Review: Shiver

Maggie Stiefvater
Hardcover, 400 pages
Scholastic, Incorporated

August 01, 2009

"It is possible to be in love with you just because of who you are."

"As the hours crept by, the afternoon sunlight bleached all the books on the shelves to pale, gilded versions of themselves and warmed the paper and ink inside the covers so that the smell of unread words hung in the air."

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.(Borders.com)

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Shiver was my favorite book I have read this year...hands down. I fell in love with it by the second chapter. Maggie Stiefvater wrote an amazing and unique story about love and the need to hold on to it as long as possible.

The way the book switches between the two main characters was genius. I was able to get an in depth sense of each of them and that was great. I wish more books were written like this.

Grace was a great character. She was an independent girl who lived in her own world with her wolves. After being attacked by the wolves in her back yard she has had an unspoken bond with one yellow-eyes wolf. He visits her and she knows that its because of him she is alive.

Grace and Sam both grew up lacking in the family department, Sam with his horrible past with his parents which led him to Beck, his adoptive father of sorts and Grace with her parents who barley notice her existence. They instantly form a bond and hold on to it. Grace is the stronger of the two and she basically has to take care of Sam in his fragile state which I found very endearing. Sam was a little shy and timid He never really knew what to do and it was Grace who helped him out of his shell or Fur if you will. As there relationship grows they both start depending on each other more and more. The live in there own little world, and they love it there.

Overall Shiver Made me laugh and it made me cry, which was great. I love when a book can make your emotions run away with the story, and mine did. I give Shiver 5+ Hoots

Shiver is one of those books that I will read over and over and over. I loved it.