Unwind series

Unwind Series- Neil Shusterman

Dystopian Series

1.       Unwind

2.       Inwholly

3.       Unsouled

4.       Undivided

In a post Heartland War society, unwinding is now legal.  This means, if you are an unruly teenager between the ages of 13 and 17, you can be sent to a facility where they will give every part of your body to a person who needs it.  You will not technically be dead, because all your parts will be alive in someone else’s body, but you will no longer be yourself- “a divided state”.  This is what is supposed to happen to Conner and a group that he unwillingly thrown in with.  This four book series will lead you through an adventure of survival and a grassroots uprising of change.

The first book in the series, Unwind, was a fantastic ride.  The three hundred page book flies by, giving you twists and turns.  You can read the first book as a standalone book and feel as if you got a complete story.  The second and third books, Unwholly and Unsouled respectively, while interesting, do not hold the allure of the first.  They are more labored and not as quick to get through.  The final book, Undivided, does offer you the answers and drama that the middle books lack, and it brings back the excitement of the first.  Readers will be satisfied with the ending and give you a glimpse into what the future holds for the main characters you have come to love so much. This is being made into a movie that will be out in 2016!

An amazing Youtube video

 

The Caged Graves by Dianne Salerni

Verity Boone is returning to her hometown to meet her fiance and get married.  It's 1867 so travel is a little difficult.  She hasn't met her future husband but feels like she knows him through his letters and gifts he has been sending her.  She is upset when she learns that her fiance had help writing his letters to her and selecting her gifts.  Now she's questioning- does she really know him?  He seems stiff and distant.  Not at all who she imagined. 

She also finds that there are secrets.  She left when she was a baby and her mother died.  She doesn't know why her father sent her away and he just says it was for the best.  She had a happy childhood but loves her father and doesn't understand his reason for sending her to Massachusetts.

What is more disturbing is the discovery of two graves completely enclosed in iron.  Her mother's and her aunt's graves!  Who did this?  Why?  Some people imply that there was black magic involved.  Others talk about treasure.  When Verity is attacked, she realizes that she can't trust anyone.  Everyone is hiding things from her.  Including her father.

The Caged Graves has it all- romance, mystery, a strong setting and believable characters.  Highly recommended. 

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Read Dianne Salerni's blog about the real caged graves that inspired the story

Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys                      

Josie has a hard life in New Orleans.  Other people may enjoy the drinking, partying and brothels, but she has to clean up after all of that.   As the daughter of a prostitute, she is discriminated against by everyone.  Kids make fun of her and call her names.  Even adults are mean to her and make

assumptions that she will never amount to anything.  If that isn't enough, Josie's mother is a mess.  She has lousy choice in men- usually scary men that are in and out of jail, so Josie lives on her own.

In spite of all this, Josie has a plan to get out of New Orleans.  She is saving up money from her work at the brothel and her other job at the bookstore.  Then she meets a nice man who makes different assumptions about Josie.  That she must be smart.  She must be going to college.  She is educated.  Josie likes this man at the bookstore and is appalled when he is found dead just a few hours later.  Other bad things start happening and Josie's future begins to crumble before her eyes.

This is a great mystery.  I really enjoyed the historical setting- the seamy side of the French Quarter in 1950.  Josie is an unusual character- a sad childhood but some unusual and loyal friends.

A video about the novel with an introduction by the author

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Visit Ruta Sepetys's blog

Six Months Later by Natalie D. Richards

Chloe fell asleep in study hall.  She does this sometimes (yes, she should be doing her schoolwork, but a quick nap never hurt anybody).  Next thing she knows, she wakes up and it's dark outside.  No one is in her classroom, not even her teacher.  In fact, the building is silent and dark.  Where is everyone?  Then school bad boy Adam shows up and says that she called him.  She can't imagine that.  Why would she have done that?  Why is there snow on the ground? 

Other weird things are happening too.  She has turned into a brain- big time!  She may become valedictorian.  Her grades are excellent and good colleges are recruiting her.  She has always liked Blake- he's cute, nice and an athlete and now he's her boyfriend!!

Of course, there are lots of bad changes too.  Her best friend Maggie isn't speaking to her. They've been inseparable forever. Chloe tried to explain the loss of memory to her parents but they think she is a headcase and take her to see a psychologist.  Chloe has been a little defiant in the past so the changes in her are thrilling them.  Six months have gone by and she doesn't remember a thing.

This book is excellent!  A good mystery with plenty of twists.  Chloe, Maggie, Blake and Adam are all strong characters that I really cared about- I wanted Maggie to tell Chloe what happened to their friendship.  And what's up with the "study" group?  Something is strange about it too.  Who can Chloe trust?

Shift by Jennifer Bradbury

Chris decides to go for an epic bike ride across the country with his friend Win.  They have been best friends forever and this will be their graduation gift from their parents.  Their goal?  All the way to Seattle.

Chris learns things about himself and Win along the way.  They argue a lot (sometimes even physically).  They can be self-sufficient- sleeping in their tent on fields in the middle of nowhere or a picnic table at a park.  Their muscles develop quicker than they could have believed.  At the same time, there are secrets between them.  Why does Win always claim to be broke so Chris has to pay for groceries when in reality Win is carrying around a large amount of cash?  Why doesn't he call home very often?  Why isn't he calling his uncle in Seattle about their arrival?  When the two young men have an argument and split up, Chris can't find Win in Seattle and comes home alone.

College is starting out well for Chris.  Girls seem to be impressed by his bike ride and independence.  But Win's powerful and controlling father keeps calling and asking where his son is because he never returned.  Then an FBI agent starts coming around and issuing vague (and some not so vague) threats. Did Chris do something to Win?   Everyone has questions.  Chris doesn't have any answers...

Jennifer Bradbury's website

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The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson

Joel attends a prestigious academy but he is a charity case (his father was a lowly chalkmaker and his mother cleans for the school).  He admires the rithmatists who can make chalklings come to life but didn't pass the test to become one.  The battle against the chalklings out in Nebrask is frightening as the chalklings are almost winning the battle
but it's never impacted his life- until now.  Students begin disappearing and chalklings appear to be the culprits.  The targets are rithmatists, but that's changing too.  Nothing is as it appears.  Joel doesn't trust the new teacher, but no one else seems to share his concerns.  Joel and his friend Melody decide they have to tackle this mystery with the help of their professor.  But it's a dangerous path they undertake.

This fantasy is written by well known author Brandon Sanderson.  It is very reminiscent (okay- wildly similar to) Harry Potter.  However, it is engaging with vivid characters.  Will Joel be able to become a rithmatist somehow?  Can they stop the chalklings?  Who is the villain?  Are the students alive?  The combination of fantasy, mystery and steampunk actually works well together.

Visit Brandon Sanderson's website

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I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai

This is the true story of an amazing young woman.  Her name is Malala Yousafzai and she has spent most of her life (she is 17) advocating for education. 

This is the story of Malala's long and challenging journey.  Her father had a school and believed very strongly that everyone should have an education.  Malala, her father and the rest of her family were threatened many times by the Taliban.  They took precautions and tried to be prudent, but they refused to give in to the Taliban or anyone else who tried to deny people's rights to an education.  Interviewed by television stations, writing a blog (under a pseudonym) and putting a public face on the need for women's education, Malala was very brave to be so vocal.  One day, gunmen boarded her school bus and asked for Malala by name.  She was shot in the head and was not expected to live.

The second half of the book is about her recovery and ongoing efforts to continue to advocate for education.  She has received recognition from the international community and has become an eloquent speaker at many events including at the United Nations.

The story is a little slow in some places with details about political issues in Pakistan and other areas, but overall it's a terrific biography of an amazing woman.

I raise my voice not so that I can shout but so those without a voice can be heard. Malala's organization


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Circle of Blood by Alane Ferguson

Cameron Mahoney's father is the coroner for a small town in Colorado.  Cameron helps her father out in all aspects of his work from the paperwork to the autopsies.  She frequently becomes embroiled in mysteries and in this third book of the forensic mystery series, Cameron's life becomes even more complicated by the return of her long-lost mother.  Cameron and her mother pick up a young woman hitchhiking and Cameron senses that there is something going on with the girl.  She is definitely hiding something and seems nervous.

Later on, the woman is found dead with a gun in her hand.  Was it a suicide?  Was Cameron's mother involved in some way?  Or is there something sinister happening?

This book is recommended for teens and adults who enjoy mysteries or forensics CSI type shows.   

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Cracked Up To Be by Courtney Summers

Parker Fadley went from being the girl who wanted everything to be perfect to the girl who wanted nothing to be perfect.  If anything is going well, she makes sure she ruins it.  She alienates friends, fails classes and gets caught drinking in school.  The question is why.  Why does she have to sabotage everything? 

New student Jake asks Parker for directions to class.  She is rude to him and won't help him.  When they meet again the next day, she is still nasty.  In spite of her behavior, he is intrigued by her.  He's curious about everything, and constantly questions Parker about different aspects of her life. 

Parker is also pushing ex-boyfriend Chris away too.  Chris clearly still loves her, so Parker sets him up with her enemy Becky.  Parker probably hates Becky more than anyone else at school.  Becky has terrific grades, good behavior and she is now the captain of the Cheerleading Squad.  Yes, Parker really hates Becky.

This book has lots of tension, some sexual situations and explicit language.  The tension of the characters who are drawn to and yet pushed away from Parker creates a strong story. 

Cracked Up To Be on Amazon