Unwind by Neal Shusterman

Imagine a world where there is no more abortion debate. Every baby gets born. The catch? Between the ages of 13 and 18, your parents or guardians can choose to unwind you. Technology has progressed to a point that "unwinds" are used for parts. Every part of them is reused for transplant surgery, to heal burn victims, to replace damaged organs and limbs. Crazy, right? But your parents would never do something like that...

That's what Conner thought too, until he found the note on his dad's desk. So he had gotten in a few fights at school, and he wasn't getting along with his family like he used to...but this? He and his girlfriend are going to run away before it happens, until she decides to stay. He's on his own. It's illegal for unwinds to run, and if he's caught, he'll be sent to harvest. His only hope is to stay hidden until he turns 18, after that he may face prison, but at least he'll be alive.

Risa is so nervous, she knows that so much is riding on this piano recital. She has practiced so hard, and even though her piece is difficult, she is confident she can pull it off. If she can just show them how talented she is, maybe she stands a chance. "Wards" - wards of the state - are always facing the possibility of unwinding. Risa's always been a good kid, but not the best. She's talented, but not a prodigy. In the end, it's not enough. "Budget cuts," they say...how can her life be dependent on a budget? She has no choice, and she's on her way to the harvest camp.

Lev's family believes in self-sacrifice. They believe in giving their all to God. They believe that tithing shouldn't stop with money, but that they should do their part to contribute to the life saving measures in place for victims of disease and disaster. That's why Lev's celebrating...this is his Tithing Party. Tomorrow, he will go to the harvest camp as an example of God's love and sacrifice. He's grown up knowing this, and he has made his peace with it. His oldest brother is less accepting, but Lev knows this is the right thing. He's on his way to harvest camp, too...

Suddenly, Connor makes a hasty appearance into the others' lives. He causes a wreck to the transport bus that Risa is on, and grabs Lev on a whim. Risa follows thinking this may be her only chance for escape. Can this mismatched group ever find a common ground? Will they be able to find safety?

A powerful idea, built into a powerful story. Regardless of your opinion on the topic of abortion, it forces you to think about your own beliefs. At times, it may have seemed a little over the top, but then again...so are teenagers. Rumors are that Schusterman is hoping to sell the story to Hollywood.

"'With the war getting worse,' says the Admiral, "we brokered a peace by bringing both sides to the table. Then we proposed the idea of unwinding, which would terminate unwanteds without actually ending their lives. We thought it would shock both sides into actually seeing reason - that they would stare at each other across the table and someone would blink. But nobody blinked,'" (Schusterman pg. 224, 2007).

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:
Everlost by Neal Schusterman (Skinjacker Trilogy, Book 1) 
The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson
Uglies by Scott Westerfeld (Uglies series, Book 1)

Schusterman, Neal. (2007). Unwind. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness (Chaos Walking, Book 1)

Todd lives on New World, a relatively recently colonized planet which his family chose over the chaos of the old planet...not that he knows much about his family, since his parents died shortly after he was born. Prentisstown is far from peaceful, since the whole town was infected by the Noise germ...which makes it so your thoughts can be heard by everyone around, even those thoughts you don't want anyone else to know. Another fun development is that animals can talk and hear Noise too, which isn't quite as great as you might think.

Prentisstown is the last civilization left on New World, and it's slowly dying because all the women were wiped out by the Spackle in the war. Their Noise germ killed all the women, and Todd is the youngest boy left. In less than a month, he will turn 13, and become a man...the last man. He was raised by Ben and Cillian, and was taught how to farm. The Mayor abolished books, and school, and most kinds of education because he decided it led to impure thoughts...mostly influenced by Aaron, the holy man of the town (who is pretty crazy, if you ask Todd).

One day, Todd is out in the swamp trying to get a little peace, away from all the Noise. He and his dog Manchee run into Aaron, never a pleasant encounter, but they also encounter something new - silence. A being without Noise...could it be the Spackle, back to attack again? But no...it's a girl! Todd has never seen a female before, only pictures of them in other men's Noise, but he is sure that is what she must be.

Returning to the village, he tells Ben, who reacts by telling him he has to get out of town NOW. His bag has already been packed, and a map drawn...he is to head for the nearest settlement, but there isn't another settlement, is there? Not to mention that Todd can't really read, so a map isn't going to do much good. But Ben gives it to him with a notebook of his mother's, and so he takes it, flabbergasted, and goes. He is beginning to doubt things he always believed in. On his way, he encounters the girl and tries to talk to her with no success. Out of nowhere, Aaron shows up again, trying to harm the girl. Armed with Ben's knife, Todd lashes out, ready to kill him, ready to save her and himself, and escape the horror of Prentisstown...but he can't do it.

The two escape, and make their way to the next settlement, which does exist...and which is full of women AND men! More and more of his understanding of life is being tested, as it turns out the Spackle did not kill the women with their germ. So what happened to the Prentisstown women?

Todd and the girl (Viola) are still being pursued, and must follow the path to Haven in an attempt to find refuge and someone who can protect them. The men of Prentisstown are not who they have seemed all this time, and Todd can't really believe what he is being told. Their journey is full of hard choices, hard life lessons, learning to trust, and doing what is right in the face of what may be the smarter choice. Full of action, loyalty, and overcoming unbelieveable odds, along with a really cool concept: what would someone else hear in your Noise?

"There are a hundred Aarons at a hundred different places, all standing round me. There are Violas, too, frightened and looking to me for help, and Spackles with my knife sticking outta their chests and they're all talking at once, all talking to me in a roar of voices. 'Coward,' they're saying. All of 'em. 'Coward' over and over again. cowardcowardcowardcowardcowardcowardcoward
But I wouldn't be a Prentisstown boy if I couldn't ignore Noise. cowardcowardcowardcowardcowardcoward," (Ness pg. 326, 2008).

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:
The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness (Chaos Walking, Book 2)
The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey
The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Ness, Patrick. (2008). The Knife of Never Letting Go. Sommerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

Reckless by Cornelia Funke

December is Best of...
So I was going to do some of the best books of 2010, but I fell in love with Summerland (and was shocked I had never read it before), and felt the need to include it. The rest are new titles from 2010, including a new author. There are adventures, action, romance, magic, and grief...a little bit like my 2010. What were some of your favorites from this year?

Jacob Reckless is lost after his father disappears. He doesn't understand why his father would leave, and frequently visits his study, full of his father's things. One night, he is drawn to a mirror that hangs there, with an inscription that reads “the mirror will open only for he who cannot see himself.” He discovers the mirror's secret, and enters the Mirrorworld.

It's a magical land, filled with fairy tales come to life, witches, dwarfs, goblins. Jacob is enchanted with the world, and spends more and more time there. He leaves behind his mother, and his brother Will, whose devotion to his brother is unflagging. Over the years, Jacob spends less and less time in our world, choosing instead to live his life inside the mirror. He befriends a shapeshifting girl-fox, whose enchanted dress allows her to shift between human and fox. He works for an abusive treasure hunter, and gains favor with the Empress. He watches as the humans begin to lose the war to the Goyl, the warriors made of stone, after a spell from the Black Fairy begins to turn human soldiers into Goyl.

It is this last development which causes him the most pain. One day, shortly after his mother's death, Jacob brings Will into the Mirrorworld...and Will falls victim to the Goyl curse. Will's girlfriend follow him into the mirror as well, and soon the four of them - Jacob, Fox, Will, and Clara - are off searching for a cure to save Will, whose skin is slowly, unmistakably becoming jade.

Jacob knows there is no known cure for the Goyl curse, but he is determined to make up for his mistake in allowing Will to enter the mirror. They brave the Gingerbread House, and the Tailor, the Enchanted Forest, and Sleeping Beauty's Castle. They enter the realm of the fairies, and the Goyl fortress, they sneak into the Empress's castle...all looking for a cure.

Meanwhile, the king of the Goyl Kami'en searches for the jade Goyl...the legend says that he who possesses the jade Goyl will be invincible. Can Jacob find a cure before the Goyl find Will? Is there even a cure possible?

This is a masterful blend of fairy tales and modern fantasy, with Funke's traditionally enchanting writing. Each chapter opens with a illustration, and each character draws you in. Highly recommended for middle school through high school.

"Clara's scent was the same one Fox smelled on herself whenever she lost her fur. Girl. Woman. So much more vulnerable. Strong and yet weak. A heart that knew no armor. The scent told Fox all about the things she feared and from which the fur proteced her. Clara's hasty steps wrote them onto the dark soil, and Fox didn't need her nose to know why Clara was running. She herself had tried to run from pain before," (Funke pg. 136, 2010).

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
Incarceron by Catherine Fisher
The Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman

Funke, Cornelia. (2010). Reckless. New York, NY: Little, Brown.

Summerland by Michael Chabon

Ethan Feld hates baseball. He isn't any good, and he wants to quit. He tries to explain to his father...but his dad and his best friend, Jennifer T., both say he can't quit right before a game. So he goes, and Ruth's Fluff and Fold's Roosters lose another one...

On the way to the game, he could have sworn he saw a bush baby. Of course, the chances of a bush baby being in Clam Island, Washington are nearly impossible. It turns out, what he saw was a werefox named Cutbelly. Ethan has been recruited by Chiron "Ringfinger" Brown to be a hero. He learns that there are, in fact, four worlds. Our world (the Middling), the Summerlands, the Winterlands, and the Gleaming...which is lost. Cutbelly takes him to the Summerlands (well, the other Summerlands) to meet the ferishers of the Boar Tooth Mob (they don't like to be called fairies) because Coyote has decided to bring about the end of the world, or Ragged Rock (aka Ragnarok), and they need Ethan's help.

Ethan's just a kid, what can he do? He isn't even good at baseball! "Ringfinger" suggests he give up the outfield, and try catching...and suggests that Jennifer T. try pitching. Somewhat overwhelmed by this new revelation, the two kids decide to give it a try, with surprising success. While they prepare to enter the Summerlands, and take on Coyote, tragedy strikes. The Boar Tooth Mob are attacked by Coyote, leaving only their leader Cinquefoil behind, and Cutbelly and Ethan's dad are kidnapped. Not knowing what else to do, Ethan and Jennifer T. decide to bring their friend Thor along, to act as a Shadowtail that can help them cross between worlds. Using Cinquefoil's 'grammar' (ferisher for magic), they fix up Mr. Feld's old stationwagon and the balloon from his Zeppelina (his prototype for "the affordable family airship") into a flying contraption to take them on their long journey.

They embark, picking up friends and having adventures along the way. After a few stops, it becomes apparent that they will have to play baseball to get to the Winterlands to stop Coyote. Their team is a bit ragtag, including Ethan, Jennifer T., Thor, Cinquefoil, Taffy (a sasquatch), Grimalkin John (a minature giant), Pettipaw (a wererat), and Spider Rose (a ferisher from the Dandelion Hill Mob). They even recruit a real MLB player, Rodrigo Buendia, to be their ninth man.

Meanwhile, in the Winterlands, Coyote has tricked Mr. Feld into adapting his Zeppelina design to use as a way to poison the Lodgepole, the Great Tree of the Worlds. Mr. Feld saves Cutbelly from certain death, but starts to lose himself as he works to help Coyote. Can Ethan find him in time, and stop Coyote from destroying the worlds?

This story, written by Pulizer-prize winning author Michael Chabon, weaves together multiple mythologies and creates a world akin to Harry Potter's by building something new from old stories. The book is a daunting 500 pages, but I rarely got bored, and I don't even like baseball. Highly recommended for baseball/fantasy fans of all ages. I also recommend the audio version, read by the author.

"Some things that are invisible and untouchable can nevertheless be seen and felt." (Chabon, 2002).

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:
The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon (YA/Adult crossover)
Nation by Terry Prachett
Un Lun Dun by China Mieville

Chabon, Michael. (2002). Summerland. New York, NY: Hyperion Books.
Chabon, Michael. (2002). Summerland [audiobook]. Minneapolis, MN: HighBridge Co.

The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson

What is life without Bailey? That's the question that Lennie keeps asking herself. Now that her sister is dead, how can life keep going?

A freak heart problem caused her sister to drop dead at 18, leaving Lennie, Gram, and Big (Lennie's uncle) all alone. Also in the "left behind" category is Toby, Bailey's boyfriend. He spends a good amount of time over at the house, and it seems like he's the only one that understands what Lennie is going through. Her best friend Sarah doesn't get it, none of the kids as school know what to say, and she doesn't want to talk about it anyway.

One of the ways she deals with it, is by writing poems to Bailey on any scrap she can find: used coffee cups, backs of receipts, the bottom of her shoe, branches of trees...peppered throughout the text are excerpts of her poetry; remembered conversations with her sister, observations on her thoughts, or questions she'll never get to ask again.

Lennie refuses to pack up any of Bailey's things. As they shared a bedroom, she likes being surrounded by the feel of her sister, the smell of her clothes, her perfume, her clutter...she even refuses to do the laundry. In an attempt to bring her out of her shell, Gram invites Toby over. The two of them collide in their grief...their proximity enough to resurrect Bailey for a few minutes, and at the time it feels so right...but afterwards, she can't believe her own actions.

Finally back at school, all the buzz is about the new boy, Joe Fontaine - hottie horn player, and general musical genius - definitely swoon worthy. Sarah is all over Lennie to hang out, to talk, to gush about boys, and Lennie just can't handle it. She starts eating lunch in a tree outside the school, only to be found by none other than Mr. Fontaine himself, who asks her to play a duet! Lennie turns him down, retreats to The Sanctum (her room), and tries to find Bailey in the emptiness.

Her grief is overwhelming, and it seems she may never find a way out. When school lets out for the summer, she begins her routine of jobs, but continues to hide out at home. Every morning, Joe comes by and joins Gram, Big, and Lennie for breakfast...something that wins over them all, and even entices her to play with him: he on guitar, she on clarinet. A budding romance is definitely blossoming...but is she allowed to be be happy in a world without Bailey? And can she stop herself from self-destructing?

So powerful and touching, with elements of whimsy and heart-wrenching truth that anyone who has dealt with loss will understand. Who knew there were love stories that even overcome heart-break?

"When I'm with him,
there is someone with me
in my house of grief,
someone who knows
its architecture as I do,
who can walk with me,
from room to sorrowful room,
making the whole rambling structure
of wind and emptiness
not quite as scary, as lonely
as it was before," (Nelson pg. 80, 2010).

*Library Link*
 
If you liked this, check out:
If I Stay by Gayle Foreman
Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
It's Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han

Nelson, Jandy. (2010). The Sky is Everywhere. New York, NY: Dial Books.

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan (The Kane Chronicles, Book 1)

Carter and his little sister Sadie have spent most of their life apart. After their mom died, Sadie went to live with her grandparents, and Carter stayed with their dad. Dr. Julius Kane is a famous Egyptologist, and Carter travels extensively with him, never staying in one spot too long.

One day a year, on Christmas, the three reunite. Dr. Kane and Carter meet Sadie at their grandparents house, and head to the British Museum...Sadie can't believe that her dad is wasting their one day together on another museum... Neither Sadie OR Carter can believe what they see when they follow their dad into the Egypt exhibit.

He seems to be chanting, and the Rosetta Stone is glowing blue! Then some ghost or demon or something rises up and locks their dad in a coffin! Then these other two people show up, and the creepy guy disappears...but Sadie and Carter have no idea what is going on! Their uncle Amos comes to pick them up, and he has a few more answers. It turns out their families are descended from the Pharaohs of ancient Egypt...and that magic really exists...and Egyptian gods are real, and their dad just woke several up and set them free. Oops? Suddenly, Sadie and Carter are expected to go to the House of Life, and learn magic, so they can save their father (who is locked in a coffin, remember)...and defeat the evil god Set, who wants to destroy the world. Also, they only have 5 days.

Luckily, they have some helpful (if somewhat unconventional) allies. Sadie's loyal cat is actually the goddess Bast, and they bring along Uncle Amos's pet baboon Khufu. They also recruit the help of Thoth, the god of knowledge, to learn how to defeat Set. They even visit the land of the Dead, and Anubis (who Sadie thinks is really hot) on their quest.

This action packed adventure has a perfect blend of mythology and modern, along with a good dose of humor, and a touch of romance. This is another gem by Riordan, and highly recommended for fans of Harry Potter or Percy Jackson.

"'Carter,' Amos said, 'the Egyptians would not have been stupid enough to believe in imaginary gods. The beings they described in their myths are very, very real. In the old days, the priests of Egypt would call upon these gods to channel their power and perform great feats. That is the origin of what we now call magic. Like many things, magic was first invented by the Egyptians. Each temple had a branch of magicians called the House of Life. Their magicians were famed throughout the ancient world,'"(Riordan pg 72, 2010).

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:
The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan (The Heroes of Olympus, Book 1)
The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott
The Cabinet of Wonders by Marie Rutkoski (The Kronos Chronicles, Book 1)

Riordan, Rick. (2010). The Red Pyramid. New York, NY: Disney/Hyperion Books.

Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (Caster Chronicles #2)

November is Not Alone
Strangely, all of the books I chose for this month included a character that was orphaned, partially orphaned, or adopted. While this factors strongly into some of their personalities, all of them have amazing powers of determination and a desire to overcome the obstacles in front of them...and of course, none of these kids are alone. They all have strong allies helping them on their paths. Remember that sometimes, it's how you deal with what you are given that helps decide who you are.

Ethan and Lena survived the Sixteenth Moon...but at what cost? Lena's Uncle Mason is dead, and Lena blames herself. She is pulling farther and farther away from Ethan, and he doesn't know how to help her. To make matters worse, there's a new song on his iPod: Seventeenth Moon. Apparently, the Caster world isn't satisfied with Lena's choice of both light and dark...and she'll have to claim herself once again.

Ethan is having a hard enough time with his own problems. His dad is coming back from the mental hospital, and Amma seems to be on edge after Macon's death. Nothing he does seems to help, and everytime he touches Lena, there's physical pain. If they aren't careful, pretty soon a fire starts...is Lena going dark?

The more Lena wants to be left alone, the more Ethan despairs at being able to help her. It isn't until cousin Ridley, the Siren, shows up that he really starts to get angry. He knows something is going on, and who's that guy Lena's with? Who is John Breed....and what is he doing with Ethan's girlfriend?

Oh yeah, Ethan's having visions again. But this time, Lena isn't sharing them. These visions are of Abraham, Macon's grandfather, or Macon himself...but something is different. People are recognizing him in his visions, Abraham calls out his name. Without Lena for support, and not knowing where to turn, he asks Marian the town librarian (quit with the jokes) and Keeper for the Lunae Libri for help. Marian thinks Ethan might be a Wayward, a mortal who is destined to show a lost Caster the way. Could it be possible?

He's working at the library for the summer, and befriends Marian's summer intern. Liv is British, and brilliant. She has a penchant for astrology, and wants Ethan to show her around town. At the State Fair, things come to a head. Lena, Ridley, and John show up and cause all kinds of trouble...and Lena gets the wrong idea about Liv. Pretty soon, things are catching on fire, and the three Casters have disappeared. Ethan doesn't know what to do. He's losing Lena.

Determined to do whatever he can for the girl he loves, he, Link, and Liv follow them into the Caster tunnels...armed with a gift from Ethan's mother Lila: a Arclight. The only thing capable of capturing an Incubus, and possibly their only weapon against the dark forces that are working against Lena. To their surprise, Ridley joins them...she knows about Lena's mother Sarafine's plan. Let's just say the news isn't good. The four of them, armed with help from some unlikely sources, set off to find Lena and John. Will they make it in time? And in one piece?

"I was still thinking about Lena, despite the deafening roar in my ears, until Link's voice was drowned out altogether, and I heard Seventeen Moons. Only now the words had changed.
Seventeen moons, seventeen turns,
Eyes so dark and bright it burns,
Time is high but one is higher,
Draws the moon into the fire...
Time is high? What did that even mean? It wasn't going to be Lena's Seventeenth Moon for eight more months. Why was time high now? And who was the one, and what was the fire?" (Garcia and Stohl pg. 76, 2010).

*Library Link*

If you liked this, check out:
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (Caster Chronicles #1)
Fallen by Lauren Kate
The Replacement by Brenna Yovanoff

Garcia, Kami and Stohl, Margaret. (2010). Beautiful Darkness. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company.