Review: City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

(summary from goodreads)

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?

Review: Maybe it's because this book is in the middle of a series, but it just didn't seem as good as the first one to me. It was still interesting and fun to read, though. 

I don't really like Clary and Simon as a couple. I really did prefer them as friends, because usually (in books) relationships that go from friends to couples end awkwardly and badly. This is a spoiler for book one, and possibly this one too, so highlight to read. I'm not liking the whole Jace and Clary = brother and sister thing. This, however, is a personal thing. As far as the books go I think this twist is genius. But Kathryn's not liking it. It just seems really weird that they still want to be together but can't. I don't want them to be brother and sister yet they are. 'Tis a sad world. Does that make it weird that I'm still rooting for them as a couple?

The other characters are also very enjoyable. I'm really starting to like Isabella and Alec.

The plot, like the first, was very well written. It seemed to go a bit faster in this one because there wasn't as much world building that needed to be done. Overall, a wonderful sequel to an excellent series.