The Night Circus By: Erin Morgernstern

source

• Title: The Night Circus
• Author: Erin Morgenstern
• Publisher: Doubleday
• Publication Date:  September 13, 2011
• Pages: 387
• Genre: Fantasy
• Recommended Age(s): 13+
• First Read: 2016
• Source: Library 
• Rating: 5.0 / 5.0 stars

The circus arrives without fanfare, or any warning at all. Yet at night it transforms into a spectacle filled with magic and mystery for all to behold. At the center of the circus are the performers, from the contortionists to the acrobats, to the curious red-haired twins who have called the circus home all their lives. The most interesting performer of all however is an illusionist, an unassuming girl-Celia Bowen. She has been chosen to play a game fraught with magic that spans continents and decades. Her adversary? Marco, the boy she cannot help but feel complete with. When the two of them realize that their game's outcome affects everyone in the circus, they must find a way to save everyone and everything they know...or risk the unimaginable consequences.

---

I went into this book completely blind after picking it up on a whim, so I didn't know what to expect. And wow. Wow. Wow. Any vague inklings I ever had about what this book was supposed to be was blown out of the water.  This book has honestly become one of my favorite books because of how the book just immersed me in the story. After I finished reading this book I had to take a few moments to compose myself because I was a roiling tub of emotions...and even a couple days later, I still can't fully process all the feelings...ugh...feelings.

Throughout the entire time I was reading this book, I felt like I was in a dream because the words danced so delicately on the page and painted pictures in my head full of magic. The writing was ethereal and the atmosphere made me feel heady with excitement and mystery and intrigue...it was seductive. I've read a lot of books in my life, but I've honestly read anything like this book because though the circus was the center point of the novel, I got to explore so much more without really trying. With such a simple plot, this book sure made me fall headlong into some very complex feelings about the characters and question some things about my own world.

I think this is one of those hidden gems that not many people would pick up originally because of the premise...a fantasy novel based in Victorian times. It's exactly up my alley, but not so much for others, so I hope that people leave any misconceptions they have about this book at the door because picking up this book was seriously one of the best decisions I have ever made. I was wrapped up in a dream the entire time I was reading this book and I didn't want it to end.

Dreams of Gods and Monsters By: Laini Taylor

source

• Title: Dreams of Gods and Monsters (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #3)
• Author: Laini Taylor
• Publisher: Little, Brown and Co.
• Publication Date:  April 8, 2014
• Pages: 613
• Genre: Fantasy/YA
• Recommended Age(s): 13+
• First Read: 2016
• Source: Library
• Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 stars

Karou and her friends have accomplished much, but there is still so much left to be done, especially since Jael and his army are about to invade Earth. To save both Eretz and Earth, Karou and Akiva must struggle to unite centuries-old enemies in a parody of their long-ago dream for a new world. 

As storylines converge, destinies entwine, and fates collide, Karou and Akiva must realize that there is more at stake than they know...and that a power more terrifying than anything they can hope to imagine is only a breath away from destroying their fragile existence. Transcending worlds, defying fate, and overcoming the fixed definitions of good and evil, of right and wrong, Karou, Akiva, and their friends fight the true monsters: those within.

---

This was a rollercoaster, a funhouse mirror, and a wonderful carousel ride all encased in a wonderful package. I was enchanted by the different storylines that converged beautifully at the end as I found out where everyone fit- like starting a puzzle thinking it was one thing, but in when you finished it, realizing it was something different- and way better- than you ever imagined it to be.

My favorite character in this book was Eliza because I didn't expect her storyline at all and was presently surprised at all the barriers she broke and her general badassery in this book. To quote Karou: "she's a pretty cool chick." Also, even though Karou and Akiva are clearly the main characters, I was more in love with Zuzana and Mik's relationship because it was just so sweet. Also Liraz...I am Liraz when dealing with emotions honestly and I just love her character development, from being incredibly unsure of her emotions to being able to accept them.

The plot was stellar; like I said, everything converged in this beautiful way that made sense in retrospect yet you couldn't see coming because of the possibilities. Combined with Taylor's always poetic writing with a splash of sarcasm and liberal amounts of wit, it was a perfect read. This one of those books that I thought about even when I wasn't reading it; I would catch myself thinking of the plot and characters when I was idly daydreaming and as a result would immediately want to get back to reading.  I was really sad when this series ended because it had been a while since I had a good series to sink my teeth into and this really hit the spot. I guess it's time to find another great series now...

Days of Blood and Starlight By: Laini Taylor

source

• Title: Days of Blood and Starlight (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #2)
• Author: Laini Taylor
• Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
• Publication Date:  November 6, 2012
• Pages: 517
• Genre: Fantasy
• Recommended Age(s): 13+
• First Read: 2016
• Source: Library  
• Rating: 4.0 /  5.0 stars

Karou finally knows everything she has sought to know. And she hates it. Being an angel lover and betrayer of her people would not sit well for anyone, but for Karou, it's even worse because she dared to dream. Dared to dream with Akiva of a world where peace was possible.

And all that was wrenched away from her. Now, Karou tries to correct her past mistakes while suffering under an almost unbearable burden while Akiva struggles a world away with his own troubles. Whether they will ever see each other again is not the real question, but whether Karou will ever find it in herself to forgive Akiva for what he has done to her. Or if she can forgive herself for what she has done to her own world.

---

I was super excited to start this book after the cliffhanger that left me reeling in the last book, in general this book didn't disappoint. I think the best way to describe this book is that a lot of things happened without anything actually happening. It sounds a little bland, but like many middle books in a trilogy, this second book had to be a bridge between what had already happened and what would later happen.

I liked this book because I got to know Karou even better, especially through the internal dialogue that went on. Oftentimes I hate it when characters go too into depth with all their icky *feelings* and such, but in Karou's case, I think it allowed the readers to gauge the shifting perspectives and sense of worth Karou felt throughout the novel. She was never the helpless, lovestruck girl in a romance novel, and I admired Karou's sense of self in this novel even more because she was able to get through everything despite all her additional hardship.

I also loved getting to know a whole new set of characters within the chimera and seraph ranks, especially Liraz, Hazael,  and Ziri. I was immersed in their worlds and it gave me a greater perspective of what each side felt, giving very real feelings to mythical creatures and made me think of our own human conditions and the perspectives that drive our decisions.

As always, I loved Taylor's beautiful writing and I wrote down quite a few quotes for safe-keeping. I love the beautiful descriptions she is able to weave into my imagination and the depth of feeling she is able to convey without saying too much.

I did rate this book lower than the first book because the action was mostly centered on Karou and her internal conflicts, though done in such a way that the plot lines eventually converged. I think it's still a great book, but the lack of mystery with Eretz kind of dimmed the magic, even if by an infinitesimal amount. But that being said, I still cannot wait to read the next installment!

Daughter of Smoke and Bone By: Laini Taylor

Source

• Title: Daughter of Smoke and Bone 
• Author: Laini Taylor
• Publisher: Little Brown Books
• Publication Date:  September 27, 2011
• Pages: 418
• Genre: YA/Fantasy
• Recommended Age(s): 13+
• First Read: 2016
• Source: Library 
• Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 stars

Karou. Silky blue hair. Beautiful sketchbooks filled with otherworldly creatures. She lives a double life that leaves many wondering who she truly is. And the person who wants this question answered is Karou herself. 

Part-time art student, part-time errand runner for monsters, Karou is about to become embroiled in a war filled with creatures both monstrous and beautiful. Then there is Akiva. Akiva with the orange eyes, Akiva who holds the key to her deepest secrets, if Karou only dares to find out the truth...

---

I was very pleasantly surprised with this book, and I honestly couldn't be happier. I loved Karou's character because she was unconventional without being cliched, mysterious without being ridiculous. She wasn't the helpless, lovestruck, ditz that I thought she was going to be and found her to be extremely believable, considering the fact that she was involved in a war between otherworldly creatures. I also liked her "no complaining" attitude, which tends to turn me off to other female characters who rely on the guy and keep moping around because of "love" or something like that. 

Don't get me wrong. This is first and foremost a love story between Karou and Akiva, but the circumstances that they find themselves in are intriguingly wrought and neither of them are dumb enough to do anything that makes this book  *sickeningly* sappy.

I also think I enjoyed this book so much because most of the book was set in Prague, (among other beautiful places) which was new for me. It added an extra otherworldly touch to the entire novel and I swooned at the beauty of it all. Yes. Swooned.

Many people these days seem to dismiss YA novels because they say that the writing is not on par with some of the "classics" or something like that. And yes, there are some books out there that are not exactly great, but that is true for all book genres. But guys, the writing in this book was beautiful. It was poetic. I fell in love with everything about this book and can't wait to pick up the next book in the series!

My only regret about this book? Putting off the day that I read it because it's honestly that great!

Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

source

• Title: Lady Midnight (Dark Artifices #1)
• Author: Cassandra Clare
• Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
• Publication Date:  March 8, 2016
• Pages: 668
• Genre: YA/Fantasy
• Recommended Age(s): 13+
• First Read: 2016
• Source: Purchase
• Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 stars

It has been five years since the Great War and Emma Carstairs is no longer a child. She is a capable shadowhunter who has been obsessed with finding out who or what really killed her parents all those years ago and is constantly on patrol to fight off the demons that dare to disturb her beloved city of Los Angeles.

However, since the Dark War, tensions with the faeries have been escalating to almost unimaginable heights. When dead faeries are discovered with the same markings that covered Emma's dead parents five years ago, Emma and the Blackthorns embark on an investigation that takes them from the depths of the ocean to the bowels of humanity.

---

I cannot even begin to explain how excited I was for this book, and how even more excited I was when it was everything I hoped it was and more. I fell in love with Emma Carstairs and her parabatai Julian, as well as the entire Blackthorn family. It was like being welcomed back into a world that I had left for a while, but when I returned, I found that just enough had changed to keep everything interesting. I really liked the fact that five years have passed so that all the characters have had time to grow up a little bit from when we last left them. It gave an air of maturity to the characters, especially since I had first met Emma and Julian when they were only 12 years old.

My favorite aspect of this book was the fact that it included my all-time favorite poem interwoven into the plot (which I won't tell you, because of possible spoilers!). The plot itself was familiar a sense, yet it still kept you guessing, which made me read this almost 700 page book in two days-yup-I got sucked in again! I also really liked that I felt my familiar rollercoaster of emotions that only happens when I'm reading something really good. There is a greater amount of diversity of characters in this book too-if you can get any more diverse than the world already is, I guess. Shadowhunters are represented in a more human way, I felt like I connected with the characters more because of that.

If I did have any qualms about this book though, I felt as if though the twists and turns barely masked the all-too familiar plot that had already been explored in the other two Shadowhunter series. But I was willing to overlook this fact because I am a sucker for this entire world and anything new I can find out about the characters always gets me excited. If you are one of those people who get bored after a while, I might suggest taking a break from this book, but if you love the shadow world just as much as I do, then by all means, please come back!

For fans of the other books within the Shadowhunters universe, don't worry; all of your favorite characters make a cameo (some more than others) and everything is just perfect and lovely and I can't control my emotions even though it's been a couple days since I have read this book.