Starred Review They're back: privileged Gansey, lonesome Adam, dangerous Ronan, and spectral Noah e Raven Boys of Stiefvater's eponymous Raven Boys cycle. Volume 3 finds them still searching for sleeping Welsh king Owen Glendower, though they learn now that there is not one sleeper but three: one to waken, one not to waken, and one in the middle. Joining them again in their search is beautiful Blue, the only one in her family who is not a psychic. Blue's mother, Maura, has vanished underground, and the five teens go spelunking in search now of both her and the king. But they're not the only ones searching for something: the truly evil Colin Greenmantle and his awful wife, Piper, are looking for the Greywaren, an object that allows the dreamer to remove objects from his dream. Unknown to them t not the reader that Ronan is the Greywaren and that both he and Adam have inextricably close ties to the magical forest Cabeswater, to which they turn for help. Like the first two volumes, Stiefvater's third is a marvel of imagination and invention. Beautifully written, too, it is rich in simile and metaphor: an autumnal town is "a paint box of colors," "the dread was like blood." As for the characters, they are t to put too fine a point on it die for. And the tone, at once mysterious and foreboding, is a perfect match for the material. Blue Lily, Lily Blue is, simply, a triumph. High-Demand Backstory: The previous volumes in the series had extended stays on the New York Times best-seller list, and the huge and growing fan base will likely push this latest title in the same direction.

Gr 9 Up-Having inhaled the first two installments in this thrilling series about four Virginia schoolboys on a quest to find a legendary Welsh king, teens will be anxious to see where Stiefvater next leads Gansey, Adam, Ronan, and Noah. The volume picks up directly after The Dream Thieves (Scholastic, 2013) and the quest takes some bizarre and dangerous twists. Blue Sargent and the psychically talented women of 300 Fox Way take center stage this time. Blue's mother Maura has disappeared, and it's not immediately clear if she wants to be found. Despite the fact that "time and space were bathtubs that Maura splashed in," Blue and Mr. Gray, Maura's ex-hitman boyfriend, begin to think she's underground and in trouble. Informed by several mystical and live sources that there are three ancient sleepers in the nearby mountain caves, one of which is not to be awakened, the young people are hurled toward a subterranean encounter of the weirdest kind. Throughout, the prose is crisp and dazzling and the dialogue positively crackles. The supernatural elementsmagic, a mirrored lake, an evil curse, the appearance of Owen Glendower's 600-year-old daughterare completely organic and suspension of disbelief is effortless due to the nuanced and affecting characterization. Blue and the Raven Boys come into their own over the course of the novel and realize their individual strengths and the power of their collective bonds, making them unstoppable. It's a good thing, because it seems as though all hell is about to break loose in the final volume. Luann Toth , School Library Journal

In the third book following The Dream Thieves, Blue tries to handle the disappearance of her mother and her immense attraction to Gansey while he begins withdrawing as the world appears ever more fearsome. The core characters remain believably and poignantly flawed in this supernatural series that continues to be unique, artful, and endlessly surprising.

This third entry of The Raven Cycle (The Raven Boys [Scholastic, 2012] and The Dream Thieves [Scholastic, 2013/VOYA October 2013]) begins three months after Maura, Blue's mother, disappears. Now autumn (each book covers a season), Maura's continued absence causes the Raven BoysGansey, Ronan and Adamto search for her while continuing their search for the tomb of Glendower, an ancient Welsh king and real-life head of the royal Tudor line. This camaraderie signifies Blue's acceptance into the boys' tightly knit group, and she relishes finally having true friends and a sense of belonging. Other plot leaps are Blue and Gansey's romance progression, and Colin Greenmantle, the menacing villain who threatens them all, appearing as the boys' Latin teacher. The group discovers a cave, presumably with Glendower's coffin inside, guarded by a peculiar mountain man, but when the cave opens, it instead awakens Glendower's daughter, who has surprises for each character. More formidable events are ahead, as all have anticipated their gains from finding Glendower but have not considered possible losses.This atmospheric fantasy is far more character driven than the former book, with increased and especially satisfying interactions among players. Moreover, all possess such droll humor that even antagonists are startlingly likable. The book's luminous and lively prose takes unanticipated paths, some new and surprising, with others connecting to previous events, demonstrating meticulous plot design. This could be read independently, but its dense sophistication seems better served by series familiarity. As anticipated, the ending's final shocking twist should keep fans hanging until 2015's final entry.Lisa A. Hazlett.