City of Ashes

This might contain spoilers. You should have read the first book by now if you are looking at this review but just in case there will be spoilers from the first book mentioned...starting now!


City of Ashes takes place pretty much where City of Bones left off...give or take a week or so. Clary's mom is still in a self induced coma but at least she has Luke. She also seems to be in a heavy romance with Simon obviously trying to forget Jace but doing a horrible job of it. Jace is still in denial about A LOT OF THINGS! We learn more about the evil Valentine and his plan.

Again, this book as it was with the first, was just ok with me. Nothing really amazing happens in the book. I think it was a bit drawn out. The action scenes are not written in a way that is clearly understood the first time around. I had to read some of these scenes a few times to understand what had just happened. Another thing, be prepared to keep track of the ever growing list of characters because there will be a few new ones introduced in this book.

One pet peeve that I really really really can not shake off was one line in the book...

Rafael, the head vampire who happens to be Latino who has migrated to the United States, walks up with Simon in his arms saying a line in Spanish. I was listening to the book in audio book form when I heard the line at first but then looked it up in the book because I really thought it was the reader goofing up the line... Nope the reader said it just as it was written.

Rafael says “El no es muerto.” Which should be “El no esta muerto.” Yeah it bugged me because I think it comes back to so many authors doing so much research on things they include in their books and well this writer didn't...at least not on this one line. Having years of being corrected on how to speak Spanish properly and all my Spanish classes...well yeah now I see how it can be annoying. However, as a Latina reading how a Latino is being represented in a book and speaking in a book, I find it important for the character to at least know how to speak his native tongue... Just sayin'

One thing I am having a terrible time getting passed, hoping! that it gets cleared up quick and painlessly, is the fact that Jace and Clary are still siblings in this book and are in love. Jace keeps pushing to just let it happen and although Clary keeps saying its wrong she wants it just as bad as he does. I am having a really hard time trying with my son reading the books and getting this message that its ok to have love affairs with your family members. It might be as obvious as heck that they are indeed not related but at this point you really don't know!

Another thing is that Jace is a douche! LIKE OMG! kind of douche! How he has girls and grown women out there swooning over him I have no freaking idea...Nope not a clue. There is nothing utterly attractive about this kid. He is rude, sarcastic, mean, full of himself, prejudice and racist(which ebbs and flows and it's not consistent but more often than not is racism. I find nothing about this kid even worthy of attention. Straight up!


I'm on to the next book in the series which I understand should have been the last book in the series. Let's see what happens!

I finally committed and finished Book two in the mortal instruments series and Oh My Goodness it was just as fantastic as the first one. I could not put this book down. I loved all the previous demons and newer demons that were introduced in this one. I loved the pace, I loved Clary's and Jace's character even more along with Alec and Isabella. Seeing more of Simon and now Maia was fantastic as well. I really love Magnuses character. Just overall the growth of the characters and building of the world is sooo well done. I can't believe I haven't picked up this series till now but better late than ever. I'm sure I'm going to rant and rave about it in my upcoming Vlog on my youtube channel.

This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: City of Ashes

Once you've discovered the world of the Shadowhunters, you will never go back to just being a mundane. Clary Fray is no exception. Her mother is trapped in a magical coma and her father, Valentine, continues his quest to steal the mortal instruments. If he has his way, he will bring the Shadowhunter world to its knees. Clary must help Jace and the others track down Valentine before it is too late. But this time it's going to cost her someone she loves.

The characters are what make this series so enjoyable. Each one of them has a unique role to play, and Cassandra Clare does a great job of pushing them all towards what it is. There is a balance between the wide cast of characters, and I am never left wanting more from any of them. Each book builds on the last and allows us to see more into each of these characters and what motivates them.

This is one of the first series that I read such a manipulative villain. I still think Valentine is one of the best written villains of the young adult genre I have read. The way he can even trick the reader and make them doubt what they know is true leaves me impressed. Having read this series years ago, I already know the lies and the truths, but Valentine has a smooth way of talking that made me contemplate if I remember the series as well as I do.

In my original review, I mentioned how Cassandra Clare doesn't limit herself. And I still believe this is true. The variety in demons, cultures and the overall world of the Shadowhunters is proof of that. She is also one of the few authors that can break her owns rules, but still, make it believable to the reader. And she isn't afraid to break her characters, allowing them the opportunity to reforge themselves into something better, or worse.

I am loving my second read-through of the Mortal Instruments!

This book is probably my least favorite of the entire world. There is too much ridiculousness and a lot of the plot seems to be specifically for shock value. I also remember how terrible the ending cliffhanger was when I first read it when it came out. Now that I know what happens, I'm not concerned anymore. Luckily I can jump right into City of Glass one my continued read of the whole world this year.

I like this book as much as the first time I read it. I really like the twist that happened with Simon. Although the 1st thing that happened to Simon was shown in the tv show, I wonder when they're going to incorporate the 2nd thing. Cassandra Clare is a really good author, she has descriptive writing that doesn't take away from the action, but just makes it more real to the reader. Can't wait to reread city of glass!

I almost lost track of how many times I've started this book and then stopped over the past few years. It feels great to have eventually come to it, with more knowledge and a fresher perspective on its predecessor and accompanying series, at last with the ability to enjoy and devour it. And devour it I did in only 2 days and I absolutely loved it.

Picking up immediately after City of Bones, the first instalment of The Mortal Instruments series, we are immediately allowed a glimpse of Valentine Morgenstein hatching his latest progression in his plans to destroy the Shadowhunters as they currently exist and twist them to his view of the world. There are some truly shocking moments in this book as the story unfolds and Valentine goes to more extreme lengths to make his plan come to fruition and some of these moments were real OMG moments where you catch your breath and feel real grief for things and people who have become familiar to you throughout both City of Bones and The Infernal Devices series. The story that was very much laid out in the first book is allowed to progress with much more vigour in this second book and moves us more speedily without the need to introduce the world we are reading about. This gives it more pace and, as a result, you fly through the chapters without even noticing how quickly you are doing so. I was astounded by how I couldn't put this down, when I wasn't reading it I was thinking about it.

I loved that this book expanded the world in which the book was based, we introduced more characters which added depth to the story and more people for us to love and care about. Not that I don't love Jace, Clary, Alec, Isobel and Simon but having their parents join the narrative and the inquisitor to add light and shade to the story made it feel a more rounded book and gives us a sense that the world is growing and will continue to grow as the series progresses as 6 books is a LOT to focus on only the characters from City of Bones.

I also have to give Kudos to Cassandra Clare's writing as she makes no bones about the fact that her villain Valentine is a very persuasive individual, intelligent and with strong morals who manages to enchant those around him. The scenes with him and Jace are a testament to this and as he speaks to Jace of why he is doing what he is you almost as a reader find yourself thinking that you can see his point from other events which have happened in the book. You know you shouldn't but you do and you have to stop yourself being drawn in by him.

There are some twists and turns in this book I felt were quite surprising. Simon, our mundane best friend to Clary takes a whole new journey in this book and whilst I could see where Clare was going with this from early chapters I wasn't so convinced by the end of the book. It would appear that she's developed a whole new kind of hybrid downworlder to suit her purposes and I kind of wasn't too sure about that. I am interested in it though and keen to see where she takes it in the next book as he is a brilliant character and you need him to keep Clary from becoming too wrapped up in the world of Shadowhunters and he keeps her connected to the girl she was at the beginning of Book 1.

I am now feeling invested in this series, much more than I was when I tried to read it first time round. I actually care about what happens to these characters and know that this month I hope to work through at least books 3 and 4 although if I read them as quickly as I did this then who knows where I may end up? I gave this one a 4 out of 5 stars as I do think it's still got scope to grow as the series goes on and to give this 5 stars gives me nowhere to go as it does get better.

Mortal Instruments is the sort of series that not just sucks you in, but makes you feel as if you've swirled down a whirlpool. If you try to swim your way out you just get dragged down deeper into the world of Shadowhunters, Warlocks and demonic forces in their battle between light and darkness. Lines are blurred and drawn between our heroes. Possibly one of my favorite new additions to this part were the Seelie Court and the lycanthrope, Maia, who may or may not be interested in Simon. As for Simon, Clary's best “mundane” friend, his life is altered to a degree you might suspect but wouldn't believe. We learn more of Valentine's plans to conquer the world for mankind. Like any great supervillian, he's convincing enough that even the reader starts to question the goodness of the Clave he's determined to tear down.
The High Inquisitor, meantime has arrived to find out where the loyalties of the New York Conclave lie, and Jace is used as a tool or revenge and retribution. Clare does an amazing job of interveaving character view points and motivations so you aren't sure who to root for, or exactly where their loyalties lie.
At the heart of the novel is the forbidden love between Jace and Clary. I have my suspicions that the “children” of Valentine may not be quite as he declares them to be. And it's heartbreaking as well as rendering to watch them fight the feelings they have for one another. In almost any other circumstance you know you should be revolted by the idea of them together, but Clare once again, burrows you so deeply in her characters that you feel as helpless and anxious to see them come together.
Anticipating to see what City of Glass brings to light.

4.5 stars
how the rating has changed with this reread! this was better than i remembered and i just love that fact.
oh it was SO CLOSE to being 5 stars! seriously, this is a great book, i mean there's so much angst and you're just like almost screaming at the characters to just not be so terrified of hurting each other's feelings. but also you don't hate it, and it makes sense, and there was more magnus in this book which made me sooooo happy, but i wanted more of isabelle and more of clary and isabelle together and i just
idfk
what pulled this down a little was probably jace being a very angry teenager. that's it. like, that's literally it.
it was really good, man, this is real good shit.