Quote of the Day

"You're beautiful and sad," I said finally, not looking at him when I did. "Just like your eyes. You're like a song that I heard when I was a little kid but forgot I knew until I heard it again." For a long moment, there was only the whirring sound of the tires on the road, and then Sam said softly, "Thank you."

Shiver

Forever

Written by Maggie Stiefvater

Synopsis:
then.
When Grace met Sam, he was a wolf and she was a girl. Eventually he found a way to become a boy, and their love moved from a curious distance to the intense closeness of shared lives.
now.
That should have been the end of their story. But Grace was not meant to stay human. Now she is the wolf. And the wolves of Mercy Falls are about to be killed in one final, spectacular hunt.
forever.
Sam would do anything for Grace. But can one boy and one love really change a hostile, predatory world? The past, the present, and the future are about to collide in one pure moment -- a moment of death or life, farewell or forever.


My Confession: The first book in this series, Shiver, is one of my favorite YA books. The characters are so engaging, the mystical aspect so refreshing. Linger  introduced a new character, Cole, and developed a tenuous relationship between him and the other characters, namely Sam, Grace, and Isabel. And at the end of the second book, the careful peace established among the characters shattered when Grace turned into a wolf. This sends Cole into a crazed frenzy as he tries to discover a cure that will last. With Linger  ending with such a bang, I knew a lot had to be resolved in Forever. Would Grace be cured for good? Was Sam really cured? What was going to happen to their relationship? Would Isabel's father succeed in his mission to annihilate the wolves?

Well, we can answer one of those: [SPOILER ALERT!] The plot really revolved around the massive wolf hunt instigated by Tom Culpepper, Isabel's dad. It's a problem from the moment the book opens, and remains the driving force and only real sense of urgency throughout the story. Everything revolves around when this wolf hunt is supposed to take place, and I found myself becoming bored. I wanted more information about a cure (which, in the end, still isn't resolved). I wanted to see Isabel and Cole's relationship evolve more--all I ended up feeling with them was that no matter how attracted to each other they were, their "love" still couldn't hold a flame to what Sam and Grace shared. But I kept getting the feeling that Cole and Isabel were being underestimated because they were merely second-string players to a bigger love story. I think they had something special as well, and perhaps it was so magical because it was so subtle.

I love the relationship between Sam and Grace. It's unconditional without becoming annoying or creepy. At one point, they're both wolves together -- something they've both dreamed of -- and Cole realizes that they have the same connection as animals that they have as humans; it translates. I was so invested in them and their story. Which is why I was so upset that their story was left as open-ended as it was, with Grace still a wolf, Sam still a boy, and the cure still unknown. Even though a massive crisis was averted with the wolves, we were still left in the same problem Linger  left behind. Meningitis may or may not be the cure. Grace and Sam are still beholden to the weather. What happens when Grace's summers are numbered? I didn't like how there was no resolve. It's the last book in the series; there isn't another opportunity to wrap these frayed ends up. And I needed more closure than what Forever  left me with.

Recommendation: Stiefvater is a fantastic writer, and I've loved this series. If you've read the first two books, you have to read this. It's a good book--written well, great dialogue, great romance. I really enjoy how the story is told from four different perspectives (five, if you count Shelby's voice in the prologue) and how those narrations give the story extreme depth. This story is so great, which is perhaps why it can illicit such a strong emotion of disappointment from me. I understand that not all stories get their "happy ever after," but I would have liked to know if it was even within reach. There's open-ended, and then there's just open. Too open.

Rating: 3/5

386 pages, published by Scholastic Inc (July 12, 2011)

Shiver

Written by Maggie Stiefvater

Goodreads Synopsis: 

the cold.

Grace has spent years watching the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--watches back. He feels deeply familiar to her, but she doesn't know why.

the heat. 

Sam has lived two lives. As a wolf, he keeps the silent company of the girl he loves. And then, for a short time each year, he is human, never daring to talk to Grace...until now.

the shiver.

For Grace and Sam, love has always been kept at a distance. But once it's spoken, it cannot be denied. Sam must fight to stay human--and Grace must fight to keep him--even if it means taking on the scars of the past, the fragility of the present, and the impossibility of the future.

My Confession: I commend Stiefvater for creating a paranormal romance that somehow manages to keep both feet in the realm of normal. While the subject of werewolves has been broached and, at times, seriously overdone, there's something different and fresh about the love story between Sam and Grace. For one, their relationship seems extremely real. Perhaps it's the easy and fluent dialogue between the two, but I never second-guessed their sincere feelings for each other. And, given the history the two share before they even meet as humans, there is something special about how quickly they fall into a routine with each other. Take away the supernatural element, and the story loses its urgency. But, at the same time, Shiver does not feel reliant on the notion of creatures-you-never-believed-existed to carry the storyline.

Sam's Shiver: Sam's only a human during the warmest seasons--namely, the months between June and August. For some reason, as soon as it starts getting cold, he--wait for it--shivers, and turns back into a wolf until the warm weather returns. Naturally, that's going to put a kink in his relationship with Grace, especially since he senses that the summer he spends with her will be his last a human. 

The rules Stiefvater puts in place for Sam's transformation creates a sad and omnious tone for the novel's duration. There's a feeling of inevitability that these two lovers will be separated forever. And even though I love a good happy ending, I just didn't see how it could be pulled off without cheapening what came before. Seeing as this is the first book in a trilogy, there is obviously some resolve, but Stiefvater has stated a few times that she wrote these books to make people cry. 

In other words, brace yourselves. 

My Recommendation: As I anxiously await the arrival of Forever (click here to pre-order the final book in this trilogy, out July 12), I enjoy reading this story over. Linger, the second book, will be reviewed here as well in the future, and also packs a somber punch. The series could go either way--happy or sad. And even though there's a part of me that wishes I knew, the lack of predictability is what makes these books so special. Without a strong foundation in Shiver, this series would have nothing to build on. You'll get attached to the characters, but not because they're written in an overly-sympathetic or mushy way. 

It feels like Shiver accomplishes what Stephenie Meyer tried to do in the creation of Twilight's "heroine" Bella. Grace is her own person, but she feels like you, or your best friend. Sam is the boyfriend you always wanted, but when you get him, he both gets on your nerves and inspires spontaneous bursts of love. Wolves aside, this could be your life. Well, not really. But you get my drift.

Rating: 4.2/5

392 pages, published by Scholastic Press (Jan. 1, 2009)