8/30: City of Ashes (MI #2) by Cassandra Clare

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Read from February 21 to March 14, 2013
Format: Ebook
**THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS**

From Goodreads: Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go -- especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil -- and also her father.

To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings -- and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father
I started this one immediately after finishing the first. This series is one that sucks you into a new world and you don't want to come back to reality. The newly added characters added more depth and insight to the favourites from City of Bones. Cassandra Clare wrote The Inquisitor in this book to infuriate you, put you in a rage and yell at this book. If you read Harry Potter, remember Delores Umbridge? She was a character that I truly hated, and knew it was because of how well she was written. (I can't emphasize how much I hated her, even my husband remembers her name and he's never read the books) Cassandra Clare made me feel that way about The Inquisitor, but on a smaller scale. I was seething every time I saw her name, but she was still a thorn in my side.

Valentine... why are you so evil?! I like you even though I'm not supposed to. (Could it be because I know Jonathan Rhys Meyers plays him in the movie? yum!)

Jace is still arrogant, frustrating and kick ass. Clary is less whiny than most female characters which is refreshing. She has some kick butt powers that I hope she develops more in the books to come. I can't wait for her and Jace to discover what else they can do and what makes them both "special". But they really need to stop and just be brother and sister. It's weird.

Magnus is awesome. He's got to be one of my favourite characters just based on sass alone. If you've watched an episode of Banshee, Job  (Hoon Lee) would be my choice for Magnus. He has sass!!

I'm also loving Luke. He seems like such a great "father" the Clary and genuinely cares about her and her friends. He gives her the space she needs a teenager, but at the same time will always be there for her.

Simon, poor Simon. I was annoyed with him in the first book and really starting to like him now. He's the best friend, the guy that wants more, gets it and then realizes what they had as best friends is better. I love that! I had a friend like that and being besties was by far greater than anything else.

I'm excited for the next instalment! Queued up and ready on my eReader already.

View all my reviews

6/30: City of Bones By Cassandra Clare

City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra Clare
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Read from February 01 to 06, 2013
Format: Ebook

From Goodreads: When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing -- not even a smear of blood -- to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . . 

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end

Fantastic book! I devoured it and started the second one the next day. I couldn't put it down. The characters were well written and you really started to care for them all. I loved that even though this book is about good and evil, it wasn't based in one religion. It was a broad scope and didn't focus on a single one. I was riveted while reading the entire book from start to finish.

The world that Cassandra Clare built was beautiful. I could picture it very clearly. she provided just enough detail to not drag the story down but create this wonderful setting.

Clary was a great female character. She wasn't super whiny or annoying. She was thrown into a world she didn't know about and dealt with it well. She was focused on her mother and protecting those she loved. To find out her beloved city was hiding an entirely different world in plain sight was a lot to deal with.

Jace was a great character to balance. Sarcastic, protective and dangerous to himself and others. I liked that he was strong but knowing it was all a show to hide his pain. He had a lot revealed about and to him in the book and even though he is a Shadowhunter, a warrior, he is still a teenager with a lot to deal with.

The surrounding characters were rich as well. The descriptions were great, you really cared for them even if they were supporting roles. With a large cast as this book has, that's rare.

I realize that Valentine is the bad guy, but there is something about him I want to know more about. I have no idea what will happen in the rest of the series, but I want more of him in it. He seems like his heart was in the right place, but a turn of events led him down a dark path.

I will be reading the rest of this series and losing sleep staying up to finish them. Cassandra Clare is a fabulous writer and I'm sad it took me so long to get to her.

View all my reviews