Cover Judging aka Book Cover OCD

When it comes to book covers, I am a very picky person.

For example, if I am going to buy a book series, I like their covers to match. Shatter Me is coming out with new covers, so even though I had the original cover, I got the new one so that my collection would match.
You know how Shatter Me used to be this:

And now it's this:

I also like my book series covers to be the same in terms of hardcover, trade, and pocket paperbacks. I have two series currently that greatly bothers my book cover OCD. My Matched trilogy, for example, is a mix of cover types. I have the first in paperback because it was only available in paperback when I bought it, but then Crossed and Reached are hardcover because the series became popular and the bookstores in my city got those. So that series of mine is mixed up, which bothers me a lot, but I try my best not to think about it.

My The Mortal Instruments series collection by Cassandra Clare also suffers from this. I was introduced to the series earlier this year and the first three were out in paperback, so I got those. Then I bought the next two in their hardcovers, so that series is all mixed up. I am justifying this one, however, by saying the first three were meant to be only a trilogy, but then more were made (if this is wrong, don't correct me. It will only drive me insane! haha).

Then I have my Tamora Pierce's Protecter of the Small series which is all mucked up because I have First Test and Page and Lady Knight as trade paperbacks, but when I bought the series, they only had the pocket paperback for Squire and I did not want to wait to order in the trade. So that series is all weird and I'm SUPER tempted to but the trade paperback of Squire because we have it at my work, haha.

But then sometimes I get even pickier, and this is what I really wanted to write about for this blog post.

I bought John Green's Looking For Alaska in the new cover. You know, the one with the girl's face? This one:

WELL. A little over two weeks after I bought it (you know, just over the 14 day return policy at my work - not that I kept the receipt anyway), my work got in the original covers in paperback. The awesome-looking one that I had wanted to get but we didn't have them... To clarify, this one:

And now I have what I refer to as the 'ugly' cover (it's not ugly; I just prefer the original) and I pass the 'nice' cover multiple times per day at work (I work at a bookstore, in case that wasn't already clear :P) and it's TORTUROUS. Because all I want is the pretty candle cover.

So I'm pretty sure I'm going to give in and buy the candle cover. Then I'll have two copes of LFA, which is just silly.

So look out in the future for TWO giveaways from me. One featuring the 'ugly' LFA cover (sorry. The content is still the same and it's perfect condition - just not the nicer candle cover :P) and one featuring the old Shatter Me paperback.

Yay free books!

Again, the giveaways won't be until 2013, because the end of the year is just too busy for me to focus on anything like that. Plus shipping costs money and Christmas is coming up and yadda yadda. You get it.

Anyway, I just had to share that.

Anyone else extremely picky with covers?

I had to borrow copies of the Harry Potter series as they came out because I had the first three in paperback. Now THAT was torture. I don't know how, but I managed to avoid spoilers for each book, and sometimes I had to wait months before I could get my hands on a borrowed copy because I was not about to go out and buy the hardcover when I began the series with paperbacks. (Speaking of HP, my covers are getting worn. I really like the adult covers, so I'm probably going to buy them when I can justify the purchase. But hmm. Hardcover of paperback? The paperback covers are pocket, which I love. But hardcover will be more durable... Yeah... HC it will be.)

As I was asking, is anyone else extremely cover-OCD like me? I'm sure I'm not the only one out there. I've had discussions about this with customers at work, but I'd like the reassurance on here, too. Plus talking covers is fun! Haha.

Waiting on Wednesday #6

"Waiting on" Wednesday is a weekly blogger meme started by Breaking the Spine. If you want to check this meme out at its origin and particpate, just click here.

It's getting tough to pick books I'm waiting on, especially when there are so many! But this week I am waiting on the third book in a wonderful series by Cassandra Clare. That's right, the third installment of her The Infernal Devices trilogy, Clockwork Princess. I already posted about the cover reveal here, but let's take another look at it, shall we?

Blurb:
Danger intensifies for the Shadowhunters as the New York Times bestselling Infernal Devices trilogy comes to a close.

If the only way to save the world was to destroy what you loved most, would you do it?

The clock is ticking. Everyone must choose.

Passion. Power. Secrets. Enchantment.

Danger closes in around the Shadowhunters in the final installment of the bestselling Infernal Devices trilogy.

Clockwork Princess is due out March 19th, 2013. I'm not sure I can wait that long! But at least we have City of Bones movie news to tide us over, and other books to fill the void.

So what are you "waiting on" this week?

Thoughts: The Mortal Instruments

TMI Thoughts & Informal Review

Note: So I've decided to do this very informal review of Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series (from City of Bones to City of Lost Souls). There are some minor spoilers below. But here is a quick summary: I love this series. Definitely hooked. I suggest you read them if you haven't already and enjoy supernatural/fantasy books. Also read the prequel series Infernal Devices. It is also amazing. Possible more. I rate this series and overall 4.5/5)

City of Bones had me hooked right from the get-go. I had read the first chapter somewhere (I think either in the back of a book I once read, or perhaps online somewhere as a preview), and ever since had been wanting to pick up the books. When I finally did back in March (I'm late to the party, I know, but at least I got here in time to wait for CoLS), reading that first chapter again was like meeting up with an acquaintance I had met once, but was regretfully unable to spend more time with. My first impression of the characters went basically like this (I had to tame down what my actual first impressions were, because... they weren't all that appropriate. I apologise for the inappropriate words to come. I tried my best, I swear I did.):

• Clary, cool, you're the main character and can see things your bff couldn't. Interesting. I want interesting stuff to happen to me. But oh my goodness, you have guts. But curiosity killed the cat, remember.
• Simon, I love you. You are sarcastic and hilarious. Be MY best friend. Please.
• Jace you asshat, conceited sexy beast. Don't ever change.
• Alec, you are probably cool, but who peed in your cereal this morning?
• Isabelle, you are a bitch. Come down off your high horse.
• Magnus, okay. You're a little odd. But you have magic. That's cool. I want magic powers and to be immortal.

And that is pretty much how I saw each of the main characters to begin with. They go through some amazing character development throughout the series. Of course, we see more of Clary of Jace, but their relationship changes QUITE drastically. For those of you who have not read the books, there WILL be slight spoilers later on, so you should take caution from hereon in.

I found the whole 'are Jace and Clary actually siblings or no?' thing to be interesting. I had heard things about the books and this plot beforehand, however, so finding out that in the end they weren't was not actually a surprise. However, I loved the trip Cassandra Clare took us on, toying with our minds. That was fun.
Jace soon became irritating with his whole 'my father is evil and might have made me out of demons so I must be evil too' thing. At first Jace brooding over it made sense, but after he found out he wasn't actually part demon, I didn't understand why he kept pushing people away. It just got repetitive, and I lost all interest in Jace and Clary. The supporting characters, however, really kept my interest in the plot and what was happening with them. I definitely like the supporting characters more than I do Jace and Clary, but that's just personal opinion, of course. And I do like Jace and Clary; I'm just glad there are other characters because at times it is easy to become bored of those twoand their angst.

I liked how we got to see what was happening from the different third person perspectives of most of the characters. It filled in a lot of blanks, and to be quite honest, if it had just been all from Clary's point of view, I would have punched a hole in the wall. Or broken my hand trying, anyways.

The different directions that the plots form each book took us was interesting. I like how we slowly found out how the Mortal Instruments came into play, and how we got a history lesson of the Shadowhunters throughout the first three books, either from plot or from Clary teaching herself about them through books from the library. A character betrayal in the first book was one I have to say I did not see coming, and those are my favourite kind of plot twists. It was kind of convenient, I thought, how Jocelyn became comatose. Parents always seem to get in the way, though, so having Jocelyn out of the picture for that reason made sense. She is one of my least favourite characters anyways, but I won't get into that. Although once Clary found out about the Shadowhunters, I wish she had just confessed everything. It would have made things go a lot more smoothly. Of course, then we wouldn't have much plot, would we? Her over-protectiveness of Clary in the later books made me want to smack her. I understood it, of course, since she is Clary's mother. However, when Jocelyn took it to the point where she told Clary to her face that she didn't have hope in her relationship with Jace, that signed the deal of my dislike for her. I really hope we see less of her in the final Mortal Instruments book. She's pretty much useless now that we don't need information about Valentine.

I need to talk about Sebastian/Jonathon for a moment. I love him as a villain, a lot more than I liked Valentine as a villain. I never really got where Valentine came from, but Sebastian I found I was able to feel for at moments. Of course, he turns out to be completely and 100% downright awful and I'm looking forward to his death (because that is pretty much inevitable), but man. A+

I liked seeing the fun-loving, arrogant side of Jace that was first introduced to us in City of Bones when Jace was under the influence of Sebastian. Seeing Jace like that in City of Lost Souls reminded me of how much I liked Jace at the beginning. I have no idea what he will be like in City of Heavenly Fire. I can see it going either way. Either he gets over everything, or he becomes even more whiny. Let's hope it's not the latter. I know Jace has been through a lot now, but I really miss the old Jace. He's not fun anymore. I honestly don't know how Clary puts up with him. I would have given up on him a long time ago, haha.

TMI Character impressions as of now:

• Isabelle, I love you. You are amazing and strong, but also vulnerable because of your parents' relationship. I hope Simon is good for you <3 I wish I were you. I'd love to have a sister or best friend like you. Favourite female character of this series. By far <3 So much respect.
• Simon, you and your sis are so sweet together. I hope we get to see more of her, but also, I love you. You are sarcastic and awesome. Be MY best friend.
• Jace, I hope you stop being so mopey now. Except I doubt that will happen considering... Too bad. I miss your superiority complex.
• Alec, I understand your intentions but oh man :/ I love you. But that was wrong. Hopefully you'll grow up a little and things will be okay.
• Clary, I don't know how you have put up with Jace through all of this. I bow to you.
• Magnus, I love you so much. You have some growing up to do too. You may be old (in the you were born centuries ago sense), but you still have some learning to do. Learn to open up to those who love you and all will be okay <3

Predictions for Heavenly Fire (caution: spoilery) 

• Someone I love will die. Aka one of the characters I've posted about above. But it won't be Clary or Jace. I just don't see either of them being killed off.
• Malec will repair (more of a hope than a prediction)
• Sizzy
• We will find out something about Tessa? Since Clockwork Princess will be out, it won't spoil anything. 
• Ditto finding out about Brother Jeremiah.
• We'll see a little more of characters that will appear in the sequel series aka Emma.
• Clace will live mostly happily every after. Meaning Jace will be cleared of his heavenly fire duh.
• Someone I love will die :'( I know I already said that. I'm just so terrified. 

I'm curious. What are your CoHF predictions?
What do you want to happen?
What don't you want to happen?
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Anyways, sorry for the word vomit, but I had to get those feelings out. I have a lot more I could write, but I think I'll leave it at that. However, if anyone would like to discuss this series thusfar a bit more, the comments are open! I'd love to hear your thoughts, even if and especially if they are different from mine! (Not to argue; everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Just to compare notes)

A Review: Clockwork Prince

Book: Clockwork Prince
Series: The Infernal Devices
Author: Cassandra Clare
Goodreads link: Goodreads Description
Rating: 5/5

Review:

CAUTION: Possible spoilers below. If you are like me and hate even hints at what could be a spoiler, stop reading this, and just read the book. This has been your warning.

When I originally picked up the first series about Shadowhunters by Cassandra Clare, The Mortal Instruments, everyone was telling me something along the lines of "Oh, you've got to read the prequel series!", and let me assure you, it was very much in my intention. With everyone suggesting I read The Infernal Devices, I read my way through TMI and loved it, and wondered to myself "How can the prequel series possibly be better than the original?" because everyone suggesting I read it claimed it was better. They were right, but it took me until Clockwork Prince to realise this. One reason I love a series of books more than a stand-alone novel is because I get more story and more character, and it's easier for me to fall in love with the characters straight-away (unless the stand-alone book is amazing, but I honestly cannot pick one out -- I pretty much love on book series -- sequels, triologies, quartets, etc.), and The Infernal Devices was no exception to this.

 Not that I disliked Clockwork Angel, but it took until Clockwork Prince for me to really appreciate the characters, and I think the main reason for that is because I knew we were only getting a small part of their individual stories in the first book, and that more was to come in this one. So when we got to learn more about the characters, my gosh, I fell in love with them. Not all of them, of course, but I came to appreciate the ones that I did dislike and hate. I mean what we learn about Will, in particular, as his background story is the one we really get to focus on in this book, just really make you FEEL for him. In Clockwork Angel, I glared a lot at Will (yes, I glare at my books) when he was being an ass (which was basically every time he spoke),  and even though I knew there was more to him than his outer shell, I could not feel for him like I did in Clockwork Prince because I did not know his story. I don't feel blindly, and I'll use Jessamine as a perfect example for that. She was rude, and I felt there was more to her. But there really wasn't; she ended up being completely selfish and a backstabber. But anyways. Amazing character development in this book. It really made me feel for each of the characters, even if I could not relate to them in a way where I understand what they were doing and why (aka Jessamine).

The reason why I'm talking so much about the characters, by the way, is because they are generally what keeps me reading a book. The plot draws me in, but the characters make me want to stay even more. This does not, however, mean that I disliked the plot. The plot was amazing. The things we learned about everything going on created so many more questions. Between Mortmain and, of course, the plot between Tessa, Jem, and Will (which, may I just say here: I DON'T KNOW WHAT MY FEELINGS WERE DOING WHEN WILL FINALLY FOUND OUT YOU KNOW WHAT, AND CAME BACK ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT TESSA AND JEM YOU KNOW WHAT). These questions, I sincerely hope, will be answered in Clockwork Princess, which is not due out until later 2013 (hold me, please). Questions like, 'what is Tessa?' and ... Actually, that is my biggest question right now. Of course I cannot wait to see how the war will play out -- it has been so far set up beautifully. I like how Clare did not make the first half of Angel just about Tessa being introduced to the Shadowhunters and then BAM! War. The war is coming, we know that, but the little battles and side-paths are important and integral. They feed us information and create more questions and don't move the plot too slowly that we get bored. I think I am rambling now, so let's move on.

Okay here is the serious spoiler of this review. The ending chapters seriously blew me away. I was not expecting a proposal. I'm glad Jem stepped up and went for what he wanted, but it tore my heart to remember Will. Speaking of Will, I was very proud with how he handled the situation. Him asking Tessa to change her mind and tell Jem no was a little selfish, but I do not blame him. And I'm glad that Tessa told him she can't do that. But later when Jem announced to everyone their news, Will stood up and congratulated them first and that was very good of him. I'm intrigued as to how this will play out in Clockwork Princess. As well as with the ending cliffhanger there. Cecily. I mean, oh my goodness! With so few pages left I did not expect Will's family to be brought back up until Clockwork Princess. But nope! Cecily shows up and seriously it was such a shock to me. Maybe that's just me. I mean, of course I knew Clare would bring the Herondales back up, but I thought it would wait for Princess, as like I said there were too few pages left for me to imagine it. But she brought in Cecily and it was like slamming into a brick wall -- in the best, most painful way possible. The noise that escaped me reading those last words was so inhuman I'm glad I managed to keep quiet because I finished this book around 1 am when everyone else in my house was asleep. HOW I managed to keep quiet... But anyways, this is not about me.

CLOCKWORK PRINCESS WHY ARE YOU SO FAR AWAY?