Title: The Raven King
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Narrator(s): Will Patton
Series: The Raven Cycle, book #4
Length: 11 hrs 51 mins
Publisher: Scholastic Audio
Publication Date: April 26, 2016
Source: purchased audiobook & signed HC
Purchase: Amazon |
Barnes & Noble |
Audible
The fourth and final installment in the spellbinding series from the irrepressible, #1 New York Times bestselling author Maggie Stiefvater.
All her life, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love's death. She doesn't believe in true love and never thought this would be a problem, but as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she's not so sure anymore.
In a starred review for Blue Lily, Lily Blue, Kirkus Reviews declared: "Expect this truly one-of-a-kind series to come to a thundering close."
I don’t think there was ever any chance that I was going to be disappointed by this final book, but I am so far away from that on the spectrum that I may have just accidentally looped back around and hit it by mistake, but that’s only because I’m disappointed that it’s over and I have no more Raven Boys to look forward to. I mean, I was seriously afflicted with TEABS when I finished last night, and even my husband commented on it. And he usually doesn't notice anything about my reading except that I'm doing it and that he should steer clear until I'm not. ;0)
I loved the mix of jovial moments with the altogether creepy, that this book wasn't all doom and gloom, even though the author
maintained on numerous occasions that she was going to kill off our beloved Gansey. I can't tell you how many times I laughed out loud at my desk yesterday while listening or how many times I was nearly brought to tears...or even how many times I was thoroughly creeped out and ready to hide under my desk. I ran the full gamut of emotions with this book, but that should surprise no one, since every previous book caused the same reaction...at least from me.
Oh, the immaculate pain this book caused me. It's one thing to know you're reading the end of a series...it's a completely different thing to know that you're reading the final book in your
favorite series. That you can never read it again for the first time. That you can't unknow what you're about to know. That you're about to see how all of those complicated threads are about to be woven together to produce the most magical of AHA moments.
Whereas the previous books introduced us to new characters who would be integral to certain aspects of the story,
The Raven King was really focused on Blue and her Raven Boys. Sure, a friendly face becomes more than the bit player we supposed him to be in the last book and many of our previous acquaintances are
there, but this book is the most
Raven Boys book of the bunch. And just so we're clear, there is just as much death in this book as any of the books that came before it...I'm just not telling you
who dies. But since we've lost some characters we've loved and some we've loathed, you should know by now that Maggie is
not afraid to kill off any of our darlings.
She's also not afraid to explore what makes her characters who they are, what drives them. Some are so focused on the
something more aspect, while others just want to
be known. And sometimes I just wanted to hold their hands and help them through this dark time, but I also recognized that they didn't really need that because together, they were stronger than any of them knew. They were each separate characters that could hold their own, but together as a unit, they were a character in their own right, brave and strong and true.
And their complicated relationships have only grown more complicated...but also less so. You can currently find me sailing around the moon, so happy am I with my ships. But that's not to say it didn't take a lot of work for them to get where they're at. I love that this book is all about the honesty, letting go of all the secrets and seeking out the truth, regardless of the outcome. It was a hard road, but at least the previous books paved the way.
I'll probably end up listening to all four books back-to-back very soon - even though I just did a re-listen a few weeks ago - just because I'm not ready to say goodbye yet. These characters earned a spot in my heart from day one, and it won't be easy letting go. I love everything Maggie writes, but these characters and this story - this quest - have become very dear to me. And I couldn't have asked for a more perfect conclusion for Blue and her Raven Boys.
GIF it to me straight:
And for your viewing pleasure, my #feelsplosion from Goodreads:
Previous
The Raven Cycle reviews:
The Raven Boys
The Dream Thieves
Blue Lily, Lily Blue
And all Maggie-related posts here on the blog can be found
here.
About the author:
All of Maggie Stiefvater's life decisions have been based around her inability to be gainfully employed. Talking to yourself, staring into space, and coming to work in your pajamas are frowned upon when you're a waitress, calligraphy instructor, or technical editor (all of which she's tried), but are highly prized traits in novelists and artists. She's made her living as one or the other since she was 22. She now lives an eccentric life in the middle of nowhere, Virginia with her charmingly straight-laced husband, two kids, two neurotic dogs, and a 1973 Camaro named Loki.
Find Maggie:
Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Wednesday, October 5, 2016
{WOW} LUCKY IN LOVE by Kasie West
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
This week's WoW selection is...
's Pick:
Author: Kasie West
Series: stand-alone
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication Date: July 25, 2017
Two new Kasie West novels next year!?! This is amazing!!!! Her books always leave me smiling and content and her covers are just the cutest! This one sounds equally adorable, though I did see another book's synopsis that rang a little familiar with that whole lottery plotline. Still, I'm sure I'll love this one and it will easily have a home on my shelf, next to all of her other books. :D
What are you desperately waiting for this Wednesday? Let us know in the comments or share a link to your own WoW post!
Friday, April 29, 2016
P.S. I Really Liked This Book
Author: Kasie West
Series: stand-alone
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication Date: July 26, 2016
Source: ARC received from publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
If you're looking for one of the most adorable, quirky, feel-good YA romances to come along in a good while, THIS IS YOUR BOOK. Even if I was in the worst mood ever, this book would make me smile. It's got some seriously awesome powers of cuteness, in that P.S. I Like You is kinda like the Powerpuff Girl of YA contemporary.
It's not that the secret is all that hard to figure out, but the most fun aspect of the book is watching as it all unravels, seeing how long it takes the characters themselves to figure out the mystery. I loved the back and forth of the desk writing (a thing I also loved in Plus One), using lyrics to get to know one another at first. And it's awesome that it was music that kind of brought these two odd souls together. Music should bring people together...even bitter enemies. :)
I lovelovelove hate-to-love romances. They get me every time. And the romance in P.S. I Like You is no exception. It actually reminded me a bit of The DUFF, in that it featured the ultra-hot Mr. Perfect -- who turns out to be anything but -- and the kinda dorky but lovable girl who hates his guts. Except this story is way more PG than that one, though no less worthy of the swoons. ;-)
I've loved every Kasie West book -- and I've read them all -- and one aspect I always enjoy is how she incorporates so much family into her stories. It's not just the connection between friends and love interests that she focuses on, but she also makes sure that the main character's family has a pivotal role in her life. They might be kooky or annoying, but they are there.
This book was just so freaking cute, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. The warm and fuzzies it left me with cannot be denied. (Just writing up this review has made me want to sit down and read it again!) P.S. I Love You is the pick-me-up book I never knew I needed but have always wanted.
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
THE RAVEN CYCLE Comes to a Close - My Spoiler-free Lamentations
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Narrator(s): Will Patton
Series: The Raven Cycle, book #4
Length: 11 hrs 51 mins
Publisher: Scholastic Audio
Publication Date: April 26, 2016
Source: purchased audiobook & signed HC
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Audible
I don’t think there was ever any chance that I was going to be disappointed by this final book, but I am so far away from that on the spectrum that I may have just accidentally looped back around and hit it by mistake, but that’s only because I’m disappointed that it’s over and I have no more Raven Boys to look forward to. I mean, I was seriously afflicted with TEABS when I finished last night, and even my husband commented on it. And he usually doesn't notice anything about my reading except that I'm doing it and that he should steer clear until I'm not. ;0)
I loved the mix of jovial moments with the altogether creepy, that this book wasn't all doom and gloom, even though the author maintained on numerous occasions that she was going to kill off our beloved Gansey. I can't tell you how many times I laughed out loud at my desk yesterday while listening or how many times I was nearly brought to tears...or even how many times I was thoroughly creeped out and ready to hide under my desk. I ran the full gamut of emotions with this book, but that should surprise no one, since every previous book caused the same reaction...at least from me.
Oh, the immaculate pain this book caused me. It's one thing to know you're reading the end of a series...it's a completely different thing to know that you're reading the final book in your favorite series. That you can never read it again for the first time. That you can't unknow what you're about to know. That you're about to see how all of those complicated threads are about to be woven together to produce the most magical of AHA moments.
Whereas the previous books introduced us to new characters who would be integral to certain aspects of the story, The Raven King was really focused on Blue and her Raven Boys. Sure, a friendly face becomes more than the bit player we supposed him to be in the last book and many of our previous acquaintances are there, but this book is the most Raven Boys book of the bunch. And just so we're clear, there is just as much death in this book as any of the books that came before it...I'm just not telling you who dies. But since we've lost some characters we've loved and some we've loathed, you should know by now that Maggie is not afraid to kill off any of our darlings.
She's also not afraid to explore what makes her characters who they are, what drives them. Some are so focused on the something more aspect, while others just want to be known. And sometimes I just wanted to hold their hands and help them through this dark time, but I also recognized that they didn't really need that because together, they were stronger than any of them knew. They were each separate characters that could hold their own, but together as a unit, they were a character in their own right, brave and strong and true.
And their complicated relationships have only grown more complicated...but also less so. You can currently find me sailing around the moon, so happy am I with my ships. But that's not to say it didn't take a lot of work for them to get where they're at. I love that this book is all about the honesty, letting go of all the secrets and seeking out the truth, regardless of the outcome. It was a hard road, but at least the previous books paved the way.
I'll probably end up listening to all four books back-to-back very soon - even though I just did a re-listen a few weeks ago - just because I'm not ready to say goodbye yet. These characters earned a spot in my heart from day one, and it won't be easy letting go. I love everything Maggie writes, but these characters and this story - this quest - have become very dear to me. And I couldn't have asked for a more perfect conclusion for Blue and her Raven Boys.
And for your viewing pleasure, my #feelsplosion from Goodreads:
Previous The Raven Cycle reviews:
The Raven Boys
The Dream Thieves
Blue Lily, Lily Blue
And all Maggie-related posts here on the blog can be found here.
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
{WOW} The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
This week's WoW selection is...
's Pick:
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Series: The Raven Cycle, book #4
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: April 26, 2016 -- waaaaaaaahhhh!!! why?!?
I don't know how I'm going to handle this final book, but I know that I want to in the worst way possible. I can't possibly wait till February. OH, WAIT. It's been pushed back AGAIN! Why, god, why?!? Why must the torture continue? That's a full six months from the original release date, the one I already didn't think I could handle waiting for. My copy has been on pre-order for months now. How about you?
And Gansey will not die. He can't. I don't care what the author says. They get a freakin' wish, don't they?!?!?!?!?
What are you desperately waiting for this Wednesday? Let us know in the comments or share a link to your own WoW post!
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Waiting on Wednesday: P.S. I Like You by Kasie West
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
This week's WoW selection is...
's Pick:
Author: Kasie West
Series: n/a
Publisher: Scholastic
Publication Date: 2016
I know a lot of people will probably be featuring this one after the cover reveal earlier this week, but I can't NOT feature a Kasie West book. I haven't met one yet I didn't like. They're always so cute and funny and leave me with a smile on my face. And I have a feeling this one might be my favorite yet. The premise reminds me of an aspect in one of my more recent favorites, but I'm sure this book will be on the lighter side, considering who the author is. ;)
What are you desperately waiting for this Wednesday? Let us know in the comments or share a link to your own WoW post!
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
{Blog Tour} The Game of Love and Death by Martha Brockenbrough: Review & Giveaway
Welcome to my stop on The Game of Love and Death Blog Tour, hosted by the ladies of Rockstar Book Tours. I've got a review and giveaway for you, but be sure to check out the rest of the stops (schedule at the end of the post) for more awesome content, including interviews and guest posts from the author!
Author: Martha Brockenbrough
Series: n/a
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
Publication Date: April 28, 2015
Source: ARC received from publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
The Game of Love and Death was absolutely exquisite. It was eloquent and beautiful, and you can't help but be pulled into the love story of Henry and Flora. But this story wasn't just about the romance; there's also a lesson or two in there about overcoming fear, among other things.
The book itself was incredibly atmospheric, set in 1937 after the Great Depression, when practically everyone but the rich white male was oppressed in some way or another. I found the depictions of life in this time period to be beautiful -- if not heartbreaking -- in their portrayal, and it all felt authentic based on what I know of the period from history texts and stories from my own grandparents. The inclusion of music as a common interest between the players but also as the soul-searing source of their bond was a brilliant touch.
I was completely engrossed as the game unfolded, and as the details of the game -- and some from previous games -- were revealed, I found myself drawn as much to the characters of Love and Death as I was to the players. They were so enigmatic and yet I felt I knew the truth of them from the very first page. But it was Henry and Flora's souls that captured my heart. Okay, and maybe Ethan's, too, for he stole my heart more completely with every page turned. None of them had an easy go of it, especially considering the times and what was considered taboo in those days. And taboo is probably putting it a little too mildly.
I came to love these characters and longed for them to beat Love and Death at their own game. Still, I never really felt that connection to the characters, that certain something that means I am 100% invested in the story. I knew them. And I would want to know them in real life. But the only time I felt that emotional pull toward them was when they were on the page together. Their chemistry was palpable, even when it was the lightest, most innocent of touches bringing it out of them. Yet, I felt a lot like Flora must have throughout the story: there and in the moment and yet not a part of it.
This story was gorgeous in execution and brilliantly told, the kind of love story that you can get swept away in without risking too much. Love and Death's past is haunting and slightly horrifying, and Henry and Flora's future is bleak, and yet the story as a whole is just so achingly beautiful. And terribly romantic. It's not just the story of two people falling in love but one of overcoming the odds and conquering fear. In a word: exquisite.
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Tour Schedule:
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
{Blog Tour} Rook by Sharon Cameron: Review & Giveaway
Welcome to my stop on the Rook Blog Tour, hosted by the ladies of Rockstar Book Tours. I've got a review and giveaway for you, but be sure to check out the rest of the stops (schedule at the end of the post) for more awesome content, including interviews and guest posts from the author!
Author: Sharon Cameron
Series: n/a
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: April 28, 2015
Source: ARC received from publisher
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
With every retelling of The Scarlet Pimpernel I read, I'm more and more convinced that I absolutely must read the original classic. And while it's true that this is technically only the second retelling I've read, it is by far my favorite. I would give this book all the stars. Neverending, infinity stars.
But this book is not strictly a retelling; it is more of a tribute to the original story and very well done at that. I guess you could call this book post-apocalyptic in nature because of it's focus on France after the shifting of the poles, subsequent holes in the ozone and the resulting fall of technology. But it doesn't feel like your typical post-apocalyptic fare. This story is just so much goodness wrapped into one pretty package, and it's focus was more reliant on the fact that history is doomed to repeat itself and the revolution that fact seems to spark in people.
Sophia Bellamy is my favorite kind of heroine: skilled but not infallible, charming but not easily trusting, and completely and totally underestimated. René Hasard is also my favorite kind of love interest. The one who worms his way into the heroine's heart -- but not easily -- and provides me with delicious banter. Which is also why this is one of my favorite kinds of romances…I just adore the passion of a good hate-to-love romance.
The entire cast of characters endeared themselves to me practically from the beginning, though. Hasard's family charmed the pants off me, and Sophia's cohorts were no less enchanting. And the vile LeBlanc and Allemande were sufficiently evil. I've said it before, but I don't usually enjoy novels with so many third person perspectives. Though I think I may be retracting that statement in the near future with as many novels as I've enjoyed recently written in just that style. I was so engrossed in this novel that I just stopped expecting characters to act a certain way or for things to happen and simply allowed myself to enjoy the story.
It wasn't hard to do. This book just does not quit. Fast-paced from the moment I cracked the spine and it only picked up speed as I continued to read. It was intense and I was fraught with nerves the entire time, especially as one character's perspective would leave off on one train of thought, only to have another character pick up that same train of thought. It rent the novel with a sense of urgency that had me flipping pages well past my usual bedtime. I haven't found the energy to stay up into the night just to finish a novel in ages, but that's exactly what I did with Rook.
This homage to The Scarlet Pimpernel is definitely going to make it onto my list of favorites this year. It's just such a ME book and it's definitely left me curious about the author's other works. And I am just so happy to have read such an amazing fantasy novel that isn't the beginning of another trilogy. :)
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starryeyedjen
- I work with numbers by day, and I'm a mommy and avid reader by night. I'm a self-proclaimed Spreadsheet Queen, and I'll read anything you put in front of me. I seriously love all the books! And I adore audiobooks, too!
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