Ghosts of the Shadow Market by Cassandra Clare - Book Review

Ghosts of the Shadow Market by Cassandra Clare
Publication date: June 4, 2019
My rating: 4 stars

 “Kit straightened up. “Nope, I’m good. Come on Brother Hauntingly Attractive.” “There’s no need to mention this to Tessa.” “And Yet,” said Kit, “I’m gonna.”  

The problem about reading a Cassandra Clare book... you immediately want another one.

While this was probably my least favorite of the short stories collection - The Bane Chronicles and Tales of the Shadowhunter Academy - it was still an epic read, and I could not put this book down after hitting the halfway mark.

I think the reason I liked it less was only due to a few of the short stories that just didn't really... appeal to me? But the short stories about Alec and Kit and Jace... AHH, my heart! And I also really appreciated all the background information we got on certain characters. It really adds depth and also really sets us up to The Wicked Powers trilogy (as well as for The Last Hours trilogy). 

*Spoilers from now on (note the end of spoilers below)*

"A love the cannot be requited. I can think of nothing more painful than that."  

I felt really bad for Jace's biological mother, Celine. It's really so sad that Jace never got to know her, that she never got to love her son. The poor girl has been abused and ignored her whole life and it just made me to angry and sad to hear. I don't even think anyone, aside from Valentine, knew what her parents did to her. Maybe the ones from her institute, but they were as evil as her parents.

Celine just wanted to be loved, she wanted to belong. And it was so painful to read how she fell to Valentine's trap.

I'm also angry about Jace's biological father, though? He obviously had the Herondale charms, but it didn't impress me because if you think about it, he chose to leave Amatis for Celine, and yet he still yearned for Amatis, never really loving Celine fully. No one forced him to leave Amatis, no one charmed him to do to. It really just made me angry, because if he truly wanted to be with Amatis he would have found a way, and instead he threw her aside, went to Celine, and didn't even love her truly. 

"I'm basically twelve," continued Alec, who was totally eleven. 

I'm so sad for Thule Jace 😭 Can't get used to his new name yet. I know I know, Thule Jace is the villain, he will obviously eventually be killed, probably either by the "good guys" or him sacrificing himself, realizing it's his only way at peace and redemption.

But I'm just so sad for him. Because at the end of the day, he is Jace. Yes, not the Jace we all know and love. He's a dark Jace, who kills mercilessly and is honestly scary and evil, but... Jace :( He literally went through HELL and he just wants Clary and it's so sad.

I also just need Clary and Jace to get married though! Honestly, get married already! And have children! If it is as it usually is, there is a wedding at every ending of Cassandra's books, so we'll probably get the Jace and Clary wedding at the end of The Wicked Powers?

They trained together at the London Institute and took lessons together in various schoolrooms, and Lavinia Whitelaw had referred to them as “that notorious bunch of hooligan boys.” Matthew and James had called themselves Shadowhooligans for some time after that remark. 

Can we talk about Lily Chen for a second? My heart hurts for her. I love her, I love Raphael, I want them together. *sob-sob*. Part of me is screaming at her "What are you doing?! Don't trust Thule Jace!" While the other part of me is "Yes yes yes yes, bring the other Raphael here! We need our Raphael again!"

How precious is Kit, Jem, Tessa, and Mina though? THAT FAMILY. I just wanted to read so much more of them together. Mina is SO CUTE, and I want Kit to be even more cute with her. They're already so cute! I loved that scene when he went to her room and held her up trying to get her to sleep. Precious.

*End of spoilers* 

I do not have to be only one thing, Anna thought. I can choose what suits me when it suits me. The trousers and jacket do not make me a man, and the necklace does not make me a woman. They are only what makes me feel beautiful and powerful in this moment. I am exactly as I choose to be. I am a Shadowhunter who wears gorgeous suits and a legendary pendant. 

I realized something about myself as I was reading. Well, it was something I already knew about myself but realized it even more now, that I really don't enjoy descriptions. Of places, or people. The bare minimum is enough to satisfy me. I'm much more dialogue/thoughts oriented. And Cassandra Clare's writing could be very descriptive at times.

So yeah, while I did fell it was rather slow-paced due mainly to my lack of interest in some of the stories, I did think it was amazing and deep and just... I love everything Cassandra Clare writes, she's my queen of fantasy, and I love the Shadowhunter world. Thinking that we only have 8 more books honestly makes me HORRIFIED. I cannot wait for The Wicked Powers - but as long as we're going to have The Last Hours and The Eldest Curses I'm happy even if I have to wait forever until my Kit and Ty. 

Fight Like a Girl - Zolita

"Anyone who says women are weak is afraid they're too strong."