Bobbing for Books

Title: Shiver
Series: Wolves of Mercy Falls #1

Author: Maggie Stiefvater (blog) (twitter)

Genre: Supernatural, Romance, Young Adult

Publisher: Scholastic Press Publication date: August 1, 2009

Hardcover: 400 pages

Original Language: English (American)

Audiobook or physical book: Overdrive Audiobook (10:43:04)

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Amazon Description

Starred Review. Grade 9 Up—Grace, 17, loves the peace and tranquility of the woods behind her home. It is here during the cold winter months that she gets to see her wolf—the one with the yellow eyes. Grace is sure that he saved her from an attack by other wolves when she was nine. Over the ensuing years he has returned each season, watching her with those haunting eyes as if longing for something to happen. When a teen is killed by wolves, a hunting party decides to retaliate. Grace races through the woods and discovers a wounded boy shivering on her back porch. One look at his yellow eyes and she knows that this is her wolf in human form. Fate has finally brought Sam and Grace together, and as their love grows and intensifies, so does the reality of what awaits them. It is only a matter of time before the winter cold changes him back into a wolf, and this time he might stay that way forever. Told from alternating points of view, the narrative takes a classic Romeo & Juliet plot and transforms it into a paranormal romance that is beautiful and moving. Readers will easily identify with the strong, dynamic characters. The mythology surrounding the wolf pack is clever and so well written that it seems perfectly normal for the creatures to exist in today’s world. A must-have that will give Bella and Edward a run for their money.—Donna Rosenblum, Floral Park Memorial High School, NY

My summary/Description

When she was a little girl Grace was attacked by a pack of wolves in her backyard. One of the wolves, the one with the yellow eyes, stopped the attack saving her life. Since that day Grace has looked forward to the winter when she sometimes spots her wolf in her yard, staring at her house.

At the age of 17, events start to happen, a town boy is attacked and killed by the same pack of wolves. The townspeople are outraged and set out to kill the wolves. Grace is worried for the safety of her wolf, and she comes home to find him injured on her back porch. Something amazing happens, he turns into a teenage boy. The wolf, Sam, is actually a werewolf. In this version of the werewolf tale, wolves turn when they get cold.

Grace and Sam set out for a whirlwind romance, a love that started when he was a wolf, and she a girl. But the inevitable is coming, if they are not incredibly careful he may turn back into a wolf.

Overall

I think I had high expectations of this book, it was pretty much perpetually checked out on my library system’s audiodrive network. At the same time, I think I was getting a little sick of the Twilight fad. And I think both those ideas were unfair to the book. The love affair with Grace and Sam is tender, loving and beautiful. It isn’t as destructive as the Bella/Edward relationship. I wanted them to work out.

But I also found parts of the book to be slow. They lingered too much on the central relationship. It does speed up a little in the end and has some action sequences.

Overall, I will probably read the sequel Linger and may be willing to read this book again in the future, but its not an instant favorite.

As for teen rating, there is some sexual aspects between two loving teenagers.

Locations
Mercy Falls, Minnesota