Ghosts of the Shadow Market

Parents need to know that Ghosts of the Shadow Market is a companion to three connected best-selling fantasy series from author Cassandra Clare: The Infernal Devices, The Mortal Instruments, and The Dark Artifices. You will need to have read at least two of the three series, including The Infernal Devices to know who the characters are and follow along -- reading all three is ideal to avoid spoilers if you are planning on reading the rest of the books at some point. Ten connected stories span from 1901 to the near-present and feature guest authors Sarah Rees Brennan (Team Human), Maureen Johnson (Truly Devious), Kelly Link, and Robin Wasserman. In this collection, there's some gore described as demons, werewolves, rogue Shadowhunters, and vampires attack: throats are ripped out, a woman is torn apart, there's a stabbing with a poison knife that almost kills, a few stabbings that do kill, plus some torture. Innocents are found chained in a basement with a mention that some have died. A pregnant woman is poisoned and miscarries. Bombs fall during the Blitz in London. Characters have some sad backstories, which readers of the three series already know something about: child abuse, lots of parent deaths. Recovering from loss is a powerful theme here, shared throughout the stories. Characters attempt to love and live fully in the face of it. Expect the usual passionate kisses and heavy focus on romantic relationships, straight and LGBTQ. There's also a focus on honoring all types of families: ones with LGBTQ parents, with adoptive parents, with LGBTQ kids. Rare strong language includes "a--hole," "bastard," "hell," "whore," and "damn."