Blue Lily, Lily Blue

The third book in Maggie Stiefvater's Raven Cycle series, Blue Lily Lily Blue, picks up where Dream Thieves left off. 

The hunt for the Welsh King Owen Glendower continues, but a more pressing concern seems to be the whereabouts of Blue's mother, Maura, who mysteriously vanished at the end of Dream Thieves with very little explanation except to say she was going "underground." As the teens' search leads them to explore a series of caves, new discoveries are made and new secrets are reveled. Turns out there are three ancient sleepers, not just Glendower...and one of these must NOT be woken, no matter what. The Gray Man's former employer Colin Greenmantle, who was no more than a vague threat last time around, is a more solidly-rendered villain in this book. He and his diabolical wife, Piper, have arrived in Henrietta to seek the Greywarren (an object that allows the holder to take objects from dreams), not knowing the something they seek is actually a someone. Tension builds throughout the book, and time seems to be running out for everyone: For Blue, who must find her mother before it's too late... For Gansey, whose prophecized year to live is nearing the end... For Adam, who is getting pulled deeper and deeper into Cabeswater... For Ronan, whose dreams are becoming increasingly deadly... Finally comes the cliffhanger, which will leave readers desperate for the final book.

Did you love The Raven Boys & The Dream Thieves? Then you HAVE to read Blue Lily Lily Blue! 

Haven't checked out The Raven Cycle yet? What are you waiting for?? --AJB

Raven Cycle

The third volume in Maggie Stiefvater's Raven Cycle quartet, Blue Lily Lily Blue, is due out next month, and we couldn't be more excited! Here, the adventures of Gansey, Ronan, Adam, Noah, and Blue continue as they delve deeper into their search for the elusive mythical king, Owan Glendower, and the often exciting, and sometimes frightening, mysteries surrounding their hometown of Henrietta. Fans of the series who can't wait until the official release can read an official excerpt on the author's website. And trust me when I say this little taste is awesome! But be warned: It will make you want the book that much more.

For those who haven't experienced the series yet, here's a rundown of what's happened so far:

In book one, The Raven Boys, readers are introduced to a close-knit group of four guys brought together by their fascination with a myth that an ancient Arthur-like king was buried somewhere in the hills around their hometown. The story goes that whoever finds that king will be granted a wish. Each boy has his personal reason for wanting this. Each has his own dark secrets. Readers also meet Blue, the only ordinary person in a family of powerful psychics. She is drawn into the mystery after having a vision that one of the Raven Boys will die within the next 12 months--presumably by her hand.

The Dream Thieves picks up where The Raven Boys left off. Despite having awakened the magical lay lines surrounding Henrietta, and despite disposing of their chief adversary, the five friends are still no closer to finding Glendower. This second book in the series focuses mainly on Ronan and his rare abilities that could either help or hinder the hunt. Worse, there are some very dangerous people following the friends, upping the overall sense of urgency overshadowing the plot. Meanwhile, Blue finds it increasingly difficult to keep from doing the one thing that could trigger a deadly curse.

For those who haven't experienced the series yet... What are you waiting for?
--AJB

What It Is, by Lynda Berry

"Do You Wish To Write?" Cartoonist and writer Lynda Berry poses this question in her visually stunning how-to guide that's almost impossible to put down or fit into any genre or category. Part collage/scrapbook, part autobiography, part graphic novel, What It Is uses memories, imagination, dreams, hopes, fears, past experiences, future maybes, and the mundane-ness of day-to-day life to stimulate the mind inspire writing ideas. Read it cover to cover or open it at random. Either way, you're sure to find that cure for writer's block.

If nothing else, What It Is makes for a very entertaining read.

Dream On

In Dreamhunter: Teens Laura and Rose live in a world very much like this one--except that it boarders The Place, a mysterious location where dreams are born. Only a small number of people (called Dreamhunters) are able to access The Place. It is the duty of the Dreamhunters to collect dreams and then broadcast them to high society at the legendary Rainbow Opera. When the girls come of age, they, like all young people, are given the opportunityto see if they are able to enter The Place and earn the coveted title of Dreamhunter. Only Laura, daughter of history's greatest Dreamhunter, is successful. But when her father mysteriously vanishes, Laura suspects foul play. She enters The Place to search for him--and learns the terrible secret behind the dreams found there. Not all dreams are pleasant.

Dreamhunter is an unusual, but well-written dystopian. And if you like it, try the award-winning sequel, Dreamquake. --AJB

Darkly Awesome

After his parents mysteriously disappeared when he was only a couple years old, Christian Cage became obsessed with "The Sideways Place," a alternate dimension where he's convinced himself his parents are trapped. This, and an incident involving the suicide of one of his teachers, has made Christian an outcast among his peers. A highly accomplished artist, Christian finds he has the ability to draw the fears and nightmares of people around him. And then bad things happen to those people. Things escalate after an incident of vandalism--which Christian apparently did in his sleep. Christian begins to have violent visions of a WWII era murder that happened in his sleepy little town, but was apparently covered up by a powerful factory owner. When Christian must perform community service at a local assisted living facility, he gets the surprise of his life: Could one of the patients there have the answers to his disturbing visions and the mystery of The Sideways Place? To find out, Christian must face his own darkest fears.

Draw The Dark has about it a certain Stephen Kingish, hairs-on-the-back-of-your-neck quality that makes you want to sleep with the lights on and keep checking behind you as you read (because you're sure something's there). This is one of those strangely creepy books that stays with you a long time after you've finished it. So if you're looking for a good suspenseful read as Halloween approaches, this one's for you! --AJB