Review of City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

Pages: 560
Publisher: Walker Books Ltd
Released: May 2012

Plot: The fifth installant in Cassandra Clare's internationally best-selling series The Mortal Instruments see's Clary and the rest of the 'gang' on their search for Sebastian and Jace who after Lilith was destroyed by Simon have disappeared and become untraceable. With the clave putting the search for Jace on hold, Clary takes matters in her own hands and soon discovers that Jace is not the person she once knew, he is now fatefully linked with Sebastian, the son of valentine and her brother who has some very big plans in store.
 But with the knowledge that you cannot harm one without the other bearing the same, will they be able to save Jace and win the battle between heaven and hell or will it turn into something much bigger than even they can handle?

Good Points: Cassandra Clare you Rock! I loved this book (no surprise there), Clare has this amazing capacity to keep you interested and gob-smacked throughout the book and I found myself grinning like a mad Cheshire cat every time some reference came to the Infernal Devices.
 I have to admit I was a little worried when I realised where the story was going and thought that the book would lose it's charm because of Jace not being there, but I was so wrong. Relationships in my opinion build even stronger in this book and at times I even  felt a little sorry for Sebastian, and then I had to consciously  remind myself he is an evil-doer 'trying to take over the world!!!!' ( A little Pinky and the Brain moment there).
 Also I think you just have to love a book that contains the line 'A call to battle' somewhere in it because you just know that there is going to be some serious butt-kicking soon. In this book I also started to think more about Simon's character which was nice, the first opening chapter being about Simon's now quite frankly shattered relationship with his mother and how he is dealing with this and telling his sister. Alike, this closer in depth look into the characters is copied with the likes of Jordan and Miai, Simon and Isabelle and Magnus and Alec as they struggle to cope with Magnus's immortality.

Bad Points: Like I've already said I was a little worried about where the story was going, but I was quickly zapped down for ever believing that Cassandra Clare would not write a great book. However, the incest thing, again, a little gross.

To Sum Up... Basically this book was so worth the wait and I am literally shaking with excitement for the next one and least I forget the Infernal Devices finale The Clockwork Princess (OMGoodness!!!). Clare was lovely and friendly in real life when I got the chance to meet her at a signing last week and I was so excited to read her latest volume which did not let me down.
 I loved the cool if somewhat geeky references throughout the book and I was laughing my head off when Cassandra Clare pretty much sums up the Kings Of Leon song ' My Sex is on Fire' (quite literally) towards the end of the book.

City of Lost Souls also got me coming up with loads of different theories of what is going to happen and the links between this series and its prequel.
So if you have any Theories you would love to share comment below and I will be doing a post soon (I think) containing all my theories!!