On Rereads: The Raven Cycle by Maggie Steifvater

On Rereads is a monthly feature on My Thoughts Lit where I talk about the books I reread during the month. It's an opportunity to share some new thoughts on a book I read before and usually to prepare for a new release and sequel. For the foreseeable future I plan to do rereads every month so I want to share my thoughts on these books the second time around.

All the amazing series conclussion are coming out this spring, amiright? So to prepare I am reareading the books in their series. In particular this month's rereads which are The Raven Cycle books. I can't believe The Raven King is coming out tomorrow! *hyperventilates* I have been waiting a year and a half for this book. I' mean, I've had it preordered for a year. I'm so excited and nervous. So I listened to the first three on audiobook to prepare. So here is my thoughts on these rereads....

The Raven Cycle by Maggie Steifvater

The Raven Boys -  (Amazon / Goodreads / Audible / My Review)
The Dream Thieves -  (Amazon / Goodreads / Audible / My Review)
Blue Lily, Lily Blue -  (Amazon / Goodreads / Audible / My Review)

I cannot put into words how good this series is. I love it on paper and I love it in audio. It's one of those series that defies genre characterization. Is it contemporary? Sure, maybe. Is it fantasy? Probably. But what subgenre? Supernatural? Maybe. But dubtful. Magical Realism? Most likely. But either way, it a beautifully written and atmospheric read with great character-driven moments, a insanely well-plotted story and  so much magic.  I love the way that the magic is coming in more and more as the series develops and I can't wait to find out what Maggie has in store for us in the final book. It's a series too that fits so well as an audiobook. The atmosphere of the series works great in the audio format and it makes for such an immersive listen

In particular, I love the characters in this series. I just love them so much. It is a series that is full of complicated and likable characters. The main cast of characters is probably five, well there are four people with perspectives. Actually, there are a lot of people with perspectives. Anyway, I digress. It's a large group of people in this book and they're all fantastic. My favorite is probably Ronan. He will never not make me laugh. Then Adam, who is adorably melancholy. (The Pynch feels were super strong in my reread). But I also love Blue and her fiestiness, and Gansey and his determination and kindness. The narrator of the audiobook does a great job with establishing each character. I love Adam's southern drawl that he ineffectively tries to stiffle. I love that you can hear the sneer in Ronan's speak and feel the sass in Blue's. I felt like the characters were coming to life.

But my favorite thing about this series is how well-plotted it is. Maggie does what I like so much with series where each book is self-contained with it's own antagonist and resolution but it builds up the larger story at the same time. But it is by no means boring, there are tons of surprises. I mean I remember the first time I read The Raven Boys and the twists just destroyed me. I did not see them coming. And here even though I did know they were coming, they didn't affect me any less. For one thing, I was kicking myself for not figuring some of them out way earlier. The clues are right there for us. Maggie does a great job of establishing those hints throughout the book. So when I was reading it this time I was picking up on those things. But also, I forgot so many specifics about the plot. I definitely needed a refresher so this was good.

And before I wrap this up, I have to rave about the audiobook for a second. I listen to my fair share of audiobooks and this one was really fantastic. It definitely became a new favorite, So much of my enjoyment of an audiobook comes down to the narrator. Which is often a personal preference. But I was a huge fan of Will Patton's narration. I think he did a great job of characterizations with the different accents and tones for the characters. Plus I think he also did a great job in establishing the world and tapping into that atmospheric nature of the writing. I'm expecting my copy of The Raven King to be a little delayed but I'm no longer mad because I loved the audio so much I plan to listen to it.

Have you read the The Raven Cycle? Are you dying for The Raven King? Did you reread in preparation for their series conclusions? Have you done any rereads lately? What books? Do you like doing rereads or not? Tell me why.  Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: The Dream Thieves Series: The Raven Cycle #2 Author: Maggie Stiefvater Published: October 2013 by Scholastic (Amazon / Goodreads) 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...

*** This is the second book in a serious and this review may inadvertently contain spoilers for The Raven Boys. Read that first if you haven't! Here's my review to encourage you!***

I was blown away by how much I enjoyed reading The Raven Boys. I mean, I know everyone raves about it but I try to be cautiously skeptical and optimistic at the same time. But The Raven Boys was full of mystery, brilliant characters, and an interesting plot. So after a few weeks I was excited to continue with the story of Blue and the Raven Boys.

I wanted to just dive right back into this world and devour the book whole but Maggie's writing doesn't allow a person to do that. It sounds like a bad thing but really it's not. Maggie's writing is lyrical and poetic. This is not a fast-paced book, it causes you to slow down and take in every word. Her writing is the kind where you feel the power of the words. And while reading The Dream Thieves I was struck with my conflicting desires to fall into the book head first, and my desire to make it last. The latter definitely won out.

But Maggie's writing also brilliantly sets a mood that is atmospheric and interesting. The Dream Thieves didn't really feel as complicated as The Raven Boys but it was still full of mystery and adventure. This one definitely had more of what I would call magic to it. In The Raven Boys we got to explore some of the inherit magic and mystery in the town of Henrietta as well as it's connection to the psychics who are a part of the story. In The Dream Thieves we got all that and more. We were hit with a huge reveal at the end of The Raven Boys, and this book spend the bulk of it's time exploring that magic.

Speaking of that storyline, I was again struck by the plotting in this book. With a lot of series, they tend to just advance the larger plot and forget about the individual plot of each book. Maggie, however, doesn't do that. The Dream Thieves has it's own very specific storyline that has a clear resolution. But it also continues the story that began in The Raven Boys. We get to explore the consequences of the decision made at the end of the last book as we move forward with the grand scheme of things. And yes, the search for Glendower and Blue's curse takes a backseat, it is never forgotten.

As a personal preference however, I rarely enjoy when a book changes perspectives so much. In The Dream Thieves, like The Raven Boys we got to see the book from all different sides. And while it is good to vary the voice and to get inside the head of the characters who are all so complex and interesting, for me that makes things muddled and confusing. I would sometimes forget who was narrating a portion and when we would return to a character I would forget what had happened to them in previous sections. The changing perspectives were made a little easier by the fact that the characters are all so complex and enjoyable however.

Seriously, these characters are fantastic. The relationships that were build in The Raven Boys (and by relationships I mean between the characters and me) were only developed and solidified in The Dream Thieves. Blue and each of the boys: Gansey, Adam, Ronan, and Noah are such different and interesting characters. They made me laugh as well as cry. They each have strengths and weaknesses, they are smart and stupid. And they also all have flaws, none of them are perfect or cliche. They are well-rounded and likable. One of their greatest strengths is their friendship. This is a series about a strong group of friends coming together to achieve their goals. But I was so glad that we got to spend more time learning more about Ronan in this book. He may be my favorite. He's a mystery wrapped in an enigma and I love that he's a tough guy with a heart if gold. The Dream Thieves is without a doubt Ronan's book.

This series is getting better and more enthralling with each passing book. The plot thickens and gets more engaging, the characters get more exciting, and as we explore more of the world it becomes more intriguing and mysterious. When I finished I immediately picked up Blue Lily, Lily Blue. I'm not prepared to let it go!

I give The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater 9 out of 10

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy! This series is a definite buy! Get prepared to fall into the world of mystery and friendship with gorgeous writing and complex and likable characters.

Have you read The Dream Thieves? What did you think? Am I prepared for the feels in Blue Lily, Lily Blue? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. As always thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!