Survival on The Techno Scholar Chronicles

Book Review: Island of Silence (The Unwanteds #2)

Mon, 18 May 2026 05:15:00 -0500

Island of Silence is the second book in The Unwanteds series, and it largely deals with the aftermath of the battle between Artimé and Quill from the first book. Artimé has survived and is now able to come out into the open, as well as allow travel between Artimé and Quill. As such, many of the Necessaries in Quill choose to leave behind their jobs and move to Artimé to start a new life. Since the Necessaries were the ones doing much of the essential work, Quill begins to struggle.

Book Review: The Unwanteds (The Unwanteds #1)

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 22:00:00 -0500

The Unwanteds is a middle-grade fantasy novel set in a dystopian society called Quill, where citizens are divided into three groups: Wanteds, Necessaries, and Unwanteds. At the age of 13, children undergo a yearly judgment in which any sign of creativity is deemed undesirable. The only catch is that those labeled Unwanted are sent to the Death Farm to be killed. However, we soon discover that these children are secretly rescued by a mage named Mr. Today. This is where the story becomes more engaging and hopeful.

Book Review: The Wild Robot (Volume 1)

Thu, 25 Dec 2025 19:30:00 -0600

The Wild Robot is a middle-grade science fiction book about a robot shipwrecked on an island and forced to survive among the island’s wildlife. Interestingly, it is about survival, community, and family. I first watched The Wild Robot movie and really enjoyed it. However, the movie ended on a cliffhanger, and I wanted to know what happened next. When I looked into it, I discovered that The Wild Robot is actually a trilogy, so I had to start reading the books!

Book Review: Across Astral Realms (Book #1 of the Astral Alliance series)

Sun, 09 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0600

This story takes place in space and weaves an intriguing narrative around the main character, Megan, who is branded a pirate. She fights for survival and strives to do what is right, especially after learning about child trafficking and making it her mission to free the enslaved children. Although still a child herself, Megan was raised by her parents—both branded as pirates—and taught a sense of moral right and wrong, even if they didn’t always practice it. She dedicates herself to living by the principle that all life is sacred. This principle becomes her moral struggle as she fights oppression, rescues enslaved children, and faces numerous life-and-death situations in which she must defend herself and others. I’m reminded of the Bible quote where God says, “Vengeance is mine,” which suggests that we should not seek revenge, but leave justice to a higher power. Megan shows mercy several times, and we witness a sense of divine justice unfold.

Book Review: The Power and the Glory

Thu, 08 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0500

This book was fascinating and mysterious, and it kept me wondering what would happen next. It is a fictional novel about a priest in Mexico during a time of anti-Catholicism when Catholicism was outlawed. This priest had been on the run for years, and the police had been unable to catch him. We start in the story by being introduced to different people, and it is unclear what is happening. However, as we progress through the pages, the story starts to focus on the priest, known as the whisky priest. We learn he has many moral struggles and is pulled between certain vices or sins and his higher calling.