Shiver

So, I was kinda musing about random stuff earlier (I tend to do that sometimes), and I realized something.

I blog about books as I read them. Which means my favorites that I've already read do not receive the special blog attention that they probably deserve. I have therefore made a decision. On days when I do not have anything interesting to blog about, I will tell you about a book that I have already read and loved.

Today, it is Maggie Stiefvater's SHIVER. How did I pick SHIVER to write about today, you ask? Well, it's because NG just got inducted to the unofficial SHIVER fan club and my dear CJ just finished reading the sequel, LINGER. But wait! you may say. LINGER isn't due out in stores until July! Gonna brag for a minute here: I got an ARC. And I got to meet Maggie, back in November. *cue LOTS of excitement* It was truly fantastic. Anyway, CJ borrowed this ARC and left me a Facebook wall post along the lines of:

"AHHH!!!! he...but...she...but...they...he can't! and she's...but they...and...ahhhh want the next one NOWWW!!!"

Which actually made sense to me. Because I've read it too.

Anyway, SHIVER (the first in what I believe is going to be a trilogy) is an absolutely amazing paranormal romance. (Yes another one. Get over it.) It is very possibly one of the elite books that I class among my favorites, although I know several people have drawn many, many parallels to TWILIGHT.

Don't worry though, there are no sparkly creeper vampires. Just werewolves.

Sam, in fact, is a werewolf. Not a traditional full-moon werewolf; no, he's a wolf when it's cold and a boy when it's warm. He has absolutely no say in his transformations. In the winter, Grace watches the wolves from her house, and there is one wolf that she calls "hers." Little does she know, this wolf is Sam, who is a human during the summer months. One summer, he finally gets up the courage to talk to her - and then an injury mysteriously leaves him human in the cold, and then they have to fight to keep him that way.

My summary there cannot even BEGIN to do the book justice. I am not kidding, go find this book and read it. It has a beautiful cover. It looks like this:

So, if you see this lovely cover on a bookshelf store, pick it up! The story is incredible and the characters are unbelievably believable (contradictory descriptions, 1; logic, 0). Grace and Sam are just such wonderful characters, and the others too. And Sam has made the list of Amazing Fictional Guys (I promised more on that a while back, and you'll get it. You will. Promise). It's just such a fantastic story. I know I haven't described it nearly compellingly enough, but you should definitely read it. I love love love love love this book.

The sequel, LINGER, is due out in July, like I said; the third book is currently titled FOREVER. You can find out more at Maggie's website and blog. (The link to her blog is also in the sidebar to your right; I follow it. It's quite interesting even if you haven't read her books.)

I'm gonna shut up now, because this post is getting lengthy and I have Spanish homework to do. The moral of this story: Read SHIVER if you get the chance. I loved it, and I hope you will too.

Love,
Bex