Third week of unicorn authors series and I promised a change of genres for this week!

Let’s delve into YA fantasy with the amazing Cassandra Clare!

I fell into the Shadowhunters world many years ago with The City of Bones.

I recall seeing one of my friends on the train busy reading it and telling me that I just “had to” read that book.

I was intrigued, bought it and …was instantly smitten with that series!

What I love about Cassandra Clare is that she gives us a whole cast of characters in every series.

We do get two main characters but usually, the side characters also feel like main characters.

That characteristic becomes stronger with each series.

She also specializes in complicated love stories!

Either starcrossed lovers with The Mortal Instruments (Jace and Clary being brother and sister) and The Dark Artifices (Julian and Emma are parabatai); love triangle with The Infernal Devices (one of the very few I could stand between Tessa, Will and Jem) or cursed love with The Last Hour series (James and Cordelia).

Her imagination and plot scheming are also amazing! She has the characters and the plot!

And last but not least, she can write long series (or rather more than trilogies) and maintain the quality and the reader’s focus through it all!

Now for my top 5 books by her ….

City of Heavenly Fire was the conclusion of her first series but what a conclusion! It had me on pins and needles all along!

Synopsis: In this dazzling and long-awaited conclusion to the acclaimed Mortal Instruments series, Clary and her friends fight the greatest evil they have ever faced: Clary’s own brother.

Sebastian Morgenster

n is on the move, systematically turning Shadowhunter against Shadowhunter. Bearing the Infernal Cup, he transforms Shadowhunters into creatures out of nightmare, tearing apart families and lovers as the ranks of his Endarkened army swell.

The embattled Shadowhunters withdraw to Idris – but not even the famed demon towers of Alicante can keep Sebastian at bay. And with the Nephilim trapped in Idris, who will guard the world against demons?

When one of the greatest betrayals the Nephilim have ever known is revealed, Clary, Jace, Isabelle, Simon, and Alec must flee – even if their journey takes them deep into the demon realms, where no Shadowhunter has set foot before, and from which no human being has ever returned…

Love will be sacrificed and lives lost in the terrible battle for the fate of the word in the thrilling final installment of the classic urban fantasy series The Mortal Instruments!

Clockwork Angel: it was the beginning of her second series and I never thought at that time that I would love it as much as I did with The Mortal Instruments!

But Will was the perfect tortured hero, Jem the chivalrous and righteous one, slowly dying and Tessa so courageous with many secrets to uncover!

Synopsis: In a time when Shadowhunters are barely winning the fight against the forces of darkness, one battle will change the course of history forever. Welcome to the Infernal Devices trilogy, a stunning and dangerous prequel to the New York Times bestselling Mortal Instruments series.

The year is 1878. Tessa Gray descends into London’s dark supernatural underworld in search of her missing brother. She soon discovers that her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters—including Will and Jem, the mysterious boys she is attracted to. Soon they find themselves up against the Pandemonium Club, a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans. Equipped with a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures, the Club is out to rule the British Empire, and only Tessa and her allies can stop them…

Lady Midnight was the beginning of another series and I was blown away by these characters! If the focus was on Emma and Julian, I fell hard for mark Blackthorn! I had such a hard time to choose a favorite! 

Prepare to be deeply moved, not only by Julian and Emma’s forbidden love story as each character was touching and had his own ordeal to overcome. My heart hurt more often than I can count especially for Julian and Mark.
Mark because he is back from The Hunt as the faeries made a bargain to give him back to his family if Emma and the Blackthorns find the Fae murderer. The last years have been far from good for Mark and he is so broken.

If Mark was broken and lost, Julian was Atlas, shouldering the world and taking too much responsibilities for a seventeen years old boy. He was so tired. He hoped once Mark was back his older brother would take the lead but he soon realizes he would be the one to hold Mark up. The whole book I wanted to help him, to let him rest and enjoy his youth.

Cassandra Clare wrote the beginning of another epic series and I’m amazed by her talent. The cover says “Thirty-Six Million Readers Can”t Be Wrong” and it’s true!

Queen of Air and Darkness was the conclusion of the Dark Artifices series and it was mind blowing! We even got a parallel universe and that ending left me hungry for what was to come with the kids once they will be all grown up!

Now I had no idea how and if Cassandra Clare would put Emma and Julian out of their misery. This was the biggest hat trick right alongside Ash! Not explaining anything about him as I don’t want to spoil your fun!

I love twists that I never see coming and Cassandra Clare sure delivered!
It is said that this series is a trilogy but I have a suspicion that we’ll either get book four and more, either another series that will capitalize on the younger Blackthorns. Mark my word the next book will follow Dru, Ash, Kit and Ty. With of course the new Clave and all its problems.

Chain of Gold is the first book in her latest series  and it was another hit! 

Once again, Cassandra Clare swept me off my feet and threw me in the Shadowhunter’s world. I emerged days after with a deep sense of satisfaction and a NEED to get the next book already.

What I love about Cassandra Clare’s book above all else is that she gives us incredible crews!

You don’t focus on one or two characters even if the love story makes it seem like you have two main characters. You have an amazing cast of interesting and diverse side characters! They are siblings, family or friends. They all mingle and interact building very interesting dynamics. Yes dynamics, plural.

Add to this fantastic character cast a villain in hiding, a curse and a quest to vanquish said villain.

Action is forever present, as well as plenty of heroics.

Sugar on top, the banter and witty remarks are aplenty. It makes the story flow effortlessly thanks to wonderful dialogs between the protagonists. Never a dull moment!

Have you read her books? What did you think of it?

Thanks for reading!

Sophie