Shiver

Shiver
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Series: The Wolves Of Mercy Falls (#1)
Publisher: Scholastic
How Received: ARC

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human ... until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

Jacob Black, watch out. There's a new werewolf on the block - sexier, lonely, and so easy to love - and his name is Sam Roth. Maggie Stievater has created a world so vivid and realistic that it's hard not to be sucked in - and, once sucked in, it's a world that you don't want to leave.

If the story had been purely told through Grace's point of view, I would have thought Sam a nearly girly character - and if it had been told only through Sam's, I would have thought Grace too perfect of a character. But the combination gave the story more depth and emotion than just one could have alone - which also shows the perfect relationship that Maggie has created.

The only thing I wish for is that the white wolf, Shelby, had been more fleshed out. Besides that, every character had their own individual story, and they were real people - not just fill in characters.

If this novel doesn't get the fandom it deserves, it will be a shame.

Rating: 10/10, without a doubt.
Shiver or The Hunger Games?: To be more specific, Shiver or Catching Fire? Catching Fire was nearly guaranteed my win for this year's best book. I didn't expect Shiver to be nearly as good as it was - and it has, by far, won my best book of 2010. (So far.)

~ N