Review of Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

As I write this post, I have around 20 followers to go before hitting the 100 mark! I have an idea for the contest it will spark, but there is a certain book I need to read before that can happen... and it's in the mail. So I won't make any announcements about it yet (I can't get any hopes up, including mine), but if all goes according to plan, it will be super fun!

I'm thinking of discontinuing Muscle Monday. It's not getting a very big response, and well, I'm particularly frustrated in the healthy living arena as of late. So, MM will take a hiatus, and today, will be replaced by a review of a book I recently finished. I need to practice this review writing anyway, as so many of you have great ones that I love reading. They really help me make my decisions about what to read next.


Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Description from Goodreads.com

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.


My Thoughts: I was hooked from page one. Stiefvater jumps right in to the action and immediately has the reader asking questions. I was fighting with my eyes to keep from jumping ahead, but I knew that if I skipped one sentence of this book, I would have missed out on a beautiful image. This is exactly the style of writing I'm drawn to. It's descriptive in a way that never leaves empty holes in the reader's mental image of the setting, action, etc.

"My wolf hesitated by the edge of the woods, the dim porch light catching his eyes. He was still watching my silhouette through the door.

I pressed my palm flat against the frigid glass.

The distance between us had never felt so vast."

This book will literally make you shiver. The chapters alternate between the perspectives of Grace and Sam, which helps round out the emotions; it's not one-sided. We get to feel what both of them are feeling. Each character, even the minor ones, stood out on their own, with unique personalities that I enjoyed getting to know. The action really started to pick up in the last third, making it impossible to put down.

The only criticism I will mention is concerning the sex. It's not graphic by any means, and honestly the kissing scenes will make your heart flutter oh so sweetly... I just take an issue with the way teen sex is desensitized, and reading it in a young-adult book made me cringe. That was my only issue with Shiver, but it will not keep me from continuing the series.

Can Grace find a way to help Sam stay human forever?! You'll have to read to find out!
Read the last third with tissues nearby. Yes, it's that good.

5/5 - Amazing