City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments Book Two) by Cassandra Clare

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.

4 Stars

Wow. This story has gotten way better in the second book. There's still some creepy incest lingering in the air, however it is a gentle breeze that can be shrugged off. There is a lot of action in this book, plenty of new demons, new magical items, and new plot twists. We meet a few new characters and they are fully developed by the end of this installment. I have to say it is truly worth getting through the mundaneness of the first book to experience this one. Again, the language is beautiful. Be careful of some 1 star reviews, they tend to misquote the text. That being said, her imagery is not contradictory, it is eloquently descriptive.

~Kat