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Sinner

(The Wolves of Mercy Falls #4)

Maggie Stiefvater (Goodreads Author)

3.89 · Rating details · 21,213 ratings · 2,988 reviews

found.
Cole St. Clair has come to California for one reason: to get Isabel Culpeper back. She fled from his damaged, drained life, and damaged and drained it even more. He doesn't just want her. He needs her.

lost.
Isabel is trying to build herself a life in Los Angeles. It's not really working. She can play the game as well as all the other fakes...but what's the point? Wh ...more

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Hardcover, 357 pages

Published July 1st 2014 by Scholastic Press

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· 21,213 ratings · 2,988 reviews

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Start your review of Sinner (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #3.5)

Sep 10, 2013 Maggie Stiefvater added it · (Review from the author)

Shelves: young-adult

I have read it (also I have written it) and I can confirm it is very full of Cole and Isabel.

Also, here is a playlist of music I listened to while writing it:
https://soundcloud.com/maggie_stiefva...

And now there is a cover!

Now you can read the first three chapters: http://dialedin.com/scholastic10/Sinner ...more

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Jul 11, 2019 Miranda Reads rated it really liked it

Shelves: audiobook

3.5 stars

“It sure is ugly.”
“Ugly, never hurt a thing.”
I scoffed. “Oh, ugly has hurt some things. It’s just that pretty hurts more.”

Oof. Pseudo-philosophical YA at its finest.

To catch everyone up - Grace and Sam (the main characters from the original series) are being their lovey-dovey selves back in Mercy Falls.

Isabelle and Cole - the greatest couple that never-was - is not doing quite as well.

“Why did you even come here, Cole?”
I touched her chin. This place, this beautiful p

...more

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Sep 10, 2013 Laura rated it really liked it

Yeah, so this was basically my reaction upon waking up to the news about this book's forthcoming existence:

How else was I supposed to react when I heard that there would be an ENTIRE NOVEL devoted to COLE ST. CLAIR?!?!?! ...more

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Sep 10, 2013 Isabella rated it it was amazing

Shelves: i-could-vomit-rainbows

After reading

4.5
Loved it.

26/06/14

*whispers*
A few days, my love. A few days AND I SHALL LOVE YOU.
*creepy laugh*

***
GUYS.
GUYS.

GUYS, OH DEAR LORD

THIS BOOK. THIS BOOK WILL BE MINE. I NEED IT. NEED IT!!! COLE, ISABEL? COLE AND ISABEL. I DREAMED ABOUT THIS SHIP FOR TOO LONG AND, AND, AND, AND...

...more

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Sep 10, 2013 Wendy Darling marked it as on-hold

Shelves: pn-shapeshifters, 2014-publication, july, scholastic, young-adult, own-dtb-tbr

I am still in the camp that thinks Shiver would have been better as a standalone novel, but I find Maggie irresistible. So of course I'll read this...cautiously. ...more

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Apr 02, 2015 Kai Spellmeier rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: finished-series

“Even when I was happy, I felt like I was always looking for the edges on life. The seams. I was so perfectly born to die.”

My last book of 2015 was everything I could have wished for.
It's a great summer read and as it's summer where I am right now (that is New Zealand) it was amazing to sit on the beach, attempt to get tanned and read Sinner.
Also, it's Maggie Stiefvater, and she was definitely my most read author this last year.

As to why I love this book so much: Isabel and Cole! God those chara ...more

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Sep 11, 2013 Tarra marked it as dangerzoned

So when I read that this was happening I almost flung my sleeping child from my lap....

AAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

...more

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Sep 10, 2013 Jessica rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arcs, autographed, 5-stars

COLE!!!

My day has been made.

Now, to wait...

Review originally posted at Step Into Fiction

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

I fangirled so hard when she first announced this book. The reason I kept reading the Shiver books was because of Cole and Isabel. No lie. He is one of my favorite male YA characters and for him to get his own book? Oh man, I was literally counting down the days. When I got my copy, I may have hugged it (actually, I did, I won't lie). But the big question is, did it live up to my expe ...more

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Feb 15, 2020 Ahmad Sharabiani rated it really liked it

Shelves: romance, 21th-century, united-states, paranormal, fantasy, young-adult

Sinner (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #4), Maggie Stiefvater

I loved all of the four novels of this series, in the Sinner, Cole travels to Los Angeles, California and visits Isabel, persuading her to agree to have dinner with him. In the day, Cole visits the home of Baby North, owner of the web TV show, before he begins starring in her reality show.

Baby visits Isabel later in the day and proposes that she should star alongside Cole. The discovery that Cole did not come to California to find her, but ...more

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Sep 10, 2013 C.G. Drews rated it it was amazing

Shelves: reread, young-adult, best-of-2014, paranormal, read-2014, audio-books, 5-star, read-2020

[read 2 | Oct 2020]
Softly crying that it's been 6 years since I read this book and with the way my memory is, it was practically like being gifted the treasure of a whole new Stiefvater book. 😭 I adored this reread, this angry and chaotic and apocalyptic and emotional collision of what it means to be alive. Again, it delves so deeply into depression and suicidal thoughts, and I thought it handled it with such nuance. Cole also, and I cannot be persuaded against this, has adhd. He is such a textb ...more

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Sep 12, 2013 Exina rated it it was ok

Shelves: shapeshifters-werewolves, first-person-narrative, annoying, dual-pov, emotional, expected-more, heroes-i-want-for-myself, lack-of-communication, long-longed-love-long-time-crush, weak-plot-no-plot

July 28, 2014
Oh, God, it was exhausting! If I get over the urge to kill myself, maybe I'll write a review.

July 31, 2014
So now that I managed to pull myself together, I have to say this book was a huge disappointment. I loved Cole and Isabel’s blooming romance in Forever, and waited for this book so much.

Cole. He is still captivating: he has humor, improvement, can see the people and things around him. He is very sensitive to everything, and could morph everything into something phenomenal – eve ...more

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Feb 17, 2014 jv poore rated it really liked it

Shelves: middle-grade, buried-under-books, magic, young-adult, fantasy

While Sinner, the recently released, highly anticipated, companion book to the Shiver trilogy; didn’t take me back to Mercy Falls, it most certainly allowed me an enchanting opportunity to revisit Cole St. Clair and Isabel Culpepper. If you, like me, loved absolutely every single thing about the Shiver trilogy, my best guess is that you will revere Sinner. On the other hand, if this is the very first you’ve heard of said trilogy, I can still unabashedly recommend Sinner as a remarkable stand-alo While Sinner, the recently released, highly anticipated, companion book to the Shiver trilogy; didn’t take me back to Mercy Falls, it most certainly allowed me an enchanting opportunity to revisit Cole St. Clair and Isabel Culpepper. If you, like me, loved absolutely every single thing about the Shiver trilogy, my best guess is that you will revere Sinner. On the other hand, if this is the very first you’ve heard of said trilogy, I can still unabashedly recommend Sinner as a remarkable stand-alone novel packed with the punch that only Ms. Stiefvater can deliver. Even if you are “not really into the whole werewolf thing”, I stand by my recommendation. To me, the werewolf in Sinner is more an allegory than a creature to be feared or envied.

Ms. Stiefvater’s newest novel is a fast-paced, engrossing read that ebbs and flows with generosity and narcissism, love and hate, determined clinging and letting go. There is love and laughter, heart-ache and tears, mistakes, self-realizations and forgiveness. It is about life, growing up, being true, acting brave and accepting that; sometimes, walking away isn’t a cowardly act; but rather, the hardest and most definite thing you will ever have to do. Lessons generally learned much later in life become imperative in the formation and revelation of the true self as both Cole and Isabel; separately, yet simultaneously, become a bit more open and a little less jaded. Not embracing, but almost acknowledging that options aside from black or white, wrong or right, indeed exist. Grey comes in many shades, the road less traveled still delivers the traveler to his destination; and sometimes, pausing to ponder “what’s the way?” is the only way to keep going forward.

As always, within a Stiefvater saga, there are serendipitous seeds of wisdom that, when nurtured, bloom with breath-taking splendor. The brief glimpse of family on the beach is beautifully brilliant, encapsulating both a smiley and a teary moment (this author is a sneaky, clever, creator). If you’ve read this book, but weren’t captivated, amused and delighted….you may not have been paying close attention.

Leon. Leon’s pictures. The insightful inclusion of this quiet, soft-spoken man adds depth and a certain melancholy, elevating the book to a new level.

Sofia, because every darkness deserves a ray of light; and every home, a little hope.

I closed Forever four years ago with mixed emotions and a heavy heart. I had fallen for these characters, accepted the finality; but longed for just a little bit more Cole and Isabel. The two characters are so vibrant; filled with energy, anger, frustration, confusion, yet appearing confident and collected. They required their very own story and Sinner is it, spot on.

This review was written for Buried Under Books Blog. ...more

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Jun 02, 2014 Giselle rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc, own

It has been a while since I read the Wolves of Mercy Falls series, so I was a bit worried that remembering next to no details about it would make reading this a flop, but it was not a problem at all. If you want to refresh your memory there's a convenient Wikipedia page that reminds you who's who. But everything you need to know is recapped (albeit briefly) as we go along.

Sinner is narrated by our beloved Cole and Isabel, a couple of characters who you won't soon forget. Cole is somewhat of an It has been a while since I read the Wolves of Mercy Falls series, so I was a bit worried that remembering next to no details about it would make reading this a flop, but it was not a problem at all. If you want to refresh your memory there's a convenient Wikipedia page that reminds you who's who. But everything you need to know is recapped (albeit briefly) as we go along.

Sinner is narrated by our beloved Cole and Isabel, a couple of characters who you won't soon forget. Cole is somewhat of an arrogant ass, yet charming and hilarious, and Isabel is a bit psychotic with quick wit and, to be honest, she scares me a little >.< I love her, though. She's sarcastic and may be cold at times, but she's just so real and gets that sometimes life just freaking sucks. Plus she doesn't take any shit from anybody and that's something I always respect. As for Cole, sometimes I love him, other times I just want to slap that smug face of his. He does take some patience, but you know that he really does mean well - especially when it comes to Isabelle. I also love how much he's changed, and even though the world seems to be against him he gives them the finger and keeps on keeping on. That's a true sign of strength if you ask me. Also I have to mention Leon - for a side character, he entertained!

Together… Cole and Isabel can definitely bring out the worst in each other. It's a complicated relationship, that's for sure. They have a lot of wounds to heal, and a lot of issues to work out. As expected, it's a hot and cold kind of romance, but for once I wasn't irritated by it. I completely understood why Isabel reacted the way she did, and her lack of trust is not hard to grasp - who expects a guy to actually have changed when his personality is such an extreme? Their chemistry is off the charts, though, and you can feel how much love they have for each other despite all the crap they went through. It makes it easy to root for them.

The plot, honestly there's not much paranormal going on in this book. It's a werewolf book, yes, but the werewolf is nothing but another burden Cole is trying to be rid of. We do see him turn occasionally, but this novel focuses more on its contemporary side. It's a story about a boy learning to live with the harsh consequences of his past choices. It's also a love story. It's slow-ish paced, but the characters and situations keep you compelled. Cole being semi-famous lends the book a dash of the "life of the rich and famous". He also takes on a reality show for an extra spin of drama as well. I was actually quite fascinated by it all.

In a dazzling, sometimes frustrating LA setting, Sinner is full of wonder, heartbreak, and colourful characters for a great addition to the original Wolves of Mercy Falls series. This one is less wolf, and more broken human, but fans of the series will love it nonetheless!

--
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for review.

For more of my reviews, visit my blog at Xpresso Reads

...more

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Oct 07, 2013 Aiman rated it it was amazing

Shelves: reviewed, y-a-rom, fangirl-worthy-boy, werewolves, alternating-pov, teen, young-adult

This was me, starting the book↓

description

Yes, I was a wriggly feline, unable to contain my excitement and anticipation and so decided to squirm under the couch; successfully managing to startle my fellow feline friend in the process.

Anyway, let me get back to Sinner, the marvelously marvellous book written by none other than one of my favourite authors, Maggie Stiefvater! The book surpassed my higher-than-Mt-Everest expectations and left me with that utterly satisfying feeling you get when you wake up an ...more

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Sep 10, 2013 Glass rated it liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to Glass by: Buddy read with Tanja

Shelves: tanja-zemira-miss-glass-book-club, girls-reading-together, fangirling-like-crazy

Tanja: You of all people know how much I love Maggie's writing and how I drive people crazy with it. So I can't help but wonder where did it go. I couldn't find it here, which makes me rather sad.
Glass: I was always raving about how amazing this woman writes, but I have to agree with you and say that I am rather disappointed with Cole's story. I expected epic conclusion, but left hanging dry. What happened?
Tanja: I have no idea where all the magic disappeared. But to organize our thoughts better ...more

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Oct 27, 2015 Giulia rated it it was amazing

Shelves: romance, urban-fantasy, english-and-american-lit-and-more, young-adult, favorite-series, unputdownable, favorites, books-i-love, werewolves, amazing-characters-are-amazing

We were so little, when you took away all our sins.

Going into a book, we all have certain expectations: I'm going to like this, it's gonna be amazing, it's probably not my cup of tea... - you know, that sort of thing. Going into this book, I never would've thought it was going to be a 5 stars book. I mean, it's a spin-off of a trilogy I read years ago, so I wasn't expecting it to be anything more than okay. Turns out I was wrong. But let me explain myself a little better.

I read The W ...more

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Sep 10, 2013 Annie Brewer is currently reading it

Shelves: irresistable-hot-guys, romance, looking-forward-to-reading, paranormal, books-i-want-now, male-point-of-view, weres, bad-boy, ya, 2014

Edit: Since we're nearing the publication of this book, I'm going batshit crazy!!! When I saw it was available on netgalley, I requested it. That was a few days ago. Still haven't heard and it's driving me nuts!!! I've gotten approved of at least 5 other books this week...but no Cole. Grrrr! Well, regardless I'm reading this by July 1st!!! Yipppeeeee!

Ahhhhhh, COLE St. Clair!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wooooohoooooo! I loved Cole in the Wolves trilogy. Maybe we'll get to see where he and Isabel end up. Ah ...more

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Sep 10, 2013 Robin & Fo rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2014, short-stories-and-extras, werewolves

For the people who haven't seen it yet, you can read the first three chapters here: http://dialedin.com/scholastic10/Sinn...

And saying it's perfect is an understatement.. COLE, WE MISSED YOU.

Freakin' Cole St. Clair people, this is so awesome

description

...more

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Nov 22, 2013 Rachel Reads Ravenously rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fantasy, hardcover, urban-fantasy, werewolves-shapeshifters, paranormal-romance, young-adult

4.5 Sinner stars

“I came back for you, Isabel.”

Sinner is the follow up to Maggie Stiefvater’s Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy, and in order to understand this book completely, you must read those three amazing books first.

After the events of Forever, Isabel has moved from Minnesota to Los Angeles with her mother, moved in with her cousin and is pursuing a career in medicine. Cole, the haunted musician turned werewolf, has followed her back to the city that played a part in his downfall. B ...more

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Mar 12, 2014 ♥Rachel♥ rated it liked it

2.5 Stars

I have very mixed feelings about Sinner. There were parts I loved: the writing and the chemistry between Cole and Isabel, and then there was the not so much. I will say I was happy to have closure for Cole and Isabel after so long.

Cole has moved to Los Angeles in an attempt to re-start his music career. But the main reason he chose L.A. is because Isabel is there and Cole wants a future with her. Instead of signing on with a record label Cole has agreed to make an album while having it 2.5 Stars

I have very mixed feelings about Sinner. There were parts I loved: the writing and the chemistry between Cole and Isabel, and then there was the not so much. I will say I was happy to have closure for Cole and Isabel after so long.

Cole has moved to Los Angeles in an attempt to re-start his music career. But the main reason he chose L.A. is because Isabel is there and Cole wants a future with her. Instead of signing on with a record label Cole has agreed to make an album while having it documented by a “reality” show. One that specializes in featuring stars self-destruct in the process. Cole finds Isabel and inside she dares to dream that he’s here just for her. In Cole’s mind he is, but when Isabel finds out about the “reality” show she’s ticked and rightfully so in my opinion. What sane girl relishes the idea of her potential boyfriend/partner staring in a reality show? I get hives just thinking about it!

Sinner had a couple of things going against it (for me) from the beginning that may not be a problem for other readers. First of all, the whole premise of starring in a sensationalized reality show was a big negative for me. I can’t stand “reality” shows that are high on drama and character implosions. Second, even though I live in a suburb of Los Angeles, I hate the fake and superficial Los Angeles/Hollywood lifestyle where everyone must have the newest, brightest, best of everything: looks and things. And this is the setting. Cole and Isabel didn’t buy into that, but still, that was the setting and it came through loud and clear. I think this is the main reason it felt so different from the rest of the Wolves of Mercy Falls series. It didn’t feel anything like it, actually. The whole shifting and wolf thing hardly factored in the story at all.

The chemistry between Cole and Isabel was palpable and they shared some very sexy moments. It was the best thing about the story, IMO. But, this was not a couple gradually rejoining, sharing life’s burdens and bonding over common feelings. There was no such “togetherness”. Cole and Isabel had their own problems they didn’t really discuss with each other. Each dealt separately and then they’d come together here and there and smooch. Granted, these smooch-fests were very lusty, Maggie is a whiz at building the moment up, but I want more than just kissing. I want a deep connection, but Cole and Isabel were never really on the same page for the better part of the book. Cole was always chasing and Isabel was always running. That was okay, it was nothing unbearable because, like I said they’d get together and have these amazing moments, but then the last 20% there was a series of strange and unhappy events. I wouldn’t say it was high drama, just more melancholy angstiness, and then BAM at the very end everything is settled without really sorting anything out. I was a little bewildered, and I’m still scratching my head to be honest.

I do adore Maggie’s writing and I’m always in awe at how she’s able to set the mood and make you feel every scene as though it were happening to you, but I was hoping for more. Especially since Cole and Isabel were my favorite couple in Forever.

A copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review. ...more

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Jan 29, 2019 Brittany rated it really liked it

Shelves: romance, ya, fantasy, 4-star-reads, year-2019, music, paranormal

4 Stars!!
🌟🌟🌟🌟

“It was the first time I'd really realized I'd lost my soul and that the beauty of not having a soul was that you couldn't seem to care that you no longer had one.”

Another series in the books! I love Maggie Stiefvater :P Her writing is so simple, yet complex and the depth expressed in this book was excellent!!

Sinner, is the last book in The Wolves of Mercy Falls series. Its all about my two favorite characters- Isabel and Cole. I could relate to them so much more than Grace a ...more

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Sep 10, 2013 Zemira Warner rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: fans of Cole St.Clair :)

Shelves: best-of-2014, favorite, flipping-pages, all-time-favorites, i-own, i-want-to-write-like-this, my-emotions

I am totally calm. Nothing earth-shattering has happened. Cole's only getting his own book. Nothing to be excited about.

Oh, gosh! This was even better than I imagined! I love The Dream Thieves and Linger but Sinner is a whole another story. I'm so impressed with Maggie right now.

Sinner follows Cole St. Clair, a pivotal character from the #1 New York Times bestselling Shiver Trilogy. Everybody thinks they know Cole's story. Stardom. Addiction. Downfall. Disappearance. But only a few people know Cole's darkest secret -- his ability to shift into a wolf. One of these people is Isabel. At one point, they may have even loved each other. But that feels like a lifetime ago. Now Cole is back. Back in the spotlight. Back in the danger zone. Back in Isabel's life. Can this sinner be saved?

It's no secret I love Cole ever since I first read about him in The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy. I did feel like Cole's story wasn't finished and guess what? I was right! The fact Maggie decided to write Sinner means the world to me.

The story starts with Cole being his charming self and he's gone to Los Angeles to find Isabel and along the way, to make a new record. When he does, he sees Isabel is not quick to forgive him for being a hot mess (I'm putting it mildly). He's been using drugs to induce his change in warm weather. He's doing it to escape from his thoughts and past that are still haunting him.

It's hard to explain why I love Cole and Isabel together. They are both messed up people. Cole, a showman and Isobel, an ice queen. But when they're together, sparks fly. The beginning of the book was playful and I was smirking at their bickering. Later, I was consumed with a severe case of feels. Their scenes weren't swoony. They were raw and real. Don't think Maggie wrote anything like this before. I feel as if this book was her most distinctive story so far. I mentioned this in one of my status updated- Sinner was everything I hoped The Piper's Son would be. I had high expectations for TPS because it's Melina freaking Marchetta we're talking about here but I ended up being disappointed because I didn't feel the connection with the book. That wasn't the case with Sinner.

Maggie Stiefvater isn't known for writing contemporary books but I have to say, this book was one of those strange paranormal novels which doesn't talk much about paranormal stuff. The essence of this book is based on personal growth and not on fangs and paws. If you, like me, prefer contemporary novels over paranormals, then you'll be smitten with it because our dear author brought out all the guns. And if you're not a fan of contemps then you'll still enjoy it because of Cole and Isabel. Mrs. Stiefvater made me love this book more than I love The Dream Thieves and Linger.

I don't really know what to say about this book. It was phenomenal! It made me think outside my box. It was the kind of book you would put on a special place in your shelf because it deserves it so I encourage you, go and order it!

...more

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Sep 10, 2013 Sharon ∞❥ is an emotional book junkie ❥∞ rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-in-2014

If you've read the Wolves of Mercy Falls series, you were probably happy with it for the most part but...we needed more Cole and Isabel. And I was so happy when MS decided to write their story.

Cole's agreed to be on a reality TV show and write/sing more music but he really came to California for Isabel. Of course, he can't really tell her that. He thinks he needs to get her to see how much she needs him too.

I've always liked Cole and couldn't wait to read his story but OMG, he about drove me c ...more

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Sep 10, 2013 Thomas rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, fantasy, own-physical, romance

I gave so many damns at once that it actually hurt.

Three years after the publication of Forever, Maggie Stiefvater takes us into the lives of Cole and Isabel with her standalone companion book Sinner. After the tragedy that tore her family apart, Isabel now lives in Los Angeles, working in a chic store and studying her way to a premed track. Cole comes back to LA under the guise of shooting a television show with a notorious celebrity-eater named Baby, though he really wants to see Isabel and fe I gave so many damns at once that it actually hurt.

Three years after the publication of Forever, Maggie Stiefvater takes us into the lives of Cole and Isabel with her standalone companion book Sinner. After the tragedy that tore her family apart, Isabel now lives in Los Angeles, working in a chic store and studying her way to a premed track. Cole comes back to LA under the guise of shooting a television show with a notorious celebrity-eater named Baby, though he really wants to see Isabel and feel her love again. Isabel keeps up a cold front, but when external forces like family and ex-friends, as well as internal demons like insecurity and addiction rear their ugly heads, the couple must learn to trust each other or fall apart trying.

Cole and Isabel contributed so much voice to the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy. The bond between Grace and Sam felt whole, wonderful, and sweet; the relationship between Cole and Isabel felt jagged, honest, and dangerous. Sinner continues their characterizations and pushes them further. Cole maintains his sarcasm, his seductive smirk, and his self-harming tendencies. Isabel returns with her acerbic wit and her hidden vulnerability. They both deal with a lot of personal issues, and while their angst almost felt overwhelming at times, Stiefvater's nuanced, detailed writing lets readers float amidst an ocean of feelings.

Of all the things. Maybe he'd had girlfriends before, but I'd spent a lot of time intentionally being no one's. And now I didn't even know if he'd been saying it just to put a suspicious waitress at ease or because he thought I was really his girlfriend. And I didn't even know, after that, if I even wanted to be. I didn't know if it mattered if your boyfriend wasn't a mess if everyone else in the world thought he was.

Sinner felt more like realistic fiction than fantasy. Stiefvater keeps the plot focused on Cole's television show and his production of a new album. Even though sometimes the story veered into mawkish territories, Stiefvater always pulled it back by developing her secondary characters - Sofia, Leon, and Jeremy - as well as by giving Cole and Isabel real, sensitive narratives. Their dialogue and banter entertained me and made me swoon, and even their text messages felt sincere and well-written (Stiefvater is one of the rare YA authors who actually understands how young adults text.) Isabel and Cole, both sharp around the edges, help smooth each other out by the end of the book.

Overall, recommended to those who enjoyed Cole's and Isabel's perspectives in the Wolves of Mercy Falls series. While not the perfect book - I still feel that Stiefvater could have dived a little deeper into their internal wounds, especially before that ending - Sinner is full of stellar characterization and powerful, graceful writing. ...more

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Aug 12, 2017 Kat rated it really liked it

Shelves: library-1

I was so glad we got one more book in the "Wolves of Mercy Falls" series because even though Cole and Isabel were secondary characters, I would have greatly missed seeing the chance to see them get their happy ending. The setting in this fourth book in the series is radically different from the three that came before. It's more of a "Real World" meets "Mercy Falls" sort of scenario. But it was still enjoyable. And I enjoyed the look into the psyche's of both Cole and ISabel as they meet a little ...more

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Aug 07, 2014 Mogsy (MMOGC) rated it it was ok

Shelves: paranormal, shapeshifters, young-adult, romance, fantasy, arcs-and-galleys, new-adult

2 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2014/10/18/y...

I’m disappointed to say the least. Stiefvater’s Wolves of Mercy Falls was a trilogy I read a few years ago, and while it might not rank up there as one of my favorite Young Adult series of all time, it had its moments. One of the highlights was the supporting character of Isabel Culpeper who was a bit of a queen bee, plus she’s angry and bitter to boot. And yet, I found her to be a lot more interesting than the very blah p 2 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2014/10/18/y...

I’m disappointed to say the least. Stiefvater’s Wolves of Mercy Falls was a trilogy I read a few years ago, and while it might not rank up there as one of my favorite Young Adult series of all time, it had its moments. One of the highlights was the supporting character of Isabel Culpeper who was a bit of a queen bee, plus she’s angry and bitter to boot. And yet, I found her to be a lot more interesting than the very blah protagonist of Grace Brisbane, and I was rather fond of Isabel. I was also intrigued when I found out she would be starring in her own book Sinner along with Cole St. Clair, the rock star/werewolf with whom she started a budding romance towards the end of the Mercy Falls trilogy.

Sinner begins in California, where Isabel has started her new life, going to school preparing to be a doctor while working part time at a clothing designer’s store. Cole on the other hand is trying to make a comeback to the music scene after being rehabilitated from a life of booze and drugs, by — ugh! — agreeing to be the focus of a godforsaken reality TV show, of all things. When he arrives in LA, the first thing he does is look up Isabel, hoping to rekindle what they had from their days back in Mercy Falls, Minnesota.

There’s really not much else to say about the plot. The story zips along at the speed of molasses, and for the longest time I tried to figure out what the conflict was, only to resign myself to the fact that there really isn’t one. Cole does his reality TV show thing while acting like a prima donna, and Isabel goes about her daily life putting up with his crap.

To be fair, Sinner ended up being a completely different book than I expected it to be. First of all, it probably falls more into the New Adult category instead of YA, following the characters like Isabel in their post-high school life, and werewolves or not, the themes are more contemporary rather than related to speculative fiction. It has very few paranormal elements compared to the Mercy Falls trilogy, so few that I was just barely able to label this one a fantasy.

My main issue, however, wasn’t the lack of fantasy elements or the fact that there was hardly any story. My problem was the vacuous, insufferable prat that was Cole St. Clair.

For the love of God, I don’t remember him being so annoying in the original trilogy. A big pet peeve of mine is bad boys who try oh so very hard to be a bad boy. Let’s face it, if Cole hadn’t gotten lucky and become a rock star, he would have ended up living in a cardboard box in some alley, offering to take your verbal abuse for chance at a bit of change. And who knows, he still might end up that way. He’s already washed up at this young age, reduced to dancing-bear status on an insipid reality TV show.

The sad part is, I still really like Isabel’s character, which made it doubly hard to watch her fall for this joker when all I wanted to do was scream at her to run, run away! Get as far away as you can from this idiot because God forbid if you end up marrying him he’ll end up a worthless thirty-five-year-old has-been, having pissed away his royalties on cars and parties, with no aspirations other than to be a professional layabout because working for an honest living is just sooooo lame. He’d probably let his looks and physique go too, because exercise and taking good care of one’s health is something, like, everybody does! And we all know Cole’s just too cool to go along with everyone else!

I feel kind of bad for being snarky, but it just makes me so ANGRY. I think this was my problem with the Wolves of Mercy Falls series as well. The trilogy started well enough, but things went downhill in the last book Forever when the characters suddenly developed these horribly bratty and angsty attitudes. To a certain extent you have to expect a fair dose of youthful naiveté in YA, but this whole “OMG I hate everyone and everything!” and “Adults are stupid morons and I totally know better than all of them!” kind of thinking gets a bit old, especially in Sinner when we’ve supposedly left high school far behind. Frankly, Cole’s behavior towards his parents made me sick, especially considering how by all accounts they are perfectly good, sensible people. The worst thing Cole can think of to happen to him is if he became his dad, because apparently, Cole thinks being a responsible contributor to society is boring. Go figure.

As a novel, it saddens me to say this, especially since according to her foreword it sounds like a pretty important book for the author, but Sinner felt kind of pointless. For me, it was also 300-ish pages of teeth-grinding aggravation, thanks to the big, cuddly ball of phony that was Cole. Read this if you’re fan of the Mercy Falls books because you’ll probably want to see what happened to two of the more important side characters from the trilogy. That’s what I told myself I wanted to do, and I don’t regret reading this because at least I got to follow up with Isabel, but unfortunately not even her chapters could make up for her co-star. ...more

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Sep 10, 2013 Keertana rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc-galley-and-first-reads

When it comes to The Wolves of Mercy Falls Series, I have a unique relationship--to say the least. I couldn't finish Shiver the first time I picked it up; I disliked it that much. But just a matter of months later, I was in the mood for Sam and Grace and their ridiculously uneven love story, so I picked up the novel again, opened its spine, and fell head-over-heels in love. Not only with Sam and Grace, but with Maggie Stiefvater as well. And, unlike most readers, I found Forever to be the pinnac ...more

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Feb 12, 2019 Emily rated it it was amazing

Shelves: book-boyfriends, would-recommend, contemporary, favorites, read-in-2019, 5-star, supernatural, to-be-re-read, mental-illness

I haven't read a book in a day in quite some time, but wow, there was no other way to properly read this one. I'm so grateful for the snow day that gave me the opportunity to completely devour this book <3.

I find that it is hardest to write reviews for the books I love most, and that is definitely a problem I'm having with this one. The feelings that this story invoked in me remind me a lot of the ones I was put through in Christina Lauren's Autoboyography. By that, I mean it was full of happin I haven't read a book in a day in quite some time, but wow, there was no other way to properly read this one. I'm so grateful for the snow day that gave me the opportunity to completely devour this book <3.

I find that it is hardest to write reviews for the books I love most, and that is definitely a problem I'm having with this one. The feelings that this story invoked in me remind me a lot of the ones I was put through in Christina Lauren's Autoboyography. By that, I mean it was full of happiness, heartbreak, angst, utter sadness, and just a sense that I could not stop reading because I was just in the midst of so much emotional trauma. I was so enthralled by this story and it's really hard to properly explain why.

Perhaps it's because I care so much about Cole and Isabel, and the fact that I was already in love with their characters from the previous books made me even more connected to them. This is almost the perfect formula for a book: a romantic spin-off between two characters that you already love and ship.

I think that this is one of my favorite types of books, and one that I feel like doesn't exist often enough. Both this, and Laini Taylor's Night of Cake & Puppets fit this model and were both honestly my favorite books out of either series.

I related to both Isabel and Cole in more ways than I could possibly mention. Cole constantly feels alone, even in a crowd, and has trouble finding purpose in his life without other people. He constantly feels restless, unless he's actively experiencing. Isabel, on the other hand, struggles with disconnecting from the world. She needs to feel anchored to it and fears not being in control. She can't simply escape by not thinking about her problems like Cole, because she is plagued by logic, in a sense, and I can really relate to that too.

This book reminds me why I love reading so much: I love to see myself in characters, feel emotions through fiction, and to have new ideas and thoughts sparked within me that I've never even considered before.

Maggie Stiefvater has a true gift for portraying emotion through imagery and the experiences of each character. Every scene provided a specific emotion or idea to me that I don't always get from other books. Overall, I'm blown away by this book, and I cannot wait to continue reading more from Maggie Stiefvater. ...more

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Oct 20, 2014 Yodamom rated it it was ok

Shelves: favorite-author, audio, annoying-people, ya-books, dragons, drama-rama, cliffhanger-craptastic-ending, less-than-i-expected

What a depressing read. Sad depressing thoughts, unhappy lives, dark perceptions, out of nowhere ending that tried to make LA seem like a cesspool of the world.

Cole, the suicidal addict werwolf rock star and now TV reality star, is not a very interesting character. He fell flat for this reader. He had so much drama, he was so unhappy, and most of it was his doing. He was also rude, mean, and quick to slit the throats of innocents who thought him special. He enjoyed upsetting the balance of other ...more

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Nov 22, 2013 Brigid ✩ marked it as to-read

Shelves: werewolves, paranormal, young-adult, fantasy, romance

Wait. WHAT?!?!?!?!

There is going to be a fourth Wolves of Mercy Falls book? SINCE WHEN?!

I just saw Maggie post something about this on Facebook and I was just like "UHHhhhh whut." I wasn't sure whether to feel excited about this or not, until I saw that it's not really a fourth book but a standalone companion book that focuses on Cole, so ...

Sounds cool to me, because Cole is awesome. Also I think Maggie's writing has improved a lot since she wrote the other three books, so this could turn out ...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
A Crazy Little Th...: Sinner by Maggie Stiefvater - Starting Sep. 1st	10	12	Sep 02, 2020 04:07PM
YA Buddy Readers'...: Sinner (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #4) by Maggie Stiefvater - Restarting February 7th 2019	56	212	Feb 08, 2019 02:13PM
Sinnel Sandoval	1	4	Jan 14, 2018 02:59PM
Sinnel Sandoval	1	3	Jan 09, 2018 05:29AM
Sinnel Sandoval	1	5	Dec 31, 2017 07:33AM
Sinnel Sandoval	1	3	Dec 30, 2017 03:43PM
Can I read this as a stand-alone?	9	68	Jan 10, 2017 05:04AM

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About Maggie Stiefvater

Maggie Stiefvater

164,939 followers

New York Times bestselling author of The Shiver Trilogy, The Raven Cycle, and The Scorpio Races. Artist. Driver of things with wheels. Avid reader.

Maggie Stiefvater plays several musical instruments (most infamously, the bagpipes) and makes art in several media (most generally, colored pencils).

She lives in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia with her husband, their two children, many dogs, a bunch ...more