Mini-Reviews: Shiver & Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

Summary/Cover Image from Author's Website:

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.

Review:

Shiver is yet another one of those books that I bought ages ago due to all the fabulous praise it had been getting as well as my love of Maggie's previous book Lament. However, not until recently did I pick it up and try it. I was blown away to say the least...and now I am beginning to feel bad about not reading this series sooner.

Werewolves are not my favorite topic in YA by far. I have never really seen the intrigue behind them, because to me they have always been furry, vicious beast so seriously what is there to love about them? However, Shiver changed this for me, as not only did I love seeing how the wolves’ world worked but how it tied into the plot in many fabulous and unique ways.

The characters in this were another great aspect. I instantly adored and rooted for Grace because not only do we share one common love (books), but she's also someone you can't help but like, as while she's shy and timid, she's also fierce and protective of her friends if it comes down to it. Sam, on the other hand, has faced his own problems in this past, and because of it, he still comes off as lost and distant, but that did not stop me from liking and rooting for him as well. His relationship with Grace was also another high point, and it was actually one romance in YA, that I actually found believable and realistic, even given the somewhat fast-paced nature of it. It just worked perfectly to say the least for some reason.

Last but not least, Maggie Stiefvater's writing ROCKED in this. She has such an amazing way of bringing out vivid pictures as well as intense feeling in her writing- it is almost poetic in a sense. To tell the truth I loved every single moment of it!

Romantic and beautifully written, Shiver is well worth a read for a variety of reasons. Don't pull a Lauren, and take forever to read it. Instead, pick it up now, as I am sure you will love it just as much as me, especially if you are in any way a romantic.

Grade: B+

Shiver is now available!

Source: Bought

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Summary/Cover Image from Author's Website:

In 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 Isabel, 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.

Review:

After reading Shiver, I dove into this one not even ten minutes later, because if I knew one thing it was that I wasn't going to wait another million years to read this one. Thankfully, Linger was even better than Shiver, as not only did it introduce some fabulous new main characters as well their own POVs but even more development into a series I'm starting to adore even more!

In Shiver, Sam and Grace's star-crossed romance was introduced, and in Linger, it continues with even more steam. As I said in my review for Shiver above, I really adore the relationship Sam and Grace have because it's surprisingly real, in my opinion. I can honestly see the connection between them as well as how much they adore and love each other- it's more than just lust to say the least.

In Linger, Isabel and Cole, a new werewolf, were introduced, and I have to say I'm starting to like their characters even more Sam and Grace's. I love how blunt and sarcastic Isabel is, and Cole, a former rock star, is even more so that way. Together they were simply hilarious with their witty banter, and with the obvious sexual tension between them, I'm now rooting for an Isabel and Cole relationship!

The writing in Linger was even more beautiful than the writing in Shiver amazingly enough, and when tied to together with all the twists and turns as well as that shocking ending, it provided quite the punch, in my opinion.

Fabulous, witty, and well written, Linger is yet another satisfying addition to the Wolves of Mercy Falls series!

Grade: B+ 

Linger is now out!

Source: Publicist- thanks Natalie!

To find out more about Maggie and her books, visit her website.