City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

City of Ashes
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: McElderry Books (an imprint of Simon & Schuster)
Release Date: March 25, 2008
Edition: Paperback
* Purchased on my own.

Summary from GoodReads: A murderer is loose in New York City ...

... and the victims are Downworlder children. Clary Fray and her fellow Shadowhunters have a strong suspicion that Valentine, Clary's father, may be behind the killings. But if he is the murderer, then what's his true motive? To make matters worse, the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, has been stolen, and the mysterious Inquisitor has arrived to investigate, with his eyes vigilantly targeted on Clary's brother, Jace.

Clary will need to face some terrifying demons and even more terrifying family decisions. No one said that the life of a Shadowhunter would be easy.

My Thoughts: 

So, if you haven't read City of Bones, don't read the summary for this book. Why? Because you'll learn an important part of Clary's relationship with Jace and that's all you need to know. As I can't promise to keep this completely spoiler free--although I'll certainly try--you may wish to stop reading my review now (unless you don't mind some minor spoilers). By the way, did I mention that I love the cover? I hate to admit it, but I'm all about the metallic covers. If it's shiny, I'll be drawn to it. And, I mean, there's Clary on the cover!

Someone has been killing and draining Downworlders dry. Although the motive remains unknown, the Children of the Night are immediately suspected of the killings and deny having anything to do with it. Meanwhile, the Inquisitor is coming to pay the Shadowhunters a visit and more importantly, to question Jace. Although this is her supposed goal, it isn't long before she tosses him into a cell in the Silent City and while he's there, the Soul-Sword is taken from the Silent Brothers. Needless to say, things pick up in City of Ashes and the plot certainly picks up speed. Did I mention that Simon meets with an interesting almost end twice in this book? Seriously, I had a serious "No way! They can't kill him off!" moments. And well, you'll have to read it to understand what I mean--because you aren't getting me to spill that spoiler! 

Meanwhile, I really did enjoy reading City of Ashes and well, I'll definitely be picking up City of Glass the next time that I hit up a bookstore! No, really, I want to know what's going to happen next and I really shouldn't have read the first chapter of City of Glass that they have at the end of City of Ashes because I'm now suffering from 'oh my goodness, what happens next!?' syndrome. Also, I love Clary's ability with the Marks--although again, won't say more than that. And then there were references to Naruto (which admittedly is not my favorite shounen manga/anime), World of Warcraft (yes, I do play), and Dumbledore. Oh! And I love how Clary and Jace's relationship is evolving! Don't get me wrong, I feel horrible for Simon, but I'm still rooting for Clary/Jace even though yeah, it is technically 'wrong' to do so. So don't mind me, I'm busy speculating about how the two of them are apparently different from one another--asides from the obvious (genders, age, and who they were raised by). No, really, there's a line in City of Ashes that will make you wonder--something I won't/can't tell you--about Jace that the Inquisitor says.

Anyways, if you enjoyed City of Bones--like I did--then you'll want to pick up City of Ashes if you haven't already (and while you're at it, if you can, pick up City of Glass too).  

Overall Rating:  ★★★★★

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

City of Bones
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: McElderry Books (an imprint of Simon & Schuster)
Release Date: March 27, 2005
Edition: Paperback
* Purchased on my own.

Summary 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.

My Thoughts:

After reading Cassandra Clare's Clockwork Angel, I felt that it was indeed time to pick up a copy of City of Bones. Although I can't say that I loved it quite as much as Clockwork Angel (for all things Victorian and English will forever hold a special place in my heart), I did enjoy it quite a bit. Halfway through, I could tell you that I was one hundred percent Team Jace. And then there was that one revelation that made me question my team loyalties--which I can't share with you without spoiling a potion of the plot. However, all in all, definitely Team Jace.

Clary (whose real name is Clarissa) Fray has always thought she was normal, just another girl in New York City with a thing for clubs. However, with her most recent visit to the Pandemonium Club she's not so sure about the 'normal' part. After all, everyone else seems completely unaware of the girl who lures off a boy with electric blue hair into a storage closet--and perhaps more importantly, the two boys who trail in after them. Originally intending to rescue the blue haired boy from a potential fight, Clary is shocked when he gets killed and then disappears, leaving no trace behind. From there, she stumbles into the world of Shadowhunters and Downworlders whilst Jace ponders the mystery of a mundane who can see into their world. It is revealed that she's not precisely a mundane and that she has Nephilim blood. The real humdinger is who her father is--and again, my lips are sealed.

Once the Shadowhunters learn that Valentine is back--having been thought dead for the past several, several years--they go on a hunt for the Mortal Cup which allows the making of new Shadowhunters via mundanes since well, Valentine is also after it (for the sake of raising an army). Clary's mother has also gone missing--kidnapped as it were--and this leaves Clary to ponder the mystery of the cup. I do feel terrible for Simon having gotten mixed up in all of it--although I do admire his dedication to Clary--and even worse that his competition is Jace. Throughout City of Bones Clary learns more about her past and about who she really is. Such revelations as this will lead them to the cup and hopefully, to stopping Valentine. And then things really get crazy and the main event--so to speak--occurs and worlds will be shattered (more so beliefs, but I thought worlds sounded better). Something else that seriously made me blink several times? Trigun was mentioned (once, but still, it was mentioned) by Clary! Trigun, by the way for those of you who don't know, is an anime (and a manga) that I'd definitely say is a classic--as in pretty much everyone who happens to be into anime has at least heard of it, if not watched or read it. I could go on about that for a bit--and the fact that I too was once a D&D playing girl, but I shall refrain.

Thus, if you haven't picked up City of Bones yet and you've liked Clockwork Angel, I'd probably push you a bit towards picking up a copy of City of Bones if it was the world that you liked--for if it's a matter of time period, I regret to say that this takes place in modern day New York City. Meanwhile, it's on to City of Ashes for me.

Overall Rating:  ★★★★

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Clockwork Angel
Author: Cassandra Clare
Publisher: McElderry Books (an imprint of Simon & Schuster)
Published: 8/31/2010
Edition: Hardcover
* Purchased on my own.

Summary from GoodReads: Magic is dangerous--but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by--and torn between--two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

My Thoughts: 
First off, I'll--reluctantly--admit that this is the first Cassandra Clare novel that I've read. However, I can honestly say that I enjoyed it. The flow was steady and there was nary a dull moment. On top of that, I tend to enjoy the particular time period in which the story was set (the Victorian Era or more specifically, Clockwork Angel begins in 1878). 

Theresa Gray, known as Tessa, is our main character and though she begins the story blissfully unaware of the paranormal, she is soon tossed into the fray (so to speak) and is forced to learn what she is as well as how to change. Throughout the story, she evolves from a naive young miss into one much more capable of handling the changes in her world. 

And then there's Jem, who is often the voice of reason. Originally hailing from Shanghai, the reason for why he has ended up in London is certainly interesting--although sad too. He spends a very large chunk of time with Will--whom is much more brash than Jem and often in a mood. Or rather, Will spends a large chunk of time with Jem due to Jem's particular ailment. To put it simply, they are a very interesting pair. 


Overall, I really did enjoy Clockwork Angel. There was just the right amount of romance, the supporting characters was wonderful, and I love that the details didn't overwhelm the story, they just helped clarify the picture a little. Then there were the supernatural/paranormal elements which I thought were rather well done--as was the lore behind each of the paranormal groups. I must also confess that Nate--Tessa's brother--is my least favorite character; the reason behind this is, I hope, rather apparent if you read Clockwork Angel. With that said, I can't wait to see what Cassandra has in store for Clockwork Prince come September 2011! 

Overall Rating: ★★★★


What did you make of Cassandra Clare's Clockwork Angel?