Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

After doing a ton of reading last weekend, it has taken me almost a week to finish Linger. If you haven't read Shiver, there may be spoilers here, so you may not want to read on.

Linger is the sequel to Shiver that I read last weekend. In Linger, Sam and Grace are back. Sam is trying to figure out how to live now that he is going to be a human forever. He is really at odds with himself and the world around him. Sam is having a really hard time dealing with the loss of his wolf family. Living in the house he grew up in is very challenging for him because of all the memories. Then there is Cole, one of the new wolves that Beck changed to take over as the protector of the pack. Sam isn't sure what to make of Cole and doesn't trust him or even like him.

Things with Sam and Grace are stained as well because her parents are starting to question Sam's motives. Grace herself seems distant. It seems like Grace is keeping something from her friends, but also from herself.

When things come to a conclusion, the reader is left with more questions than answers. As often happens in trilogy books, the second book is the link between the first and third and isn't always as satisfying. I'm looking forward to the third book coming out next year.

Maggie Stiefvater's 'microsite' is here: http://www.maggiestiefvater.com/shiver/

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Shiver is one of those books that I have seen, but I have avoided. It struck me as a Twilight knockoff. And while there are many similarities between Twilight and Shiver, once I got into it, I couldn't stop reading it.

When Grace was 10 years old, she was taken from her backyard by a pack of wolves, and was saved from being mauled to death by one wolf, her wolf. This wolf, with its golden yellow eyes always seem to be following Grace. Each winter, this wolf would appear and Grace was never afraid in its presence.

Sam is a boy who has two different lives, one as a wolf in the colder months of the year, and the other as a human during the summer months. He knows his time is drawing near when he will no longer be human at all. Even though he knows this, he can't stay away from Grace.

Above all else, this novel is full of romance and love. I can see why girls love this book, Sam is seems so real and so perfect. The ideal boyfriend. As an adult, I can see the faults in believing that, but I have to admit, it is nice to get drawn into the world of first love again! I'm looking forward to reading Linger next.

I also have to say, I love all the fan created book trailers for books- I love seeing kids using new technology to share their love of reading. Here is just one of the videos I found on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25f8bZCG8nQ&feature=related

Point of View Books

After finishing If I Stay this morning, I checked out this site: http://www.pointofviewbooks.com/

I love the idea of promoting books through book trailers and this website has it all- book trailers, author talks, discussion guides and best of all- lots of new books to check out!

For me, I need to read Grace and After for sure. I loved Speak and Wintergirls. Any books on there that you have read or want to read?

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

I've heard lots about this book over the last year. It seems to be on all the 'must-read'lists, blogs and other book websites I follow. I finally picked it up this week through the Scholastics order, and I'm really glad I did.

Sherman Alexie writes from the perspective of Junior (otherwise known as Arnold Spirit) a native teenage boy living on the Spokane Indian reservation. Junior is witty, sharp and clever. His voice is so strong and I was really drawn to him and the situations he found himself in. The story starts as Junior makes a tough decision after his first year of high school to go to the all-white high school off the reservation. This decision means that on the reservation he is seen as a traitor by all (especially by his best friend) and at school he is a oddity and he needs to learn a whole new set of rules. Living a half life everywhere really makes it hard on Junior. He finds strength in meeting new people, but also with the support of his family.

Junior is a typical teenage boy- a bit obsessed with girls, gross humor and cartooning. The cartoons throughout the book add another level to the story as Junior is able to express his real thoughts and feelings through his drawings.

This book doesn't hold back on the reality of being a native American. Junior talks with candor about alcoholism, gambling, violence and poverty that people on the reservation face. However, through all of these faults, what is clear is how close the families are and how much love there is.

Once again, there are a few mature spots in the story, however, they are very realistic and I think boys especially will appreciate the honesty and humor in dealing with some embarrassing topics. I think this book should be read and discussed for sure. Many of the issues facing Native American's today may be unfamiliar to kids and there could be some very worthwhile discussions to be had. If I was to read this out loud to a class, I would feel the need to edit just a few sensitive parts in the story, but it certainly wouldn't take away from the theme of the book. It is certainly worth all the hype surrounding it. Older fans of Diary of a Wimpy kid will see many parallels in this book.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

It has taken me a while to get out of the summer mode of reading lots of adult books, but now I am back into my favourite genre of Young Adult books. I read If I Stay when I woke up this morning. I will warn you, once you start this book, you can't put it down- and you will need Kleenex to get through it!

When Mia woke up and discovered it was a snow day, her family were thrilled with the thought of a day off, a break from routine and a little escape in the middle of winter. Mia was thrilled with the thought of spending the day with her parents and her 8 year old brother driving around visiting family and friends. But, on their way to their first stop, the unthinkable happens and suddenly the carefree day turns into a nightmare.

The book then flips between past and present as Mia hovers between life and death. She relives the good times in her past and her worries about the future as Mia tries to make the most serious decision anyone would ever have to make.

I found this story to be so moving. I was so caught up in Mia's world, her childhood was not perfect, but it was full of love, friends, family and energy. The way Forman portrays the relationship between Mia and her boyfriend was so real and touching that I found myself moved to tears in many places.

This book was a wonderful read, although there are some mature themes, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to any of my grade 7's.

Alexandria of Africa by Eric Walters

Alexandria is a 15 year old spoiled, rich girl. She lives in California and spends her time partying, hanging with her friends and shopping on Rodeo Drive. Even though she has tons of money, Alexandria shoplifts just for the thrill of it. When she is caught, Alexandria goes in front of an angry judge who decides to make an example of her. For her sentence, the judge sends her to Africa to build a school for some children there. Alexandria heads off to Africa complete with all of her accessories, make-up and expensive clothes. What she doesn't realize is how these three weeks will challenge her, scare her and change her life. While there, Alexandria meets and befriends some Maasai warriors who teach her about what is really important in life.
This is another great hit by Walters. This book is based on the work of Free The Children. http://freethechildren.com/ My only complaint is that I wish the main character had been set in Canada. Having a spoiled rich girl from California seems very stereotypical. There are kids here in Canada who are certainly just like Alexandria and who need to be faced with the reality of other cultures as well.

Beverly Hills Maasai by Eric Walters

This is the sequel to Alexandria of Africa and takes place 8 months after Alexandria had a life changing trip to Kenya.

Alexandria has now been home for 8 months, she is trying to find peace with how she should live her life after seeing how people live in Kenya. There are times when it is very difficult to take what is expected of her in California and compare it to life in Africa.

One day, she gets a strange phone call from her Kenyan friend Nebala who is in California with some other friends. Things have not gone very well in Kenya since Alexandria left, there has been no rain and people and cattle are starving. The only solution for the three Maasai warriors is to compete and win at the Beverly Hills marathon. This win will mean they can build a well in their village, which will save lives and improving living conditions.

Alexandria, her friend Olivia and her family face some challenges in not only getting the Maasai into the marathon, but also the adjustment they face living in such a different culture.

I liked this book as well as the first one. It is always interesting to see how characters change from earlier books. Watching Alexandria try to teach her African friends what life is like in California was funny, and yet Walters uses these moments to point out what is really important in life.