ALPHA is here!

To celebrate the release of ALPHA

Bitten by Books is hosting a Contest!

The Prize: 

Full signed sets of the Shifters series & Soul Screamers series!

(including an ARC of My Soul to Steal)

That's NINE signed books, all to one person!

To enter:  http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=31160

READING LIST

 

Crescendo is coming!

 Here is the book trailer for Becca Fitzpatrick's Crescendo!

To celebrate the upcoming release of Crescendo (October 19), 
Bitten by Books is hosting a Book and Jewelry Giveaway!

Here's the link: http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=31078 

FOREVER is coming!

FOREVER!

THE LAST BOOK IN THE SHIVER TRILOGY 
BY 
 MAGGIE STIEFVATER

PRE-ORDER A SIGNED COPY HERE! 

http://www.fountainbookstore.com/autograph-maggie

Boxes are BAD!

WARNING: Major Spoilers for Cassandra Clare's Clockwork Angel!

Has anyone (and by "anyone," I mean ME) noticed that bad things come in boxes in CA?

No, seriously. Allow me to demonstrate:

1) demon energies are stored in a wooden BOX called a Pyxis (according to Wikipedia, pyxis is latin for box)

2) Jem’s demon drugs are kept in a silver enameled BOX

3) Nate finds his mother’s diary pages in her jewelry BOX, which lead him to Mortmain

4) something bad happens to Will when he opens a BOX (possibly the same box that Jace inherits in CoG, if it’s a Herondale family heirloom)

5) Nate kills his aunt with a poisoned BOX of chocolates

No good comes from boxes in this book. People, beware the boxes!

Also, here are my questions about the Pyxis:

- What happens if the demon energies in the Pyxis are simply released into the atmosphere?

- With no use for them, like animating an evil clockwork army, what happens to them?

- Do the demon energies return to their own dimensions, like when a demon is killed in its physical form?

- Or does the demon consciousness immediately seek another vessel, such as a human being?

- Can the consciousness of a demon exist inside a living creature?

- When released from its prison, can the demon energy take on physical form without the aid of another vessel?

I think that the mystery box from Will’s childhood contained the consciousness of a demon, and in opening the box he inadvertently released it. Right into himself. If it’s possible that demons can inhabit the bodies of humans, then Will may have been the nearest vessel on hand. There may be a demon inside him, struggling against his soul (it’s mentioned more than once that demons don’t have souls), fighting for control of his body. This might have led him to hurt someone he loved (possibly this Cecily), forcing him to flee his family in order to protect them. He joins the Shadowhunters so he can spend the rest of his life killing demons, in the hopes that he will defeat his own personal demon. The demon within could explain Will’s cruelty to everyone but Jem (and Tessa) who also shares a troubling demon past and who is in the grips of a demon addiction.

CLOCKWORK ANGEL: New Theories and Questions

1) I think Tessa is a demon with a soul, and Mortmain wants to bind her powers through a magical wedding ceremony. Is it settled that Tessa is a warlock? Magnus says she is, but there still seems to be some doubt. Mortmain clearly wants Tessa for her shape-changing abilities, but how will he gain control of them? If she was a demon, he could bind her to do his bidding.

2) Mortmain will use the Mortal Cup to control Tessa. We know that the Pyxis stores demon energies, and Jem says that Mortmain will need a lot more than is in the Pyxis if he wants to animate his entire clockwork army. How can one summon and control demons, store their consciousness in the Pyxis? If he had the Mortal Cup, which Valentine used in TMI to summon demons, then Mortmain could not only collect their energies for his army but also, maybe, control Tessa. If she was really demonic.

3) Will is going to become a vampire. He already has a predilection for biting, and as a bonus he hates vampires. Thinks they can’t feel or love the way humans can. So, of course, he’s bound to become one. On the plus side, he’ll be an immortal like Tessa. On the down side, he’ll no longer be a Shadowhunter like Jem. I don’t foresee any babies in the future for Will and Tessa, just a long and unhappy life as Downworlders.

I find that anyone who has an extended run-in with a certain group of Downworlders usually joins them in the end. Simon was kidnapped—or, rather, ratnapped—by vampires in the first book, then became one in the second. Will bit a vampire in CA, had to drink holy water to purge the tainted blood, and argued with Tessa about vampire souls. Obviously this is all leading in one direction: Vampire Will.

Someone on Twitter came up with an interesting theory: Mortmain becomes a vampire in The Infernal Devices, survives the final epic battle in the third book, and lives long enough to become the villain in City of Fallen Angels. I like that.

4) There’s a demon inside Will, fighting for control of his soul. Epic, I know. If there’s not actually a demon renting a room at the MOTEL WILL, there’s something at least demonic about him. C’mon people, eyes like the night sky in Hell?

5) I have a theory about CoFA and the big betrayal from within. I sent the moderators a post about how I though a demon energy escaped into Will, using him as a vessel of some kind. We know that when demons die, they return to their own dimensions. But...what if their consciousness chooses to escape into another physical form?

Sebastian/Jonathon was born of demon blood, and over the years this blood slowly burned out his humanity. A lot of people have speculated that Sebastian may still be alive in some form, his demon consciousness having returned to a demon dimension once Jace killed him in City of Glass.

What if he lingered?

There were three people present when Jace killed Sebastian: Jace, Sebastian and Isabelle. Either Sebastian escaped into Jace, or he escaped into Isabelle, laying low and biding his time. The summaries for the next TMI cycle mention that the characters will be betrayed by one of their own. My money is on Isabelle, because she’s someone you wouldn’t expect. But Jace is a good choice too; maybe he’ll lose his soul in City of Lost Souls and the others will have to reclaim it from Sebastian who takes control of Jace’s body. It might explain his weirdness in the CoFA excerpt.

Team Will vs Team Jem: How old are you?

I'm curious to know the average ages of the Team Will and Team Jem supporters. Do you think age and experience play a role in the way we perceive these two boys?

WARNING: Major Spoilers for Cassandra Clare’s Clockwork Angel

My Opinion:

To be honest, I don't like Will all that much. He's good-looking and witty, to be sure, but he's a jerk! Any guy who implies that the girl he likes is no better than a whore DOES NOT DESERVE HER. I don't care how tortured his past is--I don't care if he secretly *wuvs* her--that kind of behavior is unacceptable.

His cruelty and callousness toward the other Shadowhunters, Henry especially, is totally uncalled for. Yes, Jessamine is rude and insensitive too, and her general disdain for all things supernatural, including her own species, might not endear her to Will. But that's no excuse for the way he treats her or others--you don't see Jem or Henry or Charlotte quarreling with her. Not even Will's solitary affection for Jem discounts his belittling remarks about Henry, who is just as good and kind as Jem (I think he is partial to Jem because they share a demon past). And the way he looks and talks to Sophie makes me acutely uncomfortable with his character.

On the surface, I understand the appeal of the Bad Boy--he's dangerous, sexy, whatever. But the whole idea of wanting to reform the Bad Boy never appealed to me. It seems like an awful lot of work when there are so many perfectly nice, well-adjusted young men around. What's wrong with a good guy--seriously, no reformation work necessary on your part.

Now this is only speculation, but I'm guessing that those who are Team Will are on average younger than those who are Team Jem. I imagine that a young girl (14-18), relatively inexperienced with boys, would be more likely to put up with a guy who treats her badly. Note: I'm not saying that she will, I'm saying that she's more likely to than someone, say, five years older.

One of the reasons I like Tessa is because she doesn't put up with Will's asshattery. That doesn't stop her from liking him or being attracted to him, but it certainly doesn't fill her with love and affection. It’s true that we can’t always control who we’re attracted to, but we can control what we do with that attraction. Either we choose to act on it, or we don’t.

Now an older girl, on the other hand, one with more experience in dating, would probably not put up with someone like Will. Unless she's got, like, really low self-esteem. Jem would be the preferred choice: his kindness, maturity and inner strength are all part of his appeal. A guy who trusts you with the darkest, most disturbing secret of his past instead of pushing you away? Now that’s sexy!

If Will continues to treat Tessa like some worthless downworlder, then he’s going to lose his chance with her. Sexy smoldering blue eyes be damned!

My Predictions for The Infernal Devices

I think Tessa will end up with Will by the third book, and I’ll tell you why.

Like Jace and Clary in TMI, there is some obstacle standing in the way of Tessa and Will’s relationship. I doubt they’re secretly brother and sister, but I’m sure it’s something equally traumatic and seemingly insurmountable. Now, Will clearly likes Tessa and wants to be with her (if their encounter in the attic is any indication), but there is something preventing him from expressing this desire. As a result, Will feels the need to push Tessa away through blatant cruelty and callousness, leading her to seek comfort in the companionship of his best friend, Jem. (Cassandra Clare has mentioned that the next book, Clockwork Prince, will focus more on Tessa and Jem’s relationship as it develops, and hopefully answer some of the questions that were raised by the cliffhanger ending of Clockwork Angel.)

This is only a guess, of course, but I’m assuming that Will’s late night visit to Magnus has something to do with this so-called obstacle that is preventing him from being with Tessa. Why else would he seek Magnus’ help, if not to overcome something that has forced him to keep nearly everyone in his life at arm’s length (with the exception of Jem, who is dying)? Whatever his situation or condition, Will seems accustomed to it or, at the very least, resigned. Until now. The desperation with which he seeks Magnus’ help is being fueled by something, and it seems to me that that something is Tessa. She has only just entered his life, but his attachment to her is strong enough that others have noticed it. I imagine that the next book will chronicle his struggle to overcome whatever this obstacle is, while Tessa grows increasingly closer to Jem, thus forming another obstacle to their relationship.

Jem, on the other hand, has no obstacle to overcome (if we exclude the fact he and his best friend may be in love with the same girl). If he and Tessa are attracted to each other, then there is nothing really preventing them from being together. He has already revealed the terrible secret of his life, trusted Tessa with the truth of his demon-induced illness and addiction. Jem’s problem is one of time—he doesn’t have a lot of it. His addiction is slowly killing him, which Tessa is aware of, and will not have as much time with her as, say, another comparatively healthier Shadowhunter. Of course, the same could be said for Will who, if he remains human, will eventually die as well. The only difference is that he and Tessa will have more years together...hopefully. Thus, the issue of time isn’t really an issue at all when considering obstacles to a relationship. The fact that he is going to die sooner than expected shouldn’t stop them from being together.

My point is that Will has more to overcome if he wants to be with Tessa, and that fact alone is probably why he’ll end up with her by the third book. There is more conflict and angst to be mined from his obstacle than Jem’s, which isn’t really an obstacle at all. Will risks more, struggles more, to be with Tessa, and if he succeeds the payoff will be greater for readers. This was the case for Jace and Clary in TMI, so I’m assuming the same narrative payoff will come at the end of The Infernal Devices in Book 3.

Now I haven’t read the second book in the series, so this is all speculation anyway. Things may change for Jem, new obstacles may arise, or maybe we’ll learn the nature of Will’s problem and realize it has nothing to do with Tessa and his desire for her. I don’t know—I only know what I think will happen. But the one thing I’m certain of: there a still a lot more surprises ahead for the characters of The Infernal Devices, and I can’t wait!

Why I Can't Read Mockingjay

Last night I was attempting to explain to my roommate why I cannot read the last installment in Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games Trilogy, Mockingjay.  Of course, I'll eventually get around to reading it (it's currently sitting on my bookshelf, gathering dust and staring at me accusingly). 

The problem is the ending.  I couldn't bear it if the characters that I have come to invest in so deeply died.  Or changed in a way that made me sad and unhappy for them.  I couldn't handle it if they DIED.  That would be the worst, but also ending up alone at the end of the book would be equally bad (like the ending of Libba Bray's The Sweet Far Thing--Gemma embarking on a journy to America, strong and independent but ultimately alone).

A second problem is that I loved the first two books, finished them in one sitting, and waited impatiently for the last.  Though I admit The Hunger Games was better than Catching Fire, they were both excellent, addictive reads.  I don't want the final book in the trilogy to disappoint, but I also don't want it to end.

And herein lies another problem.  It's the LAST book.  The end.  The finale.  The conclusion that we have all been waiting for.  That puts a lot of pressure on the author to deliver an ending as good, if not better, than its beginning.  But that also fills the reader with a great deal of anxiety, because we want the ending of Katniss' story to be as good as the beginning of it.  We want it so much that in some cases (like mine) we're afraid to even pick up the book lest it disappoint us at some point.

At the end of Catching Fire, Katniss is rescued but Peeta is captured.  Sweet, sensitive Peeta is taken prisoner by the Capitol while Katniss, who may not have understood the extent of her love for Peeta, has to endure the thought of him being tortured and possibly killed.  I'm with Katniss.  It's too hard.  The idea that Peeta could come out of this story a changed man--no longer the quietly confident, strong, supportive Peeta that we have known and grown to love along with Katniss--fills me with dread.  What if all the light, happy things are tortured out of him, and he becomes as haunted and hard as Katniss?

I repeat: I couldn't handle it.

I would put the book down and not return for a very long time,  if at all.

There's also the possiblity that my reluctance to read the book stems not from fear of its outcome but from a waning interest in the series.  When The Hunger Games first appeared on the scene, it was huge.  A surprise seller that had everyone talking.  Then came Catching Fire, and by then the fire had not only caught with millions of readers, it had spread and consumed them.  The second book became one of the most hotly anticipated YA novels of that year, and though it wasn't nearly as good or ground-breaking as its predecessor, it was still amazing.  Many people are still riding that wave of excitment and anticipation, but for some the tide has gone down.  Don't misunderstand me, we're still excited, very much so.  But we're no longer frantic to finish the series.  The fervor has died down, at least among my set, and now we're simply pleased the book is out.

Maybe I haven't opened the book yet because I'm not as frantic to read it as I was for the last two installments.  Maybe this is not particular to the The Hunger Games Trilogy, but symptomatic of a larger, more general decline in the YA market.  Great books are still being produced, but that initial excitement and enthusiasm have quieted somewhat. 

I myself have made a tentative foray into the adult romance genre, though I still partake of adult urban fantasy and paranormal fiction.  This may also have to do with age.  A lot of YA readers were, at first, young adults.  They were satisfied with the PG-13 descriptions of sex and romance, the sweet kindlings of first love and all that nonsense.  Now they're older and they want more.  More explicit details, more maturity, more R-rated content.  It's a good thing a lot of YA writers started out in the adult market and can provide that more mature fare.

But I sincerely hope the boon in urban fantasy and paranormal romance continues, because it's begun to bleed over into the historical romance genre, which I love (regency werewolves and victorian vampires anyone?).  I think some YA novels, as a result, have become or will become a little more racy.  Or that may have to do with the fact that, as the market continues to boom, many authors are crossing over into YA, bringing with them their racier sensibilities.  Whatever the cause, I'm glad.  I was getting a little frustrated with the lack of sexy times in the works of some of my favorite authors.   

Back to Mockingjay.  I know that I will eventually read it, and I'll probably love is just as much as its siblings.  But that fear that comes with the emotional investment in characters of fiction is not something that I have experienced much.  There are some authors who you know would NEVER kill off their main characters, because those authors are just like you.  They want the happy ending and all its fanfare.  They want the big fireworks show to celebrate the fact that everyone important survived (City of Glass, I'm looking at you).

And then there are those maverick authors, the ones whose stories you can't predict.  There's something slightly more serious about these writers, because you know deep down that they're not afraid to kill off their characters if the story demands it.  THEY'RE NOT AFRAID, and that makes them dangerous.  No one is safe, not even the protagonist.  Not even her soul mate, the love of her life, the man she cannot live without though she doesn't quite know it yet.  (Yeah, I'm thinking of Peeta, though Katniss would never describe him is such sticky-sweet, cloying terms, and I'm pretty sure that if he did die she'd survive and go on.) 

I think what I'm trying to say is, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.  And that scares me, because it gives the writer power over my emotions.  If Peeta dies, I'll probably cry.  And rage.  And throw the book out the window, cursing Suzanne Collins from the depths of my soul.  Or maybe he'll live and I'll cry, falling to my knees and fervently kissing the ground that Suzanne walks on.  "Such a good, kind woman," I'll murmur to myself, tears of joy welling in my eyes, the book pressed lovingly to my heart.  "So good."

Either scenario is possible.  Scary, right?  That's why I can't read Mockingjay.  Not yet.

MY NEW BLOG!

Dear Imaginary Reader,

I have a new blog.  That is all.

Sincerely,

Germaine

P.S.  It's so pretty!