Review: Clockwork Angel

Title: Clockwork Angel
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: August 31st, 2010
Series: The Infernal Devices
How I Served It: Hardcover
How I Got It: Own

Summary:
"In a time when Shadowhunters are barely winning the fight against the forces of darkness, one battle will change the course of history forever. Welcome to the Infernal Devices trilogy, a stunning and dangerous prequel to the New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series.

The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them...." --- Goodreads


Review:
So this is kind of a re-read.  I say kind of because honestly, I didn't remember any of the things that happened despite the fact that I'm fairly positive that I read this when it was released back in 2010.  Pretty sure this either means that I'm getting old or going crazy, but that's an issue for my roommate and a bottle of wine to handle. Anyway, I read/loved the original Mortal Instruments series.  I'm actually pretty sure that I read Clare's work back when it was a fan-fiction, but I can't swear to that (like I said, I'm getting old).  I read the fourth book Clare popped out but haven't been able to get myself to read the fifth; is it worth it?

Clockwork Angel reminded me why I really liked the first three books.  It had that same spark and levity to it, a love triangle that I didn't hate on contact and characters who all have some serious issues.  It's a lot like Degrassi, but with supernatural stuff, and set in Steampunk London.  Now, my feelings on steampunk vary vastly.  I loved the Gail Carriger books, but for the most part don't love the other steampunk stuff.  I know Angel had/has a huge following from non-steampunk people, so maybe that's why I liked it?  It doesn't focus on the cogs and gears but rather just allows them to be in the background.  That makes sense to me.

TTT - Top Ten Most Anticipated Debut Novels For 2015

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted over at The Broke and the Bookish.

I'm actually signed on for that Artsy Reader Girl's 2015 Debut Author challenge (12 debut YA authors in 2015), so this TTT may end up being an incredibly useful reference for me in coming months!  I tried to pick a couple of obscure ones so that my list isn't a mirror of everyone's, but... we'll see.  Right now the only debut books that are really being promoted are the ones being published in the first half of the year, so I'm sure as time passes there will be even more books to be excited about!

Top Ten Most Anticipated 2015 Debut Novels (in my opinion)

(in order of release dates)

1. City of Savages - Lee Kelly

     February 3rd, 2015

     As someone who works in midtown Manhattan and lives in Brooklyn, the idea of cannibals in the subway tunnels really doesn't sound that absurd or futuristic ;P.  I feel like this book could be to Manhattan what Neverwhere was to London.  Or well no, not at all, but I like the idea of setting a futuristic story in a familiar place.  I'm sure it's been done before, but I can't think of any that I've read that turned the island of Manhattan into a POW camp (and didn't include zombies).

Review: Branded

Title: Branded
Author: Abi Ketner & 
Publisher: Month9Books
Published: June 25th, 2014
Series: Sinners
How I Served It: e-book
How I Got It: Purchased, amazon

Summary:
"Fifty years ago The Commander came into power and murdered all who opposed him. In his warped mind, the seven deadly sins were the downfall of society. 

To punish the guilty, he created the Hole, a place where sinners are branded according to their sins. Sinners are forced to live a less than human existence in deplorable conditions, under the watchful eye of guards who are ready to kill anyone who steps out of line.

Now, LUST wraps around my neck like thick, blue fingers, threatening to choke the life out of me. I’ve been accused of a crime I didn’t commit, and the Hole is my new home. 

Constant darkness. 

Brutal and savage violence. 

Excruciating pain. 

Every day is a fight for survival. 

But I won’t let them win. I will not die in the Hole. 

I am more than my brand. I’m a fighter. My name is Lexi Hamilton, and this is my story." ---Goodreads

Review:
Once again I find myself saying that I really, really wanted to like this book.  The premise just sounded... different?  I mean, dystopian is so in right now that it's hard to find anything truly original, but the idea of people being branded with their sins and condemned to live as inferiors... it just sounded like something vaguely fresh.  And the whole 'falling for the one person you're not allowed to love' thing is the basis of nearly all of my favorite books. So, when I used that stupid '1-Click Buy' button on amazon to purchase Branded, I had pretty high hopes.  I so wanted to fall in love with this story.  I didn't expect it to be a Pulitzer Prize worthy work of life-changing fiction.  I didn't want it to be, I just wanted an escapist story filled with angst and romance and all of the ya tropes we all hate to love!