City of Ashes

Title:  City of Ashes

Author:  Cassandra Clare

Publisher:  Simon & Schuster

Publish Date: 25 March 2008

Pages: 453

ISBN:  978-1-4169-7724-2

Source:  Bought

Genre:  YA, angels, demons

Series:  The Mortal Instruments

Other books in series:  City of Bones, City of Glass, City of Fallen Angels, City of Lost Souls, City of Heavenly Fire (September 2014)

Rating: Liked

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.

**WARNING: Spoiler Alert if you haven’t read City of Bones**

Clary Fray has found her mother, Jocelyn, so now what?  Jocelyn is in a magically induced coma, one that was supposed to keep her from revealing secrets to Valentine, her once husband.  Clary must figure out how to reverse the coma.  Luke, her long-time family friend and Alpha of the local werewolf pack, Simon and the Shadowhunters are there to help her.  She figures that the only way to find the answers she seeks is to track down her father, Valentine.  That sounds easy, right?  Except for the fact that all the Shadowhunters are looking for him as a traitor, so he is hidden well.

Clary just recently found out that the guy she was attracted to, Jace, is actually her brother.  This doesn’t help matters any because she still has feelings for him and they have to see each other a lot as Shadowhunters.  The inquisitor comes to the Institute to question the Lightwoods after the disappearance of The Mortal Cup.   After that, Jace was sent to the prisons in the Silent City so they could figure out what he knew about Valentine.  Only the Silent Brothers didn’t have time to go through his mind because Valentine showed up and stole another Mortal Instrument.  Because Jace was unarmed and still in the prison when the Shadowhunters eventually showed up, they thought he had a part in stealing of the Mortal Instrument. 

Will Clary find what she needs to help her mother?  What will happen to Jace now that the Clave thinks that he is guilty?

I like the fact that Valentine is shown having some compassion in this book, even though he is the villain.  This being the second book in The Mortal Instrument series, it didn’t fail to keep me interested in the plot.  Just when you thought all the questions were answered and nothing else could happen, the questions change.  Even though a lot of things happen, it doesn’t seem like it is excessive.  I really like this series and cannot wait to read more of it.  The cover photo is that of Clary Fray.