I loved The Mortal Instruments so when I found out that Cassandra Clare was writing another trilogy I got really excited. But the first book was kind of a disappointment. Like many people I felt that the new series was just a rehashing of the first one but this time set in Victorian London. The character archetypes were pretty much the same. We had a leading lady who was introduced to a new world. A hot boy who had a bad attitude, a best guy friend who falls in love with our leading lady. And finally another female character who makes our lead feel uncomfortable in her own skin just because she's just that good looking. Even though I was a little disappointed by the first book, I dutifully picked up the second one the day it was released. It gathered dust on my shelf for a couple of months until the other day when I thought: "well hell, it can't be that bad" and decided to finally read it. And you know what? I was pleasantly surprised.

Clockwork Prince picks up pretty soon after we left off in Clockwork Angel. Tessa and her Shadowhunter friends are still trying to solve the mystery of Tessa's origins and what she actually is while they also look into stopping the dangerous Magister. And on top of that Tessa needs to come to understand which boy she wants, the gentle Jem or the wild and crazy Will. This book packs in just the right amount of teen angst with the steam-punk inspired fantasy. Cassandra Clare built off of the basics that she set down in the first book in a clever and refreshing way giving these new characters a different feel then her contemporary crew in The Mortal Instruments.

I think my appreciation for these book still steams from her first series. In The Mortal Instruments I built a love of the Shadowhunter World, this new prequel series is able to expand this love. But needs to lean on the books that came before it. I am still excited for the final book in this trilogy. When it is released I will do a more informative critique of the series. There's no real point in analyzing the picture until I have all the pieces I think.

So to sum it all up. This book was enjoyable and kept my interest in the series but I'm not going to pass my final judgement until I have read the final installment.

Originally posted at: www.fictionlove.com

Please go to this site for my personal review of this book. http://booksblogspot.blogspot.com/

I loved Clockwork Prince. I really like the ending part which left thinking that she has to be writing more. Oh my I never thought she was going to end up with Jem I thought she was going to end up with Will. Will's sister comes to them and says she wants to be trained as a Shadowhunter. I really hope that she finishes the next book more quickly.

I first started reading the Mortal Instrument series when the first book came out (City of Bones) and have been reading them ever since.

It has been a while since I've read the first book in the series, Clockwork Angel, since Clare is writing books for two series, and of course doing a fantastic job of it, I had actually forgotten some stuff, but within the first chapter it was all coming back to me, including the love that I have for this fantastic series.
It has vampires, werewolves, demons and all other sort of creatures and throughout the whole series you are asking "Just what is Tessa Grey?" I could picture the whole thing in my mind like I was there: the giddiness in Will that we've never seen before, him pointing at the demon yelling "You!" and running after him while Magnus doesn't really think anything of it, Henry and Charlotte....sigh...finally something, and of course all of the beautifully put comments that Tessa says almost under her breath that make Jem laugh.
And then of course there are the complete shockers in this story, and I won't name names for those of you who have not read it, but their spy was something I did not really see coming. Nor did I see Gideon coming, but I did sort of see the last page of the novel happening-still it plans to lead to something good I'm sure.
And there is still the question of "What does the Magister want from Tessa?" I can't wait to find out her true origins and the extent of her powers.
AND, this has turned into a Twilight love triangle with a twist. Jem and Tessa? Tessa and Will? ???? So good.

The Good:
Will-sexy as ever...if not more now that we get a little background.
Jem-the first book was all about falling in love with Will and the second all about falling in love with Jem...and I did. He is truly the gentlemen. I mean just look at the cover. Awesome!
And of course a closer look Charlotte and Henry...I was waiting for it.

P.s. Anyone watch the trailer for this? I'm never really a fan of book trailers but this one was actually really good!

Bad:
Nothing other than I want more and want to know all the answers to my questions about Tessa...but I guess that comes with time, and another book.

Overall (Writing style, story line, and general):
Clare is one of the best writer's that I've read. She expressed everything well and articulately and can easily bring you into the world of the Shadowhunters. She knows how to make serious moments serious, and she knows how to make funny moments hilarious. But on top of all this she knows how to creep up on people with an unexpected twist (which with the amount of books that I have read is actually pretty hard these days).

Favourite Quotes:
"But-but..." Will sputtered.
"Oh, leave it," said Jem, kicking Will, not without affection, lightly on the ankle.
"She annexed my plan!"
"Will," Tessa said firmly. "Do you care more about the plan being enacted or about getting credit for it?"
Will pointed a finger at her. "That," he said. "The second one."-Pg. 444

See more of my review at my blog http://www.mynotsovacantshelf.blogspot.com