Review: The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

Reading Maggie Stiefvater's writing is akin to dreaming. Maybe I just tend to live and breathe in the books I read and this book is indeed about dreams, but that's what this book felt like.  A dream.  Every element of a dream, too.  From the enchanting visuals to the nightmarish monsters.  With her hypnotic words and her magical story, Stiefvater kept me engrossed and spellbound throughout the entire sequel.  She was able to transport me to a world I had never before seen but could clearly imagine through her expert storytelling.  I just love how perfectly she words everything.  A touch wasn't just a touch it "was a whisper in a language she didn't speak very well."  So beautiful! 

I loved that this book centered around Ronan who is so interesting and dynamic.  I was riveted with having a closer look into his thoughts and emotions because he has so much substance under the tip of his iceberg.  His character growth was stunning to witness.  Actually, all of the characters develop wonderfully.  Gansey, Adam, Blue, and Noah.  I saw sides of them that I was happy to discover they had.  Some surprising, and some I was hoping to find.  And the new character to come into Henrietta was just as interesting as the story.  The Gray Man was difficult to understand, but intriguing to follow and I enjoyed discovering what kind of person he was.  

If there's one thing this sequel was about, it's secrets.  Everyone has them and many of them come out in this sequel.  "Sometimes, some rare times, a secret stays undiscovered because it is something too big for the mind to hold.  It is too strange, too vast, too terrifying to contemplate."  The secrets uncovered in this book were both amazing and terrifying to discover.  Some of them were relieving and some were a complete shock.  But I treasured every discovery because I loved getting to know these characters more intimately.  I'm certain there are a lot more secrets left to be revealed and I can't wait to read them in the next installments.  Loved!

Review by Mary Munar 

P.S. 

a conversation between my friend, my brother, and myself:

<my friend begins to ask me what book I am reading and I answer describing "The Dream Thieves" and the premise revolving around Ronan.>

friend: Is there a love story?

brother: Of course, there's a love story.  She doesn't read books without romance.

friend: Haha! Is there a love story?

me: Duh! Of course, there's a love story!

<I continue to describe Blue and the prophecy of her true love.>

friend: Oh! That's sounds pretty interesting!

<brother nods approvingly>

conclusion: Romance makes books more interesting!

Review: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Who would have guessed that four minutes could change everything?

Today should be one of the worst days of seventeen-year-old Hadley Sullivan's life. She's stuck at JFK, late to her father's second wedding, which is taking place in London and involves a soon to be step-mother that Hadley's never even met. Then she meets the perfect boy in the airport's cramped waiting area. His name is Oliver, he's British, and he's in seat 18C. Hadley's in 18A. 

Twists of fate and quirks of timing play out in this thoughtful novel about family connections, second chances and first loves. Set over a 24-hour-period, Hadley and Oliver's story will make you believe that true love finds you when you're least expecting it.

Review - Eve by Anna Carey

     Where do you go when nowhere is safe?
Sixteen years after a deadly virus wiped out most of Earth’s population, the world is a perilous place. Eighteen-year-old Eve has never been beyond the heavily guarded perimeter of her school, where she and two hundred other orphaned girls have been promised a future as the teachers and artists of the New America. But the night before graduation, Eve learns the shocking truth about her school’s real purpose—and the horrifying fate that awaits her.
     Fleeing the only home she’s ever known, Eve sets off on a long, treacherous journey, searching for a place she can survive. Along the way she encounters Arden, her former rival from school, and Caleb, a rough, rebellious boy living in the wild. Separated from men her whole life, Eve has been taught to fear them, but Caleb slowly wins her trust . . . and her heart. He promises to protect her, but when soldiers begin hunting them, Eve must choose between true love and her life.

I heart all things 'Jennifer' (Echols)

A couple of weeks ago I was having YA romantic withdrawals,  I just devoured Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini and Hourglass by Myra McEntire. I absolutely loved them both. I tweeted something along the lines of wanting to feel the way I felt when I read those books. A Twitter friend was kind enough to suggest Going Too Far (Meg&John). I read it and LOVED it. 

So when I found out that Jennifer Echols' had a new YA novel, Love Story (Erin&Hunter) coming out, I was super excited. Love Story came out last Tuesday, I pre-ordered and just after midnight, I decided to read it on my kindle. I actually stayed up till 4:30 in the morning and got to 75% or so. I read it on the way to work and finished it around 8:20 in the morning. I'm not really going to explain what this book is about...I'll let the summary from Amazon do it.