Linger

Gr 9-Up The wolves of Mercy Falls return in this sequel to "Shiver"(Scholastic, 2009), and familiar characters mingle with more recent recruits into the Minnesota werewolf pack. Sam, now cured of his werewolf affliction, is adjusting to year-round life as a human. His girlfriend, Grace, suffers from headaches and other symptoms that may be related to a childhood wolf bite. When her parents discover Sam sleeping in her bed, they ground her and threaten to keep the two apart permanently. Tremendous angst and declarations that parents just don't understand ensue. Meanwhile Isabel, whose brother did not survive the meningitis cure that saved Sam, feels a strong connection with Cole St. Clair, one of the newest members of the pack. In his old life, Cole was the lead singer of a rock band. This volatile bad boy is a welcome foil to Sam, who is sulky this time around. The addition of Isabel and Cole as narrators dilutes the intensity of Grace and Sam's relationship, and the spark between Isabel and Cole remains underdeveloped. The tantalizing possibility of Cole's true identity being exposed also deserves more exploration. The cliff-hanger ending suggests that the author will cover this territory in a future installment. Still, Stiefvater's slow-perk style of crafting suspense builds to a satisfying boil in the final pages. This novel works better as a sequel than as a stand-alone read, but it's still highly recommended for fans of "Shiver"and the blockbuster supernatural romance genre.-"Amy Pickett, Ridley High School, Folsom, PA" Copyright 2010 Media Source Inc.

Sam and Grace, star-crossed lovers of Shiver, return. Sam, now fully human, assumes the role of the wolves' caretaker, while Grace defies her parents' opposition to their relationship. Two additional protagonists, acid-tongued Isabel and new pack member Cole, act as foils. The book's final pages make it clear that a third installment is in the works, leaving teenage girls with lingering anticipation.

Linger continues the epic love story that made Shiver so popular and introduces two new narrators whose attraction to each other is (unlike Grace and Sam’s) visceral and reckless. Maggie Stiefvater once again demonstrates her talent for bringing natural settings to life with precise and lyrical prose. As Grace fights for her life—that is, her human life—the race to find a cure for lycanthropy intensifies. Previous theories are overthrown, and readers will find themselves following discussions of the scientific method, of all things, with bated breath. A dramatic cliff-hanger sets the stage for the trilogy’s final installment.