Rachel Baack
Summary: After the most recent Hunger Games, which involved a plot much bigger than Katniss could have imagined, the rebels of Panem have entered a war with the Capitol, and Katniss must determine what her role in the battle will be and who she can trust to have alongside her.
Summary: After the most recent Hunger Games, which involved a plot much bigger than Katniss could have imagined, the rebels of Panem have entered a war with the Capitol, and Katniss must determine what her role in the battle will be and who she can trust to have alongside her.
Summary: Katniss finds herself once again in the arena, this time because she is an enemy of the Capitol. As she tries to survive and fight against the ruling powers, she forms some unlikely alliances and learns that not everyone is exactly what they seem.
Summary: Katniss finds herself once again in the arena, this time because she is an enemy of the Capitol. As she tries to survive and fight against the ruling powers, she forms some unlikely alliances and learns that not everyone is exactly what they seem.
Summary: Katniss is living in a dystopian society which forces children from each of its twelve districts to fight to the death in an obstacle-ridden arena once a year. When she finds herself in the midst of this death match, she is forced to decide whether she will protect only herself or whether she will stand up against the system that put her there.
Summary: Katniss is living in a dystopian society which forces children from each of its twelve districts to fight to the death in an obstacle-ridden arena once a year. When she finds herself in the midst of this death match, she is forced to decide whether she will protect only herself or whether she will stand up against the system that put her there.
Summary: This novel spans the same timeframe as all of the other books in the series combined, and even extends beyond it. The story centers on Claire, the birthmother in Jonas’s city who gave birth to Gabe. Against the rules of her society, Claire figures out who her son is and realizes that she loves him. When Gabe is taken from the city, Claire leaves too, and, after a shipwreck, a new life in a more welcoming village, and a slow recovery of the loss of her memory, Claire dedicates her life to finding her son once again.
Summary: This novel spans the same timeframe as all of the other books in the series combined, and even extends beyond it. The story centers on Claire, the birthmother in Jonas’s city who gave birth to Gabe. Against the rules of her society, Claire figures out who her son is and realizes that she loves him. When Gabe is taken from the city, Claire leaves too, and, after a shipwreck, a new life in a more welcoming village, and a slow recovery of the loss of her memory, Claire dedicates her life to finding her son once again.
Summary: Matty has become the messenger for his village. Although the village was once known for selflessness and welcoming all who needed help, something sinister has been going on and changing the atmosphere. As this sinister energy is growing, Matty is discovering a unique and unexplainable gift that he has.
Summary: Matty has become the messenger for his village. Although the village was once known for selflessness and welcoming all who needed help, something sinister has been going on and changing the atmosphere. As this sinister energy is growing, Matty is discovering a unique and unexplainable gift that he has.
Summary: Kira is a girl with a twisted leg and an extraordinary gift for weaving who lives in a cruel, callous town and who discovers that the town is hiding a darkness even greater than what can be seen on the surface.
Summary: Kira is a girl with a twisted leg and an extraordinary gift for weaving who lives in a cruel, callous town and who discovers that the town is hiding a darkness even greater than what can be seen on the surface.
Summary: In Jonas’s community, everything is decided for the people, from what they wear, to who they will marry, to what jobs they will have. There is one job, however, that stands out from the rest. The Giver holds secrets that no one else in the community knows and memories that they can never experience. When Jonas is selected for this job, he begins to question everything that he believed about his community and the broader world.
Summary: In Jonas’s community, everything is decided for the people, from what they wear, to who they will marry, to what jobs they will have. There is one job, however, that stands out from the rest. The Giver holds secrets that no one else in the community knows and memories that they can never experience. When Jonas is selected for this job, he begins to question everything that he believed about his community and the broader world.
Summary: In this work of science fiction, Maskull, the main character, travels to the planet Tormance. When he gets there, he meets a being named Joiwind who tells him about Surtur, who, according to Joiwind, created all things. Maskull goes in search of Surtur, and, as he does, he passes through lands that contain different creatures who have varying moral codes. This book explored different philosophical systems of belief and being.
Summary: In this work of science fiction, Maskull, the main character, travels to the planet Tormance. When he gets there, he meets a being named Joiwind who tells him about Surtur, who, according to Joiwind, created all things. Maskull goes in search of Surtur, and, as he does, he passes through lands that contain different creatures who have varying moral codes. This book explored different philosophical systems of belief and being.
Summary: In the last novel of the Unwind series, Risa, Connor, Lev, Hayden, and Cam all fight to bring about the end of their society as they know it. Each character approaches the evils of society from a different angle but with a common purpose: to put an end to unwinding and Proactive Citizenry.
Summary: In the last novel of the Unwind series, Risa, Connor, Lev, Hayden, and Cam all fight to bring about the end of their society as they know it. Each character approaches the evils of society from a different angle but with a common purpose: to put an end to unwinding and Proactive Citizenry.
Summary: After the hideout for runaway Unwinds is destroyed, Lev and Connor go on a mission to learn the secrets surrounding the history of Proactive Citizenry from the one woman who might be able to give them answers—answers that have the potential to bring down the organization and stop unwinding. Meanwhile, Cam plots to bring down Proactive Citizenry, Risa tries to survive on her own, and Starkey gains power among the storks as he continues escalating his violent harvest camp liberations.
Summary: After the hideout for runaway Unwinds is destroyed, Lev and Connor go on a mission to learn the secrets surrounding the history of Proactive Citizenry from the one woman who might be able to give them answers—answers that have the potential to bring down the organization and stop unwinding. Meanwhile, Cam plots to bring down Proactive Citizenry, Risa tries to survive on her own, and Starkey gains power among the storks as he continues escalating his violent harvest camp liberations.
Summary: After escaping the harvest camp, the unlikely heroes of Unwind continue, in their own ways, to fight to make sure that other unwinds never have to face the horrors of unwinding. Things won’t be easy, though, because, as it turns out, the Anti-Divisional Resistance, the group working to keep unwinds safe, is not nearly as effective as Connor, the new leader of the country’s biggest unwind hideout, would like it to be. Not only that, but there are forces—both from outside the hideout and within its gates—actively plotting against Connor and the hideout’s established order, and the Proactive Citizenry group has created an entirely new person—Cam—out of the parts of Unwinds as part of a campaign to make sure everyone stays on board with the practice of unwinding.
Summary: After escaping the harvest camp, the unlikely heroes of Unwind continue, in their own ways, to fight to make sure that other unwinds never have to face the horrors of unwinding. Things won’t be easy, though, because, as it turns out, the Anti-Divisional Resistance, the group working to keep unwinds safe, is not nearly as effective as Connor, the new leader of the country’s biggest unwind hideout, would like it to be. Not only that, but there are forces—both from outside the hideout and within its gates—actively plotting against Connor and the hideout’s established order, and the Proactive Citizenry group has created an entirely new person—Cam—out of the parts of Unwinds as part of a campaign to make sure everyone stays on board with the practice of unwinding.
Summary: In the world of Shusterman’s Unwind, America is a few decades removed from a civil war that was fought over the issue of abortion. The war ended with the passing of the Bill of Life, which stated that, until a child reached the age of 13, his or her life was sacred and could not be harmed. Once a child turned 13, however, he or she could be “unwound,” meaning that all of his or her body parts would be harvested and used in transplants for other people, meaning that the unwound child technically never died. Shusterman’s story follows Connor, Risa, and Lev, 3 kids all marked for unwinding, on a journey that is both compelling and unbelievable.
Summary: In the world of Shusterman’s Unwind, America is a few decades removed from a civil war that was fought over the issue of abortion. The war ended with the passing of the Bill of Life, which stated that, until a child reached the age of 13, his or her life was sacred and could not be harmed. Once a child turned 13, however, he or she could be “unwound,” meaning that all of his or her body parts would be harvested and used in transplants for other people, meaning that the unwound child technically never died. Shusterman’s story follows Connor, Risa, and Lev, 3 kids all marked for unwinding, on a journey that is both compelling and unbelievable.
Summary: In this series (of which Uglies is the first book, Pretties is the second, and Specials is the third), Tally lives in a society where physical beauty is everything. In this society, everyone gets a surgery at age sixteen to make them beautiful, and then they are allowed to cross the river and live in a city full of “pretties.” Tally is excited for her sixteenth birthday and her surgery, but then she meets Shay, who shows her that the world of the pretties may not be such a great place after all.
Summary: In this series (of which Uglies is the first book, Pretties is the second, and Specials is the third), Tally lives in a society where physical beauty is everything. In this society, everyone gets a surgery at age sixteen to make them beautiful, and then they are allowed to cross the river and live in a city full of “pretties.” Tally is excited for her sixteenth birthday and her surgery, but then she meets Shay, who shows her that the world of the pretties may not be such a great place after all.
Summary: Told as a frame story by a narrator listening to the tales of a man claiming to have travelled through time, this novella by H. G. Wells explores the devolution of humanity in ways that will shock the reader and awaken his or her inner philosopher.
Summary: Told as a frame story by a narrator listening to the tales of a man claiming to have travelled through time, this novella by H. G. Wells explores the devolution of humanity in ways that will shock the reader and awaken his or her inner philosopher.
Summary: This story is a novella rather than a novel. When Mr. Utterson first learns of the existence of a horrifying man named Mr. Hyde, he cannot imagine how much significance this man will hold in the life of Mr. Utterson’s friend, Dr. Jekyll. However, when Dr. Jekyll orders Mr. Utterson to transfer his entire fortune to Hyde in the event of his own death or disappearance, and Dr. Jekyll subsequently starts behaving strangely, Mr. Utterson begins to suspect that some kind of evil, secret connection must exist between the two men.
Summary: This story is a novella rather than a novel. When Mr. Utterson first learns of the existence of a horrifying man named Mr. Hyde, he cannot imagine how much significance this man will hold in the life of Mr. Utterson’s friend, Dr. Jekyll. However, when Dr. Jekyll orders Mr. Utterson to transfer his entire fortune to Hyde in the event of his own death or disappearance, and Dr. Jekyll subsequently starts behaving strangely, Mr. Utterson begins to suspect that some kind of evil, secret connection must exist between the two men.
Summary: C.S. Lewis’s space trilogy is a set of science fiction works unlike any other that I’ve ever read. It follows the journey of Elwin Ransom across several worlds. In the first two books, Out of the Silent Planet and Perelandra, he encounters new terrain and new species, all the while pitted against people who wish to do the beings around him harm. These works overtly deal with some major philosophical and theological questions but do so in a compelling way. The final book of the trilogy, That Hideous Strength, is set on Earth, but is no less an exciting work of science fiction than its counterparts, although it is a little gorier and has, in my opinion, a somewhat darker tone.
Summary: C.S. Lewis’s space trilogy is a set of science fiction works unlike any other that I’ve ever read. It follows the journey of Elwin Ransom across several worlds. In the first two books, Out of the Silent Planet and Perelandra, he encounters new terrain and new species, all the while pitted against people who wish to do the beings around him harm. These works overtly deal with some major philosophical and theological questions but do so in a compelling way. The final book of the trilogy, That Hideous Strength, is set on Earth, but is no less an exciting work of science fiction than its counterparts, although it is a little gorier and has, in my opinion, a somewhat darker tone.
Summary: Miles Morales is a sixteen-year-old student at a prestigious high school who is trying his best to overcome a family history that is far from spotless. Not to mention, he happens to be a super hero. Miles decides that he wants to keep his head down and focus on his school work, but something is not quite right at his school, and he realizes that he’s going to have to figure out what’s going on.
Summary: Miles Morales is a sixteen-year-old student at a prestigious high school who is trying his best to overcome a family history that is far from spotless. Not to mention, he happens to be a super hero. Miles decides that he wants to keep his head down and focus on his school work, but something is not quite right at his school, and he realizes that he’s going to have to figure out what’s going on.
Summary: This story is the tale of a mysterious man who, after arriving in the town of Iping covered head to toe in clothing, is revealed to be invisible and whose isolation and fanatic pursuits have led to some unexpected and dark consequences.
Summary: This story is the tale of a mysterious man who, after arriving in the town of Iping covered head to toe in clothing, is revealed to be invisible and whose isolation and fanatic pursuits have led to some unexpected and dark consequences.
Summary: This work of science fiction takes place in a world where the wealthy are able to have clones of themselves made so that their organs can be harvested. Normally, these clones are made so that they cannot think or act, but the book’s central character, Matt, is a clone who has been allowed to live with his mental abilities intact. The story traces Matt’s gradual realization that something about his society is not quite right and his journey to free himself from the bondage into which he was born.
Summary: This work of science fiction takes place in a world where the wealthy are able to have clones of themselves made so that their organs can be harvested. Normally, these clones are made so that they cannot think or act, but the book’s central character, Matt, is a clone who has been allowed to live with his mental abilities intact. The story traces Matt’s gradual realization that something about his society is not quite right and his journey to free himself from the bondage into which he was born.
Summary: This gothic novel by Mary Shelley is a classic work of science fiction. In the book, Victor Frankenstein sets out to create life, but, once he does, he creates troubles for himself and others that he never could have imagined. Be ready, though, to have the way that you have seen Frankenstein’s monster portrayed in popular media challenged; the book will leave you questioning who the true villain of the story is.
Summary: This gothic novel by Mary Shelley is a classic work of science fiction. In the book, Victor Frankenstein sets out to create life, but, once he does, he creates troubles for himself and others that he never could have imagined. Be ready, though, to have the way that you have seen Frankenstein’s monster portrayed in popular media challenged; the book will leave you questioning who the true villain of the story is.
Summary: Guy Montag is a fireman in a 24th century world where people don’t think for themselves or have meaningful conversations but are only concerned with being entertained. Guy’s job as a fireman is to burn any books that are found, as substantive literature has been made illegal.
Summary: Guy Montag is a fireman in a 24th century world where people don’t think for themselves or have meaningful conversations but are only concerned with being entertained. Guy’s job as a fireman is to burn any books that are found, as substantive literature has been made illegal.
Summary: Young Alex, along with his small group of friends, leads a shockingly violent criminal life until the state decides to take drastic measures to change that. This novel explores the ideas of selfishness and the depth of human depravity, as well as those of youth and the natural course of life.
Summary: Young Alex, along with his small group of friends, leads a shockingly violent criminal life until the state decides to take drastic measures to change that. This novel explores the ideas of selfishness and the depth of human depravity, as well as those of youth and the natural course of life.
Summary: In this explicitly anti-war novel, Vonnegut tells the story of Billy Pilgrim, who, at a young age, becomes a soldier in WWII. After the war, Billy becomes an optometrist, and he claims to have experienced an alien encounter that enlightens him as to the nonlinear nature of time. For that reason, the book is told in a nonlinear fashion. Billy is portrayed as both a relatively innocent and absurd kind of person, and the telling of the events that surrounded his and his comrades’ time in combat make the senselessness and evil of war abundantly clear.
Summary: In this explicitly anti-war novel, Vonnegut tells the story of Billy Pilgrim, who, at a young age, becomes a soldier in WWII. After the war, Billy becomes an optometrist, and he claims to have experienced an alien encounter that enlightens him as to the nonlinear nature of time. For that reason, the book is told in a nonlinear fashion. Billy is portrayed as both a relatively innocent and absurd kind of person, and the telling of the events that surrounded his and his comrades’ time in combat make the senselessness and evil of war abundantly clear.
Summary: This novel features two main characters, Shorty and Toussaint l’Ouverture. Shorty is a teenage boy who discusses his growth and the ways in which his perceptions have been shaped since he was a toddler, and Toussaint is the famous leader of the Haitian slave rebellion who wrestles with the moral choices he is required to make in connection with leading the revolt. The two characters are separated in time by over three hundred years, but they share a mysterious connection.
Summary: This novel features two main characters, Shorty and Toussaint l’Ouverture. Shorty is a teenage boy who discusses his growth and the ways in which his perceptions have been shaped since he was a toddler, and Toussaint is the famous leader of the Haitian slave rebellion who wrestles with the moral choices he is required to make in connection with leading the revolt. The two characters are separated in time by over three hundred years, but they share a mysterious connection.
Summary: Set during World War II, this story centers on a bombardier named Yossarian and his companions. It portrays the lunacy of war, sometimes by using humor and sometimes by exposing just how atrocious it can be. The novel can be confusing at times because it does not proceed in regular chronological order.
Summary: Set during World War II, this story centers on a bombardier named Yossarian and his companions. It portrays the lunacy of war, sometimes by using humor and sometimes by exposing just how atrocious it can be. The novel can be confusing at times because it does not proceed in regular chronological order.