*Reread 4/21/16*

Wow. Just wow. I don't read a lot of YA but this fantastical journey so far has been amazing. It's more than a teen romance. It's more than a spooky adventure. It is equal parts a grand journey of discovery, a deep commentary on friendships, a dissection of the weight of responsibility and destiny. It is steeped in reality but also has mystical, magical, mythological elements. There is wistful whimsy, dashed with stark brutality and grief.

If you've gotten this far in the series, then you know that this quartet - Gansey, Ronan, Adam, and Blue are getting closer and closer to achieving their goal. What will be their fate? Will they succeed in awakening the long dead king Glendower and will they be granted a much coveted wish? Each has their own demons, desperate wishes, earnest yearnings.

No doubt the author has drawn me in, has made me savor every word. The nuanced observations, the quirky descriptions, the absolute unique way each individual shines through with their own voice. I can't aptly describe it, nor summarize it. Suffice it to say that reading this has been an experience and there are many questions left unanswered. Stiefvater has a huge burden to bring together all her loose threads, and I impatiently look forward to the finale - it can't come soon enough.

Audio edition very highly recommended