Shadowhunter News: The Cast

Okay, I know I've been kinda behind on news revolving around the coming ABC Family show, Shadowhunters, so I thought I'd catch up today. I'll be posting the cast that we have so far, starting with our main characters.

Clary Fray will be played by Katherine McNamara 

She's so pretty and cute!! But she also needs to be sassy to keep up with Jace. She also needs to be tough. I hope she can pull all of this off, because I really think she looks the part.

Jace Herondale/Lightwood/Morgenstern/Wayland will be played by Dominic Sherwood

At first, I wasn't so sure about him playing Jace, but now that I've seen the pictures of him on set, I'm good with it. I just hope he can keep up and play this character well, because he's a sexy, snarky, and important character for this series. 

Simon Lewis will be played by Alberto Rosende

I can totally see Alberto as Simon. He has this sort of geeky look, but I can also see him as being really cute (which is totally Simon). I'm excited to see him on-screen! Even as a rat lol!

Isabelle Lightwood is going to be played by Emeraude Toubia

 She's so gorgeous!! Like OMG I CAN'T EVEN!! I can't wait to see her play this beautiful, feminist, and badass character.

Alec Lightwood is going to be played by Matthew Daddario

I'M READY FOR SOME MALEC!!!

Magnus Bane is played by Harry Shum Jr.

 DREAMY! He looks even better in-character (if you can believe it)!

Luke Garroway is being played by Isaiah Mustafa

I can already tell he's going to be an awesome werewolf!

Valentine Morgenstern is going to be played by Alan Van Sprang

He was a mad/evil king on Reign and he was really great!! He will be an amazing villain!

Raphael Santiago is played by David Castro

 Wow. All I have to say is wow.

Hodge Starkweather is being played by Jon Cor

 He is so HOT!! OMG! This is probably my favorite cast member so far. Can anyone guess why? LOL! I feel kind of guilty since he's kind of a bad guy but....

Camille Belcourt is being played by Kaitlyn Leeb

She's so gorgeous!! She looks so perfect...

Jocelyn Fray is being played by Maxim Roy

Maryse Lightwood is being played by Nicola Correia Damude

Well that's everyone so far!

OMG seriously can't wait for this show because of this awesome cast!! It seems like ABC Family is working really hard to make the cast perfect. Almost everyone looks how I pictured them while reading the books :) 

I'll be posting on my other blog today, so check that out at www.ashleyearleybooks.blogspot.com or www.ashleyearleybooks.tumblr.com

Glass Sword by Victoria Aveyard

                                                     

     Look how pwitty book two in the Red Queen series is!!! Even though I'm not a huge fan of the first book, these covers are very, very pretty to have sitting on a black bookshelf. 
     Here's our synopsis: If there's one thing Mare Barrow knows, it's that she's different.

Mare Barrow's blood is red—the color of common folk—but her Silver ability, the power to control lightning, has turned her into a weapon that the royal court tries to control.

     The crown calls her an impossibility, a fake, but as she makes her escape from Maven, the prince—the friend—who betrayed her, Mare uncovers something startling: She is not the only one of her kind.

      Pursued by Maven, now a vindictive king, Mare sets out to find and recruit other Red-and-Silver fighters to join in the struggle against her oppressors.

     But Mare finds herself on a deadly path, at risk of becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to defeat.

     Will she shatter under the weight of the lives that are the cost of rebellion? Or have treachery and betrayal hardened her forever?

    You're probably wondering when it will be released. To answer your question, February 9th, 2016. Settle in for the long wait, everyone.

Miss Mayhem by Rachel Hawkins

 Title: Miss Mayhem

 Series: Rebel Belle #2

 Author: Rachel Hawkins

 Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

 Date Published: April 7, 2015

 Genre: Paranormal

 Pages: 288 (Hardcover)

 Age Range: 13+



        Summary:

     Life is almost back to normal for Harper Price. The Ephors have been silent after their deadly attack at Cotillion months ago, and best friend Bee has returned after a mysterious disappearance. Now Harper can return her focus to the important things in life: school, canoodling with David, her nemesis-turned-ward-slash-boyfie, and even competing in the Miss Pine Grove pageant.
     Unfortunately, supernatural chores are never done. The Ephors have decided they’d rather train David than kill him.  The catch: Harper has to come along for the ride, but she can’t stay David’s Paladin unless she undergoes an an ancient trial that will either kill her . . .  or make her more powerful than ever.


                                                           Review:

     This review will spoil both the first, and second book so if you haven't read the book, I suggest that you keep on scrolling. I will, however, have a mini review at this point that will be non-spoilery. Here's the non-spoilery review. This book was disappointing. The first one was very light and funny, action-packed, and it read like a contemporary. This one was....less so. It was heavier, it had a lot of little things that made me really angry, and the characters have changed so very much.
     Things will now get spoilery, and ranty, and angry, but mostly spoilery. I read this book in four hours because I couldn't put it down. That being said, I am very upset. The first few pages or so of the book were pretty much the same as the first one (which I LOVED) and it picked up pretty soon after the events in the first book. Then, we started changing. By changing, I mean the whole over-all prose wasn't the light, funny, in-charge Harper that I had loved so much. Instead, things felt heavy, dark, and...angry.
     The characters have changed so much from the first book. I LOVED Harper in the first book, but in this book I liked her a little less. I felt bad for the poor baby, but she really needs to relax and let some things slide. While Harper was busy trying to do everything, and keeping a little secret from David, and trying to be all Paladin-y, her best friend was getting on my nerves. I liked Bee in the first book, but here I flat-out disliked her. She wasn't a very good friend like she was in the first book, and I dislike that she's a better Paladin than Harper. Bee might have grated on my nerves, but Ryan started to shred them up. After book one, I still kinda loved Ryan and might have still shipped him and Harper. After book two, I wanted to slap that fool with this book in the face. First off, he cheated on Harper (NOT OKAY) and then he dumps Mary Beth for Bee. I HATE Ryan and Bee together. I really do. They better break up soon, because I will throw up if they continue to be an item. Ryan may have shredded up my nerves, but David set them on fire and threw them into a batch of gasoline. Oh, my God. I was so upset with half of the things that David did, and I really hope that Harper decides to stay broken up and live a happy life by herself because that fool...
     Alexander the Ephor was an amazing plot device to have, but he was kind of meh for me... The whole thing with Blythe just dying and not even being a problem in this book was upsetting because it made me feel like she was never an issue. I disliked how much petty drama we had intertwined with some highly major issues. I hated how much we had people sneaking around behind each others back, and how insensitive people became. David with the whole thing about Bee becoming his Paladin was mean to both Bee and Harper. And even though Harper never should have gone around with Ryan to block David's powers, I understand why she did it, and I hated how much David despised her for it. The whole book I was waiting for Bee to do something awful to everyone because I thought that she had been hijacked by Alexander. And the entire ending, I was screaming at Ryan and Bee because they were being horrible people, and I was cursing out David because, well, I dislike him right now.
     I did like some of the cute moments between David and Harper, and I did like some of the smaller moments in the book, but I really hope that book three will go back to its roots.

                                    

The Darkest Light Giveaway

  Hi everybody!!

 I'm giving away 2 paperback copies of The Darkest Light on Goodreads!

 The giveaway has already started and lasts until September 10th of this year :)

Click the link below to enter to win!
https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/145336-the-darkest-light

Ashes to Ashes by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

 Title: Ashes to Ashes

 Series: Burn for Burn Trilogy #3

 Author(s): Siobhan Vivian, Jenny Han

 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

 Date Published: September 16, 2014

 Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal

 Pages: 401 (hardcover)

 Age Range: 14+




          Summary:

     They only meant to right the wrongs. It was about getting even. Burn for burn.
     But the fire they lit kept raging…Reeve ended up hurt, then Rennie ended up dead.
     Everything will turn to ash if they don’t stop what they started. But now that Mary knows the truth about what happened to her, will she want to?
     Secrets drew Lillia, Kat, and Mary together. The truth might tear them apart.

                                                      Review:

     Oh, my literal gosh. Ashes to Ashes is like that third book in a series that you just have to read, but you kinda wish you could rewrite. It's slightly angering, more than slightly intense, and a little perfect. Honestly, I'm not sure how to rate this book- I almost wished that I hadn't read it. I want to give it all the stars, but I also want to take away a few stars because of... issues. This review is going to be spoilery because I can't talk about this book without being spoilery. I just can't...
     Mary became so evil and awful in this book.I knew that something was totally wrong with her, but I never guessed ghost. When I read Mary's chapter and found out that she's been a ghost the whole time, I lost my mind. And that was the beginning! It really set the mood for the rest of the book. I really hated Mary in this book. She became so evil and vengeful over something that she did entirely to herself. I liked Lillia even more through this book, but she made a few stupid decisions. That being said, I felt bad for Lillia too. Kat... was Kat? She didn't undergo much of a change throughout this trilogy and I didn't get to see her shaken up that much except when she gave up Oberlin. Reeve- oh, Reeve- I kinda love him now. He's changed so much throughout this trilogy, and he's not the person that I though the was at first. Alex also didn't go through much change, but I still really like him.
     The plot in this book is slower than in the others, but there's also so much more that happens. When Lillia gave up Reeve, and Kat gave up Oberlin to kill Mary, I was rocking back and forth like a crazy person- I was so upset. And when Lillia broke the seal with Reeve that had been placed on Mary, I was screaming at Lillia for being such a fool. One of my favorite parts of the book was when Reeve was shoving Kat and Lillia out of the room so he could deal with Mary. I almost cried when Reeve cut himself, and I thought that he was dead. My favorite part of the book is when Mary realized that she had done everything to herself. I really liked how the authors dealt with Mary's problems and suicide.
     The epilogue... I don't even know. I really started shipping Reeve and Lillia and then Lillia never hears from Reeve again?! What is up with that? And Kat settling for a different school? And Alex and Lillia are together? I'm glad there was an epilogue because I hate open-ended books, but I'm not sure if I liked the epilogue. It was so...final. And so final in things that I'm not sure if I like.
     I'm so glad I read this series, and Fire With Fire is my favorite book out of the three. Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian truly have some talent- especially together.


                                         

Shadowhunter News: First Look at the Silent Brothers

OMG GUYS!! We have our first look at the Silent Brothers!!

So excited for this TV show!! I'll be posting a bunch of pictures from the show soon! Stay posted ;)

Fire with Fire by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian

 Title: Fire With Fire

 Series: Burn For Burn Trilogy #2

 Author(s): Siobhan Vivian, Jenny Han

 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

 Date Published: September 16, 2014

 Genre: Paranormal, Contemporary

 Pages: 544 (paperback)

 Age Range: 14+





                                                     Summary:

      Lillia, Kat, and Mary had the perfect plan. Work together in secret to take down the people who wronged them. But things didn’t exactly go the way they’d hoped at the Homecoming Dance.
     Not even close.
     For now, it looks like they got away with it. All they have to do is move on and pick up the pieces, forget there was ever a pact.
     But there is something seriously wrong with sweet, little Mary. If she can’t control her anger, she’s sure someone will get hurt. Mary understands now that it’s not just that Reeve bullied her—it’s that he made her love him.

     It seems once a fire is lit, the only thing you can do is let it burn…

                                                      Review:

     Wow. Jenny Han has a serious Peter complex. For those of you that don't know what that means, let's compare Peter from the To All The Boys I've Loved Before duology, to Reeve from this trilogy. They're both jocks that are seemingly jerks, but end up being love interests because they are just so gosh darn sweet when you actually get to meet them. No, that wasn't sarcasm. I seriously love Peter, and Reeve seems pretty good so far. That being said, I guess it's time to look at the characters.

     Mary is creeping me out more and more. I don't know what really ends up happening with her, but she is seriously creeping me out. I think in Ashes With Ashes she's gonna go on some revenge trip by herself to get back at Lillia, but I really just don't know. I'm an even smaller fan on Mary's after reading this book because she's grown bratty, self-centered, and even more obsessive over Reeve. In the book, we have some more Reeve moments, and we actually have some really nice moments, but (SPOILERS) I'm not sure if he's boyfriend material. I kinda like Alex and Lillia. Alex is that sweet boy that's pined after Lillia for years, and Reeve is the jock that *gasp* cares for a girl a little more than himself. However, I am okay with LIllia and Reeve just because I really love LIllia and want to see her happy, especially after all this drama with her friends (END SPOILERS). I liked when Reeve almost went on a revenge trip, and when Lillia went after him, but I feel like that could have been a scene between her and Alex, or at least between Reeve and Lillia as friends. I feel so bad for poor lil' Kat and I really hope that she finds someone to be with, or at least gets into Oberlin. I'm glad that she and Alex didn't work out, because I ship Alex and Lillia, but if Alex and Lillia don't work out, I'd be okay if Alex and Kat got it on.

     (SPOILERS) I'm a terrible person because when Rennie died, I laughed for a good five minutes. I was so happy because I hated Rennie so much that it was almost ridiculous. (END SPOILERS) We have some major drama in this book, even more so than we saw in the first book. Because this book is considerably thicker than the first one, the story moseyed along at a slower pace, which was nice. I saw the Rennie thing coming, but I didn't see something happening to Rennie in such a big way.

     Predictions? Oh, Lord. I think that Mary will go on her own, personal revenge trip, at least against Lillia and Reeve. I think that Lillia and Alex will end up going to college together, but I think that Lillia and Reeve will stay together :(... I hope that something happens to Kat's family, just so that we can get some more depth to Kat. Kat is kinda like this untouchable vixen, and I'd like to see her world shaken a bit. I hope Mary dies. That's horrible, I know. But seriously. Let's get rid of the psycho? Please?

     I can't wait to read Ashes With Ashes. I've heard it's a really disappointing conclusion, but I'm waiting with baited breath.

                                       

If He Had Been With Me by Laura Nowlin

Title: If He Had Been With Me

Author: Laura Nowlin

Publisher: Sourcebooks

Date Published: April 2, 2013

Genre: YA fiction, romance, contemporary, realistic fiction

Pages: 336 (paperback)

Age Range: 14+






Summary


A heartrending tale of missed chances and what might have been 

"If he had been with me, everything would be different." For one thing, Finn wouldn't have been in that car, on that road, on that night. As children, Finn and Autumn were inseparable, but an incident in middle school puts them on separate paths going into high school. Yet no matter how distant they become, or who they're dating, Autumn continues to be haunted by the past and what might have been. While their paths continue to cross, and opportunities continue to be missed, little do they know that a terrible car accident looms in the future and might separate them forever.


Review


This book was quirky and jumpy and fun. I really liked how jumpy the story-line was. How one thing would happen in one chapter, and then it could be days, or weeks, or months later when the next chapter begins.

This book was very stereotypical; yet not really at the same time. It fit the book perfectly because of the characters. The characters were fun and different and quirky. Their personalities shined whenever the group was together because they would play off of each other. They were good, close friends that you'd never think would grow apart.

That's why it made me upset that everyone kind of went their separate ways after graduation. I mean, sure it happens, but I didn't want this group of friends to grow apart. Though, Autumn had a good reason not to want to hang out with the whole gang anymore.

Kinda SPOILER-Y

I knew Jamie was going to end it with Autumn at the end of the book, but I think the way he did it was cruel. He didn't have to say those things to her. Why would he tell her that he's tired of caring for her and giving her attention? That's what relationships are and if you can't last with Autumn, you probably won't last with Sasha either, bud.

WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS

I also knew that Finny was going to get into some-sort of car accident right after him and Autumn officially got together and die. Who wouldn't see that coming after reading the very first chapter of the book, right?

Well, he does get in a car accident. But he didn't die.

Instead, the author shocks me (ha, pun intended) and electrocutes Finny....

That's right, folks, electrocuted. He gets in a car crash with Sy--who gets shot out the front window-- and when he goes to help her, he doesn't see that she's in a puddle and that there's a wire in the puddle by her head so when he reaches for her....ZAP!

What a mean way to kill off a character, though original and shocking.

I have to admit that I laughed. But then I cried a few tears when Autumn found out that he was dead and tried to kill herself.

NO MORE SPOILERS. YOU'RE SAFE.

Anyway, this was a fun read. I really enjoyed the characters, and it was a nice, quick read. I'd definitely recommend this. (Thank you, Nadia for recommending it to me). Though this book wasn't as sad as if i stay by Gayle Forman, it was still sad and almost as good a read (sorry, if i stay is one of my FAVS lol). Add this book to your summer to-read list! You won't regret it :)

That's right guys, I'm back on reviews!