The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

This may seem weird, but then again, when don’t I seem weird? Maggie Steifvater’s “The Scorpio Races” reminded me off an old movie set in Europe...something like “The Quiet Man”, but more serious. It’s kind of slow moving and it’s very subtle, but I enjoyed it. I found myself content throughout reading it and Maggie’s descriptions of the setting are gorgeous.

Sean Kendrick has nothing of his own. Puck Connoly has been content with her life, but after startling news, she finds she may lose everything she holds dear. Puck rides to save her family from ruin and Sean rides because he has to...because he’d lose the only creature on earth that means something to him if he doesn’t. However, riding in the Scorpio Races is a dangerous thing. You don’t ride normal horses. You ride water horses or capall uisce. They are carnivorous, aggressive beasts that will be happy to eat you or lure you into the ocean and drown you if given the opportunity. Sean lost his father in the races when he was just a boy. Puck also lost her parents to the dangerous horses that lurk in the waters around her island. And yet, here they are - racing for freedom and finding in their struggle a bond that will give them the strength they need to make it through.

As I mentioned in my review of “Forever”, I love the way Maggie writes, I’ve just never been a big fan of her plots or pacing. I think in “The Scorpio Races”, we see Maggie taking things to another level. In this book, she has to create her own lore, instead of modifying lore that is readily available (werewolves and faeries). I have some plot/pacing issues, but I was satisfied from beginning to end. I wouldn’t recommend it to readers who like action-packed fantastical romance. You won’t find that here. Instead, this is a slice of life portrayal about a small island where there are strange horses that come out of the water to eat animals and people. Okay, yes, there is a shroud of mystery and danger, but it’s still very much a part of the regular lives of the island’s residents.

Think of it as a historical (the style of life they lead on the island is very old fashioned and simple) with paranormal elements. If you look at it that way, you may be in for a unique treat.

"The Scorpio Races" is published by Scholastic. I received an ARC from the publisher for review. It was released in October.

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater

Disclaimer: I’m going to try and keep this review short & sweet to avoid spoilers. For those of you unfamiliar with the series, here is the general gist of the first book “Shiver”. Grace was attacked by wolves when she was nine years old, but one of the wolves, the one with the yellow eyes, saved her. Every winter brings the return of her wolf and she relishes in the tranquility of the season and the connection they share. When a teen is found killed by the wolves, the town retaliates and Grace finds an injured, shivering young man on her porch. One look into his yellow eyes and she knows it’s her wolf, in human form. Dun dun dun...

I loved “Shiver”. It was gorgeous, elegant, and otherworldly. The prose was musical and while the plot wasn’t anything to write home about, Ms. Stiefvater’s writing drew me in and kept me there until I finally looked up and realized that I had read the entire book in one sitting. The romance between Sam and Grace was tender, yet intense. Then came the second book, “Linger”, and while I liked it, my love was waning. As the plot moved on from the romance to multiple conflicts, the magic seemed to fade away. Unfortunately, in “Forever”, the magic (for me) was completely gone.

I wanted to love this book. Normally, I devour whatever I’m reading, especially when it is a conclusion to a series I’ve been anxious to read. I love Ms. Stiefvater’s writing, but “Forever” felt like the title. It took me forever to read. There were some really great moments and I loved the additional character perspectives. In fact, I really feel like Isabel and Cole were the standouts this time around. I loved reading their stories and would have loved to have had more happen there. Sam and Grace just seemed so one note. Gah, I hate writing negative reviews, but I’ve stewed over this and it is what it is. I didn’t like “Forever”. I felt like the pacing was slow up until the ending and then it was completely rushed. Plot lines were left open in awkward ways and the plot line I really wanted to see tied up wasn’t at all. I think one of the major downfalls though is that between “Linger” and “Forever”, most of the characters have lost their likability. Sam and Grace became boring and a lot of the other characters did pretty iffy things. It makes it hard to read when the characters are one-note and unlikeable. I think I’ll just pretend this book didn’t happen and pretend “Shiver” is a stand alone.

I hope it’s just me and that you’ll enjoy “Forever” when it hits the shelves in July. Let me know your thoughts! I’d love to discuss this book.

Thanks to Scholastic for sending me an ARC for review. “Forever” is scheduled to be published on July 12th.