Up first, the Raven Cycle: four books (plus bonus material!) about the non-psychic daughter of a psychic and four prep school friends on the search for a long-dead Welsh king. That's really the most simple way to describe what is a journey filled with joys, heartbreak, foreshadowing, connections, reveals, friendship, reunions, murder, love, and history.
The Raven Boys by Maggie StiefvaterMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
In the first installment of the series, we meet Blue Sargent and her titular Raven Boys, which is the name she gives students who attend Aglionby, the prep school in Henrietta, Virginia, where her family works as clairvoyants.
Blue herself has zero psychic abilities, but her presence does help to "boost" the powers of her mother, aunts, and cousins, so she tags along during readings. Blue has also been told for as long as she can remember that she if she kisses her true love, he will die - meaning she avoids "love" at all costs. Inevitably, she meets 4 potential loves, Raven Boys all. Gansey is searching for Glendower, a (dead) Welsh king, thought to be buried nearby, because of a voice he heard during a near-death experience seven years ago. Adam, a scholarship student and Gansey's best friend, is searching for a way out of Henrietta. Fearless and secretive Ronan is the middle brother of the Lynch family, and fiercely protective of the few people he associates with. And finally, Noah, who observes but rarely speaks.
Blue doesn't need to be clairvoyant to know that her future is tied up with that of each of "her" Raven Boys - so she joins them in their quest to find Glendower.
The Dream Thieves by Maggie StiefvaterMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
The search for Glendower continues: Blue and the Raven Boys seem to have narrowed down his location to a magical place known as Cabeswater, but they aren't the only ones looking for the Welsh King.
Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie StiefvaterMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Blue's mother goes missing, which means she and the Raven Boys know have two people to search for. They also all have (different) requests for Glendower when they find and awaken him - but Glendower will only honor one.
The Raven King by Maggie StiefvaterMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
The cycle comes to a thrilling close in this fourth book. Dreams merge with reality and Glendower is closer than ever. To describe any more would be major spoilers for earlier books! (And if you've gotten this far, you're going to finish the series.)
Bonus Material!
If, like me, you want to escape back to Henrietta after finishing the Raven Cycle, these bonus stories will help bring the magic back. Most are available on Stiefvater's website, and Opal can be purchased on Amazon or Google Play as an ebook (worth the $1.09!).
300 Fox Way Holiday Piece by Maggie StiefvaterMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
A short (2 pages) scene set at 300 Fox Way before the events of the Raven Cycle occur. We meet Blue, who longs for a bit more for the holidays.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A similar short to 300 Fox Way - this time we see what Christmas is like at Monmouth Manufacturing, where Gansey, Ronan, and Noah are living. This short is also set pre-Raven Cycle.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Very much pre-Cycle - this slightly longer short story is set in Ronan's childhood. His older brother, Declan, isn't thrilled about Ronan's nighttime "secrets" (dreaming things into existence) and loses sleep each night trying to maintain order. When his body finally forces him to rest, Ronan creates a secret the entire Lynch family will have to keep.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This short story takes place after the events of the Raven Cycle series, and has been referred to as book 4.5. Readers delve deeper into Opal's thoughts as she carries on her life at the Lynch farm with Ronan, and sometimes Adam. Ronan and Adam's relationship is fleshed out, and more closure is given to the new Cabeswater.
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