Books and Fine Weather

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

The writing engaged my senses completely. For me, this is a novel of touch and taste and smell and color. I could describe it as being in a dream. One of those dreams that you can’t remember all that happened but the feelings it gives lingers because it feels so real the line is blurred between dream and memory. I cannot say I feel like I know Grace and Sam outright but I am so immersed in their romance. I know the smell of Sam and the feel of Grace’s hair and the harsh chill of the Minnesota fall.

Their relationship has a charm and innocence that is unexpected and refreshing. It is also believable. Some romance gets a little too sentimental for me, but I loved how Sam and Grace spent their time getting to know each other and how the author brings you in to the details of their day to day life without being tedious. I love that, despite the struggles they face, the small moments like a stolen glance or a trip to a bookstore are what you remember and what makes these characters endearing.

Don’t forget about the whole werewolf thing. There is a duality to them. They are not wolf-men that snarl and stalk about, but either wholly wolf or wholly man. Sam’s fear is loss of his humanity, what makes him who he is. I liked that the supernatural elements didn’t overwhelm the rest of the story. It added depth and conflict, but I didn’t feel like this was a book about werewolves. It was a story about love. And some people turn into wolves. And I think that you should read it. Even if you’re not into werewolves. The author has a way of painting a story that will have you glancing at a clock and realizing you should have been asleep hours ago.

I’ve also heard that this is the first in a trilogy, so if you have read it, you’ll be happy to know that Sam and Grace will be back....next year.