Review: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #1)
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Format: Hardcover - Book #1 of a 3-book series
Source: Won from Goodreads (first reads)








 Synopsis from Goodreads:

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.

My Thoughts: 
Shiver is a beautiful love story between a girl and a werewolf who want desperately to be together and will stop at nothing to make that dream a reality. A love story, six years in the waiting. Grace falls in love with a yellow-eyed wolf, the one who saved her from being mauled by other wolves when she was younger. Sam is her knight in fur. Finally, six years after the incident, she gets to meet him face to face.

The main reason I wanted to read Shiver is because of all the online buzz the book was getting. Everyone was raving about it. The cover didn't scream at me but my interest peaked when I read the blurb. I entered at a chance to win it on Goodreads and what do you know, I was one of 25 lucky winners (out of more than 2,000 people who entered) to get a copy. I was very excited to read Shiver to see if it lived up to all the hype. And it did!

Shiver is told from two points of view: Grace and Sam, with alternating chapters. I have read a few books lately with alternating POV chapters and I really like the way it tells the story. Not only do you get both sides of the story, you get to know how each character is feeling and thinking. This style of writing brings me deeper into the story. Maggie does a wonderful job of joining the two POVs together seamlessly. Speaking of chapters, each chapter has a temperature reading, which effects the werewolves from shifting from human to wolf. I liked that little bit of insight.

There were not too many characters to follow which allowed me to stay more focused on Sam and Grace. You've got your main characters, Sam and Grace, and a few secondary characters: Jack, Isabel, Olivia, Rachel, Beck and Shelby.

I have to admit, although the cover didn't scream at me at first, I have grown to like it more and more each time I see it. It compliments the storyline well. It's a pretty simple cover with a few telltale signs of what's inside: The blood drip over the "i", the wolf hidden behind the tree branches (that I didn't catch at first glance) and the heart-shaped leaves. 

The ending was abrupt. Extremely so. It left me with a few unanswered questions but Maggie played it out well and suitable enough leaving me wanting more. Knowing that there is a sequel coming out next year made me feel somewhat better. I say *somewhat* because we have to patiently wait until July 20, 2010 for Linger.

I have since added Lament and Ballad to my TBR list. Maggie's unique style of writing captures the reader from page one. I was literally drawn into Shiver from the very first page. She will have you turning page after page wanting to devour the story and leave you wanting more when you've reached the last word on the last page. I cannot wait for Linger to come out!

The Book Vixen's Rating:

A Shiver movie is in the works; The film rights have been acquired by Unique Features. Linger, the sequel to Shiver, follows the story of Grace and the wolves of Mercy Falls. It's due to come out in Fall 2010 (July/August). The third book, and final installment, of The Wolves of Mercy Falls series is titled Forever. I cannot wait for Linger to come out! Here's the cover:

Maggie Stiefvater has released the first chapter of Linger, which I'm going to share with you. Possible *spoiler*. Read at your own risk.

Here's the first chapter:

*Grace*

This is the story of a boy who used to be a wolf and a girl who was becoming one.

Just a few months ago, it was Sam who was the mythical creature. His was the disease we couldn't cure. His was the good-bye that meant the most. He had the body that was a mystery, too strange and wonderful and terrifying to comprehend.

But now it is spring. With the heat, the remaining wolves will soon be falling out of their wolf pelts and back into their human bodies. Sam stays Sam, and Cole stays Cole, and it's only me who's not firmly in my own skin.

What Maggie Stiefvater said about Linger: "It's about after. What happens after you discover there are werewolves in the wood, after you've fallen in love for the first time, after you've lost what you think you can't live without, after you've become someone you can't live with." 

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