{REVIEW} Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: Blue Lily, Lily Blue
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Series: The Raven Cycle
Book: 3
Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal
Rating: ★★★★

Blurb from Goodreads:

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.
Mothers can disappear.
Visions can mislead.

Certainties can unravel.

My Reaction/Thoughts:

I didn't think it was possible to have an even more beautiful cover, but behold Blue Lily, Lily Blue!

This was was easier for me to read and I don't exactly know why. I didn't find myself skimming and wanting to rush the book because I was actually invested and looking forward to reading it. Something just finally clicked I suppose. However, the writing! Gah I am still not a fan and I have just come to the conclusion that I never will be. I love the plot and the characters, but I just can't get into the writing. Stiefvater has a verbose style and it takes me out of the story sometimes. For example:

Blue was glad that it was dead and then felt bad that she felt glad that it was dead.

 Way too many words and repetitive. I just don't care for it. She does this frequently throughout the book and it can be simplified. But, I pushed through and I glad I did because the plots are really what is carrying me forward. They are unique and so interesting.

Blue was still a little sassy lily and I loved her.
Ronan was a sarcastic little jerk and I fell in love with him even more.
Gansey is so adorable and I just want to hug him tight.
Adam...I still sometimes want to slap sometimes, but this book it decreased to 40% of the time. Progress!

Gansey and Blue need to happen like, yesterday.
Ronan and Adam: I ship it.

I just loved the little hand touching between Gansey and Blue when no was looking. Oh! And their late night phone calls to talk about the most random things. Or the way Gansey would stay awake just to hear Blue talk to him. ♥♥♥
Even Ronan and Adam had some simple, but sweet moments that had me giggling. It's so sweet how Adam is aware of Ronan's crush on him and it makes him see how he is worthy of someone wanting him, and not just anyone...Ronan Lynch. I want them. I need it. Ronan is seriously the best character and I love his sass.

“I’m going in,” Gansey said as Ronan sat down on the step beside Adam. As Gansey shut the door behind him, he heard Adam say, “I don’t want to talk,” and Ronan reply, “The fuck would I talk about?” 

Oh! Oh! And Mr. Gray! Oh Mr. Gray! He is so in love with Maura and adorable. I loved how he just made himself comfortable being around 300 Fox Way (speaking of, I hate how frequently Stiefvater says 300 Fox Way. Can't we just say Blue's house? Or home?) I love how comfortable Blue feels around him and has grown attached to him. Especially at the end when they were in that cavern. Awe!

I cannot wait to read the last book because we have so much hype between these three books focusing on finding Glendower and now we have to finally find him! It's been a rough journey, but we are getting there! I cannot wait! We got so close and still have to wait another book! Gah!

And can we talk about that CLIFFHANGER! WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT?!

 I NEED ANSWERS! I NEED THE RAVEN KING NOW!

{REVIEW} The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: The Dream Thieves
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Series: The Raven Cycle
Book: 2
Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal
Rating: ★★★

Blurb from Goodreads:

If you could steal things from dreams, what would you take?

Ronan Lynch has secrets. Some he keeps form others. Some he keeps from himself.

One secret: Ronan can bring things out of his dreams.

And sometimes he's not the only one who wants those things.


Ronan is one of the raven boys—a group of friends, practically brothers, searching for a dead king named Glendower, who they think is hidden somewhere in the hills by their elite private school, Aglionby Academy. The path to Glendower has long lived as an undercurrent beneath town. But now, like Ronan's secrets, it is beginning to rise to the surface—changing everything in its wake.

My Reaction/Thoughts:

HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THIS COVER IS EVEN MORE BEAUTIFUL?! RONAN! THE RAVENS! GLORIOUS

The Dream Thieves and I had a rough start. I was well over halfway through the book and I wasn't connecting the way I thought I would. I didn't want to judge it too harshly after not really loving The Raven Boys because that was the first book and I felt that definitely suffered from First Book Syndrome. So I went in completely expecting to love Thieves. While I did enjoy it a lot more than the first book, it did take me awhile. The thing I loved about this book was simply because it focused on Ronan figuring how who he was and get a grasp on his supernatural powers and how that releates to his family's history. I thought the plot was really a step up and I enjoyed it. While, the book centrally focused on Ronan, our old gang was still there battling their own obstacles. Gansey was still searching for Glendower, although not as seriously, Blue was struggling with her fortune coming true and her developing feelings for Gansey, and Adam was facing the aftermath of his choices after the first book. Adam still really bothers me and I need something to make me like him. Pronto!

I still rated this fairly average because though I really did enjoy it I was still a bit confused. I kind of did not like how I felt like so much information was thrown at me and I was just supposed to understand it all. I was kind of confused with where things were going

One thing that I found really weird was Ronan and Kavinsky's relationship. They had this bitterness towards each other and Ronan absolutely hated him, but I never knew why, other than the fact that the Raven boys continuously say he's an a$$hole. Then all of a sudden Kavinsky is all jealous and clingy and it turned him into the psychotic villain of our story. Whoa!

However, I enjoyed the obvious confessions that we got Ronan. He was just a great lead in this book. He has some dark demons and there is so much more to him! I just love him so much! Oh my sweet, Ronan. ♥

Another character we were introduced to was the mysterious Gray Man. Now I admit I did not care for this man at all. He creeped me out and I didn't even want to read his POV. I found myself skimming his chapters and moving on. But I started to find him interesting when he found out exactly what the Greywaren was and decided not to take Ronan. And we found out his real name and about his brother. Though I would have liked to know a little bit more about his backstory because his confrontation with his brother was so quick!

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book, but I don't know I am just not a fan of Maggie Stiefvater still. She hasn't won me over and her books always make me zone off. However, this book really grabbed my attention during the last 150 pages and I honestly can't wait to read what happens next in Blue Lily, Lily Blue  now because that ending was insane! Maura! RONAN! What?! Oh my gods I am so intrigued. I think I am just invested now and I have to know what happens.