Shiver

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Book Details

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

Reading level: Ages 12 and up

Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages

Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks (June 1, 2010)

Language: English

Purchased from National Bookstore

Book Summary

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.

Book Review

Shiver is my first Maggie Stiefvater book. This is the story of a wolf named Sam and a girl named Grace. As a child, Sam saved Grace from being devoured by other wolves and since then, they both made a connection.

What I love about this book...

• The story is from two alternating point of views (POV): Sam and Grace. I had difficulty with first-person novels because you can only know and feel the narrator’s thoughts and emotions. With this book, you can have the POV of both the lead characters. There is a flawless transition between the two narrations, both have distinctive voices and characteristic and the reader would easily know who’s turn it is to talk.
• She didn’t try to sugarcoat wolf stories with silver bullets and full moon. Instead, she approached it with a different kind of myth slash science fiction – which I find unique. Sam and the rest of his pack “shift” into wolves with the change in temperature. I love the fact that the temperature was place in each chapter of the book. It was a nice touch.
•  The words: poetry and its elaborate description, I have never read a book that gave me a vivid view of a certain place. My favorite part was her describing the scent inside the candy shop which made me drool (ALMOST!)
•  The romance, it wasn’t cheesy, it was subtle and it was sweet. I like the way that they can somehow finish each other’s sentences and they don’t need words to convey how they feel. I also like the fact that they both share a room, but all they do is sleep. Pretty wholesome...
•  Characters: I love Grace’s strength, Beck’s father-like figure to Sam, Ulrick’s being a literature teacher and Sam’s determination to stay with Grace. Last but not the least my favorite character, Isabella – I love her sarcasm, humor and wit, she made me laugh in this tension-filled book.

I hate it because...

• Oh com’on! Absentee parents? Grace may be the strongest person I know, but even strong people need guidance and support of their parents. She was left in the car and was almost roasted – the father wasn’t even questioned by social services. I wonder why in the world her parents are that way? They behave that Grace is their roommate rather than their child.
• The binding of the book! I never had a more lousy binding trade paperback than this series!!!! I never had spine creases on my new books – but with this, I couldn’t helped it even if I was careful not to… (doesn’t have anything to do with the story, I know!!!). I wished I could’ve bought the hard bound copies instead.

To end, I would recommend Shiver to my friends. It is much nicer than Twilight. I couldn’t put it down, good thing I have the second book. I couldn’t wait to know what is going to happen to the characters in the next book Linger.

Favorite Quotes

“Books are more real when you read them outside.” 

“Right in this moment, I can´t even remember what unhappy feels like.”

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