When you read a book that takes you on an adventure you immediately want to love it. Adventures are awesome! 
 But for some people, a little too much fantasy, an elaborate twist of the plot, and long descriptive paragraphs, no matter how real the characters seem, take the element of excitement away. That was the case for me. 
 I went into this book so incredibly pumped by the concept, and excited by the plot. I still liked the book, don't think that I didn't... But the fantasy world that the story takes place in became too much for me as the story went on. People turning into rats, flying motorcycles, vampires, werwolves, witches, demons, portals to other dimensions, items pulled out of pictures... is an example of only a few "unusual" things in this book. It was more than I had anticipated to take in. 
 That being said, for a lot of people, all of these elements is exactly what they are looking for in a book. J.K.Rowling made millions (if not billions) with her Harry Potter series which chronicled the life of a boy pulled into an overwhelming fantasy world of everything imaginable. 
 Like Harry Potter, The Mortal Instruments is about a seemingly human person who discovers she isn't as human as she thought and becomes pulled into a world of unimaginable things. The story has an essence of Harry Potter, and I think that any Harry Potter fan will be thrilled with this series. 
 That being said, my rating for The Philosopher's Stone (Harry Potter #1) was only three stars as well and I ended up REALLY enjoying the rest of the series due to my love for the characters. I have a feeling this series will be the same. 
 I have every intention to continue the series and see where this incredible story will take me next.