Book Review: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  the cold.
Grace has spent years watching the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—watches back. He feels deeply familiar to her, but she doesn't know why.

the heat.
Sam has lived two lives. As a wolf, he keeps the silent company of the girl he loves. And then, for a short time each year, he is human, never daring to talk to Grace...until now.

the shiver.
For Grace and Sam, love has always been kept at a distance. But once it's spoken, it cannot be denied. Sam must fight to stay human—and Grace must fight to keep him—even if it means taking on the scars of the past, the fragility of the present, and the impossibility of the future.

My Thoughts:  Okay, please my friends, don't hate me here but I was not in love with this book like everyone else has been.  Don't get me wrong, it was a good book but after reading The Hunger Games, which Shiver had the unfortunate luck of following, it just didn't grab me. 

I enjoy the story being told from Grace and Sam's point of views.  It always makes it more interesting to have both sides tell a story plus I feel like I can really connect with each character.  I loved Sam.  He was sweet and honest and good.  Sometimes he was a little too good and I found myself sharing Grace's frusterations (I mean come on...kiss her already!). 

Grace was a great character too however I found her a little strange at the beginning of the book.  She is obsessed with these wolves and already almost loves Sam (as a wolf) in a romantic way and that's just a little strange to me.  I hated her parents and found some parts of the story a little unbelievable here.  Sam pratically lives with Grace, in her parents house, for months without them ever knowing.  They never check on her when the get in late or before the leave in the morning.  They are never home.  I mean, poor Grace has almost died twice and they pay no attention her.  Then there is a crazy incident that happens in the middle of the book and Grace's mom takes her and Sam to the hospital and then just leaves them.  It was like "well, you're not going to die so I'm outta here".  I have kids....there is NO way I would leave them in a hospital by themselves.  So yeah, wasn't crazy about her parents. 

This book did remind me a lot of Twilight only with Werewolves instead of Vampires.  The way Grace wanted to be physical and Sam held back, especially but it was different enough (for me) to still enjoy it.  I both liked and disliked the total change in beliefs on werewolves.  They don't change with the phases of the moon, it is the temperature (noted at the beginning of each chapter).  This is a little off for me only because there are too many questions.  Why don't they just stay inside during the winter?  Why don't they move to S. America where it never gets cold?  I mean, why on earth would they choose to live in MN?  Hello....it's COLD there a lot!  I didn't like the so-called "cure" and the quick way Jack was dealt with in the end.  Why does it work for some and not others?  There were just a lot of questions that weren't answered.

However, the ending was amazing and totally left me hanging and dying to read Linger.  So, I am ordering it from the library with high hopes of getting it soon just to see what happens now.