Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy

October 1, 2016
Ten previously published short stories take Simon from amnesia to Ascension.After losing both his memory and his vampirism at the climax of City of Heavenly Fire (2014), Simon Lewis can't bear to be around the nigh-strangers who were once his best friend, his Shadowhunter allies, and his girlfriend, Isabelle. What better way for Simon to regain his lost life than to attend demon-fighting school, prepare to drink from the Mortal Cup, and hope Ascension grants him both phenomenal cosmic powers and his lost memories? Over the course of two years, the white, Jewish Simon goes from being a gangly nerd to someone who fits in among the "near perfect specimen[s] of humanity" who are his classmates. Though Simon builds a social network among both Shadowhunter and mundane students, the institution itself never becomes any less stunningly discriminatory (the mundanes, as "dregs," live in the slime- and rat-infested basements, for instance), making Simon's efforts feel futile. Simon himself measures his own improvement by gaining enough bulk to "trade in his ladies'-sized gear for a men's size." With chapters originally published as individual e-books over the course of 2015, this compilation shows its seams; the characters and setting are reintroduced every 60-odd pages. Stuffed with cameos from nearly every character of note from the Shadowhunter universe, there's not even enough room here for fan service. (Fantasy. 12-15)

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July 1, 2016
Grades 9-12 Simon Lewis can't stay home, not when he's lost his memories but not the emotions connected to them. He knows he loves his friends, but for him, their shared history has been erased. All he can do is head to the Shadowhunter Academy and hope that as he trains, his memories will return. At the academy, he has to deal not only with the grueling training sessions and often boring lessons but also the always-simmering tension between mundanes like him and the kids born to be Shadowhunters. Originally published as individual e-books, each story in this collection follows Simon's journey and is filled with a light wit that balances the high stakes of his magical school. While the emotional connection might not immediately be there for those unfamiliar with the Mortal Instruments series, the characters are well drawn and quickly pull readers in. A black-and-white comics spread before each story adds further appeal, resulting in a great read for fantasy fans who want to be completely immersed in a different world. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: The best-selling Mortal Instruments series isn't losing any steam. Expect plenty of interest from both readers and fans of the movies and the Shadowhunters TV series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)