Addicted to The Mortal Instruments

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare is the adrenaline-pumping second installment in the Mortal Instruments trilogy. I was skeptical that Clare could make the second book as great as City of Bones, but I was pleasantly surprised. Still torn between their feelings toward one another and the distance they must keep from one another, Jace and Clary must team up again to face the evil Valentine, the man they now know to be their father. But is he really their father, or is he merely manipulating them like pawns in his newest game of  taking the blood of each type of downworlder to gain control of the demonic world? City of Ashes is filled with suspense, surprises and memorable characters, both good and evil.  Simon, especially, takes on a larger role in City of Ashes, and Clary finds herself torn between real affection from her childhood friend and the impossible love she knows she can never have. I give City of Ashes five stars for keeping my heart pounding, breaking, and racing from start to finish. I have even persuaded our beloved school media specialist to order the books for our library. The final installment in the trilogy, City of Glass, debuts on March 24–just in time for my birthday! So if my husband hasn’t pre-ordered it for me already, I hope he does ASAP (Kevin, if you’re reading this, that was a HUGE hint).