Starbird Murphy and the World Outside by Karen Finneyfrock

 I enjoy reading books about people involved in cults.  I am fascinated how one person can hold such control over a group.  Starbird Murphy lives on The Free Family Farm, a commune in the woods of Washington State.  Starbird loves her "family," and doesn't really see any problems with their lifestyle.  Then she gets her "calling." She is "called" to be a waitress at the Family run restaurant in Seattle.  This is Starbird's first dealing with the "world outside" and she is not so sure it is the best place for her.  I loved Starbird's journey of self discovery as she navigates going to public school, handling money and other activities for the very first time in her life.  If you also like books about those living in communes or cults you may want to try The Patron Saint of Butterflies by Cecelia Galante and Schooled by Gordon Korman.

Blind by Rachel DeWoskin

Oh my goodness, I read Blind about a month ago and completely forgot to blog about it!  One time when I was little (around 4 or 5) the power had gone out in the middle of the night, but I didn't realize it and just thought I had go blind.  I was in a complete panic till my mother showed up in my bedroom to explain what happened.  Unfortunately for Emma, the main character in Blind, this unthinkable tragedy happens to her and there is no "waking up from it".  After a horrific accident leaves her blind, Emma has to figure out how to live again. She does this at the same time as she is trying to make sense of why a friend of hers took her own life. I really liked this book. So much of the imagery of books is visual..."this person looked like this" or "the setting looked like this."  With Emma giving a first person narrative, you don't get that.  The author did a great job describing Emma's world to us as she "saw" it with her other senses and feelings.  Great read.