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Shiver

Book 1 in the series:The Wolves of Mercy Falls

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Grace, a girl with a deep connection to the wolves in the woods behind her house, meets Sam, a boy who transforms into a werewolf during cold weather. As they navigate the complexities of Sam's transformations and their growing love, they also find themselves caught in a web of mysteries and dangers involving other werewolves in their town. The book beautifully portrays their intense romance, the challenges they face, and the unique werewolf system created by the author, all set against a backdrop of suspense and action.

Characters:

The characters are well-rounded, with Grace and Sam at the forefront as complex individuals whose love story drives the narrative.

Writing/Prose:

Stiefvater's writing is characterized by beautiful, lyrical prose that effectively portrays the emotional landscape of the characters.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot centers on Grace and her relationship with Sam, a werewolf, as they navigate the complexities of their love and the challenges posed by nature.

Setting:

Mercy Falls, Minnesota, with its snowy landscapes and forests, sets the atmospheric tone pivotal to the story.

Pacing:

The pacing combines slower character-driven moments with moments of high tension as events unfold.
I remember lying in the snow, a small red spot of warm going cold, surrounded by wolves. They were licking me, biting me, worrying at my body, pressing in. Their huddled bodies blocked what little hea...

Notes:

The protagonist, Grace, experiences a deep connection with a wolf, later revealed to be the werewolf Sam, who has been watching over her since childhood.
The werewolves in this story transform based on the temperature, becoming wolves in the cold and humans in the warmer months, rather than due to the full moon.
The narrative alternates between the perspectives of Grace and Sam, giving insights into their thoughts and feelings, which enhances character development.
Sam is portrayed as a sensitive character who writes poetry and songs, contrasting with the typical brooding vampire or werewolf archetype.
Grace's absentee parents play a significant role in her character, allowing her to develop independence and a unique bond with Sam.
Isabel, a secondary character, adds a layer of complexity and humor to the story, evolving from a seemingly spoiled character to one with depth and loyalty.
The story explores themes of love, sacrifice, and the struggle for identity, particularly as Sam balances his human and wolf sides.
The ending leaves readers with a cliffhanger, leading to the sequel 'Linger,' hinting at further developments in Grace and Sam's relationship and the challenges they face.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of violence, animal attacks, and the implication of possible parental neglect.

Has Romance?

The romance between Grace and Sam is central to the plot and highly developed.

From The Publisher:

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf - her wolf - is a haunting 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 and the temperature drops, Sam must fight to stay human - or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

Ratings (78)

Incredible (7)
Loved It (25)
Liked It (19)
It Was OK (14)
Did Not Like (8)
Hated It (5)

Reader Stats (145):

Read It (86)
Want To Read (41)
Did Not Finish (4)
Not Interested (14)

6 comment(s)

It Was OK
2 weeks

3½★ / 5.0

I listened to the audiobook and something about the guy who read Sam's character kinda rubbed me the wrong way. Enough to where I almost stopped listening and thought I'd have to search for the book at the library to read instead. But, he grew on me or maybe I was just able to tolerate it enough to finish. Anyway ...

The story reminded me of "Twilight", albeit a werewolf version. Definitely a young adult novel, but a nice love story. Grace was dragged off by wolves when she was eleven years old. One wolf, one with yellow eyes, saves her. For the next six years she watches "her" wolf in her backyard each winter and notices he's not around during the warmer months. A school boy gets mauled by wolves, goes missing from the morgue and the town wants to hunt them. She can't let that happen, she can't lose her wolf.

Sam has been watching Grace too. He's watched her as wolf and boy.

I did like the alternating view points and the temperature readings with each chapter, they set the tone for each.

All-in-all it was a sweet YA romance.

 
Incredible
1 month

It's a shame that this book came out after Twilight, because it's going to draw inevitable comparisons. Bookish teen girl falls in love with intense supernatural being who spends time watching her and saving her butt. Blah blah blah. I can already see teenybopper girls furiously typing "Where's Edward?" "What?!? No Edward?" "She likes a werewolf...ew, gross!"

I actually think this book was written before Twilight, so certainly no copycat. It is certainly more powerfully written. I liked the author's lyrical writing style and how she jumped back and forth between the two characters.

I'm also very interested in what comes next in the sequel. The ending was a little abrupt. All the better to pave the way to book 2!

 
It Was OK
2 months

3.5 stars

 
Liked It
3 months

Fun little paranormal romance YA. Quick & enjoyable read. A lot better than Twilight.

 
Hated It
7 months

I bought this purely for the cover and briefly debated continue reading just to be able to buy the sequels which both have equally beautiful covers. If only the story inside was somewhat decent. The characters fail to have any depth and the plot line just seems ridiculous. I understand it's paranormal but an author should be able to make you feel like you're part of the world - even if it is a ridiculous idea when you say it out loud. This book failed to immerse me and just left me with a bitter taste.

 
It Was OK
8 months

It was a little crazy...

 
 
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