Shiver by Maggie stiefvater

Courtesy of Scholastic I had the opportunity to read Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater.

Summary:For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf - her wolf - is a haunting 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 and the temperature drops, Sam must fight to stay human or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

In the beginning of the book we find out that Grace has been attacked by wolves when she was younger, but had survived.  She had been saved by the yellow-eyed wolf.  Enter Sam, the sad romeo in our intricate love story.  Sam turns into a wolf during the cold months, then goes back to a human in the summer.  But eventually, he won't go back to being a human, and the wold inside of him will take over.  Finally Sam and Grace meet in September while he is human, she 17 and him 18.  Once they meet the story develops and the plot takes off, Sam and Grace fall completely in love with each other and life couldn't seem to be better.  But there is a gray cloud running their perfect sky.  Winter is just around the corner and this could be Sam's last year as a human.  But Sam and Grace have just met and cannot be separated.  It's just not fair!  They've got a taste of the potential they have together and cannot, will not be separated!  A few months to cover the 6 years they had been waiting for each others company isn't going to do them any justice.

From start to finish this book had me going, it was a real love story.  Grace and Sam were such real characters and their relationship was actually believable.  I really can't describe much of it but I can say that the Sam and Grace were only living in the now, not the past, nor the future. They were just taking it day by day.  Throughout the whole book the point of view switches from Sam to Grace and it really helps understand their relationship.  Though at the end of the book there is a little whole that isn't filled by the conclusion as to how Sam had survived and Grace never turned into a wolf.  I would definitely encourage a second book though, it would be at the top of my list!  The detail was so explained in this book you felt like you were there, living it.  And a bonus, Sam is almost a realistic perfect guy.  Gentleman, sweet, caring you name it!  Thankfully, there wasn't a cliff hanger in this book but I crave the next book Linger which will be coming out in 2010.  You find out the ending but want more, Shiver was not enough to satisfy me, I need the next book.  I must know what happens to Sam and Grace after Shiver!  MUST!

Shiver is a love story that is beautifully described.  You'll Shiver with delight!
This book has the moody teenager stamp of approval!

Simone Elkeles' Perfect chemistry

From what I alredy knew about this book I was excpecting it to be super cheesy.  But it escaped, uncheesed.  Alex Fuentes is the average gang guy from all the movies.  He is in an unfortunate situation, is smart, good looking and looks out for his family blah blah blah.  And Brittany is the cheerleading blonde.  She has the perfect life on the outside but on the inside she is a meltdown waiting to happen (Hmm...where have I seen that before?) but her parents' rocky relationship isn't the only missplaced hair on her perfect coiffure.  She also has a mentally disabled sister, Shelly.  So at least you know there is some character depth.  And a bonus, every chapter has a different point of view, it goes back and forth from Brittany to Alex.

Once these two cross pathes their lives change forever.  Alex gets Brittany to stand up to her parents and Britany, gets Alex to reevaluate his situation in the gang.  Alex is a smart guy who could really do a lot with his life but he is tied down to where he is by his gang.  But everything in the book changes once they fall in love.  Their love is actually kind of sincere, they have...passion!  And you can't help but love Alex.  Anyways, this book isn't too bad.  I liked it.  It was a cute romance with a little twist at the end and a lot of comedic relief.  The second book comes out next year if I am not mistaken.  Although the plot was cliche, the writing was not.  Go on and read the book, it has a moody seal of approovement!

*Sigh, although the book was not cheesy, the trailer is!  Behold!  (by the way the book is not that...cheesy/cliche.  Trust me)

Goodies!

From the web:  Want to keep up-to-date on the LATEST news about Jessica Verday and THE HOLLOW? Sign up here, and you'll get a Goodies package sent straight to your door!

Get the goods at Jessica Verday's website, author of The Hollow!  Goodies may include: stickers, temporary tattoos, bookmarks, pens, bumper stickers, bookplates, laptop stickers, postcards... I can't promise you'll receive ALL of these items, but I can promise you'll receive at least one of them.

Rules: You must be 18 years of age or older, or have your parents permission to receive said goodies. All addresses and emails received by Jessica Verday will be held in the strictest of confidences, and will NEVER be sold to a third party. I'll do my best to make sure you get your goodies, but I'm not responsible for any delays and/or lost packages due to the US Postal Service. (But if that happens to you, let me know. I'm pretty flexible with shipping out a replacement.

Those who do not live in the U.S like I, can e-mail their shipping information. All fields are required.  Otherwise, enter your information here: http://www.jessicaverday.com/html/05_getthegoods.html

A blogger with some insight

I fell accross this blog while browsing on some websites and she posted something that made me think.  For one her mind is not clouded by nonesense like "Rpatz this and Rpatz that!  OMFG I LOOOVE HIM".  The way she critiques Twilight, the book is insightful.  Well, you can judge for yourselves:  

http://chandlermariecraig.wordpress.com/2008/07/06/book-review-twilight/

What do you think?

Catching Fire! The sequel to the Hunger games.

Catching fire is the sequel to Suzanne Collin's amazing book the Hunger games.  When I first reviewed the Hunger games I gushed about how amazing it was.  Courtesy of Scholastic I got to review Cathcing fire.  And let me tell you, I was not disapponted!

Normally, the sequel to a good book results in a bad sequel but that would be the contrary in this story!  Katniss has survived the Huner Games and has managed to keep Peeta alive at the same time.  But the Capitol is not happy with that.  They see "the desperate act of star-crossed lovers" as an act of defiance and they want justice.  On top of all that it seems like an uprising is starting, triggered by Katniss.  Oh and let's not forget all the boy drama!  Peeta has found out Katniss and Haymitch's little arrangement while they were in the Hunger games and has broken his heart and she must face Gale.  What has Katniss gotten herself into?

But the show must go on and everyone must believe that Katniss and Peeta are as in love as always were, even more.  And president Snow is counting on that, or else...

Do I even have to tell you how great this book was?  It has everything I look for in a book drama, action, romance and even some comedic relief.  Oh man!  I have to say I was kind of  scared that this book wouldn't  be able to measure up to the first one but boy was I wrong.  Even though the setting has changed the characters are still the same, which invites a feeling of relief to engulfe you (if you get that).  The character developpement in the book has pregreessed, in the Hunger Games we didn't get to spend much time with characters like Gale, but the second book comes back with a vengeance.  You can't help but love all the guys in the story, even Haymitch.
I am unconditionnally and irrevocably in love with...This book ;D

So if you haven't read book one, get to it!  It is time to start Catching fire!