Customer Reviews

Forever (Wolves of Mercy Falls, Book 3)

5 star:		(68)
4 star:		(53)
3 star:		(51)
2 star:		(16)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Forever is the final book in the Mercy Falls trilogy, and it's just as gripping and filled with emotion as the first two, Shiver and Linger. Beginning a few months after Grace has shifted into a wolf, we find Sam and Isabel waiting for her return as the weather warms, and Cole still intent on discovering a cure. Meanwhile, suspicion has turned on Sam due to Grace's disappearance, and Isabel's father is determined to rid Boundary Woods of all wolves, no matter the cost. When he gets lawmakers on his side, Isabel knows time is running out and she has to do something.

I love Cole St. Clair. I just had to say that. He is comic relief, determination, arrogance, and romance all rolled into one character, and while his story is secondary, he's actually the one I felt closest to throughout Forever. I loved the banter between he and Isabel, and the scene in her mother's clinic is perfect. Don't get me wrong, I love Sam as well, but Cole...he's the most three dimensional figure in the series.

Forever runs mostly on emotion, with the love and longing of Grace and Sam taking center stage. I love how these two work together and I swear I could feel the longing between the two when Grace kept shifting. Both characters have a lot of childhood issues to deal with in Forever, and things don't always work out as planned. It's during those times that both Isabel and Rachel shine; I would want both of these girls on my side in a crisis.

Possible spoiler...While I loved Forever, and feel it's a strong finale, I am disappointed in the ultimate ending. For the last of a trilogy, it's just too open-ended. I can imagine what I hope will happen, and the title of the book gives me a clue that perhaps I'm right. But to leave things unsettled really bothers me, to the point that I took a star off my final review. I felt as though, rather than making a statement, the ending was almost a cop out; perhaps the author had originally intended for either Grace or Sam to die and then just couldn't do it herself so she left the possibility? And if she wanted them to live, why not just extend the book a bit more or add an epilogue? It just doesn't make sense in a series that has been carefully plotted and developed so well up to that point. Don't get me wrong, I loved Forever and will recommend this series to others. I just will always wish the author hadn't left it up to me to decide the ultimate fates of two people I'd grown very close to over the course of three books. One way or the other, I needed more closure than was provided, and that mars my overall enjoyment (slightly) of this book.

This is going to be a hard review for me to write! I hate writing reviews when I didn't really connect with the story but I feel like because I wrote reviews on the last to books I should conclude the series.

I loved reading Shiver! There was a tiny part of me that felt like I shouldn't continue reading after Shiver but I really connected with Grace and Sam and I wanted to find out what happens with their story. Then I read Linger and I was a bit frustrated at what happened with them and the story just didn't flow well. However, I thought that Forever would clear up any frustrations I had and leave me satisfied with a good conclusion. I was wrong!

In Forever there was a lot about Isabel and Cole and not so much about Sam and Grace, the true characters of the Wolves of Mercy Falls. It's not that I don't enjoy Isabel and Cole, I actually did and I was okay for the most part that a lot of the story was about them because I wanted to see them grow and work through all their issues. I never really felt like that happened with them. The resolution with them felt false and the ending just didn't click with me.

The best thing about this series was Sam and Grace. Yet in Forever we are left with only tiny tidbits of their connection and it felt forced. The reunion was awful and I was so disappointed in the scenes that involved them. I was more impressed when they weren't together but were thinking of each other than I was when they were together. There was just a huge lack of emotional connection.

There was a lot of issues completely unresolved or resolved weird. For instance, things were never really concluded with Grace and her parents, well they sort of were but we are left still wondering. The cure and its conclusion sucked and I was disappointed how that ended. The ending was frustrating and you are left to try to understand what happened and who survived and who is cured or not. I guess the author wanted you to come to your conclusion but there were just too many unresolved issues to come to a conclusion that I enjoyed on my own.

I know that Stiefvater is a good writer because it was very evident in Shiver and even though I was very un-satisfied with Forever, it wasn't for the lack of good writing.

Now that I'm done with the series, I look back and think that I probably wasted my money buying all the books. I should have never kept reading after Shiver and in fact I probably would have been fine if I never read Shiver to begin with. I am disappointed.

After reading Shiver and Linger in less than two days, I started Forever right away, dying to know what would occur next. Would Sam and Grace find a way to be together? Would Cole find the cure? Would Isabel and Cole ever get together as well? There were a myriad of questions in my head. Thankfully, Forever answered the majority of them and provided yet another addition of the Wolves of Mercy Fall series I adored.

It's been a couple of months since Grace turned into a wolf, leaving Sam, Isabel, and everyone else behind until the summer. In the meanwhile, Sam has been picking up the pieces Grace left behind, and counting the days until his summer girl becomes his once again. Cole, on the other hand, has been working on the wolf cure, hoping this time he will get it right finally. Then the day comes...Grace becomes a human for the warm season once again. However, there's danger in the air, as Isabel's father has declared all the wolves will be dead in a couple of weeks. Knowing they can't let the wolves lose their lives, Grace, Isabel, Sam, and Cole team up to save the day, but will their plan work? More importantly, will they be able to find a cure before it's too late? Only time and more pages can tell in this fast paced conclusion!

Just like in the two previous additions, one of my favorite aspects of Forever was the characters. All four main characters grew and developed more than ever. Sam begins to overcome his fears, and becomes stronger because of it. Grace is dealing with her new wolf half with new feelings towards it, ones she didn't think she would have- I enjoyed seeing how this played into her character. Isabel begins to become a little less ice queen-ish, and once again, that wit and sarcasm is out for all to see. More development is given into Cole's past, and he begins to become just a little more human.

More importantly, the relationships and friendships they have formed do much of the same- grow and thrive. I loved seeing more into Grace and Sam's relationship, even if there was some sulking involved. Cole and Isabel also begin to move in the right direction, and I loved that- it probably was one of my favorite parts of the book!

The plot in this was also fantastic, especially the last hundred and so pages. For the majority of the book, I had no clue how everything was going to end, and I liked that a lot. Maggie's writing was yet again beautiful and stunning- once again painting a vivid picture. This book even made me cry a little in some places, especially towards the end- I still get a little sad thinking about it!

The ending...there's been some debate it whether or not it was too open-ended, just the right amount, or some cases a little too tied up. I'm somewhere between just the right amount and too open-ended. I liked that Maggie left some questions up in the air with just the right amount of hope and I can see why she did it, but in some ways, I wish some clearer answers were provided.

Regardless, Forever is yet another amazing addition to the Wolves of Mercy Falls series. I'm going to miss Isabel, Cole, Sam, and Grace, but I'm still holding out for a continuation someday. Until then I'm eagerly awaiting Maggie's future books, starting with the already buzzed about Scorpio Races.

Grade: A-

I have never written a review on here before, but this book made me so mad that I had to write. I was really looking forward to the 3rd book in this trilogy, only to be sooooo disappointed in the ending. It's HORRIBLE. And FRUSTRATING. It's like the author was falling behind on her deadline, so just submitted what she had written without a proper ending.

I was in love with the book Shiver. I probably read it in less than 2 days. I also enjoyed Linger and was really looking foward to Forever thinking that it would round out the trilogy and answer any lingering questions. As usual, I really enjoyed the writing. Maggie has a beautiful style that just brings her world and her character's emotions to life. But now that I'm finished I feel a little cheated and I actually have more questions than when I started! Please don't get me wrong- I have no issues with a book ending somewhat open ended so that the readers can make their own decision on the outcome, but this book had WAY too many unanswered questions.

SPOILERS AHEAD

I felt the character development with Isabel and Cole was really well done. I loved Cole's character. Sometimes I was a little disappointed with Sam (which makes me sad because I love Sam!) His inner monologe was a little too tedious at times. There were also some scenes with Sam and Grace that just felt akward (i.e. the first reunion between them). But overall, I really enjoyed most of the book...right up until the sudden abrubt end. I actually flipped back and forth on my Kindle several times because I thought for sure I had missed the epilogue somewhere.

I would have been okay if there were one or two questions left open, but after having readers dedicate their time to an entire triology I feel that we deserved a little better. Some of questions that were left: The obvious- will Grace survive the "cure"? Of course it was never even confirmed as a cure even though that was Cole's main focus the entire book. We were given the impression in Linger that Sam may not really be cured and then in Forever Cole gives him the injection that turns him back into a wolf so is he cured or is he not? Is Sam off the hook with the police about Oliva or are we just supposed to assume that because Grace was no longer missing they didn't suspect him even though Oliva was found on his property? Who were the other wolves that died and what happened to other wolves that were always mentioned as part of Beck's pack? What happens between Cole and Isabel or does she just move away and hope that he'll call? Nothing was ever really resolved with Grace's parents. And are we really to believe that after 3 books of trying to destroy the wolves that Tom Culpepper just leaves after only killing some of them? It didn't seem to me that the pack would be that hard for him to track down. I could list a few more...

Maybe I was just expecting too much. I gave it 3 stars because I love Maggie's writing and enjoyed most of it until so much was left up in the air.

How can I be so sad and so happy at the same time? I just read FOREVER, the last book in Maggie Stiefvater's Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy, and it broke my heart and thrilled my soul.

Maggie Stiefvater writes with such raw emotion that the character's feelings soar off the page, sink into your bones and beat through your veins. Her writing has texture and taste and a resonance that lingers long after the last page.
Sam and Grace are still the breath and blood of this series, but they aren't the only characters who I've come to love. In LINGER, I almost resented the addition of Isabelle and Cole, but that couldn't be further from how I felt reading FOREVER. There is a volatile and self-destructive quality to their relationship that is so far from what Sam and Grace share that both couples are sharpened, complimented even, by the contrast.

While FOREVER is every bit as much Isabelle and Cole's story, it is a more than fitting conclusion to this trilogy to have the roles of Sam and Grace so completely reversed. To read about Sam's struggle as he watches the weather creeping colder and colder and knowing that it will ultimately claim Grace from him, and likewise Grace is the one now battling the fear of erasing herself when she shifts. Heartbreaking in a way that is different from SHIVER, but just as poignant.

So I am sad and happy. No more Sam and Grace. No more Cole and Isabelle. But I'm left feeling very satisfied with how their story ended or rather how it was left, because the ending is not a true ending, but it is an ending full of possibilities and hope. And I am very happy that there will be more lovely stories from Maggie Stiefvater. More romance, more worlds, and more beautiful writing to whisk me away.

Sexual Content:
Kissing. References to sex

Where is the ending? It looks like someone just ran out of ideas or got bored with it and stopped writing. I actually had to go and check out other books to make sure I had all the pages, it is that bad.... I cant believe someone would take all that time writing 3 books and not be able to think of a good ending. This made the entire first two books and the beginning of this one pointless....

Do you know how DVD's sometimes come with special feature options which allow you to watch an alternate ending or the director's cut? I really wish this book came with a button like that, one that said CLICK HERE FOR DETAILED AND EXTENDED CONCLUSION! (Yeah well unfortunately it doesn't.)

Forever, the final book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy, by Maggie Stiefvater was good. However, my expectations for Forever were set much higher than good. This novel just isn't up to par with its two predecessors: Shiver and Linger. It's still a good story...it's just not AMAZING (which to be honest is what I was expecting).

This novel started off amazing. I really enjoyed the prologue because it built a ton of anticipation. The middle of Forever was even really good. The only big negative for me was that there wasn't enough interaction between Sam & Grace and Isabel & Cole. However, it was still very interesting. Then, finally, I got to the end of Forever which, of course, is what I have dying for and ugh...it was rushed and disappointing. I have been waiting FOREVER to see how everything comes together for these characters. Will so-and-so stay a wolf? Will (insert name here) find a cure? Will they be able to spend forever together? Etc. And now that I am finished with this trilogy I still want answers. There are parts of this novel that should have reduced or cut out and then there are parts (like the ending) that should have been elaborated on.

However, Forever still makes for a good read and it didn't ruin the entire series. I still enjoyed Grace, Sam, Isabel & Cole a lot. And I am glad I got to at least somewhat see what the future holds for them (it's not as much as I wanted but it's more than I had before).

I gave Forever 3 STARS because although it was enjoyable it wasn't on the same level as Shiver or Linger. The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy is now complete. Overall it is a pretty darn good series and I think young adult readers should check it out!

-XOXO

READING, EATING & DREAMING

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I loved Shiver, which is probably one of my favorite paranormal romances of all time. Linger... was okay. But I decided to give Forever the benefit of the doubt and jumped in with both feet.

Well.

First of all, nothing happens for the first half of the novel, which consists of page after page of teenage angst, and I almost abandoned it more than once. Thankfully, the pacing picked up for the second half, but in the end, it didn't save the book for me, for a couple of reasons. First, I really believed in the romance between Grace and Sam back in Shiver but by Forever, it has sort of evaporated. The two characters have so few moments between them that it's hard to understand what's supposed to be driving the story. Isabel, to me, was completely one-dimensional, and Cole was only slightly better.

Then... the plot holes. <<<SPOILERS>>>
At the end of Linger, we learn that Sam's cure isn't real, that the wolf-virus is still inside of him, and will eventually build up and kill him, like it almost killed Grace. This is *completely ignored* in Forever, in which Sam is cured! Cole spends the entire book trying to find a cure and, at the end, we're left with the same cure that supposedly didn't work two books earlier. Another problem... Isabel's big "sacrifice" (???) that she makes by running out into the middle of the wolf hunt could have just as easily been performed by Cole two minutes earlier, and there's no explanation of why this doesn't occur to him. And there are no consequences to her for doing this, either. She gets grounded. Wah.

Finally, the whole thing with Officer Koenig suddenly showing up and giving his inheritence to Sam is just so much Deus ex Machina. It doesn't make any sense for a whole host of reasons. (This guy somehow figured out werewolves on his own? He accepts this wholeheartedly with no proof? And he's giving away his family inheritence... to be nice?)

All in all, I was very disappointed with this story, from the slow pacing to the plot holes to the lack of any real emotional connection between the characters. Oh, and the end, in which we expect to finally find out what happens with Sam and Grace? Totally unsatisfying. I think Stiefvater ought to have just left the series with the first book-- there just wasn't enough "story" here to warrant a trilogy. It would have been terrific as a standalone novel.

I looked forward to this book forever, the last in a series of an amazing story of true love constantly being separated by circumstances beyond the lovers control and the constant danger of the humans trying to kill the wolves. The third book had a bit of that, but as I was reading, I couldn't help feeling as if a different author entirely had written the book. It felt as if it had been rushed, the story felt weak, the characters focused on what had been two supporting characters and the main characters I had come to love were thrust to the back burner while Isabel and Cole were the front runners.

I found this book to be a sad, rather pathetic end to what had been such an amazing trilogy in the first 2/3. I have to wonder what happened, what changed, why the author changed focus so much, and why things just felt "off". I was so disappointed, I cancelled my order for her new book because I just couldn't handle that kind of disappointment again!