MMGM: Ice Dogs, by Terry Lynn Johnson

I know I've dropped off the face of the earth for a bit (blame a cute, cuddly baby who wants to be held all the time, a kitchen that needed to be painted, and the spring fever that's gotten into me despite it not looking much different than winter here...), but I'm popping back onto the planet to share a wonderful book with all of you: Ice Dogs, by Terry Lynn Johnson.

Victoria Secord is a 14-year-old champion musher--or sled dog racer--determined to win the big race and honor the memory of her father who gave her all his knowledge of and passion for sled dogs before he died in a tragic accident. But when she meets an injured teen boy from the city on the trail and is forced to drive into a blizzard to save him, suddenly the most important goal becomes simply staying alive.

Basically, Ice Dogs was an absolutely brilliant, classic story of survival and friendship, loyalty and perseverance. That's a lot of adjectives for one book, but trust me when I say I'm using restraint. I absolutely loved Vicky's character, the development of her relationship with Chris (the injured boy), the trust she and her dogs had in each other. The pacing was perfect, the setting was stark and beautiful, the emotions were real and intense in the best of ways. 


Highly recommended for anyone who loves a good adventure.