Mundie Moms

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

LORD OF SHADOWS by Cassandra Clare / Book Review #LordofShadows #Shadowhunters

*SPOILER FREE REVIEW* 



By: Cassandra Clare 
Published by: Margaret McElderry Books
Released on: May 23rd, 2017 - TODAY
Purchase from: Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository | Your favorite Indie Bookstore 
Add it to Goodreads
Rating: 5 Stars - I Loved It
Source: arc from publisher to review in exchange for my honest review

Emma Carstairs has finally avenged her parents. She thought she’d be at peace. But she is anything but calm. Torn between her desire for her parabatai Julian and her desire to protect him from the brutal consequences of parabatai relationships, she has begun dating his brother, Mark. But Mark has spent the past five years trapped in Faerie; can he ever truly be a Shadowhunter again?

And the faerie courts are not silent. The Unseelie King is tired of the Cold Peace, and will no longer concede to the Shadowhunters’ demands. Caught between the demands of faerie and the laws of the Clave, Emma, Julian, and Mark must find a way to come together to defend everything they hold dear—before it’s too late.

Lord of Shadows is the treat Shadowhunter fans have long been waiting for! 

I love how everything came together in this book. Clare does a brilliant job at creating a story that is rich in story telling, world building, history and character development. She always gives me a mix of everything I love about her books, including the right amount of danger, action, romance, and comedic relief (at all the right moments). She is the queen of ripping my heart out, and making me feel emotional drained when I finish her books. Lord of Shadows is no different.

Clare gives her Shadowhunter fans a much deeper look into the history of the Shadowhunters, their ties together, and mounting tensions between the Shadowhunters and Downworlders. It is a fragile dance the characters have together. War is a constant threat, as are secrets, deceptions and explosive character tensions. I could not have asked for a better story, and history between each of the Shadowhunter books up to this point in Clare's Shadowhunter library.

I loved feeling like I was being emotionally pulled into the characters's storylines and experiencing their moments first hand. There is a lot that goes on, and yet, not once did it ever feel overwhelming. I loved seeing how existing, and well known character relationship continued to evolve, and change. I also enjoyed seeing new characters grow, like with Kit, Ty and Livvy. While I enjoyed the prior TMI & TDA characters play in this story, Julian, Emma, Mark, and Cristina were the heart of this story. I enjoyed seeing how much they grew and matured, as they learned to overcome their weakness and handle their strengths. Don't get me wrong, there is a lot they have to deal with in this book, both individually and together. 

One of the things I loved about this book is the theme of family. Whether by blood relation or not. I completely understood the protective nature the characters had with each other. I also understood the need for allowing the younger characters to learn and grow with some guided direction. The more I get to know the characters, and continue to be surprised by some, the more I can't help but love them for who they are. Flaws and all. I get their reasoning behind their decision making, even if I don't always agree with it. 

Clare is the queen of emotionally charged moments, and unpredictable storylines. She once again proves why she deserves that title. Lord of Shadows is everything I had hoped it be, and so much more. There are so many things I wasn't prepared for. From individual character stories, to the over all story arc, this is one book that held me on edge until the very end. I loved how the previous series and even the future ones are tied together in this book. I love that like the previous books Clare has written, this book has various settings, which are all familiar to fans of the Shadowhunter world.  

This book is so good! I absolutely loved how this story was written. It's not just the progression of individual characters I loved, the over all Shadowhunter world. There's so much that happens! I'm a little worried about what's to come, but can't wait to jump back into this story with the next installment to the TDA series. Don't be surprised if you find themselves sighing, laughing, crying, and cheering on your favorite Shadowhunters while reading Lord of Shadows! 

3 comments:

  1. YAY :D I am so so glad that you loved this book Katie. <3 Hugs. I'm so so excited to read it too :) A bit nervous about all the heartbreak.. but so excited for another book in this world :D You have made me even more excited for it.

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    1. Thank you Carina. I hope you enjoy it. I'm looking forward to reading your review for it.

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  2. Wonderful review, as usual, Katie!

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