Young Adult Books

Gods be feathered, how I love this book. The four-book Chanur series is one of the greatest SF epics of all time. (The fifth, Chanur's Legacy, is a fun afterthought but not as deep as the original chunk.) This first volume is a satisfying stand-alone read, but trust me, you'll want to read the rest. I always warn people not to start this series unless you have a large chunk of time set aside--even though I've reread it countless times, once I get started I still find its momentum impossible to put down.

Pride of Chanur starts with an unforgettable image--a mostly naked fugitive human writing numbers on a spaceship deck in his own blood to prove his sentience to the startled alien who has just slashed him with her claws in self-defense. From there it rolls along into an intelligent, funny, and utterly satisfying adventure. Cherryh achieves an amazing feat in telling the story entirely through alien eyes, yet still giving us completely satisfying, believable, and likable protagonists. She vividly depicts four entirely distinct and fully realized oxy-breathing species, each complete with distinct patterns of thought, traditions, and psychology, plus several other more mysterious methane-breathing species, in all their complex and troublesome interactions, plus humans (well, mostly just one) thrown precipitously into the mix. The human is the alien in this story, and we hear his perspective only through the often garbled and always incomplete computer translator, an approach which is unusually realistic (unlike so much SF where translation always works perfectly, instantly) and always leaves you curious to know more. The reversal of perspective is so convincing and complete that you'll find yourself looking at your own species' psychology as the strange one.

Plus there's the fascinating reverse-sexism of the hani, the main alien culture, which essentially follows the structure of a sentient lion pride: men are considered too volatile and unstable for everyday business, thus are kept secluded except during dynastic battles; the sensible, pragmatic females take care of commerce, law, alliances, and space-faring. (In the sequels, these beliefs get confronted and deconstructed in interesting ways.) The quintessentially feline temperament and mannerisms of the hani--vain, swaggering, hot-tempered, affectionate, physical, fierce, loyal--are convincing and irresistible, especially if you're a cat person anyway! And be warned, the pidgin and idiom the characters use for inter-species communication will completely infect your brain.

Dive right into this satisfying yarn, and know that in the next three books a far, far wilder, bigger, and more complex story will unfold...nail-biting action intertwined flawlessly with deep psychological and cultural insight, tangled intrigue, agonizing moral dilemmas, and extraordinary character transformations. Enjoy the ride!

Not many writers can do aliens as well as Cherryh -- bilateral, oxygen-breathing, most of them, but with minds and emotions and evolved biologies that are very, very different indeed from human. Pyanfar Chanur is the successful, wealthy captain of a Hani trading ship, a powerful figure in the powerful Chanur family, leading a crew composed all of family members, like all Hani ships. And then she's suddenly saddled with Tully, a refugee human escaped from the Kif, an opportunistically piratical race that evolved by blood feud. Humans are newly arrived on the edge of the space occupied by the member races of the Compact and trading rights with them will be worth a lot, but Pyanfar will have to risk everything. And the profoundly untrustworthy Kif aren't going to make things easier. Cherryh does a terrific job of gradually introducing the reader to the intricacies of the vaguely lion-like Hani society, in which females do the work and tend to the psychologically unstable, world-bound males, who are lords of the estates -- until they're challenged by younger males and finally lose. You'll come to know Pyanfar and her crew as individuals, too. The plot gallops, the characterizations are intriguing, and the dialogue is snappy. Yet the book is much denser than it appears. What more could you want -- except the three following volumes in this saga?

Yeah, this book was pretty cool. It's not quite as dense or sprawling as I've come to expect Cherryh books to be (not that that's a bad thing!), but that doesn't detract from it one bit. And this book moves, moves, moves. It's probably one of the most engrossing books I've ever read.

This is another one of Cherryh's first-contact type novels, and I think it's the thing she does best, really. It involves a lone human somehow lost in alien space who manages to sneak abord a Hani merchant ship, and how his presence upsets the delicate balance of power there. It's serious without being too oppressive, and it is without question the best of the series. I've read the other three, and really you can take those or leave them--the book is complete enough in itself. (With the others, I kind of feel myself playing the Star Trek 5/Aliens 3 game--if I didn't like it, it didn't happen. Trek 5? Nope. Went from 4 straight to 6....)

I highly reccommend this book. It's typical Cherryh, in that you'll have to wait for your gratification until the very very end--but then, it's always worth it.

After reading and enjoying Ms. Cherryh's "Cyteen" I started searching for more of her novels and decided to begin reading Chanur's Saga. "The Pride of Chanur" is its first volume.

Ms. Cherryh creates, once more, an astounding backdrop Cosmos full of intricacies, depicting the other end of the universe shown in "Cyteen".
Here she elaborates The Compact's Media where many alien races compete, trade and fight. There are oxygen breathers and methane breathers; big cat-like people and gray somber entities; aggressive races and peaceful ones; some species are deceitful and others are straight forward.
Just to make things more complex a Human show up demanding asylum from the Hani (Chanur's kind) and giving way to a feud between Hani & Kif (the bad guys of the story).

One astounding feature of the book is that the main character is Captain Pyanfar Chanur and her ethnocentric point of view is THE point of perception. All other races (including human) are strange and requires all her imagination to figure up what kind of entities they are. Are they friendly? Stable? Trustworthy? All these and many more questions she has to answer in order to survive.

The other bewildering aspect is that Hani kind is conducted by their females. Ladies are in charge of commerce, space travel, politics and any other significant activity (even war). Males are the Lords, pampered by females, sporting and hunting. Only one by Clan, he may be defied by other males (his own exiled sons are suitable) to singular combat and the winner takes all.

The novel has the typical Space Opera structure, enriched by new elements as character's depth and culture's coherence.
It is a very good sci-fi novel that will be enjoyed by fans & general public!
Reviewed by Max Yofre.

I'm currently re-reading this in it's incarnation as the first part of "The Chanur Saga" "Omnibus edition." I wanted to put a separate review here since I intend to rate that "omnibus" low simply because it's not complete. "The Pride of Chanur" is an excellent book. Written in the standard Cherryh "from the gut" manner, it grabs on to your emotions and yanks them hither and yon from the first couple of pages all the way to the end. It's one of those books where you try to read faster and faster so that you can find out what's going to happen (even after having read it several times before). The best part of the book is the fact that it's stand-alone: it finishes what it starts. The remainder of the series requires this book. But, this book doesn't require the remainder of the series (though you'll definitely want to read that). Excellent book.

Even though I am in my 60s, this book which is the third in the series I have read, is well-written and would have been wonderful had it been around when I was a teen. The book deals with the three boys who appeared in the two earlier books - and this time, it would help to have read the earlier books since then you would have some idea of the problems they had had with coming out. It deals with the radical faeries (of which I have been on the edge of), and it deals with all kinds of other issues which young people, gay and straight deal with - ageism being one of them.

I left one of the earlier book for young people in Asia and the other for young people in Africa. This one is going to other readers here in North America.

I would recommend this book for every secondary school library around the world.

This book is so good that it nearly brought tears to my eyes when I finished reading it. So much happens that I can't even explain it to you all. You have to read it. When I finally finished the second book I couldn't wait to read this one. I read it in a few hours and I seriously felt every moment of this book. It was so believable and incredibly moving and sweet. Alex Sanchez thank you for writing this wonderful series. You now have a life long fan.

I am very delighted with the book Rainbow Road by Alex Sanchez. This book is a great book for those who are going through homosexual problems. Like not knowing how to come out to your family and friends. But that was mainly covered in Rainbow High. I personally love this book. It helped me understand how life is for the people who are gay. It also taught me that homosexuals are humans with feelings and go through everything we go through and more.
This book also helped me with how to approach a homosexual or how to respond to them too. In this book the three friend encounter a lot of difficult problems. They meet a whole lot of different people. They go through many hardships and other things humans go through. At the end all ends well when the trio still end up friends even though Nelson stayed in L.A. to make a new life with his new lover Manny while Kyle and Jason closer than ever make it back to D.C. Rainbow Road is a great book with a perfect ending and I loved it.

by Carmen BLA

I am very delighted with the book Rainbow Road by Alex Sanchez. This book is a great book for those who are going through homosexual problems. Like not knowing how to come out to your family and friends. But that was mainly covered in Rainbow High. I personally love this book. It helped me understand how life is for the people who are gay. It also taught me that homosexuals are humans with feelings and go through everything we go through and more.
This book also helped me with how to approach a homosexual or how to respond to them too. In this book the three friend encounter a lot of difficult problems. They meet a whole lot of different people. They go through many hardships and other things humans go through. At the end all ends well when the trio still end up friends even though Nelson stayed in L.A. to make a new life with his new lover Manny while Kyle and Jason closer than ever make it back to D.C. Rainbow Road is a great book with a perfect ending and I loved it.

In this third installment of Sanchez's rainbow trilogy, we find Kyle, Jason, and Nelson taking a road trip across the country (from Washington, DC to Los Angeles, CA).

There definitely is something transformative about driving across the country--even more so when you don't do it alone. The excitement, the fear, the being trapped, the feeling infinite...Sanchez did a great job of capturing these emotions. The distinct personalities of Kyle, Jason, and Nelson that Sanchez has developed over the series (Rainbow Boys, Rainbow High, and here in Rainbow Road) gets the chance to unfold even more. We learn more about the characters, we get to watch them grown, and become themselves.

Nelson's utter commitment to being himself shines through.
Kyle's dedication to his friends, and his vulnerability that is matched by his sense of hope are endearing.
And Jason...his perseverance is admirable.

While I worry that the ending is a little too focused on coming out as a panacea, I do like Sanchez's emphasis on the importance of community.

A very entertaining book.

Growing up, everyone has lessons to learn. As we get older, we start to see that our parents are human beings--men and women--not just dad and mom. Thirteen-year-old Ruby Tuesday Sweet's awakening begins with the wedding of her older brother.

Sports have always been an important part of the Sweet household. Ruby Tuesday's dad, Hollis, is absolutely obsessed with the scores of the game--any game. Little does Ruby Tuesday realize that the reason Hollis is so concerned is not a simple love of competition, but a love of income: the Sweet family income. But during her brother's wedding celebration, a series of events gets the ball of awakening rolling for Ruby Tuesday and, suddenly, she is on the road with her rarely-present mother, Darlene, to hide out in Vegas with Hollis's crotchety old mother, Nana Sue. With her eyes opened wide by these two outspoken, independent women, Ruby Tuesday learns more about life--particularly her own--than she ever knew existed.

Kogler brings excitement and realism to Ruby Tuesday without crossing the line for adolescent readers. There is a lot of gambling slang used throughout the book, and readers may be rather confused by this language, just like their new friend Ruby Tuesday. But Kogler includes a glossary at the back of the book, and this will help readers decipher the "code" of the bookie-gambler world.

Fun and excitement, along with some rough awakenings for the naive-but-feisty heroine, make RUBY TUESDAY a coming-of-age eye-opener for both tweens and teens.

Reviewed by: Mechele R. Dillard

Ruby Tuesday Sweet's family has always been a little different from her classmates' families, but she never knew exactly how different. She had only a vague idea of what her father did, but now things are becoming a lot clearer. Ruby Tuesday has always known that her "Uncle" Larry, mother, grandmother, and father weren't like other people, sure, but now she knows that they're more than eccentric; they've been involved in some shady business, and now her father is in trouble following Larry's murder.

Ruby Tuesday and her mother, Daphne, skip town for a little bit until things blow over. Where do they go? To visit Ruby's grandmother, who lives with her pet iguana, 21, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Apparently, a lot of the secrets in Ruby's family go back to Las Vegas--and gambling. It's legal to gamble in Las Vegas, but Ruby's father and Larry were involved in that same business in California. Now, it's gotten them all into some hot water.

Ruby is just one of many fascinating, unusual, and well-written characters in a great novel by debut novelist Jennifer Anne Kogler. I also believe this is the first YA novel I've read taking place in Las Vegas, and that setting gives a lot to this book. Jennifer Anne Kogler has put captivating people in an enthralling location and written a funny, entertaining, original, and absorbing novel about them. It's a page-turner!

Reviewed by Jocelyn Pearce
12/20/2006

4.5-BOOKS on WUAT = 5-STARS on Amazon

Ruby Tuesday is one of those rare books that successfully voices the weirdnesses, funninesses, sadnesses, and revelations of moving from a kid world to an adult one, while managing to throw an iguana-filled Vegas adventure into the bargain. Like Roald Dahl, Jennifer Anne Kogler infuses an alternatively dark and touching humor into her novel that catches hold of both adults and kids- although Kogler's protagonist, being a bit older, speaks more to adolescent confusion than childhood rebellion.

Unlike the worlds of Harry Potter or Lemony Snickett, recent hits that also transcend the kid category, the world of Ruby Tuesday, although decidely wacky, is refreshingly and very recognizably the real world. Although Vegas glitz, grimy casino backrooms, and mafia hitmen aren't exactly part of the normal tween experience, the gritty reality of realizing that parents don't always do or say the right thing, and that sometimes it's the kid that needs to forgive, is. The best parts of the novel plunge you, right along with Ruby, into the dicey contradictions of adult relationships and the tension between doing the right thing for the wrong reasons or the wrong thing for the right ones.

And as anyone who has read the book will tell you, we're all excited to see what Ruby will do next....

Insightful, hilarious, creative... Ruby Tuesday is impossible to place into a single genre. Its also impossible to put down. Though its hero is a 13 year old girl, her context is decidely unique. A bookie father, a rock-and-roll mother, an iguana-toting grandmother, and an adventure in Las Vegas a normal adolescence does not make. With Janet Evanovich-esque humor, its hard to believe that Miss Kogler pulls off a drama amidst her comedy. I was particularly impressed by how real her characters were even in an atmosphere few of us can relate to. A great adventure, its like Finding Nemo - appeals to all ages, with smart humor and lots of heart.

A friend referred to the Sharpe series as literary opium...he may be right. They are guilty pleasures, for sure....and I worry what will happen when I have read them all.

The thing is, drug or not, Cornwell is a wonderful writer. I laughed out loud a couple of times, was riveted by a love scene, and ran to the computer to look up the actual battle and scenes described. Great stuff.

And then I had the misfortune to read the new McMurtry novel....

"Sharpe's Sword" is a decent entry into the Sharpe series, but I happen to tend to prefer the Sharpe adventures that are primarily military rather than the ones with espionage plots. And, for my taste, "Sharpe's Sword" is a bit heavy on the spy angle and a hair light on the battles. But the book's action scenes, while failing to rival those in, say, "Sharpe's Rifles," "Sharpe's Eagle" or "Sharpe's Company," are still pretty satisfying. "Sharpe's Sword" is far from the weakest of the generally very strong Sharpe series (of the ones that I've read so far, I'd say that "Sharpe's Prey" my least favorite), but it doesn't quite rank among the very best, either.

I've been reading through the entire series chronologically and up until now i've been hard pressed to pick a favorite. After reading Sharpe's Sword however i have a clear choice.

In Sharpe's Sword, Cornwell gives the reader his true best - putting together a plot so interesting that one can even claim that in this novel it trumps his ability at "battlefield writing" where i believe Cornwell is the best living author- and that's saying something.

If you want a good introduction to cornwell's writing ability and you don't mind starting most of the way through a series i highly recommend Sharpe's Sword.

This is another entry on the Sharpe series. It is fun, entertaining and very readable. Cornwell's research is as excellent as usual. He takes some licenses for the shake of the story and continuity, but this is OK. Some people are outraged by the portrait of some of the real historical characters, but historical characters are rarely depicted accurately in historical fiction, so I think this can be forgiven. Besides, usually a more serious account of these characters is given at the end of the book on the Historical Note.

Many people insist in compare this series with Patrick O'Brian's Master and Commander. I don't think this is fair for any of the series, they are different entities. What they have in common is that once you start you may get hooked and devour one book after another...

And in the literary world today that is a rare and marvelous thing.

Bernard Cornwell's Richard Sharpe series is one of the most beloved collective works in the sub-genre of historical fiction. Spanning over twenty novels (and counting!), Cornwell has treated his readers with thrilling battlefield and bedroom exploits from Flanders to India to Spain and France. While the novels have a definitive formula, they never grow stale.

"Sharpe's Sword" is among the best of the Sharpe novels. Sharpe is a captain of the 95th Rifles, attached to the South Essex regiment as a light company. As fans of the series know, Sharpe has made himself indispensable to the British army (including his patron, Lord Wellington) by being the most lethal rogue in an army full of cut-throats and vagabonds. But in "Sharpe's Sword," Cornwell has created a foe worthy of Sharpe - the French spy-hunter Leroux, a lethal aristocrat whose charge from Napoleon is to topple the British spy network.

Leroux is captured by Sharpe early in the novel, but takes advantage of a foolish British officer's notion of "parole" (in which a captured officer may keep his weapons and freedom if he gives his sworn statement that he will not try to escape). Acting quickly, Leroux murders his way back to freedom, but in doing so he earns Sharpe's undying hatred . . . and envy. Sharpe hates him for being a backstabbing liar, but Sharpe envies him because Leroux has the most magnificent sword Sharpe has ever seen, and Sharpe wants it.

And so Sharpe and Leroux are caught in a duel to the death while the French and British armies slug it out in the gorgeous city of Salamanca and also on the plains of Spain. "Sharpe's Sword" has it all - humor, romance, intrigue, friendship, betrayal, and battles. And what battles! Nobody writes a better battle scene than Bernard Cornwell, and he tops himself when describing a suicidal, insane cavalry charge by Wellington's German heavy cavalry against formed French squares. The reader is flung into the wild madness that is Napoleonic warfare, and it is a glorious madness indeed.

Well-researched and lovingly written, "Sharpe's Sword" exemplifies all that is good in the Sharpe series.

A research partnership trying to build a better spectrometer gets in over their heads. One partner went to the Yakuza for funding, and then brought in Lionel Luthor, neglecting a few details.

Lex is showing Clark around Metropolis, so we end up with a Luthor/Yakuza problem, and Clark needing to pull off a few bits and pieces of the superheroic type. Some of which take place at Ordway docks, and the Neo-Tokyo precinct.

Smallville fans will love this book, this book stays true to the characters and gives us more insight on the life of Lex Luthor.
The book is mainly focused around Clark and Lex getting into some trouble in Metropolis.

WHat's wrong with most TV Tie-in books is: characterizations get lost and twisted... plot is lost in a sea of .. how to put this *for a lack of a better phrase* senseless crap (characters have no motive or reason for what their doing, details brought up but not explained, etc.)

This book got everything right though. The characters retained their warmth and personalities from the show... the plot had many levels and good one-liners in there.

We get to see the strong friendship between the boys and how Lex knows Clark has secrets but doesn't trust him with them.
I was shaking my head at how Clark screwed up yet again with Lana... saving the world is noble and all, but *smacks Clark upside the head* if you keep ditching someone like that they won't stick around for long.

This book keeps you flipping the pages. It's hard to put down, the pace never slows or drags/gets boring. The twist on who "Agent Green" thought the alien was and the bit at the end when we learn where he's going after the hospital were hilarious (to me anyway).

Go out and pick up this book now! Definitely worth your hard-earned dollars :)

If you are a true Smallville fan like myself, you will really enjoy this book. The characters (especially Lex Luther)are authentic..they hold true to the television show.
The book is basically about Clark accompanying Lex to Metropolis only having to safe his life from an Asian gang. In addition, Clark finally has a date with Lana but like always, he ruins it BIG TIME. You really need to check out this book..it's more than worth the six dollars you paid for it.

for once an author has decided to show more of the character of lex luthor. lex has to go into metropolis for a few days and asks clark to come along. after some arguement his parents consent.(the only part of the book i really could not see them doing.) as lex tries to show clark a good time, they get involved in a bunch of trouble from japaneese mafia to secret agent who thinks he has found an alien in the mix. how that turns out is worth reading the book by itself. the author gives good insight into the characters of our 2 heroes and adds a few thoughts on the character of lex. it is a beautifully written book and definilty worth the money for smallville fans.

Storky is a fun book written from Michael "Storky" Pomerantz's point of view in diary form. It was fun to follow the daily happenings of this freshman boy. He starts out with a journal on the computer and then figures out someone may be reading his personal thoughts, so decides to just type the pages and print them out, but not save them.

Storky's sister reveals some of his inner most thoughts, showing that she was the one reading the journal. Being of nerd fame, all Michael wants to do is get through his freshman year of high school without being noticed too much.

Storky tries very hard to be accepted by his father, who lives outside the home--and tries to accept his mother's antics and deal with the mixed-up, crazy Jewish family traditions all while trying to maintain a semi normal life. Every day is a new adventure for Storky, right up until the end when his mother meets and marries his dentist. All through the dating process, he wants to hate Dr. Berman but finds he can't hate a man who has befriended him in the only way he knows how. Michael ends the school year planning another person's life and gets the girl, not the one of his dreams or that he thought he would get--but someone better.

Armchair Interviews says: Most of us can relate to that freshmen year in high school. Nice story from boy's point of view--written by D.L. (Debra).

Written in the journal-entry style a' la Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging, this book will make anyone who has ever been a high school freshman laugh every few pages. The diary follows the first year in high school for Michael "Storky" Pomerantz, as he tries to lose his nickname, get a girlfriend, and learn about making the right choices in life. Unfortunately he is not only saddled with a useless divorced Dad in the throes of a mid-life crisis, but other calamitous events in the life of a 14-year old: the uncontrollable male body part he nicknames "Rex" (who causes embarrassing things to happen while he is trying to impress girls at the blackboard with his Spanish skills), a mom who begins dating (gasp!) the pudgy family dentist, a friend who introduces him to alcohol, and Michael's own age-appropriate musings and wonderings about sex. First-time author Deborah Garfinkle (note that the publisher uses the "J.K. Rowling-don't-let-the boys-know-it-was-written-by-a-woman" name change), gets right into the head of a smart, sarcastic and sensitive young teen with great skill. The character of Michael is unmistakably Jewish and living a very middle-class, 3-times a year, Reform Jewish existence in San Diego. Librarians: beware of the maturity of the themes, but know there are many young high-schoolers who will be passing this hilarious book from hand to hand and waiting most impatiently for the certain sequel.
Reviewed by Lisa Silverman.

This book not only "swooshed" me back in time to my own high school days, but it also brought memories of my children's high drama of high school. How little reactions (both mental and physical) have changed since then ... and I confess, that was a looooooong time ago.

Although Storky's a male, and I'm a female, this author brought not only Storky's feelings but the feelings of all the characters into this story ... in funny and pathetic ways of which we can all relate.

And, YES, like most teen boys from time immemorial, there's the inevitable Miss Popular for Storky to lust after, an insensitive father ... and the other high school problems that will trigger the memories of all who read this well-written book. This is a page-turner for teens and for their parents and grandparents, also. I could see the "comic tragedy" of teens shining through the pages AND, in hind-sight, the healthy learning experiences for Storky and the realistic characters in this book.

I recommend this book for ALL AGES. It was a nostalgic trip down Memory Lane for me. A great job, Debra Garfinkle! Keep 'em coming; you have found your niche.

Now I am Over 13, but Didnt Want An Account So Don't Get The Wrong Idea

Now Mike Pomerantz aka Storky is a freshman in highschool and is going through some normal teenage things.

I thought this was a well written book for a female women, but unless you have some real bad hormone problems most guys arnt like that(or that much of a pervert) So If Your A Girl And You Have Read This Book DO NOT THINK THAT EVERY GUY THINKS LIKE THAT.

This book was a highly entertaining book and slightly disturbing on my part but yeah...Well I would Highly Recomend This Book To People :)

A lot of people have talked about how this book about a GUY was written by a GIRL (or, rather, a woman). Yeah, she did it. Very convincing. But the real story is that really that she wrote a funny, touching, believable story about a character I wish I knew. Good show!

I'm so glad I finally found this book. I was beginning to think I dreamed reading this story and that there never was such a book! Now I have my answer as to the difficulty in findng this book--it's out of print. What a shame! Thank goodness for used book sellers.
I read this book while I was in high school about 10 years ago and absolutely loved this book. Susannah, a southerner, contends with the problems associated with living in the South during the Civil War. Amidst all the tragedies--near starvation, losing loved ones, leaving her home, she finds love in the least likely of places--a yankee and Union soldier named Caine Harding. Of course, in the end, they are able to be together, but the story and romance along the way is a lovely tale for anyone wanting some enjoyable reading... I'm saving this one for my daughter when she is old enough. (Much better for character building than stories about frivlous mall shopping, etc.)

I remember seeing this book in the back of my french class back in 8th grade. Someone had left it there so I had to pick it up. Looking at the cover, I didn't think I was going to like it because romance novels aren't my type of things, but as I read it, I grew to love it. Throughout high school, I checked it out at least ten times if not more. It made me want to read more of the Sunfires. ( I now own 14 of the books and am still collecting the whole series! )

Since I am a history and Civil War buff, I was glad to see that the book was true to the historical time period especially with how things were in the South compared to the North. Susannah is a girl I wish I could be. She's strong and has a lot of character strength, especially when she is faced with all the hardships she is faced with. I always read this book when I feel down in the dumps. Even at the age of 19, I enjoy this story just as much as I did the first time I picked it up, literally.

The Sunfire books were some of my best loved books when I was a young adult reader, and Susannah was my favorite. An exciting, touching, vivid portrayal of the Civil War south seen through the eyes of a young woman. It's a shame these books are out of print; I hate to think that young readers are being deprived of them.

This wasn't the best Sunfire I've read. Don't get me wrong, it's a wonderful book. It's an accurate picture of the life of a young girl during the Civil War. It was more emotional then exciting, which is alright. It kind of leaves you in a gloomy state. Usually in those books, the end is cheerful, and all the problems have been fixed, etc. But in the end, the war is still going on leaving me with a curiosity of how there life worked out for them. But all things considered, Susannah is a strong girl, who is aware of her strengths and weaknesses. How she took control of things was quite admirable. It really was an emotional roller coaster, at times I got so mad at her beau's sister I wanted to throw the book. Then the next minute I was near tears, then the next happy that she was in love. I think it was a good book, but I wouldn't suggest it to just anyone. You really has to be a romantic to enjoy this book. But if you are, then it's a great book.

Despite the image on the back cover, Susannah isn't Scarlett. She's a resiliant, strong girl who doesn't wallow in melodrama. War is not romanticized in this book - not only is the loss of life unflinchingly told, but the terrible price that those on the homefront faced - poverty, starvation, and a generally unsettled life. But this isn't a grim story, because of the romance between Susannah and Caine, a Union soldier, offers such hope and promise. When I was fifteen I was half in love with Caine myself... the ending is a compromise and feels realisitic - Susannah realizes that the home of her childhood is gone forever. A moving story of the Civil War, a wonderful romance, all told in Ransom's usual descriptive style. Ms. Ransom, I believe, makes her home in Virginia, and her love for the area is reflected in Susannah.

This book was amazing! I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, and it inspired many thoughts and ideas for me. This is one of the books that is good for almost anyone: it has suspense, mystery, fantasy, myth and lore, adventure, discovery, and an outstanding plot. Even though it is fantastical, it was realistic in a way that it almost felt that everything in the book really could happen, and I could easily relate to the main character. I strongly suggest that everyone at least try reading this book, for there is so much in it that you will love!

Julie Hahnke has begun a new series of fun, imaginative books. My grand daughter and I finished this book and are begging for a sequel. Julie's descriptive text has the reader, young or old, wrapped up in the story and becoming the characters themselves.
The author has done her research for this book's setting and characters, encouraging learning and making it fun.

I am well over 13 *won't say how much over :-)* and enjoyed this tremendously, as well did my 21 year old daughter and 15 year old son.
You've got magic, mystery, drama and so much more in one book.
I've been an avid fan of Harry Potter and have been looking for a new series to sink my teeth into.
This is it!!!
Well written, great Scottish folklore *something I love, being a scot* with a very readable and enjoyable plot.
I met this author at the Highland Games in Brunswick, ME and purchased this book there from her, which she signed, and got a chance to talk with her. She was tremendous, as is her book.
Can't wait for the second part, hope it isn't too long in coming.
Only three in the series??? Definately need more!

It has been a long time since I last read a book from beginning to end without putting it down. I enjoyed Kelly, a real girl that is thrust into a new life with many surprises to come from unexpected places. It's fast paced, has great imagery, and intelligent mystery. Being of Celtic heritage it does bring you back and makes you believe there is more to come. When is the next book coming out? Thank you Julie Hahnke for adding this gem. Disney or someone should look at this as one of their next movies.

Readers of any age will enjoy Kelly's adventurous, new life in an old Scottish manor house inhabited by a variety of interesting and curious characters. Kelly's discovery of ancient Celtic lore and mysteries leads her on a journey that will truly delight your senses, tickle your funny bone and pique your imagination. I can hardly wait for the sequel.

This book is like 400+ pages of Christmas. There is a present to open on every page.

I read this book aloud to my 8 and 6 year old. (The 6 year old was already inclined to love Rex's work because she is a devout fan of his "Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich" book. We all love that book, actually.)

We all loved this, too -- indeed, I'm pressuring my husband to read it.

First, this book is funny. Uproariously, infectiously funny. My kids and I keep debating which are our favorite parts of it. (The comic strip about Boov evolution? The scene on the "talkie-walkies"? The confusion of "exploring" and "exploding"? There are many more, and it's a tough call.)

Second, it's heartfelt. There are some pretty blatant parallels to U.S. history. (For instance, early on, as the alien Boov arrived on Earth and announced that, having "discovered" it, they now were entitled to name and possess it, scooting all U.S. earthlings to a fraction of their prior space.) It's presented in a way that is both one-sided (e.g., it's unfair for people to get pushed off their land) and somewhat nuanced (e.g., the Boov are desperate and not intrinsically evil). The budding friendship between the human and Boov main characters is heart-warming.

As children's literature goes, this one is a big-time winner -- engaging and thought-provoking for children (at any rate, mine) and adults (at any rate, me).

Adam Rex's THE TRUE MEANING OF SMEKDAY is a great read-alone and read-aloud, because parents will love it just as much as kids. The author takes sly digs at human and alien culture, and the contrast between the two is frequently hilarious. Tip and J.Lo's friendship is one for the ages!

I bought this at a bookfair because I loved Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich, and so did my kids. I can't wait for them to read this, it is so funny. Narrated by Gratuity "Tip" Tucci as a time capsule assignment, the story follows her quest to find her mother (who was abducted by the Boov, the aliens) in Florida, and then in Arizona. On her way she befriends a renegade Boov named J. Lo, and together they plot to protect Earth from another, scarier, race of aliens.

This book is full of funny digs at our society. I love how the alien is looking for Tip at the casino and he describes it as a "large, offensively colored building where humans who are bad at math give away their money."

Not a book for young kids as the theme of abduction and occupation is sinister and scary. The writer has a crazy, dry sense of humour and his ideas on aliens is original - not your standard greys or reptiles here. Also another take on Roswell.

The story was not predictable in any way and had me guessing right up to the end. Worth a read.

Unwind is one of the best books I've read in a really long time. The characters are interesting and complex, even secondary characters are fully developed.

This book was amazing! The plot works off of the controversial topic of abortion. In the book, abortion is outlawed, but parents can choose to 'unwind' their children between the ages of 13 to 18. The children are taken to a harvest camp, where their body parts are separated and used as transplants for other people. In the book, it's called 'living in a separated state.'
The story has 3 protagonists: Connor, Risa, and Lev. Each are being unwound for a different reason. The entire book is basically their fight to stay alive.

Being a fan of Shusterman, I was very eager to read this novel when I saw it recommended to other intermediate teachers. After loving both the Downsiders as well as the light-hearted The Schwa Was Here, my faith in Shusterman's writing has been even more solidified.

The horrific future painted by the author in which children are "saved" only to be "unwound" for the benifit of society may seem like a far fetched idea of science fiction, but it is painted so visually in the reader's mind that you get sucked into the story as if it were today's society around us already.

As I read, I pulled out certain aspects in each character that I both despised as well as admired. Connor's "morph" from bad boy to "hero" was believable and did not seem farfetched in the least. Risa's caring nature was consistant throughout the novel, but she as well changed into a more outspoken and confident individual once faced with unspeakable events. The fragile character of Lev was the only character that I found true fault with. I understood his transformation from a religious individual into a haphazard extremist, but I disliked how Shusterman left out his transformation into this state of being. I would have liked to learn exactly how and why his mind was changed into a teen of hatred and defiance. Did it take away from the story? No, but it would have added to it.

The part that I enjoyed the most was the various themes running through the book that are still present in Shusterman's future that are seen in our current society. Abortion has been abolished, but is still present and heavily debated in the form of unwinding. Suicide bombers and terrorists are now "Clappers," which I thought was both ingenious and frightening. The battle over religious extremest still are found in the topic of "tithing."

These frightening and endless battles that have been fought for years and never have been resolved, only changed with technology and the times. This concept is more believable than other science fiction books where these issues are nowhere to be found.

Long story short (too late, I know), this is one of the best books for youngsters that I have read in many years. It will spark debate, open the lines for conversation on many current issues, and the short chapters will hold the interest and entertain the most reluctant readers.

This is one of the best books I have read in a long time, and I've recommended it to everyone I know. The story is so thought provoking, I think it would be excellent for classroom discussion. The scene of the actual "unwinding" is one of the most terrifying/sorrowful things to read. I was crying and couldn't breathe at the same time. Neal Shusterman is an excellent writer.

Imagine a society where a war was fought between Pro-live and Pro-choice. And the end result is more horrifying than either side could have thought.

Such is the premise of UNWIND by Neal Shusterman.

In the future being a troubled teen means something worse than being sent to a camp to get straighten out.

From The Bill of Life:

The Bill of Life states that human life may not be touched from the moment of conception until a child reaches the age of thirteen.

However, between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, a parent may choose to retroactively 'abort' a child...

...on condition that the child's life doesn't 'technically' end.

The process by which a child is both terminated and yet kept alive is called 'unwinding.'

Three teens find out that they are to be unwound. Conner's parents want to get rid of him as he's a troublemaker. Risa is a ward of the state and is being unwound to cut state costs. Lev is a tithe as part of his parent's strict religion.

When Conner fights not to be unwound he ends up causing an accident in which he meets both Risa and Lev. Through their journey they meet others who are against the law and help them. Lev also finds out what really happens to those who end up getting the parts of those who were unwound.

They fight to make it till their eighteenth birthday. What they all learn on this terrifying journey will haunt readers long after the finish the last page.

This story both disturbed and fascinated me. The whole idea that a society would use rebellious teens to harvest body parts is beyond belief. I stopped more than once thinking what would happen if such a law existed? Would the desire to replace damaged body parts cause someone to become so numb to how the newer parts came into existence?


Chilling, this story will make you think about your ideas of life and what it means to be truly alive.