Jessica's books

The One and Only Ivan
Pollyanna
Revolutionary War on Wednesday
Leprechaun in Late Winter
Ella Enchanted
The Courage of Sarah Noble
Plain Murder
Gone-Away Lake
Circling the Sun
Maggie and Max
The Haunting of Sunshine Girl
The Night Sister
Tuck Everlasting
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Bedknob and Broomstick
Mister Monday
Alice Through the Looking Glass
The Birchbark House
The Hobbit
The Witch's Daughter


Jessica's favorite books »

Monday, July 2, 2012

Book Review: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

**Received book from Around the World ARC Tours for review**

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  “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.

My Thoughts:  I loved this book more than I liked the Shiver series!  Seriously!

Blue lives with her mom, her mom's best friend, her two aunts and more recently, her third aunt, Neeve has shown up.  All of these women are psychics however Blue did not inherit any of their gifts.  She has always been told though that her true love will die by her kiss.  Therefore she has vowed never to kiss a boy.

Blue lives in the small town of Henrietta, which lies on the Ley Line (also known as the Corpse Road).  Every St. Mark's Eve, Blue and her mom go to the Corpse Road where Maura (Blue's mom) is able to see what town people will die in the upcoming year.  Blue has never been able to see the spirits but there is something about Blue's energy that helps the psychics "see" things more clear. 

This particular St. Mark's Eve, Blue is on the Corpse Road with Neeve, her aunt.  For the first time, Blue is able to see the spirit of a boy.  The boy goes to the local private school, Aglionby.  All she knows is that his name is Gansey and that the only reason she can see him is because he is her true love or she kills him.  When she meets Gansey in real life, she isn't sure she wants to get to know him at all but something pulls her into Gansey's little group.  Together, they all must find out how to wake the Ley Line but someone else does.

This book was so entertaining!  The characters were funny in their own ways.  I loved all of their names as well!  Blue is down to earth and fun and all her aunts are quirky and eccentric. Maura was always there for Blue and I loved that she wasn't one of those "absent" parents.  Neeve was different and I'm still not sure what her part was in the book.  I imagine we will find out more about her in the upcoming books.

I loved Gansey, Adam, Noah and Ronan.  Ronan is broody and sullen.  He is sarcastic and sometimes just downright mean.  But you were able to see his softer side when he was with Chainsaw and Noah and even in the end, with Adam. 

Gansey is a rich boy but he doesn't act spoiled.  He honestly doesn't understand why someone like Adam won't let Gansey help him financially.  He often says things that come across as inconsiderate or rude but he really doesn't mean to me.  I liked how much he cared for Adam and wanted to protect him and how he would go to bat for Ronan at the school.  He definitely seemed like the "parent" of the group.

Noah was a very interesting character!  His story took me completely by surprise and I loved that I totally didn't expect it.  He is very quiet and you don't see a ton of him at the beginning of the book but it is explained later on with a great twist!

Adam is very proud and shy.  He really likes Blue but at first is too shy to speak to her.  Adam is not rich like the other boys but he also attends Aglionby with a partial scholarship.  Adam has his fair share of family problems at home and there were times I just wanted to yank him out of there and make him listen to Gansey.

This book had me at the first page and I could not stop reading it.  It was fast paced and constantly throwing you for a loop.  I thought I had something figured out and then it would totally surprise me.  I cannot wait to read this whole series!


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