Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices 1)

by Cassandra Clare, 476 pages

Tessa Gray's entire life changes when she travels to London to be with her brother only to be kidnapped upon arrival by two terrifying...and unusual...women. She discovers quickly that not only do creatures like vampires and warlocks exist, but she is in fact a Downworlder as well, although she doesn't quite fall into a neat category. She is rescued by the Shadowhunters who are those responsible for keeping balance between the Downworlders and the rest of the world. During her stay with the Shadowhunters, Tessa has to find her missing brother, figure out her complex feelings for the difficult Shadowhunter, Will, assist with solving the mystery of the Pandemonium Club, and try to determine just how she fits in to this strange new world.

This series precludes Clare's first series, The Mortal Instruments, and there are definite parallels between the two. I found the characters to be a bit too similar to Jace and Clary of the first series, but fans of Clare will most likely enjoy this series as well.