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With Grace turning into a wolf, things got even harder. She and Sam, couldn't see each other for months. Yet trying to handle things, another problem popped up, the pack's safety and so Sam lodged Grace with him. And with her and Cole, they tried to figure things out while it was getting intense between him and Isabel and with him doing science experiments, trying to find a cure for the whole werewolf thing. Will they really ever find a cure? And if not how could Sam and Grace find a way to be in the same form at the same time? and which form should it be?
In the last book of The Wolves of Mercy Falls series by Maggie Stiefvater, things are finally coming to an end. Forever is written from the point of view of Sam, Grace, Isabel, Cole and Shelby and reading from different aspects really helps in getting into the story way more better. This trilogy centers around the whole-hearted love between Sam and Grace and how they seem to complete each other, their love story was spellbinding, Sam and Beck, a father and a son relationship and Cole and Isabel, all weaved with paranormal events.
Cole and Isabel, their humor, wrangle, dark twists and their affection toward each other. Cole stealing the show with his science experiments and his mature personality. I, at first, thought of him as a careless cute guy, with his rock star grin but his personality develops, also Isabel, I loved her in this book, she cared about her friends which I didn't think she was capable of. They both shone as a highlight through out the pages of the book. I really hope for a spin off novel for them.
Stiefvater is a fantastic writer. She is able to capture the scenes quite well and deliver it to the reader. Out of the three books Forever is definitely my favourite. In this book i was always dying to know what will happen next, thrilled and anxious. Although I didn't like the ending, it didn't clarify much, leaving me guessing, which I'm not a fan of. You'll be like " No, no, no this can't be it " searching through the last pages seeing if you missed one or something.
However, I really do recommend this series, you may not be as excited when reading the 1st book but as you go on, you will like it. Recommended if you like romantic paranormal young adult type of stories.
Author : Maggie Stiefvater
Grade Rating : A+
First 2 books review :
Shiver : Review
Linger : Review
Pages : 390
Grace and Sam were eager to finally stay together for good, as the problem of Sam's turning to a wolf was solved. Yet leaving a bigger problem, her parents. Until Grace started having headache, almost all the time and fever, thinking it was just a virus, Grace knew that there was more to it than a normal illness. But are they to lose each other again yet after struggling to be together ?
Linger is the second book in The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy and the sequel to Shiver, which if you haven't read already, you can check my review on it http://booka-holic.blogspot.com/2012/02/book-review-shiver-maggie-stiefvater.html. As i didn't enjoy Shiver as this one, i felt that it was sort of setting up the story for Linger. Linger was written from the point of view of Grace, Sam, Isabel and Cole. Cole is the newest member of the pack, whose own past was a double-edged weapon as it might expose the whole pack but at the same time he was a hero. The storyline of him and Isabel, who was nonetheless drawn to him, gave the story a whole another dimension although it wasn't much, I'm looking forward for more in the next book
Grace's absent minded parents came into the light in this book, making it harder for both Sam and Grace, seeing Sam as a bad influence on their daughter, more likely acting like parents and grounding her. They were separated, making their relationship appear more realistic, doing different stuff separately although it seemed hard for both of them, feeling torn. It was an enchanting love story, in a way that you'll not be able to forget. While Sam was still grappling between his past as a werewolf and trying to figure how to deal with his future and his dreams which was once impossible and Grace lost and torn, but again was what happened to her what she once really wanted? How will she deal with it? I guess we'll know in the next book which I can't wait to read and I highly recommend this book, which I absolutely enjoyed reading.
Author : Maggie Stiefvater
Grade Rating : A
Followed by :
3rd book : Forever
Pages : 368
As a child, Grace Brisbane was once attacked by wolves. An accident that was stuck in her head even 6 years later, she couldn't stop thinking about the pair of unique, striking yellow eyes that she saw that day, her saviour, Sam. Sam was a werewolf. He and his pack were to be changed into a wolf form in colder weather and return humans in warmer weather but eventually they turns into wolfs permanently and die. However, after the disapperance of Jack, a boy in Grace's school, whom ought to be turned into a werewolf. This resulted in a hunting trip of those wolves which freaked Grace out, fearful for ' her wolf '. Yet eventually Sam was shot and Grace found him bleeding, and thats when she first saw him in his human form...
Maggie Stiefvater did a superb job in writing this story, I love her style of writing, very descriptive, it was imaginable and so i was captivated to start reading this book, that's what I usually find that drags the reader. This is the first book in Stiefvater's trilogy The Wolves of Mercy Falls. Shiver was written from the point of view of both Grace and Sam, which made it sound down-to-earth and made me able to understand both of them .
Their love story was the sweetest thing, they were deeply in love. Although her parents' role was illogical, I mean how couldn't they notice that someone was literally living with them, in their daughter's room ? It just didn't fit, one way or another. The temperature effect on the wolves changing was a good addition, although as you go on with events of the story, scientifically not everything is convincing but you know, it's a fiction novel. And i assure you that you'll laugh, too.
I do recommend this novel but just don't except much, i still liked it. Yet, if you like the supernatural romance stories or Twilight, you'll definitely like this one.
Author : Maggie Stiefvater
Grade Rating : B+
Followed by :
2nd Book : Linger
3rd Book : Forever
Pages : 390
The unsolved mystery that puzzled people for centuries and until now, the disappearance of the two York Princes, Edward V of 12 and Richard of 9 years old. After reading The White Queen by Philippa Gregory, I was curious to know more about it and so i thought i could bring to light some of the interesting reports that were said about this.
I personally couldn't believe that Elizabeth WoodVille would give away her second son, Richard just like that to her brother-in-law Richard III who took over the throne of England after kidnapping the rightful king Edward V, leaving her in sanctuary.
Still, the princes were regularly seen playing on Green Tower, or taking the air within the walls, but then, around the beginning of June, 1483, they dropped out of sight. Rumors were being said that Richard III already killed but he denied nothing.
In 1674, the supposed remains of the bodies were unearthed under the staircase of the White Tower's chapel. At that time, the instant assumption was that it belonged to the two princes and based on that, Charles II ordered to rebury the remains in Westminster Abbey. If such a discovery were made recently, a forensic examination along with a DNA test would have been pieced together, indicating whether the skeletons belonged to the two young princes. However, a scientist involved stated that the younger skeleton almost certainly belonged to a child younger than nine, leaving doubts as to whether the skeletons belonged to the princes and that's why, i mean maybe Elizabeth have hidden her younger son somewhere and came back to live with her as Peter (Perkin) , just as Philippa Gregory wrote in her novel. As it was said that in 1491 a young man named Perkin Warbeck claimed that he was Richard, youngest son of Edward IV.
Ultimately, there is no conclusive evidence about the case but if they were to be murdered, then our first suspect would be Richard III but I think that he dearly loved his brother and supported him and fought loyally for him in wars unlike his brother George but again maybe his ultimate love to take the throne blinded him, killed the princes to guarantee that no one will act as a threat to him and take the throne of England. Also James Tyrrell, a loyal servant of Richard III who is said to have confessed, under torture, murdering the princes in 1502, certainly acting on Richard's orders.
Also Henry VII was another suspect although there is no evidence to connect Henry directly with the disappearance of the princes. His claim to the throne was weak, one might say 'nonexistent', if the princes lived, they both had a better claim to the throne. That, in the eyes of many modern historians, makes him a prime suspect. Henry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, he was the second Lancastrian heir to the throne after Henry and another suspect. Supported Richard, while plotting against him with the Tudors. Maybe he killed the princes by orders of Richard III or to discredit him. Or according to a plan between him and the Tudors. Buckingham may have hoped to accede to the throne himself. His guilt depends on the princes having already been dead by October 1483, as he was executed the following month.
In 1789 however, workmen doing some repairs in St.George's Chapel, rediscovered and accidentally broke into the vault of King Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville, discovering in the process what appeared to be a small adjoining vault. This vault was found to contain the coffins of two mysterious, unidentified children. However, no inspection or examination was carried out and the tomb was resealed.
The thing is that we will never know the truth, that's for sure. Which is sad, I mean I really wanted to know, among all our suspects and reasoning and assumptions, there might be something else, which will be left for the public imagination ofcourse.
xoxo, Mariam
Everyone is seeking for their own weal, their own good, fighting for the throne of England. Margaret Beaufort, heiress to the House of Lancaster and the spotlight of Philippa Gregory's novel The Red Queen, in her second book of The Cousin's War series.
At the age of ten, Margaret decided to devote her life for prayers, saying that she was called by God and putting ahead of her Joan of Arc who seemed to be in the eyes people at that time as an innovator. Gave birth to her only son Henry VII at the age of 13, believing that he was born to be the King and realizes that she was called for that purpose. And through her three marriages, controlled by proceedings of life and as a child she had a harsh one.
Honestly, i felt pity for Margaret as young girl. Philippa Gregory again made me feel torn up. In her first book The White Queen where the story was narrated from the point of view of Elizabeth Woodville. I hated Margaret in that book from the very first second but now in The Red Queen, i saw how she was exposed to life and how she was taught to be in her childhood but as we go on with the events of the story i soon saw in her a cold, ambitious, ruthless, selfish woman, who might give up her religious morals and her humanity just to get the throne of England for son and even to sign her letters as Margaret Regina. She saw Henry as a tool to achieve her ambitions.
Turning history into reality as Gregory tends to do, she weaves facts with fiction, adding her own embellishment to it, I was captivated to complete reading this book although there was this part where I was bored, away from that i admired how Margaret played a game and adjusted things around her to satisfy her goals by the end. Although I was annoyed by Margaret's attitude declaring that she was called by God and she is to be like Joan of Arc and lead her country into the glory, she said it a lot that it became provocative at some point.
I loved both The White Queen, which i have a review on and i enjoyed reading it a little bit more than The Red Queen but i recommend them both.To be honest with you guys I am not planning on reading the third book of the series The Lady of the Rivers any time soon, which is about Elizabeth's mother Jacquetta just because I'm not that interested in her and I also heard quite disappointing opinions about it but what I really want to read by Philippa Gregory is The Queen's Fool and The Other Boleyn Girl . I generally want to read more about The War of Roses, and the British history, different books about it hopefully. What books did you read by this author and really enjoyed ? Please leave in a comment down below. :)
Author: Philippa Gregory
Grade Rating : B+
Followed by:
The Lady of the Rivers
Pages: 400
Nicholas Spark ....umm actually i don't know if you will believe me or not but i never like actually read any of his books as i am not a big fan and i know that so many people love his novels, and there were a couple of articles that i read once about him and found them rather interesting and you can check them out "The chemistry of Nicholas Spark" http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20230339,00.html and "Writing through the pain" http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20148283,00.html . And six of his novels were adapted to movies, A Walk to Remember, Message in a bottle, The Notebook, Nights in Rodanthe, The last Song and Dear John, i just really want to start reading his novels, i mean eight of his novels spent 156 weeks in The New York Times bestsellers which makes me curious to read them even more. Anyway, i don't know which book should i start with, if it even makes a different. Nonetheless, if you have any recommendations about it please leave it in a comment down below, i will appreciate it.
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