26) Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

The Blurb -

The longing.

Once Grace and Sam have found each other, they know they must fight to stay together. For Sam, this means a reckoning with his werewolf past. For Grace, it means facing a future that is less and less certain.

The loss.

Into their world comes a new wolf named Cole, whose past is full of hurt and danger. He is wrestling with his own demons, embracing the life of a wolf while denying the ties of being human.

The linger.

For Grace, Sam and Cole, life is a constant struggle between two forces--wolf and human--with love baring its two sides as well. It is narrowing and euphoric, freeing and entrapping, enticing and alarming. As their world falls apart, love is what lingers. But will it be enough?

My Thoughts -

Linger is the second book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls series and I am still not sure if I really like this series or not. So much of the story feels like Twilight that I keep expecting some vampires to jump out from the woods.

If I was younger I am sure I would love this series and would be able to identify with it on a lot of levels. However being older and wiser I feel this series may just be giving the wrong idea to the young adults reading these books. With guys running around naked, youngsters doing whatever they want, parents ignoring their children and many other screwed up situations I wonder if the author is setting a good example.

In Shiver I had a problem with Grace's parents leaving her alone all the time. Suddenly in Linger her parents start showing an interest in Grace's life. A little too much too late if you ask me. But with Grace and Sam being so lovey dovey all the time I really understand her parents putting their foot down. Even if they need some lessons on how to be better parents.

The addition of Cole was an interesting twist to the story but as I listened to the book I just kept waiting for something exciting to happen. While the story has enough chat to keep me listening there was a severe lack of action. Hardly anything really happens in this book and it wasn't until the last few chapters that things really got interesting. Then it was the end.

I am sure that I will be listening to book number three in the series when it comes out. I am kind of intrigued to see where things go and what happens next. On the other hand I find Grace annoying and Sam a bit of a loser. It is an understatement to say that I am extremely confused about this series :)

118) Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

The Blurb -

Grace is his summer girl as Sam says in one of the songs he has written for her. She is everything that holds him into his human form and she is everything he ever could have wanted.

For Grace, Sam is her lonely, sad wolf that always lingers near her house in winter but never shows up in summer. Because of that winter is her favourite time of year and she can't wait to see him, touch him - feel him.

Not yet does she know about her beloved wolf's secret, his second nature and Sam is to shy to tell her when he is able to.

The two of them share a past - and will hopefully share a future together, which only begins to start when Grace finds her wolf one day in front of her house - not at all an animal but a naked boy...

My Thoughts -

It seems like everyone had read this book except me. So when I saw this cheap on Audible I decided it was high time to see what all the fuss was about. Shiver had amazing reviews all over the place but the blurb made the book sound boring. I wasn't sure if this was going to be good or bad but knew that I had to try it.

Things started off quite interesting and the whole concept wasn't that bad. Grace, one of the main characters, is actually a nice girl and Sam, the other main character, had a good strong presence. All in all there wasn't anything to complain about. However as things progressed I found myself taking long pauses between listening to the book. The story was just so drawn out and long winded that I needed to take a break from it.

There was enough going on and it wasn't at all boring but I just wanted something big to happen. Something amazing, something special, something that would make this book as wonderful as everyone else seems to think it is. Nothing happened. I waited and waited but I didn't get 'it'. Maybe I am too old for this Young Adult novel but it didn't make me want to rush off and start recommending it to my friends.

For me there was a 'Twilight' problem. This book may not have vampires, may not two guys fighting over the same girl but it did have a big 'Twilight' feel to it. Lovey dovey teenagers falling for one another without really knowing each other always annoys me because it sets a bad example to the young people reading the book. Things like that do happen but life isn't always that easy. Also Grace's parents being conveniently 'away' all the time gave the wrong impression. I am sure there are children growing up like this all over the place but it just came across as silly and unrealistic.

There is a second book and I believe even a third book in this series. While I wasn't totally in love with Shiver I might still check out the second part. If I had picked this up to read in book form I don't believe I would have finished it but as an audible with the good narrators it wasn't too bad to listen to. So if I see Linger sometime, going cheap, I will check it out. I will admit I am a little curious about what happens next.