2010-06-13

Shiver - Twilight without sparkling, vampires and DramaLlama

See my title -that's pratically the synopsis. :)


I bought the book by cover - i know you shouldn't do that- BUT it's actually one of the best of the last ... weeks. Suprisingly it's one of those stories that are unbelievable realistic by down-to-earth characters and a plot that is a lot more amusing and fascinating than fantasy stories tend to be. I wouldn't even call it a fantasy story although it includes werewolves.

As a child Grace gets attacked by a pack of wolves in the middle of winter. It's cold, they seem to be hungry and Grace's destiny seem to be obvious. But one wolves stops the attack.
Even as a teenage girl Grace can't forget the wolves although she should know better and be scared. She craves to see them every winter- especially the wolf who looked at her with those yellow eyes.
And there is Sam, who moves around Grace like the moon wanders around the earth but can't get closer. Till they meet in Summer- and finally the wolf and the girl find themselves in the middle of a relationship that is meant to last only that single summer. 

"Shiver" is a werewolf novel without all sparkling wonderboy and non-logical cutie-girl. I don't want to say Twilight is bad. It's just oddly unlogical and for my taste too happyendish-of-course-they-will-make-out-even-if-he-should-scare-her-to-death-sparkle-stalker-no-dates-in-100-years. I read all... so I can complain.

Anyways, hurray to Maggie Stiefvater, there will be a second book about Sam and Grace and if you happen to enjoy good stories with "realistic action" (car accidents, teenage rage and a lot of bites) and sadness you might like that book a lot.

7 comments:

Aleksandra Chabros (aka Adelaida) said...

Sounds interesting *nods* 'Twilight' was lacking something and it couldn't decide if it was a romance or an action book; "City of Bones/Ashes/Glass" though also in a similar mood was written better and was stricte for young-adults (that's what I like the most :D). Wonder how this book will feel. Unfortunately, it will be a real pursuit to find it somewhere in Poland =.= Should check in the capital, it's called the capital for some reason after all

How early in the morning you wake up and when you go to sleep so you find enough time to work, read books and live personal life?

trenchmaker said...

@Adelaida
If you don't find it lemme know. Here it's no problem to get it ;)

I read City of (all three books) but I didn't like how the plot moved on.. first one was good, second oh well, last one hurt partially (and i really prayed for an excellent story). It was a bit chaotic like she wanted to queeze in too many subplots at once and the last book was for me and Nata (she actually borrows a lot) not that satisfying. I guess it happens when you have to rush because the reader and your publisher want more and there is no time to take some time to re-read it for beta-correction.
Or maybe I'm just picky.

I actually stand up at... 7 at least since the kitten wake me when they want to have breakfast. But i normally read my books (except comics) in the tub. That's where I get my book-time. ;)

Mei said...

If you're not going to say that Twilight is bad, I will!

Twilight is bad :P

Glad you found a good book for yourself! Sometimes it gets hard trying to find a good one that hasn't been ravaged by a group of girls who have just hit puberty!

Alkyoni said...

Read it about a month ago- loved it. you may also like "Beastly" by alex flinn.
also, found this amazing Twilight review that everyone seems love. ^^
On goodreads.com

Lauren Shostal said...

I randomly stumbled upon your blog- and I'm happy I did! Its great to read some real reviews, about real books- that without you, I may not have discovered.
Thanks!
-Lauren

erica_dreamer said...

Some great books to read are: "Blood and Chocolate", "Silver Kiss" and many more by the author Annette Curtis Klause. Way better than all that Twilight nonsense. Blood and Chocolate is about werewolves, if you've seen the move which is somewhat based off the book, you will love the book more. Silver kiss is about a vampire but it's very deadly yet romantic...not quite sure how to explain it but all her books draw you in and it stays interesting unlike some books which basically repeat themselves in different ways.

Seafoodpunch said...

haha. i had to leave a comment because I bought the same book for the exact same reason. apparently cover design really is important. I finished the book in one day, though. =( sad its over.