#Cassandra Clare says Shadowhunters and I go CRAZY

[mercutio-stan]

Listen not to be dramatic but I went to war for the Shadowhunter Chronicles like when I was in middle school and my friends were like are those the books with the incest plot? And my dumb ass was always like tHeY’Re NoT AcTuaL SiBLiNGs

To this day people are like oh you like Cassandra Clare?? The pseudo incest demon hunter books?? And my GROWN LEGAL ADULT ASS THAT HAS BEEN READING THESE BOOKS SINCE I WAS 11 HAS TO BE LIKE……. yeah… 😔 the cross I bear 😔😔😔

[katnissgirlsmakedo]

crazy to me that this person called the mortal instruments published harry potter fanfic and then in replies to a comment clarifies that they know it’s not actually published harry potter fanfiction. taking inspiration and elements from a fanfiction you wrote and dropping them into an original work you created is not “published fanfiction” babe you sound fucking ridiculous. you cannot discount the care and thought and work cassandra clare has put into the shadowhunter universe for almost 20 years as “just harry potter fanfiction” because you heard some idiot that doesn’t know how genre works say it five years ago. “steles are just wands it’s hp fanfic!” what are you talking about… steles are actually not wands and they serve a whole other purpose than wands. also wands we’re not invented by jkr for harry potter. you know that right. it’s important to me that you know that. i’m not trying to defend everything cassandra has ever done and say she didn’t take a lot from her harry potter fanfic and put it in her books, i know she did that, i know all about her problematic harry potter fanfictions. i’m saying it’s so fucking rude and disrespectful to try to write off all of the original work she’s done and the expansive universe she created as fanfiction. no it’s not, you will just make up reasons to discredit her because you think she’s hashtag problematic and deserves it. and baby i stand with my problematic wife. she only did some of that!!! you can’t say she’s a freak with an incest fetish when that’s only a subplot in ONE book series she wrote and the only character she was actually an incestuous weirdo was the bad guy. yeah it was WEIRD that clary and jace thought they were siblings for two books. WE THE AUDIENCE knew they weren’t. ok it wasn’t explicit that we were supposed to know they weren’t but anyone with sense would read the end of city of bones and go “well that’s not true lol” and even if you didn’t she only wrote that “twist” because it was 2006 and she was trying to be edgy and challenge people’s perceptions. she would never do that now be serious. i know she wrote weird ass fanfiction, she’s a weirdo and it’s fanfiction and she (and society) was stupider back then and she would not do any of that now. and trying to use a couple semi-related things about her life before she was a famous published author to try to make her original work look lesser, is insane. also half the things people point at when trying to “prove” tmi is harry potter fanfic are just like. public domain concepts and character archetypes. because harry potter fans aren’t actually fans of the fantasy genre and don’t understand that 70% of the “world” jkr created is just. public domain fantasy concepts and character archetypes. remember the time my sister (harry potter fan. not a fantasy genre fan) found out about griffins (mythical creature that has existed in the genre for like. centuries) and she thought the concept of a griffin was taken from harry potter’s hippogriff. i’m never letting her live that down btw i lost like. 40% of my respect for her that day. and the context in which she found out about griffins makes her look even worse. we don’t have to get into it. anyway. i just can’t stand it when people say stupid stuff about cassandra clare because they’re purposefully looking at her and her body of work with the most bad faith perspective imaginable. also if you’re a harry potter fan i don’t think you can really justify hating cassandra clare because she’s “problematic”. like ok…. look inside.

[ownedbybooks]

2022 winter wrap up

Disclaimer: I live in the Southern Hemisphere

Clockwork Prince, by Cassandra Clare ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Guys, I feel this is THE BOOK in all of my short shadowhunter’s chronicles fan life. I was kinda lost in the first book, mainly because I was used to the mortal instuments character and setting, BUT! THIS BOOK RIGHT HERE! YES! I loved it! I loved everything about it!

Sky Key, by James Frey ⭐️⭐️⭐️

A reread, to be honest. I knew what was going to happen but still I got myself surprised because I didn’t remember thsi book very well, so once it reached a point I was like “oooh waaait this happened??”

Arsène Lupin contre Herlock Sholmes, by Maurice Leblanc ⭐️⭐️

I don’t know about it. I feel there was not enough of Arsène Lupin charms’ in this second volume as it had in the first one...

Crazy Rich Asians, by Kevin Kwan ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

OMG I NEEDED A ROMANTIC COMEDIE BOOK THAT HAD KOREAN DRAMAS VIBES AND THIS IS IT!!! I had so much fun reading Crazy Rich Asians that I’m kinda glad I haven’t watched the movie adaptation yet (and I now believe I will never watch it).

Meu quase irmão: Laura, by Mônica Meirelles ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It was fun and nice and a got a bit more into it than I expected, even though I had to keep telling me the main couplee WERE NOT SIBLINGS AT ALL.

Lore Olympus (Season 2), by Rachel Smythe ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Aaaah perfection itself???

Life and Death: Twilight Reimagined, by Stephenie Meyer ⭐️⭐️

It was a great way to remember everything from the original Twilight book before reading Midnight Sun, but I gotta say the end of this one is like A HUNDRED TIMES MORE REALISTIC to the original one and if you still have doubts about reading it, read it for the end!

Encontrada, by Carina Rissi ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I liked this one because I could feel that the main couple’s relationship has matured beautifully, even though in the end it’s more about the maturation of the protagonist and her understanding that she’s not living at the 21st century anymore.

Before The Pirate Balthasar, by Dedasaur ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Putting the whole thing together just to say how nice was to read about all of the guys meeting The Pirate Balthasar, since the main series is about the sister’s meeting him and his friends hahahah

The Pirate Balthasar #1-4, by Dedasaur ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Aaaah just the pirate romance I was needing to read! It has a great level of fluffiness as well of smutty 💕💕💕

City of Lost Souls, by Cassandra Clare ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book??? Once again I feel I was reading it mainly for the secundary characters because the main one were like mad lmao what the hell was all of the ClaryXJaceXSebastian plot in this volume ???

[meadow-of-rye]

Random Names That Were Ruined* For Me

*And by ruined, I mean, names I could never use for random reasons*

Lachlan (Meaning: From the land of lakes) - I used to go to daycare and there was a boy who went named Lachlan. He was a toddler and in the middle of the terrible twos when I knew him. The staff nicknamed him “Loch Ness Monster” because of his tantrums

Desdemona (Meaning: Ill-fated, misery) - This is a Shakespeare name that I absolutely love on paper and is totally an awesome name, but I can’t get passed the meaning. I don’t usually care about name meanings but misery? Yeah, no

Lincoln (Meaning: Lake/pool colony) - I feel like I should love this name and I do on some level, but I cannot stand the nickname “Link”. And it’s one of those inevitable nicknames and I would never be able to avoid it. It also might be because of Grey’s Anatomy but let’s ignore that

Lilith (Meaning: Night monster) - Beautiful name, terrible meaning. I think it was The Shadowhunter Chronicles that ruined the name for me, with the queen of demons Lilith. Lily is an adorable nickname but Lilith gives it a darker meaning

Elias (Meaning: Lord is my God) - Another named ruined for me by the one and only Cassandra Clare. It’s not only that but it’s one of those name that is constantly mispronounced and I think constantly correcting the pronunciation would drive me crazy

Scarlet/Scarlett (Meaning: Red) - This name was ruined for me purely based on when my aunt named her daughter Scarlet Rose and I couldn’t stand it because it’s too shades of red together

Ocean (Meaning: Sea) - Same reason as above, I once met a little boy who’s name was-no joke-Ocean Blue and I really don’t know why his parents chose that for him because that’s so bad

Matilda (Meaning: Battle strength) - I blame the Roald Dahl book with the same name. I have loved that book since I was little and my attachment to the book makes this name off limits to me for any reason

Shepherd (Meaning: Sheep herder) - This is my brother’s fault and his fault only. I love this name and I mentioned to my brother that I love this name, and he says to me “you know that people would shorten it to Shep, right?”. He then points out Shep is a dog’s name and his evidence was the movie Babe, which I checked and he was wrong. But still the thought of Shep- *shudders*

Royce (Meaning: Fame) - My reason for this name is strictly because of Twilight. For those who don’t know, Royce is the name of Rosalie’s ex-fiancé in Twilight and I hate that name association strictly because of that

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

End Note:

No offense to anyone that has these names, they’re all great names, I just personally don’t love them

[just-a-nerdy-engineer]

Analysis of the Shadowhunter Multiverse

Note: for simplicity I will be referring to the main Shadowhunter universe as “our” universe. Also, spoilers for Queen of Air and Darkness if you haven’t read it yet.

So, in City of Heavenly Fire, we are introduced to Edom, which is described as a “demon realm”. However, we learn as the journey progresses that Edom is actually a parallel universe, similar to ours. The main difference is that the Shadowhunters were wiped out within Jonathan Shadowhunter’s lifetime and the world converted to a hellscape by the Asmodei. The world then became the home of Asmodeus and Lilith. This is an important point, which will be returned to after a bit more background on the multiverse.

As is revealed, Edom had Shadowhunters, created by Raziel and gifted the Mortal Instruments, like in our world. This shows that Edom, and by extension every other world in the multiverse, has its own version of Raziel, and therefore Heaven. As an extension of that, every world has its own version of Hell. This is further backed up in Queen of Air and Darkness, where an alternate version of Lilith killed Clary and caused the change in the timeline (relative to our world).

You may be thinking, yes, we know all of this. And yes, we do. But here is my question: if Edom is actually a corrupted alternate universe, which shown by the events of COHF and QOAAD discussed earlier has, or should have, its own version of hell, why did the Asmodeus of our reality become the ruler of it? Why wouldn’t a demon of that reality, or multiple demons considering it is an entire world the same size as ours, claim it? Assuming that the Asmodei who destroyed Edom were the children of the Asmodeus of our reality, which may explain why he was able to claim it as his own, why would they attack an alternate universe? Maybe the wards protecting Edom were weaker, but that still doesn’t explain why demons from that universe didn’t destroy it first.

That was my main point, but after reaching this point, I’m going to keep going, so if the rest of this is less logical and thought out, it’s late and I’m tired.

Assuming that Heaven and Hell are alternate dimensions or planes of reality within single universes, and that each Prince of Hell has their own realm, is that realm within Hell, like a suburb of the city of Pandemonium (which I am assuming to the be the “capital” of Hell in this case), or are they all just destroyed alternate worlds? If this is the case, and Princes of Hell can travel through the multiverse (shown by Asmodeus by sending back the group to our world after killing Sebastian), why don’t they? Are there territorial disputes between different versions of the same Prince over the world? Are conquered worlds divided up between Princes, or do they all get their own?

So many questions, possibly because I overcomplicated the subject. It seems like the best explanation for this is there to only be one Hell for the whole multiverse, but that doesn’t fit with the existing canon, nor would it make sense for a single version of Raziel to travel to potentially millions or billions of worlds, do the exact same thing every time and with the exact same gifts. Like, would he have a vault filled with Mortal Swords and Cups? He’d have to be able to manipulate time as well, to always show up at the same time (although QOAAD does show some flexibility with the timelines of various universes).

Anyway, apologies to anyone still reading for being dragged into my craziness. Please, continue with your lives.

[jemdeserveslove]

And I finished Chain of Gold ✨

I bring here a “review” and, as usual, excuse my spelling mistakes

(This is a bit long, I’m sorry lol but bare with me)

What a greaaat book! It’s a been a couple of months since I read Cassandra Clare and, you guys, I needed that. Overall, I really liked it and I will give it a solid 4/5.

The only complaints I have about it is that in a couple of scenes everything seemed a bit rushed and convenient, you know? I can’t remember the scene, but I remember I stoped, laughed a bit and said out loud (cause I’m crazy) “NOW THIS IS VERY CONVENIENT FOR THEM”. Anyway, that and (this is more of preference, I guess) the fact that it took a while for the plot to come into place, like, I understand that everything as going to come together at the end (which it did), but at the same time, when I’m reading something, I wanna know the weight of what’s happening, so that I can feel it.

But, yeah, there were so many positive things that I absolutely loved, so I bring here my rant about the (some) characters

To get this out of the way, I LOVE JESSE BLACKTHORN, like, he didn’t even showed up a lot, but when he did, it was amazing and he owns part of my heart now, thank u Cassie 🥰. And, since he’s the topic, let’s talk about him. SO SAD. Like, I guess I don’t know eveything, but apparently my boy just wanted to be a shadowhunter and, then, he got his first rune and HE DIED 😭 Cassie, what do I do with information? Also, I ship Jesse and Lucie with every fiber in my body, that will be all

LUCIE, she’s a queen 💖 I see a lot of myself in her and I think she’s very relatable in many ways lol. Honestly, she was one of the best characters in the book, she’s very creative, brave and a great feminist living in 1903. She is a true Herondale and shares all the Herondale’s virtues and values, but at the same time, in many situations I could see a lot of Tessa in her, especially, because she’s very straightforward

ALASTAIR 👀 I really like him, you guys. His behavior back in the academy can’t be excused, but we can undestand it and also see that he’s changing, right? He’s turning his back on Charles (thank God), is getting closer to Thomas (👀) and is getting closer to his sister again, so yeah, I think he’s going to shine more and more 

Cordelia is an amazing main character. She’s kind, brave and very witty and funny too. Honestly, I cracked up because of her so many times lol. Her situation with James is so sad, like, it was going so well, but then no no no, THAT FUCKING STUPID BRACELET 🤬 Anyway, Cordelia and Lucie have a very beautiful dynamic and as Cecily Lightwood herself said, we need more girls being parabatais ✨

James Herondale is such a simp lol. It doesn’t matter if it’s with Cordelia or Grace, he’s a simp. I feel really bad for him, since the whole bracelet fiasco is not really his fault 🤷‍♀️ I really like him, as well, he has a nice vibe and he definitely got that acid humor from his parents (especially, Will, obvs) which I love. Also, he’s caught up in many horrible situations that are not even his fault lol. Poor James

Matthew is a very sensetive topic for me. I just feel really really bad for him and he just deserves so much better

Grace .... what can I say about her? I feel really bad for her, I think she’s in a horrible abusive relationship with Tatiana, so I don’t really blame her for anything, but do I get annoyed whenever she shows up AND RUINS JAMES? Yes. Yes, I do

Anna, the icon ✨ She didn’t show up as much as I thought she would, but I’m pretty sure she’s gonna have her whole thing with Ariadne now (I guess), so we’ll have more of her. She’s sneaky and very observant, like, all the times she was narrating, she kept pointing out things about the characters that other characters that are closer to said characters didn’t know. ICONIC BEHAVIOR

Thomas went through so much in just one book. I felt bad for him 🥺 He’s the parent figure of the group and I can relate with that so much lol

I loved Christopher 🥰 A very sweet genius. He deserves the world

 This is already so long, but the complete the whole thing about the characters, I loved the Herongraystairs moments, they’re everything to me ✨ and I loved to see TID characters being parents, they’re great and you can see some of their traits on their children, and that’s some great writing for me. I thought the ending was good and now I can’t wait to see what Tatiana and Belial are going to do 🙃 They will probably destroy some lifes and make me cry along the way

Thank you for coming to my TED talk

[queenlilith43]

Foreshadowing in TBC

I worked in some fanfic, and then remembered this thing from the Bane Chronicles. I would like to add a TW for canon self-injury, because no matter how much you want to read this theory, I don't want to trigger anyone.

Tag list: (love y'all, tell me if you want to be added or removed!) @the-blackdale @patalliumapples @murderbabies @blueth0rn @herondalesofterrasen @revati3008 @tenacioushubb @pjo-tsc-trc-otherthingstoo @bookeater34 @unorganisedbookshelf @clarys-heosphoros

The Bane Chronicles: The Rise of the Hotel Dumort by Cassandra Clare and Maureen Johnson, first published as an ebook in 2013.

"What are you?

The voice came from nowhere. It was in the room. It was outside. It was in Magnus's head.

'A warlock,' Magnus answered. 'And what are you?'

We are many.

'Please don't say you are legion. Someone's taken that.'

Do you make mirth from the mundane scriptures, warlock? "

Good job Magnus; you're hallucinating. And this is the start of this whole thing.

"He is with us. Now you will come with us. Come to the altar.

'I think I'll pass,' Magnus said. 'I've for a place here I like a lot.'

Remember this is when Aldous Nix was trying to open a Portal to Pandemonium or the Void. So now the voices want Magnus to help them.

"That was interesting. It didn't seem that the demons could come out. If they could, they would have. This was what demons did. But s connection had still been opened. A one-way connection, but still a connection.

Magnus stepped just a tiny bit closer, trying to look for any markings on the floor, anything to tell him how large the Portal was. There was nothing."

Of course there's nothing. The entire Portal is the building you're in.

"Warlock, do you not tire of your life?

'That's a very philosophical question for a nameless and faceless voice from a Void,' Magnus replied.

Do you not tire or eternity? Do you not wish to end your suffering?"

Y'all remember Ragnor going a little insane at the start of The Lost Book of the White? This is the same. These voices are asking Magnus if he will be willing to give himself up as immortality looms in front of him.

And this being in the middle of Aldous going crazy only bangs that point into your head.

"Blood . . .

If warlock blood opened the Portal . . . well, warlock blood might be able to close it.

. . . or not.

It was good a guess we any."

What powers does warlock blood hold? And remember: This is Magnus, knowing full well who his father is (and hints dropped in CoLS proves it was canon even before the reveal)makes this a powerful thought.

"'Why would you want that?' Magnus asked. 'Pandemonium has to be a pretty crowded place, considering you're always trying to leave it.'

Would you not know your father?

'My father?'

Yes, warlock. Your father. Would you not know him?

'My father never took much interest in me,' Magnus said.'"

*Raises an eyebrow.* Magnus, Asmodeus loves manipulating you. He just doesn't talk to his dad a lot because Asmodeus is a dick! I don't blame him.

"Would you not know your father, even if you spoke to him?

Magnus stopped on that one.

'No,' he said. 'I don't suppose I would. Unless you are trying to tell me what I am hearing now is the voice of my father.'"

Magnus: Lying through his teeth. Good job, sweetie.

And then things get even crazier.

"You hear your own blood, warlock."

There you have it. In these own words, Magnus is hearing the voices of his own blood, "alight with magic from Hell" tempting him, pushing him over the edge. The Devil inside him is waking up.

"Magnus regarded the levitating slab, the destruction, the remains of the bodies. He also became dimly aware of a presence behind him. Some of the Shadowhunters had come inside and we're looking at the slab, but seemed to hear nothing.

'Magnus?' one of them asked.

'Keep back,' Magnus replied.

Why do you protect them? They would not protect you?"

Well, screw you, voices, because there is a Shadowhunter who will protect Magnus. That Shadowhunter will go to Hell and back TWICE for Magnus. He protects them because he's a good person, and in turn, Alec will protect him, because they love each other.

"Magnus went to the closest Shadowhunter, grabbed a blade, and cut himself.

'You.' He pointed to the Shadowhunter who had shot Aldous. 'Give me an arrow. Now.'

The arrow was handed over, and Magnus tipped it in his blood. Then he rubbed some more blood down the shaft for good measure. He didn't need the bow. He directed the arrow at the slab with all his might, casting every Portal-closing spell he knew.

It felt like he was locked into place, his entire body concrete, time stretched and slow. Magnus was no longer certain where, or maybe even what, he was, only that he was still spell-casting, only that the altar remained, and the voices in his mind were yelling. Hundreds of voices. Thousands of them.

Magnus . . .

Magnus, come to me . . .

Magnus, come . . .

But Magnus held on. And then the slab fell to the ground, breaking into countless pieces."

So Magnus did it. He stopped it, with his father calling for him from his blood.

A little insight into the meaning of an eldest curse, and what powers Magnus could have.

I've thought this before, but never really posted this to Tumblr, that Magnus will play a critical role in summoning Lucifer. It will be Magnus whose sacrifice will bring him back, and this time, he won't be able to save anyone.

So what do y'all think? Is this part of Magnus's eldest curse powers? Anything to do with his general powers? What dark side does Magnus have?

I also think Aldous Nix was Belphegor's eldest curse because of Belphegor's power but that's my crackpot theory.

[rosereview]

Top 12 Books of 2020

In this crazy year of 2020 I only read 32 books, but that doesn’t mean that I still don’t have too many good five star books that I want to share. But because I’m pretending that this is a top ten list with two honourable mentions, I had to narrow it down to only my top twelve. So let's get started.

12. Catharsis: Pain by Rowan Dugray

To start off, I wanted to mention this really amazing collection of poetry that I picked up. It’s not very well known but it is really well done. Since I’m not the biggest fan of poetry, I usually stray away or get very nervous going into a poetry novel, but this one was a nice surprise. I didn’t let myself dwell on the fact that I don’t always understand the intended meaning of the poems, and instead let myself take my own meaning from the words. In the end I felt like I really had gone through a process of catharsis and released a lot of built up tensions and emotions. A great read.

11. Vow of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson

This book is the second book in the Dance of Thieves duology and it was a treat to get back into the Remnant Chronicles world. It had been a while since I had read the first book so it took a bit for the character relationships and names to come back to me, but after they did this book was a great conclusion. I loved all of the big plot twists and the way that the story went, and couldn't have asked for a more well done novel.

10. Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff

This book was a surprise hit which I had been putting off for a while, so I was happy when I finally got to it. The way that the novel is written and presented intimidated me a bit, but I was surprised with how easy it was to read after I got into it. But the biggest surprise, which made for a wild experience, was that the book had a big plot line of a deadly virus. It was kind of scary cause it hit so close to home, but also made it relevant and somehow better. It was a great example of how reading a book at a perfect time in your life enhances so many things about it and that was definitely this one for me. So if you’re into sci-fi books, check this one out.

9. Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody

Next was my first experience reading a Amanda Foody novel although I’ve wanted to read her stuff for a while, and I was not disappointed. This book has some similarities with Caraval, where both have sort of game elements, although this one goes more in the direction of gangs and crime bosses which I loved. The whole book was very well done and fast paced where I just wanted to keep reading until I got to the point that I just couldn’t put it down at the end. Highly highly recommend it, and I can’t wait to get into the next one sometime this year.

8. A Crystal of Time by Soman Chainani

Again this is one that I had been putting off because I hadn’t read the other ones in the series for a while, but when I finally committed to picking this one up I was shocked with how much I enjoyed it. I thought that the book before this one in the School for Good and Evil series kind of repeated a lot of plot points from the previous three books, but this one took a whole different turn. It was nice to see the familiar characters again, but I felt that some of the newer characters were also just as intriguing and kept me wanting more. Now I’m just hoping I don’t take another crazy long time to pick up the last book, especially since it’s already out.

7. The Lost Book of the White by Cassandra Clare & Wesley Chu

No surprise that this book is on my list since it’s a Cassandra Clare novel, and it’s also filled full of Magnus and Alec. This one was super light hearted and fun and was a nice break from the rest of the world. All of Cassandra Clare’s books are just comforting and it feels like I’m coming home every time I get into one. There’s humor, friendship, romance, demons, and shadowhunters… What else could you ask for?

6. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Finally we’re halfway and boy are we getting to the goodies! This is the second book I’ve read by Taylor Jenkins Reid and it matched and exceeded all of my expectations. I didn’t think anything of hers could top Daisy Jones and the Six, but this one did. I’m not saying that Daisy Jones isn’t amazing, but Evelyn Hugo is just a whole different type of moment. I don’t even know how to explain it. All I can say is if you love old hollywood stories with all of the drama and show biz it brings, then you will fall in love with this novel.

5. Beartown by Fredrik Backman

This book was my first Fredrik Backman read that I finished all the way back in January, so exactly a year ago, but I have to say that it is still stuck in my head. I frequently still think about this book and the story, and I badly want to read all of Fredrik Backman’s novels. His writing style is so unique and the way he fits every part of this story together is incredible. It’s actually the work of a genius! Beartown is all about a hockey town and the dark places it can go when too much pressure is put on young teenage boys. 

4. Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

Unlike Beartown, this is a recent read for me, and I have a feeling it will stay in my head like Beartown but in a totally different way. It is written in Fredrik Backman’s same style that Beartown was written in, although it goes back and forth between timelines, which made it to be a wild ride. There were so many plot twists in this novel that I was jumping up and down in every chapter. It was crazy! I loved how this one shows the natural ways that life can suck which made it so relatable and probably why it beat Beartown in the end, even though I didn’t think any other Fredrik Backman book could. 

3. I Would Leave Me If I Could by Halsey

Now in the top three we have my three favourite creators in the world!! First here we have Halsey, who I hadn’t expected to publish a book, but I’m more than happy that she did. Halsey, being a woman of many many many talents, did not disappoint in this beautiful poetry collection. Again, I’m not the biggest fan of poetry, but Halsey has made me rethink that. I think because I’ve been such a big fan for a while now, her poetry was that much more special for me. So many of her poems are where my favourite lyrics to her songs originated, so to see the way and form that they were first born was very personal. There’s nothing more to say than I just love it.

2. Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare

Well since I wrote a whole long review about how much I love this book, it’s not surprising to see that it’s almost first on the list. This book was one of the best books I’ve ever read, and it is agonizing to have to wait for the next one. If you want a more concrete reason for why I love this book so much, then you can read my review for it which is on my post list. Besides that, I guess I just have to say that I love this book so much and everyone should read it and all of Cassandra Clare’s novels.

1. House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas

And now we have finally come to my favourite book of 2020, House of Earth and Blood. Sarah. J Maas is my second favourite author of all time, beaten only by Cassandra Clare, but at first I have to say that I was worried about this book. It wasn’t purely about the Fae or had a connection with the Throne of Glass or ACOTOR series. For those reasons I wasn’t sure I was going to fall in love with it as much. Oh how wrong I was. This book is an absolute masterpiece. There isn’t much more to say. It is filled with grief, romance, but has a very prominent theme of friendship at its core that was what really hit me hard. Everything about this book was amazing and every character was amazingly developed and interesting. I could not put it down and even though it was supremely long, I was never bored. Not one page. It was just incredible. If you are over 18 and like fantasy novels, read this book. You will be doing yourself a favour. 

And that concludes my list of favourite books in 2020! I hope some of these spark your interest and become your favourites in the future.

Until next time!

~Rose Reviews

[originalwinnercheesecake]

Chain of Iron theories: who becomes a Downworlder

Alright so I took a break from posting my theories to enjoy the comedic hijacks of the letter game, but March 2 draws closer and I have more theories to release on to the masses. So I decided to jump back in with a hot one. We will be seeing more of the downworld in books to come, including esteemed members such as Magnus Bane, Camille Belcourt, and Woolsey Scott, and  someone in TLH’s future is not with the shadowhunters, but as a downworlder. I am assuming that this person will turn into a vampire or a werewolf, as warlocks are born and turned fey usually have to grow up in fairy. Also because (minus the rare warlock) werewolves and vampires are what make up the predator Lupus and we know we are going to revisit TPL and see it develop more as an organization. As always theories are below.

3.) Thomas Lightwood becomes a downworlder {werewolf (retracted)}

When I first hear that someone was turning into a downworlder I immediately theorized Thomas because I knew the found family tree says he dies at 30 and I was looking for a way for that to be wrong. So my idea was that maybe Thomas got turned into a downworlder at 30, had to leave to learn to control his powers, and that the clave wrote him off in their records as having died because they are just that terrible. I am retracting this theory though on a few grounds. One learning that the silent brother who wrote the found family tree was Brother Zachariah. Jem would not do do such a cruel and bigoted thing, he is and has always been better than that. Secondly 10 years after TLH the world wars happen and I cannot imagine that Shadowhunters are not negatively effected by something so catastrophic and wide spread. I googled when the world wars happened rechecked the Thomas’s wiki page and sure enough he is said to die one year into the first world war, at the same year the air attacks started in London.

My conclusion is that while I would like Thomas to become downworlder, if it would allow him to live past being 30, I find it unlikely. I now believe that Thomas dies trying to help mundanes evacuate London or take shelter during air attacks. (Drying my own tears, handing everyone who needs one a tissue, and moving back to the downworld theories)

2.) Charles Fairchild becomes a downworlder (werewolf)

So I preety much think if it is a Shadowhunter it will be one of the Fairchild brothers. they’re just about the only ones left where it is a tose up whom continues the family line. I know Matthew is more likely, but until I read Matthew’s trandformation written by Cassandra Clare herself it could still be Charles. How it would happen is a little more tricky for me to explain, but I might have something. See Charles is on my list of potential characters Belial may possess and turn into the killer. I also said that if he is the killer than I only see a 50% chance he will be freed from that control by Matthew or one of TLH gang. But what if Belial sends him to attack the Merry Thieves when hey are at The Devils Tavern or Hell’s Ruelle, you know a place that also has werewolves, and before he can vanish he is bit by one? Then he transforms at the next full moon. What if Belial can only control human minds and since a werewolf is half animal changing into a wolf snaps Charles out of Beial’s control? Then him turning into a downworlder wouldn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing. He could meet Matthew later and tell him about the change freeing him, then Matthew could go tell Will and Charlotte, and they could make new alliances with the downworld to help take down Belial.

(Is this whole theory me tying to convince myself Matthew woun’t be turned and James and Matthew won’t lose their Parabatai bond?) Who’s asking? Its like 97% that. The other 3% is me really wanting Charles to go talk to Woolsey Scott because I felt really bad for him in TLH when he implys that the reason he hates being gay is because as far as he knows gay men are not allowed to be political leaders. I get it, representation is important.

1.) Matthew Fairchild becomes a downworlder (Vampire) 

Matthew is the most likely one. We all know it, there have been hints foreshadowing in every one of Matthew’s appearances dating back to his first appearance in Nothing But Shadows, when he first said he does not like the way shadowhunters live their lives and  wishes he were not one. We know he prefers to associate with downworldrs and frequents their establishments as an escape when his life as a shadowhunter gets to be to much for him. While I doubt he would ever ask someone to turn him (he wouldn’t want to leave Henry or the Herondale’s) as we saw in Cast Long Shadows when at downworld establishments Matthew isn’t always careful and can be too trusting. Throw in the alcohol he is always drinking and something is bound to happen. Judging by that line where he tells Cordelia that he would “like a portrait of himself that shows that... while he stays forever young” something will happen with him and a vampire. Matthew might make a better downworlder than a shadowhunter, especially if he eventually joins the Predator Lupis. That is a care taker job and he is loves/ is great at being James and Henry’s care taker.

It would be heart breaking for Matthew to no longer be able to see Henry or to lose his Parabatai bond with James. Lets remember though that James and Cordelia likely become the London Institute Heads after Will steps down, and in COHF Sebastian said that the London Institute and Predator Lupus head quarters had famous ties to each other once upon a time.  So if Matthew Changes into a vampire he may not lose James and Cordelia for good. His and James’s their will change yes, but it can withstand. Just like Will and Jem’s bond changed but withstood Jem becoming a silent brother.

Bonus) Bridget Daly (Vampire??? possible fey connection??? )

So Bridget Daly. The London institutes crazy,  dark ballad singing, child watching, frying pan brandishing, over all amazing resident is still somehow alive in TDA, and if we keep  reading TLH we will eventually know how. (She is just to tough to die. The grim reaper hasn’t come for her soul because she terrifys him). Lately I have seen theory’s crop up that the person who becomes a downworlder won’t actually be a shadowhunter, but it will be Bridget, and that is how she gains immortality. I love this. But I need details and no one is providing me. Is Bridget attacked? Who hurt this women? Is this the result of some dark spell? Or did she have some downworlder do it to her by choice? Did she know that Shadowhunters   were just going to get moe stupid and crazy as time went on, and decide that for Londons (if not the worlds sake) she needed to stick around and sing/beat some sense into their heads?

Make me cry. Stephen Herondale grew up at the London institute. Stephen knew Bridget. He had this amazing (possibly downworlder) women in his life for 17 years and he still fell into Valentine’s trap after moving away. Did Bridget grieve over him? In another life Jace could have grown up at the London Institute. He could have grown up helping Bridget cook and learning her dark ballads!!! (hey fanfic writers)

I don’t know what we will get from these books regarding Bridget Daly’s future, but she is an amazing character, and her story better do her justice.

[incorrectlasthours]

#CrackpotTheoryTuesday: Chain of Iron Edition - Lucie Herondale’s Power

Hello again my lovely followers! I hope you all are enjoying some time indoors and staying safe! If you’re like me (and our favorite sneaking-out-of-windows heroine Lucie Herondale) and starting to go a little stir crazy, I hope this week’s #CrackpotTheoryTuesday will entertain you for a bit!

As always, these posts contain spoilers for everything released in the Shadowhunter Chronicles by Cassandra Clare; this post in particular has spoilers for Chain of Gold and The Last Hours Flash Fiction. You have been warned.

Okay, so here’s what we know: Lucie Herondale, an impetuous, dreamy, axe-throwing badass who spends her free time writing self-insert fanfiction, and apparently has the power to, in Cassie’s words, “command the dead.” We have seen this over and over again; in the TLH flash fiction about Lucie, she tells the ghost woman to stop and, to her surprise, the ghost obliges. Lucie also commands several ghosts throughout Chain of Gold, including Emmanuel Gast, the ghosts who drowned in the river Thames and, in probably my favorite scene, Jesse Blackthorn. The question is, how far can Lucie’s powers go? Is there anything she can’t make ghosts do, and is she limited to only ghosts as we understand them in the TSC world?

In the scene where Lucie speaks to the ghost of Emmanuel Gast, there are several things that give hints to Lucie’s powers; first, I believe Lucie has the ability to make anybody come back as a ghost, at least temporarily, even if they aren’t a traditional ghost in the TSC world. Lucie describes Gast as “no Jessamine, or Jesse Blackthorn, who looked solid and human. There was an awful shimmer in the air around it, as if with his violent end a space had been torn in the world. It - he - was ragged at the edges...” In addition, Gast himself says several things that support this theory, including, “why have you dragged me back to this place of agony?” and “You drag me back from the brink? What is this monstrous power...?” The repeated use of “dragging” someone back suggests Gast wasn’t a ghost to begin with; therefore, I think Lucie can speak to anyone who has died, as long as she commands them to come back. 

The question then is how far this power goes. Can Lucie bring someone all the way back from the dead (*cough* Jesse Blackthorn *cough*), or only as a ghost? How many people can she bring back at a time? Could she raise an entire army of the undead? (Cause that would be pretty badass, ngl).

I also find it extremely fascinating how Lucie’s powers parallel Grace’s; they can both “command” others to do whatever they please, only Grace can control the living and Lucie can control the dead. This is super interesting to me, and it makes me more curious to learn about the origins of Grace’s powers (Belial as well, maybe?) and super excited to see them both work together in the next book. 

There you have it! What do you think about Lucie’s powers? Let me know by replying to this post or sending a message to my ask box! Thanks for reading, and check out my other theories below!

Check out my other Crackpot Theories!

The Last Hours:

Lucie/Jesse in TLH -> Another necromancy theory (plus OTP-level romance, *insert heart eyes*) -> CONFIRMED (ChOG)

The “Villain Being a Force” in TLH -> THE PLAGUE?!? (This one puts demon pox to shame. Sorry Will!) -> Kind of right? (ChOG)

The Jordelia Marriage!! -> …Kind of right…? (ChOG)

Sona Carstairs -> So it turns out the quote isn’t by her, but there’s still something sketchy about her past!

The Dark Artifices:

Necromancy in QoAaD -> Is the whole gang coming back? (Hopefully, cause I miss my boyfriend Will Herondale!) -> My new theory for TWP tbh

Malcolm Fade/Matthew Fairchild -> Are they secretly the same person? (probs not, but you can still check it out if you want!) -> Confirmed incorrect

[nalijahreads]

“City of Bones” Book Review

By Cassandra Clare

3.5/5 stars

**spoiler-free but read at your own risk**

City of Bones is the first novel in an extensive world and series about humans that kill demons (or downworlders) called shadowhunters. Clary Fray, a “mundane” or regular human, gets thrown into this world of magical weapons and runes, the Clave that governs these people, glamour, and death when she accidentally spots shadowhunters Jace, Alec, and Isabelle, kill a demon in a club––she shouldn’t be able to see them at all. Learning secrets about her past and her missing mother, we follow Clary through a crazy whirlwind of events of action, friendship, and the search for the Mortal cup.

The main thing I can give credit to this book is that it’s entertaining! After about 75-100 pages, I was hooked into the thrill of the plot and adventure of Clary and Jace and their off friendship/romance and looking out for each other. The constant plot twists and spilled secrets really kept me wondering what was going to happen next. I can also see why people kept reading the series that allowed it to have so much hype, from just this one book, I just know that Cassandra Clare has a great handle on excitement even if it is a bit nerve-wracking and anxiety inducing at times.

As far as the things that I didn’t like go, most had to do with writing. Much of it seemed quite immature, or just not fully developed, in the best way possible. There were so much convenient occurrences so the plot wouldn’t get stuck that it got a bit annoying and predictable that something would appear in this world so our main characters could get out of their situation. It causes me to question how planed or concise this world is because there was always a new layer added on that I don’t know will ever stop so the characters have to play within certain limits. What the answer to that question is, I guess I’ll find out when I continue with the series because it didn’t repel me enough to stop reading. This is also a very creative writing student type observation so I don’t know if I would have notice this say, three years ago.

Overall, one of the main things that draws me into a novel is the cast of characters and I think these were amazing. Clary is a naive main character who makes for great mystery. Jace is a sarcastic hardass who we’re supposed to fall for because of his shitty past (I didn’t much but he’s cool). The Lightwoods are a great side duo perfect for sussing out characters when needed. Simon is adorable and deserves ten times better, but I’ll digress before I get into that. Even characters who weren’t in as many scenes felt so important like Magnus Bane––great personality––Luke, Jocelyn, Hodge, Silent Brother Jeremiah, etc. They really added to how important all of the missions within missions felt without them lacking in development.

If you like adventurous fantasy novels with fast moving plots, this book is for you. If you like large casts of characters who all play a decently sized role in the progression of the plot, this book is for you. If you like secrets and mystery and uncovering the truths of the past, this book is for you!

[something-fanfiction-ie]

Tear Me To Pieces

Pairing: Shadowhunter!Tom Holland x Shadownhunger!Reader

Warnings: Mentions of demons and demon killings, a hot make out sesh, and angst

A/N: Oof, so I thought I was on a writing roll there a while ago but it turns out I was lying. Sorry guys. Anyways, my cat woke my up about four and a half hours ago and this is the result. I’m going to hate myself in the morning. Heh. Heh. So, this is based on the works of Cassandra Clare revolving around a group of demon fighting, half angel warriors. Those ideas don’t belong to be, and neither does Tom Holland. Okay, okay, as always, remember to like, comment, reblog, and send me asks. FOR HEAVENS SAKE, PLEASE COMMENT AND GIVE ME ATTENTION. Heh. Uhm, enjoy and thanking you for reading my little blog! OH! Also! I wrote this while listening to lovely by Billie Eilish on repeat if you want to do that.

___

It was mass chaos. You stood across the room, engaged in combat with a horde of demons, your sword wielded in your hand as if an extension of your arm and your eyes a blazing fury.

Tom could feel your presence the moment he entered the room, a constant throb against his parabatai rune.

Parabatai. A friend in times of need, family in times of happiness, a set of eyes when he was blind, and another set of hands when his were bound. A parabatai was your other half in nearly every way, but never as a lover. The Law forbade any romantic relations between parabatai, nevertheless it didn’t stop Tom’s heart from swelling in his chest when he heard a peal of your laughter, or felt your hand graze his back.

Now, as you plunged your sword deep into the abdomen of a demon, yanking it away as the body exploded into a shower of ichor and dust, Tom knew he needed to get to you. Sweat beaded at your forehead and he could feel the race of your heart next to his own.

Slashing and fighting his way to get to you, twisting this way and that around punches and attacks. By the time he finally made it to you, his own heart racing now, a look of deep gratitude came into your eyes.

“Took you long enough.” You managed to tease as you blocked an attack to your side. Your back rocked against his for a fraction of a second before you lunged forward with your own attack.

“I didn’t want to ruin my hair.” The head of a demon rolled off of it’s grotesque shoulders and onto the floor before disappearing in a puff of dust. You rolled your eyes, sweeping the twisted leg (tentacle?) out from beneath a demon and driving the end of your blade into what could only be assumed as a chest. Ichor, a type of poisonous demon blood, and dust exploded from the body and came up to sting your cheek and chin.

You managed to brush most of the ichor away with the back of your arm before it burned your face too much.

“Tom, they keep coming. We need to get out of here and try coming back in the daytime.” Demons didn’t really come out during the day, they were vicious creatures of the night. Besides, it was just the two of you snooping through this house. Two shadowhunters couldn’t possible fend off this many demons no matter how skilled they were.

You watched your parabatai roll the idea through his head before nodding in agreement. His brown eyes met yours before he reached out with his free hand, his seraph blade balanced in the other. There was not a moments hesitation as you slipped your hand into his, a bolt of lightning went up your arm and your parabatai rune burned as if it were on fire.

<!—more—>

You ran as fast as possible, which was pretty damn near fast given the speed runes you’d drawn on each other before you had come inside. Runes were like tattoos, some permanent and some temporary, that acted to enhance things like speed, hearing, healing, and the like. Only shadowhunters, also known as Nephilim, could bare runes on their skin.

By the time you made it out the door to your busted up 1969 Jeep Commando, the horde of demons were no longer in sight. Still, you and Tom flung all your weapons into the trunk before speeding out of the driveway. Rocks kicked up in your wake.

Alone, no longer surrounded by the buzz of battle, it was hard to ignore the pops and cracks of electricity that bounced in the small space between you and Tom. It almost physically pained you not to reach your hand out and intertwine your fingers together again. Your palm was still warm from his touch.

“You’re bleeding. Pull over.” Tom said, reaching up to the tear in your gear where a mantid demon had managed to slice a deep and burning cut into the top of your arm before you had shred it to pieces.

The Jeep bumped and bounced around as you pulled onto the side of the rather empty highway. First you took off your seat belt, and then your gear top. All the aches and bruises of battle made themselves known as you moved and shimmied out of the jacket-like top.

Bared to the world in only a blank tank top, the wound looked worse than before. The edges were black and blood continued to slowly beat out of it and down your arm. A hiss of pain escaped through your teeth.

“He got me good, didn’t he?” You looked over at Tom to see him staring at you very fixedly. The way he stared made your face heat up like a thousand suns. He cleared his throat, shaking his head and pulling out his stele, a long and slender metal wand used to draw runes on shadowhunters. He leaned close, his breath hot on your shoulder as he drew an iratze, a rune that heals wounds, onto the bit of your arm that wasn’t cut open by a demon.

Your own breath hitched in your throat at the proximity of him. For months the two of you had been dancing around each other, too afraid to get too close. You couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment you knew things had changed between you, but you remembered looking into those deep brown eyes only to look away with your heart lodged in your throat. It was bad, very, very bad.

“(Y/N)?” He touched your thigh with his hand and just like earlier, a bolt of lightning went through you and sizzled into your parabatai rune. You turned to face him, your breath mingling together in the small space between your lips.

His eyelashes were too beautiful for a boy, thick and black as night. You half expected them to leave a dusting of charcoal on the tops of his cheeks every time he blinked. His lips were parted ever so slightly, almost teasingly inviting you with how soft and kissable they looked. You took a steadying breath and immediately regretted it. The smell of him coiled in the air you breathed, surrounding you in a haze of want and crumbling self restraint.

When you finally found your lips on his, gasping into the touch, you weren’t sure if it was you or him that initiated the contact.

You couldn’t bring yourself to care, clambering over the console and into his lap. The kiss was deep and rich, reaching down into even the darkest places of you and warming them in seconds. His hands were on your hips, holding you so tightly that you wondered if he were doing it just to make sure you were real. His perfectly styled curls, that had, somehow, managed to stay perfect during your fight with the demons, was soon ruined and tangled around your fingers.

When he broke away from your lips it wasn’t to end your make out session, but to trail kisses down your neck and your exposed collarbone. Fire blossomed under your skin with each press of his lips, spreading through out your body and lighting your whole world on fire.

Just as you went to reconnect lips, a pounding on your window jolted you apart. Your head hit the roof with a bang and a yelp. A mundane cop, a human or non shadowhunter, stood on your driver side with a blaring flashlight shinning in.

Bashfully, you scrambled back into your seat and rolled the window down.

“Officer.” Your face was on fire again and you wanted nothing more than to bury yourself alive.

“Maybe you kids shouldn’t do things like that on the side of the highway, huh?” The cop had an amused glint in his eye, wrongfully suspecting you as two crazy kids in love, looking for some privacy from parents and the like. If only he knew how wrong it was for you to be doing whatever it was you could call that wild moment of reckless abandon.

“We’re very sorry, sir.” You said, white knuckling the wheel.

“Just don’t let it happen again, the side of the highway is for emergencies only. I’m going to let you off with a warning, okay?” You managed a feeble nod before the officer wished the both of you a good night and walked back to his cruiser.

Your mind was racing as you started the Jeep back up, waiting for the cop to pull off ahead of you before you merged back onto the road. You opened your mouth to say something several times but you always closed it after a few seconds. A line had been crossed, one that was never meant to be crossed, and you couldn’t help but love the way it felt.

“That was a mistake.” Tom said, staring forward with a look of steel. His jaw was tensed and his lips pursed, it was an odd look given the red blush that colored his cheeks and the wild mess you had left his hair in.

“What?” You choked, glancing at him in bewilderment before looking back at the road. Your heart hammered in your chest and you knew that he could feel it, because his own heartbeat drummed steadily next to yours.

“We can’t do that ever again. Never. If anyone were to find out.”

“But no one will.” You meekly protested.

“Can you guarantee that, (Y/N)?” He snapped, eyes zeroed in on the road as you turned off the highway to the road where you lived. When his question was met with silence, he nodded his head.

“That’s what I thought. It was a mistake. We will forget it ever happened and move on. It doesn’t matter, really.” The words were a knife in your chest, stealing the breath from your lungs. The remainder of the car ride was silent as you forced tears out of your eyes, praying to the Angel that you could keep it together long enough to get away from him.

You hadn’t even shut the car off before Tom had launched himself out of the vehicle. He dismissed himself with a curt nod and a mumbled salutation. You watched him dash inside the doors of the institute as you sat in your seat for several seconds longer, the tears that burned your eyes finally trailing cool rivers down your cheeks.

It was forbidden, you knew that. The consequences of having a romantic relationship with your parabatai were as severe as they could get. But the song of his heart called to your own in a way that no one else’s ever could. You seemed to want him with every fiber of your body.

Tom. The boy you had grown up training with. The boy who had stood across from you in a ring of fire, reciting those blasted vows before taking his stele and carefully shaping the parabatai rune forever to your skin.

Entreat me not to leave thee,

Or return from following after thee—

You slid out of the car, numbly reaching into the back for your sword.

For whither thou goest, I will go,

And where thou lodgest, I will lodge.

You barely noticed the crunch of your boots against the gravel as you made your way to the door, steeling your soul.

Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.

You grabbed onto the doorhandle, sucking in a clean breath of air. It was like a cold shower turned on over your emotions, trickling down and hardening every hot and steaming feeling that poured from your heart.

Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried.

A flash of his lips against your own was briefly disorienting, causing your brows to furrow. You grabbed the stone that was now your emotions and dropped it into a box that you covered in iron chains. A click of a lock and you shoved the box far away for you to never touch again. Forbidden.

The Angel do so to me, and more also,

If aught but death part thee and me.

You pushed the door open, plastering a smile to your face as Haz waved to you from the top of the stairs. The words of the parabatai oath echoing in your mind.

[alltoowell19]

The Wicked Powers: Villains

I'm not usually one for throwing theories out there, as I typically prefer to silently muse over everyone else's and judge accordingly. However, I've seen one theory floating around recently that I am 100% sold on: the third villain that will appear in the Wicked Powers will be one of/several of the Nine Princes of Hell.

Why am I so sold on this? Well, in the beginning, it was mostly just enthusiasm for a villain (at long last) who lacks a moral compass + can wreak havoc like no other. (Okay, Sebastian came close to pouring that cereal for me, but not quite. What I seek is zero reason to pity them and potential for TOTAL DOMINATION.) The Cohort and Thule!Jace are such underwhelming villains in my opinion, but the Nine Princes of Hell? Oh yes, that's some delicious breakfast right there.

But my certainty in this villain has grown beyond enthusiasm-driven confidence. It has been locked in with textual evidence:

This can be found in An Illustrated History of Notable Shadowhunters and Denizens of Downworld. Asmodeus's undoing, you say? Hmm. That seems to be a rather IMPORTANT thing to be casually mentioned and never touched on again. Makes one wonder how this undoing will come to pass, and if perhaps it may pass before our very eyes...

As if this isn't enough, think about it. Asmodeus feeds off of negative, strong human emotions. You know who is not only desperate enough to seek unholy help, but also has a whole plethora of negative emotions brewing that Asmodeus would find exceptionally yummy? You guessed it: Thule!Jace. Doesn't seem like such an unlikely evil duo now, does it?

We all know how Cassandra Clare works. She drops bits and pieces of seemingly unimportant information here and there, often disguised very well, only to have us completely blindsided by it's relevance later on. Am I crazy? Or is this as ominous/promising as I think it is?

Just imagine, generations of Shadowhunters and the Princes of Hell (and perhaps even angels, depending on how serious this gets) going toe-to-toe. Sounds like one helluva finale to me!

.

.

.

I credit both @kit-herondale-blackthorn and @dru-and-ash for providing the inspiration to dig into this theory!

[jordancat]

Malec (aka Matthew Daddario and Harry Shum Jr.) Say Goodbye to 'Shadowhunters'...for Now

On that epic finale, fandom, and weddings...onscreen and off.

by EMILY TANNENBAUM MAY 7, 2019

https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/tv/amp27375054/shadowhunters-malec-wedding-finale-matthew-daddario-harry-shum-jr/

Please give the link a hit to show your interest in the show ans these two actors.  

But I always like to put the actual text of an interview or article in my posts in case the link moves or the article in taken down, so here it is.

********************************************************************************

As I corral Harry Shum Jr. and Matthew Daddario around the Cosmo offices, Matt bounces on his heels, pointing to random objects—like a fancy golden coffee table and fuzzy pillows—asking me if he can bring them home with him (the answer is always "no"). Harry is much more calm, back straight and confident, happy to just laugh at his co-star.

It's jarring how their roles are almost the reverse of their characters: For the last three years on Freeform's hit series Shadowhunters (based on The Mortal Instruments, by Cassandra Clare). Matt played Alec Lightwood, the stoic half-angel leader with a heart of gold, while Harry embodied the eccentric Warlock Magnus Bane, always moving, portaling somewhere or changing his look...not to mention throwing shit around his beautiful New York apartment.

As they say, opposites attract, and Matt and Harry captured the hearts of the entire Shadowhunters fandom as a certified power couple. Malec has certainly had their share of rom-com moments (they share their first kiss when the warlock crashed Alec's first wedding) and dramatic breakups (don't remind me about 2X18). But last night, Shadowhunters gave Malec the happy ending they deserve, complete with gorgeous wedding and happily ever after as the Inquisitor of the Clave and High Warlock of Alicante.

A wedding finale is hardly unheard of in the TV world, bordering on cliché, but for Shadowhunters there was truly no other option. The union of a strong gay man and proud bisexual has been the cornerstone of this fandom throughout its run, inspiring countless LGBTQ+ fans and landing a GLAAD Award for Outstanding Drama (not to mention sweeping the 2018 People's Choice Awards the same year as its premature cancellation). How else do you celebrate their legacy, if not by throwing a giant party and giving our boys one more showstopping kiss?

Of course, as surreal as it is to discuss the end of Shadowhunterswith the ship to end all ships, it's even tougher for them to say goodbye. Here, Matt and Harry talk about the Malec wedding, balancing fandom with real life, and why Alec had to stay mortal.

THE MALEC WEDDING

Tell me about the wedding. You’ve built this relationship for three years now, and you’ve seen how massively people have reacted—what did it feel like to give them that milestone?

Harry Shum Jr.: It had to happen. It was a great moment to bring everyone in and say, "Look at this joyous moment."

It was nice to have everybody back on-set. It really felt both, for the show itself and for us as a whole, that this was a great ending. Because it was the last thing we filmed. I'm happy that we got these two episodes so that we could do it because it would have been really unfortunate if the fans hadn't gotten that wedding. And then fans can play in their heads now, Magnus and Alec are married and doing whatever.

Matthew Daddario: You know, it's like the end of a chapter.

Harry: We're safe now.

So correct me if I'm wrong, but Alec is just a Shadowhunter still? He's not immortal.

Matt: Just a Shadowhunter? [Laughs] Yes, I am.

Some fans were really rooting for Immortal Husbands...like, intensely. How do you feel about this?

Matt: This is the thing I always have trouble understanding is that people want the immortality. And this is a topic that's been written about and discussed for thousands of years, and everyone comes to the same conclusion: the curse of immortality. It is not always the best thing in the world to live forever. In fact, that's close to this kind of a godliness that is considered almost like a living hell.

For Magnus, he's living and living in this endless loop without the repercussion of the totality of life. And if Magnus was instead mortal, would we not celebrate their wonderful life? But it's because he's immortal, we worry about what happens after the fact.

Harry: But here’s the difference: It’s not the immortality that you get shot and you can’t die.

Matt: Right. You can get killed. They're immortal, and then they get the shot off the top of the castle walls, and you're like, "Whoa, that's screwed up." But at the same time, every mortal has to deal with that. [Turns to Harry] So it's not your mortality that you're upset about when you first lost your powers. You're not upset about the mortality, you're upset about the loss of your identity.

Some fans just want Malec on an even playing field. But I find it really sad that Alec would have to live and lose like Jace and Izzy—

Matt: Right. Magnus lost people constantly, and he was kind of a shell of a person at one time. Up until meeting Alec, he's filling his life with debauchery, anything to heighten the senses. And, you know, trying to find places where he can take care of people. And he does get involved with helping vampires because they're immortal as well. There is a kind of emptiness to him in the first season.

Harry: No, for sure. And I think then there is the big switch.

Did you get emotional reading the final episode?

Harry: Everyone did at the table read. One of our producers reading off the narration, he couldn't even get through and actually walked out and someone had to take over. And then there was this silence in the end when the last words were spoken. I think that silence spoke volumes.

ON FANDOM

Has the end of Shadowhunters hit home for you yet?

Matt: I think it will hit me when I don't think about it for a week. If one week passes without me thinking about Shadowhunters, I will say, "Shit."

We think about it every day. This is a huge part of our lives. This is three years of this. And this show, it's a hit. People are talking about it, people from around the world. It's hard to deny that.

Will you still engage with Shadowhunters stans, or are you emotionally ready to move on to another world?

Matt: Look, we're done filming Shadowhunters, but the fans of the show are always welcome to ask questions and all that kind of stuff. But eventually, we're going to run out of new answers.

I'm always happy to talk to a Shadowhunters fan because they are enthusiastic, they care about what they're talking about, and many of them have built friendships off of it, so it matters to them, and therefore it matters to me.

Harry: Because you gave a part of your life.

Matt: Your job is to have an effect on people, and therefore you have a certain responsibility to engage with the people who are affected by this. You can choose not to, you could choose to go completely incognito or to ignore it, but to dismiss it is, frankly, insulting and kind of silly and maybe slightly narcissistic.

But I think that you do need to have an understanding that you're not any different or special because of this involvement with culture. And why would you want to be miserable about it? Why wouldn't you embrace it?

Matt, you kept your own wedding a secret until your one-year anniversary. Was it harder to keep the details of the finale secret or your wedding?

Matt: [Laughs] It was definitely easier to keep the wedding secret. I just told everyone no one's allowed to take photos. And people did a pretty good job with that.

Harry: Yeah, sometimes I think it's a nice...regardless of what your profession is, but particularly ours, to have something just for yourself.

Matt: Not to say that people don't deserve to know, but I think that anybody would feel like, hey, I would like this moment just to be mine for a little bit.

People can be a little bit demanding. One time this girl is walking down the street, I'm walking down the street, she's on the phone, it's the middle of the day, she's FaceTiming somebody.

She sees me, she stops me by the touching me on the shoulder and says, "Oh, whoa, wait, look! Look who's here!" and hold the phone up like this and goes, "Crazy!" and then keeps walking. And I'm like, fuck you. Like, what the fuck?! [Laughing] You don't do that to someone.

It just felt so invasive. It just feels a little bit like, you're not a human. You're the thing I see on TV. But I guess it's just excitement, whatever.

IS IT REALLY GOODBYE?

You obviously know about the #SaveShadowhunters campaign. What would you say if suddenly, some other network wanted to pick up the show?

Harry: I think it's a conversation. You know, we love playing these characters. But as time passes, things change. Like introducing a baby into your life, or whatever the next phase is.

But it's also a wonderful group of people. So, of course, instead of saying, "Absolutely not," it's definitely open for conversation for me.

Matt: Honestly, the ending is successful. And, you know, there's a danger now. What if you screw it up? [Laughs]

[pheonixandthewisteria]

So @m-iikan tagged me in a little tag post thing-y and sorrY for the delay I uhhh, haven’t been on tumblr much recently, but nevertheless,, So this is a tag 11 people and respond to the questions and ask your own then!~ So lets get right on in~ 1) What song have you had on repeat recently? Umm,,, for me I listen to a lot of music so there’s been like 3 on repeat recently, and those are; Alec Benjamin - The Wolf and the Sheep, Ruelle - Game of Survival, and Lindsey Stirling - Crystallize.

2) If the apocalypse arrived and you had to survive for whatever reason and you could only pick one person you met online to help you get through, who would it be and why? Well, I’ve only met a few people online honestly, it would be my friends Max and Vanner or you @m-iikan. So I totally adore all of you and I’m honestly the type who enjoys meeting new people (even if it does exhaust me and make me nervous at times) and learning more about them, who they are, why they are. Max and Vanner would be because we already bonded so much over so many things and having someone else who understands a lot about how I operate and feel over things would be good. Next, M-iikan, it’s cause I’m totally excited to hypothetically(I wouldn’t force anyone) to meet you, we’ve spoken only a few times, and it wasn’t always positive but I feel like we could get a better environment created and get our heads above the water!  3) Favourite Book?

Hhh, umm.... This is more impulse because I’m watching the Shadowhunter Series, but I really Loved the Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare, I love Will and Jem and Tessa so much, I just wish- *deleted for safety of spoilers x33*

4) What’s one food you can never get tired of? 

Crab Meat Tempura. I’m love. One true love.

5) Best thing that happened to you in the past year? Quitting my job at a retail store and starting in a manufacturing company, it seems kinda simple but it is so much better, I sleep a lot better, I don’t spend time after work thinking of ways to get out of work nearly as often, don’t feel nearly as depressed due to the pressure that company put on me, so I’ll have to say that changed my mentality quite a bit. It was a risk at the start but, it was definitely worth it.

6) Shuffle your music what plays first? (I refuse to list how many times I decided against the first song it plays because its itunes and I have too many songs I shame myself for having not deleted yet) But we’ll go with the first song that I actually enjoy listening to that played was Exec_Flip_Arphage by Shikata Akiko from the Ar Tonelico III game.

7) Favourite TV show ever?

Hrm, I’ll assume this doesn’t include anime to keep my nerdism in, but I already alluded to this show before, but I absolutely adore the Shadowhunters Series. It’s on Hulu and I hate that it’s almost over, even though I know it was probably only intended to follow the Mortal Instruments books... The series is based on the books by Cassandra Clare, one of my all time favourite writers.

8) Favourite Memory

Hhholy cats, I umm... I’ll actually chose the memories I have for a particular home I lived in, but my favourite memory has to be a random blurry memory from when I was reallllly young, like hmm, maybe 2-5 years old. I had been with my family for Christmas and my uncle Lane and I had built a little fort of christmas presents and I had a little peek hole to see my family but declared myself (I think, mind you this is a very distant memory) queen of the presents, before taking them to each person whom they were for. 9) What kind of weather do you prefer most?

When it is only lightly raining and typically in autumn so you can smell the trees in the air and sunny enough to make it not be outright cold. I’m also fond of when it’s windy on a sunny warm day, not too warm just warm enough to be tank top and shorts weather.

10) Favourite fictional character and why? This question always kills me, but I’ll say Sai/X/The Phantom Thief from Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro created by Yusei Matsui. Next is Sai from Majin Tantei, So, they’re kinda the main villain for a large portion of it, but they’re just trying to find themself, TBH the gender thing for Sai is largely confusing, so I’ll stick with they/them for them due to it being a complex spoiler if I go too far into it, but they just wrecked my heart with their story and their background and what happened with Ai, I found myself sobbing through quite a lot of Majin Tantei because the characters are so good, Sai was an understandable villain who did grotesque things not always with the best intentions, but to teach a lesson of cherishing what you have before it’s gone, it’s kinda crazy really, Sai is an inventive mind, with a complete comprehension that what their doing is wrong but continuing despite that and accepting that there would be consequences, Sai is a very grey-morally character and just deserves a hug and then some tbh.

11) What can you normally find in your bag?

My ipod/Headphones (for music), a notebook for writing down rogue ideas from out of nowhere, snacks, a fan (for cons), and a few different forms of pain meds for headaches, because I get them easily especially after I got a concussion (again?) in my junior year of high school.

Wow sorry that I ramble so much I’ve been in a poetic talk-y mood today out of nowhere. And onto the questions:

1) Favourite myth and why? 2) A character you were not fond of due to their goals, but you could still respect their decision/reasoning?

3) List your favourite band or a few if you are indecisive like me~

4) If you could change your eye colour to any one you wanted regardless of genetic possibility, what colour would it be and why?” 5) Do you have a favourite foreign(not of your locale except in restaurants or such like that I guess?) food/drink and what is it? 6) When you think of masks, what sort of masks do you think of? (Examples being like Noh masks, theatrical masks, or venetian masks, etc. feel free to use these, you don’t need exact names if you don’t know them describe them~) 7) Favourite movie from when you were a child? 8) What sort of blanket do you like to sleep with (if any)?

9) If you could go to a library with infinite knowledge, what one book would you pick off the shelf and what would it be about?

10) What sort of clothes would you wear if you could wear whatever you want regardless of consequences?

11) A fictional character that you love but often find yourself getting mad at due to their choices? SOrry my questions are a bit odd, I like to sprinkle a little oddity into them and kinda get a feel for what sort of things people think of, I like to learn about people through this odd little test of random questions that make them think.

Alright, I tag @gabriel-morrison-reyes @killus-donuts-trashcan @coreytasticc @arbiters-grounds @bugslamp @maiea-maiea @darkeecofreak and anyone else who feel like doing this random set of questions~ Mind you, none of you have to participate either, voluntary choice! I chose mostly people I know irl or who I am intrigued to get to know better or hear the answers of~ Thank you~

[murfeelee]

Gwyn ap Nudd - King of Winter & the Wild Hunt

"If you think we’re afraid of you, you’re right. We’d be fools not to be. I know who you are, Gwyn ap Nudd — I know you once made a man eat his own father’s heart. I know you took the Hunt from Herne in a battle over Cadair Idris. I know things that would surprise you."

-- Lord of Shadows, by Cassandra Clare

CC CREDITS & MY THOUGHTS (hella long, my bad)

CC CREDITS

- Decor spectral horses & troll by me; blue beasts by @ladesirecreativecorner​

- Gwyn’s stave by me; other CC listed here

- Horse’s CC from SugarsLegacyStables (I think)

- Dogs’ skeletal markings from Pets EP (they’re literally the same hellhounds I made here, but now white and without wings -- I renamed them Barghest and Cwn Annwn -- LOL. The horse’s name is Du y Moroedd & the crow’s name is Badb Catha, pfft.)

MY THOUGHTS

Anyone who knows me from waaay back in my earlier TSR days probably knows that the Summer of 2011 was my big Celtic Mythology kick -- I made a crapton of crappy lots inspired by some of my favorite places described in Welsh/Irish/etc lore, including the home of Gwyn ap Nudd, Annwn (X X). 

So it’s crazy how I’m here 7 effing years later, doing posts about Gwyn again, but this time in the spirit of the latest Shadowhunters book series, The Dark Artifices. (And that’s saying nothing about The Witcher 3′s rendition of the Wild Hunt, if y’all recall my brief post on King Eredin of the Hunt.)

In this verse, Gwyn is more or less a peripheral character in the books; a mentor/father figure for 2 of the main characters, who rode with him in the Wild Hunt before getting embroiled in the Shadowhunters’ usual messy messes. But I freaking LOVE his portrayal in TDA -- the strong silent types always reel me in, cuz I’m loud and WEAK. :P And I’m particularly salivating over the blooming romance between Shadowhuntress Diana Wrayburn, and Gwyn the Hunter, #Gwynburn. <3

“In some ways, Gwyn’s involvement with Diana is requiring him to give up some of the distance he’s cultivated for himself. He’s moving from an existence as something like a force of nature into an existence as something closer to human. Gwyn isn’t stepping closer to humanity without fore-thought; he has his reasons for doing so. Isolation gets old after awhile, even when it is self-imposed, and Gwyn has been isolating himself for a long, long time.” (X)

I recently saw the author’s posts about Gwynburn and nearly died. 

“For his own part, Gwyn isn’t any sort of normal person, as we would understand it. He’s more of a force of nature, a mythical figure, which is part of what makes it interesting that he is drawn to love Diana. That’s also what makes it interesting when he connects with the other characters.... In part, Gwyn’s subplot is about what happens when a legendary figure finds himself compelled to interact with the concerns of mortals. Gwyn has a very different background than any of the other characters, but he’s still going to try to relate to them, even across that gulf of years and experience, because he’s come to care for them.” (X)  

I need a Shadowhunters: The Dark Artifices spinoff tv series to get picked up like NOW.