City of Bones, Cassandra Clare

Official Summary:
When 15-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder — much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing — not even a smear of blood — to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother?And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know...

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end.

What the Pros Say:

VOYA: "This fast-paced fantastic thriller will keep readers on the edge of their seats."
SLJ: "With a female protagonist and horror movie levels of gore, the novel will appeal to guys and girls who like their fantasy sometimes fast paced and often gruesome."

What I Say:
With the third book in Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments trilogy coming out soon, I figured it was time for me to check out the first two books in the series. In this series opener, we are introduced to Clary and the magical world she soon finds herself plunged into. City of Bones was great, a fast-paced, action packed book with a pretty steamy romance thrown in for some additional flair.

Clary is a great narrator, just as new to this crazy world as the reader, but eager to get going. She's strong and able; she is not the type to sit back and wait to be rescued, even if her powers as a Shadowhunter are completely new to her she's determined not to let them go to waste as she fights to protect herself and her strange new friends. If you like Buffy or you're a fan of urban fantasies, then this is definitely one to check out.

Intrigued?
Check out the Mortal Instruments website for deleted scenes, excerpts and more.

More?
Read Cassandra Clare's blog, and check out some interviews with the author at Story Siren and Chicklish.