City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments, #2) in Open Book Society

Dec 24, 2011 The Lit Bitch rated it really liked it · review of another edition

1, 2, 3 ACTION! From the first page of Cassandra Clare’s thrilling YA series, The Mortal Instruments, the second book of the series, City of Ashes–readers can expect one thing…ACTION. So much happens in this book, while a lot happened in City of Bones, I felt like the first book in the series was more about foundation laying than this second book…in this book things happen at an alarming pace! See my full review here ...more

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Dec 16, 2010 Aimie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: romance, young-adult, paranormal, action

Okay well I love the characters of this series. But the forbidden love between Jace and Clary is really bugging me now. They either need to get over it and accept that they are brother and sister or get it on and deal with the consequences! loved the basic over all plot though.

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Jan 20, 2010 Nicole rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, signed-by-the-author, angels-nephilim

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Wow what a great sequel to City of Bones!! I'm so glad I started this series after all the books came out so I wouldn't be hyperventilating while waiting for the next book.

The first book really leaves you hanging in the romance department and this one picks it up right from where it left off. The whole Simon thing gets a little crazier which just adds to the suspense of who she's going to choose now that Simon is apparently her boyfriend. And not only that but he's a vampire too, and I'm glad Cl ...more

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Apr 04, 2010 OpenBookSociety.com rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Brought by OBS staff member Farrha
http://openbooksociety.com/article/ca...

Book Two: The Mortal Intstruments Series

Summary
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 fr ...more

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Jul 08, 2011 Julie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: bookclub-reads, outdo-yourself-challenge-2013

City of Ashes starts out with a an action scene and pretty much doesn't stop. While the first book was slower and focused more on developing the background, this book doesn't waste much time rehashing the world building and just jumps right in. This book was definitely darker and more sinister than the first, with our villain Valentine going after another of the Mortal Instruments and murdering Downworlder children to use their blood for his evil plans. We also learn that Valentine did something City of Ashes starts out with a an action scene and pretty much doesn't stop. While the first book was slower and focused more on developing the background, this book doesn't waste much time rehashing the world building and just jumps right in. This book was definitely darker and more sinister than the first, with our villain Valentine going after another of the Mortal Instruments and murdering Downworlder children to use their blood for his evil plans. We also learn that Valentine did something to his children, even though he supposedly never even met Clary, and Jace and Clary discover their really cool abilities, somewhat accidentally on Clary's part, and are able to use them to fight back. I really like Clary's ability, she's definitely the more behind the scenes of the two since Jace is all about action, so I think their abilities fit them very well.

I really enjoy dark and emotionally intense stories, that's why I prefer the paranormal genre - bad stuff happens to all my favorite characters and that makes it all the more fun to read. I love when my characters go through something so difficult and then are able to get past it and let it make them stronger. I think some of that is happening in this series. Jace and Clary, who found out they're brother and sister at the end of book 1, are crazy in love with each other and don't know what to do about their forbidden romance. They're both fighting their feelings and trying to give into their feelings at different times in this book, and that was getting annoying to me. Unless the author is planning on having them get together despite everything, this brother-sister unrequited love plot line should stop. But this is probably the only thing I didn't like about the book. But back to the dark and emotionally intense - Simon! If you thought Simon getting turned into a rat and kidnapped in book 1 was bad, wow wait until you find out what happens to him in this book. I'm not going into any spoilers but omg I did not see any of that coming. Poor Simon! He really does go through a lot of.. um.. changes? in this book but I think in the end it will be alright. His story is definitely the most interesting one for me, with Clary's abilities a close second. I'm excited to read book 3 for next month's discussion, especially since this one ends in a bit of a cliffhanger about Jace and Clary's mother! ...more

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Mar 16, 2009 Annabell rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Sequel to Cassandra Clare's "City of Bones," and was happy to read it was actually good. Most sequels usually suck. But some of the chapters dragged on too much in dialouge and description and were too long. And I didn't understand why the author would continue to have Clary and Jace have feelings for each other if they are siblings.

But I still LOVED it but still enjoyed the first one more. And am looking froward to reading the third installment and seeing how this whole saga ends. ...more

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Apr 10, 2011 Nicole rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Everything that comes from this series is amazing, and I love Alec and Magnus!! I kind of wish this had been in the book :$

Merged review:

Loved this part from Jace's POV... *sigh* ...more

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Jan 06, 2012 Jazzy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

City of Ashes was good! Simon a vampire and dumped Clary for Maia...but I also have realized that I have to face the fact that Clary and Jace will never be together

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