Forever by Maggie Stiefvater (The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy)

In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. In Linger, they fought to be together. Now, in Forever, the stakes are even higher than before. Wolves are being hunted. Lives are being threatened. And love is harder and harder to hold on to as death comes closing in.

Forever was standing-ovation when you're done-heart pounding during that intense moment-that feeling in the pit of your stomach- worthy.  It was every emotion you've ever felt in another book.  A kaleidoscope of thoughts runs through your mind throughout this book and every one of them brings you back to Sam, Grace, Cole, and Isabelle.

Albeit, the book did have it's flaws, one of them being the intrusions of different storylines popping in between intense scenes - which I found a mildly annoying.  This is of course the final book in the Mercy Falls trilogy, which is quite disappointing.  This series has always been one that I've recommended, a staple in my library and after Forever, I don't feel any different. 

Forever was filled with tension and anticipation (on my part) and yes it was everything I wanted it to be but the ending?  The last few pages?  Those were slightly underwhelming and vague.  I kind of sat there with "Now what?" look on my face, expecting there to be a few more pages or at the very least a prologue.  And although I found that to be a tad bit annoying, it didn't stop me from loving the book in it's entirety.

Definitely still recommend the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy, with it's poetic writing on Maggie Stiefvater's part, and intense plot.  Which is the reason I'm giving the entire series the Platinum Moody Seal of Approval.

Shiver by Maggie stiefvater

Courtesy of Scholastic I had the opportunity to read Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater.

Summary:For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf - her wolf - is a haunting presence she can?t seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human -- until the cold makes him shift back again. Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It?s her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears and the temperature drops, Sam must fight to stay human or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

In the beginning of the book we find out that Grace has been attacked by wolves when she was younger, but had survived.  She had been saved by the yellow-eyed wolf.  Enter Sam, the sad romeo in our intricate love story.  Sam turns into a wolf during the cold months, then goes back to a human in the summer.  But eventually, he won't go back to being a human, and the wold inside of him will take over.  Finally Sam and Grace meet in September while he is human, she 17 and him 18.  Once they meet the story develops and the plot takes off, Sam and Grace fall completely in love with each other and life couldn't seem to be better.  But there is a gray cloud running their perfect sky.  Winter is just around the corner and this could be Sam's last year as a human.  But Sam and Grace have just met and cannot be separated.  It's just not fair!  They've got a taste of the potential they have together and cannot, will not be separated!  A few months to cover the 6 years they had been waiting for each others company isn't going to do them any justice.

From start to finish this book had me going, it was a real love story.  Grace and Sam were such real characters and their relationship was actually believable.  I really can't describe much of it but I can say that the Sam and Grace were only living in the now, not the past, nor the future. They were just taking it day by day.  Throughout the whole book the point of view switches from Sam to Grace and it really helps understand their relationship.  Though at the end of the book there is a little whole that isn't filled by the conclusion as to how Sam had survived and Grace never turned into a wolf.  I would definitely encourage a second book though, it would be at the top of my list!  The detail was so explained in this book you felt like you were there, living it.  And a bonus, Sam is almost a realistic perfect guy.  Gentleman, sweet, caring you name it!  Thankfully, there wasn't a cliff hanger in this book but I crave the next book Linger which will be coming out in 2010.  You find out the ending but want more, Shiver was not enough to satisfy me, I need the next book.  I must know what happens to Sam and Grace after Shiver!  MUST!

Shiver is a love story that is beautifully described.  You'll Shiver with delight!
This book has the moody teenager stamp of approval!