Shiver Introduction

In a Nutshell

Oh baby, it's cold outside. At least we've got our love to keep us warm. Oops, we got a couple of classic holiday songs mixed up, but Maggie Stiefvater got werewolves mixed up in our young-adult romance, so it works. If we were to summarize Shiver in musical form, a mash-up of these two songs with wolf howls added would be the best way to do it. Wolf howls are the new goat noises.

We'll try to summarize Shiver in text form though, if only because you so don't want to hear us try to sing. In Shiver, Sam is a werewolf who changes when the temperature drops. Grace is the human who loves him. Together, they kindle up a romance that they hope will keep them both warm, and keep Sam human and alive.

Shiver, published in 2009, is the first book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy, which also includes Linger and Forever. Its author, Maggie Stiefvater, is a nigh-unstoppable young-adult powerhouse, having also written the ongoing Raven Cycle and Books of Faerie series, and the stand-alone novel The Scorpio Races. Despite being able to write from the perspective of a werewolf so well, we're pretty certain Stiefvater isn't one. There's no way anyone who is a wolf four months out of the year could be so prolific. Wolves can't type.

These wolves have quite the pedigree too. The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy has won more awards than we care to count and Shiver was optioned for a major motion picture (are there minor ones anymore?) by Warner Bros. so fast that we're not sure they even read the book first.

Shiver is told through two different points of view—Sam's and Grace's—giving you both sides of the story. So if you want to know what it's like to be a wolf, or to love one, or if you're just looking for a lush, intense romance, grab a copy of Shiver and lose yourself.

 

Why Should I Care?

There is nothing cozier than curling up next to a fire with a good book, right? But be honest: how many of you have actually done this? Show of hands?

What if you don't have a fireplace? Curling up next to the central heating vent with a good book just isn't the same. Or what if it's the middle of summer? Reading next to the fridge doesn't quite cut it.

No matter where you are, and no matter what season it is, Shiver, despite its wintry sounding title, is like a little winter cabin with a roaring fireplace in book form. Maggie Stiefvater's vivid imagery will chill your skin and tantalize your taste buds with the cool taste of peppermint. And the intense romance between Sam and Grace will warm you from the inside out and make you sweat. And we haven't even mentioned werewolves yet. So: werewolves. There.