Name: Forever
ISBN: 9781407129990

Maggie Stiefvater

In SHIVER, Grace and Sam found each other. In LINGER, they fought to be together. Now, in FOREVER, the stakes are even higher than before. Wolves are being hunted. Lives are being threatened. And love is harder and harder to hold on to as death comes closing in.

Forever

Vicky  Nuñez 

Rating: 4.5

A beautiful conclusion to a much beloved series.

The Wolves of Mercy Falls series has always amazed me with its originality & with its ability to surprise me & break my heart in every installment, & Forever is no exception.

Forever stands for what we all have come to expect & love in this series: the attachment between souls, may it be by friendship or love.

I loved:
- the lyricism of Maggie's writing. How she could perfectly describe the character's feelings in fantastical, sometimes absurd, but beautiful ways that(weirdly enough) make perfect sense to the reader.
- the torturous pacing that is so light that seems to float in midair & never move on, until it hits us that it has been moving & wonderful things have been happening and characters have been evolving. 
- and the way Maggie brings her characters to life making me really feel their presence through each page.

Overall, I enjoyed this book so, so much & really think it deserves to be read, so you should definitely give it a try.

sash.

Not the most spectacular ending. This one was easily my least favourite in the trilogy. Still pretty well-written. Just a lot slower and not as absorbing as the first two.

Daniel Spruill

Shiver and Linger both blew me away. Needless to say I was so excited to finish this great series. Sadly, the best thing about this book is the beginning and end. This was the most slow moving, boring one of the whole series. The prologue is flawlessly written. It's beautiful. But that's where it peaked for me. But if you've read the other two, you have to finish.

chloe rae

What an incredible end to the series!
I loved these characters so much. In this book, I feel like I FINALLY understood Cole and Isabel. I feel like I finally figured out who they are and WHY they are that way. And I always love Sam and Grace. I love them together, I love them individually. Their love is inspiring.
I also loved the overall arch of this series. I remember wandering what else could happen when finishing the first book but everything felt REAL. This book had just as much action and romance as I wanted. It had the perfect amount of closure at the end. I just really enjoyed it. 
So glad I finally finished this series. It was one I won’t forget.

A human girl and her werewolf boyfriend must fight for their love as death comes closing in.

Lauren Grey

So I have to admit that I didn’t like this one nearly as much as I liked the previous two, but it was a nice ending to a great series. I don’t know what it was about this book, but it just didn’t hold my attention as well as Shiver and Linger, but I was so ready to know how it ended that I breezed through the end.

What I liked:

I would just like to say again that Cole St. Claire stole the show for me. Once he was introduced, he instantly became my favorite! I just love reading his chapters and love his character in general.

“Are you high? Why are you never wearing a shirt?”
“I sleep naked,” Cole said. He put both milk and sugar in my coffee. “As the day goes on, I put on more and more clothing. You should’ve come over an hour ago.” 

The relationship between Cole and Isabel was dynamic from the beginning. Bad broken boy meets sad broken girl equals to perfection.

“Cole,” I said, “do you think I’m lovable?”
“As in ‘cuddly and’?”
“As in ‘able to be loved,’” I said.
Cole’s gaze was unwavering. Just for a moment, I had the strange idea that I could see exactly what he had looked like when he was younger, and exactly what he’d look like when he was older. It was piercing, a secret glimpse of his future. “Maybe,” he said. “But you won’t let anybody try.”

Cole’s voicemails were also just too great. He continuously makes me laugh with the ridiculous crap that he says.
“Voicemail #1: “Hi, Isabel Culpeper. I am lying in my bed, looking at the ceiling. I am mostly naked. I am thinking of … your mother. Call me.”

“Voicemail #6: “So, yeah, I’m sorry. That last message went a little pear-shaped. You like that expression? Sam said it the other day. Hey, try this theory on for size: I think he’s a dead British housewife reincarnated into a Beatle’s body. You know, I used to know this band that put on fake British accents for their shows. Boy, did they suck, aside from being assholes. I can’t remember their name now. I’m either getting senile or I’ve done enough to my brain that stuff’s falling out. Not so fair of me to make this one-sided, is it? I’m always talking about myself in these things. So, how are you, Isabel Rosemary Culpeper? Smile lately? Hot Toddies. That was the name of the band. The Hot Toddies.” 

“Voicemail #20: “I wish you’d answer.”

What I disliked:

The parents again. Grace’s parents have serious issues on how to raise a child. I think that the way Grace reacts is totally and completely justified. As for Isabel’s parents… I feel like it is reasonable that they would be at wits end due to the loss of their son, but I think that her father takes his hatred for the wolves a bit excessive.

What I thought overall:

Although I didn’t love it as much as I loved the first two, it was a good ending. I don’t want to spoil it, but I will just say that I approve of the ending. I am sad the series is over, but I am so so stoked to read the Cole spin-off. It was a fantastic series and I am so glad I was able to read it. Do I recommend reading it? Yes.

In SHIVER, Grace and Sam found each other. In LINGER, they foughtto be together. Now, in FOREVER, the stakes are even higher than before. Wolves are being hunted. Lives are being threatened. And love is harder and harder to hold on to as death comes closing in

I usually have a habit of not finishing trilogys...just because I never want them to end. But this is one of the few where I just wanted to read about the characters so bad I had to read it! It did take me a while because I wanted to take my time with it and not rush the entire book in a day (which I could have easily done...) 

This series has been on my tbr for a solid 5 years maybe(?) and I really regret not reading it sooner.  I went into it thinking eh I'm probably not gonna like this but it was just so incredible. 

The final book was so fast paced, especially near the end, and I just loved every page. The ending was amazing (though it left a few things open I'm hoping are addressed in Sinner) and I couldn't've asked for a better ending. It just felt really rounded to me like we came full circle in a way and it was just great (I did cry a little though js :')) 

Maggie's writing is just incredible, this is the first series I've read from her and it's definitely won't be the last, I'm pretty sure I want to read everything she's ever written. I haven't had a connection to characters like I did with Sam and Grace (and Cole and Isabel) in a while and it was so nice to love characters so much that it made me urgent to read again! 

Anyway 5/5 for the entire series, it was amazing I totally recommend it. I wonder how many more good series I have sitting on my shelves unread...

Annabella

Forever è stato una scalata. Mi ha lasciato senza respiro, incredula, a pezzi. La fine incerta, però, mi ha lasciato un po' di amaro in bocca.
Spero di leggere Sinner - in orginale, dovessi rapinare una banca pur di farlo - quanto prima.

Emily Orlando

Dee B. 

Allison Garrett

Leah Patton

I've come to expect a certain patturn with the Mercy Falls books. At first, I start them, obviously, and I don't want to read them. I'm so annoyed. I feel as if everyone in this book is broken and all of it is a race to see who is going to die or break first. But then, as I get into it, things start to change. Mrs. Steifvater's writing is revealed to me for what it really is, liracle. I remember how much I really like Grace and how much I really like Sam and how much I like the Sam and Grace combo. I begin spending long periods of time reading instead of closing it after a few pages. I begin looking closly at the cover, thinking of the symbolism of the little blood drop that is on all three covers. I start planning when I'm going to read Shiver again. I actually wish that I was living in Mercy Falls. And then I finished it and I wanted to cry a little because it was over.
There was one thing that kept bothering me throughout the book but it was a little thing that I could like because it bothered me. Isabel and Cole. They drew out their romance and although I liked them, I just wanted to read more about Sam and Grace and Grace and Sam. I'd say this was a good read.

Amanda Kordeliski

A satisfying ending to a great YA trilogy. Love that Grace is a strong female character and does not loose herself in her love for Sam.

Julie D.

This was so boring at the beginning but then I got into it and I've just completely died inside. The relationship Sam and Grace has is just spectacular and I'll probably end up remembering this series for the rest of my life oops.

Alexa Jade

Ella Zegarra

¿Es siempre tan difícil hablar de algo que te apasiona? Tenía una "reseña" para este libro, pero luego de una leída profunda decidí no ponerla, me parece que es de las peores reseñas que escribí.

Esta es una de las series de libros que más me gusta. Estuve esperando mucho tiempo por este descenlace y por fin pude hacerme con el libro, sobra decir que me lo devoré en un instante. 
  more

Fiona Coffey

This was probably my second favorite book of the series. Shiver was my favorite of course, then this one, and then Linger last. 

I will say this a thousand times. Maggie Steifvater's writing makes me want to curl up on Sam and Beck's couch wearing a chunky sweater and sipping a big mug of spice tea. It's luscious and crisp and utterly relatable. She writes the way I want to write. 

These books have actually been a huge inspiration to me... They were recommended by a friend who read my own 'were' wolf story that I was writing, and told me to check them out. They've given me a lot of great ideas and sparked inspiration and showed me that paranormal wolf romance books don't have to be totally cliché. 

And I love the characters. I love Grace and Sam and Cole and Isabelle, and I love how the books evade the usual irritating plot twists and perfect happenings. It's not "oh look a wonderful coincidence just happened that made everything possible" it's "let's make this happen" 

Anyways, sorry for rambling on. I would recommend this to everyone, but read the other books first.

Isa s

As always I love Stiefvater's writing style. It fits the corresponding situation perfectly. Sam's and Grace's relationship is still pure cuteness. And reading the passages where they are together gives one a warm, fuzzy feeling.

However, I was somehow even more amazed by the development of Isabel and Cole and their relationship. They've come a long way from the unlikeable characters of their first appearance to two characters I liked very much in the end. I even got the feeling that they were more the main characters than Sam and Grace in this volume. They usually were the source of the actions while Sam and Grace just sort of drifted along.

Officer Koenig pleasantly surprised me. I liked his involvement and how he found things out for himself. Let's you hope that there are still people out there with brains that can actually think.

Apart from those the rest of the secondary characters seemed a bit flat again. I would have liked a bit more depth for Shelby. Although she is of some importance, she stayed surprisingly flat for me throughout the books. The most shocking was Olivias role in the book. While I understand the reason for her fate and her importance for the plot, it seems to me like she was just a throw-away character. Considering she was one of Grace's two best friends in the beginning, I would have liked at least some more interaction with her (which would have profited the plot as well, I think), perhaps some wolf-scenes with her?

The plot is good and kept me reading. I'm surprised that I actually liked how it all wound up. The ending itself seemed a bit abrupt, bit that's OK, considering it fits into the rest. There's sadness in the ending. I liked the last line from Isabel very much.

All in all it was a solid, sweet reading with much feeling along the whole range from sad to angry and blissful happiness. Certainly recommendable for everyone who has read the first few books.

Olivera Mitić

The series isn't worth the read after the first one. But the first one can work as a standalone.

Emily

Let me preface this review by describing how much this book exceeded my expectations: I went into this book convinced that I would enjoy it, but not necessarily love it, and that finishing the series would be a bit of a chore. I had a plan to just read this book as the end of the trilogy and not bother with Sinner. That plan has now been shattered to pieces. 

I remember really liking book one and book two, but who knew how much I would fall in love with book three? This is why I love series so much. They have time to progress immensely with each book.

Maggie Stiefvater is definitely climbing her way up on my favorite authors list, because each book I read by her gets better and better. 

Now it's time to talk specifically about this book.

"That's how I would kiss you, if I loved you.”

I might say something here that will blow some people's minds, but I came for Sam and Grace and stayed for Isabel and Cole. Is that a normal opinion to have? Obviously, I still loved the characters of Sam and Grace, but Isabel and Cole legitimately leapt off of the page to me. Especially Cole. Now, I know for a fact that I will be reading Sinner to continue his (and hopefully Grace and Sam's?) story. 

People shouldn't have to earn kindness. They should have to earn cruelty.

Anastaciya

I read the first book long ago and I don't even remember how I liked it.
The second bored me at some point and I put it aside for almost a year (?!), and not long ago I finished it and read the third, and now I'm kind of missing the book... hm. want to read something else like this.

Laura Springall

Oh. My. Goodness. I can't remember the last time I cried so hard over a book. Multiple times I had to put the book down because I was crying so hard. And it wasn't just normal crying; it was that kind of crying where you can't breathe and you're trembling and it's just not a very pretty sight.
I'm really confused as to how that certain person at the end survived. I'm so so so glad he did, since he's one of my all time favourite characters in the world, but he really should have died.
And the ending really bothered me. It felt like it wasn't finished.
But overall I really loved this. The Wolves of Mercy Falls is definitely one of my favourite series, and I'll for sure read them again and again

Danielle H.

Glad I finally got around to finishing this trilogy! Review to come

Kinsey

** spoiler alert **
           WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD:

What did I think? That's the million dollar question isn't it? I can't even begin to summarize all of the crazy thoughts that ran through my head while reading this book! I became tearful from some scenes and utterly pissed off at other ones. So let's see how this went for me..

Writing Style: I LOVED Maggie Stiefvater's poetic writing. I think she is a very talented writer with a load of potential. I loved all the references to the birds on Sam's ceilings, that being just one of many times that her words moved me. 

Unfortunately, there was more about this book that I didn't like compared to what I did. I'm sorry fans that love this series, because I completely understand why you loved it, I just happened to be very disappointed in it. Here's some of the main reason's why:

-Isabel & Cole: I didn't really connect with a lot of the characters. I never felt a connection with Isabel. I never felt connected to Cole. I know people say that because they had their own POV's that we did, but there was never anything real or dimensional to them in my opinion. I felt that we only scratched the surface to the complex characters underneath. To me, that was frustrating because Maggie spent a good portion of the books giving us two new characters that I couldn't connect with on a deeper level. Again waste of the book to me. In the end their storyline interaction was kinda pointless to me anyways(I'll explain at the end of this summary)..

-Beck: I don't understand this part of the book. I liked Beck a lot and I wanted to hear more about him which we never got. I.E. 
 *Why did he turn Sam when Sam's life wasn't bad yet. Why Sam? He was turned human again and Sam never asked him, when it had been bothering him? Doesn't make any sense to me..
 *Before Sam and Cole turn Beck human again to ask him questions Sam is uncertain cause he remembers that today was Chinese New Year and that was when Beck's wife died. Maggie went on to give us a couple of page flashback of that sad event and then when Beck becomes human again, it's never brought up? I thought Sam was concerned? Huh?
 *Sam asks Beck if he wants to become human again. Beck says yes. I'm confused how Beck suddenly wants to be human again, after he was trying to escape the pain of his wife, cause Cole said he tried to kill himself. Beck acted like the whole series he wanted to be a wolf. Who knows? I could go on and on about Beck and unanswered questions but I don't have the space. My point being why put these questions in our minds in the first place if you aren't going to tell us what's going on in the end? Grrrr!

The Romance: I loved the romance in the first novel. However I didn't feel it in this one as much. Sam says at the end of Linger when Cole is willing to infect Sam again, Sam says no that Grace will understand he doesn't wanna forget being human again. Um, selfish much? He's choosing himself over her. He would rather not have Grace then going back to being a wolf, otherwise he would infect himself again, and rather be a wolf with her than being alone if the cure doesn't work and kills her. That doesn't seem like love to me, but I don't know..

(view spoiler)[THE ENDING! Oh my goodness, I hated the ending. I'm sorry but why write three books and never tell us how it's going to end? Does Grace live or die? Is there a cure, or is Sam gonna become a wolf? What the heck with Isabel and Cole? Does Cole wanna eventually turn into a wolf for good or inject the cure? I don't want to create my own ending if I did I would write my own book, I read this series because I wanted an ending! Warning to people who wanna know what happens cause we get absolutely no clue whatsoever! (hide spoiler)] 

I gave this book 2 out of 5 stars because of the poetic wording and some of the romantic scenes between Sam and Grace. It had such great potential :(