Clockwork Angel, a review

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare is my fourth book by the author and within her world of the Shadowhunters. My first three books were all within the Mortal Instruments series which is set in the modern day in New York, and I’ve decided not to continue with these books. This, instead, is the first book in a trilogy set in Victorian (Edwardian? I’m not sure) London, England.

I enjoyed this book more than I’d expected. This was the last book that I was gunna read from Cassandra Clare and I wasn’t expecting anything special. But it was an interesting book and quite fun!

There was the usual (i.e. stereotypical) YA pining over love interests, which I personally have less time for now as an adult. However, I did also like the plot against our protagonist and her family. The twists and turns this plot took were so engrossing and so much fun.

In CAWPILE I gave this book: Characters: 8, Atmosphere: 7, Writing: 5, Plot: 7, Intrigue: 7, Logic: 6, and Enjoyment: 8. That gave me a rating of 6.86 which is a respectable 3 stars.

So like I said, I enjoyed this more than I had expected, but I still think it’ll be the last Cassandra Clare book I read. I imagine that I would’ve adored these books if I’d read them back when I was 12/13. But at 25 these are very much just not for me anymore. I’ve unhauled all of my Shadowhunter books and I hope that some teenager out there finds them and loves them!

Almost regretting an unhaul!

I read Clockwork Angel in August (I think) and I actually enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would! So much so that I was actually regretting that I’d unhauled Prince and Princess!!

I had read the first 3 books in the Mortal Instruments series and they were… fine? So I thought it was fine to unhaul these and I just kept Angel for a reading challenge I had that month. But I enjoyed Angel more than I expected!

It turned out all good in the end though, because I no longer actually want to read these 😅 let me explain! These books (including the original mortal instruments trilogy) are like junk food. They’re fun reads, and they’re definitely enjoyable! But it’s not something I’m ever going to reread and now that there’s been a little bit of time since I read the last book I have no real desire to go back and read books 2 and 3. Also if this does change in the future then I can always borrow them from my library!!

So essentially I felt a lot of regret and then no regret, happy ending!! 😂

First Lines Friday! #27

It’s time for another First Lines Friday! Hosted by Wandering Words!!

What if, instead of judging a book by its cover or its author, we judged the book by its opening lines?

Here is how it works:

– Pick a book and open to the first page.

– Copy the first few lines without revealing which book it is.

– Reveal the book!

So… do these first lines entice you?

London, April 1878.

The demon exploded in a shower of ichor and guts.

William Herondale jerked back the dagger he was holding, but it was too late. The viscous acid of the demon’s blood had already begun to eat away at the shining blade. He swore and tossed the weapon aside, it landed in a filthy puddle and commenced smoldering like a doused match. The demon itself, of course, had vanished – dispatched back to whatever hellish world it had come from, though not without leaving a mess behind.

Scroll down to reveal the book!

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

This is the first book in the Infernal Devices trilogy and it’s my last chance saloon with Clare’s work! I’ve recently unhauled everything that I own by her as it’s just a little too young and cheesy for me. But this is the last chance that I’m giving the Shadowhunter world. I wonder if I’ll regret unhauling all the books or regret wasting time on it! We’ll have to see!!! Have you read the Shadowhunters books? What did you think of them??

Fourth Chance Author?

How many chances do you give an author before you give up on them?

A question I’ve been asking myself a few times lately. The first author I asked myself this for is Cassandra Clare. I’ve recently unhauled all of her books from my shelves bar one. That one being Clockwork Angel. It’s the last chance book for me.

Her writing is… fine? But seems a little juvenile and whilst the stories are entertaining, it’s in a bad and cheesy way. And with so many books in the world that I need to read, they don’t quite reach the priority list!

I’ve heard that some people really gel with her historical fantasy vs her urban fantasy, hence why I’m giving Clockwork Angel a shot. But I’m truthfully not expecting wonderful things and this is likely to be the last book I read from Clare (I’m sure she’ll be devastated with all her millions of fans)

And then there’s V.E. Schwab. Victoria Schwab. I’ve read A Darker Shade of Magic twice now. And both times I still don’t know what I actually rate it. And recently I’d tried to pick up This Savage Song, gotten 50 pages in and then lived in a reading slump for weeks.

I really don’t know why that is. And I have so many of her books on my shelves! And she seems lovely too! The few interactions I’ve had with her online and being able to meet her at a signing, she’s so kind, and I love seeing her online content. So I really want her books to be for me! But I can’t lie I seem to be struggling.

Fingers crossed that I’m able to get through some more of her books and really love her writing! But if not? Well at least I’ve supported a nice person and some others will be able to pick her books up in the charity shops and hopefully love them!!

Which authors have you given multiple chances to? And has it worked out for you? Let me know! Give me the motivation to keep picking books up by these two!!