Being a novel about sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll, I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone comes with an explicit content warning, as all good rock ‘n’ roll stories should. It is the tale of Emily Black, a messed up teenager from Carlisle that channels herself through her guitar.

Emily is one of those tortured artist types. When she was just a baby, her mother left her with her father to ‘follow the dream’ and chase the punk scene around the country. Now Emily is a teenager and her mother still has not returned. Although she won’t admit it, Emily is hurting and she’s angry – very angry. She is feisty, cold, incapable of loving, and charged with way too much self-confidence. She’s got a vile mouth and she’s one of those teenagers that get involved in adult things way too early. She lost her virginity at fourteen, she first got drunk at twelve, she smokes, takes drugs and sleeps around.

Emily’s life goal is to make music. She doesn’t have a backup plan because she doesn’t need one; she’s going to make it as a rock star and that’s all there is to it. Luckily her best friend is the best drummer Emily has ever met, and together they’re practically unstoppable. They recruit Tom – a kid from the school band – to play bass and before they know it they’ve got interstate gigs, and people are calling out their names on the street.

Sounds very glamorous and feel-good, right? Wrong. There is nothing feel-good about this novel. Its edgy, hard and I squirmed uncomfortably as I flipped through the pages. As painstaking as that was, I was unable to stop reading. Emily is such an emotionally closed character and her pain weighed heavily on my heart all the way through.

The novel also follows Louisa – Emily’s mother – on her journeys around the country. The victim of a horrible crime, Louisa runs far and wide so she doesn’t have to emotionally process what happened to her. I’m sure many readers will feel sorry for Louisa as they engage in her story, yet I found myself unable to do so. She’s weak, whiny, and cowardly. Her reasons for leaving her family behind are a little pathetic and completely unforgivable.

Kuehnert’s love for music bleeds from the pages of this book. Her knowledge is extensive and her passion is blindingly obvious. As far as debut novels go, this one is pretty spectacular. Kuehnert’s prose is strong and she manipulates the English language like Emily manipulates her guitar: perfectly and poetically. Her characters are vibrant, three dimensional, and complex; and they prove that even bad girls make for excellent literary reads. Relating to Emily was difficult, but empathising with her was not.

If you love music, if you like your books a little on the rusty, edgy side, if you enjoy reading about strong, angsty female characters, then I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone is the novel for you. We give it two very big thumbs up here at yaReads and we can’t wait for whatever comes next from Stephanie Kuehnert.

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We’re reading Glass Houses by Rachel Caine here at yaReads for our bookclub over on our forum. Much to our surprise (and great pleasure) Rachel stopped by the forum recently and answered some of our readers questions about her novel. We thought we would tantalize you just a little and post some of her responses. Happy reading!

You seem to make the line between good guy/bad guy very thing in your books. Why is that?

Partly because it’s more interesting to have things turn out different than you assume they will be … and partly because it’s personally more interesting to me to write characters who are more like real people. People are very rarely totally good or totally bad — it’s more of an 80/20 most of the time.

Why does Oliver put on a facade that he’s human?

The “mainstreamed” vampires - the ones who operate around the university, and interact with students - generally do put on a facade.

How did you get the inspiration for Monica? I mean she’s unlike any other bad girl i’ve seen. She’s like completely evil. She scares me more than Oliver (and he frightens me).

Ha, she’s a composite of a bunch of people I knew over the years. I admit, I turned her up to 11, pretty much. However, as the series progresses, you get to know Monica a little bit better. Even bad guys have their moments of not-so-badness.

I find that the more i get to know Amelie the more i like her. Is that suppose to happen? I mean she’s the head vamp. I shouldn’t like her should I?

Yep, that’s supposed to happen. Over the next five books, you’ll get to know a whole lot more about the vampires than you know from GLASS HOUSES. They have all kinds of secrets.

If you would like to read the rest of her replies (of which there are many), sign up to our forum here

Hero is like a comic book without the pictures. It is the tale of Thom, a young kid that can heal things with the touch of his hands. He wants to join the League – a group of supernaturally talented people charged with the mission of protecting the citizens – but Thom has a secret that could shatter all his dreams.

Thom comes from a line of League members; both his mother and his father worked for them at some point. When Thom was young, his father was responsible for a major accident that resulted in the death of a lot of people. He was shunned from the League, and from society as well. Consequently, Thom isn’t even allowed to mention the League around his father, let alone entertain the idea of actually joining them. When Thom’s superhero idol invites Thom to try out for a position with the League, Thom decides it is time to take matters into his own hands.

But Thom’s problems run deeper than just a problematic parent. Thom is gay, and where he comes from, being gay is totally frowned upon. Thom knows that if the League members find out that he likes boys, they’ll kick him out and he’ll suffer all kinds of public humiliation. However, even as he tries to hide his sexuality from the world, Thom knows that you can only deny yourself for so long before the truth must come out. As Thom navigates a very public ‘outing’ will he allow himself to fall in love, or will he continue to wallow in shame and self-pity?

It is obvious that Thom is supposed to be a role model for gay kids everywhere, but his lack of courage to fight for his cause, his unabated acceptance of his community’s overt homophobia and his expressions of shame and self-loathing negate any possibility of him presenting as a positive role model. He is likeable enough, though, and I did feel sorry for him in the beginning, but as the narrative came to a close I realised that Thom is an enabler of his own problems. He allows people to treat him with disrespect and discriminate him based on his sexuality.

The superhero aspects of this novel adhere pretty closely to traditional conventions. Heroes are dressed in fabulous costumes, wear capes, fly, and have names like Uberman and Golden Boy. The superhero elements are largely overshadowed by Thom’s sexuality, and Hero is essentially a coming out story dressed up in a superhero costume.

It is a little disappointing to see gay teen characters continually placed in such abusive, negative situations. The time has come for positive stories for queer teens that don’t include overt displays of prejudice and homophobia. In saying that, I hereby challenge writers everywhere, if you’re thinking about writing a gay character into your story, do so respectfully, without reverting to any direct or implied slurs against their sexual preference. I am now officially on the hunt for books which portray gay kids in a positive, non-discriminatory manner. Let the games begin…

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The teen vampire genre is enjoying a good run at the moment. It seems every time I walk into a bookstore, a new author has released a vampire novel of some kind. So when I picked up Vampire Academy, I did so with hesitation. And as it turns out, my hesitation wasn’t exactly unwarranted.

Vampire Academy is the first novel in an ongoing series and is narrated through the eyes of Rose Hathaway. She’s a Guardian-in-training and it is her job to protect Lissa Dragomir – who is not only a Moroi Princess, but also Rose’s best friend. But Rose is not your average student Guardian. She can see inside Lissa’s mind and can feel all of her best friend’s emotions. And Lissa is pretty special too; she has  very rare healing abilities that have only been seen a couple of times in all of vampire history. Oh yes, and they’re both heartbreakingly stunning. The boys love them, and the girls love to hate them.

Rose is a likeable enough character. She’s sassy, feisty and fiercely loyal. She’s quick to fly off the handle, so Vampire Academy is never without at least a little action. And it’s certainly not without its romance. Rose has a bit of a reputation as a player, but that’s the thing about reputations – you can never really tell if their genuine or made from gossip. Will her reputation deter Dimitri – her Guardian mentor – or will he allow himself to make up his own mind?

Rose’s mental connection with Lissa is an interesting narrative tool which allows readers to follow Lissa’s story quite closely, too. Because Rose feels all that Lissa does, readers are also invited to identify with her, as well as Rose. For me, however, Lissa proved to be nothing more than a shallow narrative agent which provides conflict and drama for Rose to deal with.

Unfortunately, Rose’s voice did not draw me in to the point where I was utterly hooked. It would be unfair to say that I was bored, because I wasn’t, but I certainly had to concentrate on the reading process. I had to force myself to become invested in the story and develop a connection with the characters.

If someone gave me the sequels, I’d read them. However, I’m in no rush to go out and buy them for myself. Vampire Academy is not a bad read, but it’s certainly nothing to brag to your friends about.

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Lauren McLaughlin is no stranger to the world of writing. Before she started writing books, McLaughlin spent her time writing screenplays for a living. Her debut novel, Cycler, hit shelves a little earlier this year and caught our attention here at yaReads. To read the book review, click here

Lauren was kind enough to sit down with us for a quick Q & A session about her work, and life as a writer.

Cycler is your debut novel. In your own words can you give us a quick description?

Cycler is the story of a teenage girl who turns into a boy four days every month. In her attempt to hide this fact from the outside world, she inadvertently splinters off a separate personality with a mind of his own.

Is Jack supposed to be a metaphor for PMS?

The story drew heavily from my own mind-bendingly awful experiences of PMS, but Jack is much more than a metaphor. I never establish the precise reason for the cycling or for Jack’s splintering because I wanted readers to draw their own conclusions. But I definitely didn’t intend for Jack to be merely a symbol of something else. I wanted him to breathe, to have life. I guess in some ways, he’s an amalgam of those parts of ourselves that we can’t accept. Beautiful parts, angry parts, ugly parts, uncomfortable parts.

Which character did you enjoy writing more, Jack or Jill?

Jack, of course. Jack basically sprang from my head fully formed, did a little dance, and said “look at me!” I could relate to Jack on a very profound level, whereas Jill took some getting to know.

You nailed the male voice well – did you find writing Jack a challenge, because you’re a female writer? Did you do any specific teen-boy research for him?

I’ve never found it particularly difficult to write male characters. All characters are unique and different from me, and gender is only one aspect of a character’s personality. I’ve always had very close male friends and I grew up with a brother. That plus plain old empathy make it possible to envision life from another’s point of view. Also, my husband, who is very much like Jack, provided daily inspiration.

Although it does it in a comical way, Cycler raises some interesting questions about gender roles. Is hermaphroditism and transgender something you have an interest in?

I have an interest in gender as a broad topic, but mostly because I think far too much is invested in it. We actually know very little about the subject and yet as a society we spend a lot of time talking about it, fighting about it, and constantly adapting our thoughts and feelings on the subject. I’m a firm believer in equality and freedom and I don’t think individuals, or society for that matter, benefit from strict gender rules. But I also think that a lot of people enjoy playing with the rules. Take, for example, male transvestites who often embrace the most stereotypical feminine traits. They’re playing. I’m interested in the ways in which we construct gender in an ever-changing way using biology and culture as jumping off points.

How long did it take you to write Cycler?

The project began as a screenplay in the mid nineties. I never finished it but it never fully went away. When I started writing fiction, I remembered how much I loved the idea and got right to work on the novel. It turned out very different from the original screenplay and it took me about a year and a half to write.

Do you have any specific routine or rituals you do when you sit down to write?

I can write anywhere at any time, but if I’m having trouble focusing I put on headphones and listen to Bach. Eventually, I’ll branch out into other music and each project will wind up with its own playlist that helps me get into the right frame of mind. I also do extensive outlining but my outlines don’t survive very well. I’m a big planner and a big destroyer of plans.

Can you tell us about the playlist for Cycler?

Okay this is going to be embarrassing as there are some very old songs from my childhood there and I don’t even know why. But here goes, my Cycler playlist in order:

Horse With No Name by America
Nights In White Satin by The Moody Blues
As You Are by Travis
Big Ideas (bootleg version) by Radiohead
Dollars and Sense by Radiohead
Skip Divided by Thom Yorke (are you seeing a pattern here?)
Black Swan by Thom Yorke
Fake Plastic Trees by Radiohead
The National Anthem by Radiohead
My Body Is A Cage by Arcade Fire
The Golden Age by Beck
Off You by the Breeders
Amsterdam by Coldplay
Cheers Darlin’ by Damien Rice
Landslide by The Dixie Chicks
Sara Smile by Hall and Oats (I’m cringing now)
Us and Them by Pink Floyd
Hey by The Pixies
Gigantic by The Pixies
A Wolf at the Door by Radiohead
Creep (live) by Radiohead
You and Whose Army by Radiohead

Basically my project playlists evolve according to a logic I can not divine.

Listen to Lauren Mclaughlin’s playlist!

Did you find the process of finding a publisher hard or easy?

I got lucky with this one. Though I’d been publishing short stories for a while, I had trouble selling my first novel. With Cycler, I got an agent through a recommendation from one of her writers. She sold it in within weeks. She’s good.

You had trouble selling your first novel? Can I assume that it is yet to gain publication? Are you planning on trying to get it published now?

I have not sold it and have no plans at this moment to attempt to sell it. It’s a space opera and something I was very proud of at the time I finished it, but it feels very foreign to me right now and I’m not sure I’m in the right frame of mind to polish it. I have not, however, ruled out turning it into a surrealist road fantasy. We’ll see.

You’re working on a sequel, when is that due out?

It’s due out in the fall of 2009. I don’t think they have an exact date yet.

Can you dish any info regarding the plot?

I can tell you it does not take place in Winterhead.

Is it true you’re working on a screenplay for Cycler?

I’ve already written the screenplay for Cycler and I’m in negotiations with a producer right now.

You have a screenwriting background, right?

Yes. I wrote screenplays for about ten years before turning my attention to fiction. I’ll still write the odd screenplay now and then, but my real love is the novel.

What are your fave books/authors?

I’m a big fan of Meg Rosoff and Cintra Wilson. Colors Insulting To Nature is a great book about a teenage girl that’s not quite a YA novel. I love Virginia Woolf, Mrs. Dalloway in particular. I love Kurt Vonnegut and William Gibson. I’m still discovering the wonderful world of contemporary YA but I think it’s a rich genre. Scott Westerfeld and Justine Larbalestier come to mind.

Movies?

I’m a big Star Wars geek. I also love The Philadelphia Story and anything with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in it. I love musicals.

What are the best and worst things about being an author?

The best thing is the final draft. A story doesn’t even really exist until it all comes together at the end. It’s like an emergent phenomenon. The whole writing process, up until that point, is a battle for clarity over what exactly is the soul of the story. And it’s only after I’ve stumbled upon it that I even recognize it. Which brings me to the worst part of writing: everything that comes before that moment.

On that note, do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

My advice is to read a lot, live a lot and write a lot. Those with sufficient hunger to pursue a story to the bitter end, don’t need any outside inspiration and probably already know who they are. The ones I feel for are the ones who *think* they want to write but lack the obsessive commitment to see it through. I think especially when you’re young it’s important to push yourself further than you think you can just to see what’s inside you. Maybe that obsessive commitment is there but hiding underneath other things - like laziness, self-doubt and procrastination. If, after pushing yourself, you find that the obsession is not there, that’s okay too. In fact, count yourself lucky. As far as the business side of things, I’m still figuring that out.

A big thanks to Lauren for taking the time out of her busy schedule to chat with us! If you want more information about Lauren, you can check her out at www.laurenmclaughlin.net

Last night in Melbourne, The Hub Productions hosted a pre-screening of the Twilight movie, with a question and answer session with Nikki Reed (who plays Rosalie) and Edi Gathegi (the nomad, Laurent).

This was a big deal for Australian audiences, who, being so far away from everywhere else, often miss out on all these kinds of events. Tickets sold out super fast, and the hype surrounding the event was huge. I got to the cinema at four o’clock, which was two hours before the scheduled opening time. I was not surprised to learn that girls had been cueing up for some time before that.

We waited in line for an exceptionally long time. And then we waited a little more. Standing in line for so long had its advantages, though. I met some other ‘older’ twilight fans, and I also met some really enthusiastic younger ones, including a very friendly and entertaining boy. I was surprised to see a handful of boys there. Turns out, boys read Twilight too.

Finally, about twenty minutes after the event was scheduled to start, they opened the doors and let us in.

Nikki Reed and Edi Gathegi arrived a short time after and the Q & A began. From the moment they walked into the cinema, two things became abundantly clear. Firstly, Rosalie’s character does not do Nikki Reed Justice; she’s actually far more beautiful in person than she was on screen. She walked in with grace, her smile was radiant, and the teenage girls went absolutely nuts for her. Secondly, Edi Gathegi was a born entertainer. He had the crowd eating out of his hand from the moment he opened his mouth. He was casual, comfortable and entirely confident standing in front of a theatre jam-packed full of screaming teenage girls. It was a real treat to sit there and watch two of the cast members talk about the film, and interact with us on such an intimate level. They took questions for about forty minutes, and then they were ushered out so we could watch the movie.

I don’t want to get into a detailed review of the film, as it hasn’t been released everywhere worldwide as yet. But I will say this: the first time I saw it, I walked out of the theatre feeling like Summit had done an acceptable job of bringing my most treasured story to life. The second time, I walked out feel less than happy. There were a lot of gaps, a lot of scenes and important aspects of the characters were either not explained or were missing altogether, and the relationship between Bella and Edward was incredibly rushed. I didn’t notice these flaws the first time around, but they were blindingly obvious to me the second time. If you’re going into the movie without having read the books, be prepared to feel a little confused. The point of Bella and Edward’s relationship was that it was more mature than your average teen high school romance; it was a forever kind of thing. This movie makes Bella and Edward look like two emotionally unstable kids that would die for each other for no reason at all. In the film, they hardly know each other, their connection is not explored at all.

Criticisms aside, I’m really happy that I was able to be part of this experience. I’ve been a huge follower of the Twilight series and it felt nice to actually sit amongst all the fans and listen to Nikki and Edi talk.

Highlights of the evening include:

- Absolutely everything that came from Edi’s mouth; he should consider a career in stand up comedy.

- The baseball scene.

- Billy and Charlie’s dynamic. They’re absolutely my fave characters in the movie.

- Geeking it up Twilight style with other fans while waiting in line.

- Justin Chon’s performance. He really nailed the role of Eric.

Interesting facts I learned:

- Nikki Reed had to color her hair AND bleach her skin for the role of Rosalie. She actually has a really beautiful tan in real life

- Edi Gathegi fell over on the magic carpet while filming his entrance a few times.

- Edi Gathegi’s fave person ever, that isn’t in the Twilight cast, is the President Elect Barack Obama

- Neither of them has read New Moon yet.

- Nikki Reed’s favorite color is green.

The only real disappointing part of the evening was that the actors didn’t seem to be any more informed about upcoming Twilight news than we were. Fans asked if the film company was planning on filming the next three movies back to back - so that the vampires would really look seventeen (because we all know that people age, even if their vampire characters don’t) - and they couldn’t tell us. Questions were asked about Catherine Hardwicke’s withdrawal from New Moon, but they couldn’t (or maybe wouldn’t) tell us anything.

Overall, it was a great night, even if I walked out of the film part of the evening feeling anxious and worried about the fate of future movies, and I’m not sorry I forked out my hard earned dollars to attend the event. In fact, if another one is planned for the release of New Moon, I’ll probably do it again!

I have pictures from the event (though not very good ones, the actors kept moving around and it was quite dark) but I can’t get them off my camera at the moment, so they’ll have to come at a later date!

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is absolutely, positively, undeniably one of the best books I’ve read for a good long while. If it were possible for a book to stop traffic, this would be the one to do it.

Arnold Spirit doesn’t want to end up like the rest of his community. He has big dreams for himself; he wants to leave the reservation and give life a good go. So he asks his parents if he can go to the rich, white school on the other side of the reservation border. When they say yes, Arnie’s life changes enormously.

Suddenly he doesn’t fit in anywhere. The kids on the reservation think he’s a traitor, and the kids at his new school think he’s an outsider. Arnie’s life is one complex day after another. But then things start to change. Penelope – the most popular girl in school – takes an interest in him, and suddenly he’s asked to try out for the basketball team. As it turns out, Arnie is a pretty good ball player, which does wonders for his popularity status. Then Arnie’s new team comes up against his old team for the show down of a lifetime. How will Arnie deal with the confrontation?

Although it does so in a highly entertaining and comedic way, this novel deals with some serious issues. On the reservation, Arnie is surrounded by family members and friends who all abuse alcohol and drugs. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian addresses the serious, life-changing consequences of such social problems. Although Arnie tends to trivialise these things through humor, the gravity and dangers associated with drug and alcohol abuse is certainly not lost within this story. I therefore insert my tear-jerker warning here. Tears from some readers are highly possible.

Ellen Forney’s illustrations add immeasurable worth to this story. They’re funny, descriptive, and provide an extra layer that words alone could never achieve. They’re definitely the icing on this already utterly hilarious cake.

Arnie’s voice is likeable and easily relatable. Even if you’re not a Native American Indian, even if you know nothing about Indian culture, I’m almost certain you will be able to find something of yourself in Arnie. If there were more kids like Arnie around, the world would be a better place.

You’ll laugh your hearts out; you’ll cry enough to fill a fish tank. Reading The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is an emotional journey that everyone everywhere should experience. It’s a serious story told through a pair of not-so-serious eyes, making it easily digestible and readily accessible to all. This is definitely a book I can see myself coming back to over and over.

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This is the second installment in the Morganville Vampire novels. You can find the review to the first, Glass Houses, here

When Claire Danvers went off to college early, she thought her biggest problems would be keeping up with classes, and fitting in. Boy, was she ever wrong. You see, Claire made the mistake of choosing a college in Morganville – the one town in all of America that is run by the undead. And where there are vampires, there is also trouble.

Dead Girls’ Dance picks up exactly where Glass Houses left off. Michael Glass, owner of the house she lives in, and Claire’s good friend, is lying on a heap in the floor, dead. But Claire, Shane and Eve have no time to grieve; Shane’s Dad is in town and he’s causing all kinds of trouble. Claire, Shane and Eve find themselves in the middle of a messy battle.

Nothing is as it seems in Morganville though, and Dead Girls’ Dance is full of unexpected twists and turns. The occupants of the Glass House suddenly find themselves under the protection of Amelie – Morganville’s most powerful vampire. Having protection means Claire can go back to class, Eve can go back to work, and Shane can go back to doing the same old nothing he was doing before their protection was activated. But who has time for all those things when someone always wants them dead?

Readers get to know the characters of this series a little more in this installment. The narrative uncovers Shane’s dark history, and affords readers some insight into why he is so full of angst. The difficulties Eve has with her family are also explored, providing an added plot twist that you won’t see coming! And what about Michael, lying in a broken heap on their lounge room floor? Well, Michael has more secrets than you think…

In Glass Houses readers were tortured with a whole lot of pent up sexual tension between Shane and Claire. Shane even made a deal with a vampire to keep Claire safe. Dead Girls’ Dance throws a few more romantic ingredients into their story and the tension between them reaches an all time high. The problem is, Claire still isn’t legal, and Shane isn’t exactly getting younger. So how will they deal with their feelings for each other? Never before has a bad boy been this attractive. Shane is drool worthy in every sense of the word, and this novel shows that love conquers all boundaries and can change a person forever.

Rachel Caine proves once again that she is the master of action and suspense. Dead Girls’ Dance is so fast paced that you just wont be able to turn the pages quick enough. So strap on your seat belts and join your favorite characters on their roller-coaster ride into hell and back.

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Meet Jill – she’s on a mission. Prom is coming up and she is determined to bag herself the perfect date. But Jill is harbouring a big secret that could not only destroy her chances of showing up to prom on the arm of a hottie, but could also ruin her entire life.

Meet Jack – his parents don’t like him much, but he’s misunderstood. They keep him locked up in his bedroom so he can’t cause any trouble, but Jack is tired of being their prisoner. And anyway, he has his sights set on a girl, and he can’t very well capture her attention sitting in his bedroom, can he?

But Jack and Jill share a common problem that might stop them both from achieving their goals. Unbeknownst to all, they actually share the same body. For four days out of every month, Jill sprouts man bits and transforms into Jack. And Jack is all boy.

The concept is original. How many novels have you read where the female protagonist turns into a boy when she should be having her period? For me, this is the first. The story is narrated through both Jack and Jill’s perspectives, so readers get a chance to get inside both their heads. While they’re both so different, essentially they want the same thing: love. Will their gender mutation problem hinder their individual quests?

If you’re into the whole girl-meets-boy, girl-gets-boy type of story then Cycler is definitely a novel you’ll enjoy. Jill is awkward in her pursuits for love and is a character that I’m sure many teenagers all around the world will relate to. You’ll laugh with her, you’ll feel her pain, and mortification too. She’s a very real, three-dimensional character. Interestingly enough, even though he’s the cause of most of Jill’s problems, readers will undoubtedly also fall hopelessly in love with Jack. He’s a victim of circumstance and forgiving his poor behavior is an easy task.

As the novel closes, Jack and Jill appear no closer to a resolution than they were at the beginning of the novel. I can’t help but wonder (and hope) that McLaughlin is planning a sequel. Jack and Jill’s adventures seem far from over.

Cycler is quirky, funny and highly creative. Cycler is a standout debut novel that Lauren McLaughlin should be proud

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This is the second novel in The Mortal Instruments series.

Fans of the first book – City of Bones – are going to love this. City of Ashes is masterfully suspenseful, and utterly engaging. If you became emersed in the characters’ respective stories in book one, then I can safely say that their individual journeys in City of Ashes will leave you speechless.

What would you do if you were in love with your brother or sister? How confusing, how scary would that be for you? Welcome to the world of Jace and Clary. Of course, when they fell for each other they had no idea they were related. As I’m sure you can imagine, City of Ashes finds things between Jace and Clary a little on the tense side.

Although she is trying really hard, Clary is unable to stop thinking about Jace in a romantic capacity. She tries distracting herself with a new boyfriend, but that doesn’t really work out for her. And Jace, well he deals with it just like everyone expects him to: he tries alienating Clary in every possible way. However, just when readers think that all hope is lost, Jace comes face to face with the original fear demon and we learn that he’s really more in love with Clary than ever before. Everything is a mess, and they’re both unbearably confused.

So what do two kids in this situation do? How long can they keep denying each other? And is it so wrong to act on their feelings, even though society says it is? These are the questions the narrative poses as they tackle their demons – both real and metaphorical. Readers will be stunned, joyed, and totally peeved all at the same time by the outcome.

To make matters worse for Clary and Jace, their father is causing trouble for the Clave, and Jace finds himself in all sorts of strife. Clary does what she can to help him, but how much can you really help a stubborn kid like Jace? And will this only get Clary in trouble too? Valentine’s involvement in this novel will reveal some impressive, yet anxious plot twists and turns.

Some of the secondary characters take a nice big step forward in this book. Although readers were told Alec was gay back in book one, here in City of Ashes, proof is served up on a shiny, glittery, half Asian platter otherwise known as Magnus Bane. I’m either the most naïve person on the planet, or Cassandra Clare did a really good job of hiding the hints that these two were dating within the pages of her story. Magnus is just what Alec needs; he’s got spunk, he’s carefree and he’s very into Alec. So what is stopping Alec from really opening himself up to Magnus, and will Alec get himself together in time? My heart goes out to you Magnus Bane, and I can’t wait to read your story in book three.

Simon – Clary’s best friend – goes through some changes of his own. Totally in love with Clary, Simon finds it difficult to be around Jace. Simon is more perceptive than everyone gives him credit for, and he can see the deep connection Jace and Clary share.

And it burns him up inside.

His anger, his confusion and his self-pity lead him into a place of darkness, and he makes some choices that will change his life – forever.

The reality of growing up is intricately woven into the supernatural elements of this story. The magic, the drama and the fantasy are all portrayed so clearly that its easy to forget that this is just fiction.

Cassandra Clare’s prose is flawless, engaging and a pleasure to read. My enthusiasm for this series increases with every single read through. Like so many others, I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of the third installment. March 09 can’t get here fast enough.

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