I like City of Lost Souls. 
 ***** 
 I'll repeat: Cassandra Clare should've stopped the series at City of Glass. 
 If I immerse myself enough in the Shadowhunter world and just be mindlessly entertained, I can forget how City of Lost Souls is still lacking. Unfortunately, I refuse to delude myself that City of Lost Souls did anything to advance the plot, story and character-building of The Mortal Instruments series. But I have to say that this is a sneeze better than City of Fallen Angels. 
 The POVs of Simon and Isabelle are more fun to read. The idea of the floating abode of Jace and Sebastian fascinated me. The character of Jace-who-is-not-Jace is really good. I still like him, but since it's not really him, so I was cagey around him just like Clary. 
 Just when I thought I was liking Alec, he went and did something that is not cool. Magnus is still the magnetic character I enjoy, and his role here doesn't change that. I'm not sure where Maia and Jordan have POVs; will be their characters be essential in the last book to merit their voices heard? 
 Plot? forget it. Let's just read about Shadowhunters making out, getting any, not getting any, breaking up, parting with bitter goodbyes. It's exasperating that it's book 5 already and Jace and Clary are still dancing around that big elephant in the room called sex. Goodness, just be done with it already! 
 City of Lost Souls uplifted me up a little from my disappointment with City of Fallen Angels. But now that I think about it, reading about The Mortal Instruments series is getting tiresome. It will be a relief when this series draws to a close. 
 Yay, one more book to go. :/