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...
The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater was very high on my holiday wishlist, and I was thrilled when I unwrapped it. I loved The Raven Boys so I was excited to delve back into this world.
As with all of Maggie's books, the story takes time to unfold. Her books are rather slow reads for me, as they're so interesting and beautifully written that I read slow and savor each word. When the writing is this good, there's no need to rush through it.
The Dream Thieves picks up where The Raven Boys left off, the search for a sleeping Welsh king, Glendower. Each of the characters have an important role to play in finding him. This book features Ronan a bit more than the first one, letting us get to know him better. He's kind of a jerk, but it's obvious that he cares a lot about the important people in his life. And I like the evolution he goes through in this book.
Another thing that made me love this book more than the first, was the inclusion of Jane's Blue's family. I think my favorite character in the entire series is Maura, Blue's mother. If I could pick any place to live out of any book I've read, I think it'd be 300 Fox Way. There is never a dull moment around there. I love the eccentric personalities that Maggie created it.
Book three doesn't have a title yet, but I'll be eagerly awaiting that and the cover. Because the covers. are. so. fantastic! If you haven't read this series, go pick up The Raven Boys right now. And you should probably just pick up The Dream Thieves while you're there to save yourself the trip. Or, if you want signed copies, they are always available at Fountain Bookstore in Virginia. PS... they will ship to you!
“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.”
It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive.
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.
From Maggie Stiefvater, the bestselling and acclaimed author of the Shiver trilogy and The Scorpio Races, comes a spellbinding new series where the inevitability of death and the nature of love lead us to a place we’ve never been before.
I've been a fan of Maggie Stiefvater's books since I read Lament before most people had heard her name. And I've read each book as they've come out, or as an arc if I've been lucky enough to get my hands on a copy. I got my hands on a copy of The Raven Boys from my wonderful friend Sandy of Scribing Shadows. She is fantastic for sending it to me!
I loved this book. Her writing gets better with almost every book she puts out, and this book is no different. It might not be my favorite Maggie Stiefvater book, but Ballad and The Scorpio Races are hard to top! The Raven Boys makes a good effort to top them. Blue lives with her family. All women. All psychic. Blue is not, but her presence makes the rest of her family's powers stronger. She goes to the church on St. Mark's Eve, to watch the procession of people who are going to die soon. And she sees a young boy. Her age. But why can she see him? The response: “There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.” But, really, it could be both, since her true love is destined to die if she kisses him.
But he's not just any boy. His name is Gansey, and he is a Raven Boy. The Raven Boys go to an all boys private school, Aglionby Academy, and Blue doesn't like a single one of these rich, pretentious teen guys. But Blue and Gansey (and his friends) are thrown together to figure out a mystery or two. Or three.
One of the best things about this story were the twists and turns. I really didn't know what to expect in this book. Even after reading it, I'm not sure if I would call it a contemporary with paranormal elements or and paranormal that at first seems contemporary. And it is so well pieced together, that you can't see the surprises coming. At least, I couldn't. And that is one of the signs of a really good book for me. The Raven Boys is not like any other novel I've read. And I don't believe there's another one out there that even comes close in terms of the plot. Whether or not you've read anything by Maggie, I imagine you'll love the first book in The Raven Cycle. I can't wait for book two!
And... if that's not enough for you to want to pick this book up, check out the amazing animated trailer Maggie Stiefvater made. She is amazingly talented.
And be sure to check out Maggie Stiefvater's site for Raven Boys to meet the characters, view extras, and even download the song from the trailer.
It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.
At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.
Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a chance. So she enters the competition — the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen.
I was lucky enough to get my hands on an arc of The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater. I loved her previous five novels so I had high expectations for this one. And I wasn't disappointed.
Sean, the returning champion of the Scorpio Races, and his cappall uisce, Corr, return to the beach to train with new racers. Including Puck, and her horse, Dove. Puck intends to race Dove, a horse not much bigger than a pony, against several deadly cappall uisce. They emerge from the sea onto the island of Thisby, hungry for flesh each Autumn. They ravage sheep, dogs, anything they can find, and they return to the sea unless caught to be trained to race. Riders die before the race even begins, and people come from afar to bet on and see this race on the beach of Thisby.
Puck, who's real name is Kate, is one of our main characters. She splits narration with Sean. The two meet and share an instant dislike for each other. Sean doesn't want to see a girl and her horse on the dangerous beach. And Puck doesn't care for this bossy know-it-all. But as time goes by, things change.
Puck is racing to save her family's home - it's just her and her two brothers - and to keep the older one from leaving for the mainland. Sean is racing for the right to buy Corr, his red cappall uisce. But both can't win the races.
I loved this book so much. I almost felt like I was there on Thisby. My favorite part was the festival where the riders announced their decision to race. There were so many incredible aspects to that scene that I loved, but I'll leave those for when you read it. I'm also very much into faery lore. The cappall uisce, which translates to water horse, is a kelpie. Don't get on one's back in the water, or he'll drown you.
I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. Especially if you like faery. The Scorpio Races ranks in at number two of my favorite Maggie books, topped only by Ballad.
Maggie Stiefvater is doing a book signing in two days time. I plan to go and get a copy signed for myself. I also plan to get a copy for one of you! (If I don't make it to the signing, I will give away an unsigned copy.)
1. Must follow my blog
2. Must be 13 or older.
3. Open International (US cover).
4. Fill out this form.
Good luck! Giveaway ends 10/30, midnight EST. Winner announced on Halloween.
In this mesmerizing sequel to Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception, music prodigy James Morgan and his best friend, Deirdre, join a private conservatory for musicians. James' musical talent attracts Nuala, a soul-snatching faerie muse who fosters and feeds on the creative energies of exceptional humans until they die. Composing beautiful music together unexpectedly leads to mutual admiration and love. Haunted by fiery visions of death, James realizes that Deirdre and Nuala are being hunted by the Fey and plunges into a soul-scorching battle with the Queen of the Fey to save their lives.
Ballad is Maggie Stiefvater's follow-up to Lament. And if Lament was amazing then I'm not even sure how to describe Ballad. Out of all five books that I've read, Ballad is my favorite. James and Deirdre have left their homes to live at a school for talented musicians.
James' amazing bagpipe music attracts the attention of Nuala. She is a faery and a muse. While giving inspiration, she also feeds on the creative energies of humans. James' fondness for Deirdre lessens as he becomes more attracted to Nuala.
Nuala has been around for a long time, dying and being reborn. She has often caught the eye of a human, but not until James as the attraction truly gone both ways. Both Dee and Nuala are in danger. Which one will James save? Or can he save them both?
Ballad is my absolute favorite book by Maggie Stiefvater, and the last time I met her, she said this was her favorite as well. (Although, I think that has changed with The Scorpio Races.) There's really nothing I can say to express just how incredible I think it is. And if I tried it would probably come out in an unflattering, fangirly way. I loved James. He was sweet and charming, and I loved reading his romance with Nuala. I liked Nuala from the start, even when I was unsure if she should be trusted.
Both Lament and Ballad were beautifully written, and I can't wait for more faery books from Maggie Stiefvater.
Sixteen-year-old Deirdre Monaghan is a painfully shy but prodigiously gifted musician. She's about to find out she's also a cloverhand—one who can see faeries. Deirdre finds herself infatuated with a mysterious boy who enters her ordinary suburban life, seemingly out of thin air. Trouble is, the enigmatic and gorgeous Luke turns out to be a gallowglass—a soulless faerie assassin. An equally hunky—and equally dangerous—dark faerie soldier named Aodhan is also stalking Deirdre. Sworn enemies, Luke and Aodhan each have a deadly assignment from the Faerie Queen. Namely, kill Deirdre before her music captures the attention of the Fae and threatens the Queen's sovereignty. Caught in the crossfire with Deirdre is James, her wisecracking but loyal best friend. Deirdre had been wishing her life weren't so dull, but getting trapped in the middle of a centuries-old faerie war isn't exactly what she had in mind . . .
Lament is a dark faerie fantasy that features authentic Celtic faerie lore, plus cover art and interior illustrations by acclaimed faerie artist Julia Jeffrey.
Maggie Stiefvater's debut, Lament, introduces us to Deirdre Monaghan, an amazingly gifted musician. Her instrument of choice, the harp. The biggest problem Deirdre is facing is her shyness which affects her ability to play in front of others.
Except... well... she only thinks that's her biggest problem. She's a cloverhand. This means that she's gifted with the sight. She can see faeries. Still... that's not her biggest problem. The problem would be the two faery assassins out to get her: Luke, a soulless faery, and the dark faery, Aodhan. Both are ordered to find and kill her. Why? Deirdre's music is starting to attract the attention of the faeries.
I love books about faeries, but I've become quite picky about them. I prefer that they stay true to old faery lore. And this one does, specifically Celtic lore. Maggie's writing is absolutely beautiful. The way she pieces the sentences together is almost lyrical.
Deirdre finds herself drawn to Luke, while her best friend, James, has fallen for Deirdre. Soon she finds herself stuck between both guys. I'm generally not a fan of love triangles. And I've always been able to find a clear frontrunner. But not here. I enjoyed both Luke and James, and I was unsure of who to root for. They were both great.
Her Wolves of Mercy Falls books are very popular. And I've read all three. It's my opinion that the faery books are even more incredible than wolfy ones. So I can only say read them and see for yourselves. Also, if you ever get a chance to meet Maggie at a signing, go!
I met Maggie shortly after Lament's release. This is when it was only available with the grey cover and no one had even heard of Shiver. The signing was in Baltimore, and I was the only one there. A few people stopped by to check out the book, but I was the only one hanging around the table. We talked, she played her harp, and I felt like a creeper. Haha! But she assured me my "stalking" was okay. I've gone to a few signings since, and she is hilarious!
The thrilling conclusion to #1 bestselling Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy from Maggie Stiefvater.
In Maggie Stiefvater'sShiver, Grace and Sam found each other. In Linger, they fought to be together. Now, inForever, the stakes are even higher than before. Wolves are being hunted. Lives are being threatened. And love is harder and harder to hold on to as death comes closing in.
I was a fan of Maggie Stiefvater’s Lament, way back when it had the grey cover, and you couldn’t find it anywhere. So, naturally, when Shiver came out, I jumped right on it. I fell in love with Sam Roth instantly. And I loved his relationship with Grace Brisbane. My only issue was jealousy. Sam was the exact kind of guy I wanted. Just more 3D than he was on the pages. But when I closed Shiver, it felt like Sam and Grace’s story was over. But I knew it was only the first of a trilogy.
And, of course, when Linger came out, I jumped on that one, too. I couldn’t wait to see more Sam and Grace. We got two more points of view in this book. Cole and Isabel (who was supporting in the first book). Again, Maggie wrote a lovely story, her words flowing beautifully. And I was even more excited for the third installment. But also sad, because I knew I would miss this world and these characters.
Forever… I got my hands on a review copy, and I spent three weeks savoring it… a bit here and a bit there. It was just as incredible as the other two. Normally, I prefer my werewolves fighting. Lots of action. Blood. Anger. Violence. But this trilogy is the opposite. It’s a very sweet love story. (Which is normally not my thing.) But between this wonderful world, these amazing characters, and Maggie’s beautiful writing, these books are some of my favorites.
Be sure to check out the entire trilogy: The Wolves of Mercy Falls by Maggie Stiefvater. And while you’re at it, check out Lament and Ballad.
Okay, so some of you may have seen my tweets or previous years blog posts on FaerieCon. What is FaerieCon you ask (music will play when you click the link). It's a convention all about faeries. There are things I love more about this than Faerie Fest, and things I love about Faerie Fest more. But since this is my really big festival/convention that I go to every year, I'm doing a huge giveaway in honor of it.
There will be six books up for grabs. Four of which are already signed, and one more that I hope to get signed next weekend. Which means one will go unsigned. Which books? Just keep reading.
FRAGILE ETERNITY (paperback with "Stopping Time") signed by Melissa Marr
BALLAD: A GATHERING OF FAERIE (paperback) signed by Maggie Stiefvater
THE IRON KING (paperback) signed by Julie Kagawa
BLACKBRINGER (hardback) by Laini Taylor
FABLEHAVEN (paperback) signed by Brandon Mull
TROLL BRIDGE (hardback) signed by Jane Yolen
There will be more prizes as well. Since I don't know all of what will be at FaerieCon this year, I'm not sure what those prizes will be. There will be three winners. Each winner will get two books and a prize (bookmark, statue, art print, I don't know what) from FaerieCon!
They were late as Maggie's car died on they way. Meaghan looked up awful Halloween jokes to keep us entertained. And when Susan returned with Maggie and Jackson, Maggie offered her dead car as the first door prize.
The two of them together... OMG! They were hilarious together. Lots of joking and teasing. They talked a bit about why they wrote werewolves, and, apparently, they both hate horror movies.
Maggie said she wrote a werewolf short story for a contest, and she had gotten the idea after a dream. She also said she doesn't really consider them werewolves. They are shapeshifters and while they are human, they are human. While they are wolves, they are just wolves. And I completely get what she's saying because they are very much unlike other werewolves.
Jackson said that she wanted to write scary, killer werewolves because so many of the werewolves being written aren't. They are normal guys who tend to turn into wolves, play the guitar, work at bookstores and... more teasing Maggie.
While at the signing I picked up toxic mold. Really. Look below. I also won a gift card to Fountain Bookstore. Woot! more books. It was the first of two prizes from the store.
Then Maggie and Jackson pulled out their prizes! They gave away 1 prize to each name drawn. Lucky for us, there were not a bunch of people there. To be honest, I was very surprised. I thought for sure there'd be more people. Prizes included: SISTERS RED audio CD, Japanese SHIVER, a wolf book annotated by Maggie, SWEETLY arc (sequel to SR, first to be given, and it has an awesome cover), folklore tarot, US ARMY WEREWOLF SNIPER MANUAL, and a few more things. Then... the final prize! They put my name back in the basket because I won the drawing for Fountain Bookstore. Which means there were about four names in the basket. And they drew me again. I won this! *points below* The absolutely coolest thing I've ever won!!!
The adorable, Sam Roth... my biggest YA crush. He plays the guitar and works at a bookstore.
His girl Grace. Maybe now I won't keep forgetting she's a blonde.
My favorite female character, Isabel.
And Cole... poor Cole... who has no clothes to color in.
And what is that Cole is hiding behind?
Since all of my Maggie books are signed, I brought KISS ME DEADLY which has a short story by her. And I bought AS YOU WISH and SISTERS RED both by Jackson Pearce. And pictured with the books, the event ticket.
Jackson: Have you read them? Me: No. Jackson: *pouts* You don't need them signed then. *pushes books away* Me: Hehehe Jackson: Kidding. I know you'll read it eventually.
Did you know the cover for FOREVER, the final book in The Wolves of Mercy Falls series by Maggie Stiefvater was revealed the other day? You can pre-order it by clicking on the title.
You can pre-order a signed copy at Maggie's favorite indie store, Fountain Books.
I wish I had had the chance to reread SHIVER before this, but when I saw LINGER on the shelf early, I snatched it up. And, of course, had it read in two days. It was amazing. But what else can you expect from Maggie Stiefvater? Her writing is amazing. Whether or not you like the story, the writing is beautiful.
When I finished SHIVER, I loved the ending, and I felt that there didn't need to be more. It felt very much like a stand-alone novel. But, man, am I glad it wasn't.
I liked this one even better than SHIVER. However, with four POVs it was a little more difficult. I had to go back several times to see you was narrating. It states very clearly, but sometimes I forgot to look. Anyway, I liked Isabel even more. And I liked Grace better. Sam was swoon-worthy as before. He may be too perfect, but not too perfect for me. Perhaps this is why I'm single. I'm picky and haven't met my Sam. New character, Cole, was introduced. It took me til the end of the book to decide whether or not I liked him.
And... this one made me cry. SHIVER got the tears filling my eyes, but LINGER had them rolling down my cheeks. Wonder what FOREVER will do. I seriously can't wait to read it.
On a side note, something interesting about these books. SHIVER has a blue cover, and the ink inside is blue. LINGER has a green cover, and the ink inside is green. I don't know if FOREVER has been assigned a color. I hope it's purple, but I see it in my head being rose colored. Hmm...
Synopsis:
In Maggie Stiefvater's SHIVER, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in LINGER, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.
At turns harrowing and euphoric, LINGER is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love -- the light and the dark, the warm and the cold -- in a way you will never forget.
In honor of LINGER's release late July, I'm giving away a hardback copy of SHIVER by Maggie Stiefvater. I wanted to make this one a little different than my previous giveaways.
For this one, I'm doing werewolf trivia. Answer each question and email me your answers at aine[dot]onetwistedpixie[at]gmail[dot]com You get one point for each question answered correctly.
1. How many female werewolves are in existence at the start of the Women of the Otherworld series?
2. What author wrote a novel about loups-garoux, where the main character is named Vivian?
3. The werewolves in The Twilight Saga are descended from what Native American tribe?
4. What werewolf book did Melissa Marr blurb as being “quite simply, the most compelling YA werewolf book out there”?
5. What other werewolf romance stars a female lead named Grace?
6. What female Walker was raised by werewolves?
7. What highly anticipated werewolf novel comes out this October from a debut author?
8. How many books are going to be in the Wolves of Mercy Falls series? Name them.
You have until Monday, July 5, 2010 at 10 PM EST. I will draw a winner then. Contest is open to US and Canada only.
Thanks to the 6 people who entered.
The answers are:
1. One
2. Annette Curtis Klause
3. Quilete
4. RAISED BY WOLVES
5. THE DARK DIVINE
6. Mercy Thompson
7. NIGHTSHADE
8. Three: SHIVER, LINGER, FOREVER
But... since there can be only one winner, a signed copy of SHIVER goes to Selestial!
This was an amazing book. It was written by the fabulous Maggie Stiefvater, who also wrote LAMENT and BALLAD (comes out in a week!!!). This book basically fits under YA paranormal romance. And it was really believeable.
I identified a lot with Grace. She was a very strong heroine. She was in love with Sam, but it didn't weaken her. She wasn't whiney and pining for him when he wasn't there. And Sam... he was incredible. A little bit too perfect... besides the obvious. He's a werewolf. But he was sweet and sensitive and kind. I really hope there are guys like this out there. But, sadly, I would imagine they've already been taken.
Even though this was clearly a romance, it wasn't mushy. There was some action and adventure. Some suspense and mystery. There were happy parts and sad parts. Overall, a well rounded book. You should definitely pick it up. One of the top 5 best I've read this year!
I'm a 30-year-old bookaholic. I read mostly young adult, but I also enjoy some middle grade, adult urban fantasy, manga, and graphic novels. I review them here, along with movies and music I love. Comments are always welcome.
If you're an author or publisher and would like me to review a book, host a contest, or publish an author interview or guest post, you can email me at aine.onetwistedpixie at gmail dot com.
Note: I am backed up on reviews. If I promised you one, I will get to it. I'm sorry if it's taken longer than expected. When requesting a review, please include the synopsis in the email.
is Maggie Stiefvater's follow-up to 
. And if Lament was amazing then I'm not even sure how to describe Ballad. Out of all five books that I've read, Ballad is my favorite. James and Deirdre have left their homes to live at a school for talented musicians.
, and 
, 
, and 
). I've met Maggie a few times. And she is always a delight. Jackson was very funny also, which I know from her vlogs. 
