Ink and Bone

Title: Ink and Bone

Series: The Great Library - book 1

Author: Rachel Caine

Rating: 4 stars

Genre: Young Adult, Steam Punk, Historical Fiction

Number of Pages: 410

Publisher: Allison and Busby

Publication Date: 2015

Summary: In a world where the ancient Great Library of Alexandria was never destroyed, knowledge now rules the world: freely available, but strictly controlled. Owning privates books is a crime.

Jess Brightwell is the son of a black market book smuggler, sent to the Library to compete for a position as a scholar...but even as he forms friendships and finds his true gifts, he begins to unearth the dark secrets of the greatest, most revered institution in the world.

Those that controll the Great Library believe that knowledge is more valuable than any human life - and soon both heretics and books will burn....

This book brings a whole new meaning to knowledge is power and a world run by books. If you love books, at some point you have probably seriously considered a world that was run by librarians and books lovers as some kind of paradise and perfect world. Well...maybe not. In a world where books are the most precious things, owning them makes you powerful and only the powerful can obtain them. So naturally no one is actually allowed to own books. Yeah doesn't really sound like paradise any more. And when knowledge is power, well everyone else sort of just has to accept that they lack both.

I didn't find the characters in this book to book to be particularly interesting, aside from the characters that we never really got to meet. Between every chapter we got snippets of written correspondence between some of the most powerful people in this world of books but it is only right at the end that we actually get to meet these scarily powerful men and women. In many ways, however, the characters in this story were overshadowed by the much more enthralling world that was created.

Rachel Caine created a world that was mix of history, steam punk, science fiction in a world that is so like our own yet at the same time so very far a way. This world ruled by the Great Library of Alexandria means we get a setting that is a mix of the luxurious life style of the Egyptians, mechanical inventions of the industrial age with a dash of technology that far exceeds our own and throw in a smidgen of magic. The librarians are a mix of tyrannical and almost god like revered leaders who are the most intelligent people around and impossible to out play.

I was hoping that this book would be a little more fast paced and action packed but at certain points I found myself really forcing myself to keep reading. Ink and Bone was filled with lots of little story line moments which all came together at the end but sometimes I found them difficult to read as they didn't quite fit nicely together. This was also not helped by the fact that at some points Caine created such intense and action packed moments you felt like you were sitting in an action movie. Yet despite these shifts from extreme actions to lapses in events, I really enjoyed the book.

Clockwork Angel

Title: Clockwork Angel

Series: The Infernal Devices - book 1

Author: Cassandra Clare

Rating: 5 stars

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Historical, Young Adult

Number of Pages: 470

Publisher: Walker Books

Publication Date: 2010

Summary: When sixteen-year-old Tessa Grey arrives in England during the reign of Queen Victoria, something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Friendless and hunted, Tessa seeks refuge with the Shadowhunters, a band of warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons. Drawn ever deeper into their world, she finds herself fascinated by - and torn between - two best friends and quickly realises that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

The Infernal Devices series is a prequel series to the Mortal Instruments. As a result we get some of the names we know and love such as Herondale, Lightwood and Fairchild, but we also get introduced to some new ones. 

The first thing that I loved about this book is the world. Cassandra Clare has created a world that it both a historically belivable one and is also filled with magic and mechanical inventions. Like with the Mortal Instruments, the Shadowhunters of the 19th century live a secluded life from the mundanes and believe themselves to be better than the Downworlders. 

 While their are cross overs between both the Infernal Devices and the Mortal Instruments their is no repetition in story ideas. In both series we are introduced to the Pandemonium club, yet the two are unrecognisable, while being creepily the same in the different era's. In the Mortal Instruments the club is simply a club that is frequented by Downworlders, Demons and Shadowhunters...in the Infernal Devices the Pandemonium Club has a far more sinister role. In this version of the club it is run by varying levels of Downworlders and Demons who seek to exploit the naivety of mundanes; they draw in the unsuspecting and use them as pawns.

The other thing that I loved that has carried through on both series is the presence of Camille, Magnus and Church. Having a small select few of the characters from the Mortal Instruments present helped to create a connection between the two series and also to help solidify that some of the characters are actually immortal. Knowing that some of the characters will still be alive in 130 odd years and watching them love and hate really brings the loneliness of immortality to life. Getting to experience a character in two very different time frames brings a new depth to the immortality of characters that most authors are unable to portray.

The role of women in this book is also a big topic. There are three main women: Tessa, Charlotte and Jessamine, each are very different and have very different understandings of how women should act. Charlotte is a Shadowhunter first and a lady second. She goes into battle and has the right to give her opinion. Jessamine is pretty much a spoilt rich brat. She strongly believes that women should sit around and look pretty, take care of their husbands and raise their children. 

Tessa has very traditional views to begin with, men make decisions while women are more reserved. These views, however, do not suit Tessa's personality type and she lives in a world of fiction with strong female characters. When she meets the Shadowhunters she is originally put off by their casual and forward behaviour, yet at the same time she is fascinated with the idea that women can be strong and fight to.

It is the character of Will, however, that is the most fascinating. Will as a character is arrogant, rude and just plain unpleasant to be around. Yet he can also be prone to moments of true selflessness and kindness. Like with his descendant, however, his cruelty towards others comes from a desire to protect others from himself and to protect himself from pain and suffering. Will is by far one of the deepest characters I have read about. Everything about him contradicts. He can't stand anyone, doesn't believe anyone deserves pity but the one person he cares about the most is the person who most depends on him and has his unwavering devotion.

Even if you didn't really enjoy the Mortal Instruments, this series may still appeal to you.

Top 5 Wednesday - Badasses

1. The first badass character that comes to mind for me is Rose Hathaway from the Vampire Academy series. Rose is a dhampir, a half vampire warrior tasked with the job of protecting her best friend, the Dragomir princess. Rose is a sassy, butt kicking force to be reckoned with...and stragoi had better watch out. There are two things in life Rose Hathaway excels at - breaking rules and kicking butt.

2. The second badass character that comes to mind is Celaena Sardothien from the Throne of Glass Series. Celaena is an assassin, but not just any assassin, she is the assassin of Adarlan. But unlike many badass characters Celaena also appreciates the finer things in life. She is passionate about books, music, dance and owning some pretty extravagant gowns. Because who said you can't look amazing and still be deadly. She also holds some pretty powerful secrets.

3. Tessa Grey from the Infernal Devices, is not a badass is the same way that Celaena and Rose are. Rather than weilding a sword or other sharp and pointy objects; Tessa uses her intelligence and her determination to help and do the right thing. Tessa is fiercely passionate and loyal to those she cares about. Tessa uses the skills she has and doesn't back down.

4. Number four goes to the brothers of The Black Dagger Brotherhood. These guys are tough, take no shit and no matter how many times these vampire warrior's (I'm detecting a bit of a theme in my choices) get beaten down, they get back up and keep fighting. Yet despite all their strength they love each other strongly and don't fight for themselves but for others. These brother may terrify most who cross their paths but they are also capable of great feats of kindness and sacrifice.

5. Annja Creed is an archaeologist in the Rogue Angel Series by Alex Archer. Annja however, is not your everyday scholar...she is the reincarnate of Joan of Arc and wields Joan's magical fixed sword....which she can pull of out of thin air as the need arises. Annja travels the world as a part of her job and along the way helps to right wrongs and over come the greed of others. Annja is both a skilled fighter and highly intelligent. Their is nothing she can't accomplish once she has set her mind to it.

Wolves of the Northern Rift

Title: Wolves of the North Rift

Series: Magic & Machinery - book 1

Author: Jon Messenger

Rating: 3 stars

Genre: Fantasy, Steam Punk

Number of Pages: 350

Publisher: Smashwords Edition

Publication Date: 2015

Summary: Magin is an abomination. It spread from the Rift, a great chasm hundreds of miles long that nearly split the southern continent in two. The Rift was a portal, a gateway between their world of science and the mythological world of magic.

On the northern continent of Ocker, King Godwin declared that no magical monstrosity would be allowed within their borders. The Royal Inquisitors were formed to investigate reports of mythical occurrences and, should they be found, to destroy them.

Inquisitor Simon Whitlock knows his responsibilities all too well. Along with the apothecary, Luthor Strong, they've spent two years inquiring into such reports of magical abominations, though they've discovered far more charlatans than true magical creatures. When assigned to investigate Haversham and its of werewolves, Simon remains unconvinced that the rumours are true. What he discovers in the frozen little hamlet is that the werewolves are far more real than he believed; yet they're hardly the most dangerous monster in the city.

From the word go I found this book to be pretty average. Nothing about it in any way really grabbed my attention throughout any part of the book. Yet at the same time this book has the potential to be great. With an odd mix of steam punk and fantasy, this book had marvelous inventions and unusual werewolves.

Wolves of the Northern Rift had a very slow story line. If you look at the cover you see a red haired lady surrounded by white wolves. The cover is spectacular! You are convinced, there is going to be a red haired lady and white wolves. Well for the first half of the book there was no red haired lady and we had only met the werewolves for a chapter, if you don't count the dead ones - which I don't. And in the last half of the book Mattie (the red haired lady) is present for all of about five chapters. And the chapters aren't that long. This entire book seems to be about gathering information and nothing very exciting happens.

Now as you get to the end of the book it does slightly begin to redeem itself. As the summary says, there is something worse than werewolves in Haversham. You get these hints about a great evil, a monstrosity that it not just a threat to Haversham but to the entire kingdom.....and then things just get kind of anti-climatic. The bad guy (I won't say who) enthralls the townspeople under his control and almost easily, Luthor manages to over come it.

Now Luthor, there is an unusual character. You see, Luthor has a secret, a big secret; a secret that we don't get much of until we near the middle of the book. And yet despite this big secret once again we are let down and nothing much happens. Luthor is constantly portrayed as being less intelligent and useful, especially in comparison to the superior Inquisitor Whitlock but when it is revealed that Luthor is anything but, he pretty much lets us down and fails and Mr Superior wins.

Now my last thing to say about this book is a little strange. No ages were mentioned in this book. I know what your thinking: 'what the hell do ages matter?' Well they do! When you don't know the ages of your characters you have know idea if they are extremely talented for their age or if they have a life time of experience behind them? Are they young with a point to prove? Or are they arrogant because they have been so good at what they do for so long? Are they wise, or are they smart? Such a minor detail and yet it affects the entirety of who the characters are.

Awakening

Title: Awakening

Author: Natalie King

Rating: 5 stars

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal

Number of Pages: 272

Publisher: Penguin

Publication Date: 2014

Summary: When Zelie Taylor pulls a lost necklace out of the icy lake, she has no idea what the consequences will be.

At first the pendant is just freezing cold - unnaturally so - but then she hears a voice inside her head and thinks she must be going made. She's not. Seventeen-year-old Tamas' soul has been trapped in the pendent since 1918. His body is nearby, sleeping, and Zelie must help him awaken.

At first Zelie just wants Tamas' moody, enigmatic presence out of her life, but after a while she isn't so sure. And what is waiting for Tamas when he does emerge? The sinister force that trapped him has returned and is growing more powerful.

A hundred-year-old mystery steeped in dark magic will make Zelie question everything she thought she knew.

First of all let me start off by saying I want to kick myself for how long it took me to pick up and read such an amazing book. Secondly I want to kick myself for not realising that this book was written by a New Zealander. I really need to read more books by Kiwi authors.

Now that the negatives are out of the way, lets talk about the positives.

This book was spectacularly written. It was written in a way that I can't describe in words but it was perfect and it was faultless. The writing brought the world to life, gave the characters depth and moved the story forward in an effortless way. I knew from the first line that this book was going to be exceptionally good and by the end of the second I knew it would be spectacular. 

"Of all the emotions, guilt leaves the greatest mark. While fear and happiness can fade, guilt remains as heavy and harsh as the day it arrives."

This book is deep and thought provoking in a way that is all encompassing but without drowning you in unpleasantries. It was a perfect balance. As for the mystery side of this book it is weaved through the book, feeding you bits and pieces as you need them allowing you to draw your own conclusions.

My favourite character in this book was Tamas. Who he is in the beginning and who he is in the end is almost unrecognisable, yet at the same time Natile King manages to portray who he is fundamentally through all stages of his character development. Tamas starts off as a very angry character who has been mislead and betrayed. Just as Tamas begins to accepts this situation he is unexpectedly given the freedom he desires but at the cost of once again facing his demons and being forced to overcome his need for revenge.

While I didn't find that Zelie did much growing as a character, she did learn to act rather than simply feeling. Zelie isn't really shy but she is withdrawn and likes to blend in with the crowd. By the end of the book she isn't afraid to stand up and do what she needs to do to help those she cares. I suppose rather than learning and developing in many ways like Tamas does, Zelie learns one big lesson instead.

Awakening is also filled with a few minor plot lines that while do not directly alter the main story line they do nicely interweave with it and help to shape the overall book. Natalie King's writing style has in many created a new legend or myth. Everything was original and obviously had a lot of thought go into it.

Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side

Title: Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side

Series: Jessica - book 1

Author: Beth Fantaskey

Rating: 4 stars

Genre: Paranormal

Number of Pages: 351

Publisher: Harcourt

Publication Date: 2009

Summary: The undead can really screw up your senior year...

Marrying a vampire definitely doesn't fit into Jessica Packwood's senior year 'get-a-life' plan. But then a bizarre (and incrediably hot) new exchange student named Lucius Vladescu shows up, claiming that Jessica is a Romanian vampire princess by birth - and he's her long-lost fiance. Armed with new found confidence and a copy of Growing Up Undead: A Teen Vampire's Guide to Dating, Health and Emotions, Jessica makes a dramatic transition from average American teenager to glam European vampire princess. But when a devious cheerleader sets her sights on Lucius, Jess finds herself fighting to win back her wayward prince, stop a global vampire war - and save Lucius' soul from eternal destruction.

The look of this book and it's description give off quite a cheesy feel, or at least that's the impression I got. In fact that is what I was hoping for when I picked this book up. Something that was a quick read and didn't require too much thought. Instead I got a book that wrote about the most normal and natural sounding vampires' I have ever read. Never in all the many books I have read about vampires have I read a book that didn't feel like they were cliched, forced or just plain ridiculous, even if it was only slightly. Instead the vampires in this book were every day people who just so happen to be vampires. I was quickly sucked into a flawless creation of vampires and wasn't spat out until I reached the end. Yup I read this book in one sitting...okay I stopped to grab snacks.

To me what made this book so well done was the unfolding of events. We start off by meeting Jess, who we believe to be an ordinary teenage girl. Soon, however, Jess finds outs she is anything but ordinary and that she has been betrothed to Lucius since she was a baby as a way of uniting two warring vampire families. Jess is a logical character that believes in what she can see and that science can explain. Because of this we aren't forced into the world of vampires, in fact the word 'vampire' almost doesn't appear at all for the first quarter of the book except for when Jess tells Lucius he must be crazy for believing he is undead and so is she.

From here Jess is slowly forced to accept that she is a vampire and so is Lucius but it is a gradual process. The change that we begin to see in Jess separates her from her everyone and as a character we get to see her grow, trust her instinct and fight for what she wants. Because the closer Jess comes to accepting that she is a vampire, the more Lucius wants to be an everyday teenager. Both characters face some tough questions to do with their identity and who they really are. And for the rest of the book we watch as they try and balance what they want with duty and what is necessary to keep each other safe.

The fight that Jess and Lucius have with trying to save themselves and each other actually gets quite dark, especially for Lucius. When Lucius fights for the freedom he had come to enjoy in his time in America, we are introduced to the Elders and more importantly to Vasile, Lucius' uncle. Vasile as a character is detrimental to who Lucius becomes at the end of the book and the person he will always fight to be. Vasile is cruel, unforgiving and believes in harsh discipline and Lucius faces the hard decision of whether or not his uncle is really on his side.

But the plot and character development aren't the only well done things in this book. The writing style itself was a perfect balance of descriptive and getting to the point. At no point did anything drag or go to fast. It was flawlessly written.

The only thing that prevents me from giving this book 5 stars is the fact that I'm a little bored with unassuming characters finding out that they are really someone special. Seriously, that's it.