City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

Title: City of Fallen Angels
Author: Cassandra Clare
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: April 5th, 2011
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Pages: 424
Format: NookBook
Acquired: Bought
Interest: Series
Others in the Series: City of Bones, City of Ashes, & City of Glass
Age Group: Young Adult

The Mortal War is over, and sixteen-year-old Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. She's training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Her mother is getting married to the love of her life. Downworlders and Shadowhunters are at peace at last. And - most importantly of all - she can finally call Jace her boyfriend.

But nothing comes without a price.

Someone is murdering Shadowhunters who used to be in Valentine's Circle, provoking tensions between Downworlders and Shadowhunters that could lead to a second bloody war. Clary's best friend, Simon, can't help her. His mother just found out that he's a vampire and now he's homeless. Everywhere he turns, someone wants him on their side - along with the power of the curse that's wrecking his life. And they're willing to do anything to get what they want. At the same time he's dating two beautiful, dangerous girls - neither of whom knows about the other one.

When Jace begins to pull away from Clary without explaining why, she is forced to delve into the heart of a mystery whose solution reveals her worst nightmare: She herself has set in motion a terrible chain of events that could lead to her losing everything she loves. Even Jace.

And so the epicness continues. Honestly, I think with each book the series just continues to get better and better. It truly knows how to take a hold of the reader and pull a spell over them into the world of Shadowhunters and the love that Jace and Clary battle on a daily bases. 

Now with the war over a new battle looms. One that no one is prepared for and the love that Clary has for Jace is threatened, while Simon becomes Downworlder #1 on everyone's list. 

I love the fact that Cassandra Clare continued the series, but I especially love how Simon has finally taken a stronger rule. I know that this book was primarily for him, and so I'm glad that we finally get a closer look at his life. A Downworlder who is trying to have the best of both worlds, but sadly that's not how things will be for him. 

And the fact that Clare was able to tie this nicely with what happened in the original trilogy helps make the connection, I think, a little better. Clare doesn't bring in something new and shocking and creates a new story. She recycles what has already been brought and makes it 10X more threatening. 

And, of course, the ending had me gasping. I could not believe what had just happened, and all I can say is that I am so glad the next book is already out because that ending killed me. Just ripped me inside. Though, I think I may need a break, because I know if I read CoLS I will just completely and utterly lose it, and not to mention have a longer wait for the final book. 

Clare is a mastermind and has created a world that I have no idea how she was able to come up with. Some of those demons I just find so creative and that woman's imagination must be running on wildfire. 

Haunting, beautiful, captivating, this series will leave you wanting more and more. The reader will never want to leave this world. 

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

Title: City of Glass
Author: Cassandra Clare
Info: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Release Date: March 24th, 2009
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Pages: 541
Format: NookBook
Acquired: Bought
Interest: Series
Others in the Series: City of Bones & City of Ashes
Age Group: Young Adult

To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters - never mind that entering 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 Shadowhunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadowhunters 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?

I got the first four books together and had been reading them back to back, but when I got to this book I could not truly finish reading it. In fact I barely got half-way before my anger over Cassandra Clare and the world she created forced me not to stop. By the time I hit this book I was emotionally invested into this series and while I love drama and torturing characters, I am also a hopeless romantic and want to see character's together. Its usually that little happiness between the main leads that reminds me that through all this mess things will be alright. 

But Clare ruined it for me with this whole Jace/Clary brother/sister thing going on. Weird how one little thing could drive an entire decision to leave the book? Yeah, I didn't get it either at the time, but that's what happened. 

Afterwards getting swamped with school, work, and other reviews I never really got back to this story. I usually like to put books that drive me nuts aside for a little while to give me time to cool off, and I'm glad to know that method still works. By the time I picked up where I left off I was calm and cool and collected enough to push through everything, and I am so glad I did. 

Clare never disappoints in this book series. It was one disaster after another and the way the characters were thrust in different directions only to come back together in the end was just amazing. I just loved the way Clare build everything up and made it a ride worth remembering. There was so much growth, I barely recognized Clary, and there was so many connections and answers that needed fixing. 

And is Clare the Queen of Foreshadow or what? Half of everything that went on made a person want to smack their forehead like, "Duh!" Okay, maybe they were a little obvious to me because I'm late on this series, so I had already bought the fourth and fifth book, and my little craziness drove me to read the blurbs. It was out of my control, I swear! So I may, on some level, have been driven to finish reading this book because I knew of the way things would more or less end, which helped me keep control. 

Still, if I hadn't been such a cheat, I would probably never have caught them. And yet when it was brought all together it was almost like road signs had been laid out, yet a person still got lost. But with some guidance they got back to their original path. Go figure. 

I know this was supposed to be the last book, but I am so glad that the series is continuing. While the ending was fitting there was still a lot that went unanswered. And while I don't know the whole story about how the next three books were supposed to be laid out contrast to what Clare actually did, I am still glad the whole gang will be back. 

This series is amazing and Clare is an extraordinary writer. Her complex story-line and interesting characters come together in magical ways that make the story a beautiful and haunting piece of work.