City of Bones by Cassandra Clare

From Goodreads: When fifteen-year-old 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 strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing - not even a smear of blood - to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy? 
This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know....

I cannot begin to explain how many times I found myself wanting to kick myself while reading City of Bones thinking "WHY did I wait to read this?". The book starts quickly and builds momentum from there. I was hooked the entire time, I didn't want to put it down until I had finished. While reading this book I laughed out loud, gasped, shook my head in disbelief, and everything else I probably didn't notice myself do because I was engrossed in Clary's story. Speaking of Clary, what an awesome and witty heroine she is! I had so much fun reading about her, there wasn't a single thing I didn't like about her. She was tough when need be, she stood her ground and had her heart and mind in the right places. The only fault I saw was her *blindness* towards a certain someone, poor guy. She has a best guy friend named Simon who plays Dungeons and Dragons and is in a band. I liked him, he seemed so honest and goofy at times, I felt bad for him as he was the best-friend-who-has-unreturned-feelings-for-girl. Then we come to Jace. What a guy, what a guy. He is badass demon-slayer who also happens to be witty and funny. Can you imagine reading the interactions between two witty and funny people who happen to be attracted to each other? I'll tell you what it is: reading at its finest. This book has it all, great characters, great story, great pacing, action/romance/drama/demons. Oh and a great ending that managed to *surprise* me. That's putting it mildly, my jaw literally dropped. Whoah. I am very thankful I took the plunge and bought the boxed set, but I really do want to wait to read the next one because I know I will just hate the wait for book #4. 

I give this book 5 owls!

City of Bones (Mortal Instruments)

& the boxed set for only $15!

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones; City of Ashes; City of Glass