Cover Reveal: Cassandra Clare's 'City of Bones 10th Anniversary Edition'

Entertainment Weekly just revealed the beautiful new cover for the tenth anniversary edition of The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones! Words cannot fully express how dear this series is to me. I can hardly believe it was ten years ago that I stepped into the Shadow World! Here's what they have to say about this new edition.

EW can reveal both the 10th anniversary cover (a cloth-over-board jacket with text and art stamped in foil) as well as a portrait of Jace Wayland — one of six full-color character portraits that will appear in the new book. The book also features chapter header illustrations, black-and-white illustrations scattered throughout the book, and The Clave’s Confidential Files on our favorite characters, written by Clare herself.

Looking good Jace.😉

From Entertainment Weekly: "Cassandra Clare’s City of Bones — the first installment in her riveting Mortal Instruments series — turns 10 this year. To commemorate this milestone, City of Bones is getting a stunning new anniversary edition, packed with brand new content. EW can reveal both the 10th anniversary cover (a cloth-over-board jacket with text and art stamped in foil) as well as one of the six full-color character portraits that will appear in the new book. The book also features chapter header illustrations, black-and-white illustrations scattered throughout the book, and The Clave’s Confidential Files on our favorite characters, written by Clare herself. (top sekrit info on the characters, including birthdays, scars and major weaknesses ;) Check out the cover and the back, printed with the iconic ALL THE STORIES ARE TRUE. The 10th anniversary edition of City of Bones will be out Nov. 7, 2017, but is available for pre-order now." Entertainment Weekly's story is up along with a portrait of Jace: Link in bio.

A post shared by Cassie Clare (@cassieclare1) on Jun 27, 2017 at 12:31pm PDT

City of Bones: 10th Anniversary Edition will be published on November 7th and is now available for preorder on Amazon!

Book Trailer: City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

It is an exciting day for us Shadowhunters! The trailer for City of Heavenly Fire, the final book in The Mortal Instruments series, has been released. We automatically are overwhelmed with FEELS upon watching it and craving to read the book all the more. The book trailer can be seen below.    

  

City of Heavenly Fire releases in stores on May 27th, 2014!

Cover Reveal: 'The Bane Chronicles' Print Edition

What better why to celebrate the release of the final installment of The Bane Chronicles by Cassandra Clare then by revealing the cover for the print edition of said chronicles?! Cassie knows wassup, so that’s exactly what happened.

I will not be buying/reading anymore of the individual TBC installments because I’ve been waiting to get my hands on the physical copy. Good news — print copy is coming. Bad news — we have to wait until November. Oh well. One step at a time.

Without further ado, here is the cover for the print edition of Cassandra Clare, Sarah Rees Brennan, and Maureen Johnson’s The Bane Chronicles.

Isn’t it beautiful? I mean we’ve always had an idea of what it would look like because of the installment covers, but this just looks magical.

And yes, that DOES say exclusive BONUS story there. How cool!

I’m honestly SO excited about this release, I don’t care if I have to wait until November. It’ll probably take me until then to get over my feels (or at least semi-contain them) from CoHF in May.

What do you think of the cover? Are you excited about the print edition?

COVER REVEAL: 'City of Heavenly Fire' by Cassandra Clare

Today has been such an exciting day for all of us Shadowhunters! The cover was revealed for the final book to conclude Cassandra Clare's bestselling series The Mortal Instruments. Shown on the cover is Clary Fray with her brother Jonathan Morgenstern aka Sebastian. I am so pleased with this beautiful cover and it is definitely one of my favorite ones for the series. This book is going to be so painful to read as we have been teased that not everyone will survive in this book. I have been a fan of this series from the beginning and really do not want to see it come to an end. Luckily, there are a few more Shadowhunter Series coming up and we will probably get to see some of the characters we love again. The Mortal Instruments: City of Heavenly Fire will be available in stores on May 27th in the United States!

What do you all think of the cover for the conclusion to the series? Let us know in the comments below!

Looking Forward in 2014: Books

So this year is already full of highly anticipated new reads, continuing reads, debut authors, etc. It's also too hard to keep up with it all!

A thing to know about me, while I do enjoy watching television (I have a couple of shows that hold my attention), I am more of a reader than anything else. So I figured that my first post for 2014 on Novel Reality should be about something that I am extremely passionate about -- BOOKS!

Over the holiday season, I've had countless people approaching me, blaming me for their newly found addiction to books. Many of my friends have borrowed multiple books from their local libraries, spent some time at a bookstore, or downloaded an e-book! It's quite fun to hear the stories!

With the start of the new year, I know that some people are wanting to try new things or get back into something that they've let go. In some cases, that thing or something is reading. Well, since reading is my thing, I would love to tell you about some reads that I am looking forward to in 2014. Hopefully, you'll find some interest but even if you don't, I hope it allows permission for you to search for books you love!

Here are my Top 5 Most Anticipated Reads of 2014:



Beware of potential SPOILERS! Due to some of these books being sequels or continuations, the previous book(s) may be spoiled by the synopses of the newer books.



1. City of Heavenly Fire (The Mortal Instruments, #6) by Cassandra Clare
Will Be Released: May 27th, 2014

Goodreads Summary: Darkness returns to the Shadowhunter world. As their society falls apart around them, Clary, Jace, Simon and their friends must band together to fight the greatest evil the Nephilim have ever faced: Clary’s own brother. Nothing in the world can defeat him — must they journey to another world to find the chance? Lives will be lost, love sacrificed, and the whole world changed in the sixth and last installment of the Mortal Instruments series!

Why: I am beyond excited for this book. The Mortal Instruments series is the series that got my back into reading. To be honest, I don't even remember how I was introduced to the first book, but I do know that I haven't looked back. A world full of fantasy, romance, friendship, supernatural creatures, angels & demons -- The Mortal Instruments is a series that will forever remain at the top of my list of fantastic storytelling.


2. The Infinite Sea (The Fifth Wave, #2) by Rick Yancey
Will Be Released: September 16th, 2014

Goodreads Summary: How do you rid the Earth of seven billion humans? Rid the humans of their humanity.

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Surviving the first four waves was nearly impossible. Now Cassie Sullivan finds herself in a new world, a world in which the fundamental trust that binds us together is gone. As the 5th Wave rolls across the landscape, Cassie, Ben, and Ringer are forced to confront the Others’ ultimate goal: the extermination of the human race.

Cassie and her friends haven’t seen the depths to which the Others will sink, nor have the Others seen the heights to which humanity will rise, in the ultimate battle between life and death, hope and despair, love and hate.

Why: This series was actually my first experience will Sci-Fi. And it was absolutely fabulous. Rick Yancey is an author that I would love to read more from. I've tried his Monstrumologist series, which is another species of awesome, but there is nothing quite like The Fifth Wave. The first book was definitely one of my favorite books in 2013, so I can't help but be thrilled about the release of the second one. Aliens, war, explosions, romance -- what more could you need?!

3. Dorothy Must Die (Dorothy Must Die, #1) by Danielle Paige
Will Be Released: April 1st, 2014

Goodreads Summary: I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be some kind of hero.

But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado—taking you with it—you have no choice but to go along, you know?

Sure, I've read the books. I've seen the movies. I know the song about the rainbow and the happy little blue birds. But I never expected Oz to look like this. To be a place where Good Witches can't be trusted, Wicked Witches may just be the good guys, and winged monkeys can be executed for acts of rebellion. There's still the yellow brick road, though—but even that's crumbling.

What happened?
Dorothy. They say she found a way to come back to Oz. They say she seized power and the power went to her head. And now no one is safe.

My name is Amy Gumm—and I'm the other girl from Kansas.
I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked.
I've been trained to fight.
And I have a mission:
Remove the Tin Woodman's heart.
Steal the Scarecrow's brain.
Take the Lion's courage.
Then and only then—Dorothy must die!

Why: Um, well, aren't you immediately curious about why a story that we've all grown up with is being twisted and turned into an action/adventure or thriller experience?! That's the instant draw to this story. Not to mention that Danielle Paige is a new, up & coming author that I want to support and this is her first novel!

4. The Blood of Olympus (Heroes of Olympus, #5) by Rick Riordan
Will Be Released: October 7th, 2014

Goodreads Summary: Though the Greek and Roman crewmembers of the "Argo II" have made progress in their many quests, they still seem no closer to defeating the earth mother, Gaea. Her giants have risen-all of them, and they're stronger than ever. They must be stopped before the Feast of Spes, when Gaea plans to have two demigods sacrificed in Athens. She needs their blood-the blood of Olympus-in order to wake. 

The demigods are having more frequent visions of a terrible battle at Camp Half-Blood. The Roman legion from Camp Jupiter, led by Octavian, is almost within striking distance. Though it is tempting to take the Athena Parthenos to Athens to use as a secret weapon, the friends know that the huge statue belongs back on Long Island, where it "might" be able to stop a war between the two camps. 

The Athena Parthenos will go west; the "Argo II" will go east. The gods, still suffering from multiple personality disorder, are useless. How can a handful of young demigods hope to persevere against Gaea's army of powerful giants? As dangerous as it is to head to Athens, they have no other option. They have sacrificed too much already. And if Gaea wakes, it is game over.

Why: Well, if you've read Percy Jackson & the Olympians, then you can understand that Heroes of Olympus is equally fantastic. Blood of Olympus is the fifth and final book in this series and there is a LOT riding on this book. Riordan hasn't let me down yet with any of his books (I honestly don't think the man has it in his to write a subpar book), so I anxiously await for what he will do to my feels with this one.

5. Into the Still Blue (Under the Never Sky #3) by Veronica Rossi
Will Be Released: January 28th, 2014

Goodreads Summary: Their love and their leadership have been tested. Now it's time for Perry and Aria to unite the Dwellers and the Outsiders in one last desperate attempt to bring balance to their world.

The race to the Still Blue has reached a stalemate. Aria and Perry are determined to find this last safe-haven from the Aether storms before Sable and Hess do-and they are just as determined to stay together.

Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. And when Roar returns to camp, he is so furious with Perry that he won't even look at him, and Perry begins to feel like they have already lost.

Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble a team to mount an impossible rescue mission-because Cinder isn't just the key to unlocking the Still Blue and their only hope for survival, he's also their friend. And in a dying world, the bonds between people are what matter most.

Why: This series was actually my "surprise" series of 2013. By "surprise", I mean I went into the series thinking and feeling that I wouldn't like it. And to my credit, the first 150-ish pages of the first book, Under the Never Sky, were absolutely atrocious for me. But I was told by many, many of my friends and fellow readers to keep reading, "it gets better". And it definitely did get better. I have loved every minute of this literary journey. Into the Still Blue is the final book in this trilogy, and I am really excited about how Rossi plans to conclude one of the biggest adventures of my year!

Well, those of my Top 5 picks. Of course, I am awaiting more than just five, but these choices actually have the potential to keep me up at night, if they're not done right (which I have no real concerns about). I trust my authors. I trust in their abilities, but even with Rossi's book being the closest in release (a couple of weeks), everything is STILL TOO FAR AWAY! I need my books now!

When I am done reading each of these, I'm sure I will have many opinions and perspectives that I would love to share with you all -- so stay tuned for that!

BOOK: "Saving Raphael Santiago" (The Bane Chronicles #6) -- Available Now!

September 17th marked the release of the sixth installment of the Cassandra Clare project, 'The Bane Chronicles'.

This installment enlists the aid of the wonderfully talented and brilliant author of the 'The Lynburn Legacy' series, Sarah Rees Brennan, who also happens to be one of my favorite authors; especially after reading 'Unspoken', which is the first book of 'The Lynburn Legacy' series.

Saving Raphael Santiago tells the story of a young Raphael Santiago and how he came to be who he is. Of course, we also learn and share in his entanglement with our beloved warlock, Magnus Bane. Raphael's story is a very emotional one. One that I don't think you will forget.

I've had the pleasure of reading the novella, and I must say that I absolutely LOVED it. I definitely rank it as one of the best installments thus far.

This story is filled with humorous conversation, emotion filled moments and overall plot development that helps connect a lot of the dots made while reading the 'The Mortal Instruments' series, where we are introduced to Raphael to begin with. He is such a strong character. And excellently developed character. And overall, just VERY fun to read about.

I am pleased to say that Sarah Rees Brennan's voice is quite prominent in this tale. Having read some of her solo work, I can attest to that fact. There is a tinge of darkness and Gothic atmosphere that I haven't quite seen in the other installments, so I was very excited about that. Two of my favorite authors working together is simply euphoric!

It is always fun to learn how interconnected some of our favorite characters are through these chronicles. Cassandra Clare is such an amazing storyteller, so I can only imagine what she has in store for us next!

Saving Raphael Santiago is available now on BN.com, iTunes Store and Amazon.com for $2.99.

Have you read this installment of 'The Bane Chronicles'? What are your thoughts?

Entertainment Weekly reveals the cover for The Bane Chronicles: The Rise of the Hotel Dumort!

BTA Shadowhunters!

Today, Entertainment Weekly revealed the cover for the fifth installment of The Bane Chronicles: The Rise of the Hotel Dumort that will be released next Tuesday August 20th!

Cassandra Clare had the lovely and talented Maureen Johnson co-write this installment.

These covers are puzzle pieces and will eventually form one phenomenal cover for the actual physical copy of The Bane Chronicles coming in 2014! 

This is such a magnificent cover! You can clearly see our Magnus Bane (played by Godfrey Gao) on it.

I can't wait to continue to read more about the the life of my favorite warlock of all time, Magnus Bane!

What do you all think of the cover? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

MTV Exclusive: Author Cassandra Clare on the set of 'The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones'

From printed page to silver screen: It's been one wild ride for author Cassandra Clare and her 'Mortal Instruments' series." 'Surreal' is the word," the author told MTV News' Josh Horowitz while on the Toronto-based set of the urban fantasy. "My husband says it's like being at Disneyland where all of the rides are based on my book. It has gone through a long process."A long process, yes, but not an unexpected one for Clare, who has movie-making in her blood.

"My grandfather was a movie producer. I grew up in the film industry," she explained. "I always knew movies aren't really happening until they're actually filming, and I thought this will never really happen. And then when they got [director] Harald [Zwart] on board, I really started to believe it could because he has such a passionate commitment to the project, and he's a very emotion-focused director. And he really wanted to focus on the characters and their relationships to each other with the special effects second. And I thought that was a really great quality in a fantasy-film director."Clare did admit that it took some time for it to all really sink in, recalling her aha moment:"We were shooting in the subway, and they had closed off part of the subway for shooting, and I walked down the stairs to get to the set, and I saw Kevin Zegers in his full costume with runes and everything. And all the commuters were passing him by like they didn't see him. And I just thought, 'Oh my god. It's like we're in my book! He's here. He's invisible. It's like I've walked into a page of my book.' It was amazing."And Clare wasn't just an observer on set. Like many authors before her (Stephenie Meyer in "Twilight" comes to mind), she'll make a cameo in the movie based on her best-selling series(hence her garb during our interview)."I don't actually wear the cat ears all the time," she said. "I'm having a cameo at a very special party in the middle of the movie. I'm very excited about it."For the uninitiated, the film follows Brooklyn teen Clary Fray, who after her mother's disappearance turns to an ancient race of demon destroyers known as Shadowhunters for help. Teaming with the impossibly beautifully and infinitely snarky Jace Wayland, Clary delves deeper into their mysterious world, learning she may be more connected to it than she ever could have imagined.Actress Lily Collins plays the lead role of Clary, and as she told MTV News, she was pleased to have the author on hand while filming."She's so lovely," Collins enthused of Clare. "She's been here for a couple weeks just to take it all in. Just to have her support on this is so amazing. We're really lucky to have her on set. Just to see her smiling and be part of this process. Especially for her, this is huge. To have something you've created brought to the screen and have people so passionate behind it. It must be an absolute dream for her." 

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones hits theaters on August 21st!

Entertainment Weekly reveals the cover for The Bane Chronicles: The Midnight Heir!

Shadowhunters!

Today, Entertainment Weekly revealed the cover for the fourth installment of The Bane Chronicles: The Midnight Heir that will be released next Tuesday July 16th!

Cassandra Clare had the talented Sarah Rees Brennan co-write this installment.

These covers are coming out like puzzle pieces and will eventually form one magnificent cover for the physical copy of The Bane Chronicles coming in 2014! 

What a pretty cover!

I can't wait to once agin read more about the the life of my absolute favorite warlock, Magnus Bane!

What do you all think of the cover? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Lily Collins announces what Shadowhunters will be attending the 'City of Bones' panel at Comic Con!

By The Angel! According to City of Shadowhunters, Shadowhunters will be taking over San Diego California on Friday, July 19th 2013, the confirmed date of The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones panel at Comic Con.

Check out this special video message from Lily Collins who plays Clary Fray in the franchise. 

It looks like those attending the TMI panel at Comic Con will be seeing and hearing from author Cassandra Clare, director Harald Zwart, and cast members Lily Collins (Clary Fray), Jamie Campbell Bower (Jace Wayland), Robert Sheehan (Simon Lewis), and Kevin Zegers (Alec Lightwood)! Not only will this panel include amazing opportunities to interact with the stars, but those attending The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones panel will also get to view a never before scene of the upcoming adaptation! 

Who will be attending Comic Con this year? If you don't have tickets, there is always a chance of running into a cast member outside of the convention, so don't give your hopes up just yet! Share your excitement  in the comments below!

REVIEW: Vampires, Scones, and Edmund Herondale (The Bane Chronicles Part #3) by Cassandra Clare & Sarah Rees Brennan

Vampires, Scones, and Edmund Herondale (The Bane Chronicles Part #3) 

Released: June 18, 2013
By Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan

Summary:

Magnus Bane leverages his alliances with Downworlders and Shadowhunters on a venture to Victorian London. One of ten adventures in The Bane Chronicles.

When immortal warlock Magnus Bane attends preliminary peace talks between the Shadowhunters and the Downworlders in Victorian London, he is charmed by two very different people: the vampire Camille Belcourt and the young Shadowhunter, Edmund Herondale. Will winning hearts mean choosing sides?

This standalone e-only short story illuminates the life of the enigmatic Magnus Bane, whose alluring personality populates the pages of the #1 New York Timesbestselling series, The Mortal Instrumentsand The Infernal Devices series. This story in The Bane Chronicles, Vampires, Scones, and Edmund Herondale, is written by Sarah Rees Brennan and Cassandra Clare.

Review:

I finished reading the latest installment in The Bane Chronicles the other night and I have fallen for another Herondale. In Vampires, Scones, and Edmund Herondale we focus on the Downworlders & Shadowhunters trying to bring about the accords during several meetings at The London Institute. The Shadowhunters were very cruel in this towards the Downworlders and I kept getting very upset with it all. I was gritting my teeth throughout the whole flirtation between Magnus & Camille Belcourt. I hate Camille. Magnus, meets the young Edmund Herondale and is present for the meeting of Will's parents when Edmund saves Linette. We even hear at the end the screams of Edmund having his marks removed, so he can marry Linette and move to Whales to be with her. This installment really touched me and is by far my favorite. I can't wait for the next installment in The Bane Chronicles, The Midnight Heir.

Here's an excerpt from Vampires, Scones, and Edmund Herondale:

“Edmund exhaled. He looked drained. “I beg your pardon, Bane,” he said. “I am simply being a child, screaming and kicking against fate, and it is time to stop being a stupid boy. Why struggle against a choice that is already made? If I were asked to choose between sacrificing my life or sacrificing Linette’s every day for the rest of eternity, I would sacrifice my own every time.”

Magnus looked away, so as not to see the wreckage. “I wish you luck,” he said. “Luck and love.”

Edmund made a small bow. “I bid you good day. I think we will not meet again.”

He walked away, into the inner reaches of the Institute. A few feet away, he wavered and paused, light from one of the narrow church windows turning his hair rich gold, and Magnus thought he would turn. But Edmund Herondale never looked back.”

REVIEW: The Runaway Queen (The Bane Chronicles Part #2) by Cassandra Clare & Maureen Johnson

The Runaway Queen (The Bane Chronicles Part #2)
Released: May 21, 2013
By Cassandra Clare and Maureen Johnson

Summary:

Magnus Bane has a royal role in the French Revolution—if the angry mobs don’t spoil his spells. One of ten adventures in The Bane Chronicles.

While in France, immortal warlock Magnus Bane finds himself attempting to rescue the royal family from the horrors of the French Revolution—after being roped into this mess by a most attractive count. Naturally, the daring escape calls for invisible air balloons…

This standalone e-only short story illuminates the life of the enigmatic Magnus Bane, whose alluring personality populates the pages of the #1 New York Timesbestselling series, The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices series. This story in The Bane Chronicles, The Runaway Queen, is written by Maureen Johnson and Cassandra Clare.

Review:

So, I finally found the time to read The Runaway Queen, the second installment of The Bane Chronicles. I absolutely loved it! I was pleasantly surprised to find Magnus having helped in trying to get Queen Marie Antoinette away from Paris during the French Revolution, yes I know in actuality he didn't since he's a fictional character. I saw a whole new side to Magnus in this story and fell more deeply in love with him. His interactions with Axel were just too sweet & made me feel all warm inside. I hope to read the most recently released installment of The Bane Chronicles soon and have another review up for you all shortly after. :D ~V

Entertainment Weekly reveals the cover for The Bane Chronicles: Vampires, Scones and Edmund Herondale!

Today, Entertainment Weekly revealed the cover for the next installment of The Bane Chronicles: Vampires, Scones and Edmund Herondale that will be released this upcoming Tuesday!

Cassandra Clare had the talented Sarah Rees Brennan co-write this third installment.

What a beautiful cover!
I can't wait to read more into the life of my favorite warlock, Magnus Bane! ;) ~V

New Vlog featuring TMI/TID News, Cassandra Clare tweets me, & Kaleb Nation's book HARKEN!

Check out my newest vlog now & please subscribe! :D ~V

Cassandra Clare reveals the cover for The Bane Chronicles: The Runaway Queen!

Today, Cassandra Clare revealed the cover for the next installment of The Bane Chronicles: The Runaway Queen,
that will be released this Tuesday!

The talented Maureen Johnson co-wrote this second installment.

What a gorgeous hand & ring you have Magnus Bane! ;) ~V

REVIEW: What Really Happened in Peru (The Bane Chronicles Part #1) by Cassandra Clare & Sarah Rees Brennan

What Really Happened in Peru (The Bane Chronicles Part #1) 

Released: April 16, 2013

By Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan

Summary:

Fans of The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices know that Magnus Bane is banned from Peru—and now they can find out why. One of ten adventures in The Bane Chronicles.

There are good reasons Peru is off-limits to Magnus Bane. Follow Magnus’s Peruvian escapades as he drags his fellow warlocks Ragnor Fell and Catarina Loss into trouble, learns several instruments (which he plays shockingly), dances (which he does shockingly), and disgraces his host nation by doing something unspeakable to the Nazca Lines.

This standalone e-only short story illuminates the life of the enigmatic Magnus Bane, whose alluring personality populates the pages of the #1 New York Times bestselling series, The Mortal Instruments and The Infernal Devices series. This story in The Bane Chronicles, What Really Happened in Peru, is written by Sarah Rees Brennan and Cassandra Clare.

Review:

So I am a huge fan of Cassandra Clare's Shadowhunter books & recently read the first installment in The Bane Chronicles called What Really Happened in Peru! The whole thing is rather funny, but also sad when Magnus gets his heart broken. My favorite part in it is when Catarina & Ragnor tell Magnus about his drunken escapades. LoLz! Just imagining Magnus enchanting a carpet and flying around on it has me cracking up laughing. The main thing that annoyed me, but I kind of expected was that we weren't told why Magnus was actually banned from Peru! I hope Cassie lets us know one day. I'll post a review for each installment in The Bane Chronicles as they are released & I've read them! Have a great weekend! ;)