The Mortal Instruments: City of Ashes (Book Two)

Reader reviewed by An_d

I did not think that the sequel would even tap into the magic that the first book (City of Bones) held, but it surpassed it!  WOW. WOW. WOW.  City of Ashes continues on Clary's journey into a new and unknown world to her.  Love, friendship, demons, vampires, love, fear, horror, betrayal, werewolves, love, action, wizards, battle, lies, twists, flying motorcycles, fairies, and more love.  You will be on the edge of your seat as she charts into unknown territory and then burst into laughter from snarky comments or silly situations.  You will cry with her over heartaches and confusion.  And you will cheer her on as she stands her ground with demons and evil swirling around her!  Most importantly, you will love every word of this book.  I recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy/urban fantasy/romance!  

Reader reviewed by holly

amazing, everyone should read this! Also it's a bit like twilight if you look closely. I must admit that some of the explaining part, as i call them, can be quite boring. but what can you do? Other than that the foour way love story is written well, but sad...anyway read this for a great fantasy/romance read!

Reader reviewed by Stephanie

Winter has begun to settle over the busy streets of New York City, a far cry from the sweltering days when Clary Fray first discovered the magical world she had been blind to. She now has a newly-found brother and father. There are several complications to that, though. Jace, her infuriatingly arrogant and good-looking older brother, can't help but capture her heart in a way she knows is impossible. And Valentine, Jace and Clary's father, just happens to be the most dangerous Shadowhunter of all time, dedicated to "purifying" the world of Downworlders--werewolves, vampires, faeries, and the like--and willing to slaughter anyone who will get in his way.

In this second installment, Valentine has stolen the sacred Soul-Sword, which will give him ultimate control over all the demons if he performs a horrifying sacrificial ceremony. Jace, Clary (who is just beginning to understand her Shadowhunter abilities) and their friends work desperately to stop him, but it seems like the Clave itself seems to want to stop THEM. At least, they want Jace. The Inquisitor, a scary woman with no small resemblance in personality to Professor Umbridge of the Harry Potter series, is determined to punish Jace as being Valentine's spy.

And those are just the big problems. More personal but no less hurtful to Clary are her feelings towards two guys: her best friend Simon, whom she may not love enough, and Jace, whom she probably loves too much. She has no idea what she wants, but they all know one thing: to love is to be destroyed, to be trapped, to be in danger.

CITY OF ASHES brings back everything I liked in Cassandra Clare's first book and more. The dialogue continues to be refreshingly witty; there is no lack of action and danger, which will satisfy our adventurous sides, while the love triangle will ensnare our sensitive side.

Reader reviewed by the book muncher

Readers are brought back into the exciting world introduced in Cassandra Clare incredible City of Bones. Clarys life can no longer be normal. Her mother is in a coma, her father is deranged, her best friend may no longer be human, and she has feelings that she shouldnt have toward her brother Jace. Someone is murdering Downworlder children and has stolen the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword. Clary and Jace suspect it to be Valentine with another evil plot, and they know they must stop him. Their world is on the brink of war. Soon, they are swept up into another dangerous adventure as they struggle to save the ones they love as well as their own lives in this epic power struggle.

If possible, City of Ashes was even better than its prequel City of Bones. The story has non-stop action which kept me on the edge of my seat in suspense. I also highly enjoyed the love tensions among nearly all the characters. The story was just as unforgettable as the first, and the end left me hungering for more. City of Ashes is the type of story that I want to read over and over because it is just such a well-written and amazing story.

The characters in City of Ashes are just incredible. Clary is my hero; shes strong and resourceful, even if she sometimes doubts herself. Jace is an alternate form of Edward Cullen; hes sexy and will give anything to protect the ones he loves. The cast of characters from the Mortal Instruments series are some of my favorite fictional characters ever. They make me wish I could participate in their attractive, although dangerous, world.

I most definitely recommend the Mortal Instruments series to every eager reader out there (if you couldnt already tell from my excited raving). Fans of supernatural series such as the Twilight series or the A Great and Terrible Beauty series, among others, will certainly fall in love with this amazing story. If youve already read City of Bones but not yet its sequel, then get on it! And if you havent even begun the series, youd better get started. I promise you wont regret investing your time in this incredible series.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com