The Boy From The Woods
by Jen Minkman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Reviewed for +Readers' Favorite .
For the last couple of years Julia has dreamed of the high school golden boy, Michael. She has used him to inspire her poetry and music and she has thought herself in love with him, at the graduation ball he finally asks her to dance and kisses her leading to a "date", then nothing. He never calls or texts her back, and when she runs into him on the street, he acts like she should be grateful he gave her the time. She is devastated. Now Michael has been in a motorcycle accident an is acting different. Should she given him a second chance? The Boy From the Woods takes us to Austria, to follow Julia and her group of close friends in the summer after high school. They give her advice on Michael, and see what transpires. Jen Minkman weaves in the local and life of Austria with Celtic folklore and traditions to create a story of young love and broken hearts.
The Boy From the Woods is set in Austria, and when you start reading, this is the first thing you need to know, because if not you will be confused as to why at a high school graduation party they are drinking beer. That is party of the beauty of this story, no one gets drunk, they never drink that much, it is one or two and that is it. I think it sends a wonderful message to American youth that not all people look at drinking as something to do only to get drunk. Also being set in Austria, Jen Minkman uses typical German phrases and greetings in the book frequently, which lends to the authenticity of the story. It also makes you want to live in a place with so much history that certain things are continued through the generations. Add to that the forest and Celtic folklore and you have a full and wonderful romance, coming of age story that is wonderfully written and great for any age reader.
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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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