Book Reviews: City of Ashes, P.S. I love You, The Iron Daughter

Goodreads 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 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?

In this breathtaking sequel to City of Bones, Cassandra Clare lures her readers back into the dark grip of New York City's Downworld, where love is never safe and power becomes the deadliest temptation.
Why I Read This Book: Another series book that I am working through. I think I may have had this on a challenge list this year as well.

Review: I love the shadowhunter world, and this book was no exception. Clary and Jace are getting a bit weird, but whatever. I thought this was a good sequel book. Definitely moved the plot along nicely. Can't wait to get to the next one.

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Goodreads Summary: A novel about holding on, letting go, and learning to love again.

Now in paperback, the endearing novel that captured readers' hearts and introduced a fresh new voice in women's fiction Cecelia Ahern.

Holly couldn't live without her husband Gerry, until the day she had to. They were the kind of young couple who could finish each other's sentences. When Gerry succumbs to a terminal illness and dies, 30-year-old Holly is set adrift, unable to pick up the pieces. But with the help of a series of letters her husband left her before he died and a little nudging from an eccentric assortment of family and friends, she learns to laugh, overcome her fears, and discover a world she never knew existed.

The kind of enchanting novel with cross-generational appeal that comes along once in a great while, PS, I Love You is a captivating love letter to the world!

Why I Read This Book: This book was on my Monthly Key Word Challenge list for February.

Review: I liked this book, but didn't love it. It was good. It tells the sad story of a widow trying to overcome her grief. I can't fully appreciate Holly's story, as thankfully I have never had to go through that. Even though it was sad, it was written in a generally light-hearted way so that it was still enjoyable to read and not miserable.

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Goodreads Summary: Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.

Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.
Why I Read This Book: This was my March book for the Paranormal Reading Challenge.

Review: This was a pretty good sequel to the first book that I really liked. It had enough in it to keep it interesting and surprising. I was happy with it. Some things happened that I definitely wasn't expecting, and also some good news in it as well, which I don't want to spoil for anyone so I won't say.

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City of Bones - Cassandra Clare

Goodreads Summary: When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder -- much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing -- not even a smear of blood -- to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . . . 

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

Why I Read This Book: I was a big fan of the book Clockwork Angel, also by Clare, and set in the same 'world' in a different time period. I am intertwining these two series' by reading them in this order:

Clockwork Angel (The Inferal Devices)
City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments)
City of Ashes (TMI)
Clockwork Prince (TID)
City of Glass (TMI)
City of Fallen Angels (TMI)
Clockwork Princess (TID)
City of Lost Souls (TMI)
City of Heavenly Fire (TMI)

She claims it doesn't matter what order you read them, so after I stressed for awhile, I settled on this order based on absolutely no rhyme or reason. Since there are 6 books in one series, and 3 in another I thought this was an epic reading plan.


Review: I really loved this book. The Shadowhunters world is one of my favorites. After reading Clockwork Angel, I knew a lot of the things that Jace teaches Clary from when Will taught Tessa, but it was awesome to read again, as you pick up things you missed last time. I loved the story, it was really engaging, and I can't wait to read the next book. There was ONE thing that did get a little bit on my nerves though... Clare does not need to use so many similes to describe the runes scars. I've got it, they are there, all Shadowhunter have them. I no longer need to know that they were like lace, or like a random pattern of snowflakes, or... if you read these books, you get the idea. No more similes! You do not need to mention them on the same person over and over. A new person, sure. It can help identify that they are a Shadowhunter without just saying "they are a shadowhunter" but, seriously, I have a pretty good grasp on the imagery the scars hold. Otherwise, awesome book, I would recommend it to anyone into paranormal stuff or magic too. These books are fantastic.

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