Book Review: SINNER by Maggie Stiefvater

As the Triple Scoop’s resident Maggie Stiefvater superfan, I thought it would be fitting to make my first ever review one for a Stiefvater book. Her most recent, SINNER, was everything I’ve come to expect in one of Ms. Stiefvater’s books: a page-turning story, beautiful, poetic writing, and character development that is some of the best out there.

SINNER is a companion book to her Wolves of Mercy Falls (aka Shiver) trilogy, and while it can stand alone, I can’t imagine a reader would fully appreciate the story or the two main characters without having read the trilogy first. It helps if you go into SINNER knowing about the tortured relationship between former rock star/current werewolf/science genius Cole St. Clair and bristly, mean-girl Isabel Culpeper. And the trilogy is fun reading, a great intro to Maggie Stiefvater, and I highly recommend you read it anyway.

At the end of the last book in the trilogy, FOREVER, Isabel has left Mercy Falls, Minnesota and her on again off again boyfriend Cole, and has moved with her mother to Los Angeles. SINNER sees Cole follow Isabel to L.A., ostensibly to star in a reality show while reintroducing himself to the world after a long absence (werewolf issues), but actually because he can’t live without Isabel. Whether they can work things out…well I’ll let you read it.

While the Shiver trilogy is solid YA, SINNER tends to lean more toward New Adult, since the characters are now a little older, (Isabel has graduated from high school), and are facing some adult issues and problems.

I had fun reacquainting myself with Cole and Isabel in SINNER, and hope that if you haven’t yet discovered Maggie Stiefvater you check out the Shiver trilogy, and her current work, THE RAVEN CYCLE, which begins with THE RAVEN BOYS.

WARNING: This won’t be the last time you hear me tout the genius of Maggie Stiefvater.

Meet the Triple Scoop Team!

Welcome to our new blog! We are three friends who love to read and write young adult fiction. Join us here for our exciting new journey. Meet Heather, Sarah, and Monica:

Heather:

 

Heather Bakkela grew up feasting on books. From the time that she was old enough to sit until her senior year of high school her father read to her every night. Together they read everything from The Little Prince to Nancy Drew to The Iliad and The Odyssey; instilling in Heather a love of stories of all kinds. She is a mother of two and a lover of all things literary. When she’s not shooting things Batman style with her three year old son or donning a princess dress at High Tea with her six year old daughter she can be found reading, writing, watching a little Star Wars and sewing everything from a sleeping bag for Barbie to Princess Leia dresses. She got bit by the Young Adult bug about two years ago and since then she’s devoured over 200 YA novels from dystopian to paranormal and everything in between. She lives in Oregon with her husband, two kids, one grouchy cat; Henry Ford and a gigantic dog who is terrified of the cat. 

Sarah:

Sarah Coupens, a native of Colorado, now lives in Oregon with her husband and two daughters where it doesn't rain as often as people think or snow nearly enough for her taste. In those rare quiet moments in between chasing toddlers around, she reads, writes, crochets and watches old episodes of The West Wing. Sometimes she sings along to Disney songs even when her kids aren’t in the car. Sarah has a B.A. in Spanish…sort of.

 Sarah loves to read all things YA, including Fantasy, Dystopian, Paranormal and sometimes a little Contemporary thrown in there. Some recent favorites include: Graceling by Kristin Cashore, The Program by Suzanne Young, Shatter Me by Taherah Mafi and Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (to name just a few!) Her current project is a Dystopian YA co-written with Heather Bakkela.

 

Monica:

Despite the fact that at the age of three, Monica Duddington had two imaginary friends who were motorcycle-riding men from Santa Monica who lived part time in a utility shed at a reservoir, her parents never got her into therapy. Today, many years later, any imaginary friends who might pop up get to have their day as characters in her novels. Monica writes paranormal, historical, and contemporary young adult novels, and especially enjoys when she can combine paranormal with historical.

Monica is quick to admit that she has a serious reading addiction—an addiction she likes to foster. She loves all things British, and so far hasn’t written a book in which at least a scene or two hasn’t taken place somewhere in the British Isles. When she’s not writing or reading, she might be found teaching (long time elementary school teacher).

Though she grew up in the beach towns of Southern California, home is Oregon, and has been all her adult life. She loves the mountains, trees, beaches, and wine country of the Pacific Northwest, and even the rain, since it encourages people to curl up with a good book.

Monica can’t live without her husband and family, chocolate, tea, red wine and stacks of books. Her debut novel, an adult paranormal romance written under the name of her alter ego, was recently released, fulfilling a life-long dream of being a published author!

 For more fun facts, three interviews can be found on our About Us tab. Thank you for visiting us. Watch our space for everything YA!!