Lord of Shadows (The Dark Artifices Book 2)

Can't describe how time after time book after book the characters feel like they could leap of the page. So much emotion and pain in this book I dont know where to start. Can't wait for the next book.....

This book elevated the first novel in so many ways. I don't know that I've ever been as emotionally attached to one of Clare's novels as I was with this one - it was charming, brooding, romantic, disarming and gut-wrenching. Be warned - you will get addicted to this writer.

Oh why do you torture me with these cliffhangers Cassandra Clare? I just love these series with the Shadowhunters and now it will be so long until the next one comes out. Too bad they can never get the screen versions right! Keep up these awesome books!

Cassandra Clare is an amazing story teller! I absolutely love living in the World of Shadowhunters, Downworlders and even Demons! I literally could not put these books down! Be ready to laugh out loud and turn around and cry your eyes out! She is the Queen of Cliffhangers!

Of all the shadowhunters Cassandra Clare had introduced us to, I love the Blackthorns the most. There is a hole in my heart at the end of this book that can not be fixed no matter what happens in the next volume.

Be prepared for shocks, telling at the page and tears you never saw coming. With this book I felt everything there is to feel. I think I shocked my family when I started sobbing. Read this at your own risk.

Cassandra Clare has certainly delivered again with her latest installment in her Shadowhunters series. These books just keep getting better. She has built such a tremendous and diverse cast of characters, and it is so much fun for us fans of the series to see the characters from the various books coming together to interact in this world.

Clare writes relationships like no one else. She is one of the best in the game at building romantic tension, and even the friendly/familial relationships are so well-done and heartwarming (sometimes heart-wrenching).

Lord of Shadows is absolutely the perfect follow up to last year's Lady Midnight, and I cannot wait to see how she finishes this series, not to mention the other three (I think?) Shadow hunter series that she's working on at the moment.

I will always adore these books and this world and am so grateful to Clare for giving us so many opportunities to return to it!

These books are incredible! Can never put a Cassandra Clare book down until it is finished! These books are loved by teens to seniors. Wondrous adventures with unforgettable characters. Cannot wait for the next one!

This story is absolutely heart breaking. Every thing about Julian Blackthorn make you want to hold him protect him. His strength, his bravery love and determination for his family. He definitely stolen my heart.

This book was nowhere close to quality or readability as the first book in the series. It very much felt like a placeholder or filler book - not a whole lot happens even though there's lots of running around and investigating and trying to figure out what to do (they don't). I didn't feel as compelled to read this one, either. I don't care about the political climate of Idris, and it feels like Clare is trying to make a point about modern day politics that I don't want in my fictional fantasy world.

There's also a death that is immensely sad and IMO, totally unnecessary. I also wonder why it is that nearly every character in Clare's books is either gay or bi. I don't have an issue with their orientation, rather when only about 4% of the population identifies as LGBT, it seems closer to 50% in Clare's books (if not higher) and I find it distracting (Alec, Magnus, Mark, Aline, Helen, Diana, Kit, Ty, Kieran, etc., etc.). Especially since this is something that's so forbidden in the Shadowhunter community that I find it hard to believe. Autism, which affects a much higher portion of the population does finally get (some) representation here with Ty. Too bad everyone's so against using "mundane" treatments which might have really helped the kid growing up.

I enjoyed the book, but it didn't grip me by the throat the way that #1 did. She didn't make me as invested. I'm also fairly tired of the whole "Bad things are happening in the world and none of the grownups will listen!" trope. At least in TMI, the adults were aware of how bad things were and how Valentine and Sebastian needed to be stopped. Not so much here.

I'm hoping Book 3 is better. And that this is a trilogy and that I don't have to wait for four more books to come out before it ends.

A total page turner, kept me interested from beginning to end. The story is well told, the characters maybe just a little flat. The problem with all number twos in a trilogy: Too many cliffhangers for my taste. If you are an eager person, wait to buy/read it until the third publication date is closer.

Great book with page turning anticipation!!! I cannot wait to continue reading how Julian and Emma resolve their situation, does Ty recover, where do Christina, Kieran, and Mark stand in their relationship...and where does that leave Diana, Aliene, Helen, Clary, Jace, Alex, and Magnus?!?!?!

This was another strong and engaging showing in Clare's world of Shadowhunters. Parts of it are slow moving and there are a few revelations that seem to come from left field or are weak justifications, but on the whole it was a very enjoyable read and I'll certainly stick with the series.