 Imagine a world where plastic surgery uses the science of beauty to make everything about your body into what science says is the “ideal.” Would you be perfect? The governments in Scott Westerfeild’s Uglies think so. Uglies is a clean dystopian novel about the allure of beauty and what it means to be true to yourself. The book questions both the need to stay the same when technology could make you better and expecting blind conformity. Why you need to read UgliesI don’t think there has been a book that surprised me more with its hidden depth than Scott Westerfeild’s Uglies did. On the surface, it is about a girl, Tally, who just wants to undergo the surgery to become a “pretty,” but can’t until she helps the city leaders find her runaway friend, Shay. One could read this and find it shallow and vain, but there is so much more to it than that. Yes, Tally does what the city leaders ask her to do, even though it will hurt her friend, because they won’t let her become pretty. She leaves the city and follows Shay’s clues, even at the risk of her life, for the chance to become a pretty. Even when she finds Shay and makes friends in a group of runaways, she still wants to become pretty; that fact never changes. Does that make Tally shallow? I don’t think so. It is not wrong to want to change yourself to be closer to your own ideal. Many of us want to be stronger, thinner, more outgoing, or even less bald (totally not me). We all make choices that lead us towards these goals. That does not make us shallow. The entire human experience is about change, growth, and achieving our own unique goals. Although Uglies does have some romance, it is light hearted and does not get beyond a kiss. So, even in that aspect, readers of all sensibilities shouldn’t have many qualms about this series. Speaking of the series, there are three books in the main series: Uglies, Pretties, and Specials. There is also an extra fourth book about different characters, Extras, but some of the main characters from the original cast play pivotal roles later on. What reading level is Uglies?Uglies portrays two contrasting ideals: be happy with who you are and not what others want you to be, and striving for beauty. Tally agrees with the science behind the “pretties” procedure. There are, in fact, certain traits that humans innate find more attractive and appealing. Reactions to beauty can even be monitored with brain scans. So, Tally’s desire to be a pretty isn’t just selfishness. It is a change that is within her power and something that she wants for herself. The other side of the argument comes from Shay and the other runaways. They don’t want to be forced to change. They don’t want to blindly conform to an enforced standard of beauty. The runaways just want to be left to themselves to live a peaceful life of their own, not run by a conformity based society. Their desires are just as valid as Tally’s. Westerfield brings up valid arguments for both sides of the issue throughout the book, and I found myself contemplating both issues as I read. This is not a vapid book whatsoever. Readers of nearly any age will enjoy reading Uglies. From middle school to adults, Uglies is a great choice. I would think that even some sixth graders would be able to access and enjoy the book. Granted, some of the writing might be too advanced for most grade schoolers, but it is at a reading level that I would have read and enjoyed at that age. Voracious readers, even younger ones, shouldn’t have any trouble with this series. I highly encourage you to give this series a try. The books and their descriptions are listed below. Uglies Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can’t wait. In just a few weeks she’ll have the operation that will turn her from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty. And as a pretty, she’ll be catapulted into a high-tech paradise where her only job is to have fun. But Tally’s new friend Shay isn’t sure she wants to become a pretty. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world—and it isn’t very pretty. The authorities offer Tally a choice: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. Tally’s choice will change her world forever. Pretties Tally has finally become pretty. Now her looks are beyond perfect, her clothes are awesome, her boyfriend is totally hot, and she’s completely popular. It’s everything she’s ever wanted. But beneath all the fun—the nonstop parties, the high-tech luxury, the total freedom—is a nagging sense that something’s wrong. Something important. Then a message from Tally’s ugly past arrives. Reading it, Tally remembers what’s wrong with pretty life, and the fun stops cold. Now she has to choose between fighting to forget what she knows and fighting for her life—because the authorities don’t intend to let anyone with this information survive. Specials Tally thought they were a rumor, but now she’s one of them. A Special. A super-amped fighting machine, engineered to keep the uglies down and the pretties stupid. But maybe being perfectly programmed with strength and focus isn’t better than anything she’s ever known. Tally still has memories of something else. Still, it’s easy to tune that out—until she’s offered a chance to stamp out the rebels of the New Smoke permanently. It all comes down to one last choice: listen to that tiny, faint heartbeat, or carry out the mission she’s programmed to complete. Either way, Tally’s world will never be the same. Extras A few years after rebel Tally Youngblood takes down the Specials regime, a cultural renaissance sweeps the world. “Tech-heads” flaunt their latest gadgets, “kickers” spread gossip and trends, and “surge monkeys” are hooked on extreme plastic surgery. Popularity rules, and everyone craves fame. Fifteen-year-old Aya Fuse is no exception. But Aya’s face rank is so low, she’s a total nobody. An extra. Her only chance at stardom is to kick a wild and unexpected story. Then she stumbles upon a big secret. Aya knows she is on the cusp of celebrity. But the information she is about to disclose will change both her fate…and that of the brave new world. Thanks for reading!
Zach Larson Author at Living Words Press Have a question you want to ask? Leave a comment below or email me at [email protected]. I want to know what type of post you would like to see from me next. P.S. Want more content right now? Sign up for my newsletter to receive bonus material, reviews and recommendations, pre-release goodies, and free stuff. Sign up now on the home page: Livingwordspress.com. Just click the button under the title. You don't have to purchase anything to sign up for the newsletter. Most of the content included in the newsletter is exclusive to subscribers, so don't miss out! Follow me at: @livingwordsp www.facebook.com/livingwordspress
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 Have you ever wished the world had superheroes? Yeah, me too. A world where people can fly and help the downtrodden sounds great. But what if the world did suddenly have people with superpowers, but all of those people lost their empathy and cared only for themselves? This is the world of the Reckoners series. Steelheart is a dystopian fantasy about a world with super-tyrants instead of heroes. The book is a clean read, besides a bit of violence and death. There is even a romantic subplot that persists throughout the entire Reckoners series. The Level of Violence in The Reckoners SeriesYes, the group in the story, called The Reckoners, take on super-tyrants that they call epics. The group’s entire purpose is to find the epic’s weakness, which negates their powers, and kill them. Multiple epics are killed “on screen” throughout the book. There is a lot of blood and danger, but nothing gets gorey. There isn’t even any true swearing, since this version of the world has evolved new cuss words. There is a scene where a character needs emergency surgery and their clothes are removed, but the narrator character treats the situation with the gravity it deserves. The storyline stays well above board for a story about evil superheroes. I regularly recommend this series to my high school students and basically anyone who likes a good fantasy or superhero story. Though Steelheart is a clean read, in my opinion, it is meant for people ages 13 and above. The themes of death and violence are probably too much for most younger readers. Why Read Steelheart?The main character is in his late teens, as is his love interest, but that shouldn’t deter adult readers. Most of the other characters in the series are much older with quirks and wisdom that will keep fans of any age engrossed in the story. As a high school English teacher, I especially appreciate the groups leader, Prof. He is determined, smart, and scrappy. The entire team respects Prof to no end and does whatever he says. Later in the story, it is revealed that Prof was a simple middle school science teacher before the epics changed the world. I love having a teacher portrayed as smart and capable because a lot of the time we are seen as being less capable because we chose to teach. One of my favorite aspects of Steelheart is that it is a dystopian fantasy about superheroes that turn into tyrants. Most of these super powered people aren’t really even evil, just lacking empathy and very selfish. Dystopian novels usually focus on corrupt governments and usually sit in the sci-fi realm, but reading a fantasy dystopia about epics that displaced the governments of the world is refreshing and unexpected. At least, when I first read the series, I had never heard of other books or even TV shows with a similar premise. Now we have seen the rise of series on many of the streaming services that put corrupt superheroes at the forefront (I am thinking of Invincible and The Boys). Brandon Sanderson takes his forte in hard magic systems and creates an alternate world of superpowers that fulfills both our imaginations and our fears. The Reckoners series is a must read for any fantasy or superhero fan. I will leave descriptions of each of the books below for you. Steelheart Ten years ago, Calamity came. It was a burst in the sky that gave ordinary people extraordinary powers. The awed public started calling them Epics. Epics are no friends of man. With incredible gifts came the desire to rule. And to rule man, you must crush his will. Now, in what was once Chicago, an astonishingly powerful Epic named Steelheart has installed himself as emperor. Steelheart possesses the strength of ten men and can control the elements. It is said that no bullet can harm him, no sword can split his skin, and no fire can burn him. He is invincible. Nobody fights back . . . nobody but the Reckoners. A shadowy group of ordinary humans, the Reckoners spend their lives studying Epics, finding their weaknesses, and then assassinating them. And David wants in. When Steelheart came to Chicago, he killed David’s father. For years, like the Reckoners, David has been studying, and planning, and he has something they need. Not an object, but an experience. He has seen Steelheart bleed. And he wants revenge. Firefight Newcago is free. They told David it was impossible, that even the Reckoners had never killed a High Epic. Yet Steelheart--invincible, immortal, unconquerable--is dead. And he died by David's hand. Eliminating Steelheart was supposed to make life simpler. Instead, it only made David realize he has questions. Big ones. And no one in Newcago can give him answers. Babylon Restored, the city formerly known as the borough of Manhattan, has possibilities, though. Ruled by the mysterious High Epic Regalia, Babylon Restored is flooded and miserable, but David is sure it's the path that will lead him to what he needs to find. Entering a city oppressed by a High Epic despot is risky, but David's willing to take the gamble. Because killing Steelheart left a hole in David's heart. A hole where his thirst for vengeance once lived. Somehow, he filled that hole with another Epic--Firefight. And now he will go on a quest darker and even more dangerous than the fight against Steelheart to find her, and to get his answers. Calamity When Calamity lit up the sky, the Epics were born. David’s fate has been tied to their villainy ever since that historic night. Steelheart killed his father. Firefight stole his heart. And now Regalia has turned Prof, his closest ally, into a dangerous enemy. David knew Prof’s secret, and kept it even when Prof struggled to control the effects of his Epic powers. But facing Obliteration in Babilar was too much. Once the Reckoners’ leader, Prof has now embraced his Epic destiny. He’s disappeared into those murky shadows of menace Epics are infamous for the world over, and everyone knows there’s no turning back. . . . But everyone is wrong. Redemption is possible for Epics—Megan proved it. They’re not lost. Not completely. And David is just about crazy enough to face down the most powerful High Epic of all to get his friend back. Or die trying. Thanks for reading!
Zach Larson Author at Living Words Press Have a question you want to ask? Leave a comment below or email me at [email protected]. I want to know what type of post you would like to see from me next. P.S. Want more content right now? Sign up for my newsletter to receive bonus material, reviews and recommendations, pre-release goodies, and free stuff. Sign up now on the home page: Livingwordspress.com. Just click the button under the title. You don't have to purchase anything to sign up for the newsletter. Most of the content included in the newsletter is exclusive to subscribers, so don't miss out! Follow me at: @livingwordsp www.facebook.com/livingwordspress  The Paper MagicianBlank sheets of paper, each one charged with potential magic, and all you have to do to release it is fold the sheets in just the right way. If the cover didn’t give it away, folding paper is the focus of the magic system in The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg. The Paper Magician is a delightful novel with clean content for all ages. The messages in the novel range from pushing through difficult tasks to finding the true meaning of love. Ceony Twill, the main character, will entrance readers young and old. The novel begins with Ceony Twill, a wannabe magician, longing for the day she gets to choose what material to align with as a magician in training. She imagines herself tapping into the magic of metal or even glass in fantastic ways. But, to her dismay, Ceony doesn’t get to choose. She has shown so much promise, and has no influence coming from a poor family, that she is assigned to align with paper, a dying magic. Unwanted or not, Ceony makes the best of her situation and soon discovers that there is more to paper magic than meets the eye. What is more, she begins to see the kind heart of the master magician she is apprenticed under. But all is thrown into chaos as her master’s ex wife comes after his heart, his actual beating heart, to use in her forbidden blood magic. After that, it is a race against time for Ceony to save the man she is falling in love with, using a magic she is only just beginning to understand. I stumbled onto this book by chance as a kindle first deal in my email. I was immediately intrigued, but, being ever critical of my reads, I took some time to vet the sample on Amazon. The moment I saw that the author had learned at the hands of the Brandon Sanderson himself, I knew I had to give the book a shot. The unique magic systems enthralled me from the start, and, even years later, I still recommend this book at least a couple times a year. Last year, at the first ever Dragonsteel Conference, I even got to meet Charlie, the author. Her author panel was at the same time as one of Brandon’s main panels with Dan Wells, bad news for anything else going on at the time, and there were only six of us in the room with Charlie. We could tell that she was disheartened, but she took it in stride and kept interacting with our small group at a personal level. She was funny and charming and willing to answer all of our questions about her books. I don’t know about you, but that is how an author cements my support. So, not only am I going to recommend that you read The Paper Magician, but I am going to quickly pitch the entire Paper Magician series to you right now. All the books in the series are just as clean and enjoyable as the first. My only real problem with the series is that the main character, Ceony, doesn’t seem to have a real reason to keep moving in the plot. She does it because she can’t help herself. But that is a minor issue and doesn’t take anything away from the series for me.  The Glass MagicianThe Glass Magician is the rule-bending second installment in the Paper Magician series. It is a clean read that keeps the reader guessing about what will happen next. Ceony is still working toward becoming a master paper magician. But enemies begin to surface all around her. The love she has for her teacher goes unrequited due to the nature of her being his apprentice, and a glass magician is hunting her and stirring up trouble as he looks for a way to break his bond to glass. The reader will never guess how this one ends; I know I didn’t see it coming.  The Master MagicianThe Master Magician is the action packed climax to Ceony Twill’s story. It is a clean read that wraps up a beautifully written trilogy with whimsical magic and wholesome love. In Ceony’s final book, she faces the problems of her master’s trial, the practical test she must pass in order to become a master paper magician. She should be focused on preparing for this test, but her attention is divided. She has more to learn than just folding paper, and there are still some old enemies that want both her and her master dead. By the time the book ends, Ceony’s secrets will rock the magical community to its core. I tried not to reveal too much here. The second book changes the entire makeup of the storyline. This is the end of Ceony’s story and the last one I read, but there is another book in the series about a separate character that is working to become a plastic magician. Since I haven’t read it yet, I will paste the Amazon book description here for you.  The Plastic MagicianAlvie Brechenmacher has arrived in London to begin her training in Polymaking—the magical discipline of bespelling plastic. Polymaking is the newest form of magic, and in a field where there is so much left to learn, every Polymaker dreams of making the next big discovery. Even though she is only an apprentice, Alvie is an inventor at heart, and she is determined to make as many discoveries—in as short a time frame—as she can. Luckily for her, she’s studying under the world-renowned magician Marion Praff, who is just as dedicated as Alvie is. Alvie’s enthusiasm reinvigorates her mentor’s work, and together they create a device that could forever change Polymaking—and the world. But when a rival learns of their plans, he conspires to steal their invention and take the credit for it himself. To thwart him, Alvie will need to think one step ahead. For in the high-stakes world of magical discovery, not everyone plays fair… Thanks for reading!
Zach Larson Author at Living Words Press Have a question you want to ask? Leave a comment below or email me at [email protected]. I want to know what type of post you would like to see from me next. P.S. Want more content right now? Sign up for my newsletter to receive bonus material, reviews and recommendations, pre-release goodies, and free stuff. Sign up now on the home page: Livingwordspress.com. Just click the button under the title. You don't have to purchase anything to sign up for the newsletter. Most of the content included in the newsletter is exclusive to subscribers, so don't miss out! Follow me at: @livingwordsp www.facebook.com/livingwordspress |
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