City of Fallen Angels (Mortal Instruments Book 4) by Cassandra Clare

I have been putting off my review of CoFA because how do you write a review that is good enough for a book so involved?!  But it has to be done so I hope I can do it justice.  City of Fallen Angels is the fourth book in the Mortal Instruments Series and the first book in the second series within the Mortal Instruments Series.  In CoFA, we mainly follow Simon as he continues to become accustomed to life as a vampire.  We see him trying to continue living with his mother, dating both Isabelle and Maia and Simon gets his first real taste of downworlder politics.  It's not all about Simon though as we meet two new characters and get to see more from the other members of Millennium Lint (or whatever their band is called this week).

Simon isn't the only one with issues in CoFA.  Something is going on with Jace that makes him distance himself from Clary to shadow Simon- which is both fun and weird.  Jace and Simon hanging out together is odd.  But really fun to watch as well.  Of course, Clary doesn't handle Jace's behavior well.  He pulls away and she chases him.  You know, typical Cassandra Clare stuff!  There are a lot of revelations in this one and the non stop action will have you reeling.  I loved the moment near the end when Magnus and Alec are called home from their trip.  Magnus puts a certain creeper from his past in her place and even though Alec is feeling all kinds of inadequate, the feelings that Magnus puts out there really grab you.  He loves Alec and while he doesn't remember/understand how it feels for Alec to be so young and to know that Magnus will outlive him and possibly love others, you really get the feeling that this time around if different for Magnus.  He loves Alec and is thankful for whatever time they have together.  If anything, his love for Alec brings home to Magnus just how tired of this whole living forever thing he is!  Love those two.  The ending will completely blow your mind, in typical Cassandra Clare fashion.  While we learned a lot about the different characters, their past actions and their current situations in CoFA, when all is said and done, we're left with more questions than answers and now we're all chomping at the bit for City of Lost Souls.

I really hope you give this book a try if you haven't already.  I will warn you that there are a few disturbing scenes (for moms and some sensitive readers).  There are some sexual shenanigans and of course some shadowhunter fight scenes.  I would suggest this one for older teens and above- just to be safe.  The next Mortal Instruments book will be out in 2012 and Clockwork Prince will be out later this year.  I know I am waiting more than impatiently for the cover release for Clockwork Prince.

City of Fallen Angels earns 4 Fairies for a good continuation of the Mortal Instruments series.