City of Ashes (Mortal Instruments #2)

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?

*May Contain Spoilers*

Cassandra Clare delivers everything a reader could hope for in her second installment of the Mortal Instruments series, City of Ashes. She picks up directly where she left off in City of Bones and carries readers away into her invisible city of Shadowhunters, demons, werewolves, vampires, and magic. 

The focus remains on Clary, whose life was turned upside down when her evil father, Valentine, showed up ready to take down the Clave. As a main character in a series, Clary will certainly evolve as the story line continues. In City of Ashes, readers begin to see the evolution. Her naivete is slowly diminishing and her strength is definitely growing. Clary is becoming the epitome of courage and loyalty, two traits that readers will love. Nothing's better than a strong female character and Clary has her sights set on the label, though she still struggles with teenage angst and uncertainty. The bond established in the first novel solidifies in this sequel, pulling readers in with an undeniable force. 

The Mortal Instruments plot continues and deepens when Valentine steals the second mortal instrument, the Soul-Sword, from the Silent Brothers. Jace believes that Valentine is preparing for a ritual that will allow him to control an army of demons. No one wants that to happen but no one will believe Jace, foreshadowing dark times for our favorite Shadowhunters. Meanwhile, Simon is becoming a Vampire and may die in the process, downworlders are being murdered, and everyone's speaking too literally for the truth to be found. It's left to Jace, Clary, Alec, and Isabelle to stop Valentine before it's too late and demons are under his rule, destroying the Clave and leaving the world unprotected. 

Rating: 4.5/5 Cups