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In all the years she has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house, Grace has been particularly drawn to an unusual yellow-eyed wolf who, in his turn, has been watching her with increasing intensity.
Not bad, but certainly not great either.
I didn't go on any great adventures while reading, and the book really didn't entertain my mind. Hate to say it but reading felt like labor at times; boring and time consuming.
The author hadn't described the scenes and events thoroughly enough in this book. You were told what happened, rather than shown.
The romance between Sam and Grace felt forced, cheesy even. He didn't talk or act like any 17. 18. 19 year old boy I know. Heck, in one scene, I mistakenly thought Grace and her mother were chitchatting when I realized it was actually Sam, not her mother, she was talking to.
More on the characters, a little flat if I may say so. They didn't have any interesting characteristics or dialogue to set them apart. Sure, there's the photographer best bud Olivia and the other best friend, obnoxious whatever-her-name-was, but they didn't really have any sparkle or realistic personality to them.
Okay, enough of the book bashing. Time to shout out some positives (:
I liked how the temperature forced the werewolves to change, rather than the moon. It was a very unique and interesting spin, I think.
The writing flowed and was kind of pretty. Not descriptive enough for my liking, but not bad.
To be frank, it's one of the better paranormal books out there on the shelves today. It certainly surpasses Evermore, Evernight, Wings, and Uninvited, poor books beloved by others that I found to be terrible.
But. Try Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause if you haven't already read it. I found it to be MUCH better than Shiver.
98 out of 176 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted September 16, 2009
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Before buying this book I read some of the reviews for it and many people said it was like twilight but everyone keeps saying that about non-twilight books. It's getting old having everything compared to twilight. I didn't know what I was in for and I'm sure glad I purchased this book. The chemistry and struggle between the main characters is unforgettable. It's the best. I can't wait for the next book and it comes out like a year from now.
65 out of 76 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.When I bought this book (as Barnes and Noble was closing), the lady told me not to start it until morning, otherwise I wouldn't be able to put it down. I didn't listen, and at 3:30 am, I finally put the book down and went to bed. It's rare that you find a YA novel that can move anyone. This book was incredibly romantic in a normal, down to earth way, despite it supernatural story. Unlike Twilight, the female lead (Grace) is strong and fun to follow, and Sam is absolutely wonderful. They find themselves through the same journey that they find each other. Grace finds out Sam's secret almost immediately, so the suspense is from dealing with this unworldly thing in the real world. I've recommended this book to teenagers and adults, and they've all loved it. It's one of the best books I've read recently, and I think anyone can enjoy it.
57 out of 63 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.theReader278
Posted June 23, 2011
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I loved reading this book! It is a story that keeps you entertained for hours.
44 out of 55 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Years ago, Grace was attacked by a starving wolf pack, and only survived because one wolf, the one with brilliant yellow eyes, protected her. Ever since then she's watched for "her" wolf each winter, caught in a longing she can't quite explain. Then one fall a boy appears on her porch, injured, with those same yellow eyes. Grace knows he is her wolf.
Grace feels more connected to Sam than anyone else in her life, and Sam would do anything for her. But right from the beginning, a shadow looms over their time together. As the weather gets colder, it's harder and harder for Sam to stay human. And he's sure that this time, when he turns into a wolf, it will be for good.
SHIVER is a melancholy, romantic novel with equal parts tenderness and passion. Readers will find themselves swept up in Grace and Sam's unfolding relationship as they are finally able to talk and touch, and struggle to hold on to what little time they have together. The book is filled with gorgeous imagery that comes alive in your mind, and adds to the sense of fleeting beauty.
Some may find the story a little slow-moving: many of the scenes are simply Grace and Sam being together, and of the few subplots that increase the suspense, all but one are dropped with little or no resolution. But the book is well worth picking up just for the character study of a boy growing up torn between human and animal worlds, and the main characters' chemistry and frantic attempts to hold off Sam's change will keep appreciative readers glued to the page.
Recommended for paranormal fans who prefer thoughtfulness and simmering emotion to action and violence.
40 out of 43 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This book was so good that I finished it in one day, I just could not put it down. I was no mad at myself in the end because I finished it so fast, I did not wanted the book to end. It's just so beautiful, all of it the writting the characters. It's seriously a must read. What Edward is to "Twilight", Sam is to "Shiver." Not that I'm trying to compare the books because Shiver to me was sooo much better. The ending took my breath away.
31 out of 32 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.At the edge of the woods in Mercy Falls, Grace lives alone. Oh, her parents are there but nigh unto incapable. Wrapped up in themselves and their careers, they are aggravatingly oblivious, managing to check in with their seventeen-year-old daughter in the unlikely event it occurs to them. And since she's never known any different, and they are her parents, the eminently practical Grace made her peace with it a long time ago. She doesn't weep over lost chances. She just makes dinner, does her homework, and quietly obsesses about the wolves in the woods. Yeah, Grace has one thing that consumes her. One messy, inexplicable fact in her otherwise staid existence. When she was a child she was mauled by wolves and left for dead. Somehow she survived and, ever since, a solitary wolf watches her from the shadows. Every winter, like clockwork, he skirts the edges of her home like a silent guardian, only to disappear again when summer arrives and temperatures rise. His presence is the one constant in her life. Until someone else is mauled by wolves. Until a boy named Sam turns up on her back porch. A boy with strangely familiar yellow eyes. And the world begins to change.
As soon as I found out Maggie Stiefvater was writing a new series to do with werewolves, I began counting down the days. LAMENT was on my Best of 2008 list, and I was relying on the mysteriously titled SHIVER to tide me over until the release of the sequel BALLAD. And honestly the first thought I had after finishing was that it was perfectly titled because Grace and Sam's story sends shivers down your spine repeatedly. The second thought was how the characters surprised me--in a good way. I don't know exactly what I was expecting. Probably something along the lines of Dee and Luke in LAMENT, all urgent and angsty dangerous as hell. But Grace and Sam are an entirely different breed. She is cool and methodical and even and I warmed up to her as I got to know her better. He is warm and thoughtful and artistic and I liked him right from the start. On the paranormal scale, this one falls much heavier on the realistic end of the spectrum. There's even a scientific (sort of) explanation for the werewolves' condition, with the result that the emphasis remains on the characters themselves. They and their storyline are so tied to the seasons, to the minutest fall in temperature, that I discovered I was responding to them in the same way. I loved how contained they both were. Maggie Stiefvater has managed to craft an intensely involving, desperate love story without the cliche teen stupidity a la Romeo & Juliet. Quite the feat. The descriptions are lovely, the young protagonists sympathetic, and there's a scene in a candy shop that will leave you absolutely salivating. I dare you to read that one just once.
22 out of 26 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted August 29, 2009
Wow. This book was a HUGE letdown for me. After reading all the praise it has recieved I thought for sure it would be a really great book. When I first picked shiver up I was drawn to the cover art and after reading the synopsis I thought it sounded really cool, although it seemed like it would be fairly similar to Twilight. Once I started reading, I really liked the double perspective, point of view writing style. And I still thnk it's a cool idea, but oh goodness- this could have been done so much better. Not only are the characters in this book completely boring and forgettable, the plot takes at least half the book to pick up. The whole first part of the book talks over and over again about how much they love eachother, and how niether of them want Sam to turn back into a wolf, although they know this is inevitable. And for some ridiculous reason, for most of the book Sam doesn't think Grace truly loves him and is really selfconscious... it doesn't even make any sense- she does nothing to even hint that she doesn't love him. The story line is shallow and unoriginal. You never get a feel for who any of the characters really are either. And to top it off, the ending is completely confusing and comes to a screeching halt. This book was lame, in my opinion, and isn't worth the money or time or recommendation!
16 out of 42 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I haven't read a well written book in a while. I mean, literally I've been reading little paperback summer books which are entertaining but 3/4 of the way through you just want it to end, or you already know how it's ending so you're bored. With Shiver though, I was so pleased, so haaaappy when I read it. Through out the whole book I laughed, I cried, I even anxious, scared for poor Sam. Maggie Stiefvater wrote this book beautifully with the most delicate words to describe every emotion and longing. Truly beautiful. Lately everything is about Vampires and I'm glad to see some werewolves out there (I'm a werewolf person myself per say...) If you enjoyed Twilight, I'm sure you'll fall in love with this book just as much. Heck, I like this book even more.
15 out of 16 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I picked up this book after reading all the praise it recieved. Like many others, I also liked the art on the cover of the book and the synopsis was intriguing. But after reading the book, it was completely disappointing. At first, I thought that maybe it would take me a while to warm up to the stroy so I read on. Ultimately, I was never drawn in by any of the characters nor the plot. Throughout the entire story, you still never really grasp who Sam & Grace truly are as individuals. I felt no emotions throughout the entire read, which made things horribly boring. Overall, the plot was pointless and the characters were forgettable. I would not recommend this book if you are looking for something to stimulate your mind!
13 out of 31 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I adore this book.
Shiver is told through the two main characters, Sam and Grace, and I loved them both. The first-person narration moves between them seamlessly and is never jarring. Spending time with Sam and Grace is enjoyable; they are believable, likeable characters with flaws and quirks and all the things that make people people. The supporting characters are equally well-drawn, if not always equally likeable.
Moreover, the plot is original. Sam is a werewolf, and in the world of the novel, werewolves are human in the heat of summer and wolves in the cold of winter. As the werewolves age, however, their human-time decreases until they remain wolves until death. And Sam feels his last summer coming on just as he and Grace get to know one another.
Sam and Grace's star-crossed romance is at times cute and steamy, but always genuine. There are some PG-13 moments, but these are handled tastefully; I never felt that Shiver was dirty or overly descriptive.
And the words, oh the words! The language is more than descriptive; it's poetic. When I wasn't busy being absorbed by the plot, I was drinking in Stiefvater's descriptions; I felt the Minnesota winter of the novel. I frequently reread sentences and lingered over well-worded paragraphs. And on top of that, Maggie Stiefvater is funny! I laughed many times, and you probably will too.
Finally, the ending is abrupt but satisfying. I was left with a smile...and a craving for the sequel (Linger, which is due in Fall 2010). I highly recommend curling up next to the air conditioner with this one.
12 out of 13 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted August 9, 2009
"Shiver" is an amazing story, especially if you are a fan of werewolves, or wolves in general. I loved Mrs. Stiefvater's writing style, and how she was able to switch point of views flawlessly. Absolutely cannot wait for "Linger".
11 out of 12 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This book was a really good book. I was looking for something really good to read and saw shiver. Right when i saw the title i grabed the book. something was telling me get it so i did. I went home and read the whole thing in one night. The book was so amazing i dont even have words to explain it.
10 out of 12 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.As a young 13 year old reader, and a Twilight fan i thought shiver was going to be like a story kind of similar to Twilight's New Moon. As i began reading this book, I felt it was a little slow up until about page 80. After I read up to that page I could not put the book down. The storyline somewhat reminded me of what Twilight would be like if Bella had chosen Jacob, but the book in itself was so mmuch more than that. To be honest, I love this book more than the Twilight series. Sometimes while reading the book, I felt as thought I was the characters. Even though this is a fantasy story, It felt very real to me. Maggie Stiefvater has well outdone herself with this book! I felt the ending was perfect!! I just left me wanting to read more. I you have not read this book i suggest you get off your computer run to a bookstore and buy this book immediately!!! FAVORITE BOOK OF ALL TIME CANNOT WAIT FOR THE SEQUEL!
9 out of 10 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.This book was great,I loved reading it.In some parts I think Grace gave up too easy,and didn't show enough emotion in other parts{like when Jack dies or when she thinks she's lost Sam for good}But when your reading it you imagen how you feel so that makes up for that.I wish there would have been more at the end,don't get me wrong the ending was good ,I just wanted more.I will read the book again.To give you more about the story,Grace was bitten by wolves,but she never changed{if you were bitten you changed in the cold weather into a wolve}because her father forgot her in the hot car when she was young.She fell in love with the wolve with yellow eye's{Sam} that saved her when she was bitten.His last summer being human they find each other and try to keep him from changing so they can be together.
8 out of 9 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I finished Shiver this morning, and I honestly can't wait for the sequel, Linger.
I know it's wrong to judge a book by its cover, but it's what drew me in from the start. The cover is absolutely gorgeous, and the story itself only adds to the beauty. The characters seem very real (even Grace's oblivious parents), the romance isn't too over-the-top, and while some of the events in the book are a bit outrageous, they make Shiver a bit more exciting.
I'm getting a bit tired of people comparing Shiver to Twilight. Grace, in my opinion, is a strong girl. When her life was on the line, she kept her cool and handled the situation as best as she could. She may have been extremely upset when Sam vanished, but she didn't allow herself to become a full-blown zombie and detach herself from her friends/life completely, and didn't tempt the grim reaper to hear Sam's voice (Which didn't/probably couldn't happen in Shiver, anyway) like someone we all know of. While Grace did often go into detail about his eyes, I didn't mind it. It was nothing like Bella's constant descriptions of Edward's "cold, hard lips". Eesh.
I highly recommend Shiver to anyone who loves fantasy, romance, and wolves/werewolves.
8 out of 9 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted July 31, 2009
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so far i think its a great book
Its heart warming and well written
A++++++++++++
8 out of 9 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.xxlocalcelebxx
Posted February 20, 2010
Shiver, by Maggie Steifvater, is by far one of the best books I've read in my life. Her story combines mystery with romance, intrigue with passion. I can even go as far as saying that I enjoyed this book more than I enjoyed the Twilight series! Anybody who loves the works of Stephanie Meyer with also love Shiver.
7 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.this book is the first book I read when the main characters haven't had dozens and dozens of boyfriends/girlfriends before they find each other and it makes the book good since it's so pure and innocent. Other books like the house of night series has too much cussing and the main girl makes out with some guy for a year and they're not in a "relationship" yet. What the heck?
Of course. I digressed.
This book all in all is good. Especially the last few sentences of the book, which reveals the true ending. I was like, OMG! the way the author surprises you at the end is just so cute. I think the main guy is cute although he's a little too shy at times for a guy. He blushes all the time (more often than the girl herself) but I would definitely recommend this book to ALL of my friends.
7 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I was completely unimpressed with this book. The plot wasn't dynamic at all, the characters were boring and flat, the love story was undeveloped (and slightly creepy), and I never was able to get into the whole "magic" of the story. Overall, I'd say you should save your time, and find another book to entertain yourself with. I had a lot of trouble finishing this one, and this is coming from an avid reader. Sorry...
5 out of 14 people found this review helpful.
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Overview
In all the years she has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house, Grace has been particularly drawn to an unusual yellow-eyed wolf who, in his turn, has been watching her with increasing intensity.