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

They're Magically Realistic!

Not sure if you want to read something realistic (like a John Green book) or pure fantasy (like Harry Potter)? Now you can have the best of both worlds!

Is this the real life?
Or is this just fantasy?

Head on over to the Teen Area magazine room and check out our Magical Realism display! "What is Magical Realism?", you ask. It's not as much of an oxymoron as you might think. Magical Realism is an emerging popular genre that combines elements of fantasy into an otherwise realistic story. Here, you likely won't find any fantastical worlds where unicorns and sparkle ponies frolic with purple dragons under twin moons. But an average high schooler might come to believe a new classmate is a vampire. A boy might go on an seemingly boring vacation with his parents only to encounter a strange pair of sisters who need his help to break a family curse. A otherwise average teen might suddenly wake up as someone completely other than he was the day before--and have to start living life as someone else. Magical Realism isn't pure fantasy...but it isn't straight-up realistic either. It's both. And both is awesome!

Check out these Magically Realistic titles:

Ask the Passengers, by A.S. King: Astrid doesn't really feel like she belongs in her ultra-conservative small town. Luckily she's got the passengers in passing airplanes to talk to...and maybe they can hear her!

Dream Thieves, by Maggie Stiefvater: Ronan is just your average prep-school boy...except that he's got a very unusual ability: He can bring objects from his dreams into the waking world. But sometimes his nightmares follow him home.

Moth Diaries, by Rachel Klein: There's a new girl at school. A very unusual new girl. But is Ernessa just really eccentric...or is she a vampire? Read the book and decide for yourself!

September Girls, by Bennett Madison: The last place Sam wants to spend his summer is at the beach with his family. Then he meets DeeDee and Kristal. But these blonde sisters aren't who (or what) they appear to be.

Wrap Up List, Steven Arnston: Gabriella has a week to complete her bucket list. Could kidnapping Death himself work in her favor--or against her?