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Tag Archives: Shadow Hunters

Shadow Hunters Series Episodes One and Two Review

13 Wednesday Jan 2016

Posted by Molly Mortensen in Book News, Book Reviews

≈ 22 Comments

Tags

ABC family, author, book, book reviews, books, Cassandra Clare, characters, fantasy, fiction, Jace TV show, literature, magic, magic system, mortal instruments, Mortal Instruments TV show, novel, plot, read, reader, review, Shadow Hunter Gifs, Shadow Hunter screenshots, Shadow Hunters, stories, story, world building, write, writer, writing, young adult

image

No spoilers if you haven’t seen Shadow Hunters or read Mortal Instruments! (I’ll warn you before the spoiler-y part)

To see my review of the books click here.

Shadow Hunters has good effects for the most part. (Only one demon looked a bit hokey) The seraph blades were awesome!

seraph

So far the acting has all been good. The cast really looks like how I pictured them in the books! (Except Jace.) Jace is portrayed better in this version (even though movie Jace was way cuter) and the actor does a good job.

movevstvjace

(See what I mean?)

They kept the characters’ personalities true to the book and included the humor! The new scenes were mostly good and nothing felt drawn out or boring. (Plus more Magnus!)

Overall: Good. 8/10 stars!

clarysimonjace

(Clary, Simon, Jace)

If you’re wondering how I’ve seen episode two already, its on the ABC family website! (I’m not sure it’s available in all countries though.)

Small spoilers if you haven’t seen the show or read the first book you might want to stop reading now!

I’m rereading the book along with the show!

Episode one is from chapter one to about chapter five.

Instead of Jace and Clary going back to her home, Simon comes to them. (Apparently the Institute isn’t protected from GPS..)

Episode two is from chapter five to chapter eleven.

institute2(Jace, Alec, and Isabel)

Changes:

There’s a new Demon sub plot, they’re draining people’s blood.

Pandemonium is Magnus’ club. (Their way of getting Magnus in sooner.)

magnusbane

They changed things to make it look cooler for TV. (Clary’s in the first battle scene instead of witnessing it and there are multiple demons, not one.)

There’s more of the circle members, and we see Valentine’s side of things.

Runes can be hidden. So can Magnus’ eyes.

The Institute has a high tech look and is full of people!

institute-extras

Dot (the fortune teller who lived downstairs) is a Warlock and friend of Jocelyn and Clary.

Dot

Good Changes:

Luke is a cop.

luke

Clary and company are 18 not 15.

marlinee

(Marline is their age and a member of Simon’s band.)

Hodge is really fit!

hodge2

Bad Changes:

Clary’s mom gave her a stele?! (No way would she do that!)

When Clary gets home from the club, her mom is there and starts to explain things.

Clary’s saved by Jace instead of killing the demon herself. (Why?!) It also wasn’t clear she’d been poisoned.

No sign of Max or Church.

Clary has a magical plot saving necklace. (Lets her know where people are.)

There’s another change, but I don’t want to spoil anything. It looks like there will be major plot changes for episode three though!

izzawhip

(Yes, I was so excited about this show, I made gifs!)

I plan to watch episode three! I hope they keep it good and don’t change too much!

Have you read the books? Seen the show? Want to?

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The Bane Chronicles By Cassandra Clare Mini Reviews

13 Thursday Nov 2014

Posted by Molly Mortensen in Book Reviews

≈ 35 Comments

Tags

author, Bane Chronicles, book, book reviews, books, characters, Downworlders, fantasy, fiction, literature, Magnus, Magnus Bane, mortal instruments, novel, plot, read, reader, review, Shadow Hunters, stories, story, write, writer, writing, YA, young adult

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Demons, Magic

Other Authors: Maureen Johnson, Sarah Rees Brennan, & Cassandra Jean

Pages: 528 (11 short stories)

Point of View: Third (Magnus Bane)

Released: November 11, 2014

Predictability: 4 out of 5 Stars (Where 1 is George RR Martin (If the characters make a plan or think about the future I know it isn’t going to go that way.) And 5 is Cinder (where I guessed what was going to happen long before it did, but it was still a great book.)

My Summary:

Magnus Bane is a warlock, meaning his father was a demon, so he processes magical powers and doesn’t age. His true age is a mystery, because he always lies about it. He’s the best character in the Shadow Hunter universe (Not opinion, fact) and we finally get to discover more of his history in this collection of short stories.

My Review:

These stories had such potential, the world of Mortal Instruments, and one of the best characters, Magnus Bane. A bisexual warlock with crazy fashion sense, what’s not to like? I feel these stories would’ve been more successful as a novel, with a part at the beginning dedicated to his early life.

Because they’re shorts I’m rating them out of five stars where 3 is just okay, four is good, and 5 is made me giggle repeatedly.

Book 1: What Really Happened in Peru (***)

In the latest Mortal Instruments books we’ve been teased with the story of why Magnus was kicked out of Peru. This short story is actually a series of short stories. It would’ve been better as one story and mentioning some of the other events, because as it was none of the stories were very good. I chuckled a couple of times and I enjoyed Magnus’ warlock friends, but it was disappointing overall. (And in the end we never find out why he was kicked out of Peru!)

Book 2: The Runaway Queen (***)

The problem with tales based on history, like the Titanic or in this case Marie Antoinette, is I know how it’s going to end. It feels like one of Magnus’ stories, “That time I was in a hot air balloon with Marie Antoinette.” Sounds like it would be a fun story, no? Surprisingly it wasn’t.  Too much time was spent on the set up and culture of the time, which had little to do with the actual story. There weren’t any interesting side characters aside from Axel and we don’t get to see much of him.

Book 3: Vampires, Scones, and Edmund Herondale (****)

Set in London for the first meeting of the accords, (or one of the first) we meet Camille and Edmund Herondale. (This story really needed to be told from Edmund’s point of view as well, so it wouldn’t feel like he fell in love so quickly and his personality changed so drastically.) The characters were the best part of this story. Even the people we barely meet were great, like the mermaid in her tank who liked scones. On a very annoying side note, every instance of “fl” was replaced by “noindent” in the original eBook… (I’m so glad they fixed that)

Book 4: The Midnight Heir (****)

Tessa, Will and Jem return for this short story, set 25 years after Magnus last saw them. We first meet James Herondale, who is 17, drunk, and seemingly suicidal. It was good, but it felt more like a set up or a teaser for a book than a short story. I want to know what happens next! (Why would you leave Magnus, it was just getting good?!) Apparently the fourth series in the Mortal Instruments will feature some of these characters.

Book 5: The Rise of the Hotel Dumort (***)

Set in the late 1920s in New York where Magnus owns a speakeasy. No chuckles or good characters, but this was the first short story in this collection that felt like a proper complete story. (The best part was the tease about Magnus’ father. I wish one of these stories explored that further.)

Book 6: Saving Raphael Santiago (****)

Magnus decides to become a private detective and his first case is to find the missing son of Mrs. Santiago. Anyone who’s read Mortal Instruments knows what happened, but it was fun to see a younger Raphael.

Book 7: The Fall of the Hotel Dumort (***)

Magnus has been away from New York for two years. When he returns he finds a group of vampires in his apartment, but they look strange, almost sick. It turns out it isn’t just that small group but almost all of the Vampires in New York and they aren’t only sick they’re feeding often and leaving the bodies out in the street. We meet a couple of Magnus’ werewolf friends who are trying to keep things under wraps, but they’ve about had it. Predictable story and nothing special, easily skipped. (I hated the end.)

Book 8: What to Buy the Shadowhunter Who Has Everything: (And Who You’re Not Officially Dating Anyway) (*****)

Alec is turning eighteen and Magnus wonders if and what he should get him for a birthday present. This story feels like the first Mortal Instruments books, witty, funny and just plain fun. I enjoyed seeing Magnus and Isabelle becoming friends. Also, I loved the slime demon.

Book 9: The Last Stand of the New York Institute (****)

Set in the 1980s when the circle is starting out, and the clave still believes them when they say they’re only killing downworlders who have broken the accords. When the circle comes to New York, Magnus vows to protect his friends and his city. We meet the young members of the circle Lucian, Stephan Herondale, and the Lightwoods. It’s nice to see another part of the history of the Mortal Instruments. I wish it had included more about the Uprising, but there’s only so much time in a short story. I enjoyed the ending with Jocelyn bringing a young Clary to Magnus and Tessa.

Book 10: The Course of True Love (and First Dates) (****)

This is the story of Magnus’ first date with Alec. I chuckled several times, it was fun watching the two meet and interact in all their awkwardness. Alec is a mysterious character in the main Mortal Instruments books, and it was nice to get to know him better, especially through Magnus’ eyes. I liked Magnus’ friend Catarina, a female warlock and nurse. She’s not in these stories nearly enough.

Bonus 11: The Voicemail of Magnus Bane (only available in omnibus of all shorts) (***)

This story is all of the voicemails left for Magnus after City of Lost Souls. It was amusing but all of the characters acted like they were drunk dialing. Many of them said things which seemed out of character or things they’d only think. Isabelle’s were the best, because she doesn’t really ever have a filter.

Verdict: I needed a quick fun read and these stories were just that. Nothing special, but still entertaining. The best part was definitely the cameos from other characters in the series, before this I never really understood what Magnus saw in Alec.

I realize I just did a short story review last week, but my reading slump continues. I’m not 81% into the book I started 10 days ago…

What’s your opinion on an expanded universe? Clare keeps writing more and more Shadow Hunter books, but she’s getting quite a bit of negativity saying she’s just doing it for the money.

I’d say as long as the books are good there’s no reason not to continue a series, though it seems like there’s always a point when a long series goes down hill. At least she’s using different main characters. I feel that the second half of Mortal Instruments wasn’t as good, but I loved the Infernal devices. I’m not sure how I feel about the short stories. I liked them, but I wouldn’t have paid $3 a piece for them. (I hear she’s writing another set of short stories this year about training to become a shadow hunter.)

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Mortal Instruments, City of Heavenly Fire By Cassandra Clare

31 Saturday May 2014

Posted by Molly Mortensen in Book Reviews

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

author, book, book reviews, books, characters, City of Heavenly Fire, Clary, CoHF, Downworlders, fantasy, fiction, Jace, literature, Magnus, mortal instruments, novel, plot, read, reader, review, Shadow Hunters, stories, story, write, writer, writing, YA, young adult

8755785

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Pages: 752

Point of View: Clary, Emma, Jace, Alec, Magnus, Simon, Isabel, Maya, Jia Penhallow (done from memory)

Released: May 27th 2014

Predictability: 3 out of 5 (Where 1 is totally unpredictable and 5 is I knew what was going to happen way ahead of time.)

Source: Owned 1-3, and 6 on Kindle

Click here for my review of The Bane Chronicles.

City of Bones Summary:

Clary is a normal girl who enjoys drawing and hanging out with her best friend, Simon. She’s at a club when she sees three other teenagers with strange tattoos murder a guy, but no one else can even see them. When her mother is kidnapped, (or dead, but she really hopes only kidnapped) she’s thrust into a world of Demons, Fairies, Vampires, Werewolves, and Warlocks.

Turns out those teenagers are Shadow Hunters and the man was a demon. Shadow Hunters keep the peace using a device called a stele to draw runes on themselves, which gives them special powers like grace and speed or invisibility to Mundanes. (Normal people, like muggles)

Series Review:

There are six books in the Mortal Instruments series (and a prequel trilogy, the Infernal Devices) and the last book has just been released. The series spans only six months, but it felt like longer to me. I liked the first `trilogy’ better than the second, though I liked Simon more in the second.

I enjoyed the Mortal Instruments series for the most part. There’s a bit too much romance and long descriptions for me, but that’s just my taste. The best part is the world the author has created and all of the unique characters. My favorite is the glittery bisexual warlock, Magnus Bane. (Yes, seriously. He’s the best!)

City of Heavenly Fire Review:

If you haven’t read the series up to City of Heavenly Fire don’t keep reading, there be spoilers below.

Sebastian’s attacking Institutes and using the cup to make more soldiers for his war.

Heavenly Fire was an exciting finale, which certainly didn’t seem as long as it was. I was so afraid to read it, (I didn’t want anyone to die!) but I’m pleased by the ending. It was a good and fitting conclusion to the series.

Emma Carstairs (who will star in the next series, the Dark Artifacts) gets her own point of view. She grew up a Shadow Hunter and is already quite skilled with weapons. Her best friend is Julian Blackthorn, a boy with six siblings. (Two of which are half fairy) I liked all the Blackthorns, they already have unique personalities. (Ty reminds me of Sherlock.)

I’m sad we didn’t get Sebastian’s point of view, because it would’ve been interesting to see into his mind a bit more. He’s a better villain than his father, more black and white, even though I think it was supposed to be the other way around.

Spoilers for Infernal Devices in this paragraph!

This book takes place mostly before the end of Infernal Devices, so Zachariah is still a Silent Brother. He doesn’t get his own point of view. His parts are mostly told by Jia Penhallow. (How disappointing!) I really wanted more Jem and Tessa in this book! (I guess I’ll have to hope for more of them in Dark Artifacts.)

My Ratings:

City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass – 9/10 Stars

City of Fallen Angels, City of Lost Souls, City of Heavenly Fire – 8/10 Stars

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