed that way through the night.

Nine months later and here we are at the end of the Covenant series, and I’m both happy and sad to say goodbye to Aiden, Alex, and Seth-three people who have invaded my heart and haven’t let me go since I picked up the first book.

I never would have thought that her Lux series could be surpassed, and I’m not saying it has been, but it’s damn close. A world corrupted by laws that put pure-bloods on a pedestal and halfs in servitude for the smallest mistakes, we are swept into this crazy place where a young girl will strive to rise above these outdated laws and restrictions to fight for the love of her life. Isn’t forbidden love always the best?

As a pure-blood, he was untouchable to me even though I was the Apollyon, and even now he risked everything to be with me. He was my strength when I needed him to be, my friend when I needed someone to talk me down, my equal in a world where by law I would always be less than him, and honest to gods, he was the love of my life.

We have Alex, the half-blood who fell for a pure-blood and knew it could never happen. A girl who was so strong willed she:
-Made it on her own with no protection from the covenant
-After falling dangerously behind with her training and studies, she came back and rose above the odds-earning a spot at the covenant again.
-And ultimately, she became the second Apollyon; an anomaly that almost never happens. But how can there be two….?

I could read everything in his eyes. There was so much pain in them that it broke my heart, but I didn’t understand why.

Aiden had to have been such a goody two-shoes in school-the kind of kid who’d raised his hand with the answer to every question. Dork. I loved him.

And then there is Aiden, the pure who fell hard for the half, the pure who offered to train her when no one else would, who pined for that forbidden romance in secret, but wouldn’t be so selfish as to put Alex’s life in danger-because that’s what it is: a matter of life and death. Pushing her away when she needed him most, they both suffer from unnecessary heartbreak that pulls you even deeper into this amazing series and makes you beg for more. He would lay down his life to save her, risk it all with a secret compulsion, battle alongside her only to make sure she lives to see another day-even though he is the one who is really in danger of dying.

”I was selfish in wanting you, knowing what it could mean for you. I was selfish the first time I kissed you, touched you.” The shiver his words brought forth didn’t go unnoticed by him. A dimple appeared. “I was selfish the night I came to your bed when you were at my parents’ house, and I’ve been selfish every day since then. The only time I hadn’t been selfish was when I pushed you away, and that’s the day I regret most.”

Annnddd Seth, the pesky first Apollyon who waltzed into Alex’s life unannounced and charmed his way into her everyday routine. More than once I found myself wishing he would just disappear into oblivion and never come back. He was always a distraction for Alex, someone to challenge her feelings for Aiden, and I never really liked that-but it securely added another intricate layer to these stories that was so desperately needed. Looking back I realize just how much more fun his presence made everything, and I love that he was a part of the journey to where they all are now.

Car keys dangling from his fingertips, Seth passed by us. “If you two can stop making doe-eyes at each other for a few minutes, we’re all ready to go.”
Aiden straightened, his gaze narrowing on Seth’s back. “Jealous is an ugly thing.”
“So is blind ignorance,” Seth shot back, rounding the front of the Hummer.

A story of power, self-sacrifice, love, loyalty, and strength of will, I couldn’t have loved this final installment more if I tried. Redemption of certain characters and the desperate nature of each person’s willingness to save one another resulted in an even deeper love for this story that was completely unexpected and caused my heart to expand to epic proportions. A race to the finish where no one is safe, even the Apollyons, we watch the story unfold as each character seals their fate, for both good and bad. Sentinel took my breath away more than once with it’s expressive storytelling and ability to make me feel, making for an emotional finish, where nothing can ever be the same, and no one is guaranteed to survive.

It was a beautiful day for war.

There is really no way to express how much I loved this series in one review, because we saw each character grow, mature, and become what they were always destined to be. I laughed, I cried, I bawled, and I frantically wished for the best in the worst of scenarios. I was both surprised and overjoyed with the finale of the Covenant series, and I could even read it again right now. It was just that good. Forever engrained into my soul, I will never forget the joy I felt when I read each installment. For those who haven’t read the series, you are truly missing out on characters that will captivate and compel you, influence you, make you fall in love with them and consume you, and I am so glad I took a chance to find out why each and every one of them is so special-I will always love this series with all my heart and can’t wait to see what Jennifer comes out with next, because I’ll be the first in line, no matter what the blurb entails.