Startling Reads

Quick reviews of the books I read on the Cape:

Stay by Deb Caletti

Stay is an emotional and linguistic masterpiece. Readers experience teen Clara's obsessive and dangerous relationship with Christian, and the aftermath of this turmoil in alternating chapters. The climax occurs when Clara's scary past and happier present collide. You'll be on the edge of your seat for this one. Caletti figuratively explains the most difficult of emotions with precision, ease, and delicacy.

Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott

Alice used to have a different name. She lived in a nice house with her parents. Then her life came to a crashing halt when Ray kidnapped her during a school field trip. She's been held captive and abused constantly for five years now, and one false move could lead to the harm of "Alice's" long lost family. Does she remain the "living dead girl," escape and reclaim her life, or pray that this torture will end her death?

After by Amy Efaw

This is the type of book that I would instruct for you to not read the back cover. It's a much more exhilarating and horrifying read if you merely jump into "After." Teenage Devon: honor student, soccer player, ends up in jail. Why? Read and you'll find out.

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Asher's first novel is one of those books that all teens must read; along with Speak, The Giver, Looking for Alaska, Nineteen Minutes, etc. Thirteen people receive tapes of their dead classmate's story, which detail the events leading up to her suicide. Shows how our actions always affect another- an important read.

The Red Thread by Ann Hood

This novel follows several couples as they adopt daughters from China through Maya Lange, the owner of the Red Thread Adoption Agency. Emotional and heart-wrenching, this story details the rigid confines of love and how we can blur those lines.

The Irrationalist by Suzanne Buffam

This book of poems slams opposite events, objects, and ideas together in a beautiful mess of contradictions. The section, "Little Commentaries" manages to be humorous and thought-provoking. It's a book worth reading more than once.

The Wild Iris by Louise Gluck

Gluck voices tales of heaven and earth from a God-like narrator and his woeful yet dutiful creation, humankind. While the garden imagery became a bit repetitive, the unique perspectives made the poems refreshing.

I still have to go back and review the books I read in the beginning of the summer, but these were still swirling around in my mind. Time to teach my first ever writing workshop at the Agawam Library. Wish me luck!

Reading Changes Lives

Last semester, I took Advanced Reading. I was the only undergrad in the class, which was a bit intimidating at first, but I ended up really really enjoying it. This was the first class where I felt like English and Education merged together, when usually my majors are completely separated. It was also a great introduction to what kind of classes I would take if I decided to go into Library Science.

In this class, we read The Hunger Games, which I already reviewed here, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, and Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes. Also, we had to pick a teen author for our midterm presentation, and I re-read Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson.


Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is such a fantastic resource for kids to learn about racism and segregation. This story takes place in the 1930's and focuses on the Logan's, an African American family who struggles to hold onto their family's land in a time of hate and poverty. Cassie Logan, the novel's protagonist, along with her three brothers, are exposed to this hatred for the first time, and learn about the social injustice surrounding them.

I had read this book back in Middle School, but did not really remember it when I picked it up again this spring. It's a perfect Middle School read, and an incredible introduction to this historical period, racism, and segregation. These topics are illuminated by the strong-willed Logan family and their story. I would highly recommend this book to be used in the classroom, English and History both.

Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher

This is a story of two outcasts that form a life-altering friendship: Eric Calhoune, an obese teen who joins the swim team his senior year and tries not to lose weight to keep from abandoning his high school partner in crime, Sarah Byrnes. Sarah's disfigured facial scars from a childhood accident ostracize her from her peers, and her only defense is her sharp mind and quick comebacks. But when Sarah stops speaking and is committed to a mental ward, Eric becomes determined to help her, but quickly finds that this issue may be more complicated for a high school kid to handle. He asks for help from his peers and his swim coach, which is a great model for readers of who to turn to when a problem becomes bigger than you.

This book deals with countless teen issues: abuse, abortion, religion, suicide, etc. and has been banned in various school districts because of this. It is my opinion that these issues MUST be discussed. This book is a way for teens to explore morally confusing issues in a safe, educational way, and allows a starting point for these issues to be discussed with parents. We held a debate in my class about banning or not banning this book, and it got heated. These are difficult issues to talk about, which makes them that more important.

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Wintergirls is one of my all time favorite teen books. Anderson's language and writing style within this tumultuous whirlwind of eating disorders is incredible. The emotions drip from the pages, and Lia, the narrator, is a honest portrayal of a teen girl that has lost her way under the pressures of adolescent life. Lia and Cassie were best friends since elementary school and created their own dangerous eating disorder, promising each other to be the thinnest they can be. Years later, when Lia is eighteen, and her and Cassie are no longer friends. Cassie dies alone in a hotel room and calls Lia thirty-three times before her death, but Lia never picks up. The guilt and desire to be thin drags Lia back into her eating disorder in this poetic, stream of consciousness writing. This is honestly the most life-changing adolescent novel that I have ever read, and the writing is mesmerizing. I own the book, and it is filled with underlines and stars, marking the lines that are horribly beautiful.

Laurie Halse Anderson's books have been banned as well, and have caused much debate in the literary world. Her novel Speak was challenged vigorously. Laurie Halse Anderson responded by writing a poem, threading her readers' letters about how Speak changed their lives. This video is of her reading this poem, and it is amazing.

That's all for now! More reviews to come!

It's Kind of a Funny Story

It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini follows fifteen year old Craig's depression. He studies rigorously to be accepted in Brooklyn's Executive Pre-Professional High School, and once he gets in, begins to drown under the school's academic pressures. His stress causes him to smoke pot, struggle with an eating disorder and suicidal thoughts. On one particular night, Craig toys with the idea of killing himself, but instead checks himself into a psychiatric hospital. There, he meets a variety of wacky characters, along with Noelle, a young girl that cut her face with scissors to deal with her past filled with sexual abuse. Does Craig recover? You will have to read it to find out.

Reading this synopsis, one might think that this book would be tragically depressing. It was actually quite funny. Vizzini paints a quirky portrait of the various patients and Craig's narrative reveals a realistic portrayal of a sensitive teen trying to find his way. It is a great coming of age story that is honest, and told from a male's point of view, which is rare. It also provides insight into mental disorders and problems, showing that all people are just people- their personal struggles aside. Craig's explanation of "Tentacles" (things that stress him out) and "Anchors" (things that make him happy) is such a brilliant way to symbolize his way of thinking that all readers can relate to. Also, I enjoyed reading about Craig's love for maps and his discovery of his own artistic talents. I found the beginning of the book a bit slow, but once Craig was admitted, it progressed and became something that I could not put down. It had a bit of a John Green's Looking For Alaska vibe to it. The last page was...beautiful. I'm not going to post it here because it would ruin it, but it truly made the book even more amazing.

Also, It's Kind of a Funny Story was recently made into a movie. I liked it and it stayed pretty true to the text. Trailer here.

The Hunger Games Phenomenon

Yes, I finally read The Hunger Games trilogy. I read the first one for my Adolescent Reading class, and frantically read the other two, Catching Fire and Mockingjay during my whirlwind of a semester.

From the School Library Journal-

"In a not-too-distant future, the United States of America has collapsed, weakened by drought, fire, famine, and war, to be replaced by Panem, a country divided into the Capitol and 12 districts. Each year, two young representatives from each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger Games. Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcasted throughout Panem as the 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch. When 16-year-old Katniss's young sister, Prim, is selected as the mining district's female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart, Peeta, the son of the town baker who seems to have all the fighting skills of a lump of bread dough, will be pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives."

Honestly, I wish that I had had the time to write this post directly after reading the first book because I initially compared this series to Harry Potter. Then after reading the second and third books, I became thoroughly disappointed. The Hunger Games started off with strong characters and an exciting plot. Suzanne Collins created a dismal but endlessly fascinating world of Panem that made readers want to learn more and more about the brutal Hunger Games. This society reflects our own world-gone-bad: the obsession with appearances, the overload of reality TV in our lives (this actually reminded me of life vs. death version of Survivor), and the presence of war. This makes the story believable, even though it is a science fiction setting. Katniss is a powerful protagonist who excels at everything, yet suffers emotionally, though she does not realize it. Her determination and strength made her highly relatable. I devoured this first book of the series, and it was one of the best teen novels that I had read in a while.

I wish that I had just stopped there. But of course, I was super anxious to discover what happened next, so I read the second and third books. The disappointment that followed these reads slightly tainted my enjoyment of the first one. I felt that The Hunger Games began to become repetitive, that the Katniss-Peeta-Gale love triangle annoyingly mirrored that of Twilight, and that Katniss's indecisiveness and youthful ignorance began to bug. In the third book, when we began to lose characters and enter even more tragic situations, I found myself not sad or even phased by these depressing events. I felt as if I did NOT know these characters. And that is a problem. It could not even compete with the pure sorrow following Rue's demise. So, Suzanne, I think you should have let it be- The Hunger Games would have been better as just one book, but that's just my opinion. I know a lot of people that enjoyed all three, so one would have to try them out to see.

And of course, they are making a movie. Errr... Katniss is blonde. Not okay. Click here to see the cast. This article explains their casting choices, and I have to say, I will definitely be seeing this in theatres in 2012!

"To the person in the bell jar, blank and stopped as a dead baby, the world itself is the bad dream."

The other book that I read during winter break was The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. It was simply incredible.

This highly autobiographical novel tells the story of Esther, her internship in NYC and her downward mental spiral that follows. The text's language is flawless. Its sharp honesty details the main character's emotional turmoil and is simply an invigorating read. Plath's writing causes you to feel as if you are stuck under the bell jar along with both Esther and Sylvia- as if their depression is yours. This book reaches almost too far into your mind, connects you almost too closely with Esther's depression. It is disturbing. This chaos of the mind is so realistic, so reachable, which makes it such an irresistible novel.

This book should be read by everyone. It portrays a fearless view of mental illness. It is the bell jar. Read Sylvia Plath's poetry as well: "Daddy," "Lady Lazarus," "Ariel," "The Applicant," etc. Also, her journals are held in the archives of Smith College, which I plan to visit this summer.

"I took a deep breath and listened to the old bray of my heart:  I am, I am, I am."

Let's start a Revolution

Hellooooo summer. I can finally catch up on my book reviews and my reading. Let's start with winter break...

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly. The author of A Northern Light, which is another great read. Revolution paralells the life of Andi Alphers, a depressed teen whisked to Paris by her sometimes absent father, along with Alexandrine Paradis, a young woman trapped in the chaos of the French Revolution. Their lives, decades apart, meld together in this juxtaposition of teen drama and historical fiction, with a splash of understandable time travel thrown in. Music threads these two girls' lives together as well as creates a platform on which the novel escalates. Donnelly's knowledge of French history and music of the past makes this book an even more exhilarating read.

This was one of the better books that I read in 2010. In a whirlwind of vampires and demons in the YA section lately, it was truly refreshing to visit the French Revolution for a while. This is a story of grief, self-discovery, redemption, and martyrdom that shines.

False alarm! A week ago, I was completely confident that I would have this endless amount of time to lounge around, read, and blog. And here we are, one day from the end of Spring Break, elbow deep in a poetry essay, trying to decide what the heck Yeats was trying to say. I feel like I have been doing homework all break, but it's still not done! So so sorry, but book reviews are going to have to wait till May.

Read Dickinson's "I felt a Funeral, in my brain" and Yeats' "Sailing to Byzantium." That's what I'm doing at the moment :)

I am on SPRING BREAK!


I just want to apologize for my lack of posting. School has been crazy, and I moved on campus this semester, which left me with even less time. Quick update of my life:

• I'm a Junior now, still majoring in English and Education.
• I'm student teaching next spring in Agawam (and I'm terrified).
• I would prefer to go to English and Art classes instead of anything Education.
• I work as a tutor and in the Elms library.
• I was just hired as the Looks on Campus editor on College Fashion!
• I live in the wellness building on campus, which is right next to the gym.
• My roommate (Kaylee) and I work out twice a day, and our Elms Across America team is "in" Ohio. We are in second place in our age group! I elliptical five miles a day. 
• Zumba is the most exciting form of exercise. I love it.
• I have to apply for Grad school next year and I have no idea what I want to do (in the realm of English).
• A boy gave me flowers last week :) They are yellow.
• Crohn's has not disrupted my life since the fall (knock on wood). I feel incredible and alive. I can eat salad again.
• I applied for the Crohn's and Colitis scholarship.
• Clubs at school: Commuter Council just had an Acoustic Cafe and people actually came; Future Teachers is having an MTEL prep session after break and we are selling edu bags; Bloom, Elms College Literary Magazine is coming out in April and two of my poems were accepted.

So that's about it. I will be posting book reviews and poems this week! So check back, and have an amazing weekend :)

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Burnish the petal and stare sharply

towards the bookstacks.

Languish starry clothespins.

Storm lavish trombones

with clawed villages.

Clone oysters in the park.

Steal a juxtaposition.

It is role playing your iguana

with sweetened scales.

Spool pigeons in a basket on my lap.

                                                                          The top hat glances in my direction.
                                          India, croquet my whisper.

The motif is a soccer coach.

He fringes brandy glasses

with Pacific spoons,

but he cannot spark me,

as I chat with a quiche

over threaded shackles.

They are flower spinners

on a pottery wheel, easing

graphite towards my hand.

I explode nail polish on your coffee table.

                                                                        A purple stereotype

                                                             breathes Artemis,

surely enough to ignite

the parlor’s breath.

It breathes grimy

clothespins that cling

to my shoulder.

                                       You hand-craft the moon.

                                                                            Starlight, spoon towards me.

                                                                                              Flock my voices.

Is the written word dead?

On my other blog- The Wheel of the World, I have created a homage honoring books and libraries, after reading a startling article about how e-books are becoming more popular than hardcovers. I urge you to check it out- click here. I think that all of you book lovers would find it extremely interesting, and very depressing as well.

Quick reviews

Hey everyone! Here are just some quick reviews of the books that I have been reading lately :]

House Rules by Jodi Picoult
A typical, twist-at-every-turn Picoult novel with a focus on special needs. One learns a lot about Asberger's Syndrome while reading this one, and not just from the load of facts and info that Picoult shares, but from eighteen-year-old Jacob Hunt's own commentary. Picoult's intense prose allows you to journey to the mind of person with Autism- and she does this beautifully. Yes, this one was a bit predictable and not my favorite of hers (The Pact, Second Glance, and Nineteen Minutes are my top three), but it was definitely worth reading.

The View From the Top by Hillary Frank
Frank creates a light, summer read by juxtaposing six teens stories' and intertwining them in a way that makes you want to read more. This book was deliciously layered and interconnected, with simple and delicate writing and an accurate portrayal of a group of friends' summer before college. The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books describes Frank's novel as, "A perceptive portrayal of a summer that feels like it holds all of life's important changes."

Wanted (Pretty Little Liars) by Sara Shepard
My mind is still spinning from the last installment in the never-ending, mysterious and glamorous Pretty Little Liars saga. I do not want to spill any of Shepard's secrets because I know that a lot of people are in the middle of reading this series- but from a fan who has been reading her books since the first one came out in 2006- WOW. I am still undecided if I am content with its dramatic ending, but it did twist and turn better than any other series finale that I have read. Although I am super confused now when I watch the show, because like I said, my head is STILL spinning- read this one. It is an explosion of surprise- thanks Shepard for creating such a dynamic series!


Hopefully more to come when I find the time to read! :]


Did you read these books? Did you like them? Leave a comment!

There is creative reading as well as creative writing

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Credit

Hey everyone!

So I know that I am super late in updating my blog. And honestly, I have not had much time to read as of late. Life has just been crazy lately. I am slowly realizing that I might not be cut out for constant blogging. Somehow, along the way, I have lost a bit of the fun that books used to bring me. Plus, I have been writing poetry more than reading lately. Not to mention, my free time has been slowly dwindling down to nothing, between two jobs, a social life, and my new internship at College Fashion (YAY). So even though I will not be updating this blog as much from now on, you can still keep track of me in the blog-o-sphere, so look out for my articles!

Read something fabulous for me :]

-Karissa

In My Mailbox (2)

In My Mailbox (IMM) is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi, The Story Siren based on Alea´s idea at Pop Culture Junkie . In IMM, bloggers report what books they have bought, borrowed, swapped, etc. that week. I will be posting my own In My Mailbox bi-weekly, so enjoy and leave a comment!

In My Mailbox (2) by KVenne71790 on Polyvore.com

1. Atonement- Ian McEwan
2. Stolen- Lucy Christopher
3. The View From the Top- Hillary Frank
4. The River- Mary Jane Beaufrand
5. Three Rivers Rising- Jame Richards

Have you read these books or reviewed them on your blog? Let me know and leave a comment below! :]

Looking For Alaska by John Green

After reading John Green's Paper Towns, I definitely wanted to try his debut novel- Looking For Alaska. Typically, I am not interested in books filled with depravity and this one had it all- drinking, smoking, sex, and reckless pranks. However, what pulled me into this book was its intellectual and articulate ease, especially its deep philosophical basis. Miles Halter knows countless peoples' last words- what he doesn't know is how to have fun, make friends, and live life to the fullest at home. He leaves to go to Culver Creek, a boarding school, in order to find what the dying poet Francois Rabelais called the "Great Perhaps." Miles finally learns how to experience life with help from his roommate Chip and his clever, beautiful, self-destructive friend, Alaska.

K.L. Going described Looking For Alaska:
"John Green has written a powerful novel-one that plunges headlong into the labyrinth of life, love, and the mysteries of being human. This is a book that will touch your life, so don't read it sitting down. Stand up, and take a step into the Great Perhaps."

This was the type of book that had me thinking about it days later. Although, I would not do even half of the crazy things that these characters experienced, their thirst for life made me think about how I could make my life a bit less predictable and unexpected.

"Sometimes you lose a battle. But mischief always wins the war."

Pretty Little Liars #7, Heartless

I just recently got my hands on the seventh installment of the Pretty Little Liars series, which I have previously discussed here on my blog. This new addition to this addicting series was just as full of suspense and drama as the first six books, as well as so many twists and turns that kept me reading this book constantly. I am not going to reveal much about the book here, just because I know that since the TV show came out, there are many readers just beginning to try out the series, and I would not want to spoil it for anyone. I will just say this- Sara Shepard creates four different story lines that meld together in this book, and that make readers question their own theories and ideas along the way. Although the ending was disappointing and did not reveal much, I am definitely looking forward to the eighth book of this series, which I heard is the last.

Just a bit from Amazon-

"Four gorgeous girls are telling very ugly stories.

First Emily, Aria, Hanna, and Spencer claimed they found a dead body in the woods behind Spencer's house, only to have it vanish without a trace. Then, when the same woods went up in flames, they swore they saw someone who's supposed to be dead rise from the ashes. And even after all that, the pretty little liars are still playing with fire. Call me heartless, but it's about time someone shut these liars up for good. After all, nobody likes a girl who cries wolf—least of all me. . . . "


Now, I need to briefly gush about the new Pretty Little Liars TV show. SO SO good! From the plot to the characters to the fashion, this new hit has me waiting desperately for Tuesday nights. Check it out!

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner

What I loved about Stephenie Meyer's novella, The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, was that while reading, I instantly wanted to open up Eclipse and compare Bree and Bella's descriptions of one another. So that is what I did :]

Bree-
"It was her-the human I'd been hunting just a few minutes ago. The scent my whole body had been focused toward. The sweet, wet scent of the most delicious blood I'd ever tracked. My mouth and throat fell like they were on fire.
I tried wildly to hold on to my reason- to focus on the fact that Jasper was just waiting for me to jump up again so that he could kill me- but only part of me could do it. I felt like I was about to pull into two halves trying to keep myself here.
The human named Bella stared at me with stunned brown eyes. Looking at her made it worse. I could see the blood flushing through her thin skin. I tried to look anywhere else, but my eyes kept circling back to her...
The girl met my stare, but her expression was so different from what it should have been. Though I could feel that my lips were curled back from my teeth, though I trembled with the effort to stop myself from springing at her, she did not look afraid of me. Instead she seemed fascinated. It almost looked like she wanted to speak to me-like she had a question she wanted me to answer."

Bella-
"The girl was curled into a small ball beside the flames, her arms wrapped around her legs. She was very young. Younger than me-she looked maybe fifteen, dark-haired and slight. Her eyes were focused on me, and the irises were a shocking, brilliant red. Much brighter than Riley's, almost glowing. They wheeled wildly, out of control...
After a second of fruitless searching, my gaze crept back to the young female vampire.  She was still watching me, her eyes half-mad.
I met the girl's stare for a long moment. Chin-length dark hair framed her face, which was alabaster pale. It was hard to tell if her features were beautiful, twisted as they were by rage and thirst. The feral red eyes were dominant- hard to look away from. She glared at me viciously, shuddering and writhing every few seconds.
I stared at her, mesmerized, wondering if  I were looking into a mirror of my future."

The brilliance of this story is how Meyer could take a seemingly unimportant character, such as Bree, and create her whole world that was as believable and mesmerizing as that of Bella's. It was really interesting to see the dark side of vampires for a change, and still be engrossed in the story so much that the different dynamics of the red eyed versus the yellow eyed was not an issue. Even though readers know how this tragic tale will end, one still cannot put this yet another Meyer masterpiece down. And, I must admit, I almost liked Bree's voice better than Bella's. I know, shocking, but it was a nice change of narrator.

All in all, a definite must-read for Twilight fans.

Flipped!

One of my all time favorite books, Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen, is coming out in theaters in August! I am beyond excited. I was absolutely obsessed with this book in eighth grade, and I even wrote Draanen a letter expressing my love for the characters Juli and Bryce. Basically, this short novel is about how childhood relationship could turn into something more. Juli is smitten with Bryce at first sight but he cannot stand her. But then everything changes, and Bryce flips. Their alternating voices create a unique spin on the narration of the same, hilarious events that the two experience, creating well rounded characters that you cannot help but fall in love with. When Wendelin Van Draanen answered my letter, she said-

"I've been asked by a lot of readers to please write a sequel, but I don't plan to and here's why: If I write a sequel, you'll stop pondering, 'What will Juli/Bryce do?' when what I'm hoping is that you'll apply Juli and Bryce's lessons to your own life and live out the happy ending. That may sound a bit strange, but as you enter into friendships and relationships of your own, think back on Juli and Bryce and remember what they went through. It will make it easier to do the right thing."

So if you are looking for a cute romantic comedy that takes you back to the crushes of junior high, then please read Flipped. I am definitely going to re-read before the movie comes out :]

Shiver is the new Twilight

Honestly, I have been avoiding the whole YA paranormal frenzy since the Twilight epidemic. Don't get me wrong, I am a fan of the Cullen clan and the Bella-Edward-Jacob triangle, but the teen fad has turned me off a bit from the series. Anyhow, I saw Shiver at Barnes and Noble and fell in love with the cover. I did not even read the description on the back. Instead, I wrote the title down, requested it from the library, and picked it up a week later. Now, six days have passed and I have finished reading it- yes I know that took a while but I am a college student and two jobs are needed in order to pay tuition, which does not leave a lot of reading time unfortunately.

Anyways, I am still in awe. 

Publisher's Weekly says- "For years, Grace has been fascinated by the yellow-eyed wolf that saved her from its pack when she was a child. Sam, bitten by a wolf as a boy, is that wolf. Long obsessed with each other at a distance, they finally meet after a wolf hunt (inspired by the apparent death of a local teen) sends a wounded and temporarily human Sam into Grace's arms. Their young love is facilitated by Grace's hands-off parents Once upon a time, I would've leaped at the rare opportunity of curling up with Mom on the couch. But now, it sort of felt like too little, too late, Grace muses), but threatened by two linked crises: the fact that Sam will soon lose the ability to become human and the instability of a new lycanthrope. Stiefvater skillfully increases the tension throughout; her take on werewolves is interesting and original while her characters are refreshingly willing to use their brains to deal with the challenges they face."

Maggie Stiefvater's magical prose is glittering, poetic, and musical, creating a romantic tone that all readers can appreciate. I was pulled in by the first paragraph:

"I remember lying in the snow, a small red spot of warm going cold, surrounded by wolves. They were licking me, biting me, worrying at my body, pressing in. Their huddled bodies blocked what little heat the sun offered. Ice glistened on their ruffs and their breath made opaque shapes that hung in the air around us. The musky smell of their coats made me think of wet dog and burning leaves, pleasant and terrifying. Their tongues melted my skin; their careless teeth ripped at my sleeves and snagged through my hair, pushed against my collarbone, the pulse at my neck.

I could have screamed, but I didn't. I could have fought but I didn't. I just lay there and let it happen, watching the winter-white sky go gray above me."

The whole book's narrative is breathtaking, lyrical, and beautiful. Stiefavter alternates between Grace and Sam, creating a balance between their two voices and a rounded point of view for the story. Parts of the book were a bit predictable, but while reading, it did not bother me because of my fascination with the vivid descriptions and vibrant diction throughout. Beware, Shiver did end on a cliffhanger, so one must read the sequel- Linger, review coming soon since I cannot wait to find out what happens next.