Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again.
Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.
UPS delivered Shiver to me on Friday night. I had just finished Wondrous Strange and was planning on just reading A Breath of Snow and Ashes until I could get my hands on the new Night Huntress. But there Shiver was just staring at me. What was I to do? After a lot of arguing with myself I decided to start it.....and man did I make the right choice!

When Grace was a child, she was attacked by the wolves. Any other person would have been scared of the beasts after that. Not Grace. She was strangely fascinated by them. Especially her yellow eyed wolf.
Shiver is a beautifully written impossible love story. I haven't been this enthralled with a love story since Twilight. I think Maggie Stiefvater will do for werewolves what Stephenie Meyer did for vampires.
I have always felt that werewolf fiction was greatly lacking. Not anymore! I highly highly recommend you to get and read this book now! It's definitely the next BIG thing in YA fiction! 5 Stars!

Sample Post

Age Group: Young Adult
Received From: Kindle Store
IBSN: 9781595141712)
Blurb:
Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker--his classmate and crush--who committed suicide two weeks earlier.
On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list.
Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

My Thoughts:

I had read all the rave reviews of this book. That's why I bought it. So maybe my exceptions were too high. I don't know the reason for sure but I really don't have anything to rave about. I thought this book was only okay.

So what made me think that it was only okay? I didn't connect with these characters at all. I felt no sympathy for Hannah or Clay. To me it seemed like most of the problems Hannah had were brought on by herself. Maybe inadvertently but she was definitely partly to blame.

Clay's feeling for Hannah were not that believable to me. How can a boy like a girl for so long and not act on it? I know it happens but there were times when Clay had a perfect opportunity. He even knew that she liked him!

Oh well...I don't want to rant. The book wasn't all bad. The concept of the story was great. I just couldn't get past the characters.

3 Stars

Sample Post 2

Age Group: Young Adult

Received From: 1 ARC Tours
Other Info: 2010 Debut Author Challenge
IBSN: 9781606840382
Blurb:

Sydelle Mirabil is living proof that, with a single drop of rain, a life can be changed forever. Tucked away in the farthest reaches of the kingdom, her dusty village has suffered under the weight of a strangely persistent drought. That is, of course, until a wizard wanders into town and brings the rain with him.

In return for this gift, Wayland North is offered any reward he desires—and no one is more surprised than Sydelle when, without any explanation, he chooses her. Taken from her home, Sydelle hardly needs encouragement to find reasons to dislike North. He drinks too much and bathes too little, and if that isn’t enough to drive her to madness, North rarely even uses the magic he takes such pride in possessing. Yet, it’s not long before she realizes there’s something strange about the wizard, who is as fiercely protective of her as he is secretive about a curse that turns his limbs a sinister shade of black and leaves him breathless with agony. Unfortunately, there is never a chance for her to seek answers.

Along with the strangely powerful quakes and storms that trace their path across the kingdom, other wizards begin to take an inexplicable interest in her as well, resulting in a series of deadly duels. Against a backdrop of war and uncertainty, Sydelle is faced with the growing awareness that these events aren’t as random as she had believed—that no curse, not even that of Wayland North, is quite as terrible as the one she herself may carry.

My Thoughts:

Sydelle has settled for a life in the middle of nowhere. One day she will marry her childhood friend they will have children. Her children will have children and then she will die. That is what Sydelle expects of her life. What any person from Cliffton would expect of their life but with the rain everything changes.

Alexandra Bracken has created a magical and adventurous love story like no other. I was hooked from the first page. The world was very visual and easy for me to imagine.
The story is told in a very different way then most young adult novels right now. There is romance but it is almost nonexistent. It takes a backseat to the adventure but still somehow stays a main focus. Did that make any sense...I loved the way it was done. It almost made you love North more. And crave the romance more!

Speaking of North. What an unlikely male lead! I get so tired of these perfect male characters with there perfect powers and perfect hair. Finally a character with flaws and funny ones to boot! I might have fallen in love a little bit! Just a little.
All in all I loved this book. Alexandra has written an excellent debut and I'm so happy she shared it with the rest of us. I do have one little complaint....I need a sequel! Like now!

4 Stars!