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4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
What a fun and unique book! This is a great blend of futuristic tech that meets the post-apocalyptic world. I feel like I am going to become a fast fan of Gunderson's work.
I will admit I had a hard time getting into the story at first. It took me several chapters to get orientated in the world, and once I was hooked and ready to see the character, the POV shifted for quite a few chapters. I get why it was done, but it was jarring.
But even with that in mind, Unreal is a fantastic, quick read that had me on the "Edge" of my seat. I can't wait for the next book!
I will admit I had a hard time getting into the story at first. It took me several chapters to get orientated in the world, and once I was hooked and ready to see the character, the POV shifted for quite a few chapters. I get why it was done, but it was jarring.
But even with that in mind, Unreal is a fantastic, quick read that had me on the "Edge" of my seat. I can't wait for the next book!
Channel is unreal, living in a community that uses retinal implants to see what they want to see. Changing their personal enviroment, their appearance, training for their future positions in the community.
Mila is real, living outside the community, working hard with her family to survive without any help.
Their worlds are going to collide and learn what is worth fighting for. What will happen is up to them mostly, with some help from an unknown group.
Cindy is an amazing storyteller and her grasp on 'alternate technologies' is awesome to read about. This story is the beginning of a series that I know will become one of my favorites. YA and up, this book has sacrifice, feelings, learning to do what's right, even when it might hurt.
Don't wait another minute, get reading!
Mila is real, living outside the community, working hard with her family to survive without any help.
Their worlds are going to collide and learn what is worth fighting for. What will happen is up to them mostly, with some help from an unknown group.
Cindy is an amazing storyteller and her grasp on 'alternate technologies' is awesome to read about. This story is the beginning of a series that I know will become one of my favorites. YA and up, this book has sacrifice, feelings, learning to do what's right, even when it might hurt.
Don't wait another minute, get reading!
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
This is classic YA, reminiscent of the 2000’s in both the best and worst of ways. Reading it felt nostalgic, even though I’d never read it before! But a small smattering of plot holes, and a POV I really disliked and felt was cringey, overwhelmed that nostalgic vibe for me.
Check out my blog, One Man Book Club
The Value of a Star: Ratings Explained
Unreal (The Unreal Series, Book #1)
By: Cindy Gunderson
My Review: Four out of Five Stars
Best for: 12 and up
Sigh. Why am I such a nerd?
I'm such a nerd when it comes to AR. (That's Augmented Reality for everyone less nerdy than me.) It's when you use a computer to change what your eyes see. It's pretty common in the apps on our phones these days. Point your phone camera at something, and when you see the picture on your phone you see the thing you expect to see--but it's augmented somehow. Now there's a chair in the corner, or there's a Pokémon in the grass, or you have purple lipstick on your lips, or you're eating spicy food and throwing up rainbows when you open your mouth. That's AR, and it's really cool. Not only because of what it is, but because of what it can potentially do.
Imagine you put on glasses that augments EVERYTHING you see? Imagine the technology gets so good you can't distinguish what's real and what isn't? Maybe there are contact lenses that do the same thing? Or a surgical implant you can connect to your optical nerve...
I guess I nerd-out so much about AR because I see it as a plausible, near-future reality. I think it's super cool, so when I find books that imagine an AR-infused world, I jump. There aren't many. Ready Player One might come to your mind, but it's NOT--it's Virtual Reality. Warcross by Marie Lu IS about Augmented Reality, and so is Unreal by Cindy Gunderson.
Unreal puts a really clever (and uncomfortable) spin on future applications of AR. This is a dystopian future, where the world has been ravaged by calamity and only pockets of humanity survive. The landscape is desolate, and resources are scarce. Instead of investing precious resources into things--variety in clothing, for example--these folks in our future use AR instead. It conserves resources and maximizes societal efficiency by allowing resources to be allocated to critical needs, while letting us customize the way we visually engage with our environment. How we look, how we learn, and how we interact with everything around us is fully customizable according to our every whim!
Sounds dreamy, right?
Right...
I loved how Unreal cleverly took this-could-really-happen science and incorporated it into a super engaging dystopian adventure. All the stuff we love about the genre is there: coming of age, love interests, revolutionaries, learning new perspectives...it's all there, and more. Book 1 kept me engaged, and I'm looking forward to book 2!
I especially appreciated the steam-free content. No language, sex, or violence sensitive readers need to be concerned with. If you're looking for a fun dystopian future with a cool scyfy twist, I bet you'll enjoy Unreal!
Best for 12 and up
Happy Reading!
The Value of a Star: Ratings Explained
Unreal (The Unreal Series, Book #1)
By: Cindy Gunderson
My Review: Four out of Five Stars
Best for: 12 and up
Sigh. Why am I such a nerd?
I'm such a nerd when it comes to AR. (That's Augmented Reality for everyone less nerdy than me.) It's when you use a computer to change what your eyes see. It's pretty common in the apps on our phones these days. Point your phone camera at something, and when you see the picture on your phone you see the thing you expect to see--but it's augmented somehow. Now there's a chair in the corner, or there's a Pokémon in the grass, or you have purple lipstick on your lips, or you're eating spicy food and throwing up rainbows when you open your mouth. That's AR, and it's really cool. Not only because of what it is, but because of what it can potentially do.
Imagine you put on glasses that augments EVERYTHING you see? Imagine the technology gets so good you can't distinguish what's real and what isn't? Maybe there are contact lenses that do the same thing? Or a surgical implant you can connect to your optical nerve...
I guess I nerd-out so much about AR because I see it as a plausible, near-future reality. I think it's super cool, so when I find books that imagine an AR-infused world, I jump. There aren't many. Ready Player One might come to your mind, but it's NOT--it's Virtual Reality. Warcross by Marie Lu IS about Augmented Reality, and so is Unreal by Cindy Gunderson.
Unreal puts a really clever (and uncomfortable) spin on future applications of AR. This is a dystopian future, where the world has been ravaged by calamity and only pockets of humanity survive. The landscape is desolate, and resources are scarce. Instead of investing precious resources into things--variety in clothing, for example--these folks in our future use AR instead. It conserves resources and maximizes societal efficiency by allowing resources to be allocated to critical needs, while letting us customize the way we visually engage with our environment. How we look, how we learn, and how we interact with everything around us is fully customizable according to our every whim!
Sounds dreamy, right?
Right...
I loved how Unreal cleverly took this-could-really-happen science and incorporated it into a super engaging dystopian adventure. All the stuff we love about the genre is there: coming of age, love interests, revolutionaries, learning new perspectives...it's all there, and more. Book 1 kept me engaged, and I'm looking forward to book 2!
I especially appreciated the steam-free content. No language, sex, or violence sensitive readers need to be concerned with. If you're looking for a fun dystopian future with a cool scyfy twist, I bet you'll enjoy Unreal!
Best for 12 and up
Happy Reading!
Channel is unreal, living in a community that uses retinal implants to see what they want to see. Changing their personal enviroment, their appearance, training for their future positions in the community.
Mila is real, living outside the community, working hard with her family to survive without any help.
Their worlds are going to collide and learn what is worth fighting for. What will happen is up to them mostly, with some help from an unknown group.
Cindy is an amazing storyteller and her grasp on 'alternate technologies' is awesome to read about. This story is the beginning of a series that I know will become one of my favorites. YA and up, this book has sacrifice, feelings, learning to do what's right, even when it might hurt.
Don't wait another minute, get reading!
Mila is real, living outside the community, working hard with her family to survive without any help.
Their worlds are going to collide and learn what is worth fighting for. What will happen is up to them mostly, with some help from an unknown group.
Cindy is an amazing storyteller and her grasp on 'alternate technologies' is awesome to read about. This story is the beginning of a series that I know will become one of my favorites. YA and up, this book has sacrifice, feelings, learning to do what's right, even when it might hurt.
Don't wait another minute, get reading!
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
medium-paced