[REVIEW] City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

Published: March 2009
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Age Group: Young Adult
Series: The Mortal Instruments #3

To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters -- never mind that enter-ing the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.

As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadow-hunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadow-hunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City -- whatever the cost?

Love is a mortal sin and the secrets of the past prove deadly as Clary and Jace face down Valentine in the final installment of the New York Times bestselling trilogy The Mortal Instruments. (From Goodreads)

As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadow-hunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadow-hunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City -- whatever the cost?
Love is a mortal sin and the secrets of the past prove deadly as Clary and Jace face down Valentine in the final installment of the New York Times bestselling trilogy The Mortal Instruments.City of Glass is the third book in the Mortal Instruments series.

In this book, Clary finds herself on a long journey to the City of Glass itself, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters, to find a cure for her mother. Jace is being an overprotective, brother-like figure and attempts to reject his feelings for Clary. Simon ends up being imprisoned because the Shadowhunters are curious as to how he can walk during the day if he is a vampire.

A new character is also introduced, Sebastian, a supposed distant relative to a friend of the Lightwoods. I say supposed because Sebastian turns out to be a very evil person with a history to match it.

So basically this book was probably the ending of the series before Cassandra Clare decided to do three more. Like every series ending book, there's a HUGE battle at the end of it. Valentine is almost done completing his quest for the three Mortal instruments and the climax is very shocking. The battle itself against the demons and the downworlders plus shadowhunters isn't that prominent.

It's actually the battle between Sebastian and Jace that is much more intense and answers alot of unanswered questions. When Valentine completes his quest and summons the angel, the results of it are also very shocking. this entire book was probably filled with surprise after another.

Jace and Clary can also truly love one another after this because of some interesting facts that are revealed in this book. Some characters also die and secret relationships are annouced.

Honestly, this book would have been perfectly fine if it was the final book. I think Cassandra Clare wrote the ending so well that she could have just left it or write a sequel. It was an open yet still a form of an ending. The setting is always very detailed and every word just jumps out at you.

When I read a book in this series, I really feel like i can see what is happening, the words are that detailed. Definitely read this book if you haven't and read the series if you haven't either!

5/5!
(originally posted in the TPL Word Out program)

[REVIEW] City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

Published: March 2007
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Age Group: Young Adult
Series: The Mortal Instruments #1

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. (From Goodreads)

I don't know why it took me this long to start this series. I also have no idea why i thought this was about fairies...but anyway, the City of Bones is the first book in the Mortal Instruments series. 

The Mortal Instruments series follows Clary Fray who finds out about the world of shadowhunters and "Downworld" creatures (werewolves, vampires etc.) In the City of Bones, Clary is introduced to the shadowhunters when she accidentally sees them doing their job at a night club she frequents. 

From there, the story takes off at a quick pace but i like quick paced stories and this one was quick but still had all the details so you didn't get lost. There, Clary meets Jace Wayland and the Lightwoods and they tell her more about their world and what they do. 

The whole plot of the series is revealed and the main villian is also introduced, that being Valentine, who is actually Clary's father. This is one of the reason's why i love this series, it's Cassandra Clare's sudden plot twists that leave be so eager to pick up the next book which is why i'm very glad the series is now extended to SIX volumes as oppose to three. 

Anyway, as most stories follow, Clary has a childhood friend, Simon, who is (no surprise) in love with her and then of course, Clary also loves someone else and a really sudden plot twist completely ruins their relationship. I'm usually the one who can easily predict what will happen in a story but when i came upon this revealement, i was so shocked i had to read it a couple more times, that's how amazing Cassandra Clare is. 

The settings in this story are explained with much clarity and the author often goes in to the details of the surroundings. The plot is typical but the use of angels in this book is one i have never read about, which is always good considering the many angel books that have been published. The shadowhunters are the nephilim, which are usually described as the beings that are half human and half angel. 

This book mixes in the bible stories of the angels and mixes it with fiction to combine them in to something completely new and exciting to read about. 

Each character is also developed differently and the author takes care in giving them each a different personality that is very apparent in the book. 

I can't wait to read the next one and I definitely recommand this series to you if you haven't already read it.





5/5!
(originally posted in the TPL Word Out program)