City of Bones
Overview: In the first installment of Cassandra Clare’s Mortal instruments series, fifteen-year-old Clary Fray is on her way to her favorite hangout when she notices three tattoo-laden teens murdering another teen. Surprised that their acts have been witnessed, the murderers reveal that they are demon hunters, invisible to the mortal eye. Babbled at her newfound power, Clary embarks on an otherworldly adventure to rescue her kidnapped mother and retrieve the Mortal Cup.
Pages: 544 Pages
Writer: Cassandra Clare
Recommendations:
Review By: Jason Schulte
Rating: 
Before you question my review, I must admit that I am a bit past the target age for this book. However, when I saw it on a must-read list, I couldn’t resist giving it a shot. The story follows a teenage girl who enjoys typical teenage activities like boys, music, and clubs. But her life takes a wild turn when she witnesses something no one else sees – the disappearance of another teenager. Suddenly, her world is flipped upside down as she unravels shocking truths about her family, discovers a dangerous hidden world, and tries to find her missing mom.
Despite some familiar elements, the author puts a fresh spin on age-old creatures and monsters, which I found quite intriguing. However, I did have one major gripe with the book – the forced and unnatural conversations between characters. It often felt like the dialogue dragged on unnecessarily, making the book feel longer than it needed to be. Additionally, the story occasionally lost focus and meandered off track, delving into unnecessary details.
That being said, the book does a commendable job of keeping some twists well-hidden, leading to satisfying “aha” moments for the reader. Overall, while the book has its flaws, it still manages to entertain and surprise. So, if you’re looking for a mix of teenage drama, supernatural elements, and unexpected twists, give this book a go. Who knows, you might just find yourself pleasantly surprised.
I found myself struggling to overlook the forced dialogue in this book. However, I have high hopes that as the series progresses, this issue will be resolved and the books will improve. The world-building in this book was exceptional, leaving me eager to dive back into it in the future. With more books in the series waiting for me, I can’t wait to revisit this world. This book serves as a promising start to a series, with characters you can’t help but love or hate. It’s a good book that sets the stage for what I hope will be a fantastic series.