Book review: The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare

City of Bones by
Cassandra Clare

So one of my recently guilty pleasures is reading young adult fiction. Yes it's a little juvenile but its mind candy for me. After a long and stressful day at the office I love to indulge in a bit of an urban fantasy world. Yes I know I'm almost 30 but being able to be transported to a different city and setting is too enticing. This month's focus was on a series called The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. Currently there are three books in the series with at least two more books that are yet to be published.


The book is about a world within our own, the Shadow world, where demons, vampires, faeries, werewolves and the like live. Effectively the police force of this extra world are called Shadowhunters who are descendants of Angels. The story is around a coming of age teenager, Clary Fray, who stumbles across the fact she is also a Shadowhunter living in a mundane (humans) world. She basically battles evil, those wanting to kill her all while falling in love for the first time to a kick ass Shadowhunter named Jace. 


Most of the characters are quite endearing. There is Simon, Clary's BFF who loves her but she doesn't see it. Alec the young Shadowhunter with jealousy issues, Valentine the main villain of the series and did I forget Magnus Bane - the cross dressing, gay high warlock of New York City? 


No book is perfect. There are a few holes within the story, for example, these Shadowhunters live alongside humans but have never heard of technologies like mobile phones or even today's pop bands. If you forget these small details, the story can be quite endearing and captivating. Yes some elements are borrowed from other prose but isn't that meant to be a form of flattery? Well at least that's what my prose fiction teacher said.  For me it gave me the butterflies I had when I was a teenager, like a love sick puppy who had to get her fix of demon slaying hunters. 


My recommendation is not to take this series too literally. It's meant to be fun not something you should sit there an analyse in too much detail otherwise you'll miss the enjoyment. 


Rating for the series so far? 7 out of 10.

A little of me

In the spirit of A little red dress blog. Here are answers to some q's: 


Things that I always carry: 
1. Keys
2. Train ticket
3. Iphone and Blackberry 
4. Prescription glasses

Four things that are in my bedroom
1. Books and magazines on my bedside table
2. Wedding photo
3. Orchids from my garden
4. Water

Garden I'd love to have

Four things that I would like to do but haven't done yet
1. The guts and talents to work for myself doing anything
2. A beautiful garden
3. My husband having perfect health
4. An outdoor cat enclosure so my cats don't wander out in a dangerous world

Four things that you don't know about me: 
1. I have an irrational fear of little people/dwarfs chasing me. It's true don't know how I developed it but it scares me
2. I secretly wish I could remotely look like Kim Kardashian
3. Currently set myself a goal (1st one for now) of losing 5 kilos
4. I have a fear of making a fool of myself!

4 things I often wonder
1. Why are people mean to animals?
2. Will my kids be healthy and extraordinarily good looking (zoolander line)?
3. Why do I have hayfever and chronic sinuitis?
4. Will my gardening ever get to a state of self maintenance?

Why I am how I am

So here is another secret. I'm still a closet (new) blogger. There are only two people that know I currently have a blog - my husband Mr K and my friend Mrs L. Yesterday we had an (email) conversation where she asked me a question I couldn't respond to. Why I didn't identify myself in my blog. I hadn't given it much thought but came to the conclusion that I just felt really uncool about my tastes.


At first appearances people probably think I'm outgoing and bubbly. What many don't know is that deep inside I'm really a quiet person who prefers to sit down with a good book then have a conversation. No I'm not anti-social but books don't require effort. My only conclusion to why I haven't identified myself in my blogs is that I don't want people to think I'm daggy! I know its a weird explanation but the only one I have :)


I love things that alot of people I know don't necessary like and I don't want them to think I'm a super dork. I love 'normal' things like fashion, jewelry and make up and I am quite girly but then I also like anime, young adult fiction or urban fantasy novels, and very indie/mellow music.


I guess with my day job comes a particular stereotype I must fulfil and its really not me. When I go to work I have my work persona, everyone thinks I'm outgoing and super friendly. When I come home I'm exhausted from being super bubbly but my job in 'media' requires it. Everyday I need to be able to sell myself and the organisation I work for. I love what I do but the work me is not really me.


I'm happy to say I'm not embarrassed about what I do like so I've uploaded my photo and can happily say that I am Ariana, 28, from Melbourne and I like comic books!

Movie review: The Town

Here is another of my dirty secrets - I watch a movie every single week without fail. Why is it a secret? Probably because if I added up all the money I spend each week buying two adult tickets, a large coke and the money on chocolates or a choc top I could probably afford my very own designer handbag. But I prefer to spend the time sitting in a seat mesmerized by the movie ahead.

This week's pick was Ben Affleck's new film, The Town. When Mr K and I decided on watching this movie I wasn't too sure what to expect. Yes I'd seen the previews but I don't believe those anymore. They make crap movies look good and good movies look average.

I was pleasantly surprised. From the opening scene you were taken on a ride through relationships, love, friendships, oh let's not forget bank robbery. Ben Affleck directs this movie about a group of Irish descendants who rob small town banks in Charlestown. Of course, the story revolves around a robbery gone wrong when the group of  robbers do something different and decide to take the bank manager hostage (played by my favourite Rebecca Hall), only to let he go later on. They keep her license and Ben's character decides to suss her out to determine whether they need to 'deal' with her. Eventually he falls for her, she doesn't know what he does for a day job and it all goes down hill from there. I wont say much more than that otherwise it will ruin the movie.

Here is another secret - when the hell did Mr Affleck start looking good? I'm probably just getting old! My verdict for this roller coaster ride? 8.5 out of 10.


Watch the preview:

Please call me secretary

So I have a pet peeve…what is going on with phone manners these days? How hard is it really to respond to a general courtesy question of How are you? I don’t know about you but with my job I can receive quite a large volume of phone calls each day. And at times I tend to pick up others landline calls when they are being held up. There has been many instances when let’s call her Mrs X calls for her husband and this is usually how the phone calls go:

Me: Good afternoon, Mr X’s phone. AK speaking.

Mrs X: It’s Mrs X.

Me: Hi, how are you?

Mrs X: Is Mr X there?

Me: He is currently with someone. Can I get him to call you?

Mrs X: Yes….hang up tone.

Now call me out fashion but when did manners go out the window? Speaking of phones I feel like singing now... 

Secret doctors business...

Ten's new Offspring series is surprisingly and refreshingly entertaining. The show provides its viewers (who let's face it are mostly female) with a funny narrative at the world of friendships, family and what we all yearn for love.

It's Grey's Anatomy meets Miles and Boon with the story revolving around Dr Nina Proudman (played by Asher Keddie) who plays a slightly off centre, neurotic and daggy doctor. She is warm, charming but yet doesn't know how endearing she really is. Poor Nina falls for her handsome and shy colleague, Dr Chris Havel (played by Don Hany). Oh by the way I think I might have forgotten to mention that Dr Chris has a child and a missing wife who could turn up any second now. She dreams of getting his attention and is often imagining their romance all while fixing family problems, delivery babies and the usual hilarious internal monologues she has.
My verdict for those who haven't checked it out? Its definetly worth a watch. Put the kettle on, get the pjs ready and sit down for an hour of chick feast on tv.
You can watch past episodes online.