SHIVER by Maggie Stiefvater-a great book

Shiver (Wolves of Mercy Falls, book 1) by Maggie Stiefvater is a great novel; I can't wait for more (Linger is the sequel ). This is for young adults, but is still an excellent read. Everyone knows about Twilight (the wonderful series that was made into movie, about vampires and wolves.), and this follows along the same lines, but better because its style seems more matured. There is romance, and wolves. There are friends and highschool. You're thinking: "great....another one", but beleive me it's worth the try. Just read the first chapter and you'll want to go on.

Now your wondering, is this a fantasy novel? Well, if Twilight qualifies, then so does this. Really the only unrealistic part is the humans that change to wolves, but everything else is very real. The difference between these two stories is that the Twilight series are all very long books, while Shiver is a thinner book. Therefore, Twilight has a lot more going on (like vampires), while Shiver keeps it a little simpler, but amazingly intense. So no, it is not your normal "fantasy" book, but neither is it fiction. These kind of books seem to have their own genre.

The story centers around the highschool girl (Grace), who is bitten by wolves, but doesn't change into one. Then she becomes aware that the wolves are human, partly. One of the wolves (Sam) remains a human throughout most of the story, and Grace falls in love with him. Everything revolves around her friend Jack who has just been bitten, and has disappeared. They look for him, and then they try to find a cure. This may sound like there isn't much to it, but the book flows smoothly along a little adventure, and the ending is incredible; you would never guess what really happens.

Chapter one•Grace

I remember lying in the snow, a small red spot of warm going cold, surrounded by wolves. They were licking me, biting me, worrying at my body, pressing in. Their huddled bodies blocked what little heat the sun offered. Ice glistened on their ruffs and their breath made opaque shapes that hung in the air around us. The musky smell of their coats mad me think of wet dog and burning leaves, pleasant and terrifying. Their tongues melted my skin; their careless teeth ripped at my sleeves and snagged through my hair, pushed against my collarbone, the pulse at my neck.

I could have screamed, but I didn't. I could have fought, but I didn't. I just lay there and let it happen, watching the winter-white sky go gray above me.

One wolf prodded his nose into my hand and against my cheek, casting a shadow across my face. His yellow eyes looked into mine while the other wolves jerked me this way and that.