Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Audiobooks

Top 10 Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted over at The Broke and The Bookish

Top Ten Favorite Audiobooks

I listen to audiobooks a lot, especially at work.  Audiobooks are one of the best things because I get to work while listening to them, so I'm not losing out on any reading time!

Depending on the book, I have been known to grab a physical or eBook copy because I can't wait until I get back to work to find out what happens, but here are some of my absolute favorite audiobooks I've listened to.

  

   

  

What are some of your favorite audiobooks? Are you a fan of them or do you prefer the text versions?

September TBR Pile Book Club: A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray

Hi guys! Welcome to the September TBR Pile Book Club where we'll discuss A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray! A huge thank you to everyone who will join us to discuss this AMAZING book!

Don't forget that everyone who takes part in our September TBR Pile Book Club is going to get 5 extra entries into the next TBR Pile Reading Challenge giveaway! If you haven't joined yet, head on over to our 2016 TBR Pile Reading Challenge Guidelines and Sign Ups to do so!

About the Book

A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray
Series: Firebird #1
Published: November 4, 2014 by Harper Teen
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Romance
Find it: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

Cloud Atlas meets Orphan Black in this epic dimension-bending trilogy by New York Times bestselling author Claudia Gray about a girl who must chase her father's killer through multiple dimensions.

Marguerite Caine's physicist parents are known for their groundbreaking achievements. Their most astonishing invention, called the Firebird, allows users to jump into multiple universes�and promises to revolutionize science forever. But then Marguerite's father is murdered, and the killer�her parent's handsome, enigmatic assistant Paul� escapes into another dimension before the law can touch him.

Marguerite refuses to let the man who destroyed her family go free. So she races after Paul through different universes, always leaping into another version of herself. But she also meets alternate versions of the people she knows�including Paul, whose life entangles with hers in increasingly familiar ways. Before long she begins to question Paul's guilt�as well as her own heart. And soon she discovers the truth behind her father's death is far more sinister than she expected.

A Thousand Pieces of You explores an amazingly intricate multi-universe where fate is unavoidable, the truth elusive, and love the greatest mystery of all.

"I meant it when I said I didn�t believe in love at first sight. It takes time to really, truly fall for someone. Yet I believe in a moment. A moment when you glimpse the truth within someone, and they glimpse the truth within you. In that moment, you don�t belong to yourself any longer, not completely. Part of you belongs to him; part of him belongs to you. After that, you can�t take it back, no matter how much you want to, no matter how hard you try."

Every form of art is another way of seeing the world. Another perspective, another window. And science �that�s the most spectacular window of all. You can see the entire universe from there.

"If not for yourself, my lady, stay alive for me."

Our eyes meet.

His next words are a whisper. "I have no need for a world without you in it."

This, I think, is the boundary line of adulthood. Not the crap they claim it is- graduating from high school or losing your virginity or getting your first apartment or whatever. You cross the boundary the first time you're changed forever. You cross it the first time you know you can never go back.

Apparently, when people travel between dimensions, their physical forms are "no longer observable," which is a quantum mechanics thing, and explaining it involves this whole story about a cat that's in a box and is simultaneously alive and dead until you open the box, and it gets seriously complicated. Never ask a physicist about that cat.

"If your mother had any idea we were talking about this, she'd skin me alive. I'm not being metaphorical about that. I think she could actually, literally skin me. She gets these wild eyes sometimes. There's Cossack blood in her; I'd bet anything."

"You are not my Marguerite. And yet�you are. This essential thing you share�your soul�that is what I love.� Paul�s smile is sadder and more beautiful than I have ever seen before. �I would love you in any shape, in any world, with any past. Never doubt that."

Discussion Questions

1) What was your favorite dimension that Marguerite visited? Which one would have most liked to travel to as her?

2) If you visited an alternate dimension, what do you think it would be like or what would you want it to be like?

3) While I'm not a fan of this love triangle, I think Claudia's approach to it was intriguing. How are your feelings toward the romance(s)?

4) Claudia treated us to two insane plot twists - one in chapter 24 and one in chapter 25. Did you see either of them coming or were you just as blindsided as I was?!

5) Will you continue the series?

Please leave your answers and any favorite quotes in the comment section below and don't forget to respond to other comments so we can have an amazing discussion! We'll be checking in and responding as well  :)

Keep in mind that if you haven't read A Thousand Pieces of You, we WILL be discussing spoilers. Avoid the comments if you don't want to be spoiled!

Additionally, do NOT post any spoilers regarding Ten Thousand Skies Above You or A Million Worlds with You (I don't think ARCs have gone out for this, but just to be safe). We read all the comments and not only will your comment be deleted in its entirely, but you'll spoil the books for us and that's a dick move.

Audiobook Review: Baby Doll by Hollie Overton

Series:	Standalone
Genre:	Adult, Realistic Fiction, Thriller
Publication.Date:	July 12, 2016
Pages:	N/A (Audiobook)
Published By:	Redhook
Website:	Hollie Overton
	Baby Doll on Goodreads
My review copy:	Borrowed from the local library

Where to get:

For fans of Gone Girl and Girl on the Train, Baby Doll is the most tense thriller you will read this year.

Held captive for eight years, Lily has grown from a teenager to an adult in a small basement prison. Her daughter Sky has been a captive her whole life. But one day their captor leaves the deadbolt unlocked.

This is what happens next...

...to her twin sister, to her mother, to her daughter...and to her captor.

(Goodreads)

Baby Doll has a similar concept as Room by Emma Donoghue but, in my mind, is handled much better and more psychological. While Room is told from the perspective of five-year-old Jack, Baby Doll is told from the perspective of Lily, held captive since she was sixteen for eight years; her twin sister, Abby; her mother, Eve; and her captor, Rick.

After Rick accidentally leaves the cellar door unlocked, Lily takes advantage of his mistake to escape with her daughter, young daughter Sky. The story that follows is that of Lily's homecoming and all the nitty gritty that follows: the hospital visits, the police, the reporters, the adjusting, the numerous revelations and twists.

Hollie does an excellent job with a dark and tough subject matter. Each point of view is expertly written and completely engrossing. Lily is tough and strong, determined to not allow Rick to control her life now that she's free. Abby and Eve struggling to come to terms with what their sister and daughter endured over the last eight years. Rick, manipulative and twisted, attempting to understand why Lily would betray him, justifying his actions to himself, and convinced there are those that will sympathize with him.

The decision to have these four narrators truly made the story interesting and engrossing. Yes, Lily's narrative is the most interesting, but by giving us these three additional narrators Hollie allows us to get a full and complete understanding of the events following Lily's escape.

Additionally, the voice narrators (Jenna Lamia: Lily/Abby; MacLeod Andrews: Rick; and Ellen Archer: Eve) added an extra emphasis to the story. I don't typically encourage people to read the text verse listening to the Audiobook, but this is not an Audiobook (or book, really) you want to pass on.

Overall, a heavy read but handled delicately and realistically.

ARC Book Review, Interview, Giveaway: And the Trees Crept In by Dawn Kurtagich

I am thrilled to be a stop on the book tour for And the Trees Crept In by Dawn Kurtagich, hosted by Rockstar Book Tours! I have a review and interview for your reading pleasure, but be sure to check out the tour schedule below, or click the banner above, for more!

Don't forget to enter the giveaway!

Series:	Standalone
Genre:	Young Adult, Horror, Psychological Thriller
Publication.Date:	September 6, 2016
Pages:	352 (ARC)
Published By:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Website:	Dawn Kurtagich
	And the Trees Crept In on Goodreads
My review copy:	Received in exchange for an honest review

Where to get:

A stunning, terrifying novel about a house the color of blood and the two sisters who are trapped there, by The Dead House author Dawn Kurtagich

When Silla and Nori arrive at their aunt's home, it's immediately clear that the "blood manor" is cursed. The creaking of the house and the stillness of the woods surrounding them would be enough of a sign, but there are secrets too--the questions that Silla can't ignore: Who is the beautiful boy that's appeared from the woods? Who is the man that her little sister sees, but no one else? And why does it seem that, ever since they arrived, the trees have been creeping closer?

Filled with just as many twists and turns as The Dead House, and with achingly beautiful, chilling language that delivers haunting scenes, AND THE TREES CREPT IN is the perfect follow-up novel for master horror writer Dawn Kurtagich.

(Goodreads)

I absolutely devoured Dawn's first novel, The Dead House, and was ecstatic when I found out she was publishing a new novel. Dawn has the ability to get inside your head and truly freak you out. And not the kind of freak out where you hide under the covers from the monsters, but where you question everything.

And the Trees Crept In starts out normal enough, but slowly take on a turn for what the fuck is happening?! Silla and her young sister Nori escape their abusive father by traveling to their aunt's house in the middle of the woods. At first, everything is great. They're safe, fed, loved. Then one day their aunt goes up to the attic and never comes back down. They can hear her moving around up there, doing who knows what, but she never descends back down.

It's then up to Silla to keep herself and her sister alive, but it becomes harder with each passing day. Food is running out, the land is dying, and the trees are getting closer. Just when things seem beyond helpless, Gowan mysteriously appears from the woods - with food. Nori automatically takes to him, but Silla is (naturally) wary.

The narrative of And the Trees Crept In is beyond excellent. Not only is Silly possibly descending into madness, but we are along with her. She's your quintessential unreliable narrator - or is she? Are the trees actually getting closer? Is there a voice coming from the basement through the floorboards? Is her sister playing with the Creeper Man?

When it comes to this novel, there are two reading styles: You pick it up and you don't put it down because Dawn doesn't let up or you pick it up and you put it down every once in a while because holy creepy. I am in the former group, but a good friend of mine is in the latter. I couldn't get enough of Silla's narrative and Dawn's writing. He, on the other hand, needed to break every now and then because the trees around his house started creeping in.

If you are looking for the perfect psychological thriller with the right about of creeps and creaks, you do not want to pass up And the Trees Crept In. Dawn quickly became an auto-buy author for me and I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next!

Interview with Dawn Kurtagich

In tweet form (140 characters or less), how would you describe the story of And the Trees Crept In to those who haven�t heard of it yet?

Stay away from the woods, it couldn�t be clearer, but the trees are creeping nearer and nearer. Closer, closer, he�s always near, beware of creaks at night you hear.

What is your most interesting writing quirk?

I�ve tried to be a fully grown adult with regular mealtimes and regular sleeping times, but when I�m writing intensively, there is no night or day, Monday or Wednesday, weekend or weekday�it all sort of blends together. Things like 9-5 don�t really compute. I do what I need to do as and when. If I sleep at 8am and eat breakfast at 10pm, it has no connection to solar and lunar movements when I�m intensively writing. It is definitely NOT ideal, but it�s what happens every time!

And the Trees Crept In and The Dead House have very different narrative styles. Was one easier or more interesting to write than the other?

Both were enigmas. The Dead House was akin to an archeological dig: the scenes written in a fever were like tiny pieces of an unknown artifact found scattered throughout the site. It was a matter of finding how they fit together to reveal the artifact. But in the process I had no idea whether the pieces belonged to one artifact or several. Whereas And The Trees Crept In was like walking through Silla�s labyrinth, trying to find the center.

How do you get into the mindset you need to be in to write psychological thrillers?

1. Graphomania.
2. Pages and pages of geometrical drawings
3. Hermitry.
4. Locomotion amidst stormy landscapes.
5. Deep nocturnity.

What is the most memorable reaction you've had from a reader?

Some readers have shared their reactions with me in real time on Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, or Facebook messages.

What can you tell us about the book you're working on now?

If I told you you�d be sectioned. ;)  (Andrea's note: Probably worth it!)

If I could tell the world just one thing, it'd be . . . Dare to be yourself. Words to live by.

The title of my autobiography would be . . . WTF? A Biography.

Dawn Kurtagich is a writer of creepy, spooky and psychologically sinister YA fiction, where girls may descend into madness, boys may see monsters in men, and grown-ups may have something to hide. Her debut YA novel, The Dead House, is forthcoming from Orion/Indigo (UK) and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (US) in 2015.

By the time she was eighteen, she had been to fifteen schools across two continents. The daughter of a British globe-trotter and single mother, she grew up all over the place, but her formative years were spent in Africa�on a mission, in the bush, in the city and in the desert.

She has been lucky enough to see an elephant stampede at close range, a giraffe tongue at very close range, and she once witnessed the stealing of her (and her friends�) underwear by very large, angry baboons. (This will most definitely end up in a book . . . ) While she has quite a few tales to tell about the jumping African baboon spider, she tends to save these for Halloween!

When she was sixteen, she thought she'd be an astronomer and writer at the same time, and did a month-long internship at Cambridge's prestigious Cavendish Laboratories.

She writes over at the YA Scream Queens, a young adult blog for all things horror and thriller, and she is a member of the YA League. Her life reads like a YA novel.

Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Goodreads | Pinterest

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Tour Schedule

8/29/2016- Lisa Loves Literature- Interview

8/30/2016- Curling Up With A Good Book- Review

8/31/2016- Bookish Fangirl- Guest Post

9/1/2016- NovelKnight- Review

9/2/2016- Once Upon a Twilight- Interview

9/5/2016- Pretty Deadly Reviews- Review

9/6/2016- Ohana Reads- Guest Post

9/7/2016- Such a Novel Idea- Review

9/8/2016- Bookish Lifestyle- Interview

9/9/2016- A Dream Within A Dream- Review

The Cabin by Natasha Preston - Can You Survive The Cabin $500 Visa GC Giveaway!

Can you survive The Cabin? 

Starting on August 30, we'll be releasing a series of questions every Tuesday and Thursday at different locations.

Here's how you play: 

1. Take a look at the schedule below.

2. Go to the location on the specified date.

3. Find The Cabin graphic with the question.

4. Solve the question.

5. Head here to submit your answer for that day's question.

6. Complete all 8 questions and be entered in to win a $500 Visa gift card! We'll also be drawing a winner each week who will win a Sourcebooks Fire book bundle!

7. Make sure to submit all answers by September 25, 2016. 

There may only be one killer, but no one is innocent in this new young adult thriller from Natasha Preston, author of The Cellar, a New York Times Bestseller, and Awake

They think they�re invincible.
They think they can do and say whatever they want.
They think there are no consequences.
They�ve left me no choice.
It�s time for them to pay for their sins.

A weekend partying at a remote cabin is just what Mackenzie needs. She can�t wait to let loose with her friends. But a crazy night of fun leaves two of them dead�murdered.

With no signs of a forced entry or struggle, suspicion turns to the five survivors. Someone isn�t telling the truth. And Mackenzie�s first mistake? Assuming the killing is over...

Amazon | B&N | iBooks | BAM

The Jungle Book Blu-Ray Giveaway

Hello lovely people! Today, I have the pleasure of featuring the newly released The Jungle Book Blu-Ray, as well as hosting an exciting giveaway of one copy! 

The Jungle Book Blu-Ray hit shelves August 30th, so you can already find it wherever Blu-rays are sold. I haven't had the pleasure of watching it yet - just got my copy in the mail today - but you can expect a Blu-Ray review from me in the coming days. For now, I am excited to share some cool materials with you (including activity sheets for your kids!), and the opportunity to win one copy for your household! 

�Favreau's [The] Jungle Book fills us with something rare in movies today - a sense of wonder. 

- Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

�The effects in The Jungle Book are so casually spectacular, you even forget they�re effects.� - Neil Pond, Parade

The Legend Comes to Life

Disney�s Groundbreaking, Live-Action Adventure

arrives on Digital HD August 23 and on Blu-ray� August 30

And venture deep into the jungle with in-depth bonus features

BURBANK, Calif., July 7 2016 � Audiences were mesmerized by Disney�s live-action epic adventure �The Jungle Book,� which has earned more than $935 million at the global box office to date. Critically acclaimed, Jon Favreau�s stunning live-action reimagining of Walt Disney�s animated classic, will be available early on Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere on August 23, and on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and On-Demand on August 30. 

Venture behind the scenes with in-depth bonus features that reveal the innovative filmmaking technology used to create the richly immersive jungle world and characters; Follow the journey of the film�s only on-screen actor, charismatic newcomer Neel Sethi (Mowgli); Delve into a candid and humorous scene-by-scene audio commentary with director Jon Favreau and meet the all-star voice cast who help bring the film�s colorful characters to life, as well as the musicians who accent the adventure with a majestic music score. 

The all-star cast includes Bill Murray (�Lost in Translation�) as the voice of Baloo, Sir Ben Kingsley (�Learning to Drive,� �The Walk�) as Bagheera and Lupita Nyong�o (�12 Years a Slave,� �Star Wars: The Force Awakens�) as the voice of mother wolf Raksha. Scarlett Johansson (�Avengers: Age of Ultron�) gives life to Kaa, Giancarlo Esposito (�Breaking Bad�) provides the voice of alpha-male wolf Akela, Idris Elba (�Beast of No Nation�) roars as the voice of Shere Khan, and Christopher Walken (�The Deer Hunter�) lends his iconic voice to King Louie. 

Bonus features include*: 

BLU-RAY & DIGITAL HD: 

� �The Jungle Book� Reimagined � Favreau sits down with producer Brigham Taylor and visual effects supervisor Robert Legato to discuss �The Jungle Book� and reflect on the years they devoted to the reimagining of this timeless tale. Discover how Rudyard Kipling�s original stories and the classic animated film influenced their unique approach, witness the technical wizardry that enabled the team to create a believable and thrilling movie-going experience, and learn how they borrowed a page from Walt Disney�s innovation playbook to make it all happen. Lastly, meet the all-star voice cast who help bring the film�s colorful characters to life, as well as the musicians who accent the adventure with a majestic music score. 

� I Am Mowgli � Follow the extraordinary journey of 12-year-old Neel Sethi, who was selected from thousands of hopefuls worldwide to play Mowgli �alongside� some of today�s biggest movie stars. Get a glimpse of Neel�s life before Hollywood came calling, check out his audition that sealed the deal, and see how a close-working relationship with Favreau brought out his best. Plus, Neel shares how filming �The Jungle Book� was one wild ride, from working alongside imaginary animals to performing some super-fun stunts. 

� King Louie�s Temple: Layer by Layer � So, exactly how do you create a musical number featuring one man-cub, a massive, legendary ape and an army of wild and wily monkeys in the Seeonee jungle? Viewers are granted rare and unique access to the development of the �I Wan�na Be Like You� sequence in which King Louie attempts to coerce Mowgli into giving up Man�s deadly �red flower� (fire). A fast-moving musical progression reel showcases storyboards, animatics, Christopher Walken�s recording session and visual effects layers, which ultimately merge to form one of the film�s most memorable scenes. 

� Audio Commentary � Favreau delivers his scene-by-scene perspective on the live-action adventure �The Jungle Book� with all the candor and humor you�d expect from this multi-talented actor-writer-director-producer. 

DVD 

� King Louie�s Temple: Layer by Layer � So, exactly how do you create a musical number featuring one man-cub, a massive, legendary ape and an army of wild and wily monkeys in the Seeonee jungle? Viewers are granted rare and unique access to the development of the �I Wan�na Be Like You� sequence in which King Louie attempts to coerce Mowgli into giving up Man�s deadly �red flower� (fire). A fast-moving musical progression reel showcases storyboards, animatics, Christopher Walken�s recording session and visual effects layers, which ultimately merge to form one of the film�s most memorable scenes. 

*Bonus features may vary by retailer 

Note: The 3D version of The Jungle Book will be available later this year. 

Directed by Jon Favreau (�Iron Man,� �Iron Man 2,� �Chef�) and produced by Favreau and Brigham Taylor (executive producer of �Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales,� �Tomorrowland�), �The Jungle Book� is a live-action epic adventure based on Rudyard Kipling�s timeless stories, inspired by Disney�s classic 1967 animated film and centered on Mowgli (Neel Sethi), a man-cub who�s been raised by a family of wolves. But Mowgli finds he is no longer welcome in the jungle when fearsome tiger Shere Khan (voice of Idris Elba), who bears the scars of Man, promises to eliminate what he sees as a threat. 

The film�s musical score, composed by Emmy� winner and Oscar-, BAFTA- and Annie Award-nominee John Debney (�Elf,� �Iron Man 2�), features a classic orchestral sound accented by ethnic instruments and pays homage to the original film by highlighting snippets of the classic songs we all know and love.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

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Fun stuff for you and your kids!

Animal Facts PDF | Educator's Guide PDF | Activity Packet PDF

Giveaway:

One lucky winner will receive a Blu Ray copy of The Jungle Book (US only)

Ends September 14th

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About Disney Movies Anywhere (DMA)

Disney Movies Anywhere (DMA) is an engaging and family-friendly cloud-based digital movie service that makes it simple to buy your favorite Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars movies once and watch them anywhere.  With DMA you can explore Disney�s library of over 450 eligible digital movies, discover hours of new and exclusive short-form content, and watch your digital movies from the comfort of the living room or across multiple mobile devices.   You can add the free DMA app to a multitude of devices including iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Android mobile phones and tablets, Android TV, Amazon�s Fire tablets, Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Roku, and Xbox 360. Then, connect your DMA account with participating providers including iTunes, Amazon Video, VUDU, Google Play, and Microsoft Movies & TV and your eligible movies will be shared across all your connected platforms.  In addition, you can redeem Digital Copy codes found in Disney, Pixar and Marvel Blu-rays and DVDs, as well as earn Disney Movie Rewards points with every digital purchase.

ABOUT THE WALT DISNEY STUDIOS:

For over 90 years, The Walt Disney Studios has been the foundation on which The Walt Disney Company was built. Today, the Studio brings quality movies, music and stage plays to consumers throughout the world. Feature films are released under the following banners: Disney, including Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios; Disneynature; Marvel Studios; Lucasfilm; and Touchstone Pictures, the banner under which live-action films from DreamWorks Studios are distributed. The Disney Music Group encompasses the Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records labels, as well as Disney Music Publishing. The Disney Theatrical Group produces and licenses live events, including Disney on Broadway, Disney On Ice and Disney Live!.

Throwback Thursday Book Review: Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Some of you may know that I originally had my own blog, Beauty but a Funny Girl, prior to joining Bookish (now Bookish Lifestyle). I was thinking the other day about all those reviews I left behind when I transferred and thought they should get some love too - no matter how badly written and newbie they come off! So I present to you: Throwback Thursday Reviews! Every once in a while I'll post an old review from Beauty but a Funny Girl, unedited in terms of content, with the exception of any spelling or grammatical mistakes. It's definitely going to be fun and interesting to see how my tastes and writing style have changed over the years!

Series:	The Infernal Devices #3
Genre:	Young Adult, Steampunk, Romance, Historical Fiction
Publication.Date:	March 19, 2013
Pages:	568 (Hardcover)
Published By:	Margaret K. McElderry Books
Website:	Cassandra Clare
	Clockwork Princeess on Goodreads
My review copy:	Bought

Where to get:

A net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. Mortmain plans to use his Infernal Devices, an army of pitiless automatons, to destroy the Shadowhunters. He needs only one last item to complete his plan: he needs Tessa Gray.

Charlotte Branwell, head of the London Institute, is desperate to find Mortmain before he strikes. But when Mortmain abducts Tessa, the boys who lay equal claim to her heart, Jem and Will, will do anything to save her. For though Tessa and Jem are now engaged, Will is as much in love with her as ever.

As those who love Tessa rally to rescue her from Mortmain�s clutches, Tessa realizes that the only person who can save her is herself. But can a single girl, even one who can command the power of angels, face down an entire army?

Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment, and the tangled threads of love and loss intertwine as the Shadowhunters are pushed to the very brink of destruction in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy.

(Goodreads)

Originally posted August 5, 2013 on Beauty but a Funny Girl

Have you ever read a book and then wondered how long until you felt normal again??

Because this is that book. I have the biggest book hangover that I've every had. It's awful. I just want to curl into a ball and make the world go away.

I just want to talk about what I'm feeling. The ending of this book - OMG! I can't even... I just can't. The epilogue was just so beautifully done and bittersweet that it's heart wrenching.? ?Why? Why would you do this to me, Cassandra Clare? What did I ever do to you to deserve such treatment?!

I mean, I knew it was inevitable. I knew it was going to happen, but to read it? To actually experience it! Rip out my heart and stomp on it. I don't want to feel anymore.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. I did just start off with the my take on the epilogue - but that's the part that got me so bad. That's where you cry until you can't cry no mo'!

Clockwork Princess is more than I could have hoped for as a conclusion to the Infernal Devices series. Everything was wrapped until into a neat little Happily Ever After type bow and I was okay with that.?

?I just can't express enough how much I love these characters. How much they have become a part of my life. I root for them, cry for them, feel for them.

I love that the Lightworm - er, Lightwood - b????r?others became a bigger part of the story and a real integral part of the Institute.? ?Gabriel I think had the biggest change of all, which was nice to see as his character began to grow on me. I also tended to agree with the characters when they said he and Will were quite similar.

Cecily took a lot longer to grow on me. She seemed whiny and needy. I wasn't a fan, but she got better towards the end of the book.? ?I could have down without her and Gabriel, but I was pulling so hard for Sophie and Garbiel. Top cute, those two.

Henry and Charlotte were also just... Henry and Charlotte. I loved they are on the same page, except when it comes to baby names. It was very nice to seem them finally understanding one another. I was also a huge fan of the way Charlotte stood behind her Shadowhunters to do what was right. Throughout the series she has really shown to be a true leader and I love that about her - especially considering the time period she is living in.

Magnus was Magnus. Cheeky and amusing. I do love him.

The narration is beautiful and I love that we get to be in all these character's head and find out what they are thinking and feeling. I've felt this has been a pivotal narration setup since Clockwork Angel, but in this installment it really shines through, especially considering all the emotions and problems our characters face. Not to mention the resolutions that come about with each of them.

And now, for our love triangle - which was done very nicely. I love everything about these three. The bond between Will and Jem is something that will last and last. I'm getting a little teary-eyed just thinking about some of the things that happened between them. (My coworker already think I'm nuts, so it's totally okay.)? ?The love between Jem and Tessa is? ?so special and unique, just as is the love between Will and Tessa.? ?I can't say which character or when, but it's commented that Tessa's love for Will is different than Tessa's love for Jem and it really truly is. That's what makes this love triangle so great. And lovely. And real. And heartbreaking.

Which brings me back to the epilogue... No, I can't. It still hurts. I am in pain over this book. ?

?If you've read this series, but are holding out reading the last installment, something I'm clearly guilty of, just put yourself out of your misery. Read this amazing book and get your heartbreak done and over with. Rip off the bandaid.?