"Shiver" & "Linger" by Maggie Stiefvater

"For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—is a chilling presence she can’t seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human… until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It’s her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human—or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever." (http://maggiestiefvater.com/shiver/books/)

This is a "two for the price of one" post because I'll be talking about both Shiver and Linger.  I honestly wish I'd read the first book first and then the second book but I made a mistake and read book 2 (Linger) first thinking it was the first in the trilogy.  After reading Linger I immediately picked up Shiver and realized that I'd read them out of order.  I almost didn't read Shiver but I'm glad I did.  Yes, it's a werewolf-type story.  Yes.  It's a love story.  Yes.  It's young adult fiction.  But the question is...was it good.  At first I would say, "No" or "Kind of" but that was because I read it out of order.  Maggie writes from several points of view in the second book while the first book is written from two points of view (a chapter per character).  It was confusing at first but once I figured out who everyone was it was fine.  Shiver helped ease me into this style and showed me pitfalls and strengths to using it.  It's important to be very clear who your characters are but I do think that having the second book from, I believe, four points of view was a bit much.  Two was manageable.

There is a third book (it is a trilogy after all) that I still need to read called "Forever" but my library doesn't have it.  I'm going to make a request and hope they get it soon.  Luckily (or unluckily) I don't exactly care about the characters.  The story line is good and that's what is drawing me in but Grace, Sam, Isabel, and...oh what is his name...I forget...anyway, I don't care about them.  I don't really care about the romance and the "I'll die without him/her".  That's a problem.  

There was a lot of commentary on absentee parenting, hunting, protecting wildlife, etc.  I cared more about the wolves in the story than when they were human.  I'm not sure this is truly a (paranormal) romance but it is young adult.  They are high school-ers and the personalities are diverse (which is nice) but I am not compelled to go out and purchase this book.  If I don't read book 3 I won't be heart broken.  Would I recommend it?  I'm not sure.  Maybe it just wasn't my style but considering that some of my favorite books are written with multiple points of view and my own writing is done this way I don't think that's it.

Don't write off Maggie Stiefvater though.  I like her.  I think she has great potential and I'll read "Forever" and possibly another book from a different series/trilogy.  I love her ideas but I want more from her characters.  I want to really care about them.  I don't see myself purchasing or reading these again.  Once was enough.

A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton Porter

"The Limberlost is life...What I like is the excitement of choosing a path carefully, in the fear that the quagmire may reach out and suck me down; to go into the swamp naked-handed and wrest from it treasures that bring me books and clothing, and I like enough of a fight for things that I always remember how I get them."  Back cover of the novel in Elnora's words.

Elnora is the main character in Gene Stratton Porter's novel that was recommended to me by my friend Harmony.  I have to admit that I wasn't keen on reading it and it turned out to be different than I expected.  I'm not sure I had very high expectations but in the end I'm certainly glad I read it.  This novel was written about a girl in rural Indiana around the turn of the century.  Elnora's father died when she was very young and the effect it had on her mother, Kate, has left a rift of misunderstanding floating between them.  Kate doesn't understand why Elnora would want to attend high school and Elnora doesn't understand why her mother refuses to assist her in the necessary financial obligations. 

Throughout the novel Elnora is given various hardships and is able to overcome them with imagination and poise.  She has had an affinity for the things of the Limberlost, the natural life, and uses it to her advantage.  This is definitely classic 'coming of age' tale reminiscent of Anne of Green Gables and Huckleberry Finn.  The cast of characters come alive and you grow to love, hate, sympathize, or dread them.  You worry about Elnora when it looks as if her innocence is in danger and you are proud of her when she stands up for herself, her way of life, and her relationship with the sickly yet dashing Philip Ammon.  This story has all the elements of a fun read, it has adventure, romance, character growth and vivid details.  Definitely worth your while.

After finishing it I came away with a strong desire to get to know my new home and all the natural splendors within it.  I didn't want to collect butterflies or anything but I did want to reconnect with the natural world around me.  Nature has so much to offer and in this day and age we have become too busy with our daily fast-paced lives to even notice.  When was the last time you appreciated a sunset and the natural hues of red, purple, and pink; what about the lazy circling of a bird of prey as it hunts and spies its next meal; perhaps the scurrying of an army of ants as they busily go about the daily grind of ensuring their queen's health and happiness; or maybe the loving gaze of a long-time pet as he/she watches you in adoration as you sit quietly on the couch and read.  Embrace the world that we have forgotten, beauty and surprise lie under every rock, in every tree, over any mountain and within the human body.  No matter where you live whether in the 'cement jungle' or the backwoods of Kentucky take a look around you and notice that which caught at Elnora's heartstrings and allow it to tug on your own.  Isn't it time we all reconnected to the natural?