The Dream Thieves

"I actually think I enjoyed this one more than the first. The concept was really interesting and I enjoyed Ronan being more of the main character. I have Blue Lily, Lily Blue coming in the mail tomorrow and I feel like I need it NOW."

"3.5 stars! The first half of the book felt super dragged out for no reason but the second half was so good!"

"The only thing I can say is Oof"

"Not Ronan looking like the kid from On My Block 🥲"

"I probably shouldn’t sleep until I’m done with this series."

"<b>4.5 stars</b><br/><br/>what a rollercoaster! i know kavinsky sucks, but hell! i can't help it, i like him.<br/><br/><b>ronan</b>, though, he was the real <i>highlight</i> of this book. i'm excited to see more of him and adam in the next books.<br/><br/>gray man grew on me a little bit throughout this book... but that <b>ending</b>? i'm going to need to start the third book immediately!<br/><br/>overall, this was a very good read, despite taking me so long to finish."

"2021: still great"

"The story was really great but the language was really awful."

"Might be my fave book in the series, though The Raven King is a high contender. This book is really gay and was very important to baby me who wasn't out yet "

"<a href="https://laughinglistener.blogspot.com/the-dream-thieves/"><br/>The Laughing Listener</a><br/><b>Format:</b> Audiobook<br/><b>Narrator:</b> Will Patton *Applauds*<br/><b>Length:</b> 12 hours & 46 minutes<br/><br/><b>Story Rating:</b> 5 Stars<br/><b>Performance Rating:</b> 5 Stars<br/><b>Overall Rating:</b> 5 Stars<br/><br/>*Series spoilers ahead my friends*<br/><br/>This was my second foray into the Raven Cycle series and I'll admit, I was a tad apprehensive when I started. Instinctively, without really reading anything about it, I knew things were going to start getting crazy for our Raven Boys and I was not wrong. It's reassuring to know my instincts are still very much in tact. In the first novel, we get a taste of the magic they're dealing with and in this one it's GAME ON. About 60% of the novel feels like you're on a bad high from one of Kavinsky's pills, but somehow it TOTALLY WORKS. Even with all the freaky magical dream **** going on, this book leaves you frothing at the mouth for more.<br/><br/><img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/l1KueQWdcD1jlEUYE/giphy.gif" width="400" height="300" alt="I NEEEEED IT"><br/><br/><b>THE GOOD</b><br/><br/>Okay. Listen. Hold the phone. We need to talk about how awesome Will Patton is. In my review of the first novel <i>The Raven Boys</i>, I touched on his stellar performance, but it needs to be said again. He has the BEST southern accent—the kind that makes you buttery—and it perfectly fits this series like a missing puzzle piece. The different voices Patton uses for each character has such a grand individuality, that it has greatly shaped the way I "see" each one. When that creeper Kavisnky first rolled up, I just about died at Will Patton's old-timey gangster sounding voice. Freaking perfect.<br/><br/>This time around I really enjoyed the subtlety of Blue and Gangsey's building relationship. During the first book I was worried their forbidden romance would turn into the main story line and overshadow everything else. That's not why I liked the first book, and after novels like <i>Shiver</i> and <i>Twilight</i> (sorry guys, I'm jut not a fan), I didn't want to see this series ruined. My worries were all for naught though. Steifvater does an amazing job using small actions or phrases to create an undercurrent of romantic tension that I love. I can't wait to see it play out over the next two books.<br/><br/>And I've saved the best for last. RONAN YOU GUYS. RONAN. He's just the best and I HAVE A LOT OF FEELINGS.<br/><br/><img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/103fSL2bvfdOjS/giphy.gif" width="400" height="256" alt="THE FEELS"><br/><br/>To me, the "bad boy" characters always feel hollow. They're too much like a stereotype and not comparable to any real person, but Ronan is a take on the classic "bad boy" that completely feels genuine. I hate even mentioning that stereotype because I don't want his character to get pigeon-holed. He's a loving person with a big heart that's been hurt, and he's ****** as hell, and I totally get it. Maybe this is just me personally, or maybe it's just where I'm at in my life right now, but Ronan is one of the most relatable characters I've read in a really long time. I'm so happy he was the central character in this book and I CANNOT WAIT to keep going.<br/><br/>These are people that I feel like I <i>know</i>. It feels like I went to high school with them, or that we're neighbors in the same town and that's the quality really tying me to this series. I'm completely invested in what happens to the raven gang and I'm a little sad I didn't find this series sooner. Despite all the fantastical monsters and magic, Stiefvater has written a unique coming-of-age tale that everyone can identify with.<br/><br/><b>THE UGLY</b><br/><br/>This isn't really a negative comment about the book, but more of a personal observation.<br/><br/>I had a hard time with Adam in this novel. Most of the time I felt bad for him in a wow-that-sucks kind of way, but I had a hard time wrapping my head around his motivations and actions. Obviously Adam was acting different because of his sacrifice to Cabeswater, but it almost felt too out of character to me. It made me sad, because I really loved Adam the way he was and I hated seeing him so out of it. But now that he has a better handle on what's happening to him, I'm hopeful it will get better for the poor guy. *crosses fingers*<br/><br/><b>FINAL WORD</b><br/><br/>This book is better than the first one. There, I said it. More action, more drama, more crazy magic, and MORE RONAN! If you even remotely enjoyed the first novel, do yourself a favor and give this one a go."