Crossed by Ally Condie

         Crossed by Ally Condie is the second book of the Matched series. Last week I did a book review on the first book of the series which can be found here: Matched book review . 
       Anyways, I thought Crossed was equally good as the first book, Matched, if not better! I enjoyed the plot, the writing of this book seemed to be ten times better than Matched, the characters development, this book was definitely worth my time. 
       After being separated, Cassia and Ky are on their own journeys, trying to get back to each other. From the very beginning of Crossed, I could tell, Cassia and Ky had grown as characters. In this book I saw them each in a different light. Cassia was tougher and she wasn't afraid to get what she wanted and she was able to get it successfully. I did not think Cassia was robotic like I initially believed in, Matched, there was more to her in this book because she was becoming a survivor, she was learning how to survive. 
       Ky was definitely not the same guy you meet in, Matched, he was also tougher and he seemed ten times more wiser then in the first book. Since you read the point of view from both Cassia and Ky in Crossed, you get to connect with each character better then in Matched because you only got Cassia's point of view. 
       The plot was nice, each character was on a mission and they didn't run into distractions and the book wasn't overflowing with romantic moments like some books tend to be. But when you did have romantic moments, they weren't cheesy, they were genuinely sweet. 
       I believed the writing in, Crossed, was simply beautiful! The descriptions, the dialogue, it was all amazing and beautifully written. I definitely love reading Ally Condie's writing and I can't wait to read more of it in the future! My favorite quote in the book has to be from Cassia on page 346 (in the hardcover version of the book):
       "Everyone has something of beauty about them. In the beginning for me, it was Ky's eyes I noticed, and I love them still. But loving lets you look, and look, and look again. You notice the back of a hand, the turn of a head, the way of a walk. When you first love, you look blind and you see it all as the glorious, beloved whole, or a beautiful sum of beautiful parts. But when you see the one you love as pieces, as whys- why he walks like this, why he closes his eyes like that- you can love those parts, too, and it's a love at once more complicated and more complete."
        I just love that quote, it's probably going to be one of my favorite quotes ever because it's such a beautiful thought and it's so true. What I love is how Ally Condie is able to evoke so much emotion in words rather than actions, it's what I would love to accomplish one day as a writer. 
        The new characters introduced were amazing, Eli and Indie were a wonderful addition to the book and I'm hoping to see them in the last book of the series, Reached, which comes out November 13, 2012 (I can't wait!). Eli did remind me of Bram, Cassia's younger brother, and I just loved how innocent this boy was and how strong he was emotionally even though he had been through so much, the same goes for Indie. Indie was someone I was wary of and I'm glad she was a part of the story because I loved her character since she was so similar to Ky and so smart and cautious. 
       Because of everything I loved about this book, I would have to give it 5 out of 5 stars. 

(525 words, not including quote from book)
       
          

North by Matchbox Twenty

          North is the fifth studio album by Matchbox Twenty. Their new album was released September 4,2012 and you've probably heard their first single, She's So Mean by now which is currently number 52 on the Billboard Hot 100. 
      Listening to North was very entertaining, heart whelming, and it had songs that really made me imagine and remember old memories which was refreshing. I enjoyed some songs better then others but I think the album was overall, pretty good. The album starts off with Parade, which I think is a great song with a good melody and touching lyrics (lyrics that any person can relate to in some way) but I didn't think it was one of their strongest songs of the album like English Town, She's So Mean, Our Song, and I Will. I think Parade is one of those songs that you listen to and you like because it's pretty good but you're not going to be hitting repeat on your iPod anytime soon, I also think it's one of those songs that is going to grow on you as you listen to it more and more. This song is probably going to be my favorite, by sometime next month but right now it's not my ultimate favorite song of theirs. 
         The last song of the album was, Sleeping at the Wheel, I thought it was an emotional song and I think if they hadn't ended the album with that song then they should have ended it with English Town. But I'd say that, Sleeping at the Wheel, is a perfect way to end the album. 
        Songs I really enjoyed listening to would be She's So Mean because it's fun to sing along to and it's catchy and it's also different from all the other songs of the album. My other favorite song is English Town because it describes a beautiful picture with the lyrics and the melody is haunting and catchy at the same time, I'll probably be hitting repeat to this song a lot in the future. I Will is another song that should be worth listening to because the lyrics do have meaning to them unlike some of the other pop songs that play on the radio. 
        Each song tells its own story in a touching manner with beats that really fit the lyrics. I give North by Matchbox Twenty 3 out of 5 stars for being incredibly catchy and for having great lyrics as well as melodies. 

(412 words)
         
       

House at the End of the Street

        Besides reading and writing I would have to say that I absolutely love horror movies. I don't know I just find them interesting for some reason. So when I saw a commercial for House at the end of the Street like a month ago I was like, "Oh my gosh, I'm going to have to go see that." Since some of my friends love scary movies as much as I do I asked around who'd like to go watch it with me. When it came out Friday, a couple of friends and I went to go see it a couple of hours after school. The last few weeks I had been so excited in seeing it and I'd talk about how excited I was to some friends which now I think was a mistake. I guess because I was building up the excitement for it, I ended up ruining it for myself since I was hoping it would be amazing but it wasn't as amazing as I thought.
        *Warning: There may be some spoilers about the movie so if you haven't seen it and you want to than don't read this blog post yet. 
        First of all I think the characters were okay, I really didn't feel much for them when certain things happened to them except for Ryan (played by Max Thieriot) , that poor guy! I get that he's a psychopath but I did feel sorry for things that happened to him that were out of his control. He's not really at fault for his sister's death but the way his parents treated him and what he did to them makes sense why he turned out the way he did. I'm just saying it makes sense, I'm no psychologist and I definitely did not agree with his actions but I feel like they made sense in some strange way. 
        The main character Elissa Cassidy (played by Jennifer Lawrence) was okay, I liked her attitude and her personality but I really didn't connect with her. I mean of course I felt bad when she was in a certain, scary situation but I wasn't really on the edge of my seat.
        The horror aspect of the movie wasn't really there for me, than again it's really hard for a movie to scare me. While everyone in the movie theater will be terrified, I'll kind of be laughing because of the situation the character is in, wow that sounds really bad. The audience didn't really seem to be scared either, sometimes people would jump up while I'd laugh but I saw this movie as more of a thriller not so much as a horror-thriller film.
       I didn't see enough of other characters I, there weren't many people who played a huge role in the movie besides Elissa, Ryan, Elissa's mother (Sarah), and Officer Weaver which was kind of made the movie feel somewhat rushed.
      In the end I think the movie was pretty decent, not the best film out there but it was enjoyable. I give House at the End of the Street 3 stars out of 5. 

(517 words)

Matched by Ally Condie

        Matched by Ally Condie is the first book in the Matched series. The book follows the protagonist, Cassia Reyes who has just attended the matching banquet and has been matched with her best friend, Xander Carrow. The society where Cassia lives is that of a dystopia, the Officials decide where you work, when you die, what you eat, and who you love. After there has been a "mistake", Cassia begins to see Ky as more than a friend and begins to have doubts about the world she lives in and the rules that are enforced and followed without hesitation.
       Beginning Matched was somewhat difficult, I liked the idea behind the book but it didn't really capture my attention in the first couple of chapters. As I continued to read about Cassia's world, the rules, and everything else about it I found myself interested in it a bit more. Some of the concepts about the book were confusing at times so I had to reread a couple of pages more than two times. I'm still not so sure about what Cassia really does as a job, I get the basic concept about it but it's still a bit fuzzy. At first I felt like Cassia didn't have much emotion, she felt sort of robotic to me but then I thought: Well she lives in a society where thinking and feeling isn't really required so I guess it made sense for the story. I enjoyed seeing the transformation with Cassia's character because she started off weak but throughout the story certain events made her think in a different way and her thoughts became deeper and it was amazing to read. As the story progressed, I found myself hooked about halfway through the book. Cassia begun to change and I could tell she was feeling emotions, her actions no longer seemed as robotic to me. 
        The relationship that developed between Ky and Cassia seemed sort of sudden but I grew to enjoy the relationship and it seemed pure which was good. The ending has me very excited for the next book, Crossed. So I plan to read that book this week so I can give it a review next Sunday, hopefully that happens though. 
        In the end, Matched was a lovely book to read it was beautifully written and it almost seemed like poetry at times which is ironic because some poetry is banned in Cassia's world. I give Matched by Ally Condie 4 stars out of 5 and I can't wait to see what and where Cassia's journey, in search of Ky, leads her! 

(432 words)
        

The Truth About Love by Pink

         She's back with her recently released album, The Truth About Love which  was just released September 14, 2012. Pink brought her usual feisty fury along with some more emotional and motivational tracks, making a compilation of beautifully written lyrics and melodies into one album.
         First of all, notable tracks of the album were Blow Me (One Last Kiss), Try, Just Give Me a Reason, How Come You're Not Here, and Here Comes the Weekend. All the other songs are amazing and unique in their own way but these songs are the ones that really stood out to me. I think the first single off her album, which is Blow Me (One Last Kiss), is just like the usual Pink. She's in your face about breaking up and I love it, I love putting this song on replay and watching the music video can be somewhat empowering like her music always is, Pink is great at doing that. 
        I also enjoyed listening to Try, I think that song is an excellent choice to release as a single because it's one of the songs that I loved the most. My top three songs would have to be Try, Just Give Me a Reason, and Blow Me (One Last Kiss). So far two of my favorite songs from this album have been released as singles, hopefully Just Give Me a reason will be too and I'd love to see what Pink has in store for music videos. Try is certainly different from all the other songs and I love the message it gives because it's encouraging. Every person implies songs and books messages in their own ways but the message that, Try, gives me is that you need to be able to take a chance with whoever you care about. It tells me that you shouldn't let that person you care about go without telling him or her how you feel. It's a deep song and I love it, I'm going to love to see how the music video turns out!
       Just Give Me a Reason needs to be a single and obviously a music video. The collaboration between Pink and Nate Ruess is amazing, both of their voices are different and yet they go together so perfectly resulting with a beautiful song. 
       Pink's new album is definitely different from all her other stuff but it's a good different, I enjoyed spending time listening each track. The rating I give is a 4.5 out of 5 stars, the album was perfect with amazing melodies and messages. 

(423 words)

       

Through the Halls

       Walking through the halls is just frustrating, it can be really frustrating, right? First of all people can walk really slow because they're either naturally slow walkers, they're texters, or they really don't want to go to class. Second of all, you have people blocking your way to your locker even though they don't have a locker near-by, which makes total sense you know. And third of all it's just difficult in general to get through. Which is why I'm willing to share tips in order to get through the halls without it being super difficult. 

• This one is an obvious one or should be obvious but watch where you're going! I can't tell you how annoying it'll be when people are on their phones getting in not only my way but other people's, what's so important that just can't wait? I get it if it's an important message, that's fine but if you're a person whose constantly on their phone than stop it or at least don't get in people's way! I'll admit that today I was on my phone and I stepped on a girl's sandal on the staircase of my school, yeah I definitely felt bad for it and it's not going to happen again. 
• Your school must have more than one main hall or foyer, so use alternative routes. If you're school is like mine than you have your foyer than all the halls. I make sure I never have to go through the foyer because after the bell rings, that place is packed and so hard to get through. So naturally I use the back way or any other route that isn't the foyer unless it's absolutely necessary. 
• Don't lose your cool, first of all I get that it's hard to walk through the halls but you really don't need to get so worked up about it. It's not and it really shouldn't ruin your day if someone steps over your new sneakers, or if you dropped all of your U.S history notes in the middle of hall. Just relax and take a deep breath.
• Don't get too violent, I understand that you may be running late to your chemistry class or whatever but you really don't need to knock people out of your way. I seriously have scratches from people's backpack brushing against my arm because they're in such a hurry, which is just sad. 

       Hopefully this gave you some sort of idea what people go through when walking through the halls. Maybe for some schools it's not as bad and maybe for some schools it's just as worse, I know my school isn't that bad when it comes to the halls but you can never be too careful. 

(455 words)

The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead

         The Golden Lily by Richelle Mead is the second book of the Bloodlines series. Sydney Sage is the beloved protagonist of the Bloodlines series which is a spin-off series of Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead. In order to completely understand the Bloodlines series I would recommend reading the Vampire Academy series first, you don't have to but I would advise you to do so. 
       Sydney Sage is the complete opposite of the protagonist of the Vampire Academy series, Rose Hathaway. And I'm not going to complain about it, Sydney is the kind of person who really thinks through her decisions (except in one scene in the book), she's not spontaneous, she's extremely smart and she follows the rules and in The Golden Lily she is no different. I like reading about Sydney because she can be socially awkward and she's unsure of herself and what she's really capable of which makes her easy to relate to. 
      I like the relationships she has which each character, all the vampires, the dhampirs, the Alchemists, and all the humans in the book. It's fun to read how she interacts with them, I especially like how she interacts with the people she's meant to work with, Adrian, Jill, Eddie and the new additions Sonya, Dimitri, and Angeline. Her interactions with her new friends were really believable especially the moments she had with Adrian, it was nice to see that Sydney brings out the other side of Adrian a lot more often than anyone else could. When Adrian and Sydney talked, I could tell there was a lot of emotion between Sydney and him and it was fun to see how she so oblivious about the emotion. 
     The mystery in the book was great and it was consistent throughout, you would get hints here and there about certain people and it finally tied up together in the end. 
      The Golden Lily was not disappointing, it was thrilling, emotional, charming, and funny. I enjoyed reading the adventure Sydney and her friends had and I can't wait to read the third book in the series, The Indigo Spell, due to come out February 12, 2013. So, I give The Golden Lily five out of five stars for being able to entertain me and keep me guessing until the very end like a good book should be able to do and for making me go through that ending which was so heartbreaking!  

(404 words)

Curiosity by Carly Rae Jepsen

      Curiosity is an extended play by, Canadian artist, Carly Rae Jepsen, it was released on February 14, 2012. You would probably recognize her name because of her hit single Call Me Maybe, I know that that's the reason why I know her. Usually I'm not so into pop music, only your occasional catchy tune and let me tell you, Call Me Maybe is one of the songs that I just can't get enough of for some reason. It's fun and it's catchy and the music video is typical but it's adorable in its own way. 
      I think Curiosity is like a fresh breath of air for me, it's different from what I , personally, usually listen to. So it was kind of nice to switch things up a bit. The album starts off with my favorite song, Call Me Maybe. Anyone who knows me, will know that I just love that song! I usually don't break out into song in front of my friends, but Call Me Maybe always has me doing that. It's gotten to the point that I sing that song so much, that whenever my friends hear the song, they just can't help but think of me now! I remember when I walked into my Geometry class, last year, during passing time and I started singing the song and my friends just couldn't believe it since that was so random.
      Besides, Call Me Maybe I would have to say one of my favorite songs out of Curiosity would be the song named the same as the album, Curiosity. The song, Curiosity, is another catchy tune that is fun to sing to while you're driving around with your friends in your car and having a good time. The song is soft but it's still bright in its own kind of way. I predict that this song is going to be the next song to be on continuous replay on my phone. 
      Picture is a bit more energetic than Curiosity, even though the lyrics and the melody is easy to get stuck in your head, I don't like it as much as the first two songs in the album. 
       Talk to Me! I like the song because it's easy to relate to, for me, right now. When I first heard it I couldn't believe how much in common and how easy to relate to this song was! I don't like it as much as Call Me Maybe and Curiosity but it's one of those songs you can hear every once in a while. 
       The last two songs of the album, Just a Step Away and Both Sides Now are nice to listen to, they have cute lyrics but I'm just not really into them.
       The album, Curiosity, by Carly Rae Jepsen is good, the songs are fun to listen to and they're great for a night of relaxing and hanging out with your friends. All in all, I give the album a 3 out of 5 stars. 

(498 words)

Study Hall

         Having two study halls in a day, you would think that would be boring and you're so right, it can be. But there are times, believe it or not, that study hall can actually be useful! I know right, gasp! Trust me, I know this from personal experience. Having a study hall can always be beneficial in the long run, true you can get your study hall switched into first period or sixth period so that way you can go home like I originally wanted but some people just can't make that possible even though it so is and they try to tell me otherwise. That's besides the point though, what I'm saying is if you have a study hall you would be stupid to not actually get some work done, in my opinion.
      On A days when I end up having two study halls in the day, I try to make sure I actually get some work done in there. It can be beneficial to get my work done that day so that way, after my long day I can go home and relax or spend some time with my friends which I adore doing, I mean who doesn't? It sucks that you can't be able to hang out if your excuse is, 'I have homework." Okay it's not really sad but more like depressing.
      Now the only thing you have to do is actually focus on your homework or whatever else you're working on instead of falling asleep or dosing off into a daydream like state like I always find myself doing, even when I'm not in study hall sometimes that happens, it happens a lot in Algebra 2 though, I hate math with a passion that could probably be a reason why I do it so often in there. Anyways, what I would suggest in preventing your attention from going awry is keeping organized, keeping a planner, minimize those moments you pull out your phone to text (admit it, we all do it at one point if not more than once),  maybe even plug in your headphones and rock out to your favorite song so that way you close yourself into your own little world and keep yourself motivated!
      I don't know about everyone else but when I listen to music, I find myself a lot more centered and more focused on whatever I'm working on. Which is why I always carry around headphones and if I don't have any I ask a friend if they have some. 
      If music doesn't work for you than find something else to keep you focused. Just the thought of not having any homework is enough motivation for some, I know it is for me. So be wise and use that study hall period if you're stuck with it.

(468 words)

The Girl in the Clockwork Collar by Kady Cross

         The Girl in the Clockwork Collar by Kady Cross is the second book of The Steampunk Chronicles. The book takes place after the events of The Girl in the Steel Corset which means Finley and her friends head to the United States in order to help their friend Jasper which leads them into even more dangerous situations than before. 
      The book was told from Finley, Griffin's and Jasper's point of view. I always enjoy reading the point of view from other characters besides the hero or heroine, in this case that would be Finley, because it gives me insight on the character, so that's a positive in the book. I liked reading about the new characters in this book besides Mei, I didn't like her from the beginning because of this vibe I got. But I admit her character was interesting to read about, the collar around her neck didn't seem to have been mentioned enough as I thought it should have been. But I do realize that the collar was basically what kept the story going and it didn't need to be mentioned on every single page but I feel like it should have gotten more attention. 
      I did like reading about Wildcat she was tough and she was refreshing to read about, hopefully my intuition is correct and she'll become a bigger role later on in the series. It'll be interesting to see what she brings to the series alongside our beloved characters. Dalton, to me, didn't seem to be this huge bad guy everyone made him seem to be. I know he was ruthless and a killer but I felt like he wasn't too bad.
      Action seemed to be a lot more common in this book than the first one which was exciting to read about and I loved the small mentioning of the clothes because I love the dresses they wore back in the 1800's, I have this weird fascination with them.
      All in all the book was good, I didn't like it as much as the first book but it was good. I'll give The Girl in the Clockwork Collar three stars out of five and I can't wait to see what Kady Cross has in store for the next book in the series, The Girl with the Iron Touch.

(385 words)
      

Living Things by Linkin Park

       Living Things is the fifth studio album by American rock band, Linkin Park! It was released, in the United States, on June 20, 2012 and in some countries it was released earlier than that which I call lucky! I'm not going to lie, Linkin Park, is one of my favorite bands which I think I've mentioned before but I'm not sure. I haven't been a fan of theirs since the very beginning but I wish I had been, I've actually been a fan of Linkin Park since A Thousand Suns, which you might say is not too long ago but hey, better late than never, right?

     So Living Things is different from their last albums, which I'm totally fine with. Unlike some, I'm never bothered by the fact that a band or musician is steering away from the sound they're used to. With A Thousand Suns, I think that was like a preamble to this album, Living Things. Usually I'm not able to get through the whole album (the first time hearing it) without skipping a song or two when I first get it, I know, I'm guilty about that. With Living Things I was able to listen to the whole thing from beginning to end without interruptions or skipping ahead. Let me tell you, it was the best half hour I've spent listening to music, I was just never bored.
      Each track had a distinct sound with a different message, like all songs should. Living Things starts off with Lost in the Echo which I think is great because it's a strong track which, to me, defines those moments when you're feeling alone without any hope but you're able to pick yourself right back up no matter what. Meanwhile the album ended with the track, Powerless. Powerless is much more softer than Lost in the Echo, but Powerless, to me is about losing that one person you wouldn't want to lose and not being able to do anything about it which really makes you think about your loved ones while you're listening to it. Anyways, the songs in between Lost in the Echo and Powerless are all good in the their own way for the reason that you get a different message along with a good beat at the same time. 
      My favorite song of the album would be, Castle of Glass. I'm not exactly sure why but what I do know is that it has this eerie sound to it which is mesmerizing and haunting and I think Chester's voice is just beautiful in this track and like always, Mike Shinoda's voice is an amazing part! The title, like the song, is also haunting, I just love that!
      All in all I think I would rate Living Things by Linkin Park a 5 out of 5 for the reason that I could relate to each song in a different way which is hard to do!

(487 words)

Neon Fashion

         Now I'm not the type of person who usually likes to be bright and bold with clothing, I just let my quirky personality do that for me. But lately I've been liking neon colors which are obviously bright and eye drawing, totally different than what I'm used to wearing but hey, a person should try something different every once in a while, right? I don't know why but I bought a neon green tank top a while ago and when I tried it on in the dressing room of the store, I totally fell in love with it! Not only because of the style and how it crisscrossed in the back but also how vibrant and interesting the color was. I know neon has been around forever but I'm finally taking a notice in it. The point is if you don't have any neon clothing or accessories, or shoes or anything neon, I think you should. 
      If you think that you won't look good in neon green, or highlighter yellow as I like to call it, or hot pink, or electric blue, or coral, for whatever reason than start small. There is plenty of neon jewelry out there that can be equally eye popping as an electric blue top. You could wear your favorite pair of jeans with a white tank top but to get rid of that "plain" look, you could always add that "extra touch" by wearing funky, neon earrings, bangles, hair clips, maybe even a belt! Just to add some spice to your outfit or to stand out among all the other people in your class. You could also paint your nails some cool neon color, I know that I've painted my nails hot pink and neon green before. I'll probably try painting them an electric blue color soon, I'm loving the color blue lately! Shoes are also another way you can go, there are plenty of wedges, sandals, even sneakers you could try!
      If you're still thinking that neon clothing or jewelry isn't for you there are other possibilities. My friend has this highlighter yellow backpack for school, it's really easy to spot him across the hall especially when he's wearing his matching shoes. I have to admit, even though I joke around on how I can see him from across the school, I think the backpack is really cute.
      So if you're looking in trying something different, try neon colors if you haven't already. They're vibrant, interesting and they can brighten every body's day, literally! Check out some of the links to my favorite neon stuff! 

Ruched top 
Casual Top
Bangles! 


(431 words)

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

          I've been sick for the last few days so I haven't been able to do much besides my homework, which isn't fun, and read and I really wanted to go to my friend's party and I've also been texting my friends. But since I've been sick I took this entire day reading City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare because I haven't read it until now because I don't know about you guys but I'd rather check out books at the library instead of spending the money I don't have. Since there are many, many people who apparently think like me, there is always a long waiting list for a newly, released book. Last week I finally got the book but I never got a chance to start it until today. I woke up this morning knowing I needed a book to review for my blog so I decided to go with City of Lost Souls and I'm glad I did make it the center of my first book review because like everyone I have thoughts and opinions over the book.
       First of all City of Lost Souls basically starts off after the events of City of Fallen Angels have transpired. No one has any idea where Jace could be and everyone is obviously worried that not only is Jace missing but Sebastian is as well. I'm not really allowed to give a full summary so that's as far as I'm going to go, if you really want a full summary go to Goodreads, Barnes and Noble, or Amazon like I do. 
       I definitely liked City of Lost Souls a lot more than City of Fallen Angels. I thought the last book was okay but it just didn't draw me in like the first three books of the series did, it didn't completely catch my attention. I'm usually a pretty fast reader who can get a five hundred page book done in two to three days even with school in session. But City of Fallen Angels took me like two weeks to get done, which isn't normal for me. Meanwhile I was able to get City of Lost Souls done in less then twenty-four hours which honestly shocked me. 
       What really captured my attention about this book I guess was how everyone was in a race against time basically. Every character had a purpose, everyone was up to something and I liked how Cassandra Clare not only gave us the P.O.V's from Clary and Jace but also from Simon, who I have become a huge fan of since City of Fallen Angels, Isabelle, Alec, Maia, Jordan, Magnus, even from Jocelyn and Maryse. I really enjoyed reading about how everyone was doing something with a common goal in mind, saving Jace. 
      As always I enjoyed the descriptions and I enjoyed some of the conversations between the characters, entertaining as always. A conversation that really stood out for me was when Isabelle was telling Jordan that she doesn't give "false reassurances", for some reason that really stood out for me. 
       One part that really annoyed me was a comment made by Clary on page 97: "Whatever was happening between her brother and her mother, it was something that had nothing to do with her." I don't really know how to explain it but that comment just bugged me so much when I read it and it's still bugging me because whatever is going on between Sebastian and Jocelyn does have something to do with her. First of all it's her mother and I know she doesn't acknowledge Sebastian as her brother but the dude is going to keep coming back whether Clary likes it or not. I know blood doesn't necessarily make a person your family, it's the relationship you have with them and I realize that, but she should realize that he's going to be a part of her life. Whatever affects her mother should affect her in some way but that's my personal opinion. 
        All in all I thought the book was pretty good, it was eventful and it really had my attention. I give the book 4 stars out of 5. 
        So that was my first review and I promise you they'll get better, til next time!