2015 Bookish Resolutions & Challenges

Welcome to 2015 folks! Phew. It is already shaping up to be a wonderful year for the bookish nerds. As it is a brand new year, and this will be my first full blogging year, I accepted a few reading challenges. The challenges fit into my already busy schedule, and I hope I'm not being too ambitious here! While I will still do the Goodreads challenge of 100 books, there were a couple out there that caught my eye. I really don't need a challenge to motivate me to read; I would like to be more social in the blogosphere. With no further introduction, here are the challenges that I have accepted for the year, 2015.

Flights of Fantasy Challenge

Hosted by Alexa @ Alexa Loves Books and Rachel @ Hello, Chelly.
*I challenge myself to 25 books
Rules & Restrictions

- The challenge runs from January 1-December 31, 2015

- We're welcoming all readers to join us for this challenge!

- Read as many books as you like. There are no levels!

- Feel free to tweet about the challenge using our official hashtag #flightsoffantasy

How to Participate

- Challenge yourself to read a certain number of fantasy books. Share your challenge number in a comment on either of these girls' blogs, a post on your blog or even a tweet!

- On the last Sunday of each month, we'll be sharing our personal updates on the challenge. We'll be including a Linky, just in case you decide to do the same. (This is optional!)

Dusting off the Shelf Reading Challenge

Hosted by Emily @ Books & Cleverness!
*I challenge myself to 12 books

Rules & Restrictions

- The challenge will run from Jan 1, 2015 – Dec 31, 2015.

- Anyone is welcome to join. You do not need to be a blogger, just post your reviews and come back every month to link them up.

- Any book is acceptable, as long as you’ve owned it and have been meaning to read it for a long time.

- You can set any goal that you want for each month or the year. Whatever you think is attainable for you personally!

- At the beginning of each month I will post a roundup post for you to add your reviews.

- If you forget to link up one month it’s not a problem just add your reviews next month.

The Re-Read Challenge
Hosted by Belle of the Literati & So Obsessed With.
*I challenge myself to 12 books

The Re-Read Challenge Details

- This challenge will run from January 1, 2015 - December 31, 2015. The sign-up linky will remain open until the end of January, but join at any time by adding your intro post to any monthly re-read recap linky.

- Any genre, length or format of book counts, as long as it's a re-read.

- You don't have to follow our blogs to participate or be entered in the giveaways.

How You Sign Up

- Write a post about joining The 2015 Re-Read Challenge on your blog. In the post, include the banner, a link back to our sign-up page, the number of books you'd like to re-read and list some books you're hoping to re-read for the challenge.

- Add the direct link to your sign-up post in the linky on either girls' blog.

- DONE. It's as easy as that to get started.

How You Participate

- Re-read some books!

- In the first week of each month, we will post a re-read recap on Belle of the Literati and So Obsessed With that includes a linky that will be open all month. Write a post detailing what you re-read the last month, and add the direct link to our linky to be entered in our giveaways.

- If you write any re-read reviews (it's totally optional!), add those to the monthly linky for additional entries (one per post) in our giveways.

- If you miss a monthly post, just link up your reviews and/or recap in the linky during the next month.

*My bookish New Year's resolution is to become more social in the blogging world! I would love to meet more people, fangirl about series loved, and participate in more events in 2015! I am hoping these challenges are just a small step in the right direction to achieve that goal. I will possibly add more challenges and events in the days to come... (:

2014 End of the Year Book Survey

I have been seeing this post all throughout the blogosphere about the 'End of the Year Book Survey' and I knew I just had to do this one! I am ridiculously excited as I love looking back throughout the year, refreshing my memory of the books that I've read and the ones that I am destined to read in the new year! This survey was created by a fellow blogger friend over at The Perpetual Page Turner. It is for all of the books read in 2014, not just books that were published in that year. With no further ado.. here we go... (:

Number of Books Read: 133 (as of 12/24)
Number of Rereads: 4 or 5, can't quite remember.
Most Read Genre: Paranormal, dystopian, urban fantasy; it's a tie!

1. Best book you read?
Ouch, I see this is starting out with the hardest questions first.. I hope. How about I choose one from each of my favorite genres? That may be a bit easier.
Dystopian: The entire Legend Series by Marie Lu. Love!
Paranormal: The first two books in the Arcana Chronicles by Kresley Cole. Phenomenal!
Urban Fantasy: Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch. So looking forward to the next in the series!
Romance: Stay With Me by J. Lynn
Adventure: The Raven Cycle series by Maggie Stiefvater

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn't?
Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick. Although I didn't really care for her Hush, Hush series, I thought that her genre change into a thriller author would go well. It didn't. Ha..

3. Most surprising, good or bad, book read?
The Splintered Series by A.G. Howard. I am not a big fan of fairytale style retellings, but this series blew me away! It is so mad and twisted, I cannot freaking wait for the final book in this series releasing early 2015!

4. Book you recommended the most?
Probably The Raven Cycle books because they were my absolute favorite reads of the year!

5. Best Series You Started? Best Sequel? Best Series Ender?
Started: The Raven Cycle, again. Ha..
Sequel: Endless Knight by Kresley Cole - Arcana Chronicles 2.
Series Ender: Opposition by Jennifer Armentrout or City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare.

6. Favorite New Author?
I really enjoyed The Broken Ones series by Miss Jen Wylie. She is a wonderful writer and I found myself falling in love with her dystopian-style faerie world!

7. Favorite book from an 'out of your comfort zone' genre?
I rarely read a book that is solely romance, but J. Lynn's Wait For You series is phenomenally written. Her male characters are all perfect; swoon-worthy, pain in the ass, asshole men- my favorite kind! (:

8. Most unputdownable book?
Hmm. Opposition by Jennifer Armentrout. The final book in the Lux Series was perfect in every way! I couldn't wait to find out what happened on the next page. This was definitely a binge read for me!

9. Book most likely eligible for a re-read?
I rarely ever re-read a book. Maybe Snow Like Ashes by Sara Raasch, right before Ice Like Fire releases.

10. Favorite Cover? It definitely has to be Unhinged by A.G. Howard. Look at that gorgeous cover! I'm kicking myself in the ass for buying the ebook version of this book because, just, wow! The first book in this series, Splintered has an equally badass cover.

11. Most memorable character?
I am going to have to say Daemon from the Lux Series. He is still my number one book boyfriend of all time. His sarcasm and snark is unforgettable for sure. Sigh.

12. Most beautifully written book?
The entire Daughter of Smoke & Bone series. Laini Taylor is a masterful writer. Her world building skills are magickal to say the least.

13. Most thought provoking / life changing book?
Hmm. Well, I can't say that any one book changed my life. Can I say all of them? Books in general have changed my life, from how I spend my spare time to my college major! That's really my only answer for this question... (:

14. Book you can't believe you waited to read?
The Raven Cycle! I cannot believe this sat on my freaking TBR shelf for over two years!

15. Favorite quote?
“Wooo!’ he said, slamming his shot glass down and coughing a bit. ‘That’s good stuff.’ I agreed heartily. ‘Shall we do another one?’ I asked. ‘Oh no,’ Jesus said quietly, his eyes growing round. ‘This is one of those situations where I have to stop and ask myself, what would I do?” -Kevin Hearne, Iron Druid Chronicles

16. Shortest and longest book?
I don't really pay attention to page numbers. I remember City of Heavenly Fire being exceptionally long though..

17. Book that shocked you the most?
Julie Kagawa's Blood of Eden series. A quote from my review: "Another vampire series? Julie Kagawa laughs in the face of Twilight with this wonderfully written story. Blood of Eden is one of the best written worlds that I have ever read." I remember reading the synopsis and finding out it was a vampire series. To say the least, Kagawa shocked me with the way she portrayed vampires; shiny lovable cuddle bugs? Ha...

18. OTP (one true pairing) of the year?
There are so many. Evie and Death from Arcana Chronicles stands out to me.

19. Favorite non-romantic relationship?
Blue and Gansey.. although I really want it to be a romantic relationship, dammit!

20. Favorite book from a previously read author?
Jennifer Armentrout always blows me away. I fell in love with her Covenant Series, but Lux was wonderful as well. And then there's her Dark Elements series that is fantastic as well!

21. Best book you read on a recommendation?
Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake. Ghost stories are not my favorite, but this book was fantastic!

22. Latest fictional crush?
Gansey. Did I mention Gansey. Oh, and Gansey. (:

23. Best author debut?
I'm not really sure I read any debuts this year? None come to mind anyways..

24. Best world building?
World building is so important to me in a book. I love Maggie Stiefvater's world in The Raven Cycle. It is one of those worlds that when you pull yourself out of the story, you are disappointed to realize that you can't physically visit this world. It's almost heart breaking.

25. Book that made you smile?
The Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne. This series is funny as hell!

26. Book that made you cry?
I'm not a big crier when it comes to books. I remember Divinity by Michelle Johnson did make me cry, because, come on.. if you read the book, you would understand why!

27. Hidden gem?
Dang, all of them! Am I copping out of this question? Absolutely.

28. Book that crushed your soul?
LOL I can't say that any book really crushed my soul. Blue Lily, Lily Blue came close though.

29. Most unique read?
I'm going with the Splintered series by A.G. Howard. Her world was just so damn twisted and mad.. it was beautiful!

30. Book that pissed you off the most?
Stone Cold Touch by Jennifer Armentrout. Come on, Zayne is a total douche canoe and having to read about his relationship with Layla when Roth is perfect for her just pissed me off to no end.

1. New favorite book blog?
This is my first year blogging, so all of them are new to me! Each blogger that I follow has their own unique way of writing reviews and posts, I enjoy reading every one of them!

2. Favorite review you wrote?
My review for Blue Lily, Lily Blue was my favorite. I put a lot of time and thought into that one because I loved the book so much. It was a review written straight from the depths of my soul. Ha..

3. Best discussion/non review post you wrote?
Probably my Liebster Award Nomination post. It was a lot of fun answering those questions.

4. Best event you participated in?
I don't do a lot of scheduled events because of classes. I never know when a professor will spring a research paper or test on us, so I don't like to schedule anything that needs to be posted at a certain time. I write posts when I have the time, so mostly it's just reviews or me rambling.. (:

5. Best moment of blogging life?
When I was nominated for the Liebster Award or the Sisterhood of the World Blogging Award!

6. Most popular post on your blog?
It was my 'Most Anticipated New Releases for 2015' post.

7. Post you wish got a little more love?
Hmm. I really don't have an answer to this one (:

8. Best bookish discovery?
Blogging!

9. Completed reading challenges?
I completed my goal of reading 100 books this year! Yay!

1. One Book You Didn't Get To in 2014 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2015?
The Percy Jackson series! I know, I know, I'm living under a rock!

2. Book you are most anticipating in 2015?

-The Raven Cycle 4 by Maggie Stiefvater (hell yes, I cannot wait for this one!!)
-Dead of Winter by Kresley Cole- the final book in the Arcana Chronicles.
-Snow Like Ashes 2 by Sara Raasch
-The Young Elites 2 by Marie Lu
-The Fae Chronicles 4 by Amelia Hutchins
-The Iron Fey 7 by Julie Kagawa

3. 2015 Debut you are most anticipating?
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

4. Series ending / sequel you are most anticipating?
Question 2 answers this one (:

5. One thing you hope to accomplish with your blog this year?
Reaching 500 followers would be pretty badass (:

And that's all for today folks..! Wow, that was an incredibly long post. I look forward to reading everyone's surveys for 2014. *hint hint*

What's New This Week - Link Exchange

Hey all of my wonderful fellow bloggers out there! I created a new Links Page where I would love to add all of the wonderful blogs that I follow. If any of you are interested in a link exchange, please let me know. I would love to work with all of you to get our names out there to the writing world! The more links that a blog has around the web, the more popular it becomes with search engines and such. At least that is what I learned from the one lonely computer class I took freshman year. Just leave me a comment here or email me at elysianfieldsreviews@hotmail.com if you have a blog / website dedicated to book nerdishness! I would be happy to put up your link..

Muah!

My Button

<div align="left"><a href="http://ufbooks.blogspot.com" title="Elysian Fields Reviews"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhlnBTQPFvp12jPhEpKOE-0jivMBRn3i7v7gP4HSZifb-Vz7ZVfFoHmC34N8e6qckSPEg-DRKVOH6e875-gUcUDrGVT2NDSXOuBUJQAKTwVGW6LBIC4am17l-5pY0zYO5W0OIS9L22RMyC/s1600/mybutton.png" alt="Elysian Fields Reviews" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Favorites Friday - Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code

*Friday Favorites is a weekly meme hosted by the beautiful Miss Natalie over at The Book Lover's Life.

This week for Friday Favorites, I would like to highlight Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. I had a difficult time picking a favorite Dan Brown novel, as I love them all equally. Since it is just about time for the Christmas holiday, I went with this one. Mr. Brown's work is so well researched, so historically accurate that I physically feel like I am a character in his elaborate plot lines. From the international best selling The Da Vinci Code, which is an entirely real conspiracy theory, to Angels & Demons and the very real concept of the Illuminati- the man is an incredible writer! I myself am a conspiracy theorist, and Mr. Brown has a natural talent of bringing them to life. The Da Vinci Code is based on a legend about the Holy Grail. Most of Christendom believes that the Holy Grail is the cup that Jesus drank from during the Last Supper, but this book proposes that it is so much more. Jesus was a man with a wife and ultimately, a child. The Holy Grail, Sangreal, translated literally to mean Royal Blood; the bloodline of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene. Langdon and Sophie, the main characters in this delicious treasure hunt of a novel, are on a quest to find the secret society that keeps the Holy Grail safe. Sophie's grandfather is murdered in the opening scene, and he ends up being the Grand Master of this ultra secret brotherhood called The Priory of Sion. For centuries, they have been in possession of this ancient secret, so old that they were once led by Leonardo Da Vinci himself. A group that focuses on the goddess aspect of Christianity, an aspect that has been completely demonized by the church. The sacred feminine in our modern times is no longer sacred. Most people do not realize that all aspects of the Christian religion was VOTED on in 325AD by Constantine and his followers. The Council of Nicea set the dates for Christian holidays, chose which books from the Bible would be considered doctrine, as well as Christ's divinity. Was he a human prophet, or a divine being? Guess who won that vote folks? (:

After this council meeting, the Christian church began to erase all parts of Jesus's life that portrayed him as a human being. They were, for the most part, successful. Until the discovery of the Gnosis Gospels. In these documents, there is one that is aptly named, The Gospel of Mary Magdalene, as well as the Gospel of Phillip. These long lost documents make reference that Jesus is married to Mary; one line states that Jesus loved Mary more than the other disciples and would often kiss her on the mouth. Regardless if Jesus was human or divine, the fact that the Christian church repeatedly tried to cover up these documents raises the ultimate question: Is there a truly royal bloodline of Christ, and to what lengths would the church go to cover it up if so...?!

If you are one of the few people on earth that have yet to read this book, I highly recommend it. The well-researched history alone was enough to snag me, but the treasure hunt is wonderful! Full of high paced drama and intrigue, I had a hard time putting this book down. I have read it numerous times and I know exactly what happens, but I still only set it aside for emergencies! And please, do not let the controversial concept of Christ scare you away. Even if Jesus was only a man, he was a true prophet that spoke of love. I don't feel that a person needs a physical place of stone and mortar to be able to communicate with God- one only needs their own heart and mind to find what they are looking for... (:

Happy holidays to all of my lovely readers. I hope this post finds everyone well and looking forward to the joys of family and friends, which is what this time of the year is really about. I am having a wonderful, fun filled Winter Break! I have been slacking on my blogger responsibilities, but I will get there soon everyone! Thank you so much for reading. Muah!

Release Day Blitz: Wicked by Jennifer Armentrout

We are over the moon excited to bring you the Release Day Launch for Jennifer L. Armentrout's Wicked! Wicked is a New Adult Paranormal Romance and the first book in Jennifer’s Wicked Trilogy!

Wicked
Jennifer Armentrout
A Wicked Saga #1
Kindle Edition: 371 pages
Expected publication: December 8th 2014
Amazon ** Barnes and Noble ** iBooks ** Kobo

*This book is recommended for 16+

Things are about to get Wicked in New Orleans.

Twenty-two year old Ivy Morgan isn’t your average college student. She, and others like her, know humans aren’t the only thing trolling the French Quarter for fun… and for food. Her duty to the Order is her life. After all, four years ago, she lost everything at the hands of the creatures she’d sworn to hunt, tearing her world and her heart apart.

Ren Owens is the last person Ivy expected to enter her rigidly controlled life. He’s six feet and three inches of temptation and swoon-inducing charm. With forest-green eyes and a smile that’s surely left a stream of broken hearts in its wake, he has an uncanny, almost unnatural ability to make her yearn for everything he has to offer. But letting him in is as dangerous as hunting the cold-blooded killers stalking the streets. Losing the boy she loved once before had nearly destroyed her, but the sparking tension that grows between them becomes impossible for Ivy to deny. Deep down, she wants… she needs more than what her duty demands of her, what her past has shaped for her.

But as Ivy grows closer to Ren, she realizes she’s not the only one carrying secrets that could shatter the frail bond between them. There’s something he’s not telling her, and one thing is for certain. She’s no longer sure what is more dangerous to her—the ancient beings threatening to take over the town or the man demanding to lay claim to her heart and her soul.

He left me standing there as he disappeared into the bathroom, and I tried to make sense of what just happened. All I knew was that the punch-in-the-chest sadness that came whenever I thought of Shaun wasn’t there. And I didn’t know what to make of that.

Or anything. Taking a deep breath, I put my clothes on his dresser and all but dashed into the bed, and good Lord, the mattress was comfy! I scooted to the middle and froze, having no idea what side he slept on or if he had a side. I totally had a side—always the furthest away from closet doors because I was a dork. Straightening the shirt out so my undies weren’t saying hi to the world, I tugged the blanket up to my hips and lay flat on my back.

I so needed an adult to explain to me what the hell I was supposed to do from this point on.

There wasn’t much time to stress over it because Ren returned from the bathroom. His ever-present half grin spread as he saw me. I clutched the blanket, my breath caught in my throat. My heart pounded so fast that I wondered if I was going to have a heart attack, and God, wouldn’t that be embarrassing. I swallowed nervously and willed my heart to slow.

Turning off the lamp, shadows fell around Ren, but when he faced me, I could tell that he’d frozen. I couldn’t make out his expression as he bent, taking a hold of the covers on his side.

“Ivy?”

“Hmm?”

He slowly edged the covers back from his side and climbed in, and although I couldn’t make out his eyes, I knew he was watching me. “I’m happy that you’re here.”

My fingers eased off the blanket.

As he stretched out beside me, my eyes adjusted to the lack of light, and I could see that he was smiling. “Are you?”

“Yeah,” I whispered.

“Good. That’s all I wanted to hear.”

Wow, the warmth that flooded my chest could’ve turned me into a puddle of goo in that bed. I waited for him to make a move on me, but seconds ticked by. He seriously was behaving himself. I dared a quick peek at him, and found I could not look away.

Ren lifted his arm closest to me, and a heartbeat passed. I hesitated for a moment, and then, my heart pounding even more, I slid over until my leg brushed his. He curved his arm around my waist and drew me up against his side, guiding me down until I was nestled against his warm, bare chest. Another moment passed and then I lowered my cheek, and the simple pleasure of lying like this nearly broke me right open.

About Jennifer L. Armentrout

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Finals Week and JLA's New Release - Wicked

My final week of the Fall Semester! I am ridiculously stressed out and cramming almost non-stop. So wouldn't you know, I just realized yesterday that Miss Jennifer Armentrout's new book came out today. Are you freaking kidding me?! My favorite author, finally writing about faeries- my hands down, favorite sub-genre in urban fantasy / paranormal books. My grandparents were Celtic pagans, and I always used to feel really weird telling people this- but they raised me to believe in the fae. Instead of hearing the stories of Hansel & Gretel or Little Red Riding Hood as a child, I was told stories of the Tuatha de Danann and their crazy, sometimes brutal escapades! It was an interesting childhood, to say the least. I was raised in a really small town. Not just any small town though, horses and buggies were a way of life where I was born and raised. I had a pet pig- an honestly massive pig that I trained to follow me around like a dog. Now that you all have a picture of the sort of back-country town that I was raised in, a pagan child in that sort of elementary school setting is an unsettling situation. I didn't understand why being considered pagan was wrong, and I constantly voiced my beliefs to my peers. Most of the students were accepting, but it was the teachers that gave me the most problems. To make a long, sad story short- I ended up moving to another town to finish school. My brain is fried so I could be rambling at this point, but it feels good to think and talk about something that isn't studying right now everyone! But anyways.. I didn't used to let people know that I was pagan right away. My childhood taught me that most people aren't as open minded as my family is. College has began to reverse that belief here and there. I meet a lot of really accepting people, and it gives me hope that most people are just misinformed about the practice of paganism. There isn't a completely, solid definition of the religion because it's vastly unorganized with no doctrine. The basic outline is: the practice of any nature-based religion, the worship of the earth and all living things. I don't make it a habit to dance under a full moon, although I have. Do I believe in the devil? Ha.. Satan is from your religion, not mine. There are so many misconceptions about paganism and its beliefs, but if any of you are interested, there are tons of decent sites out there that explains it better than I could! Anyways.. so yea, after totally derailing from the point of my post- JLA has a brand new book out today called Wicked! I only know this, because I apparently signed up to do a stop on her book tour a while back. The company emailed me yesterday to remind me, thankfully! I bought a copy of it after my final class today, and I've gotten about 50 pages into it. Sigh. JLA writes male characters better than any other author I have ever read. I have already hopelessly fallen in love with Ren, the lead sexy male in Wicked. I won't give any more away about this book until my post tomorrow! Thank you everyone, for reading my pointless ramblings (:
Muah!

Most Anticipated New Releases: Top Ten of 2015

We are so close to 2015, and the release of numerous books that I've been so looking forward to! This is my top ten most anticipated new releases for 2015 post!

10.) Ensnared by A.G. Howard
Release Date: January 6, 2015
The Splintered Series #3
Related Reviews | Splintered Series |

After surviving a disastrous battle at prom, Alyssa has embraced her madness and gained perspective. She's determined to rescue her two worlds and the people and netherlings she loves. Even if it means challenging Queen Red to a final battle of wills and wiles . . . and even if the only way to Wonderland, now that the rabbit hole is closed, is through the looking-glass world--a parallel dimension filled with mutated and violent netherling outcasts. In the final installment of the wildly popular Splintered trilogy, Alyssa and her dad journey into the heart of magic and mayhem in search of her mom and to set right all that's gone wrong. Together with Jeb and Morpheus, they must salvage Wonderland from the decay and destruction that has ensnared it. But if they succeed and come out alive, can everyone truly have their happily ever after?

Gah! I love this crazy series so much. Mad, you say? It is definitely a twisted twirling vortex of pure madness. I cannot wait to see how Miss Howard wraps everything up into a neat little, rabbit-sized package! Will Alyssa end up with Morpheus or Jeb?! Can she defeat the evil Queen Red, or will she be stuck in Wonderland forever?

9.) Dead of Winter by Kresley Cole
Release Date: January 6, 2015
The Arcana Chronicles #3
Related Reviews | Poison Princess | Endless Knight |

Can Evie convince her rival loves to work together? Their survival depends on it in this third book in the Arcana Chronicles. Evie was almost seduced by the life of comfort that Death offered her—until Jack was threatened by two of the most horrific Arcana, The Lovers. She will do anything to save him, even escape Death’s uncanny prison, full of beautiful objects, material comforts…and stolen glances from a former love. Despite leaving a part of her heart behind with Death, Evie sets out into a frozen and perilous post-apocalyptic wasteland to meet up with her allies and launch an attack on The Lovers and the vast army they command. Such formidable enemies require a battle plan, and the only way to kill them once and for all may mean Evie, Jack, and Death allying. Evie doesn’t know what will prove more impossible: surviving slavers, plague, Bagmen and other Arcana—or convincing Jack and Death to work together. There’s a thin line between love and hate, and Evie just doesn’t know where she stands with either Jack or Death. Will this unlikely trio be able to defeat The Lovers without killing one another first?

Miss Cole is a literary genius, seriously! I love this series, everything about it. The idea is so fresh and original, with tarot cards represented as physical people. The game is so twisted; raising teenagers to murder one another for a chance at immortality. And the characters, sigh. One of my most anticipated TBRs EVER!

8.) The Return by Jennifer Armentrout
Release Date: February 17, 2015
Titan #1
Related Reviews | Covenant Series |

It’s been a year since Seth made the deal with the gods that pledged his life to them. And so far, the jobs they’ve given him have been violent and bloody–which is kind of all right with him. But now Apollo has something else in mind for Seth. He’s got to play protector while keeping his hands and fingers off, and for someone who really has a problem with restraint, this new assignment might be the most challenging yet. Josie has no idea what this crazy hot guy’s deal might be, but it’s a good bet that his arrival means the new life she started after leaving home is about to be thrown into an Olympian-sized blender turned up to puree. Either Josie is going insane or a nightmare straight out of ancient myth is gunning for her. But it might be the unlikely attraction simmering between her and the golden-eyed, secret-keeping Seth that may prove to be the most dangerous thing of all. Because history has once again been flipped to repeat.

*This is a spin-off to the wonderful Covenant Series, and I am beyond excited about this book! Covenant was a phenomenal series full of mythology; gods, goddesses, and demi-gods walk the Earth. JLA is a fabulous author, and I am looking forward to reading this new series!

7.) Fall With Me by J. Lynn
Release Date: March 31, 2015
Wait for You Series #4
Related Reviews | Wait For You | Be With You | Stay With Me |

Eleven months ago, bartender and weird-shirt-wearing extraordinaire Roxy and Officer Reece Anders had a one night stand. Well, kind of. She’s been in love with him since she was fifteen, and he wishes that night they shared never happened. She’s sworn him off forever, but the past and future collide, forcing her to rely on the one man who broke her heart not once, but twice. Her best friend since birth has been in a long-term care facility since he became a victim of a hate crime years ago, and the person who put him in there is out of prison and wanting to make amends with him and Roxy. She’s not sure she has room for forgiveness in her and when she begins to receive frightening messages and is on the receiving end of escalating violence, she thinks she knows who is to blame. The man who already destroyed one life already. But Reece isn’t convinced. The threats are too personal, and even if Roxy doesn’t believe him, he’s not willing to let anyone hurt her. Including himself. He’s already messed up more than once when it comes to Roxy and he’s not going to let history repeat itself.

I am not a huge fan of solely romance novels, but anything written by Miss Jennifer Armentrout is worth a read, IMHO. The first three in this series were fantastic. I laughed, I cried, and those male characters she writes are swoon worthy, for sure! I cannot wait to get to know Reece in this latest addition to the Wait For You Series!

6.) End of Days by Susan Ee
Release Date: May 15, 2015
Penryn & the End of Days #3
Related Reviews | Penryn & the End of Days Series |

The only synopsis that I've found available so far is- Susan Ee stated: "I’m super excited! The third book is END OF DAYS. It will be the finale of Penryn’s story!" The final book in Penryn and the End of Days series.

I am super excited for the release of this book! Penryn, the antagonist in this series is a 17 year old girl with more than the world on her shoulders. Her sister is paralyzed and is confined to a wheelchair permanently. Her mother is a paranoid schitzophrenic that caused her sister's condition; she is violent and suffers from delusions about the devil coming for her and her children. Penryn's father left a year earlier, and her life revolves around taking care of her family full time. And then there is the whole Apocalypse situation happening on Earth. Armies of angels have come to take over Earth, bringing with them earthquakes, tsunamis, and asteroids. The planet is completely destroyed, with humans either dead or struggling to survive. Food is scarce, gangs are rampant, and the angels want all humans dead. At least most angels do. Penryn meets Raffe, an angel who has had his wings cut off by his fellow angel buddies. Her sister gets kidnapped by the angels that removed his wings; now Raffe and Penryn are on a mission together- revenge and rescue, what could go wrong? Follow these two on their journey to save her little sister, and Raffe's wings through the wild of western America.

I thoroughly enjoyed this series so far! I loved the new take on angels, often portrayed as the white winged saviors Christians believe them to be. In this series, they were the villains, sent to destroy the human race and earth itself. I hope that Miss Ee forces Raffe to make his move already, dammit!!

5.) Every Last Breath by Jennifer Armentrout
Release Date: July 28, 2015
The Dark Elements #3
Related Reviews | White Hot Kiss | Stone Cold Touch |

The third and final book in the series. Layla is caught between Zayne- her long time best friend and crush, and Roth- the sexy crowned prince of hell. Roth sacrificed his life for Layla, choosing to enter the pits of hell to save her and Zayne's life. Now he is back, but he isn't interested in a relationship. At least that's what he lets Layla think. Zayne is, though, and Layla has always had feelings for her best friend. But with her unique powers, her kiss could kill him in an instant. Now, she is stuck between two men who are both in love with her. Who will she choose?

Readers actually got to pick who Layla would end up with through voting on JLA's site! It had better be Roth! If she ends up with that douche-canoe Zayne, I do not take any responsibility for my actions in my review. Seriously! I am totally excited for this final book in The Dark Elements Series to be released!

4.) Untitled by Sara Raasch
Snow Like Ashes #2
Related Reviews | Snow Like Ashes |

No name, no release date, no synopsis, yet!
Gah! I loved the first one in this series so much. The idea was so original and refreshing. Sixteen years ago the Kingdom of Winter was conquered and its citizens enslaved, leaving them without magic or a monarch. Now, the Winterians’ only hope for freedom is the eight survivors who managed to escape, and who have been waiting for the opportunity to steal back Winter’s magic and rebuild the kingdom ever since. Orphaned as an infant during Winter’s defeat, Meira has lived her whole life as a refugee, raised by the Winterians’ general, Sir. Training to be a warrior—and desperately in love with her best friend, and future king, Mather — she would do anything to help her kingdom rise to power again. So when scouts discover the location of the ancient locket that can restore Winter’s magic, Meira decides to go after it herself. Finally, she’s scaling towers, fighting enemy soldiers, and serving her kingdom just as she’s always dreamed she would. But the mission doesn’t go as planned, and Meira soon finds herself thrust into a world of evil magic and dangerous politics – and ultimately comes to realize that her destiny is not, never has been, her own.

I cannot wait for the second in this series to be released! The first one left off with the Winterians being able to reclaim their long lost city. I hope that the relationship between Mather and Meira develops further- he is a wonderful character!

3.) The Forgotten Crown by Julie Kagawa
Iron Fey #7; Call of the Forgotten #3
Related Reviews | Iron Traitor | Lost Prince | Iron Fey Series |

No cover, release date, or synopsis yet, dammit! The Iron Traitor, released 2 freaking years ago, (ahem, Miss Kagawa) ended with the worst possible cliffhanger in the history of cliffhangers! Two years, you've got to be kidding me! And there's STILL no release date?! This is an excerpt from my review of The Iron Traitor: "Holy hell Miss Kagawa. I honestly loved everything about this book, and would probably have given it a much higher rating, but how the hell could you end it like that?! I was really starting to fall in love with Keirran, but damn. I kind of want to punch him in his sexy Fae face right now. I don't want to give anything away, but this ending is the worst possible outcome in the history of endings. Period."

I am in complete suspense waiting for the release of this book. Miss Kagawa's fae world is one of my favorite book worlds of all time! Come on lady, write this freaking book already!

2.) Seducing Destiny by Amelia Hutchins
The Fae Chronicles #4
Related Reviews | The Fae Chronicles |

Originally, this book was set to release in the summer of 2014. Due to unforeseen circumstances in Miss Hutchins life, she had to postpone the release. It has yet to receive a new release date. -Insert sad face here- The final one left off with a bit of a cliffhanger. Syn is pregnant with twins, and Ryder has finally agreed to kind of marry her. Sigh. I love the twisted relationship between the two of them. Ryder is one of the sexiest characters that I have ever read. He reminds me a lot of Barrons from the Fever Series; with his humor and ability to be a complete asshole! This series is a must read for any urban fantasy fan over the age of 16. Due to some incredibly steamy sex scenes that I wouldn't let my mother read, please do not read this if you are looking for a YA novel! It feels that I have been waiting forever for the release of this novel. Come on Miss Hutchins, get your shit together and give me this book already!!

And finally.... dun, dun, dun...

1.) Untitled by Maggie Stiefvater
The Raven Cycle #4
Related Reviews | Raven Boys | Dream Thieves | Blue Lily Lily Blue |

Eek! This is my most anticipated book ever, hands down, for sure, most definitely! I am dying to know what happens, yet dreading the actual events that will take place. I have built this book up in my mind so much, I will probably end up completely hating the ending. Sigh. Will they find Glendower? Will Blue be able to kiss Gansey without killing him? Will Gansey die? Ugh. Miss Maggie insists that she will kill him. Can he come back to life? haha I have a million questions about this final book, and I HATE not knowing! There is no set release date yet, as well as no cover or name for the book. That doesn't make me want it any less, though. If you haven't read this series yet, I totally recommend it to everyone, everywhere! Read it! You will not be disappointed, I promise! (:

This wraps up my Most Anticipated TBRs for 2015 so far. It looks like next year will be another wonderful year for me and my fellow book nerds. What are your most anticipated new releases for the new year? Are there any brand new series coming out that you guys are looking forward to? Muah!

Friday Favorites Weekly Meme - The Fever Series

*I have finals coming up next week, and then winter break lasts until January 12th folks! I will have almost four full weeks to indulge myself in piles and piles of books that I've been dying to read! Does anyone have any recommendations for me? Books that they have read recently that they absolutely loved?! If so, please leave me a comment below. I am building my TBR pile for this wonderful four week stretch of total immersion into everything bookish. Muah!
~Morrighan

Friday Favorites is a weekly meme hosted by the beautiful Miss Natalie over at The Book Lover's Life. My choice for this week is The Fever Series by the talented Miss Karen Moning. This series is categorized as urban fantasy, and I recommend it for anyone 16+ due to descriptive sexual scenes!

Mini Synopsis of the Series

Mac's life is perfect- great friends, fun job, and a hellavu fashion sense. Until the day she gets a call that her sister was murdered while studying abroad in Ireland. A cryptic message from her sister and a need for vengeance drives her to travel to the city of her sister's death, Dublin. While there, Mac begins to notice strange things. Large portions of the city are blocked out, and she is having hallucinations of nonexistent creatures. Or is she? Terrified with no other place to go, she finds herself in a beautiful book store where she meets the elusive Barrons. He is sexy, mysterious, and a complete asshole. With Barron's help, Mac finds out that she is a sidhe-seer- with the gift to see the Fae World that most humans cannot. But this is no child's faerie tale. The Fae are more dangerous than she could have ever known, and now they know that she can see them. Can she stay alive in Dublin long enough to unravel the mystery of her sister's death, or will the Fae destroy her and her gift of sight?

Karen Moning is an amazing writer. I have never gotten around to reading anything else by her, but this series is hands down, one of my most favorite urban fantasies ever! The world she creates from modern day Dublin is incredibly detailed and terrifying! The characters and their relationships are intense and sexy as hell. Barrons. Oh, Barrons. Sigh. If you are offended by steamy sex scenes, this may not be the book for you. They are rare and placed strategically, but they are there nonetheless. This series definitely leans toward the adult persuasion, with intense physical relationships and mild swearing. The plot lines are thick and well crafted. It seems this entire series was already written inside Moning's head, and she planned from the beginning to end it the way that she did. Haunting, beautiful, and twisted.. read it! You will not be disappointed! (:

Legend by Marie Lu - The Legend Trilogy #1

Legend
By Marie Lu
The Legend Trilogy #1
Hardcover: 305 pages
Publication Date: November 29, 2011
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Rated: ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
4 out of 5 Stars
| Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |
| Official Site | Twitter | Facebook |
Related Reviews: | Prodigy | Champion | The Young Elites |
Categories: Dystopian, Young Adult

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Since I read The Young Elites by Marie Lu, a lot of folks recommended this series to me. Another dystopian novel, with a lot of the same plot line that I've come to associate with a dystopian book. Plagues run rampant, government is worse than a police state, executions are not a rarity. I'm not sure the exact reason why, but this police state-world pissed me off a little more than similar dystopians. It could have been due to the fact that the lower class was victimized, almost to the point of a complete removal from society. The government and soldiers controlled every aspect of the characters' lives, and to me, that is a truly terrifying scenario. Being the history nerd that I am, (:D) I have read a lot about the New World Order. Legend had an eerie semblance to this new government: with population control, brainwashing of citizens, and if you have money, you belong to one of the Elite circles. Ugh. It was disgusting, honestly. Disgustingly realistic and terrifying as hell. The privileged class were able to afford a better education, which led to better jobs and immunizations from the "plagues." The world building itself is superb. Not to mention that the capital city of this new Republic is Denver. Conspiracy theorists realize the connection here!

The characters are wonderfully written. I fell in love with Day from the moment Miss Lu introduced him. His wildness combined with an aura of confidence, almost cockiness- is sexy as hell. The sarcastic personality and overall loyalty and love that he has for his family fully won me over, though. It took me a lot longer to like June. Her character at the beginning is awful, the true picture of a spoiled little girl. Honestly, I think that first picture the reader has of her, ends up making us all like her a lot more later on in the story. Her bravery and conviction is powerful, to the point where she doesn't even question doing something, only because it is the right thing to do. June and Day's relationship is ridiculously ill-fated. They meet while she is under cover, looking for her brother's murderer. Day is the prime suspect, but June doesn't realize that it is him when they meet. Day rescues her from danger, and she ends up spending a couple of days with him during her mission before realizing who he is. In that time, June feels happier and more at ease than she ever has. Her life has been nothing but a heavy dose of brainwashing; a military life from birth. But Day is the most wanted criminal in the Republic, and she is a soldier for that Republic. It is her job to arrest him, and she does exactly that. In the process, she is indirectly responsible for the death of his mother. Sigh. There's really no going back from that for June. She ends up redeeming herself to a point, but it's never a healthy relationship from the beginning..

Surprise, the Republic ends up being a bunch of evil, power hungry bastards! They basically lie to the population while preventing them from seeing the truth. It is an uneasy view of what a power-hungry government looks like. A New World Order. Ahem! The plot line is paced well. It feels like something new and exciting is always happening, and I'm racing to keep up with the developments. Every page felt like it could have been the end for either June or Day, and I found myself getting nervous with every page-turn! This story catches your attention and keeps a firm grasp on it the entire way through. A story of survival, truth, and betrayal. Definitely recommend this one to all dystopian fans! It is one of my favorite dystopian series, and I've been reading a lot of them lately!

"“You should have taken me with you," I whisper to him. Then I lean my head against his and begin to cry. In my mind, I make a silent promise to my brother's killer. I will hunt you down. I will scour the streets of Los Angeles for you. Search every street in the Republic if I have to. I will trick you and deceive you, lie, cheat and steal to find you, tempt you out of your hiding place, and chase you until you have nowhere else to run. I make you this promise: your life is mine.”

"“Each day means a new twenty-four hours. Each day means everything's possible again. You live in the moment, you die in the moment, you take it all one day at a time... You try to walk in the light.”

"“You threw everything away." I bring a hand up to touch her face, to wipe the rain from her eyelashes. "Your entire life-your beliefs...Why would you do that for me?" June has never looked more beautiful than she does now, unadorned and honest, vulnerable yet invincible. When lightning streaks over the sky, her dark eyes shine like gold. "Because you were right," she whispers. "About all of it.”

“Day leans in toward me. He reaches up to touch my face. I can tell it still hurts him to use his fingers, and his nails are dark with dried blood. "You're brilliant," he says. "But you're a fool to stay with someone like me." I close my eyes at the touch of his hand. "Then we're both fools.”"

Related Reviews
| Prodigy | Champion | The Young Elites |

Connect with Marie Lu
| Official Site | Twitter | Facebook |

Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater - Raven Cycle #3

* Warning: Spoilers for The Raven Boys and The Dream Thieves.

Blue Lily, Lily Blue
By Maggie Stiefvater
The Raven Cycle #3
Hardcover: 391 pages
Publication Date: October 21, 2014
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Rated: ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
5 out of 5 Stars
| Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |
| Official Site | Twitter | Tumblr |
Related Reviews: | The Raven Boys | The Dream Thieves |
Categories: Supernatural, Ghosts, Treasure Hunt, ESP

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.

I had so many expectations for this book, that I practically set it up for failure in my mind. And then I read it. Failure? Are you kidding?! It was truly perfect in every way that I wanted it to be. This series has such an Otherness to it that is impossible to explain. Is it YA? Meh. The relationships between the characters are so real, so beautiful and perfect, which is rare in YA books. I didn't think that I could love these characters any more than I did.. but I was definitely wrong. I'm going to say it now, because after reading the third book, I know without a doubt: This is my favorite series EVER. Ever. The characters are so complex and layered, so real and flawed, and I am in love with every single one of them. Even Ronan, the asshole, has my heart. Stiefvater's ability to completely immerse the reader into her worlds is wonderful and disappointing at the same time. Disappointing, only because when you awake from the world, you know that you cannot physically visit it. It's an overwhelming sadness that I haven't felt before from a story. I want to visit her mythical Cabeswater, trek through the forest where the trees speak Latin, search for the mystical King sleeping on the ley line of Virginia. Sigh. I have always held a special place in my heart for history, and more so for archaeology. From the age of 7, I wanted to be an archaeologist; to quest for ancient treasure hidden throughout our vast world. The only thing holding me back from that dream was the fact that the field itself is beyond competitive. You can only be a true archaeologist if your love for doing it is greater than your need for companionship. Sadly, I cannot see myself alone in a desert/jungle/forest, wherever, truly alone for months on end. Your life spent in a tent, in the middle of nowhere.. archaeologists are basically glorified hobos! Enough rambling.. let's get back to the review, shall we..?

In this third book, we get to see the relationship between Blue and Gansey develop a bit more. They are little things, hands touch for a moment, late night phone calls, but they are so important. The heartbreak and sadness between the two of them is overwhelming.

"She had thought it was such a simple thing to avoid kissing someone when she'd been with Adam. Her body had never known what to do. Now it knew. Her mouth didn't care that it was cursed. She turned to Gansey. "Blue," he warned, but his voice was chaotic. This close, his throat was scented with mint and wool sweater and vinyl car seat, and Gansey. Just Gansey. She said, "I just want to pretend. I want to pretend that I could." He breathed out. What was a kiss without a kiss?"

The fact that Gansey is going to die is crushing. I tried to stop myself from falling in love with him, but it was a failed mission. I knew from the moment I started reading The Raven Boys that this broken boy was going to die eventually, dammit! As the case is with Blue, I couldn't protect my heart from loving his doomed ass! Either Blue will kill him with a kiss, Adam will kill him with his anger, or he will get stung by bees. Either way, his life will likely be over by the end of the fourth book, and I hate it! And of course, we still have this...

All of these tweets saying "Maggie, don't kill Gansey!" Oh, please. That kid is going DOWN.

— Maggie Stiefvater (@mstiefvater) September 30, 2014

Noah's character is heartbreaking as well. I feel so much for him, and I have no idea how Stiefvater can possibly fix him. Noah was the first sacrifice to wake Cabeswater, and now his spirit is trapped on the ley line. He was able to befriend the Raven boys and Blue, but the fact that he doesn't have a body hinders his chances at true companionship. I thought, maybe, that would be the favor that they asked of the King, but with Gansey's looming death.. I just don't know! And it's driving me insane! Adam's character is able to grow exponentially in this book. He begins to realize that, just because he is friends with Gansey, it doesn't make him beholden to him. As the economic gaps between Gansey and Adam begin to diminish, the ones between Blue and her Raven Boys grows. Her Ivy League bound boys will be heading to posh schools in their futures, while Blue will be destined to a school that she can afford. I focus on this aspect because, as a college student in a low income bracket, I fully understand the difficulties between a great education, and the ability to afford that great education. Sadly, the privileged will almost always be able to afford that education that the less privileged cannot. This point struck home to me, and I appreciate Stiefvater's analysis of this problem. Just another reason why the realism in this novel, the entire series is perfection!

Through her characters, they all lead back to Gansey. At the heart of this series, the heart of this quest, lies Gansey. But what struck me as insane is the fact that the reader really doesn't know much about him. Which leads me to my theory that Gansey is Glendower. Through this third book, I am still convinced that it will play out that way in the end. The psychics' visions speak of Gansey disappearing into Cabeswater, and they cannot see his actual death. Ronan is the greywaren, the one that can pull things from his dreams. Adam is Cabeswater's eyes and ears, the true sacrifice. Noah is already dead. What is Blue? Where does she fit into the whole quest? I was hoping for a few more hints from Stiefvater about her character. I can't really say much without giving away huge spoilers, but we did get a little. I just don't know how the information we get about Blue fits into the rest of the quest! Sigh.

And now, we have a basic picture of the quest itself.

"Now she saw what Maura had seen: three sleepers- light, dark, and in between."

Don't wake the third sleeper. What the hell is that supposed to mean? Who is the third sleeper and where does he fit into the quest itself?! This book left me with more questions that I had at the beginning. I'm confident that I've overlooked a dozen hints that Stiefvater added, which makes me want to reread this book immediately. I am so lost as to how she will wrap everything up in a neat little package with one book left. Ugh!

To wrap up this extensive, insane review: please read this series! It is truly incredible, heartbreaking, funny, mysterious.. all of the feels imaginable combined into a delicious series! You will not be disappointed at all. My fangirling review is over. The end. (:

"Around them, Cabeswater hummed and muttered with life. Birds that didn't exist outside the forest flapped overhead. Somewhere close by, water ran over rocks. The trees were grand and old, furred with moss and lichen. Perhaps it was because she knew the forest was sentient, but Blue thought it looked wise. If she let her mind wander far enough, she could almost feel the sensation of the forest listening to her. It was hard to explain; it was sort of like the feeling of someone hovering a hand just over your skin, not quite touching."

""I want you to whistle or hum or sing, Ronan, and keep track of time," Gansey said. "You have got to be shitting me," Ronan replied. "Me." Gansey peered down the tunnel. "I know you know a lot of songs all the way through, and can do them the same speed and length every time. Because you had to memorize all of those tunes for the Irish music competitions." Blue and Adam exchanged a delighted look. The only thing more pleasing than seeing Ronan singled out was seeing him singled out and forced to repeatedly sing an Irish jig. "Piss up a rope," Ronan said."

"She nearly fell into the hole. No wonder Gansey hadn't seen it. There was a rock ledge and then, just- nothing. "Gansey?" "I'm here." Gansey's voice was closer than she expected. Quieter than she expected too. "I just- I believe I'm having a panic attack." "You're having a panic attack? New rule: Everyone should give four tugs before suddenly disappearing. Have you broken anything?" A long pause. "No." Something about the tone of the single syllable conveyed, all at once, that he had not been kidding about his fear. Blue wasn't sure that reassurance was her strong point, especially when she was the one who wanted it, but she tried. "It'll be okay. We're anchored up here. All you need to do is climb out. You're not going to fall." "It's not that." His voice was a sliver. "There is something on my skin and it is reminding me of..." He trailed off. "Water," Blue suggested. "Or mud. It's everywhere. Say something again so I can point the flashlight at you." There was nothing but the sound of his breathing, jagged and afraid. She swept the flashlight beam again. "Or mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are everywhere," she said, voice bright. Gansey whispered, "Hornets." Her heart contracted. In the wash of adrenaline, she talked herself down: Yes, hornets could kill Gansey with just a sting, but no, there were not hornets in this cave. And today was not the day that Gansey was going to die, because she had seen his spirit on the day he died, and that spirit had been wearing an Aglionby sweater splattered with rain. Her flashlight beam finally found him. He hung limply in his harness, head tilted down, hands over his ears. Her flashlight beam traced his heaving shoulders. They were splattered with mud and grime, but there were no insects on them. She could breathe again. "Look at me," she ordered. "There are no hornets." "I know," he muttered. "That's why I said I think I'm having a panic attack. I know there are no hornets." What he wasn't saying, but what they both knew, was that Cabeswater was a careful listener. Which meant he needed to stop thinking about hornets."

Related Reviews
| The Raven Boys | The Dream Thieves |

Connect with Maggie Stiefvater
| Official Site | Twitter | Tumblr |

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater - Raven Cycle #2

*Warning: contains spoilers for The Raven Boys, Book 1 in The Raven Cycle Series*

The Dream Thieves
By Maggie Stiefvater
The Raven Cycle #2
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publication Date: September 17, 2013
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Rated: ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯ ✯
5 out of 5 Stars
| Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |
| Official Site | Twitter | Tumblr |
Related Reviews: | The Raven Boys | Blue Lily, Lily Blue |
Categories: Supernatural, Ghosts, Treasure Hunt, ESP

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 installment of The Raven Cycle focuses more on Ronan's character. The last line in The Raven Boys states that Ronan pulled his pet Raven from his dreams. The reader also gets to see the relationship between Gansey and Blue develop. I am beyond respectful of Miss Maggie for throwing the concept of insta-love out the door. She basically knows that he is her true love, yet she doesn't let that rule her feelings. The whole concept of love at first sight is disheartening and ridiculously unrealistic. It sets young women up for disappointment in their own lives, and I just despise the whole idea. So thank you Miss Maggie Stiefvater for the realistic relationship. Blue is able to witness Gansey's growth as a character and as a young man. His obsession and desperation to find Glendower is changing him; from the confident, privileged boy into an almost broken man. His guilt for escaping his own death is beginning to wear on him, and the reader gets to learn the full back story of what his life was like before he came back to Virginia. The voice that he heard while he was dying told him that on the ley line, another boy is dying so that Gansey can live, for Glendower. The longer that Gansey remains in Henrietta, the stronger his obsession becomes, and the more he detests his old life. Congress, old Virginia money, and shmoozing powerful government men seems pointless to him now. I just love Gansey's character, honestly. He is complex, sexy, broken, and intelligent as hell. The perfect combination!

We get to learn a lot more about all of the boys, as well as Blue's character. I found myself falling in love with all of them again. I wasn't a huge fan of Miss Stiefvater's previous novels; The Shiver Series always felt like it was lacking something. But she nailed this one perfectly! I love the world that she creates; I'm a huge history nerd and the research done about the Welsh King, the ley lines, and Virginia in general was superb. I am so caught up in this story, and I have no idea how she is going to pull it all off in the end. I know that the author claimed,

Did I not PROMISE to kill Gansey in book one? You're asking me to break my promises? To be ignoble? To perjure myself? To synonym for lie?

— Maggie Stiefvater (@mstiefvater) September 30, 2014

Sigh. Why Maggie, why? He really doesn't have to die; in fact, I have this theory that he's going to end up being Glendower. So, I mean, he can't really die, right?! Ronan is the Greywaren, Adam is the sacrifice, Noah is the reason Gansey is alive, Gansey is probably Glendower; where the hell does Blue fit into this? I've been paying close attention to all of the small hints that the author drops, but I still can't figure out who Blue is. I keep thinking it has something to do with the name that Gansey calls her: Jane, but I haven't put it all together yet, dammit! The only other book that made me question everything like this is The Da Vinci Code, and I didn't have to wait for the sequel to find out the answers. It's driving me insane! If any of you wonderful readers out there have any insight, I would love to fangirl speak about this with anyone who loves these books as much as I do! To wrap up this fangirl review, read these books.. seriously! They are phenomenal.

"And then there is the third kind of secret, the most hidden kind. A secret no one knows about. Perhaps it was known once, but was taken to the grave. Or maybe it is a useless mystery, arcane and lonely, unfound because no one ever looked for it. Sometimes, some rare times, a secret stays undiscovered because it is something too big for the mind to hold. It is too strange, too vast, too terrifying to contemplate." -Ronan

"In that moment, Blue was a little in love with all of them. Their magic. Their quest. Their awfulness and strangeness. Her raven boys.”

"“I am being perfectly fucking civil.”" -Ronan

"The Gray Man stood in the doorway behind Maura, his gray suitcase in one hand and a gray jacket slung over the other. He set them both down and straightened. There was that heavy silence that sometimes happens when a hit man enters the room."

__________________________________________________________
Related Reviews
| The Raven Boys | Blue Lily, Lily Blue |

Connect with Maggie Stiefvater
| Official Site | Twitter | Tumblr |