Title: City of Ashes
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publication Info: Simon & Schuster, March 2009
Series: The Mortal Instruments, book 2
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance
Rating: <3 <3 <3 <3

The second book in Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instrument series was almost as good as the first, though without the delicious romance pull that is Jace and Clary. After the major plot twist at the end of book 1, Jace and Clary’s relationship turns all angst. Book 2 has more action than book 1, and the ending battle was gripping. Simon comes into his own.

Plot (DON’T READ IF YOU HAVEN’T READ BOOK 1!!!!):
In a few short weeks Clary Fray’s life has turned upside down. She discovered a new world lurks behind the mundane one, full of demons, werewolves, vampires, fae and Shadowhunters. Her mother, a former Shadowhunter, is trapped in an enchanted sleep. The boy she likes is really her brother. She’s discovered her father is a dangerous megalomaniac bent on world destruction. Valentine still needs the soul-sword and mirror to overthrow the Shadowhunters. He might be the only one who knows how to wake Clary’s mother.

The Clave sends the Inquisitor to the Institute to find out what happened to the Mortal Cup. She has a personal grudge against Valentine, and is convinced Jace is a spy. She locks him up in the City of Bone. When the Silent Brothers are murdered and the soul-sword is stolen, Jace is the only one to get out alive. He is still conflicted about his father, and risks everything to visit Valentine. How can Clary trust him? When Valentine starts murdering Downworlder children, Clary, Jace, Luke and Magnus Bane hunt him down. Sometimes you must risk everything for the ones you love.

Discussion:
I love this series!! Clary and Jace have more angsty passion in one look than Edward and Bella have in an entire saga. Perhaps it’s because we no longer believe that love between vampires and humans is forbidden–we’ve seen it and read it too many times before. Fraternal love, on the other hand, is still quite taboo. Clary has a number of TSTL moments in book 2, when she rushes off into danger without a plan, without a weapon, without a clue. The Inquisitor was very Dolores Umbridge (Harry Potter book 5).

Ms. Clare writes one creepy battle scene. Her massacre at the City of Bones gave me goosebumps. I wasn’t confident during the final battle on the ship that the characters I like would get out alive. Great writing!

This is one of my favorite Young Adult Paranormal Romance series, better than Twilight.

Title: City Of Bones
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publication Info: Simon & Schuster, April 2007
Series: The Mortal Instruments, book 1
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance
Rating: <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Move over Edward Cullen, Jace Wayland is here to steal those young hearts (and young-at-hearts) out from under you. Braver, smarter, hotter, sexier, Jace is a hero for the ages. Book one in Cassandra Clare’s mega popular series is a page turner. As soon as I finished, I ran out to barnes and noble to buy the next two. It’s been a marathon reading labor day weekend! I’m looking forward to book 4 and a potential movie version of the books.

Plot:
Clary Fray is a somewhat geeky, but otherwise ordinary fifteen year old. Or so she believes. When she witnesses the murder of something not-human by three gorgeous teenagers that no one else can see, she begins a tumble through the rabbit hole into a world of demons, mythological monsters and things that go bump in the night. Jace Wayland and his siblings are Shadowhunters–an elite race of half-human, half-angels that fight the demons that threaten to overrun our world. He has little respect for “mundanes,” but Clary seems different. When her mother disappears, leaving demon stench and zombies behind, Clary must uncover the secret world her mother has been hiding, and seize her destiny.

Discussion:
Ms. Clare’s writing is lovely. Her poetic descriptions paint a fascinating world of mythic monsters and epic struggles. Her exceptional talent is in creating characters that jump off the page. Jace Wayland, in particular, is larger than life. He has all the characteristics of Peter Pan, but with a heart. Courageous, conceited, always the first to rush into danger, always the last one to accept defeat, Jace is a bad-ass with a heart of gold. *happysigh* Some of the plot twists were predictable, and I kept reading “Valentine” as “Voldemort.” There were other similarities to Harry Potter, with the kid’s parents all being part of the secret club and Clary getting a photo of them all together. I was quite disappointed by a major plot twist, but ruined the surprise for the rest of the series by reading the back cover blurb of the next few books. Do yourself a favor, don’t read the back cover blurb of books 3 and 4!

If you like the Twilight Saga, you’ll love this series.

Ms. Clare’s next project is also in the Shadowhunter world, but set in the Victorian Era. Check out her new website for the series, called the Infernal Devices, to see all the pretty gears and steam.