The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Raven Boys, by Maggie Stiefvater, completely drew me in. It was a fascinating, interesting read, and I can honestly say I haven’t read anything quite like it before.

Blue is the daughter of a psychic, though she herself does not have psychic powers. The blurb reads, “Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue never sees them – until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks to her.” Either Blue is his true love, or she killed him.

First of all, this is an intriguing premise. Second of all, “Blue” is a pretty great name.
The spirit who speaks to Blue on the corpse road is named Gansey, and he is a Raven Boy, because he attends the private school Aglionby and is very, very wealthy. Gansey is on a quest to find a Welsh king, aided by his good friends Adam, Ronan, and Noah. With this legend Gansey is completely obsessed. His research into magic and powerful ley lines running through their town brings Gansey to Blue’s doorstep. Once their paths cross, there is no going back.

I loved the juxtaposition between Blue’s family of women with Gansey’s group of boys. I love the way Stiefvater purposefully keeps secrets from her readers, but which are all revealed in due time. Take Gansey’s reason for the quest, Adam’s insecurities, Ronan’s anger, and Noah’s quietness, for example. And then, of course, there are the many interrelationships between her characters. The four boys are as close as brothers. And then there’s their interaction with Blue, who is the first female they’ve allowed to join their quest. Though it’s possible Gansey is Blue’s true love, she can hardly stand him at times and the tension is often very thick.

Throughout the book the author alternates perspectives, which is interesting because the reader gets a glimpse into the minds of many of the leading characters and is able to keep up with the story even when not all of the characters are present in a scene. There are even a few scenes told from the perspective of the villain, which allows the reader to begin piecing together certain mysteries as the story moves forward.

Each character is beautifully developed. The plot is intricate and captivating. The ending was not so predictable, and the very last line has you clamoring for book 2. If you’re into magic and clairvoyance and mystery, this book is a must-read.

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Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

As a fan of Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy series, I was looking forward to Bloodlines, a spinoff series featuring a few of the minor characters of VA.

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, “one of a group of humans who serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires.” She’s been raised to distrust even the “good vampires,” the Moroi, and half-vampires, called dhampirs. But after she is befriended by Rose Hathaway, (protagonist of the VA books), Sydney realizes she may not wholeheartedly believe everything she’s been taught.

Bloodlines begins with Sydney’s newest assignment. Though the Alchemists are still wary of her due to her relationship with Rose, she’s been chosen to accompany Moroi princess Jill Dragomir into hiding. They’re sent to a boarding school in Palm Springs, California, where Sydney, Jill, guardian Eddie Castile, and bad-boy Adrian Ivashkov pose as siblings.

I love this book for many reasons. First, it maintains the feel of VA but is entirely different. The world of vampires is much the same. There are Moroi, Strigoi, dhampirs, and Alchemists, and they abide by the same social rules and taboos that were established in the Vampire Academy series. (Of course, the Bloodlines series can still stand alone, and so though it is helpful to have read the VA books first, it is not necessary.) Having said that, there is a new setting, and the book features entirely new conflicts and relationships.

Sydney Sage is not Rose Hathaway. She is responsible, intellectual, and cautious. She is remarkably real and relatable to the reader because she has both strengths and weaknesses. While she is adept in handling situations with a cool head, she also feels the pressure of the Alchemists and especially her father to conform to their beliefs and ideology. She lacks the social skills other teens her age have already developed (which makes for pretty hilarious dialogue and interactions), and on top of it all she is uncomfortable with her body image.

At the beginning of the book, she makes it clear the only reason she’s willing to take on this task is to protect her younger sister from the life she believes to be stifling. But the reader watches her grow over the course of the book, as her beliefs and ideas begin to change and she becomes more of her own person.

In this series, the Strigoi are much less of a threat, whereas in the VA books Rose often battled these undead creatures. The Bloodlines books give more insight into the world of the Alchemists, and introduce new groups that pose threats, like the vampire hunters.

There is action, drama, romance, moral dilemmas, and high stakes. I couldn’t put the book down because I got so caught up in the story. Richelle Mead is an incredible storyteller and I highly recommend both the Vampire Academy series and the Bloodlines books.

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Read my review of Vampire Academy and check out my review of the movie. 

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Divergent by Veronica Roth

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I’m writing this review after rereading Divergent by Veronica Roth for the second time. Nothing beats the high of reading a book for the first time, but there is a sort of respect when you know where it’s headed.

Divergent is one of those novels that you think about for weeks after you’ve read the last line. It makes for a fantastic discussion with friends and other readers.

Beatrice Prior lives in a society divided into five factions, each based upon a facet of one’s personality (selflessness, intelligence, bravery, honesty, and kindness).

Beatrice is a member of Abnegation, which values selflessness, but after she turns 16 she is required to take an aptitude test and to decide which faction she’d like to spend the rest of her life. She could choose to remain with her family, or leave them behind forever. The results of her aptitude test aren’t very helpful. Beatrice is Divergent, which means she shows aptitude for more than one faction. Divergence is dangerous, because Beatrice can’t be controlled.

Her decision to transfer into Dauntless, the faction that values bravery, is the catalyst for everything that follows. She assumes a new identity, but struggles reconciling her new life with her old one. Though the plot is riveting, and the world building is fantastic, it is not because of these things that I call Divergent a favorite.

Tris’ journey to discover the true meaning of selflessness and bravery is compelling. Her realization that it is wrong to define people by just one thing is inspiring. The books are very much about labeling and stereotyping.

The characters’ response to fear was also fascinating. In Dauntless, the initiates are required to face their fears in fear landscapes, a simulation to bring their fears to life. (If you get a chance, you should read about Veronica Roth’s inspiration for the novel, because it’s all very interesting.)

Tris is such a dynamic character. She is pretty hardcore. She’s so very real, because she makes decisions that aren’t always based upon doing “the right thing.” While she sometimes regrets her choices, she realizes there is no going back and instead learns from her mistakes and moves forward.

I truly believe Divergent is a must-read because there is so much to be taken from it’s underlying themes and symbolism.

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*DIVERGENT MOVIE REVIEW – to be posted soon.