REVIEW: Linger by: Maggie Stiefvater

  

Title: Linger

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Release Date: July 13, 2010

Synopsis:

The Longing

Once Grace and Sam have found each other, they know must fight to stay together. For Sam this means a reckoning with his werewolf past. For Grace, it means facing a future that is less and less certain.

The Loss

Into their world comes a new wolf named Cole, whose past is full of hurt and danger. He is wrestling with his own demons, embracing the life of a wolf while denying ties of being a human. 

The Linger

For Grace, Sam, and Cole, life a constant struggle between two forces--wolf and human--with love baring its two sides as well. It's a harrowing and euphoric, freeing and entrapping, enticing and alarming. As their world falls apart, love is what lingers. But will it be enough? 

    

Review:

Maggie Stiefvater has a unique way with words and a beautiful writing style. She is able to paint a picture with such vividness and clarity that the reader is immediately transported into the world she has created. 

Linger is told not only through Sam and Grace's POV but also through Isabel and Cole's POV. The story picks up almost right where Shiver left off. Olivia has become a wolf and Sam has been cured of the infection. Sam has had the immense responsibility of caring for the wolves thrust upon him. Grace still wonders what it would be like if she had shifted after being bitten and is still practically raising herself. 

Grace is still independent in her home life because of her absentee parents. Her and Sam have set up a sort of routine and have been living together in her parents home since they met unbeknownst to her parents. 

Sam is just as lyrical as ever writing his songs, although you don't get to see as many in Linger. Since he has been cured, everything has a new meaning to him and he is able to see ordinary things in a different light. 

Enter the newest wolves. Cole and Victor are the new wolves that Beck brought back from Canada. You really don't see much out of Victor, but get tons from Cole. Cole is what some people might call damaged goods. 

Isabel is still dealing with the true death of her brother Jack. She is almost as messed up as Cole is and also having to deal with a messed up home life, that comes close to as bad as Grace's. In Linger we get a chance to see real emotions from Isabel and she seems less like an ice princess. 

Linger starts off slow and towards the end it becomes fast paced, but never did I find it lagging.  It's packed full of sorrow and love, anger and hate, longing, growth, sadness and happiness. Linger is an emotion roller coaster of awesomeness, that will have you wanting more. I highly recommend giving Linger a chance and being transported into another world. 

(c) 2015 Andrea Hatfield All Rights Reserved

REVIEW: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: Shiver

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Publish Date: August 1, 2009

Synopsis:

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellowed-eyed wolf-her wolf- is a chilling pressence 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 yellowed-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 loosing himself, and Grace, forever.

Review:

I've seen a lot of mixed reviews for this book on Goodreads, and I get that everyone has their own opinion. In my own opinion, I thought that Shiver was a good read. There were some things that if I had been writing the book I might have done differently, but it was not my imagination that came up with this story. I've also seen a lot of people comparing it to Twilight and Stephenie Meyer, and can't help but wonder when they'll stop doing that. Okay, so the guy plays an instrument, how many other guys in the world play one etc etc, you catch my drift. Just because there is some sort of paranormal or supernatural aspect to it does not mean that the author tried to jump on the Twilight train. Like I said, I really thought that Shiver was good. 

Grace was attacked, when she was about 11 years old, by the wolf pack that lives in the woods running behind her house. A yellow-eyed wolf saved her from the attack and ever since then Grace has watched the woods to get a glimpse of the wolf, her wolf, that saved her life. 

Sam has set and watched Grace every winter since the day of the wolf attack. He's always been to scared to talk to her because of the fear that she would think he was a monster. I thought he came off as being sweet both in his wolf and human forms. 

Stiefvater was very descriptive with Shiver. She was able to transport me into another world. I was able to picture the scenes, characters, and emotions so vividly. She puts a slightly different spin on werewolves. There are tons of twist and turn, loop-de-loops, action and slow moments, emotions, and ups and down on this rollercoaster of a book, but it's worth it, and you'll want to read it again.

While this book wasn't perfect, I was highly entertained and became attached to the characters rather quickly. I would recommend this for anyone who is looking for a quick read involving werewolves, and I suggest giving it a try. I, however, do not recommend it for younger pre-teens because there is one sex scene that is ''implied'' and a lot of kissing, snuggling etc, you know romance stuff.  I do think that you should give Shiver a try. 

(c) 2015 Andrea Hatfield All Rights Reserved