When It's Cold, Be-Were!

Shiver

by Guest Author, Julia

I recently finished the book Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. In the course of two weeks, I was sent on a journey that held love, romance, and hardship. I would definitely recommend this book to people ages 14 and up. I feel that they would enjoy every bit of the story the way I did. This book is set in modern times and is a fantasy involving a teenage girl and her wolf.

Imagine this: you are in a small town. You are a 17 year old girl who, yes, is in love with a wolf. You are trying to hold on to this love forever but each day it gets colder and colder, until you are uncertain you can hold onto this love any longer. In this story you will meet Grace who is 17. You will also meet her not so caring parents, and Sam the love of her life. There are many more characters you will meet along the way.

Shiver is a love story. Grace is madly in love with Sam, but sadly their love is complicated. Sam has a secret that only Grace knows. His secret is that when the cold arrives, he disappears. Grace and Sam try to keep their love pure and alive as long as possible.

I would recommend this book to people ages 14 and up. This novel is somewhat sophisticated. It is full of real love and romance. Shiver would most likely appeal to teens because it includes werewolves, and it involves a somewhat magical aspect of their fondness for each other. It is like a fairy tale similar to Beauty and the Beast. The princess always gets her prince. It is also similar to Romeo and Juliet with their forbidden love. This is a thrilling love story. I believe that only people 14 and up can really grasp and appreciate the concept of love.

Stiefvater has recently published a sequel to Shiver. If you like the author and the way she writes her novels, you might also enjoy her other books. You might enjoy Linger. She has also written Lament and the sequel, Ballad. She has really found that writing is her true calling, and I hope she continues to do it.