Hai Beautiful Hoomans!

Did I finish this book or did it finish me?

I didn’t think the ending of this novel would hit me as it did. All I’m saying is that I am so glad the next series goes back in time because I am far too fragile to deal with my faves being in pain again.

Goodreads Blurb:

The Shadow Market is a meeting point for faeries, werewolves, warlocks and vampires. There the Downworlders buy and sell magical objects, make dark bargains, and whisper secrets they do not want the Nephilim to know. Through two centuries, however, there has been a frequent visitor to the Shadow Market from the City of Bones, the very heart of the Shadowhunters. As a Silent Brother, Brother Zachariah is sworn keeper of the laws and lore of the Nephilim. But once he was a Shadowhunter called Jem Carstairs, and his love, then and always, is the warlock Tessa Gray.

Follow Brother Zachariah and see, against the backdrop of the Shadow Market’s dark dealings and festive celebrations, Anna Lightwood’s first romance, Matthew Fairchild’s great sin and Tessa Gray plunged into a world war. Valentine Morgenstern buys a soul at the Market and a young Jace Wayland’s soul finds safe harbor. In the Market is hidden a lost heir and a beloved ghost, and no one can save you once you have traded away your heart. Not even Brother Zachariah...

Ghosts of the Shadow Market (GoTSM) is by Cassandra Clare and co-written with Maureen Johnson, Robin Wasserman, Sarah Rees Brennan and Pulitzer finalist Kelly Link. The first eight stories were initially published digitally as e-books on March 2018, released monthly. The final two stories became available in the bind-up print copy published in 2019.

I would like to thank the publisher for sending me a copy of this book. I far too excited when I received it, that I did was every book-hoarder does when they receive a new book and let it sit on my shelf for months until I found the perfect time to read it!

REVIEW!

This series of stories start back in time. Taking us back in time with Jem through the years, starting from 1901 (the generation after The Infernal Devices and what I believe to be the cast of Chain of Gold) all the way to the current timeline of the year 2013.

Over these stories, we see points of view from characters whom we don’t know much about, probably due to death or time skips. These points of view allow us to understand these characters and their motives that lead to certain plot events in the timeline.

One thing I loved about this bind-up was that the stories were from all over Jem’s life, organised in chronological order and dated with the year they occurred. I remember when I read The Bane Chronicles, the first bind-up of short stories to be released in the Shadowhunter world, there was confusion about time framing and I am glad there is more clarity in this one. I’m not so much fussed with time-skipping/ jumping as I am with being able to place the story/ scene within the timeline of the chronicles.

Keeping this very spoiler-free, I am choosing one story to fawn over and of course, this is the last story. Not my fault, I’m eternally connected to my favs from The Mortal Instruments. So here are some thoughts from that story:

• Fuck me
• I don’t want harm to come to my precious OGs, especially Jace and Clary who have been through hell and back already (literally).
• I’m totally not crying and begging at Cassandra Clare’s feet for her to not hurt my children, the only characters I’ve really ever loved with my whole heart. I mean this. There’s a reason I come back to this series!
• I loved Janus and Ash’s relationship and would love a story of just them NOT plotting to hurt my precious beans (grr). The soft, non-murderous sides if their relationship is actually quite sweet.
• I can’t deal with any more stories from the current timeline because my poor, broken heart cannot handle anymore harm coming to my faves. CASSIE PLEASE! I CAN’T DEAL WITH THE PAIN!
• I’m just glad the next book and series (Chain of Gold) is back in 1903 because as I said my heart cannot handle any more pain befalling my faves.

If I have anything to say to Cassandra Clare, it would be this:
Please wait about two or even five years to release anything else that continues on from the current timeline (2013 for those who don’t know). I say this because my heart cannot handle any more pain and anguish that will be brought upon the OG cast that I have grown to love from the start of The Mortal Instruments.

Other than the pain that the last story caused me, I really LOVED having more stories about Jem and Tessa, especially after the events of Queen of Air and Darkness where the couple take on Kit as a member of their new family. It is nice to have a little wholesome family time, especially when the stories are usually chaotic and centred around love and relationship drama, although this bind-up not an exception.

★ Rating ★

I rated this book a ★★★★★ (5/5 stars) because if you couldn’t tell, I absolutely loved seeing and reading about those whose lives we haven’t been able to follow whether it be due to death or time. Also, the last story has shattered my heart and I need to take time to recover, so as a result, Chain of Gold will waiting o my shelf for a few weeks until I’m ready.

I hope you enjoyed this review.

It was a little gushy, yes. Plus I tried to make it spoiler-free, which is difficult for a novel that requires prior knowledge of the series to understand, although not entirely impossible!

Make sure you are staying in, safe and healthy. I love all of you! Thank you for reading xx

Leave your opinions in the comments or alternatively on my social media channels!
Instagram // Goodreads // Twitter // YouTube .

See you back here on Monday’s (book reviews), Wednesday’s (storytime/ writing updates) and Saturday’s (other bookish content).