Shifting By: Bethany Wiggins

After bouncing from foster home to foster home, Magdalene Mae is transferred to what should be her last foster home in the tiny town of Silver City, New Mexico. Now that she's eighteen and has only a year left in high school, she's determined to stay out of trouble and just be normal. Agreeing to go to the prom with Bridger O'Connell is a good first step. Fitting in has never been her strong suit, but it's not for the reasons most people would expect-it all has to do with the deep secret that she is a shape shifter. But even in her new home danger lurks, waiting in the shadows to pounce. They are the Skinwalkers of Navajo legend, who have traded their souls to become the animal whose skin they wear-and Maggie is their next target.

Magdalene has a secret, she can actually shift shapes to be an animal.  Of course this has caused some problems, she gets caught out late at night with no clothes on.  The foster families she has lived with can't handle her coming home with a police escort and she is on to another new family.  This time it is her social workers relative in New Mexico.  Magdalene quickly falls in love with the older woman who takes her in and treats her like family.  Her secret is also open when it comes to her new mom and together they try to make life normal.  With her life becoming more normal she makes friends and even starts a new job. 

Normal can't last forever and soon she finds out that someone is looking for her and it seems as though they will stop at nothing to get to her.

I liked the characters.  Magdalene is a "broken" girl.  No one has ever really understood her until now and she has had to figure out life all by herself.  She tries hard to stay normal while also trying out her abilities.  At times I found her incredibly reckless and at some times really naive.  She is in danger and still she goes out at night by herself.

Bridger is the popular boy at school and he shouldn't hang out with this new girl that isn't in his social class.  But for some reason he is constantly drawn to her.  I like that he will come by to spend time with her, most of the time they end up weeding the garden, and he is willing to do anything just as long as he is by her.  They do have their rough patches and that is needed in my opinion because honestly what real relationship is 100% perfect from day one. 

This story references a lot of Navajo stories and traditions and it was cool to hear about some of the legends about skin walkers and read some of the superstitions and prayers of the tribe.  I like that there was a definite culture to back up the story instead of making up new legends.

Overall pretty cool book and I would recommend others to read it.