Fallen Legion Cover Reveal

Revolution
Press Release
June 8th, 2011
Fallen Legion, the
fourth book in the
Timeless series by
Laura Kreitzer, is set
to release this winter.
Published by
Revolution Publishing
Inc.
Laura Kreitzer’s
website: http://laurakreitzer.com

SUMMARY
The full force of the Empyrean Guard leaves Gabriella
trembling where she stands. Even with the Fallen at her back, she lacks the proper training and knowledge to win the inevitable Angelic war. In the Timeless Oblivion, Gabriella seeks the advice of the one person who’s never failed her and comes back with more than she bargained for. Now Gabriella must do the unthinkable: break the most important law the Celestial Gods decreed thousands of years ago to protect the Angels. Now that she’s crossed the line, will she
find a way to save the Angels? Or has she doomed them all?

Whirlwind Blog Tour: Guest Post and E-book Giveaway

Welcome to the next stop on the Whirlwind blog tour. Robin graciously agreed to write a guest post for you guys about secondary characters  in a story and I hope that you enjoy it. Oh and stay tuned for information on a giveaway of an e-book copy of Whirlwind. 

Ah, the supporting cast, otherwise known as minor characters. Those poor, undervalued characters don’t get much screen time, say only a few lines, and are usually only in the story to help further the main characters’ arcs. As critical as minor characters are, they just don’t get the same respect as the hero and heroine. But a rebellion is afoot.

Tired in their role of revealing critical plot elements or acting as an emotional sounding board, a few of my minor characters are dying to have their say. One in particular *coughMitchcough* is too big to ignore, so I’m bringing back and updating some scenes that were deleted from the first draft of Whirlwind. These two vignettes are titled “Meeting Mitch” and “The Apology.”

Mitch McAlister is the brother of the story’s hero, Jason McAlister. Mitch has known Melissa Williams (heroine and narrator of Whirlwind) much longer than Jason, and met her in a very unique way. He and Melissa formed a deep friendship during the years before the beginning of Whirlwind, but most of this backstory was cut from the final manuscript.

While Mitch is the focus of both of these outtakes, he’s not the only minor character that got the short shrift when they were removed from the manuscript. In this first peek at “Meeting Mitch,” we see what main character Melissa’s first day as a college reporter was like (almost three years before the beginning of Whirlwind). It’s the minor characters who let her strength and feisty-ness shine:

From the first day I set foot in the Daily’s office, Gary, the sports editor, had it out for me. I’d never laid eyes on the guy before, but apparently it only took one look for me to piss him off. His first disgusted appraisal accompanied an equally unwelcome greeting. “A freshman. Great. And a girl to boot. What am I supposed to do with you?”

Pam, the senior editor, rankled at his words. “You treat her just like you would any other reporter,” she scolded, her glare sharp.

“Right. She probably doesn’t even know what a hat trick is,” he said, refusing to meet her gaze.

“Most common in hockey or soccer, it’s three goals scored by the same player in one game,” I replied, and Pam smirked. “But Gordie Howe hat tricks are unique to hockey.”

Gary shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “There is no such thing.”

“Sure there is. Even I know that one, Gary,” Pam said, then looked at me expectantly.

“A Gordie Howe hat trick is scoring a goal, earning an assist, and getting into a fight, all in one hockey game,” I said. “Gordie Howe actually only did it once in his career.”

Gary’s face turned bright red before he stomped off to his desk mumbling something about there not being a hockey team at Poly.

Not to be outdone, Mitch not only challenges Melissa in “Meeting Mitch,” he does his job as a minor character and provides Melissa a mirror that reveals one of her flaws (namely that she’s doing too much talking and not enough listening). Note: Melissa meets Mitch at a rodeo, so there’s horses (and road apples) ahead!

“What’s…your horse’s name?” I asked. Rather than check out the animal’s goods to find out if it was a him or a her, I carefully patted iton the rump.Mitch removed his hat, mopped the sweat with his sleeve, then jammed the Stetson back on his head. “You don’t know anything about horses, do you?”

He frowned at my hand and I pulled it away.

“Well…I read The Black Stallion four times,” I said. Mitch groaned. “No, I don’t know anything about horses.”

“Finally, the truth. It’s about damn time,” he said. Mitch put a hand on my shoulder and guided me closer to the horse’s head. He patted its neck, and I followed his example. “Don’t touch his nose, okay? He hates that.”

I didn’t miss the hint. “Okay. What’s his name?”

The ghost of a smile crossed Mitch’s chapped lips. “Buckeye. Can I ask you a question, Melissa Williams?”

“Um, yeah.”

“If you know so much about my stats, why are you here? Why come all the way out here to ask me about numbers you already know? Isn’t the real story what you don’t already know?” He scrubbed Buckeye’s neck.

My fingers stilled. I didn’t know what to say.

“I mean, I appreciate that you recognized my name, and know I’ve had a good run. The last guy they sent out here lasted about five minutes and then misspelled most of our names in his lame-ass article.”

No wonder he hated reporters.

“I won’t misspell your name, I promise.” I stroked Buckeye’s neck. “I’d really like to find out the story behind the stats, if you don’t mind. How long have you been riding?”

Mitch’s smile returned for good. “Okay, then. Before we talk about that, we need to get you fixed up.” He tied Buckeye to his trailer and then led me around the other side to an RV. “Beth and Linda’ll help.”

Mitch knocked on door. We heard a faint “Just a minute.”

He turned to me. “Could you do me a favor? Don’t mention the record to anyone else. I was serious about what happened to the last guy. Football players may slap each other on the ass to show support—these guys show their love with a handful of horse shit.” His puppy dog eyes rivaled the most manipulative two-year-old’s.

“We’ll see,” I said, not promising anything. “Maybe if you give me the five cent tour and an exclusive interview I can bury your record in the story. Assuming you win, that is.”

The trailer door opened and a woman my age appeared.

Mitch gave me a thumbs-up. “You’re on, though I’m not sure the interview is worth even that much.” He looked up at the silent, but obviously confused woman. “Beth, do you have a shirt Melissa could borrow for today? She’s new. I’ve got to get ready to win the next event.” He waved and wandered back to his horse.

The confusion in Beth’s face faded but didn’t disappear. “You’re a friend of Mitch’s?”

“Yeah, I guess I am.”

After this first outtake, Mitch celebrates his win a little too hard, and comes onto Melissa a little too atrongly. What happens is detailed in Whirlwind in Chapter 3, but suffice to say, a drunk Mitch ends up on the ground after Melissa knees him in the crotch. It’s a misunderstanding - trust me - and both Melissa and Mitch regret the incident.

However, in her attempt to reconcile with Mitch, Melissa gets to know another minor character who plays an important role much later in Whirlwind—her future friend, Linda. The trusted girlfriend, Linda pops in and out of Whirlwind, giving Melissa opportunities to reveal more about herself, from her inner feelings to her sense of humor. Their relationship started on that same footing, as you can see from this longer snippet from “The Apology”:

Mitch never did call. Instead, Linda, one of the girls I’d met at the roundup, invited me to coffee at the local doughnut shop a few days later. Although I suspected an ulterior motive, I went, more curious about her than anything else. She seemed like a genuinely nice person. I knew the shop would be very busy at that time of day, so I felt safe in meeting her—and any uninvited guests.

She was waiting at the door when I arrived, pacing nervously and peering into the parking lot. “Hi Melissa!” she called, spotting me before I’d finished parking. Her dazzling smile was hard to miss as she bounced up and down next to the newspaper rack. Linda’s dark eyes sparkled as brightly as her brilliant white teeth.

“Hi Linda. How are you?” I scanned the area, but didn’t see any one else I recognized.

“I’m fine. How are you?” She inspected me, then led me to the counter. “Mitch didn’t hurt you, did he?”

“No, not at all. I think he got the worst of it.” I paused. “Is he mad at me?”

Her eyes grew wide. “Mad at you? Why would he be mad at you?”

“Well, there was the kneeing him in the groin. And the manure in his truck—though I didn’t have anything to do with that. The senior editor put the story on the front page.” I managed to shut my mouth before the next excuse came blubbering out.

“No, he’s not mad at you. The guys were happy about him breaking the record. He just should’ve told them before the story came out, that’s all. And the article was great. No, he’s not mad.”

The barista interrupted her, and we ordered our coffees. After finding a table in the corner of the tiny shop, I took a careful sip from my cup and evaluated Linda. She stirred her drink much longer than necessary. When she realized I was watching her, she dropped the spoon and put her hand on the table, forcing it to lay flat. I barely knew her, but it was obvious that she was nervous about something. “Okay Linda, spill. Why am I here?”

“You’re not one for small talk, are you? No wonder you’re such a good reporter. Did I mention your article was great?”

“Yes, you did.”

She took a long drink from her cup as I stared her down. “All right, Mitch is the reason I’m here—at least part of the reason. The other part is I really enjoyed getting to know you, and wanted to make sure he didn’t scare you away from us. The team can be really sweet, if they are kept out of dive bars like the one the other night. One on one, they’re all great—they just get this pack mentality when they go out drinking.” Her unpleasant experiences with them showed in her face.

“No, Linda, I didn’t get scared off. Just don’t expect me to attend any more ‘after’ parties with the guys. As for Mitch…”

I’d managed to forgive him by focusing on the polite, helpful Mitch, but the loose, drunken image would never leave me completely. My finger circled my coffee cup. As time went on, I’d started to dread the awkward moments we would have the next time we met. I couldn’t ask to be removed from the rodeo stories—that’s exactly what Gary wanted—so I’d have to face Mitch sooner or later.

Linda nodded. “Yeah, well Mitch did ask for my help. When you blew off his lunch invitation, he finally realized how big an ass he’d been.”

“I didn’t blow him off. I didn’t get the flowers until after lunch was finished. It wasn’t my fault.”

Linda cocked her head. “Really? Huh.” She took another drink, apparently confused. The determined gleam returned to her eyes as soon as she put her cup down. “Anyway, he really wants to apologize, Melissa, face to face. You’re the first woman to get under his thick skin, you know? He’s needed someone like you for a long time to kick him back in line. None of the bimbos he runs with would ever do it. Someday he’s going to thank you for doing what you did.”

I sighed, feeling like I’d just fed a stray puppy and now he was following me around. This puppy just happened to be huge and rude. “Why can’t you or Beth slap some sense into him? You know him better than I do.”

“He doesn’t see us the way he sees you. I’m just an extension of Chase to him.” I raised my eyebrows at her. “You know what I mean! When I talk to him it’s as if Chase is talking to him, and Chase has told Mitch to dial down the Casanova act many times. Beth would never tell Mitch off; she’s still trying to get Todd to notice her. But you—”

“I’ve got nothing to lose and am just the bitch to do it,” I said with a wry smile. The truth didn’t bother me, but Linda frowned.

“No, that’s not what I meant. You’re an outsider, and he expects to hear the same drivel from you he gets from every other woman. When you stood up to him, you affected him in more ways than you might think.”

“Yeah, I affected him all right.” I thought of Mitch curled up in a ball on the ground and laughed.

After a pause, Linda soon joined me. “Can you just let him apologize, Melissa? That’s all,” she pleaded.

I’d be seeing more of Mitch in the coming month, assuming Gary didn’t assign me to cover the local snail races instead. Why put this off any longer? Better to rip this bandage of fast. “Fine. Where is he?”

Linda dropped her eyes to her coffee. “Whatever do you mean?” she asked.

“Give it up, Linda. I know you didn’t drag me all the way downtown because the coffee is so much better than the Starbucks on campus. He’s around here somewhere, and I’d bet good money Chase is with him.”

Her cheeks pinked, but she said nothing.

I sighed. “Let’s get this over with; I have class in an hour.”

Both Linda and Mitch have important roles in Whirlwind, and while this backstory is fun and helped me define some of Melissa’s traits, it wasn’t critical to the plot. So, it got cut. However, nothing ever really gets deleted off my hard drive. And don’t worry, both Mitch and Linda will return in future books to keep both Melissa and Jason in line.

Read the full outtakes here:

Meeting Mitch

The Apology

And now for the giveaway! If you would like to win an e-book of Whirlwind then all you have to do is:

Giveaway Info:

• Follow this blog
• Fill out this FORM
• And Tweet about this contest
• The giveaway ends 6/15 at 11:59 CST
• Winner will be chosen using random.org.
• This is open internationally

Tour Stops:
Monday, June 6: The Unread Reader/ Kickoff Interview with author Robin DeJarnett and Whirlwind excerpt, plus eBook giveaway.
Tuesday, June 7: Geeky Blogger's Book Blog's/ Review and paperback giveaway.
Wednesday, June 8: A Trail of Books Left Behind/ Whirlwind outtakes and eBook giveaway.
Thursday, June 9: For What It's Worth/ Review and paperback giveaway.
Friday, June 10: Books and Things/ Review and eBook giveaway.

Monday, June 13: A Tale of Many Reviews/ Interview with Whirlwind heartthrob Jason McAlister and paperback giveaway.
Tuesday, June 14: The Bookish Brunette/ Review and paperback giveaway.
Wednesday, June 15: Supernatural Snark/ paranormal vs. contemporary romance guest post from Robin DeJarnett and paperback giveaway.Thursday, June 16: My Love Affair with Books/ See the settings in Whirlwind and eBook giveaway.Friday, June 17 (Double Stop Giveaway Day): Happily Ever After/ Staying contemporary guest post from Robin DeJarnett and paperback giveaway.
Cheeky Reads/ Review and eBook giveaway.

June 18 (eBook Giveaway):
LIVE Chat with Whirlwind author Robin DeJarnett, plus eBook giveaway!

LIVE CHAT link: http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/99133

Red Glove by Holly Black

Red Glove
The Curse Workers Series 2
Author: Holly Black
Pages: 325 pgs
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Release Date: April 5th 2011
Review Source: Own Copy

This second installment in Holly Black's  was even better than the first in my opinion. Not only is Cassel's voice unique, but we also get to see a different side of him after the events of White Cat.

Now that Cassel's mother is out of prison and he's learned the truth about what he truly is, things seemed to have returned somewhat to normal for him. His mother continues to run her cons, one brother thinks they are best friends, and the other is completely ignoring him.

It's just the way it should be, at least until Lila, the girl cursed to love him, shows up at his school and his older brother Phillip is found murdered. And with the FBI on his case to figure out who killed his brother and some other mob guys, Cassel to figure where his loyalties lie. And fast.

I loved Cassel Sharpe in White Cat and thought he was even better in Red Glove. And it was brilliant that even though he wanted so much to be accepted by his brother's, running cons like his family, he realized that he didn't want to live the same life they did. He was good at, but wanted more. That just made him even more endearing to me.

We also got the chance to learn some more about Cassel's friends, Sam and Daneca, and even his mother and brother. The world that Holly Black has created for these books is so amazing and well thought out. One of my favorite scenes is when Cassel is at a protest and he sees girls taking their gloves off. The fact that their hands are bare is just completely fascinating to him, he doesn't know what to think.

So much happened in this second book, I didn't want it to end. There's still plenty of time before Black Heart comes out, but I'm not sure if I can wait that long. The Curse Worker's world is unique and wonderfully set up, I'm so excited to find out what else she has in store for these characters.

I definitely recommend this series to others and if you want updates on what else Holly Black is writing or doing you can check out her website at http://www.blackholly.com or you can follow her on Twitter http://twitter.com/hollyblack.

Wrapped by Jennifer Bradbury

Wrapped
Author: Jennifer Bradbury
Pages: 320 pgs
Genre: YA, Historical- Fiction, Paranormal
Release Date: May 24th 2011
Review Source: Simon & Schuster Galley Grab

Jennifer Bradbury has created a stunning world in this story of fancy dresses and Egyptian myth. One that I hope will be continued in more books.

Agnes Wilkins is seventeen and just beginning her debut season in 1815's London. While other girls her age are more concerned with the perfect party gown and finding the right husband, Agnes can't get enough of the books she reads, the languages she learns, and the information she gleans from her father about Napoleon.

But when she attends the party of a prospective suitor, the everyday life Agnes thought she was in store for gets completely turned upside down. It all begins with a mummy and an item that she uncovered that wasn't meant for her. Will she be able to stop the horrible events that are about to unfold. And with two very different men suddenly in her life, things won't be as simple as she thought they would.

Lately I've found that I really enjoy historical type stories. And when there's one that combines Egyptian myths and lore, it's all the better. Jennifer Bradbury gives a great balance of both and I found myself not wanting to reach the end (which is why I'm hoping for more from this world *wink wink*). The background information, historical figures, and ancient artifacts that we've learned about overtime just make this story even more fascinating with each chapter.

Agnes is a great character: fun and spunky and incredibly smart. Even though she is like the other girls of her time, she isn't completely against the life she has. Agnes just wanted a little more out of life, to be thought of as a person and not just an arm ornament. And with the attention of Lord Showalter, a prospective suitor, and Caedmon, a young man that works at the local museum; Agnes finds herself in store for a bumpy ride.

I fell in love with this story from the very beginning and I believe anyone who loves a little romance, adventure, legends, and pretty dresses will too. Her website is being updated, but be sure to check back for more information http://www.jennifer-bradbury.com/.

Hourglass Giveaway

So the release date for Myra McEntire's book Hourglass is slowly coming around the bend. I've mentioned how fascinated I am about the concept of this story in at least one post and I for one am beyond excited for it.

Summary: One hour to rewrite the past . . .
 
For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.
So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.
Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Full of atmosphere, mystery, and romance, Hourglass merges the very best of the paranormal and science-fiction genres in a seductive, remarkable young adult debut.
Well, in honor of the upcoming release, Myra is hosting a giveaway on her site and she's offering some pretty awesome prizes. So if you would life to win a preorder of this book, then head on over to her site to find out how: http://myramcentire.blogspot.com/2011/05/preorderhourglass-epic-giveaway.html.

Friday Finds and New Reads

Friday Finds and New Reads

This is where I talk about new books that really stand out to me or sound unique, and what new books I have to read or will be getting soon.

I'm so sorry for missing last week, but I've got some great books to share with everyone. So sit back, relax, and see if you find anything that catches your eye.

First we have Witchlanders by Lena Coakley.

 Summary: High in their mountain covens, red witches pray to the Goddess, protecting the Witchlands by throwing the bones and foretelling the future. 

It’s all a fake. 

At least, that’s what Ryder thinks. He doubts the witches really deserve their tithes—one quarter of all the crops his village can produce. And even if they can predict the future, what danger is there to foretell, now that his people’s old enemy, the Baen, has been defeated? 

But when a terrifying new magic threatens both his village and the coven, Ryder must confront the beautiful and silent witch who holds all the secrets. Everything he’s ever believed about witches, the Baen, magic and about himself will change, when he discovers that the prophecies he’s always scorned— 

Are about him.

When I first read this description it sounded like a mix of The Near Witch and the new Red Riding Hood. The cover is haunting and beautiful and I've found myself even more intrigued by what this story is going to be like.There's also a little Chronicles of Narnia feeling I get when looking at the cover, like the White Witch is going to pop out at me at any moment.

Next we have Article 5 by Kristen Simmons.

Summary: New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC have been abandoned.

The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.

There are no more police — instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior — instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested don’t usually come back.

17-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren’t always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it’s hard to forget that people weren’t always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. That life in the United States used to be different.

In the three years since the war ended, Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the Federal Bureau of Reformation. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow. That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And what’s worse, one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings…the only boy Ember has ever loved.

I don't know what it is about dystopian styled stories that have drawn me in recently, but they have become one of my favorite types and when I read this description I immediately added to me to-read list. Especially since it seems a little closer to home with the changes to the Bill of Rights and everything.


And finally we have The Iron Wood by Megan Spooner.

Summary: Sixteen year-old Lark Ainsley has never seen the sky.

Her world ends at the edge of the vast domed barrier of energy enclosing all that’s left of humanity. For two hundred years the city has sustained this barrier by harvesting its children's innate magical energy when they reach adolescence. When it’s Lark’s turn to be harvested, she finds herself trapped in a nightmarish web of experiments and learns she is something out of legend itself: a Renewable, able to regenerate her own power after it’s been stripped.

Forced to flee the only home she knows to avoid life as a human battery, Lark must fight her way through the terrible wilderness beyond the edge of the world. With the city’s clockwork creations close on her heels and a strange wild boy stalking her in the countryside, she must move quickly if she is to have any hope of survival. She’s heard the stories that somewhere to the west are others like her, hidden in the Iron Wood – but can she stay alive long enough to find them?

There isn't a cover for this one yet, but I had to share it anyway. It sounds scary and suspenseful and exciting. I definitely can't wait to check this one out.


Now here's some of the new reads that I've had come in or will be coming in soon:

 

 

City of Fallen Angels & Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

City of Fallen Angels
The Mortal Instruments 4
Author: Cassandra Clare
Pages: 424 pgs
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Paranormal
Release Date: April 5th 2011
Review Source: Own Copy

In this fourth installment of the Mortal Instruments series, we get a lot more background and insight to our beloved characters while following them on an even more dangerous journey. Cassandra Clare's world of Shadowhunters and Downworlder's is in for a bumpy ride.

We first follow Simon, who not only is a vampire that can walk in the daylight, but also can't be harmed by anyone. He finds himself dating two different girls and being pursued by other vampires and downworlders alike. But all he wants is to have a normal life.

Clary begins her training to become a shadowhunter and helps her mom with her wedding to Luke. The only strange thing is that Jace pulls away from her and she doesn't know why. He battles his own inner demons while struggling with his love for Clary.

CoFA wasn't as action packed as the previous books in the series, but that didn't make it any less enthralling. Especially since we got to learn more about Simon and the struggles he has to deal with. I loved him as a secondary character in the beginning of the series, but Cassandra made him an even more likable character now. He has to face a new world as a vampire and figure out how to balance it.

And Jace and Clary, though they love each other, aren't out of the woods either. I've always loved his snarky attitude and quick comebacks, but we get to see a different side of him this time around. Sure he's still cocky when it comes to dealing with demons and the shadow world, but he's also more vulnerable this time around as he battles with his fears. Clary's confidence with facing demons and her power are also great to see.

We also get introduced to some new characters and a few that we met in Clockwork Angel, Cassandra's prequel series to The Mortal Instruments. So much takes place and yet there's even more that's still left to come. And one thing that you can be sure of is that there's never a shortage of twists and turns. The cliffhanger Cassandra ends this book with is brutal and has definitely ensured that I will be coming back for the remaining books in The Mortal Instruments series.

Clockwork Angel
The Infernal Devices 1
Author: Cassandra Clare
Pages: 476 pgs
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Paranormal
Release Date: August 31st 2010
Review Source: ARC Simon & Schster

Let me first admit that when I heard about The Infernal Devices series, I was somewhat skeptical about the whole thing and wasn’t really sure if I was going to want to read it. With that out of the way, I have never been so glad to be wrong before. Cassandra Clare out did herself with this one and it’s only the first in a series of three!

Not only was the story line wonderfully written and engaging, but the characters were just as intriguing as our beloved Clary and Jace from The Mortal Instruments series.

Set in 19th century London, we meet Tessa Gray. She’s a typically well brought up young lady who is thrust into a world that she never believed existed and never would have imagined that she was a part of, the Shadow World. With her brother’s life on the line, Tessa is forced into learning she has the unique and rather rare ability to change forms into anyone, alive or dead, a power that many want to exploit for their own uses.

With the help of Will Herondale and Jem Carstairs, two Shadowhunters that live at the London Institute, Tessa goes on a dangerous mission to locate her brother, uncovering even more secrets that may have been better left unsaid.

Each of the new characters we are introduced to bring something important to the story, including some of the familiar family names from TMI (Lightwoods, Waylands, and Magnus Bane). And, while I love the three main characters very much, I found that the two of the minor roles I wanted to learn more about were Henry and Charlotte, the couple that ran the Institute. With only a little mentioned about their relationship, I found myself asking more questions about their background than most of the other minor characters.

“She longed to reach out and stroke his face, push his hair back and reassure him. But she held herself back. She knew- she had been advised enough times- not force on Henry affection he probably didn’t want.” (CA pg 122) That statement alone was enough to pique my interest and drive me crazy to find out more.

And even though it might sound clichéd, Will was my other favorite character. Now, don’t get me wrong, Tessa was amazing and fascinating in her own right and I’m routing for her no matter what, but Will is much more of an enigma than the others. He’s witty and sarcastic, playful and spontaneous. To me he is like an artichoke, we have to keep peeling back layers until we get to the heart, and Clare hasn’t shown us all of what he’s about just yet.

“But there was nothing to say. There was only emptiness, as there had been before her. As there always would be.” (CA pg 451) Another sentence designed to make the readers even more curious about the fascinating William Herondale.

Cassandra Clare managed to win my heart again with this wonderful start to her prequel series and I am already twitching my thumbs in anticipation for the next two. I would also like to thank the lovely ladies of whatchYAreadin for hosting the Clockwork Angel contest and giving me the opportunity to read it early. You ladies are awesome and I hope that everyone enjoys the first book of the Infernal Devices series as much as I did.
For more information on both of these series and updates for future works you can check out Cassandra Clare's website http://www.cassandraclare.com/ or follow her on Twitter http://twitter.com/cassieclare.