Clockwork Princess was one of the books I looked forward to reading the most this year. I was excited and nervous that the epic conclusion of one of my favorite series might not be good. I avoided reading reviews of all kinds and hid the book from my sight when I purchased it. I was finally coaxed by a few friends to read it over Spring Break, mostly because they needed someone to talk about the book. I was a mess while reading, with Clare playing cat's cradle with my emotions. The Infernal Devices, in my opinion, outshines the Mortal Instruments, a series that I think that has lasted longer than it should have. I will definitely revisit these characters with a reread.

Description (from the publisher): A net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. Mortmain plans to use his Infernal Devices, an army of pitiless automatons, to destroy the Shadowhunters. He needs only one last item to complete his plan: he needs Tessa Gray.
  Charlotte Branwell, head of the London Institute, is desperate to find Mortmain before he strikes. But when Mortmain abducts Tessa, the boys who lay equal claim to her heart, Jem and Will, will do anything to save her. For though Tessa and Jem are now engaged, Will is as much in love with her as ever.
  As those who love Tessa rally to rescue her from Mortmain’s clutches, Tessa realizes that the only person who can save her is herself. But can a single girl, even one who can command the power of angels, face down an entire army?

Review: Clockwork Princess is a fantastic conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy and it pulls at your heartstrings from beginning to end. Politics, clockworks, heartache, hope, and a very cruel love triangle are the focus of the book.  There is never a dull moment in the story, from the hidden doors of politics and intrigue to the painful romantic drama as Jem, Tessa, and Will fight to keep their emotions in check.
  One major criticism that I've heard about the Infernal Devices is that the characters are very similar to those of the Mortal Instruments series, but I would have to disagree. Clare definitely fleshes out the personalities, flaws and all, on each of the characters including the important secondary characters who also hold an important role in the story's arc. I was and still am a huge Jem fan but I began to appreciate and like Will just as much, which is a true sign of the character arc. Though romantic love is the story's backbone, Clare also addresses the importance of familial love, not just between siblings but also between Will and Jem who are very much like brothers.Clare makes you care and invest your heart in her characters, which is why I shed many tears, both happy and sad, while reading the book.
  I was very surprised and delighted how the love triangle was solved. Clare pulls an interesting twist and her characters take time to reflect and act on their feelings. Of course there is lots of brooding, sighing, and longing gazes exchanged which some readers might find too schmaltzy but I didn't care. I loved every minute of the romance and I just wanted everyone to be happy. The large questions of what is Mortmain's real plan and what paranormal/supernatural being is Tessa exactly are addressed. There were a few twists that I didn't see coming and some of which I don't exactly understand at the moment and I hope Clare does address them in the final installment of the Mortal Instrument series. The book ends, of course, in Clare's trademark climactic battle, cinematic as always.
  Those who are on the fence about starting the long and intimidating Mortal Instruments series should seriously consider picking up the prequel series. All three books are now available and there is no excuse to not read them. Just be sure to set aside plenty of time to get lost in a good book. 

Rating: 5 stars

Words of Caution: There is some strong fantasy violence and a small non-explicit sex scene. Recommended for Grades 8 and up.

If you like this book try: Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger, The Unnaturalists by Tiffany Trent, Gemma Doyle series by Libba Bray

   I pre-ordered my copy of Clockwork Prince as soon as I had finished Clockwork Angel, but it took me months to actually read it. Why? After being horribly disappointed by City of Lost Souls, the last thing I needed was another book from Clare that suffered from middle book syndrome and I needed time to get over my bad book aftertaste. I happy to say that Clockwork Prince not only avoids the middle book syndrome, but it also reminded me of why I loved the world of the Shadowhunters.

Description: As the Council attempts to strip Charlotte of her power, sixteen-year-old orphaned shape-changer Tessa Gray works with the London Shadowhunters to find the Magister and destroy his clockwork army, learning the secret of her own identity while investigating his past.

Review: Tessa is a shape-shifting Shadowhunter who is becoming accustomed to her powers. In the middle of trying to find out more about her past and be thrust in the middle of all the magic, intrigue and mystery in Victorian England, but the  relationships between Tessa, the enigmatic Will, and the thoughtful, sensitive Jem is the crux of the story.
  Clockwork Prince picks up immediately where Clockwork Angel left its readers. There is hardly any background information given, which for me was problematic since I have read the first book about a year ago. I did forget about some important characters and key events. After a provocative and straight-forward prologue, the story begins at the London Institute of Shadowhunters. The leaders of the Institute are given a two week deadline to find the evil Magister, who is still determined to gain control of Tessa’s powers and bring down the Enclave. Tessa and the Shadowhunters must battle dreadful clockwork creatures, demons, uncover hidden secrets and even treachery within their own ranks before everything around them is forever altered. We are also given tidbits on how the ties between the Lightwoods and Herondale families are formed. In addition to following our three main protagonists, we are also given more time with other secondary characters such as Jessamine, Henry, Charlotte, and Sophie as well as introduced to new characters.
   Unlike Clockwork Angel which focused more on the time period and action, Clockwork Prince has a slow burning plot that is dedicated to character development and relationships. Tessa becomes more sure of her unique position and powers. She is even more endearing in this book, because she is calm, level headed, and taking her obstacles in stride. I admire how she tries to approach her ever-changing relationships with Jem and Will, which deepens in a life-changing way without being wishy washy. Jem and Will both have enough time to come into their own as characters as well as have their individual alone moments to shine with Tessa, which provides lots of swooningly romantic and wildly sensual moments with our heroine. Jem unexpectedly reveals a new side to him, a man who doesn't want to be only known as the "sick one", and we finally discover the devastating secret in handsome, bad-boy Will’s tragic past. As you have probably guessed, Clockwork Prince has a love triangle and I think it's one of the most well-written love triangles I’ve read in a long time, not only Victorian with its timing and circumstances, but also a very hard one to solve. Tessa is torn between two very attractive and honorable boys; there are good reasons for Tessa to love them both, but also excellent reasons for her to give her heart to neither. I'm on and still remain Team Jem, but I will admit that Will has also won me over in Clockwork Prince.
  In addition to the romantic relationships, we are also shown the depth of Will's and Jem's friendship. Both searching for understanding, attachment, honor, and loyalty from one another. It is their strong connection to one another that makes the love triangle with Tessa even more potent. It is going to be hard to be with one without wounding the other. Sacrifice, love, honor, duty- all important ingredients of being a Shadowhunter, but what do you do if your heart is torn into all of these parts?
  Clockwork Prince has several important revelations hidden in the prose and a wicked cliffhanger. If you have been disappointed with the Mortal Instruments series or simply just can't get into it, I think you should try the Infernal Devices. Clare's writing is much stronger and more concise. I think it goes without saying that I'm really excited for Clockwork Princess and it might wise of me to do a quick reread of the first two books of the Infernal Devices before jumping with its concluding volume.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Words of Caution: There is some strong violence, minor language, and a scene at an opium-like den. Recommended for Grades 7 and up.

If you like this book try: The Gemma Doyle series by Libba Bray, Prophecy of Sisters by Michelle Zink, or The Mortal Instrument series by Cassandra Clare

  When author Cassandra Clare announced she was writing a prequel to her best-selling series, The Mortal Instruments, I was listening closely. As more details were made known, I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy. I was fortunate enough to meet Clare at a presentation and signing at Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville, IL, where she generously answered her fans' questions and sign books.

Description (from book's panel): 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.

Review: Clockwork Angel takes place approximately 150 years before the Mortal Instrument series and its setting is in Victorian England. Victorian England is my favorite literary time period, which is closely followed by the Romantics. The English major in me was excited and curious to see how Clare pulls off Victorian England in her book and she does it remarkably well. Clare covers the everyday Victorian lifestyle from fashion to people's mannerisms. I loved how each chapter of the book is prefaced with a quote from Victorian literature. I had a blast trying to figure out how each passage correlates to the chapter as well as the whole book.
  While there are inevitable similarities between Clockwork Angel and City of Bones in terms of plot structure and characters, Clockwork Angel does hold its own. All of the characters are fully drawn out and have unique voices, including the diabolical villain. Our heroine, Tessa, is spunky, intelligent, determined, and stubborn. She refuses to be passive, which is how women were considered to be in Victorian England. In fact, what I found most appealing in Clockwork Angel are characters who are constantly fighting against stereotypes in their society whether it be racial or gender stereotypes. There is also a struggle of accepting ones true identity, which is equally fascinating.
  Will is the handsome, sarcastic, witty bad boy who loves to make others believe he is worthless. Fans of Jace in the Mortal Instrument series will be instantly drawn to him. For me, however, I was drawn to the quite, well mannered, and incredibly sweet Jem who has a dark past. I can't wait to see how these characters develop in the sequels of this series.
  Some people have complained that Clockwork Angel is a bit hard to get into, but I didn't find that to be the case at all. There was enough battle scenes, humor, and romantic tension throughout the novel that held my attention. I never felt bored nor did I think the story lost its pace. Though some of the plot twists were predictable, I was caught off guard on a few, particularly the mystery of the Magister. Actually, I found this novel easy to follow unlike City of Bones where I was constantly trying to sort out the world building and the numerous characters introduced all at once. Clare does a good job in providing enough and clear background information for those who may not have read her first series. While reading the Mortal Instrument series is not required, readers who have read the series will be given added bonuses with the connections they can make between the two series. The book does end with a cliffhanger, so be warned, but the ride is so worth it. I can't wait for round two!

Rating: 4.5 stars

Words of Caution: There is mild language and there is PG-13 violence in the book. I'd recommend this book to grades 7 and up.

If you like this book try: The Gemma Doyle series by Libba Bray, Prophecy of Sisters by Michelle Zink, or The Mortal Instrument series by Cassandra Clare