Ashley's Review: Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #1) by Maggie Stiefvater

Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #1) by Maggie Stiefvater

Publication Date: June 1st 2010

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance

Pages: 392

Format: Paperback

Source: Bought (used book store)

Read: June 5-16, 2014

Goodreads

 

 

~Summary~

 

the cold.
Grace has spent years watching the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—watches back. He feels deeply familiar to her, but she doesn't know why.

the heat.
Sam has lived two lives. As a wolf, he keeps the silent company of the girl he loves. And then, for a short time each year, he is human, never daring to talk to Grace...until now.

the shiver.
For Grace and Sam, love has always been kept at a distance. But once it's spoken, it cannot be denied. Sam must fight to stay human—and Grace must fight to keep him—even if it means taking on the scars of the past, the fragility of the present, and the impossibility of the future.

 

 

~My Thoughts~

 

I understand why this has so many mix reviews. I too am not 100% satisfied but I'm not 100% disappointed either. I can see why people love and praise this, giving it so much hype. But then I can also see why people don't like it.

 

The sentences are colorfully written making it a beautiful read. But as that style flows throughout the book it kind of made it drag a bit and had me sometimes going back and rereading the paragraphs. It could also make it a bit boring, sometimes I just wished it was written a bit more simple that way I could flow through it easier, let my mind be able to fully let go and get lost in it without having to think. Reading is a way for me to relax, especially after a long day.

 

Shiver did hook me and I was able to get into it, I just didn't want to stop reading! I think having low expectations helped, a lot. The first time I read it, I just couldn't finish it but for some reason I just had to read it again, give it another shot. I'm glad I did because I did enjoy it and now I'm reading Linger, the sequel. Though at the end I don't see why it needed a sequel, I think I would have been more satisfied if the author left this book as a standalone. For once can a paranormal romance be a standalone? Why does everything need to be in a series, especially something that ended like it wasn't going to be a part of one?

 

The plot was interesting, Grace finding out her dream boy is the wolf that saved her. And then them trying to find a cure for his curse before he gets lost in the winter, with one subplot that was small and obvious. But this didn't feel like a strong plot so I understand why people might get bored from it. Plus the little things like, how can Grace love him when she doesn't know him? How could she fall in love with him when he was a wolf? It's a little weird, huh. But nonetheless I enjoyed it, even though I didn't completely understand Grace.

 

And Grace, I didn't really feel like she was a strong character. Just the usual, with parents that are there but not there, you know? The typical Young Adult formula. Though it was cool reading from both Grace's and Sam's point of view, that surely liven things up. I think Grace's character was stronger when she was with Sam.  

 

Overall I'm not 100% satisfied but I can see why it got so much hype. Maybe if I read it when it first came out then I might have loved it more because it was around that time when Twilight was big (not trying to hate but you can tell Twilight fans will love it and it was during that era). Though something struck a cord with me and has me wanting to read the sequel, even though I really wished this ended with Shiver. Mrs. Stiefvater definitely ended it on a good note, all the strings were tied, so why need for a sequel?

 

 

 

 

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