MidwinterBlood

      Eric Seven arrives on the island of Blessed to write a story about the mysterious orchid that grows only here.  He has heard it has health-giving properties and promotes well-being and energy.  Once he arrives on Blessed, he is treated kindly, and given an house to stay in.  He begins to feel deja vu.  He can't shake the feeling that he has been here before, and when he meets Merle, he cannot keep his mind off her.  And so begins the story of Eric and Merle.  The book moves backwards in time, telling the 7 lives Eric and Merle have lived.  Ending with a Viking king and queen.  It's such a short book, I don't want to give too much away.  But Eric and Merle find different ways of being together throughout time.

       This book was announced the winner of the Michael L. Printz Award which "annually honors the best book written for teens, based entirely on its literary merit, each year." It is also on the new Tayshas list, so I thought it must be pretty awesome.  After reading it, I'm a little confused.  I did like the book.  I didn't love it, but it was very different, I'll give it that.  I just cannot really seeing teenagers enjoying this book.  It is a little confusing and the language is upper level.  This is just not the book I am going to try to sell to my students.  I did like the stories, each one is short, and it is quick read.  It's just not my favorite book of 2013.