Continuing on that kick of reading books without their last novel… Part 2!
Customary warning: This is a reminder that these are my personal opinions. My thoughts and feelings are not your thoughts and feelings. I may not always be the target audience for a book; sometimes I am. If I do not like a book, that doesn’t mean you’ll dislike it. If I love a book or simply like a book, you may hate it. Take everything I say with this knowledge. If it sounds interesting to you despite what I’ve said, then go ahead and read it. You’ll only know you like something if you read it yourself.
That being said… Spoilers ahead.
Linger by Maggie Stiefvater
Synopsis From The Book
the longing.
Once Grace and Sam have found each other, they know they must fight to stay together. For Sam, this means a reckoning with his werewolf past. For Grace, it means facing a future that is less and less certain.
the loss.
Into their world comes a new wolf named Cole, whose past is full of hurt and danger. He is wrestling with his own demons, embracing the life of a wolf while denying the ties of a human.
the linger.
For Grace, Sam, and Cole, life is a constant struggle between two forces–wolf and human–with love baring its two sides as well. It is harrowing and euphoric, freeing and entrapping, enticing and alarming. As their world falls apart, love is what lingers. But will it be enough?
Initial Thoughts Before Reading:
Shiver was great, now on to book two. Once again, I know absolutely nothing about this series. I have no idea how this series is supposed to go, and I have not looked into it. Here we go!
Initial Thoughts After Reading:
Kill me now. What was that ending? My heart is shattered. It wasn’t supposed to turn out like this! It was supposed to be happy, and not a painful mess of my emotions shattering them! I need the third book. Need it.
Also, at some point I stopped reading the green text as green, and that is sort of amazing. The way that the color tones influence the eyes is so fascinating.
Plot Overview:
After the events of book 1, everyone is looking for Olivia. Sam is preparing for the wolves to shift into their human forms. He and Grace are discussing their future.
Cole shifts back into a human. He chose the life of a wolf when the life of a major rock star didn’t suit him any longer. He and Isabel are drawn to each other but ultimately he pushes her away.
Grace starts to die, unbeknownst to everyone. She and Sam are separated when Grace’s parents find him in Grace’s room. They continue to see each other until Grace gets so sick she is sent to a hospital, where the only way to save her is to turn her into a wolf.
What I Liked:
Progression of the characters; There is not much to say here, other than how Sam and Grace have progressed in time.
Parents; Grace’s parents were all but absent in the first book, much as they were for her life. The way they step in to protect their daughter when she thinks she knows what she wants forever was sort of endearing. They do care, but in some ways its too late. The worst part is, is that they care but she can’t explain to them why they will never understand. I wish she simply could.
PTSD; Once again we are faced with Sam’s trauma and it is trauma. Cole forces Sam into the bathroom to face a bathtub and Sam breaks down. (TRIGGER WARNING) It is important to note that Sam was held down by his parents in a bathtub as they slashed his wrists and tried to kill him. This is not what you do with someone with PTSD. Cole is an asshole, and clearly thought Sam was exaggerating. I find how Stiefvater addresses Sam’s trauma is very well done.
Cole; Now this isn’t to say I like Cole. Actually, I hate him. However I feel that I was meant to hate him. He was written to be a bad guy, as brilliantly as his character was written. He’s selfish, narcissistic, and the perfect rockstar looking for his next rush. He has redeeming traits, but as a human, I find him deplorable.
What I Would Have Liked or Changed:
A little more at the end for the aftermath of what happened when they turned Grace into a wolf would have been nice. I figure it will be in book 3, but I do not have book three. This is painful.
Time Taken To Read
1hr 20min
Rating: 4.5/5
This may be a good indication of a 4.5 or greater series. It will depend on the final book.
Notable Quotes:
“I never knew there were so many different ways to say good-bye.” – Grace’s thoughts.
Marlena Marie 
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