Okay, wow. I never expected to love this book so much and be attached by it. I love the plot, the Blackthorns, Julian, Emma, the angst, I love them. I can't deny, friends-to-lovers with forbidden love just hit differently.

“Being told that love is forbidden does not kill love. It strengthens it.”

[b:Lady Midnight|25494343|Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices, #1)|Cassandra Clare|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1460477682l/25494343._SY75_.jpg|19104294] is the first book in The Dark Artifices series by Cassie Clare, part of the wonderful world of shadowhunters. After what happened years ago from the City of Heavenly Fire, Emma Carstairs is now a young woman motivated to figure out who her parents killers are and avenge their deaths. Together with her parabatai, the love of my life, Julian Blackthorn and friends, they start investigating as strange murders that are linked and similar to the death of Emma's parents starts to happen.

This book is about a murder mystery, a family, a forbidden romance, and betrayals. This book is a new favorite!


First, the story line was gripping. It was medium-paced and it got me hooked from the beginning until the end. The mystery was there and it was enough to keep me entertained. I also liked how this book had lots of action and of course- the banter and the angst! This was a 600 pages book yet it felt like it only had 300 pages.

I had little moments where I was confused and I blamed it on myself for not reading the whole TMI series, I just read the summary of each book instead. I personally think I would have a better experience if I had read them first but since I'm impatient, impulsive, and too lazy to suffer through tmi, I automatically started this. Nonetheless, with the big help of google, I still enjoyed this book a lot.

This was set in Los Angeles in the modern day and the world of the shadowhunters continues to grow. I loved how this was associated with the faeries and how the magical elements in this book kept expanding. Come to think of it, I don't want the shadowhunter chronicles to end ever.

Although I'm not a big fan of long chapters, Cassie's writing style here didn't bore me. I felt the modern atmosphere of it in the world building.

“Everyone is more than one thing. We are more than single actions we undertake, whether they be good or evil.”

The family dynamic was so pure, sweet, and heartfelt. The family relationship of the Blackthorns gave me so much happiness. Plus Emma and Cristina who aren't Blackthorns by blood but they sure were part of the fam!

Emma Carstairs is a rebel, a warrior, a badass. I admire her for her strength and fierceness. She's also caring for her parabatai. It was so easy for me to love her.

Julian Blackthorn. Aaaackk my heart, Julian is a legit soft precious cinnamon roll. He did that, that, and that for his siblings. He's like the parent figure in the family. The pain in the end omg, I am literally melting for Julian Blackthorn.

I'm swooning over the romance aaah. Parabatai? Falling in love? Friends to Lovers? Oh yes count me in. The switching of the gender stereotype here was great, Julian's the mother type and Emma's the warrior type. My heart cheers and breaks for them. Love is truly ~something~ and no law can control their feelings.

“You'll fix me, because we're parabatai. We're forever.”

Ah, imagine having a parabatai in your life, always there through ups and downs. Jem and Will, Emma and Julian, I'm in love with their parabatai bonds.