Genre: Paranormal

I received this book for free from Scholastic in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

A standalone companion book to the internationally bestselling Shiver Trilogy.

Sinner follows Cole St. Clair, a pivotal character from the #1 New York Times bestselling Shiver Trilogy. Everybody thinks they know Cole's story. Stardom. Addiction. Downfall. Disappearance. But only a few people know Cole's darkest secret -- his ability to shift into a wolf. One of these people is Isabel. At one point, they may have even loved each other. But that feels like a lifetime ago. Now Cole is back. Back in the spotlight. Back in the danger zone. Back in Isabel's life. Can this sinner be saved?

It has been a while since I read the Wolves of Mercy Falls series, so I was a bit worried that remembering next to no details about it would make reading this a flop, but it was not a problem at all. If you want to refresh your memory there’s a convenient Wikipedia page that reminds you who’s who. But everything you need to know is recapped (albeit briefly) as we go along.

Sinner is narrated by our beloved Cole and Isabel, a couple of characters who you won’t soon forget. Cole is somewhat of an arrogant ass, yet charming and hilarious, and Isabel is a bit psychotic with quick wit and, to be honest, she scares me a little >.< I love her, though. She's sarcastic and may be cold at times, but she's just so real and gets that sometimes life just freaking sucks. Plus she doesn't take any shit from anybody and that's something I always respect. As for Cole, sometimes I love him, other times I just want to slap that smug face of his. He does take some patience, but you know that he really does mean well - especially when it comes to Isabelle. I also love how much he's changed, and even though the world seems to be against him he gives them the finger and keeps on keeping on. That's a true sign of strength if you ask me. Also I have to mention Leon - for a side character, he entertained! Together… Cole and Isabel can definitely bring out the worst in each other. It's a complicated relationship, that's for sure. They have a lot of wounds to heal, and a lot of issues to work out. As expected, it's a hot and cold kind of romance, but for once I wasn't irritated by it. I completely understood why Isabel reacted the way she did, and her lack of trust is not hard to grasp - who expects a guy to actually have changed when his personality is such an extreme? Their chemistry is off the charts, though, and you can feel how much love they have for each other despite all the crap they went through. It makes it easy to root for them.

The plot, honestly there’s not much paranormal going on in this book. It’s a werewolf book, yes, but the werewolf is nothing but another burden Cole is trying to be rid of. We do see him turn occasionally, but this novel focuses more on its contemporary side. It’s a story about a boy learning to live with the harsh consequences of his past choices. It’s also a love story. It’s slow-ish paced, but the characters and situations keep you compelled. Cole being semi-famous lends the book a dash of the “life of the rich and famous”. He also takes on a reality show for an extra spin of drama as well. I was actually quite fascinated by it all.

In a dazzling, sometimes frustrating LA setting, Sinner is full of wonder, heartbreak, and colourful characters; a great addition to the original Wolves of Mercy Falls series. This one is less wolf, and more broken human, but fans of the series will love it nonetheless!

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