Review: Forever

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

Teaser from Barnes and Noble

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.

First Reaction:

I bought my copy of Forever at a Maggie Stiefvater signing, which I have to say made the book a little less exciting when I acctully began to read it because I already had an idea of some of the events that were going to take place in the book. I had high hopes that this book would make up for the fact that I gave Linger three and a half stars after giving five to shiver, and I'm not fully satisfied.

Possible spoilers for those who have not read Shiver and Linger

Characters:

Grace: Grace is now a girl who turns wolf in the cold and human in the summer after getting bitten by Cold at the end of Linger because she was about to die from a failed "cure". She is in love with Sam and wants nothing more than to spend the rest of her life with him, but wolf hunting and the fact that she is a wolf is making that harder and harder.

Sam: Sam used to be a wolf until he got a cure that kept him human. He is in love with Grace and also wants to be with her Forever.

Cole: Cole used to be part of a popular band but now becomes a wolf in the winter and human in the summer. As a kid he was the son of a Scientist and began to follow in his fathers footsteps until he chose the band over science and is trying to figure out how the wolf body works to cure the pack.

Isabel: A friend of Grace, Sam, and Cole who knows about the wolves after her brother became one than died trying to cure himself.  

Review:
Like all of the books, there was nothing wrong with the writing or details, my big problem was the ending. Once I reread the last line a bunch of times trying to figure out what had happened all I can think is "Really Maggie?" The book has no solid ending leaving you wonder what happened to the characters and if I hadn't known this was the last book I would have thought there was another it was so vague.

Liked it... but not great.

Maggie Stiefvater Book Signing Pictures!

Me with Maggie and Tessa

Today I was very lucky to have a chance to go to the Maggie Stiefvater book signing and buy Forever and have her sign all three of my books. She was very fun and enthusiastic, not to mention hilarious. This event completely changed my view of Maggie and I didn't regret it a bit. I will be sharing her signatures and the swag I received at the review on Sunday in my next In My Mailbox.

Oh! And today was my 2 month blog-a-vercery!

The signing table before the authors, the two cats where having fun getting the table ready!

Maggie talking to us.

Maggie making us lol!

 

Review: Linger

Linger By Maggie Stiefvater

Teaser from Barnes and Noble

Once Grace and Sam have found each other, they know they must fight to stay together. For Sam, this means a reckoning with his werewolf past. For Grace, it means facing a future that is less and less certain.
the loss.
Into their world comes a new wolf named Cole, whose past is full of hurt and danger. He is wrestling with his own demons, embracing the life of a wolf while denying the ties of a human.
the linger.
For Grace, Sam, and Cole, life is a constant struggle between two forces--wolf and human--with love baring its two sides as well. It is harrowing and euphoric, freeing and entrapping, enticing and alarming. As their world falls apart, love is what lingers. But will it be enough?

First Reaction: I came into this book right after reading the first book, Shiver with really high hopes that it would be as good as the second. But truly, the first half of the book I didn’t enjoy as much as I hoped. It was very slow and didn’t seem to have a real plot. I really didn’t see a plot at all actually. It seemed more of a ramble of what was happening without suspense or anything gripping. I did overall enjoy the book after reading the end, but I was disappointed with the beginning.  

Warning: Possible spoilers for those who have not read Shiver

Characters:

Sam: Sam used to be a wolf that shifted to a human when it was warm and to a wolf when it was cold, but that changed when he got sick and got a high fever, making him stay human. Sam is in love with Grace, who he has known ever since he and his wolf family attacked her in the forest, but he made them stop and he saved her.

Grace: Grace was bitten by the wolf pack when she was very little, and was saved by Sam who for years later watches her from the woods by her house. She never shifted though, because right after getting bitten she was locked in a hot car to cook for several hours, for some reason keeping her from shifting. When she and same find a cure for him as well they fall in love. But then Grace gets sick, and it’s not just a normal cold.

Cole: A new wolf in the pack who wants nothing more than to get away from his past rock star life. But some reason he can’t keep himself a wolf. And that’s one thing he can’t stand.

Isabel: Grace’s friend who’s brother used to be a wolf until he died trying to cure himself from being a wolf. She can’t seem to get anywhere in her family life now, he mother is almost always drunk and her father is now on a wolf killing spree in the backyard.

Review:

I truly didn’t find the beginning of this book as good as shiver. It seemed to be lacking a plot up to the middle of the book. I wished that there had been more structure, but what happens in the end it totally unexpected and worth it. Though the overall writing is strong and clear.

In My Mailbox (5)

 In My Mailbox is Hosted by Kristy at The Story Siren

Bought:
Rules of Attraction
Shiver (Review is up!)
Linger (Now reading)

Waiting for:
Wildcat Fireflies- Apparently I won a copy of this... and it's not here yet.

Leave a link for your IMM, and I'll be sure to check it out!

Review: Shiver

Is it getting cold in here? Oh! Nope it's just this chillingly Awesome Book!

Shiver by Maggie Steifvater

Teaser from Author's Website

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. 

First Reaction:
Years and years ago I picked up a copy of this book at a book store (this had to be 2009) and from the back description I truly was not drawn.
How much I regret that choice. Now within weeks of the last book coming out I am sucked in, yet in a way I'm glad that I only came across them now so that the story is stiff fresh in my mind when I grab a copy of Forever!

Characters:
Grace: Six years ago Grace was attacked by wolves which lived in the woods near her Minnesota home. She thought she was going to die when they began biting her but then she realized one wasn't biting her, one wolf stared at her with his bright yellow eyes and then forced the other wolves to stop. Now ever since Grace has seen the wolf outside in the winter in the woods.
Sam: A half man, half wolf who fell for his angel, Grace while he was supposed to be attacking, eating her. But just in time his saves her and one day he meets her as a human, and she knows who he is.

Review 
No matter if your Team Edward, Team Jacob, or Team Who Cares, any paranormal fan will adore this book. I loved that the text was blue (its really cool!) and that the next book, Linger's text is green (even cooler!) Ocasionaly I felt that the writing was a bit over descriptive, or tended to overlook possibilities that I caught that could change the outcome of the book or seemed a bit off, but in general it was a wonderful love story.