Book Nerds Across America

Book Summary
Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.

To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.

As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself. 

Flo's Review
This is an interesting one, for sure. I went into this with a lot of conflicting emotions. I wanted to love it, of course, because it's greatly hyped. But I also knew that I might now, due to the fact that -- and this is not a spoiler because of the title -- the guy is a jerk. I'm never good with stories where the guys are jerks.

So now I've finished it, and .... I kind of liked it and kind of didn't. As I was listening to it, the only thing motivating me to go on was that it's my book club read and that I was curious what would happen, based on all the hype. It wasn't necessarily because I was invested in the story. I just...it's got the whole political intrigue, Game of Thrones thing going on, and I don't think that's really my style. Plus, everyone in the story is just plain mean. I always want to be rooting for at least one person in the book, and I feel like the only character I liked and would want to hang out with was Oak. 

But on the flip side, I did the thing where I was getting close to the end of the audiobook and I finished reading the rest of the story in print because I wanted to see what would happen and I didn't want to wait until I was back in the car. I knew there would be a twist, I just didn't know what! 

So now I'm looking at The Wicked King, and I'm torn. On one hand, the relationship between Jude and Carden ... doesn't do it for me. Again, the mean thing. And let's her real, right now their relationship is built on them being jerks to each other. One the other hand, it seems like nearly everyone has liked TWK better than TCP. For that, I am willing to give it a try.

I think my conclusion is that I will continue on in the series, but just not right away. I need a break from all the meanness, and I have some other books I'd like to get to first. 

This book, and this series, is one with the range of opinions from "I loved it!" to "Ehh..." to "I was not a fan." Where do you stand? Let me know in the comments or on one of our social media accounts.

I heart this series so much! And, yes, I am missing the third book. I need to fix that...

Book Summary 
The final, thrilling installment in this extraordinary series from bestselling authors Holly Black and Cassandra Clare.

A generation ago, powerful mage Constantine Madden came close to achieving what no magician had ever achieved: the ability to bring back the dead. He didn't succeed . . . but he did find a way to keep himself alive, inside a young child named Callum Hunt.

Facing up to what he is, Callum has battled chaos and evil across four years of magical training at the Magisterium, eventually defeating the armies of chaos in an epic battle.

It came at a cost.

Now, triumphant and heartbroken, Callum Hunt has just about had enough, and is ready to complete his training. But the evil Callum faced has not given up just yet...

Flo's Review
I have thoroughly enjoyed this series! It's been 5 books of fun. I feel proud of how the characters have grown, almost as if they are my little brothers and sisters. The Golden Tower found a creative and effective way to both solve a seemingly unsolvable problem and also give the reader all the remaining background information on the events that led up to this series. It was kind of a lot -- there was what seemed like a pretty big reveal in there, but basically nothing came of it. Also, what was the point of including Gwenda? I feel like her only purpose was to -- ahh never mind, I won't say it (minor spoiler), but it's not a big or necessary plot point in the story. Jasper however -- Jasper FTW! I love that crazy little boy. 

I found myself getting teary eyed as I listened to the closing scene of the book, which was 100% perfect...
and true to Holly Black and Cassandra Clare. That's all I can say about that.

The Magisterium series is such an overlooked gem in middle grade literature. You don't hear much about it, but I simply adore it. I love how it purposely is kind of like Harry Potter, but then is totally not. I love how all the book endings are true to Black and Clare (read: cliffhangers of the "OMG!" variety). I loved this trio of main characters, and some of the supporting ones as well. And when I reached the end of The Golden Tower, I felt the happy combination of satisfied with the ending, curious about what may come, and sad to say goodbye.

Read our reviews of the Magisterium series:

The Iron Trial: http://www.booknerdsacrossamerica.com/2015/02/the-iron-trial-by-cassandra-clare-and.html

The Copper Gauntlet: http://www.booknerdsacrossamerica.com/2015/10/the-copper-gauntlet-by-holly-black-and.html

The Bronze Key: http://www.booknerdsacrossamerica.com/2016/10/the-bronze-key-by-holly-black-and.html

The Silver Mask: http://www.booknerdsacrossamerica.com/2017/10/book-review-silver-mask-by-holly-black.html

Book Summary
A generation ago, Constantine Madden came close to achieving what no magician had ever achieved: the ability to bring back the dead. He didn't succeed . . . but he did find a way to keep himself alive, inside a young child named Callum Hunt. Now Call is one of the most feared and reviled students in the history of the Magisterium, thought to be responsible for a devastating death and an ever-present threat of war. As a result, Call has been imprisoned and interrogated. Everyone wants to know what Constantine was up to-and how he lives on. But Call has no idea. It is only when he's broken out of prison that the full potential of Constantine's plan is suddenly in his hands . . . and he must decide what to do with his power. In this spellbinding fourth book of Magisterium, bestselling authors Holly Black and Cassandra Clare take us beyond the realm of the living and into the dangers of the dead.

Flo's Review
So, true to Holly Black and Cassie Clare style, the Magisterium book #3 left us with a devastating ending. Book 4 starts us about 6 months after the events at the end of the last book. Call is still gauging his thoughts and actions based on if they will put him in the Evil Overlord category  Unfortunately, there may be more mages who believe him to be an Evil Overlord than who do not. 

Romance starts to brew and it's middle grade romance, so it's just cute. I think it might largely be based on the circumstances the two characters find themselves in, but it was a fun way to bring some levity into what could be a pretty heavy story. Speaking of levity -- Jasper for the win! I laughed every time he complained to Call about Celia, but I also found myself surprisingly touched (as Call was) by a confession that he makes in the book.                                    

The comparisons of this series to Harry Potter are inevitable, and I feel this book is akin to The Order of the Phoenix.  Phoenix, to me, is when I felt things started to get really dark really fast, and Master Joseph and Alex Strike took it to that level here. 

Of course, I have to discuss the ending. (Of course, I will do so in a spoiler-free way.) So, there was something good followed by something really, really bad. I think the next book will be the last book in the series, so it will hopefully answer the unanswered questions that Call pondered about himself, his abilities, Constantine Madden's actions, chaos magic, and more in this book. The dynamic between the characters has changed again, so I wonder what that will mean for the romance. I do hope it's addressed.

I listened to this one on audiobook and absolutely loved it! I popped it into my CD player after a bad experience with another audiobook, and it was exactly what I needed. The reader did a great job of reading well the pacing that kept the story moving. I never felt stuck in the plot. And it went by so fast! The only thing that threw me -- and this is a little thing -- is the way he pronounced Callum's name. I have been reading it as Cal, rhyming with Al. But he read it as Call, pronounced like "phone call." Who knew?! But overall, if you like audiobooks and you like this series, then The Silver Mask audiobook is the way to go.

Thank you to Books on Tape for sending me a copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Our other reviews of the Magisterium series:

The Iron Trial: http://www.booknerdsacrossamerica.com/2015/02/the-iron-trial-by-cassandra-clare-and.html

The Bronze Key: http://www.booknerdsacrossamerica.com/2016/10/the-bronze-key-by-holly-black-and.html

Book Summary
Magic can save you.
Magic can kill you.

Students at the Magisterium are supposed to be safe. Under the watchful eyes of the mages, they are taught to use magic to bring order to a chaotic world.

But now the chaos is fighting back. Call, Tamara, and Aaron should be worrying about things like pop quizzes and magic contests. Instead, after the shocking death of one of their classmates, they must track down a sinister killer… and risk their own lives in the process.

As Call, Tamara, and Aaron discover, magic can only be as good as the person who wields it. In evil hands, it has the capacity to do immeasurable harm, unless it is stopped in time.

In this striking third book of Magisterium, bestselling authors Holly Black and Cassandra Clare present us with a school where anything, good or evil, can happen, and the only way to unlock the truth is to risk everything to find it. 

Flo's Review
I admit, I have been forgetful. I'd forgotten how much Cassandra Clare likes her cliffhangers. And I'd forgotten how surprised I was at the end of The Iron Trial.

WHOA, KIDS.

Admittedly, I knew something big was happened at the end of the book, due to minor spoilers on Goodreads. (I knew what, specifically, just not the details.) But that didn't stop me from being completely floored. I was so not expecting THAT. I have already read some theories on where they are going from here which make sense. I am eager to see the next steps, as they are not as evident as they have been at the end of previous books. 

That being said, it took me awhile to get into this book. For some reason, there was nothing really keeping me turning the pages until I found out about the end. But as I read, my motivation to keep going was that I needed to get the book back to the library (it's totally overdue) and not an overwhelming desire to see what happens next. Definitely the events in the book were all important, as they laid the foundation for the end. But I don't know. It read a little slow. Maybe more theorizing that action? Maybe a little too much of the Celia thing? Luckily, these books are short and easy reads, so it wasn't long before I was tied up in the end. 

Can't believe I have to wait another year until The Silver Mask!

Book Summary
Children can have a cruel, absolute sense of justice. Children can kill a monster and feel quite proud of themselves. A girl can look at her brother and believe they’re destined to be a knight and a bard who battle evil. She can believe she’s found the thing she’s been made for.

Hazel lives with her brother, Ben, in the strange town of Fairfold where humans and fae exist side by side. The faeries’ seemingly harmless magic attracts tourists, but Hazel knows how dangerous they can be, and she knows how to stop them. Or she did, once.

At the center of it all, there is a glass coffin in the woods. It rests right on the ground and in it sleeps a boy with horns on his head and ears as pointed as knives. Hazel and Ben were both in love with him as children. The boy has slept there for generations, never waking.

Until one day, he does…

As the world turns upside down, Hazel tries to remember her years pretending to be a knight. But swept up in new love, shifting loyalties, and the fresh sting of betrayal, will it be enough? 

Flo's Review
What an interesting, unique story. Holly Black does a great job of intermixing regular, modern high school drama with fairies and fantasy. I really liked the way she was able to seamlessly meld the two together. This is one of those novels where you don't know the full story up front -- as you read on, nuggets of what happened in the past are revealed to you. I am about 50/50 on that approach (sometimes it works for me and other times not), but I thought it was done well here.

Unfortunately, even with all that, the book could not hold my interest. I was listening to the audiobook and got about 2 hours in when I had to stop the first time. I believe Jacque asked me how it was and my only response was: "Weird." I gave it another two hours, and thought, "Okay." I set it aside and thought about coming back to it....but that was the last time I thought about it. If I can set a book aside and not even give it a second thought, then it's not for me. My library loan expired and I did not renew it.

Jacque's Review:
Hazel and Ben are a brother and sister who have grown up in the unusual town of Fairfold.  The locals know all of the "rules" to keep yourself safe from the monsters that live in the forest, but it is never safe for a tourist.  The faeries prey upon the unsuspecting visitors who come to visit the prince, who has been sleeping in the forest for generations.  The local high school students routinely gather around his glass casket to party, but the prince has had an even greater impact on the lives of Hazel and Ben.  While their parents were busy working, the siblings spent hours talking to the prince and pretending to kill the monsters in the forest.

Book Summary
Callum Hunt’s summer break isn’t like other kids’. His closest companion is a Chaos-ridden wolf, Havoc. His father suspects him of being secretly evil. And, of course, most kids aren’t heading back to the magical world of the Magisterium in the fall.

It’s not easy for Call . . . and it gets even harder after he checks out his basement and discovers that his dad might be trying to destroy both him and Havoc.

Call escapes to the Magisterium -- but things only intensify there. The Alkahest -- a copper gauntlet capable of separating certain magicians from their magic -- has been stolen. And in their search to discover the culprit, Call and his friends Aaron and Tamara awaken the attention of some very dangerous foes -- and get closer to an even more dangerous truth.

As the mysteries of the Magisterium deepen and widen, bestselling authors Holly Black and Cassandra Clare take readers on an extraordinary journey through one boy’s conflict -- and a whole world’s fate.

Flo's Review
I loved, loved, loved The Iron Trial. Jacque and I got the ARC for that one at BEA last year and the Book Nerds decided to make it a read along when it came out. Once again, I was lucky enough to snag an ARC of the second book in the series, The Copper Gauntlet. And once again, we decided to make it a Book Nerd read along. This second book jumped right back in where the first book left off. As I reading this one, I was reminded just how much happened in the first book. I had to stop and at several points and try to recall who and what certain things were, as they were mentioned again in this book after being introduced in the first. This book starts in the summer after Call's first year at the Magisterium. He is struggling with new information that he learned about himself at the end of his Iron Year, the first year at his magical school. The thing Call is struggling with is huge and serious, but Black and Clare made it fun to read about Call's struggle with how he approaches it. The humor in this book is subtle, but I often found myself chuckling.

This book takes us back to the Magisterium for awhile, and then the young heroes go out on an adventure. It was great to see Tamara, Call, Jasper, and Aaron grow into their magic. Yes, Jasper. He ends up being on the journey with them, adding another line to the commentary that this book brings forth about good versus evil. In other words, are the good characters purely good? Are the evil characters completely evil? The main characters had their disagreements, but at the end of the day they had each other's backs in a heartwarming way.

One small point was integrated into this story and then brought up again at the end of the book, so we have a clear lead into book three. Which I totally cannot wait for. I am loving this series so much! The Copper Gauntlet was one of those books where I'm like, "I'm just gonna read for a few minutes while eating..." and then 45 minutes later I'm done with lunch and still with my nose in the book. I hadn't planned on finishing it today, but I literally couldn't put it down. I cannot wait to continue this story in The Cosmos Blade.

Jacque's Review

I enjoyed the Iron Trial, but I felt like there were a lot of similarities with the Harry Potter series.  This book, however, took the series into a direction completely its own.  Instead of focusing on Callum's second year at the Magisterium, The Copper Gauntlet follows the characters as they set out on a mission to find a stolen magical object.  This object could cause significant harm to two of the characters, but they put their own safety aside for the greater good.

As Flo mentioned, good vs. evil is an important theme.  Callum discovered the real reason his father didn't want him to attend the Magistarium at the end of the Iron Trial.  He has been processing this information, but he is not willing to share this knowledge with even his closest friends.  Instead, he keeps an internal log of all of his good and evil thoughts and actions in the hopes that he can prove his father wrong.  His internal dialog is absolutely hilarious and helps to lighten up an otherwise serious situation. 

I often struggle with finding books my ten-year-old son will enjoy.  He likes the Percy Jackson series, but he was a little overwhelmed by the size of the Harry Potter books once he was further along in the series.  This series is fast paced, action packed and should easily capture the attention of young girls and boys alike.  It will not intimidate young readers and is a great introduction to fantasy worlds.  I will definitely recommend it to him.  Hopefully we will be able to read the third book together!!

Book Summary
Most kids would do anything to pass the Iron Trial.
Not Callum Hunt. He wants to fail.
All his life, Call has been warned by his father to stay away from magic. If he succeeds at the Iron Trial and is admitted into the Magisterium, he is sure it can only mean bad things for him.
So he tries his best to do his worst – and fails at failing.
Now the Magisterium awaits him. It’s a place that’s both sensational and sinister, with dark ties to his past and a twisty path to his future.
The Iron Trial is just the beginning, for the biggest test is still to come . . .

Flo's Review
I devoured this book in 2 sittings. I've always loved Cassie's writing and Holly's writing, and this book did not disappoint. It has a very Harry Potter-ish type feel, as the first year students are separated into groups with different masters, and especially with the setting and the food. The underground Magisterium just sounds like Hogwarts to me. And I do love the concept that they get lichen to eat every day, but every day it tastes like something different. Call, Tamara and Aaron remind me so much of Harry, Hermoine and Ron, and I love it so much.

The fact that The Iron Trial reminded me of Harry Potter warmed me up to the story immediately, and almost feels like it was done on purpose. I could see that being the case so that the reader will come to expect certain things to happen and then be completely wrong and surprised with what actually happens. This definitely happened to me several times in the story! The letter on the cover of the ARC actually says, "We wanted to tell a story about a protagonist who had all the markers of a hero: tragedy and secrets in his past, magical power. We wanted people to believe they knew what kind of story they were in for. And then we wanted them to be surprised..." Well they definitely did just that! There are so many characters who you think you know, but as you find out more about them, you realize that their stories run deep and there's more in their past than they are making apparent. And the self discovery for some of these kids is on a whole different level!

The groundwork for a fantastic series has been laid. I can't say too much more without giving away any spoilers, but I've already promised a friend who's read the book that we will talking to soon to discuss our possible theories. It is that kind of book.

Jacque's Review

Book Summary
If you love holiday stories, holiday movies, made-for-TV-holiday specials, holiday episodes of your favorite sitcoms and, especially, if you love holiday anthologies, you’re going to fall in love with MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME: TWELVE HOLIDAY STORIES by twelve bestselling young adult writers, edited by international bestselling author Stephanie Perkins.

Flo's Review
I was in the library hold queue for this book and literally picked it up on the way to the airport to fly back to my parents' house. I'm really glad I got it! I enjoyed the twelve stories a lot. Some of them had some fantastical elements, and while those were fun, I think I tended to like the straight up contemp stories the best. And now I will try to rank them, starting with my most favoritest. Here goes!

It's a Yuletide Miracle, Charlie Brown by Stephanie Perkins 

Midnights by Rainbow Rowell 

Angels in the Snow by Matt de la Peña 

Welcome to Christmas, CA by Kiersten White

What the Hell Have You Done, Sophie Roth? by Gayle Forman

Star of Bethlehem by Ally Carter 
Beer Buckets and Baby Jesus by Myra McEntire 

Polaris is Where You'll Find Me by Jenny Han 

Krampuslauf by Holly Black 
Your Temporary Santa by David Levithan 

The Girl Who Woke the Dreamer by Laini Taylor 

The Lady and the Fox by Kelly Link 

Jacque's Review:

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is an interesting take on the whole vampire phenomenon.  There are walled off communities where vampires and those who are "infected" are supposed to live.  People who are infected are not vampires, but they have been bitten by a vampire and could turn into one if they succumb to the urge to drink human blood.  The urge is relentless, so most infected individuals eventually turn.  If they are able to resist the urge for 88 days, the infection wears off and the individual remains human.  There are some humans who were trapped when the walls went up as well as humans who volunteer to go into the Coldtowns for the vampires to feed on.  Most of the volunteers are hoping they will eventually be turned into vampires, but that is rarely the case since the vampires need to protect their food supply.

Tana is a 17 year old girl who was at a party with a bunch of her friends when there was a vampire attack.  Tana and her ex-boyfriend, Aidan, are the only survivors.  They help a vampire named Gavriel, who was being held captive by the attackers, to escape as well.  The three of them travel together and check themselves into the local Coldtown, which is where the majority of the story takes place.

Flo and I decided to select The Coldest Girl in Coldtown for our April read along after reading all of the amazing reviews when this book was first released.  I was expecting it to be the next Twilight, Vampire Academy, or WVMP Radio series, but it fell short.  While I liked the story, there was definitely something missing.  It never really grabbed and held my attention until the last 100 pages.  It is my understanding that this is supposed to be a stand alone novel, but I honestly believe a sequel containing A LOT more of Gavriel would be a far superior book.  I loved all of the scenes when he was present, but they were far and few between until the very end.  The ending was also left open, so Holly could easily resume the story at some point in the future.  While I am not counting on there being a sequel, I would DEFINITELY read it if there is. 

Spoiler Alert: May contain spoiler for the Mortal Instruments trilogy. Proceed with caution.

I pretty much love everything that Smart Pop YA does. They're the ones behind The Girl Who Was On Fire, which I simply adored. So when I discovered that they were doing a book about another one of my favorite series, The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare, I was beyond excited.

A nice collection of essays that covers many different aspects of the series is contained in this collection. Allow me to speak to a few of my favorites ones:

Simon Lewis: Jewish, Vampire Hero by Michelle Hodkin: Okay, part of my love of this essay is simply because I love Michelle. I have had the opportunity to meet her twice and she is just great! I also really did enjoy her book The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer. But I think this essay really stuck with me because I am a devoted Catholic. I know it's not Jewish, but my faith is also rich in history and tradition, and I love that Michelle was able to take her faith, which is clearly also very important to her, and relate/apply it in this way. When I was reading The Mortal Instruments, I was able to pick up on some of these ideas, but not all of them, and certainly not with this depth. Also, I love Cassandra Clare's introduction for this essay -- it almost comes off like she is speechless from the awesomeness this essay.

Brotherly Love by Kendare Blake: Because, yes, the brother/sister storyline -- it needed to be addressed. And Kendare did a great job with it! I learned about the Westermarck effect and I see as I'm looking at my book that I actually wrote in the margin by one point: "I never thought of this!" This storyline was definitely an interesting choice by Cassandra Clare and it was nice to read a thoughtful analysis on it.

Immortality and its Discontents by Holly Black and Kelly Link: I like that Cassie and Smart Pop chose to keep this one in an interview/discussion format. This worked so well with this essay because I, as a reader, was able to follow a thought train and see how we got from discussing one thing to something else. Also, the reality of the discussion led them all to get sidetracked sometimes, which was just fun. Kelly makes an interesting point about Magnus: "In terms of audience reaction, his sexual preferences seem much more notable than the fact that he's immortal." Interesting, right?! Good point, Kelly! Oh, and this one, too, which I love:

"...that's a big part of young adult literature, period. It's a literature of discovery and change. You, the protagonist, have to discover the world. And at the same time you have to discover what you are that you didn't know was possible. You are changed. You change the world."

Wow. Bam!

When Laws are Made to Be Broken by Robin Wasserman: I loved reading an analysis of The Clave!

What Does that Deviant Wench Think She's Doing? Or, Shadowhunters Gone Wild by Sarah Rees Brennan: I remember meeting Sarah at the RT convention in Chicago last year. (We had a deep discussion about the merits of being on Team Stefan in The Vampire Diaries.) She entertained me then, and she entertained me with this essay. I was literally laughing out loud and shaking my head and some parts of this one. And putting this one at the end? Nicely played by Cassie and Smart Pop. And this quote here:

"Love is what matters. Love is the song you hear even while you sleep, and you know you are healed, and safe, and where you belong." <3

My random favorite line of the anthology, courtesy of Diana Peterfreund: "See, Jace never learned to flirt properly because he was raised by a murderous sociopath."

If you are a Mortal Instruments fan, I would definitely recommend you picking up a copy of Shadowhunters and Downworlders!

"Curses and cons. Magic and the mob.In Cassel Sharpe's world, they go together. Cassel always thought he was an ordinary guy, until he realized his memories were being manipulated by his brothers. Now he knows the truth — he’s the most powerful curse worker around. A touch of his hand can transform anything — or anyone — into something else. That was how Lila, the girl he loved, became a white cat. Cassel was tricked into thinking he killed her, when actually he tried to save her. Now that she’s human again, he should be overjoyed. Trouble is, Lila’s been cursed to love him, a little gift from his emotion-worker mom. And if Lila’s love is as phony as Cassel’s made-up memories, then he can’t believe anything she says or does. When Cassel’s oldest brother is murdered, the Feds recruit Cassel to help make sense of the only clue — crime-scene images of a woman in red gloves. But the mob is after Cassel too — they know how valuable he could be to them. Cassel is going to have to stay one step ahead of both sides just to survive. But where can he turn when he can’t trust anyone — least of all, himself? Love is a curse and the con is the only answer in a game too dangerous to lose." (from Goodreads)

Flo's Review
Wow. It's only every once in a while that you discover a book world that is soo completely crazy and immersive. You are appalled and impressed all at the same time. It grabs you, and you want to stay there. This is the world of Holly Black's Curse Workers. Such a creative and crazy concept. So sleazy. So clever. I love seeing how Cassel out smarts everyone who is trying to get him in the end. It's because in this crazy world where people using people and murder are just facts of life, Cassel Sharpe is trying to figure out how to be good -- when it would be easy, natural and expected for him to choose the bad lifestyle. I love that he let himself open up to Sam and Daneca more in this book. We felt how hard it was for him to do that, to trust people and have friends, so every time he let them in a little more I silently cheered. I was also proud of myself for figuring out who the killer was when Cassel did -- I never do that! #GoldStarForMe The end hurt my heart, and I am so so curious to see what Cassel's actions will mean for him and his family and friends in the next book.