The Coldest Girl in Coldtown

Tana woke up in the bathtub at her friend Lance's party and she wondered what happened when she was in there. She went out to the kitchen to get coffee and all was quiet in the house. It was odd but she figured everyone else was sleeping. While she went for the coffee pot there was a hand in the living room with the fingers stretched out.  She noticed that the hand was oddly pale and decided to take a look in the living room.

Once she passed the threshold to the living, she tried hard not to scream. The carpet was stiff with dried blood and there were dozens of bodies lying in odd angles. People she knew since kindergarten were all dead and some of them were piled up. Tana got dizzy from the scene and sat on the floor where she noticed one of the windows were left open. She thinks that a vampire must have came in from the window and attacked everyone. She quickly went to the guest room to get her stuff so she could leave with her car. Once in the guest room, she noticed Aidan her ex-boyfriend was tied to the bed and his mouth was taped over with duct tape. For a long moment all she could do was stare and then next to the bed there was another boy gagged and chained up. He looked up at her and those eyes were bright as rubies.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black is a story about a teen girl who wanted badly to not have anything to do with vampires. Sadly for her  it's an unavoidable and she seems to be heading to a place with more of them there. This is my first time reading this author and I think I'm in love with her writing. The plotting of the book is good and not easily predictable. I was surprised by many of the plots and it was so exciting to read through the book because you'll  never know what to expect. I particularly love the starting of the book because it's where you'll be thinking what's this book all the about and where you can't figure out what's next. I also love the ending very much because it's the type where you get to imagine your epilogue.

The characters of the book is quite unique and the heroine is not a damsel in distress which I absolutely love. The male lead of the book is dark and haunting which has an interesting past is quite refreshing for the story as he is not acting as a savior of the female lead but a good partner for her story. This book is not entirely about love but more about the deeper and darker sides of human. A part of some people who either will embrace it, hide it or detest it and try to deny all they can about their true self. This is what I love about the characters because they're not typical humans or vampires and their actions in the story is just refreshing. 

Maybe I didn't read enough paranormal type books to make comparison but it's a good vampire story. Of the other books I read that revolves around vampire which are Twilight and Meg Cabot's Insatiable and Overbite, I think I am able to put this as my second favorite where Meg Cabot's ones are first. Since this book is in the young adult category and Meg Cabot's is in adult, I guess this book makes it my favorite for young adult then. I'm looking forward to reading more of Holly Black's writing and I'm going to pick up her Curse Workers trilogy. I highly recommend this to readers who love vampire stories.

Fangirl

Cather and Wren is moving to their dormitories for their fist year of college. Sadly for Cath, her sister did not want to share the same room with her so Cath would have to share with a stranger and she felt quite nervous about it. When Cath was carrying her box up to her room, there was a boy there and she thought she went to the wrong place but it was her roomate's boyfriend. Her roomate Reagan just left her things and went to eat with her boyfriend while Cath went with her father to eat. After the meal, Cath unpacked her things with a bit of Simon Snow posters stuff being displayed at her corner. She felt it was a bit like home where Wren and her used to share the room and they both have one side each but this room was much smaller.

Cath was afraid to find the dining hall to have dinner alone and so she decide to hide in her room and eat her protein bars. The next day after class, Cath walked back to her room starving and worrying that the protein bar would finish soon. Sitting right outside her door on the floor, Reagan's boyfriend was waiting there. He introduced himself as Levi and asked to wait inside the room but Cath had refused. The next day it was her first class in Fiction Writing and she was really excited because she had been writing a lot of fan fiction on Simon Snow series. The professor in the class was asking for reasons to write fiction and for Cath it was to disappear. For most days, Levi is always around in her room with Reagan and he tried to converse with Cath.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell is about a coming of age story particular on the first year of college for our heroine. We read the struggles and emotions of our characters in college and also the fun times. I absolutely love this book and I have to say this author has wowed me much. Rainbow Rowell is now one of my favorite contemporary young adult writer. The characters of the book is fantastic because they are just real and true because there are people like this in the world.

Even though it may seem like a simple book but it triggered emotions in me and also thoughts about my college years. It was really fun reading this book because I did not have those kind of experiences in college. How the characters grow and deal with situations really make up a lot of great plots. I love the writing of the entire book where there were parts that were dear to our main character shared with the readers. I love that the author made a lot of effort writing those parts that defined the heroine. I really can't describe the excitement and fun I had reading this book, it was so good that I kept reading and I finished the book in two days.

I would definitely read this again in the near future which is probably just a few months away. The characters are so good and special that I hope there might be a sequel to it because I'm so interested in more of their college life. Judging by the ending, I think there wouldn't be a sequel. If you loved Eleanor & Park, then you'll love this book too. It's a fun book and definitely a page turner. I highly recommend this book to people who love this genre (young adult contemporary) of story.

The Fault in Our Stars

Hazel is sixteen years old living with cancer. She only wants to stay at home and watch tv which her mom believed Hazel is suffering from depression a side effect of cancer. Hazel mother decided that she needed to join a support group to social and go outside more. The support group consists of other teenagers who are also either living with cancer or have cured suffer. One day she met a new boy who is a year older in the group and throughout the whole session he kept staring at her. Hazel stared back as a contest with the boy. When he was his turn to share, Augustus was suffering from cancer and he was there to support his friend Isaac. Soon Hazel and Gus became friends and hang out together where they eventually fall in love.

The Fault in Our Stars  by John Green is about two teenagers who are young but with limited lifespan falling in love and living out the best of today. I was greatly challenge when I read this book because it was intelligently written. Almost every chapter I had to pull out the dictionary to look up words. I believe my vocabulary is weak but I loved that this book is written with big words beautifully. I have never came across another young adult fiction author using words like hamartia, sedentary or contemporaneity. This book is a very meaningful book and it makes you think about life much. I would really put this book under the slice of life category because I believe that there are similar instances like these happening to people around the world.

I love the characters of the book which makes the book fantastic. The thoughts and actions of the characters is what makes this book real and touching. The characters are not sophisticated people neither are they difficult,they are just real. This book have a smooth flow in the plotting and suddenly it takes you by surprise and leaving you with strong emotions. This is not your typical romance between teenagers but how people deal with their diffcult situations.

The book is simple with a strong message to the readers. I was nearly crying at the end of the book but I restrained because my sister was next to me. This book made think real hard about life and ponder many things. I would definitely read this book again next month to hopefully get a different insight and also to brush up my vocabulary. I highly recommend this book as it is now my favorite slice of life/contemporary young adult novel. If you want a tear jerking story and thought pondering one, this is the right book.

The Mortal Instruments: City of Glass

Both Mortal Instruments have already landed in Valentine's hand and the last one which is the mirror is well known to be in Idris. The Clave does not know the whereabouts of the last one but they fear that Valentine will come attack the city. All shadowhunters were called back to Idris to have meetings to discuss dealing with Valentine. A lady named Madeleine had approached Clary telling her that a warlock named Ragnor Fell would have the antidote to wake her mother up. But the warlock would only meet Clary and he is in Idris hence Clary is going to Idris with the Lightwoods.

Clary was excited and anxious to go to Idris because she have not seen the place and another thing would be meeting a warlock to convince him to save her mother. Jace was not fond of the idea that Clary would be going. They were suppose to go at night time but Simon was called the institute in the evening by Jace. Jace told Simon that he did not want the Clave to know about Clary's abilities so he requested that Simon lied to the Lightwoods that Clary wouldn't be going to Idris with them.

Simon was pissed at the idea and telling off Jace when suddenly there was a lot of smoke coming from where Magnus Bane and the Lightwoods were at. Jace raced over to find that they were under attack by a lot of Forsaken. Magnus opened the portal abruptly and urged them to go across quickly. Simon was curious at what was happening and he was knocked out in the fight which gave Jace no choice but to drag him into the portal. Clary then later arrived with Luke knowing that she was left behind. She was really sad and upset because she needed to go to save her mother. She found out that Madeleine was killed and there would be no one who could meet with Ragnor Fell but her alone. With her steele Clary worked on a rune that will make a portal to let her travel to Idris and without permission she is not allowed to enter Alicante. Luke caught on to Clary while she used the portal because it was dangerous and he had to protect her. While in the portal, Clary's grip broke off from Luke and she found herself drowning at the end of the portal.

The Mortal Instruments: City of Glass by Cassandra Clare is the third book of the series and it's kinda like the ending for this arc of the story. The reason why I think it's considered an ending to the arc because the ending was a good one without any suspense or cliff hangers. As it is stated in Wikipedia, the first three books is the first cycle while the fourth to sixth book is the second cycle of the series.  This book gives the whole story a proper ending also covering some pasts that I think most readers were curious about. 

I had really high expectations for the book and I was really impressed. The first two books was good but this one is just great. All the plots weave together wonderfully and it was a smooth story till the end. It was amazing that the characters continue to grow and mature. I think the two characters that I love the most is Jace and Simon because they have matured much especially Simon. Along all three books Simon has been a character that went through the most changes and adapted in situations perfectly. As for Clary I would have to say she has grown too but still a bit of a damsel in distress in her. The actions and plots are written very well and I love imagining all the fight scenes in my head.

There is a slight dissatisfaction towards the end of the book where I believe a certain important event could have more emphasis. It felt like some parts are left out and I would have prefer more elaboration on it. But those parts can be also ignored because it's not the highlight of the event.  To summarize, I love this series and I hope that the movie will do it justice and not disappoint me like Twilight movie did.  I have the fourth book and I have no idea what will it be about since the ending was not a cliff hanger. I definitely have high expectations on the books that Cassandra Clare writes. The probability of me picking up the books again would be to refresh my memory before the movies. When I'm yearning some young adult fantasy adventure I would definitely reread the series.

The Mortal Instruments: City of Ashes

 Maryse Lightwood was back at the Institute in New York and she questioned Jace whether he knew that Valentine was his father. Jace was considered to be Valentine's Arrow and was being suspected. Maryse did not quite trust Jace and decided it was best for him to leave the institute. Clary loved Jace not the way brothers and sisters would have and Jace felt the same way. Because they can't be together Clary started dating her best friend Simon. Clary was hanging out with Simon and she got a phone call from Isabelle informing her that Jace was missing.

Jace was upset and he had no where to go so he went to The Hunter's Moon bar where lycanthropes  hang out. Jace was acting like a jerk in the bar which cause a fight to happen and it was stopped by Luke before more harm could happen. When all the fuss was happening, a young werewolf was attacked where his throat was cut. The werewolf was asking Jace to save but he was still in a bad mood and wanted more trouble by being arrogant. Luke called Clary to come talk to Jace to find out what was wrong with him. Clary arrived with Simon and then talked to Jace with Luke while Simon waited.

Jace asked for help from Luke and Clary to talk to Maryse so that he could stay at the institute because he had no where else to go. They all went to the institute and it was a long time since Maryse have seen Luke. After some talk it was known that the Inquisitor would be visiting and interviewing Jace and in order to protect him, Maryse thought that it would be better that he wasn't around to be interrogated. Jace said that he had nothing to be afraid of and he would stay so that the truth would be known instead of being doubted. That night the Inquisitor arrived and met with Jace in the library. Many questions were asked and Jace answered with an attitude. The inquisitor did not like Jace's behavior and decided to put him in jail which was located inside the city of bones so that he will learn his place.

The Mortal Instruments: City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare is the second book of the series where Clary's new changed life begins. After knowing that Jace is her brother, there is sort of an awkward and uneasy feeling between them. Simon also confessed his feelings for her which then turn the relationship into a dating one. After reading the first book, I have greater expectations for the second and I'm impressed by it.

I thought the new characters introduced were quite fitting to the plots. It was also wonderful to read about the changes that occur to the characters because of dire situations. There are traits that stay strong and steady which make those characters so lovable as well. As always the flow of the book is good where you have a steady pace and then climaxing towards the end of the book where I can barely put the book down. I also love the action parts of the book because it comes at right timing and the description is well written. It's definitely a page turner for me and I truly enjoy this second book and I am looking forward to their adventures in the third book.