Cassandra Clare has put a Spell on Me

Oh, Cassandra Clare...you write such good books, I wonder if you put magic in them...which would explain why I have read City of Bones, City of Ashes, and pre-ordered City of Glass all in one weekend.

With your story lines, you have captivated my interest. With your quick witted dialogue and interesting characters, you have woven a spell around my brain that I can't shake. With your compelling cliff hanger endings, you have enchanted me and left me reading other tripe while trying to fill in the time until your final (will it be final?) installment is produced. Oh...and the prequel!! 2010 seems so far away!!

In City of Bones, we are introduced to Clary, her best friend Simon, Jace and his band of Shadowhunters. We are introduced, in fact, to a whole new world that is entirely fascinated. Do I speak fairy or warlock? No. But when I am reading Clare's fabulous works of art, I think that I am an expert.
This lady has done such a fabulous job, that I couldn't even wait for our book vendors to send the next installments. Instead I had to visit my good friend AMAZON and order them up.

In City of Ashes, Jace and Clary's battle continues. I have 100 pages left and I can't wait to see if there is a Star Wars twist involved. How can these two be related? The world of Shadowhunters becomes more and more interesting with each page turn, making me wish I was a cool assassin instead of just a boring run of the mill librarian ;).

I don't even mind that there has been 48 hours worth of football on the tv downstairs. I am in my own little demon vs. shadowhunter vs. lycanthrope vs. vampire vs. evil father vs. fairy world. And it's a good one.

Thank you for being so talented, Ms. Clare. I am just sorry that it took me this long to find you!

Giving Thanks for Books!!

It's been awhile since my last post. I have voraciously been consuming books, just as I did my Thanksgiving supper. Thanks, Aunt Sue!!
So...a few things that struck my fancy, and a few things that didn't:

My last post was about Kissing the Bee by Koja...so when I saw her new book Headlong, in the review room, I picked it up. Wished I hadn't. Kissing the Bee was so magnificent...maybe all of the good words went into writing that one? Hard to say.
In Headlong the main character, Lily, attends The Vaughn School. She doesn't really fit in. She tries, but it is never "the real Lily". When Hazel Tobias shows up, things change for our Lily. She becomes adventurous and exciting. But what happens when that friendship ends?

For a great take on boarding school, save yourself for E. Lockhart's, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks. Frankie is someone you really wish was your best friend vs. Hazel's moody tumultuousness. And if you're still into the new school conundrum after that, try Lauren Myracle's newest ghost tale, Bliss. I am about half way through it...think she is on to something good here...hippies and ghosts. Watch the trailer...if you dare!! (Click here!)


I also enjoyed Barry Lyga's newest book, Hero-Type. Lyga writes about an average kid who was in the right place at the right time and ended up saving a classmate from death. This starts a media frenzy and said average kid is followed around all of the time. When the media catches him doing something "unpatriotic", he goes from hero to zero in no time. Interesting questions are posed here as Lyga takes something pretty common and flips it on it's ear. He's good at that!!

Kelley Armstrong's novel, The Summoning, has garnered much praise...but not from me. I had a kid return it and say "I just couldn't get into it". With one of those dangling sequels...which I will have to wait awhile for...I wish I hadn't gotten into it. Chloe Saunders has a small problem: ghosts talk to her. Interesting premise. However, when it gets her checked into a mental institution, it's not so great after all. The mental institution provides her with some interesting friends...all of which posses a secret power. When all of the powers collide, Chloe and the others figure out they've been brought together for a purpose. Sad thing: we'll have to wait until the sequel to figure out what that purpose is. Long road to nowhere, folks.

There is lots out there! With the release of the 2009-2010 TAYSHAS list, holiday reading has never looked so good!! Enjoy!