Series Spotlight - The Unwanteds

The Unwanteds - Lisa McMann

In this upcoming Saturday, a new review will be released for an awesome book. However, an introduction was needed for the book that is to be reviewed. The book that is going to be reviewed is the first book of a sequel series to the series picture above, The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann. You may recognize the name, as two books of her's, Wake and Going Wild, has been reviewed here before. The Unwanted series ran from 2011 through 2016, resulting in 7 amazing books filled with creativity, magic, and adventure.

I remember the first time I saw the book. I walked into a local bookshop and the first book was on display back in 2011. I saw the cover, read the synopsis, and put it back thinking it was just some tale that wouldn't be for me. However, in actuality, the book stayed in my head the entire time as I was in the store. Before I left, I took the book off the shelve one last time and bought it. It was one of the best decisions ever because I've come and grew to love the series and it became one of my all-time favorites.

In the series, the setting mainly takes place in Artimé, but begins in the land of Quill, where creativity is illegal, and if caught, it could mean the end. Every year, 13 year olds are labeled as Wanted, Necessary, or Unwanted. Wanted and Necessary gets to stay in Quill and anyone labeled as Unwanted are sent to their deaths. What the land of Quill doesn't know is that all the Unwanted children are being sneaked into a land called Artimé where creativity is allowed. Not only creativity is allowed, the land is more colorful and lively, and magic can be used from the many forms of creativity.

At the time, I was a very creative person and that connection alone made me want to read it. I loved the amount of creativity that the author used to build this world and I loved every single piece of it (other than the boring Quill). Throughout the series, battles are fought and new islands are discovered. The use of magic and creativity is never let down in each book and only becomes better and better. Along with each island being discovered, new characters are introduced and become a part of the story told. It is really a fun series that all ages can read and be inspired and have fun with.

On this Saturday, the first book of the sequel series will be reviewed and I thought it would be better to introduce this series first as I never truly reviewed them here. I will be reviewing the book as a sequel and it could be confusing for people as they may have not known that it was a sequel and how to actually the read the book first. Fact: You should totally read the series anyways. Just make sure you read The Unwanteds series first.

Stay tuned for the review this Saturday!