Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends. With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.

How incredible is Clare's writing?! I mean, her story telling is just insane! I love the details within this book, the way the reader feels as if they're in Victorian London and a part of the Shadowhunters. The story literally comes to life off the pages and its only the gifted authors that are able to immerse the reader into such a fascinating and thrilling world such as in Clockwork Prince.

What is so invigorating about this book is that it is both plot and character driven. There's a perfect balance so that the story will suck you in and the characters will make you fall in love. I of course have a huge soft spot for Will, who is still just as charming and witty as ever, with the best lines of the story. I found myself constantly smiling at his dialogue and rooting for his happy ending. However, no Shadowhunter story is complete without its twists and love triangles, and boy are there plenty of those throughout the story to keep the reader busy.

I found the love triangle in this book to be satisfactory. I tend to pick sides early and stick with the guy I like, so I was disheartened to see that Tessa chose Jem (although Jem is a complete sweetheart) over Will. I was honestly broken hearted for poor Will, but have high hopes things may work out in the end. Overall, its a wonderful sign seeing how invested I got into this book and its characters- always a bonus! The triangle did remind me a bit too much of the City of Mortal Instruments triangle between Clary-Jace-Simon where Will and Jace are extremely similar (but that's just me).

This book has plenty of literary genius to go around. There's a grossly twisted story line that delves into deeper and darker parts of the Shadowhunter world which will keep you blindly reading to the end. I was impressed with the amount of action in this book as well, although there was a greater focus on the training than actual fighting. The romance was there without being overwhelming, teasing you and leaving you wishing for more! One scene in particular between Tessa, Will and some warlock punch will definitely make the temperature rise! I definitely recommend this book to all, and advise you read it back to back with Clockwork Angel. Its been awhile since reading the first book in the series, and some of the minor details were lost on me, and with such a detailed storyline it'd be beneficial to get everything in one sitting!