Book Review: Linger

Book: Linger

Author: Maggie Stiefvater

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Pages: 360

Summary: In Maggie Stiefvater’s Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past…and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabel, who already lost her brother to the wolves…and is nonetheless drawn to Cole. At turns harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love–the light and the dark, the warm and the cold–in a way you will never forget.

Overall: 4.5 stars

Review:

Linger is a great installment to the Wolves of Mercy Falls series! Where we were left off in Shiver was quite the cliffhanger and Linger definitely lefts us off with that same feeling of mystery.

In Linger we alter from the pointed of view of Grace, Sam, Cole, and Isabel. I really enjoyed reading the book from different views because we got to see more of the story unfold instead of discovering out everything that’s been done behind the scenes. I sometimes found Isabel’s voice to be a little annoying at times, but I felt that having her say of things help develop her character.

It is now turning to spring and Sam is expecting his friends to be changing back to humans with the warm weather but he knows that the time for most of them is up and they won’t be turning back anymore. Cole, one of the new wolfs, is trying to get away from his old life and start a new one; one where it doesn’t require to think about a thing and to let yourself go. Grace is fighting with a terrible illness that may be more than it seems and Isabel is still getting over the hurt of losing jack and creating a friendship with Cole.

I enjoyed Linger more than I did Shiver and felt that I got to know the characters more. I loved the romance and feelings shared between Grace and Sam. And I really just loved Sam as a person so much! He’s so gentle at times and sensitive but that’s what makes him Sam and a likable character.

Over all, wonderful job! The writing was absolutely beautiful and flowed so nicely. The mystery continues and we are left to wonder if Sam and Grace will ever be together. Can’t wait for the Last and final installment of the series, Forever!

You can order Shiver and Linger, HERE and HERE.

Go visit Maggie at her WEBSITE and TWITTER.

~Caitlin out

Book Review: The Forest of Hands and Teeth

Title: The Forest of Hands and Teeth

Author: Carrie Ryan

Age Group: YA

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Pages: 308

Summary:

In Mary's world there are simple truths. The Sisterhood always knows best. The Guardians will protect and serve. The Unconsecrated will never relent. And you must always mind the fence that surrounds the village; the fence that protects the village from the Forest of Hands and Teeth. But, slowly, Mary's truths are failing her. She's learning things she never wanted to know about the Sisterhood and its secrets, and the Guardians and their power, and about the Unconsecrated and their relentlessness. When the fence is breached and her world is thrown into chaos, she must choose between her village and her future-between the one she loves and the one who loves her. And she must face the truth about the Forest of Hands and Teeth. Could there be life outside a world surrounded in so much death?

Overall: 4.5 stars

Review:

I'm proud to say that this was the first book I have ever read about zombies and I'm glad I picked Carrie Ryan's The Forest of Hands and Teeth to be!

Have you ever had a dream so strong that you were willing to do anything to get to it? Well, it's a dream that drives our main character through out the whole book. Mary lives in a village surrounded by The Forest of Hands and Teeth, which contains all the Unconsecrated (aka. zombies). The village is protected by a fence that keeps all of the infected zombies away from everyone because if you're bitten you're dead to the people of the village and more importantly The Sisterhood.

The Sisterhood are who run the village and keep everyone in order, but once Mary is forced to join the Sisterhood she soon learns that they are keeping secrets from everyone in the village.

I really really enjoyed the whole story line of the book. It was unique and something I've never read before. The writing was beautiful and it was very descriptive and I felt as if I was in the story personally sometimes.

Through out the story Mary's dream is to get to the ocean. To the people of the village the ocean in just a myth because they believe that there is nothing other than themselves left in the world and nothing beyond the Forest of Hands and Teeth. The Sisterhood has got them fixed on the idea that they are the last living people not infected by the decease that makes you Unconsecrated.

This story had a little bit of everything I enjoy in a good book. There was love, action, emotion, relationships, and most importantly, a goal. And that goal was set by Mary, to get out of the village and discover what was beyond the fence they lived in.

I found myself looking over my shoulder and having to keep on a light to read this book. While reading the parts that involved the Unconsecrated I would get goosebumps and a chill would got down my spine. I was afraid to get out of my bed with the fear that a hand would grab my foot when I got up. This book will definitely have your heart racing and checking your closets.

Now there was only one thing that prevented me from giving the book a full five stars and that was because of the romance aspect. At the beginning of the book I was very annoyed with Mary and her sudden need to feel this intense jealousy towards her friend who was with Travis. Though as time moved on they developed a strong romance that I grew to love too. Also, the fact that her brother was a complete jerk irked me to no end and I wanted to scream and shout at him, but in the end I could see where he was coming from even through I don't agree with it.

At the start of the story i also felt like everything was just going on way too lucky from our main character. The people she cared about all ended up together and I got a bad taste in my mouth at the thought that they would just-so-happen be lucky all the time and always find a solution for every thing through out the book. Though I soon found out that they were not at all lucky for the entire book and I'll just say that Carrie Ryan is not afraid to kill people. Especially when they live in a world infected by zombies.

In a Nutshell: This is a beautifully haunting book that left me wide-eyed and turning the pages at rapid speed.The story cause me to feel and I smiled and shouted and cried and i enjoyed it immensely. Make sure to check this book out. It's one that twill definitely stick with you.

One thing I learned from this book: Be careful what you dream for because it could cause you to sacrifice everything you have.

You can check out Carrie Ryan's website HERE.

You can buy The Forest of Hands and Teeth on Amazon HERE.

Also look out for The Dead-tossed Waves, the second installment of The Forest of Hands and Teeth series and the third installment, The Dark and Hollow Places, coming out March 2011.

Check Carrie Ryan out on GoodReads and Twitter.

~Caitlin out.