Book Review: The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Blue Sargent, the daughter of the town psychic in Henrietta, Virginia, has been told for as long as she can remember that if she ever kisses her true love, he will die.

But she is too practical to believe in things like true love. Her policy is to stay away from the rich boys at the prestigious Aglionby Academy. The boys there — known as Raven Boys — can only mean trouble.

My grade: A+

What I liked about the book: Everything. No, really. This was a five star book for me, the kind of book I only wish I could write someday. But the best thing about the book has to be the characters, every single one of them. I don't even have a favorite, I just love all of them.

What I didn't like so much: Let me think about this. Hmm, the fact that I have to wait so long for the third book to come out? Yep, that's all I got.

Best scene/favorite moment: I loved the scene where Ronan rescues Adam from his father. And every scene with Blue's peculiar but charming family. 

Would I read the next book? The next book is in the mail, but it'll take three weeks to get here! What fresh hell is that? I can't even.

What about you, did you read the book? What did you think of it?

Friday Review: Supernaturally by Kiersten White

Evie finally has the normal life she’s always longed for. But she’s shocked to discover that being ordinary can be...kind of boring. Just when Evie starts to long for her days at the International Paranormal Containment Agency, she’s given a chance to work for them again. Desperate for a break from all the normalcy, she agrees.

But as one disastrous mission leads to another, Evie starts to wonder if she made the right choice. And when Evie’s faerie ex-boyfriend Reth appears with devastating revelations about her past, she discovers that there’s a battle brewing between the faerie courts that could throw the whole supernatural world into chaos. The prize in question? Evie herself.

So much for normal.

My grade: B+

What I liked about the book: I liked Evie even more in this book than in Paranormalcy. I liked her struggle to be happy with the normal life she'd always been craving, and I loved her relationship with the comatose Vivian.

What I didn't like so much: I'm not so sure about the mystery plot. I felt like the stakes weren't high enough, not like they were in Paranormalcy, and the villain reveal at the end wasn't as surprising as it could have been. I think it would have been better if the reveal had been earlier in the book and then have Evie deal with something else the villain does. I don't know. I just felt kind of let down by the ending.

Best scene/favorite moment: [Spoiler Alert] The scene where Evie and Jack torch the Queen's boat. I thought the description in that scene were amazing!

Would I read the next book? I think so. Not really on my immediate TBR, but I'll try to buy the next book soon.

What about you, did you read the book? What did you think of it?

Friday Review: Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood

From Goodreads: 
Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they’re witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.

Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word... especially after she finds her mother’s diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family’s destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.

If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren’t safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other.

My grade: A-

What I liked about the book: I liked Cate, and how she threw everything she had into protecting her sisters. I especially loved Finn, and thought the romance was great. I actually fell in love with Finn the same moment Cate must have, in the scene where he talks about protecting his mother and sister, and once I saw how right Finn was for Cate, I couldn't root for Paul at all.

What I didn't like so much: I felt like the book kind of dragged for the first 50 pages. I was actually about to put it down (a death sentence for a book for me because I have a short attention span and I rarely pick up a book I put aside again), but I'm really glad I stuck with it or I would have missed an awesome book!

Best scene/favorite moment: The kiss scene! Yes, I know, not very original, but I thought it was hot and one of the best kissing scenes I'd read in a while. And the feathers bit was a nice touch, sweet and scary at the same time.

Would I read the next book? Yup, definitely. I've been looking for a cheap copy of the next book, Star Cursed, because I'm broke and the international shipping costs are killing my wallet.

What about you, did you read the book? What did you think of it?