CITY OF ASHES BY CASSANDRA CLARE

City of Ashes Cassandra Clare

Release Date: March 25, 2008
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Age Group: Young Adult

Pages: 464
Source: Bought
Buy this book: Amazon

Synopsis (from Goodreads): As readers of series starter City of Bones already know, teenager Clary Fray is a Shadowhunter, a demon slayer who has the gift (?) of spotting Downworlder werewolves, vampires, and faeries. She is also an adolescent in an abnormally dysfunctional family: Her mom is in a magically induced coma and her father is probably insane and undoubtedly evil. All of which places Clary in situations that would challenge even the most talented average American girl.

City of Ashes was an exciting read that did not disappoint, I was expecting a little bit of a slump in the second book, I don’t know why, but in my experience most sequels are not as good as the first. I am very glad to say that this was not the case. City of Ashes is my favourite of the two series thus far! There was constant action gripping me at every page. It really was a roller-coaster ride in the best sense. Also, I still find the revelation of the brother sister relationship between Clary and Jace is still hard for me to digest. However, I feel that Cassandra Clare has some secrets up her sleeve and that everything isn’t what it seems. 

A lot of my favourite characters from the first book are back with the addition of some really good new characters that I have come to love and have high hopes for. If you haven’t read City of Ashes yet, I suggest you definitely do so. Cassandra Clare’s world of fantasy yet again lures you in and doesn’t let go! I can’t wait to begin reading City of Glass!

xoxo

CITY OF BONES BY CASSANDRA CLARE

City of Bones By Cassandra Clare

Release Date: March 27, 2007

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry

Age group: Young Adult
Pages: 496

Buy this book: Amazon

Synopsis (from Goodreads): 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.... 

Lush, gripping, entrancing. City of Bones was all this and more. The opening hook sucks you right in and you find that you cannot put it down until the very end. I instantly fell in love with the characters and the world that they inhabited. I was introduced to a whole cast of characters that I became involved with. Clary, Jace, Simon, Isabelle, Alec, Magnus, Luke, Hodge, Jocelyn, Valentine to name a few. Some I loved, some I definitely didn't even like but I wanted to see more of them all.

The story is one that I feel will appeal to both young and older readers. The characters, although young, are faced with real world issues and dangers and handle them as adults. Also, a strong point of City of Bones is the setting. The story takes place in New York (a city that I have always wanted to visit) where mundanes (regular humans) are oblivious to the world of the Shadowhunters and Downworlders. Clary, our heroine, is oblivious to this world until one day she encounters Jace and Isabelle at a club. Jace kills a demon, who looks like a boy, or does he? This is the beginning of Clary's adventure.

While I did love the book as whole the ending did leave me shocked and baffled. Not to give anything away but the revelation at the end was not how things were presented in the book and so there was a bit of a disconnect. Nevertheless, the story was exciting until the end.

If you are looking for a fantasy novel that will captivate you City of Bones is it. This is one that is just too good to miss.