Lord of Shadows, by Cassandra Clare

Hey, all! 

It feels like I haven't blogged in AGES! Goodness I missed it! It's surprisingly hard to find time to read and write in the summer - during class it becomes routine, but when you're busy in the summer with visits and traveling, finishing a book takes forever!

Not to mention that I'm a full 18 books behind on my Goodreads challenge... RIP 2017 reading ambitions... 

Anyway more on my non-reading year in a few days, I'm planning a huge Bookish Talk post! 

(I really need a blogging calendar...) 

I recently finished reading Lord of Shadows, by Cassandra Clare! (This review will be quite short as I finished it over 2 weeks ago and it's super difficult to be able to review it with the same clarity as I usually do.)

"A Shadowhunter’s life is bound by duty. Constrained by honor. The word of a Shadowhunter is a solemn pledge, and no vow is more sacred than the vow that binds parabatai, warrior partners—sworn to fight together, die together, but never to fall in love.

Emma Carstairs has learned that the love she shares with her parabatai, Julian Blackthorn, isn’t just forbidden—it could destroy them both. She knows she should run from Julian. But how can she when the Blackthorns are threatened by enemies on all sides?

Their only hope is the Black Volume of the Dead, a spell book of terrible power. Everyone wants it. Only the Blackthorns can find it. Spurred on by a dark bargain with the Seelie Queen, Emma; her best friend, Cristina; and Mark and Julian Blackthorn journey into the Courts of Faerie, where glittering revels hide bloody danger and no promise can be trusted. Meanwhile, rising tension between Shadowhunters and Downworlders has produced the Cohort, an extremist group of Shadowhunters dedicated to registering Downworlders and “unsuitable” Nephilim. They’ll do anything in their power to expose Julian’s secrets and take the Los Angeles Institute for their own.

When Downworlders turn against the Clave, a new threat rises in the form of the Lord of Shadows—the Unseelie King, who sends his greatest warriors to slaughter those with Blackthorn blood and seize the Black Volume. As dangers close in, Julian devises a risky scheme that depends on the cooperation of an unpredictable enemy. But success may come with a price he and Emma cannot even imagine, one that will bring with it a reckoning of blood that could have repercussions for everyone and everything they hold dear."

WARNING: This review will contain loads of spoilers for Lady Midnight, and some for Lord of Shadows. Do not proceed if you still haven't read them! 

This book was a lot better than Lady Midnight! I felt a lot more related to the characters and some situations. 

In this book, Kit is becoming a more official member of the Blackthorn family. Kit is honestly one of my favorite characters in the series. It's nice to see someone who knows about the shadow world and be surprised to find out that he's actually a part of it. He really does not care about the status of being a Herondale, and is very sarcastic. However he develops a truly amazing relation with Ty, and a good one with Livvy. I really really love Kit and Ty. Kit really seems to understand him and is able to reach out to him despite his autism, that none of the other Herondales know about. I really hope that they become parabatai in the third book - they just work so well together, it's beautiful! He also had a cute 'relationship' with Livvy UNTIL THAT ENDING! 

Cassandra Clare has a special talent - that of seeing someone's heart, deciding it would look better in shreds, doing everything possible for that to happen, then handing it back on a silver platter, acting all innocent. While this didn't kill me as much as Clockwork Princess, I cannot believe what she did. Yet again I can just because it's a lot more realistic that way. BUT THAT DOESN'T MAKE IT OKAY! Now we all have to wait 2 years to know how it plays out... wonderful! 

I like Emma and Julian's relationship, but Julian still scares me. He's like a Parseltongue for people rather than snakes, or a Charmspeaker, and it makes me really uncomfortable. But I'm glad to see that their relationship may possibly be possible? Or will Cassie do something horrible again? Who knows! I just love their friendship more than anything else :) 

Now I REALLY liked Annabel, despite her wrongdoings. She is so intriguing and I really cannot wait to see how her character plays out in the next book! 

I was so happy to see that Magnus, Alec, Clary and Jace were all supporting characters! They really created a bridge between the stories that left me thinking "I see what you did there!" That was more for fun than practicality, but you need a bit of nostalgia sometimes! 

I'm also really liking the whole Christina/Mark ship, with Keiran kind of annoying everyone. It's fun to read about, and you really have no clue how it will end! (Although I hate Diego, he can leave yesterday.)

My favorite quote from the book that isn't all deep and morally-convincing is simply Julian and Emma talking about Shadowhunter last names!

"I wonder what other family mottoes are," Emma mused. "Do you know any?"

"The Lightwood family motto is 'We mean well.'"

"Very funny."

Julian looked over at her. "No, really, it actually is." 

"Seriously? So what's the Herondale family motto? 'Chiseled by angsty'?"

He shrugged. 'If you don't know what your last name is, it's probably Herondale'?"

Emma burst out laughing. "What about Carstairs?" she asked, tapping Cortana. "'We have a sword'? 'Blunt instruments are for losers'?"

"Morgenstern," offered Julian. "'When in doubt, start a war'?"

"How about 'Had even one of us ever been any good, like ever, seriously'?"

Overall, this book was a really great installment for the series! I can't believe that we have to wait for so long until the next part in published! 

I'm giving this book a 4.5/5 feathers! 

Have you read Lord of Shadows? What did you think of it? Let me know! 

Stay bookish!