Unwind (Unwind 1#) By- Neal Shusterman

11# Book Review- ★★★★★ (4.5 Stars)

Unwind

By-

Neal Shusterman

‘In a perfect world everything would be either black or white, right or wrong, and everyone would know the difference. But this isn’t a perfect world. The problem is people who think it is.’

Decades after the second civil war, fought over the rights of reproduction and life, the ‘Bill of Life’ is passed. Stating that life of a born/unborn child cannot be voluntarily taken by the parent till the age of thirteen. After which a parent can choose to unwind his or her child before it reaches the age of eighteen.

“You see, a conflict always begins with an issue – a difference of opinion, an argument. But by the time it turns into a war, the issue doesn’t matter anymore, because now it’s about one thing and one thing only: how much each side hates the other.” 

What is unwinding, you ask? Pretty simple actually. Scientists have considerably improved in the fields of Biology and medicine. This process allows them to remove the different organs and body parts of the Unwind—that is, the teenager who is supposed to go through the process of Unwinding—and donate it to those who need it.

Who can be Unwounded? Anyone between the age of thirteen to eighteen actually. Just one order from the parent of the guardian and you’re done for. The Juvenile Police comes for you as soon as possible and takes you to the nearest ‘Harvest Camp’, a fancy name for a hospital facility for the Unwinds.

‘No one knows how it happens. No one knows how it’s done. The Harvesting of Unwinds is a secret medical ritual that stays within the walls of each harvesting clinic in the nation. In this way it is not unlike death itself, for no one knows what mysteries lie beyond those secret doors, either’

Fifteen year old Connor, an orphan Risa and thirteen year old Levi have one thing in common—they are being unwounded. Out on the run, away from their families and into the wild they go through a life changing adventure where danger becomes their frenemy and survival becomes their  aim.

‘Most people have two emergency modes. Fight and Flight. But Connor always knew he had three: Fight, Flight, and Screw Up Royally.’

This is their story and the story of countless teenagers who lose themselves every day to this horrendous scientific process.

 ‘Connor had known other kids at school who disappeared over the past couple of years. One day they just didn’t turn up. Teachers would say they were “gone” or “no longer enrolled”. Those were just code words, though. Everyone knew what they meant. The kids who knew them would talk about how terrible it was, and gripe about it for a day or two, and then it became old news. Unwinds didn’t go out with a bang—they didn’t even go out with a whimper. They went out with the silence of a candle flame pinched between two fingers.’

‘”Please…,” says the boy.

Please what? The teacher thinks. Please break the law? Please put myself and the school at risk? But no, that’s not it at all. What he’s really saying is: Please be a human being. With a life so full of rules and regiments, it’s so easy to forget that’s what they are. She knows—she sees—how often compassion takes a back seat to expediency.’

I personally enjoyed this books a lot. Dystopia is slowly becoming my favorite YA genre to read and this one was definitely an entertaining read. The story was a roller coaster ride, the characters were intriguing, and had substance—they weren’t flat cardboard characters but were realistic and maybe even relatable. The author did an amazing job of showcasing their fears and inner demons, portraying them as real and believable teenagers. It was refreshing.

The story was action packed and adventurous, my heart didn’t pound in my chest but it definitely was beating faster than normal. After a little while I couldn’t put this book down.

There were a bunch of unexpected twists and turns and it was just a really satisfying read. Definitely a book worth reading! I’m off to reading the other three books in this Dystology.

Until later x

After The End By- Amy Plum

8# Book Review- ★★★★★

After The End

By-

Amy Plum

Juneau lives in the Tundra region of Alaska with her clan. The post-apocalyptic life after the Nuclear World War III is a struggle. Everything in the world has been destroyed. One must live like the early man, relying solely on the Earth for survival, and one can never be too careful. One must save one’s resources and use them to the best of their abilities.

The clan however is quite skilled at doing just that. They have a deep connection the Earth—to the force of Yara (a force of nature) that allows them to perform magical feats. Seventeen year old Juneau is very skilled and on her way to becoming the Clan Sage or head.

But one fateful day changes everything.

Juneau returns from a grueling hunting trip, only to find her village destroyed and her clan missing. All she knows that a bunch of brigands in a helicopter captured her family, and now it’s up to her rescue them.

So off she goes on her mission, only to find out that everything she has ever been told has been a lie. There was never a World War III. The cities and all the people are still intact. The world is a normal functioning place.

Now out in the modern world, with no clue about it she must figure out a way to find her clan. The Yara tells her a gorgeous 18 year old boy can help her.

Miles lives in modern day LA, the son of a rich businessman. He’s tired of being a disappointment to his father and wants to do anything, absolutely anything to get into his good books. Then he learns his father is after a mysterious girl from Alaska who possessed a secret formula of a drug. And bingo! He has found a way. He decides to go search for the girl on his own, capture her and bring her to her father. Little does he know how deeply his fate is intertwined with hers and that they’re going to go on a big adventure.

“Beneath me lies a city. It is not in ruins. It isn’t decimated by war and poisoned by radiation. It is a thriving city with massive glass buildings glistening in the late-afternoon sun. This is not a postapocalyptic wasteland. Where am I? What is going on?”

“”Most people I know would have a hard time believing that you weren’t…I don’t know…crazy.”
He presses his index finger to his temple and opens his eyes wide. “Or on drugs,” he continues. “Wait, no…I have another theory. You were brainwashed by your hippie cult into thinking you have magical powers. In your head you’re like a cross between…I don’t know…Superpower-Flower-Child and Harry Potter.””

“The touch of our skin sets off a reaction in me. I am immediately awake…100 percent present. And it feels like a whirlwind of thorns is whipping around in my chest, stinging me all over from the inside. That makes it sound painful. It isn’t. It’s the kind of itching sensation that makes you want to do something crazy. That spurs you forward to act on an idea you didn’t even know was in your head.”

“Sorry I tried to impress my dad by finding her. Sorry I’ve been making fun of a brainwashed girl for a delusion she can’t help. Sorry I egged her on just to make my point.”

“In 1984, at the outset of World War III, my parents and some friends of theirs escaped from America to settle in the Alaskan wilderness.”
“There was no World War III,” I interject.
She gives me a frustrated look.
“Are you going to listen or what?”
I lean back on my elbows and listen.”

I absolutely loved this book, no questions asked. It was a very satisfying read and I finished reading this book in two sittings, only to have it end oh so abruptly. The sequel comes out in May 2015 and I can’t wait! I’d craved a Dystopian book and so, I decided to read this one. However, it turned out to be a fast paced Urban Fantasy with hints of humor and Romance.

The book kept me glued to it and I found myself reading it throughout the night. The writing style was casual and expressive. I loved the dialogue work. The chapters were fast paced, short and crisp. Now usually with the action packed books we face a problem—the books are usually plot centered and enough attention hasn’t been given to the characters, making them…flat. Not in this case! I loved the characters SO much.

Juneau is cunning and smart. She doesn’t give up easily. She’s determined and independent. She’s tough and likeable—straight to the point, never beats around the bush. But she also has a human-like vulnerability deep inside her that she seldom shows. She’s good at figuring people out.

Miles is naïve, a little spoilt and childish. He’s your typical modern day teenager—slightly lazy, takes things for granted. But somewhere deep inside, he’s just so tired of how things are. He wants to change. For once he wants to be appreciated and do something significant.

She thinks he’s a moron–a spoilt, rich brat who is good for nothing. Even a liability, at times. But she needs his presence to complete her quest. He thinks she’s absolutely nuts. Who in their right minds devours bunny rabbits after hunting them, and believes they can do magic? But he needs her to get back into his father’s good books. They both are a “means to and end” for each other. And so they stick to each other, getting on each other’s nerves. Personally, I ship them–a lot.. You’ll understand what I mean when you read the book yourself. They are so perfect for each other. And Miles is SO funny. He’s one of the primary reasons I love this book. Their incessant banter is adorable.

Also, their personalities are so contrasting but they also complement each other which is a good characteristic of a successful and spicy fictional couple, the kind you wanna read about. They take each other out of their comfort zone. Their romance is realistic. From mutual distrust to slight attraction and moderate comradeship to finally friendship. Their romance is still developing as the book ends. Which is good. I like how the author is taking her time with it and not jumping into something heated and passionate so fast.

All in all, the book was a fast and action packed with twists and turns. It was funny and entertaining and cute, in many ways. It’s not realistic, no. But what fantasy/Dystopian Novel is huh? And fantasy novels usually confuse me a lot, but this one did not, it was very understandable and the action scenes were written well, so no confusion there either.

I’m excitedly waiting for the sequel and can’t wait to know what happens further in Juneau and Miles’ adventure.

Until Later xx

Numbers By- Rachel Ward

4# Book Review ★★★★★

Numbers

By-

Rachel Ward

Do you want to read something that will blow your mind? Something that will get your heart racing, ready to kick it out of your rib-cage? Do you want to feel those butterflies in your belly due to the all the action and suspense? Then you’ve stumbled upon the right book!

Jem has a gift–more like a curse actually. If she was a living person and you met her, she wouldn’t look you in the eye; not because she’s ashamed to or anything. It’s because she doesn’t want to. Whenever she looks in someone’s eyes she sees an eight digit number–a date actually. What is that date? She finds out when her mother dies on the same date she would see everyday when she looked in her eyes. She can see the date a person will die on–she doesn’t know how that person will die but she knows that person will. Those numbers never lie.

So one day, she’s hanging out with this new boy she’s met. They’re ready to get onto the London Eye except something stops her. Everywhere Jem looks, she sees the same number in everyone’s eye–the same date–today’s date. Everyone around her is going to die today for some unknown reason. She has no idea why. So what does she do? She gets the hell outta there with her guy friend Spider (yes, that’s his name) And her life changes forever.

“He loved me and I loved him, but the number in my head was telling me that he was going to die today. And the numbers had never been wrong.”

“You get use to someone—start to like them, even—and they leave. In the end, everyone leaves.”

“And just when I thought things were starting to get better, everything had gone wrong again.”

“We all know we’re one day closer to the end when we wake up in the morning. We just kid ourselves that it’s not happening.”

The description behind the book had gotten me excited, so for the first few chapters, I kept waiting for something dramatic to happened–it didn’t. You have to be a little patient. The characters in this book are not the typical teen characters. They’re messed up, broken kids. They have a very depressing outlook of the world. So you might have to get used to that at first.

But soon after, the action begins–and it never stops. It’s so thrilling, so amazing. So many plot twists, so much action. The plot is perfect and unpredictable. The book got me hooked and I couldn’t put it down. It was a race against time.

All of you guys who want something to thrill you, to blow your mind should read this. It’s not a romantic book. There is love, but no romance so if you’re looking for something mushy, please abandon this book immediately–it’s not for you. However, if you want something to give you goosebumps and those butterflies I mentioned earlier, head to the nearest bookstore and grab a copy.

Note:- This is the first part of a trilogy, however it’s sequel and the book that follows after that does not have the same characters. I’ve read the second book and it was amazing too. You won’t regret reading this series, trust me.