Linger

This review is also featured on Behind the Pages: Linger

Sam may have beaten the wolf inside of him, but winter still carries uncertainties for him. Faced with keeping the wolves safe without Beck, Sam will have to learn how to navigate the new responsibilities placed on his back. Grace will do what she can to support Sam, but something has changed. Deep inside she feels something twisting, threatening to take away everything. And deep in the woods, Cole wants nothing more than to stay a wolf, to run away from what he's done in his life. But his body continues to betray him and slides back into his human skin. When he crosses paths with Isabel, sparks fly as her frigid attitude meets his flippant one. Together, the four characters will weave a story of hope and desperation.

I'm one of the hardest sells when it comes to romance in books. I want the slow-building, intimate experience of love emerging between two people. Instant romance is hard for me to connect with and believe. Sam and Grace have that type of romance. They're also that one couple you know who will be together forever and will always remain loyal. And while Linger continues their story it also adds in a bit of chaos with Cole and Isabel.

Cole St Claire, lead singer and rockstar of Narcotica. He is broody and unpredictable. The epitome of a bad boy, and his voice actor for the audiobook Dan Bittner, did an excellent job portraying his character. Adding Cole's POV to Linger added that hard edge the series needed to keep readers engaged. He is the opposite of Sam in so many ways and creates his own brand of trouble that Sam has to navigate.

On the other hand, bringing Isabel into the light as a main character was fantastic. Being able to see inside her head and see where she comes from allows readers to understand her more. I wanted more Isabel chapters because she doesn't let anyone push her around. She's also the type of person who makes difficult decisions when no one else wants to take a risk. A worthy female character to follow.

Maggie Stiefvater also addresses the inconsistencies with the wolves shifting in Shiver. While the rules weren't set in stone for how the wolves shift, some moments didn't quite add up to the picture that was initially laid out for readers. Linger will start to answer questions as the characters dig deeper into what makes a person into a wolf. I loved the focus on the scientific side of the wolves. Maggie Stiefvater eased it into the storyline without a bunch of technical jargon I wouldn't have been able to follow.

Linger is a great addition to The Wolves of Mercy Falls. The story is just as engaging as the first novel, leading readers down to the final few chapters in anticipation of the outcome. And once you finish Linger, you'll want to jump straight to Forever.