Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Hey everybody!  Cassia here!  Happy Monday!  Well, not really because I hate Mondays.  Anyway, here's another review!  A note about Maggie Stiefvater...I could never figure out how to pronounce her last name.  So I went to her website (click it) and went to the FAQ.  Turns out it's pronounced Steve-Otter.  You know, the name, and the cute little animal.  Here's my review of Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater:

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
 
Grace has always loved the wolves--even after they attacked her.  Especially her yellow-eyed wolf.  She can’t explain why, but she feels attracted to him...especially when a yellow-eyed boy appears in Mercy Falls.  Surely they can’t be the same person?
 
Sam has watched Grace from the woods ever since he was a wolf.  But when Sam finally talks to Grace, he never wants to be a wolf again.  Can he stay human?

This is now one of my favorite books, and trilogies.  So, werewolves.  Full moon, human turns into wolf, blah blah blah.  Yeah, well not with this book.  In this book, werewolves change by the season.  In the winter, they’re a wolf.  In the summer, they’re human.  But, after 20 or so years of changing back and forth, they stop, then live the normal life span of a wolf in the wild (15 years), and then die as a wolf, if not shot before then.  This book takes place in Mercy Falls, Minnesota, which is a fictional town in Minnesota, but if you read the acknowledgements in the back, there are actually wolves in Minnesota, just not werewolves. ;)
 
This book is a love story.  A beautiful love story, and I consider the conflict man vs. nature.  Why?  Well, Grace and Sam are fighting against...I guess you would call it ‘werewolf nature’.  Sam and Grace are perfect for each other.  Grace is probably one of my favorite characters--she’s sensible, loyal, and can lie her butt off when she wants to.  Sam is...I love him.  So, you probably know I’m a music person.  Music is so present in this book, it’s almost like another character.  Maggie Stiefvater is a musician herself, and it’s evident in how she writes about it, and even when she goes into guitar-speak.  Back to Sam.  Sam loves music and poetry, especially German poetry.  He plays guitar, sings (and he’s GOOD), writes his own songs, and--get this-- he thinks in song lyrics!  So, naturally, I love him.
 
I love this book, and all of its characters.  Stiefvater explores just how tight the bonds of family are even if you’re not related, true love, and fighting to stay with the people you love.  I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves music, and even if you don’t like fantasy, you should definitely read it.
Five stars!
Goodbye for now,
Cassia