10 Characters I’d Switch Places With (Just For A Day)

I saw Amber from The Literary Pheonix do this post, and I thought it would be fun to try myself! (Also check out Amber's posts she posts so many fun things and great reviews)

As a reader, I find myself connecting to characters all the time. But would I ever want to trade places with them for a day? Well, some of them I would, and I'll tell you why!

Odessa

Reign of the Fallen by Sarah Glenn Marsh

One of the first characters I really fell in love with as a person, because she was so close to me. I just want to live in her world and experience the other side once.

Meredy

Reign of the Fallen by Sarah Glenn Marsh

I love the magic of being able to control an animal and work with them, I want the BEAR! I can't wait to see more of them both in Song of the Dead!

Meghan Chase

Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa

I think the fact that she has a mix of Iron and Summer glamour is really cool and interesting, but I wouldn't want to get mixed up in all the danger, just a day in the life of the child of Oberon, please.

Gandalf

The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

He doesn't come into contact with the spiders in the books...also I want to do magic.

Wanda/Melanie

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

The concept and the underground world always intrigued me. I think it'd be fun to talk to a voice in my head that wasn't just my thoughts too.

Esme Cullen

Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer

Her motherly instinct and family are amazing, also the chance to be a vampire...YES PLEASE!

Clary Fray

Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare

I want her ability to make runes that aren't in the book, and I've also always wanted to be a red-head as well.

Effie Trinket

Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins

Just think of the OUTFITS that I could wear. Also, I definitely like the movie version of Effie slightly more than the book one (because she didn't just vanish) so I want to be both.

Wisteria "Wisty" Allgood

Witch and Wizard series by James Patterson (and others)

As the series that got me into reading, of course, I would pick someone as amazing as Wisty. She can burst into FLAMES and uses a drumstick as a wand. Sooooo, I like her.

Ember Hill

Talon series by Julie Kagawa

One, she is a twin (I forget if she is the younger one or not). Two, I want to shapeshift into a dragon and travel all over the world with Riley.

There are other characters that I'd want to switch places with, but these are the current top ten in my mind. What are yours?

À bientôt!

Photo/GIF creds: all book covers from Goodreads (my canva edit to connect them),

Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare - A Book Review

I finished this book when I should have gone to bed, and I'm writing this review when instead I should sleep on it. You know what, I'm going to go to sleep. And when I wake up, I'll finish this review. I'm just full of emotions right now and I want to SCREAM TO THE HEAVENS because wow...

Okay, I napped for a long while, let's start.

Now, as you saw from my review of the Shadowhunter Academy stories, I love this world, but this book might just be my least favorite, for a few reasons. As I write this, I am still trying to decide on three or four stars (you'll find that out at the end...as will I).

Because I did like a lot of it, but there are just so many things within the narrative of this one book that I didn't like, and a lot of them were at the very end. Which tends to happen with a lot of CC books. She shoves a blade through your heart just when you think the damage couldn't get any greater. You'd think by now I would have learned, but alas, I have not.

So I want to start with the things that I did like because I feel that will be nicer and easier for me at the moment. I'll try to be as spoiler-free as I can be, but honestly, it's not easy for me and I don't read books when they first come out so most people interested in the book have probably read it. But I'll keep the big stuff hidden. It's the smaller things I normally have a harder time keeping secret.

Likes

I have always loved Diana, and this book just made that fact more solid for me. She is a dynamic character and now I ship her and Gwyn, thanks for THAT. Gwyn saying to Diana that she's been in his dreams swept me off my feet, and I was laying down when I was reading it. Need me someone like that.

Also, I do love how CC likes to bring in so many different types of characters, just to show that they are the same as humans, how we are all unique and it's just so fake and weird that everyone would be straight/cisgender all the time soooo. That's always a plus in my book. Mark, Alec, Magnus, *name struck out due to spoiler*, Helen and Aline (always a fan of them).

I want my own Clary Fray to comfort me on a rooftop and tell me everything might be okay. Because I need reality at some points in my life and I don't like being lied to. I wish she was more in the series, but at the same time it makes sense since this isn't her series anymore...but I still miss her.

The mention of Marisol and Jon in this book made my heart so happy and light, my small children! Happy together! Great, so happy.

Diana SHUTTING DOWN Zara like a damn Queen will forever live on my memories. How sweet it is to read a bigot get yelled at and put in their place.

The relationship between the twins and Kit was a great friendship and I felt beautifully written.

I also loved reading as Kit learned more about Ty and why he does what he does, and how Livvy works with him. And how Kit learned his own ways to work with Ty. It made me smile to see things like that, making anxiety attacks, and being different or even autistic (I don't think they said it outright that Ty's autistic and I could be wrong, maybe it's just close to that but not labeled that) is just something that is. And you have to just accept someone for who they are as a person and be there for them.

While I didn't like that he left so soon because I liked his character, Arthur's sacrifice (sorry small spoiler) for his family was so caring and an amazing final moment in his life. Something they can all think of, it was for them, because he loved his family.

Dislikes

*this section has slight spoilers because of my FEELINGS, please enter at own risk*

HOW DARE YOU TAKE AWAY JON! His character grew so much in the Academy and I thought he could be more in this book and work with the Blackthorns but NO!, just rip my heart right out again. I just want happiness at some point within these books. please cassie

Zara reminds me of so many people. I hate extremists and just the type of people like her. It's so fitting to read of someone like her, who hates anyone who is different or not 'normal' in her eyes. While it's fitting to reality, doesn't mean I LIKED IT BECAUSE SHE WAS MEAN. Also while I disliked her character, I liked her addition to the plot because of the different Downworlders that have always helped the Blackthorns and other shadowhunters since...a long time ago.

As much as I love a forbidden romance, the whole 'parabatai curse/against the law' plot with Emma and Julian, wasn't a fan. I felt it was almost unneeded with the rest of the story going. I see where certain plot points would not be able to be there without the forbidden love, but so much of the rest of the plot would remain the same if taken out, in my opinion. I just...it was something I felt didn't need to be in the book.

However, I am one person and most likely not in that majority and I'm fine with that. I'll still read the rest of the series.

I think that it's mainly because it's more of a law and a curse and not like...two families who said: "no don't do that". I like things like that where it's more of a principle that they can't be together, and not a curse.

Also, something I find that happens a lot with CC books: a large majority of bad stuff happens to multiple people at the same time during a mass chaos situation at the end so you can't SLEEP afterward. Like what happened here in Lord of Shadows. Like, please Cassie, STOP HURTING THEM! They've all been through so much already.

Now one final note,

To the piskie with its whole head in a bowl of milk: 

I just want you to know, from the bottom of my heart and soul; BIG MOOD.

Stars given: 3.75 (4 on Goodreads). This is because of the things that I did not like.

I love the world, I love the characters, but so many other things I just...I can't fully put my heart into it. So much loss, and so much destruction and death, the curse. Sometimes I just can't get past it if so much blood has already previously been spilled as well. However, perhaps in time, I won't think this and I'll have a different opinion. This is just my current one.

*Michael Cera voice* well, that's my review, let's talk about it.

À bientôt!

Photo/Gif creds: shadowhunters, michael cera,

90's Kid Book Tag

So I saw this tag on Nose Stuck In A Book, and I wanted to try it, just like all the other tags she does.

While I may have only been born in 97, I still enjoyed many of the fads of the 90s while growing up because the early 2000s were a lawless land. Don't believe me? Go google the top fashion.

THE RULES

*copied from 'The Literary Phoenix'

1. Please, please, please steal this tag and spread it around! I only ask that you link it back to The Literary Phoenix so that I can see everyone's answers!
2. Freeze tag was all the rage in the 90s. Tag someone (or many) you think would have fun with this!
3. Have fun!

*anything in asterisks are my personal feelings/memories with each 90s fad because I have many a story*

Pokemon

A GBA game and trading card game where you balled pocket monsters and strived to catch them all. Back in the day, there were only 150 Pokemon. *my mom didn't let me watch Pokemon so I didn't get to play until Pokemon Go came out, my favorite is Vulpix*

The author you need every book from: Julie Kagawa. I love all of her stories. It started with the Iron Fey series, and now I have at least one book from each of her series. Here's to getting them all!

AIM

AOL Instant Messaging - how 90s kids communicated with their friends after school before everyone had a cell phone. *I actually never used AIM because I didn't have friends during this fad*

Book that connected you with your best friend: I read a lot of books that my friends also read. However, Twilight is a reason why my roommate Emily and I got along so well. We both read the books during important/difficult times in our lives and when we met, we both mentioned that we liked it, and there began our Twilight Trash adventures and movie binges. (also Seth but I met him through Emily because of Twilight and just her in general lol)

Furby

Creepy needy robots you could teach to talk and were probably demon possessed. Somehow these made a comeback? *Furbys scare me and I'm glad my mother never got me one*

Book that seemed like a good idea but was actually a monster: MOBY DICK. The premise is good, but I hate the book and let the furbies eat it.

N'SYNC

90s quintessential boy band. You may have heard of Justin Timberlake? *I know few songs from this band but I know most of the memes....ITS GONNA BE MAY*

Book that you hated to say Bye, Bye, Bye to: The Host by Stephenie Meyer. I loved it so much and I thought the story was so interesting, also I wanted to follow Wanda more and see more of her working the world around her in a new body.

Slimed

Getting green slime thrown on you, courtesy of the show Figure it Out. Also apparently still a thing at the Kid's Choice Awards? *this is still on my bucket list*

A book that everyone loved but you hated: I mean, most books that I liked, everyone that I know also liked it. I don't know many people that liked the few books that I hated. Most people know the books that I dislike.

I will put a side-ish note here that there are books that I will not read due to stuff other reviewers say about it/or the author. One of them is The Black Witch. From honest reviews I have found about this book it's just not good, and problematic, and the fans of the book and author attack the reviewers who didn't give it a 4-5 star review so I don't want to be a part of any group like that. I see the book all over the internet so I guess that this one can fit this category.

Oregon Trail

90s computer game you could usually play at school, which was great. It taught us people used to die a lot of gruesome, messy deaths. *I only heard about this game like last year at some point because they made it a mobile game*

A book that made you wish you died of dysentery: For Whom The Bell Tolls get's this spot, hands down. I had to read this book for an English class in high school, and I liked the first two summer reads my professor assigned so I went into For Whom The Bell Tolls with hope, but THAT DIDN'T WORK OUT. The book was so boring to me and the way Hemingway wrote made me wish I was suffering any other way than by him.
*I looked up what dysentery was and I'm shook*

Mixtape/CD

Back before everyone had music on their phones (remember, we didn't have cell phones!) folks would rip their CDs and make mixes for each other. *my mom made my sister and I mixtapes to play on our little personal CD players. It was great. I honestly remember the rise of all the music sharing and streaming and it seems so far away*

3 books you recommend to anyone, anywhere, no matter what:

1. The Iron King from the Iron Fey Series by Julie Kagawa (I could literally talk about this and it's spin-off series for the rest of my life).
2. The City of Bones by Cassandra Clare (as well as the rest of the Shadowhunter Chronicles because the characters are good and so is the story).
3. Life and Death by Stephenie Meyer. (I'd say Twilight but while I love the series I love Edythe just a bit more)
4. *I just wanted to extra one* The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. (I love these books too and I'm sort of sad their hype has died down but at the same time I understand why)

Dial-Up Internet

You know how it's annoying when you aren't on LTE? IMAGINE WAITING 10 MINUTES FOR INTERNET TO START AND ANOTHER 20 MINUTES FOR GOOGLE TO LOAD! *I can honestly say I don't remember having dial-up...maybe I just wasn't allowed online during the time my mom had it. I always remember not waiting too long for things. Then again I was young and maybe I just don't remember the passage of time that well*

A book that took FOR FREAKING EVER to read: Lord of the Rings. I've only made it past Fellowship of the Ring as of this being posted so you know it's going to be a long time before I ever come out with a review or just any type of post about them. But I still love Middle Earth.

Kenan Thompson

He's that guy who's been on SNL forever. Also Mighty Ducks. Good Burger. Keenan and Kel. All That. Everything. *I watched like none of these...I know I've seen GB but I blocked that the hell out of my brain*

The book you see referenced everywhere and is in everything, but that's okay because it's awesome: The Shadowhunter Chronicle books go here again! Almost every blog and bookstagram that I follow have mentioned them and that's okay because I love them too.

Thumbs Up, Seven Up

A game where most the class closed their eyes and seven people tapped someone's thumb and you had to guess who did it without peeking. *I still love this game and will also say yes to playing it again*

Book where you peeked just REAL quick at the ending because you don't like guessing games: I don't do this because it gives me anxiety. I watched a friend read the ENTIRE last page of a book before starting it and my heart actually stopped in my chest.

Dunkaroos

These were basically just Teddy Grahams dipped in frosting, which is still a wonderful snack idea. *while I did like these, I really only remember eating the Shrek edition of them...and now I want them again*

You ideal bookish snack: Honestly anything. I could be eating my dinner while reading. As long as I don't get too much on the pages I call it a good day. But I do like having tea, cider, or hot chocolate when I read.

Scary Stories to Tell In The Dark

Collections of short stories that would scare any sensible kid! Plus, there were illustrations... *yea screw these I like watching Buzzfeed Unsolved but not these lmao, just the photos give nightmares*

A book that kept you up all night: I've never read something so scary to keep me up all night if that's how we want to go. But I have stayed up late reading The Iron Knight (Iron Fey #4) and The Lost (Witch and Wizard #5) before.

Bill Nye the Science Guy

Basically the coolest thing you got to do in science class was watch Bill Nye. He has a Netflix show again! *I never watched him in class until like a clip or two in college...which is weird but yea*

A book that taught you something new: I read a book for one of my history classes about the French Revolution (which is one of my favorite time periods) and it talked about EVERYTHING that lead to the revolution. Before I had only known about how it affected the royal family because I was a big fan of Marie Antoinette.

Now, while I don't know a lot of other book blogs (I need to start looking up others and make more friends in the bookish community) I can't tag anyone outright, but if you want to do this, do it! Let me know as well because I wanna see all your answers!

À bientôt!

Photo/Gif creds: vulpix, furby, N'SYNC, John Cena getting slimed, mixtape CD, shadowhunters, Shrek dunkaroos, Bill Nye,

Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy - A Book Review

Anyone who knows me knows that I love the Shadowhunter Chronicles. It's a great story with mystery and intrigue, so any part of the story I want to get my hands on. When I had the chance to get Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy, I did, and it was a great choice. I love Simon, he's one of my favorite characters in the whole story/world of Shadowhunting, and the ending of City of Heavenly Fire hurt my soul because of all the things that happened to him. (If you haven't read COHF yet you don't want to read TFTSA)

The stories within the collection lead you through the two years of Simon's time in the Shadowhunter Academy (hence the full title). I loved seeing a different side of the world I have grown to love so much and to meet new people that I hope will be seen in future books (looking at you Clare).

However, just like any other Cassandra Clare Shadowhunter book, there was heartbreak, death, and so many emotions. EVEN A BABY! I will try to be as vague and spoiler-free as I can but know I'm not promising anything to you.

I gave all the novellas 5 stars, just because that's how I felt about them. I love the world, I felt that it was all really well written, and I connected with the characters. Sooooooo, five stars for all! *Oprah voice* Everyone gets five stars!

I liked the difference at the beginning of the elites and the dregs, and by how the end of it, thanks to Simon, there was almost no difference between them all except the Ascension (which I will get to later because I have some WORDS on that).

I felt it was just right for Simon's character, who has been through so much, to stand up for the mundanes in the Academy and for Downworlders, because he's been both at one point in his life. Why would someone who has been a mundane, then a vampire, then a mundane again NOT stand up for basically everyone? Doesn't make sense, especially with my boy, so I'm glad that's not how it went.

I also like how by the end of the book, I had a new ship that I saw building from the middle of the stories and to the end. Though it wasn't like...stated in the books...it basically was and I'm ready for their journey. MarisolxJon

And while this was covered with Simon, I liked how there was a story within that also focused on Magnus and Alec. They are such a dynamic pair of characters, and it also featured the whole Lightwood family getting along so that's a fun little twist.

I also liked how it showed Simon feeling sad about people he didn't really know, because of the Blackthorns. It was difficult because I have read Lady Midnight already so I knew the stuff he was trying to figure out during the Parabatai ceremony of Julian and Emma, but for me it made it that much more interesting to start Lord of Shadows too, which is sitting on my desk back in my dorm room.

Catarina was a wonderful, refreshing character to have. She wasn't as tied to the Shadowhunter world, so she didn't really care about watching her mouth and I agreed with like, all the things she said. She was blue, and just done with everyone. It was also great that she kept referring to Simon as Daylighter, because it was a part of him, and that part of him helped him, and will in the future help him, become an even better Shadowhunter.

NOW WE MOVE TO ASCENSION! I was nervous that whole time. What was going to happen? Who was going to get hurt? It was all going so smoothly, so something HAD to go wrong...right? YES! It's Cassandra 'I murder all you love' Clare! It was RUDE to do what she did, but at the same time, I understand it, because it helped Simon pick out his Shadowhunter name and all that, but still. My man George deserved better!

I know Lord of Shadows doesn't follow Simon or any of the others from the Academy, but I'm still excited to read it. I'm just lucky I have friends who will let me borrow their books for extended periods of time because I suck at reading sometimes.

On to the next Nephilim adventure!

Have you read Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy? What did you think? Who is your absolute favorite character/couple within the whole world? Mine is Charlotte Fairchild/Branwell and her marriage with Henry Branwell.

À bientôt!

Photo/Gif creds: main cover, story covers, star gif, shadowhunters,