Fantastic Series for Teens

I did not realize it had been so long since my last post!  Instead of writing about one book, I'll write about a whole series.  Will that make up for it?  No?  Well, I'll try to do better from now on.

I recently read a series of books by Lisa McMann, and they are fantastic!  The first one is called Wake.  In this story, we meet a teenage girl named Janie.  Janie has several problems, one of which is that her single mother is an alcoholic.  As if that isn't enough to deal with, Janie has another problem.  When people fall asleep around her, she gets sucked into their dreams.  In this first book in the series, Janie must learn how to deal with this strange ability (or is it a curse?).  This book is written for teens, and I have had several students pick it up and read it in a day or two! 

The second book in this fantastic series is called Fade.  I don't want to give away too much about the first book, but there are a few "safe" details that I can mention.  The main focus of this second book is the side effects of Janie's ability.  There is a heavy toll taken on her body when she gets pulled into dreams, and Janie begins to understand just how serious that is.  Also, the police become aware of her ability, and ask Janie to work undercover for them, by intentionally seeking out dreams and gathering information.  The case is an intense one, and as a result, I recommend this book for high school age readers or older.

The third and final book in the series is Gone.  It's difficult to describe this book without giving away too much from the two previous books, so I'll just give some brief information here.  Janie has to make a decision about what to do with the rest of her life, taking her ability and the side-effects into account.  This book also explores the topic of alcoholism more thoroughly than the previous books did, with Janie's mom.

These books are a fascinating look into a unique topic, but beyond that, they are a realistic look at high school, relationships, struggles, and planning for the future.  I highly recommend them!

Audiobooks

Ever since I was a small child, I have loved reading.  I remember being about 7 years old and sitting for hours with my Fisher Price record player, listening to stories as I followed along in my books.  That little chime that told me when to turn the page was a fun part of the process, even though I didn't need the hint to know when to turn the page.


When I went to college, I rediscovered audiobooks, and was thrilled!  What a fun memory to bring back!  I had to drive for two and a half hours when I went home for weekends, and I loved using that time to listen to books.  The first one I "read" quickly became a favorite.  It was The Horse Whisperer by Nicholas Evans.  I loved it because, in addition to being a fantastic story,  Peter Coyote's voice as he read the book was almost mesmerizing.  I frequently found myself home without realizing how much time had passed because I had been so involved with the story.  I still have those old cassette tapes, but I no longer have a tape player in my car, so I can't listen to them anymore.  It's a little sad.


More recently, I have been driving to almost an hour to class two evenings a week.  In order to make the drive seem shorter, and to stay awake during the late night drive home, I have once again gotten out my audiobooks.  The book I am enjoying lately is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.  I have read all of the Harry Potter books, and J.K. Rowling's talent as an author grows with each book in the series.  The first time I heard the audio version of the books, I was hooked on those too.  They are read by Jim Dale, and he does a fantastic job of using different voices for each character.  Like so many years ago in my college days, the stories are completely absorbing, and my drive to and from class passes quickly for me.


Whether these titles are interesting to you or not, I hope this post will inspire you to try out audiobooks sometime.  There are a wide variety available at the local library that you can check out for free.  I have spent many enjoyable hours enjoying being read to, either by people who are actually with me, or on recordings.  Both ways are fun ways to enjoy books!  There is something especially enjoyable and comforting about being read to.   It reminds me of being a child, sitting in Mom's lap and listening to those favorite stories over and over again.