4.5/5 
 Forever is the final installment of the WOLVES OF MERCY FALLS series. It follows the lives of four individuals: Sam, Grace, Isabel, and Cole. While the series started out with only two POV's (that of Sam and Grace) it has now grown to include these new characters. 
 After reading Shiver back when it came out (and loving it) I wasn't quite sure how I felt about the POV additions of the two new characters (Cole and Isabel) in Linger. At the time, I really didn't care for it. It made the story feel too...spread thin? Like I wasn't getting the "Sam and Grace" I was back for. But in Forever I thoroughly enjoyed them and their voices. I actually wish there was more of them, which is part of the reason this book did not get 5 stars from me. 
 In Linger we were left with Grace shifting for the first time and running off to the woods, leaving Sam behind. It was a most cruel cliffhanger, but left a great opening for this last installment. 
 As with the first two books, I found myself easily able to drown myself in Maggie's world of wolves and love. Her writing is so poetic and beautiful, I just can't help but get swept up in it. She is a master of description, both in the visual sense and the emotional. She is still able to get me to feel intensely what her characters are feeling. This is probably the most important aspect (for me) when I'm reading something. I want to *feel* it. Not just read it or see it in my mind. Feel it. With my whole heart. I want the chest clenching and the breath hitching. I want the tight throat and pounding heart. Ms. Stiefvater does not disappoint in this area. Her writing does that to me every time. 
 I adore the characterization in these books. My favorites (of course) being Sam and Cole. 
 Sam has held my heart since the first time I read his POV in Shiver. He hurts me with his sadness and makes me swoon with his...swoonyness. The things he says to Grace and the way he loves her is just something we all wish we could have. And like Maggie said at the end of Forever: we all CAN have that kind of love, if we will accept nothing less. Sam and Grace accept nothing less. It was their love that gripped my heart in this story, and it is their love that kept me reading. 
 Sam is not perfect. He's insecure. He doubts. He's overly serious sometimes. But he is genuine. And he is nice. Not many YA heroes seem to possess those qualities nowadays. It was a nice, refreshing change. 
 Cole. Whew! What can I say about Cole? The boy is smokin' hot! He is the classic bad bay that, yes, admittedly, is becoming the norm in YA fiction. But what makes him different is that he doesn't seem to use his bad boyishness to cover up his inner pain. He wears his mistakes and his angst on his sleeve. He is a screw up, a former druggie, a boy who did not want to live. A boy who chose to become a wolf because he did not want to be in his life anymore. He doesn't hide this and he doesn't act ashamed of it. He says it like it is, and I have to respect that about him. 
 The awesome thing about Cole is, a bad boy is not all he is. He is actually a genius. I know! Awesome right? And he's a rock star. A genius rock star! I loved his part in this last book. I loved how Maggie did not really take the spotlight off from Sam and Grace with Cole's, honestly, supernova presence, but flawlessly worked him into their world and their story. He had such a massive role, but still managed to stay in the shadows. I really wish we had gotten more of him. I would have loved to see things between him and Isabel heat up a bit more. 
 Isabel. I love this girl. She says what she means and means what she says. Even if it's the rudest thing you've ever heard. I just...loved her. Enough said. 
 Grace. Meh. I don't know about Grace. Her parts kind of bored me a little, to be honest. She's not the most interesting character in the world. Her narrative was the biggest downfall of the story for me. I felt like it dragged a bit, which is also what prompted my less than 5 star rating. Don't get me wrong, I still really enjoyed this whole story. But I felt some of it could have moved a bit faster. 
 The plot of this story was okay for me. Honestly, I was most concerned about what was happening in all the romances, so the wolves being hunted plot didn't really ensnare me that much. Up until the last few chapters, which was when my heart was seriously threatening to beat out of my chest! I don't want to give anything away, but let me just say...on that one part near the end when those people did that thing to that one person (you who have read it know what I'm talking about!) I nearly threw the book and stomped on it. I was not a happy camper, and I was just about to stage a boycott to all of Ms. Stiefvater's future writing! Thankfully, I did not have to resort to such drastic measures. 
 All in all, I felt Forever was a very fitting, emotional end to this series. I honestly don't think it could have been any better. I've seen some complain about the ending, how maybe they wanted something more...substantial? Definite? But, I don't know, I kind of love how it ended. How I get to imagine for myself just what happens in the future. For me, it's almost better that way.