The Beholder

Around the world, people die under mysterious circumstances. Each has a sign. Each is a piece of a jigsaw puzzle. A NYC interior designer Jason Walker receives a message saying he is the final piece.

Emily Ethan, a startling beauty with supernatural powers, appears and tells Jason that powers dormant within him are about to wake. He is the only person who can prevent darkness from enslaving the world. He is the Beholder whose advent has been awaited for many years.

Setting out on a journey with Emily, Jason discovers the world he could have never imagined, but the greatest surprise arrives the moment he realizes he has fallen in love with Emily.

*May Contain Spoilers*

Ivan Amberlake introduces Lightsighted and Darksighted to the world with his novel, The Beholder. With supernatural abilities, the Sighted are a group of people that span the Earth fighting for either good or evil. A prophecy proclaims that the Beholder is about to awaken and he's the only chance the Lightsighted have to win against evil. 

Jason Walker is an interior designer. He and his two friends, Matt and Debbie, are employed by the same company and thoroughly enjoy their work. But lately, Jason has been having nightmares about things that couldn't ever be possible. When he realizes that his nightmares are visions, he is catapulted into an alternate reality of chaos where everyone believes he'll be the world's savior. Jason is an interesting character. Readers will enjoy discovering a new world full of energy and light through his eyes. Jason is loyal, a little gullible, and possesses just the right amounts of fear and bravery. A connection will be formed through interest and intrigue. 

The plot of the novel follows Jason's journey toward awakening the Sight within him. It's a long, arduous process that spans nearly the entire novel. With many surprises, near death experiences, and battles between good and evil, The Beholder will keep readers enthralled. The new world reality that comes with the Sight is, at times, difficult to follow, but Amberlake does a good job at explaining everything for the reader. Interested to see where the Sight takes Jason in the second installment. 

Rating: 3/5 Cups

City of Lost Souls

What price is too high to pay, even for love? When Jace and Clary meet again, Clary is horrified to discover that the demon Lilith’s magic has bound her beloved Jace together with her evil brother Sebastian, and that Jace has become a servant of evil. The Clave is out to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. As Alec, Magnus, Simon, and Isabelle wheedle and bargain with Seelies, demons, and the merciless Iron Sisters to try to save Jace, Clary plays a dangerous game of her own. The price of losing is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost?

*May Contain Spoilers*

The world isn't safe from Valentine's legacy as his son, Jonathan, carries on the evil instilled within him from infancy in The City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare. As Jonathan begins carrying out his own plan to destroy Shadowhunters, Clary must figure out how to stop him. Though it isn't easy when Jonathan and Jace are connected. When the fourth book ended, Lilith had just perfomed a ceremony to link the two boys. Now, one cannot be cut without the other bleeding. 

With Jace in trouble, Clary, Simon, Alec, Magnus, and Isabelle are determined to find a way to sever the link between him and Jonathan. Clare does a fantastic job balancing all of the characters, giving readers an in-depth look at each of them. Clary is more reckless than ever, sacrificing her safety by pretending to align with her evil brother, defining her loyalty and love for Jace. Simon, once again, stands out by demonstrating his courage and bravery when he calls upon the Angel Raziel to ask for help in saving Jace. 

Alec, the play-by-the-book boy, surprises readers with his dark intentions where Magnus is concerned. Readers get to see a new side of Alec, a side where all options are considered when it comes to love and immortality. Though, his uncertainty and unsure nature are still the foundation for his connection with readers. More about Magnus is revealed in this Mortal Instruments installment but it seems with answers, more questions appear. Wondering if the parental history of Magnus will play a part in the final book. 

Isabelle has always been a favorite character of mine in this series. She's a tough, no nonsense Shadowhunter who never backs down from a demon fight. Throughout the entire series, Isabelle has slowly opened up and shown her friendly side. This book is no exception. Readers get an even deeper look into Isabelle as she finally fesses up to her feelings for Simon, letting her hopes and fears be known. 

The plot of The City of Lost Souls begins with the search for Jace and Jonathan (aka Sebastian). When the possessed Jace comes back for Clary, she sees that this is her chance to uncover Jonathan's plans and save Jace in the process. While she's doing the undercover work, Simon, Alec, Isabelle, and Magnus search for a way to separate Jace and Jonathan so that they can kill Jonathan for good and save the Shadowhunting world. Though the story line is very similar to the fourth book (Jace possessed and the group trying to save him) and the first three books (evil Valentine family member trying to destroy the earth), I wasn't disappointed. 

Rating: 4/5 Cups

Once Upon a Time

When Adam was younger, he was accidentally transported to Rush, a fairy tale kingdom, and was shown his future: a beautiful raven haired woman. The fairy queen that revealed his future only told him one thing: help her, but don't fall in love with her.

Bridin and Brigit are twins who were dropped of at an orphanage with matching books and necklaces. Books that tell a story of a fairy tale world and necklaces that ward off evil. Bridin remembers the history of her people in the fairy world of Rush, but Brigit was destined to forget.

Now it's time for them to go back to their homeland, save their people from the Dark Lord, and take their rightful place as the leaders of Rush. Separated for many years, Bridin must find a way to convince her sister that her dreams of being a fairy princess are true, with the help of Adam, who has grown up to become a scholar on fairy tale legends around the world.

Fairytale, by Maggie Shayne, transports the reader into a separate world where fairy tales aren't just ideas in children's books. So far this novel has me believing in magic and wishing for a hidden world, waiting to be discovered.