City of Heavenly Fire: The Mortal Instruments, Book 6

Originally posted to Nori's Closet [...] I’ve been reading these books for the last seven years. There are a lot of different opinions out there about the books, the (bad) movie, the author, etc. And I get why people feel the way they do about all of it. But, for me, I can’t get enough! Seriously, these books are my drug. I was debating not making any plans this weekend so I could pleasantly stay home and do nothing but read this. I even texted a friend of mine, “This book owns me.” Cassandra Clare’s books have this way of hooking me in and not letting me go. There’s nothing that I can seriously put my finger on for why this is the case. There are definitely better books out there. I just get so addicted. And I guess, I just absolutely adore all the characters. On a side note, this book is enormous! It’s hit Harry Potter proportions -725 pages. Considering that it still only took me a few days to read really says something. At first I was upset that Cassandra Clare continued the series after City of Glass. Book 4 was kind of a disappointment. Book 5 brought back my crazy addictive reading habits. And I knew this one would be the same way. Clare can certainly write an interesting ending. The story continued right after the previous book ended. There’s a whole new set of interesting characters, who immediately, of course, have to suffer. The new characters (children) endure the first Sebastian attack and watch their loved ones all turn into the Endarkened (shadowhunters that look like their former selves but actually are entirely dead inside except for the capability of following Sebastian’s orders). And Sebastian doesn’t stop with the L.A. institute (where the kids are). He attacks institutes all over the world. He even goes after downworlders (like the werewolf headquarters in NYC). There is a lot of death and war in this one. There’s werewolf pack leader battles, mass downworlder kidnappings, demon dimenions, heavenly fire (trapped in Jace), crazy weapons, sizzling romance, great sacrifice, supernatural betrayals, and plenty of drama. There were also tons of tie-ins with Cassandra Clare’s other works. Characters from her other series made cameos and certainly had a lot of mentions. A lot more is learned about Magnus (and I finally understand the roots of The Bane Chronicles). The codex is important through out the whole book. And little snip bits from books as far back as City of Bones are thrown in, tying it all together rather nicely. It looks as though the new characters (kids) I fell in love with will be getting their own series next. And I know people give Clare a lot of angst about not writing anything out of the same universe. But, I don’t care. I will read those books. I will read more about Magnus too. The characters are just so loveable. I’ve even come to love characters I initially thought I wouldn’t like. I initially hated Alec and Isabelle. And now I feel like I’d go down fighting for them. I did find some of the resolution with Sebastian to be rather abrupt. After all that he did, I was hoping for a bit more drama/action than I received at the end. However, he was my least favorite character (and not just because he was evil), so I can’t really complain too much. I found everything involving the fairies in this one to be utterly fascinating and I cannot wait to see where things go with this. There was some cheesy romance/reunions at the end and normally this would result in an eye roll from me, but in this case, with all the stuff thrown at them, I appreciated the cheese factor awarded to the characters. I’m genuinely happy with how things ended. Clare did a nice job of tying different elements from all the books together. The action and romance were just so much fun to read. The characters have really gotten to the point where I think of them as old friends. And the new characters will eventually come to be that for me too. I give this book and this series a 10/10. It’s been a grand seven years.

I can hardly believe that I only started The Mortal Instruments series last year. I feel like it's been much longer, because I have formed an immensely deep attachment to Cassandra Clare's characters. After I finished City of Lost Souls, I just couldn't wait any longer. I had to know the fates of the Shadowhunters of the New York Institute. And, with City of Heavenly Fire, Clare went above and beyond my expectations; this lady knows how to effectively end a series. I'll try to be objective in this review, but I should go ahead and admit that this final installment of The Mortal Instruments was very bittersweet and emotional for me. Here are the five reasons why I gave City of Heavenly Fire 5 out of 5 stars: ★ NEW CHARACTERS I was quite surprised to find that Clare was bringing new main characters into CoHF. Who does that? I mean, it's the end of the series. There's way too much going on with the characters I already know and love for me to care about new people. Right? Wrong. So very wrong. When you first open CoHF, you'll find the prologue. This is where readers are introduced to Emma Carstairs, a student of The Los Angeles Institute. And, trust me: you will quickly fall in love with her. Now, I should warn you that this prologue can be overwhelming due to the number of new characters Clare throws into our laps at once. All ll I could think was: "Who the dickens are all of these people?" So, allow me to break it down for you: Emma is best friends with Julian Blackthorn whose family resides at the Institute. Julian Blackthorn is one of seven children; there is Helen, Mark, Julian, Tiberius, Livia, Drusilla, and Octavian. Make a chart or do whatever you need to help you take all of this new information in stride, because these characters are very important. Not only do they remain with us throughout the book, but Emma Carstairs and the residents of The Los Angeles Institute will be the main characters of Clare's next series, The Dark Artifices. These new characters were a pleasant surprise and an intriguing addition to CoHF. Their presence in the book is the perfect setup for their series, which I can't wait to delve into next year. ★ CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT Being that this is the final installment of The Mortal Instruments, I think that it would be difficult not to talk about the development we have seen Clare's characters undergo since Book One, City of Bones. Throughout Clare's six books, we see her characters mature and become different people because of the relationships they form and the situations they have to deal with. And, I don't think that their transformations are as evident in any of Clare's books as they are in CoHF. In CoHF, we witness characters who have learned to open their hearts up to raw emotion--to love, lust, bravery, honesty. Clary exhibits courage and selflessness; Jace has learned the values of self-love as well as those that come with loving and opening up to others; Alec displays more confidence in himself; Isabelle has finally opened her heart; Simon has learned to push boundaries in order to find his place in the world; and Magnus has learned to love again. All of these characters have become people who are willing to die for each other, not just because they are fighters in the midst of war and that would be the noble and honorable thing to do, but because they have developed deep bonds with one another. They love each other. And, I think it's interesting to consider how in City of Bones, these people were complete strangers, and now they have become a family. Call me crazy, but by the end of this series I found that these characters were not just fictional people who only exist within the confines of this book. They have become a part of me, they are my friends. I will never forget them. And, I have always found that any book you walk away from with the feeling that you've gained something--that's a great book. ★ HUMOR One of the things that I love about Clare's writing is her propensity to make me laugh. Even when characters are heading towards a deadly situation, and even when I just finished a heartbreaking passage she manages to get a smile out of me. Jace is definitely my favorite in the humor department; he has so many witty, sarcastic one-liners. Here's one where he's talking to Simon after a near-death experience with the Heavenly Fire: "I don't care if I did just set myself on fire. I'm not hugging you." And then there's this one: Clary: "We are not going to have sex. At all." Jace: "But 'at all' is my favorite way to have sex." And, one more: "I have an idea," Simon said. "Remember how before, I was talking about Dungeons and Dragons?" "Vividly," Jace said. "It was a dark time." The humor of these stories makes all of the emotions and heartache more easily bearable. And, speaking of emotions... ★ ALL THE FEELS I made it through most of this book without crying. But, the epilogue will get you. I cried so hard. It was 2am and I was sitting in my bed with tears rolling down my eyes and a terrible headache. Not many books make me cry. I hadn't cried over a book since I read The Fault In Our Stars more than a year ago. I will not tell you whether my tears were tears of joy or sadness, but I will tell you that the ending of CoHF is very satisfying. For some series like The Hunger Games and Divergent, I had mixed feelings about the endings (esp. Divergent. I mean, Allegiant was quite a doozy to get through). But, I would not change a thing about the end of City of Heavenly Fire. It is perfection. ★ NO LOOSE ENDS With CoHF, all of Clare's loose ends have been tied up perfectly into a tight, rune-decorated bow. There are those book series that keep you going by throwing more questions at you, and then they sloppily try to answer them in the finale (that's how I'm feeling about The Maze Runner series right now). But, Clare's books are different. The questions about the plot aren't what keep readers reading. I think more than anything, the intrigue of her books are the character relationships. As I stated before, I think that the ending of City of Heavenly Fire was very pleasing. And, to know that readers will likely be seeing the residents of the New York Institute again in The Dark Artifices makes finishing this series all the more bittersweet. *** Overall, I absolutely loved City of Heavenly Fire. If you've been reading this series and you haven't gotten a chance to get your hands on CoHF yet I suggest you hurry yourself over to the store and get it. Like, NOW. And, if you haven't started this series at all, please do. Because, if you love YA, and you love fantasy and sci-fi, this is the series for you.

Spoilers below. Don't read if you are not finished reading CoHF. I waited for this book for what seemed like a very long time, though in actuality it was only about 9 months. After finishing all the other TMI books as well as Clares' TID triology (which I still think was her best work), I was anxious to find out what happened to the modern day, supernatural Scooby Doo gang. For anyone not old enough to remember Scooby Doo, google it. I'm sure Cassandra Clare knows who I am talking about. As for the gang in City of Heavenly Fire, I found them to be an extraordinary group of teenagers (even those who never got any older than their late teens because they were warlocks or vampires). I don't know any teenagers in real life that are as self-sufficient, disciplined, resourceful, and loving as Jace, Clary, Simon, Isabelle, Alec and Magnus (even though he is a 400 year old teenager), but that probably is why they all appealed to me as much as they did. I still think the storyline would have been a bit more believable if the characters were in their early 20's (at least), but once I stopped thinking about how young they all were, I enjoyed the story a lot more.. And I enjoyed it a lot. As with all her other books, this one included romance, action, and humor. Cassandra Clare has a way of getting you hooked on her story even when it is way too long (725 pages) or confusing (Vampire blood heals demon wounds?) or makes no sense at all (Why would Jace bring a condom with him to a demon realm knowing he can't touch Clary because he is full of heavenly fire?) Yes, all the above happened, but I still wound up seeing double vision because I couldn't put this book down. The plot isn't complicated, but since Clare has so many characters tied to the basic storyline, we are taken down many a winding road until we reach the finish line. Basically, it comes down to the Shadowhunters of the world against Sebastian and his Endarkened Shadowhunters (those who drank from the Infernal Cup that was created in CoLS) along with the faeries. I'm still not sure if all the faeries came from the Seelie Court or if the Unseelie Court was in league with Sebastian, too. This is just one of the details I found confusing. In fact, I have no clue what the difference is between these two. Whatever the case may be, Sebastian has the faeries in his pocket and, apparently, the Queen of the Seelie Court in his bed (I didn't see that one coming). Shadowhunters, young and old, have their hand's full with Sebastian and his minions, and he never stops coming at them. He attacks many of their institutes and converts the shadowhunters he captures into more Endarkened warriors. The shadowhunters all hi-tail it to Idris and shore up the wards (even though that hasn't worked to keep Sebastian out to this point.). Not long after, it is clear that it didn't work again as Luke, Jocelyn, Magnus and Raphael are kidnapped from a faerie dinner and swept off to hell (Edom). At first, it appears Sebastian wants to destroy the world. He is well on his way to doing that, too. For most of the book, the shadowhunters are getting beaten badly, and there is no hope in sight until....you guessed it, Jace, Clary, Simon, Isabelle,. Alec and Magnus hop through a "made by Clary" portal to Edom, the demon world that Sebastian is calling home these days. The place is creepy. Clare gives details like no other. My throat got drier with every word I read. At that point, Sebastian's goal changes. He becomes willing to spare the shadowhunters in Idris (and the world) if he can have Clary rule the demon world as his Queen. There are many obstacles to overcome, both external and internal. But, in the end through bravery, sacrifice, love and a good poker face, the young shadowhunters save the day. There is a final twist, though. Simon gets back his heart and loses his memories to Magnus' father. He gets his memories back before the book ends (albeit slowly) by becoming a shadowhunter himself. Pretty tidy way to put this story to bed if you ask me. I've given this book 4 stars because there are many more things I liked about it than disliked. Listed below are a few I can think of off the top of my head:: Liked: Jace recognizing he is a Herondale and all references to his ancestry as I adored Will Herondale. Clary and Jace's romance finally on solid ground and workable. Alec maturing to the point of being able to let go of Magnus if it wasn't in his best interest. Alec and Magnus working it out. Robert LIghtwood accepting Alec and apologizing for acting like an ass. Luke and Jocelyn's wedding. Jem and Tessa being there together made me teary eyed. All mention of characters from TID and any involvement they had in this story. Simon Lewis made me smile every time he graced a page. Simon telling Isabelle he remembered she was a "heartbreaker" Sebastian turning into Jonathan before he died, and Jocelyn comforting him. Magnus Bane...There is too much about him that I love to list. Maia Roberts was a role model for any girl that was abused and found her power. The happiest ending that I've read in any book. Disliked: Again, the length. I think this story could have easily been told well in 500 pages. "Gone with the Wind" was and that war lasted a hell of a lot longer than this one. Maia suddenly not being in love with Jordan (she was last time I read about them in CoLS) didn't make sense. If Jordan was dying anyway, why did Clare need to have Maia change her feelings for hm. I think it would have went over better if she loved and lost him. Robert and Marysse breaking up. Why? Didn't the kids lose enough this year? Luke stepping down as leader the wearwolves. I'd rather see him and Jocelyn working with the Clave to get the new Shadowhunters up and running. Amatis dying. I was hoping she wasn't one of the six Clare promised would kick the bucket. Jace and Clary having sex in cave in Edom. What is it about Shadowhunters and caves? Will and Tessa did the deed in TID in a cave. What's wrong with a comfortable room at a B&B. As I said, not much wrong with the book. I'd say I'd read it again, but I don't know if my eyes could handle it. Maybe next year. Enjoy!

I have been looking forward to this book for a very long time now. Everyone knows I am a huge fan of The Mortal Instruments series and I was both excited for and dreading the conclusion. I just didn’t want it to end, but I also wanted to know all the things. It was so bad, that I started reading, got about halfway though and then decided that I wasn’t ready to say goodbye and ignored the book for about a week. I needed to be ready and when I picked it up again, I was ready. Clary and Jace have come so far from when we first met them in City of Bones. Clary has always been strong and determined, but now she has skills and is a badass fighter too. She has really come into her Shadowhunter abilities. I love that she always does what needs to be done and never backs down. I just think she is a great heroine. Then you have Jace and I adore Jace. He is one of my very first book boyfriends, so he will always have a special place in my heart. Jace is the definition of character growth. I love the Jace we have in this book. He is so strong and tough and is finally beginning to believe in himself. I love him and Clary together and how they are a team. They fight together and with each other. They are this awesome badass dynamic duo that should not be messed with. Other than Jace and Clary though, you have some truly awesome secondary characters. I have to start with Magnus because I simply love him. I always have and I always will. He is fabulous. Then there is Simon who has dug his way into my heart forever with all his nerdy glory. Cannot forget Isabelle because she is incredible and I wish we could be BFFs. And Alec. Alec and I got off to a rocky start, but I have really come to love him. I also love that we got to see a lot more of Jace and Alec’s parabati relationship in this book. This book definitely delivered all the feels. I think my heart was in my throat the entire time and I trudged my way along to the conclusion. There was so much going on and so many story lines to be wrapped up. There were moments that absolutely broke my heart and I admit to sobbing at one point. But there were also moments that made me incredibly happy. It was a great balance and this book just made my heart feel like it was about to burst. Speaking of feels. I think the stuff that hit me the most was all of The Infernal Devices references. Every time one of my beloved characters was mentioned I squealed and I’m not even exaggerating. It made me feel a bit guilty, because this isn’t their story, but what can I say; Will and Jem and Tessa own me. I loved getting references to them and I will take any extra I can get when it comes to them. I know this review probably doesn’t give you much, but I don’t want to spoil the story for anyone. I can say I was very very happy with it, with the exception of a thing or two here and there. It’s a good conclusion and Cassie closes out the series well. I am also ready for The Dark Artifices now. I have met Emma and I can tell I’m going to like her. I may not have appreciated her when she took me away from my Clary and Jace, but I am ready for her to have her own story. City of Heavenly Fire delivers the conclusion everyone has been waiting for. It is heartbreaking, but happy and the characters are given the story they deserve. A strong conclusion to one of my all-time favorite series.

**SPOILER ALERT: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED** If that wasn’t one of THE ALL-TIME BEST endings to a series, I don’t know what is. *bulgy eyes* I don’t even know where to start! I guess I’ll start off how the book does (though I may end up rambling by the end because FEELS). Clare does a really good job of introducing us to and incorporating Emma Carstairs and the Blackthorn children into this story–the main characters of the next series in the Shadow World, The Dark Artifices. You’re with them as the Los Angeles Institute is attacked and they’re all left orphaned. You grow attached to them and are invested in their future. Especially since Emma is a Carstairs. Which leads me to the whole Brother Zachariah situation. Holy heavenly fire, I was NOT expecting Zachariah to become Jem again when he tried to help Jace reign in the heavenly fire. The ending of The Infernal Devices was bittersweet to me, but here we have Jem back and at the end of the book, Tessa is with him and it made the ending to their story even sweeter! Yet it’s not really the end, is it? Because you know they’re going to Los Angeles and will end up in TDA. If you only read TMI and never read TID, I’d DEFINITELY recommend reading TID. It enhances the story so much! It adds a whole nother layer of feels and emotional attachment! Speaking of emotional attachments–COUPLES! We didn’t see as much of Magnus and Alec together because of the break up and how Magnus was one of the kidnapped Downworlder representatives on the Council. But even though they aren’t technically together throughout the book, you can still feel how devoted they are to each other as Alec does everything he can to save him. Jace and Clary. Can I just tell you how much I LOVE Jace and Clary? alotalotalotalotALOT! This book did not disappoint in the hot and heavy swoons department–HOLY HELL (<-multiple puns right there, folks). Clary uses her power with runes and Jace no longer has to fight with the heavenly fire, so you know what that means–things went down. Hot things. Swoony things. It was perfect, and they deserved it after everything they’ve been through throughout the ENTIRE series, you know? *STILL SWOONING* Isabelle and Simon had me just about dying multiple times throughout this book, let me tell ya. You see Isabelle start to trust more, which is definite growth on her part and adorable to see her needing Simon. And there’s Simon spouting off his love for her when his faculties aren’t really present, which is also adorable. But then there’s that moment when they’re all being attacked by demons and Izzy gets her leg all razored to shreds by demon teeth, and she’s dying and you know Clare said there would be deaths and I think my heart might have stopped beating because I was dreading her dying . . . But Simon saves her. All to have been for naught when they’re trapped in Edom with no way out, save for sacrificing either Simon’s or Magnus’ immortality. I cried when Magnus offered himself up, because in no way did I want him to die yet it seemed like that was the only option. Because I forgot Simon was a vampire. And once Simon offered his own immortality, along with all of his memories of the Shadow World–Jace, Alec, Magnus, Isabelle, Clary, everything–I was bawling. He paid the price and forgot all about them, almost but not entirely everything. And the book ends with the hope of him remembering everything, and knowing that he remembers enough. *tears* And Luke and Jocelyn FINALLY get married! You know what did break my heart in a weird, twisted way? Sebastian’s death. Did anyone else get this way?? It comes down to Clary and Sebastian, brother vs sister, as we all knew it would. But once Clary uses the heavenly fire contained in Heosphorus and burns out all the evil in Sebastian, we get a glimpse of the person he could have been–Jonathan. Jocelyn holds him and cries as he dies and apologizes for what he’s done and tells Clary how to defeat all the Endarkened. It made me ache with thoughts of what could have been, and for the Jonathan that never had a chance to be good because that choice was taken from him before birth. It was hard to watch. Then were the other deaths that had an impact on me. Meliorn’s was more of a shock because Alec took his life and had no hesitation about doing so, which is entirely different from how he was in City of Bones. But then, he had Magnus to find and he would do anything save him. I never really felt a connection with Raphael before this book, but seeing him and Magnus together when they were chained up had me feeling for him. And then Sebastian kills him, and a little piece of my heart felt broken. And Jordan–I honestly was not expecting that to happen, and it happened so soon that I was completely stunned by it. Like when Hedwig died in The Deathly Hallows–it was a stressful situation but I was COMPLETELY OBLIVIOUS to the fact that someone was about to die. I was expecting more devastating deaths, though. But that doesn’t mean I’m disappointed IN THE LEAST. The characters I love lived and it was a happy ending, but it didn’t feel as though it wasn’t earned, you know? Which is why I love it so much. Everyone I loved lived but their lives weren’t handed to them and they didn’t survive easily. Pretty much Cassandra Clare gave the fans the perfect ending to this installment of the Shadow World. And even as intense and gut-twisting and bloody as this book is, it still delivered the humor that is entirely unique to this story and these characters. I don’t think I’ve read another series that makes me laugh as hard as this one does, ever. I. Die. Of LAUGHTER. So this is my thank you to Cassie Clare for her storytelling genius and devotion to her Shadowhunter fans. We love you and we love your characters, and they will live on in our hearts forever (and hopefully we see some in TDA, yeah?;)) This was the perfect ending to a series that will forever be close to my heart, and I can’t wait for the countless times I will undoubtedly reimmerse myself into the Shadow World and reread your series. 5/5 STARS;)

I have just finished reading this final installment in The Mortal Instruments series which is a mammoth of a book (only slightly thinner than the width of the last two books (Fallen Angels & Lost Souls) put together) when compared to the others in the series and this is how a last book in a much loved series should be done so thank you Cassandra Clare. I have been absolutely gripped to the story from start to finish and although I am happy at the overall ending I am very sad for the series to end. The story follows on from the last book City of Lost Souls (The Mortal Instruments, Book 5) with Jace having the Heavenly Fire within him and running through his veins following Clary plunging Glorious into him to save him and break his link with Jonathan/Sebastian. Jace is learning or trying to learn how to keep his emotions in check to keep control over the Heavenly Fire and Jordan is helping him learn how to meditate. They are all called back to the institute and ultimately to Alicante as Jonathan/Sebastian has been attacking and targeting institutes around the globe in order to turn Shadowhunters into Endarkened. No-one can work out how he is doing this and ultimately he is winning and so the borders of Alicante are closed and all Shadowhunters recalled to the safety of Alicante until a plan can be worked out on how best to defend and defeat him is worked out. But with no Shadowhunters to defend the world from demons they will not be able to stay on lock down for long and Jonathan/Sebastian seems to always be two steps ahead. Will Jonathan/Sebastian be defeated and can the Endarkened be saved? Can Clary and Jace finally get to be together or is the Heavenly Fire going to prevent them from ever being able to be with each other?.... I absolutely loved this story and all the twists and turns within it such as how Jonathan/Sebastian is actually managing to move around, the lake/pool parts and finding out who Magnus' father actually is. I was heartbroken at two characters fates and the whole second half of the book was basically non stop. I love the links that have already been thrown in for the new series however The Infernal Devices links were lost on me as I have yet to get around to reading that series but the series has now jumped up my reading list as I really must know about the links between Magnus, Brother Zachariah and Tessa now! As I have said above a fantastic ending to a fantastic series which perfectly tied all of the books of the series together - now that is how you write a series!

***************** MAY BE SPOILERS ***************** OH MY GOSH........ I mean OH MY GOSH!!!!! 752 pages of pure AWESOMENESS! First, lets start with that cover. Can you say "AWESOME"? I was so afraid and excited to get this little gem in the mail. I have had a few series end so badly lately that it kind of left a sour taste in my mouth. To me (personally) if a series ends bad, it ruins the whole thing for me. Then I am just sad. Lets just say that this book did NOT leave a sour taste! I cannot even tell you in words how much I loved this book. I don't even know where to start. Honestly. I just loved every thing about this book. Everything. I love how everything came together. The Mortal Instruments, and The Infernal Devices. Seriously, I had a smile my face a the end of this book from ear to ear. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it when books / series end in a pretty little bow. Some people may not like that, but I LOVE it. I don't know if I mentioned it earlier but I LOVE it ;). I read books for pretty little bows. Even a scary book can end up all nice and neat. This book was exciting and sad, and awesome. I mean, just awesome. Magnus is just as funny and ornery in this book as he has been in all of them. Jace was funny just like he always has been. I love it. I love that this book has it all. Love, friendship, family, excitement, sadness, joy...everything. It's amazing. I cannot thank Clare enough for this series. Thank you for ending it well. Thank you for making me fall in love with so many characters. This is probably a spoiler - When everyone is in the demon world, some things happen there that made me super sad. Each person saw what they thought their heart desired. You would think that would be awesome, but when they have to find a way to return to Idris life changes in the blink of an eye. My heart ached so much for Simon and Isabelle and Clary. It was a heartbreaking moment. It was absolutely fabulous. I know that probably sounds like an oxymoron but it was. The way Clare brought emotions out of me was just top notch. I do not want to ruin too much for people, but if you have not read both of these series...The Mortal Instruments, and The Infernal Devices...you are missing out. These two will go down as one of my favorite series of all time. Along with Harry Potter. I have loved a lot of books, but these have been such fantastic books from beginning to end. Clare's writing is amazing. I loved every page. Even when something "bad" was happening, her writing is beautiful. Okay, I could go on and on, and I want to! There are so many wonderful things that happen in this book, that even as I type I am still smiling. There are so many connections made in this book, and that just made it even more fun to read. This book has a lot of pages, and I can honestly say I am so glad it does. The book was paced well, and the story never got boring. It took all of those pages to end a beautiful story! If you have not read this series, you need to stop what you are doing and go buy it right now :). Okay, that may be a bit hasty...but seriously, that is how much I loved it. Thanks Cassandra Clare....It was simply beautiful!

Cassandra Clare is a master of suspense. Her books keep you reading page after page. She knows how to tease you to the next book, or in this case series, too. I couldn’t wait for the release of “City of Heavenly Fire,” the final book of Clare’s The Mortal instruments series A week before it’s release, I started re-reading the first five books in TMI series, just to refresh my memmory on the backstory so far and be ready to pick up just where “City of Lost Souls” left off. A second read through did not disappoint. There were a few things I picked up on the second go-round that I didn’t necessarily bank the first read through, things that come into play in the final volume. Clare tied up the main plot with a nice little bow in COHF, but like all of the TMI books, the tag teases just enough to make you want to jump right into the “The Dark Artifices,” the next series that spins off from TMI. I expected sparks to fly when Clary and Jace finally got to be teenagers in COHF ... but, man did they make a fiery pair, lighting up hell! Clare handled their big moment together very tastefully. The blaze was lit, the intensity flamed — intimacy without losing TMI’s YA label. I love that Jace takes care of Clary while meeting her on common ground, each aware of thhe others’ strengths. He’s careful with her, never pushing her beyond what she’s capable, helping her to adjust, showing her his trust, adoration, faith, respect and need of her. He even remembers at the last second, when he’s quaking with need, to be careful and sure, responsible. Some of the more flagrant scenes with Simon and Izzy I found tantalizing. Gotta love big brothers and their timing! Hilarious and very ... real. (Most of us have been there, either as the older or younger sibling.) In COHF, the fab five — Clary, Jace, Alec, Izzy and Simon — prove literally this time they’ll literally go to hell and back for each other, their loved ones, nephilim and mankind. They battle big bad Sebastian .... and win — just not exactly like you thought they would. Yes, Sebastian/Jonathan builds his Dark red-suited army to destroy the world. He takes out several institutes around the world in quick order, turning Shadowhunters who aren’t killed into the Endarkened. And, Jace is like an avenging angel cutting a bloody swath through Sebastian’s army when they surround the Citadel, threatening the Iron Sisters and the armory they protect and create inside. Naturally, when the the young Shadowhunters try to explain to the Clave the power of the blonde-haired demon’s dark army, they don’t listen and walk right into his trap. By the time they again figure out the teens know their crazy, Sebastian is already a few steps ahead, anticipating their response. No big surprise either when the Fair Folk-hosted dinner just before the big meeting in Alicante turns out to be a set up with the Downworld council members end up drugged and captured by Sebastian. The fact that Luke and the fab five, especially Jace, didn’t see that one coming was a bit of a head scratcher though. Sebastian uses his hostages to try to force the Clave into turning over his “brother” and sister, two puny Shadowhunters, in exchange for the Downworld reps’ return. Otherwise, the Clave sends a message to the Downworlders that their people aren’t as important as Shadowhunters. Bet Sebastian would be pretty good at chess, but Clary and Simon just might put him in check before it’s all said and done. Of course, the fab five have to go after the Downworld reps on the counsel. That’s Alec’s man, Clary’s parents and Raphael — Simon’s maker or sire. So they set out on the path to hell via the Seelie Court. Of course, the queen, Sebatian’s “beautiful one” tips him off. They expect he’ll know. They just have to be smarter. So they trudge on using Morgenstern’s bracelet as a GPS to Sebastian. Simon’s gamer skills come in handy along the way, pointing out danger and offering options. They are tested as they enter the realm. Why wouldn’t they be? They’re bound for hell. But as the name would infer, the reality they find themselves in is slightly off. Sure, there are parts that’d fit their dreams, but things that are way off — things the heart recognizes are wrong, allowing them to pull out of the demon-induced dream. Too bad the nightmare the fab five are living isn’t over as easily. Even Sebastian grows bored with his inane game and decides he’ll alter course and do as the bracelet says... why destroy earth when you can rule hell — and have the one person he thinks might understand him there beside him, even if by force. Jace battles his inner demons, learns to channel the heavenly fire thanks to Clary’s ruins and insight. Just when you think Izzy and Simon finally have it together, she almost dies, he saves he from demon poisoning. Simon proves his worth once again and sacrifices for the good of his girls and those important to them. The resulting actions prove no matter how bad or what happens, you can’t completely erase someone and past experiences from their’s memory. They are a part of what makes us who we are. Clary and Simon’s bond, his growing relationship with Izzy, even his connection to Jace and the outside influence who remember even if he can’t immediately all serve to bring “their” Simon back to the fab five. As Magnus says, he’s special... wonder if we’ll get a peak in other series at just how special. (Not much of a graphic novel ... manga type fan.) The bond forged between the main characters, and even a few secondary characters in this series were made in fire, tempered in steel and gold — unbreakable, pure, somewhat mercurial but as true as heavenly fire. I think Cassandra Clare could write a whole other series picking up where TMI left off on just the secondary New York characters. I like Magnus well enough, but he’s better with Alec. I don’t think I’ll be reading his series, the Bane Chronicles. And the New York Institute’s cat, Church. I have always wondered about that cat. There’s always been something ... different ... special about the cat. I wondered who cared for Church when the Lightwoods departed town each time. And what of Magnus’ cat? Figured he could cook something up so the cat was fed in his abensence, but I always wondered about Church. And what was he doing at the farm at Joyce and Luke’s wedding (which finally happened!)? Interesting to learn about Alec’s dad’s past. Glad he finally acknowledged Alec and gave him some acceptance. Had to squee when the identity of Magnus’ dad was FINALLY revealed. The big question is what name ... if they live long Shadowhunter lives... will Clary have a few years down the road. You’re left with no doubt she and Jace will make it together, but will she be a Fray/Fairchild, Morgenstern or Herondale? Will they have little Fairchild-Morgenstern-Herondales? Jace makes it very clear he wants her, possibly living one day at the Herondale family home in Alicante and married to him. Was she being funny, deflecting his comments... she’s still only like 16-17. He’s not even a solid year older. As COHF started with mostly new characters in a different institute and city, I was a bit put off, wondering what baring it had on the rest of the plot. And thinking... it was just a device for the new series, that it was too slow and not focuses enough on the central conflict where we But, I should have known, Clare doesn’t toss out random characters or plots just to fluff out the book. I do believe I’ll be following Emma and the Blackthorns to Los Angeles to see how their story plays out. Couldn’t help but fall in love with such a brave girl and her BFF... (kinda like a certain read head and her not so undead no longer cursed friend,) just hope that parabatai bond doesn’t come back to bite them in the end. And of course Helen and Aline need a resolution, and you know the Fair Folk won’t take The Clave’s prounouncement or more appropriately denounement quietly. They are a devious group to begin with. As for the other Downworlders, perhaps new leadership is just what they need, the pack in Maia and the clan in Lily. All of the predications from Magnus and the warlock, Tess and Zachariah and their connection to certain Shadowhunter families... vey interesting. Speaks of many other things to come. Fall 2015 seems so far away!

I loved the book since the beginning to the end. And I'm very happy and RELIEVED about the end, because I thought that one of the main characters would die, but finally and thanks to God not. I felt sorry about Raphael because I realised that he was good, but I have to say that I prefer him to die and not Magnus, Alec... However, I think the end was very open, I mean, they don't solve everything with the fairies and this. I know that this is because it will be solved in TDA (I look forward to reading it), but I would rather that it would be more closed and I would like to know what happened with Simon, Izzy, Clary, Jace... If they get married, Simon ascends... Despite this, I have loved the book I want to read TDA now. I fell in love with Emma, Jules and Ty, I want to read more about them.

Sin hablar del contenido del libro en sí para no generar spoilers a los que no han leído la historia... el libro es majestuoso y de una calidad impresionante, ¡parece un ladrillo! Cassandra Clare siempre nos ha dicho que adora los libros grandes y vaya que City of Heavently Fire lo es, el libro llegó impecable y sin ningún rasguño, además ADORE que al reverso de la cubierta viniera un poster ilustrado de los personajes, lástima que no se pueda colgar ya que está al reverso de la portada pero aún así, creo que es un gran detalle para los fans y más los coleccionistas de este gran universo que es Cazadores de sombras. Me he quedado impresionada por dos razones, la primera fue la calidad antes mencionada y la segunda fue porque encontré el libro a un precio de infarto, aproveché puesto que los libros de Cassandra son muy costosos, no importa el idioma en que lo busques, así que si, fue una ganga y estoy más que lista para recibir a los nuevos personajes de la saga de Lady Midnight, los cuales también compré a un super precio.

Alright, after so long the final book is here and it is as cheesy as you can possibly imagine. There's a huge war brewing, the battle against Sebastian coming to its climax. Prepare for some surprises and a couple of plot twists. Cassandra did her best to focus on all the main characters in the series, giving them the time they deserve for character development. Sometimes however, i think that she should have left some characters out instead of focusing on them for the sake of it. Furthermore, beware of the insane amount of teen romance on this book. For some reason I have been craving for this sort of melodrama and this book just hit the spot. I really did enjoy it and finished it in a few days. The ending was incredibly atmospheric and it was cute, although unrealistic and a little too sugary. The whole book revolves around the universe bending to suit Jace & Clary's every wish and it does become annoying, but by this point we as readers are used to it. Also i loved the set up for the newest series and the participation of characters from the Infernal Devices just melted my heart. If you're looking for teen drama, this book is it. Also, if you've been keeping up with the mortal instruments, you might as well finish it, no? -SPOILERS FROM HERE- Sebastian, probably the best villain i have come across in a while (at least in teen fiction books) is a crazy bastard and his relationship with the fair folk came as a surprise to me, although his motives still made no sense to me. He wanted to rule over a barren wasteland? Right. Cassandra's focus on every character was welcome as the whole Clary & Jace thing becomes sickening after you read about them for over 3 books, specially in this one, it seems like the world will simply bend to make their every wishes come true , that for sure becomes annoying. Yet it is interesting how Cassandra finally approaches the climax of their relationship. I thought it was sensible and a nice way to write about their intimate moment. The focus on other relationships, specially Magnus and Alec was a nice touch. However the way she wrote Alec's feelings about everyone coming to terms with his sexuality were a bit forced. Nevertheless it's nice to see a book with not just hetero relationships. The final fight with Sebastian was a little underwhelming but i can think of no other way to go about it. I personally loved him and when he was purified and turned into Jonathan I did grieve. Cassandra's portrayal of Jocelyn dealing with her grievances was well done in my opinion. Also, the characters that died were handpicked because they were disposable. Did anyone really, honestly care for Raphael, Maureen or Amatis? In such a decisive war people needed to die and Cassandra took the easy way out and picked the disposable ones. When I thought Simon was gone, I thought it was heartbreaking, but it made sense that at least in some way the protagonists were gonna have to suffer a personal loss. But nah, in the end of course they get everything they want, It was nice, albeit a little exhausting. Lastly, the moment were Clary and Tessa come together felt right, i was almost proud to see these two girls whom i've followed for a while come together, and to see Tessa and *cough*bestcharacter*cough* Jem together really wrapped it up for me. The book definitely has flaws, but i'm not gonna lie, I'll miss these characters and look forward to cameos in the newest series.

最高！ i had a great time reading the mortal instruments.probably the best books that i have ever read 😊

I gave this series 5 stars, it took me 5 week's to read the 6 books and I literally could not put it down. These books are for young and old, great seamless transition from one to the other, fabulous story line and awesome reading performance, I totally enjoyed everything about the series, highly recommend if you love fantasy!