by  Gordon Korman (Author), A.J Beckles (Narrator), Maxwell Glick (Narrator), Vikas Adam (Narrator), Reba Buhr (Narrator), Sarah Mollo-Christensen (Narrator), Barrett Leddy (Narrator), HarperAudio (Publisher)

An Audiobook Review

—“A middle-grade novel about a group of kids forced to “unplug” at a wellness camp – where they instead find intrigue, adventure, and a whole lot of chaos.”—

This book and its author are a part of the reason I love reading middle-grade books.  They are plot-unique, exciting, mind-blowing, wildly imagined, laugh-out-loud funny at times, and clean. What more could I ask?  And yes, I am an adult…in my seventh decade!

UNPLUGGED is a fabulous story!  I just have to say that.  All the characters are boldly drawn, with their own set of uniqueness.  Grace is snooty and totally immersed in the “wellness” hype of the “Oasis.”  Tyrell is a typical runt-sized math nerd. But despite having a huge variety of itching allergies and an older sister there who is always picking on him, he has a sweet nature. Brooklynne is a loner, quiet, and mysterious but helpful when the others get into fixes and need help.

And – a very big AND that is – the fourth in this weird, dysfunctional gang is the rule-breaking, snotty, privileged son of a billionaire IT inventor (think Gates or Musk), who has come to the Oasis (with a handler, who can’t really control him) as a sort of punishment for creating havoc at the San Francisco airport (you gotta read the book!). His name is Jett. And for him, giving up all his technology just about kills him until he discovers a secret and becomes a part of it.

What a wild adventure he and the other kids have at the Oasis after they find a weird lizard they name Needles and decide to keep as a pet (against the rules).  But how do you find meat to feed this pet when the whole place is strictly vegetarian?  No bugs either because you can’t kill them (out of respect).

The way they find to bring Needles meat is way beyond anything you might imagine. MORE rules are broken!  I mean, what are rules for anyway?  And what are gangsters and fireworks and 15-foot monsters? And one bratty-smart kid who thinks he can fix it all???

I loved it.  You (or your kid) will too. Don’t worry, he/she won’t get any wild ideas… at least I don’t think so.