Note from Audra: Abby Chambless is the second of my trio of Dunwoody High School Juniors to provide us with a Junior Book Review. Abby along with Christy Holloway started the ‘DHS Bookclub’ this year. When Christy told me about it I immediately asked her if she and Abby would be willing to write about some of their fave choices from their book club reading this year. The girls thankfully said yes and here’s the first review from Abby about their most recent DHS Book Club choice……
Want to win a copy? Simply comment on this post and we’ll enter you into our drawing. The winner will be announced along with next week’s book of the week!
Phoenix Island (Bram Stoker Award for Young Readers)
Dunwoody High School’s Book Club chose Phoenix Island by John Dixon for the month of September. A member of the club recommend it and described it as similar to the Hunger Games, so everyone voted to read it. This book is like a dystopian novel on steroids; it has action, adventure, extreme boot camps and training, and bad guys that everyone can side against. For anyone who enjoyed the Hunger Games and likes an intense read with a thrilling plot, this book is for you. Phoenix Island opens with Carl, an orphan teen who has been in and out of foster homes because of fighting, being sentenced to Phoenix Island, a place for extremely troubled teens. Once Carl arrives on the desolate tropical island, he discovers the intensity of the program and how easily it is to make enemies among his comrades. Of course there is a touch of romance in the novel between Carl and Octavia, a girl he meets on the island. With a pronounced sense of what is right and wrong, Carl takes on the bullies on Phoenix Island and creates a name for himself, but no one truly knew just how important Carl would be. Although we thought it was more of a “boy” book, it still was definitely enjoyed by our club composed of mainly girls. Everyone in the group liked the book and said they would recommend it to other students. We gave this book 4 stars out of 5 because the novel had quite a bit of violence so it may not be the best read for young readers. Thanks for reading this review and remember, the book is always better.
It is so great to see a Book Club at DHS!
My 9th grader at DHS would LOVE this book! She is an avid reader!
trying to get my 14 year old interested in reading! hoping this book will do the trick, please choose me! thanks!
I would love to win this for myself AND my grandchild!!!
There are 4 of us who would love to read this book!
Thanks, Audra!
Great review!
I would like to win this so I can read and decide if ok for my son.
My kids loved the Hunger Games and thanks to Abby’s great review I have a new lead on a book for them!
Would love to win this for my 10th grader at CCHS. She adored The Hunger Games!