Forever
Characters: Grace, Sam, Cole, Isabella you’ve seen these characters change and grow through two books. Grace is still grace and yet there is more then one side of her this time she is stronger, still stubborn and determined, love-Lorne, broken but ready she wants Sam and she knows it. Sam is changed from the shy boy he was in book one and its such a unexpected change that you don’t notice but you do he is over coming his doubts and fears he is still so in love with grace that it’s aching to read about. He learns what it means to be a leader and for once shows his vulnerable side not in song or lyrics or gaze but really truly shows itCole is walking contradictory on one hand he is still the boy who redeemed himself at the end of linger by defending Sam and then he goes and does something that makes you want to punch him in the face. He is also one crazy you know what. he wants to find a cure and is insane yet smart enough to try what ever it is on himself first putting only himself in danger. Cole finally comes into his own and realizes that he has a purpose and its not just to sit around and waste his life. Isabella acts like most of the YA heroines conflicted about how she feels about a boy wanting him but denying herself him in the sexual tension game. Letting these characters go is utterly heart breaking it’s like letting your best friends go because you reached the last page A+
Story: Harry potter had an ending that left you sad but satisfied the end of twilight and hunger games left you with a almost disappointed feeling that makes you want to rewrite them. Forever is in the same spot as harry potter with story endings. The ending is this, bitter sweet, hopeful, things resolved and yet still the same, happy. This story like mocking jay pushes you to the emotional brink. Characters actions or lack of this is story of struggle. The beginning is this Sam is a boy waiting and hoping, grace is the girl trapped and wanting, Cole is a walking talking sexy contradictory, Isabella is conflicted the same conflicted we’ve seen in many other YA heroines. This story has the urgency of shiver and the slow somber pace of linger The chapters with grace and Sam together are heartbreaking and brilliant you can feel the connection and better you can feel them you know they were made to be together and you just hope that there is a “Sam out there for you. This story is raw and emotional you can see aspects of yourself in so many of the characters how many of us have felt controlled by their fears (sam) like there life is going by and all they can do is either watch and suffer or get out (cole) who hasn't felt like your parents have no idea what is going on and despite the familiarity of a place you feel trapped and bogged down by it while the world changes around you (isabella and grace) these characters make the story seem plasable. Maggie stiefavter’s writing transports you you’re not just reading a book you are THERE with Sam and grace, scared for them, wanting them together, the scents and sounds the feeling of the sun or the cold or the covers on the bed the hood of the car sams touch. This isn’t reading a book this is living others lives and you do not want to go A+
Cover: as always beautiful Sam and grace wolf and boy in red something so still and eerie about it and you just know looking at it this is a Maggie stirfaver book and its going to be fantastic A
Rating: YA
Company: Scholastic
My rating : 5 of 5 I am having the worst time getting my thoughts together on this one I’m somewhere close to tears and somewhere close to picking it up and re reading sentences I did cry at one scean more out of fear for these characters then for any other reason Sam will always be my favorite at least till another YA books gives me a reason to bump him down to the number two spot Sam will always be number one. Chapter 27, chapter 40 will forever be up there in my favorite chapters the chapters I remember and will never ever ever let go. I pray I will find a guy like Sam my own personal Sam heh. I can see why people might have hated the ending in retrospect they didn't get one plot thread tied up nicely at least not on page a bigger threat over took that plot (I go on about it more here spoiler alert)but to me that didn't matter much it was still an amazing read and the only reason it didn't get 4 stars is chapter 27 and 40 and the ending while it wasn't closer it was in a way and I go on more about that in the link above. I’m also really torn up about this I mean this series was a lot of things for me the first book I reviewed even not officially this series was the first where I hopped on LJ and wrote how I feel, the first book I cried about the first book I remember buying with my own money because I knew I was SURE I would love it something about it screamed “buy me” in all honesty only Nevermore has screamed that to me as of late no other books other then the sequels have I been sure about getting. Anyway I’m having mixed feeling like this is a new start like the summer is just beginning that..that…that’s what these books make you feel I’m depressed to see them go and October seems so so so far away for her next books it also doesn’t seem right some how. I’m hoping she will have a new book in the summer of 2012 because it’s not summer with out a Maggie stiefvater novel.