Reading Reflection: Linger

Linger (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #2)

by Maggie Stiefvater
Published July 13th 2010
P. 360
Rating 3/5

The astonishing #1 New York Times bestseller.In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other. Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack. And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

I feel the same way about this book as I did the first -- on the fence.  It wasn't horrible, but It wasn't great.  In this second novel Sam and Grace finally get to be human together... Sam is apparently cured.  However, Grace's roommate-like parents finally become attentive and their dislike for Sam grows.  I don't understand how they changed so drastically because of this singular event, they neglected their daughter for years and poof... they take notice. 

Anyway, I still didn't feel a spark between Sam and Grace.  I WANT a spark!  Something.  But I just didn't feel a real connection between them, nothing to fool me into believing their soul mates.  Their adorable together, don't get me wrong, in that high school first love type of a way, but nothing all consuming.

A new character was introduced in this book, Cole, a bad boy rocker turned wolf by choice.  I like him, he's sassy.  Isabel and him bring a new dynamic to the group.  Grace is so mellow and Sam is so meloncholy, that they almost appear boring.  Isabel and Cole bring some life into the mundane.  They both have their own emotional problems and they play off eachother well.  I feel more of a spark between them than the two main characters.

Now with that said... there is a twist at the end of this story.  I didn't expect it.  It was ironic after everything they fought against to be together.  I recommend this book like I did the first, for a one time read on a lazy day it's okay.