Sinner

May 12, 2014
Stiefvater expands on her bestselling Wolves of Mercy Falls novels with a side story built around Cole St. Clair, werewolf front man of the defunct band Narkotika. Now sober, Cole attempts to resurrect his career and his dysfunctional love affair with Isabel Culpeper, who’s working retail in Los Angeles. From a vacuous live phone interview in the opening pages to the semi-trashy web series Cole winds up starring in, the glitzy, manic tropes of TMZ culture dominate. For the most part, attachment to these characters (and knowledge of their history) must be carried over from the original trilogy. But Stiefvater’s talent for wordcraft and her powers of observation are as sharp as ever, and the L.A. setting gives her even more cause than usual to treat cars like characters. It’s less a romance than a conjuration of the monolith that is mass-market entertainment, the trappings of fame, and the narrow spaces they leave for being human. Or wolf, sometimes. Ages 14–up. Agent: Laura Rennert, Andrea Brown Literary Agency.

June 1, 2014
After the Shiver trilogy, Cole and Isabel reunite in Los Angeles.Cole St. Clair has returned to California and his music career. He's teamed up with an Internet reality TV producer, Baby North, to star in a Web show ostensibly about the making of his new album. Baby's a life destroyer who specializes in train wrecks-everyone is hoping to watch the now-clean Cole relapse into drugs, debauchery and self-destruction. Antagonist Baby is willing to engineer things if that's what it takes to create good television. Meanwhile, ice queen Isabel is living with her mother, divorced aunt and awkward cousin while Isabel's parents' marriage enters the end stages of implosion. Her trust is fragile and her feelings toward Cole, complicated. Stiefvater is not overreliant on misunderstandings between the two narrators, as too many other romance writers are, instead opting for a believable, realistic portrayal of damaged people struggling to fit their quirks together in a relationship. The relationship between the richly drawn characters is the heart of the book-it is light on paranormal and wolf action. Cole and Isabel are both jerks, but they are jerks with hearts, and they keep up with each other's witty banter. The ending wraps up a bit too neatly, but getting there is an absolute delight.A spectacularly messy, emotionally oh-so-human romance. (Paranormal romance. 14 & up)

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July 1, 2014

Gr 9 Up-Cole St. Clair, the bad-boy frontman of the band NARKOTIKA is back in LA and the spotlight. He had it all-stardom, good looks, money, women-and then it all went terribly wrong. Suffering from destructive behavior and addiction, Cole fell hard and then just disappeared. But Baby North of SharpT33th.com has decided to chronicle Cole's possible comeback or failure on her reality show as he produces his first album since the band's demise. In order to accept his past and reinvent himself, Cole must deal with the skeletons lurking in his closet. Complicating matters is his "relationship" with Isabel Culpeper. She knows the real Cole and his dark secret. In order to heal, they both must reflect on what truly matters in life and whether or not they are worthy of happiness and love. Stiefvater's companion novel to the "Wolves of Mercy Falls" series (Scholastic) is brilliantly written. The alternating chapters from Cole's and Isabel's points of view not only drive the plot, but also capture the intensity and vulnerability of these deep, but flawed, characters. This powerful and compelling story is certain to be a hit with fans of the series and bring new ones to the pack.-Donna Rosenblum, Floral Park Memorial High School, NY

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2014
Grades 9-12 Teen ice-queen Isabel is shocked when former rock-god Cole turns up in Los Angeles saying he is drug-free and there for her. He is also producing his next album and starring in a popular reality show, notorious for pushing its rehabbed stars back over the edge. Two secondary characters from the Shiver series take turns narrating this sweet and sexy love story set in an L.A. faintly reminiscent of Francesca Lia Block's Weetzie Bat books. The characterizations of Isabel and Cole are so solid that it seems Stiefvater is transcribing them rather than creating them, and minor characters are just as deftly (if not as deeply) drawn. Despite this, there are stereotypes aplenty when it comes to the reality show and references to Cole's former life, but they work well enough to shorthand the background info and keep the focus on the two lovers. Bits of backstory are provided, and after a slightly confusing start, this one could stand on its own. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Stiefvater has conquered both critical and commercial mountains, and the YA world watches everything she does. Buy more than a few.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)