You know about the fanfic writer who HAS made good with EXCELLENT published fiction, right? Unlike CC, she's trying to keep her identities secret or I'd straight out say...

Is it Martha? I really need to track down her books - I've heard such good things about them. If it's not her, can you e-mail me with it? I'd love to support a fic writer.

I will e-mail you. And yeah, I should really read Martha's stuff too...

Could either of you email me, too? cincodemaygirl at gmail dot com. I stopped and looked at CC's book in the bookstore, read the first couple pages, and thought, "Nah..." But I'd love to read a GOOD fanfic writer's published work!

Will do! Though you may actually know about this author already, and I'm just being too coy...

Probably not, I feel like I live in a cave where fanfic authors are concerned. I haven't even read the Movies in 15 Minutes book! Any and all leads greatly appreciated. <3

Your profile's private so I don't have any way of finding out your e-mail address at the moment. But I friended you, so if you want to friend me back? Or, you could just tell me your e-mail, or e-mail me at the address that is in my profile. ;-)

I feel like I have AMAZING TOP SECRET information now, even though that's really not the case. *is like a spy or something*

Actually Trin, did you ever email me? I don't think I recieved anything. Try cinco at spicedrum dot net, that one is less finicky than gmail can be.

Oh no! Yeah, I did e-mail—I wondered, vaguely, why I didn't hear back at least an "Oh!" or an "I knew that, duh." Will try again. =)

I was all "who? email me too!" And then I thought about it and think I know just who we are talking about. And her books are AWESOME.

This book by CC is one I might pick up in the library. I read the entire Draco trilogy once upon a time and found it decidedly "meh." I always thought it was hilarious that the first story was so off the cuff-Buffy-inspired, and then the following volumes became so angsty and melodramatic.

I was surprised CC kept her fandom name, but I suppose for her audience it was a smart marketing move. And I think the original Mortal Instruments story was purged from her stuff. Not like that makes a difference, because once it is out there, it's out there. CC has a number of influential authorial friends. Maybe that makes a difference?

I'm not even sure I got through the first part of the Draco trilogy. I just could never understand her popularity. She's so....meh.

A lot of people bitch about the fact that a character in the book has a bumper sticker about Day 100, still the prettiest! but honestly, I kind of love that. That one line is pretty much the only thing of hers that I enjoyed, and putting it in there was clever, I thought.

I'm pretty sure that if you google her, the first page up describes her fandom plagiarisms and links to the original MI fic. I know it's easily findable online still, despite her efforts. Normally, such a thing would bother me, but, um, not with her. Passive aggressive bitchiness, hear me roar.

Oh, and yes, I think you know who it is because you just reviewed one of her books here. *g*

Please message me the name of the author that got into real fiction, too. Oh please oh please!

Anyway, I completely agree with your review, and I actually liked Cassie Clare's fanfiction for the most part. City of Bones was the worst book I've ever read, though. (I've written quite a lengthy review of it.)

I wrote fanfic (Star Wars) and moved to being published. I wouldn't presume to judge my own work, though. I'm sure there are others out there. I wish I could remember the name of the writer who says she writes fanfic to relax but I'm drawing a blank.

I would love to know who this great secret author is!

Yea, where's the author that she plagarized from? I wanna read it!

I read a book for the book itself! I really liked it alot, it was a fun and easy read. I thought the characters were funny and I loved the ending to the series.

I just finished this and it was one of the worst books I've ever read. I didn't know her from the HP fandom, I tended to stay away from HP fanfic, but I had heard about the drama. I chose to give her a chance, anyway, and am now regretting it. It was horrible.

-kisses you-

THANK YOU!!

I totally agree with everything you said.

I love this book so far. Granted, Im not done with it yet, but it is REALLY good so far.

so in the end is this book really worth reading? i bought it a while back ( like a month or two ago on sale) and i havent gotten around to reading it... should i even bother?
mind u i use to be a huge buffy fan so if its similar then i figure why not read it..

not a fanfiction reader but I could so see C.C being the kind of person you describe... i was shocked at how arrogant her website was... i always check out 'writing tips' on author websites (though had i read the book first I would NEVER have wasted my time getting tips! I could probably give her one or two!). In a nutshell, Clare advises her young audience to not e-mail her with questions that she has already covered in her Q&As she simply doesn't have the time to respond. Fair enough... but there are nicer ways to say this... it just came across so rude and condescending. Its like... great you got published but pull your head out your arse... you have such a long way to go before you could ever be credible. Writing like this angers me because talented teens with a passion for literature end up producing bad work, because all they have to be inspired by is bad quality writing. It brings down the whole YA genre

the bit that really made me think WTF?!? was when the mother gets *SPOILER* kidnapped and is possibly dead... but clary seems to care more about the fact that she has to wear unflattering clothes! I mean seriously. you've just found out demons exist. your world has collapsed arund you..you're all alone ... would you really even notice some guy you just met?

also... violent much? she swears, she slaps she strops. what a protagonist.

I have a feeling that Clary isn't so different from Clare herself... a grouchy sulky emotionally retarted goon with the kind of sexual deviations Freud would have had a field day with.


rant over. :)

I think it's in poor taste to talk about someone so harshly on the internet. I'm more apt to take the side of a seemingly dignified party than someone flaming hatred. The book isn't incredible, but it's hardly important enough to invoke such a degrading response.

The story is interesting enough.
I'll finish the series.

Amanda wrote: "so in the end is this book really worth reading? i bought it a while back ( like a month or two ago on sale) and i havent gotten around to reading it... should i even bother?
mind u i use to be a ..."

I don't see any "wow" factors, but it's entertaining. It's surely not as bad as some people wish that it was. We have to learn to filter out those kinds of reviews. Everybody wants to be a critic.

David - an hour and thirty minutes. Share your opinion on the book and that's fine, no matter if it disagrees with mine. Clearly there are many comments that disagree with me. Trash me or other people, and it gets deleted.

Now I'm really curious about the mystery author too! :/ Would anybody be willing to share that info? I'm also somewhat tempted to finish Clare's books (at least the first one) in order to have more of an opinion of them beyond "ugh".

Yeah, well your'e pure and utter crap so hahahahahahahaha. Bite my ear!

your review was pretty harsh but it was YOUR review so i respect it, i just don't agree with it
i enjoyed the whole series, it was easy to read and it kept my attention
overall pretty good

have you read the three books? cause it would be kind of STUPID to judge it if you haven't read the three books-.-

This is not a review; it's a bashing of the author, and I can't believe Goodreads has not deleted your review which is "pure and utter crap."

I know you wrote this 3 years ago but do you realize that the "Cassie Claire" you are talking about spells her name differently than the author you are talking about? Cassandra CLARE is just a pen name. Please fact check before you critique from now on...it isn't fair for you to lie to readers like a politician.

I think its pretty dumb and stupid on your part for bashing the book as you have. i don't give a damn that u think the book is "pure and utter crap". i think your childish and cant comment like a adult. i come on this site to get "OPINIONS" on books, not to come on this site and have someone as childish as you write such a bad comment!

Ok there were manythings in your review that I had never heard of however I was really ashamed of you I believe that this was a great book somewhat like the maximume ride novels. And god if you already hated the author subconsiosuly you already hated the books, and even though you said " i would give it a try" you knew you wouldn't like it, her publishers and editor were probably thinking of the contraversy it is a type of but that you love or hate I know of a few people that love it but i have told many of it and so many people think it sounds fasinating and want to borrow my copy. So you can say that you hate it but you hate the author, you said it was much like the harry potter novels. Well did you like those? because if you like that idea plus science fiction well this would be one of the best books for you. But you are so uptight about you own opinions and judgment that I find that what you wrote was quite rude!

Hilary wrote: "I know you wrote this 3 years ago but do you realize that the "Cassie Claire" you are talking about spells her name differently than the author you are talking about? Cassandra CLARE is just a pen ..."

And you realise that she called herself "Cassie Claire" when she was a fanfiction author and simply removed the 'i' when she became a published author? Nothing against her or you, but you're making it out as if the reviewer is lying when you just aren't aware of the facts. I'm not sure why you wouldn't have checked on that before coming here to complain.

Anyway, I'll have to agree on the missing editor issue, Shelley. Some of the holes and mistakes here are just astounding for a published work. I mean, I'd be a little embarrassed to have my name on this thing as an editor...if there was one, of course.

NOTHING is new in fantasy. The last person who did anything unique in fantasy is Tolkien, so unless you're him, forget it. Everyone else is borrowing from other people. Harry Potter is not unique. I loved the stories, but it borrowed from dozens of myths, legends, and other books. Buffy is not unique, except perhaps that it put the concept on TV where it indelibly claimed in our minds things that never belonged to it in the first place.

Vampires, wer-wolves, withces, warlocks, hunters, demons...these are the core of the fantasy genre. With only minor variations, every author uses them in his or her story and if they didn't, we wouldn't have much of a clue what's going on. You might be able to introduce one new creature in your fantasy world, but if you tried to build one from scratch no one would get it and no one would read it. Plus, it wouldn't be unique, either. In trying so hard to be different, you would be copying by contrast!

Creativity doesn't make huge leaps, it moves us slowly and inexorably along a path that builds from the stones before it. We don't make something out of nothing. We make it out of what came before. The best "original" ideas are really just new spins. Someone goes off in an unexpected direction, but they fork from the same path.

I love fantasy, and what I want to see is a strong narrative voice, a compelling character, and a dramatic story. That's what sets the good stories apart from the bad ones.

I would like to point out that this is supposed to be a REVIEW and obviously you don't know what that is because what you have done here is just murder the author by saying all this crap about her which is not true! So next time why don't you think about what you write in your "review" before you post it. However I understand that your brain is abnormally small, so you might have some trouble thinking.

your "...I swear to God..." fixture and attitude directly told me to disregard your grotesque comment.

This is a Review, not a chastised chat corner -"OMG Britney has a new----"-
Please try to be more, neutral nxt tym. Ciao

hahaha lmfao, well said

These books r awesome! I think they r very well written!

The books have a lot of mistakes, but they're still kick-butt books. 5 stars.

Wow, what an insightful review - Because you actually gave us a whole lot of SUPPORT for your argument...

Please, if you're going to slam a book, at least give a reason why. There's a difference between typing your feelings rabidly onto a webpage and actually writing a decent review.

Personally, I loved it. Yes, there were issues, but really, is there any such thing as perfection in literary work (especially for young adults these days)? It was entertaining, funny, and I've read both sequels along with the first book of The Infernal Devices. I felt that none of my time was wasted.

If you hated it so much, why finish it?

Why didn't you like it? I can think of soooo many books for you to hate and this book is definitely not one of them! I loooove this book! Sorry you didn't...but I think you're missing out on a really good series.

this book is awesome icn
't believe you hate it

This is exactly what I would have to say about Twilight. But this series however, my dear, is NOT the way you describe it. The Mortal Instruments series is magical, beautiful, and entertaining. Shame you couldn't feel the same way.

its not pure and utter crap :(

If it helps, I get a lot of these comments to. I feel like we're still in her HP days. The negative comments on our reviews, attacking us, remind me of poodles if you catch my drift. Apparently it's wrong now to say that she just filed off her fanfic with different names. Who knew you could only writing glowing reviews? I think your comparison to fanfic is telling in your review of the quality of writing. There are good fanficcers but Claire wasn't one of them and the book read more like a first draft than a final.

Whhhat are you talking about??? It was amazing!!!!! Are you sure we read the same book?

I WAS on page 150-something and that's when I lost it. I just had to stop reading it. But I like the story and all so I guess I'll read it in the future. I love your honest review, by the way

maybe sheley you should come up with some unique criticism and not quote and use other lines that have been reworked in many texts... get a life reading a book wont kill you but hatred will