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Night School (Night School #1) by C.J. Daugherty
Allie's world is falling apart...
She hates her school. Her brother has run away. And she's just been arrested.
Again.
Now her parents are sending her away to a boarding school where she doesn't know a soul.
But
instead of hating her new school, Allie finds she's happy there. She's
making friends. And then there's Sylvain, a suave French student who
openly flirts with her. And Carter, the brooding loner who seems to have
her back.
Soon, though, Allie discovers Cimmeria Academy is no
ordinary school. Nothing there is as it seems. And her new friends are
hiding dangerous secrets.
I think fans of Hex Hall series would enjoy this. There is the sarcastic but kind main heroine, there is the boarding school and the weird and upsetting things happening there. Though Night School is definitely darker, more sinister, and less YA-ish than Hex Hall, so beware! :)
The main character, Allie, is very likeable. There was only one short moment when I rolled my eyes at her action, and she was very infatuated. Otherwise everything she did was understandable and I would probably do the same. There was also really nice development of her character, all the events at Cimmeria Academy made Allie grow and sort out her priorities.
All the other characters were very believable as well. They were quite ambiguous and it was not easy to guess who they really were and what were their real intentions. Actually everyone and everything at Cimmeria Academy was suspicious and that's what made this book so thrilling!
The relationships between all different characters were built slowly and felt realistic.
If you are craving a darker YA suspense/thriller with a right dose of romance, you should definitely read Night School!
Rating:
No, I didn't abandon my blog. I was on a family holiday in Sardinia, because it was my father's birthday. Even though I'm not the "southern type" (I prefer cold to heat), I love visiting Mediterranean! So many (ancient) cultures meet there. And I'm lucky enough to live quite close.
Also, is there any better smell than the salty sea air mingling with the sweetness of blooming jasmine?
I took my laptop with me hoping I'll be able to write a review or any kind of post. But I failed miserably. I was busy doing other things. Like:
Enjoying the view!
Eating delicious food.
Talking with our neighbours and feeding them carrots. :)
Visiting unusually deserted Porto Cervo.
And did I mention the view?
I didn't even read much. I only got half way through Seduction by M.J. Rose, which I love so far.
What I did manage though was ordering six books! :) One of them is The Red Book by C.G. Jung, the paperback version, as hardback is very expensive. But I'll get it eventually as well.
“One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.”
C.G. Jung
Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices #2) by Cassandra Clare
In the magical
underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with
the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in
the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the
Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the
street—and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use
Tessa’s powers for his own dark ends.
With the help of the
handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa
discovers that the Magister’s war on the Shadowhunters is deeply
personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life.
To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from
mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from
the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that
the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When
they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they
realize that the Magister himself knows their every move—and that one of
their own has betrayed them.
After reading Clockwork Prince I consider myself a Cassandra Clare fan. She just knows how to write a gripping story with a perfect balance of adventure, humour, sad (I would even go so far and say devastating) moments, and romance. She includes some clichés which I normally don't enjoy very much, but somehow she manages to put everything together and make it seem and sound amazing.
There is lots of complexity. Every part of the story somehow connects to other parts and all little details make sense in the end. And speaking of complexity, her characters are the best ones in YA genre I've ever read. And not just the main characters, but all of them! She pays attention to everyone, explores their story, and through that she turns them into very believable characters.
It is also obvious that Clare did her research and that is always something I appreciate and need to point out. And I love that literature plays important role here, and also the clear obsession Clare has with A Tale of Two Cities. :)
There are also things in the story which show and support open-mindedness and respect for other (human) beings. For example the way Shadowhunters see women (especially in Victorian era), equal to men. Well, at least most of them. Yes, I'm looking at you Benedict, you demon poxy bastard. Or the effortless way Magnus Bane's sexuality is pictured.
All in all, this was fun and adventurous book with enjoyable romance, and with especially great and believable characters.
And now for something completely different: ranting and spoilers. In no particular order. It might not even make sense.
I'm not sure where to start, so maybe I can just say that at one point I wasn't sure who was more pathetic. Jessamine or Nathaniel? Then I realized I actually felt sorry for Jessie, but Nate made me sick all the time.
Jem. Tessa. Will.
Let's start with Will. At the beginning he was getting on my nerves a bit, but I still liked him. But... he waited five years to do anything about his curse? Five years? Really? And he didn't tell Jem? Why? But then again, I kind of understand, he was scared and hurt and generally in a very undesirable situation. And the only thing that kept him going (besides Jem) were books. And the moment he told Tessa everything about it and about reading her letters and everything else. And she told him about the engagement. That was the worst, saddest, and most beautiful moment in the whole story. I wanted to burn myself as Tessa did.
And Tessa, she is the rare example (along with Sophie Mercer) of a YA heroine whose actions don't irritate me. She is kind and clever, and she loves books! And though she is not a kick-ass heroine, she became even stronger and braver in this book. And she is not afraid to fight for what she believes is right.
And Jem, well, I adore him. He might be delicate when it comes to his health, but otherwise there is so much strength and kindness in him, it's admirable. And he loves animals!
I should probably stop now, because I could write and write and never stop.
The last thing I want to say though is: Demon Pox!
Rating:
