first read 19th jan - 21st feb. 2011 5 stars 
 Second read 31st July - 20th August 2016 
 Full review can also be found on: Paein and Ms4Tune's Book Blog 
 I first read this and the next two in 2011, before the 4th book was out. I've since collected the rest of the series and each series that came after and now is the time I'm getting around to reading them again! Mainly because of the TV show I have to admit. It taught me that I am a firm Malec shipper and that Magnus is fabulous and I need to learn everything about him and what better place than the original source?! 
 I found Clary quite annoying, to start off with at least. She hated Izzy because she was pretty and she didn't use her brain! But I don't know if she mellowed or if I did because of how little time I've had to devote to reading so far this month but I'm feeling far more favourably about her now, even if she did go off and forget about Alec! (I don't think she actually did...she had other stuff to deal with). 
 I find this world quite deep and complex and I'm looking forward to learning more about it, both from the next two books as I continue my recap then all the books that come after that I'm yet to read. We've learnt little so far about everything, the shadow hunters, the downworlders, Idris, I'm looking forward to it. 
 I'd forgotten about Jace's sense of humour and I'm so glad I've found it again, he's fantastic! I'd also forgotten how hateful Valentine is too, what a horrid man. There was also much more to Simon than I remembered too. But Magnus is my favourite character. Can I admit that yet? Was he in this book enough? I'm confused...I've been reading excerpts online and I've introduced a friend to Shadowhunters while reading this as well as watching the film, all the Magnus is amalgamated into a giant ball of fantastic in my brain...