Forever – Maggie Stiefvater
“In Maggie Stiefvater’s Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. In Linger, they fought to be together. Now, in Forever, the stakes are even higher than before. Wolves are being hunted. Lives are being threatened. And love is harder and harder to hold on to as death comes closing in.”
The conclusion to any much-loved series will always be a bittersweet affair. Maggie Stiefvater’s Forever is no exception to the rule.
When we last left Mercy Falls, Grace had disappeared from her hospital room where she lay bleeding, only to shift into a wolf and go missing in Boundary Woods. The tables had turned for Sam, now that he was cured, he was the one looking out into the woods, waiting for winter to end and for Grace to hopefully return. With our characters’ lives scattered, Forever picks up all the pieces and completes the Wolves of Mercy Falls puzzle.
I think with this series many people had the same reaction as I did. We fell head over heels with Shiver, got a bit disorientated with Linger, but all hoped that Forever would put things right again. And it did, mostly.
Forever is very well written, and I love the way it’s put together in such a beautiful, lyrical way. I never found myself bored, but I did wish that there was a bit more of Grace and Sam’s love shown, it was a bit muted this time around. The emotions we were missing from Sam and Grace, we find in Isabel and Cole.
The ending was definitely – wow. Maggie certainly brings the action, and the tension is heart stopping. It’s not until you reach a certain point that you stop to take a breath because you realize you’ve been holding it all this time.
I hate when you reach the end of a book and you find yourself scrambling through the last pages, desperate to find more of the story, the whole time thinking “wait, no no no, that can’t be it?!” Mostly because there were some parts that just felt like they needed a few more pages, a bit more explaining, particularly for Isabel and Cole. I really, really hope there will be a spin off novel for them at some point because I found them so fascinating this time around – their snark, humor, dark pasts and twisted nature really shone on the page making them a real highlight.
Bit of a random note, but kudos to Maggie for making the wolves come across so authentic. They weren’t people in wolves clothing, they were the animals they truly become.
Ending a series is never easy but Maggie Stiefvater does a pretty good job of it. Besides a few qualms, it’s still a great read. It’s emotional, heart stopping, bittersweet…but just a little bit unsatisfying. Reaching the end is worth it, not just to finally see how it all works out or to say a sad goodbye to Mercy Falls, but for Maggie’s message in the last paragraph in the author’s note. Beautiful.
Pages:390
Publication Date: July 2011
Publisher: Scholastic
Challenge: n/a
Rating: : 
Teaser Quote: “Sam Roth, you bastard,” Cole said. There was admiration in his voice, which probably meant I’d made a poor decision.”
What’s Up, Chicken Butt? (August 2011)
August 2011 Edition
What’s Up, Chicken Butt is our new-ish feature – meme – whatchamacallit, where every first day of the month we give you a heads up on what to expect that month.
Our Book of the Month for August is Bloodlines by Richelle Mead.
The first book in Richelle Mead’s brand-new teen fiction series – set in the same world as Vampire Academy.
When alchemist Sydney is ordered into hiding to protect the life of Moroi princess Jill Dragomir, the last place she expects to be sent is a human private school in Palm Springs, California. But at their new school, the drama is only just beginning.
Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Bloodlines explores all the friendship, romance, battles and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive – this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone’s out for blood.
Release Date: August 23, 2011
There will be a review of Bloodlines and a bunch of other surprises.
Our Book Club Read this month is Divergent by Veronica Roth.
In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is—she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are—and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into the life she’s chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she’s kept hidden from everyone because she’s been warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help her save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.
Debut author Veronica Roth bursts onto the literary scene with the first book in the Divergent series—dystopian thrillers filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance.
Join the discussion here.
August Book Release Highlights
August 1
Circle of Fire (Prophecy of the Sisters, Book 3) by Michelle Zink
With time dwindling but her will to end the Prophecy stronger than ever, Lia sets out on a journey to find the remaining keys, locate the missing pages of the Prophecy, and convince her sister Alice to help–or risk her life trying. Lia has her beloved Dimitri by her side, but Alice has James, the man who once loved her sister–and maybe still does. James doesn’t know the truth about either sister, or the prophecy that divides them. And Alice intends to keep it that way.
There are some secrets sisters aren’t meant to share. Because when they do, it destroys them. This stunning conclusion to Michelle Zink’s Prophecy of the Sisters trilogy will make saying good-bye bittersweet for readers.
August 2
Epic Fail by Claire LaZebnik
Will Elise’s love life be an epic win or an epic fail?
At Coral Tree Prep in Los Angeles, who your parents are can make or break you. Case in point:
As the son of Hollywood royalty, Derek Edwards is pretty much prince of the school—not that he deigns to acknowledge many of his loyal subjects.
As the daughter of the new principal, Elise Benton isn’t exactly on everyone’s must-sit-next-to-at-lunch list.
When Elise’s beautiful sister catches the eye of the prince’s best friend, Elise gets to spend a lot of time with Derek, making her the envy of every girl on campus. Except she refuses to fall for any of his rare smiles and instead warms up to his enemy, the surprisingly charming social outcast Webster Grant. But in this hilarious tale of fitting in and flirting, not all snubs are undeserved, not all celebrity brats are bratty, and pride and prejudice can get in the way of true love for only so long.
August 4
Dark Angel by Eden Maguire
Tania’s heart belongs to Orlando. Nothing can rip them apart. Until the seduction begins in a flurry of glamour and magic, music and parties all orchestrated by the mysterious and mesmerising Zoran, an iconic rock star who has retired to a remote ranch in the nearby mountains. And there Tania meets the dark side. Can she resist temptation?
“These violent delights have violent ends
And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,
Which as they kiss consume.”
—Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
The most tragic love story in history . . .
Juliet Capulet didn’t take her own life. She was murdered by the person she trusted most, her new husband, Romeo Montague, a sacrifice made to ensure his own immortality. But what Romeo didn’t anticipate was that Juliet would be granted eternity, as well, and would become an agent for the Ambassadors of Light. For 700 years, she’s fought Romeo for the souls of true lovers, struggling to preserve romantic love and the lives of the innocent. Until the day she meets someone she’s forbidden to love, and Romeo, oh Romeo, will do everything in his power to destroy that love.
All You Desire (Eternal Ones) by Kirsten Miller
Haven Moore and Iain Morrow have been living a blissful life in Rome, an ocean way from the Ouroboros Society and its diabolical leader. But paradise is not to last. The mysterious disappearance of Haven’s best friend, Beau, sends the pair running back to New York, where they encounter the Horae, an underground group of women who have spent centuries scheming to destroy Adam Rosier. Only they can help Haven uncover the secret to Beau’s whereabouts in one of her past lives. But their help comes at a price: Haven must infiltrate the Ouroboros Society, charm Adam Rosier, and lure him into a trap. It’s a plan the Horae believe will save the world-but Haven and Iain fear that it may destroy the happiness they’ve been chasing for two thousand years.
August 16
Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles
Luis Fuentes is a good boy who doesn’t live with the angst that his big brothers, Alex and Carlos, have always lived with. Luis is smart, funny, and has big dreams of becoming an astronaut. But when he falls for the wrong girl, Luis enters a dark world he’s never known, and just when he thinks he’s got life all figured out, learns some disturbing news about his family that destroys his positive outlook on life. Will that Fuentes bad boy streak come out with a vengeance and lure Luis to live on the edge like his new girlfriend and his own father?
Continuing all the steamy romance of the first two books, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Simone Elkeles gives fans one more satisfying taste of the irresistible Fuentes boys.
The Power of Six (Lorien Legacies) by Pittacus Lore
I’ve seen him on the news. Followed the stories about what happened in Ohio. John Smith, out there, on the run. To the world, he’s a mystery. But to me . . . he’s one of us.
Nine of us came here, but sometimes I wonder if time has changed us—if we all still believe in our mission. How can I know? There are six of us left. We’re hiding, blending in, avoiding contact with one another . . . but our Legacies are developing, and soon we’ll be equipped to fight. Is John Number Four, and is his appearance the sign I’ve been waiting for? And what about Number Five and Six? Could one of them be the raven-haired girl with the stormy eyes from my dreams? The girl with powers that are beyond anything I could ever imagine? The girl who may be strong enough to bring the six of us together?
They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They tried to catch Number Four in Ohio—and failed.
I am Number Seven. One of six still alive.
And I’m ready to fight.
August 30
Hades (Halo) by Alexandra Adornetto
Bethany and Xavier are even closer since battling Jake Thorn and his evil influence (in Halo) and Beth and her angel siblings must still protect Venus Cove from the Dark Forces.
When a party game – a séance – inadvertently releases Jake from the Underworld, he disguises himself and tricks Beth into taking a ride on his motorcycle. When the highway opens up and swallows them, Beth learns too late that she’s now a prisoner in hell. What happens to angels there? As her archangel brother, Gabriel, her sister Ivy, Xavier, and her best friend, Molly search for her, Beth must weigh Jake’s bargaining for her freedom: one night with him, and she will be released back to Earth.
Can Jake be trusted in this wager? And is he also using Beth to engineer the fall of the archangel Gabriel? Xavier has already lost one love – when Jake tricks him into thinking that Bethany is dead, his grief and anger result in a betrayal that will leave Bethany – and readers – wondering if he is so good after all.
It will be up to Beth to use everything she’s learned about her powers as an angel – and about love – to free herself and those she loves from the clutches of Hades.
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Cover of the Week #43
You should never judge a book by its cover.
Sure….but they never said we couldn’t admire them. Cover of the Week pays homage to the beautiful and eye catching graphics that grace the covers of our young adult titles.
This week’s cover of the week goes to Nightshade by Maryrose Wood
Release Date: October 2011
Pubsicle #17
Flavor of the week : Orange Penguin Delight
Pubsicle is a weekly meme that combines our two favorite things – ice cream and books. We hand the reigns over to some of our awesome publishers as they highlight what upcoming releases they’re excited about.
It’s Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han
Can summer be truly summer without Cousins Beach?
It used to be that Belly counted the days until summer, until she was back at Cousins Beach with Conrad and Jeremiah. But not this year. Not after Susannah got sick again and Conrad stopped caring. Everything that was right and good has fallen apart, leaving Belly wishing summer would never come.
But when Jeremiah calls saying Conrad has disappeared, Belly knows what she must do to make things right again. And it can only happen back at the beach house, the three of them together, the way things used to be. If this summer really and truly is the last summer, it should end the way it started–at Cousins Beach.
Release Date: April 27th, 2010
Jenny Han was born in Richmond, Virginia, and later studied at the University of North Carolina. She now lives in New York where she works part-time as a children’s librarian, in between writing her new series for teens.
Website:
Reviews:
Undercurrent by Tricia Rayburn
The sirens are back, but Vanessa may be the biggest threat of all. . . .
Nothing has been normal since Vanessa Sands learned that her sister was murdered by sirens—femme fatales of the watery depths—and that everything she believed about her family was a lie.
Her boyfriend Simon’s been the only person Vanessa feels she can really trust. But now there are some secrets she can’t tell even him. And when Vanessa finds herself in the sights of Parker, Hawthorne Prep’s resident charmer, she needs someone to confide in more than ever. Doubting her relationship with Simon, unsure of Parker’s intentions—and of her own—and terrified by what she’s learned about herself, Vanessa has never felt so alone.
But personal problems must be put aside, because the Winter Harbor sirens are back for revenge. Now, Vanessa must face her past and accept that she is just like her enemies—every bit as alluring, every bit as dangerous.
The eagerly anticipated second novel of the Siren trilogy, Undercurrent is a seductive paranormal romance that will leave you breathless.
Release date: July 12th, 2011
Tricia Rayburn is the author of the Maggie Bean Series, Ruby’s Slippers, both published by Simon & Schuster’s US tween imprint, ‘In The Mix’. Siren is her first project for a young-adult audience.
Website: triciarayburn.blogspot.com
Reviews:
Alaska by Sue Saliba
mia’s heart made a sound that no one heard except for mia
late one night when she woke from dreams into darkness.
ethan was asleep beside her, and em was a forest away.
outside it was night and dark and alaska.the sky was upside down.
When Mia follows her sister halfway across the world to Alaska, she discovers that love can be found in the most unexpected and beautiful of places. But can Mia find the courage to follow her heart in Alaska? And what if the one you love is not all that you wish them to be?
A lyrical new novel from the winner of the 2009 Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for Young Adult Fiction with something in the world called love.
Release date: June 6th, 2011
Sue Saliba lives on Phillip Island in Victoria with her husband Bruno, her two cats Minou and Charbon, and her dog Sally. She has previously published the young adult novel Watching Seagulls, and the children’s book The Skin of a Star, as well as short stories and poetry. Her second novel something in the world called love won the Victorian Premier’s Award for young adult fiction and the APA Design Awards Best Children’s Cover. Alaska is her third novel.
Website: www.suesaliba.com
Reviews:
Visit Penguin Australia’s online space for Teens at Between the Lines.
Cover of the Week #42
You should never judge a book by its cover.
Sure….but they never said we couldn’t admire them. Cover of the Week pays homage to the beautiful and eye catching graphics that grace the covers of our young adult titles.
This week’s cover of the week goes to The Queen’s Lady by Eve Edwards
Release Date: February 2011
Book of the Month
