Forever by Maggie Stiefvater: Review

Forever (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #3)
by Maggie Stiefvater
Expected publication: July 12th 2011 by Scholastic Press
Pick up your copy today at Amazon,B&N, or your local indie!!

Synopsis borrowed from Goodreads:

The thrilling conclusion to #1 bestselling Shiver trilogy from Maggie Stiefvater


then.


When Sam met Grace, he was a wolf and she was a girl. Eventually he found a way to become a boy, and their love moved from a curious distance to the intense closeness of shared lives.


now.


That should have been the end of their story. But Grace was not meant to stay human. Now she is the wolf. And the wolves of Mercy Falls are about to be killed in one final, spectacular hunt.


forever.


Sam would do anything for Grace. But can one boy and one love really change a hostile, predatory world? The past, the present, and the future are about to collide in one pure moment - a moment of death or life, farewell or forever.

Darkfallen's thoughts:

With ta-tings & jazz hands compliments of Greta!!

*~*~* WARNING IF YOU HAVE NOT READ SHIVER & LINGER DO NOT READ THIS!! THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE FIRST 2 BOOKS. HOWEVER I PROMISE THAT THIS IS A SPOILER FREE ZONE WHEN IT COMES TO FOREVER *~*~*

Darkfallen: Maggie won over my heart in Shiver. Shiver was my first werewolf read and I have never looked back.

Greta: I think Shiver was the first teenage werewolf book that stole my heart ;) Hunger Like No Other was my first werewolf book.

Darkfallen: Then there was Linger that took things to a whole new level and Maggie seemed to perfect the art of the evil cliffy!

Greta: Oh snap!

Darkfallen: I mean in Shiver you’re on the edge of your seat at the very end, biting your nails, tears are disobeying your cease and desist order, and then….Sam steps out of the woods, very solidly human and more importantly alive!

Greta: Squee!!

Darkfallen: But OMG in Linger you meet Cole which can I just take a moment to drool over him here?

Greta: Dude... DUDE..... DUDE!!!!

Darkfallen: Ok I’m Back!

Greta: Took you long enough!

Darkfallen: We meet Cole and we get a deeper look into Isabel. While Isabel is still the resident bitch you find you kind of like having her around, maybe you even start rooting for her a little bit. Cole intrigues you and you want more, need to know more! And Grace and Sam are as sweet as ever. You can’t help but love them, and now the tears stream down your face off and on the whole time. You cry for Isabel. You cry for Cole. You cry for Sam & Grace. And you don’t ever bother with the cease and desist order anymore. You just let it happen. Letting Maggie grab your emotions and take you where she wants you. Only she leaves you standing on a blood smeared floor in a hospital room, staring out a broken window. Glass shards crunching beneath your feet as the tears pull and mix with the blood on the floor. Your frozen there with the book in your hands staring at a wolf…staring at Grace…and inside you die a little....lots..

And now everything we have been waiting for…

All the answers we have been searching for…

Everything we have been waiting forever for…

Comes down to this!

Greta: Will there be puppies?!!!

Darkfallen: ? What?! NOES!!

Again Forever is written from four points of view and while most would say “Isn’t that confusing?” I have to tell you it’s not. Not even a little. In fact I wouldn’t want it any other way. I learned so SO much about Cole and Isabel in this book. I loved every minute that I got to spend inside their head. And yes I swoon for Cole even more now. Now that I know, that I finally understand the man behind the mask that is Cole St. Claire.

He is broken and twisted. Lost inside himself and it is killing him, but we see him grow, see him change. In the end we couldn’t have asked for a better person to be in Sam & Grace’s life.

I get it now... Why Beck picked him.

Greta: Yes sir re bobby!!! It totally makes sense now.

Darkfallen: Isabel also seems to thaw a lot more in this book and now I DO love her and I have no problem admitting it. In fact…I even cried for her.

There I said it!

And I’ll say it again. I turned my emotions back over to Maggie and she lead to a place I least expected…

Crying with Isabel on a bathroom floor.

(once you read it you’ll understand. NO I was NOT actually on a bathroom floor *winks*)

Greta: Are you sure? You sure did sound echoy the last time I called ;)

Darkfallen: Why do I always feel the need to slap Greta? lolz

Anyways where was I?

Oh yea...

Then with Sam & Grace…what can I say? Their love is so perfect, simple yet complicated, innocent, and all-consuming that you can’t help but feel it. It’s that I-will-do-anything-include-die-for-you kind of love,

Greta: That reminds me of Robin Hood. (fun fact: Greta loves "Prince of Thieves")

Darkfallen: and while in some series the author strives for that but it never quiet makes it. They always fall just short of believable…NOT here.

You believe every part of it and take it all with you when long after you have read the last page. I especially love how Grace & Sam finally handle her parents. I wanted to hug them both for that.

Greta: I loved the slow blink of Christmas lights and pizza flavored........

Darkfallen: SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

*smacks Greta*
I do want to say this though…

A long time ago I made predictions for how this series would end. I was right about so much, yet wrong about EVERYTHING!

Greta: I on the other hand had EVERYTHING wrong and not a dang thing right!

Darkfallen: With that being said I say this: From a writers point of view the ending is flawless. Most writers can’t find it in them to leave it the way Maggie did, and for that I applaud her. It’s not all nice and neat, perfectly packaged and tied with a pink bow.

It’s more like she put everything in the box, left out the tissue paper, handed you the wrapping paper, ribbon, tape, and scissors, and said “Here ya go,” and walked away.

Greta: Most awesome!

Darkfallen: From a readers point of view, my imagination is getting the better of me and I’m slowly tearing apart all of the possibilities, knowing that this is it, I’m not getting another book, but in its own way Forever leaves you with, maybe not an evil cliffy, but definitely a tormented one…

I find myself here knowing that it’s time to let them go. But I can’t and I won’t …not ever!

Greta: Let's read it again!

Darkfallen: Yes, yes lets!!!

Until next time...

*wipes tears* *cries I can't believe it's over* *throws herself in Greta's lap*

Omph! Sorry guys I gotta take care of this. Darkfallen has a hard time with goodbyes;)





Waiting on Forever - Day 6 - Forever Squees and Youtube Tease

Are you on the edge of your seat?

Are you howling with anticipation?

Have you been told to calm down by your husband like a jillion times because it's only a book?

Well, you've come to the right place, then!

Because here at Paranormal Wastelands we can't WAIT for FOREVER to be released.

And in honor of our awesome skills of sitting on our hands, squirming a bit, and looking at the calendar to change to June 12th we have come up with a whole week of Wolves of Mercy Falls Extravaganza.

So, sit back my girly girls and enjoy!

What could be more awesome than Robocop riding on a unicorn?

Not much out there, huh?

How about Maggie reading us the first couple pages of Forever?!!!??!!

Squee squee!!

We hope you enjoyed our squee countdown to Forever. It's been loads of fun! Now, we're gonna get out of here and read. Till next time!

Random Fact # 6: Beck was married to a girl he met in college, but she died of cancer. She was also the only other human to know the truth about the wolves.

HEY!! And make sure you stop by Paranormal Wastelands on July 12th for a review and an EPIC ONE OF A KIND GIVEAWAY that will be full of all sorts of Squees, Howls, and OMGS! *hints* Pay attention to the random facts for xtra points!!

Waiting on Forever - Day 4 - Our Forever Predictions

Are you on the edge of your seat?

Are you howling with anticipation?

Have you been told to calm down by your husband like a jillion times because it's only a book?

Well, you've come to the right place, then!

Because here at Paranormal Wastelands we can't WAIT for FOREVER to be released.

And in honor of our awesome skills of sitting on our hands, squirming a bit, and looking at the calendar to change to July 12th we have come up with a whole week of Wolves of Mercy Falls Extravaganza.

So, sit back my girly girls and enjoy!

~*~ What We Think will Happen in Forever ~*~

Have you read the back cover for Forever by Maggie Stiefvater?

NOES!! Don't tell us!!!

Cuz we totally haven't! Not at ALL! Well, as we write this post we haven't. Its probably pretty likely that Darkfallen has already gobble Forever up ;) Greta on the other hand is waiting till she can stand still long enough to read without being interrupted.

So, today we bring you what WE at Paranormal Wastelands believe will happen in Forever (written before either of us have read the book)

Darkfallen's Forever:

Sam is lost without Grace. Unable to find her since that day she shifted into her wolf and jumped out the window at the hospital. Now he is left to protect the pack, with no will to do anything but miss her, and Cole.


Cole who seems to have so much trouble staying the wolf he desperately needs to be. He needs to forget himself, lose himself to the beast, but he can’t seem to make it stick. Tired of always being the broken screw up he dives into his head, trying to find a cure. To give Sam some hope, to give someone something for a change instead of always taking. Maybe then he can have something for himself…Isabel.


Sam praying that he can find Grace. Praying for the shift of the warm summer to bring home his summer girl. For once he finds himself yearning for his wolf, at least then he could find her. You always want what you can’t have. But what is Grace doesn’t haven’t any summer’s in her. What if all those years of never shifting means now that she is a wolf she will never be human again…just like Sam can never be a wolf. Why does it feel like the world always pull them apart?

Sam will find himself at a crossroads. His choices are: Give up the war he has been fighting. The only life he has ever know...fighting to BE SAM not wolf, or to never have Grace. Because Grace can never be human again. The only way for Sam to be with her is as a wolf. So he will take the bite from Cole to re-join his wolf and live with his summer girl. Surrendering all that made Sam, SAM...forever

Greta's Forever:

I think Forever will be set in the future. Sam will be 25 and I guess that will make Grace 24 and they will still be hunting for a cure. Sam is still cured but trying to figure out ways to dodge the cold for Grace, who is falling more and more in love with the idea of staying a wolf forever.

Olivia will have been caught in wolf form and Cole's mad scientist Daddy's creepy (let's assume) laboratory will have been used for tests but in the process of not enough time and not enough trail runs they will have killed her.

In the end there will only be enough of the cure for one person. Grace looks at Sam. Sam knows that look. Knows the only way to promise her forever. And the cure is given to Cole.

But before Cole takes the cure he has to bite Sam. He has to give him the gift that he thought was a curse.

Grace and Sam shift into wolves to live out the rest of their forever days in the free form of the wolf while Cole and Isabel take over Beck's house just in case they ever come back and to keep the pack alive.

Now, that we've squeed you ours... if you don't know what's going to happen... Predict the future and tell us what you think will happen in Forever.

Random Fact # 4: Isabel and Jack moved to Mercy Falls from California.

(Yes there will be a test on this later *winks*)

HEY!! And make sure you stop by Paranormal Wastelands on July 12th for a review and an EPIC ONE OF A KIND GIVEAWAY that will be full of all sorts of Squees, Howls, and OMGS! *hints* Pay attention to the random facts for xtra points!!

Waiting on Forever-Day 3-Shiver/Linger Squee Edition

Are you on the edge of your seat?

Are you howling with anticipation?

Have you been told to calm down by your husband like a jillion times because it's only a book?

Well, you've come to the right place, then!

Because here at Paranormal Wastelands we can't WAIT for FOREVER to be released.

And in honor of our awesome skills of sitting on our hands, squirming a bit, and looking at the calendar to change to June 12th we have come up with a whole week of Wolves of Mercy Falls Extravaganza.

So, sit back my girly girls and enjoy!

In Day 3 of Waiting On Forever we have hooked up with The Bewitched Bookworms to offer our SQUEES on the first of the two books.

If you haven't read the books it is possible you won't have a clue what's going on. But I assure you that is OK. This will just amp you up even more to read the books that have Darkfallen and Greta going SQUEE SQUEE SQUEE!

~~ Darkfallen's Shiver Squee ~~


This was my first wolfy book, and OMG RAWR!! I'm never going back. Vampires?

 Vampires who?

I'm sorry I only speak wolf now;)

This book filled with quiet book store stares behind yellow eyes that make you shiver every time you think about them is simply awesome in the purest form.

Grace and her tire swing reads wolf obsessions make you love her. Want to hug her. Give her anything she asks for and more for no other reason than she deserves it.

One page after the next you find yourself lost in their world...hoping against hope that you'll stay that way. With the crunch of dying leaves under your paws, and warm fur under you palms.

You find yourself dreaming of boys with lemon jolly rancher eyes and what it would be like to be him. To shed your skin to the cold for a winter coat of fur, forest, and hunting.

Start wondering things like...just how illegal is it to have a pet wolf? And if I had one could I convince him to eat something other than live prey? Even though you know it wouldn't be the same because it wouldn't be Sam, you'll take what you can get at this point.

Finding yourself breathless at stolen midnight kisses. And hidden hand squeezes under rumpled covers. Remembering the excitement of cuddling when you were that young and in love.

With broken windshield shatter soundtrack's the floor falls out of you chest, and breathless as taken on a whole new meaning entirely.

Then in the end you find yourself gripping the sterile counter top of a free clinic praying to anyone who will listen that this doesn't end the way you think it will, because your heart won't take it. It can't take it. And now your crying....wiping tears from my face I grab Linger and dive in...

~~ Greta's Linger Squee ~~

Super duper most awesome squees!!

I freaking lovers Linger!! Its full of RAWRS, orange flavored kisses, fisted t-shirts shrugs, sweatpant thighs, rock-n-roll hair, omg gasping deer, and GREEN INK!!


Unfinished song lyrics, summer girls in the spring, neck pinches, chest pounding, heart throbbing, closed eyes finished with an open squee. I mean seriously, can I say anymore?

Onstage broken rock stars, Ice Queen who start to melt, Old time diners that smell like yesterday, hospital beds laying empty as you wear you emotions on your sleeve.

Knock out drag out bruising cheeks, sneaking in when you should be out, left behind only to turn around and sigh.... EEEEEEEEE!! WHat else can I say? I freaking LOVE this book!!!!!!

Indie band cover art, drumkit magazine, adventures in wonderland where wonderland sleeps, WOLF WOLF WOLF !


This book made me want a boyfriend all over again. A young edition of John Mayer because that's how I see Sam. Don't judge me!! LOLZ


Yeah yeah yeah.. I know.. I'm married and all... But remember how everything felt when it was new? Remember the fluttering of your heartbeat and the holding of your breath whenever he walked into a room. OH SQUEES! This book brought back all those memories... and made me look at youtube videos of how to fold paper cranes. Maybe I can subliminally talk my husband into learning how to fold them without figuring out exactly what I'm doing. I want my thousand paper cranes, damn it!!

I loved the suspense of this book, the hidden secrets behind closed doors, and the intense emotion of it all. It felt like I was listening to my favorite cd instead of reading a book. Absolutely amazing with whipped cream, cherry tomatoes, and watermelon sprinkles on top!

All I can say is WOLF WOLF WOLF MORE!! The wait for FOREVER is going to kill me. I know its not far off now but it's freaking going to KILL ME!!!

And kids... I cried during this one. That should make you all squee ;)

Join us back here tomorrow!! There is way more FOREVER SQUEES to be had!!

Random Fact # 3: Sam takes Grace to a candy store in Duluth. He buys her peppermint hot chocolate and buttercreams.

HEY!! And make sure you stop by Paranormal Wastelands on July 12th for a review and an EPIC ONE OF A KIND GIVEAWAY that will be full of all sorts of Squees, Howls, and OMGS! *hints* Pay attention to the random facts for xtra points!!

Waiting on Wednesday - Forever Edition

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we just can't wait to get our sticky fingers on.


Title: Forever
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Published: July 12, 2011
Synopsis from Goodreads



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.



We here at Paranormal Wastelands are super mondo excited about this book.

Darkfallen: Wait wait wait wait!!!
Greta: What?
Darkfallen: Are you serious? That's the description you are going to post?
Greta: What's wrong with it?
Darkfallen: It's kinda short and vague, don't ya think?
Greta: Yeah, so.....
Darkfallen: Don't you think it should say more?
Greta: Uhh... noes
Darkfallen: YOu still haven't looked into what "Forever" is about, have you?
Greta: Ummm... noes... and I posted that description with my eyes shut. Don't judge
Darkfallen: I'm seriously worried about you
Greta: And what do we say about a book that makes Darkfallen worry about me?

Must have NOWS!
We needs it!!
We wants it!!
We can't lives without it!!

Now that you've heard what our CAN'T WAIT book is... What's yours? Drop us a comment so we can find out what has you on pins and needles.

HEY!! And make sure you stop by Paranormal Wastelands on July 12th for a review and an EPIC ONE OF A KIND GIVEAWAY that will be full of all sorts of Squees, Howls, and OMGS!

Waiting on Forever - Day 1 - Music Madness

Are you on the edge of your seat?

Are you howling with anticipation?

Have you been told to calm down by your husband like a jillion times because it's only a book?



Well, you've come to the right place, then!

Because here at Paranormal Wastelands we can't WAIT for FOREVER to be released.

And in honor of our awesome skills of sitting on our hands, squirming a bit, and looking at the calendar to change to June 12th we have come up with a whole week of Wolves of Mercy Falls Extravaganza.



So, sit back my girly girls and enjoy!



*~* Day 1 - The Music *~*



Today we celebrate the passion of getting jiggy with it.

NA na na na NA NA NA!

Ok.. maybe not like that.

Today we find that one song that suits the books of Mercy Falls. The one song that reminds us of a Shivery nom and a Lingering stare.



~SHIVER~

~LINGER~

Now that we've shown your our Mercy Falls song, why don't you show us yours?

Random Fact # 1: Paul taught Sam how to play the guitar.

(Yes there will be a test later so pay attention *winks*)

HEY!! And make sure you stop by Paranormal Wastelands on July 12th for a review and an EPIC ONE OF A KIND GIVEAWAY that will be full of all sorts of Squees, Howls, and OMGS! *hints* Pay attention to the random facts for xtra points!!

My entry for 'It's a Wolves of Mercy Falls art contest'!

Hello all.. and MAGGIE MAGGIE MAGGIE!!


The Shiver Lady is hosting a fan art contest to win a most awesome arc.


What is that arc?



Uhh... duhs? Why it's FOREVER!!


ferret yes!


In order to win such mondo lovely arc the rules to her contest state that one must create fan art to relate to "The Wolves of Mercy Falls"



This is my entry in the competition.

This picture was taken in Leeds, Alabama
Across the street from the library
With my neighbor Laney
Wearing a hat that I hand-knit for the contest

Fingers crossed and good luck to all the contestants.
You can see all the rules and info about the contest by going to the Shiver Lady's website.

My entry for 'It's a Wolves of Mercy Falls art contest'!

Hello all.. and MAGGIE MAGGIE MAGGIE!!



The Shiver Lady is hosting a fan art contest to win a most awesome arc.



What is that arc?




Uhh... duhs? Why it's FOREVER!!



ferret yes!



In order to win such mondo lovely arc the rules to her contest state that one must create fan art to relate to "The Wolves of Mercy Falls"




This is my entry in the competition.

This picture was taken in Leeds, Alabama
Across the street from the library
With my neighbor Laney
Wearing a hat that I hand-knit for the contest

Fingers crossed and good luck to all the contestants.

You can see all the rules and info about the contest by going to the Shiver Lady's website.

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story SirenWanna join in on the fun? Click here for all the details!

Hello all and welcome to the Wastelands. We finally both made it to the library and wanted to show off our haul.

Greta's Nightstand

I got my first MAILBOX BOOK!!! Darkfallen sent me The Blue Mirror by Kathe Koja

Can I get a squee squee?

Here are the books I got from the library this last time around:

Hunger:(The Horseman of the Apocalypse #1) by Jackie Kessler

Rage (The Horseman of the Apocalypse 2) by Jackie Kessler

Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #1) by Maggie Stiefvater

I also got the latest Foo Fighers cd and a 10 Years cd from the library ;)

I'm so jealous of that 10 Years cd btw...hint hint

*winks*

Darkfallen's Nightstand

So here's what happens when I leave a friends house...

The Crush by Sandra Brown

Good Grief by Lolly Winston

A Discovery of Witched by Deborah Harkness

ummm I bet you can guess which TWO I prolly won't actually read;)

Then we have my latest library dash, because you know I couldn't possibly have enough books at home;)

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

I about flipped when I realized this was at the library, for some reason I thought it was too new for that!

And last but certainly not least look what came in Paranormal Wastelands mailbox!!

Everlasting by Allison Noel

Yep yep thats right we were lucky enough to get an ARC of this last installment in the Immortals series..and I'll tell ya, it's Amazing!!

And I'll let ya in on a little secret....we even have 2 copies to giveaway!!

Don't miss out, check back on June 7th for the review & the giveaway!!

We showed you ours....now you show us yours;)

hehe you asked to see theirs....lolz

*smacks Darkfallen*

Get your head out of the gutter!!!!

Spank ya laters!!