Passion by Lauren Kate

 Passion by Lauren Kate (Fallen #3)

Published June 14, 2011 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Hardcover: 432 pages

"Every single lifetime, I'll choose you. Just as you have chosen me. Forever."

Luce would die for Daniel. And she has. Over and over again. Throughout time, Luce and Daniel have found each other, only to be painfully torn apart: Luce dead, Daniel broken and alone.But perhaps it doesn't need to be that way....

Luce is certain that something -or someone- in a past life can help her in her present one. So she begins the most important journey of this lifetime...going back eternities to witness firsthand her romances with Daniel...and finally unlock the key to making their love last.

Cam and the legions of angels and Outcasts are desperate to catch Luce, but none are frantic as Daniel. He chases her throughout their shared pasts, terrified of what might happen if she rewrites history.

Because their romance for the ages could go up in flames...forever.

Passion was sort of what I expected the sequel to be, but also very unexpected.

Luce and Daniel are amazing, simple as that. They coined the term "I love you." I love them! I love Daniel! I love Luce! I love them!

This book was great, not amazing awesome fantabulous, but great. It's probably just because no matter how good this series gets, it will only be great for me. The books just never got me hooked. I never stayed up too late imagining what it would be like to be in so-and-so's position, I never jumped up and down as the days to the release of Passion grew closer, I never grew completely and totally obsessed; reading the books over and over again. I don't know what it is. The story line is great, the characters are great, and Lauren Kate doesn't have really bad grammar or anything like that.

So, I don't really know where I'm going with this review; I'll end it shortly. Crazy things happen, and Luce's travelling through time made me jealous. Hahaha. I hope I'm not the only one who was more mystified by the culture and history Luce was going through than certain predicaments. The ending was just- I don't even know how to explain it! All I can say is that it's a little cruel to end the story right there! When I saw the page in the back that says, "Rapture- Spring 2012," or whatever, I actually went, "Nooooooo!!!!" But, of course I whispered it because my parents were sleeping at the time.

Great book. Great sequel. Looking forward (angrily) to Spring 2012. Also: 1) I can't tell if the girl on the front is real or what. Can you tell? 2) Is it wrong that I find Cam slightly...amazing?

Four Stars

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare                           

Published April 5, 2011 by Margaret K. McElderry

Hardcover: 424 pages


City of Fallen Angels is the fourth book in the bestselling series The Mortal Instruments.

“City of Fallen Angels takes place two months after the events of City of Glass. In it, a mysterious someone’s killing the Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine’s Circle and displaying their bodies around New York City in a manner designed to provoke hostility between Downworlders and Shadowhunters, leaving tensions running high in the city and disrupting Clary’s plan to lead as normal a life as she can — training to be a Shadowhunter, and pursuing her relationship with Jace. As Jace and Clary delve into the issue of the murdered Shadowhunters, they discover a mystery that has deeply personal consequences for them — consequences that may strengthen their relationship, or rip it apart forever. Meanwhile, internecine warfare among vampires is tearing the Downworld community apart, and only Simon — the Daylighter who everyone wants on their side — can decide the outcome; too bad he wants nothing to do with Downworld politics. Love, blood, betrayal and revenge: the stakes are higher than ever in City of Fallen Angels.” City of Fallen Angels was AMAZING! The fourth book in TMI was so full of twists and turns that at times, I had to sit and process it all. Many, many times I gasped, or cried, or went "Awww!" Yes, my parents looked at me like I'd gone crazy.

One of my favorite aspects of the book was the new characters that Cassandra Clare introduced. Maureen was cute and bubbly, and reminded me of one of the more eccentric (in a good way) girls at my school. I absolutely adored her fascination with Simon! Just like everything else in the book however, she...well...changed by the end. Kyle was really cool, and, from the moment you met him, you could tell he was another cute guy to add to the list of amazing guys Cassandra Clare created. His secret (I'm trying to be spoiler-free) was totally unexpected, and temporarily sent me through a babbling of "What?! How could this be?!" Kyle was really funny too, and even more so when he "teamed up" with Jace to make fun of/annoy Simon. Both characters are certainly a memorable addition to the TMI gang.

In the past books, I wasn't super fond of Simon. I don't know what it was, I guess that I was tired of him feeling bad because Clary didn't love him. But, that all changed in COFA. I found Simon funny and likable and that he had more depth. His band was really funny, especially Eric. I felt sooooo bad for Simon when he told his mom that he was a vampire. Her reaction did make sense though. I mean how would you react if your son told you they were a vampire? I, personally, would escort him to the nearest therapist.

BE WARNED: Clary and Jace (You know, that super lovable couple who are meant to be?) have some relationship problems. A lot of the time when they had scenes were it was just them, I was like, "What the HECK is wrong with you, Jace?" He was responsible for many of the twists and turns of the books that made me crazy. Poor, poor Clary had to get through it all, and unsurprisingly she had a few breakdowns. But, of course, our strong, level-headed female protagonist handled things quite well.

For those of you who have read Clockwork Angel (also by Ms. Clare), there are a few mentions of characters from that book in COFA. Mostly, it was Camille and Magnus talking about Will. Which made me really happy because Will is my self-proclaimed husband :) There weren't as many mentions of the ID characters as I had expected, but that's okay because COFA was great regardless.

The ending, ah the ending. It made me want to scream, the awfulness was truly awful.(Yes, I realize what I just said.) The end will make you love the book and Cassandra Clare for making the book so mind-blowing, but it will also make you hate the fact that you have to wait a WHOLE YEAR for City of Lost Souls, and it will make you want to hate Cassandra Clare for being such an evil mastermind with her cliffhanger endings.

So, basically, read it A.S.A.P. because of it's goodness.

Five out of Five Stars