Review: Linger

Linger (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #2) by Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic Audio
Format: Audiobook
Narrator(s): Dan Bittner, Pierce Cravens, Emma Galvin, Jenna Lamia
Length: 10 hrs 43 min 
Source: Audible
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★★★★★

In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

Linger, the second installment of the Wolves of Mercy Falls series, was simply amazing! All of the voice actors were cast so well that I can’t imagine actually reading it. I wouldn’t want to read this… Listening to their narration brought so much dimension to an already great story. Believe me… this audiobook is worth every penny. The thing I really loved about Linger was that not only do you get Sam and Grace’s point-of-views but also Isabelle and Cole’s. They each have their own little side stories that really add to the mix.

Speaking of Cole, at first I didn’t like his character. I found him to be selfish and annoying. But I must say that he really grew on me. If you are looking for some amazing, to-die-for male lead characters then you MUST read this. Sam was great as usual, but what I really enjoyed was the opportunity to learn more about Cole and explore his dark past.

Things really blow up in this book and get very intense in Linger. I was on edge for much of the time… Not only was there the desperation and love between Sam and Grace, but there was also murder, secrets revealed, parental issues, and more. There was so much tension that lets just say I didn’t want to get out of my car to go to work…

I cannot express how great the voice-acting is in this audiobook…. All of the narrators were cast to perfection. I honestly cannot imagine a better team. Even if you are not interested in this series, this audiobook exemplifies excellent voice-acting. I cannot wait to see what else comes from this narration team in the future! Linger is an unstoppable force with its top of the line narration and beautiful love story.

Review: Shiver

Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #1) by Maggie Stiefvater
Publisher: Scholastic Audio
Format: Audiobook
Narrator(s): Jenna Lamia and David LeDoux
Length: 10 hrs 43 min 
Source: Audible
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★★★★★

the cold.
Grace has spent years watching the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf—her wolf—watches back. He feels deeply familiar to her, but she doesn't know why.

the heat.
Sam has lived two lives. As a wolf, he keeps the silent company of the girl he loves. And then, for a short time each year, he is human, never daring to talk to Grace...until now.

the shiver.
For Grace and Sam, love has always been kept at a distance. But once it's spoken, it cannot be denied. Sam must fight to stay human—and Grace must fight to keep him—even if it means taking on the scars of the past, the fragility of the present, and the impossibility of the future.

At first glance, I thought this was going to be yet another YA insta-love romance. I was incredibly wrong… Never once have I loved a werewolf story this much! The combination of this great story with some amazing narrators made this experience unforgettable. And when I say amazing narrators, I mean it. Jenna Lamia and David LeDoux are so freakin’ talented! Not once do I think I have been so wrapped up in an audiobook.

I definitely was a little turned off at first by what seemed to be “insta-love” but upon further examination, I realized that it was more of a mutual curiosity/fascination between the two. That curiosity developed into a deep love: one that I found both believable and interesting. Not only did Sam and Grace have a very cute relationship, it was also extremely sexy at times. Maggie did a wonderful job making Sam a super sweet, sexy, and loyal male lead. It was easy to fall for him right along with Grace. Their struggle to be together really amped up the tension in this book, and at times I just felt so sorry for their situation… It was a combination of this struggle and Maggie’s writing that made this book so stunning.

Maggie’s graceful writing made it easy to savor every moment… For example:

"As the hours crept by, the afternoon sunlight bleached all the books on the shelves to pale, gilded versions of themselves and warmed the paper and ink inside the covers so that the smell of unread words hung in the air." – Maggie Stiefvater

There were bits like that in every chapter. Maggie’s writing is very emotionally-charged, but not once did I ever tire of it.

Overall, this was a great book! If you are a fan of werewolves and YA romance then reading this is a must! I highly recommend this audiobook. Nothing beats listening to Maggie’s poetic writing. I cannot wait to listen to Linger and continue this great love story!!