{Review:} City of Ashes

Title: City of Ashes
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: YA Fiction
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry (March 2009)
ISBN:9781416972242
Source: Kindle E-book
Available on: Amazon

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Description on GoodReads:

"Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what's normal when you're a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who's becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn't ready to let her go -- especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary's only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil -- and also her father. 
To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings -- and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?" 

Review:

We begin right were we left off. Clary is trying to adjust to the idea that her father is a monster, her mother is in a coma and she is a Nephilim that is in love with her long lost brother, Jace. Yep, pretty complicated life.

*Spoilers*

It is hard for Clary and Jace to act like siblings, when they are in love. To complicate things more Simon, Clary's best-friend gets turned into a Vampire. We also learn that Clary is able to create new more powerful runes and Jace is able to do incredible jumps. So now, Clary has to adjust to more changes, like having a Vampire ex-boyfriend/best-friend (Simon) and having to go to the City of Glass to find a powerful warlock to save her mother. I don't think that she will need to go to Club Pandemonium to get away from her simple life.

I was really hoping that Valentine was lying and Clary and Jace were not siblings. So far, they are still siblings but something tells me that in City of Glass things will clear up. If not, this is a very messed up series! It even makes me feel a little uncomfortable because I want them to be together.


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{Review:} City of Bones

Title: City of Bones
Author: Cassandra Clare
Genre: YA Fiction
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry (March 2007)
Hardcover: 485 pages
ISBN: 1416914285
Source: Kindle Edition
Available on: Amazon





Rating: 5 out of 5

Description 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.... 
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.

Review:

Before I read a book I always check out reviews and I was really confuse about this book. Some people love it others completely hated it. I decided to go ahead and read it anyway. WOW, I was completely blown away. Not because the book is a literary work of art but because it has a twist in the story that I was not expecting.

*Spoilers*

This was very different from the books I have been reading lately. Most YA stories begin with a girl describing how her life is very normal or missing something and then she meets a mysterious guy that changes her world. Then they fall in love in the next 30 pages and they end up knowing that they will be soul mates.

This book began with Clary witnessing a murder, her mother disappearing and her realizing that her mother has lied to her about her origins. She does meet a handsome stranger but things are not what they seem. She is introduced to a world of demons, warlocks and vampires. (No, the main character is not a handsome vampire he is a demon killer). So far not that different from what you were expecting. Nothing really impressive, until almost towards the end when the author adds a twist that I was not expecting. The villain of the story turns out to be her father and, Jace, the shadowhunter Clary is falling in love with turns out to be her lost brother.

Yep, this is a very dysfunctional family. I just purchased the next book in the series and I am really hoping that he is not her brother.

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

Yay, I just finished The Lightning Thief. Overall, I think the book was pretty good a 4 our of 5. I am also very happy that I finished it right when the movie came out. I can't wait to go see it with my little brother. It's going to be interesting to see all those awesome scenes described in the book. Even though I am almost sure that the book will be better than the movie, it's always that way, Hollywood can't beat my imagination. :)

**Spoilers**

I really enjoyed this book. It kept me guessing until the very end. I just can't believe that Luke tried to kill him. I really thought the friend that betrayed him was going to be Grover with all his "you humans don't understand" comments. I still don't trust Grover but I guess I am going to have to wait and read the rest of the series.

And the winner is...

The Lightning Thief! I figured I should read this book before I see the movie that comes out on theaters February 12th. I just read the first chapter so far so good. A 12 year old boy with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and dyslexia that defeats his murderous demon algebra teacher with a magic pen/sword. What's not to love. :) More to come as I continue my journey into The Lightning Thief.