Bloodlines #3: The Indigo Spell

The Indigo Spell (Bloodlines #3) by Richelle Mead has a cover!! :D 

What do you think? Who do you think that other guy on the cover is? In the middle is obviously Sydney, and on her right is Adrian (he is the same model from the Bloodlines cover), but who is the other guy. . . 

I have been reading a few different things this morning. Eddie, Trey or Marcus seem to be the most popular theories. I think it could most definitely be Marcus, he looks a little older than I would imagine Eddie or Trey. But I guess we will see. 

If you can't already tell I am just a little obsessed with Vampire Academy and now Bloodlines. So I apologise if you don't like me posting about it, but I love it! So I can't help it :D

Also I feel that I should inform you, this is a 'sneak peek' cover of sorts, so this may not be the final version. This is the reason that Sydney does not have her Golden Lily tattoo :) I think it looks gorgeous. I love the colour :D And I am now very curious as to how it will look with the red and white of Bloodlines and The Golden Lily in my book case. 

Jammie the Book Nerd 

<3

The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead

MY RATING: 4/5
SERIES: Bloodlines Book 2

BLURB: 

The second thrilling installment in Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy spin-off series. 

Tough, brainy alchemist Sydney Sage and doe-eyed Moroi princess Jill Dragomir are in hiding at a human boarding school in the sunny, glamorous world of Palm Springs, California. The students - children of the wealthy powerful - carry on with their lives in blissful ignorance, while Sydney, Jill, Eddie and Adrian must do everything in their power to keep their secret safe. But with forbidden romances, unexpected spirit bonds, and the threat of Strigoi moving closer, hiding the truth is harder than anyone thought. 

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Richelle Mead's breathtaking Bloodlines series explores all the friendship, romance and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive. In this second book, the drama is horror, the romances are steamier, and the stakes are even higher. 

MY REVIEW: 

The thing that I have really enjoyed most this series so far is getting to see the vampires and their ways from a human perspective. When you are reading a book such as Vampire Academy, you don't really question anything about them because Rose doesn't, it's normal to her. But in the Bloodlines series we get to see how Sydney, with her strong Alchemist beliefs, feels about their magic and the vampires in general. It is really interesting to me to get to experience this world I love so much in a completely different way. 

I would probably recommend not reading this review if you have not read the Vampire Academy series, if you haven't then I would highly recommend you give them a go :) Great series, Richelle Mead is a fantastic author. And if you have, and haven't read Bloodlines then I would recommend you do :D Because it is just as awesome as Vampire Academy. 

This book revolved a lot more around the development of the relationships between the characters and getting to know Sydney more. Sydney is beginning to come to the realisation that the vampires are not as bad as she has always been lead to believe. In The Golden Lily, she is developing a strong friendship with Jill and Eddie and everyone else, but at the same time is scared of being accused of getting too close with them by the Alchemists and then being sent to a re-education center; so Sydney is dealing with her internal struggle to help her friends and stay loyal to the Alchemists. 

Jill annoys me a little bit, but I felt like she was getting a little more mature in this book, beginning to understand and deal with the situation she is in. I love Eddie, I felt so bad for him this whole book (and Bloodlines), and now I feel bad for Jill! :( Brayden really annoyed me; well not so much him as his relationship with Sydney. I don't really want to say too much because I don't want to spoil anything for anyone, those of you that have read the book will know what I am talking about. 

And as always I absolutely LOVE Adrian. Again, I don't want to ruin anything. But he's just so adorable, I love him so much <3 When I first read the Vampire Academy series I was totally all for Adrian and Rose being together, but now I am super happy that Sydney and Adrian can be together (I always knew Rose and Dimitri belonged together anyway, I just loved Adrian more). I just think they are so perfect for each other. 

I heard/read a lot of things about what happened at the end of this book. I was really worried and scared about it, but I wasn't at all surprised, it was inevitable, I knew that it was going to happen. On that note, some of the things that happened I found to be a little predictable, but not in a bad way at all I assure you, I just saw them coming. Anyway, I should probably wrap it up. I loved this book just as much as I loved Bloodlines, and I cannot wait for the third book in the series The Indigo Spell. What do you think the title means? I have some ideas about what it might relate to. 

Jammie the Book Nerd 
<3

P.s. I know a lot of parts of this review are horribly vague, but if you come back after you have read the book, you will totally understand what I am talking about :) And I am really sorry about how long it is :/ 

YA-Sisterhoods 2nd Annual Crush Tourney

That's right :D The YA-Sisterhood is getting ready for their 2nd Annual Crush Tourney! How exciting. Nominations are going on right now, they finish in a couple of days, so just click on the banner and head over and vote for your favourite YA crushes :D 

Love and Leftovers by Sarah Tregay

MY RATING: 3/5


BLURB: 

my wish

is to fall

cranium over Converse

in dizzy, daydream-worthy

love. 

(If only it were that easy.)

When her parents split, Marcie is dragged from Idaho to a family summerhouse in New Hampshire. She leaves behind her friends, a group of freaks and geeks called the leftovers, including her emo-rocker boyfriend, and her father. By the time Labor Day rolls around, Marci suspects this "vacation" has become permanent. She starts at a new school where a cute boy brings her breakfast and a new romance heats up. 

But understanding love, especially when you've watched your parents' affections end, is elusive. What does it feel like, really? Can you even know it until you've lost it? 

MY REVIEW: 

This was my first verse novel. Just as I was starting it I was a little hesitant about it being a verse novel, but after you get used to it, it flows really nicely. I don't feel as though you got to know most of the other characters very much, and I didn't expect it to end as it did. All in all it was a fun quick read for me. 

I didn't feel as though you got to know the other characters very well. We got to know Marcie pretty well, as we were reading the story through her poems, etc. but I felt that this kind of almost took away from the other characters. It may have been this way intentionally, so that the whole book is focused more on Marcie's story, but I am personally a big fan of well developed side characters. 

I can't really say much about the other characters, I would have liked more about Marcie and J.D.'s relationship, even Marcie and Linus's to understand them more. Love and Leftovers is a great story about things we all go through in life. 
Jammie 
<3

P.s. I just remembered that I wanted to add this quote. Some of the writing really surprised/weirded me out at times. It was strange. She is in the bath by the way.

"I relax
floating up with each breath
and sinking when I exhale, 
my nipples bobbing
like bouys
on Great Bay." - Love and Leftovers

Insurgent by Veronica Roth

MY RATING: 5/5!
SERIES: Divergent book 2


BLURB: 

One choice can transform you - or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves - and herself - while grappling with haunting question of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love. 

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable - and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so. 

REVIEW: 

First things first, if you have not read Divergent by Veronica Roth go and get yourself a copy right now! You will not regret it. This book was just absolutely amazing! Through the first part of the book I wasn't sure how I felt about it, I wasn't loving it was much as the first, not much as going on and I just wanted things to get exciting. But for me the ending of a book can really make it, and Insurgent most definitely lived up to be everything I wanted it to be. 

Again this isn't going to be the greatest review, as I don't know what I can say to convince you of how amazing this book is, but I will try my hardest. Roth has just created a world and characters that I just absolutely love to read about. I feel the heart break that they feel, I feel betrayed when they are. Books with these kind of well written and developed characters are the kind that I love to read, probably the whole reason that I continue to read. To find that rare amazing gem like these. 

Insurgent literally picks up where Divergent left off. If you have not read Divergent recently, or have a terrible memory like me, I would highly recommend reading it again before you read this one as it practically reads like one book. Or if you don't have time you can check out the recap post that Veronica Roth so kindly posted for us here. I quite enjoyed that this way in these books, it works really well for Tris's voice and flows nicely. That is another thing that I absolutely love. Tris's voice. I wouldn't really know how to explain why, I just love the way she speaks and thinks. 

It was not as apparent in the first book, but I seriously love the questioning of humanity in this series. I love these kind of books that really make you question how society is and where we are going to end up, The Hunger Games was an amazing series for that. This was one of the many things that really made this book for me. Closer to the end of the book, I began to worry that it would become a series that would give you no answers until the very end, and that always bugs me. If you experience this as well, do not worry! You will get some answers, albeit these answers raise more questions, but I was still very satisfied that we did get some answers to the questions in this series. 

The ending of this book was amazing, I am still mind blown, and confused, and excited all at the same time. I am very excited for the third and final book in this series. I am often disappointed with endings to series, I think I love just as many as I hate, I hate quite a few endings of series that I love. I am thoroughly convinced that Roth will give us an amazing ending, and I can't wait for it. I loved this book, so if you are hesitant because you're unsure if you are going to like it or not, don't be! Go and get it now! If you have read it already what did you think? Did you love it as much as the first one, or hate it? What do you think will be on the cover of the last book? 

Jammie the Book Nerd
<3

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

MY RATING: 4/5
SERIES: The Mortal Instruments Book 5

BLURB: 

Jace is now a servant of evil, bound for all eternity to Sebastian. Only a small band of Shadowhunters believe he can be saved. To do this they much defy the Clave. And they must act without Clary. For Clary s playing a dangerous game utterly alone. The price of losing is not just her own life, but Jace's soul. 

Clary is willing to do anything for Jace, but can she trust him? Or is he truly lost? What price is too high to pay, even for love? 

REVIEW:

I am going to do my best to write a proper review without spoilers and without just gushing about how much I love Cassandra Clare's books. She is just amazingly brilliant! Although I would not recommend reading this review if you have not read City of Fallen Angels, or you want to stay away from all things City of Lost Souls, as I will be mentioning a few thing about the characters.

City of Lost Souls picks up two weeks after the events at the end of City of Fallen Angels, Jace is missing and they have not been able to track them. I don't know how much else I can say without spoiling anything. Everybody does some dangerous stuff, and everything is super exciting.

I think one of the main reasons that I love Clare's book so much has to be her characters. They are just so amazing, every single character has so much depth and their own stories. Which I like because it's realistic, everyone has their own life stories. I love getting to know the characters stories, even small characters like Maia and Jordan and the Lightwoods parents, we get to know all of their stories and learn about them. Secondary characters are part of what really makes a story for me.

I really enjoyed the development of Simon and Izzy's relationship. It's kind of like just admit how you feel to each other! Why can you not see how the other feels about you! But they are just both so clueless, Simon because I mean he doesn't think anyone like Izzy would ever be interested in someone like him, she's beautiful, and he's just a nerdy guy. And Izzy doesn't know how to do anything about what she's feeling. She's just so used to dating guys and it doesn't mean anything. She is so cute and funny!

I really loved Clary in this book. I just absolutely love the person that she has become. She is such a strong female protagonist, what she had to do!! Those of you that have read  the book will know what I'm talking about. I also really liked Simon a lot more. I didn't really feel for him much in the first three books, he kind of grew on my in City of Fallen Angels, but I really started to like him in this one.

Sebastian kind of really interested me while reading this. It could just be me, but because I am so used to just thinking of him as this evil, demon I guess. I have forgotten that he is still a shadowhunter and he has all the same knowledge that Jace and the others do. He wasn't brought up in a cave. I know he is supposed to be totally evil and all but I just can't help but be fascinated with him. His lack of real feelings, and the confusion when he does feel anything. I am so looking forward to City of Heavenly Fire.

So, I know this wasn't the best review. I have trouble reviewing books that I really love, because I just want to gush and talk all spoilery about everything that happened. But I think I can definitely say that the ending to this series is not going to disappoint and I am actually really kind of looking forward to it, not in terms of the series ending, I don't want that to happen, but I just want to know what happens. After read City of Fallen Angels, and City of Lost Souls I don't know how I would ever have been satisfied with the series ending with City of Glass. It just seemed so unfinished. I think Clare will deliver a satisfying yet possibly horribly heart breakingly amazing ending to the series. I seriously look forward to anything written by Cassandra Clare in the future.

If you haven't read The Mortal Instruments series I would highly recommend going and getting the first book in the series City of Bones right now! I can't wait to see the cover of City of Heavenly Fire, who do you think will be on the cover? I was thinking Clary to go with the theme, because first was her and Simon, then her and Jace, I have been thinking maybe her and Sebastian. What do you think?

Jammie the Book Nerd
<3  

P.s. I really hope I didn't spoil anything in this review, but if you feel as though I did please let me know in the comments and I will edit or warn spoilers. Thanks! 

Shannon Kook as Magnus Bane

Hey everyone, 

So I saw a while ago that Shannon Kook, had never heard of him at the time, posted some pictures on his Facebook page of him dressed to audition for Magnus bane in The Mortal Instruments, City of Bones movie. At first I sort of though, you know, oh he looks really cool! It's so fantastic to see an actor really get into their character and go to that sort of extent, posting picture for fans and stuff. 


But over the last week or so, there had been quite a bit of talk about other actors that have confirmed auditioning for the part, so everyone's discussing who they like best and all that. And I have just fallen in love with Shannon Kook as Magnus Bane, I don't know anything about him n terms of his acting abilities, but based solely on looks I would love for this guy to be cast as Magnus. 


And he's totally cute too! Okay, I know I am probably being all fan-girly here, but I am going to post a bunch of pictures for your viewing pleasure :)

 

So what do you think of Shannon as Magnus in The Mortal Instruments movie? If you don't like him who would you love to be cast? 

Jammie the Book Nerd <3

P.s. I just finished City of Lost Souls today :D So I will hopefully be able to write a review for it and put that up soon :D