{ The Crown } Book Review

so i actually finished this book like a month ago...oops

what can i say, i haven't felt like writing a post about it because I'm not sure where to even begin! 

the first four books i read almost a year ago, and i have been waiting for this last installment for what feels like forever. once i heard it was finally released, i ran to the nearest Barnes and Noble and bought the first one i saw. it was finished the next day! (which makes complete sense because with the first books i literally finished the first two within days of each other. during of which i may or may not have called B&N ten minuted before they closed to tell them i was on my way and they couldn't close until i got my book!)

but anyways these books are awesome and in a way fulfilled my princess dreams! and don't tell me that not every girl dreams of someday finding a prince and becoming a princess, because i know i still do. 

(sorry for the poor quality, couldn't seem to get the camera to focus)

The Crown, is the last chapter in a series of books about the daughter of a girl who was thrown into a "Bachelor" like experience, except the bachelor is the king of a made up country and who is looking to find his queen. the first three books are about the mother when she was going through this experience and the last two are about the daughter and the struggles she faces ascending the crown. 

so basically, if you love princesses, princes, love triangles, and twists in the plot you should read it! Here is a link if you want to read the actual summary for the first book!

happy reading!

ally

Book Review and Update

so i actually finished this book like a month ago, i just haven't gotten around to writing a review for it. two weeks of a crazy work schedule and then this past week i drove home to AZ again to babysit and then go to cali the next week with my family, I'm currently still in California! 

(in the next couple of days ill hopefully be able to catch up  with all of the projects i've wanted to write.)

the past couple of weeks have been crazy, but i have a feeling they are about to get way crazier when i get home, i have a job interview next week and and there is just a ton of things going on that I'm going to need to adjust to and try to figure out. 
you would think that since its summer time i would have less to worry about but i feel as if it is the complete opposite! summer consists of more work, trying to be social, all while trying to save for college. (which i am terrible at by the way)

anyway back to the book, which was one from my reading list that i literally finished like four weeks ago!
The Glittering Court
i should have written this right away because now i can't remember everything i wanted to say about the book... YAY, go me right?

The Glittering Court, is a great combination of two of my favorite genres: Elizabethan and Old Western. it kind of reminded me of one of my favorite tv shows, Reign. it's also the first of three books that will follow along three different girls and their journeys through this experience of the glittering court. which i am very excited to read!
but since i lack the effort write an actual summary, i will just give you the one written for the book:

For a select group of girls, the Glittering Court offers a shot at a life they’ve only ever dreamed of, one of luxury, glamour, and leisure. To high-born Adelaide, whose wealthy family is forcing her into a loveless marriage, the Glittering Court represents something else: the chance to chart her own destiny, and adventure in an unspoiled, prosperous new land across the sea.

After a chance meeting with the dazzling Cedric Thorn, Adelaide poses as a servant to join the crop of impoverished girls he promises to transform into proper ladies. But her familiarity with upper class life comes with a price: she must hide her identity from her new friends, mysterious refugee Mira and fiery former laundress Tamsin, and most importantly, from Cedric himself—even though she’s falling in love with him. 

Everything begins to crumble when Cedric discovers Adelaide’s ruse, and she catches the eye of a powerful young governor, who wants her for a wife. She didn’t leave the gilded cage of her old life behind just to become someone else's property. But nothing is as daunting—or as wonderful—as the potent, forbidden attraction simmering between Adelaide and Cedric. One that, if acted on, would make them both outcasts in a wild, dangerous, uncharted world, and possibly lead them to their deaths.

if this looks like something you may be interested in, i highly encourage you to read it! i mean i basically read it in the span of a couple days, and i only do that for the books i really like!

{ Me Before You } Book Review

do you ever just go to costco just so you can look at everything they have, well i do... all of the time... i especially like walking down the book isle to see which ones they have on display.
well a couple of weeks ago when i was there i decided to do this and landed upon the book Me Before You, by Jojo Moyes, which i recognized because the movie is coming out soon. i instantly picked it up and realized i needed to read this and i needed it now! so of course i bought it (for 9 bucks, thats a steal!) and didn't start it until finals were over because i knew once i started reading i wouldn't be able to stop and therefore would spend zero time studying (which i desperately needed to do).

and let me tell you, its worth all of the hype. this book has a few unexpected twists at the end that left me heartbroken and wanting more but i nonetheless loved it. thats probably why it only took me like two days to finish it...

it is about a girl, Louisa Clark, who goes to work for a guy who was left quadriplegic after a road accident, Will Traynor. she was hired by Will's parents in the hope that she would be able to brighten Wills life, which was slowly becoming more and more bleak. i instantly fell in love with Louisa because of how quirky she was, (which i loved because i am probably the same way) a little funny, a little cute, down to earth, and completely weird! she would be there with him all day, feeding him and just talking to him. after getting accustomed to each other, they seemed to fall into a sort of rhythm that slowly turned into a very strong relationship, though neither of them really acknowledged it. in every way, Will seemed to be happy and so did Louisa, they were almost inseparable and yet there was still something not right. i don't want to ruin it for everyone because it's definitely a turn i would have never thought of, or even considered. so you need to just read it to see what it is. (i guess you could watch the movie instead, although i always prefer reading the book)
it doesn't necessarily end in the way readers may want, yet in a way, it still ends on a happy note. i wanted to know what would happen next, and thankfully there is a second book! which i plan on picking up sometime soon. (its called After You)

***fair warning, if the water works are easily turned on (aka crying), then grab some tissues and maybe some chocolate because the ending will leave you happy/sad/confused/upset crying, and not in a pretty way.
i even started crying during this music video made for the movie, which you should watch because the song is wonderful and the trailer looks fantastic!

also the actor that plays Louisa is the lady from Game of Thrones, which i don't watch but she looks like an incredible actor.. 



so read the book, thats all i have to say.
it will make you laugh, cry, smile and get you thinking about things you've never really thought about before.

***UPDATE*** so the movie recently came out and it has caused a lot of mixed feelings and opinions towards the book and its storyline. first of all i want to share that i in no way support the idea that one should end their own life because of a medical condition. some people may say that i must support it because i'm going to see the movie, but that has nothing to do with it. i like to read books, but that doesn't mean i support everything in those books. i also love to see the movie adaptations of the book, mainly to see how well they were able to recreate the book and what changes they made, still doesn't mean i support the actions in the movie. I believe that every life has meaning, whether they are young, old, healthy, or sick (or anywhere in-between) we were placed on this earth for a reason, we have lessons to be learned an knowledge to gained. I've never condoned suicide or anything of the likes, because that is not our choice to make. all life has value and it is up to us to find it and keep it.
i read an article/blog about this and i found that it touched on the subject better than i ever could, so if you want to read more about it click here.
thanks


ally. 

{ If I Stay } book review

[ iphone photo ]

i read this book while i was on vacation this past week, and i can promise you, it didn't disappoint! 

and lets be honest, when am i not excited to read a new book? exactly. 

now lets just cut to the chase...

If I Stay is a novel about a young girl (Mia,18) who is reaching the peak of her life. she has a wonderful (and attractive) boyfriend, the school of her dreams is about to accept her into their program, and her family is as happy as ever. 

then tragedy strikes, she loses her family all in a matter of seconds.

no one is sure what caused the crash, maybe it was the icy roads or maybe it was due to the drivers. either way, all we know is that Mia now must make a decision. does she want to leave the world and be with her family, or does she want to stay, and be with her friends and face the pain she will undoubtedly feel upon waking up. (and by pain, i mean the physical and emotional pain)

i think it was a great book. the idea behind the novel was incredible, i mean, how any writers can come up with something like that. the idea itself is no sensitive as it is... i for one would never be able to write this book. mainly because i would never be able to make the decision to have her stay or go. 

the only downer i have about this book was that i thought it would be a lot more emotional. and I'm not trying to say it wasn't, because it was. I'm just saying, it didn't make me cry. 

although, after reading a book like The Fault In Our Stars, i don't know if any book will be able to make me cry. but ill never know unless i keep reading. 

until next time,

ally

{ The Spectacular Now } book review

Alright, so this was one of the books on my reading list, and I was beyond excited to actually read it.

 Plus the movie had been made recently and it made me that much more excited. 

Although, after actually looking up the movie trailer and realizing it was rated R ( I do not watch rated R due to my beliefs and how they make me feel after having watched them.) I was a little less excited to actually read the book. But then I figured, well they probably Hollywood-ized the movie. The book can't be that bad. 

But...... It was. 

It wasn't HORRIBLE but it wasn't great. 

The book itself just made me mad, the main character is this alcoholic 18 year old who is almost unattached to emotion. 

 Until he meets this girl who brings out some of the best of him. Although, he is having the negative effect on her. He may have given her the courage to stand up for herself but, in the process he turned her into a drunk like himself. 

Although in the end he left her, knowing he wasn't he best for her, which was probably the best part of the book. 

But dang... this book just irked me! 

Then again, the book just ended. Just like that. Even if I can't stand a book, it shouldn't just end like that. WHY?!

One: I hate when books just end like that.  I understand why the author did that but I hate it! 

Two: the book itself almost had no plot or  anything. It just..was... 

Overall, don't read. There are other books that will leave you with something. I mean, any other book will leave you with more than what that book will leave. (Which was nothing. Btw. )


ally

{ The Maze Runner } book review

well, as you know, this book has been on my reading list for a while, i had just never gotten around to reading it, until now. 

okay.. well technically, i read it like three weeks ago... although it feels like a month, I've just been so busy with work, school and everything else life is deciding to throw at me. so i am just now getting around to writing this, but let me tell you, it was great a great read!

upon first seeing the book, i knew i wanted to read it. it was the perfect combination of sci-fi and adventure, and thats what i like in books. after having read the first several chapters, i was hooked. not in the way that i couldn't put it down and dreaming about the characters, but that i just had to know what happened. the story line itself was just so intriguing, i wanted to know how they all ended up in "the maze" and why boys were the only ones who had ever been sent in and all these other questions that could only be answered by finishing the book. 

• and i did •

like i said, the book is very interesting, each page was filled with so much imagery and detail that it would be impossible to know see a mental image of everything your reading. that in itself is amazing, when an author has that ability and talent, it just makes them that much better!

 so i kept reading whenever i had free time, which is rare because i am constantly busy. every chance i could get i would try and squeeze in a few pages. i even brought the book to work with me so that i could read during my lunch break. well, lo and behold, when i finished it, i was ready for more. and thankfully there is more, three more books to be exact. although, i don't know when i will have time (and money) to go pick them up. 

so if anyone wants to just donate the books to me, feel free. i also like munching while i read, so candy would be appreciated ;)

unlike some, i am old fashioned, i still enjoy having the literal book, paper and all, to read. i like to be able flip the pages and hold it, it makes it feel more real for me. i also like being able to add it to my bookshelf and call it mine. i have a feeling that by the time i am 30 i will have my own library. 

as for what i am going to read next, well I'm not sure yet,  i have a list that is constantly growing and i don't know where to begin. i don't even know when ill even have time considering i have so much summer school homework to do.

i guess i can give you a detailed description of accounting 101... 

although... id rather not. that is one hard A class. (and I'm only two weeks in)

wish me luck!

ally

just for kids

do your kids need something to read this summer to keep them busy? well look no further, I've come up with a very extensive list of books written just for kids. (but just because they are for kids, doesn't mean that you can't read them as well, i have!)

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

(this needs no link or explanation. every kid should read these books at least once in their life.)

Eragon by Christofer Paolini

(one of my favorites.)

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

(classic)

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

Fablehaven  by Brandon Mull

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

The Door Within by Wayne Thomas Baston

(for any LDS members, i highly recommend that your son/daughter read this book.)

The Rangers Apprentice by John Flanagan

The Revenge of the Shadow King by Derek Benz and J.S. Lewis

Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo by Obert Skye

Midnight for Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo

Eon by Alison Goodman

A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

(classic)

Anything written by Rick Riordan

(he is seriously an amazing writer)

Anything written by Shannon Hale

(she writes perfect books for girls of any age)

Anything written by Gail Carson Levine

 (fairytales like Ella Enchanted)

Janitors by Tyler Whitesides

The Clique by Lisi Harrison

(girls only)

The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima

Kingdom Keepers by Ridley Pearson

(about the secrets of Walt Disney World)

Dork Diaries by Rachel R. Russell

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

The Princess and the Hound by Mette Ivie Harrison

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

Holes by Louis Sachar

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

as you can tell, a lot of these books are fiction or fantasy books, but thats because, when i was a kid thats all i ever read. occasionally i would veer off and read something else, but i always returned to my wizards and dragons. they are just more interesting and fun to read.

of course i would always love to hear what you think, so feel free to comment or message me!

until next time,

ally

reading {&you}

this last semester, i was in a public speaking class that required us to give a persuasive speech of our own choosing. and what do you think i picked? that right, 'why you should be reading!' and would you like to know what i found while researching this, well you don't really have a choice because I'm telling you anyways... ready, set, go:

1. reading actually lowers your stress levels quicker tun anything else. 

2. reading boosts creativity in children and young adults.

3. reading can help with spelling and vocabulary skills, as well as comprehension abilities. (this is one reason why it is a good idea to get your children reading.)

4. reading can boost your empathy and put you in a better mood. (it is also proven that these 'better moods' will last longer because books will leave you feeling like you have been impacted in some way. i mean look at me, i still can't get over Divergent. )

these were just a few of the things i found, but don't they make you think "hmm..i really should be reading!"  i mean thats how i feel. and thats how you should feel because it true! i can guarantee that books are the reason why i have always succeeded in my english classes. reading is a stimulant to the brain, just like our bodies, our brains need a workout and that what reading is. 

this is where i present my challenge to you

thats right, i challenge you...i challenge you to read at least five books this summer. seem hard? well its really not. you don't have to choose GIANT books, but i don't want you choosing Green Eggs and Ham either. choose something that will interest you. something that will grab your attention and leave you hooked. something that will make you cry, laugh, scream, anything. because i know that if you read, you won't regret it!

"but what if i don't know what to read? how am i supposed to read then?" well, luckily for you, i have read a plethora of books in my lifetime. (i really just love that word right now.) throughout this next week or so, i will be posting several different reading lists of books i recommend for kids, adults, and everyone in-between. plus, ill still be posting the reviews of the books i am currently reading!

ally

ps. don't forget to check out my personal reading list that i posted a while back, if you feel as if you can't wait any longer, check there and I'm sure you will find a book!

suns out, books out?!

you can thank school and work for my absence, they have been occupying my life for the past three weeks. but now, since the semester is finally over, i can get on to enjoying my summer and finally start on my reading. 

yesterday, was my first official day of summer, and it went marvelously! to begin my day i went to the gym with my friend Mollie. we took the class called the MIXX, and let me tell you I'm still sore. then after that we tanned outside (which is one of my favorite things to, my goal this summer is to get really dark!) and guess what? i burned, but not a bad burn, more of a really awkward burn... on my butt... just one cheek...

oh well there is nothing i can do about it now but to tan the other cheek;)

ANYWAYS.. 
after that wonderful experience, i got ready for the day and headed over to the mall. i talked to my co-workers and then visited my good friend Barnes and Noble. there i picked up two books to begin my summer of reading. i had seriously been waiting for this day for the past month because i would be able to read without having to worry about homework or tests. 

so i grabbed myself some candies to munch on while reading and went home. (i also visited Lululemon, because lets face it I'm sucker for that store. but they always have good stuff on sale!) and I'm pleased to announce that after a night spent curled up in bed i finished my first book of the summer! what book was it you may ask? well, none other than the highly acclaimed book by John Green, The Fault In Our Stars. 

does that fact that i read it in one night answer your questions about how great it was?
 it should!
because there is no way i could ever express how amazing of a book it really was.
after having heard about it for a while now, (and by a while, a very long time) i decided that i must read it. (and the movie comes out soon, which is another positive. )

REVIEW TIME:

this book was real in a way that most books aren't. nothing was sugar coated, nothing was fake. it just was what it was, just like life is. sometimes life just really sucks, and other times its filled with wonder and amazement. (and lots of sarcasm, this book was filled with it and i absolutely loved it)

sadly, i already knew how the book would end, so of course i was worried that it wouldn't leave as much of an impact on me. but i was totally wrong, knowing the ending didn't change a thing. i still bawled like a baby for the entire ending of the book. i even had to pull out the tissues, and i don't do that often. despite my cry-fest, i think the ending was my favorite part of the book. it ended perfectly, i honestly can't imagine it have ending any other way. ( you know how sometimes a book leaves you and you feel like you've just been abandoned on the side of the road. you don't know what just happened, but you can't wait to be picked back up again. well that was NOT this book.) not wanting to give anything away, i won't give any specific detail because i fully believe this is a book everyone should read.

so to all of you who haven't read it, i suggest you locate your nearest bookstore and buy it, because you won't be the same after you do. (but actually purchase it because you'll probably get tears all over the pages and i don't want you ruining a perfectly good library book. ) John Green has a beautiful way of saying what needs to be said in a way that makes sense. CONGRATS John, you wrote a truly amazing book that will forever impact the lives of many! (including me )

{okay on a side note, i still cry over how Divergent ended, is that bad or what? i got so emotionally attached to this book and its characters, that i can't even talk about it without tearing up. i mean tobias is all alone now. why did she freekin have to die? why?!}

i encourage all of you to read this book, i promise you won't regret it, and if you do. well then there is seriously something wrong with you. anyone who says they didn't enjoy this book must not have any appreciation for good quality. because thats what this was.

“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.” 
― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

i wholeheartedly believe this.


until next time,
ally

update

alrighty, so as you may know from my previous entries, i just recently finished the Divergent Series. which is great timing cause the movie just came out. so of course, i HAD to see it! and i did. just now. and let me tell you, i was very impressed! i absolutely loved it, yes there were some parts that they changed or left out altogether, but what can you expect? they were given two hours to make this wonderfully crafted book into a movie. i think they did a great job, although i still prefer seeing the movie in my head. but that means i would have to re-read the entire series and i don't know if emotionally i am up to that. the last book left me a mess, I'm still slightly bitter about that. but then again after watching the movie tonight and seeing how perfectly crafted Theo James (four-aka tobias) is, i can honestly say i am slightly less bitter. i mean just look at him.. drool

on to the next subject at hand, what will i read next? well I've actually been thinking about this one for a bit. i want something funny and witty, and yet I'm still bitter from my last book which makes me want to read something sad. but i want it to be a good book so I've decided on The Fault In Our Stars

one: the movie is coming out soon

two: because Shailene Woodley is in it and she rocked Divergent

three: I've heard from many people that it is a must read 

so why not. although first i actually need to get it. that might help right? ;)

lastly, i feel the need to mention that i am participating in The Book of Mormon Translation Challenge? what is that you may ask? well, its exactly as it seems, a BOM challenge. although the tricky part is i have from April7-June 30 to finish it. why? well, when the book was first translated, those were the dates in which it took them to translate the entire thing. and if they could do that in that amount of time then i will have no problem reading it. 

im excited and ready for this challenge, and if you feel like you need something like this in your life, follow along. its never too late to begin!

until next time,

ally

Lets Read!

PC: internet

alright, so if you read my last post at all, you will know my big plan to constantly be reading a book. well in order to do t hat, i need to have books to actually read. now i always have a mental"books to read" list but I've never taken the time to sit and write them out because i feel like the list would be way too long. but here i am doing it anyways, because i want to share with you the books i am reading and my ideas of them before and after i read them. 

and just F.Y.I. if there is an * by the name it means it is a series of books.

ready, GO!

"Books To Read"

*The Mortal Instruments

City of Fallen Angels 

City of Lost Souls

*The Infernal Devices 

*I am Number Four«

The House of Hades

The Fault in Our Stars

movie out soon

*Matched

*The Maze Runner

movie out this year, BONUS Dylan O'Brian is the main character

*The Scorpio Races

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

movie out

The Book Thief

movie coming soon

Gone Girl

The Spectacular Now

movie out

Under The Never Sky

*Graceling

*Eve

*Wither

*Legend

*Delirium

alright, so as you can see its a long list, but this isn't even all of the books, just the ones that i can think of immediately. so what i am going to do is re-post this list every once in a while that way you can see what i have read from it and what i have added. so for all of those book worms like me, get excited for a fun reading filled year! and if anyone has any book suggestions i am completely open! just throw them at me!

until next time,

ally

p.s. i want to do a photoshoot like this. with books, books, and more books!

i am simply a book drunkard...

last night as i sat on my bed reading Allegiant, of the Divergent series, it occurred to me just how much i enjoy reading. i have spent the past week starting and finishing the Divergent series, which let me tell you are amazingly sad and happy at the same time. some of the same emotions i felt while reading The Hunger Games, i felt while reading this book. and yet, they were so very different, i loved different things about all of them. but just like The Hunger Games, they had to end bittersweet. yes, the ending was good, but i can't seem to get over how sad it was. after i finished the last book yesterday, i spent the remainder of the night crying over the people i had lost.

i know i know, they aren't real, its a fake story, but to me its like i became a part of the story and watched it unravel to pieces. 

WARNING 

if you have not read the books please skip until i tell you it is safe to begin again:

alright, i handled it when i knew Uriah was going to die, i handled it when i thought Tris and Tobias were going to break up, but i completely lost it when i realized what Tris was going to do for her brother. he wasn't going to die for everyone out of love, but because of guilt. and Tris knowing that that shouldn't be the case, sacrificed herself for everyone. from that point on i had a continuous stream of tears running down my face. i was hoping that she wasn't really dead and would somehow comeback, but no, it wasn't written that way. 

i am still grieving over this death and for Tobias. it makes me mad that she was killed off, after making it so far, why couldn't she have lived, why? her and Tobias could have made a life for themselves and i wouldn't be left with these sad and depressing thoughts about the books. but then again, the books weren't sad or depressing, they were great, why else would i have finished them in less than a week. they have everything that i love in a book, danger, thrills, love, fights, humor, you name it. so even though they left me feeling bitter, i can see them being one of my favorite series. i may even reread them, once my mourning period is over of course.

alright you can BEGIN again.

"You know you've read a good book when you turn the last page and feel as if you have lost a friend" -Paul Sweeny

that is exactly how i feel at this point, and how i feel after every book I've read. but its those feelings that make me excited to begin a new book. ill visit new lands and new adventures, meet new people and learn new things. and shouldn't that be what reading is all about?

alright, so i was reading a book blog the other day and the blogger was saying how she has given herself a goal of reading 14 book for the year of 2014, well to me that seemed really low! but then again, who has time to spend all day reading, i mean, i wish i did, but lets get real. so my goal to myself isn't limited to a certain number. i just want to read books that make me happy whenever possible. starting now i will try and always have a book that i am reading, and that shouldn't be too hard considering my "Books To Read" list is quite long. 

along with that, i am going to try and review every book i read, some may be long reviews and some small but either way, i will try. 

yours truly

ally

"NEVER judge a book by its movie." J.W. Eagan

there is nothing more relaxing and exciting to me than reading a new book, it is one of my favorite past times.

 alongside shopping ;) 

books can transport you to a whole new dimension or world, they can make you forget about everything that is going on around you. personally, i enjoy reading about things that stretch my imagination to a whole new level. one of my all time favorites is and will always be Harry Potter, although, that shouldn't come as much of a surprise. another one of my favorites is Eragon, you know the one about dragons. 

as you can see, i gravitate towards books based on wizards and mythological creatures so it is only right that i read The City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. i actually read this book about a year ago before the series had become popular. but once i had finished it, i never had time to finish the series so i left it at that. 

however, since the movie is being released soon i figured i needed to reread it so that when i actually see the movie i remember how it should be. thats one of the weird things about me, no matter what, i always have to read the book before i see the movie even though i know it will ruin the movie for me. and that is what ends up happening, i am always disappointed with the movies because they always change key elements of the book. with the exception of Harry Potter, i have never been pleased with a movie based on a book. 

but i figure thats okay because i would rather reread the book than watch the movie.

OKAY.. so back on topic

The City of Bones is a wonderfully written book about a girl living in New York City, who seems completely average. She likes drinking coffee, hanging out with friends and going to the night clubs in the city. But everything changes from normal to paranormal within 24 hours. It all began when she met three teenagers who were unlike anyone she has ever met before. They had strange scar like ruins all over their body and they carried and used weapons. She later learned that they were called Shadowhunters, a special type of person who is taught in the art of killing demons and keeping the peace between humans and downworlders (vampires and werewolves). 

In this book, which is the first of The Mortal Instruments trilogy, Clary Fray discovers a world that she could have only ever imagined in her wildest dreams. She finds herself lost in the middle of it and struggling to keep up. The story winds through an adventure of Clary discovering who she really is and the crazy life that has been taken from her, and i mean literally taken from her. She had her memory erased every couple years so that she could grow up away from the world of shadow hunters and demons.
While reading this book for the second time, I found myself reacting the same way I would have as if I had only just picked up the book for the first time. I even went as far as taking it to the gym so i could read while working out! It is a thrilling read that has many twists and turns in the plot that it leaves the reader wanting more and more.
So please, before you go see the movie, read the book, or even better don't see the movie at all! okay... I guess I cant tell you to do that considering I haven't even seen the movie yet. But from what I saw from the trailer, the movie does not portray the book as it should. although, I guess I will let you be the judge of that!

well, until next time!
love,
Allyson