Challenge Corner discussion

Would you trade your soul mate for your soul?

A Shadowhunter’s life is bound by duty. Constrained by honor. The word of a Shadowhunter is a solemn pledge, and no vow is more sacred than the vow that binds parabatai, warrior partners—sworn to fight together, die together, but never to fall in love.

Emma Carstairs has learned that the love she shares with her parabatai, Julian Blackthorn, isn’t just forbidden—it could destroy them both. She knows she should run from Julian. But how can she when the Blackthorns are threatened by enemies on all sides?

Their only hope is the Black Volume of the Dead, a spell book of terrible power. Everyone wants it. Only the Blackthorns can find it. Spurred on by a dark bargain with the Seelie Queen, Emma; her best friend, Cristina; and Mark and Julian Blackthorn journey into the Courts of Faerie, where glittering revels hide bloody danger and no promise can be trusted. Meanwhile, rising tension between Shadowhunters and Downworlders has produced the Cohort, an extremist group of Shadowhunters dedicated to registering Downworlders and “unsuitable” Nephilim. They’ll do anything in their power to expose Julian’s secrets and take the Los Angeles Institute for their own.

When Downworlders turn against the Clave, a new threat rises in the form of the Lord of Shadows—the Unseelie King, who sends his greatest warriors to slaughter those with Blackthorn blood and seize the Black Volume. As dangers close in, Julian devises a risky scheme that depends on the cooperation of an unpredictable enemy. But success may come with a price he and Emma cannot even imagine, one that will bring with it a reckoning of blood that could have repercussions for everyone and everything they hold dear.

Chapter 7: (view spoiler)[well, perfect Diego isn't so perfect now is he? He has a fiance??? Also, I kinda hate her. And is Mark really not going to save Kieran? Like, I don't want him to go back to faerie, but I'm sure he's going to. (hide spoiler)]

17% (view spoiler)[I really liked seeing Jace and Clary. I wonder what their mission is in faerie. I was sad when Clary said that she wouldn't marry Jace because she thought that she was going to die. I don't want Clary to die. Everyone from TMI is finally happy!

Well, Diego was a lying piece of crap. Poor Cristina.

I love this whole Ty/Kit/Livvy thing. Adorable!

The Centurions are douchebags. Most of them, at least. Too stuck up.

Mark and Cristina! -squee-

Gwyn hitting on Diana was glorious! I totally ship that! =D (hide spoiler)]

Jenn wrote: "Chapter 7: [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Yes, Perfect Diego certainly isn't as perfect as he seems. He does seem aggrieved by the situation, though I don't know why. And Zara is just horrible. (hide spoiler)]

42% (view spoiler)[So Julian, Emma, and Cristina follow Mark into faerie. They decide to help him rescue Keiran. I wonder what the phouka told the other three about their venture into faerie. Not being able to use their runes in faerie could prove problematic.

Livvy asks Kit to kiss her and he does. Though I don't think that they truly feel that way about each other.

So Zara really is horrible and not just stuck up and rude. Plotting to take over the LA Institute and force her nasty bigotry laced agenda. For shame.

So two nasty faeries bind Mark and Cristina together at the revel. That will probably not bode well for them in the future. And Julian gets mouth assaulted by a faerie posing as Emma. And Emma sees it, though she can only see the faerie and not the Emma that Julian sees. Then Mark finds out the truth about Julian and Emma's love from Cristina.

Livvy, Ty, and Kit find out the truth about their uncle and that Julian is the one that has been running the institute since he was twelve.

Emma shows down with a faerie to win Keiran back, but he has the face of her father. It was a mess, but they escape with the help of Mark's faerie aunt that he has never met. And to the Seelie Court they go. The Seelie Queen is there and wants the Shadowhunters help to get the Black book. Coincidentally, she knows how to break the parabatai curse. But there is a cost.

Okay, Ty and Kit are so cute! I am totally shipping them! And I don't even care if it is friendship or romantic. Either one is glorious!

Malcolm isn't dead. Not shocked, really. It was moving to see Arthur sacrifice himself to save his family. (hide spoiler)]

59% (view spoiler)[I liked seeing Jessamine again. I liked that Kit could communicate with her. Though, I can't remember why it is that Herondales can see ghosts.

Gwyn asking Diana to court him was glorious!! I ship them so hard. Please let this be a reality! I adore Gwyn.

I knew that binding spell would cause some problems. Luckily, Mark and Cristina didn't die. The Mark/Cristina/Keiran tension is going to consume me, I think. =P

I thought the finding of the alethia crystal was too perfect. But poor Annabel. She was tortured by the Clave and abandoned by Malcolm. I wouldn't be surprised if she is unbalanced. It's a good thing that Magnus showed up at the London Shadowmarket. And I am curious who Shade really is?

I adore Max and Rafe so much! So much love!

That moment with Kit and Ty on the roof upended me! (hide spoiler)]

77% (view spoiler)[Jaime, Cristina's Jaime, hiding in Dru's room? Creepy? Suspicious? And she is only 13 so inappropriate?

I loved the scene with Mark, Cristina, and Keiran dancing. I am so shipping them as a love trio. I would totally be on board for a polyamorous relationship for them. I really want this Mark/Cristina/Keiran thing to happen. =D

I can't believe Keiran killed his brother to save Cristina.

Burning the church really got to Emma. They obviously couldn't have done it without their parabatai powers. And then she and Julian had a fight. I saw that coming. And then the Riders show up and Emma kills one. The first person to EVER kill one, so that's pretty significant.

The Riders show up in London for Ty, Livvy, and Kit. They fight them and Kit gets hurt. Then Gwyn and Diana show up to "rescue" them. I am liking Gwyn more and more.

I am glad to know that Perfect Diego and Jaime weren't total douchebags for no reason. (hide spoiler)]

Finished! (view spoiler)[Emma explained to Julian about the parabatai curse. Finally. And then Magnus shows up and sees them in bed together and he TOTALLY KNOWS, OMG.

I am super curious about who Ash is. And how that artifact works. Maybe Ash is the stolen/lost heir of the Unseelie King that they were talking about? Then again, maybe not since he was so young.

The scene where Diana tells Gwyn that she is transgender was beautiful. My heart was dancing. I think that Gwyn is my favorite character in this book.

I am a little shocked by the ending. Like, stunned. I can't even imagine how the last book will start off. I wonder what it means that Cortana shattered the Mortal Sword. And I can't help but think that Annabel didn't kill them on purpose. She just seemed scared. Terrified, really. Which is understandable after what she's gone through. Though, she should answer for what she's done. But then she disappears with what can only be the Unseelie King, so maybe it was planned? If not by her then maybe the Unseelie King was taking advantage of her somehow? And I want to know why the warlocks are getting sick? It has to be something about the dark magic blights that have been popping up.

And since Robert Lightwood is dead does that mean that Emma won't be exiled now? (hide spoiler)]

Part 1: (view spoiler)[ Wow, seeing Arthur step up and sacrifice himself for his family was very touching. And to also see that he knew how much Julian was doing...

Also, I think lying to Kieran about well everything is going to come back and bite them in the ass (hide spoiler)]

Jenn wrote: "Part 1: "

(view spoiler)[I agree. I felt so bad for Arthur and what he went through. To have his mind so fuzzy must be torture. I think that deep down he was a good person. He proved as much when he sacrificed himself for his brother's children.

Yeah, I thought that they should have just told Keiran the truth from the start. I mean, what harm did they think it would do? (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 22: (view spoiler)[ oh man. Now the seven are after the black book?? These guys just can't catch a break. I'm also not sure if i trust Diego's brother. Things are getting all kinds of shady up in here (hide spoiler)]

Jenn wrote: "Chapter 22: [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Yeah, the odds are pretty much stacked against the Blackthorns in this series. So much suspense!

I am not sure what I think of Jaime yet. I don't think that he is malicious, but I also think that it is highly inappropriate for him to be spending so much time in a 13-year-old's room. Though, I suppose it isn't entirely creepy since it is stated that she looks older. (hide spoiler)]

@Vanessa (view spoiler)[Yeah the whole "hide me in your room" was a little inappropriate lol. I was like Dru what are you doing?? (hide spoiler)]

Finished: (view spoiler)[ Ummm...WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT ENDING?? No, there is no way Livvy is dead. Ty cannot survive without his sister. Like I can't deal with that. And Emma is going into exile??? What is even happening here??? I need the next one like now! (hide spoiler)]

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RESTARTING JANUARY 1ST, 2019

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35%

(view spoiler)[

Okay so they are in faerie and there is a lot of kissing going on between a lot of different people. Shadowhunters are partying!?! IDK I love listening to James Marsters narrate this book...

(hide spoiler)]

55%

(view spoiler)[

There is dark magic afoot and intrigue at court - the queen wants to vanquish the king and end the cold peace... (hide spoiler)]

75%

(view spoiler)[

They burned a church down?!?
Julian and Emma are hiding out in a cottage in a storm - what will happen hmhmhm? I hope the parabatai remember each other now.

(hide spoiler)]

31%: (view spoiler)[ OMG EMMA FOUND HER DAD IN FAERIE! Also Mark + Chrsitina!? Finally I reallllllly wanted them to get together. Also I feel like things between Emma and Julian are going to go south very soon. We shall see. (hide spoiler)]

100%

Poor Julian! I am so sad (view spoiler)[ that his sister died. I loved the audiobook narrated by James Marsters. I could listen to him read anything. (hide spoiler)]

50%: (view spoiler)[ OMG Livvy made Kit kiss her. They are so adorable. I am glad the Blackthorns finally know Julian has been running the institute, I just wish Dianna would take over for them.

Julian found out Emma broke up with Mark and got really upset over it. I wish they were able to admit their feelings to each other without fearing punishment.

It was really exciting to get to see Jessamine again. (hide spoiler)]

75%: (view spoiler)[ Emma and Julian burned down a whole church damn. Also she killed one of the oldest faeries. AND the proclaimed their love for each other. Cristina finally knows Jamie has been in the institute and what he is up to. (hide spoiler)]

100%: (view spoiler)[ Seriously WTF just happened. How in the world could things get worse for the Blackthorns?? (hide spoiler)]