Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

Linger by Maggie Stiefvater 5 of 5 stars.

the longing.

Once Grace and Sam have found each other, they know they 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 the ties of being human.

the linger.

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

Grace clings to her humanity while the wolf inside her grows rapidly, enticing her to let go of everything and enjoy the release being a wolf can bring. Sam tries to learn how to believe in the cure that is keeping him human and with the girl he loves, while stepping into the shoes of his father figure taking care of the wolves who will be turning into humans soon. Cole avoids coping with his past preferring the emptiness and impulsiveness of being a wold, but as he comes to realize what humanity and animalism really are, the monster in the mirror comes into view.

Linger like Shiver is about humanity, love, loss, and history. The characters all must deal with equally horrible pasts as they try their best to come to terms with who they are. It is a bittersweet story that defies the lines of most modern supernatural novels. It does not glorify paranormal creatures, but rather taps into human and animal psychs in a way that shows off the cruelty of "reality".

It goes without saying the Maggie Stiefvater's character are "likeable" or "realistic", they literally jump out of the page and slap you in the face. Stiefvater isn't afraid to shine a spotlight on the cruelty and hardship in life, and her characters reflect that. My favorite character in The Wolves of Mercy Falls series are most certainly Isabel. Isabel's strength and attitude make me want to cheer for her.

Overall, I think anyone would love Linger. The writing is lush and vivid while the story is full of everything a story needs. No sugar-coating but no hopelessness either. Its beautiful, romantic, and will break your heart into a million pieces. I can honestly raise my hand and say that YES, I DID CRY while reading this. I bawled actually, and to be honest, it takes a lot in a book to do that anymore. Don't read this without a box of Kleenex nearby!

For fans of: Maggie Stiefvater

To order Linger by Maggie Stiefvater from Amazon.com, please click here.

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Nightshade by Andrea Cremer

Nightshade by Andrea Cremer 5 of 5 stars.

To be released October 19 by Philomel.

Calla Tor has always known her destiny: After graduating from the Mountain School, she'll be the mate of sexy alpha wolf Ren Laroche and fight with him, side by side, ruling their pack and guarding sacred sites for the Keepers. But when she violates her masters laws by saving a beautiful human boy out for a hike, Calla begins to question her fate, her existence, and the very essence of the world she has known. By following her heart she might lose everything--including her own life. Is forbidden love worth the ultimate sacrifice? (Synopsis from book)

Nightshade for Calla is a steamy world, full of conflicting desires and difficult choices. Where succubi, incubi, and wraiths roam, powerful sorcerers control a tight band of werewolf warriors known as the Guardians. The greedy and often times lecherous Keepers have power over every aspect in the Guardians life, in return they offer them every luxury imaginable. But as the Keepers continue to spoon-feed their own propaganda to the Guardians, another battle is brewing deep below the surface.

When a strange young man arrives in town bearing a cross tattoo, Calla's world falls to pieces. Despite being promised to the sexy alpha wolf Renier, she can't deny the pull she feels toward Shay. As her world and his tangle together she learns shocking secrets about her past and future, all of it seeming to surround this alluring boy. But can her feelings for Shay outweigh her instincts to protect her pack?

Andrea Cremer has redefined werewolves in young adult literature. Her mythology and history of this world is beautiful, mesmerizing, and complete. Nothing is impossible in Nightshade, from werewolves to a mammoth brown recluse. She has created a story worth reading again and again.

The thing I like most about this story is its unpredictability. Just when I think I have Calla and the other characters figured out, they throw me for a loop adding twists and turns to an already complex story. Calla's feeling and personality change drastically from the beginning of the story to the end, but she still doesn't seem to have completely figured herself out.

Another very dynamic character is alpha wolf Renier. In the beginning of the story he seems like a shallow playboy, but after a while you see other sides of him; his love for Calla, his need to be a different kind of leader than his father, and his deep-seated grief for his mother. I certainly felt for him throughout the story.

Andrea Cremer's prose pulled it all together nicely, giving Calla personality while still being almost objective even from a first person POV. I was able to see the feeling and struggles of the other characters clearly without them being completely transparent. My biggest problem with the story is the cliff-hanger ending that is sure to leave me on the edge of my seat until the sequel.

Overall, I have to say that Nightshade by Andrea Cremer is definitely on my top-ten list of werewolf stories. Lust, danger, and rebellion are all common themes for coming of age tales, but somehow they have set this particular story apart from the rest of the pack creating something truly special.

To pre-order Nightshad by Andrea Cremer on Amazon.com please click here.

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This blog is an Amazon Associates Affiliate when you buy an item from Amazon.com after following one of our links to the site, we gain a small commission. However, this does NOT effect our opinion of the books. Thank you.
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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

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