Shadowhunters - City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Today, we speak the language of teen ... Or rather Young Adults (YA) ...
We are talking about "Shadowhunters" a  urban fantasy saga, where we can find anything and everything, from vampires to werewolves, through fairies, demons and so on and so forth ...

In these days I immersed myself in this world, where the main character is "Clary" or better Clarissa, a sixteen year old little girl with red hair, nice but not a sex bomb ...
Hers normal world, made by the school, a friend a bit "strange", and overprotective mother and a little pain in the ass, is to a certain extent distorted by "visions" of incredible beings, and the encounter with 3 guys a bit " special: they are hunters, or rather Shadowhunters ....

Sure, summarized as the story of the first novel seems very trivial, but as once the genius of John Irving wrote in the introduction to "The World According to Garp" (which if you have not read, do it now because it is a masterpiece ), if we are talking about a good novel, the question and the answer to "what is the book about ?" are both irrelevant.
Now, just to be absolutely explicit, for sure, "Shadowhunters" does not become part of the cornerstones of literature, not of kind, but it certainly contains some interesting aspects.

I have to admit that last week when I started reading the first novel, I have not exactly lost in its pages, it may be because the  teenager's issues who still live with their parents are left behind me many years ago, the fact is I was about to leave the company to read the whole series. But then the story took an unexpected turn, and then here I am to devour them one after the other. Of course, we're not talking about novels that keep you awake until the morning, but some are appealing to all tastes.
In this saga, as well as  "family" problems(which I personally leave me a bit chilly), there are two interesting topics. Like any good romantic person worthy of respect, of course, the concept of unrequited love tearing me apart ... In addition, the theme of forbidden love, in this case because incestuous, made me immediately turn on the light and a thousand questions jumped to my mind ...
In particular, I wondered if it should be considered "incestuous" relationship between two individuals, brothers simply because of the DNA ... in other words, if two people have grown up in two completely different worlds, without knowing each other, love each other is necessarily forbidden? I must admit that, despite my preconceptions, I'm not so sure .... Of course, nature tells us that this is so, marrying between blood relatives,  the health of future generations is weakened, but the question remains: is morally wrong? Or if we want to put in another way, the "blood" is so fundamental to define us?

Here, as you can see, even though we are talking about a series set among teenagers, in a world of teenagers, surely these novels are not so "simple" that it should be left out, if you are a little older and fans of urban fantasy genre.

VOTE: 6

SUITABLE FOR WHOM: not afraid to delve into a world of teenagers, of prohibition, curfews and parents ...

READ ALSO: the saga " house of the night." Even here we are talking about teenagers novels, but with a tone much more "lightweight" (I personally prefer this series so far, I hope the next novels make me think different).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Cassandra Clare was born to American parents in Tehran, wrote mainly the series "Shadowhunters", which so far consists of two strands:

Shadowhunter:

Shadowhunters (The Mortal Instruments)
Shadowhunters - City of Bones (2007)
Shadowhunters - City of Ashes (2008)
Shadowhunters - City of Glass (2009)
Shadowhunters - City of Fallen Angels (2011)
Shadowhunters - City of Lost Souls (2012)
City of Heavenly Fire (publication is expected in 2014)

Shadowhunters - Origins (is a series of prelude, set in the Victorian era)

Clockwork Angel (2011)
Clockwork Prince (2012)
Clockwork Princess (2013)

The Midnight Breed Series by Lara Adrian

Today we'll talk about a vampire saga, "The Midnight Breed Series," written by Tina St. John under the pseudonym of Lara Adrian. The saga for now includes 10 novels, all of them already published :

1)  Kiss of Midnight
2) Kiss of Crimson 
3) Midnight Awekening
4) Midnight Rising
5) Veil of Midnight 
6) Ashes of Midnight
7) Shades of Midnight
8) Taken by Midnight 
9) Deeper Than Midnight 
10) Darker After Midnight
11) Edge of Dawn (Coming Soon)

This saga is different from the more traditional ones (like Twilight), because it is choral: the protagonists change, novel after novel. Despite this, the stories intersect each other, so it's  not recommend to read them in a different order from the publication.
The core of the story revolves around the ORDER, an ancient group of vampires' warriors that  are meant to protect their people from various enemies. Since the first novel it's clear that the problems mainly arise within the community of vampires: we start with the Rebels, or bloodthirsty vampires that have lost their head completely, and then continue with other more "complex" problems .
We're talking about a series that is mainly romantic, any novel focuses on the love story of a character. Here love is seen as the absolute sense, which does not require an end, in fact, in most of the cases  when someone realizes that he loves someone, the doubts disappear and do not appear NEVER '(real life maybe a little more fucked up isn't? )
I must admit that this is one is not one of my favorite series, I don't know if it's the fault of the structure that tends to recur in an increasingly similar, novel after novel, or because I personally too fond of a character and I would never leave it ... who knows?
However, despite this, I have to admit that the reality of vampire's world and some characters are very interesting.
For example, I particularly liked " Midnight Awekening" (No. 3), where we feature two of the most special characters. Her, Elise, devoured by the desire for revenge, and he, Tegan, the most controversial and dangerous warrior of the Order.

In this series, the sexual component is really present, although I think there are novels or series where the attraction "makes more sparks" (such as the series Chicagoland Vampires or Fever).
However, to close, we are talking about one of the most successful urban fantasy series, so I suggest you try to read the first, you are not constrained to read them all ... maybe I'm completely wrong.... ;)

If you want to read this series I recommend you go to this website, where you'll  find a
lot of information plus: 
http://www.lastirpedimezzanotte.it/index.php

The site author is instead: 
 http://www.laraadrian.com/home.php quiet

VOTE: 6

SUITABLE FOR WHO: Love romance novels and you want to completely immerse in a different world. Probably the idea of ​​choral narration makes the reader enter more into the fantasy world created by Lara Adrian.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Lara Adrian, or rather Tina St. John, is not new to the series, in fact, has already published the "Warrior Trilogy" and a medieval saga-called paranormal "Dragon Chalice Series".

The Chicagoland Vampires by Chloe Neill

Ok, now let's talk about one of the vampire series I am most passionate about: The Chicagoland Vampires.
This series creates an incredible addiction!

Why? Well, it's fun and very very sexy. We are in a world where vampires have announced to the world their existence, ending it to live in the shadows. The main character is Merit, a Chicago girl, stubborn, lover of books and with not a very active life, until she is transformed into a vampire. At that moment, her life takes an unexpected course. From "scholar" is transformed into a war machine super-equipped and very difficult to defeat, and enters in her life one of the most sensual and irresistible character that I have ever read: Ethan Sullivan, Master of Cadogan family of Chicago Obviously he is beautiful, charming and has a somewhat ironic unbeatable. The sexual tension between the two leaves you breathless ...
That's if I had to look for another male character that joins, I think he'll be Erik's "Cycle of Sookie Stackhouse." I do not know why, maybe because they are both blonde and irresistible, the fact is that in my personal altar of villains / heroes (depending on your point of view) are super sexy and funny. They are together in the first place.
In the world created by Chloe Neill, there are not only vampires, but we have from werewolves to witches, from nymphs to fairy, she does not miss anything, and of course the stakes you do, book after book, more and more high ...
The series consists of seven novels so far, and in total it provides 10:
1) Some girls bite - Some girls byte
2) The girls bite on Friday night - Friday Night Bites
3) The second bite - Twice Bitten
4) The going gets tough - Hard Bitten
5) Threat from deep - Drink Deep
6) Biting Cold (not yet translated into Italian)
7) House Rules (not yet translated into Italian)
8) Bad Biting (output in America is scheduled for August 6)

Since, as already mentioned, this series creates absolute dependence, Chloe Neill decided to come to us, in fact, going on her website you can find a section where there is the first chapter of the next novel ...

http://www.chloeneill.com/

VOTE: 7 - 8 - 9 ... (I will put the best, but maybe it's just because I find absolutely irresistible Ethan Sullivan ... who knows? I can not be impartial this time)

SUITABLE FOR WHO: Looking for something to replace the "Cycle of Sookie Stackhouse." However, although here you laugh, you do not do so much ...

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Who does not like fairy tales? I certainly love them, especially if they are revisited in a clever and post-apocalyptic way...With this novel, we are in the distant future, where the earth is populated not only by men but also by cyborg. The protagonist is Cinder, a "Cinderella" made more than metal than meat ... We are in the Far East, in a New Beijing overpopulated and very racist. If we have seen the Disney's story, we'll usually imagine a Cinderella a little passive waiting for her handsome prince , but our Cinder is not at all this kind of woman. And if the original dreamed long dresses full of laces, our heroine prefers hers convenient and dirty mechanic's suit. And what about Prince Charming? In this book he is full of doubts, he is a little prince and very man.In this chaotic and overcrowded world, wanders a new disease, fatal: it is the plague. Takes all, no one is immune, not even the King, and the search for a antidote has no results. And as if all that were not enough, to complicate matters there is the danger of a war between the earth and the moon almost certainly see the Lunars winners.In this reality, we find our Cinder, which, as in the fairy tale, it is not loved by anyone, except by a friendly "robot" bungler , and to make matters worse she believes to be "wrong" because made of metal and not meat.This is the real clue of this novel: racism, the fear to be accepted by others and by yourself .
http://www.marissameyer.com/id/

VOTE: 7

SUITABLE FOR WHO: looking for a book is "different",  urban fantasy but with different ingredients. A dispassionate advice: this novel in US has had amazing reviews, try to read it even if you're not passionate about cyborgs, science fiction or fairy tales, because in my humble opinion, we are talking about a small pearl. This is definitely a book smart and funny, and I think that we should try to "help" those who try to do something different ...

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: This book is the first in a series that the author, Marissa Meyer (which is obviously not the CEO of Yahoo), plans to write revisiting the classic fairy tales, from Cinderella to Snow White,  passing by Rapunzel.The second in the series, called "Scarlett" (and that is the retelling of Little Red Riding Hood), was released in America last month. I have not read it yet, but from what I understand from the various U.S. blog, even though the protagonist changes, the story of Cinder continue ...Unfortunately the other two novels that should be the standard are not yet been published (we hope, however, that they have already written ;)

Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning

If you don't have read the forth novel yet ( In pursuit of the ultimate truth), I recommend to jump over and DO NOT READ!

So where were we? Oh yes, we are inside the mirrors with Mac convinced that she had killed Barrons, the only man that would use the book to change the world. To her sister Alina is not even occur to her, no? The questions that we had from the beginning, instead of diminishing increase: why his "friend" has orchestrated all of this to kill him? But who is really Barrons? only a werewolf? And Mac what is really her? And then, mrs Moning, who initially told us that this saga was about the light and the shadow took us around? or for her "light" does not have a happy ending with Mac and Barrons happily ever after together? All the answers will come, even if only at the last page. The book begins with a sort of Mac's stream of consciousness: it's a flood of emotions, love maybe is not real love but it' the idea of guilt, loneliness that is self inflicted or from that sought by the idea of ​​trust, often misplaced, and so more difficult to give. Oh yes, because in this last novel, the real theme is love. Of all kinds, from the romantic and unrestricted access to the most fraternal love that sometimes makes us waver. The Moning tells us that the only way to move forward is to have firm points. Having confidence is the only solution to solve this mess. Self-confidence, and trust in those few people who are up to it. And trust, does not require that we know all of the other person, the true confidence also allows the secrets and lies, and are not always the only "white" or "good", like Mac tells us all the time.

I must admit that I started reading this book late at night, and I could not stop until 7:00 in the morning, when I finished (no problem, the next morning was Saturday, so I could sleep). And while I was sleeping I continued to dream about Mac and Barrons, as if these two characters, that are so different,  had entered under my skin. But what left me? I do not know exactly ... definitely sad, because this novel was the last in the series, and I can not wait, even now that it took a couple of days, to throw myself into this dangerous and mysterious world again, where I can not understand very well what white  is. .. I would say many other things about this novel, but I'm afraid to spoil the surprises (and believe me there are so many that you do not have no idea). So, to close, maybe if someone reads it and then want to talk with me, please email me so that we discuss it together ....
Happy reading ...

The FEVER SAGA

The Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning

This is the latest series of urban fantasy books I've read, and, of course recommend it to everyone. Reason? Brilliant, sexy, with absolutely incredible characters and a tone somewhere between fantasy and trhiller. Everything is not what it seems, no one is who he claims to be, the truth is perhaps overstated.The main character is Mac, an American girl from the South and sidhe seer totally unaware. 22 years of beauty and huge love for fashion and pink. With this series we are in a Dublin almost apocalyptic, including fairies (FAE) of all kinds. In a world where black and white, good and evil, are never what they seem ...Obviously can not miss male protagonists absolutely fascinating, from the dark and irritating Barrons, to the beautiful and deadly V'lane. Between continuous twists, Mac (and the reader) is thrown into a whirlwind of emotions too complicated to analyze, surrounded by brotherly love and the most sensual, looking for revenge, peace and salvation for the world.For those who have not yet penetrated the world FAE, but for now it is still tied to the security of books about vampires, this is a nice way to start: the reality that Monig offers us is concrete and sureale, dark and complex, and overwhelming .
 The series consists of five books:1) The secret of the forbidden book2) The Mystery of the Lost Talisman3) The curse of the black moon4) In pursuit of the ultimate truth5) Shadowfever (not yet published in Italy, but been out for years in America)The success of this series is global, so that Dreamworks has already won the rights ....

RATING: 9

SUITABLE FOR : who loves a rapid pace, and before long to immerse themselves in this incredible series. A word of advice: if you start to read the first, you can not help but devour them all, because, like any self-respecting series, everyone ends up with a nice twist completely unexpected.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Karen Marie Moning, who may know for its hit series "Highlander" (but I still have not read), has a style easy to read, even in English (although I must admit that when certain characters speak in"slang" Irish is a bit complicated).

www.karenmoning.com/kmm/

 P.S. I'm sorry for my english, I'm an italian girl, and it's the best can i do for now... I'll try to do best...