Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Title: Shiver
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Release Date: August 1st, 2009
Publisher: Scholastic Inc
Pages: 390
Format: Hardcover
Acquired: Library
Interest: Series
Age Group: Young Adult
Rating: 5 Stars

Grace and Sam share a kinship so close they could be lovers or siblings. But they also share a problem. When the temperature slips towards freezing, Sam reverts to his wolf identity and must retreat into the woods to protect his pack. He worries that eventually his human side will fade away and he will be left howling alone at the lonely moon. A stirring supernatural teen romance.

I do not know why it took me so long to review this book. When I first picked it up I had no idea that I would fall in love with Grace and Sam so fast, and I had no idea that Maggie Stiefvater would write such a beautifully crafted story that brings to life characters that I can put down on my mental list of Awesome Characters.

To be honest, when I first started this book and discovered that it was about werewolves, I actually rolled my eyes. I was at the point in my reading life in which these supernatural beings were just being overused all over the place and nobody was doing anything new or different. And then...BAM! Stiefvater just took me by surprise, because her werewolves were different. They only changed in the winter time and during the summer time they are human. And a major plot twist is revealed at the climax at the book that left me speechless.

As for the characters of Grace and Sam, I just felt like they were so perfect for each other. It was like it was meant to be. Grace starts out the novel, showing off Stiefvater's beautifully crafted novel in words that can only be described as poetic. And then the novel switches to Sam's story, which is similarly as beautiful, but this time a haunting tune is found.

I felt like the other characters in the novel always kept surprising me, especially with her friend Olivia, because I never could imagine that would happen.

I wish this book had been longer, but I'm glad that Stiefvater made this into a trilogy. The story never went too fast but kept a good pace. And since I feel like this must be mentioned, the cover is awesome! If I ever get published as an author, I would love for the cover artist of this book to be the cover artist for my book. I like the UK version a lot better, I won't lie, but this cover is still awesome.

The Wolves of Mercy Falls has become one of my favorite trilogies that, if I had the time, I would honestly just read over and over again.