Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater Retro Friday Book Review

Retro Friday reviews are hosted by Angieville. Pretty much you review an older book on Friday.

Well, it’s almost the end of summer, and I’ve made a tiny bit of progress on my Shiver Summer challenge and finished Shiver finally. Yay!

Grace has watched the wolves outside her home in Mercy Falls, Minnesota for years. She is drawn to one wolf in particular, with almost human eyes. These wolves aren’t ordinary wolves though. When the weather is warm, they take on human form until it becomes freezing again and turn back into wolves. Grace’s life becomes entwined with Sam’s who SPOILER ALERT is the wolf with the human eyes. As she falls in love with Sam, their love is put into danger. You see the residents of Mercy Falls want to kill the wolves and there’s also this big risk of Sam losing his human side forever.

Shiver

So, okay guys to be honest the plot of Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater left something to be desired. I thought it was missing a dangerous undercurrent which should be throbbing (gross) because of all of the risks. Grace is pretty boring too. All she does is cook and love up on Sam. Sure, she is brave in parts, but that’s more the exception than the rule. I also didn’t find Sam all that crushworthy either, with his whining and song writing. Sure there are logical reasons as to why Sam is whiny and Grace is boring, but they don’t exactly endear the characters to me.

Despite all this, I had fair warning that the plot of Shiver wouldn’t be the best ever, and what I should truly be reading this book for is the writing. Those people are correct. I found Maggie Stiefavater’s writing to be scrumptious and lyrical. The kissing is ten different shades of hot. Observe:

“I reached for it at the same time as Grace, and it was just one of those perfect movie moments where the hands touch and you know the characters are going to kiss. Only this time it was my arms somehow accidentally circling her, pinning her against the counter as I reached for the toast, and bracing the edge of the fridge as I leaned forward. Lost in embarrassment over my bumbling, I didn’t even realize it was the perfect moment until I saw Grace’s eyes close, face lifted toward mine.

I kissed her. Just the barest brush of my lips against hers, nothing animal.”- pg. 87 hardcover

It continues, getting more heated, but I don’t want to spoil you completely on the heats. I also loved how simple things, like a cup of hot chocolate are described. Also, the weather. While reading this on a hot summer day, I actually felt cold!

As I fell in love with the writing instead of the characters or plot, I will continue on with The Wolves Of Mercy Falls series. Pretty much everyone I know says they get better, so why not? And hey, if the kissing scenes stay the same, then it will be worth it.

And on that note:

“I kissed her again before she could say anything else, backing into the room with her, a tangle of arms in the moonlight. Her fingers hooked into the back of my jeans, thumbs brushing my hop bones, pulling me even closer to her.

‘Oh, God, Grace,’ I gasped. ‘You –you greatly overestimate my self-control.’

‘I’m not looking for self-control.’ pg. 292-292

Disclosure: Purchased copy.

Other Reviews of Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater:

Lisa Is Busy Nerding
Rhapsody In Books
The Book Rat
Hobbitsies

Purchase Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater here.

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April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

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