Shiver, Linger, and Forever - The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy by Maggie Stiefvater

Grace and Sam share a kinship so close they could be lovers or siblings. But they also share a problem. When the temperature slips towards freezing, Sam reverts to his wolf identity and must retreat into the woods to protect his pack. He worries that eventually his human side will fade away and he will be left howling alone at the lonely moon. A stirring supernatural teen romance.

When I first read Shiver a couple of years ago, it was definitely 'love at first read.' Stiefvater pulled me into Mercy Falls from the very first page and made me want to set up permanent residence.

There are just so many things to love about this series. First and foremost on that list is the writing. Maggie Steifvater has a way with words that tends to take one's breath away. She can take simple commentary and turn it into a thing of beauty. In just a few words she manages to give real insight to a characters thoughts, emotions, and motivation. Her writing is like a work of art, the words molded together to create something truly beautiful. I felt like I could really see Mercy Falls...the book store, Grace's bedroom, Beck's place, the and woods. Not only could I see a vivid picture of the settings and characters, but I felt as if I could hear the sounds as well...of Sam's soft voice, the strumming of a guitar, the howls of the wolves, or even the snap of a branch within the forest. There were moments that were like looking at a painting and listening to a beautiful piece of music at the same time.

The characters in this series were incredible as well. I fell head over heels for Sam. Wonderful, beautiful, breath taking Sam! My heart melted for him, broke for him, and pounded because of him. He was very different from most of the love interests/male leads that I've read. He had depth and history and was complex. I loved Grace as well, and in the second and third novels Isabel and Cole stole my heart. The characters felt real and rich and I felt honest emotions for what they were going through. I really grew attached to them.

The plot itself was amazing. Stiefvater wrote a story that was captivating and heart wrenching. The combination of romance, paranormal, and honest human experiences and emotions was perfect. I really enjoyed the use of science in the story and that there was a real explanation for what was happening with the wolves. There are some novels in which there is no real description or explanation for the paranormal events that occur and the reader is just expected to believe that what is happening has good reason. That is not the case in this trilogy.

I wholeheartedly recommend this series. It has been one of my favorites these past few years and I was sad to see it end. I'm certainly a big fan of Maggie Stiefvater now!