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Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #1)

by Maggie Stiefvater (Goodreads Author)

3.89 · rating details · 65,681 ratings · 9,665 reviews

Grace and Sam share a kinship so close they could be lovers or siblings. But they also share a problem. When the temperature slips towards freezing, Sam reverts to his wolf identity and must retreat into the woods to protect his pack. He worries that eventually his human side will fade away and he will be left howling alone at the lonely moon. A stirring supernatural teen ...more

Hardcover, 390 pages

Published August 1st 2009 by Scholastic Inc.

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Nov 03, 2011

Kat Kennedy rated it

Recommends it for: Insomniacs... no, sorry, even then it's too cruel.

Recommended to Kat by: The world. A very gender confused world.

Shelves: just-plain-bad, kat-s-book-reviews, kat-s-rants, ya-pnr-maddness

Review being edited.

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Oct 26, 2010

Heather rated it

Shelves: ya, 2009, loathed, ala-s-best-books

I read this book to the end so you don’t have to. Shiver should come with a Surgeon General’s Warning. I think all the purple prose has blacked out my eyes! Too bad the swelling didn’t prevent me from noticing the ginormous plot holes. And I need some aspirin because my head aches from clenching my jaw as I am certain all the sappy sweetness contained in this adverb infested book was injected straight into my molars. I am very much at a loss as to how this book has received so many glowing revi...moreI read this book to the end so you don’t have to. Shiver should come with a Surgeon General’s Warning. I think all the purple prose has blacked out my eyes! Too bad the swelling didn’t prevent me from noticing the ginormous plot holes. And I need some aspirin because my head aches from clenching my jaw as I am certain all the sappy sweetness contained in this adverb infested book was injected straight into my molars. I am very much at a loss as to how this book has received so many glowing reviews. Am I missing something?

Allow me to recount the story (for mood purposes, you need to know that the setting of this book is frigid, so, well, feel cold okay?) Moving on, Grace is 17 and in love with a golden eyed wolf that saved her when she was 11 and too weak and insipid to fight back for herself as wolves were attempting to consume her flesh. Unable to think of anything but her love for a wild dog, Grace is forever seeking out her wolf, trying to catch a glimpse of him or possibly make friends with him a la White Fang, only in a romantic way. Sounds disturbing right? Well brace yourself cause this wild dog is equally obsessed and in love with Grace, either due to the fact that she looked like an angel while lying in the snow, nearly catatonic and helpless or because his wolf self likes the stink of fear and uselessness. What follows is a story about how these two characters defy lame and dare I say “borrowed” werewolf lore, meet, cuddle, spout lame poetry and construct sad song lyrics.

The best part of this book is the cover and the font, which sadly, had nothing to do with the author. There was one well done scene, and the description was able to establish the temperature of the setting which was pertinent to the plot. But the very thing that the author was good at, description, was one of the very worst things about Shiver. I have yet to meet, and I pray that I never will, a guy that describes himself as a “leaky womb”. I don’t even know what that means, I guess he felt like a menstruating uterus which seems very strange. I have never eaten in a kitchen that smells like easy survival, nor liked the smell of armpit, or heard a guy call anything “horribly cute”, much less a pom pom hat, call me crazy.

Also, I am sure this author doesn’t like having her book compared to Twilight, but it seems as though she was attempting to cash in on its success. Aside from the whole temperature angle, the werewolf lore in this book reeked of Stephanie Meyer’s werewolf lore, which was ludicrous, not to mention a major bore fest. Grace might as well have been a Bella cutout, though somehow not as interesting, which is a whole new low that I never would have thought possible. And Sam, well he is the werewolf version of Edward, only lacking in confidence, swoonworthiness, and talent.

I’m not going to lie, I had some aww moments, I’ve already mentioned there being one very well done scene, and sometimes I would catch myself nearing a teary eyed state when Sam would talk about his dread of the impending winter. But those moments were usually massacred by extreme ridiculousness, childishness, pretentious poetry, and random outbursts of nonsensical song lyrics that were impossible to ignore.

So YA readers, do yourself a favor, and avoid this book like the plague otherwise you may experience bruising of the retinas, sore teeth, and burnt fingers from turning all those frosty pages. Other side effects may include side stitches from laughing at extreme ridiculousness, random eye twitching and scratchy throat from asking WTH? more times than I can count.
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Oct 16, 2009

Tatiana rated it

Recommends it for: Twilight fans, especially those on Team Jacob

Recommended to Tatiana by: YA Book club pick

Shelves: 2009, ya, why-the-hype, romancelandia, ala-ya-2010, series-dropped-lost-steam

To sum it up, this book should have been called "Twilight: Team Jacob Version." Why? Well, while I understand that the author wrote her first draft of "Shiver" before "Twilight" came out, still, the similarities are striking. A boring girl whose only personality traits are obsessing about her supernatural boyfriend, doing homework and cooking dinner for her parents - check; an emo supernatural boyfriend whose life revolves around his human flame, who plays an instru...more

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Apr 21, 2011

Miss Kim rated it

Recommended to Miss Kim by: YA PR fans

Shelves: paranormal, young-adult, 2010, favorites

This is a different take on werewolves, and I really liked it. Grace and Sam first meet when she is eleven, and attacked by his pack of wolves. He was a wolf and for some reason he didn’t understand, he saved her and took her away from the attack. Grace has been fascinated by this yellowed eyed wolf ever since. Her backyard touches the forest, so she is able to observe the wolves all winter.

These wolves shapeshift based on the temperature changes of the seasons. During summer, ...more

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Jan 06, 2011

Penny rated it

Recommends it for: Nobody. Not even my worst enemy.

Shelves: paranormal-romance, stalled, ya-fiction, disappointing, werewolves, should-never-have-been-published, reviewed-books, wish-i-could-unread, i-think-i-m-gonna-be-sick

Who is publishing these horribly written YA novels? Who? (every publisher, ever) And more importantly, why? (for tons of cash)

First off, I didn't finish this book. I couldn't finish this book. I couldn't get 1/4 of the way through, even though I have the audiobook. Actually not only is this book boring as hell but the audiobook was poorly cast (more on that later). This is another book I picked up because of the pretty cover. *kicking self, a lot*

I have to adm...more

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Dec 04, 2010

Sparrow rated it

Recommends it for: Bertrice Small

Shelves: young-adult, reviewed

The bestiality was definitely the most beautiful part of this story. It may seem obvious to you that such would be the case, but it was not obvious to me. I am not typically a fan of falling in love with dogs. There was truly something surreal and creepy about that part of this story that grabbed me, though. If only this had been a short story about one girl’s creepy obsession with wolves, I think I could have really liked it. It starts out with a ghostly beauty that is legitimately respect...moreThe bestiality was definitely the most beautiful part of this story. It may seem obvious to you that such would be the case, but it was not obvious to me. I am not typically a fan of falling in love with dogs. There was truly something surreal and creepy about that part of this story that grabbed me, though. If only this had been a short story about one girl’s creepy obsession with wolves, I think I could have really liked it. It starts out with a ghostly beauty that is legitimately respectable. And it ends with the same stark, Midwestern haunting feeling. But, the middle of this story is really, really douchey. It’s like when your friend falls in love, and it’s fun to talk about the boy she likes for a little while; and then your eyes glaze over, and she’s still talking; and then you get a little uncomfortable about the obscene level of detail she’s giving you (about what they ate for breakfast and how their elbows touched like fifty times, nothing exciting), and she’s still talking; and then you realize that both she and her boyfriend are morons, and you were wrong to have been friends with her to begin with. But didn’t she say something pretty about trees once?

I just wanted these kids to get a room, and then they did get a room, but kept telling me about everything. Gag. It was like being the third wheel in a makeout session that lasted foooooreeeeveeeer. One of the most boring, boring, boring stories ever. And, man, the guy is such a douchebag. He’s, like, composing douchey poetry while they’re making out and stuff. Like, just make out if you’re going to make out. I don’t want to know about any of these things. And I certainly don't want to hear your douchey poetry. Talk about a Shelley complex.

And, I listened to it on audio, so I couldn’t skim. The audio wasn’t bad, other than how boring this story was. I mean, I wanted to read my administrative law cases sometimes while I was listening to this. That’s how boring it was. Then there was a really douchey interview with the author at the end of the CDs. Oh, man. She was talking about how she wrote this book to make her audience cry. Fail. For me, at least.

So, the narrative in the book goes back and forth between the boyfriend perspective and the girlfriend perspective. That kind of makes sense to me as a device, but I always get caught up in thinking about narrative voices. Like, in first-person narratives, I have to create a background story in my mind for how the characters decided to write the book. It just seems like such a douchey thing for a boyfriend and girlfriend to impose their sappy story in the world and think it’s a good idea. Also, in this case it doesn’t really make sense because they make it out like the girl practically doesn’t speak English and only understands numbers, but her narrative has the more beautifully written moments in the book. That’s a petty complaint, but it’s true.

There is a thing about evil parents in here that I like, though. I liked how the kids reacted to the horror of their parents but didn’t seem to hold it against them. All of the parents were interesting to me, and they actually came off as nuanced. They were very villainous, but I think I like villainous, unreliable parents in stories. They are interesting to read about. If only this whole book had been about the parents. Because, as it was, this experience was like only reading about the pastoral couple in Anna Karenina. So. Boring.

Did I mention that this is a boring book? That is your takeaway message. (less)

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Jun 26, 2011

Wendy Darling rated it

Recommends it for: fans of A Certain Slant of Light

Shelves: favorite-ya, favorites-all-time, pn-shapeshifters, young-adult, gorgeous-prose, read-2011, crush-worthy-boys, weepy-tears, ebook-egalley, series-with-stupid-endings, snowy

Lovely, lyrical, and achingly sad. Shiver is more introspective than most YA books and is sometimes criticized for being too slow or wordy, but I found it to be beautifully written, tragic, and a gorgeous take on werewolf lore. Sam's desperate struggle to hold onto his humanity is incredibly poignant, and his heartrending relationship with Grace is deeply emotional and sweet. It's a book that makes me cry every time I read it.

Sam cupped my face in his hands and looked me in the eyes....more

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Jul 12, 2011

Lora rated it

Shelves: g-ya-paranorm, favorites, series-still-follow

When I made the decision to reread Shiver and its successor, Linger, in preparation for this trilogy's conclusion, Forever, I honestly got little butterflies in my stomach just thinking about it.
I originally read Shiver back in October of '09, and it hit me like nothing had before — and nothing has matched it since. Shiver mixes some of the sweetest, most realistic and heartwarming characters with a wonderfully chilly and melancholy atmosphere and it is written with stunningly lyrical pro...more

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Nov 27, 2010

Kristen "Kirby" rated it

Shelves: why-are-these-books-popular, paranormal-books, reviews, ya

Shiver I did not.

Oh, another alluring, romantic-sounding novel about the relationship of a school girl and the wolf that has always protected her. Sounds soo good to all us teen girls and older women who loved Twilight. And yet, the equation is this: Appealing storyline + a gorgeous, mysterious cover = disappointed reader.

To be frank, reading Shiver was like labor outside on a hot day, with beads of sweat stinging my eyes, and a strong urge to just give up and quit. I was o...moreShiver I did not.

Oh, another alluring, romantic-sounding novel about the relationship of a school girl and the wolf that has always protected her. Sounds soo good to all us teen girls and older women who loved Twilight. And yet, the equation is this: Appealing storyline + a gorgeous, mysterious cover = disappointed reader.

To be frank, reading Shiver was like labor outside on a hot day, with beads of sweat stinging my eyes, and a strong urge to just give up and quit. I was oh-so bored, suffering from can't-help-but-be-spacey-itis, a condition in which you simply can't focus on a shredded storyline, thus unable to become absorbed. I mean, I laid down Shiver at least a thousand of times to watch TV. I’d stare at the same page for 5 minutes, spacing out over trivial things such as what I’d buy when I went out. I like to be interested in what I’m reading and Maggie lacked the skill of capturing my attention.

As for this author Maggie, I can say she was a stingy girl when it came to sharing details. Scenes and events were impossible to mentally act out and understand. Does she not know readers like to be absorbed in what they read? I don’t want to be told how the characters felt or what they did. I want to be along for the ride. I bet she wasn't beloved in kindergarten show and tell; she was a true believer of telling, not showing what was happening.

Blah. Did I mention the werewolf love interest?? I wasn’t no fan of Jacob, but Sam made him look like the coolest, most interesting, masculine thing out there. Sam was no guy I'd ever want to dream about or wish upon the stars to meet in my real life. He talked like an old lady, not a hunky 17, 18, 19 year old guy I'd want to know. Heck, I once thought Grace and her mother were chitchatting about the weather when I mistakenly realized it was actually good ole' Sam, not her mother, she was talking to. *wrinkles nose* Ick.

The author didn’t invest much time in the dialog of any of the characters. They all lacked personality. They all talked the same. They all were all faceless. I mean, we did have the photographer best bud Olivia and the other best friend, obnoxious whatever-her-name-was, but they were so boring and difficult to picture! And, reading about them was like listening to someone drone on in on in monotone about something you don't give a flying fig about. Maggie should have sat in the mall food court for 5 minutes to get the sense of how teens act and talk among their peers. It would have added a realistic sense to Shiver.

Fine. I'll quit ripping this book to pieces. I'll drudge up a good thing or two, I guess. I liked how the temperature forced the change of human to wolf. *sits for forty minutes and wracks brain for another good thing. is stumped*
Whelp, that's it.

*sighs at the money that could have been spent on a cute top or earrings or something*
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Jul 04, 2011

Maja rated it

Shelves: all-the-right-choices, favorites, books-that-changed-me, made-me-cry, role-models, werewhatevers, amazing-writing, reviewed-in-2011, books-with-soundtracks, own-a-dtb

6.5 stars!

I don’t know how to review a book that took my breath away. Shiver left me with a feeling of complete satisfaction, joy spiced with sadness - as weird and paradoxical as that sounds. I’m so grateful to have read this book after all…

There aren’t many books on my 'books that changed me' shelf. In fact, there were only seven until today. But Shiver deserved its place, and now there are eight. What’s so special about it? I’ll try to be polite and refrain from gushing,...more6.5 stars!

I don’t know how to review a book that took my breath away. Shiver left me with a feeling of complete satisfaction, joy spiced with sadness - as weird and paradoxical as that sounds. I’m so grateful to have read this book after all…

There aren’t many books on my 'books that changed me' shelf. In fact, there were only seven until today. But Shiver deserved its place, and now there are eight. What’s so special about it? I’ll try to be polite and refrain from gushing, but it won’t be easy.

Boy saves girl, girl falls for a boy and they end up living happily ever after. Only the boy isn’t a boy at all, and the happily ever after is meant for some other people, in some other story.
I was suddenly struck by how dissimilar we were. It occurred to me that if Grace and I were objects, she would be an elaborate digital clock, synced up with the World Clock in London with technical perfection, and I’d be a snow globe – shaken memories in a glass ball.

Grace is an amazing character! I love how strong and decisive she is, always scared but never really showing her fear. She reminds me of a girl I used to be know. After the way she surrendered to the wolves at the beginning, I was afraid she would be another one of those characters. But only a few chapters later, a huge white she-wolf showed up at her window, and instead of cowering in some corner, Grace snarled back at it! Not many authors can make you feel such pride at the very beginning of a novel!

When can you say for sure that you’ve fallen in love with someone’s writing? If your mind isn’t registering words at all, but sounds and colors and emotions so strong that you can feel them twirling inside of you, beautiful, agonizing and powerful.... that’s it – you’re in love! I know this because it happened to me with Maggie Stiefvater. Obviously not everyone feels the same way, and that’s ok. There are times when I too appreciate a very different writing style, more economical and crisp. But sometimes I just want to marvel at other people’s talent, and Stiefvater gave me that chance.

I’m pretty sure Shiver will become my comfort book, familiar and soothing like the blanket I wrap myself in when I’m not feeling well. There are only a few books I keep going back to: The Master and Margarita when I need to restore my faith in love, Dolores Claiborne when I need courage, Harry Potter when I need optimism, lately I’ve added The Reapers Are the Angels for when I need strength, and now I have Shiver to remind me that there’s beauty everywhere.

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Apr 03, 2010

Thomas rated it

Shelves: five-stars

Shiver is narrated by the alternating points of view of Sam and Grace, two unbelievably different people drawn together by the power of love and devotion. When Grace was little, she was attacked by a pack of wolves but miraculously survived due to a certain yellow-eyed wolf's protection. Now her growing fascination is fixated on the wolves of Mercy Falls.

Sam isn't a human for as long as he would like to be. When the temperature drops and winter arises, he painfully transforms into a ...more

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Jan 30, 2012

Ghirardelli rated it

Recommends it for: Wolf fans? I dunno

Shelves: ya, why-is-this-a-series, why, um-what, sigh, read-em-once-then-it-s-done, meh, where-wolf, smells-like-teen-angst, plot-was-on-vacation, wish-it-were-better

*To everyone who finds this novel lovely: your opinion is respected here as long as you are respectful. That should go without saying.*

Once upon a time, in a golden wood disguised as a beige and brown apartment complex in the snowy fortress of Rochester, New York, a girl on the brink of her 21st year by the code name Ghirardelli decided that diving into the mind of another author was a good idea. A very good idea. A hopefully life-changing dream that would propel her to drive her ...more

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Oct 12, 2011

Leanne rated it

Shelves: cover-lust, own-or-gaveaway, ya-pnr-romance

Shiver gave me very mixed feelings. Before I even began my review, of course, I scrolled down to see my friend's ratings.

I've read reviews that gushed, raved, and ranted about the beautiful writing and prose, the sizzlin romance, the haunting atmosphere.

I've also read reviews that didn't like this novel at all, ~~claiming it's for Twilight fantards~~. And I've noticed that this novel received some very hateful comments protesting on being too twilight-esque. Basically: "...more

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Aug 05, 2010

Janina rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult-fiction, lovestory-romance, books-i-own, read-in-2010, winter-books, paranormal, available-for-swapping, alternating-pov, music, let-me-down

3.5 stars

I think the words Grace uses to describe Sam fit this story perfectly: "You are beautiful and sad."

A small warning right in the beginning: The plot itself is clearly focused on Grace and Sam's relationship - and not much else - so if you are looking for action and suspense, you should probably look elsewhere.

Grace has been fascinated by the wolves in the woods behind her house since a member of the local pack rescued her from a vicious attac...more3.5 stars

I think the words Grace uses to describe Sam fit this story perfectly: "You are beautiful and sad."

A small warning right in the beginning: The plot itself is clearly focused on Grace and Sam's relationship - and not much else - so if you are looking for action and suspense, you should probably look elsewhere.

Grace has been fascinated by the wolves in the woods behind her house since a member of the local pack rescued her from a vicious attack of his fellows. Ever since, she has been looking for her wolf with the yellow eyes.
Then, one day, she finds him in front of her house; human …

First of all, I really liked the werewolf concept in this book. Werewolves are no supernatural creatures with inhuman strength; on the contrary, they are simply normal wolves, thinking and feeling like animals. Temperature is what makes them a wolf: In summer, they get a short human span before they return to the woods in autumn or winter.
And every wolf only has a limited account of human years before he finally stays animal forever.

The relationship between Grace and Sam was portrayed in a beautiful way, as if they already knew each other for a long time (which is true in some way). Nevertheless, I never really 'clicked' with them as a couple, if you know what I mean. I was never fully engaged, or felt with them, loved with them, wanted nothing more than for them to be together.
What was great though, was that for once, the heroine, Grace, was the strong and pragmatic one, whereas Sam was more the sensitive and artistic type (sometimes a bit too sensitive for me, but he was always able to laugh about himself). I didn't find him too tearful or even feminine; it's just that I'm not that much into declarations of love via poems or song lyrics.

The only thing I really didn't like at all was the ending. The resolution to all problems turned up all of a sudden and sorry, but the realisation lacked logic – heavily.

What made up for that a little was the kind of open ending afterwards – not without hope, though – the reader not knowing what happened exactly and if there would really be a happy ending without any restrictions.
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Nov 16, 2011

Trinity rated it

A brief synopsis.

I'm staring at you, I'm a wolf.
Oh wait I got shot, now I'm a boy.
I love you.
Here's a poem.
Oh look you're crying.
Let's go to sleep.
Stay on your side of the bed.

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Mar 12, 2011

Joe rated it

Shelves: young-adult, borrowed-library

Here's how I imagine Stiefvater's meeting with the publishing house.

Stiefvater: I want to write a book about a girl who falls in love with a vampire!
Publisher: Sorry, Maggie. That's been done before. Read Twilight. It's terrible!
Stiefvater: Oh. I want to write a book about a girl who falls in love with a zombie!
Publisher: Sorry, Maggie. That's been done before. Read Generation Dead. It's terrible!
Stiefvater: Oh. I want to write a book about a girl who falls in...more

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May 21, 2010

Leah, I'm Sexy And I Know It rated it

Shelves: high-five-that-hymen-baby, 3-stars, scars-and-tats-and-piercings-oh-my, loaned

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Shiver is the first book in Maggie Stiefvater's Wolves of Mercy Falls series and a wonderful start to the series. When I first saw this book in the stores, I thought it sounded interesting but I didn't buy it. My sister, however, bought it and there was always that little desire, in the back of my mind, to read the book. It took me a book challenge in which another person picks books for you for me to actually pick it up. And I was definitely not disappointed. From the start of the book, I loved...moreShiver is the first book in Maggie Stiefvater's Wolves of Mercy Falls series and a wonderful start to the series. When I first saw this book in the stores, I thought it sounded interesting but I didn't buy it. My sister, however, bought it and there was always that little desire, in the back of my mind, to read the book. It took me a book challenge in which another person picks books for you for me to actually pick it up. And I was definitely not disappointed. From the start of the book, I loved Grace and was enthralled with the wolves, just as she was. They held a certain mysterious appeal that called to me, but the biggest mystery was how and when Sam and Grace would finally meet.

Grace was a very interesting character, in my opinion. She seemed like someone that I would like to know in real life, and I was able to relate to and sympathize with her, which is always an important thing for me with a novel. I liked that she was an independent, strong, intelligent girl who really didn't need the help of anyone else. I loved her fascination with the wolves, and Sam in particular. How cute was it that their love developed over the six years she had only known him as a wolf? One of the most adorable things, in my opinion, was when they were at the candy shop and the candy girl asked how long they'd be together, and Sam said six years.

Now, Sam. Oh Sam, how I love you so. Sam Roth has to be the most adorable guy ever. While I hate that he had to be shot before they could meet, I was so glad when they finally did. Sam's cautious behavior with Grace in the beginning only endeared him to me, but I was glad when he finally gave in and was himself around her. One of my favorite examples of this was when Sam, Grace, and Isabel were baking and Sam and Grace were dancing around the kitchen and kissing. Along with his love for Grace, I very much appreciated his love and dedication towards Beck (who I love, by the way). However, I was always sad when they had to put layer upon layer of blankets, clothing, etc. on top of him to keep him warm; I hated that he was always that close to changing, despite his desire not to.

I was in tears when Sam and Grace were in the car crash and he changed. Just when Grace thought she might have an idea for a cure, and after Sam's ordeal with Jack and the shed, everything had to go wrong. Of course, the next time I had hope, everything seemed to go wrong there, too. With the help of Beck, Isabel and Grace were able to get Sam to the clinic so that they could try their cure theory on him. Just when he was able to turn human for her, he had to turn back into a wolf just when they had the syringe in his arm. It seemed like it had all gone wrong, especially after Jack died from the injection. It all turned out great in the end with Sam walking back into her life from his spot in the forest. That had me in tears, again, and I had to read the last chapter about five times to make sure my eyes weren't deceiving me, to make sure that I wasn't reading it wrong. Alas, I was not and I jumped for joy inside.

I can say with confidence that I am very, very glad that I read this book, and I really cannot wait for the release of Linger.(less)

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Feb 16, 2011

Cory rated it

Recommends it for: Idiots

Recommended to Cory by: No-one

Trolls: You are welcome to comment on my review. I won't delete your comments. Curse my name, curse my mother, I don't care. But please, don't forget to leave a comment. And make sure to send my review to all of your friends.

And the award for worst book of 2009 goes to: Shiver

What makes this book so bad, you may ask? Well, in layman's terms, I'm going to give a logical, detailed explanation as to why Shiver sucks--alliteration unintentional.

1. Grace

Grace h...more

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Jun 09, 2010

Seesen9 rated it

Shelves: paramormal, paranormal-romance, read-in-english, romance, young-adult, werewolves

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Warning: contains major spoilers and serious sarcasm

Although I've finished this book in less than three (school) days in a row, I haven't liked it so much as that implies. Maybe I´ve just waited for something that would change my mind. That something hasn't showed up. This book was a big disappointment for me. In the following review I'll try to explain myself, please note that I'm not usually that harsh, I'm just in a mood for being difficult, I guess.

Prologue is always ...more

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Jun 30, 2011

Terry (Ter05 TwiMoms/ MundieMoms) rated it

Recommends it for: Everyone

Shelves: favorite-series, read-more-than-once, favorites, love-the-audio

Update because I just finished this book for the 4th time (re-read as the third book comes out in ten days). It is still as wonderful as when I read it the first time and maybe more every time because I take time to enjoy some of the beautiful dialogue and descriptions. And once again I cry, but it is a good kind of cry. I tweaked my original review a little bit.

There is something special about this book that is to me intangible. Once in awhile an author just has a unique way of te...more

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Mar 08, 2011

Lisa rated it

I read Shiver because it was recommended to me by someone who wasn't impressed with Twilight and insisted this was better. Well, it's not, although I wouldn't go as far as to say it's worse. Before continuing on, I must say that the similarities between this book and Twilight are striking and it's impossible to review this book without referencing the drivel that spawned it.

Sam(antha)

There were so many problems with this novel but the biggest one for me was the fact tha...more

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Jul 30, 2009

Kristi (The Story Siren) added it

Shelves: own-arc, signed-arcs, books-i-own

I first fell in love with Maggie Stiefvater’s writing after reading her debut novel Lament. And when I heard she was writing a “werewolf” novel, I could hardly contain my excitement. Initially you think this is a story about werewolves, but I think the werewolf label is insufficient. This may be a story about werewolves, but it’s mostly about love. The strength that love possesses and the boundaries we’re willing to overcome to keep it.

Shiver is told with alternating perspectives bet...more

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Jun 23, 2010

~♡♥Ang ♥♡~ rated it

Shiver is AMAZING!!!

I brought this book at least 4 months or more ago and it just sat on my book shelve...Until i picked it up 2 days ago and then i couldn't put it down!!

This has to be the best Y/A book i have read in ages,from the first page i was sucked into their wonderful story.

Grace and Sam are AWESOME!!
Their story told by both of them was perfect,i am so in love with Sam he was so Sweet,Caring and Sexy but i felt like he was real and i was right there w...more

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Jan 08, 2010

Melanie rated it

I probably should wait a little bit to write this review, but I can't! I guess I will start out with saying that this book drew me in from the moment I laid eyes upon it. The book cover is breathtaking. Even when I opened the first page of the book I was still taken back by how simple and beautiful it was. Yet, I can not judge a book just by its cover. I am not sure I can even find the words to describe how much I loved this book. It gave me an amazing feeling throughout the whole entire book. F...more

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Nov 27, 2011

Callista rated it

Shelves: paranormal-romance, nonurban-contemp-fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. After some time and thought (and comparison to other books), I'm giving this 4 stars, after all--though it's 4 stars, grading on a curve. It has its flaws. It isn't the same type of 4 star rating that Red Seas Under Red Skies or Demon Bound or Dresden Files: Ghost Story is, but it is the best YA paranormal romance I've read so far. There are several interesting characters. The plot is good, with plenty of tension and conflict. The descriptions are very sensuous--vivid sights, scents, sensations,...moreAfter some time and thought (and comparison to other books), I'm giving this 4 stars, after all--though it's 4 stars, grading on a curve. It has its flaws. It isn't the same type of 4 star rating that Red Seas Under Red Skies or Demon Bound or Dresden Files: Ghost Story is, but it is the best YA paranormal romance I've read so far. There are several interesting characters. The plot is good, with plenty of tension and conflict. The descriptions are very sensuous--vivid sights, scents, sensations, tastes, and sounds. There's a new take on the werewolf idea, in which the form shift is triggered by temperature changes, with the time between shifts becoming shorter until one eventually stays a wolf. Moving to a warmer climate (the solution I thought of) doesn't help. But what happened to Grace and what Isabel figures out is a game changer. The last 100 pages especially are real page-turners. There's lots of authentic emotion; the anguish of the last several chapters brought me to the brink of tears a couple of times.
I could relate to Grace's tendency to feel things intensely but not really express her feelings clearly. It's good that she has friends--silly Rachel and serious Olivia--and does well in school. It bothered me when she started saying school felt like a waste of time after Sam (in human form) came into the picture, but she still attended classes and did her homework, anyway. At first, her six-year obsession with a wolf seemed odd. I could understand her gratitude because it saved her, but her affection seemed more like being in love. …But she turned out to have wolfish qualities herself, and she and Sam formed an instant connection. Their love at times seems a bit too obsessive…but first love can be that way, plus there's the notion of wolves mating for life. At least Grace and Sam spend a lot of time together talking and reading, in addition to the snuggling. I was thrilled that there's no love triangle for a change. Shelby's claim on Sam is a delusion.
Isabel seems a little convenient at times, though she's a smart cookie and her snarky dialogue made me laugh a couple of times. She may not be very nice, but she cares about her brother, Jack, and is willing to do whatever it takes to get answers about the werewolf problem, including grudgingly helping others.
My biggest quibble is with elements of Sam's narrative voice. Yes, he was raised by a lawyer, he's an avid reader who especially enjoys poetry, and he's musical; but at times, his voice just doesn't sound right for an 18-year-old guy. I like nice guys, sensitivity is good; but even the most creative guy I've ever known never sounded quite like Sam. There's one conversation in which Sam asks Grace to describe him and self-mockingly translates her answers ("squishy" for sensitive and "dangerously emo" for creative), which seems to indicate the author knows she went a little too far--so, then, why do it? If anyone can find me an 18-year-old guy who'd say something like the following, I'll take back my criticism:
"…the top of her long neck, where her hair stopped being hair proper and was instead little baby fluffs that went every which way. They were fascinating, these soft feathers that would grow up to be her hair."
Fortunately, Sam isn't that gooey all the time.
Overall, the book held my attention and left me wanting more. Clearly, there will be more trouble from Shelby (literally and figuratively a bitch, but not melodramatically so), issues involving Beck's new recruits, more about Olivia, and more complications for Grace and Sam. I'm looking forward to reading the next book.

A note on why I've been reading YA paranormal romances. Harry Potter was my gateway back into YA. I'd left YA material behind in my 'tweens. But Harry Potter reminded me that some of the stuff out there could be all-ages good stuff. The Twilight phenomenon was too big to ignore, so I read it to find out what everyone was talking about. Disappointed, I've been looking for something better than Twilight, and there's been a lot on the shelves to choose from lately. Truth is, sometimes I want to read a romantic story full of yearning, tenderness, and sweetness, something with some character development and emotion, instead of the short cuts and ultra-graphic sex of adult so-called romance novels. I haven't found a perfect YA example yet but intend to keep looking, at least for a while.(less)

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Jul 29, 2009

Kelly rated it

Forget everything you thought you knew about werewolves.

Forget the full moon and silver bullets. Maggie Stiefvater's werewolves are different from any you've seen before. After being bitten, a werewolf changes erratically for a while, then settles into a seasonal cycle. Cold weather brings on a change to wolf form; warm weather returns the werewolf to human form. However, this cycle doesn't last forever. As the years pass, it takes more and more heat to trigger the change back to hum...moreForget everything you thought you knew about werewolves.

Forget the full moon and silver bullets. Maggie Stiefvater's werewolves are different from any you've seen before. After being bitten, a werewolf changes erratically for a while, then settles into a seasonal cycle. Cold weather brings on a change to wolf form; warm weather returns the werewolf to human form. However, this cycle doesn't last forever. As the years pass, it takes more and more heat to trigger the change back to human, until one year the werewolf remains a wolf forever.

Our heroine, Grace, was attacked by wolves as a child. Just before she was about to become lunch, one of the wolves intervened and saved her. Ever since, Grace has watched for "her" wolf in the woods each winter. And every summer, a golden-eyed boy named Sam watches Grace from afar, too shy to approach her. Then, when one of Grace's high school classmates is killed in another wolf attack, several of the local men take it upon themselves to rid the town of the beasts. This time it's Grace who helps Sam. Finally, the two have the chance to get to know one another. Their budding relationship is marred by one tragic truth: This is almost certainly Sam's last year as a human.

Like Deirdre, the heroine of Lament, Grace is more "real" and well-rounded than many of the girls who populate YA paranormal romance. She's neither too perfect nor too wild, and she doesn't become subservient once her love interest appears on the scene. She's just an ordinary girl, compassionate and resourceful and caught in an unimaginable situation. The relationship between Grace and Sam is also refreshingly "real." They don't just fall in love because of the weird metaphysics that surround them. They bond over music and poetry and cooking and B-grade horror movies. The reader is left with the impression that, if only the looming metaphysical tragedy could be averted, they'd have a happy future together.

Which, of course, makes the inexorable approach of winter incredibly poignant. I couldn't put Shiver down, wondering how Grace and Sam's story would end, and Stiefvater kept me hanging till the very last page.

Shiver is written in vivid prose that engages all of the senses. Maggie Stiefvater does a great job of evoking the sight of a single spot of red against a sea of white, the sound of canine nails scratching at the deck outside Grace's house, and the smell of paper and ink in a bookstore on a warm summer day, making Shiver a fully immersive experience. I nearly forgot it was July here as I read; I could hear the winter winds howling.(less)

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Dec 28, 2011

Joyzi rated it

Recommends it for: Peeps who don't mind a Twilight rip-off

Recommended to Joyzi by: Youtube

Shelves: e-book, fiction, ya-books, disappointing-books, reviewed, read-more-than-once, book-series, author-american, paranormal-romance

Shiver Update: I've found an open copy of the book from a bookstore and I was surprised that the font color was blue (I've read it on an e-book so idk about it)...I mean seriously, why blue???, don't tell me Linger has green font color...*roll eyes*

Review:
First I'd like to tell that I should probably give this book two stars for the reason that while I'm reading this I'm really pissed off because of the Twilight similarities.

Nevertheless the writing is breathtaking...more

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May 22, 2011

Kira rated it

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Shelves: ya, favorites, awesome-ya, werewolves

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I HAVE FINALLY FINISHED THIS BOOK.

My DNF virginity has been restored! Rejoice, fellow virgins!

I must now seek to change my review. After completing Shiver, I have made the monumental decision to change my rating from three stars to four.

Because DAMN was that a beautiful ending.

Anyway--we have to start at the beginning. That's where most things start, unless you happen to be Quentin Tarantino.

That is beside the point. MOVING ON!

...more

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Apr 12, 2011

Mariana Toledo rated it

Grace has watched the wolves in the woods for as long as she can remember. But the yellowed eyed wolf-her wolf, was her favorite. They watched over eac other, neither making a move toward each other just staring longly at each other's eyes. Sam, the yellow-eyed wolf is only wolf during the winter. . .but in the summer,warmer times, he shifts into a human to work at a bookstore. But when Sam gets shot in wolf form in the winter..he shifts back into a human. . .and get's taken care by his summer g...more

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Jan 24, 2011

Scarlet rated it

Recommends it for: People who like slower-paced books

Shelves: i-own, fantasy, paranormal, romance, werewolves, review

3.25 STARS

Hmm, what to say about this book?

Well, first off, besides my average rating of it, I did enjoy Shiver. My major problem with it was just that it was wayyyy too slow-paced for my taste. There wasn't enough action and the plot just kind of dragged on, day by day, little things happening as the sun fell and rose. Honestly, I think Stiefvater could have easily cut out a good hundred pages or so of just blah.

Now, that being said, Stiefvater does deserve ...more

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About Maggie Stiefvater

All of Maggie Stiefvater's life decisions have been based around her inability to be gainfully employed. Talking to yourself, staring into space, and coming to work in your pajamas are frowned upon when you're a waitress, calligraphy instructor, or technical editor (all of which she's tried), but are highly prized traits in novelists and artists. She's made her living as one or the other since she...more

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Books by Maggie Stiefvater

Lament: The Faerie Queen's Deception (Books of Faerie, #1)

Ballad: A Gathering of Faerie (Books of Faerie, #2)

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Quotes from Shiver

“You're beautiful and sad," I said finally, not looking at him when I did. "Just like your eyes. You're like a song that I heard when I was a little kid but forgot I knew until I heard it again." For a long moment there was only the whirring sound of the tires on the road, and then Sam said softly, "Thank you.” — 980 people liked it

“It is possible to be in love with you just because of who you are.” — 875 people liked it

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Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #1)

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