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Friday, March 12, 2010

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater 5 of 5 stars.

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.

I've wanted to read Maggie Stiefvater's books for a while. Shiver was the first I could get my hands on and I can't say it was a disappointment. Despite what might be viewed by some as a standard sounding synopsis that embodies today's Young Adult Paranormal genre this book is something entirely different. It is unique in a way that is touchy and heartbreaking. The writing is beautifully descriptive and I do wish I had seen a bit more of that. The characters are as real as if they were living and breathing people. The story's heroine, Grace, is not the typical of today's cowering girl that clings to her supernatural boyfriend, but a wonderfully strong and practical person who is willing to fight for what she wants. All of the characters from the main characters to the smaller ones are all an amazingly special part of the story. They all embody traits and personalities that instantly make you love or hate them. The story was full of surprises right up to the last page. And now I am dying to get my hands on the second book, Linger!

This is a truly amazing story that I would recommend for anyone.

For fans of: Maggie Stiefvater, Twilight
Click here to order Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater from Amazon.com

4 comments:

Amy Jane (Untangling Tales) said...

This looks cool! I've always got my radar up for a good animal/human transformation story.

Do you have other greats on the tip of your mind?

(Arya) Paige said...

It totally is! =)
I'm not sure if this is something you'd be interested in but I ADORE Seven Tears into the Sea by Terri Farley. Its a sort of selkie love story, completely awesome. =)

Amy Jane (Untangling Tales) said...

Thanks for the suggestion, it does look interesting.

Does it end well? I don't mind spoilers, but I can't bear tragic endings right now, and selkies seem tied to the star-crossed-lovers theme...

(Arya) Paige said...

Well, it depends on how you look at it. But I wouldn't read it for the first time in a dark mood lol It packs major punch.

 
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