Forever
Forever is the conclusion of The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy and OMG I don't want it to be over! Despite my hesitancy to get into another YA Paranormal Romance series, these books have managed to completely win me over and surpass any expectations I might have had. Leave it to the brilliant goddess that is Miss Maggie Stiefvater to completely turn the genre around for me. I laughed. I cried. I feared. I drowned in feels.So Forever picks up right after the events of Linger and I was glad for it. I knew that this was the last book of the trilogy proper and definitely the last one set within Mercy Falls, so I didn't want to miss a single moment going in. The tables have completely turned for our star couple Sam and Grace, but they still managed to adapt, to grow, and to make me swoon in the process. There were a few moments between them that literally made me ache, they were so beautiful. The romance is a testament to what YA romances can be, and what they should all strive to be. These two are officially one of my all-time favorite literary couples...and Sam for his part, is now one of my top book boyfriends ever. Yup, this is serious stuff my friends.
As individuals, both Sam and Grace have come an incredibly long way from when we first met them in Shiver. Sam finally seems to have laid at least some of his past traumas to rest, and seeing him make efforts to face his demons made me want to hug him through the pages and never.ever.let.go. Grace for her part, still has issues with her parental units, but she's become a young adult now and despite how she feels about them, she refuses to back down and her maturity in dealing with them made me proud. Her parents will never win ''Parents of the Year'' but it's clear that they love their daughter and it was refreshing to see their relationship evolve, especially since YA parents are so often absent, for whatever reason.
Our other two protagonist, Isabel and Cole did a lot of growing up here too. I feel like Isabel was put on the backburner a bit this time around, so it's a good thing that we have Sinner to fall back on now because I need to know more! Cole, on the other hand, turned into the star he always could have been. His progress from when we meet him in Linger is astonishing and hell, just thinking about his heroics in Forever make me want to stand up and applaud the handsome devil. I remember wishing right from the start that he and Sam would end up with an epic bromance so needless to say, their solidified friendship here made my heart smile ♥ I should also mention the Wolf Pack, which still and always will hold a special place in my soul. I absolutely revelled in reading the Wolf bits their scenes made me feel as though I was one of the pack myself!
Now we all know that a Stiefvater book is a solidly character-driven affair, but the plot is worth mentioning too. I won't go into specifics to avoid spoilers, but needless to say that the stakes are much higher than they've ever been in Forever. The threat is ever present and it looms all around Mercy Falls, waiting to strike. Despite that fact, Stiefvater manages to infuse the final installment with sweeter, lighter moments that linger on long after they've passed by. The climax is a harrowing affair, that seemed like it was over a bit too quickly for my liking, but that's probably largely due to my NOT WANTING THE STORY TO END. The ending itself is quite open ended, and even though I don't always get along with their kind, I found that it worked here. All things considered, I am so happy to have finally given this series a chance! My heart is bruised but when it heals, I'll be heading straight for Sinner. Fans of YA paranormal romances and Maggie Stiefvater: you should seriously check out this series - if you haven't done so already!
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