Book Review: Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

FOREVER is the third book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls series, so if you haven't read the first two (SHIVER and LINGER), look away! Also, it comes out in two weeks (July 12), so this is a tad early (but just a tad).

I just finished FOREVER like .5 seconds ago, so you're getting my uncensored, immediate thoughts about it.

Back when I read SHIVER, I wrote in my review that Sam and Grace were one of my favorite literary couples, and I recall liking them in LINGER too, though I don't mention it specifically in my review of that one.  But for most of this installment, the once bright spark of their relationship was rather dull.  It could be because Sam was more mopey than usual and Grace more distant than usual, or it could be that the emerging relationship between Cole and Isabel just burned brighter on the page.

And I dare say FOREVER is Cole's book - he matures so much as a character and steals the show with his science experiments, his rock star grin and his growing realization that maybe life doesn't completely suck after all.  (Can we get a Cole spin-off series please?!)

I don't want to spoil any plot details, but generally I'm left scratching my head a bit.  The driving action of the book is Isabel's father's plan to arrange a helicopter hunt of the wolves - many of whom we've come to know and love during the course of the series.  While this part unfolded fine (if slowly) leading up to a fast and furious climax, there were other threads that I would liked to have seen resolved that weren't.

Anyway, on the whole, I enjoyed it.  And if you're a fan of the series already, I'm betting you will too.