Title: The Mortal Instruments: City of Fallen Angels
Author: Cassandra Clare
Reading level: Young Adult
Hardcover: 432 pages
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry

Book Description (from Amazon.com): 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. Everywhere he turns, someone wants him on their side—along with the power of the curse that's wrecking his life. And they're willing to do anything to get what they want. Not to mention that he's dating two beautiful, dangerous girls—neither of whom knows about the other one.

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.

Love. Blood. Betrayal. Revenge. The stakes are higher than ever in City of Fallen Angels.

About the Author: Cassandra Clare is the author of City of Bones, the first book in the Mortal Instruments trilogy and a New York Times bestseller. She was born overseas and spent her early years traveling around the world with her family and several trunks of books. Cassandra lives in Brooklyn with her boyfriend, their two cats, and these days, even more books.

My Review: I just finished reading Cassandra Clare’s fourth book in her Mortal Instruments series, City of Fallen Angels. I had to, as I said before, this series is very addicting.

Why don’t I introduce City of Fallen Angels properly. This is the fourth iteration in the Mortal Instruments series. The entire series focuses on a core group of special individuals that, more or less, battle heaven and hell over and over again, each time saving the world from harm.

The central cast of characters is very diverse, featuring werewolves and vampires, warlocks, and Nephalim, or shadowhunters. Other downworlder guest appearances debut as fae, demons, and angels. The cast is very diverse, which is unique in a way that it draws parallels with the social norm of today’s standards of social diversity.

So what did I think of this chapter in the series?

It wasn’t as good as the first three books. That’s not to say that it isn’t worth the read. A lot of this book is catching up and explaining the return to normal life after the third book. Of course there is some wicked conflict here. But it’s much more abrupt then the last three books. In prior iterations, the the rise in climax was a lot steadier and smoother paced. City of Fallen Angels is a lot quicker. The plot line weaves itself back and fourth to build the story to the ending of the book, but it’s done in a much more casual way.

Then the ending of the book comes. The characters suddenly wake up, and are like “Crap, something is going on here.” Three different groups of characters wind up at the same end point in three different ways, for three different reasons, but all at the same time. Suddenly action hits the scene. The reading becomes much more dangerous and fast paced. The battle is quick and won. The climax doesn’t stop though. Instead, it takes a quick break and plateaus. A final, very important but expected event happens, and the book ends.

Cassandra Clare is very good about creating suspense throughout her books. She is a master of twisting the events and then ripping the reader away to another scene, only to have to keep reading to find out what happens. These books are not safe to read at work, I warn you now. But the way the City of Fallen Angels ends, is frankly, a tease considering I NOW have to wait eleven months for the next title.

Do I think this book is well done? Yes. It feels as it’s more of an in between-er book giving background information. But it’s important and still entertaining.

Am I happy with the way it ended? Absolutely not! Not in a bad way though. The ending was expected, but still very well done. I am just not happy about having to wait until May of 2012 for the next edition.