Forever ~ Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Paranormal Teen Romance
Publisher: Scholastic Press
400 pages
ISBN: 9780545259088
Source: Maggie Stiefvater via the lovely and amazing Jen Petro-Roy
Never, in my life, did I think that I would fall in love with a trilogy based around werewolves. Now, mind you, these are not deeply magical beings but are, more so, scientific werewolves. Still, I find myself oddly defending my attachment to these books like I have some strange, World of Warcraft obsession to hide. I’ll see if I can explain why these are different from other super natural stories while explaining why they are also so much better than other teenage love tales.
The draw to the story, for me, is the emphasis on true humanness and true dogness, each in its own capacity. Fear, comfort, love and desire are explored throughout in both human and animal forms. Because each person (and wolf) is explored on a full spectrum, it leaves room for the whole picture, where no one is all good or all bad.
Because of this are few true villains in wolf or person form that have zero redeeming value. Maggie expertly paints pictures of fallen angles and their climbs back to redemption. Several characters, throughout the series, including a former mean girl and a randomly placed ex-rock star, begin as scumballs slowly but surely wiggle their paths into the reader’s affection.
I know that this is pretty vague but reviewing the third and final book in a series almost has to be obtuse as there are people in all stages of reading along the three. This was a fine and admirable wrap up to the set and I will miss the players, dogs and people, I’ve met along the way.
If you haven’t gotten your hands on the first two in the series, I highly recommend that you do. If you’re waiting for the last installment, you won’t have to wait much longer. It comes out in about a week. Not long at all!
A special thank you to my lovely friend Jen (of Stacked and CHS) for sending a signed ARC in my direction. This is me, happy and jealous, that you got to meet her.
Iwriteinbooks's Blog 
I totally loved this series, and was so sad at the end, first of all about B, if you know who I mean, and secondly, just because it was over! ACK!!!!
I know! there’s so much I need to talk about but can’t! It was sad but a fitting end. I really liked the progression of Cole’s character and Isabel’s, not even having to do with eachother.
I loved Cole and Isabel too in the third book! But you’re so right – one can’t really talk about anything good! And I can’t get the song Summer Girl out of my head either (I show the video for it on my review which posts on this coming Sunday). I can’t wait to read the rest of Stiefvater’s stuff to see if I like it as much! :–)
I read Shiver and enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would, but haven’t made it to any of the other books. I guess it’s safe for me to finish out the series now that they are done.
Haha yes, I also have this issue with not wanting to start or progress in a series until I have the whole set at my disposal. Definitely get on the rest of these!
I didn’t think this series would be for me, but I’ve been interested ever since I heard the author do a reading. I’m glad to see you enjoyed it so much.
She has a great public presence and her writing is not “teen” or campy or flashy. She has a lot of references to Rilke and her writing issubtle and sweet. Very different than the genre preps the reader for.
I have read the first book in this trilogy, but never finished it. I really have to soon!
Oh well, I really didn’t think of reading this series at all, but now I really want to at least give the 1st one a try 🙂 Great review, very unique.
I know what you mean about feeling like you have to defend your love of werewolves. I fell in love with the werewolf series by Bree Despain and was heartbroken to discover that the last book was written with a cliffhanger at the end, and the next book hasn’t even been written yet! I have the first two books in this series, and have to pull them out and give them a go. I am finding that I really love supernatural creatures in my reading as of late.
I have not read any of these. I’ll have to get to it this summer.