Linger by Maggie Steifvater

Grace: "This is the story of a boy who used to be a wolf and a girl who was becoming one. 

Just a few months ago, it was Sam who was the mythical creature. His was the disease we couldn't cure. His was the good-bye that meant the most. He had the body that was a mystery, too strange and wonderful and terrifying to comprehend. 

But now it is spring. With the heat, the remaining wolves will soon be falling out of their wolf pelts and back into their human bodies. Sam stays Sam, and Cole stays Cole, and it's only me who's not firmly in my own skin."

OK! I began reading this wondering how Maggie Stiefvater was going to pull off writing a book that even begins to measure up to the greatness of the first installment in the Wolves of Mercy Falls series. And yet, by the end of the book, I was so impressed.  Not only did the author manage to create a book that is just as good, she also managed to produce a book that is even better!  While Shivers plot was sad with a sense of urgency to it, Linger was a bit more relaxed until the last 30 pages or so when it got pretty  intense.  

I totally loved the way that Ms. Steifvater brought in two new narrators in addition to Sam and Grace.  Cole and Isabel are wonderful characters.  I really look forward to seeing how they play out in the next book,  Forever.  

The characters develop even more in this book making them so realistic and alive. I have heard that some people on the web have problems with Graces parents.  They claim that they just seem to be in the story in order to complicate the romance between Sam and Grace.  I felt none of that.  To me, the only reason that they came into the book and were hitting so hard is simple.  They fond Sam and Grace sleeping together! For goodness sakes, if you had a daughter and found her sleeping with her boyfriend in your house, would you not be at least a little concerned?  They just  don't want Sam breaking Graces heart.  I did think that their way of acting on those beliefs were a bit to much and the way that they would not listen to the kids side of the story was very unfair though.  

I can not wait to see what Maggie Striefvater has to offer next year

I am completely confident that she will again blow readers off their feet.  The Wolves of Mercy Falls are must reads!