Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

Summary/Cover Image from Author's Website:

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.

Review:

After reading Shiver and Linger in less than two days, I started Forever right away, dying to know what would occur next. Would Sam and Grace find a way to be together? Would Cole find the cure? Would Isabel and Cole ever get together as well? There were a myriad of questions in my head. Thankfully, Forever answered the majority of them and provided yet another addition of the Wolves of Mercy Fall series I adored.

It's been a couple of months since Grace turned into a wolf, leaving Sam, Isabel, and everyone else behind until the summer. In the meanwhile, Sam has been picking up the pieces Grace left behind, and counting the days until his summer girl becomes his once again. Cole, on the other hand, has been working on the wolf cure, hoping this time he will get it right finally. Then the day comes...Grace becomes a human for the warm season once again. However, there's danger in the air, as Isabel's father has declared all the wolves will be dead in a couple of weeks. Knowing they can't let the wolves lose their lives, Grace, Isabel, Sam, and Cole team up to save the day, but will their plan work? More importantly, will they be able to find a cure before it's too late? Only time and more pages can tell in this fast paced conclusion!

Just like in the two previous additions, one of my favorite aspects of Forever was the characters. All four main characters grew and developed more than ever. Sam begins to overcome his fears, and becomes stronger because of it. Grace is dealing with her new wolf half with new feelings towards it, ones she didn't think she would have- I enjoyed seeing how this played into her character. Isabel begins to become a little less ice queen-ish, and once again, that wit and sarcasm is out for all to see. More development is given into Cole's past, and he begins to become just a little more human.

More importantly, the relationships and friendships they have formed do much of the same- grow and thrive. I loved seeing more into Grace and Sam's relationship, even if there was some sulking involved. Cole and Isabel also begin to move in the right direction, and I loved that- it probably was one of my favorite parts of the book!

The plot in this was also fantastic, especially the last hundred and so pages. For the majority of the book, I had no clue how everything was going to end, and I liked that a lot. Maggie's writing was yet again beautiful and stunning- once again painting a vivid picture. This book even made me cry a little in some places, especially towards the end- I still get a little sad thinking about it!

The ending...there's been some debate it whether or not it was too open-ended, just the right amount, or some cases a little too tied up. I'm somewhere between just the right amount and too open-ended. I liked that Maggie left some questions up in the air with just the right amount of hope and I can see why she did it, but in some ways, I wish some clearer answers were provided.

Regardless, Forever is yet another amazing addition to the Wolves of Mercy Falls series. I'm going to miss Isabel, Cole, Sam, and Grace, but I'm still holding out for a continuation someday. Until then I'm eagerly awaiting Maggie's future books, starting with the already buzzed about Scorpio Races. 

Grade: A- 

Forever is now out!

Source: Publisher/Publicity Firm- thanks Chelsy at Big Honcho Media/Scholastic!