Shadow of Time
by Jen Minkman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite .
For years Ben and Hannah have summered in their mom's cabin in St. Mary's Port. They grew up there and formed great friendships with Josh and Emily from the nearby reservation. Hannah hasn't been back in four years, but after her first year of teaching she needs the summer break. What she finds is not what she expected. Josh, her brother Ben's best friend has grown up and even though he is younger than her he seems so much older and so good looking. She is not sure what to think or what to do, and he seems just as confused. After being stranded and having to wait for the guys to pick her up, Hannah is threaten by three drunks, which starts a series of weird and scary dreams. As she tries to understand them, she only gets more confused until finally Josh is forced to break down and explain himself to her. Shadow of Time is a wonderful mix of romance, history, legend and modern. Jen Minkman does a superb job of mixing so many concepts into one book without it seeming overwhelming.
Shadow in Time is set near an Indian reservation, so we learn some true Indian history, some Indian legend in this story, but never once is any of that boring or stuffy! It is told in dreams and remembrances and scenes that make perfect sense so that it fits perfectly in the story. Not only that but there is romance, past lives, curses and coming of age all wrapped into this story. Three people; Ben, Hannah, and Josh are at the center of this story, but you don't realize it until closer to the end that all three are involved. It can almost be said this book is a walking advertisement for the ideal that people come into your life for a reason because in this story, there are reasons that each person is where they are. Even the grad student Nick, that seems out of place has a purpose, he gets them all talking about history of the Navajo and is able to put some perspective on certain things that Hannah and Josh are too close to see at first. That message in the book is classic. This is a great book for young adults and teens, but I can easily say that adults will be able to find the beauty of the story just as well.
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Moonshadows
by Claude Dancourt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite .
Mira had her life all planned out until the night of a chance mugging turned it all upside down. The after effects of the so-called mugging left her a werecat, and one who did not want to be one, who ran out on her life, and was searching for a way to make it all go away. Erik was sure he had the perfect life until he returned home from a conference to find Mira gone, now after a year he has finally traced her down. He is determined to find some answers as to why she left. As Erik returns to her life, mira learns more about her werecat, finding out for the first time that she is only a cub, not a full-grown attack monster she thought she was. Knowing this her and Erik work together to uncover more information, the only problem a full grown werecat gone bad is hunting Mira. Moonshadows tells the werecat legend in the Native American tradition, and that is where Erik and Mira will need to look to find the information and help she needs. Claude Dancourt has written a story mixing a good vs evil theme, with the werecat and romance; a tricky balance to say the least.
Moonshadows is a bit of a different take on the werecat story, this time coming from the veiw of a person who was turned without their knowledge or constent and how they are fighting to find a way out of this. At the same time there is the story of the good and the evil, Mira never realizing that there could be a good to this, and the fight between them. Mixed in the middle of it all is the romance between Mira and Erik that was torn apart by the actions of one night that forever changed Mira's life and her belief that Erik could never accept it. Calude Dancourt does a good job of weaving this different threads into a cohesive story that makes since. If you are a fan of the paranormal genre this is another great book that will give you another look into the life.
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The Concealing
by D.E.L. Connor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Five teens, the best of friends, find that they are not only friends, but they have a mission in life. They are Spirit Warriors, they can move their own spirit to share the body of an animal, then back to their own body. What a trick to learn when you are 15! Spirit Warriors follows these five friends as they are brought to a time when they are needed to use their powers to defeat an evil. They have trained and looked for the evil for awhile now, but when they are finally confronted with it, they are surprised. It came in a disguise that no one would have expected and almost lead them into trouble.
The Spirit Warriors is well written and entertaining, and with the main characters all being in the middle teens, they bring in a world of issues from that same teen life. This makes the story good for the teen and young adult market, while keeping the topics of abuse and homosexuality, which are mentioned in a brighter light. As the discussion progresses one night, one of the guys admits his true leanings to the friends, and the discussion is nothing short of heart-warming. Nothing of the actually abuse is described but more alluded to, and so I find that they way the kids work through finding out these things to be beneficial to readers. The abuse is never talked about, but only realized after the fact and then the fight to make sure people know what really happened is encouraging.
Some will say this is the perfect book for girls, and while there are three girl teens in the main cast, there are also three boys throughout the book, two in the original circle of five, and a newcomer that will end up playing a large role in the end. I find that it has a mix that although girls will get it and enjoy it, there is still enough action and adventure to interest the boys as well. It is a coming-of-age novel that has to deal with the harsh realities of life, and at the same time, it entertains you with the spirits.
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