Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Shiver
by Maggie Stiefvater
(Audio)
This book came highly recommended by people who like a lot of the same YA that I like. It's one of the books featured on the YA swap group I participate in, so I thought it was about time for me to actually read it.
I would describe this book as a story about true love. The problem is, Grace is in love with a boy who turns into a wolf. At first, she just knows that the yellow-eyed wolf is her wolf. When he appears in human form, she doesn't understand but she feels that she knows him. And Sam, this boy, is in love with her but doesn't know how to explain what he is. Still, their instincts and what they feel for each other are strong enough to influence all their behaviors. Grace can just about sense when he's in trouble. He saves her. She saves him. But it's not happily ever after. Things get more complicated and more challenges arise.
The mythos surprised me at first. If I have it right, the change from human to wolf happens when it becomes too cold. So summers can be spent in human form, but when it starts getting cold again, the wolfiness comes on. Also, when they reach a certain age, they stay in wolf form forever. Some of the werewolves want to be wolves; they accept it as part of them and/or they choose it. Others fight against it. And, with Grace at his side, Sam is able to find the strength to fight the way no one has fought before.
The audio version includes a reader for Sam's chapters and a different reader for Grace's. Also, each is preceeded by a name and the temperature, so you instantly know what might be going on as far as the transformations.
There are definitely some star-crossed Ladyhawke-like moments. And there are some tragic moments. But there's also a decent amount of sweetness and romantic true love. Also, I really liked Sam :-) Like, a lot. He's a good guy.
Definitely enjoyable. I didn't instantly fall in love, but there are definitely characters that touched me and a new, creative spin on werewolves. I look forward to the next book in the series!