Book Review: Forever

Forever (Wolves of Mercy Falls, book 3)

By: Maggie Stiefvater

Published by Scholastic Press

Release Date: July 12, 2011

386 pages

Buy it on Amazon or IndieBound

Audience: Young Adult

Source: I own it

My thoughts: 

I do not exaggerate when I say that this is the book I've waited all year for. In fact, I've waited for this one for well over a year. I've pined, I've pleaded, I've even dreamed of how I thought this, one of my favorite series ever, should end.

I am proud to report that I am not disappointed. In fact, I am amazed- Forever exceeded all my expectations.  I'm going to try to tell you how in the most spoiler-free form possible. 

Forever takes up where Linger, book 2, left off: Sam and Grace are struggling to find their common ground, fighting to keep their connection, even through the difficulty of one of them sometimes living in wolf form. These star-crossed lovers are ultimately devoted to one another, but they also have responsibilities to others to consider, making their situation even more ridiculously difficult. 

The gorgeous love story of Sam and Grace is alive and well in Forever- in fact, it has a very grown-up, forever, real-deal feel. It's moving for me to recognize the maturity and complexity of their relationship. Cole, is still a mess, though he starts to find his footing early on. Isabelle is just as reluctantly helpful as ever. An unexpected ally pitches in. All the characters you've come to know are there, but be ready- at least one won't make it to the last page. With great difficulty often comes great sacrifice, and some very noble sacrifices are made in Forever.

The pace of Forever is a lot quicker than Shiver and Linger were- just as it should be considering the circumstances the characters find themselves in. Since the characters were already so beautifully developed in the first two books, Forever can be quite plot-driven. The result is exactly, perfectly right.

This is the book everyone will be talking about by this weekend. Don't be left out of the conversation- go get a copy (and the first two books as well, if you haven't read them), and then settle in and savor it!

Summary from GoodReads:

The thrilling conclusion to #1 bestselling Shiver trilogy from Maggie Stiefvater

then.

When Sam met Grace, he was a wolf and she was a girl. Eventually he found a way to become a boy, and their love moved from a curious distance to the intense closeness of shared lives.

now.

That should have been the end of their story. But Grace was not meant to stay human. Now she is the wolf. And the wolves of Mercy Falls are about to be killed in one final, spectacular hunt.

forever.

Sam would do anything for Grace. But can one boy and one love really change a hostile, predatory world? The past, the present, and the future are about to collide in one pure moment - a moment of death or life, farewell or forever.