Okay, I’m not going to write up a big review for this because honestly? I was a little bored while reading this and I kept forcing myself to pick it up! I did think the illustrations were absolutely beautiful! And I loved the addition of the scribbles and doodles in the margins, so we can see what some of our beloved characters thought while reading this book that is supposed to be an actual book in the Shadowhunter world. But, sadly, it reads like a textbook. But I am happy I read it, because I do think it not only expanded my knowledge of the world, but a few parts were actually interesting. But I for sure think you do not *need* to read this by any means whatsoever.
This is for sure the most emotionally driven volume of Saga yet, which is really saying something considering everything that has happened over the course of all of these issues. I can’t help being invested with each and every character, but this volume just hurts. Especially not knowing when Volume 10 will be released because the creators are taking a break. But this addition to the story was a masterpiece, a painful masterpiece, but a masterpiece nonetheless.
I’ve always said that it is completely genius to have this story be told with Hazel as the narrator, and Volume 9 really showcases that. Just seeing this baby, this toddler, this little girl, be forced to grow up in a world where hatred is bred. While also always being forced to live on the run, while being forced to grow up faster than anyone in the galaxy, while realizing that no one you love is ever safe. My heart breaks for Hazel and heals for Hazel every single page. And I truly think she is one of the best protagonists, of any story, of all time.
As always, Saga is a dark story that has very adult, NSFW content! So, please use caution! Content and trigger warnings for slavery, fatphobic comments, death, murder, talk of past child abuse, and sexual content.
As always, I'm now going to break down each chapter (single issue) in this bind-up. I mostly do this so I can go back and refresh what has happened in which specific issue. There will be SPOILERS, so please do not continue if you have not read this graphic-novel or the ones leading up to this volume!
“It takes someone you love to break your heart.”
➽ CHAPTER 49 Ianthe has The Will and has forced him into slavery, while looking for Hazel. Petrichor and Prince Robot are officially a thing, and it’s the best. We get to see Upsher and Doff again, and they are still working on news stories, even off the grid with the gang. They are all on Jetsam, which what appears to be a planet with an abandoned amusement park. And Ghüs is the new babysitter.
➽ CHAPTER 50 Oh boy, sexy times! Ianthe makes “The Help” kill. Squire, Prince Robot’s son, doesn’t want a new body or to leave with Petri and Prince Robot, after they tell their story.
➽ CHAPTER 51 Marko is writing a secret book, that I’m sure is going to have a profound impact in the next volume. Doff is killed, but The Will is finally free, even if all he can see is rage and vengeance for The Stalk.
➽ CHAPTER 52 Squire runs away, but soon runs into Ianthe. Meanwhile, Prince Robot and The Will meet up.
➽ CHAPTER 53 Everyone is dying, The Will appears to have killed Prince Robot. Ianthe is hurt, but Alana is shot. Everything is falling apart.
➽ CHAPTER 54 Marko and the Will have a fight scene to top all other fight scenes. And at the end, it appears that Marko dies. Friends, I don’t even have words. Only tears.
“At least I get to grow old.”
I truly believe that Saga is truly a once in a lifetime series, and this last installment has really left me speechless. This is just such a profound staple in not only graphic novels, but in the entire reading community. There is a reason so many people love this series, and it really proves over and over that no one is safe, nothing is safe, but the story always gets better and better. Okay, I’m off to go cry some more.
“In the beginning, there was Landfall and there was Wreath.”
This ended up being such a heartwarming volume, after bawling my eyes out after Vol. 7. The start of this was for sure still a tearjerker, but Saga truly will make you feel every emotion possible. This series continues to prove that it is a tier above so many out there, and I truly hope it never ends.
I just feel like this Romeo and Juliet story is done so well, that I’m actual at a loss for words. I know we are eight volumes in, but I care so deeply for all of these characters and side characters that it just continues to astound me. They all deserve the literal galaxy and all the stars within it, but every volume the risks and stakes just continue to get increased. Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples have really just created something so amazing and inspiring that I am left in awe after almost every page.
I will say that this volume heavily talks about how people should choose what they want to do with their body, regardless of what anyone else chooses to believe for their bodies. This bind-up is really prochoice, which is also something that I’m very passionate about, and seeing it portrayed in a graphic novel is something I really wasn’t expecting, but I loved it with my whole heart. But content and trigger warnings for talk of miscarrying, talk of stillbirths, talk of abortion, violence, child abuse, depictions of trauma, depictions of PTSD, and graphic sexual content. Saga is always a bit of a darker graphic novel, so please use caution if any of these things could be triggering to you.
As always, I'm now going to break down each chapter (single issue) in this bind-up. I mostly do this so I can go back and refresh what has happened in which specific issue. There will be SPOILERS, so please do not continue if you have not read this graphic-novel or the ones leading up to this volume!
➽ CHAPTER 43 Marko, Alana, Hazel, Petri, and Prince Robot land on Pervious to remove the baby that Alana is still carrying after the terrible events of Vol. 7. Petri talks a bit more about being a transwoman, and we see Alana has developed some new powers!
➽ CHAPTER 44 Alana is also struggling with everything that happened to her in such a short time, and she is beginning to see the son she should have had. And we are introduced to some new bad guys.
➽ CHAPTER 45 Alana’s new powers are allowing her to project the son she wishes she had, and Hazel is becoming attached. But using this new ability is hurting Alana more and more, until Hazel has to learn a new power to save her. Meanwhile, those new bad guys are attempting to kill Petri, but Prince Robot saves her.
➽ CHAPTER 46 We learn that Prince Robot is genderfluid and we get to see a little bit of a romance brewing between them and Petri. Marko, Alana, and Hazel meet Endwife, who takes care of women who are too far along in their pregnancies for help elsewhere. And Endwife gives Marko a small glimpse of why being prochoice is so important.
➽ CHAPTER 47 Ianthe currently has The Will captured and has him hooked up to a machine that allows them both to view his memories. We see him and Sophie growing up with an abusive father, and how their uncle, The Letter, came and took them away. We get to see him and The Stalk starting their romance, too, but soon Ianthe becomes aware of who Hazel is and who her mother and father are.
➽ CHAPTER 48 We are finally reintroduced to my favorite character, Ghüs, and the rest of their friends that have been stranded while waiting for Marko and Alana. Squire, Prince Robot’s son, has gotten a lot bigger, and is getting more and more adventurous. But they are soon reunited when the crew comes back with much needed food for the gang. And we get to see Squire and Hazel start a beautiful friendship. Oh, and Hazel can finally fly!
“But the fact is that few people are able to see value in the words of someone they truly dislike. Have your own opinions spoken back to you by someone you despise and you will likely begin to find fault.”
This short story is set six months after the heartbreaking and harrowing events of Grey Sister! This would be a very difficult short story to review if I couldn’t talk about the events that happened in Red Sister and Grey Sister, so please make sure you are up to date with this series before reading this review!
But wow, what an early holiday treat. This was a short story filled with action, suspense, and girls kissing! And, dare I say, perhaps the start of a polyamorous relationship? But this is an amazing little story about a mini murder mystery that involves the poisoning of some very wealthy and powerful people, and the poison is being implemented in a way that is impressing even master assassins. And Ara is just the person for the job to go undercover at a party full of nobles, considering her social status, but she will have the help of Regol.
But first, she has to brush up on her kissing skills. And what better partner than Nona? If you’ve read my review for Grey Sister then you should know that I very much ship Nona and Ara together, and I was scared with Regol rejoining the picture, because I know he has feelings for Nona. Friends, I did not expect the polyamorous vibes that Mark Lawrence was serving me in this short story, but it is truly all I wanted for the holidays! Oh, my word, the blessings.
“And it’s not like I don’t know how much trouble one little kiss can lead to...”
But anyways, Ara and Regol are off to try and solve the mystery, while Nona is able to somewhat tag along because of a special bond she has with Ara. And friends, I have too many feelings right now. I’m soft, I’m weak, and I’m so in love with these characters. This is my favorite short story of 2018, easily.
Overall, I’m just so damn in love with this series. I loved getting this small glimpse of Nona and the gang, and I can’t wait for more! At this point, I would commit a minor felony to get an arc of Holy Sister! This really is such a once in a lifetime series, and I really recommend everyone picking it up. I mean, warrior, magical, assassin nuns, who many of are queer? I can’t think of anything I’d rather read.
I was feeling rather nostalgic this holiday season for some reason, and I thought what better way to pay homage to my
“Lucy looks into a wardrobe”
I was feeling rather nostalgic this holiday season for some reason, and I thought what better way to pay homage to my childhood than by rereading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe for the first time in a very long time! And, friends, I fell so in love. I actually think I’m going to make it a holiday tradition to read this book every single December for the rest of my life.
And it was so funny, because I was very apprehensive going in, because when I was little, I think the religious themes went over my head, but I didn’t know how overbearing they would be reading this story for the first time as an adult. But it honestly wasn’t too much. I mean, some of the characters in Narnia refer to the kids as “Son of Adam” and “Daughter of Eve” and like I get the parallels with Aslan and Jesus now! But I still think it was very thoughtfully done and didn’t pull me out of the story or anything like that.
But if you are unfamiliar with this beloved children’s tale, this is a story about four children who have been recently adopted by an old professor who lives in a massive house. And one rainy day, while the kids are bored, they decide to explore the house that is now their new home. And the youngest of the children find a portal to a magical land, ruled by the White Witch, who is causing an endless winter.
➽ Lucy - The Best Character. ➽ Edmund - What A Little Shit. ➽ Peter - Good Guy. ➽ Susan - Group Mom. ➽ Aslan - Simba Who? ➽ Tumnus - Second Fave, Even Though He Almost Kidnapped My First Fave.
But there was so much that I forgot about this story: Mr. Beaver poppin’ open a cold one at dinner, Tumnus almost kidnapping Lucy, Everything the professor says to the kids and how he helps them, Edmund being the such a little shit that even my patience was getting tested, Turkish Delights, Father Christmas, and him giving the kids weapons as gifts!
Overall, this was just the perfect winter wonderland to me. From closet, to lamppost, to dam, to forest, to castle, I never wanted to leave this adventure. I am not sure if it is a lot of nostalgia talking, but this was maybe the best thing I read all holiday season. It was exactly what I wanted, and I was truly enthralled from the first to last page. I never wanted to leave this endless Winter.
“But we bear so much that seems unthinkable. The only truly unbearable burden is living without love.”
Okay, I won’t lie, even though I have loved
“But we bear so much that seems unthinkable. The only truly unbearable burden is living without love.”
Okay, I won’t lie, even though I have loved watching Brother Zachariah go on this quest of finding the lost Herondale, I feel like it is my least favorite aspect of this anthology. And even though this short story gave us major insight on Rosemary and Jack, it wasn’t a big surprise after reading The Wicked Ones. But then, once the story catches up to the events at the end of Lady Midnight, and Tessa drops the REAL information of this story. You all, my jaw dropped. And my eyes? The tears won’t stop coming after that last paragraph. Wow, the blessings. The happiness. The everything. Queen of Air and Darkness can’t come soon enough.
“Your voice is the music I love best in all the world.”
First and foremost, it is very obvious that Lily Chen is not straight, but Cassie Clare con
“Your voice is the music I love best in all the world.”
First and foremost, it is very obvious that Lily Chen is not straight, but Cassie Clare confirmed on Tumblr that she is pan! The blessings. The actual blessings. Also, hello, my new favorite character. Lily is half Japanese and half Chinese, and was made a vampire under the saddest of circumstances. And her love for Raphael Santiago warms my black heart like nothing else in the entire Shadowhunter world. And even though I could go on forever about my love for her, this story is more about her and Alec going to the Buenos Aires Institute together because Jem and Tessa are in need of help, and someone requested Alec personally. This story is actually pretty dark, so content and trigger warnings for abandonment, captivity, sex trafficking, sex slavery, and war themes. Nothing is graphic, but it is very much talked about, so please use caution. But Alec soon finds out that the Buenos Aires Institute is being heavily influenced by Horace Dearborn, and they are allowing children whose parents were killed in the Dark War to be orphans living on the street, just because they are Downworlders. Alec then comes across a Shadowhunter child who they are also unwilling to help, and the other Downworlders are too scared to bring in, therefore he must take action. You all, this novella was heartbreaking and heartwarming. Seeing Magnus and Alec be such good fathers to Max, and then adopting their second child, Rafe, it is something I don’t even have words for. And they are allowing their children to be whatever they want to be, Warlock or Shadowhunter, and will never stop giving them unconditional love. Even just seeing glimpses of Jace and Izzy being an uncle and an aunt had me smiling so big! It is a joy to read, pure joy. But we learn so much during this longer addition to the anthology, too. All the information we got of/from Mother Hawthorn? Damn.
“They’d both given a piece of their hearts to a Herondale. And they both loved someone they could not have.”
Oh, boy. So, this story is set in 1989
“They’d both given a piece of their hearts to a Herondale. And they both loved someone they could not have.”
Oh, boy. So, this story is set in 1989 Paris, where we meet a young girl named Céline and get to see the uprising of Valentine. Céline has constantly run away from her abusive home, and the parents that torture her and call it love. And when she was eight years old, she ran away and felt safe and at home for the very first time – at the Paris Shadow Market. But in this story we see her almost ten years later, and she is desperately trying to feel welcome with Valentine and his elite crew. And she is also realizing she is completely and utterly in love with Stephen Herondale. But while this is going on, Brother Zachariah is in search of a lost necklace and a lost child. This story really dives deep into how manipulative people can gaslight to get what they want, and will always try to isolate people and convince them that what they are doing is in their best interest. It is always really interesting to see the rise and fall of Valentine Morgenstern, but this story just made me feel really sad for Amatis and for another child who has yet to be born.
“…those two twin souls, the only souls she had ever loved.”
Friends, I was not expecting a WWII story set in London that starred Tessa Gray and Cat
“…those two twin souls, the only souls she had ever loved.”
Friends, I was not expecting a WWII story set in London that starred Tessa Gray and Catarina Loss working as nurses. But oh my gosh, it was so beautifully and hauntingly unexpected. And there is still a Shadow Market that they bargain at, but even the paranormal war is impacted (both positively and negatively) by war. And Brother Zachariah just happens to be at the Shadow Market, where bombs are dropping from the sky, while he gets into his own altercation with a fae who thinks he is meddling in affairs that do not involve him. And I believe the point of this story was that we get to see that weapon poison that Julian and Emma deal with in Lady Midnight. I also cried for probably a third of this just because Brother Zachariah and Tessa both dealing with loss, while healing and living with love, just guts me every time. It’s so pure, and so hopefully, and just gives me all the feelings under the sun. The power of love is something so strong, and this story just left me in awe, honestly.
“I want you to give them both a span of time. Both of them in a time and place where they can be young and happy and together.”
Current mood: Forev
“I want you to give them both a span of time. Both of them in a time and place where they can be young and happy and together.”
Current mood: Forever weeping over the masterpiece that is the end of this short story. You all, Will and Jem will always be best friend goals, and honestly are the definition of platonic unconditional pure love. (I mean, I won’t go into my polyamorous wants because Cassie Clare didn’t bless us!) But friends, this story just has a lot in it that I really appreciated. And I loved this dark carnival Shadow Market. This story is set in 1936 Tennessee, during the end of the Great Depression, and not only do we follow Brother Zachariah, but also the soon-to-be Iron Sister, Emilia, who easily stole my heart. And Sister Emilia’s promise? Goosebumps. Perfection. Also, I think these stories are really going to make an impact for QoAaD.
“Foolish people say so many things. But we know who we are…”
Anna Lightwood deserves the entire galaxy and all the stars within it, please spread t
“Foolish people say so many things. But we know who we are…”
Anna Lightwood deserves the entire galaxy and all the stars within it, please spread the word. Like, the child of Cecily and Gabriel is a true blessing to the Shadowhunter universe. And the end of this made me happier than any other Shadowhunter short story I’ve ever read. In short, this story is love letter to nonbinary people, and we get to follow Anna embracing being a genderfluid lesbian. Even though everyone knows that queer people existed all throughout history, this story highlights how it was harder to come out back in the 1900s. But seeing Anna live their best life was everything and it warmed my heart so very much. And, again, Cassie Clare is just being more and more inclusive and she impresses me so very much. And there is f/f romance in this story, too! But the heart of this story is identity and being the person you are on the inside on the outside, too. Okay, I’m done gushing; this story we also get to see Anna and Matthew explore the London nightlife and meet a woman named Leopolda in a club and bring to ask a few questions. And soon, them and Brother Zachariah are trying to figure out what she's up to. And I think that we are soon going to get a lot more background story on Tessa, and I cannot wait for The Last Hours, friends. It is going to be so amazing, and now Anna is going to make me even more excited!
Okay, I’m still hyped for The Last Hours though, but I think it is mostly for James Herondale, even though Matthew Fa
“Old sins cast long shadows.”
Okay, I’m still hyped for The Last Hours though, but I think it is mostly for James Herondale, even though Matthew Fairchild is such a little sweetheart. I loved seeing him interact with Brother Zachariah, and loving him just because so many of his loved ones love him. I love that feeling, and I think that’s something in life that I experience a lot that books rarely depict. But in this short story takes place in London 1901, and we get to see Matthew dealing with something that’s really bothering him, while willing to do anything to find out the truth. Oh, and Alastair Carstairs is such a little jerk, but I know Cassie is going to give him a homelife (and a father, I think) that is going to make us feel a lot of empathy toward him. But why the hell is Sophie (my queen, still) and Gideon’s kid friends with him? Yet, I love seeing Henry’s disability rep, I love seeing Charlotte say fuck your misogyny to the Clave, and I just love seeing all these glimpses at old friendships that we already love, but also all the new glimpses at what is to come. And seeing Jem, Will, and Tessa living their lives after Clockwork Princess will never not equal parts break my heart and heal my soul. And yeah, I’m still crying over that staff. Lord, help me.
It is official, The New York City Shadow Market is the coolest one we’ve seen so far? Abandoned thea
“Every world contains other worlds within it.”
It is official, The New York City Shadow Market is the coolest one we’ve seen so far? Abandoned theater? Ahhh, the aesthetics. But this story takes place in 2000, and I will be honest with you all, I sure in the hell wasn’t expecting a story about how Jace came to join the Lightwood family. Damn, my emotions are all over the place, because seeing Raphael alone makes me weep. Also, I think it was really smart for Cassie Clare to show us a “good” side of Robert Lightwood, especially after finishing Lord of Shadows. Also, all that talk of parabatai bonds? Lord, help us all. But I think my sappy self cried hardest over two initials. Okay, I know this brief review is all over the place, but this was such an unexpected treat and I was smiling while reading this entire story. From Izzy watching Alec discover who he is, to me crying even more over Max, to Jace being Jace even at a young age, to Lily Chen actually making me laugh out loud, to me screaming at seeing Raphael confirming that he is ace, I love all of this. And even just seeing Raphael come to Brother Zachariah for help and to go on what ends up being such a meaningful adventure, that really impacts all their lives eventually, it was just amazing. I really loved this short story and I think it was such an amazing glimpse at the past, that really makes you appreciate the future so much more.
It is official, The New York City Shadow Market is the coolest one we’ve➽ Son of the Dawn - ★★★★
“Every world contains other worlds within it.”
It is official, The New York City Shadow Market is the coolest one we’ve seen so far? Abandoned theater? Ahhh, the aesthetics. But this story takes place in 2000, and I will be honest with you all, I sure in the hell wasn’t expecting a story about how Jace came to join the Lightwood family. Damn, my emotions are all over the place, because seeing Raphael alone makes me weep. Also, I think it was really smart for Cassie Clare to show us a “good” side of Robert Lightwood, especially after finishing Lord of Shadows. Also, all that talk of parabatai bonds? Lord, help us all. But I think my sappy self cried hardest over two initials. Okay, I know this brief review is all over the place, but this was such an unexpected treat and I was smiling while reading this entire story. From Izzy watching Alec discover who he is, to me crying even more over Max, to Jace being Jace even at a young age, to Lily Chen actually making me laugh out loud, to me screaming at seeing Raphael confirming that he is ace, I love all of this. And even just seeing Raphael come to Brother Zachariah for help and to go on what ends up being such a meaningful adventure, that really impacts all their lives eventually, it was just amazing. I really loved this short story and I think it was such an amazing glimpse at the past, that really makes you appreciate the future so much more.
Okay, I’m still hyped for The Last Hours though, but I think it is mostly for James Herondale, even though Matthew Fairchild is such a little sweetheart. I loved seeing him interact with Brother Zachariah, and loving him just because so many of his loved ones love him. I love that feeling, and I think that’s something in life that I experience a lot that books rarely depict. But in this short story takes place in London 1901, and we get to see Matthew dealing with something that’s really bothering him, while willing to do anything to find out the truth. Oh, and Alastair Carstairs is such a little jerk, but I know Cassie is going to give him a homelife (and a father, I think) that is going to make us feel a lot of empathy toward him. But why the hell is Sophie (my queen, still) and Gideon’s kid friends with him? Yet, I love seeing Henry’s disability rep, I love seeing Charlotte say fuck your misogyny to the Clave, and I just love seeing all these glimpses at old friendships that we already love, but also all the new glimpses at what is to come. And seeing Jem, Will, and Tessa living their lives after Clockwork Princess will never not equal parts break my heart and heal my soul. And yeah, I’m still crying over that staff. Lord, help me.
“Foolish people say so many things. But we know who we are…”
Anna Lightwood deserves the entire galaxy and all the stars within it, please spread the word. Like, the child of Cecily and Gabriel is a true blessing to the Shadowhunter universe. And the end of this made me happier than any other Shadowhunter short story I’ve ever read. In short, this story is love letter to nonbinary people, and we get to follow Anna embracing being a genderfluid lesbian. Even though everyone knows that queer people existed all throughout history, this story highlights how it was harder to come out back in the 1900s. But seeing Anna live their best life was everything and it warmed my heart so very much. And, again, Cassie Clare is just being more and more inclusive and she impresses me so very much. And there is f/f romance in this story, too! But the heart of this story is identity and being the person you are on the inside on the outside, too. Okay, I’m done gushing; this story we also get to see Anna and Matthew explore the London nightlife and meet a woman named Leopolda in a club and bring to ask a few questions. And soon, them and Brother Zachariah are trying to figure out what she's up to. And I think that we are soon going to get a lot more background story on Tessa, and I cannot wait for The Last Hours, friends. It is going to be so amazing, and now Anna is going to make me even more excited!
“I want you to give them both a span of time. Both of them in a time and place where they can be young and happy and together.”
Current mood: Forever weeping over the masterpiece that is the end of this short story. You all, Will and Jem will always be best friend goals, and honestly are the definition of platonic unconditional pure love. (I mean, I won’t go into my polyamorous wants because Cassie Clare didn’t bless us!) But friends, this story just has a lot in it that I really appreciated. And I loved this dark carnival Shadow Market. This story is set in 1936 Tennessee, during the end of the Great Depression, and not only do we follow Brother Zachariah, but also the soon-to-be Iron Sister, Emilia, who easily stole my heart. And Sister Emilia’s promise? Goosebumps. Perfection. Also, I think these stories are really going to make an impact for QoAaD.
“…those two twin souls, the only souls she had ever loved.”
Friends, I was not expecting a WWII story set in London that starred Tessa Gray and Catarina Loss working as nurses. But oh my gosh, it was so beautifully and hauntingly unexpected. And there is still a Shadow Market that they bargain at, but even the paranormal war is impacted (both positively and negatively) by war. And Brother Zachariah just happens to be at the Shadow Market, where bombs are dropping from the sky, while he gets into his own altercation with a fae who thinks he is meddling in affairs that do not involve him. And I believe the point of this story was that we get to see that weapon poison that Julian and Emma deal with in Lady Midnight. I also cried for probably a third of this just because Brother Zachariah and Tessa both dealing with loss, while healing and living with love, just guts me every time. It’s so pure, and so hopefully, and just gives me all the feelings under the sun. The power of love is something so strong, and this story just left me in awe, honestly.
“They’d both given a piece of their hearts to a Herondale. And they both loved someone they could not have.”
Oh, boy. So, this story is set in 1989 Paris, where we meet a young girl named Céline and get to see the uprising of Valentine. Céline has constantly run away from her abusive home, and the parents that torture her and call it love. And when she was eight years old, she ran away and felt safe and at home for the very first time – at the Paris Shadow Market. But in this story we see her almost ten years later, and she is desperately trying to feel welcome with Valentine and his elite crew. And she is also realizing she is completely and utterly in love with Stephen Herondale. But while this is going on, Brother Zachariah is in search of a lost necklace and a lost child. This story really dives deep into how manipulative people can gaslight to get what they want, and will always try to isolate people and convince them that what they are doing is in their best interest. It is always really interesting to see the rise and fall of Valentine Morgenstern, but this story just made me feel really sad for Amatis and for another child who has yet to be born.
“Your voice is the music I love best in all the world.”
First and foremost, it is very obvious that Lily Chen is not straight, but Cassie Clare confirmed on Tumblr that she is pan! The blessings. The actual blessings. Also, hello, my new favorite character. Lily is half Japanese and half Chinese, and was made a vampire under the saddest of circumstances. And her love for Raphael Santiago warms my black heart like nothing else in the entire Shadowhunter world. And even though I could go on forever about my love for her, this story is more about her and Alec going to the Buenos Aires Institute together because Jem and Tessa are in need of help, and someone requested Alec personally. This story is actually pretty dark, so content and trigger warnings for abandonment, captivity, sex trafficking, sex slavery, and war themes. Nothing is graphic, but it is very much talked about, so please use caution. But Alec soon finds out that the Buenos Aires Institute is being heavily influenced by Horace Dearborn, and they are allowing children whose parents were killed in the Dark War to be orphans living on the street, just because they are Downworlders. Alec then comes across a Shadowhunter child who they are also unwilling to help, and the other Downworlders are too scared to bring in, therefore he must take action. You all, this novella was heartbreaking and heartwarming. Seeing Magnus and Alec be such good fathers to Max, and then adopting their second child, Rafe, it is something I don’t even have words for. And they are allowing their children to be whatever they want to be, Warlock or Shadowhunter, and will never stop giving them unconditional love. Even just seeing glimpses of Jace and Izzy being an uncle and an aunt had me smiling so big! It is a joy to read, pure joy. But we learn so much during this longer addition to the anthology, too. All the information we got of/from Mother Hawthorn? Damn.
“But we bear so much that seems unthinkable. The only truly unbearable burden is living without love.”
Okay, I won’t lie, even though I have loved watching Brother Zachariah go on this quest of finding the lost Herondale, I feel like it is my least favorite aspect of this anthology. And even though this short story gave us major insight on Rosemary and Jack, it wasn’t a big surprise after reading The Wicked Ones. But then, once the story catches up to the events at the end of Lady Midnight, and Tessa drops the REAL information of this story. You all, my jaw dropped. And my eyes? The tears won’t stop coming after that last paragraph. Wow, the blessings. The happiness. The everything. Queen of Air and Darkness can’t come soon enough.
ARC provided by Bloomsbury in exchange for an honest review.
“I am always surprised to discover that when the world seems darkest, there exists the g
ARC provided by Bloomsbury in exchange for an honest review.
“I am always surprised to discover that when the world seems darkest, there exists the greatest opportunity for light.”
A Curse So Dark and Lonely is a reimagining of Beauty and the Beast with a much darker theme. In this version, the Prince is forced to repeat the quest to find love over and over each season, while causing more and more bloodshed each time. But after three-hundred seasons, this season will officially be the very last one.
➽ Harper - The Belle. Eighteen-years-old and from DC, before she is captured. But back home, she has a hard home life, living with her mother who has cancer and they can’t afford medical treatment, and a brother who is forced to pick up his father’s mantle to work for crime lords because he left his family in so much debt. Harper also has Cerebral Palsy, which I understand has very many different types on a spectrum, but she is high functioning. (Also, if you are an ownvoices reviewer, I would love to link your review and boost your voice on your feelings about the representation!) And besides Harper’s Cerebral Palsy representation, which is also at the heart of this book, her brother, Jake, is also queer and has the sweetest boyfriend, Noah, who is black.
➽ Rhen - The Beast. But the dark themes I brought up above is that each season when a girl doesn’t fall in love with him, he turns into a different beast and kills whatever is in his way. And then a new season begins, and the curse starts all over again.
➽ Grey - Rhen’s guard commander, and the only living person left at the castle with him. Not only is he a loyal friend to him, but he captures the girls and brings them back for him.
➽ Lilith - The enchantress who has cast this spell on Rhen and his kingdom. I’ll be honest, this character very much reminded me of Ianthe from A Court of Thorns and Roses.
➽ Freya - The shining star of the book, if I’m being honest. She has a child of her own but is also taking care of three of her sister’s children. I don’t know why I loved her so much, but she really was my favorite in the entire story. Give her a spin-off, please.
And these characters come together to set the stage and remake the story of Beauty and the Beast unlike any other. We get to see Harper decide if she wants to save a kingdom or her family and we get to see Rhen decide if he is worth saving. And even if this book was a little hard for me to get into at the start, I ended up really getting interested by the end.
There is a good discussion in this book about feeling responsible for things that you have no control over. Whether that be mistakes that your loved ones are making, deteriorating health of loved ones, or even just people doing bad things to you and the people you care about. Some things are really out of our control, and I liked the dissection of this in this book, because I think it is easy to feel responsible for things that sometimes really aren’t our faults.
“We are not always presented with the choices we want, but choices exist nonetheless.”
Overall, I didn’t love this or even enjoy it as much as I thought I would, but it did have a lot of things that I adore. Harper and Rhen do travel around his kingdom a lot, and I love me a good traveling story. Also, they frequent inns and taverns a lot, which is another thing that is so very much in my reading wheelhouse. But even though I completely understand that this is a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, I just couldn’t get over the abduction plotline and even begin to really root for the romance in this book. I will say though that I was really surprised this wasn’t a standalone, even though it totally can be read that way, but maybe I will love the next installment more!
The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
Content and trigger warnings for abduction, captivity, talk of cancer, loss of a loved one, murder, death, torture, abuse, a pedophile comment, attempted sexual assault, sexual assault (by Lilith), thoughts of suicide, and a lot of ableist speech (always in a negative light from the villain).
“Fiction is truth, even if it is not a fact. If you believe only in facts and forget stories, your brain will live, but your heart will die.”
First and foremost, I am so thankful for Julian Blackthorn and I would do anything in the world to ensure that boy’s life is filled with nothing but all the happiness in the entire galaxy. I won’t lie, I didn’t enjoy LoS as much as LM. I honestly just loved LM with my entire heart and soul and I think the hype for the LoS ending just left this book off on a sour note for me, but I’ll talk more about that in my spoiler section at the end of this review! But holy moly, friends, I did it, I read thirteen Cassie Clare books in the last six months and I can finally read Queen of Air and Darkness with you all!
So, LoS picks up two weeks after the events of LM, and everything feels like it is in chaos mode. We have fake relationships, we have people thinking they might die, there are mini wars brewing all over, things are honestly wild. But the scariest thing is the gang being unable to locate a particular dead body.
Throughout the book we get to see not only the Los Angeles Institute, but also the London institute, and be still my TID loving heart. And we get to see another Shadow Market that has been making me more interested in the activities that go on at these locations! But a lot of very dark things are going on in the Shadowhunter world. (I’m trying so hard to be spoiler-free, friends!)
This book really highlights how generations of hate, bigotry, and fascist thinking easily gets passed down. I feel like a constant issue in this entire overarching series has been many Shadowhunters feeling like they are superior to the Fae, the Vampires, the Werewolves, and the Warlocks. I mean, they even call them Downworlders. But LoS really shows the hatred, and there are a group of people that actually even want the other paranormal beings to register just for being what they are. And this book talks about how fear mongering and hate speech can quickly turn into something so very ugly, and something so very hard to stop. I for sure think Cassie Clare pulls a lot of inspiration from history, but also current day, and some of the things in this book are really hard to read, because I know that there are actual human beings in our world that feel this way about other human beings. So, please use caution. And content and trigger warnings for talk of cancer, loss of a loved one, bigoted comments, hate speak, death of a child, death in general, torture, PTSD depiction, graphic blood depiction, sacrificial ritual, slavery, trafficking, captivity, battle scenes, and war themes.
I do want to take a minute to talk about how Cassie Clare and this world really are getting more and more inclusionary and this book honestly impressed me. Not only did we get the actual word “autistic” on page for Ty, we also got a trans character who now owns my entire heart. I feel like Cassie does a good job giving us with characters from all different races, even though there is always room to be more inclusive. And I think she’s getting a better at body rep and disability rep, too. But, Alec is still gay, Magnus is still bi, and they are prospering like the bright shining light that they are. Mark is still bi, I’m praying to every God and angel that Kieran will be pan (but he could be bi, too), and I even feel like we are going to get another queer relationship brewing on our hands. And I truly believe that Cassie Clare is going to give us the polyamorous relationship of my dreams, too. The blessings, friends, the blessings.
I will say that I’m side eyeing a bit because we are going to get two main m/m relationships and (so far) have only seen a m/m relationship, that better turn into a f/m/m relationship. So, that’s three m/m relationships, when the f/f relationships we get is literally exiled and just mentioned in the background every once in a while. Feels bad, man, feels really bad. Give me a sapphic main relationships that isn’t hidden in the background, you cowards. I don’t ask for much, okay? And you all know I’m always here for queer rep, and I honestly do love all the men in these m/m relationships, but when a cis woman is writing them, and not giving us f/f in the spotlight too, it feels a little like fetishizing.
Overall, it is really hard to talk about non-spoiler things in this section! But I really did love this book, even if I didn’t love it as much as LM. I just truly think that Cassie Clare is getting more and more talented as an author, and I expect she is going to give us the entire world with QoAaD. Like, I am so hyped that I predict it will make my top five of 2018. And again, I just want to thank every person, Shadowhunter fan or not, who has had to listen to me scream and gush over these books for the last six months. It was such an experience, but one that I’m truly so thankful that I was able to have. And it was such a bright shining light in my 2018.
Please use caution reading the rest of this review if you have not read this book and all the series leading up to this book! And as always, I’m going to do a little mini character breakdown on my thoughts and feelings on all the main characters in this book. Spoilers ahead!
➽ Emma Carstairs - My hero, my savior, my everything, my Mortal Sword slaying queen. Damn. And the fact that she decided to be honest with Julian this book, proving again how she is one of the best character in all of literature? The blessings. I would die for this girl.
➽ Julian Blackthorn - No words, only tears. And the one-liners that Cassandra Clare gave him? Breathtaking, so damn breathtaking. Also, Julian proves over and over how much I love soft main characters, and that you can be soft and still be brave and strong. Ahhh, I honestly can’t even coherently talk about this boy.
“Because if you threw me away and everything we had, it had better be for something that meant more to you”
➽ Jessamine Lovelace - I am still screaming. Ahhh! What damn character development this girl has gone through. I was showing heart-eyes at every mention, but when Kit was finally able to see and interact with her? Pure joy. Love, love, love.
➽ Kit Rook / Christopher Herondale - Okay, he’s growing on me. I feel like that’s the real Herondale curse, it takes a couple of books for me to fall in love with them. But when he snapped on Zara about Magnus with Alec? That added five years to my life, I swear.
➽ Tiberius Blackthorn - Oh my poor, sweet boy. He is going to blame himself so hard because of the letter he wrote to Annabel and it is going to gut me.
➽ Livvy Blackthorn - No words that I’m going to string together are going to be good enough, but it breaks my heart that this poor child has only known a life of war, loss, and destruction. Has never really been around other kids, had other friendships, has never known love but the love of her family, and now she never will. Honestly, it breaks my heart.
➽ Dru Blackthorn - I just love Dru so much and I think she is such an important character, because she’s really the first character to not only be plus-sized, but to talk about body image and relationships with food, especially how she feels people perceive her with food. I can’t wait to see more of Dru, and I’d only love a spin-off from her point of view. Also, that teleport? That fae boy? I’m thinking the worst, and the best, about whose love child that is.
➽ Octavian Blackthorn - I feel like we didn’t get to see Tavvy as much in this book, but my heart still always bleeds for this boy who has really only known a life of war.
➽ Magnus Bane - Um, this man better be okay and quick, because his death would be the one that would undo me.
➽ Alec Lightwood - When Alec put Zara in her place, and told her how lucky he would be to have Magnus love him forever, I was crying. So perfect, and it meant so much coming from everything that happened in TMI. But my heart is also mending and rebreaking, because he is building this amazing family with Magnus and living the life he wants, but he just keeps losing people. Him yelling for his dad. More tears, friends, all the tears.
➽ Zara Dearborn - This bitch and her entire hateful family and friends, like, no words. Trying to register Downworlders? Disgusting. I hate her more than any other Shadowhunter villain, I swear to God.
➽ Diego Rosales - I don’t even care about the heirloom. But if he hurts Kiren…. Boy, bye!
➽ Jaime Rosales - This storyline was so sus. Boy, what?
“I had never realized before how much you can take from someone by not allowing them the words they need to describe themselves.”
➽ Diana Wrayburn - God is a woman, and her name is Diana Wrayburn. I completely acknowledge that Cassie Clare is a cis woman, but Diana coming out to Gwyn as trans was one of the most beautiful things I’ve read all year. I was crying the happiest and the saddest tears at the same time, but it really made Diana one of my favorite characters in the entire Shadowhunter universe. And that quote above? That’s the best sentence that Cassie Clare has ever written. Ever.
➽ Gwyn - And when Daddy Gwyn got down on his kness and told Diana that she was the strongest woman to ever walk on this Earth? Lord, I’m still swooning and will be forever. Perfection. And talk about a fucking OTP. The blessings.
➽ Catarina Loss - Talk about the most underrated character in this entire series. Like, what a damn gem to the Shadowhunters. From saving babies, to making people not feel alone, to being a good friend, this woman is a gift from the actual angels. And I’m so scared because I know she is at Scholomance, but I am ready to protect her with my entire life.
➽ Arthur Blackthorn - Okay, I feel so horrible for saying this, but I was so happy that he sacrificed himself so none of the Blackthorns would be killed… at that moment. Shit, now I’m crying again.
➽ Jon Cartwright - Legit cannot believe I read all of Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy for this dude to just get decapitated and it never talked about again.
➽ Malcolm Fade - I cannot believe this dude just got shanked after the resurrection. I honestly spit water. I still cannot believe it. But no body = no death is proven again. But I wasn’t expecting the demon murloc version.
➽ Annabel - Give me all those morally grey villains. Like, I know I shouldn’t like her, but I’m honestly living for her. I know I also shouldn’t lust for revenge, but good lord do I want to see this girl get some peace, rest, and happiness.
➽ The Unseelie King - I honestly like him as a villain a lot, too. I mean, he is obviously more chaotic evil than Annabel, but I can’t wait for the full story to come out with him and Malcom and the Black Volume of the Dead. Actually, I just can’t wait to learn more about the Black Volume of the Dead anyway.
➽ The Seelie Queen - You know this bitch isn’t up to anything good. And if the weapon that Sebastian Morgenstern “left behind” is a baby with the Seelie Queen, I’m going to scream forever.
➽ Clary Fairchild - Are we just going to act like she didn’t tell Emma that she thinks she is going to die? Like, my heart. I can fucking not deal with this information still. And honestly? I don’t want to see Jace in a world where Clary dies, because it is not going to be pretty.
➽ Robert Lightwood - Okay, but what are Emma and Julian going to do now? *prays forever*
Like, for real, what in the world are Emma and Julian going to do now, since Robert was their only hope really. I mean, are all parabatai bonds going to be broken now? I kind of think they are going to, and that’s really going to change the game, and put a lot of warriors are disadvantages. Again, the Clave is so wild for letting kids make life altering choices at twelve, because look at this mess.
Okay, I know I touched upon it a bit above in the breakdowns, but let’s talk about the ending of this book. I’ll be honest, I didn’t love it. With the reactions that the end of this book gets, I really thought it was going to be either Clary, Julian, or Emma dying. Or even Julian and Emma spiraling into darkness because of the parabatai curse. But, no, Cassie Clare does what every single YA author does to evoke emotion from their readers, while still protecting the core cast that everyone loves. Like, they will never kill the main characters, just characters close to them, so we can be sad for them. Am I sad that Robert died? No. Am I sad that Alec has already lost so many and so much and now has to lose his father too? Yeah, extremely. Am I sad that Livvy died? Eh. Am I said that Ty is going to feel responsible and going to hate himself for it? And that Julian feels like he failed while refusing to let go of the corpse of his baby sister? Yeah, fuck yeah. So, I just have mixed feelings on the ending if I’m being really honest. And everyone else is all like, “YES QUEEN! SO BRAVE!” but I’m over here just side-eyeing and really not impressed. And I don’t even want to talk about the possibility of Livvy dying so that “kitty” can prosper. Friends, I’m tired. But when that clock chimed after her death, (in my eyes) to signify her going to Heaven? Okay, maybe I’m weeping.
Plus, these grown adults that are running the Clave and this meeting and just going to let fascist teens be outspoken with their hate speech? Like, Jia Penhallow should have been shutting that shit down and throwing people out, not warning them. And I’m not entirely sure if Zara isn’t able to hold the Mortal Sword, because I’m not sure if people that attended Scholomance and became Centurions are considered Shadowhunters, but if so I can’t believe that people were taking her obvious lies as facts and not making her hold the sword. But instead they make an obviously emotional, resurrected girl, who is showing signs of PTSD, to forcefully hold a weapon of immense power. No words, friends. But the ending of this book was a shitshow and I honestly wasn’t impressed.
And where the hell are Clary and Jace (besides taking a nap in a field Bella and Edward style, apparently) or Simon and Izzy? Why aren’t they are this Clave meeting? I am scared, friends. What are these kids up to? I need answers.
But let’s also talk about how Cortana has just been absorbing the power of all these things that it is cutting through. And now that bitch just cut through the Mortal Sword. That shock that Emma felt run up her arm? I’m more scared, friends. I can’t deal with this information. I really need answers.
“The wound is the place where the Light enters you.”
So, what’s up with Magnus and the warlocks getting sick? Hold me, I’m scared. I know we are probably going to find out in Ghosts of the Shadow Market, but still, my heart is hurting already.
Okay, let’s talk about happier things. You know, things that had me screaming and living my best life. Malcom’s abandoned cottage. You all, I was whispering “risk it all” to my book as a mantra. I really believe that Julian and Emma have made it into my top five OTPs of all time, and I have no idea how this happened. But from Julian writing “I-A-M-R-U-I-N-E-D” to him giving Emma permission to break his heart, I was hollering like a banshee. I feel like I died and was resurrected myself in that cabin and I am already craving to reread those scenes. I’m a mess, friends. And if they don’t get a happy ending, I will riot. Also, pan culture is loving both Emma and Julian. Facts only here.
“Break my heart. Break it in pieces. I give you permission.”
Also, I was loving every second that Mark, Cristina, Emma, and Jules spent in Faerie; both Unseelie and Seelie courts. Seeing glimpses of Faerie in TMI was always a highlight for me, but being fully emerged and on an adventure with these four? So much happiness. From Emma getting picked champion, to them each being told a secret, to magical bonds, to hidden visions, I loved it all. And I hope we get to see a lot more of Faerie in QoAaD! And like, did the Unseelie King teleport Annabel to Faerie at the end because of the half crown symbol? I highkey hope so.
Lastly, we finally got to see my favorites, Aline and Helen, and they better be such a big part of QoAaD now that they are finally back. I read thirteen huge books by Cassie Clare in the last six months, I deserve not only a sapphic relationship in the forefront, but seeing an Asian girl get the Fae girl of her dreams. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.
Okay, friends, I’m off to read the first eight stories in Ghosts of the Shadow Market, while waiting for Queen of Air and Darkness, because I am so in love with this series that I need everything. I don’t know how you all waited over a year after this book, but you all are the bravest souls on this Earth.
“Crowning Isolde Kavanagh as the rightful queen was not the end of our rising. It was merely the beginning.”
The Queen’s Resistance is book two in Rebecca Ross’s debut series, which I think is so underhyped and so underappreciated! Seriously, friends, stop sleeping on this series. Because this is exactly the kind of YA fantasy that I’m always on the hunt for; amazing friendships, swoon-worthy romances, medieval setting, unique magic systems, and women coming into their power and embracing what has been taken from them by men who fear that power.
The Queen's Rising focused on our main character, Brienna, at a school that helps young girls hone sought after specializations. And after graduating in one of these sought-after trades (art, music, dramatics, wit, and knowledge) you will work under a patron doing a vast array of different things with your skill set. But Brienna was sent to this boarding school so that she could go into hiding, because the blood that runs through her veins has made her quite the threat to the throne, and the world.
I honestly feel like I can’t say too much about The Queen’s Resistance, because it picks up very soon after the end events of The Queen's Rising, and a lot of things went down. But I will say that Brienna is still very sought-after, but now she has a very strong found family that helps protect her, regardless of what her last name is. And even though the revolution is over, the rebuilding has just begun, and Brienna, and her family want to build something worthy of a legacy.
“If you were a storm, I would lie down and rest in your rain. If you were a river, I would drink from your currents. If you were a poem, I would never cease to read you.”
Cartier also gets his own point of view in this book, and his journey is also not an easy one because of his bloodline. But regardless of the bad things that have happened in his past, he always shows empathy and consideration in every situation. Seeing him and Brienna grow, and grow together, is so beautiful, and their strength and compassion really knows no bounds.
Found family is for sure the shining light of this beautiful tale, but this is also a book about becoming the person you want to be, regardless of the evil acts people have committed with the same last name as you. And this is a story about rising up, and being what you dream of being, not who people expect you to be on account of a last name that you never asked to have.
“Is it only blood that makes a House? Or is it beliefs? What holds people together more? The red in their veins or the fire in their hearts?”
Overall, I can’t wait to see what comes next in this world. I just fell so in love with these characters, and I want to protect them at all costs. Rebecca Ross’s writing is so lyrical and beautiful, and I really have become so attached to this entire world she has created. Again, this series is so underhyped, and this author has really blown me and my expectations away with this debut series.
The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.
Content and trigger warnings for graphic torture, murder, death, loss of a loved one, abuse, child abuse, domestic violence, talk of past rape, sex trafficking, captivity, and slavery.
Loading...
