City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments)

Loved the movie and tv show excited to read this series I’ve wanted to read these for so long the tv show was amazing I was sad when they stopped making new seasons. So this will let me know what happens!

Clary has never been more confused. The man who threatens all the Shadowhunters is actually her father, Valentine, the boy she couldn't stop thinking about is actually her brother, and there is a whole world her mother kept from her that is full of warlocks, vampires, demons, and werewolves, among other creepy beasties. Having been brought up as a mundane, Clary must find her way in the Shadowhunter world or quickly be devoured by it in City of Ashes: Mortal Instruments, Book Two by Cassandra Clare. Clary doesn't know what to do about Jace now that they recently found out they share a father, and an evil father no less. She has trouble reconciling her feelings for Jace, but she knows her friend Simon, a simple mundane, is the less creepy option. Meanwhile, Jace has been thrown out of the only home he ever knew with the adoptive Lightwood family. Lost and alone, Jace is being punished for the sins of the father he never knew or had allegiance to. But now a war is brewing between Downworlders. A werewolf child and a warlock child were found dead, bled to death, and there is no one more logical to blame than the vampires. The vampires swear they had nothing to do with the deaths, but everyone suspects them. When Jace is investigated by the Clave and held prisoner in the Silent City, his father breaks in. He comes to see Jace and ask for Jace's help, but his own son was not his purpose for visiting the city and killing all the Silent Brothers. He was after the Mortal Sword. With or without Jace's help, Valentine plans to reverse the allegiance of the sword from good to bad so he can control the demons and finally fulfill his purpose- the extermination of the Downworlders who threaten the lives of humans and Shadowhunters alike. Even if the Clave doesn't believe in Jace's innocence, Clary and his adoptive siblings refuse to let him suffer for the evils Valentine has acted on. But will they make it in time to stop the conversion of the Mortal Sword? These books sometimes seem overwhelming because they are quite large, but whenever I read one of Clare's books, I am immediately dragged right into it. I regret to admit I started this series almost 2 years ago and haven't kept up with it since. However, I have been keeping up with the Infernal Devices series, which renewed my interest in this series. Clare does a good job of giving you enough background that you can pick up a book even if you haven't read the one before it in a long while, and for that I was grateful (lately my ever-growing pile of books prevents me from much rereading). And after a few brief pages of catch-up, I was thrown right back into this story with a vengeance. The story was interesting and exciting, and as with all her books, she ends it with a satisfactory conclusion (no real huge cliffhangers) but still keeps you wanting more and leaves the end open for the next installment. The stories are perfect for anyone who likes supernatural or paranormal stories. They are full of mysterious creatures, many of whom balance between their true evil nature and the life the Clave forces them into. There is a god deal of death and violence, but it is mostly of the supernatural type and isn't particularly gory. I love the excitement and in particular, the characters. Jace is that typical bad boy who really has a heart of gold despite his crusty, snarky exterior and you can't help but love him. My one icky-factor is the weirdness between him and Clary, who now appears to be his sister. So we have a Luke and Leia moment, but why is it continuing? And why aren't they grossed out now that they are brother and sister? I can only imagine this will resolve itself eventually and Clare won't have a Flowers in the Attic moment, but who knows where this plans to go... just please make them not be brother and sister because I am all in on team Jace!

During my recovery from surgery in January and February, I binge-watched The Shadowhunters TV show on Hulu, which reignited my interest in reading the rest of the Mortal Instrument series by Cassandra Clare. I had previously read only City of Bones over four years ago. I can officially say that the TV show differs significantly from the books, but that’s often the case with adaptations. This is why I’m glad I decided to read the books now. (I wish I had read them before watching the movie or TV show, but at least I’m reading them now.) I didn’t really enjoy City of Bones when I read it, but I can officially say that City of Ashes definitely kept me engaged with the characters and storyline this time. Now, I can’t wait to start the third book! I just have to wait for the audiobook to become available at my library, as I prefer listening to books rather than physically reading them nowadays. The book continues from where City of Bones left off, with Clary trying to live a normal life alongside her best friend, Simon, with whom she is developing a deeper relationship. However, the Shadow World is not ready to let her go. Her mother remains in a coma, Valentine is still on the loose, and now there are reports of downworlder children being murdered. It falls to Clary and the other Shadow Hunters to uncover the identity of the murderer. Meanwhile, Jace is grappling with his identity after discovering who his father is. He struggles internally because his father constantly tempts him, causing him to behave in ways that worry the other Shadow Hunters. This book delves into Jace’s character as he faces these challenges. I truly empathize with his character in his perspective and what he’s going through, and I hope he finds his way back and stops being tempted. I loved that this book is told from several points of view, allowing me to track multiple characters and not just focus on Clary. While I do love Clary, I’m also very interested in everyone else’s story because it gives me a broader understanding of what is happening in the Shadow World. I especially wish there was more of Magnus Bane in the scenes; he’s not my favorite character for nothing! Although Magnus isn’t a main character, he has completely won me over in both the movie and TV show adaptations, so the book version has certainly captured my heart as well. There’s just something about this warlock that makes him such a compelling character. Overall, I was definitely satisfied and entertained more with the City of Ashes and gave this book four stars. Standalone or Part of Series: It’s part of the Mortal Instruments series and needs to be read in order. Would I recommend this book? Yes. If you are looking for a YA Fantasy to read and haven’t picked up The Mortal Instruments, then check out this series. It does have somewhat of a Love Triangle in it, especially in the first book, but that changes due to Cassandra Clare throwing in twists through the way.

City of Ashes is the second book in the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. It continues the fantastic world building that Cassie started in City of Bones. You delve further into the Shadow World and the politics of the Clave, although it still takes place solely in New York City. Some people have difficulty immersing themselves in the City of Bones because the pacing isn’t fast enough for them, but there are some good action sequences that might make this second book more appealing. I personally have not experienced that lack of engagement, but I appreciate the world building and that may cause me to approach the story from a different perspective. As much as I loved the first book, you can see a marked improvement in Cassie’s writing even by this second book. There is a particular scene in which the setting is described so vividly that you can easily imagine the location building around you in your mind. Immersive world building is always very important to me in books, especially fantasy series, so I cannot recommend this series enough. Although it is the earliest of her writing, you cannot miss out on all of the details she provides about the world. You go on the journey with Clary as you both learn about Downworlders, the Clave, and demons. City of Ashes further develops the relationships and connections between the characters. You can feel how much they care for one another and it’s really authentic. Although I’ve read this series before it has been a while since I delved into the series that started it all. I am being reintroduced to favourite characters and realizing just how much they’ve grown over the course of the numerous novels that Cassie has written. As I re-read interactions and laugh at witty lines, I fall in love with the characters all over again. I remember what it is that made me care for them in the first place, not just their strengths but their vulnerabilities. There’s not much else I can say without discussing plot points or spoiling things from this or the first book, so I would just end it with – please, if you’re hesitant, give this series a chance. I would highly recommend it and in my opinion, it definitely needs to be read prior to reading Cassie’s newest series, the Dark Artifices. As incredible as the world building is in that series, it’s adding to the lore that has been built and evolved over the course of ten novels. It won’t be as impactful if you don’t have the foundational knowledge before you read the Dark Artifices.

I’m going to try to write this without spoilers, so forgive me for being cryptic. You know that huge plot twist at the end of the first book? Well, let’s just say it really complicates the relationship between Clary & Jace all through this book. The tension between them is almost tangible. I love it!!! Now, there are enough clues throughout this book that I have an idea on how this little problem will work out, but not sure if my ideas are right yet. Okay, on a less cryptic note…the action in this book is great! The Clave is suspicious of Jace now that they know of his history with Valentine. They send the Inquisitor to interrogate him, but Jace’s smart mouth lands him a night in jail in the City of Bones. While there, Valentine breaks in to steal the Mortal Sword, and the Inquisitor assumes Jace is in on it. It seems the only option he has is to go after the sword himself to prove his loyalty to the Clave. Of course, getting the sword form Valentine when he is surrounded by an army of demons is going to be tricky. Luckily, Clary has a new trick up her sleeve. One thing I really liked in this book was how Clary and Simon’s relationship changes. They have been best friends since they were young children. I think many people will relate to the issue of taking a friendship into a romance and what to do if it doesn’t work out. In the end, I found Simon to be very mature. I was lukewarm about him before, but I am really starting to like him better. There is also a really interesting scene between Jace and Simon that occurs near the end of the story which was very touching. Another relationship that I think was well handled was the one between Jace & Valentine. Jace’s entire world has been turned on its head and he is struggling to figure out where he fits anymore. The Lightwoods and the Clave are treating him differently. The scene where Jace confronts Valentine in the middle of the night on the ship really showed the depth of each of their characters. It sounds like I am focusing a lot on Jace, but really, most of the book revolves around Clary. She is upset that her mother is still in the hospital in a coma. We see a little more of Luke in this one and how fatherly he is toward her. Without him, I have no idea what she would do…live at the Institute maybe? My only problem with this series is the way the author handles time. One scene it will be morning and before you know it, the sun is setting. It can give a reader whiplash. Also, the first book was about a month long in plot time and started in July. This book picks up a few days after the first ended. So if I’m following correctly, this should be August or September. However, they keep talking about how cold it is outside. They are wearing gloves and heavy jackets. At one point Clary mentions she can see the fog of her breath. This is New York City, not Alaska. She shouldn’t even need a jacket. Another thing, the idea of her going back to school is never mentioned. It’s like now that she is a Shadowhunter, she no longer needs to complete her education. Very weird. Overall, I give City of Ashes… Plot – 4 ½ bookmarks Character Development – 4 ½ bookmarks World Building – 4 ½ bookmarks Love Story – 4 bookmarks (The author does something gutsy with Jace & Clary that might put off some readers, but I am completely caught up in it.) Dream Cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) - Rachel Hurd-Wood (Clary), Alex Pettyfer (Jace), Luke Pasqualino (Simon), Zac Efron (Alec), Christopher Backus (Magnus Bane), Christian Serratos (Isabelle)

Alright. So let me point this out to everyone: Yes, there is incest in this book. No, I don't mind it. Yes, there is homosexuality in this book. Again, I don't mind it. For all of those people who are like: 'Omg! it's terrible because of what's going on with the characters!'Please, keep in mind that the author started out writing fanfiction. Incest and Homosexuality are seen in Fanfictions.Honestly though, I really like this book because it's so different then other books that I've read because the characters ARE so different. Really, I have never really read a book with a homosexual character, or have the main hero and heroine be in love yet are siblings. It's unique, in a mildly creepy way. I am a huge fan of the books, not only because the characters are often times witty and sarcastic, but because many of the aspects are unique. I don't know how many times when I've read about 'orphan tries to find place in world, and saves the world!' books, or 'girl wants to break mold and runs off to join the army!', or 'destiny has chosen [characternamehere] to save the world!' type of books. The plot lines are over used, dull, and really repetitive. This book though totally broke the mold for me. And when I mean 'break the mold' I mean, seriously, breaking the mold. I went onto about a two year reading hiatus (because no books really interested me) and I just picked up the first book in the series and could not put it down. It's not about a little orphan, or a princess running away from an arranged marriage. It is truly, truly an amazing book that I really do adore. I can't wait to see how the series ends honestly. The books, as far as I'm concerned, are very consistent so far. It's not like the Twilight series, where the first one was just amazing, then drops off in quality after that, or really the Harry Potter series where it gets better and better. These books are amazing, and I really don't know how else she could improve them, so they're consistent in the whole 'amazing' factor. There was only one thing that had a tendnecy of bugging me in the series. That was the author had a tendency of repeating about certain physical qualities in a character (simon's long eyelashes, Jace's hair, etc), that or else she sometimes goes out on tangents describing things that aren't really relevant to the plot. However, the book is filled with the same banter, same characters, and same character's personalities as the previous book. It's nice to see that the characters don't magically change with little, or no, background information as to why they changed between the two books (Granted, it helps that there's not long time gap between the books since the two of them take place only in a few days each). -De

City of Ashes is the follow-up to City of Bones, which has just been released as a movie called The Mortal Instruments, which is what the whole series is titled. I am a book person, so I have no desire to see the movie, and I not comment on it further. City of Bones left us all at a loss for words after finding that all time bad guy Valentine, unlike the holiday of the same name, is still alive and that he is not only Clarey's father, but wait for it, yes Jace's father too. Shock or all shocks, horror of all horrors, and after they had their first kiss too. Hate that. Worst of all their mother, Jocelyn is in a trace, coma like but other-worldly induced and no-one and nothing seems to be able to bring her out of it. Jocelyn is put in a mundane hospital, oh yeah, that is the name for ordinary humans, mundane's. It actually fit's, and I find the humor in it quite pleasing. So she is at the hospital and Luke, poor Luke, so in love with her, but never telling her, is holding watch at her side hoping beyond hope that something will happen. All the while, Jace and Clarey have to figure out how to act like brother and sister, when they were feeling alot more than that just a few minutes earlier. Simon still wants a relationship with Clarey, even if he is only a mundane, and then Isabella and Alex's parents are home and that brings a whole new can of worms, because it seems like "someone" has decided they don't believe the kids! The last book, I felt a lot of de ja vue, but not in this book, in fact I found this book much easier and faster to read, and I am even more excited to move on to the next book. I felt the storyline flowed a little better, less of the backstory and history, and more of the teens trying to figure things out, but a lot, and I do mean a lot of unanswered questions in this book, so the next book has a lot to answer and tell the readers.

I bought The City of Bones over a year ago and didn't care to invest in the rest of this series. Because of all the hype surrounding the movie I had to give it another shot. I reread the first book, and this one was on sale so I bought it and proceeded to powerhouse through the rest of The Mortal Instruments series - but I didn't stop there. I immediately moved on to The Clockwork Angel and powerhoused through the Infernal Devices trilogy. It probably took a week for me to get over my depression from finishing these books. :( I haven't been so invested into a book since I was a kid and the Harry Potter books were coming out. If you read City of Bones and didn't like it, just buy this book. I promise it gets sooo much better. The whole idea of "runes" was foreign to me and it really threw me off, but after finishing all of these books I came to terms with it and really enjoyed the concept. As for City of Ashes by itself, it really drew me into the world and the characters. The turmoil over Clary and Jace being brother and sister was almost too much. I really couldn't wait for the mom to wake up and tell them what was really going on. It was almost unbearable. It was so hard not to read ahead to see if maybe by some chance they weren't brother and sister in later books. So infuriating. But characters like Simon, Alec, Isabelle and most especially Magnus really came to life for me and I loved all of them. I pretty much despised all but Magnus in the first book, but Simon and Alec grew on me. I can't believe I ever disliked Simon. He's beyond awesome! Isabelle took a few more books for me to really love her. I really loved reading from all of these characters perspectives. Whenever there was dialogue with Jace, Simon, or Magnus present I would actually laugh out loud. Books rarely make me laugh externally. This is, by far, the longest book review I have ever written and I didn't even type as much as I wanted to. This series is really amazing. I cannot wait for City of Heavenly Fire to come out. Once again, if you're skeptical about this series because of City of Bones, please keep reading. It's worth it!

Haven't read them yet but these editions are so beautiful!

Just awesome! Very satisfied!

It came before the date of arrival and in perfect condicions. It is a good addition to my collection. Great series besides ;))

Que livro encantador. A capa é linda, e veio em perfeito estado.

This book lets you believe and imagine the fantasy world which is full of warriors and demons, love and betrayal. It has a thrilling plot and you can't help but get addicted to the characters. Beautifully scripted piece of work which can make your head twist and turn and your heart race a little faster! You just can't stop reading until you've completed the whole series which is indeed full of suspense and fun!