Werewolves of Mercy Falls

I admit, it did take me a while to sit down and read this trilogy, but not because it was not truly an amazing story. None of my co-workers had read the series, so I guess you can say I was unaware that it even existed. I actually discovered it on a friend's blog because she listed it as a favorite teen read. I did a little reading up on the novels and discovered they were, apparently, the new emerging teen craze. As mentioned in an earlier post, and as I am sure those following can tell, I am not a fan of this whole Twilight, sparkly vampire craze. I work in a middle school and because I basically live at the library, I know that these books were not spoken about much among teen girls. You know what's new? Pretty Little Prostitutes...or Liars, same difference. I feel like the Mercy Falls Trilogy is forgotten, or simply a diamond in the rough. Here is why it is a must read even for adults who enjoy teen reads:
Shiver centers around Grace, who is seventeen, and lives with parents who are more like roommates to her. She is obsessed with the wolves who are outside her window in the woods, and she feels a connection to them. Sam shows up on her doorstep with the same eyes 'her wolf' has. She soon discovers they are the same. Sam shifts into a wolf in the winter because of the cold, but his natural form, the one he prefers, is human. Throughout the novel, Grace and Sam develop a love people can only dream about. This is the story of Sam's life as a wolf and his fight to pick up the pieces of his broken past to hopefully have a chance at a normal human life. It is also about Grace's struggle to keep this secret, discover more about the lives of the werewolves, and her fight to keep the one thing she truly loves close.
Linger picks up a few months later. Sam has family issues that he is dealing with, but his adoptive father, Beck, is not like most parents. Beck is a wolf too, but now he is unable to transform back to human. Before he changed, Beck was able to find new individuals that agreed to be wolves. The only way to chose this way of life is to be bitten and infected with the wolf. Without Beck's guidance, Sam is left on his own to take on these responsibilities. In addition, Grace has been falling ill, but no one seems to understand why, and Isabel's father has determined that he is going to destroy the wolves that destroyed his son.  Forever takes place two months later answering the questions readers are dying to know. What is wrong with Grace? Will Isabel's dad prevail in his plan of destruction? Can Sam take on the responsibilities to lead the pack and keep Grace safe at the same time?

What I liked the most about the series is that the characters and their emotions were so real, it made the story feel real. The love Grace and Sam share is so pure and passionate that everyone wishes they had it. Sam is always willing to express his love and affection for Grace, and even though she feels the same as him, she is more reserved with her words. That is how love works. It was great to have an author so aware that even though their love is so pure and unbreakable, the two do have different ways of portraying it. It was also nice to have different points of view besides Grace and Sam.
In Linger we are introduced to Isabel and Cole as narrators. Isabel is so cynical and sarcastic. She is quite a firecracker, and it almost seems like Grace and her don't fit together as friends. However, Grace seems to be Isabel's balance. The third book revealed how trapped Isabel feels beneath her "hot blond" exterior. She's alone, and she is forced to keep the secret of what actually caused her brother's death. Her family is far from perfect, but constantly battling her father's obsession takes its toll on her emotionally. She wants to be loved, but refuses to take down the wall keeping everyone out.
Cole turned out to be my favorite character. He is battling his inner demons, but he's so casual and humorous on the outside. Inside he feels as though he is already dead. He chose this path because he couldn't follow in his father's footsteps, he was addicted to drugs, and the thought of suicide was never far behind. The problem is: shifting doesn't happen for long, and he isn't sure why. All he wants is to be a wolf and leave his human life behind, but it seems that is going to be harder than expected.
Just as Grace balances Isabel, Cole's chaotic personality seems to balance Sam. As the novels go on, readers discover Cole's past, and you also see that Cole has hidden talents that prove to be helpful in the most horrible situations. I feel I saw Cole grow and come into his own in the last book. Plus, how can you not root for the badly bruised guy to get the girl and come out on top?
This series is a must read. The three books compliment each other, and I really did not feel a moment of down time. I think having the book from four people's perspectives helps get all the different stories across. The personalities of all four compromise each other. They are all broken somehow, and these novels show growth in each of them. The trilogy intertwines these four stories and make it impossible to not grow some attachment to at least one of the characters.