books – Read By Dev

Spoiler-Free Review | Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare

Spoiler-free review of Chain of Gold, Cassandra Clare’s latest Shadowhunter Chronicles installment!

Chain of Gold

By: Cassandra Clare

Overall Rating: ★★★★★

From Goodreads: Welcome to Edwardian London, a time of electric lights and long shadows, the celebration of artistic beauty and the wild pursuit of pleasure, with demons waiting in the dark. For years there has been peace in the Shadowhunter world. James and Lucie Herondale, children of the famous Will and Tessa, have grown up in an idyll with their loving friends and family, listening to stories of good defeating evil and love conquering all. But everything changes when the Blackthorn and Carstairs families come to London…and so does a remorseless and inescapable plague.

James Herondale longs for a great love, and thinks he has found it in the beautiful, mysterious Grace Blackthorn. Cordelia Carstairs is desperate to become a hero, save her family from ruin, and keep her secret love for James hidden. When disaster strikes the Shadowhunters, James, Cordelia and their friends are plunged into a wild adventure which will reveal dark and incredible powers, and the true cruel price of being a hero…and falling in love.

Theme Song

TL;DR:

Chain of Gold was one of my most anticipated reads of 2020 and for good reason! It is an amazing addition to the Shadowhunter World. If you’re new to the Shadowhunter Chronicles and don’t mind reading out of chronological order, I HIGHLY recommend you start with this installment. This is Cassie’s best writing yet, and you’ll be so in love with the Edwardian London setting, sassy & sweet characters, and action-packed plot. This has everything you’ll be looking for in a historical-fantasy series. READ IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

The Good

The Action-Packed Plot

If you’re a fan of Cassie’s other Shadowhunter novels, you know she doesn’t lack in the action department. There’s always some demon to slay, a warlock to track down, a sick downworlder to help, or a hottie to love from afar. Chain of Gold is no different. From page one, the new crew is neck-deep in supernatural problems to solve and the action doesn’t stop until the very last page. Can SyFy just take over the Shadowhunter world and make this into an Edwardian Fantasy Drama? Because I would totally watch it. It’s like a refresh of Dark Shadows, but a million times better.

James Herondale, Cordelia Carstairs, and The Merry Thieves (And Everyone Else!)

For fans of the Shadowhunter world who may have issues with certain heroes and heroines from past series, I’m here to tell you that you have nothing to worry about with this new crew. For newcomers, I’m also here to prepare you to love at least a dozen new characters and all their quirks and questionable choices. James Herondale is the emo bookworm of your dreams. Cordelia Carstairs is the badass heroine who actually thinks about her actions (I’m looking at you Clary), and the rest of the supporting cast will leave you with total swoon heart eyes for days. Seriously, you won’t be able to pick a favorite and you’re going to be rooting for everyone’s happily ever after. You’ve been warned!

The A+ Top-Notch Villain Scheming

Without being too spoiler-y, I’m just going to say that I’m ready for this villain(s?). Clare always does a really great job of humanizing her evil characters and giving them a backstory and it’s no different this time around. You’ll be left hating certain people, and it will feel sooooo, so good and so, sooooo bad at the same time. Prepare for all the drama.

The World Building Is AMAZING

Queen Cassie is known for making her Shadowhunter world so expansive that sometimes it can be hard to keep up. But, I’m here to tell you that if you’re into high-fantasy worlds with lots of details and characters – this series is for you. Clare ties together her short stories and previous trilogy into this newest installment SO WELL. Her older, beloved characters make appearances, but don’t hog the spotlight, and all her mini stories pave the way for major character arcs to be explored. And, even if you haven’t been introduced to any of her previous work, there’s enough detail for you to still experience a rollercoaster of emotions. You’ll be left wanting more (and will probably buy the entire Chronicles to keep your cravings satisfied).

The Ending

THAT CLIFFHANGER THO. All I have to say about the ending is it’s SO bittersweet and somehow satisfying all at the same time. I don’t know how my heart could feel so many different emotions at once, and I’m still thinking about where we’re going next. Please mentally prepare yourself for a massive book hangover. And, please let me know if you want to join me in my quest for clues and theories on Chain of Iron.

The Bad

NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THIS BOOK.

I have spoken and will not be taking questions at this time.

The Ugly Truth

Chain of Gold is one of my favorites reads of 2020 so far. It is 5-star, fantasy gold and should definitely be on any fantasy lover’s TBR list. If you’re new to Cassie Clare books, do yourself a favor and start here. If you’re not a newcomer, drop what you’re reading and get on the Chain of Gold party bus. It. Will. Not. Disappoint.

Talk To Me

Are you a Shadowhunter fan? Will you be adding Chain of Gold to your TBR?

Book Tag | Bookish Adventure

Thanks to @Jess – Fiction No Chaser for tagging me! It’s been a hot minute since I did any of the tags but this seemed like a great one to strike off my list.

Rules

Imagine that you are an intrepid literary adventurer- braving the harsh bookish wilderness, traversing jungles of pages and slashing through vines of words. Where in the vast world of books would you go?

Write about one place mentioned in a book you wish you could visit and why.
List 3-5 things that you would do there.
Mention which souvenirs, if any, you would bring back with you.
Then tag some more literary explorers and please link back to the creator (Umairah @ Sereadipity) so I can see all of your adventures!

Where I Would Go

It took me a while to decide where I’d want to visit, but I came to the conclusion I’d stay in America because I really wish Rick Riordan’s Demigod world existed. I mean, maybe it really does and I’m just not lucky enough to have the site or be born to one of the *gods*. Percy, if you’re out there, I love you!

What I Would Do

Visit Camp Half-Blood (obvi)
Visit Camp Jupiter
Convince Blackjack to give me a ride around the world
Go looking for the magical Lotus Casino…I’m of age and it seems like a good time minus the whole getting trapped in time thing
Visit Amazon headquarters so I can meet the Amazons and convince them to give me a free Prime membership

Souvenirs

Definitely saying I want to take Percy’s pen/sword, Hermes flying sneakers, and a Camp Half-Blood shirt home with me.

Tagging

Anyone who wants to do this tag!

Trash Tuesday | New Obsessions

Hey fam, welcome to my newest thing. Before we get into things, I wanted to acknowledge the definition of TRASH that we’ll be using. Thanks to Urban Dictionary, I didn’t need to come up with my own explanation, so to make it easier here’s what it means to be trash. Example: I am complete trash for Shadowhunters…but I digress.

This topic came about when I was discussing my current obsession (hot lumberjack Bear Shifters) with the squad – @Loretta & @Jess. I was jokingly mentioning how I should start a blog theme about all the weird randomness I become trash for and they were super into it. So, here we are! (Shoutout to Loretta for making the awesome banner & logo.)

We’re hoping to make this into a weekly thing with weird open-ended prompts and all (like non-book related things we’re trash for, bad boys, ridiculous covers), so please let us know in the comments if you’re interested in joining the trash mob. To get a feel for what these would be like, keep reading. My first Trash Tuesday is all about T.S. Joyce and her Shifter Series! So, without further ado, here is the latest trash that I am currently trash for.

Disclaimer: All mentions of “trash” are made in a super loving manner. I love* trash books and don’t actually think they’re trash, so haters please move along.

SHIFTER WEREBEARS ARE A THING YOU NEED IN LIFE

T.S. Joyce writes paranormal romance novels about hot lumberjacks and firemen…who turn into bears (and lions, and gorillas and dragons OH.MY.) Seriously, I never thought I needed these in my life but I ended up binging 23 books within the matter of a month. I repeat TWENTY THREE BOOKS IN ONE MONTH. I’m KILLING my Goodreads challenge thanks to this series, and I’m not even done yet. There are like fifty something books that span multiple generations of shifters and you get hot, steamy vibes in them all. What am I doing with my life now? Trying to figure out which shifter I love the most.

I’m also going to take a moment to appreciate the fact that Joyce actually keeps a consistent timeline and plot throughout the entire series and focuses on actual problems/villains they run into instead of just the smut. Don’t get me wrong, the fluff and smut is great, but there’s depth in this series, too. Don’t mind me while I start a fan casting page dedicated to hot lumberjacks.

Please join me in my love for all things shifters. I need a crew and more people to obsess because AKSHDFDKJHSG. I have no words for how trash I’ve become for shifters.

Talk To Me

How do you feel about paranormal romances? Do you think you’d read T.S. Joyce? Are you looking forward to more Trash Tuesdays?

September TBR | Hispanic Heritage Month

How is it already September?! If you didn’t notice, I took a lot of summer off to focus on me and enjoy the world outside of blogging. My summer reading slump hit me like a ton of bricks, but now I’m back in action and my first order of business is hitting my TBR pile hard. I’m hoping to get through some solid reading with stories that all have to do with my Latinx heritage. Why, might you ask? Well…

I wish I was more connected with my Mexican culture in so many ways, but growing up without stories with little brown girls didn’t make it any easier. Why aren’t we ever the heroines in the stories? Why don’t we ever get the guy/girl? I decided to do some research and realized maybe I was just looking in the wrong places for books that highlight my culture.

Queue: This month’s potential reading list to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, which kicks off on the 15th! My goal is to read at least 4 books on this list, if not more. These were all chosen based on genre, author, and main character backgrounds and all have Latinx roots in some way. I also had to do some major digging more these, so please feel free to add them to your TBRs if you’re looking for more Latinx in your life!

*Disclaimer: I am by no means in expert in Latinx reading, but I’m hoping to find some great reads along my journey and if you have any recommendations, I would love to know!

The Books

1. Nocturna (A Forgery of Magic #1) by Maya Motayne

“Set in a Latinx-inspired world, a face-changing thief and a risk-taking prince must team up to defeat a powerful evil they accidentally unleashed.” MAGIC FANTASY LATIX WORLD AND I AM IN

2. The Storm Runner (The Storm Runner #1) by J.C Cervantes

“Feisty heroes, tricky gods, murderous demons, and spirited giants are just some of the pleasures that await in this fresh and funny take on Maya mythology, as rich and delicious as a mug of authentic hot chocolate.”

This has literally been sitting on my shelf for ages and I’m ready for some Mayan gods and abuelita’s hot chocolate. Please and thank you.

3. Labyrinth Lost (Brooklyn Brujas #1) by Zoraida Cordova

“Alex is a bruja, the most powerful witch in a generation…and she hates magic. At her Deathday celebration, Alex performs a spell to rid herself of her power. But it backfires. Her whole family vanishes into thin air, leaving her alone with Nova, a brujo she can’t trust, but who may be Alex’s only chance at saving her family.”

I see Bruja Born EVERY.WHERE. and didn’t even realize it was part of a series, so hello to book 1. I’m obsessed with all things brujeria so let’s do this.

4. The Living (The Living #1) by Matt de la Pena

“The earthquake is only the first disaster. Suddenly it’s a fight to survive for those left living.”

I don’t know where this one is going to take me, but post-apocalyptic stories are my kind of stories.

5. Shadowshaper (Shadowshaper #1) by Daniel José Older

“With the help of her friends and the hot graffiti artist Robbie, Sierra must dodge Wick’s supernatural creations, harness her own Shadowshaping abilities, and save her family’s past, present, and future.”

As you can see, I have a type…fantasy/urban fantasy/magic.

6. The Gateway Through Which They Came by Heather Marie

“To seventeen-year-old Aiden Ortiz, letting the dead walk through his body to reach the other side comes with the territory. Being a Gateway isn’t an easy job, but someone’s gotta send Bleeders where they belong. Heaven. Salvation. Call it whatever you want. Dead is dead. But when his search for Koren Banks––the girl who went mysteriously missing seven months ago––leaves him with more questions than answers, he finds himself involved in something far more sinister and beyond his control.”

I’ve heard this one is a bit on the younger side of YA, but I’m gonna give it a try.

7. The Weight of Feathers by Anna-Marie McLemore

“For twenty years, the Palomas and the Corbeaus have been rivals and enemies, locked in an escalating feud for over a generation. Both families make their living as traveling performers in competing shows—the Palomas swimming in mermaid exhibitions, the Corbeaus, former tightrope walkers, performing in the tallest trees they can find.”

Um, Latinx Romeo and Juliet? Yes, please.

8. City of the Beasts by Isabel Allende

“But there are many secrets hidden in the unexplored wilderness, as Alex and his new friend Nadia soon discover. Drawing on the strength of their spirit guides, both young people are led on a thrilling and unforgettable journey to the ultimate discovery. . . .”

This is meant to be a younger-skewing YA series, but I’m into Percy Jackson so why not give this a try.

9. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez

“The brilliant, bestselling, landmark novel that tells the story of the Buendia family, and chronicles the irreconcilable conflict between the desire for solitude and the need for love—in rich, imaginative prose that has come to define an entire genre known as “magical realism.”

Another one that I’m not quite sure I’ll love, but I hear great things and I’m expanding my palette TYVM.

10. Aristotle & Dante Discover The Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

“And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.”

Everyone has been raving about this and while the genre it isn’t normally my cup of tea, I’m going all in. I might be surprised.

Talk To Me

What did you think of my picks? Any other Latinx reads you would recommend? Any from my list that you want to add to your TBR?

Stormlings | A Stormheart Playlist

If you haven’t started The Stormheart series yet, you should! I’m getting so hyped for the release of Rage (book 2) and just finished a re-read of book 1, Roar, so decided to create a playlist for Aurora and all the different storms they face throughout the series. If you could be any type of weather, what would you be? What song would you use to describe yourself?

The Breakdown

I decided to pull together songs that reminded me of certain characters like Aurora, our princess turned storm hunter, but also songs that just gave of a “stormy” vibe. Check out some of my faves below, and why I chose them!

Come Clean, Hilary Duff

This song definitely screams Aurora at the beginning of Roar. She’s naive, secluded, and just wants to start fresh away from her mom and all the expectations that have been set for her.

Notable Lyrics: “Let the rain fall down, and wake my dreams
Let it wash away my sanity. ‘Cause I wanna feel the thunder. I wanna scream
Let the rain fall down. I’m coming clean”

Thunder, Imagine Dragons

This song reminds me of the entire storm hunter crew that Aurora joins, but especially Locke. They all dream of bigger and better things, and use their powers to get what they want. Also, it’s a song about being like thunder, so if that doesn’t fit the bill, I don’t know what does.

Notable Lyrics: “I was dreaming of bigger things
And wanna leave my own life behind…
I was lightning before the thunder”

Roar, Kary Perry

If there ever was a theme song for Roar, it’s this. She goes from damsel to outright fighter/survivor by the end of book 1. And she is back and ready to fight for her kingdom.

Notable Lyrics: “I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter
Dancing through the fire
‘Cause I am a champion, and you’re gonna hear me roar”

Talk To Me

What did you think of my picks? What songs would you add? Do you have any playlists you’d want me to create?

Jacin Clay | A Lunar Chronicles Playlist

Read By Dev’s playlist inspired by characters from Marissa Meyer’s The Lunar Chronicles!

I’m back at it with another Lunar Chronicles playlist! This time, I’m featuring everyone’s favorite emo, Lunar Soldier Boy – Jacin Clay. If you’re looking playlists inspired by some of the other Lunar Chronicles characters, you can find them here.

The Breakdown

Jacin Clay is DEFINITION emo boy. He wears his hair in a pony, has a spiky attitude toward everyone, and has a secret soft side only for Winter. So, you can imagine that all his songs are based on my love of emos. Seriously, if you are an emo kid, let’s be friends.

“Know Your Enemy” – Green Day

All Jacin wants to do is protect Winter. And he will literally do whatever it takes, even working with people he doesn’t like – or betraying people he might.

Notable Lyrics: “Bringing on the fury
The choir infantry
Revolt against the honor to obey”

Vindicated, Dashboard Confessional

Every emo boy’s anthem. That is all.

Notable Lyrics: “Vindicated. I am selfish. I am wrong
I am right, I swear I’m right. Swear I knew it all along and
I am flawed, but I am cleaning up so well
I am seeing in me now the things you swore you saw yourself”

She’s Out of Her Mind, Blink 182

OKAY – I seriously think there are tons of celebs out there who are writing songs specifically for TLC, because hello, Jacin is LIT-ER-AL-LY in love with a girl who is out of her mind.

Notable Lyrics: “I’m in deep with this girl but she’s out of her mind.”

Talk To Me

What did you think of my picks? What songs would you add? Do you have any playlists you’d want me to create?

Review | Stalking Jack the Ripper is A Quirky CSI Tale

Stalking Jack the Ripper

By: Kerri Maniscalco

Overall Rating: ★★★

Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord’s daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life cutting open dead bodies in her Uncle’s lab.

A a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, and with the help of her uncle, brother, and the amazingly irresistible Thomas Cresswell, she attempts to solve the case.

Of course, things don’t go her way, her feelings get the best of her, and the shocker at the end leaves Audrey reeling. But hey, at least there’s Thomas!