Unwind - Neal Shusterman

The Bill of LifeThe Second Civil War also known as “The Heartland War,” was a long and bloody conflict fought over a single issue.To end the war, a set of constitutional amendments known as “The Bill of Life” was passed.It satisfied both the Pro-life and the Pro-choice armies.The Bill of Life states that human life may not be touchedfrom the moment of conception until a child reachesthe age of thirteen.However, between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, a parent maychoose to retroactively “abort” a child . . .. . . on the condition that the child’s life doesn't “technically” end.The process by which a child is both terminated and yet kept aliveis called “unwinding.”Unwinding is now a common, and accepted practice in society.

Unwind is the first book in the Unwind dystology (there is also an ebook titled Unstrung which follows Lev on his adventures between books 1 and 2). The three main characters all find themselves heading to be unwound, all of them are being unwound for very different reasons: Connor gets into too many fights at school and his grades are appalling., his parents have signed the papers and he is going to be sent to be unwound. When he discovers the unwind order he decides he has to make a run for it, despite knowing the juvey-cops will do everything in their power to track him down. Connors life as an AWOL rewind takes a sharp turn when he collides with Levi and Risa on the side of a motorway. Levi, all dressed in white, is a tithe, the tenth child in his family, he has the honour and blessing of being created primarily for unwinding. Risa is a ward of the state, abandoned as a baby she has been raised in a state home, when she doesn't make the cut for top of her year she is sent to be rewound to prevent overcrowding. Their journey takes them to Happy Jack Harvest Camp and The Graveyard.

A fantastic book and great start to an intriguing series. The idea of doing away with abortion and introducing unwinding is terrifying. There is a chapter in the book which is chilling, it might have no affect on those unfamiliar with the characters and unwinding process. But for those with buy in, the scene and process of unwinding lingers in your mind, way past the finish of the book. Not many books haunt you before they have ended, I highly recommend this book, not just because it makes you question your own beliefs and morals but also because of the unique way it includes different perspectives and media.

For your ease and peace of mind, there are a variety of harvest camps to choose from. Each facility is privately owned, state licensed, and federally funded by your tax dollars. Regardless of the site you choose, you can feel confident that your Unwind will receive the finest possible care from our board-certified staff as they make their transition to a divided state. -From The Parents’ Unwinding Handbook

http://www.storyman.com/

Wake - Amanda Hocking

Even over the sea, Thea could smell the blood on her. When she breathed in, it filled her with a familiar hunger that haunted her dreams. Except now it disgusted her, leaving a horrible taste in her mouth, because she knew where it came from. “Is it done?” she asked. She stood on the rocky shore, staring over the sea, her back to her sister.

Wake focuses on easy going teenager Gemma. She lives with her father and overbearing older sister Harper. Gemma splits the majority of her time between swim training and school. The open water calls to Gemma, any free time she has is spent swimming in the sea, especially night swims when the cove is quiet and peaceful. Harper is about to head off to college with her best friend (and neighbour) Alex, whom Gemma starts to take an interest in. On the outside, life appears to be moving along for all of them as planned.

Over the summer break three strange and secretive girls turn up in town. They make Harper and Gemma’s skin crawl and Gemma seems to keep bumping into them all over town.  One night Gemma goes swimming on her own when she sees Lexi, Penn and Thea on the shore in the cove. Lexi calls her over and Gemma spends the night with them. The following morning she wakes, bruised from head to toe, on the beach. Wake is the first book of the watersong series and is all about Gemma getting to know Lexi, Penn and Thea, while also coming to terms with what they have done to her.

http://www.worldofamandahocking.com/

The Fault in our Stars - John Green

Me: “If you want me to be a teenager, don’t send me to Support Group. Buy me a fake ID so I can go to clubs, drink vodka and take pot.”Mom: “You don’t take pot, for starters.”Me: “See, that’s the kind of thing I’d know if you got me a fake ID.”

Hazel (or Hazel Grace as she is so often referred to) has cancer (a side effect of dying). It wrecked her lungs and nearly killed her but now shes on a drug that keeps it from growing. Her mother thinks she is depressed (Hazel notes that depression is not a side effect of cancer, it’s another side effect of dying, like almost everything). Hazel’s doctor agrees so she gets shipped off to support group even though she doesn't think it will do her any good.

Upon arrival at support group she sees the regulars, one being a boy named Isaac who is losing his vision. Its through Isaac that she meets Augustus (also often referred to as Augustus Waters). There begins this epic tale of what turns out to be the adventures of a life time. The story follows Hazel and Augustus with their superior wit and intellect through ups and downs, adventures and sorrow.

It’s a remarkable book and I was very pleased to see they left very little out when they made the movie. Some bits made me laugh out loud while others made me cry. Beautifully written, I really enjoyed the characters and their interactions with one another. I find it hard to believe anyone could read this and not fall in love with the Augustus Waters character and his outlook on life.

“The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, /But in ourselves, that we are underlings.”

Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, Act 1, Scene 2

http://johngreenbooks.com/