The Iron Trial (Magisterium #1) - Holly Black & Cassandra Clare

Title: The Iron Trial
Series: Magisterium #1
Author: Holly Black & Cassandra Clare
Publication Date: September 9th, 2014
Disclaimer: I won a copy of this from Dymocks
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Callum Hunt has grown up his whole life hearing his father tell him how destructive and dangerous magic really is. So when the test to enter the magic school "Magisterium" comes around, Callum tries his hardest to fail. Instead, he fails to fail and finds himself entering Magisterium.

Callum comes to realise that magic is much different to what he knew, and 

Review

It was hard not to associate The Iron Trial with the ever popular magic series Harry Potter, especially since my brother read it before me and complained "it's exactly like Harry Potter." Still, I gave this a shot and went into it without any biases - or as less as possible. 

I'm in two minds about this, and I feel like I'm the only one. It was a pretty slow read at the start, and I wasn't sure where it was heading. The prologue did intrigue me but I guess I was reading just to read it. I wasn't fully engaged until Callum entered the school and the world opened up. It was fascinating to read about how magic actually worked and the way the school functioned. Along with that were the characters, who didn't stick immediately but grew on me. I'm not sure I love Callum and his friends just yet, and I found Master Rufus (the main professor) made little impact. Still, it is the first in the series so I'm certain as the series progresses I'll start to like the characters more. 

Where I think it has its positives and makes it a solid series, is the plot. At first it progressed in a really typical manner, so I sort of floated through it. Then the plot twist hit me right in the face and it really changed my view on the series as a whole. If it's executed correctly, I think Magisterium will work at a whole new level and be a really great series to read. It really questions the rights and wrongs, morality and perceptions in life - adding depth to the plot as well. 

I do think if you are interested then definitely check it out, because you might enjoy it a lot more than me. I'll give the series a shot for sure, but it didn't carry wow factor for me. 

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City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments #6) - Cassandra Clare

Oh boy was that a series. I read this out of obligation, basically because I felt like I needed to finish out the series since I'd dedicated so much time to it already. See what I thought about it! It was definitely a surprise.

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City of Heavenly Fire Snippet Release

Author of The Mortal Instruments series, Cassandra Clare was generous enough to gift fans a small excerpt from the last instalment for the series. Clare released the snippet on Valentine's Day on her Tumblr page.

“Julian,” said Jia, in the same gentle voice, “would you do something for us? Would you take up the Mortal Sword?”

Clary sat up straight. She had held the Mortal Sword: she had felt the weight of it. The cold, like hooks in your skin, dragging the truth out of you. You couldn’t lie holding the Mortal Sword, but the truth, even a truth you wanted to tell, was agony.

“They can’t,” she whispered. “He’s just a kid —“

“He’s the oldest of the kids who escaped the Institute,” Jace said under his breath. “They don’t have a choice.”

Julian nodded, his thin shoulders straight. “I’ll take it.”

Robert Lightwood passed behind the podium then and went to the table. He took up the sword and returned to stand in front of Julian. The contrast between them was almost funny: the big, barrel-chested man and the lanky, wild-haired boy. 

Julian reached a hand up and took the sword. As his hand closed around the hilt, he shuddered, a ripple of pain that was quickly forced down. Emma, behind him, started forward, and Clary caught a glimpse of the look on her face — pure fury — before Helen caught at her and pulled her back.

To be quite honest, I have no idea what that was about, but I'm guessing die hard fans were really excited. City Of Heavenly Fire is due to release May 27th, 2014.

(Source: Cassandra Clare's Tumblr)

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[Series Review] The Infernal Devices - Cassandra Clare

Plot:

Tessa Gray arrives in London expecting to reunite with her brother, Nate. Upon arrival Tessa is swept away and housed with the Dark Sisters who seem human enough yet, gives Tessa the chills. There, Tessa begins to learn of the Downworlders and that she somehow fits in amongst them. Her abilities are revealed when the Sisters train her and Tessa is left both mortified and confused.

Then Shadowhunters, Will and James, barge into the Sisters house and manage to rescue Tessa. Soon, she is consumed by a world that she never knew even existed and her existence is slowly unravelled as their adventures continue.

Review:

I feel like I can never write a plot that gives the book justice. It's even worse for a series review cause I have to pick and choose what to write so I don't reveal much. Moving on.

The Infernal Devices is a trilogy set in Victorian England, a long time and place away from The Mortal Instruments series. Clockwork Angel, the first book serves as an introduction to the world and the characters and sets the complication in which all three books revolves around. Clockwork Prince is a lot more focused on the relationships of the characters, and a little more lacking in the action field. Finally Clockwork Princess revisits the trouble that must be resolved and actually ties all loose ends very well.

I probably shouldn't, but it's hard to not compare this series to Clare's previous series. It's like the world of Shadowhunters belong to Clare and anything that comes from that world is instantly compared with The Mortal Instruments. I am going to admit that I enjoyed this series a lot more than TMI. Maybe it's because it's a shorter series but I'm just not interested in TMI anymore. It became irrelevant after Clare kept releasing new novels. It's not that The Infernal Devices series was extremely better, there were still bits I didn't like but if I look at it overall TID was a lot more enjoyable.

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City of Heavenly Fire Cover Reveal

Ok, so the last instalment of The Mortal Instruments series is definitely taking it's time. I know a lot of readers/fans of the series are definitely excited for it, or there are others like me who are just finishing off the series in an obligatory manner. It's not that I couldn't care less about the ending, I do, it's more that I'm not buying into all the hype anymore.

Still, to subdue the impatience that is rising the cover for City of Heavenly Fire has been revealed! The cover was actually released last night or sometime early morning. I'm very hazy on the whole converting US time to AUS time.

Enough of me rambling though. The cover looks like this!


Source: Goodreads

It's not very clear but it's definitely going to go viral on the internet very soon. I'm not sure if I'm in love with it but I do like the way Clary's hair looks. I'm guessing the guy behind her is Jace?

Tell me what you think about it below! And hopefully May 27th rolls around the corner very soon.

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City of Lost Souls (Mortal Instruments #5) - Cassandra Clare

Spoiler Alert: If you haven't read this series then this review may reveal plots of the previous books.



Plot:

Jace has disappeared, along with Sebastian, from the rootop. The search for him is met with little result. In desperation, Clary decides to take action herself. However, her joy dies when she realises Jace is bound to her brother, Sebastian, with the blood of Lilth. Along with her friends, Clary embarks on journey to save not only the boy she loves but also the Shadowhunter world.

Review:

Welcome back to the world of Shadowhunters and the constant obstacles that Jace and Clary face during their relationship. The latest instalment was met with anticipation after Cassandra Clare had left fans on a cliff in City of Fallen of Angels. City of Lost Souls certainly explains what happens to Jace and Sebastian after the rootop incident but seems to centre on the romance of the characters in the novel. It does come across as quite frustrating, the lack of the original plot of the series. What was once a battle between Valentine and Shadowhunters has now circulated to just the relationship between Jace and Clary, and also the other characters. Yes, they are important as well but I wanted a lot more badass fighting scenes and 'good vs. evil' moments. Not to say that there isn't, it's just limited. Clare tries to add those elements of the supernatural one but they seem more like snippets, that flitter in and out, and almost confuses the entire storyline.

However, because Clare is able to establish such strong bonds between her characters and readers, it is easy to fly through the entire story. I read it all at once. There are times when you get tired with the constant intimate moments between the couples (almost inappropriate for readers under the age of 15), but you are kept on the edge with wanting to know who is good or bad, and what will become of Jace. Clare can produce suspense and readers will go along with the ride.

It is only once you reach the end that it feels like the fifth instalment is quite unnecessary. What was once a promising trilogy, it seems as though The Mortal Instruments series is going with the hype, and has now extended to more of a romance series then anything. The series seems to have lost the original plot but overall, is still enough to keep diehard fans from continuing on the adventure. At least until the last book. I am a fan of the series, just not the last two additions.

City of Lost Souls is not the best of the series, it's just okay. There are some shocks and twists to it but it will mostly suit fans of Clary and Jace who will love the amount of time focused on their relationship.

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