Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

I am sad to say I am putting this book aside. At page 227, over half way through the book, Shiver just isn’t holding my attention. I’ve been trying really hard to get into it (I’ve heard so many good things) but it feels like a chore to read and it’s due back at the library soon.

If you’ve been thinking about reading this I’d say go ahead. Don’t let me stop you because there are some positive aspects to this book. Stiefvater is a great writer. There are some beautiful passages with creative metaphors. I liked how the chapters switched between Sam and Grace’s point of view. The dialog isn’t cheesy although I felt it sounded pretty grown up for teenagers. The story-line is fairly original for the age-old werewolf story. The main thrust of the novel is its romantic relationship and this is where it fell flat for me. The relationship between Sam and Grace didn’t engage me. The romance felt rushed without a gradual build-up. They were just instantly in love and glued together. I guess I like more suspense. And the whole hiding-my-boyfriend-in-my-bedroom was sort of lame to me. Also, there wasn’t enough mystery. At once we know what Sam is (so no suspense there) and the danger lurking within the pack didn’t draw me in either. If you’re a fan of paranormal romance I suspect you will like Shiver. Maybe I’ll pick this back up in the future but for now, I’m moving on.
Publisher: Scholastic, 2009          Pages: 392          Source: IC Public Library
Rating: none since I didn’t finish it