Blue Lily, Lily Blue

The Raven Boys ???????????????The Dream Thieves ???????????????Blue Lily, Lily Blue ???????????????

I can't speak to the plot specifics of this book, as it is the third in a series, but I found it to be the most enthralling book in the series to date. Plot aspects ramped up and elevated the tension that felt more like an undercurrent in the first two books. A plot point which I had heard rumors of began to unfurl.

Also, Jesse Dittley and the Better Ant is the best scene and possibly the best band name I've ever heard of.

You don't see too many quadrilogies these days that were actually planned as such. I think Blue Lily, Lily Blue serves the purpose that typically the second book in a trilogy is saddled with - setting up the climax. It's a little more aimless than [b:The Raven Boys 17675462 The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle, #1) Maggie Stiefvater https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1415182016s/17675462.jpg 18970934], and definitely not as fuel-injected as [b:The Dream Thieves 17347389 The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle, #2) Maggie Stiefvater https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1418213037s/17347389.jpg 21598446] (probably nothing ever will be, except perhaps that book about a gang of girl street racers Maggie said she was working on bites lip). The major conflicts slip in and out of relevance like passing moments in a dream. Lots of questions are raised, a few are answered. All in all, things just get a lot more magical, and I mean that in a perfectly literal sense.Adam, as usual, is the quiet hero of this book. He develops as a man and as the magician. He comes to accept and appreciate his arrangement with Cabeswater, which has granted him some pretty impressive abilities and connection to the otherworldly. His intelligence and ruthlessness is also on full display here - where Ronan is a more classic kind of brute, all anger and viciousness, but deep down believes in a very hard-lined right and wrong, Adam is more snakelike. When Ronan asks him to come up with idea to rid them of the problem of Greenmantle, his father's murderer, Adam hatches a plan that is both efficient and horrifying. Honestly, if Ronan and Adam's sexual tension (and there was plenty of it, lemme tell ya) does come to the appropriate conclusion, those two will be a force to be reckoned with. Speaking of Colin Greenmantle, though, he and his wife Piper may have been this book's highlight. Far from a distant chin-stroking stereotypical villain, Greenmantle is an unsettlingly energetic sociopath. Think Dandy from American Horror Story: Freak Show, but funnier, more self-aware and paired up with a woman just as bad - if not worse - than him. They are both ten thousand pounds of snark and wit piled into two deliciously superficial people, whose greatest fear is to be inconvenienced. They're like raving toddlers with guns and money, with a fixation on magical artifacts, not realizing that there are much bigger things going on than what they're going add next to their collection.And Gansey excels in unexpected ways as well. I never really thought about it before, but I'm realizing that Gansey is kind objectified by the narrative of these books. Every one of his friends is defined by him in a way, and as such defines him in a certain way. Whether they're attracted to him, in love with him, admire him or resent him, a big part of this story is what Richard Gansey III is to other people, but very rarely is it about what he is to himself. We learn that his obsession with Glendower is not just some eccentric rich boy hobby, it has a much greater significance and so does Gansey himself. As always, Maggie's writing is beautiful. Her prose is sticky, it creates images in your head that are so vibrant and evocative. There are a lot of spooky moments, curses and ghosts that act like good old fashioned versions of curses and ghosts. I would say that this is not as good as the previous two books, but that doesn't mean its subpar in any way. This is Stiefvater we're talking about, she has not let me down yet.

lots of cute moments in this one, a few sad ones. i mostly enjoyed this because i have grown fond of the characters and care to see their story arcs complete, but I didn't find the plot too exciting. I'm glad adam became more likeable throughout this book, i was finding it hard to read about him before but the scene when he and gansey shake hands gives me hope - i hope this is a real turning point for him.

i prefered the second book, which i really didn't expect at all given how much i disliked/nothinged ronan in the first book.
i was disappointed at how the villain was foiled so easily, to have a glimmer of hope for an alternative villain, and then quickly dashed by the reemergance of who i assume to be the villain of book four. i hope the fourth can wrap things up nicely.

It is no secret that I have a love-hate relationship with this series. I love the writing and the characters, but I've always felt very “meh” about the story and plot. I've just never connected with the story and the direction Maggie Stiefvater takes the story.

Blue Lily, Lily Blue started out the same way as the previous two. I loved reading about these characters I've come to love, but I had no interest in their quest and the story. For me, this series is a character driven story. I'm reading this series to get to know them and “interact with them”. I love the sass, the teasing, and the ease of Blue, Gansey, Adam, Noah, and Ronan's eclectic relationships. They are this misshapen conglomerate of people that work so well together. While they may not always see eye-to-eye, we know they rely on each other.

This series takes place over a very short time period and in this installment the summer is ending and school is beginning. I really wish we had gotten more scenes of Blue and the boys at their respective schools. Aglionby has always fascinated me and I really wish we could have seen more.

This book took a really interesting turn about 300 pages in (rough 100 pages remaining). I started to become really attached to their quest and what they were trying to do. It took almost three books, but I'm now fully invested in this series. It is about more than just the characters now. I also want to follow them on this quest to Glendower.

This book had a lot of heartache. There was so much sadness and I'm now even more scared of what is to come in The Raven King. I'm also very glad I already have The Raven King in my possession, because the ending of Blue Lily, Lily Blue is not something you want to sit on, having to wait to see what happens next.

This is a super long review, but basically for me this was the book that made me fall in love with this story completely. I still would not consider this a favorite series, like many others do, but I now understand the unconditional love people have for this series. I get the devotion to both the characters and the story. It just took me a while longer to get the story part.

This one took a little longer to get through though was still an enjoyable read. Stiefvater added more characters (namely Malory and his Dog) that did little to change the plot and it ended very unsatisfactorily, with only the epilogue saving it from a lame wrapped-up ending with a bow and setting it up for the sequel. Overall, my least favourite of the 3 books so far but I'm still moving on with the series.
How the writer uses Noah feels like an injustice as he's one of my favourites and doesn't get nearly enough screen time. Also the deaths of such interesting and strong characters was just really sad, though I supposed one seemed more necessary than the other. I want more from Adam and Ronan as their friendship really starts to develop in this (though I'm not quite seeing the m/m pairing people are wailing about in other reviews as Adam seems definitively ‘not like that'). I wish we also actually saw more of the court case against his dad as we see them all enter the court room and then nothing. We have no idea if his dad is in jail or just fined with a legal order to stay away from Adam or what and it's KIND OF IMPORTANT. People love these books but there are too many details about some things and not nearly enough details about others, leaving a lot of questions I don't believe can be answered in the one book in the series that's left.

I've never eaten so many books so fast wow.

This was so good and my heart just exploded on the last page. Considering I was told to go to sleep but finished this book anyways must have some sort of significance ( I LOVE THESE BOOKS WITH ALL MY HEART AND SOUL AND I'VE SOULED IT TO MAGGIE STieFVATER )

Where can i get a Gangsey ?

consider my feels towards this if you will :

Ronan FREAKING LYCNH - he just is Ronan and i love the guy for that you know ? cant word it .

Blue - she is just so cool and brave and totally in love with Gansey Boy its unreal .

Noah Czerny - ( i still can't spell his name ... mm) HE is dead , but then again could live because of the favour and he's so sweet and won't stop petting blue's hair ? ( get you a boy who can do both peoples)

Gansey IIi - DO NOT DIE , he is king . I love how the way Gansey walks , talks , looks , is described like 132432435 times by almost all of the people in this series.

Adam Parrish - I loved the guy from day one . He's so troubled and needs a hug . And he is so quiet and observant i just want to high five him for that because same here Adam , same here .He is cabeswater , which is reason #475838333 as to why Parrish is so damn lovable .

The Raven King now awaits . Luckily all of these books are out already .

Love ,
bookishwolf

Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this through netgalley.com.

The Raven Cycle series have quickly become one of my favorite fiction settings. Maggie Stiefvater created a world where magic, science, tarot cards, and growing up amongst these feels normal. Blue Lily, Lily Blue is the third book in this cycle where Blue, Gansey, Adam and the rest of the “raven boys” seek to unravel the mystery in where an old King was buried. The book picks up where the last one left off, with Adam learning more about his connection to Cabeswater and helping the mystical area heal itself. Blue is still torn between her passions and worrying about her mother, who went missing.

I loved the budding romance and relationship between Blue and Gansey. They steal looks from one another, brush the tips of their fingertips when they can, and hold late night phone discussions that are short and sweet. This book introduces a few new characters into the mix, Professor Malory, and Piper Greenmantle, Colin Greenmantle's wife. Piper and Colin's scenes are filled with snarky discussion and helps us to understand their strange relationship.

Of course, Stiefvater ends this book on yet another great cliffhanger... which makes me long for and hope for the next volume in this great series. I've also started following Maggie's twitter feed and it's been exciting to watch her create what I hope is to be The Raven Cycle tarot deck. If I can't live in the world of The Raven Cycle, perhaps owning a tarot deck could be the next best thing.

Oh. My. Gosh. This is definitely the best book in the series so far!! We're getting to the top of the roller coaster and it's going to be a crazy ride down. Also unlike the last two books this ending and epilogue didn't feel rushed at all. It all came together pretty well in my opinion without a lot of confusing. Can't wait to read the last book!

PS - I LOVE JESSE DITTLEY

Oh my goooooooood, I love it

I love Mr. Gray SO MUCH, okay? He's so... reliable? God, I just love him.
Adam, baby boy, finally had his head in straight. I'm so proud of you, honey.
I had totally forgotten about what happened with Persephone in this book. Can't believe I forgot that. Like. How.
Anyway, this was amazing. And I love Blue. So much. Also I find it weirdly endearing when she and Gansey are fighting. Idk why. I just do. Maybe it's because they're always so cute when they make up again. Who knows

This was exactly what I wanted coming out of the second book “The Dream Thieves” More Blue and more caves! Also we finally get to meet Malory with his service dog; Dog.
They follow all sorts of clues and Adam gets stronger with his powers of Cabeswater making his super power the awesomeness of chill.
They are still on the hunt for Glendower but unlike most young adults out for adventure, adults are in on the “fun and games” too. Unsurprisingly, I cried in this one, but I cry easy and for happy or sad bits.
Can't wait to get to the next one.

re-read on audio and was so glad to be able to immediately follow it up with The Raven King!
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AUGH why isn't the 4th book out yet??? At first I was annoyed that this isn't a trilogy but I get it, there are too many threads here to be resolved in 3 books. But I don't wanna waaaait. >:(

I love these characters, I love this world, I want to go back and re-read all of these and also I want to travel forward in time and read the next one.