My Top 5 Shadowhunters Books.

My Top 5 Shadowhunter Books.

Hey everyone! It’s no secret that Cassandra Clare is my favourite author. Or that I live and breath Shadowhunters. So here is yet another post about them. I’m not even sorry about it either. Here is my top five Shadowhunter books.

5. So at number five on my list is The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones. I had a copy of this book on my shelf for years before I read it, and oh do I regret waiting that long. I was hooked after the first fifty pages. I loved the characters, I loved the world that was created. I loved it all. This is not Clare’s best writing by any stretch, without this book though, we wouldn’t have gotten to see the wonderful pieces of art she has put out since. We wouldn’t have these extraordinary characters and representation, or this beautiful, terrifying world we were introduced to. If you haven’t read it, here’s the synopsis for you.

When 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 odd markings. This is Clary’s first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons – and keeping the odd werewolves and vampires in line. It’s also her first meeting with gorgeous, golden-haired Jace. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace’s world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by demon. But why would demons be interested in an ordinary mundane like Clary? And how did she suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know. . .

4. At number four on the list is one of the most beautiful final books I have ever read. The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Princess. This story has my heart and broke it into pieces. The final installment of The Infernal Devices trilogy is everything I could have ever wanted and more. It wrapped everything up with a nice little ribbon. Clare is very good with ending books. Every single ending she has written is perfect. The same goes for this one. The entire book was one turn after another. At the end of the second book I foresaw a completely different ending than what happened, and I am absolutely okay with it. Here is the synopsis for those that haven’t read it and have no idea what I’m talking about.

As Tessa Gray prepares for her wedding, a net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute. Mortmain needs one last item to complete his plan. He needs Tessa. Jem and Will, the boys who lay equal claim to Tessa’s heart, will do anything to save her.

3. In third place for me is Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy. This book follows Simon and his journey to becoming a Shadowhunter and finally finding his place. I loved the new setting at the Academy, I loved how we saw the new side of Shadowhunters, the training. When we followed Clary’s journey it was a lot of on the job, learn as you go. But with Simon we see almost a college/university experience. He moves away from home, lives in a dorm, there’s a pecking order of students, it’s a whole new side of the world we haven’t seen before. Another reason I loved this book was the flashbacks. Where we see James Herondale, and bits of Jem, and pieces from stories we as readers were already familiar with.

Simon Lewis has been a human and a vampire an now he is becoming a Shadowhunter. But the events of City of Heavenly Fire left him stripped of his memories, and Simon isn’t sure who he is anymore. He knows he was friends with Clary and that he convinced the total goddess Isabelle Lightwood to go out with him. . .but he doesn’t know how. So when the Shadowhunter Academy reopens, he throws himself into a new world of demon-hunting, determined to find himself again, rediscover his relationships and ascend as a true Shadowhunter at the Academy. . .

2. In second place, for me personally, is Chain of Gold. There was so much anticipation for this book an I was so excited for it. I love going back in time and seeing what happened to the children of the characters from The Infernal Devices. Whether that was through the snippets in other books or finally their own trilogy. These new characters are wonderful, the story is different. With as many books as Clare has written it would have been easy to accidently recycle storylines, but it all feels fresh, just a new adventure for Shadowhunters. And while we’re here, a little appreciation for Cordelia Carstairs too. Here is the synopsis for those who haven’t read it.

Cordelia Carstairs is a Shadowhunter, a warrior trained since childhood to battle demons. When she travels to London, she encounters childhood friends James and Lucie Herondale and is drawn into their world of glittering ballrooms and supernatural salons. All the while, she must hide her secret love for James, who is sworn to marry someone else. But Cordelia and her friends discover that a dark legacy has gifted them with incredible powers – and a brutal choice will reveal the true cruel price of being a hero.

1. And in first place for J’s top 5 Shadowhunter books is. . . The Dark Artifices: Queen of Air and Darkness! Is there anything better than this book? No probably not. The Dark Artifices is my favourite series from Cassandra Clare. I love Emma, I love the Blackthorns, and Christina is an angel of course. The show of family loyalty, the sacrifices people make for love, an how sometimes, just sometimes love wins above all. The promise that family will always find their way back to each other. The Blackthorns are the best portrayal of an older siblings love that I have ever read. I related to Julian on such a strong level as I have younger siblings of my own, that I too would walk through fire for. If we’re looking for multiple reasons of why this book is the best, we could consider that it pulls in characters from the two series that came before it. The Mortal Instruments gang is all ready and present, and Jem and Tessa from The Infernal Devices are also included. I love how characters spanning over a hundred years were brought together and bonded. Love won in this book. Family love, romantic love, friendship love, it all won. Here is the synopsis if you haven’t read it, but you really should.

Innocent blood has been spilled on the steps of the Council Hall, the sacred stronghold of the Shadowhunters. In the wake of the tragic death of Livia Blackthorn, the Clave teeters on the brink of civil war. One fragment of the Blackthorn family flees to Los Angeles, seeking to discover the source of the disease that is destroying the race of the warlocks.

Meanwhile, Julian and Emma take desperate measures to put their forbidden love aside and undertake a perilous mission to Faeire to retrieve the Black Volume of the Dead. What they find in the Courts is a secret that may tear the Shadow World asunder and open a dark path into a future they could never have imagined.

Caught in a race against time, Emma and Julian must save the world of Shadowhunters before the deadly power of the parabatai curse destroys them and everyone they love.

So that is my top 5 Shadowhunter books, though I wish I could just put all of the books as joint first. I’d love to hear what your favourite book by Cassandra Clare is.

Stay Curious!

J x