Book Review: Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: Blue Lily, Lily Blue

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

Publisher: Scholastic

Release Date: October 21th, 2014

ISBN: 9781407136639

Rating: 4.5/5

Cover Impressions: Once again, beautiful.

I received a copy of this book from Scholastic in exchange for an honest review, (this review will include spoilers, ye hath been warned) so here goes nothing:

Synopsis: There is danger in dreaming. But there is even more danger in waking up. Blue Sargent has found things. For the first time in her life, she has friends she can trust, a group to which she can belong. The Raven Boys have taken her in as one of their own. Their problems have become hers, and her problems have become theirs. The trick with found things though, is how easily they can be lost. Friends can betray. Mother's can disappear. Visions can mislead. Certainties can unravel.

Review: For me, The Raven Cycle isn’t just about Gansey’s quest to find Glendower, or Ronan’s ability to pull things from his dreams, or even Blue’s curse. It’s about the amazingness of the characters and how astoundingly realistic they are. In Blue Lily, Lily Blue new characters including the Grey Man and Piper were introduced, I love them all so much.

In Blue Lily, Lily Blue, the boys and Blue discovered secrets hither to unknown to them. The disappearance of Blue's mother (off to find Blue’s father) three months earlier led them to the magical forest of Cabeswater. Their quest leads them to a strange set of caves and as they explore each one, they stumble upon a cave containing an ancient Welsh coffin. In the coffin is the daughter of Glendower, Gwenllian.

At the beginning of The Raven Boys, it became known to us that Gansey was going to die. In Blue Lily, Lily Blue, I couldn’t get this out of my head and so, was sat on the edge of my seat from beginning till end. Thankfully Gansey is still breathing… for now.

The budding romance between Blue and Gansey is one interesting thread in a story that I was so happy about. With Blue and Gansey taking it one step at a time, meeting late at night and of course the threat of Blue’s curse always overshadowing events, this romance will not be anything short of a rollercoaster ride.

In the first two books, Stiefvater threaded her needle and she pierced Blue, each of the Boys, the women at 300 Fox Way, The Gray Man together and began weaving a tapestry so intricate that and beautiful. In Blue Lily, Lily Blue, these threads have begun to tighten, to pull themselves closer together and form a rainbow. I don’t want the next book to come around too soon because then it will all be over, but at the same time I need it now, does that make sense?

Overall, I give this book four and a half out of five stars, it was great.

Book Review: The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: The Dream Thieves

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

Publisher: Scholastic

Release Date: September 19th, 2013

ISBN: 0545424941

Rating: 5/5

Cover Impressions: Again, beautiful.

With an even higher average rating on Goodreads than The Raven Boys, (with a magnificent score of 4.26 out of 5 stars) The Dream Thieves certainly promised something extra special. Let’s get right to it:

Synopsis: Now that the ley lines around Cabeswater have been woken, nothing for Ronan, Gansey, Blue, and Adam will be the same. Ronan, for one, is falling more and more deeply into his dreams, and his dreams are intruding more and more into waking life. Meanwhile, some very sinister people are looking for some of the same pieces of the Cabeswater puzzle that Gansey is after…

Review: It’s a rare and momentous occasion when a sequel as anticipated and sought-after as The Dream Thieves lives up to its predecessor and surpasses expectations in every possible way. The Dream Thieves is, in all my personal definitions of the word, a perfect book. Maggie Stiefvater said that it had all her favourite things in it, and it quite clearly has all my favourite things in it too. It – along with The Raven Boys – has become one of my all-time favourite books.

In this instalment, the focus takes a slight shift from the lure of ley lines and deadly kisses and the hunt for the Welsh king Owen Glendower, and rests instead on Ronan Lynch’s ability to bring dream to reality. We have magical night terrors, impossible languages, an unpredictable Anglo-Saxon-poetry-loving hit man, and illegal street-car races. It’s a slow-burn plot, and explosive and exciting all at once. Unlike in the The Raven Boys, where the story line followed a mostly linear fashion, The Dream Thieves has multiple threads criss-crossing at different stages, some given more attention than others. It’s difficult predicting what the climax will be, or where it will be, until it actually happens. 

A lot of the time, The Dream Thieves feels quite character-driven, and as the characters are the main reason that I’m so hopelessly in love with this series, it could not be more fitting. The star of this show, though, is Ronan. With his savage smiles and his uninviting remarks. With his humourless laughs and his heartbreakingly hidden acts of compassion. 

Stiefvater is the queen of pacing and never rushes any aspect of the development here. The third person multiple point of view is almost mind-blowingly flawless giving us the perfect glimpses into the friendships and careful relationships from all crucial angles.

Overall, I give The Dream Thieves five out of five stars, it’s impossible not to.

Book Review: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: The Raven Boys

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

Publisher: Scholastic

Release Date: September 18th, 2012

ISBN: 0545424925

Rating: 5/5

Cover Impressions: I absolutely love this cover, it’s so beautiful.

With an average rating on Goodreads of 4.03 out of 5 stars, this book is definitely a keeper so here goes:

Synopsis: Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her. His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble. But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little. For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore.

Review: I love the way the narrative is split in this novel. It was not the standard first person perspective that Stiefvater usually favours. Instead, it was divided between Blue and several of the Raven Boys and told using the third person omniscient narrative, which enabled the reader to uncover buckets of knowledge, which made for an immensely enjoyable read.

Although I wasn’t gripped right from the beginning, once I had read a few chapters, I was captivated by the story. I loved the setting and the search for ley lines and the ancient Welsh king Glendower was fascinating. Stiefvater has truly outdone herself with her novel The Raven Boys. Stiefvater has a way of submerging the reader and making them feel like part of the story.

The characters in this book were amazing. Blue and the Boys were so original and realistic, each with their own little quirks, I loved them all. I enjoyed reading about Blue, because unlike many other YA heroines, she definitely had common sense and the ability to hold her own while she was around the Raven boys. I also liked the fact, that there were no sparkling vampires or demi-gods, just an ordinary group of boys with ordinary problems who just happened to have stumbled upon a supernatural adventure.

While I always love a good romance, I am more often than not disappointed by the fact that a seemingly supernatural thriller fast derails from its paranormal angle and ends up as a cheesy love story protagonists. Not so, with The Raven Boys. The book is packed with intricate details, delightful patches of history, legends, scientific facts and unexplainable phenomena, it was unlike anything I've read before.

The Raven Boys is utterly unlike Maggie Stiefvater's previous works, which makes this story all the more intriguing. Stiefvater's writing features words strung together in lovely, vivid ways that I've come to expect and enjoy. The characters, especially the leads, shine brightly with their vivid personalities - they demand your attention, and I was more than happy to give it. The Raven Boys is electric, mesmerizing, and somewhat strange (but in a good way). Overall, I give The Raven Boys five out of five stars.

That last line… just wow, I can’t wait to read The Dream Thieves, thank goodness I can see from here.

Book Review: Darkness Hidden by Zoë Marriott

 I received copies of Darkness Hidden and The Night Itself (see below) by Zoë Marriott from Walker Books and was so excited because she is one of my all-time favorite authors.

In the electrifying second volume of Zoë Marriott's The Name of the Blade Trilogy, Mio, Jack and Shinobu have defeated the terrifying Nekomata against all odds, and brought Jack's sister home alive. But Mio is still compelled to protect the katana, her family's ancestral sword, and now the Underworld has spawned a worse monster – one carrying a devastating plague that sweeps through London like wildfire. As Mio struggles to protect the city and control the sword’s deadly powers, she realises that this time there is no way she can keep everyone she loves alive... and she must make a terrible sacrifice to save the world.

Marriott certainly had a lot to live up to after the whirlwind that was The Night Itself and Darkness Hidden certainly didn’t disappoint it was an emotional roller coaster ride from start to finish.

Mio developed immensely over the course of the book. I love Mio, because while some YA heroines make rash decisions and stand around waiting to be rescued, Mio was the complete opposite; she was fast thinking and decisive and fought her own battles. And even though she struggled to deal with the fact that the katana had a mind of its own, she was hilarious, sassy and cared deeply about those closest to her. Rachel developed to, no longer was she Jack’s bossy sister, she used the trauma she had suffered from being kidnapped by the Nekomata and turned her character right around and became a main driving force for the plot.

This story is one of nail-biting suspense, thanks to the combination of deadly Shikome flying around and the mysterious plague storming across London. As with The Night Itself I enjoyed the combination of Japanese folklore and modern day England.

The ending broke my heart (which was already mostly made of tape and superglue). I won’t say anymore because of spoilers but this book is well worth a read.

Overall the pace and action of Darkness Hidden combined with emotional depth and heartbreak was overwhelmingly good. I give this book four out of five stars and I cannot literally wait to read the final book in the trilogy, Frail Mortal Heart, which will hit the shelves in 2015.

Book Review: The Night Itself by Zoë Marriott

I received copies of The Night Itself and Darkness Hidden (see above) by Zoë Marriott from Walker Books and was so excited because she is one of my all-time favorite authors.

When Mio steals the family's katana – a priceless ancestral sword – from her parents’ attic, she just wants to spice up a fancy-dress costume. But the katana is much more than some dusty antique and her actions unleash a terrible, ancient evil onto the streets of unsuspecting London. Soon Shinobu, a fearless warrior boy, appears to protect Mio – and threatens to steal her heart. With the gods and monsters of Japanese myth stalking her and her friends, Mio realizes that if she cannot keep the sword safe, and learn to control its legendary powers, she will lose not only her own life... but the love of a lifetime.

I just loved all the characters in this book! They were a great mix of hilarious, adorable, and completely kick-ass. Mio has a really strong voice as the main character that grabbed me from page one, and Marriott gave every character such depth, complexity and realness that I felt personally connected each and every one. I particularly enjoyed chapters where Marriott would move away from Mio’s plight and tell the stories of other people (the sections of the book in a different font from the main story).

I enjoyed reading about Mio’s relationship with her best friend Jack, Jack’s sister Rachel and even how Mio dealt with her overbearing Father. Although I feel that Mio’s Grandfather really was her driving force, even though the reader only got snippets of information about him from the past as he had sadly passed away before the start of the book, I felt that he shaped Mio into the great person she was.

The Night Itself was a great blend of old and new. I loved the idea that ancient mythology was tangled up in reality. The Kitsune (characters from Japanese folklore) and monsters such as the evil Nekomata really gave this urban-fantasy a streak of individuality.

While I usually hate love at first sight romances, this one worked. It was a powerful literacy device that really worked and even though the whole book took place over a short twenty four hour period, Mio and Shinobu really had known each other a lifetime thanks to their connection via the katana.

Overall I give The Night Itself, four out of five stars and I can’t wait to start reading Darkness Hidden (good thing its right next to me, hehe). Marriott’s writing style is beautiful and her storylines, dangerous, touching and original she truly is ‘A rising star of fantasy fiction’.

Giveaway! - Queen of Someday by Sherry D. Ficklin

Synopsis:

Before she can become the greatest empress in history, fifteen-year-old Sophia will have to survive her social-climbing mother’s quest to put her on the throne of Russia—at any cost. Imperial Court holds dangers like nothing Sophie has ever faced before. In the heart of St. Petersburg, surviving means navigating the political, romantic, and religious demands of the bitter Empress Elizabeth and her handsome, but sadistic nephew, Peter. Determined to save her impoverished family—and herself—Sophie vows to do whatever is necessary to thrive in her new surroundings. But an attempt on her life and an unexpected attraction threatens to derail her plans. Alone in a new and dangerous world, learning who to trust and who to charm may mean the difference between becoming queen and being sent home in shame to marry her lecherous uncle. With traitors and murderers lurking around every corner, her very life hangs in the balance. Betrothed to one man but falling in love with another, Sophie will need to decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice in order to become the empress she is destined to be. In a battle for the soul of a nation, will love or destiny reign supreme?

Excerpt:

“If I could, I would offer you my heart, my soul, and make that be enough. But I know it is not. I know that Peter is your destiny. You are going to be the most beautiful, clever, kind empress Russia has ever seen. And I want to be there for that. But I can’t think about that now because today, in this moment, all I want is you. The thought of losing you cuts me to my very marrow.”

I look away, even as he draws me closer. The war rages inside me, one part wanting nothing more than to kiss him until the sun rises, another part knowing why I can’t.

He tilts my chin up gently.

“If you want to send me away, tell me only that you do not love me, and I will go. I will never speak your name again, never touch your hand. I will pretend that the loss of you hasn’t killed me.”

I sigh, my hard-fought resolve fading quickly.

“I could never say those words, because they would be the gravest lie. Of course I love you. I love you so much that I risk everything just to come to you tonight. If anyone knew—I would be ruined, sent away in a cloud of scorn. No one would ever have me, and I would bear the shame all my days.”

He takes my face in his hands.

“I would have you, in shame or sin, I would have you in any way I could, in any way you could give yourself to me.”

He kisses me again, and I know I’ve lost. Reaching up, I wrap my arms around his neck, holding him to me. He smiles against my lips.

“My sweet Helen, for you I would be Paris, and for your love, I would defy God himself and then return to you for a kiss.”

“Peter and the empress will return in a few days. What will we do? Meeting like this… it’s too dangerous,” I say, unwilling to pull away again.

“Do you trust me?” he asks solemnly.

I nod. “I do.”

“And do you love me?”

“With all my heart and my life, I do.”

He kisses my hair. 

“Then trust me. Give me a few days and by the time they return, I will have a plan. In the meantime, if you need me—”

“I always need you,” I interrupt.

He grins.

“If you want to meet me…” I open my mouth to interrupt again, but he puts a finger against my lips, which I kiss. “Leave me a message in a book. John Wilmont’s letters to his mistress.”

I frown. “Am I to be your secret mistress?”

He shakes his head. “No, my love. I will be yours.”

Trailer: 

Giveaway:

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Book Review: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

I bought Fangirl on my kindle a couple of days ago and started reading it straight away, I finished the whole thing in one night, I think that says it all don’t you?

Cath and Wren are identical twins, and until recently they did absolutely everything together. Now they're off to university and Wren's decided she doesn't want to be one half of a pair any more - she wants to dance, meet boys, go to parties and let loose. It's not so easy for Cath. She's horribly shy and has always buried herself in the fan fiction she writes, where she always knows exactly what to say and can write a romance far more intense than anything she's experienced in real life. Without Wren Cath is completely on her own and totally outside her comfort zone. She's got a surly room-mate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words ...And she can't stop worrying about her dad, who's loving and fragile and has never really been alone. Now Cath has to decide whether she's ready to open her heart to new people and new experiences, and she's realizing that there's more to learn about love than she ever thought possible.

At the beginning of Fangirl, Cath has some serious anxiety issues. She keeps jars of peanut butter and boxes of energy bars under her bed because going to the school dining hall is terrifying. Cath finds comfort in Simon Snow. Cath is a huge fan of the Simon Snow books (Fangirl’s version of Harry Potter). She writes her own fan fiction called Carry On, Simon and throughout Fangirl, snippets of her story and also extracts from Gemma T. Lesley’s books are presented, I loved this aspect of Fangirl, as it seemed as if there were two books in one, both of which were beautifully written.

Cath’s roommate Reagan and Reagan’s ex-boyfriend, Levi, are near constant fixtures in Cath’s room and they help her adjust to new people and come out of her shell bit by bit. Reagan is cranky and fierce but somehow doesn’t scare Cath into hiding under her bed with the peanut butter. Levi is funny and sweet and made me fall in love with receding hair lines.

Cath has other problems in the form of her sister Wren, who, at one point in the book landed herself in hospital with alcohol poisoning. Throughout the book, the girls’ were barely on speaking terms but towards the end, I adored the way that they worked together on the deadlines for Carry On, Simon. Cath also has to deal with her unstable Dad, she worries constantly about him and the amount of pressure he is under. Cath also has to put up with her hardly-there Mom who walked out on her family when she was eight, I felt that these emotional issues really strengthened Cath as a character and moulded her into a brilliant person.

Cath and Levi’s romance was perfect. It practically oozed cuteness out of the pages. Enough said.

This book really captures the essence of what it’s like to grow up with Harry Potter and be surrounded amazing and life changing people who you will love for the rest of your life. This is another one of those books that I won’t be forgetting for a long time and I’m sure in no time at all I’ll be giving it a re-read. Overall, I give Fangirl five out of five stars.