~Can't Wait Wednesday: The Red Scrolls of Magic (The Eldest Curses #1)~

                Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Wishful Endings.  Basically books that are not yet out that we are dying to get our hands on.  This week’s pick is:

The Red Scrolls of Magic (The Eldest Curses #1) by Cassandra Clare

Out:  4/2/19

From Goodreads:

                From #1 New York Times bestseller Cassandra Clare and Wesley Chu comes the first book in a new trilogy featuring centuries-old High Warlock Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood after they survive the Mortal War.

               

                Magnus Bane, a centuries old High Warlock, has taken possession of one of the great relics of the supernatural world, a powerful spell book of dark magic known as The Book of the White and there are many who want to claim it for themselves.

                After the Mortal War where the part-human and park-angel Shadowhunters teamed with the part human-demon Downworlders to fight against the incursion of an army of demons, Magnus and his new lovers, the mortal Alex Lightwood celebrate their survival and victory by escaping the supernatural battlefield of New York City by touring the world, but the world won’t leave them alone.

                The first adult novel set within #1 New York Times bestselling author Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunter series, written with award-winning science fiction author Wesley Chu, is a fantasy thriller that will give new readers a great way to enter the Shadowhunter world and give the millions of readers across the globe answers they’ve been looking for in this start of The Eldest Curse trilogy.

Why I’m Waiting:

                 Okay so huge fan of the Shadowhunter world.  I don’t care if some think she’s overusing it, I LOVE it!  I mean who wouldn’t want to stay in this huge world that was created when there is so much to work with.  Plus and this is probably more important….Magnus is my favorite character.  I adore him!  And I adore him and Alec so much so a series on them….sold!

                What are you waiting on?  Tell me below what you think of this title and leave a link to your CWW as well so I can check it out.

The Bane Chronicles & A Piratey Giveaway!

                Hello happy readers!  Today I have a short review for you with my thoughts on The Bane Chronicles, the bind-up of novellas featuring Magnus Bane from the Shadowhunter universe.  He is my favorite character in the world so of course I loved more with him as the main focus.  However, I also have another goodie to share today: A new GIVEAWAY!  I had meant to post this with a review of the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie but my schedule isn't looking like it will give me a chance to see it anytime in the next couple of weeks and I wanted to do this so changes have been made.  Full details will be at the bottom of the post.

Rating:  5 Stars

                Magnus is my favorite so of course it got a five star rating from me.  Some of the stories were better than others for me but each one gave me more Magnus and thus more insight into him as a character.  I think I adored the later stories, the ones that have Alec in them a bit more though that may simply be because I totally adore them and to see their first interactions from a new perspective was so dang cute.  Seriously the first date one….probably my favorite. 

                Still we see more depth into Magnus as a person and where he came from.  We know he has more depth to him than we sometimes see, more than extreme fashion and sparkle but to see him in different times going through different circumstances.  To really see his immortality in such a way was nice.  Seeing how connected he is to this world we know and love, really connected and not just through our different sets of Shadowhunters we see as the main focus in The Infernal Devices, The Mortal Instruments, and now The Dark Artifices, because these groups of kids are loveable but to the whole world.  Magnus is a warlock and such a personality so it makes sense that he has interacted with everyone in his time and to really see it was very nice. 

                Plus it was lots of fun because Magnus may be powerful but even he can fall pray to some bad choices.  Seeing the fun and playful side of him and more so the side that really deeply cares for all life really made me love him all the more.  I also enjoyed seeing more of his friends and such, getting some past encounters to them and giving them more depth.  You don't have to read these to enjoy or understand the main series but much like the Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy it would give more meaning and understanding to some things.   Plus more Magnus so of course I highly recommend!  I also highly recommend the audiobook because the different narrators give something special to the different times and mischief in his life.

                 Including him becoming a pirate.  See I totally made the pirate theme work to my advantage here.  So about my giveaway.  A couple weeks ago I had the pleasure of going to an event for the talented and sweet Nicole Castroman for her new release Blacksouls (Blackhearts #2) which I had previously reviewed here.  She had been gracious enough to give me an early copy at ApollyCon but when I saw her schedule for events I knew I wanted to go support her and pick up a copy to do a giveaway with!  It was great fun as always and I even won a game/challenge and got my own mini pirate chest!  Score!  This giveaway is open to US only at this time.  Good luck! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lord of Shadows (The Dark Artifices #2)

                Hello happy readers!  So as many of my fellow Shadowhunters are aware the newest i book came out last week, Lord of Shadows.  I had the audiobook pre-ordered and had been waiting to dive in after how Lady Midnight left off and had me very worried.  So buckle in and sit back while I try to put my all over thoughts into a somewhat coherent review for this amazing story.  Spoilers ahead for the previous books in the universe duh.  To catch up I reviewed Lady Midnight here.  Also as I listened to the audiobook I didn’t see the names written so sorry in advance if I mess up any of the spellings I am trying to Google them first!

Rating: 5 Runes

                When we left off in Lady Midnight they had just killed the evil warlock and managed to keep things under wraps about their deal with the faeries and Uncle Author with his condition among other things.  Oh and Jem and Tessa shared the news with Emma of the parabatai curse making the love between her and Julian not just against the Shadowhunter law but a curse.  Now while the Shadowhunters have some stupid and unfair laws this one is there for a reason even if no one really knows it.  So Emma decides to pretend to date his brother to make him not love her anymore to prevent the curse.  That’s just the start of the mess with an extremist group, the Cohort, trying to push their agenda and the stress of the Cold Peace and all things Faerie.  So just your typical day at the LA Institute.

                So first things first I listened to the audiobook which I adored.  I was a few chapters, a few hours, before I realized why the voice sounded familiar.  It’s ready by James Marsters (AKA Spike from Buffy) and that was just extra sprinkles on the book because I always adored his voice.  Now for the story, I was so anxious about this curse.  I had spent the time since reading Lady Midnight trying to come up with ways it could be avoided or some loop hole and I kept coming up with nothing solid.  Plus the whole having to hurt him to push him away because being told it’s impossible to love someone doesn’t make the feeling go away even if you want it to.  Feelings are tricky that way.  So I expected there to be some of that back and forth with this side of things.  I went back and forth between saying screw it I want them together just be honest and stop hurting each other and wanting them to stay apart so nothing bad happened.  I just adore them.  But this pretend dating made me love Mark even more.  I really grew to like him in the last book but in this one, him curling up in a blanket cocoon every night in Emma’s room and them talking and really connecting was beautiful.  They were connecting in a way that parabatai are supposed to connect so seeing the inverse with brothers was a great play.

                 I just fell in love with everyone!  I mean I already loved the Blackthron kids from Julian for obvious reasons and his love and care for his family, Liv and Ty with their bond and determination to help, even Dru and her body issues tired of always being stuck babysitting and of course sweet little Tavy.  Even poor Arthur and his broken mind.  I loved that the book handled his condition and showed several sides to it.  This is even more so done of Ty.  We knew he was different and for Shadowhunters that isn’t a good thing as they don’t like not being able to place people in boxes but we really dove into his character.  Seeing him with Kit and watching as Kit, who thought he was normal and knows more about mundane medicine and psychology understands him.  Watching these two interact while Kit struggles with his newfound “family” and surroundings was what they both needed.    This book for all it had happening really gave you a chance to dive into so many characters including Diana and her past which, was so well done and so different all I can say is kudos.

                We also had more of the familiar faces we know from the previous book series which I adore!  I mean I loved these characters so of course seeing them, even if only in smaller less major rolls is huge.  I love knowing what is going on with Jace and Clary in NY and even more I was beyond thrilled to see more Magnus and Alec!  Magnus is my favorite character of the world, not only is he in every series but he is fabulous.  I also adore him and Alec so happy and in family mode was great!  Plus whenever he gets to whip up his blue flames of magic with a smart quip is perfect!  Everything in this world is connected somehow and I love it!

                 Faerie is also a huge influence in this series.  We have the Cold Peace with not everyone agrees with but getting rid of it is easier said than done.  We go into Faerie and get to see both the Seelie and Unseelie courts, both dangerous in their own way.  While the Unseelie King has always been an enemy, the Seelie Queen has been devious in the past with horrible consequences so it’s hard to trust either.  Something did happen I didn’t know if it was possible to do, I like Kieran.  And Gwen (Wild Hunt leader).  Yep, never saw that coming but they were both developed in this story and the way the characters interact and the stories all flow just really opens them up in the best way possible and gives so much to attach to.  Speaking of the Wild Hunt, we see another band of elite and terrifying faerie warriors.  

                Lord of Shadows really had so much going for it.  I was invested in the world I already love flaws and all as it brings important topics to the forefront.  The characters who are all so unique and special in their own way even the baddies I love to hate on.  Ships to ship and so much more.  I also love how the story balances out the mystery and intrigue handling so many different aspects and somehow making them all blend together.  My biggest gripe about this book is that per Goodreads (at this moment) it shows an estimated publication date for the next book to be 2019!  That’s not even a year wait but LONGER!  With the ending…and just trust that I have some serious feels about that ending.  Like LOTS of feels about that ending.  I need more and I need it now.  2019 is too long of a wait so I hope it was a typo. 

                Still that’s all for now.  I’d love to hear your thoughts and feels in the comments below.  I’m waiting for my friend to finish it now and it’s killing me not being able to discuss it with her yet (payback for not having caught up with The 100 yet she says) but my world of bookish peeps are here so score!  Check back I have a couple giveaways planned in the next bit and I think the next one will go live in the next day or so!

                Until next time…