Have you read Cassandra Clare’s Chain of Gold, Chain of Iron, and Chain of Thorns one time or one thousand times? Take this quiz to see how well you remember your favorite characters from the Last Hours series!
There are so many things to love about Cassandra Clare’s Dark Artifices series : the forbidden romance between Emma and Julian, the tight-knit Blackwood family, the magic, Ty, the mayhem, and the LA beach! Here are books to read to find those same things you love in the Dark Artifices series (Lady Midnight, Lord of Shadows, and Queen of Air and Darkness).
This one goes out to all the Cristina-Mark-Kieran stans! This epic reimagining of “The Sleeping Beauty” follows a teen girl on a quest to wake a sleeping princess in an enchanted forest, while searching for the truth behind her own deadly curse. On her journey, Lena finds herself drawn to both a brooding raven boy and a chaotic magical girl, a bisexual conundrum with no wrong answers.
This book is perfect for readers who love Julian and his close-knit siblings. From the acclaimed author of SLAY, comes a gripping, evocative novel about a Black teen who has the power to see into the future, whose life turns upside down when he foresees his younger brother’s imminent death.
A Dark and Hollow Star is a thrilling urban fantasy set in the magical underworld of Toronto that follows a queer cast of characters racing to stop a serial killer whose crimes could expose the hidden world of faeries to humans. Need I say more??
If you love the LA setting of the Dark Artifices, you will love The Black Kids, which is written like a love letter to LA. This unforgettable coming-of-age debut novel explores issues of race, class, and violence through the eyes of a wealthy black teenager whose family gets caught in the vortex of the 1992 Rodney King Riots.
Jemma fans will love the angst in These Violent Delights. Nothing says forbidden romance like this Romeo and Juliet retelling set in 1920s Shanghai, with rival gangs and a monster in the depths of the Huangpu River. Juliette and Roma must set their guns—and grudges—aside and work together, for if they can’t stop this mayhem, then there will be no city left for either to rule.
Emma and Julian will tell you: trouble happens when you fall in love with your best friend! When We Were Magic is a sly, witchy, dark comedy about four teens whose magic goes wildly awry. When Alexis makes a magical mistake and a boy winds up dead, she and her tight knit group of friends come together to try to right a terrible wrong. But Alexis is hiding something else: she’s in love with her best friend.
Fans of Emma will love Cordelia in this new Shadowhunter series set in Edwardian London! Both female Carstairs warriors, they share more than wielding Cortana, including a secret love for their best friend, a fierce loyalty for their friends, and a dark legacy to overcome.
Artistic prodigy Isobel may work with the fair folk, painting them for favors, but she knows better than to trust them. When she’s tasked with painting Rook, the autumn prince, Isobel makes a grave mistake and paints mortal sorrow in his eyes. Furious, Rook takes her away to his kingdom for trial. But things are amiss in the world of the fair folk, and Rook and Isobel find themselves relying more and more on each other — a dangerous thing, considering love between fair folk and mortals violates the fair folk laws.
This book is perfect for shippers of Kit and Ty! It features Aristotle, an angry teen, and Dante, a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet one summer, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime.
There are SO MANY good lines in the Last Hours series said by some of our favorite characters. But how well do you remember who said each quote? Test your knowledge of Cassandra Clare’s Chain of Gold, Chain of Iron, and Chain of Thorns with this quiz.
Want even more? Check out these 10 Bonus Scenes from the Last Hours Series.
There’s something about the Infernal Devices series that sets it apart from other fantasy books. Cassandra Clare’s Infernal Devices just has that je ne sais quoi and is one of my favorite Shadowhunters series. If you’re looking for something new to read that fills the void left by Will, Jem, and Tessa, read the books below!
Want more recs? Check out more books to read if you love the Shadowhunters!
In 1920s England, a working-class girl who can see spirits works with a lord’s son to solve mysterious deaths at the local manor home in this eerie historical mystery. It has heart-wrenching forbidden love, vengeful spirits, and so many secrets to unravel!
This book has just the right tone and content to give you all the feelings that the Infernal Devices does. It’s a high-stakes fantasy, with a strong female lead, and it’s set in Victorian London. To top it off, it’s a lengthy read, in keeping with Cassandra Clare’s habits, so it will keep you busy for a little while!
Like The Last Magician, this dark and witchy read is set in early 1900’s New York City. It’s got a school for witches that feels suspiciously like an Institute in some ways, a mysterious boy, and dark forces stirring in the city. Trust us, you don’t want to miss this one.
This book has everything—whip smart characters who are always seeking out the front lines of action, forbidden romance with a slow burn that’s enough to scar, and a vibrant setting that’s rich with culture. It takes place in the 1920’s, and the turmoil of the time and plot are plain to see. You won’t be able to put this one down.
More gothic than steampunk, this book still has that same dark and adventurous tone as Infernal Devices. Round that out with legends of vampires, magical trinkets, and a frenemies-to-lovers romance that will keep you guessing, and you couldn’t ask for more!
If you’re simply looking for more from the Shadowhunters Universe, look no further! The Last Hours series is set in Edwardian London, just after the events of the Infernal Devices series. Even better than that, it features Will and Tessa’s descendants! The series starts with Chain of Gold, and once you're finished with the first book, check out the second, Chain of Iron, and the final installment, Chain of Thorns!
This sci-fi retelling of Les Miserables was bound to have a killer love triangle, and it delivered. When you drop that into a society on another planet on which a rebellion is resurfacing after hundreds of years, this book has all the makings of another favorite for fans of Infernal Devices.
Family problems? Stumbling into a war you had no business fighting? Strong female leads? Check, check, check for both Infernal Devices and Crown of Feathers. If you loved the mystery behind Tessa’s background, you’ll lose it for Veronyka’s.
Set just after the end of the Victorian era in 1902 New York City, this read is jam-packed with magic, drama, and all the same tropes that made the Infernal Devices great. Complete with time-travel and a mission to save all magic, this book is sure to please fans of Infernal Devices.
If you’re just in it for the love triangle, this book has a love triangle to die for. Another old crush, the old rival of the current boyfriend, and a high-stakes game that has them all competing? Tensions are high, drama is inevitable, and the conclusion of it all will sweep you right off your feet.
Shadowhunters runes are an aesthetic answer to enhance the powers of those who keep the world safe from the supernatural. We think runes would be SO USEFUL in real life and honestly wish they were real (or maybe they are…in which case we wish we had the power to use them). We’ve compiled a list of the nine runes that we think would be the most useful in life, whether or not demon slaying is on your to-do list.
Let us know what you think of our choices!
9 Most Useful Runes (In Our Opinion)
1. Enkeli/Angelic Power
This is one of the first runes the Nephilim receive upon initiation, imbuing them with the power of Angel Raziel. It’s also one of the most powerful runes so…yeah…we could use some of that!
2. Voyance
If you’re ever caught in a dark alley with a disguised Downworlder, this mark helps you see right through the glamours. It also helps if you already have the Sight.
3. Friendship/Parabatai
For when you and your bestie are ready to take things to the next level.
4. Speed
Gotta go fast!—Sonic the Hedgehog
5. Equilibrium
Take solace, left-footed friends! This rune makes it extremely difficult to knock someone off their feet, which comes in handy whether you’re facing a demon or an uneven sidewalk.
6. Fireproof
No more burning yourself while making s’mores!
7. Iratze
It was the second rune that Raziel gifted to the Nephilim, and with good reason. It helps alleviate pain, closes cuts and wounds, and can even help with minor health concerns like headaches!
8. Mnemosyne
This, along with several others, grants the wearer an excellent memory.
9. Speak in Tongues
Not only can the Shadowhunter bearing this rune speak and understand any language, they can communicate with others without demons understanding them.
Ready for more Shadowhunters goodness? Find out which combination of Shadowhunters characters you’d be!
Is it possible to love the characters from Cassandra Clare’s Last Hours series in Chain of Gold, Chain of Iron, and Chain of Thorns more than you already do? Probably not! But which of these characters from The Last Hours series would be your soul mate? Take the quiz to find out!
Who Is Your Last Hours Soul Mate?
Now find out who your Last Hours parabatai is!
If you’re like me, you could not be more ready for Chain of Thorns to come out January 31! But before we read the final book in Cassandra Clare’s Last Hours series, we need to remember what happened to all our favorite characters in Chain of Iron.
Need a Chain of Gold recap too? Find one here!
The Chain of Iron Character Recap You Need Before Reading Chain of Thorns
Warning: SPOILERS AHEAD for Chain of Iron!
1. James Herondale
Ah James, our favorite dark-haired, beautiful and broody Londoner. We reunite with James on the eve of his bachelor party as he prepares to enter into a (fake) marriage with Cordelia, since he’s still desperately in love with Grace (or so he thinks, because he’s STILL wearing that bracelet nobody likes). Even though their marriage is “fake,” James and Cordelia OBVIOUSLY have very real feelings for each other, and have some *moments* now that they’re living together in a house that James designed perfectly with the two of them in mind. Swoon!
Although the newlyweds are enjoying their time together, all is not well. Though Belial was wounded by Cortana and James doesn’t disappear into the shadow realm often, he is still troubled by nightmares, and finds himself experiencing a string of Shadowhunters’ murders through the killer’s eyes. When he begins to awaken freezing cold with his window wide open, James fears that Belial is somehow using him to commit these murders, but he is thankfully proven innocent.
Though James is not the killer, all clues do point to Belial being connected to these murders, and the connection is proven when James ventures into the shadow realm with who he *thinks* is Magnus Bane (spoiler alert: it’s actually Lilith in disguise!) to get answers. We learn that although Belial still wants to use James’s body to wreak havoc on the world, he now has an alternate plan: to possess Jesse’s body and give it strength by stealing runes from the murdered Shadowhunters! Belial then summons his brother, Leviathan, to destroy the London Institute and the Shadowhunters themselves, but his plans are thankfully thwarted once again thanks to James, Cordelia, and Lucie.
2. Cordelia Carstairs
Cordelia experiences a LOT of change in Chain of Iron. She starts it by getting married, moves out of her family’s home and into her new home with James, and ends up losing her father (one of the Shadowhunters murdered by Belial), but the biggest change for Cordelia by far is becoming a paladin. While she initially thinks that she has sworn herself as the champion of a legendary hero, Wayland the Smith, the person who she thinks was Wayland was actually Lilith, a greater demon known as the “mother of all warlocks.”
This creates a crisis of identity for Cordelia (and honestly, who could blame her) because she (and Cortana) are now sworn to do the bidding of an evil being, and not a hero as she first thought. She is horrified at the prospect of putting all of her friends and loved ones in danger, because she could be called upon by Lilith at any time. Still, with James by her side as her best friend and husband, Cordelia could face these challenges, but after one MAJOR misunderstanding (and an unfortunately timed appearance from Grace) she runs off to Paris with Matthew to escape.
3. Matthew Fairchild
Matthew, Matthew, Matthew. Where do we even begin. If he was drinking about 60% of the time in Chain of Gold, that percentage is now up to 90%, but he’s still beautiful and charming 110% of the time. He finally reveals a major secret that seems to be the root of many of his problems, telling Cordelia that he has never forgiven himself for accidentally poisoning his mother with what he thought was a truth serum when he was a child, causing her to have a miscarriage.
While he does confess to Cordelia and grows closer with her, he refuses to share this weight with anyone else, and continues to rely on his self-destructive tendencies, distancing himself from James and his family. When Cordelia runs to him after seeing James and Grace together (it’s all a big misunderstanding, okay?!) Matthew confesses his love (OMG)! We can’t wait to see how this all plays out in Chain of Thorns!
4. Lucie Herondale
As we head into book two of the Last Hours series, Lucie is thrilled to be preparing to become Cordelia’s parabatai, and is still writing The Beautiful Cordelia, but she also has MUCH bigger things on her mind, like a fragile alliance with Grace and a goal of bringing Jesse Blackthorn back to life. Lucie has been spending all of her nights chatting with Jesse’s ghost and has fallen in love with him, but knows it can never work unless he is restored to his body.
Things take a turn when we discover that Belial has been using Jesse’s body to murder London’s Shadowhunters and preparing it as a vessel for him to possess. He succeeds, and Jesse/Belial is almost destroyed by Cortana, but Lucie steps in to save Jesse’s body. She has discovered that she has the power to command ghosts and in an effort to save Jesse from Belial, she commands Jesse to cast Belial out of his body. It works, and the day is saved (for now)! But what’s next for Jesse and Lucie?
5. Anna Lightwood
Anna is still the coolest, most fashionable and unflappable person you’ll ever meet, and throws many a party in Chain of Iron. She and Ariadne’s relationship is still troubled, but they have an arrangement that involves lots of visits to the Whispering Room. Ariadne is still very much in love with Anna, but Anna is reluctant to have her heart broken and doesn’t want to let her get too close, and they end the book with their relationship in a bad place.
6. Christopher Lightwood
Christopher still spends much of his time in his godfather Henry’s laboratory working on experiments and inventions, and creates a new weapon (a runed gun) that James is able to use to fight Belial and Lilith! He is tricked by an Eidolon demon into giving up a vital piece of equipment to Belial, but as always, the Merry Thieves band together and save the day. All’s well that ends (mostly) well!
7. Jesse Blackthorn
After giving his last breath to save James in Chain of Gold Jesse’s strength continues to fade, but Grace and Lucie continue to watch over him and work to find a solution (through both legal and illegal means) to restore him to his body, with little success. Unbeknownst to him, Belial is using his body to murder and steal runes from Shadowhunters to complete a scheme years in the making, finally brought to fruition thanks to Belial’s scheming and Tatiana’s bad decisions. After spending so much time talking with Lucie, Jesse has fallen in love with her, and they end the book with a (semi)happy ending when Lucie commands him to live, and he does, but what comes next for these two?
8 & 9. Thomas Lightwood & Alastair Carstairs
Thomas and Alastair start off Chain of Iron on strained terms, with Thomas going on solo patrols to try to catch the murderer hunting Shadowhunters and Alastair dealing with the fallout of his father’s return from the Shadowhunter version of rehab. But when Thomas is arrested as a suspect when he’s found at the scene of one of the murders, Alastair comes to his defense with evidence that he couldn’t have committed them, because Alastair was following Thomas to keep him safe!
The two are locked in the Institute together as they await further questioning and have a heart to heart, and discover that they have feelings for each other (AWW), but all doesn’t end well, and Alastair ends the book by keeping Thomas at arms length, saying that things will never work between them.
10. Grace Blackthorn
Where do we even BEGIN with Grace. Now that James is marrying Cordelia, Grace has promised to stay away from him (and she should have enough to worry about as she’s trying to find a way to bring Jesse back to life), but somehow… she still turns up at the WORST times and confuses both James and Cordelia. She continues to hold control over James until the bracelet she gave him finally breaks, and she confesses everything she’s done to him, but somehow things with Cordelia are still ruined in the process.
Even though she’s lost control of James, she’s still ending the book on a good note now that Jesse has been revived… right? WRONG. Her mother, Tatiana, commands her to use her control over men to make Jesse (her own brother?! okay, not by blood relation, but STILL) believe he loves her, and not Lucie. Will she go through with this plot in Chain of Thorns?
Now that you’ve read the recap, take a quiz to see which of these characters you are!
Want more? Watch this video to find out four things that won’t happen in Chain of Thorns and one thing that will from Cassandra Clare herself!
Art in header image by Cassandra Jean. Character cards by Novarentale, except Grace and Jesse character art by Charlie Bowater.
Is there anything better than diving into a new book from an author whose writing style and voice you already know and love? Even when you’re reading about a completely new cast of characters, reading new work from familiar authors is just a little extra special! If any of these authors are on your list of faves, then be sure to add their latest (or upcoming) books to your TBR!
Highly–Anticipated New Books By Your Fave Authors Coming Out in 2023
1. Chain of Thorns by Cassandra Clare
For Shadowhunters fans everywhere there is no 2023 book that’s more exciting than Chain of Thorns! The epic conclusion to The Last Hours series promises to have fans on the edge of their seats, and we can’t wait to find out what happens to all of our fave characters!
2. The Mysteries of Thorn Manor by Margaret Rogerson
This cozy, ADORABLE novella is sure to delight fans of Margaret Rogerson, and anyone who loved the iconic book this is a sequel to: Sorcery of Thorns! This delightful read follows Elisabeth, Nathaniel, and Silas as they must unravel a magical trap in time for Thorn Manor’s Midwinter Ball.
3. Delicious Monsters by Liselle Sambury
Liselle Sambury’s spellbinding Blood Like Magic duology is a fan-favorite, and while it doesn’t hit shelves until February 28th, Delicious Monsters, her upcoming psychological thriller, is already one as well! This mind-bending book is captivating readers with its twisting story following two teen girls navigating the treacherous past of a mysterious mansion ten years apart.
4. Last Violent Call by Chloe Gong
It’s almost time to return to the world of Secret Shanghai! If you’re a fan of Chloe Gong’s iconic These Violent Delights duology (Roma + Juliette FOREVER) then this duo of novellas is the epilogue you’ve been waiting for.
5. Spell Bound by F.T. Lukens
F.T. Lukens is known for their magical queer romances like So This Is Ever After that keep readers coming back for more, and Spell Bound is no exception! This upcoming read follows two rival apprentice sorcerers who must team up to save their teachers and protect their own magic!
6. Bonesmith by Nicki Pau Preto
Nicki Pau Preto’s latest is one of the most highly anticipated releases of this year, for fans and our team alike! While we still have a while to wait (July can’t come quickly enough!) we know this dark fantasy about a ghost-fighting warrior who journeys into a haunted wasteland to recuse a prince will be worth it!
Looking for more reads to add to your TBR? Check out these upcoming and new releases!
Are you *obsessed* with every single character in Cassandra Clare’s Last Hours series? Same! We fell in love with Chain of Gold, suffered together in Chain of Iron, and now we can’t wait to find out what happens in Chain of Thorns!
But which character are you most like? Take the quiz to find out if you’re a James, Matthew, Lucie, Cordelia, or perhaps someone you didn’t expect!
Which Last Hours Character Are You?
Want a refresher on all the characters? Check out this guide to the characters from the Last Hours series!
Then, check out this Chain of Gold character recap!
Let’s be honest- you’re obsessed with the characters from Cassandra Clare’s Last Hours series in Chain of Gold and Chain of Iron and you can’t wait to read Chain of Thorns. You love the Merry Thieves and Cordelia and Lucie and of course, seeing faves Will, Jem, and Tessa from the Infernal Devices again! But which of these characters would be your parabatai? Take the quiz to find out!