Reading Teen

It’s funny, I’ve had this ARC since we went to ALA 10 in June, but for some reason I just couldn’t convince myself to pick it up. I just kept putting it off. I can’t say why exactly, because The Mortal Instruments books are in my top five books of all times. I absolutely loved them. But that may have been the problem. I was afraid that Clockwork Angel just couldn’t live up to them. I’ve heard a couple of people on Blogs and Twitter say that they didn’t like it as much, and that just added to my unease. Finally, though, I decided that it was time to take the plunge.I want to kick myself for waiting. Cassie Clare is a genius!! I loved this book!! Love, love, loved!!! I think I may have even loved it more than TMI….gasp! This book was smart. Like you might actually have to engage your brain and pay attention, smart. I love this type of book, and although it is paranormal, I feel like the paranormal part takes a back seat to the story. It’s obvious that Cassie took the time to plan this series out ahead of time and that a lot of thought went into it. It isn’t just a mindless paranormal romance written to make a quick buck. It’s in another league entirely. It has mystery and plot twists and action and even a little romance. I can’t wait to see how this series plays out. My mind is all over the place with possibilities! I haven’t wondered so much about where a book was headed since The Harry Potter series! (Yes, that is the highest compliment possible.) When I finished reading it, my heart was racing!So, other than the mysterious storyline, what did I love about this book? In a name….Tessa. She was brilliant! She’s thrust into a world she has no idea exists and she handles it amazingly. She is such a strong female character, but what is so unique about Tessa is that she doesn’t even realize that she’s strong. She sees herself as just a girl, and she has been raised to see females as weaker than males, not as warriors who can fight and defend. But her actions don’t align with her thoughts. When she is pushed, she pushes back. Whether it’s with Will, the gorgeous Shadowhunter who tries to shock her with his snarky comments, or with the many enemies that she encounters as the story unfolds. She doesn’t wait for someone to save her, even though she has no training. She doesn’t run screaming from danger. She uses whatever she has available to her, whether it’s a weapon, or just her own wit, and plunges into the middle of the fight. And she questions everything. I love that about her. If she wants to know the answer, she asks. If someone acts strangely, she questions him. She doesn’t say the obvious things and she doesn’t take no for an answer. I just can’t wait to find out more about her! Tessa isn’t the only character that I enjoyed, though. Of course I loved Will. Dark, brooding and tormented, Will is the epitome of the “bad boy” we hate to love and love to hate. But even though Tessa knows it is all a front, she doesn’t put up with his crap, which makes me love them both all the more! There’s obviously something going on with this Will character, and I can’t wait to find out what it is!Jem, Jessemine, Charlotte, and Henry are also fantastic characters! Jem is patient, kind and compassionate. He loves completely, and always puts others before himself. Jessemine is…..well, she’s an absolute selfish brat, but I have a feeling that one day she will prove herself to be what she isn’t now, at least I have hope for her (she’s certainly no Isabele!). And I love the relationship that Charlotte and Henry have, like they completely understand each other, even if no one else does. I’m not sure what it was that those other bloggers weren’t happy with. Maybe it was the lack of the intense romantic tension that was in The Mortal Instruments. But, Clockwork has it’s own romantic tension, and I feel like the storyline is fantastic enough to thrive regardless! And let me just say, there’s a part in this book with a girl and a guy and a glove that made my heart beat out of my chest! I can’t wait for you all to read Clockwork, go mark it on your Goodreads, or pre-order it now! I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts!Fantastic job, Ms. Clare!! Keep up the good work!~Andye http://readingteen.net/