Book review: The Matched series

Another personal favorite, the Matched series by Ally Condie is a dystopian series that mixes in some romance.  It is perfect for the girl who likes both - which is why I like it.  In this series we follow a young girl Cassie as she follows her society's rules on who she will marry.  Only her match has a glitch - or does it?  This series follows the choices Cassie has to make as she struggles with allowing Society continue to make all of her life choices or to start creating her own fate.

Book Review: The Selection series

The Selection series 

by Kiera Cass

Books:

The Selection

The Elite

The One

 I am doing this whole series as one blog.  The Selection series combines two of the most popular genres:  dystopian and romance.  The series follows a young girl who has been selected to compete with 34 other girls for a chance at the prince's heart.  I do not want to give too much away, but there are love affairs and raids and everything that a good dystopian and romance novel should have.  A must read especially if you love the Matched series.  

Book Review: Fever 1793

Fever 1793

by Laurie Halse Anderson

Written as the yellow fever epidemic hits Philadelphia, then the nation's capital.  Sixteen year old Mattie Cook comes to age in this historical drama where illness and death have taken over.  Mattie faces grown up decisions as she flees the city with her elderly grandfather to escape the sickness that has caused even George Washington to relocate. 

This book is both educational and enjoyable to read.  It helps to create a picture of what it was like to live during the time of the yellow fever and shows the real life struggles of a teenager who beforehand just wants to avoid chores and make her family's quaint coffee shop the top of the line in Philadelphia.  

Other Anderson books found in the library:  Chains, Forge, Speak, Wintergirls

Book Review: Unwind

Unwind

by Neal Shusterman

The seventh grade recently received several new lit circle books a couple of months back.  I have been reading these and unfortunately have yet to post.  Without further adieu, my first book review of these books will be Unwind.  First, I must admit I LOVED this book!!  I know some think it is a little gross the thought of unwinding an individual - oh yeah, unwinding is taking a part a child piece by piece, but the child does not technically die because they are living in someone else's body.  Did I mention that before?  And that rich people can choose body parts for their own appearance?  Imagine living in a society where your parents choose whether or not to unwind you while you are a teenager.  I think we would all be in trouble.   This occurred after another Civil War that ended with the Bill of Life where a child's life from its first moments cannot be ended until the age of 13.  Some families even have a child they offer as a tithe.

This leads us to this book which offers the suspense filled story of three runaway Unwinds and their path to make it until their 18th birthday.  IF you make it until then you get to live.  Will they all  make it?  You will have to read and see.


Other books in the ALMS library in the series:  UnWholly and UnSouled.

HAPPY READING!!!

Book Review: The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima

The Warrior Heir

Book One of the Heir Chronicles

To be brutally honest I read this book series out of order, BUT it does not matter.  This is something I love in book series.  This book tales the tale of a warrior, only he does not know he is a warrior.   Can you imagine not knowing you had magical powers until by accident after not taking your medicine you suddenly 

become ridiculously strong?  Then your whole world changes and you suddenly have a lot of other issues that just making it to school and practice on time.  

This book is great for readers who like adventure and fantasy, but may not necessarily like everything else that goes into a fantasy, magical setting.  

Favorite quote:  

Just remember who you are... The world will try to change you into someone else. Don't let them. That's the best advice anyone can give you.”

Recommended grades:  7-8.  

  

Author Studies for media classes

This session of media visits will focus on learning more about authors and books that sometimes go unnoticed, but are great authors and works.

Please use the below author links to find other works that you may be interested in:

Laurence Yep
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Joseph Bruchac
Dan Gutman
Nancy Farmer
Caroline B. Cooney
Alan Gratz
Frances O'Roark Dowell
Gloria Whelan
Kate DiCamillo
Lois Lowry
John Feinstein
Jerry Spinelli


Following the completion of reviewing author's slides, please complete this Brief Survey.  Your completion of this form will be your pass to search for books.



Enjoy!