Julie's Review: In Another Life

Author: Julie Christine Johnson
Series: None
Publication Date: February 2, 2016
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Pages: 368
Obtained: publisher
Genre:  Historical Fiction, Paranormal
Rating: 5/5
Bottom Line: Captivating
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Summary: Historian Lia Carrer has finally returned to southern France, determined to rebuild her life after the death of her husband. But instead of finding solace in the region's quiet hills and medieval ruins, she falls in love with Raoul, a man whose very existence challenges everything she knows about life--and about her husband's death. As Raoul reveals the story of his past to Lia, she becomes entangled in the echoes of an ancient murder, resulting in a haunting and suspenseful journey that reminds Lia that the dead may not be as far from us as we think. Steeped in the rich history and romantic landscape of the Languedoc region, In Another Life is a story of love that conquers time and the lost loves that haunt us all. ~amazon.com  

Review: In Another Life is an amazing book. It is flawless in how the story comes together. It has history, romance and mystery woven into the story line. Lia is lost since the unexpected death of her husband 18 months earlier. She finds herself fading away into nothing by staying in Seattle. She decides to return to the countryside of France to see if she can make a life on her own. She is a true historian in the way that she lives and breathes her subject matter, which is the Cather religion.

Lia is an interesting character. She comes back to Languedoc because it is where she feels the most at home. It is where her part of her family's roots are and it where her research has taken her. It is also the last place where her and Gabriel were happy.  As Lia experiences her sudden flashes or transport, as a reader you are just as jarred as she is and don't quite know what to make of it either. It is her journey into the past that helps her figure out the present and maybe lead her to her future.

Journeying into the past while living in the present isn't an easy thing to accomplish but Ms. Johnson does it extremely well. She blends these two together seamlessly that you find yourself wanting to move between the two worlds as well as Lia. How she meshes the past and the present caught me off guard a few times but it the best way. I wasn't entirely sure how it was going to come together and when I thought I picked up on the clues, she's switch it up.

The setting is absolutely stunning and Ms. Johnson does a fantastic job of describing the landscape of both the past and the present. It definitely made this reader want to journey to this region in France for a trip. Plus it seems like they have fantastic wineries in the area and one can't miss out on that.

My only hang up is that I wasn't completely sold on the "head over heels" love between Raoul and Lia. I am all for Lia moving on and letting go of Gabriel but I just thought it was out of character for her to fall for Raoul so quickly.

I'm not doing this novel enough justice because I really don't want to give anything away in the plot. Plus it's really one of those novels that you will want to experience for yourself.

If you loved either Outlander or Time Traveler's Wife, then you will want to get your hands on In Another Life.

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Jenn's Review: The Book of Life

Author: Deborah Harkness
Series: All Souls Trilogy #3
Publication Date: July 15, 2014
Publisher: Viking Adult
Pages: 561
Obtained: purchased
Genre:  contempory paranormal
Rating: 4.0
Bottom Line: Captivating
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 Blurb:  After traveling through time in Shadow of Night, the second book in Deborah Harkness’s enchanting series, historian and witch Diana Bishop and vampire scientist Matthew Clairmont return to the present to face new crises and old enemies. At Matthew’s ancestral home at Sept-Tours, they reunite with the cast of characters from A Discovery of Witches--with one significant exception. But the real threat to their future has yet to be revealed, and when it is, the search for Ashmole 782 and its missing pages takes on even more urgency. In the trilogy’s final volume, Harkness deepens her themes of power and passion, family and caring, past deeds and their present consequences. In ancestral homes and university laboratories, using ancient knowledge and modern science, from the hills of the Auvergne to the palaces of Venice and beyond, the couple at last learn what the witches discovered so many centuries ago.   

Review:  This is the final book in the trilogy and I have been looking forward to it for a long time.  Perhaps too long a time.  I wish I had had time to go back and read the first two books again -or even listen to them as audio books (but the library doesn't have them on tape)- because I think that would have helped to reconnect to the story.

For me the first book in this trilogy, A Discovery of Witches, was spectacular.  The second, Shadow of Night, though cumbersome was really intriguing.  The Book of Life is a good solid finish to the series, but nothing is as stellar as the first book.   Deborah Harkness has a fluid style that pulls you in as a reader.  I loved how things from the last book came into the third book as the travel to the past affected the future.  Some of the major plot points were resolved and tied up neatly however there were so many things I wanted to know more about.  I felt like The Book was never properly explained.  I hated how things ended with certain characters... especially Gallowglass.  I was not satisfied with the conclusion on Blood Rage especially with all the time spent researching it.  While I enjoyed the read, I ended up with a bit of a "that's it?" feeling at the end.  

That being said, I think the All Souls Trilogy is worth the read.  The first two books outshine the last book, but it's still a fantastic story.  Will I read Deborah Harkness again?  You bet.

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Julie's Review: It Takes a Witch

Author: Heather Blake
Series: Wishcraft #1
Publication Date: January 3, 2012
Publisher: Obsidian
Pages: 320
Obtained: purchased
Genre:  Mystery, Paranormal
Rating: 3.75/5
Bottom Line: Great cozy mystery with a bit of witchcraft thrown in
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Library

Summary: Darcy Merriweather has just discovered she hails from a long line of Wishcrafters-witches with the power to cast spells by making a wish. She's come to Enchanted Village to learn her trade but finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation... ~product description

Review: It Takes a Witch is a great book to curl up with when you need something cozy to read. Ms. Blake (who also writes as Heather Webber) never lets me down with her wonderful heroines and Darcy is no different. She recently learned that she has witching powers which is the ability to grant wishes. Of course there are always catches to new powers and Darcy is definitely still learning. Darcy is trying to figure out who murdered a resident of the Enchanted Village,Alexandra Shively, because she doesn't think that it's the person the police arrested.

What ensues is Darcy looking at each of the residents closely. While doing the sleuthing she also gets to know each of the inhabitants powers usually by accident.  Darcy isn't really even sure of all of the rules that go a long with her new found powers. Not to mention the dreamy former state police officer that is helping to investigate the rash of pickpockets in the village, who seems to only have eyes for Darcy.


What I love about they way Ms. Blake writes is that I immediately want to move to the location. While the Enchanted Village might be a tourist destination it is where witches live in safety. Plus it just seems like the kind of town that you can relax in and feel at home in. Plus I just love all the characters she has for this little town. Aunt Ve is a hoot and Harper is a great free-spirit to Darcy's worrywart personality.

Also, I can't wait to see what happens with Nick and Darcy. It should also be fun learning who has what witchy powers and how they all interact.

I already have the next two books (A Witch Before Dying, The Good, the Bad, and the Witchy in the series on my shelf and will definitely be looking to get back to them soon. If you love cozy mysteries and a bit of paranormal, then this series is for you.

Jenn's Review


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Julie's Review: Undeniably Yours

Author: Heather Webber
Series: Lucy Valentine #5
Publication Date: July 1, 2014
Publisher: Blue Dandelion Press
Pages: 448
Obtained: purchased
Genre: Mystery, Paranormal
Rating: 4.5
Bottom Line: Another fabulous Lucy novel
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Blurb:  NO GOOD DEED While still recuperating from injuries sustained in her previous case, the last thing psychic investigator Lucy Valentine wants is to dive into another job. But when Detective Lieutenant Aiden Holliday comes calling for help in finding a missing woman, saying no is not an option. TV journalist Kira Fitzpatrick has vanished without a trace. There’s little for Lucy to go on except picking up Kira’s current investigation where she left off. The fearless reporter had been close to cracking one of the year’s biggest cases: the disappearance of a two-year-old boy. 

GOES UNPUNISHED Now Lucy must use her abilities to find both of them. As she follows a twisted trail of lies and deceit, she uncovers a shocking twist to Kira’s exposé that someone is desperate to keep secret. It’s a race against the clock as Lucy struggles to discover who’s telling the truth…and who’s willing to kill to keep her from solving the case.

Review: I don't know if you've noticed but Jenn & I adore this series. It really does have a little bit of something for everyone: mystery, romance, paranormal. Plus you've got a plucky heroine in Lucy Valentine. 

Undeniably Yours picks up where Perfectly Matched leaves off. Which is good because that one left quite the cliffhanger. It doesn't take long to get roped into the story, the mystery of the novel. Ms. Webber always does a good job of creating an intriguing plot. Lucy always finds herself in the thick of things but its usually because someone she cares about is also in the thick of it. This time it's her detective friend Aiden Holliday, who happens to be engaged to her friend Em. 

Lucy joins Aiden in searching for Kira Fitzpatrick, a missing investigative reporter. She was in the middle of blowing the roof of of a missing child's case when this happens. It is up to Lucy and Aiden to pull together the pieces before it's too late.  

While the case is one of the more heart-wrenching ones Lucy gets involved in, as usual it is the relationships that she has that make me love her and these books. Between her parents and their unusual relationship to her own relationship with Sean, they are the heart of these books. I have loved seeing Lucy grow up and fall deeper in love with Sean. She has begun to accept how her gift can help people and not view it as a burden. 

If you haven't read this lovely series, then I beg you to start from the beginning with Truly, Madly. I'm pretty sure you won't regret it. 

Jenn's Review

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Jenn's Review: Undeniably Yours

Author: Heather Webber
Series: Lucy Valentine #5
Publication Date: July 1, 2014
Publisher: Blue Dandelion Press
Pages: 448
Obtained: purchased
Genre: 
Rating: 4.5
Bottom Line: Another fabulous Lucy novel
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab!

Blurb:  NO GOOD DEED 

While still recuperating from injuries sustained in her previous case, the last thing psychic investigator Lucy Valentine wants is to dive into another job. But when Detective Lieutenant Aiden Holliday comes calling for help in finding a missing woman, saying no is not an option. 

TV journalist Kira Fitzpatrick has vanished without a trace. There’s little for Lucy to go on except picking up Kira’s current investigation where she left off. The fearless reporter had been close to cracking one of the year’s biggest cases: the disappearance of a two-year-old boy. 

GOES UNPUNISHED 

Now Lucy must use her abilities to find both of them. As she follows a twisted trail of lies and deceit, she uncovers a shocking twist to Kira’s exposé that someone is desperate to keep secret. It’s a race against the clock as Lucy struggles to discover who’s telling the truth…and who’s willing to kill to keep her from solving the case.

Review:  Whenever I'm looking for a book that I know I will love I turn to Heather Webber/Heather Blake.  I actually try to save her books, especially the Lucy Valentine series, for when I need a reading lift but Julie's review of the fourth novel, Perfectly Matched, left me craving a visit with LucyD.

Perfectly Matched had a significant twisty cliffhanger at the end and it was marvelous that Undeniably Yours picks up right where things were left off.  The supporting cast is more in the background this time around but they are still supportive and present in the story.  (Most of Lucy's friends and investigative team are out of commission after the last case so Lucy has to go this one with just Aiden.)  The case is intriguing and personal for everyone.  I had an inkling of where things were headed and I was not disappointed to be right, but I certainly wasn't completely right; Heather Webber always has good twists up her sleeve.

The only thing I wish there had been discussed more was her unusual predictive link with Sean.  Has it disappeared completely? Will it resurface?  Last book spent a lot of time dealing with Lucy and her abilities and while she did use them, I felt like I wanted a little more continuation with the exploration of this.  However that was a small shadow over an otherwise sunny novel.

There was no cliffhanger this time, but as always things were tied up just enough to leave you craving more time with Lucy and her family.  I love all of Heather Webber's books, but Lucy Valentine will always be my favorite, so I will patiently await her next adventure.

Jenn's Review: Reborn

Author: C.C. Hunter
Series: Shadow Falls: After Dark #1, (Shadow Falls #6)
Publication Date: May 20, 2014
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Pages: 400
Obtained: purchased
Genre:  YA Paranormal
Rating: 4.5
Bottom Line: Fantastic to revisit beloved characters with a new point of view
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Blurb:  Return to the beloved world of Shadow Falls, a camp that teaches supernatural teens to harness their powers—and where a vampire named Della will discover who she’s meant to be.

For Della Tsang, Shadow Falls isn't just a camp: it's home. As a vampire who's never fit in with her human family, it's the one place she can truly be herself. But when a mysterious new guy arrives at camp, Della’s whole world is thrown into turmoil. Chase is a vampire with secrets, who knows more than he’s telling. But the more time she spends with him, the more she begins to trust this attractive stranger—and feel drawn to him. But romance is the last thing she wants—as she keeps telling Steve, the hunky shapeshifter who won’t stop trying to win her heart. And if Della isn't careful, he just might succeed.　 When a new case puts everyone she cares about in danger, Della’s determined to do everything she can to save them . . . even if it means teaming up with Steve and Chase, who leave her more confused than ever. With their lives on the line, will Della and her friends survive—with their hearts intact?

Review: I adored C.C. Hunter's Shadow Falls series so I was thrilled to discover she was writing a spinoff series featuring Della. She was always one of my favorite secondary characters in the novel so it's nice to see Della in the spotlight, however reluctant she may be to be there. 

It was wonderful to revisit with the entire Shadow Falls gang. From the outset, I had a pretty good idea of what was going on but that didn't make the story any less enjoyable. Although if Della would learn to share her burdens with her friends, many things would have been resolved faster.  It is nice to see some of Della's barriers break down, however.  I loved visiting familiar characters through Della's eyes.  It is nice to see Kylie is still doing well.  It was also wonderful to revisit Burnett and Holliday.  The newcomer Chase is a bit of an enigma and I had no idea what angle he was playing.  I'm still not sure how I feel about him.  

Although most of the storyline is resolved, there are still enough loose ends to weave into another exciting advenure.  I have no idea where  things are headed, but I'm along for the ride.  Honestly, I'm routing for Della to be happy no matter what path she chooses in life.

 

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Julie's Review: Perfectly Matched

Author: Heather Webber
Series: Lucy Valentine #4
Publication Date: May 14, 2012
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Pages: 308
Obtained: Mine
Genre:  Mystery, Paranormal, Romance
Rating: 4.5/5
Bottom Line: I have missed Lucy and if you haven't read Lucy's adventures you must!
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab!

Summary: The heat is on... When Boston psychic Lucy Valentine finds herself involved with a group of eccentric mediums trying to fine tune their abilities, she is convinced a rare spring heat wave has flushed all the local crazies out of hiding. Adding to her theory is her newest client in the Lost Loves division of Valentine, Inc., her family?s lucrative matchmaking firm. He?s an animal whisperer who hires Lucy to locate his soul mate?because his cat told him so. Finding his purrfect match, however, isn't as easy as it seems. But craziest of all is the Beantown Burner, a serial arsonist who is targeting private eye Sam Donahue, brother of Lucy?s boyfriend, Sean. With the help of her kooky psychic group, Lucy must tap into hidden abilities to catch the firebug before the fires turn deadly. She never expected to discover that the motive behind the flames hits a little too close to home...and dangerously close to her heart. ~amazon.com

Review: So Perfectly Matched has been on my shelf for 2 years and I regret that but now I can go ahead and read the next one in the series, Undeniably Yours, before going through Lucy withdrawal. I was so happy to be back with Lucy and the gang. Lucy makes me laugh because while she has a gift, she can find lost things by connecting to the person who lost it, she doesn't take herself too seriously. She's cautious using her gift and only wants to help people.

In Perfectly Matched, there are a couple mysteries going at once: the arsonist and the case of a missing girl. Neither are connected and both are resolved. Sometimes in mystery novels the author forces the two distinct cases to be entertwined but I'm happy that Ms. Webber didn't do that. There are also subplots going on with Lucy's friends and family. Her family and friends constantly make me laugh because they are so fun and get themselves in situations that you just shake your head at.

The arsonist case is messing with someone close to Lucy. Can Lucy solve the mystery? Can she help her new client find love? I figured out one of the subplots early on but was interested to see how it plays out. Plus we are left with a cliffhanger?!! I was left going, WHAT?!

Ms. Webber writes characters that I would want to hang out with and befriend. They are salt of the earth people. Her grandmother, Dovie, continues to be one of my favorite characters. She is contant in her quest to see Lucy pregnant with Sean's baby. Only problem is, Lucy and Sean aren't even there yet.

If you are looking for a book series to curl up with then you must read these and you won't regret it.

Jenn's Review





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Jenn's Review: City of Heavenly Fire

Author: Cassandra Clare
Series: The Mortal Instruments #6
Publication Date: May 27, 2014
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry
Pages: 725
Obtained: purchased
Genre:  YA Paranormal
Rating: 5/5
Bottom Line: The perfect ending to a beloved series
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab the whole series!

Blurb:  In this dazzling and long-awaited conclusion to the acclaimed Mortal Instruments series, Clary and her friends fight the greatest evil they have ever faced: Clary's own brother.

Sebastian Morgenstern is on the move, systematically turning Shadowhunter against Shadowhunter. Bearing the Infernal Cup, he transforms Shadowhunters into creatures out of nightmare, tearing apart families and lovers as the ranks of his Endarkened army swell.

The embattled Shadowhunters withdraw to Idris - but not even the famed demon towers of Alicante can keep Sebastian at bay. And with the Nephilim trapped in Idris, who will guard the world against demons?

When one of the greatest betrayals the Nephilim have ever known is revealed, Clary, Jace, Isabelle, Simon, and Alec must flee - even if their journey takes them deep into the demon realms, where no Shadowhunter has set foot before, and from which no human being has ever returned...

Love will be sacrificed and lives lost in the terrible battle for the fate of the word in the thrilling final installment of the classic urban fantasy series The Mortal Instruments!

Review:  I finished City of Heavenly Fire  over two weeks ago, but I haven't been able to let it go; I gasped and laughed and cried my way through it.  It was magnificent.  I've been re-reading little bits of it here and there, trying to soak it all in.  Plus writing a review makes it feel so final and these are characters to whom I hate to say goodbye.

The novel is monstrously long but never once does it feel like it.  Cassandra Clare doesn't waste a line or a word.  Ms. Clare is a master of understanding relationships and writing people and she proves it time and again.  As a reader I'm beyond committed to these relationships and friendships.  It is amazing how far everyone has come. There are so many wonderful moments between all the characters -too many to recount- and I love Cassandra Clare for including them all.  It seems incredible that it was only a novel ago everything was hurtling out of control for them.  Of course things are still out of control in the shadow hunter world, but all that Clary, Jace, Izzy, Alec, and Simon have been through personally to this point has made them strong, confident, and sure of themselves and each other.  They have truly come of age.  Though the end is near and uncertain, they are ready to face it, together.

Cassandra Clare exceeded my imagination.  Again.  I don't know what I expected for the ending, but it wasn't this.  Don't get me wrong, I loved the ending, it just wasn't the one I thought it would be.  (Honestly, I thought there'd be far more destruction and more deaths... I'm thrilled that there wasn't, of course, but a little amazed as well.)  Though there is an appropriate amount of closure for our heroes, The Clave is still in dire need of change and I hope that this will be the generation of Shadowhunters to make it happen.  

The only thing I would have wished for was more Jem and Tessa.  I understand why there wasn't; it's not their story, but I wanted so much for Jace to learn his lineage.  Along with the inclusion of Jem and Tessa we get the fabulous tie in to the Carstairs branch of the family in such a way that makes the addition of new characters, welcome and familiar.  As the book closes on the Shadowhunters of the New York Institute, the window opens to the Los Angeles institute to the story of Jules and Emma.  It is also a beautiful introduction to The Dark Artifices which is set to come out in the fall of 2015.  I hope that some of the Mortal Instruments characters will visit the Dark Artifices characters...

Honestly, I could gush forever about this entire series, let alone this final novel, but I don't want to spoil anything for anyone.  All of her novels are on my list of all time favorites that I recommend to anyone and everyone.

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Jenn's Review: City of Lost Souls

Author: Cassandra Clare
Series: The Mortal Instruments #5
Publication Date: May 8, 2012
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children's
Pages: 535
Obtained: purchased
Genre:  YA Paranormal
Rating: 5
Bottom Line: Maddeningly, frustratingly good...
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab!

Blurb:  The New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments continues—and so do the thrills and danger for Jace, Clary, and Simon.

What price is too high to pay, even for love? When Jace and Clary meet again, Clary is horrified to discover that the demon Lilith’s magic has bound her beloved Jace together with her evil brother Sebastian, and that Jace has become a servant of evil. The Clave is out to destroy Sebastian, but there is no way to harm one boy without destroying the other. As Alec, Magnus, Simon, and Isabelle wheedle and bargain with Seelies, demons, and the merciless Iron Sisters to try to save Jace, Clary plays a dangerous game of her own. The price of losing is not just her own life, but Jace’s soul. She’s willing to do anything for Jace, but can she still trust him? Or is he truly lost?

Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge. Darkness threatens to claim the Shadowhunters in the harrowing fifth book of the Mortal Instruments series.

Review:  There was no way I could leave things the way they ended in City of Fallen Angels.  I knew that would be the case before I started it.  This was hard to read; not because it was bad but because things have to get worse before they can get better, and oh, do they get worse!

For the two people out there (okay, maybe there's three) who don't like this series, the reason is usually Jace ~ his arrogance and narcissism.  But Jace isn't that guy; it's all a cover for his vulnerability ~or it was until now. Now it is hard to be around this Jace.  Actually, it's excruciating.  It is harder still to see Clary throw caution to the wind and run after him.  It is totally reckless and could have gone horribly awry.  The scenes between them are agonizing, because they are written so well and they are so very wrong.  It's brutal.

It was disheartening to see Alec loose sight of things.  He has always been the stable one, but love has turned him upside down.  I couldn't help thinking that if he talked things through with Isabelle, or even just said things aloud to himself, he'd hear what he was saying...  As devastating as it is to see Jace and Clary spinning out of control, at least I expected that.  This is worse.  I expected the plummet off the cliff, but this was loosing the tether.

The one bright spot is that Isabelle is finally starting to find her way.  I was unsure that there was anything that could crack that exterior.  It was nice to see some vulnerability from her, romantically.

The novel has more closure than I expected, on many levels.  So while I didn't read this immediately because I thought I wouldn't have been able to handle the wait for the last book, I found that I probably could have survived the wait.  Don't get me wrong the final chapter was chillingly foreboding.  But now that I have the opportunity to forge ahead, I'm not sure that I'm ready for it to be over.  There is a big battle coming and I know that not everyone can survive it... but I also know that I can't leave things where they are either... so City of Heavenly Fire, here I come...

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Jenn's Review: City of Fallen Angels

Author: Cassandra Clare
Series: The Mortal Instruments #4
Publication Date: April 5, 2011
Publisher: Simon and Schuster Children's
Pages: 424
Obtained: purchased
Genre:  YA Paranormal
Rating: 4
Bottom Line: The beginning of the end?
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab!

 Blurb:  The Mortal War is over, and sixteen-year-old Clary Fray is back home in New York, excited about all the possibilities before her. She’s training to become a Shadowhunter and to use her unique power. Her mother is getting married to the love of her life. Downworlders and Shadowhunters are at peace at last. And—most importantly of all—she can finally call Jace her boyfriend.

But nothing comes without a price.

Someone is murdering Shadowhunters, provoking tensions between Downworlders and Shadowhunters that could lead to a second, bloody war. Clary’s best friend, Simon, can’t help her—his mother just found out that he’s a vampire, and now he’s homeless. When Jace begins to pull away from her without explaining why, Clary is forced to delve into the heart of a mystery whose solution reveals her worst nightmare: she herself has set in motion a terrible chain of events that could lead to her losing everything she loves. Even Jace.

Review: I have been saving the last two books of The Mortal Instruments until the final book came out.  Now that it has, I realize that I'm in no hurry to finish this series.   I liked where things left off at the end of City of Glass, and though I knew things couldn't stay that way I wasn't ready to destroy the little bit of stability that was established.

In City of Fallen Angels, things start unraveling pretty quickly as everyone gets consumed in their own issues.  At least as the reader we can glimpse what is going on with everyone.  This novel is mostly plot exposition, but it doesn't feel that way because there is so much character development.  Seeds of distrust, discontent, and dysfunction have been sown.  It's hard to watch everything fall apart for characters you have grown to love.  I kept hoping things would magically right themselves.  The one uplifting part was the emergence of the Infernal Devices threads. 

The end is a twist I didn't anticipate, though I probably should have given the fact that I knew where the story was headed.  However I was so wrapped up in all the personal stories that I missed the boat completely. A reprieve comes, albeit a short one, before the devastating cliffhanger.  It was impossible to put down City of Fallen Angels without immediately jumping into City of Lost Souls, as I knew it would be.  

If you've never read Cassandra Clare's Shadow Hunters, you really should.  It's one of my favorite series of all times.  It's epic.

 

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