R-r-read

1. The characters. The characters in this book are so REAL it is amazing. Their reactions, their interactions, the way they talk--all of it comes together to make each and every person in the story amazingly flawed and believable.
2. The settings. Maggie's settings are described perfectly. I think part of the reason why her stories are always so addictive comes from the fact that you feel like you're really there. She doesn't just tell you colors or time of day; you get smells, tastes, temperatures, sounds. Maggie engages all five senses everywhere her characters go so you're constantly living right there in the moment with them.
3. The surprises. It isn't very often you read a YA book that really and truly surprises you, but this one definitely did. The twists and turns are artfully foreshadowed so once they are revealed, you notice the breadcrumbs immediately, but at the time they are dropped within the story they seem like minor, unimportant details.
4. The Camaro love. I just loved the Camaro within the story. Knowing Maggie's love for her own Camaro from following her blog, I felt like this was a really cute way for her to embed a piece of her own life.

5/5 - I tend to love pretty much everything Maggie writes, and The Raven Boys was no exception. The beautifully flawed characters, the engrossing settings, and the artfully crafted twists and turns all come together to make a highly addictive read. I would recommend this book to anyone, and I cannot wait to see what happens in the next installment.