Shiver

Title: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, YA
Rating: 4/5

Grace has been obsessed with the yellow-eyed wolf ever since it saved her from the rest of the pack. Sam has watched Grace from a distance for years, both as the yellow-eyed wolf and as his human self. But when Sam's shot by a hunter, Grace learns the truth about her wolf and they have to fight Sam's very nature in order to be together.

I really enjoyed Shiver, it's a new take on the werewolf theme for me. Instead of changing at will or in relation to the lunar cycle, Sam and his pack change with the seasons, only becoming human in the summer. Moreover, they only have so many years of changing before they become wolves permanently. Sam's struggle to stay human for Grace, despite the dropping temperatures, is entirely believable and wonderfully described. Grace seemed a little too perfect to me at times, unfortunately, but not enough to distract from the story.

The narrative successfully bounces between Grace and Sam's points of view, adding to the story rather than distracting from it. As well, time is portrayed in temperatures rather than in concrete time, emphasising the approaching winter and Sam's next transformation.

I really loved the design for this book. The varying blue shades of the bare trees and the wolf against the white background really make one think of a winter's day. And the red dot of the 'i' in Shiver stands out as a result, as does the red text on the back of the book.

Overall, I'd definitely recommend reading Shiver, and if you like displaying interesting and attractive books on your bookcase, I'd go pick up a copy asap.