Some novels simply entertain and others contain a powerful message in the story line and characters. In his debut novel, A Wind In Montana, Mitch Davies tells a story about teens coming of age and how they accept responsibility for their lives.

A Wind In Montana is a compelling tale of two teenagers, Rory Coleman and Victoria Beach, high school students at the same school, who struggle with making the right decision for themselves. As each of them nears adulthood, they become more concerned with the future and setting goals that will bring them happiness and fulfillment.

Rory has to plot his own course since his parents aren't interested. He chooses to pursue a profession in chemistry, applies for a chemistry scholarship, and determines to do everything he can to achieve it. Along the path, Rory finds that even though he has a plan, there are obstacles that could prevent him from realizing his goals.

Victoria's struggles are different from Rory's. Her father is very involved with Victoria's life plans and has decided that she should become a professional musician. Her band teacher agrees - Victoria is talented and should make the most of it. Victoria has other plans for her life though, and when she turns her attention away from music to other subjects her father and teacher team up to convince her that she's doing the wrong thing.

Together, Rory and Victoria attempt to follow their dreams, despite the opposition and obstacles in their paths. A Wind In Montana contains a lesson for all teens about to enter adulthood - that disappointment and setbacks are going to occur no matter how determined they are and that they need to develop skills along the way that will help them deal with them effectively.

There are so many major decisions facing teens today - social, sex, parents, other influencing adults and school work - and there's no guarantee that their plans will succeed, even if they make the so-called 'right' decisions. A Wind In Montana explores how two teenagers struggled with their own, unique decisions and how the choices they made affected their lives.

The problems that Rory and Victoria have to deal with are the same that effects today's teens. Their problems are different than the ones their parents had to face and no matter how hard parents try to push in one direction, they have to learn to let go, releasing them to make their own mistakes - or successes.

Mitch Davies' book stands out among today's teen books that deal with fantasy situations. A Wind In Montana is a real story about real people facing real-life situations. It's entertaining and also helps readers think about their own lives - and offers various ways to handle situations that may arise.

Review by Lauren Smith

The review covers A Wind in Montana by Mitch Davies.

Article Source: Teens Learn Life's Lessons in "A Wind In Montana" ( )