My Book Shelf: A Lyrical Tale --- The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy

I don’t know how to review a book that took my breath away. Shiver left me with a feeling of complete satisfaction, joy spiced with sadness - as weird and paradoxical as that sounds. I’m so grateful to have read this book after all…

Description
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 left howling alone at the lonely moon.

Shiver is narrated by the alternating points of view of Sam and Grace, two unbelievably different people drawn together by the power of love and devotion. When Grace was little, she was attacked by a pack of wolves but miraculously survived due to a certain yellow-eyed wolf's protection. Now her growing fascination is fixated on the wolves of Mercy Falls.

Sam isn't a human for as long as he would like to be. When the temperature drops and winter arises, he painfully transforms into a wolf. However, it was he that saved Grace from the onslaught of the pack, he is her yellow-eyed wolf. They find each other in their human form and blissfully fall in love. Unfortunately, fate seems to have other plans; and the now inseparable duo find themselves fighting a dreadful opposition in order to remain together.

Stiefvater writes so beautifully, it hurts. The way she manages to weave together the simplest of words into an awe-inspiring sentence or paragraph is just... painful (in a good way, of course). I was completely addicted by the end of Shiver. Also, Stiefvater writes teen dialogue better than most YA authors - it flows so naturally, and sometimes I could imagine my friends and I having the same discussion as her characters, or using the same words they used.

The plot and characters were great too. The story might have dragged a little bit in the beginning, but by the middle of the book all the werewolf phenomenon and Grace and Sam's relationship had me hooked. I'm not a werewolf fan, but Stiefvater made the concept original and intriguing. The characters were well-developed and really had me caring about what happened to them.

The sequel :

Description :
In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

Linger is the sequel to Shiver, and continues the bittersweet story of Sam and Grace, two lovers who fight for the right to be together. Sam stays sorrowful in the absence of Grace and desperately tries to avoid his past. Grace grows weak and frightful, while her hopes of a future with Sam dissipate and decrease. And there is a new addition to the werewolf pack: Cole, a former rock star who would go to any length to escape his body, his pain. These three separate individuals were brought together by the shifting seasons and ties to the wolves of Mercy Falls… but will the forces that led them to each other also tear them apart?

I could not bear to put this book down. I could not bear the agony of not knowing what happened to these magnificently drawn characters.

Instead of receiving narration from just Sam and Grace, Isabel and newcomer Cole also get to share their side of the story. Although it seems like having four paradigms instead of a single pair may detract from the story, the addition of Isabel and Cole only enhanced the depth of these characters. Grace and Sam’s chemistry was touching as always, but there was something about the relationship between Isabel and Cole that might have ignited an even larger fire in my heart. And Isabel, as well as Cole, was perfectly fleshed out. Isabel’s guilt for losing her brother, and Cole’s need for release from a painful past, tore me up inside.

Once again, Stiefvater has written a lyrical tale about love and loss, and fate and destiny.

You need to read this book.

The last book in the trilogy ---

The book cover is GORGEOUS !!! It will be published next year, and i can't wait *scream*

Description :
The thrilling conclusion to #1 bestselling Shiver trilogy from Maggie Stievater
In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. In Linger, they fought to be together. Now, in Forever, the stakes are even higher than before. Wolves are being hunted. Lives are being threatened. And love is harder and harder to hold on to as death comes closing in.

Extra : The author of this trilogy is extremely artistic. She made all the book trailers for her books by herself. The music is also composed by her.