THE FEAR by Charlie Higson-REVIEW

THE FEAR is the third book in the Enemy series. The reading order is THE ENEMY, THE DEAD, and THE FEAR. The timeline of the novels is a little out of whack, but each novel includes a new main cast of characters so it doesn't matter too much. THE DEAD actually takes place before THE ENEMY and THE FEAR starts after THE DEAD and catches up and passes THE ENEMY.

In this horrifying world, children are battling for their lives against their mothers, fathers, and older siblings. (In THE ENEMY, the reader is introduced to the sickness that has spread through London and affected everyone 15-yrs-old and over, turning them into crazed, diseased killers that feast on the young children left behind.)

This is a frightening world where the children have to fight for survival every minute of the day. In THE FEAR we follow DogNut and Courtney as they travel across London in hopes of finding friends they were separated from a year ago. As they navigate the dangerous streets of London, DogNut and Courtney fight the Mothers and Fathers hiding around every corner.

THE FEAR is filled with death, blood, and violence. It isn't for the faint of heart. Charlie Higson writes one cringe-worthy scene after another.

This one was a tough one to read - so brutal and sad. I can't wait to read the next one, THE SACRIFICE.

UNCHAINED by L.B. Tillit-REVIEW

TJ has had a rough life. Both his parents have been hooked on drugs since he was a baby. He's been neglected for as long as he can remember. Being left on his own most of the time it's no surprise he comes into contact with the gangs of the community. He is just about to get heavily involved when disaster strikes at home and he is removed by Child Protective Services and placed in a foster home.

When TJ moves in with Miss Dixie, he is introduced to a world like he never knew existed. There, he learns what family is supposed to be and what is really important in life.

Eventually TJ's mother gets her act together enough to get TJ back. When he goes home his old friends are waiting for him to pick up right where he left off.

Will TJ be able to resist the world of fast money and dangerous people after knowing what life is supposed to be like and how family is supposed to behave?

UNCHAINED is a fast read from the Saddleback Gravel Road series. It is considered a Hi-Lo book - High interest, Low reading level. Hi-Lo books aren't usually very good, but this one is definitely worth reading.

THE CHILDREN AND THE WOLVES by Adam Rapp-REVIEW

Intense, edgy, disturbing – just a few words that describe THE CHILDREN AND THE WOLVES by Adam Rapp. The reader is slapped in the face with the gritty story on the first page. 

Bounce, an extremely intelligent and wealthy girl meets Wiggins and Orange in detention. Bounce immediately sees them for what they are – weaklings and declares herself boss. She is disrespectful to all adults and authority figures and left alone for weeks at a time to do what she wants. 

The story is told in alternating points of view allowing the reader to see inside the minds of each of the characters. All three of these eighth graders have problems. Orange lives at home with his disabled father. His mother left without explanation and he doesn’t seem to care. 

Wiggins lives alone with his mother, a nurse with a fixation on Craig Ferguson. His father was a Ranger in the war in Iraq. When he finally came home, he didn’t stay. He distrusts several things – including refrigerators. 

When a local poet visits Bounce’s Honors English Class, he makes comments that angers her. She immediately develops a plan to deal with him and enlists the help of her two lackeys. The first stage of her plan involves kidnapping a little girl. Wiggins is the one in charge of keeping her fed and she stays in Orange’s basement because no one will find her there since Orange’s father can’t walk. 

Wiggins calls her Frog and is the only one to develop any type of relationship with her. The only thing Frog has to do all day is play a video game called “The Children and the Wolves.” As Bounce’s plan progresses, changes, and intensifies, Frog gets better and better at the game. 

After a particularly violent incident, Wiggins begins to have second thoughts about the path he is traveling with Bounce and Orange. Is he strong enough to break away from the abusive friendship? Will he be able to save Frog? 

THE CHILDREN AND THE WOLVES is engrossing. It is a very short 151 pages and really pulls the reader in. The fact that Bounce, Orange, and Wiggins are 13-years-old is frightening. Bounce especially is scary and most likely a sociopath. She definitely has a lack of conscience and manipulates others. Orange just wants her attention and approval and poor Wiggins, I think, just wants somewhere to belong. This one will really stick with you.

VARIANT by Robison Wells-REVIEW

Benson Fisher has finally found the educational experience he’s been looking for. As a foster kid who has been bounced from home to home for all of his life, he’s never had a chance to stay at a school for very long. He wants to make something out of his life. He wants to learn. He is sick of the competing for learning with the deadbeats at school who don’t want to learn. He applied for the scholarship to Maxfield Academy as part of an outreach program for foster kids and got accepted. He couldn’t wait for his life to change.

It doesn’t take long for him to realize he made a very big mistake.

Maxfield Academy doesn’t have any adults on campus. All the teaching is done by the students. The day begins with announcements from a man the students call the Iceman. Once announcements are over the daily schedule appears on the screen. The schedule is different every day. Sometimes classes may start at 7 AM – sometimes they may start at 1:00 PM. There is no way of knowing.

This might not sound so bad. Follow the rules and everything will be okay. But, things can’t be right if the students are locked in can they? And what about the students that disappear and never come back after going to detention? What kind of school has students acting as security guards patrolling the perimeter of the property on 4 wheelers? Why is Benson the only one who wants to escape?

VARIANT is twisted! Usually I can kind of see where the story is going, but this one was very hard to predict. There were a couple of things that REALLY surprised me. The ending absolutely left me going, “W-W-What????” I’m definitely interested to see what happens in the sequel. I can’t even guess!!! ARGH!!!!

Language Content=Some
Sexual Content=None
Violence Content=There is fighting that gets pretty bloody