Sometimes it's hard to describe your love for a book without sounding sycophantic. I can tell you that I'm the biggest Alec and Magnus shipper out there (because I am) and that eight out of my past 11 tweets have been about City of Lost Souls, but I don't think I can properly convey my love for this series unless I talk about its characters.

I've never really understood how someone could love, or even like someone who makes many stupid mistakes. Perhaps I understood, but I never felt like I could do the same, until I read this book. This book taught me that sometimes, when you possess enough empathy and caring for someone - in this case, a fictional character - it's possible to forgive them and love them all the same.

And it's not even like the characters in this book make that many mistakes. Sure, they screw up sometimes, but in the end they are so well-written, masterfully-developed, human, and just worthy of forgiveness and all the cheers they get from their fans. No one is perfect, but by reading this book and connecting with all of the characters I've come to realize that perhaps people's imperfections are what makes them in a way that much closer to perfection.

As far as City of Lost Souls goes, Cassandra Clare does her thing and adds another splendid addition to the Mortal Instruments series. I laughed out loud quite a few times, and as always I rapidly flipped pages to discover what was going to happen next. Everything flowed well, with Clare incorporating the right amount of rising action to create a mind-exploding climax. Once again, I must mention how much I loved the characters in this book. Jace regains his more of his snide and sexy side, Isabelle serves as the strong and scandalous sister and Shadowhunter, Simon continues to be his nerdy and adorable self, and even Clary impressed me with her cunning and quick-mindedness in this one.

On a side note, I cried for twenty minutes after finishing this book. I need to start a chart or a list or something, it would be interesting to see which books made me cry the longest. This one certainly deserves its place at the top.

Speaking of the top, you need to read this book if you are a fan of the Mortal Instruments series! If you haven't started the series, what are you waiting for? I exhort you to go to the library or the bookstore and borrow or buy a copy. You will not regret it. Go!

... and now that the more formal part of my review is over, I feel like I deserve to fanboy Alec and Magnus a little bit. Oh my gosh, I loved them in this book. The cover should have featured Alec and Magnus, because they played quite a prominent part in the development of the plot in City of Lost Souls. In my review of this book on my blog I've included a picture of all the Alec and Magnus moments I marked. It's wonderful. Now to discuss spoilers - do not click the button below if you haven't read the book! Also, please don't include spoilers in your comments without the proper spoiler tag. Message me instead. We can talk... and if you still haven't read City of Lost Souls, stop reading this and get it now!

(view spoiler)[Okay, that ending literally made me cry for twenty minutes. I guess Alec deserved it because when he was visiting Camille I was angry at him too, but that whole scene in the subway tunnel tore my heart into little pieces. I've reread it about twenty times. How Alec's hands shook so much he dropped the witch light, how they kissed one last time, how Magnus said that he stilled love Alec but that it wasn't enough... my heart will remain broken until 2014. She cannot end it like that. She simply can't. (hide spoiler)].

*review cross-posted from my blog, the quiet voice.