I’m taking part in the weekly Slice of Life Challenge sponsored by  Two Writing Teachers, where teachers write and share each Tuesday. Join in yourself or head over to check out what’s happening with other slicers. If you’re taking part in the SOL, leave a link to your post. I’d love to read it.

I stretched under the blankets and wiggled my toes.  Soft, gray morning light seeped under the blinds as I opened my eyes.  I heard the first birds chattering just outside my window.  I might be ready to join them in the waking world this first morning in a long time I woke up without an alarm.

I padded down the hall to the kitchen where a fresh pot of coffee waited.  I scooped instant hot chocolate into my mug–one, two, three, four.  I poured the coffee over for the mocha to get me going.   I sipped slowly, watching the world come awake outside the window.  Stark branches stretched across an ever lightening sky.

My eyes glanced over at the book waiting for me to open its cover.  My fingers caressed the cover with its ring of fire above a Chicago skyline from the future.  I turned to the chapter one and soon found myself falling headlong into a brand new world where Chicago had fallen apart and was slowly being rebuilt.  Its people were divided into five factions.  I lived and breathed with Beatrice as she faced the looming decision before her.  Could she deny her nature to remain with her family, or could she forsake her family to join the faction that called to her?  I raced and climbed and fought with her as she dealt with the fallout from her choice and struggled to survive those in power who wanted to kill her.

I barely came up for air until I turned the last page.  Now I get it–the reason all my students and Nerdy Book Club friends are talking about Divergent by Veronica Roth.  Why did I wait so long to read this book?  It has everything I love in a good book:  a seemingly perfect world that hides dark secrets, a kick-butt heroine who doesn’t know her own strength and courage but discovers it when forced to draw on it, even a little romance (but thankfully no love triangles).  The best news of all?  I have the next two books waiting for me to enter their pages as soon as I’m ready.