Took about a day to read it, but ultimately it moved very slowly. The mystery also didn't feel mysterious enough and I simply wasn't as intrigued as I wanted to be.

Thank you so much to net galley for sending me a copy of this audiobook. I would highly recommend for anyone with or around young kids today.

This was a great audiobook, especially for younger readers. Having the different narrators put this a step above other audiobooks. It helps to follow the story as well as increasing engagement. I thoroughly enjoyed the story.

This was so cute and fun! I read this with my 9 yr old and he loved it. Its funny, cute and witty enough to keep me, and adult, engaged. Would recommend this even for people beyond this reading level as a cute quick read.

Jett, the son of a wealthy Silicon Valley tycoon, knows how to get his own way. Always. He is an expert at gaming the system.
In an attempt to rehabilitate his son, Jett's father enrolls him in a summer camp deep in the Arkansas woods. The Oasis of Mind and Body Wellness has some basic rules: no meat, no pets, no screens.
Jett knows this regime isn’t going to work for him and immediately resorts to subversive activities including unauthorized trips into town and adopting a pet lizard. Three campers join him in a series of madcap adventures.
Their activities become serious when the foursome realize that there is a devious staff member, hypnotically controlling the minds of wealthy adults and bilking them out of vast amounts of money.
The fast-paced action escalates when the kids discover a mafia-owned mansion, a staff member’s secret life, and a reptile who may not be a lizard.
The full cast narration features individual narrators for each of the four young campers who uncover what is really happening at the Oasis of Mind and Body Wellness. Another hit from best-selling author Gordon Korman.

I received an EARC of the audiobook for this story. Im not sure if i will continue to request books in audiobook form as an EARC. I love when audiobooks have a large cast of characters. As for the story, it was a cute fun read that can be read with younger family members. I believe almost anyone in the family would enjoy this story. It had cute friendships, a nice mystery, and doesn't get boring.

Realistic Fiction Chapter Book: Silicon Valley legend’s 12 yo son makes expensive, dangerous, bad choices that land him at an electronics-free, family retreat center in rural Arkansas under protest & in spite of attempts to get kicked out. This novel is told in authentic, alternating tween/teen voices. The characters express varying levels of enthusiasm for their forced time at the center & toward the new tech brat. Sneaky, daring choices are made and rules are broken. The characters forge unexpected friendships and learn the hard way why it's important “to do the right thing” even at the sacrifice of one's desires.

This was a fun Audiobook. But Korman is such a powerhouse in middle grade fiction that is to be expected. Jett is the son of one of the richest people in the world (think Jeff Bezos) and acts like it. After getting into a bit of trouble back home, dad packs him and his minder off to the backwoods of Little Rock, Arkansas and the wellness retreat The Oasis. Rule number one at Oasis? Completely unplug. This is a time for meditation, mindfulness, getting back to nature and finding yourself. The last thing Jett wants to do is find himself. Grace is a “camper” who comes every summer and she loves it. She is totally into the lifestyle of the Oasis. Then there are the other kid campers and adult ones to (this is a family place after all). But Jett, especially the trouble making precocious kind will be kids. They take in a baby lizard they name Needles (because its bite is worse than it’s bark), and discover that things at the Oasis are not always what they seem. This book was a laugh riot with lots of heart. However, I thought the ending was way rushed. So much time was built building up the Oasis and trying to reform Jett, that the mystery at the end came as a bit of a shock and almost seemed out of place. This book was enjoyable, and kids will love it, but Korman has done better.

ARC provided by NetGalley

My students love Gordon Korman's books and this one will not be an exception. While at a retreat for the summer, these kids are separated from their devices but still manage to create new friendships, hide a pet, and discover hidden secrets. It makes for an unforgettable summer (and plot).

Was a great mix of rescuers down under adventure with Richie Rich. Would be a great book to have an illustration hear and there. The character building was clear and the world building was there but could have been more flourished. It was a nice in all to listen to and will keep this author in my views. www.Amazon.com

Kids will enjoy this one! I plan on putting the paperback version in my classroom for 5th graders. I know a few that will instantly relate to these characters.


I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

Remember reading a number of Gordon Korman books over the years and they were all entertaining. (I was a middle school librarian) Mr. Korman has not lost his touch. I can't imagine any of my grandkids being sent to a camp, where they are totally "unplugged"! What a hoot. Can I be a counselor? As always, there are some fun twists and unexpected turns, people grow and secrets come out. Just a fun read. Highly recommend this fun read.

When Jett Baranov, the son of a tech billionaire, is unwillingly sent to a wellness camp, he has no idea what awaits him. Jett is spoiled and entitled and has always been able to get whatever he wants. The Oasis wellness camp is everything Jett doesn’t like and he is resentful of being there. Eventually, Jett is able to connect with a few kids over Needles, their pet lizard (which is of course against the rules). Follow along while Jett and the crew uncover some Oasis secrets and form friendships along the way.
Jett was easy to not like at the beginning, but seeing him mature throughout the story was fun. There are a multitude of quirky summer camp characters whom Jett encounters during his stay at The Oasis and they often made me chuckle or smile as I thought back to those awkward summer camp days. I enjoyed the book, and as I istened, I kept thinking that my children would also enjoy this one.

This book takes place at a camp called The Oasis where everyone gives up their electronics and completely "unplugs" from the outside world. The story is told from the perspective of the kids at the camp. It's a diverse group and they are all attending The Oasis for different reasons. I appreciated that the interactions between the characters are real and awkward, which is normal for a bunch of kids who don't know each other, but are forced to spend the summer together. I loved that the characters and their friendships continued to change throughout the book, especially the main character, Jett Baranov, who is very unlikeable for most of the story. Unlikely friendships were formed because of a lizard named Needles and I think it sends a great message to young readers about finding connections and getting to know people who are different from you. The ending was satisfying with a couple twists that I didn't see coming so I was engaged until the very end.

Well written with good character development but very confusing to me. I honestly had no idea what was going on and most of the time. It was quite difficult to read, maybe it was just me. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I absolutely adored this cute middle grade book! It had some deeper meaningful themes that I think will be great for kids of all ages to read about. It all starts at a health and wellness camp called Oasis, where there is no internet, phones or computers allowed, all the food is vegetarian, and there are daily meditation exercises. It revolves around a spoiled rich kid, Jett, and the friends he makes at the camp. None of them are initially friends but bonded over finding and taking care of a lizard they find and deem unable to survive in the wilderness alone. I LOVED the determination the kids had for taking care of Needles the lizard and trying to find out what he eats, without having their phones or internet access to know what type of lizard he was. This was VERY entertaining to me personally as a reptile lover and owner. Jett discovers some things that just didn't add up at the camp and tries to piece together the mystery. I loved the story, characters and message of this book overall and think people of all ages would enjoy this as its not overly childish. It really kept me entertained. I definitely would have liked to see some more character development but overall I give this a 4.5. It was a light fun read that was much needed!

I'll start by saying that I really like Gordon Korman. He gets the middle grade mind, attitude, and lingo. So I was delighted to see Unplugged pop up for review! Jett Baranov is the son of a famous tech billionaire. He’s being challenged by a wellness camp called the Oasis where he will have to give up all technology and attempt a healthier, more balanced life. He meets a variety of other people at the camp who bring a world of character to the story. But with Jett's attitude, it’s going to take more than talk to get him on board with the unplugged lifestyle.

I struggled with this book, only because of the automated (non-human) narrator with inflection that didn't always match what was happening in the story. In fact, I didn't listen to the very end because I had trouble distinguishing the difference in the characters and I kept having to be reminded of which character was which. I love listening to audiobooks, but the synthetic option just won't work for me for future reviews. I'll be waiting until the print book is released to re-read, edit my review, and update my star rating. In the meantime, I'm picking up Restart by Gordon Korman to read this week. I missed it when it was released, so it'll fill in my extra time quite nicely!

"I don't know if I'm doing the right thing, but I'm positive it's the right thing for me."

I'm a big Gordon Korman fan. He writes great stories for middle grade readers and I have yet to meet a middle school kid who doesn't like Gordon Korman's work. I was thrilled when I found Korman's latest middle grade book in my approved NetGalley releases - and even more thrilled that I got a listening copy as I knew I would actually read this one by publication date!

Unplugged features a similar Korman lineup: a wide cast of narrators, with some characters worming their way right into your heart and other characters taking a while to warm up to. We start the story meeting Jett, the son of a famous billionaire who is always up to no good. He's been dropped off at Camp Oasis, a camp focused on overall health and wellness but with zero technology. Jett is not at all thrilled he has to give up his cell phone, be forced into a vegetarian eating cycle, and meditate on a regular basis. The other kids at the camp don't seem to be as upset as Jett and the adults sing nothing but praises for the camp. Later on, some of the kids find a carnivorous lizard they name Needles. They swear themselves to secrecy because at the Oasis pets are strictly prohibited. This is where the book takes a Carl Hiaasen turn and we find out that some of the adults at the Oasis are up to no good and Needles isn't quite as cute and innocent as we thought.

This was a fun read and one that middle school readers are sure to enjoy. I enjoyed the different character narrations as I've come to expect that from Korman's work. However, this book fell short for me simply because I've read Carl Hiaasen and I love the twists and turns that happen in his bizarre eco-adventure (is that a genre?) stories. Hiaasen writes these stories so well and unfortunately, Unplugged isn't written by Hiaasen. Had I not read Hiaasen before, I probably would have liked this story more. I'm going to leave the eco-adventure storytelling to Hiaasen and hope that Korman goes back to his more regular contemporary storytelling.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced listening copy in exchange for my honest thoughts and review.*

Our main character, Jett Baranov, is the spoiled son of a tech billionaire. He has always had whatever he wants, and has caused more trouble than most hardened criminals. After his latest escapade goes even worse than usual, Jett is sent to a place called the Oasis, a retreat in the middle of nowhere with no technology (hence the name, Unplugged). Jett doesn't like the veggie patties and other health food, and he certainly does not enjoy life without technology. After a few weeks, though, he starts to make a couple of friends as they discover a baby lizard they call Needles. They form a bond as they try to take care of their secret pet and keep others from discovering it.

That's not the only secret at the Oasis, though. Jett has noticed that the adults at the Oasis are acting strange, especially after their private meditation sessions. Can Jett figure out what is going on in time? Will anyone believe him or will they think it's just another of his pranks?

This book was fun and enjoyable, as most of Gordon Korman's books are. The audio version I listened to was computer synthesized, which took away a bit of the book, but that won't be a problem with the actual audio book. It's a great read if you like mysteries and adventures.

My Review: I was immediately drawn to this cover and was intrigued by the synopsis. I think it will appeal to many young readers the way it did for me. It starts off kind of slow, kind of a boring summer camp drag but things take quite an interesting twist and send the characters off on a bit of a mystery adventure. I did struggle a bit with the audio file from netgalley, it was computer generated as the full narration hadn't been released yet. It was difficult to distinguish the various POVs as well as the tone of each character, but I am sure that will be corrected once it has actual narrators voicing the story. That little issue made it difficult for me to focus on the story but I do really think it will appeal to a lot of young readers and I may give it a shot again in print format or the full audiobook once released. I think there is a character in this story that everyone can find a connection with. I really enjoyed watching kids bond over something so different and the way friendships are built.

My Rating: I did struggle quite a bit with the audio version, but please keep in mind that I was not listening to a final narration, so don't let that put you off. I am sure the final version will be so much better. I give it a rating of Three Paws.