City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (September Group Read)

[Char]

Rea wrote: "I am also avoiding it! And if Char's not enjoying it, it likely means that I won't enjoy it."

You'll not be impressed. It's really predictable. Nothing's explained well either and the character development... (Oh jeesh, now I'm ranting about it.)

[Rea, Ghost]

Rant! Rant!! Get it out of your system!

I already know I won't be impressed. I've known it ever since I first heard of it.

[Char]

I refuse to rant until I've finished it. I shall let it dester and then I'll have to attempt to review it. xD

Is it the SMeyer quote on the front? It was the SMeyer quote for me. I mean, I'm like the only person that doesn't like the Hunger Games and she endorsed that!

[Rea, Ghost]

Lol, you're a better person than me then! I was ranting about Blue Bloods within pages.

No, I was told about the plot and I knew I wouldn't like it. Also, I'm being really judgemental here, but she looked so smug on her author photo that I felt it screamed "my book is just THAT good!", so obviously it wouldn't be.

[Char]

Lol, I'm just gonna have a massive rant in here at the end of the book.

Plot? There's a plot? What is it? I haven't seen this plot? Lol, I can understand that. I hate smug looking people. They scream punch me IMHO.

[Rea, Ghost]

At least you won't be taking over the currently reading thread! XD

Ok, I was told about the facsimilie of a plot, then! I'm glad I'm not the only one! I should have looked at the pic of SMeyer before I picked up Twilight. Learn from your mistakes, ey?

[Char]

Haha! Indeed I won't. I'll just spam this one. XD

Lol! Yes so should I. I really want to punish that woman. She's made my world a misery!

[Rea, Ghost]

Yey!! And it sounds like you'll even have people to come and agree with you!

Grumble... I suppose I should get round to this.

[Char]

Lol! Yay! The last thing I want is to say why I didn't like it and have everyone talk about how much they love it. :(

[Tara-Jayne (♥ I Read, I Love ♥) , The Great & Mighty Mod! :P]

I like seeing everyone's opinions .. Knowing some people didnt like what i loved.. so on :D

[Rea, Ghost]

I've read the first chapter. I'm not impressed.

[Char]

I've finished the book. I'm not impressed.

[Jeshu]

I'm still avoiding it, I might be not impressed (?)

[[deleted user]]

Call me crazy but I'm getting the sneaky suspicion you guys aren't impressed.

[Char]

Oooh... what gave you that idea? Did you read my review? :P

[[deleted user]]

I'm physic don't you know. I haven't yet: *heads off to do so now*

[Char]

Everyone seems to be psychic around me. I wonder why... lol enjoy! It's a bit ranty though. :P

[[deleted user]]

Ye-ouch! And I thought I ragged on it. Lol. I'm obviously an amateur when it comes to harsh reviews. I'm getting another physic message - Ms Clare is not going to become one of your favourite authors and you're not going to read the rest of the series....am I right?

[Char]

Lol! It annoyed me and I felt that it deserved everything it got. Haha! Obviously, maybe you should study at the school of harshness. Rea and I have both been there! :P

Oooh half right. Ms Clare hasn't got a hope of becoming my next favourite author. I am going to finish the trilogy though. After that though, she is banned from being spoken about in my presence. :P

[[deleted user]]

Char wrote: "Lol! It annoyed me and I felt that it deserved everything it got. Haha! Obviously, maybe you should study at the school of harshness. Rea and I have both been there! :P

Oooh half right. Ms Clare..."

Take that irritating book - ka-pow!

Guess I won't give up the day job just yet. Shame, I had my eye on a really pretty crystal ball...

I'm really surprised you're going to read the rest when you hated it that much. The last time I did a review like that on the first book in a series I really couldn't bring myself to read the rest *cough* Fallen *cough*. Just a warning, if the continuity errors bugged you in the first one, they're going to drive you nuts in the following ones and Clary only seems to get worse...

[Char]

Lol, sorry. I have this irritating desire to finish what I've started.

As I said, I have to finish a series once I've started it. It's a curse however I am sensing ranting opportunities and I love those. Lol Fallen is awful. Gah! Didn't she learn??? Oh no! I already detest her! How can she get worse??? (She can't be worse than Rose in VA though... That's gotta be impossible.)

[[deleted user]]

I found Luce the most irritating heroine ever. I'm not even going to go into all the ways she bugged me but (view spoiler)[ when that teacher was about to stab her at the end and called her "the human equivalent of a migraine" I was in total agreement! (hide spoiler)]

I've not read Vampire Academy - is it something I should steer clear of?

[Char]

Lol! You still remember what she said! I found the book to be forgettable. So I forgot everything lol.

Well, Rea and I didn't like and I don't think Jeshu did either. We liked Dimitri and that was it. So it's not recommended by the group lol.

[[deleted user]]

I've got one of those memories where everything I read gets filed away, even when it's awful, but I think that particular quote stuck in my head because I found it so ironic that I agreed wholeheartedly and I'm figuring the author didn't really intend for that to be the case.

I see - it doesn't get the Basically Books seal of approval. If I read it, I do so at my own peril, lol. Luckily, I can't say it's one that has ever particularly captured my interest anyway.

[Char]

Hahaha! I don't think anyone likes Luce TBH. She is one of the worst MCs I've come across. She irritates me so much. I don't think she did. Although I will say if the author based Luce on herself I never want to meet her.

It doesn't. It was our group read a few months ago. You do indeed, however if you and you don't like it we'll be happy to listen to you go on about it! xD I thought it sounded like a better version of House of Night. Granted it was better than House of Night but not by much.

[Jeshu]

Char wrote: "Lol! You still remember what she said! I found the book to be forgettable. So I forgot everything lol.

Well, Rea and I didn't like and I don't think Jeshu did either. We liked Dimitri and that ..."

We Liked Dimitri AND Christian Ozera. We made a fan club of him, remember? XD
And Rose Hathaway is the worst person ever. Strong female character my socks... she is terrible!

[Char]

Jeshu wrote: "Char wrote: "Lol! You still remember what she said! I found the book to be forgettable. So I forgot everything lol.

Well, Rea and I didn't like and I don't think Jeshu did either. We liked Dimitr..."

Oh God yeah! I forgot about Christian! I heart me some Christian Ozera! xD

[Tara-Jayne (♥ I Read, I Love ♥) , The Great & Mighty Mod! :P]

Wow.. char. i read your review .. WOW

[Char]

Tara-Jayne (I read.I Iove) wrote: "Wow.. char. i read your review .. WOW"

I know. It's a good review. I'm really proud of it. It's one of the best I've done.

[Tara-Jayne (♥ I Read, I Love ♥) , The Great & Mighty Mod! :P]

Hahaha... I kind of like seeing negative reviews and good reviews :D Haha.. 1 star though?

[[deleted user]]

Char wrote: "Hahaha! I don't think anyone likes Luce TBH. She is one of the worst MCs I've come across. She irritates me so much. I don't think she did. Although I will say if the author based Luce on herself I..."

That is so true. Whenever I read a good book it makes me think how interesting it would be to have a conversation with the writer - so the reverse should apply if I hate the book - particularly these self-insert authors.

I normally don't take the whole 'setting an example' to teenagers too stringently but I found it really disturbing that in Fallen (view spoiler)[ the boy who is nice to her at the beginning, takes her on picnics, pays attention to her etc turns out to be the 'bad' one and the boy who treats her like a piece of dirt, is supposed to her epic love? It's so awful, it's like saying to girls "don't worry if he flips you off and acts like a total jerk, he probably doesn't mean it and as long as he's attractive who cares?" Urgh!! (hide spoiler)]

Okay - House of Night going on the 'to be avoided' list too.

[Char]

Tara-Jayne (I read.I Iove) wrote: "Hahaha... I kind of like seeing negative reviews and good reviews :D Haha.. 1 star though?"

Yes 1 star. I'm mourning those trees. I don't want trees to die for that mistake riddled trash.

[Tara-Jayne (♥ I Read, I Love ♥) , The Great & Mighty Mod! :P]

Wow.. I liked the book.. the last book i read i rated 3.. though if you read it you would of gave it 1 or 2 :P

[Char]

Emma wrote: "Char wrote: "Hahaha! I don't think anyone likes Luce TBH. She is one of the worst MCs I've come across. She irritates me so much. I don't think she did. Although I will say if the author based Luce..."

I know. There are authors I'd just love to sit in a room with. At the top of the list: J.K. Rowling. I know. If I got stuck in a lift with SMeyer, P.C. Cast, Melissa de la Cruz and Cassandra Clare bad things would happen.

I know. I'm forever complaining about that being portrayed in YA lit. It's a pet hate that I go on about a lot. If I can fit it in a review I will do. Seriously, I'm surprised I don't get complaints.

Yes add it. You'll have a massive list by the time I'm finished. xD

[Char]

Tara-Jayne (I read.I Iove) wrote: "Wow.. I liked the book.. the last book i read i rated 3.. though if you read it you would of gave it 1 or 2 :P"

It sucked.

You weren't told the simplest of things.
Clary and Jace have no chemistry whatsoever.
The plot is so see through I'm surprised it's even there.
The pacing is ridiculous, I kept nearly falling asleep waiting for something to happen.
All the characters have exactly the same personality.
There are major continuity issues.

I could go on, but I think I'll stop.

[[deleted user]]

Char wrote: "Emma wrote: "Char wrote: "Hahaha! I don't think anyone likes Luce TBH. She is one of the worst MCs I've come across. She irritates me so much. I don't think she did. Although I will say if the auth..."

Ooh, that would be a nightmare.

My pet peeve is the love triangle - it's getting sooo over-used, I'm actually boring myself by complaining about it in every review!

The anti-TBR. Problem is, the more I hear about things, even negatively, the more curious I get. See now you've mentioned Dimitri and a fan club for Christian I'm wondering what they're like and if I'd be a fan too...

[Char]

I know it would be. For them most likely. :P

I know what you mean. I hate it too. I want a girl to settle down with one guy and just leave it at that. I mean there's one main character that I want to end up on her own because she's awesome and she can stand on her own 2 feet.

I know what you mean. I'm exactly the same. For me it's a case of curiosity killed Char. :P Lol, they're pretty awesome guys. xD I adore them.

[Tara-Jayne (♥ I Read, I Love ♥) , The Great & Mighty Mod! :P]

Char wrote: "Tara-Jayne (I read.I Iove) wrote: "Wow.. I liked the book.. the last book i read i rated 3.. though if you read it you would of gave it 1 or 2 :P"

It sucked.

You weren't told the simplest of..."

Wow.. i didnt see any of that..

Check out .. i gave it 3 stars.. i was so close to giving it 2... All im gonna say.. is. its worse than This book.. :P

[Char]

Why are you recommending a book you didn't like. City of Bones is horrific. The last thing I'm going to do is read a book that's worse. I've been tortured enough by this.

[Tara-Jayne (♥ I Read, I Love ♥) , The Great & Mighty Mod! :P]

I wanna know.. if you think its worse or better :P

Though.. yeah i get what u mean.. lol

[[deleted user]]

Definitely, if they're anything like their MC's they'd all be so submissive and pathetic you'd make mincemeat of them.

I think the thing about the love triangles that bugs me so much is the contradiction. The writer's always trying to make out the love story is so serious and powerful and epic and yet the characters are completely fickle at the same time? A little consistency people, please!

See, now it's getting even more intriguing...

[Rea, Ghost]

Dimtiri was really cool but he didn't make up for the rest of the useless tripe in the series. She's one of those annoying authors who doesn't finish a series in her series so you have to read the spinoff to get all your answers. That annoys me so damn much.

I'm not feeling any better about City of Bones!!

[Char]

After reading the synopsis that book doesn't interest me and the only way I'd read it is if it ended up as a group read.

[Rea, Ghost]

Is it another expensive one as well? After Obsession that is.

[Char]

Lol. I know. They'd walk out of that lift broken women. :P

I know! I mean what is the point of the epic love story that spans centuries if one or both of them are also in love with someone else? It's a massive contradiction.

Lol... I'll say no more.

[Char]

Rea wrote: "Dimtiri was really cool but he didn't make up for the rest of the useless tripe in the series. She's one of those annoying authors who doesn't finish a series in her series so you have to read the ..."

I'm not the person to encourage you to read on. :P

[Tara-Jayne (♥ I Read, I Love ♥) , The Great & Mighty Mod! :P]

I dont know.. my sister bought it.. but couldnt read it.. so picked it up . read it.. and then went .. OH.. what the hell..

[Rea, Ghost]

If you send it to me, I'll read it :p Else I'll keep my money!!

[[deleted user]]

Char wrote: "Lol... I'll say no more."

Rea's "useless tripe" comment has put me off again, lol!

[Char]

Rea wrote: "If you send it to me, I'll read it :p Else I'll keep my money!!"

Ditto. I'm not meant to be buying books