Cover Reveal: Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Guyzzzz!!! Look at this! Cassandra Clare revealed the cover of the final novel in her Infernal Devices trilogy, Clockwork Princess. Isn't it just gorgeous?! I can't wait to have it on my shelf next March! It comes out March 19, 2013.

Thanks to Midnight Bloom Reads, first for alerting me to the cover and then providing the image. Check her out! www.midnightbloomreads.com 

August 30th Releases

There are too many releases today to list them all in the blog title. Here they all are:

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

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street—and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa’s powers for his own dark ends.
With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister’s war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move—and that one of their own has betrayed them.
Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will—the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?
As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

Cassandra Clare is an amazing author of the Mortal Instruments Series and Clockwork Angel, the first book in the Infernal Devices Series. I can't wait to read the next installment!

Soul Thief (Demon Trappers #2) by Jana Oliver

Riley Blackthorne is beginning to learn that there are worse things than death by demon. And love is just one of them…
Seventeen-year-old Riley has about had it up to here. After the devastating battle at the Tabernacle, trappers are dead and injured, her boyfriend Simon is gravely injured, and now her beloved late father’s been illegally poached from his grave by a very powerful necromancer. As if that’s not enough, there's Ori, one sizzling hot freelance demon hunter who’s made himself Riley’s unofficial body guard, and Beck, a super over-protective “friend” who acts more like a grouchy granddad. With all the hassles, Riley’s almost ready to leave Atlanta altogether.
But as Atlanta’s demon count increases, the Vatican finally sends its own Demon Hunters to take care of the city’s “little” problem, and pandemonium breaks loose. Only Riley knows that she might be the center of Hell’s attention: an extremely powerful Grade 5 demon is stalking her, and her luck can't last forever…

I enjoyed the uniqueness of The Demon Trapper's Daughter and I can't wait to see what action and romance Jana Oliver has included in its sequel!

Fury by Elizabeth Miles

Sometimes sorry isn't enough....
It’s winter break in Ascension, Maine. The snow is falling and everything looks pristine and peaceful. But not all is as it seems...
Between cozy traditions and parties with her friends, Emily loves the holidays. And this year’s even better--the guy she’s been into for months is finally noticing her. But Em knows if she starts things with him, there’s no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em’s best friend.
On the other side of town, Chase is having problems of his own. The stress of his home life is starting to take its toll, and his social life is unraveling. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel...something the perfect guy he pretends to be would never do. And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed.
In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. And three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—are here to choose who will pay.

This has to be on my Top 10 most anticipated for 2011 Releases. It sounds like one of those freaky fairytales that'll keep you up at night, and scare you into being good. I can't wait to read it!

The Fox Inheritance (Jenna Fox Chronicles #2) by Mary E. Pearson

Once there were three. Three friends who loved each other—Jenna, Locke, and Kara. And after a terrible accident destroyed their bodies, their three minds were kept alive, spinning in a digital netherworld. Even in that disembodied nightmare, they were still together. At least at first. When Jenna disappeared, Locke and Kara had to go on without her. Decades passed, and then centuries.
Two-hundred-and-sixty years later, they have been released at last. Given new, perfect bodies, Locke and Kara awaken to a world they know nothing about, where everyone they once knew and loved is long dead.
Everyone except Jenna Fox.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox was an incredible, deep read that revealed an entirely new world. Jenna is one of my favorite MC's and I'm excited to see Mary's other characters come to life in this book.

The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann

Every year in Quill, thirteen-year-olds are sorted into categories: the strong, intelligent Wanteds go to university, and the artistic Unwanteds are sent to their deaths
Thirteen-year-old Alex tries his hardest to be stoic when his fate is announced as Unwanted, even while leaving behind his twin, Aaron, a Wanted. Upon arrival at the destination where he expected to be eliminated, however, Alex discovers a stunning secret--behind the mirage of the "death farm" there is instead a place called Artime.
In Artime, each child is taught to cultivate their creative abilities and learn how to use them magically, weaving spells through paintbrushes and musical instruments. Everything Alex has ever known changes before his eyes, and it's a wondrous transformation.
But it's a rare, unique occurence for twins to be separated between Wanted and Unwanted, and as Alex and Aaron's bond stretches across their separation, a threat arises for the survival of Artime that will pit brother against brother in an ultimate, magical battle.

I haven't read anything by Lisa McMann but I've heard that her Wake Trilogy was amazing and I'm excited to read her books.

Twisted (Intertwined #3) by Gena Showalter

His vampire girlfriend might have brought him back to life, but he's never felt more out of control. There's a darkness within him, something taking over…changing him. Worse, because he was meant to die, death now stalks him at every turn. Any day could be his last.
Once upon a time, the three souls trapped inside his head could have helped him. He could have protected himself. But as the darkness grows stronger, the souls grow weaker—just like his girlfriend. The more vampire Aden becomes, the more human Victoria becomes, until everything they know and love is threatened.
Life couldn't get any worse. Could it?

Intertwined was a very romantic and unique novel, I've yet to read the sequel Unraveled, but definitely consider reading these books.  

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

Synopsis: 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 the 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 Tessa'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. 

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Sorry for not posting yesterday. With Christmas coming up and all, I spent yesterday with family. So here's two posts for your enjoyment! Yay!

I've read the Mortal Instruments series, so I was familiar with Cassandra Clare and her writings before Clockwork Angel came out. Nothing was much of a surprise in Clockwork (and I mean the Shadowhunters, the Downworld, yadda yadda yadda). I actually enjoyed City of Bones and such more than Clockwork. I just thought that the plot was better and the characters were more dynamic.

Tessa is helpless at the beginning when she's with the Dark Sisters. I was a little annoyed with her, and restless for Will and Jem to come in and save her. She really didn't know how to break out, and when she tried to, she got caught. Honestly, I was getting frustrated with her. But I understood her predicament as much as a reader living in a totally different world does. She was strong, in her own way, and that came out more at the end of the book facing all the bad guys.

Will didn't remind me at all like Jace (see Mortal Instruments) like I thought he would be. He was more pompous and less proud of the Shadowhunters, although he was deeply devoted to them. He was funny, though, around the middle when Jem and he were trying to teach Tessa. I found myself laughing at him just as much as I laughed at Jace. He was a deep character, and you hardly learn why he's so closed. It bugged me, a lot. But now I'm excited for Clockwork Prince, which, I hear, is the next book.

Jem is a sweet character. He embraces Tessa into the Institute more than Will and everyone else, and he really related to her problems, making him the only friend Tessa really has in London. You learn about his "disease" toward the end of the book, and I felt really bad for him. He gives so much insight into his life, letting Tessa understand him for who he is before she judges him. And he gets judged many times throughout the book.

Over all, I thought Clockwork Angel is a wonderful introduction for the rest of the series. It had the problem come in slowly, letting Tessa get settled before the action began. I'll admit, it was rather slow for the first chapters of the book but it picked up considerably when the Shadowhunters learn about everything Tessa left behind. Tessa finds out more about herself throughout the book than any other character, but I didn't think any one character was dynamic. They all pretty much stayed the same. I'm hoping that as the books go on, Clare will write them to change more.

The Cover: I like how they kept the same layout, but changed it up a bit. It really set the theme for the book (dark and mysterious). I loved the little angel on the cover, portraying Tessa's angel. I'm pretty sure that Will is the handsome gentleman on the cover, but who knows? The purple swirls mixed with the London landmarks really caught my eye against the other young adult books on the shelves, making me want to pick it up. Lovely.