Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic
Released: August 1, 2009
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 400
Source: Library
Series: Book One of The Wolves of Mercy Falls



I have to admit that I am a pretty conventional girl, so when someone tells me about a book with vampires or werewolves, or some other sci-fi creatures, I usually turn up my nose and move on. But ever since picking up the Twilight series (more on that later), I've been much more inclined to try books like Shiver if enough of the right people recommend it. That said, thank you to the girls over at the NBC board and all of my fellow book bloggers who have talked it up - it totally lived up to the hype.

Every winter, Grace spends most of her time watching the wolves in the woods behind her house. There is one wolf in particular she waits for - the wolf with the yellow eyes, the one who saved her life when the others drug her into the woods. Years go by and during the colder months, Grace waits for her wolf to return to her. When a boy at school is attacked by the same wolves, a hunting party begins searching the woods in retaliation. Grace races through the woods in search of her wolf only to find a boy wounded and shivering on her back porch. When he looks up at her with his yellow eyes she knows he's her wolf - Sam. After the initial shock and awe, Sam and Grace are faced with the reality of Sam's life. As soon as the weather cools, he will return to his wolf form.

For me, Shiver was everything I wanted Twilight to be. The writing was beautiful, and the world Maggie Stiefvater created was amazingly believable. The alternating points of view allowed the reader to get to know Sam and Grace and get wrapped up in their love story. I could have devoured it in one sitting, but I forced myself to read slowly so I could savor it. I loved Grace. I wanted to be Grace. Sam was so ridiculously droolworthy that I can't even talk about him. He was that hot. Hot for Grace, which was so sweet and romantic it still gives me butterflies even though I read this weeks ago.

So if you haven't read this yet, crawl out from under your rock and go get a copy! Now! Before Linger comes out on the twentieth, which by the way, you should totally preorder. I've literally been checking Amazon multiple times a day in hopes that they'll realize what a travesty it is that I don't yet have a copy and send it to me early ;)