Postcard For Reader

Liz's Corner: Shiver

Shiver
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Series: The Wolves Of Mercy Falls (#1)
Publisher: Scholastic
How Received: bought

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.

Warning: spoiler alert throughout the book.

I was very eager to read this book, because it had been recommended to me SO many times. Especially when I was just holding it in B&N and two random people point at it and tell me I'll love it.

Shiver has the best, in my opinion, reason for werewolf changes. They change because it's cold (Winter) and stay human when it's warm (Summer). Doesn't that just make perfect sense? Much better than the moon and dark nights.

So, I started this book with tons of good recommendations and high acclaims. It's beginning was great, and I was really looking forward to this.

However, it fell so far short of my expectations. Maybe it was all the hype put into it that made me not like it as much.

It was incredibly slow for a large period of time after Grace and Sam met. And then it turned way too romantic. I'm sorry, I still don't believe in sex at 17 and 18, and I don't think it flatters a story. Shiver went WAY down the point scale at that spot in the book.

I do know some girls, and guys, who are ridiculously mushy like that. I, personally, can't stand it but it's alright in a book for a little bit. Shiver went a bit overboard.

The plot, on the other hand, was good. I liked that whole part about the cure, but Stiefvater owes some major explaining. Why did Jack die from meningitis, and not Sam?! Maybe she does that in the next one, Linger -- I don't know.

All in all, it's not my favourite. I gave it 3 out of 5 stars simply because of the brilliant werewolf idea and the plot. Oh...and Sam's pretty cool.