Shiver

In the universe of the Mercy Falls books, werewolves transform through a virus contracted through a werewolf bite. The werewolves’ transformations are controlled by temperature and the weather—the warmer it is, the easier it is to stay human. Young werewolves stay in human form in the summer months and transform into wolves when it turns cold. As a werewolf ages, the temperature change required for the shift becomes more dramatic, with some older werewolves unable to assume human form at all. There are warring factions in the werewolf community—some advocate for growing their packs by forcing humans to become werewolves, while others seek a cure for the virus. Shiver is the only book in the Wolves of Mercy Falls series to be narrated from the points of view of Grace and Sam, establishing the bond between the protagonists and setting up pan-series themes like the conflict between animal instinct and human emotion, and the power of love and friendship.

While Shiver ends with Sam returning to human form and reuniting with Grace, Maggie Stiefvater also foreshadows Grace’s eventual change into a wolf, creating another period of separation between the young lovers.

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