Unwind

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

In a society where unwanted teens are salvaged for their body parts, three runaways fight the system that would 'unwind' them. There's Connor, the badboy troublemaker who constantly gets into fights and causes his parents much suffering, Lev, the 'tithe', a human sacrifice to God, who's been prepared his entire life for his unwinding, and Risa, the pianist from an orphanage who's being unwound to cut costs and downsize. They must fight for their lives until their eighteenth birthday, or risk being unwound, a fate worse than death itself.

Violence: It's not actually as violent as it sounds. In the beginning of the book, Connor causes a major car crash and kidnaps Lev to escape from Juvie Cops, who are chasing him to bring him to be unwound. Police fire tranquilizer darts at will. There are Clappers:terrorists who blow things up by clapping, which ignites explosive substances that have been injected into their blood. Pg-13

Language: pg, there's nothing really bad in it.

Sexual Content: Not that much. It's suprisingly liberal about teen pregnancies, though. There's this one scene where the gang has to get on a bus to a school, and there's a teen mother with her baby on the bus. Schools have nurseries and allow mothers to nurse during school.

I think Unwind is my new favorite book. I had read other books by Neal Shusterman, and I had loved them, but this one takes the cake! It's awesome. I'm at a lack of words with how to describe the sheer awesomeness of this book. You honestly just have to take my word and read it. If you loved the Hunger Games, I'm sure you'd like this book.

The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Eight Grade Bites

The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod: Eight Grade Bites

By: Heather Brewer

If you're a fan of vampires, but not a big fan of Twilight, or other similarly-styled vampire novels, then you're sure to be a fan of Eight Grade Bites, book one of the Chronicles of Vladimir Tod. Told from the perspective of thirteen-year-old Vlad, he has to control his vampire urges all while dealing with the challenges of coping with the tragic death of his parents, a major crush, bullies, eight grade in general, a substitute teacher who may or may not know his secret, and may or may not be plotting to kill him and Nelly, his mother's best friend, and now his legal guardian, and being hunted by the head of a vampire city known as Elysia for crimes his father committed.

Violence: Not much. A lot of talk about blood though (vampire, duh). There's also bullying, and a small fight at the end that consists of a man getting a hole blown through his chest with a magical vampire-slaying device. So, about PG.

Language: Pretty clean, actually. No curse words that I can remember reading.

Sexual Content:Mostly none. Vlad's best friend, Henry, talks a lot about who in the school makes out the best.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars. It's a good book, really funny, has a great start, and flows really well, but it's lacking in the action that most would expect from a vampire novel.

I personally loved this book. I could not put it down, not even to sleep. It's an easy read, and I finished it in about a day, so those people who like easier books would love this. It had me biting down on my hands to keep from bursting out laughing in class it was that funny. The only drawbacks are that in some parts of the book, your attention can wander,but that doesn't mean it's a boring book, because it's not, and, like I said earlier, it's kind of lacking in action until the last three or so chapters.

Excerpt:

"A tree branch slapped John Craig across the face, scraping his skin, but he kept on running and ignored the stabbing of pine needles on his bare feet. He could hear the man’s footsteps behind him, echoing his own. The man was getting closer.

A fallen branch grabbed John’s ankle and he fell forward. Time slowed to a crawl as his face neared the leaf-covered ground. Cold air whipped across his skin. His heart drummed in his ears. The man’s pace quickened and just as John’s cheek smacked against the earth, the stranger grabbed a fistful of John’s hair and pulled his head back. John screeched, "What do you want from me?" but his attacker didn’t answer.

John swung his arms behind him to knock the man down, but his hands were caught effortlessly in the air and bound behind him. A hand, gloved in shiny black leather, entered his field of vision, clutching a torn page from the Bathory Gazette. John’s head jerked back as the man gave his hair a violent tug and growled, "Where is he?"

At the center of the paper was the grainy image of a thirteen-year-old boy John knew well. The boy was surrounded by several of his peers and a teacher, but looked nervous, awkward. At the bottom of the photo, it read, "Left to right: Kelly Anbrock, Carrie Anderson, Henry McMillan, Jonathan Craig, Vladimir Tod, Edgar Poe, Mike Brennan." At the top was a bold title: Debate Team Sure to Win at Regionals!

Tears coated John’s cheeks and he shook his head, refusing to answer.

Something warm and slick ran down John’s forehead. Through red tinted glass, he looked at the forest around them. He screamed for help until his lungs burned, but help wouldn’t come. "Where’s the boy? Where’s Vlad?"

John wriggled. The man’s face was near his. Cold breath beat down on the back of his neck and something sharp grazed against his skin.

"Tell me or die."

John opened his mouth to speak, but it was too late for lies. The man bit down. Fangs popped through John’s skin, cutting deep into his neck."

-Itchakomi Moss

Ghosts of War

Ghosts of War

By: Ryan Smithson

Summer Reading 2011 (SR2011)

Ghosts of War is the true story of Ryan Smithson, the story of his beginning, his basic training, his year in Irag, and his life in America after his return. It tells the story of why he went to Iraq, why he felt he was needed there. I believe the quote on the front cover, and in the book, sums it up; "If I don't do something, who will?"

I read this book for two reasons: one, to review it for the blog, and two, because I wanted to see if this true telling of war, and death, could faze myself from joining the military. It has only confirmed what I want to do. This story was gruesome, overwhelming, and heartbreaking, yet inspiring, and informative all at the same time. If you want to join the military, I recommend you read this book, it will test you on whether or not you belong there.

Rating: 5/5

Violence: PG-13, for a story about a war zone, it's surprisingly not very violent

Sexual Content: PG, nothing except kisses

Languuage: R, every word is said that I know of

~Katie

Shiver

Shiver

By: Maggie Stiefvater

Summer Reading (SR2011)

When Grace was young, she was kidnapped by wolves, because they were short on food, and wanted to eat her. But there was one wolf that didn't want to eat her, the wolf was black, with mysterious golden eyes. Grace was rescued, but since then she's been obsessed by wolves.

Sam is a mysterious person, he lives two different lives, one as a wolf with gold eyes, the other as a human with the same eyes. He's been obsessed with Grace ever since he saved her all those years ago. Grace and Sam finally meet, and Grace knows its her special wolf. But Sam is a werewolf, and he must fight to prevent his final transformation into permanent wolf.

I loved this book because its was very mysterious and suspensfull. This book is awsome if you enjoy going to a different world and becoming part of it. This is book is worth staying up all night to finish it just to see what happens to Grace and Sam!

Rating: 5/5

Violence: PG-13

Sexual Content: PG-13

Language: PG

This review was sent to me by Katie Fee

Warriors Don't Cry

Warriors Don't Cry

By: Melba Patillo Beals

Summer Reading 2011 (SR2011)

Warriors Don't Cry, is the story of 9 African-American students trying to integrate Central High School of Little Rock, Arkansas. The author, Melba Patillo Beals, is one of the nine, and the story is told from her point of view.

Integration talks begin when Melba is twelve-years-old, and Melba, along with sixteen other kids volunteer to be the first African-American students to step foot in Central High School. The first day, September 3, 1957, they are met by a mob, and the Arkansas National Guard, sent by the governor to prevent the African-American students from entering the building. They are forced to return home, and remain there until September 23, 1957, when they finally are able to enter the school, with help from the 101st Airborne Division. But despite the fact that each student had their own "bodyguard", torments from the white kids rained on. The guards are eventually removed, and Melba and the other students are forced to endure on their own. Lives are threatened, and Melba can't hang out with any of her friends from her old school, because they are afraid she will get them killed. The hardships pull Melba to the brink of giving up, but with the help of her grandmother's encouragement, her family and some friends, Melba survives, and finishes the year out.

This book was very enlightening, inspiring, and it opened my eyes to how cruel people were back then. I can't think of any other words to describe this book, I mean it was sad, that the nine African-Americans had to deal with such cruelty just because they wanted to go to a good school. But it was awesome, and truly inspiring how they had the courage to stand the beatings, and the torments the whole year.

Rating: 5/5

Violence: PG-13, its cruel, but not overly graphic

Sexual Content: PG-13 or R?? Not sure really, there's talk of rape, the mom is sexually harassed, and other things, but nothing worse than what was mentioned above

Language: PG-13 I'm gonna say, though I don't quite remember

~Katie

The Amulet of Samarkand

The Bartimaeus Trilogy

Book One: The Amulet of Samarkand

By: Jonathan Stroud

Summer Reading 2011 (SR2011)

The Amulet of Samarkand, is about a boy named Nathaniel, an 11-year-old apprentice to a magician named Arthur Underwood. Nathaniel was bought from his parents, at the age of five, and commanded to forget everything from his old life, including his birth name. He spent his years learning the ways of magic, learning summoning demons, and learning how to avoid their tricks. Never did he actually summon one, and he never had the desire to, until he meets Mr. Lovelace, magician extraordinaire, and is humiliated by him in front of his master, and other magicians. That day, he stepped up his training, learning on his own, with revenge his whole goal in this. But mastering the spell to call up one of the greatest demons of all time, Bartimaeus, and dealing with the demon, are two totally different thing entirely. One question is in your mind the whole book, can Nathaniel and Bartimaeus survive an adventure, without killing one another?

This book was amazing! I definitely could not put it down. I had it with me in the car, outside, and inside until I finished it. Its a page turner without a doubt! Set in modern day London, and it gives you Nathaniel, and Bartimaeus' point of views. It also has footnotes from Bartimaeus, explaining what is happening, and giving you insight as to what a certain magical object is.

Rating: 4.75/5

Violence: PG-13, there's talking from Bartimaeus on how he'd kill certain people, and fights

Romance: G, none really

Language: PG, none that I remember

~Katie

The Enclave

The Enclave

By: Ann Aguirre

This book is about a post apocalyptic world, where all of the sane people live below ground, away from the "harmful sun and rain" that will burn your skin off, and leave nothing more than bones, and you are lucky to live to 25. Rigid rules surround the "enclaves" where the people live: you only have a name if you live to 15, when you reach 15 you are either a Breeder, a Builder, or a Hunter, any artifacts from the old world must be turned in, otherwise you are banished from the enclave, and are left to fend for yourself - and to battle the Freaks. The Freaks are mindless, ferocious monsters, and if one of them dies, they are eaten by another Freak. But suddenly the Freaks are developing cunning, and strategies never seen before by the enclaves. Deuce and Fade, the main characters, investigate, and try to warn the elders of the enclave of this, but to no avail. Suddenly a turn of events sends Deuce and Fade topside, where all of the things Deuce has been taught are contradicted. Perceptions change, and Deuce tries to absorb that all she's ever known, is lost...

Rating: 4/5 Violence: PG-13, Nothing really graphic, but Deuce and Fade are Hunters, and they have to protect themselves Sexual Content: PG-13, a few kisses, and there are some discussions about sex, but nothing really big Language: G none whatsoever

This was actually a better book than I thought it was going to be. When I bought the book, it had "recommended for people who like the Hunger Games" I haven't read the Huger Games yet, because I heard its a sad book, so I was like, 'No, this is gonna be a bad book, because it said that. But I read it anyways, and I liked it. Its not at all sad, and was definitely well written. Not enough to keep you on the edge of your seat, and reading until 4 am, but pretty good. I will say that I can't wait for the sequel!!

~Katie

Twilight

Twilight

By: Stephanie Myers

So it was what, probably the hottest book out there last year. It was a pretty good book I'll have to admit. I do recomend this to you if you enjoy vampires, Pride & Prejudice. This is Stephanie Meyer's version of Pride & Prejudice, and I much prefer this version. Just remember, there is only one Edward for all of us, and we need to wait for him, no matter how much we hate to.
Rating: 3.5/5

Language:PG-13, nothing too strong

Sexual Content: A kiss every now and then, nothing more

Violence: PG-13, there's a battle, and a couple killings, and one more at the end of the book

Excerpt taken from the back of the Twilight Book.

About three things I was absolutely positive

First, Edward was a vampire.

Second, there was a part of him–and I didn’t know how dominant that part might be–that thirsted for my blood.

And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.

Isabella Swan's move to Forks, a small, perpetually rainy town in Washington, could have been the most boring move she ever made. But once she meets the mysterious and alluring Edward Cullen, Isabella's life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. Up until now, Edward has managed to keep his vampire identity a secret in the small community he lives in, but now nobody is safe, especially Isabella, the person Edward holds most dear.

Want to write on here??

Want to write on here?? If so, send me an email @ tigergirl813@gmail.com. If you don't want to write full time, but you just read this book you loved to death, feel free to send a review to me in an email, and I'll get it posted on here, with credit given to you, as you specify.
~Katie

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games

By: Suzanne Collins

Summer Reading 2011(SR2011)

Could you survive on your own in the wild, with everyone out to make sure you don't live to see the morning? Winning means fame and fortune. Loosing means certain death.

For Sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen, the end of her life has surely came-the Hunger Games, where two 'tributes', a boy and a girl from each of the twelve districts fight to the death until only one stands, aired on live television for all of the districts entertainment. Katniss has been expecting this though, especially since her name has been entered to participate in the games ever since she was twelve, on more than one occasion. But what she didn't expect was for her twelve year old sister, Prim to be chosen, since it was only her first time entering. So she does what anyone else has rarely done-volunteer to take her place. When she finds out her partner for the games is a boy who saved her family's life when she was young, she is torn between befriending him or alienating him, because either way one of them will have to die. Now that her only options are fight or flight, Katniss must do whatever it takes to win the games and return home to her sister and her mother. The Hunger Games have began.

Violence-A LOT. They are fighting to the death after all. Really not for the squeamish. PG-13

Language-For a very violent book, it's surprisingly child-friendly.

Sexual Content-There's like none. Except for a few kisses, but that doesn't really count....

Rating-5 out of 5 stars

The only reason I read this book was because everyone else was reading it. People kept telling me how good it was and that I needed to read it, so reluctantly (it didn't sound like what I typically read) I checked it out and started reading it. About 10 pages into the book, i fell in love with it. I could not put it down, literally. No matter where I was, walking up the stairs, in the car, watching TV, I read it whenever I could. So if you haven't read it, I recommend you do. Now in the process of becoming a major motion picture!

-Itchakomi

Hold Still

Hold Still

By:Nina LaCour

Hold Still, is one of the South Carolina Young Adult Book Nominees. It's is a book about a girl named Caitlin, who is struggling to recover losing her best friend, Ingrid, to suicide. She find's Ingrid's journal, and she reads it everyday. She doesn't realize it at first, but Ingrid's journal, full of notes to other people, telling them she thinks she's ugly, she's not worth anything, slowly, somehow gives her hope to overcome the loss. I will warn you, its a book that will make you cry. Normally I don't like these kinds of books, but this one opened my eyes to a suicide minded girl's view on life. I don't know how else to express it. But if you really hate books that make you cry, stay away.

Rating: 4.5/5

Violence: PG-13 - Ingrid cuts herself a lot

Language: R, its not every other word, but it is in there

Sexual Content: Nothing too graphic, Ingrid writes about her first time, and Caitlin makes out with a guy

Truthfully, when I first picked this up, and read the excerpt on the back, it really didn't seem all that great. But I picked it up anyways, and I loved it. It's really sad, but all in all, I'm happy I picked it up. It really showed me a different perspective, and that's why I read books, to get another person's perspective, whether it be fictional or not. Hope you pick this book up, and enjoy it, and get out what I got out of it!

~Katie

The Sea of Monsters

The Sea of Monsters

By: Rick Riordan

Summer Reading 2011(SR2011)

In The Sea of Monsters, the second installment of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, young Perceus (Percy), son of Poseidon, must leave on a dangerous quest with Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena, and Tyson, the homeless student from Percy's prepschool (which Percy gets in some serious trouble at when a group of giants crash their dogeball game), who turns out to be more than just your average homeless kid. The magical tree that protects Camp Half-Blood, where half human sons and daughters of different gods live, has been poisoned, so they must find the Golden Fleece and bring it back to camp to put the magical protection from monsters and demons up. During their journey they face many obstacles like having to go rescue their half goat/half human friend, Grover, from the cave of a cyclops before he is forced to marry him (it's not what you think!), being on a boat with the ghosts of Confederate soldiers, and getting turned into Guinea Pigs.

Violence- Demigod sword fights, battles with boats, and fireball throwing. All in a day's work, so PG.

Sexual Content-none. They're like 13...

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

One of the reasons I loved this book was that it's so funny! The chapter titles are extremely clever. When you read them you're like, 'Wait, what', but as soon as you read the chapter you'll be like, 'Oh I get it'! People of all ages will love these books. I know an adult who just finished the series and loved it so much she went and bought his other two series (One of which, The Heroes of Olympus, is a continuation of the Percy Jackson Series). The only warning I have for you is if you're going to watch the movie, watch it before you read the books or else you'll be upset.

**Excerpt**

"I'm suprised the Laistrygonians had the guts to attack you with him around."

Tyson seemed fascinated by Annabeth's blond hair. He tried to touch it, but she smacked his hand away.

"Annabeth," I said, "what are you talking about? Laistry-what?"

"Laistrygonians. The monsters in the gym. They're a race of giant cannibals who live in the far north. Odysseus ran into them once, but I've never seen them as far south as New York before."

"Laistry-I can't even say that. What would you call the in English?"

She thought about if for a moment. "Canadians." She decided.

Wake

Wake

By: Lisa McMann

Seventeen-year-old Janie, a poor girl from the wrong side of town, dreams...a lot, but these are not your typical dreams. Whenever Janie comes within a short distance of someone who is sleeping, she is pulled into thier dreams, whether it be when she's at school, in her own home, or even while driving. And she can't control it. Then one day she's pulled into a friend's, or is he a stranger, dream, and it changes her live. For better or worse--you read and find out.

Violence-None
Sexual Content- there are some....parts during dream sequences. Yeah, you know what it is. PG-
13
I would not recommend anyone younger than fourteen read it. There's some strong language in there.
Rating-2.5 out of 5 stars.

People who like a quick read are sure to love this. It won't take you long to read at all. I started it on the ride to school and finished it about five minutes into lunch. It was very interesting, though I'm not gonna lie. It wasn't the best book. It certainly wasn't the worst book I've ever read, but not the best.

Fields of Blood

Fields of Blood
By: Eric Wilson

Judas hung himself in a place known as the Akeldama or FIELD OF BLOOD.
But what if his death didn't end his betrayal?
What if his tainted blood seeped into the earth, into burial caves, causing a counterfeit resurrection of the death?

Regina is a girl who lives in Romania. She thinks her mom, Nikki is a gruesome creep who insists on her superstitions.
But little does she know it's for a purpose.
A construction crew stumbles on something, and the undead Collectors rise, looking for one girl directly descended from the Nistarim, who were left to protect mankind after the Nazarene's crucifixion. Regina realizes that her future depends on her understanding of the past. But how can she protect herself from the Collectors who have already died, but still live??

This book was amazing, it's a journey into history (fictional of course). But it combines true Biblical and Archaeological history, and adds a tantalizing bit of fiction to draw you in. This Christian Vampire book, gets a 4/5, with a violence rating of PG-13, and an intimacy rating of.. ehh I'm going to say PG-13, but there's no going into details or anything. And there's a undead prostitute who tries, and eventually seduces someone.
Hmm, what else can I say, other than I can't wait to get my hands on books 2&3!!!
~Katie

Black

The Circle

Black

By: Ted Dekker

Summer Reading 2011 (SR2011)

Black is a part of The Circle series, which has four books in it. Black, Red, White, and Green - Black, Red, and White came out in the year 2004, and Green came out in 2009. They are of the fantasy genre, and (if I say so myself) extremely good books, and definetely well written.

[This Excerpt taken from Christian Books Website]
Fleeing assailants through alleyways in Denver late one night, Thomas Hunter narrowly escapes to the roof of an industrial building. Then a silent bullet from the night clips his head and his world goes black. Now Thomas wakes from a deep sleep, remembering the vivid dream he just had of being chased. Incredibly real. His head is even bleeding--but he's fallen on a rock. He is in a green forest, waiting to meet Rachelle, the woman he's falling madly in love with. That night, Thomas tumbles into bed and falls into a fitful sleep. He dreams. But here comes the real mind bender. Every time Thomas falls asleep in one reality, he awakes in the other. He truly no longer knows which reality is real. Each reality has dramatic impact on the other, each proves to be real, each presents huge stakes, and the fate of each will depend on one man: Thomas Hunter.

Rating: 5/5
Violence: Eh, probably PG-13
Sexual Content: None except The Great Romance

What I love about Ted Dekker, is the fact that he knows how to write a good book, and draw people into it. All of the books I've read by him, are page turners, ones you read till 4 in the morning because you're too impatient to find out what happens till morning. Seriously!! He's probably my all-time favorite Christian writer. But the best part about it, is that he writes God so amazingly, as the person who's there all the time, who's not going to leave you in an important fight! And that's what you have to remember, when you go through the trials, and the tribulations, God won't leave you!! He's right beside you, and when you fall off the thin path, He'll hold His hand out, and it will always be there to pull you back. x) God is super amazing.

~Katie

Welcome!!

Blythewood Books, is a site for students from Blythewood High School, to review the books they love, and inspire others to read! There are many different authors on here, reviewing what they like in a book. We have an author who likes chick flicks, an author who likes any kind, and an author that likes action and sci fi. Hopefully we will have more authors, and different genres, but for now these are who we have!! Spread the word around, and feel free to ask for a specific book!!!

~Katie