Hey Bibliophiles,

What’s up? I hope you had a festive holiday and got lots of time with family and friends. I’ve had some nice downtime, so I figured why not celebrate with another review?

If you follow my blog (if not, feel free to catch up on the series review link below!), then you know that I’m cuckoo about Neal Shusterman’s Unwind series so far. The first book was great, and I was surprised to learn there’s a short story/novella in between book 1 and 2 called UnStrung.

Not one to resist the temptation to read, I dove right in. On to the review!

Series Review Links

Book Review: Unwind (Unwind #1)

Blurb

How did Lev Calder move from an unwillingly escaped Tithe to a clapper?

In this new ebook original short story, author Neal Shusterman opens a window on Lev’s adventures between the time he left CyFi and when he showed up at the Graveyard.

Lev’s experiences on a Hi-Rez, an extraordinarily wealthy Native American Reservation introduce him to a teen with remarkable musical talent… and whose gifts are destined to end up in the hands of another. And it is this teen’s heart-breaking story that inspired Lev to choose the clapper’s path.

Pulling elements from Neal Shusterman’s critically acclaimed Unwind and giving hints about what is to come in the long-awaited sequel, UnWholly, this short story is a must for fans of the series.

GoodReads

Amazon

Bookshop.org

***Brief disclosure***

I am an Amazon and Bookshop.org affiliate and earn a tiny commission for purchases made through the links in this post at no cost to you. It’s a great way to help me keep things running on my blog if you’re already intrigued enough to make a purchase. 

The Review

After loving the first book of this series, I was ready for more adventure. This did not disappoint!

This novella covers Lev’s travels before he joined Connor and Risa in the Graveyard. Lev is on the run from the threat of being Unwound and finds himself in a reservation of all places. A good Samaritan has rescued him from the brink of death, and as he continues to recover he explores the culture and hope of the reservation, gaining insight on his path in life.

The main characters this time are Wil and Lev, and I liked how much their perspectives differed between one another. Wil has lived his life in peace, but he grows tired of playing music like a robot to soothe his fellow citizens. Lev is lost and struggles to find hope in such a divided world, but his time at the reservation impacts him greatly.

Just like the first book, things moved at a swift pace, and I blazed through this story in no time! The writing was great, both hopeful and heart wrenching at the same time. Also, I enjoyed the added worldbuilding this story gave to the Unwind world. It really fleshes things out more and I appreciated that.

The only real critique I have is that I feel this novella could’ve been incorporated into the first novel. Other than that, this was another stellar read and if you loved the first book you’ll love this short adventure too!

That’s A Wrap!

Well that’s it for this book review. Like what you see? Leave a tip!

Have you read this book? Are there other similar books you’ve read that you simply have to gush about? Feel free to leave a comment. I’d love to start a conversation!

Have a great day!

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