Worth of a King: Interview with the Author

Kendra E. Ardnek has released a new book! 

Princess Obsidia’s father was killed the night she was born. Since there was no male heir, the crown went to the man who killed him, by Dialcian law. This never bothered her, growing up, and when it comes time for Obsidia to choose her husband, she chooses Prince Delaney, the son of that man, with little hesitation. Only then does her life start crumbling around her.

Adrian expected to live a normal life, taking his father’s place at the print shop when his father retired. But, on his eighteenth birthday, when the princess’ engagement is announced, his world is ripped out from under him when he learns that his life was a ruse, and he is the twin brother to the princess – and expected to take back his father’s throne.

Delaney knows that his country is hovering on the brink of war – and that his father may harbor murderous intentions towards his intended bride due to her Zovordian blood. He wants nothing more than to protect Obsidia and his people, but as merely prince, he has little power against his father.

The ancient war between the Dragons and the Immortal King and Queen is nearing its climax, and the three are already caught in it.

Snippet: 

“Well, it’d still be more fun,” Nadilynn pouted. “As it is – how long have we been cooped up in here already? How much longer will it be before we reach the first village?”

Delaney sighed. “We should be there soon,” he answered. “And we’ll spend the night there before we leave for the second village in the morning.”

“You didn’t have to come with us if you didn’t want to, Nadi,” Obsidia pointed out. “We’re just visiting twelve villages and collecting a girl from each one. Hardly exciting.”

“Oh, but I really had no choice in the matter,” Nadilynn countered, shaking her head. “Tradition demands that Obsidia has a proper female companion. If I hadn’t volunteered, your mother would have had to come instead, and since she is still convinced that you marrying Del is the worst idea ever, I don’t know that the three of you could have survived this whole excursion. I’m sure that you both much prefer me.”

“Ah yes, you’re quite correct,” said Delaney. “With you, we only need to survive endless meaningless chatter, not murderous glares.”

“My conversation isn’t meaningless!” Nadilynn protested. “At least I don’t spend three hours discussing the nuances of a law about chickens, or four about whether some king’s death was natural or due to poison.”

“No,” said Obsidia, dryly. “You spend five hours talking about how sashes are so in style.”

“They are so not!” Nadilynn exclaimed. Then she lowered her voice “Not thick ones, anyway. Ribbons used as sashes are acceptable, belts, especially beaded belts, are best…”

“And there we go,” Delaney groaned. “You did have to get her started.”

Obsidia just shrugged and mouthed a “sorry.”

If you enjoyed that, read the opening chapter here: https://knittedbygodsplan.blogspot.com/2018/02/the-worth-of-king-chapter-1.html

Add the book on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32739875-the-worth-of-a-king

I had the pleasure of interviewing Kendra about The Worth of a King, so please enjoy (and watch out for dragons):

1. What first gave you and Jack the idea to write this book?

A blog post that she wrote, talking about how she couldn't write female character. See, at the time, I wasn't great with male characters, so I commented saying as much, along with the joking aside that we should write a book together - an idea which she LOVED. We then began a rapid-fire email back and forth as we hashed out the plot for the book - and it turned out that we almost initially had a very similar vision for it. We didn't want any chance of romance between our characters, both had a twin obsession (at the time), and both agreed that we needed to start the book with our characters in different places, so a pair of twins that had been separated at birth was the obvious choice. 

2. Did the book change when you took over as a single author? How so?

It did, but not a huge lot. I, of course, immediately rewrote all of her chapters (as well as my own) to put them into my voice, but there were really only two or three chapters that had significant changes - and that was because there were continuity issues with them. Delaney did become a POV character after I became the solo author, and I did insert Amber and Granite and make the book backstory for Rizkaland. 

3. Can you introduce us to some of the major characters and tell us which one is your favorite and which one was the easiest to write?

Let's see, there were the three POV characters - Obsidia, Adrian, and Delaney. Obsidia was my character from the start, and she's a quiet thing who just wanted a nice, safe life; then there was Adrian, who had been Jack's character, and, like his sister, just wanted a nice, safe life; and Delaney ... Del was just fun to write 'cause he's so different from the twins, so driven to protect the people he cares about...
But my favorite character to write was Del's little sister, Nadilynn, who was the brightest ray of sunshine to ever waltz onto the page - but who uses that optimism and cheerfulness to cover a lot of pain and frustration. Like, she tried very hard to get me to make her a POV. VERY hard. And I certainly plan to be writing some follow-up for her on my Ardnek Afterthoughts blog. 

4. Does this book have any connection to your previous books?

Well, I just said that I made it backstory to Rizkaland, so ... yes. 

5. Can you tell us about one of the scenes that you had the most fun writing?

I'm going to go with next-to-last chapter of part one, where everything is falling apart - and it was actually the last chapter I wrote before Jack dropped out. 

6. Do you agree that there should be a dragon in every book? Is there a dragon in your book? 

No, I just had my cover designer put one on the cover for #asthetic.

7. Did you learn anything through writing this book that you didn't know before?

Well, somewhere along the way I figured out how to write guys!

8. What's next on your authoress plate?

Here's a hint.

Kendra E. Ardnek loves fairytales and twisting them in new and exciting ways. She's been or acting them on her dozen plus cousins and siblings for years. "Finish your story, Kendra," is frequently heard at family gatherings. Her sole life goal has always been to grow up and be an author of fantasy and children's tales that glorify God and His Word.
Find her online at: Website || Blog || Goodreads || Facebook || Twitter || Amazon 

Definitely check out Kendra's blog and her other books. They are well worth a read.

And if you'd like to check out the other stops on Kendra's blog tour, follow this link.

Lovely Quotes from a Lovely Book

I know, I know, I said my review of Lost in Space would be my next blog post... Never fear: it IS coming! But I finished the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society today, and I had to share a few quotes with you all because it is such a lovely read.

From Instagram

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society takes place shortly after World War II when the main character, author Juliet Ashton, is searching for her next book idea. Instead, she finds a new group of friends among the Guernsey islanders.
This book is full of history, book love, and general coziness. The characters captivated me and so did the form of the book—it's written entirely in letters! Sometimes, the character's voices blurred together, and some of their actions seemed too modern for a book set in 1946, but that didn't hamper my enjoyment of the story. Plus, the author's prose is snarky and lovely and fun to read. I marked several passages that I wanted to share with you:

"I don't want to be married just to be married. I can't think of anything lonelier than spending the rest of my life with someone I can't talk to, or worse, someone I can't be silent with." (Page 8)

"I have gone to them for years, always finding the one book I wanted—and then three more I hadn't known I wanted." (Page 11)

"All the windows we passed were lighted, and I could snoop once more. I missed it so terribly during the war: I felt as if we had all turned into moles scuttling along in our separate tunnels. I don't consider myself a real peeper—they go in for bedrooms, but it's families in sitting rooms or kitchens that thrill me. I can imagine their entire lives from a glimpse of bookshelves, or desks, or lit candles, or bright sofa cushions." (Page 13-14)

"Do you live by the river? I hope so, because people who live near running water are much nicer than people who don't." (Page 117)

"I've shoved a writing table by the biggest window in my sitting room. The only flaw in this arrangement is the constant temptation to go outside and walk over to the cliff's edge. The sea and the clouds don't stay the same for five minutes running and I'm scared I'll miss something if I stay inside. When I got up this morning, the sea was full of sun pennies—and now it all seems to be covered in lemon scrim. Writers ought to live far inland or next to the city dump, if they are ever to get any work done. Or perhaps they need to be stronger-minded than I am." (Page 165)

This book is the perfect summertime read. I read it in two days, and my friend read it in one! I would recommend this book to fans of Jane Austen, period dramas, BBC dramas, and the movie The Decoy Bride.

What's the latest book that you've devoured in just a few days?

Watching // Listening to // Reading // Writing

WATCHING //
After watching for more than a year, I finally finished Friends. 

I started it last summer, I believe, but when school started, I stopped watching (we were on a break, okay??). It's not my favorite sitcom ever (that will forever and always be Frasier), but it was oh so much fun to see all the silly situations that Ross got himself in to.

On the subject of sitcoms, my roommate and I are nearing the end of The Office. It's been a fun Netflix Trip.

Some friends and I went to see Incredibles 2, which I thought was incredible (haha). Did you know the movies are set in the 1960s? I didn't notice the time period in the first movie, but it was evident in this one. It adds one more element to an already fantastic film.

This poster belongs to Disney Pixar

My friend and I just finished Netflix's Lost in Space. I have so many thoughts about this show that it will be its own separate post.

Last but not least, I watched the first episode of Babylon 5 last night. My dad and I are watching it "together." Even though we are 1,500 miles apart, we will watch an episode or three a week and then talk about it. My thoughts so far: it reminds me a lot of Deep Space Nine, but Star Trek has much better graphics (and better acting and writing, too, methinks, but I don't want to make a final judgement yet since I have only seen the first episode). I'm excited to keep watching!

LISTENING TO // 
I've been on a classical music kick over the past few weeks. I've been listening to a lot of Rimsky-Korsakov, Mussorgsky (Pictures at an Exhibition <3), Debussy, Tchaikovsky, and Saint-Saens. Check out The Carnival of the Animals—it is so much fun! My favorite pieces are "Aquarium," "Pianists," and "Fossils."

I've also been listening to a lot of Twenty One Pilots. I'd never heard of them before coming to school, but they are now one of my favorite bands. They are coming out with a new album in October and have released three songs with music videos. I love Twenty One Pilots because they have created a whole world and story line within their music, and it is SO. COOL. because it is an extended metaphor for the singer's mental health. I can't embed their new music into my blog for some reason, so here is a link to their music video "Jumpsuit" (which I think is slightly more understandable than "Nico and the Niners," which is my favorite of their three new songs).

READING //
This summer, I have been making my way through the Minstrel's Song series by Jenelle Leanne Schmidt. I've been reading them on the Kindle app on my phone, usually in my fifteen minute morning breaks at work. I'm at my grandparent's house until school starts next week, however, so I am reading, reading, reading. I finished Yorien's Hand yesterday. Whooooaaaa. So epic! I am afraid for Oraeyn, Kamarie, Yole, Brant, and the gang, and my intrigue about Kiernan Kane continues to grow! I started Minstrel's Call this morning.

From Instagram

I am also reading a book of short stories by Willa Cather, which I am enjoying. The stories are about the disillusionment that creators sometimes feel. I am re-reading "The Garden Lodge" right now, which is about a practical woman who has a famous tenor to stay at her house. When he leaves, she has a breakdown as she remembers how her childhood was destroyed by over-sentimentality and how she refused to indulge in anything imaginative as a result. I didn't quite catch the meaning of the story the first time I read it; I understand it more the second time. The stories make me sad because the characters are misunderstood and purposeless artists, but it is a good kind of sadness because it reminds me that I do have a greater purpose when I am creative: I reflect God the creator.

From Instagram

WRITING //

I haven't been writing anything, but I do have several ideas floating around in my head... I am going to keep them in my head right now, especially since school is starting next week, and I definitely won't have time for personal projects then. I will tell you that one idea is sci-fi and one is fantasy and one is memoir(ish).
Also, there are exciting things happening on the blogging horizon...

COMING SOON TO TEN BLOGS NEAR YOU

So, what have you guys been watching/listening to/reading/writing? Are you excited for the Silmaril Awards? What do you think of the slightly modified name?

Cover Reveal: Finding the Magic

My fellow blogger Jack Lewis Baillot is coming out with a new book soon, and I am participating in her cover reveal! 

Jack is an author, which is why she spends much of her time writing and little of her time editing. She likes to follow characters around and tell their stories even if they don't tell her everything they know about their stories.

She lives alone in a Hobbit hole and spends her spare time with her nose stuck in a book. When she isn't doing that she is busy baking bread and annoying her neighbors with bagpipes. 

The cover (of which I absolutely love the back):

Summary: Fifteen-year-old Belle is sent to the countryside to escape the London bombings of WWII. She knows she will miss her mother and worry about her father, who is away fighting in the war, but has no idea what awaits her in the manor in which she is to live. She finds friends in the staff but the mysterious and elusive master of the house frightens her. Can she teach him to find the magic in a world where magic seems to be long gone?

I read an unfinished version of this story a while ago, and I remember being delighted. If you are looking for a cozy read, check out this story when it comes out!

Minstrel's Call Cover Reveal

My friend and fellow blogger Jenelle Schmidt is releasing the final book in her Minstrel's Song series and I get to help reveal the cover today! Just take a look at the first three covers for this great series:

Gorgeous, eh? I'll just let those three covers sit with you for a little while until we get to the big reveal at the end of the post. ;)

Author Bio 

Jenelle Schmidt grew up in the northern-Midwest. She now resides with her husband and their four adorable children in the wilds of Wisconsin. Jenelle fell in love with reading at a young age during family story-times when her father would read out loud to her and her siblings each night before bed. Her imagination was captured by authors such as Madeleine L’Engle, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Lloyd Alexander. It wasn’t long before she began making up her own stories and sharing them with her family. To this day she enjoys creating exciting adventure tales filled with poignant themes and compelling characters in the fantasy and sci-fi genres.

Social Media Links:

Website/Blog: http://jenelleschmidt.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JenelleLeanneSchmidt/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/JenelleLSchmidt/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Jenelle-Leanne-Schmidt/e/B008J4H9ZS/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3636.Jenelle_Schmidt

Book blurb:

War threatens. The game board is set. But the Minstrel is missing...

Advancing his growing power, the Dread Prince breaks free of his prison and brings a faction of dragons under his control, stirring unrest and hatred in the newly united kingdoms of Tellurae Aquaous.

When the dragon wards of Kallayohm are targeted in a ruthless attack, the High King travels there to administer justice. But the trial results in a crippling blow that leaves him reeling.

On the heels of defeat, an unexpected message from the erstwhile Minstrel arrives, pleading with his friends for rescue. Together, the High King and his companions must follow the fragile trail, braving peril and darkness that will test the measure of them all...

And now... the cover! 

Isn't it GORGEOUS?! This series is so aesthetically pleasing. I think the cover for Minstrel's Call is my favorite one. Water and boats are two of my favorite things. 

Pre-Order Link:

https://www.amazon.com/Minstrels-Call-Song-Book-ebook/dp/B079CLZYZB/

The book comes out on February 28, so pre-order it now so that you can read it right away when it comes out! 

Digital Release of The Last Motley by DJ Edwardson

My friend DJ Edwardson is having a release party for his latest book! It's a great book, so pick yourself up a digital copy for only 99 cents! Keep reading this post to learn more about one of the places in The Last Motley and to be entered to win several fabulous prizes.


Welcome to the virtual book tour for The Last Motley by Grace Award nominated author DJ Edwardson. To celebrate the book's release the digital version is being offered at the special discounted price of 99 cents, now through February 17th. In addition, you're invited to come along on a virtual treasure hunt visiting some of the places featured in the novel. And to help you along your journey, we're giving away a few prizes, too. So how 'bout them apples? Today's stop is:

Isle of Rinn

The farthest known western point of Arinn, the Isle of Rinn has been uninhabited for centuries. It is dominated by a single mountain, dark gray in color, with a rounded top. Treelines grip its flanks like green skeletal fingers rising out the sea itself. Beyond the mountain, another large hill, completely blanketed with green, melds into the surrounding forest. The rocky coast relents only in a few scattered patches along the northern and southern shores. There white sand beaches brush against the endless sea. Nearly the whole of the island is covered in rainforest. Plant and wildlife can be found in abundance here and the climate is unusually temperate due to favorable ocean currents. Somewhere within the island lie the Ruins of Edinshaw if they have not been covered over by the forest. Tronas the Mad is said to have built a tower here for unknown reasons. Why so far away from civilization? And how did he even build it at all? These are questions only perhaps the greatest scholars now know the answers to.
 

We hope you enjoyed this little glimpse into the world of Arinn. If this taste has you curious, be sure to check out the full length novel set in this world. This unique tale is not your typical fantasy novel, Yes, you'll find monsters, dungeons, harrowing escapes, magic portals, a humor, an ancient artifact, and much more but above all This is the story about the importance of family, faith, and the courage to do the right thing. Here's the official teaser:

The Last Motley

Motleys. Candy-colored creatures with dark powers to drain the souls of men. That’s what Roderick always thought. Until he met one. Now he’s not so sure. But with seemingly everyone in the province hunting the motley down, he must quickly decide which side he’s on. Is the motley the living nightmare the legends say? Or just a child cursed by magic? Should Roderick save him from an awful fate, or turn him in? Either way, it seems like everyone wants to make sure that this will indeed be the last motley.
Be one of the first to read this unique and original fantasy novel, available now for the first time in digital format at the following online locations:

• Amazon.com
• iBookstore
• Barnes & Noble
• Kobo books
• Smashwords
• Amazon UK

Treasures along the way

As you follow along on this virtual tour of Arinn, be sure to enter the giveaway to make your journey a little easier. Maybe you'll be one of the ones to find treasure at journey's end. Here's what we're giving away:

A lovely leather journal, an autographed copy of The Last Motley, and a coloring book from the Chronicles of Narnia. You can use the journal to record your travels, the novel as your guide, and the coloring book to, well...for those rainy days when you're stuck in the inn! PLEASE NOTE: By entering the giveaway you agree to receive occasional email updates about DJ Edwardson's releases, sales and book reviews. He will not share your email for any reason and you can unsubscribe at any time. Entries accepted until February 23rd.

Enter the Giveaway

Email Address

Now if you're feeling especially adventurous, there is a separate giveaway for the truly dedicated treasure hunters among you. All you have to do is collect ALL TWELVE location names on the tour (e.g. if this were for Middle-earth the answers might be Rivendell, The Shire, Mordor, Gondor, etc - basically we're looking for the names of the places featured on each of the maps at every stop). Once you've got them all, send them to: THIS EMAIL ADDRESS You will be entered in a drawing to win this one-of-a-kind poster of the World of Arinn. Measuring 36"X24" it is nearly movie poster size, printed on thick, glossy paper, and suitable for framing. In addition, the map will be signed by the author. This is a prize you won't find anywhere else!


It's even more impressive in person. It's huge! You will not be added to the email list for this drawing. Entries accepted until February 23rd as well. Winners for both contests will be contacted within three days of the closing of the contests.

The journey continues

There are many stops along this virtual tour. Be sure to check them all out.

Feb 6	E.E. Rawls
Feb 7	Angel Leya
Feb 8	Elise Edmonds
Feb 9	Jennette L. Mbewe
Feb 10	Jess Elliot
Feb 11	Rachael Ritchey
Feb 12	Deborah O’Carroll
Feb 13	Karlie Lucas
Feb 14	Abbey Stellingwerff
Feb 15	Jenelle Leanne Schmidt
Feb 16	Jessica Groom
Feb 17	Steven Moore

  Thanks for joining us on this journey!

The Raven King by Maggie Stiefvater

Here it is: the review of the final book in The Raven Cycle, The Raven King. It has been my attempt to make these reviews as spoiler-free as possible, but, as usual, there may be a few spoilers here or there. If you don't want to be spoiled for anything regarding this series or its final book, click X now! 

Plot & The End
As this is the last book in the series, everything is wrapped up. Things happen. Lots of things. There's heartbreak and happiness, moments of pain and joy. I really can't say anymore without spoiling a lot, so let's move on to my analysis, shall we? :p

I don't know how to feel about the climax of this series. In the three previous books, the characters have had to deal with murderous teachers, a cave-in, and LITERAL DRAGONS. The villain of this book is a demon, but how the Gangsey deals with this demon is anti-climactic compared to the climaxes of the previous three books. Also, the quest to find Glendower does not end as one would suspect, which also seems anti-climactic. This book has several things happen not as the characters would wish them to, but in a disappointing way. This is a good lesson to learn in real life... things won't always go the way you plan, and The Raven King exemplifies this. I greatly appreciate Maggie's ability to portray real life in her novels, but, at the same time, these are novels. There are enough disappointments in the real world. Over the course of the books, I came to love the characters so much, and I was so invested in their quest, that I wanted more for them in the end. Things do end happily, but I wanted to see them deal with what happened to them rather than skipping ahead several months to see how they are doing. I wanted to know what happened to the women of 300 Fox Way and some of the other minor characters. I wanted a more satisfying conclusion to the plotlines that Maggie has carefully guided us through in the previous three books.

Laumonier
I'm still amazed at how unique and developed and full Maggie makes her cast of characters in The Raven Cycle. In this book, she introduces several new characters, including triplets named Laumonier (yes, they're all named Laumonier!). How in the world does she come up with characters like this?? They're fascinating to read about.

Henry Cheng
is another new character. He is an Aglionby student who proves his worth to Gansey and becomes his friend. Gansey is, at first, distrustful of Henry, which makes the reader distrustful of him, too. Who is this new person who wants to have the same precedence as Ronan? and Adam? and Blue? Whom we've known since book one? But Henry soon proves his worth to the reader, too. At least, he did for me. He's hard not to love, what with his strange way of speaking and his inability to call Gansey Gansey.

He's also a lot like Gansey and Blue. All three of them are like-minded individuals, whereas Ronan, Adam, and Noah are cut from a different mold. I think it's wonderful that Gansey makes new friends (while keeping the old—that's an old Girl Scouts song) because it shows that he's maturing. He's willing to grow new relationships rather than closing himself off to the world because he already has all the friends he needs. I don't know where Henry came from, or if he was a planned character or an accidental discovery along the way, but I'm so glad that Maggie included him in the book because he's a great addition to the Gangsey.

Favorite Lines

His feelings...were an oil spill; he'd let them overflow and now there wasn't a...place in the ocean that wouldn't catch fire if he dropped a match.

"How old were you, Whoop Whoop Gansey Boy, when you were stung by those bees?"

"No." It was satisfying and terrible to say it out loud, a trigger pulled, the explosion over within a second. Ronan looked around for bodies.

Declan swayed; the bullet had clearly at least grazed him near a vital organ. With effort, he got the arterial spray under control.

But it wasn't that Henry was less of himself in English. He was less of himself out loud. His native language was thought. 

The Camaro broke down.

Content Advisory

In addition to the stuff I've already talked about (mostly swearing), there's a literal demon in this book. It influences characters to evil things, it "unmakes" a forest (the first step in unmaking the world), and it possesses people. It's scary to read about, super intense, and clearly evil.

There's also a homosexual relationship that begins in this book. It has been hinted at in the past two books that Ronan is gay and fancies one of the other male characters; that comes to fruition in this book and they begin a relationship and kiss a few times. While the Bible makes it clear that homosexuality is wrong, I do not believe that it is worse than any other type of sexual sin (such as lust, watching pornography, sleeping with someone outside of marriage, etc.). The world is so saturated by sexual sin that it is nearly impossible to get away from it; therefore, though I know that Ronan's relationship is wrong according to Biblical principles, I chose to continue reading The Raven Cycle because I felt that what I could learn from Maggie's characterization and writing style outweighed my concerns about the content.
I want to make it clear that I do not condone any of the unbiblical behavior in these books. It has made me seriously think about not only homosexuality, but also swearing and psychic activity, and how each of those things relates to me as a Christian.

To a certain extent, I think it's important for Christians to read or watch things that we disagree with because they broaden our understanding of the world around us and they encourage us to grapple with the sin of the world. Sometimes, I think Christians look at sin as a contagious disease: any minor exposure and salvation will be lost. But the truth is that we are all sinners. We are saved by the grace of Jesus Christ's death on the cross, but we are not perfect, and I think it's important to realize that.
How does that relate to The Raven Cycle? Well, the series has extracted me from my Christian "bubble," so to speak. It made me grapple with areas of sin that I normally would not think about. After reading these books and examining issues that I normally wouldn't examine, I have become even more strongly convinced of the truth of God's word.
I think that, when reading books that contain content that is contrary to the Word of God, it is important to examine not only your heart as you go along, but also the Bible to see what it says about what you're reading. That way, you can stay grounded in the truth as you go along. It's a lot harder to deny truth if it's constantly before your eyes. 

In Conclusion
There are many, many good things about The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater. Her characters, prose, plotting, and pacing should be studied and emulated. But, for all of the good things in The Raven Cycle, there is an equal number of significant content issues for Christian readers. If you are thinking about reading this series, examine these issues, your own heart, your own susceptibility to certain sins, and pray pray pray before making your decision. 

Have you made it to the end of this series review? If you have, good job! We will return to normal (whatever that is) programming on Saturday. What do you think of The Raven Cycle? Have you read it? Will you read it? Why or why not? Let's have a conversation in the comments! 

Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

Welcome to my review of the third book in The Raven Cycle, Blue Lily, Lily Blue. As with the previous two books, I am trying to write a non-spoilery review, but there will probably be a spoiler or two that slips passed my radar (like the Rebellion onto a First Order ship...), so beware! 

Plot
Maura is missing. The Gangsey goes spelunking and deals with school. Lots of little plot points are moved forward, and the characters grow. Even the search for Glendower moves forward as Gansey, Blue, Ronan, Adam, and Noah find a big, person-sized clue about the king.

As far as plots go, this one is definitely about the build-up to The End, but it is not slow paced. There is a lot of character development, relationship development, and plot development without spoiling the climax of the final book. Maggie is excellent at pacing. She intersperses action with heartwarming (or heartbreaking) interpersonal scenes. Speaking of interpersonal scenes... a few of my favorite scenes are in this book (like when Ronan and Adam go to the store together and crash their shopping cart). Also, this book has Malory, who may not have a huge purpose, but he adds an element of quirkiness and humor that makes an ever-darkening series a little bit brighter.

Maggie Doesn't Care
I think she was losing her mind in this book... Her writing has always featured a unique voice, but she throws out all conventions and does whatever she wants in this book. It's hilarious, and I wish I could have been there to see her editor's face when he first read it. For example: "She slouched back and sighed big enough to make her lips go blbbphhbbbt." This is also the book that gave us "SQUASH ONE SQUASH TWO."

New Faces
We have Greenmantle, the narcissistic, cowardly, supernatural artifacts collector who is rather amusing to read about. We have Jesse Dittley, the extremely tall country man who berates Blue for NOT EATIN' HER GREENS (his dialogue is entirely in caps because his voice is so sonorous... also evidence that Maggie went crazy during the writing of this book). Finally, we have Malory, Gansey's mentor in all things ley line-related. Malory is from England and comes with a Dog (capital D). He likes tea (but not when it's brewed by teenage boys in their bathroom), and he's a big fan of pigeons. He makes cameos in the first two books as a disembodied voice on the phone, but he actually comes to visit Gansey in this book. All three of these characters are as wonderfully written and developed as anyone else in Maggie Stiefvater's universe. She does very well developing large casts and, as I've said before, making all of her characters into real people.

Favorite Lines:

Henrietta and her environs were a paint box of colors.

"It's a terrible word, anxious. It makes one think of wringing hands and hysteria and bodices."

Even now, after the sun had gone down, [the attic] was several degrees warmer than the house, which made it feel small and close, like a jacket.

Really, with these genetics, I should be taller. 
[Abbey Insert: Same girl, same]

Content Advisory 
There's not much to say in this department that I haven't said already. There are still language concerns and rituals. The only differences from previous books is that is contains several acts of possession and a boy-boy crush. I want to talk more about both of those things in my review of the final book, which shall be live on Wednesday!

The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

Welcome to my review of The Dream Thieves, the second book in The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater! Since I went so in-depth about setting and writing style in my review of The Raven Boys, I thought I'd skip that for my other three reviews and focus on other things instead. Once again, I'm going to try to make my review as spoiler-free as possible, but I'm sure there will be some that I miss, so beware! 

Plot
A hit man comes to Henrietta to find the Greywaren—a magical device that can take things out of dreams and into the real world—for his employer, a collector of supernatural artifacts. Gansey, Blue, Adam, Ronan, Noah, and the other characters from The Raven Boys are also involved with the Greywaren, and become involved with the hit man as a result. Gansey and Blue become better friends, Adam is angry and at odds with everyone, and Ronan is getting into trouble with the drag-racing, drug-smoking Kavinsky. And it all comes to a fiery conclusion on Fourth of July.

The Dream Thieves is my favorite book in the series because, for the first time, we get to see life through Ronan's point-of-view, which gives a lot of insight into his character. This book also has some of my favorite scenes from the entire series in it. This book also features my favorite character, the Gray Man. Also, this book has dragons. As far as plot goes, it's not as easy to grasp as the first book. There are a few things that don't make sense and could be plot holes... though maybe I wasn't paying enough attention. It's a book about secrets and fear and how the characters will handle those two things.

The Gray Man
is my favorite character. His career causes him to be cold, calculating, and dangerous... but, really, he has a huge heart, loves Old English poetry (and can recite it. In Old English. Be still, my beating heart), and can be quite oblivious to normality sometimes. I can tell that Maggie had a fun time writing him because every chapter in which he features is written differently the other chapters in the book. They're very nonchalant and matter-of-fact. The Gray Man is very sensible and also quite heroic. I love him.

Blue
We get to learn more about Blue in this book... like, she tries, really hard, to make herself seem different. Also, she's not a tough girl at heart. Someone gives her a pink switchblade, and she's afraid that she'll end up cutting herself instead of enemies (which she does). She stands up for herself, but she blushes furiously as she does it. She knows that she doesn't need to impress people like Ronan or Kavinsky, but she still tries anyway. She is incredibly smart and sensible, but she's also vain. She's got flaws, and that's what makes her human. She's also not just a love interest, and she even says that to Adam (she's a bit of a feminist, but not overbearingly so).

Details
In my review of The Raven Boys, I mentioned that Maggie is great at adding character and setting details but no in an info-dumpy way. She makes every detail count for something, whether it's giving insight into a character, or adding a joke to lighten the mood. I get the strong sense that every word that Maggie sets to paper matters. She doesn't say too much, and she doesn't say too little. She says just the right amount.

Maggie is also great at creating continuity throughout her books. For example, the running joke that Blue hates Gansey's top siders and polo shirts. And let's not forget the continuity she creates by using repetition to her advantage! She uses a lot of repetition to emphasize stuff in her books. The most impressive use of repetition comes in book four when she starts several chapters in a row with "It was 6:21."

Another thing that I love about The Raven Cycle is the linguistic and historical detail Maggie puts into the books. She not only uses English to her advantage, but also Latin, Old English, and French. There is so much Latin in this series! And in this book, a lot of Old English due to the Gray Man. She not only includes many phrases of these languages (often without translation, so you need Google translate near you in addition to a dictionary), but references literary works and events from history also. Maggie must be so smart (and a great researcher!). Serious work goes into these books, and I admire and appreciate that a great deal. If I know that someone has put effort into something, I automatically enjoy it more than I normally would.

Favorite lines

The Gray Man had been called effervescent once, in an article. He was fairly certain it was because he had very straight teeth. Even teeth seemed a prerequisite for effervescence.

Gansey, dangling his arm outside, patted the side of the car as if it were a horse. "That'll do, Pig. That'll do."

As he sat, a single mosquito found its way into the car and worried at his ear, a high tremelo against the basso continuo of the rain and thunder.

Blue noticed that the Gray Man was abruptly not interested in who was on the phone. Which was interesting because he had been so interested in absolutely everything else before.

Which Blue took to mean that, really, he was very interested in who might be on the phone, only he didn't want them to know he was interested.

Which was interesting.

The Maura made something with butter and Calla made something with bacon and Blue steamed broccoli in self-defense. 

Content Advisory
Although this is my favorite book in the series, it also has some of the most worrying content. There's a character in this book called Kavinsky and he is the scum of the earth. He drinks, he makes and does drugs, he swears to rival Ronan (it's real fun when the two of them are in a scene together *rolls eyes*), and he's always making inappropriate sexual comments about everyone. There's one scene in particular that is fairly intense where Kavinsky and Ronan get drunk and pop pills together (for a plot purpose, but still, it's not great to read about).
Luckily, the Gangsey (as Gansey and his friends are so affectionately called by their fandom) knows that Kavinsky is scum, but that doesn't stop us from having to read about him and his despicable lifestyle. This is also the first book where we get a hint that Ronan is gay, but I'll discuss that more in my review of book four.
Maggie holds nothing back in her villain creation. She makes them as horrible as she can and does not spare the sensitive reader at all. If I had a hard time recommending book one because of the content, I absolutely cannot recommend book two, yet there is still a lot to learn in this book about writing. Again, before you pick up this series, think and pray about it.

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

I've wanted to review The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater since I first read them last summer. Christmas Break was the perfect time to re-read them and take notes. Clearly, since I've read these books twice in the past seven months, I enjoyed them, yet there are some content concerns that I would like to discuss also. I am going to try and make these reviews as non-spoilery as I can, but some things will inevitably slip out, so beware! Also, this review highlights several things that I like about the entire series. The next three book reviews will be shorter and more specific. 

The Plot
The Raven Cycle is about a group of friends who—in their search for the body of a dead Welsh king buried somewhere in Virginia—discover that magic is real and more powerful and dangerous than they ever imagined.
Within the first few chapters of book one, The Raven Boys, Maggie Stiefvater introduces readers to her characters and plot. Blue Sargent comes from a family of female psychics who live together in 300 Fox Way, a big house filled with random doo-dads (including a signed portrait of Steve Martin!) and strong opinions. Every psychic that Blue has ever met has told her the same thing: she will kill her true love if she kisses him. Blue, a sensible sixteen-year-old, figures that not kissing people will be easy. Easy, that is, until her life becomes entwined with Gansey, Adam, Ronan, and Noah. These four boys are "raven boys" who go to Aglionby, the expensive, all-boys boarding school in Henrietta, Virginia. Normally, Blue would scorn raven boys, but these boys are different. Gansey has been collecting information about Glendower, a dead Welsh king, for seven years. Supposedly, instead of dying, Glendower was put to sleep and carried to the United States via ley line; he will grant whoever awakens him a favor. Gansey and his friends each have different reasons for wanting to find Glendower, but they are all loyal to the cause, and they soon adopt Blue into their group.

As far as plots go, The Raven Boys is a bit slow to start, but it's not noticeable. Maggie takes her time to set up her characters and her plot, but she does not bog down the reader with useless details. Besides which, her prose is so beautiful and witty that I could read her shopping lists and not get bored. This book and it's villain are tame compared to the later books in the series, but that's a good thing because Maggie gives her plot, characters, and villains room to grow. She is excellent at pacing her character's growth with plot developments, and her plot developments with action scenes. She also does a LOT of foreshadowing that you don't notice until you re-read the book!

Characters
The characters are my favorite part of The Raven Cycle. They are not caricatures. They are not archetypes. They are fully developed with pasts, futures, lives, likes, dislikes, and voices. They are real people, and their characteristics are consistently carried out and developed through all four books. One thing that Maggie does to develop her characters so well is slip in sentences or paragraphs of backstory, which shows that her characters existed before this book came into being. They aren't info-dumpy backstory bits either. Usually, they are quirky stories that make you go "ah, so that's why so-and-so is the way he/she is." She also shows her characters living normal lives. Yes, they are searching for a dead Welsh king and messing about with magic that they don't understand, but they still have to go to the store and buy snacks and they still have to go to school, do homework, and (in the case of Blue and Adam) work several jobs. And they still have to sleep sometimes, too, or (in the case of Gansey and Ronan) face the consequences of insomnia. Just because Maggie's characters are on a quest doesn't mean that they forget about real life.

Blue is sensible and vain. She is the only non-psychic is a houseful of psychics, and so she tries to make herself unique in other ways. She sews and crochets clothes together to make new creations, she wears her short hair up with many clips to contain it, and she prides herself on being an enigma at school. She is also a reader. Maggie doesn't make a huge deal of this, but it's there if you look close enough.
I like Blue a lot. I like that she's sensible. I like that she has purpose. She's not just there to fall in love with someone. She's a great example of a strong female character. (She's also got great style.)

Gansey is at once passionate and polite, depending on which Gansey is needed at the moment. When he is with his friends, he is Gansey-driven-to-insomnia from his intense passion for Welsh history and Glendower. When he is with the world at large, he is Gansey-the-heir-to-millions who can talk to anyone about anything.
It's impossible not to love Gansey. At first, he comes off as a naive pretty boy who doesn't know anything about the real world (this is how Blue first perceives him), but then when you get to know him better, you see that he cares deeply for his friends, family, justice, and Glendower. He also has anxiety, though it may not be noticeable to those who don't have experience with it.
Actually, that's something else that I love about Maggie's characterization... Gansey has anxiety, but that's not what the book is about. Blue (and her mother) cares for the environment, but that's not what the book is about. The Raven Cycle is full of real-world issues, but that's not what the series is about. Maggie doesn't make them a big deal. She treats them as normal, which is a brilliant way to make your characters into real people rather than archetypes or poster children for disease or mental health or abuse. She's inclusive, and she does deal with some hard topics, but it's a subplot instead of the main storyline. Kind of how my asthma is a subplot to my life, rather than the main storyline.

Adam is practical and prideful (and a little like Blue in that way). Adam comes from a trailer park and an abusive home rather than from money, like Gansey and Ronan. To pay for his tuition at Aglionby, he works three jobs. And he refuses help from his friends. He insists on doing everything by himself. He doesn't want to owe anybody anything—he doesn't want to be owned by anyone (which is probably a result of being abused his whole life).
Adam's story arc is heartbreaking and hard to read about, but he is also the character who has the most growth in the series. It's interesting to watch his interactions with each of the other characters. You learn to care deeply for Adam in this book.

Ronan is the most immature of all of the characters, at least in book one. He is most what you'd imagine a teenage boy to be. In his grief over the death of his father, he has become an explosion of anger, swearing, crazy stunts, and unhappiness. Glimpses of pre-father's-death Ronan emerge, though, like in his care of Chainsaw (his pet raven) and his fierce loyalty to those he cares about.
In spite of his foul language, Ronan is one of my favorite characters because of his development and because of a special ability that he possesses. There are many more interesting things about Ronan. For example, the language he understands best is action. He's not great at expressing his thoughts or feelings through words (unless they're swear words), but you'll definitely know how Ronan is feeling through his actions.

Noah is the quietest and most awkward member of Gansey's friend group. Nevertheless, he is vitally important to the plot.
Even though Noah is easily looked over, he is one of my favorite characters. He's rather pitiful, and he's as courageous as the lion from The Wizard of Oz, but he's a good friend and his dog-like affection for Blue is adorable.

Blue's family are also important in the story, which is wonderful since so many YA books feature missing parents. Indeed, none of the boys have present (Gansey), loving (Adam), or alive (Ronan) parents, but the women of 300 Fox Way adopt the boys and give them advice as mothers (and psychics) are wont to do. Blue has never met her father, but her mother Maura is an integral secondary character. Additionally, Maura's two best friends Calla and Persephone are important, as are Blue's half-aunt, Neeve; cousin, Orla; and aunt, Jimi. Despite being secondary characters, Maggie has developed each of the women at 300 Fox Way into real people, too. Well-done secondary characters are my favorite, and The Raven Cycle is full of them.

Setting and Such Things
So, Maggie Stiefvater makes her setting INTO A LITERAL CHARACTER. Like, the setting is alive. Cabeswater is a magical forest that lives and responds to the characters' thoughts. How cool is that? There are several other (non-living settings)...
-Quirky and female-dominated 300 Fox Way.
-Henrietta, Virginia, where the characters live.
-Monmouth Manufacturing, a re-purposed factory where Gansey, Ronan, and Noah live.
-The Pig, Gansey's constantly breaking, bright orange, 1973 Camaro.
Maggie's settings are aesthetic embodied. They are so much entangled with the plots and characters that I can't help but think of the settings when I think about the series. I have never read a book where the setting is so prevalent before. Maggie uses the same type of details that she uses about her characters to describe her places. She drops in details like they're nothing, but they really stick in the reader's mind because of her word choice.

Writing Style
If you've heard anything about Maggie Stiefvater, it's probably that her prose is gorgeous. Well, it's true. She is incredibly good at stringing words together in a pleasing manner. She is the Master of Metaphor and a Wizard of Wit. Here are a few of my favorite lines from The Raven Boys to give you an idea of her writing style, since I don't think I can do it justice by simply describing it:

Maura had decided sometime before Blue's birth that it was barbaric to order children about, and so Blue had grown up surrounded by imperative question marks.

Both of them could trot out logic on a nice little leash, wearing a smart plaid jacket, when they wanted to.

...he had the overpowering chemical scent of a manly shower gel. The sort that normally came in a black bottle and was called something like SHOCK or EXCITE or BLUNT TRAUMA.

She is also able to write dialogue very well; it sounds as though her characters are really speaking because she writes dialogue more like actual speech patterns than like grammatically correct sentences. Additionally, Maggie inserts snippets of identifiable truths into her novel in a quiet, unassuming way, just like she does with her character and setting details. One last thing that I enjoy about Maggie's writing is her vocabulary. She uses words like "quiddity" and "striated" and makes you take out the dictionary and expand your word horde. 

Content Advisory
In the words of Hamlet, "Ay, there's the rub" (III.i).
The Raven Cycle has a lot of problematic content for Christian readers.
First of all, the psychics. Blue's family does tarot readings, they scry, they do rituals, they meet with spirits. Neeve, Blue's half-aunt goes a little too far with her rituals sometimes, and the other women in 300 Fox Way know that, so I suppose there is a limit to what they're willing to do... But, according to the Bible, that kind of stuff—however "far" a person takes it—is wrong. I believe that if someone is engaging with spirits/a spiritual power that is not the Holy Spirit, that spirit/spiritual power is of the devil, for if it is not of God, then it must be of the devil. It's a little more complicated than that in The Raven Cycle, however, for the magic system is based in psychic activity (like the magic system from the Mistborn books is based in metal alloys). Thinking of the psychic content in this way made me enjoy and understand the books more, but I still want to caution readers who are wary about psychic activity. This may not be the series for you if psychics and spirits bother you.

Another content issue is Ronan's swearing. He swears. A lot. And not just PG-13 movie swearing... We're talking rated R for language books here, people (and also a lot of taking God's name in vain). Although I don't condone Ronan's swearing, as a writer, I do think it's an interesting character trait to have him swear so much when the other characters hardly ever swear. That's true to my experience of life... I have some friends who swear (like Ronan), but I have other friends who never swear (like Blue). Maggie clearly does not put swearing in her books because she doesn't have a good vocabulary, because she has excellent word choice in her novels. She does it because it's just a part of who Ronan is. If you are sensitive to language content (and specifically the f-word), you may want to skip these books.

There are some intense scenes as well. Adam is beaten by his father several times, and there are a few attempted murders/actual murders.

Overall
I think The Raven Boys (and The Raven Cycle in general) can teach writers a lot about character development, the use of setting as an integral part of the story, and how to use words themselves in beautiful written prose; however, there are also content issues that make me very hesitant to recommend this series. My advice to you, if you are thinking about picking up this series, is to do some serious thinking about what your tolerance for psychics and swearing is. Pray about it. Everyone is sensitive to varying degrees to different things.

Stay tuned for my review of the second book in The Raven Cycle later this week!

I'm curious, have any of you read The Raven Boys? What do you think about serious content issues in novels, movies, or TV? If the story features great characters and great writing, does that make up for content issues? Where do we, as Christian readers, draw the line? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

Bibliophile Sweater Tag

On the blog today, I am stealing a tag created by Sunshine and Scribblings (I say steal because I don't think anyone has tagged me, but I thought it looked like fun because I love sweaters. And books, of course :P). I'm disregarding the rules (because Maryliz said they're more like guidelines anyway!), but if anyone would like to do the tag themselves, here is link to the original post.

Fuzzy sweater (a book that is the epitome of comfort)

The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall are definitely the epitome of comfort for me. They're full of kids adventuring, dogs, family, music, books... Basically, the recipe for making Abbey happy.

Striped sweater (book which you devoured every line of)

I read Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte in a high school literature class and could NOT put it down for some reason. Maybe it had to do with the setting—a secluded English moor with only two houses. Or, the characters—two families falling in love with and marrying the wrong people. Or, the genre—my first Gothic novel! 

Ugly Christmas sweater (book with a weird cover)

This is a book called Alfred Hitchcock's Haunted Houseful. Yes, that is Alfred Hitchcock's face built into the house.

Cashmere sweater (most expensive book you've bought)

I had to buy The Norton Anthology of English Literature for my British Literature class. Twice! The first time, we bought them used and when they came, one volume was missing! School (and classes) had already started by this time, so I had to re-buy them from the campus store. $75 later...

Hoodie (favorite classic book)

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee has been my favorite classic (and book) since I read it eight years ago! Kids adventuring, family, important issues, Atticus Finch... what's not to love?

Cardigan (book that you bought on impulse)

This is not the actual cover, but since my physical copy is at my dorm, I figured I'd make my own interpretation of the book. 

Once upon a time last semester, I was feeling sad and stressed, and my friends brought me to Half Price Books, and I had a coupon, and they had an illustrated edition of one of my favorite books, The Princess Bride by William Goldman. It was so beautiful. I was weak. Disclaimer: buying books is not a healthy way to work through your feelings (but that doesn't mean I'm unhappy about my purchase). 

Turtleneck sweater (book from your childhood)

Thomas the Tank Engine by Reverend W. Awdry was four-year-old Abbey's life. She read the books, watched the TV-show, and even got Thomas, Percy, and some track for her birthday. Here is a video of her singing the theme song:

Homemade knitted sweater (book that is Indie-published)

My friend and fellow-blogger DJ Edwardson recently published his first fantasy book, The Last Motley! I haven't read the finished product yet, but the version I beta-read was pretty great, so the finished version must be fantastic. Go check it out! It's about a boy with motley skin and a strange power, and the kind tailor who wants to save him. It's about family (I'm sensing a theme with the books I like) and magic.

V-neck sweater (book that did not meet your expectations)

Unfortunately, Odd and the Frost Giants—and everything else I've read by Neil Gaiman—has fell short of my expectations. This particular book is a retelling of Norse mythology (complete with Loki), but it wasn't... enough for me. All of the Gaiman books that I've read have really unique ideas behind them, but the ideas don't translate to the page in a way that captures my imagination like they are supposed to. 

Argyle sweater (book with a unique format)

S. by J.J. Abrams and Doug Dorst is, well, VERY unique and has multiple layers. The first layer is the story, The Ship of Theseus. The second layer is two characters who have read The Ship of Theseus and write each other notes in the margins. They are trying to discover who the mysterious author is, and where he has gone. They compile clues (such as the napkin in the picture above) and piece together the mystery. The third layer is the reader, because they have to read the story (the book), and the comments in the margins (in several different colors, marking different stages of the investigation), and the extra bits (like the napkin or maps or postcards. This book has a lot of pieces that fall out if you're not careful!). This is such a fascinating concept for a book, but it's too daunting for me to read, especially since there are several different ways you could read it! Someday I'll take on the challenge. 

Polka dot sweater (a book with well-rounded characters)

I have never read a book/series with better characters than The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater. At the time that I'm writing this post, I'm in the middle of re-reading the series so that I can review it on the blog. I'll talk more about the characters then, but now I'll say that the characters in this series are real people with real problems, hopes, fears, pasts, loves, hates, and personalities. They aren't caricatures or archetypes. They mature and grow throughout the books and it's astonishing to watch. As a writer, I can only hope that I can create characters this real in my own stories! 

Do you like sweaters? How about books? Consider yourself tagged, if you like!