The Hourglass Door - Lisa Mangum

His past. Her future. Can love bring them together in time?

Abby's senior year of high school is going according to plan: good friends, cute boyfriend, and college applications in the mail. But when Dante Alexander, foreign-exchange student from Italy, steps into her life, he turns it upside down. He's mysterious, and interesting, and unlike anyone she's ever met before. Abby can't deny the growing attraction she feels for him. Nor can she deny the unusual things that seem to happen when Dante is around. Soon Abby finds herself drawn into a mystery whose roots reach into sixteenth-century Florence, and she uncovers a dangerous truth that threatens not only her future but the lives of those she loves.

I really liked this book and I'm definitely left wanting more. Luckily the next book is in my possession and next on my list. There was a fair amount of setup with Abby - getting to know her and her friends, and how she sees her life and her relationship with her boyfriend. The way she and Dante get to know each other reminds me a little bit of Twilight, but once things start being revealed the similarities end.

I truly enjoy Abby and being in her head - since she's the narrarator. She's very relatable as a 17 year old girl trying to please those she loves while also trying to find her independence and figuring out what she wants out of life. She's very kind hearted and I find her an excellent herione. Dante is mysterious, sensual, and incredibly sweet, I loved him from the beginning. Some of the supporting characters didn't seem quite as fleshed out as others, but the villians were definiletly well written.

As for the mythology, it was very different from anything else I've read since for the most part everyone is just ordinary humans, but there are "circumstances" that make it otherwordly. It wasn't terribly hard to follow, but I still feel as though there are many things left unexplained or unexplored. This doesn't really bother me though, since it will be a trilogy and I have one more book to read and one more to wait for before I object to unanswered questions. I like how her "world" works and I find it a refreshing change from other paranormal romances I've been reading lately. (Although don't get me wrong, I love vampires and werewolves as much as the next fangirl.) I'm definitely excited to see what happens next for Abby and Dante.

4/5

The Hourglass Door
Lisa Mangum
Shadow Mountain Publishing
432 pages
$18.99 (hardcover)

Beautiful Darkness - Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen.

Sometimes life-ending.


Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems.

Ok, this book was definitely more of an emotional read for me. The first book was so, so good but the main focus was Ethan's budding relationship with Lena and his introduction to her world. This book was much more about Ethan - I felt - than it was about Lena. Even though she remained his primary motivation for most of his actions, I really felt as though this was about him. It was so great to see him take charge of the situation and fight for what he wanted and not putting up with the stupid vague answers from the adults anymore. Lena just made me sad and slightly aggrivated (just like Ethan) and for most of the book I was so frustrated with her. By the end, most of it made sense, but it was tough reading whenever she was involved. There were definitely a lot of questions that were left unanswered by the end, but there's was also a lot that was answered. Overall the book was an emotional rollercoaster for me. I actually had to take breaks (I know!) because it was really getting to me. The angst and the loss and the confusion. It made me feel 16 again. And the twists they sprung on me - let's just say there were several times when I said "That did NOT just happen!!" I never knew what was going to happen next.

I loved seeing more backstory on Macon, Marian, and Ethan's mom. It was all very enlightening, and I really felt it added a great layer to the story. (Can I just say that sometimes Marian made me want to hit something? The rules just make me angry. Anyway, moving on...) I loved that Link was more involved. He really feels like main character now and I love him more than ever. I also liked the evolution of Ridley, and I'm hoping we see much more of her in the next two books. The two things that gave me the most turmoil in this book were the new characters - Liv and John Breed. While I now am more reconciled with the first, I have no idea how to feel about the latter. For the majority of the book I loathed the very mention of him, but by the end, I just don't know. *sigh* I suppose I'll just have to wait and see what the deal is with him.

All in all, and excellent second book in this fantastic series. I can't wait to see what happens next to Ethan, Lena, and everyone else in Gatlin.

5/5

Beautiful Darkness
Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Little Brown
503 pages
$17.99 (hardcover)

Beautiful Creatures - Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

There were no surprises in GatlinCounty.
We were pretty much the epicenter of the middle of nowhere.
At least, that's what I thought.
Turns out, I couldn't have been more wrong.
There was a curse.
There was a girl.
And in the end, there was a grave.


Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.


Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.


In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

*slightly spoilery*

Ok, words cannot even express how much I love this book, but I'm going to give it a shot. It was so fresh and original for me that I completely devoured this book in 2 days the first time and 3 days the second time around. It's honestly that good. The story was always taking me by surprise and even when I thought I knew what was going to happen, it was rare that I was right. The writing itself is rich and completely wraps me up in this small town in the south. The descriptions, the accents, and the characters make me feel like I'm actually in Gatlin. It was never hard for me to envision in my head what I was reading. I was THERE. I LOVE that.

As for the characters, they don't disappoint. Lena is quirky and different and while she embraces her uniqueness to a point, there's still that 16 year old girl in her that wants to blend in and have the same experiences as all the other kids in school. And even though she's a Caster and not a Mortal, she's still struggling to find her place in the world around her, like everyone else. I love her hesitancy to put herself out there, because I'm just like that so I could completely relate - and I'm 25, not 16. And while I'm no poet - not by a long shot - I LOVED the scenes in her room where her thoughts would appear on the walls and mirror in poem form. It helped me understand her thoughts better, since the majority of the book is from Ethan's point of view.

And Ethan - oh Ethan - I love, love, LOVE him. He's the definition of "sweet boy next door" for me. He's a complete sweetheart and it was really fun to see a love story from the boy's point of view, which I don't find very often. He truly cares for Lena and for his family and anyone else in his life that he cares about. He struggles to stand up for what he thinks is right, like any 16 year old trying to find their voice, but he never struggles to see the wrongs in the antiquated traditions in his town. I love that through his relationship with Lena he is able to find himself more, and try to stand up to the prejudices in Gatlin. And his friendship with Link always made me smile - reminded me of my brothers and their friends. :)

The "minor" characters were also so well developed that they really didn't seem like minor characters at all. I love Amma and Uncle Macon even though sometimes they frustrated me to death, while the stunts that Mrs. Lincoln and Ridley pulled always surprised and infuriated me. Marian the Librarian was fantastic and I'm hoping I get to learn more about her in later books.

All in all, this was one of my favorite books of the year, and I've already got my little sister and two of my friends reading it as well. I have to share the awesomeness! I just started Beautiful Darkness and I can't wait to see what happens next!

5/5

Beautiful Creatures
Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Little Brown
563 pages
$17.99 (hardcover)

Forever Cover Revealed!!!!

Gorgeous, right?? I was just wondering last week what color Forever was going to be. (I love that each book is a different color - and that the type inside MATCHES!! It's so fun!) Believe it or not, I was actually thinking that red would look fabulous with the blue and green of the previous books. The other one I was contemplating was purple, but now that it's out, red definitely looks fantastic! It comes out July 2011, which seems forever away! (Haha!) But there are so many other good books that will come out to keep me company until I can finish the series and find out what happens to Grace, Sam, Isabelle, and Cole.

Are you excited? Don't you just LOVE the cover??

Clockwork Angel - Cassandra Clare

Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What’s more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by—and torn between—two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length . . . everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world. . . . and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

I finished this book about 4 days ago and I have to say, I'm still blown away by this fabulous book. Like her other series - The Mortal Instruments - it's richly detailed and the story is excellent and always leaves you guessing. And yes, side by side with the fighting and the killing, there is a fair amount of romantic tension in there as well. (The glove scene! *swoon*) And while there are still 2 more books in this series, and now 3 more books for TMI, I'm currently liking this series better. It's characters, in my opinion, are more intriguing to me, as is the story line. And there's no possibilities of incest (that I know of) that will make me question my romantic sensibilities and sanity. ; )


Let's start with the story. (I'll try my best to remain spoiler free.) It took me a couple chapters to really get into it, but once it had me, I was completely hooked. It killed me to have to put it down to attend to such things as eating, sleeping, and making sure my kids were in bed on time. It was constantly taking me by surprise and when the villian's identity (and that of his partner) was revealed, I audibly gasped "No WAY!!" I have no idea what's going to happen next, which I love and hate at the same time. And there's so much room for the characters to grow that I'm excited to see what happens to them and to see how they change. And while I'm in no way familiar with London - Victorian era or otherwise - her descriptions of the city and the aura it had were so well described that while I had no idea if what I was picturing was geographically correct, the atmosphere came through to me crystal clear.


Now, for the characters. They were fantastic, and even the smaller characters felt very fleshed out and real, so my feelings towards them are fairly strong - which I love. It makes the story feel that much more of an alternate reality to me. Anyway, as a strong minded female myself, I loved reading about Charlotte and her ability and determination to work with what she had and rock her position at the Institute. I honestly think she loves Henry, and it's so bittersweet to see the way their relationship plays out. I'm hoping Henry will emerge from his own world a little more in the future books and see the amazing woman he has in his life. (Does he love her? I don't know.) And maybe have an invention or two finally work the way he wants. Jessamine, however, made me nothing but angry/annoyed. I can understand her feelings to a point, but she seems so shallow and self-centered while those around her are able to see the bigger picture...it was very frustrating. But I'm holding off on truly disliking her until I'm done with the series. I'm sure there's more to her than what is currently being shown. And she's shown her brave side a couple times, which I'm hoping she embraces more. She could be a pretty wife and still be a badass if she wanted to.


And, of course, there's the love triangle - although I don't think it's quite a triangle yet. But the potential is definitely there. Tessa is an excellent heroine. I love her ability to think quickly and be brave even when it would be easier to run and hide. Her verbal sparring with Will was always fun to read, since I always wish I was someone who was clever and quick like that. And through it all, there's an innocent vulnerability there, a longing to not only find herself, but her place in the world around her; since it no longer seems to be the world she knew. She doesn't have to choose Jessamine's path, she could choose Charlotte's, or a mixture of both - and in that era, the possibility of options is truly tantalizing. I'm excited to see what path she ends up making for herself. The boys - oh, my night and day boys - are honestly hard to choose between. I hate to think that she'll have to choose one, since that will leave one without her. (And just to rant for a second, why are the good boys always overshadowed by the bad ones? Sigh...) Will, with his dark and brooding good looks and sharp wit - he's the bad boy that every girl feels drawn to and wants to tame. They always have this passion about them that is so magnetic, it's hard not to be drawn in. And while it might end well with many in the fictional world, I don't know how it will end with Will. He's so throroughly self-destructive that I don't know if he has it in him to love Tessa completely. That remains to be seen I guess. And then there's Jem. Ah, Jem. The nice boy. The boy who can look beyond his own emotions and have amazing empathy for others. (And he plays the violin! *double swoon*) His story is so sad, and yet his strong character amazes me. He is the boy you want to keep forever, because you know his love will never fade, even if it doesn't seem to burn as brightly as the bad boy's. And his relationship with Will, his ability to take him for who and what he is, is very admirable. While I'm definitely leaning towards Jem as the ultimate love interest, I'm really hoping that this triangle doesn't ruin Jem and Will's friendship. They understand each other so well, it would be a shame to see that ruined because they both love the same woman.


I love that Magnus Bane made an appearance, and I hope to see more of him in future books, especially from his perspective. I would love to see the world through his eyes for a few pages. I'm intrigued to see how Sophie plays into things, and how much I'll come to dislike Benedict and Gabriel Lightwood. And definitely, what is the Magister up to, and why is Tessa so important??? Next September can't get here fast enough!! (At least I'll have City of Fallen Angels to hold me over in April.)


5/5

*This is the first of 3 books in the Infernal Devices series. Clockwork Prince is set to be released September of 2011, and Clockwork Princess in November 2012.

Clockwork Angel
Cassandra Clare
Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
479 pages
$19.99 (hardcover)