60-61: The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trials (Books 1 and 2 of the Maze Runner trilogy), by James Dashner (2009 paperback and 2010 hardcover)

I came across this trilogy in postings on the Centurions of 2011 Facebook page regarding the monthly books members have read.  Time and time again, folks commented on these books being among their favorite for the month.  With such regular recommendations, a few tantalizing details, and the promise of a maze, how could I resist trying another post-apocalyptic TeenLit series?

I'll have to say that when reading the first third of The Maze Runner, I was less than enthralled. The main character is a whiny, self-centered 16-year-old boy named Thomas, and I felt no kinship with him. Had I been trapped in the center (the Glade) of the maze with him and his 50 or so teen male cohorts, I would have wanted to smack him--and pretty much every one of them--upside the head and told him to get over himself.  Sure your memory has been wiped, sure you are trapped in a prison for unknown crimes, and sure horrific creatures lurk in the corridors waiting to kill you, but...sheesh.  Enough of the moping and discourteous behavior, Thomas.  Snap out of it!

And, of course, he does snap out of it. After all, as in all teen post-apocalyptic tales, these young folks must rise to the occasion.  Or be eaten by monsters.

By the middle of the first volume, enthrallment kicked in, and I rushed right on to The Scorch Trials, where the girls finally show up.  Rather than the surreal, obviously fabricated maze, the two teen teams now enter the real world--alternating between cities filled with insane, zombie-like Cranks, a nightmare landscape with relentless sun beating down on a desert wasteland, and torrential wind and lightening storms destroying anything alive on said wasteland.  It's a world devastated by sun flairs and an extremely contagious fatal disease. And monsters, but different monsters.

I read these first volumes in two days, and despite how busy I am preparing for this Saturday's pig roast and the looming first day of the semester, I'm going to get to Northtown Books as soon as possible to pick up the trilogy's conclusion, The Death Cure. 

56-58: Shiver, Linger, Forever (Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy), by Maggie Stiefvater (2009/10 paperback, 2011 hardcover)

I've seen these books at the bookstore for some time, and they always catch my attention. It's a gimmick thing, quite honestly: the color of the cover art matches the color of ink the text is printed in throughout the book. However, I also started seeing the series recommended regularly on the Centurions of 2011 Facebook page, so I looked into them.  The descriptions sounded a bit like cheesy teen romances, so I posted a question for Centurion members to see what folks want. Several people assured me that the books were much more than cheesy romances, so I decided to try them out.

What I discovered is that these are cheesy teen romances (a good lesson of don't believe everything you read.), but with one difference: werewolves. As you roll your eyes and before you stop reading this review, though, I'd like to say that there is something compelling about the series--compelling enough that I read through all three and will likely run out and get the (likely) fourth upon its release. What got me hooked is Stiefvater's twist on the classic werewolf story: instead of wolfing out at the full moon, the wolves here change with the seasons--becoming wolves in winter and human in summer.  The season varies according to the wolf/person, and the wolf stage of life extends over the years until a person no longer is able to change back to his/her human form again.

So, as far as the romance goes, it's all Team Jacob here. Lest the reader become complacent, however, there is another twist on werewolf-human relationships: After surviving a wolf attack, young Grace becomes oddly attracted to the wolf pack in the forest behind her--and especially to a single yellow-eyed wolf that stands sentinel at the edge of Grace's yard for much of the winter. Rather than developing an attraction for a boy who she later learns is a wolf (as the story would go), our protagonist is attracted to the wolf that she later learns is a boy. Throw in the standard parental neglect, and let the teen rebellion, angst, and secrecy begin!

If you are receptive to a teen-werewolf-romance series, there really are some things that distinguish this set of books from other teen romances, in addition to what I've already described. For one, Stiefvater takes a chance on making the main couple in the series a bit more sexual--a surprise in Scholastic books--if very subtly so. Additionally, the female lead doesn't lack for outside interests, practical skills, or ambition; she's a bit obsessed with her wolf, but she still makes the effort to figure out how he might fit into an actual life rather than making him her life. Other positive aspects of  TeenLit appear as well; the importance of loyalty, a need for critical thinking and decision making, and the introduction of current issues (the environment, animal cruelty) are key elements in the books.

I really want to end with a werewolf pun or quip here, but I'll restrain myself.  If you want to suggest a good one in the comments section below, though, I won't stop you.