Book One

I was unable to put this book down.

Tessa finds herself alone and on her way

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to London. Her only family left is her brother, Nate, and he has sent her a ticket to come live with him. She couldn’t wait. There was no money left since she sold everything to pay for her Aunt’s funeral and no where else to go. When she got to the docks, her brother wasn’t there but sent a letter telling her that he trusted the Dark Sisters and knew that they would take care of her.

She soon found out that the Dark Sisters were after a power that Tessa didn’t even realize she had. While being held captive with the fate of her brother hanging over her head, she was trained to shape shift into whomever she chose as long as she had an item of their person. After an attempted escape and failure, Tessa was overcome with a sense of never leaving until a boy, probably the cutest boy she’d ever seen came into her room. She hit him with a pitcher since it was handy. She didn’t know who he was or what he was doing there but she used her instincts first and apologized later. She had just finished hitting the maid with something and finding out that she wasn’t human but a more mechanical machine. When the boy helped Tessa out of the house, she worried that she was running from one danger to another. Her main worry was for her brother though. She didn’t want the Dark Sisters to harm him just because Tessa was being rescued.

It turns out that boy was named Will and he is a shadowhunter or Nephilim. He is a strange person but without anywhere to go, Tessa stays with the shadowhunters at the Institute until her brother is found and everyone figures out what the Magister wants with Tessa and who he is.

After following trails and having ups and downs about her love life, Tessa soon finds out a lot about her family and what it means to be a family.

I really enjoyed this story. I only have one downfall. I just kept waiting for Jaycee to come into the picture until I was able to put a time line together. I am so thrilled with this new series and can’t wait until Clare’s next one comes out. I will be waiting with very impatient arms. Great Read!!!

The Mortal Instruments

Clary has had a bad time. Her best friend has been turned into a vampire. Her mother, Jocelyn, is unconscious by her own hand. The boy she’s in love with is really her brother. Luke, her father in everyway that counts, is a werewolf. Things aren’t the same as they were since she witnessed three Shadowhunters kill a demon who looked human.

After Clary found out that her mother put a spell on herself, she is determined to fix her with the help of a warlock named Ragnor Fell. The only problem is that he lives in Alicante, the City of Glass, the shadowhunter city. Clary has made plans to go to the Clave and find Fell to help her mother. Of course, Jace, her brother, has other plans. He didn’t tell anyone the special powers that Clary has and wasn’t sure what the Clave would do to her. Jace decided that he’d use Simon to help convince Clary to give up on going to Alicante. During their conversation the Forsaken attacked them and Simon was pulled into the Portal by Jace in order to save his life. Complications arise when Jace broke the law by bringing a downworlder to the city. After being left behind, Clary decides to find her own way there and opens her own Portal (unheard of by others) to get to Alicante. Luke follows her to keep her out of trouble. That is breaking the law itself by him coming there. He is also a downworlder.

I have grown to love these characters and hate a few too. I really get into this world that Clare has created. With Clary having such difficulty over her friendship with Simon and her relationship with Jace. Simon is in love with her but I think that Clary doesn’t want him not only because he is comfortable but changing their relationship is a big step and one that you can’t go back to, no matter what. Her feelings for Jace are disturbing since he’s her brother and there can’t be anything more between them. She feels that Simon could be the distraction that is needed. Simon can see through Clary like glass so he isn’t fooled. Their relationship is short lived but they seem to surprisingly remain as close friends as before. Jace is wonderful in many ways and in others as hateful as his father. Alec is still fighting his sexuality and whether he wants to tell his parents about Magnus. Valentine is up to something and even being warned, the Clave still don’t want to believe that anyone can come between the City of Glass and the Shadowhunters or can they?

I hope you have read the previous novels in this series. If not then I have really let the cat out of the bag for you. I still think that this series is well worth reading. I have read these books more than once and stay excited throughout the entire series. I laughed, I cried, I screamed at this book, as well as the other two and I hope you can delve into this the way I did. Again 2 thumbs up.

City of Bones – City of Ashes – City of Glass

Clary has been through a lot. She found her mother, Jocelyn, but she is still unconscious. The mundane hospital has no clue what is wrong with her. Luke is at the hospital everyday. Clary in the meantime is having problems with her feelings for Jace who is her brother. So much has happened and Clary is left to deal with it. Luke and his pack of werewolves and then there is Simon. She tries to have a relationship with him because he loves her and she loves him but in a different way. She wishes that Simon were her brother instead of Jace.

Problems with Valentine arise and Jace has to find the truth through all the lies. The Clave isn’t what is seems. After one Mortal Instrument is gone, the Cup, in City of Bones, Valentine is after another Instrument. He has an idea about what he wants and wants Jace to help him, but will Jace refuse? Simon on the other hand is having difficulties with Jace and Clary’s relationship and dealing with his previous fight against the vampires. Alec is starting to have feelings for Magnus Bane, the High Warlock of Brooklyn. Although he still has a thing for Jace but knows that Jace doesn’t want him. Clary learns that she can make up runes and they aren’t no joke.

The Lightwoods, Jace’s adopted parents, are trying to piece together Jace’s involvement with Valentine and decide that they can’t trust him. Kicking him out was the only option to keep everyone safe. Without anywhere to go, Jace turns to his father. You’ll have to read the rest for yourself. It’s well worth every minute.

This series is a must read. The characters are phenominal and the story itself is full of action and adventure. Your imagination will come alive with this book. Don’t forget to read City of Glass, the third book in this series. I have read this series time and again.

The Mortal Instruments

Clary is a “mundie” and oblivious to the love of her best friend for 10 years, Simon. She is normal or thinks she is from living in the mundane world and without the knowledge of her past. Her mother, Jocelyn, although seeming loved and overprotective isn’t actually who Clary thought she was.  Already Clary is suspicious about seeing people who no one else can see. They called themselves Shadowhunters and they kill demons. She watched one demon fold into itself and vanish before her eyes after they killed it. The shadowhunters she met that night were Jace, Isabelle, and Alec. Different from normal humans was her first thought. They had tattoos on their bodies.

The following night her mother calls frantically, telling her not to come home but gives no details. Of course the first thing she does is go home. Left on her own,  she ran into a demon at her house and kills it surprisingly. Jace shows up after and takes her to the Institute. He tells her all the stories are true about werewolves, demons, vampires, warlocks and his job is to kill them. Overwhelmed by too much information and the venom from the demon, Clary passes out and wakes up to a new world. Things are the same but not the same. Her mother has disappeared and she can see things that others can’t.  It seems that everyone is looking for the Mortal Cup and no one wants Valentine to get his hands on it. Although Clary knows nothing about the Mortal Cup or how dangerous Valentine is, she is determined to find her mother. Maybe finding the Cup will save her mother.Learning all about the Circle from Hodge puts a new perspective on how she thinks of her mother, Jocelyn, the Shadowhunter. Not knowing why she was thrust into this new life is something she has to figure out. Will the shadowhunters help her?

Such a wonderful book. My interest was peaked from the beginning. I really enjoyed this book. Clare has such an imagination and the way she gives that to you through words is amazing. I didn’t have to think just read and my mind was thrust into New York City and Clary’s world with ease. The entire story is well thought out and keeps you intrigued all the way through. The twists and turns are fantastic.

If I had more than 2 thumbs, I’d put them up but being a mundie myself I have only 2 hands. Definately recommend this book and those that follow in The Mortal Instruments series, City of Ashes, and City of Glass.