Waiting on Wednesday (5)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine- head to her site to see what everyone else is eagerly awaiting.

It's been a LONG time since I posted a WoW- so long I don't even want to admit to it (it's been 6+ months!). Still, I had a free moment in the midst of this crazy school schedule and there is a book that I am dying to get my hands on and it's taking every ounce of self restraint to wait until tomorrow. This week I'm waiting on Forever by Maggie Stiefvater. Yes, I know it came out yesterday- but tomorrow Maggie is coming to my town and I'll be heading over to the Barnes and Nobles to not only pick the book up, but get it autographed. 

More about Forever...

then.

When Sam met Grace, he was a wolf and she was a girl. Eventually he found a way to become a boy, and their love moved from a curious distance to the intense closeness of shared lives.

now.

That should have been the end of their story. But Grace was not meant to stay human. Now she is the wolf. And the wolves of Mercy Falls are about to be killed in one final, spectacular hunt.

forever.

Sam would do anything for Grace. But can one boy and one love really change a hostile, predatory world? The past, the present, and the future are about to collide in one pure moment - a moment of death or life, farewell or forever.

Now if Maggie was not coming to town I would have bought this yesterday and this post would probably have been a review. So heads up, I'm hoping to plow through Forever in the next few days and then wallow in the sadness that comes in the ending of a great series. (this + the end of Harry Potter? I'll be a mess, it's guaranteed.)

If you haven't read Maggie's Wolves of Mercy Falls series get on it- it really is beautifully written and amazingly addicting!

My Ramblings on The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

The Scorpio Races
By: Maggie Stiefvater
Release Date: October 18, 2011
Author Website

Summary:
It is the first day of November and so, today, someone will die.

Even under the brightest sun, the fridgid autumn sea is all the colors of the night: dark blue and black and brown. I watch the ever changing patterns in the sand as it's pummeled by countless hooves.

They run the horses on the beach, a pale road between the black water and the chalk cliffs. It is never safe, but it's never so dangerous as today, race day.


My Ramblings:

I finished this book a little over a week ago and have been putting off writing the review. A few reasons slowed me down really. First, school, currently the bane of my existance started back up for the summer and second, what could I say about this book. "Wow" didn't seem sufficient despite the fact that it's the first word that keeps popping into my head. That and "I love this book". To start though, I'm a huge Stiefvater fan, I'd read just about anything she writes and I'd bet money on liking it, but this book is by far my favorite book of hers. For me, it blows the other ones stright out of the water. Let me see if I can explain why.

To be fair I might as well mention that I love horses. I grew up with them, I still have them, my two year kiddo already rides. They are a part of my life, a part of who I am, so the fact that Stiefvater so perfectly captures what that is like really goes a long way for me. In this story there are two types of horses, the inland ponies and the capaill uisce. Water horses who feed on blood and are known to kill animals and humans alike. On the island of Thisby, once a year, they capture and race the capaill uisce, and every year people die. There suspense that surrounds the race really pulls you in- who will survive, who will walk away stronger and who will be crushed under the pounding hooves?

The story focuses on two characters. First is Sean Kendrick, who works at the stables on the island and trains horses, regular ones for the bulk of the year and then the capaill uisce as the race approaches. He lost his father, a trainer as well, 9 year prior in the races and has been filling his shoes ever since. He and his horse, Corr, are something like legend on Thisby- their relationship is one built on respect (not trust) and a bit of magic. The are the one to beat in the races. Then there is Kate "Puck" Connelly who is a horseman in her own right. In order to save her family home after the loss of her parents to the capaill uisce, she is willing to pit herself and her inland horse Dove up against the water horses in the race.

So that is the center of the story- both Puck and Sean's futures hinge on how well they do in the race. Will Sean be set free from just being a trainer in some other man's barn and will Puck be able to save her farm and remain on the island she loves. There is so much more in this book though. the family dynamics between Puck and her brothers, Gabe and Finn, are both lighthearted and heartbreaking. Seeing Sean struggle to become his own man. Watching both Sean and Puck fight against those who would push them down and hold them back. Witnessing Sean and Puck finding eachother at the exact moment they need someone to lean on who understands. Wondering how a relationship can survive when only one can win even when winning might mean losing it all.

Like I said- it has it all, and for those of us who ride horses, there was one part where I said to myself "God she got it right"- so I'll share it here, it's from the first time Sean lets Puck ride Corr:

We are flying.

Corr's skin is hot against my legs- clingy, somehow, like when the current pushes your toes deeper into the sand. I feel his pulse in my pulse, his energy in mine, and I know this is the mysterious, terrifying power of the capaill uisce...

and then a paragraph later:

The magic becomes a dull hum through me. My body warns me of the danger of this capaill uisce beneath me, but at the same time it screams that it's alive....

Now I've never ridden a killer water horse who would just as soon drag me into the ocean for dinner, but there is something so right about this description as it applies to riding horses (the regular non-killer kind). There is that moment when you forget about the dangers that come with it, where you and the horse begin to merge into eachother and you just enjoy the ride. Troubles slip away and it feels like freedom. There are other quotes (to numerous to recount in a blog post) that speak to a love for the land, a connection to a place and sense of knowing where you belong in the world that I loved. There were so many moments where Stiefvater really hit the nail on the head for me. That's what Stiefvater captured in this book. That knowing where you belong. That moment when you lay it on the line, you throw caution to the wind, and enjoy the ride no matter the cost or where it might take you.

As far as I know this isn't a series of any kind, and while I'm REALLY looking forward to Forever (The Wolves of Mercy Falls series)- I'm not-so-secretly hoping that we'll see more of Sean and Puck and they capaill uisce on the Isle of Thisby.

Want to pre-order The Scorpio Races? (you know you do...)

Whatcha Thinking Thursday

It's time for Whatcha Thinking Thursday, hosted by me! Here's how it works. Each Thursday I'll simply blog about something book related that's weighing on my mind. Feel free to comment away if you agree or disagree (just keep it clean, okay?), or if you want to post to your site either on the same topic or about whatever it is you're thinking about go right ahead. I just ask that you link back to here. Also, make sure you add your blog to the list so we can find you!

This week is banned book week, and while it would make sense to post something along those lines, I have to admit that with almost every other post on my site pertaining to BBW I felt like it was a little overkill- plus I'm thinking about something else.

The names of female leads in book...why can't I remember them.

This stuck me the other night as I was raving about Jeri Smith Ready's Shade. I was telling someone about it and cou;dn't for the life of me remember the lead charecters name. The boys are Logan and Zachary, Zachary's dad is Ian, then there's Mickey, Connor, Dylan, Siobhan, Eowyn, Aunt Gina and.... what is her name and why can't I remember it. It's not the first time I've noticed thsi phenomenan. I have to think really hard about who it is that's in love with Sam in Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver series, and niether of the names from Cassie Clare's books stick with me even though I can name almost every one else from both the Mortal Instruments series and Clockwork Angel.

Then it me- I can't remember the names of female leads because I completely internalize these charecters. Especially when they are written from that charecters perspective. I read it as if I am them, and when I think back on the books I'm thinking about it like I was in it. Strange deal that one is. I only realized it when I woke up this morning after having a dream about Shade in which every charecter was speaking to Kate, aka me. This means that the books are written so well that not only do I really like reading them, but I have a genuine attachment to them. I love that, even if it means when I need to do a 5 star review I have to go look up who exactly it is that I'm writing about!

For the record- The lovely ladies are: Aura (Shade), Tessa and Clary (Clockwork Angel and Mortal Instruments) and Grace (Shiver)- all excellent and memorable names!

How about you, do you have any quirks when you read?

Cover reveal: Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

Maggie Stiefvater's books, Shiver and Linger, are some of my favorite books out there. This morning Maggie revealed the cover of the third book, Forever, on her blog. Seriously, how beautiful are the covers of these books?

Unfortunately the wait for the release of Forever seems like forever to wait- July 2011 (which, on her blog, Maggie describes as "ominously close"). Lucky for us, you can pre-order now to get a SIGNED COPY OF FOREVER! Just head over to Fountain Bookstore to order yours.

Also- Maggie is giving away some insanely awesome prizes on her blog, so head over there to check it out!

Linger Trailer

Check out this awesome stop motion trailer for Maggie Steifvater's upcoming book Linger. It is absolutely beautiful.



and if you need the youtube link for some reason:
Linger Trailer

And as always- go check out Maggie's awesome website, which is currently running a pretty sweet contest. For which this post is my entry :)

Linger

Linger
By: Maggie Stiefvater
http://www.maggiestiefvater.com/

The sequel to Shiver follows the story of Grace and the wolves of Mercy Falls.

Maggie says: "It's about after. What happens after you discover there are werewolves in the wood, after you've fallen in love for the first time, after you've lost what you think you can't live without, after you've become someone you can't live with."

...grace...

This is the story of a boy who used to be a wolf and a girl who was becoming one.

Just a few months ago, it was Sam who was the mythical creature. His was the disease we couldn't cure. His was the good-bye that meant the most. He had the body that was a mystery, too strange and wonderful and terrifying to comprehend.

But now it is spring. With the heat, the remaining wolves will soon be falling out of their wolf pelts and back into their human bodies. Sam stays Sam, and Cole stays Cole, and it's only me who's not firmly in my own skin. (from maggiestiefvater.com)

***********************************

I got this book as an Adavanced Read Copy- so fair notice- this book doesn't officially come out until July and although I'll try to avoid spoilers, if you don't want to know what happens until you can actually pick the book up in your hands, then I'd stop reading right now.

I loved Stiefvater's first book, Shiver, and was definitly waiting not so patiently to read Linger, so of course when I had the chance to read a fellow Book of the Month'er's ARC, I jumped at the chance. I read it about a week ago, spead through the book in one night (so I could forward it on) and then sat on this review since then. There was so much to digest that I couldn't justify just jumping on and posting a review without really taking the time to think about the book. Of course, as expected, Linger was fantastic.

As in Shiver, the chapters alternate between characters, this time following Grace, Sam, Isabel and one of the new wolves, Cole. Sam is still reveling in his new life, spending each day, even the frigidly cold ones, with Grace. Cole, who wanted to become a wolf as an escape, finds that he is unable to stay one, despite the cold. Isabel is looking for some sort of human contact, and finds it in an unlikely place, and soon finds herself inexplicably linked to Cole. And Grace, finds herself being torn apart at the seams, falling ill from a sickness that no one can diagnose, but which they all know is somehow linked to that day she was bitten by the wolves, and the mysterious way the wolves of Mercy Falls meet their own fate. On top of that, add in the fact that Grace's parents have finally decided to, you know, be parents and you have an increadible moving book about trying to hold it all together when the world seems to be falling apart.

Some things I loved were that despite the kind of heavy material that filled this book (you will want a tissue box handy) there were some great light moments, especially in the form of Grace's best friend Rachel. Rachel, to me, is hysterical- I love how she refers to Sam as The Boy and that she is always there for Grace, regardless of how crazy the issue. I also kind of loved to hate Cole in the beginning, and then in the end, just loved to love him. He was great character, who even though he isn't the main focus, managed to make quite a leap from being the tortured, druggie rock star who just wants to get away, to the guy who is willing to put in a huge effort to try an save Grace.

As far as Grace and Sam are concerned, Linger really sees them coming into their own. Sam, although somewhat reluctantly, steps into his role as Beck's replacement as the wolves begin to emerged from the woods as humans again. For her part, Grace takes a stand against her parents, who, now that they see Sam as a more permanent fixture in Grace's life, decide to actually attempt something like parenting. In Grace's opinion (and I agree), it's too little, too late- you can't only decide to be a parent when it suits you, imposing new rules and then leaving, so I was ecstatic to see Grace stand up for herself and her relationship with Sam.

In the end, great second book in this series- I think that it will serves as a great bridge between Shiver, where everything was all new, and the third book, Forever, where we will hopefully see Sam and Grace find a way to their happily ever after. Of course the biggest issue with reading Linger as an ARC is that I now have to wait longer for the next book, Forever, but that is totally okay!

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For anyone following the BOTM stuff, Linger is on for July, and in the mean time, go check out Stiefvater's website which is chock full of awesomness :)

Win an ARC of Maggie Stiefvater's Linger

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.

At turns harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love -- the light and the dark, the warm and the cold -- in a way you will never forget.

Comes out in stores everywhere July 20th. Pre-order here.

Enter to win an advanced review copies of LINGER, Sisters Red, The Dead-Tossed Waves, and The Replacement on Maggie's blog.