Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

The sequel to Shiver, Grace and Sam are now oh so happy because Sam is "cured" of his turning in to a wolf every time it gets cold and now they can be 2 getha 4 eva. Or will they? Things are still not sunshine and lollipops in Mercy Falls. Grace and Isabella find a dead wolf, and something isn't quite right with it. Sam is concerned about the new wolves Beck brought back from Canada, especially about Cole, who wanted to be a wolf to escape from something. And then there's Grace, who starts getting severe headaches that seem to foreshadow something dastardly. WILL THEY SURVIVE?

I was trying to make it sound more interesting than it actually was. The actual interest level was rather low. I hadn't read Shiver, so I read that one first so I would understand what was going on, and seriously, that one took it out of me. I had no momentum to make it all the way through Linger. I just couldn't. I made it through about half, then I flipped around enough to get the idea of what happened, and left it at that. No doubt I missed some dramatic reveals, but I can't say I care.

I can't believe I'm going to actually say this (type this) but Shiver is just a less good version of Twilight. I know. I can hardly believe it either. "Is this even possible?", you ask. Yes, I answer. And I'm sure that was intentional for the most part. Clearly it's meant to appeal to the same crowd, but for all Twilight's faults, Meyer is a good storyteller. Note I did not say writer. But credit where credit is due, she's a good storyteller. I was not pulled in by Stiefvater's story. Not at all.

Similarities between Shiver and its sequels to Twilight and its sequels

1. The girl feels different. She's different from everyone else she knows.
   
2. The girl treats her friends like crap, they're totally expendable
3. The girl's parents are childlike and the girl takes on the parent role while the parent's take on the child's role
4. Smell is a big thing. Scenting, the wonderful scents. I GET IT. STUFF SMELLS GOOD.
   
5. The obvious supernatural element, although Shiver tries to spin it as "science" rather than magic
6. Doomed love
7. The guy is deep. We know this because of his love of classical music/classic romance novels/poetry (I am so over people who are "deep" being into poetry so that we see how "deep" they are. FIND ANOTHER WAY TO SHOW DEPTH. Like, through character development perhaps.)
   
8. Ect.

I like a good/engaging supernatural romance as much as the next person who likes a good/engaging supernatural romance. This was not it.

Linger is now available in bookstores, and probably at your local library.