Blue Lily, Lily Blue

Tension escalates in Henrietta, Va. (as does the body count), in the third of four titles in Stiefvater’s Raven Cycle, following The Raven Boys and The Dream Thieves. Gansey’s elderly British mentor, Malory, is just one of the new arrivals in town (he’s certainly among the more benevolent) as Gansey, Blue, Adam, Ronan, and Noah continue to seek out the tomb of the ancient Welsh king Glendower. Adam and Blue are growing into their respective supernatural abilities, and while important discoveries are unearthed (literally) as the group’s search takes them into treacherous caves, the teenagers’ complicated relationships with their parents and family—whether living, dead, or mysteriously vanished—play a large role in pushing this story forward. As in the previous books, Stiefvater’s razor-sharp characterizations, drily witty dialogue, and knack for unexpected metaphors and turns of phrase make for sumptuous, thrilling reading. Curses, grisly secret plots, and romantic uncertainties leave Blue and company’s future feeling more fragile than ever. A brutal cliffhanger ensures that readers will snap up the final installment the second it’s available. Ages 14–up. [em]Agent: Laura Rennert, Andrea Brown Literary Agency. (Oct.) [/em]