Review of "Forever"

Forever 

by Maggie Stiefvater

My Rating:

Pub. Date: July 12, 2011

Pages: 400

Publisher: Scholastic, Inc

Source: Purchased

Edition: Hardcover

Synopsis: In Maggie Stiefvater's SHIVER, Grace and Sam found each other. In LINGER, they fought to be together. Now, in FOREVER, the stakes are even higher than before. Wolves are being hunted. Lives are being threatened. And love is harder and harder to hold on to as death comes closing in.

"Forever" is a great ending to a wonderful series.  I loved the first two books in the "Wolves of Mercy Falls" series and "Forever" left me content even if I was a bit sad.  I liked the new spin on werewolves and the romance between Grace and Sam in the series.  I have to say I was disappointed in the lack of Sam and Grace interaction at the beginning of the book.  I know this was to be expected, but it just went too long without it.  Their connection as wolves almost makes up for the lack of connection between them at the beginning of the book.

The beginning of the book went very slowly for me.  Even though there were things happening, I was kind of wondering when the book would really start.  Luckily, once "Forever" got started it held me until the end.

I did like learning more about Cole.  It was nice to see a different side of him.  He seemed like a bizarre addition to the wolves, but I understood why Beck chose him by the end of "Forever".  He is also a great comic relief in the book and is pretty crush worthy.  He lightens up the mood when Sam starts brooding too much.  I also LOVED seeing him interact with Isabel.

If drool worthy male characters, romance, and werewolves aren't enough to keep your interest then there is also the plan to wipe out the entire pack.  Isabel's father has finally had enough and he is taking out all the stops to destroy these wolves.

"Forever" is a good book, but it has its faults.  Maggie's writing is beautiful as ever and I enjoyed the new text color.  I just really wanted to see more of a connection between Grace and Sam.  I was completely satisfied with the ending and was a bit sad that the series was over.  If highly recommend reading the author's notes at the end of the book!

Review of "Linger" by Maggie Stiefvater

"Linger"
by Maggie Stiefvater


5

Pub. Date: July 17th 2010
Pages: 246

Synopsis:
In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

At turns harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love - the light and the dark, the warm and the cold - in a way you will never forget.

I loved "Shiver" and I was excited when "Linger" came out, the second book in the “Wolves of Mercy Falls” series did not disappoint me. Grace and Sam's love continues to grow as they break rules to be together. Grace's parents come out of hiding and decide to enforce rules of their household that they were happy to let slide in the past. This was an interesting change from the first book that causes lots of conflict. The introduction of a new wolf, Cole, also brings new tension to the story. Cole's past is sorted, but he will not be able to disappear like the others. He will be missed and people will come looking for him.

I have to say that my favorite part of the book was the end. I don't want to give anything away, but Grace has been keeping a secret from Sam. Part of me is surprised that she would keep such a big secret from the man she loves, but I felt like Stiefvater was able to make it realistic because of all the other problems going on at the same time. Sam was too distracted to notice what was going on with Grace and she was doing her best to hide it. Even though some people may not like the way the book ended, I think it was perfect. It gave the series more room to grow and brought more questions about the lives of the wolves. I am surprised there is only one book left in the series, but I can't wait to see how it all comes together.

"Linger" brings a new depth to the series allowing for new twists. Before I was never too worried about the werewolves being discovered by outsiders, but I can see this being a major problem in the series. Beck's latest wolf decisions don't seem to be the best for the pack, so it will be interesting to see where things go in future books. I wonder if Beck will come back, or if he is in wolf form for good. I like where Stiefvater is taking the series and I can't wait for the final book, "Forever".

"Shiver" Warms My Heart

"Shiver" by
Maggie Stiefvater


5

Synopsis: For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again. Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

I truly love this book! It has romance, mystery, and a new spin on werewolves. Add beautiful writing to the mix and you have a fantastic read! I could not put this book down and on multiple occasions I ended up working out for over 45 minutes without even realizing it. I even thought the setting of the book was wonderful. I could just imagine being in a small town surrounded by woods and little else. A place with cozy bookshops and candy stores... although I have to admit I really don't like the cold, but it was the perfect setting for this book. I honestly would have given this book a five, but I enjoy books that make my brain explore new ideas that they haven't before. Not that the new spin on werewolves wasn't great, but I just left the book content and found it easy to move on to another book.

If you want to hear Stiefvater read the first two chapters of the book just click here. Her website also has a link to an excerpt from the book, her bio, lists of her other works, and more. I posted one of the trailers she has posted on her website, it is courtesy of Expanded Books.