The Hit | Melvin Burgess
Review by Alex Neave, age 14

A new drug is out-Death. Take it and the rest of your life will be amazing. The catch- one you take it you can only live another week. It’s the ultimate high. Adam is tempted. His girlfriend left him, his brother is gone. So what has he got to lose. Everything as it turns out.

‘The hit’ by Melvin Burgess is about a new drug called death. Take it and you get to live your dream life but you only get one week to live. I didn’t really like this book and it took me a while to get into it, however if you are into books about crime then this might just be for you.

Overall, this book was okay even though it took a while to get into it. I think this should be aimed at 13+ year olds as it is quite confusing and the plot has a lot of twists. I would probably give it a 2 out of 5 stars as I didn’t really enjoy it but it was a good plot. If you are looking for something a bit different, I would definitely recommend reading this book!

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The Baby | Lisa Drakeford
Review by Rebecca Maver, age 13
Five very different characters all linked together by one thing – the baby.
It’s Olivia’s seventeenth birthday party and everything seems to be going well. Her
controlling boyfriend seems happy, one of her best friends is dancing and laughing and her little sister is staying in her bedroom. But in the exciting chaos of the party Olivia seems to have lost sight of her best friend, Nicola – is that her moaning in the bathroom?

The last thing that she expects to happen is to find Nicola giving birth on her bathroom
floor. At seventeen Nicola isn’t ready to be a mum, but will the people around her help her when they’ve got their own problems to deal with?

One of the most interesting and original factors of this book is the way that each character has their own section. I think this works really well because you get to see the story progress through the eyes of different characters, and I like how the writing style is slightly different for every character, so you really feel as though you are in their heads, sharing their point of view and seeing their emotions.

The story tells of the struggles of being a young mum, and how difficult it is – especially when the people around you don’t know how to handle the situation properly.

I really enjoyed this book, as I think that it is true to life – and talks about something that is not often talked about. It also has an unexpected ending – which I thought was really good. It is in a genre that I really enjoy reading, a bit romantic, but also realistic.

I would recommend this book to people my age or older.

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Maresi: The Red Abbey Chronicles | Maria Turtschaninoff
Review by Lauren Bailey, age 13
Review date 04/08/201

Maresi was a very interesting book and a pleasure to read. I don’t think I have ever read a book quite like Maresi . It is set in such a different world yet it seems so familiar and that is what drew me further into the book.

I read this book really fast because I was so drawn into it, I really couldn’t put it down. The book had so many secrets and mysteries and throughout the book they gradually all spill out , this is what makes the reader want to carry on. There is such a dark side to this story and it is very upsetting, but it shows that events like this used to happen and the book tells us how teamwork and sisterhood can help solve these problems by working together.

Maresi really is a good book and would teach people lots about the world and the unpleasantness in it, but with the help of people close to you , you can make a difference.

This book is probably for ages 13+ and I really would request reading it. I can’t wait to read the other one: Naondel !

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Secrets| Bali Rai
Review by Alexis Fradley, age 13
Review date 04/08/2017

Secrets is an overall enjoyable read. It is split into two distinct sections from different narrative viewpoints, one by a boy called Jit and the other by a girl called Suky.

Jit is having a hard time with his Mum’s boyfriend, Mickey, who abuses him when his Mum’s back is turned. This leads to him sometimes being locked out with no food, and he eventually resorts to skiving off school. Then a whole lot of trouble comes up, and he is threatens with exclusion from school. Jit and his friends need to get rid of Mickey, and fast!

Suky has two boyfriends. Well, that is, one real boyfriend and one fake boyfriend. Her real boyfriend, Imi, is Muslim, and she is Sikh. This should be fine, but Suky is worried about her strict parents disapproving, and she keeps her mystery boyfriend’s identity secret. So, when her parents ask to see her boyfriend, she gets Jit, one of her Sikh friends, to come instead. But what will happen if her parents find out the truth..?

It was fun to read this book, as it was different to what I usually read. I would recommend this book for ages 10+.

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Valentine Joe | Rebecca Stevens
Review by India Davies, age 14
Review date 04/08/2017

Rose is going to Belgium with her grandad, for a much-needed
holiday, so she can escape the horrors of her past. But whilst she is
there she discovers something unimaginable.

One night, Rose hears the sound of marching outside and wakes up
to discover that the city of Ypres is alive with ghostly figures from the
past. As she is transported into the horrifying world of soldiers, guns
and trenches, she feels closer to the past than ever before…

The book is based around true events and gives the reader an insight
into life in WW1. It shows the pain that the soldiers experienced and
informs us about boy soldiers. This book may be fictional but
teaches the audience about true events that happened in history.

I would recommend this to children who enjoy books based around
true stories and war. It is similar to books by Michael Morpurgo (if
you are a fan of his work you will enjoy this book).

Personally, I enjoyed reading ‘Valentine Joe’ and thought it was well
written and portrayed the characters well. My favourite part of the
book was when Rose finds her present from Joe and realises he
wasn’t just part of some dream but did really exist. I thought this
marked the centenary of WW1 really well and would give it a 4/5
star rating.

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The Monstrous Child | Francesca Simon
Review by Alex Neave, age 13
Review date 17/07/2017

This is Hel’s story. The story of how she became Queen of the dead.

Hel’s mother is a giantess and her father is a God. Her brothers are Fenrir the wolf and Jormungand the snake. In short, they are not an ordinary family.

Hel never wanted to be Queen, but she couldn’t be a normal teenager either. The top part of her body may look normal, but her legs are those of a deceased human. Black and crippled, making everyone around her feel sick.

When the Gods come and kidnap her and her mother from their cave, and throw her snake brother into the ocean, she can do nothing about it. Soon, the Gods sentence her to a lifetime of ruling over the dead, and there is no way she can escape. They chuck her into Hell and never let her back up to Earth. She is forced to become leader of the dead.

‘The Monstrous Child’ is such a great book! I really enjoyed reading it. The storyline is very original and I’ve never read a book like this before.

I recommend this book for 12+ because it was a bit difficult to understand at times but it was a very enjoyable read.

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The Monstrous Child | Francesca Simon
Review by Lily Theakston, age 14
Review date 17/07/2017

The Monstrous Child is a book by Francesca Simon, the author of Horrid Henry. It is her first book aimed at children aimed 12+. I didn’t realise until after I had finished the book that it is actually part of a series- the Mortal Gods Series. However, since it was a prequel to the series, it could be read easily as a stand-alone book.

The book is about Norse Mythology. Hel (the narrator) is the daughter of Loki and has the legs of a corpse. She has two brothers: a snake and a wolf. It was foretold that one of her brothers would end the reign of the gods. Because of this, the gods imprison Hel’s siblings and banish her to Niflheim (the Underworld) to be Queen of the Dead.

I liked the Norse Mythology side of it as I haven’t read much about Norse myths and the tale was told from a unique perspective. I also loved the illustrations at the start of chapters and the front cover art. However, I thought that there wasn’t enough of a plot and Hel was a bit too whiny. Well, you would be whiny if you had been exiled to the Underworld, but the complaining started to get boring after a couple of pages. I also thought that despite the target audience of 12+, this book was a bit too young for me.

Overall, this book was good. I would probably give it 3 out of 5 stars; I liked the mythology but not the narrator. If you are looking for a book about mythology with a modern twist, Percy Jackson books are the best you can get, in my opinion. But, if you are looking for something a bit different and told from an unusual point of view, I would recommend this book.

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Oksa Pollock, the Last Hope | Anne Plichota and Cendrine Wolf
Review by Rebecca Maver, age 13
Review date 11/5/2017

This book is about a young French girl, called Oksa Pollock, who moves to England with her mother, father and grandmother. The move from France is very sudden, but Oksa’s best friend, Gus Bellanger, comes with her, making her feel more comfortable. Moving to her new school is intimidating – and even more intimidating when she meets a physics teacher who seems to despise Oksa as soon as she walks through the door. Why? What has she done wrong? Is there more to this physics teacher than meets the eye?

Unfortunately, evil physics teachers aren’t the only people in Oksa’s life that aren’t telling her everything. Oksa soon discovers that she can do extra-ordinary things, things that a normal thirteen year-old girl from Paris could never imagine.

Then, all at once, the truth is revealed, showing Oksa who she truly is, and where she truly belongs. She must learn to control her amazing powers, or she will risk endangering herself and those around her. But is Oksa ready to be trusted with a sacred secret? Will she defeat an evil that threatens everything she is fighting for? After all, she is the last hope…

I would recommend this book to preteen readers, who enjoy different fantasy books. The book is intriguing and action packed, and although it wasn’t my favourite genre, I still thought the characters were good and it had an imaginative story line, which was easy to follow. I’m sure that 10-12 year olds would find it even more gripping than I did!

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Clover Moon | Jacqueline Wilson
Review by Daisy Edwards, age 12
Review date 27/04/2017

The story of Clovermoon , written by Jacqueline Wilson, is about a girl who is stuck in the alleys with very little happiness, except for when she goes to see Mr Dolly who is a local doll-maker and would do anything to help Clovermoon.

She lives with her evil stepmother who refuses to let Clover be who she wants to be. But after Clover loses someone close to her and her father doesn’t seem to care about her anymore, what will she do? Who will be with her? What happens to Clover Moon?

I thought that this book was really good and once I started I couldn’t stop. I think that this book is great for girls around the age of 10.

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Ink | Alice Broadway
Review by Alexis Fradley, age 13
Review date 27/04/2017 

Ink is a fascinating and intriguing book that was a pleasure to read, although it wasn’t quite my cup of tea. It is written very well, although it took me a while to get into.

Leora is a girl living in a world of people that are marked with tattoos. These tattoos show a summary of all the major things in their lives, good or bad, so that their souls are unburdened and free. Everyone has birth marks, as well as marks to show their jobs; there are also marks that can deem people as ‘forgotten’ where their names are never spoken and they are no longer remembered.

Some people can read about others and their lives easily by just catching glimpses of their skin. They have the gift of reading, and can use this as a job. Leora and her mum both have this rare, special gift, which her mum uses as her job. However, Leora has always dreamt of being an inker instead, someone who gives people their precious tattoos. Will she accomplish her dream?

Unfortunately, in the society, there are people called blanks, who have no tattoos at all. They are considered untrustworthy, and unsuitable for living in their society. There are many tales that go back a long time, telling them of the blanks and their evil deeds. But is all as it seems?

Overall, this book was interesting and good to read. I quite enjoyed it!

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Emerald Secret | Susan Moore
Review by Lauren Bailey, age 13
Review date 14/04/2017 

This book was a very interesting book, although at first it was a little bit confusing but this may be due to the fact that I hadn’t read the first book. I started really enjoying the book after the first three chapters and found that after this the next chapters were full of excitement and adventure. Some chapters felt as if they maybe drifted apart, but the next chapter pulled the story back together and explained the previous chapter better.

This book was a very adventurous book and made me want to keep reading to find out what would happen next. In fact when the book was coming to an end I really wanted to keep reading and didn’t want it to end. Some parts of this book were very emotional and as I really got into this book I felt as if whatever happened to Nat happened to me.

This really is a good book and I feel it is a book to be read by girls and boys. I loved the extra touch of a mini dictionary at the beginning. By adding this it made me wonder how these words would be relevant in this story. So this would be a lovely book to add to your bookshelf for boys and girls.

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Alone | DJ Brazier
Review by Alex Neave, age 13
Review date 14/04/2017            

Sam was supposed to be on the trip of a lifetime, but when the small plane that was carrying him and his dad back home crashes in the jungle, Sam is alone. And terrified.

Sam is growing weaker each day and with no sign of rescue, he needs to find the courage that is required to stay alive in this desolate place. Wild animals, starvation, storms. Sam needs to overcome these problems and find a way home.

He has nothing to live for. No-one is coming to rescue him, there is no way to get off the island. Shark-infested seas surround the terrible jungle. It is only when he meets a giant otter cub that he finds the will to live. But with disaster never far away, Sam must face the hardest decision of his life. Can he save his friend and make it out of the jungle alive?

‘Alone’ is an adventure filled book about a boy and his struggles to get off an island and save his friend. I really loved this book and it was very exciting. The characters were interesting and it didn’t take me long to get into the book. There was lots of unexpected twists and you never knew what was going to happen next. The plot was amazing and not like anything I have read before.

Overall I would give this book a 10/10 and I would definitely recommend it to everyone! The time spent on reading this book was not a waste of time and I will definitely read this again. I think it is mostly aimed at 9+. Altogether, this book is a great read.

 

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The Baby | Lisa Drakeford
Review by India Davies, age 13
Review date 09/03/2017

It’s Olivia’s seventeenth birthday party. Her sister is in bed, her parents are out for the night, her friends are all having a good time – what could go wrong?

It’s a perfect picture. However, underneath the canvas, Olivia’s boyfriend is an abusing control freak; Her sister is lonely and socially-awkward; Her friend, Ben is hiding secrets;

Strange groaning noises are coming from the bathroom and as Olivia opens the door the last thing she expects to see is her best friend, Nicola giving birth. The unexpected event upturns everybody’s world and Nicola needs Olivia’s support now more than ever but is Olivia prepared to forgive and forget in order to help her best friend when she needs her most?

‘The baby’ is a drama-filled book about family and friends. I really enjoyed reading it because it was very entertaining as there were lots of unexpected twists in the story. The author used real life issues and portrayed different members of society through the characters, which some readers would be able to relate to. I also liked how the book was split into five different parts and each part was from a different character’s point of view.

I would recommend this book for teenagers (age 13+) with a love for drama and reality shows/books.

In my opinion this book should get a 4.5/5 rating.

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Riverkeep | Martin Stewart
Review by Lily Theakston, age 14
Review date 10/02/2017

Riverkeep is a book about a 15-year- old boy called Wulliam, who, on his 16 th birthday, is set to take over from his father as Riverkeep- something that Wull is not looking forward to.

The Riverkeep basically tends to the river: fishing out corpses, melting ice and lighting lanterns on the riverside. However, before this can happen, his father is possessed by a dark spirit. When Wull hears of the mormorach (a mighty sea beast) and the possibility that it may offer a cure to his father’s condition, he knows that he must journey to find it to save his father.

I thought that this book contained many good elements. For example, the plot was unique, the world created was diverse and the description was wonderful; I could picture it all. The characters were also good; very individual and likeable. I enjoyed this book, but I wouldn’t say it was amazing. It was a little slow at times, but overall, it was okay. I would give it 3/5 stars. I would recommend this book to someone looking for something unlike anything they’ve read before.

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Red Queen | Victoria Aveyard
Review by Lily Theakston, age 14

Red Queen is set in a world where people are separated by blood colour; the Silvers are the ruling elite and the Reds are their inferiors. The book follows Mare, a Red girl, who believes she will be conscripted into the army like her brothers and be forced to fight a war for the Silvers. However, Mare soon discovers that she has an ability of her own…

Worried that this discovery could mean a shift in power, the Silvers pretend that Mare is a long lost Silver princess. She must use her newly acquired position to aid the rebels- and get justice for the Reds. And of course, there is a love triangle.

I really enjoyed this book because the characters were so surprising and kept me guessing what was going to happen until the very end. There were so many unexpected twists and betrayals! In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I have read it more than once. I found it hard to find any fault with this book, although perhaps more description about the war and the other countries in the Red Queen world would have been good. I think that the message of this story is one of equality and also of being careful of who you trust.

So far in this series there are 3 books: Red Queen, Glass Sword (the sequel) and Cruel Crown, which is a book containing 2 novellas from the point of view of characters in the main books. The 3 rd book, King’s Cage, is set to be released in February this year. I will be one of the first to buy it! I would recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy and is looking for something exciting, unpredictable and unique.

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The Hypnotist | Laurence Anholt
Review by Rebecca Maver, age 13

Being a young person of coloured skin in the 1960s isn’t easy, especially in the deep south of America, where unfair laws make life very difficult. Pip is a coloured boy with great expectations, but he is an orphan with hardly any education, so his expectations were never that high. If being sold to a stranger isn’t scary enough, or working in a place called Dead River Farm, he soon begins to learn that not everyone may be as accepting of his background and skin as old Zachery and Lilybelle.

Although Martin Luther King is making history, with his infamous ‘I have a dream’ speech, some people are still lynching and burning and blowing up black communities. Particularly the members of the Klu Klux Klan, whose strongest member is closer to Pip than he might realise.

It is impossible for any person that does not meet the specifications of the Klan (male, white, born in the United States) to feel truly at home in the deeply segregated USA, especially for people like Dr Jack Morrow, a young Irishman who will set about to change the lives of the Dead River Farm residents forever.

I enjoyed reading this book because I agree with the message that the author is telling. I also like the character Jack Morrow, who is sort of the hero of the story, although he doesn’t make it obvious.

Although it isn’t my favourite genre, this book still manages to touch your heart, as you follow Pip in his adventure.

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 The Goldfish Boy | Lisa Thompson
Review by Leo Duncan age 11

This book starts in a pleasant little cul-de- sac in the city. There lives a nice community with old and young but there is one boy who never leaves the house. People regard him as a weirdo and a freak. He was nicknamed Goldfish Boy (by the neighbour’s evil grandchild). This boy never misses a thing. He knows all of the neighbour’s routines and where they go each day and he writes it down in his precious note book but, one day it starts to go wrong…
The goldfish boy is a story about a boy who never leaves home, a girl who visits the graveyard every day and a missing baby

All in all I would rate this book 4.5 out of 5 for its outstanding uniqueness. What I loved about the story is the hero wasn’t brave and heroic like all those stereotypes in fairy-tales.

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The Boy With 2 Heads | Andy Mulligan
Review by India Davies age 13
29/12//2016

Richard Westlake is a just a normal boy who likes playing football and is working hard for his eleven-pluses. One day he wakes up with a hard lump on the side of his neck which quickly evolves into another human head.

Ricky is a dirty-mouthed rebel who isn’t afraid of what other people think and is prepared to spill Richard’s darkest secrets. Together the two heads bicker and fight all the time but when it comes to football they work amazingly together, and when the time comes they are prepared to save each by going to the extremes…

I really enjoyed this book as it was a really original idea and included lots of action and excitement. The author also used death and illness in the story to make it more heartfelt and emotional, which worked well because it made you feel sorry for the characters and the reader could relate to these situations. However, I think the story was a bit slow at the start and the introduction a bit too long.

I think this story is good for older children at primary school and younger children at secondary school (9-12) because it is easier to relate to the character and there is a bit of violence.

Overall I think the story was well written and that is deserves a 3.5/5 rating.

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The One Memory of Flora Banks | Emily Barr
Review by Immy Nieper age 14
29/12//2016

This book is about a girl called Flora Banks who has anterograde amnesia (she knows how to make a cup of tea but doesn’t remember anything that happens such as a conversation with her parents). One day she remembers kissing a boy on a beach so she decides to chase her memory by going to the Artic where the boy now lives. She manages to live by writing notes on her hands and arms, she also has a notebook which tells her story and reminds her who she is and how old she is. While she is away she gets in contact with her older brother who she hasn’t seen for many years he reveals some truths about Flora’s life. Flora along with her best friend Paige have some big decisions to make specially when Flora becomes an adult.

I would recommend this book to girls aged 12-16, I would recommend it to anyone who enjoyed Holding up the Universe and A Fault in our Stars as it is very similar.

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Book of Storms | Ruth Hatfield
Review by Alex Neave age 12
29/12//2016

Eleven-year-old Danny O’Neill had never been a very adventurous person but when he wakes up one morning and discovers that his parents have gone missing, he has no choice but to set out on an epic journey.

It was the morning after the storm and the house was so silent, you could hear a pin drop. He goes into his parents’ bedroom, only to realise that they have disappeared mysteriously. He wanders outside, finding that the huge tree that stands on his garden, has been shattered into thousands of pieces of burnt bark. A huge lightning bolt had struck it. Danny picks up a charred twig and is surprised when he learns that by holding the magical stick, he can talk and listen to nature.

He soon learns about a mystical book- ‘The Book of Storms’. He must go on a heroic journey to find the book and unlock the key to finding his parents. On the way, he makes new friends- and also new enemies. Danny must learn about bravery and courage if he is to find his family.

 Joining his adventure is his cousin, Tom. Tom is the complete opposite of Danny- brave, courageous, fearless, daring. Tom helps Danny on his expedition to find his mum and dad, teaching Danny how to be brave and valiant.

If he wants to find his parents, he will have to face his greatest fears and battle terrifying enemies including the evil Sammael himself. Danny is in a race against time to rescue everything he loves most. The only problem is, Sammael stands in his way. Can Danny battle the storms and face the demonic Sammael who controls them?

I found this book very interesting, but also very confusing. I had to re-read quite a few chapters because they were very puzzling. Even though it was a bit perplexing, I still think it was a good read and worth the time spent reading it! Overall, I would give this book a 9/10. I would recommend this book to people aged 11+ because it has something in it for everyone! After reading this excellent book, I would definitely recommend it to all my friends.

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Valentine Joe | Rebecca Stevens
Review by  Lauren Bailey age 12
11/11/2016

I found this book amazing ! The whole story just got better and better. At the end of each chapter Rebecca left it on a bit of a cliff hanger which I found really good because you just want to keep reading on  , but you know you have to stop at some point . The ending was jaw – dropping. It really brought the story to life as if you were living in Rose’s world . The characters were put together well and had a moderate role in the story . Also each character had a reason for being in the story.

Rebecca has made it better by using real history to bring the story to life. The topic of war is a good topic to choose . It helps people connect to the story more and you actually feel everything that Rose feels. All of her emotions. Having a dog in the story makes it even better. The fact that the dog helped Rose through everything.

On the whole this was a great book , with a great use of figures of speech , like onomatopoeias and metaphors. So this is a great book to be read by many people.

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Alfie Bloom and the secrets of Hexbridge Castle | Gabrielle Kent
Review by  Egan Derrick age 14
3/11/2016

Alfie Bloom lives with his farmer (a poor inventor whose inventions are always almost useful) in a small flat.  His life is lonely and boring until he mysteriously dodges a car crash and meets a strange man called Caspian Bone.  This man informs him that he has inherited a spooky castle in the countryside near his cousins house that has been closed for centuries.  Soon after he moved there with his dad, it was clear that there was something strange going on; Alfie and his cousins discover the remains of an old woman who had been eaten, along with some of her sheep, by a large animal that nobody can identify.

Deep below the castle lies a dark secret that Alfie must discover and protect or risk having everything taken away from him by the two evil headteachers from his new school.  The writer manages to convey the importance of strong friendships throughout this book and eventually it is this that manages to help Alfie overcome any problem he comes up against.  This book has a little of everything, time-travel, magic, mystery and some evil sisters.

There are lots of plot twists in this gripping tale and it is so well written that it will not let the reader stop reading and put it down.  It is a satisfying story of good versus evil and little verses big that will resonate with young readers.  The characters are adventurous and the well-paced story-telling will keep you hooked right to the end.  It would be a good book for fans of J.K.Rowling and Enid Blyton and I would highly recommend this book and cant wait till I read the sequel.  I think this book targets readers aged 10 – 14 and I would rate it a 4.5/5

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Close Your Pretty Eyes | Sally Nicholls
Review by  Lauren Bailey age 12
20/10/2016

This book is breath taking. It is an interesting, scary book. Sally has done a very good job because the more I read the more intense I found it and just couldn’t put it down. The title even brings suspense. I really like how she got history behind the story. Using Amelia Dyer, who is a real baby farmer, brought the story to life. The characters were used wisely and this made it an amazing book . This is really a must read book. It’s fabulous !

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The Power of the Dark | Robin Jarvis
Review by  India Davies age 13
20/10/2016

In the darkest depths of Whitby, Lil and Verne get caught up in the middle of ancient forces of nature. Mysterious figures return from the past causing the whole town to be put in trance. Lil and Verne must team up with the whimsical witch of Whitby, Cherry Cerise, in order to save the coast from peril.

I thought this was a really imaginative book and helped portray the idea of ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ because Lil and Verne are outsiders and not considered as ‘cool’ but they end up saving everybody’s lives. My favourite part of the book is when Lil went to Cherry Cerise’s house and she used her magic to change the colour of her house; I wish decorating was that easy! I would recommend this book for 8-12 year olds because it is hard to get bored of as lots happens and it is very thrilling. I would give it a 3.5/5 star rating.

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The Unlikely Adventures of Mabel Jones | Will Mabbitt
Review by  Daisy Edwards age 11
25/08/2016

Young Mabel Jones is sat in bed; it is the dead of the night. The room is filled with a suspicious silence. All of a sudden she is snatched up by pirates but these are no ordinary pirates these are animal pirates. When Mabel is on board the Feroshus Maggot the pirates realise that she is a girl so they decide to make her walk the greasy pole of certain death but they later decide to let her live. The crewmates are on a mission to find the missing pieces of the x which unlocks a portal to our world. The leader of the ship is not one to trust and poor Mabel Jones has to decide whether to put her trust in him…

This book is good – it has an exciting plot, not for those who enjoy easy reading. This book is good for 8-11 year olds. This book has you gripping onto very word and when you’ve finished it leaves you lying in bed, the room filled with a suspicious silence…

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Shine  | Candy Gourlay
Review by Rebecca Maver aged 12

Meet Rosa. She is a young girl who lives in the country of Mirasol, which, by all accounts, is the worst place possible for someone like her to live. This is why she has spent all her life in hiding. You would be hiding if everyone ran screaming from the sight of you, wouldn’t you? Although, Mirasol may not be the best place for her, Rosa believes that she has so much more to discover about her past, and that Mirasol is the only place her questions could be answered.

At a young age, Rosa experienced a terrible loss, the story of which is filled with strange and mystical doings, which has confused Rosa for the majority of her life. She makes a friend online and she soon discovers that she may not be alone. But as her life on the computer blossoms, in her real-life life she realises that maybe her father hasn’t been entirely truthful about her past. Her head whirring with questions which a familiar stranger, who she has never met before, may be able to answer.

I really enjoyed reading this book; I finished it in one sitting. I love the story and the message, telling that although you may be different, it doesn’t mean that you should feel, and be treated like, a monster. I also like the way the chapters are structured – the way that the main story is told, then a background story afterwards. The story is heart-warming and well told, making it one of my favourite books so far.

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My Brother Is A Superhero | David Solomons
Review by Alex Neave Aged 12

This amazing book will have you laughing at shouting at it!

My brother is a superhero is about two brothers who are as opposite as the North and South pole! Luke loves comics and hates school but Zack loves school and hates comics. One fateful night, they are sat in their treehouse but Luke needs a wee. While he is on the toilet, Zorbon the Decider- an alien from a parallel universe- gives Zack superpowers! When Luke gets back, he’s as mad as a charging bull. Zack has to save two universes! But someone needs to make sure Zack does it right- especially as he won’t even wear a cape!

This is an entertaining story that I thoroughly enjoyed! I think this book is mostly aimed towards 9-14 year olds. After reading this book I would definitely recommend it to all of my friends!

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Wrecker Jack | G. Fleming
Reviewed by Elise Roberts, age 14

Wrecker Jack is based around the adventures of 14 year old Jay and new friend Den Crowle. Jay moves to Cornwall and experiences the same nightmare; dark night, raging storms, a ship strung on the rocks and two dark mysterious men quarrelling in a cave all from hundreds of years ago.

Jay makes friends with Den, an enthusiastic boy who lives at the local Inn nearby, and learns that he has ancient blood leading back to the infamous pirate Wrecker Jack. Den soon shows Jay a secret passage used by Jack and Matt Crowle- Den’s ancestor- the passage leads to the same cave that Jack and Crowle argued in 200 years ago.

Jay meets Den’s dad, but hears knocking from behind the bar. Knocking and screams for help. Knocking that no one else can hear and there is no one on the other side of the bar. Jay finds a belt buckle out on the moors, the buckle belonging to Wrecker Jack. Jay and Den ask a local witch about the dreams and she gives them a potion that when put under the pillow with the belt buckle, will mean that the sleeper will be in the dream. They are also given a crystal to smash as his only means of returning.

Things soon go wrong when the boys encounter Wrecker Jack themselves. Jay’s little sister Katie is also in danger as she slips into the dream- will they all wake up alive?

This is an engaging book with lots of exciting twists and turns along with colourful and mysterious characters. Unfortunately the book is written slightly simply and lacks engaging language, however the brilliant storyline makes up for this. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who loves pirates and terrifying adventures.

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Finding Audrey | Sophie Kinsella
Reviewed by Amy Punchard, age 14

By best selling author Sophie Kinsella, this book is one of those perfect books to snuggle down with on a rainy day.

After an incident in school, 15 year old Audrey has been left with various social anxiety issues- even at home, she never takes off her dark glasses. Narrated by her, the story launches straight into the action of a busy household.

One of the reasons the book is so engrossing is not only the witty, relatable manner in which the story is told, but also the depth of the characters; Audrey’s mum, a worshipper of the Daily Mail and opposer of electronics, is desperately attempting to save Audrey’s brother, Frank, from what she sees as the demonic grasp of the video game world. With a “Land of Conquerors” international online competition coming up, Frank invites his friend Linus round to practice- the floppy haired boy with the ‘orange segment smile’ who played Atticus Finch in the last school play. After Linus unwittingly stumbles into Audrey’s room, she is frozen with panic and runs away from him. Thinking he offended her, Linus sends a note to apologise, instigating the first conversation with an ‘Outsider’ she’s had in months, and Audrey soon becomes closer and closer to Linus.

Together, they work on ‘Project Starbucks’- to overcome her illness and finally leave the safe shadows of her home, and Audrey soon realises that Linus might just be bright enough to bring her out of the dark…

I really enjoyed this book. Perfect for (pre)teens, it really did make me laugh out loud with the hilarious, relatable plot.

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The Oathbreaker’s Shadow | Amy McCulloch
Reviewed by Egan Derrick, age 13

The Oathbreaker’s Shadow is set in the magical land of Darhan where promises are the most important things in life; if someone breaks a promise they are physically scarred for life with a tattoo, followed around by a shadow and cast out into the desert.

This book is about a boy called Raim who is a warrior, traitor and saviour. Raim becomes a warrior, breaks a promise he didn’t know he had made and then makes it all up at the end. This book is full of exotic lands, magic and adventure as you join Raim on his adventure through Darhan. During this book you will meet lots of different characters such as the wandering desert nomads, the tribes people and the exiled Chauk people.

If you like books about adventure and fighting this is just the book for you. I particularly liked the scene where Raim is introduced to the other Chauk as there is lots of brilliant description that really makes the reader create an image in there heads however I would have liked the author to spend more time in the main city as I feel that Raim could have had another adventure before he was banned from the city. This could have made for a more interesting start to the book as the ball didn’t really start rolling until he left the city. This was a gripping novel that I would recommend to people that like the Spooks series and I cannot wait for the sequel.

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Mind Games | Teri Terry
Reviewed by Bella Ettery, age 12

Mind Games is a fantastic book about a dystopian world where people are judged not just by their intelligence but by how rational they are. In this world, everyone over the age of 10 has an implant and the streets of London are empty because everyone is ‘plugged in’. There are ‘addicts’ wandering the streets who can’t stop playing on their implants.

Luna, the main character, is a refuser – someone who doesn’t want to be educated through implants – and she’s always behind everyone else in her school, so it comes as a surprise when she’s invited to a testing centre to see what university she could go to. The only trouble is that something very mysterious is going on in the testing centre – can Luna figure out what is going on before her time runs out?

I love Mind Games because most dystopian novels are very similar, but this one is less predictable and has a great twist at the end. The descriptions gave me a very clear picture of what the characters were going through and the characters were also very well constructed.

At times, the book linked back to certain moments which give you small clues to what is going on. I would give this book 9/10 because I would prefer the middle a little more fast paced because it had a lack of action. I look forward to some of her other books!

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Stone Rider | David Hofmeyr
Reviewed by David Kirkham, age 12

In a not too distant future, the earth has been ruined. The only work is mining the mysterious Voddenite, which will probably lead to sickness and death, or ride on mysterious “bio-mechanical” bykes, that have “echoes” of every other person who has rode it.

If you ride in the races, you get base points which, when you get enough, mean you can go and live on Sky Base; three human made space stations that orbit above earth, where only the rich and wealthy live. It is in this world that Adam Stone survives. His brother Frank was crippled for life in the infamous Blackwater race, where the rider who comes first is automatically sent to Sky Base. His father and mother dead, Adam works feeding the oldest man in town’s pig. He is saving up to ride in the Blackwater, where he will ride to victory and Sky Base.

However everything changes when an Outsider, Kane, shows up and befriends Adam. Together they go to buy their tickets for the race, at the byke shop, where the beautiful Sadie Blood works. While still there, a gang of bykers, the Scorpions, show up and try to take Adam’s money. Kane stands up to them and protects Adam. This brings shocking consequences that practically force Adam to ride in the Blackwater.

With twist after twist and its dystopian imagery, Stone Rider is perfect for teenagers, David Hofmeyr sums up the post-apocalyptic world perfectly.

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All The Wrong Questions: Shouldn’t You Be In School? | Lemony Snicket
Reviewed by Elise Roberts, age 13

This is the third novel in Snicket’s ongoing series entitled All The Wrong Questions. The storyline is based upon the peculiar and occasionally unfortunate happenings in Snicket’s own fictional teenage years.
It could be said the book has a restricted audience because of the unusual style in which it is written. However, once the reader is used to Snicket’s use of language the novel is extremely enjoyable.

Revolving around  dark mysteries and shady characters this book is brilliant at spurring the imagination.

I would recommend that any reader of this book reads the first two in the series before embarking on the third.

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The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time | Mark Haddon
Reviewed by Ruby Buckley-O’Sullivan, age 13

Upon receiving this book I became very excited to write this review because I had read this incredible book before. Written from the point of view of the main character, Christopher Boone is a teenager with Asperger syndrome. One day he discovers his neighbour’s dog, Wellington has been killed so he plays detective and uses his high level of intelligence to work out who killed Wellington, while uncovering secrets along the way.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time offers insight to what life might be like if you are autistic, it is honest and inspiring and most certainly a page-turner. Because Christopher has Asperger syndrome, emotion is not described or used, but this actually made the book more moving and it allowed me to empathise with Christopher.

I knew that the story would lack in emotion from experience with AS, which I thought would be the book’s downfall but it made it more accurate and offered a different perspective to that which I had read before. The most enjoyable part of the book however, was not the mathematics problems, or the insert of Christopher’s schedule, but the ending. I won’t spoil it, but often with books I find that I enjoy most of the book and the build up to the ending, then I’m disappointed. But with this I was truly shocked and impressed.

An excellent piece of literature Mark Haddon, gripping, moving, honest and impressive. 

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The Maze Runner | James Dashner
Reviewed by Alix Stacey, age 14

The Maze Runner is set, as you would guess, in a maze. In a dystopian future where the Earth is riddled with a catastrophic disease called the ‘Flare’ which has ravaged the earth and it’s inhabitants, W.I.C.K.E.D or ‘World In Catastrophe Killzone Experiment Department’ has filled the maze with teenagers, and placed them all under rigorous testing in hope of a cure.

The protagonist, Thomas, wakes up in a strange metal box, void of all memories except one, “My name is Thomas.” When the box finally opens to the mysterious world of the Glade, he is overwhelmed. Trying to adjust to this life was hard for Thomas, and the mysterious arrival of the girl Glader who he can somehow communicate with telepathically makes it no easier. Next, Thomas’ unexplained dream to become a runner is soon realised, and he becomes devoted to finding an exit. Not long after, Minho (the keeper of the runners) and Thomas find out how their enemy the ‘Grievers’ enter the maze, through the Griever Hole. Could this be the exit they have been searching for? But how many lives will this small hope of an exit cost, and are they willing to take that chance?

The overall theme of this book is ‘civilisation vs savagery’, both in the glade and in the real world. The theme is especially shown in how the Gladers punish Ben, a friend of Thomas. The Gladers’ treatment of Ben and his sentencing and punishment bring about feelings of intense guilt in Thomas and highlights the savage rule of law that governs the Glade. Thomas does not feel that it is ethical or humane, and that it reflects the mindset of a culture bent on survival by any means necessary. This shows that while these sorts of punishments uphold their civilisation, they are also savage and almost inhumane. This savagery is also expressed by the Creators themselves. They have subjected these children to a horrific experiment, though they believe their intentions to be good.

This book fits into three main genres; post apocalyptic fiction, science fiction, and young adult fiction. I believe the most prominent of these to be post apocalyptic fiction, as the ‘apocalypse’ is the reason for the use of the maze trials. In contrast to The Hunger Games, another book from the post apocalyptic genre, the Gladers fight together for their lives and their freedom, whereas the tributes of The Hunger Games fought against each other, each fighting for their life and their life alone. It is this sense of camaraderie and fighting towards a common goal that made me empathise with these characters, and developed a great reader-character relationship as I felt I could identify with them on a more personal level.

I really liked this book because not only is it from one of my favourite genres (science fiction) but also has continuous themes of friendship and trust, which brought me to really bond with these characters. I have not yet read any more works by this author simply because I have not yet had time. However the next book on my ‘to read pile’ is ‘The Scorch Trials’, the second book in this series, and I will most definitely go on to read more of Dashner’s work. I would definitely encourage others to read this book.

I would recommend this book to both reading-fanatics and first-timers who haven’t yet taken to reading, as it has a rich and interesting plot line plus follow up books if you wish to continue the series, and at the same time its short chapters make for a perfect non-committal read.

James Dasher’s other works include another series called the Mortality Doctrine series, this series is also science fiction and young adult fiction, showing a common theme in his work, however it is not post apocalyptic, contrasting to The Maze Runner.

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Dandelion Clocks | Rebecca Westcott
Reviewed by Ella Nieper, age 15

Dandelion Clocks is a well written emotional book that follows Liv’s life for six months.
As Liv doesn’t know what is about to happen in her life you want to keep reading, as you are also in the dark as to what will happen until it happens.
The book starts with Liv’s mum trying to do everything with her like having her ears pierced, whilst her little brother Isaac gets more and more confused at the difference in Mum and Dad.
Liv overhears an argument between her Mum and Dad which confirms something in her mind, that her parents are getting a divorce and they just don’t know how to tell her and Isaac. Life steadily gets harder for Liv and the comfort she has are her Mum’s diaries which she has given to Liv so she doesn’t feel alone.
Until one day everything changes.
Liv is the narrator in this simple style of writing as she tells the story of her life during this six month period. This book is similar to ‘The Fault in Our Stars` so I recommend it to those who loved that, as they both tell an emotional and personal story.I also recommend it to those who like to read a diary.
I found the book very well written as after reading it you feel like your family has gone through the same thing.

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The Darke Academy: Secret Lives | Gabriella Poole
Reviewed by Immy Nieper, age 13

The Darke academy tells the story of Cassie Bell, who is the first scholarship girl at the academy since the previous one mysteriously died.
The academy is a unique school that moves to a new city every term.
All the pupils are rich and beautiful; Cassie however, stands out from the crowd, as she has a poor background. She begins to try and find out how Jess Johnson, a scholarship girl  died? And what else is her brother, Jake, hiding? She becomes close friends with her dormmate Isabella Caruso, who desires to be part of “The Few,” a group of students who are Sir Alric’s favourites. Cassie is about to find out that knowing too much can be deadly.
But who is the mysterious person roaming the corridors at night? And what are the poisonous stares of “the Few” hiding?
This is a book full of trust, love, betrayal and sacrifices. I would recommend it to people who enjoy tense and mysterious books. I could not put this book down until I finished it; it was such a good read!
I immediately bought the next book in the series, Darke Academy: Blood Ties, which was as fascinating as the first.

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A Little In Love | Susan Fletcher
Reviewed by Amy Punchard, age 14

Upon reading the first page, I was automatically drawn into the magical world of 19th century Paris, seeing both its squalor and beauty through the eyes of Éponine Thernardier, the tragic heroine of Les Miserables.

A Little In Love is the story of her life before the well known section of the characters life told in Les Miserables, where she grew up in to a world of lies and theft, when all she really wanted was love. A time before the influence of her family’s lies and cruelty manipulated her to reject her only friend Cosette. Many years later, fate brings both girls to Paris, yet the squalor and poverty is quite different to the fairytale city Éponine had in mind.

However when she meets the man of her dreams, an opportunity still remains for her to leave the cruel life she hates, to make amends with the friend she lost, and prove that love can extinguish or restore their friendship.

The book is a relaxing escape from everyday life, presenting a chance for Les Miserables fans to delve further into the classic story, and even for those who have never heard of the original book, it will still prove a good read.

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The Messenger of Fear | Michael Grant
Reviewed by David Kirkham, age 11

Imagine waking up in a field full of dead grass, surrounded by a sickly yellow mist.

Then imagine that you don’t know that this isn’t normal, you just have a feeling this isn’t what usually happens.  You can remember nothing apart from the fact that your name is Mara.
If you have imagined this you will no doubt understand what an unsettling experience that would be, and for those who couldn’t be bothered to imagine it, it is an unsettling experience. Now imagine that the mist clears and there is a church. At least you think it’s what you think a church is. Except this church doesn’t invite you in, it repels you, silently screaming at you to get away from here, as far away as possible. But despite this silent alarm you feel drawn to the church and enter it. Inside is a young man dressed in a long black coat, a black shirt and black trousers, with all his buttons replaced by tiny skulls. This is an even more unsettling experience than waking up knowing nothing, if it’s possible to be more unsettling than that. You can stop imagining now.
Mara is then launched on a journey that tests her very understanding of reality, pushing her to her physical and emotional limits. She discovers the terrible fate that awaits her, and even worse she discovers why she has chosen that fate.
It’s an interesting, but not exactly cheerful book. It’s also rather brilliant.

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Spook’s: Alice | Joseph Delaney
Reviewed by Egan Derrick, age 11

The penultimate book of the Wardstone chronicles is entertaining because it gives you an idea of what life is like for Alice.
It achieves this, as, unlike the other books in the series, Alice is the one who is speaking in first person, and not Thomas Ward. It shows her opinion on things and how she feels about finding the weapon that will end her life.
This is interesting as it makes you guess at what will happen in the final book of the series; will she have enough courage to bring back the weapon or will she leave it behind and save herself. It introduces the reader to lots of new interesting monsters and evil beings, and a lot of the questions that they had from reading the previous book. It makes you wonder about a lot of things and there is a surprise around every corner.
Inside the book is a magical other land called the Dark which has lots of secrets and is completely different to the normal world and has different rules and beings. More knowledge about witches and Pendle is given in this book because ghosts of Alice’s past before Chipenden (literally) come back to haunt her. The biggest question is will Alice go over to the Dark completely or will she stay good.
Most of the book is about Alice and her past however it includes lots of interesting information about other characters. It carries on perfectly from the other books in the series even though Tom doesn’t feature that much.
All in all this book is the perfect 12th book for the Wardstone chronicles and I would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of Joseph Delaney or just wants to try a new book. It could be read without reading the books before it but I think it is even better if you have read all the books in the series.

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Noughts and Crosses | Malorie Blackman
Reviewed by Elise Roberts, age 13

Noughts and Crosses is an exciting, fast-paced novel that revolves around the lives of its two protagonists; Callum, a Nought who is looked down upon by the ruling Crosses, and Persephone (Sephy). She is the daughter of Kamarl Hadley – one of the most powerful Crosses.

The forbidden friendship between Callum and Sephy quickly grows into a passionate love affair. However, after Callum’s dad is arrested, Sephy decides to escape her world of opinions and divides. They are separated. Sephy tries to fight for equality for the Noughts without violence, however Callum joins the Liberation Militia; a terrorist group that fights for justice.

After rising through the ranks of the Liberation Militia, Callum is given an almost impossible mission; and soon after an even harder decision.

This is not the usual genre of book that I would choose to read, but it quickly pulls you in with many shocks and surprises throughout the novel. I really enjoyed reading this and couldn’t put it down. I would highly recommend reading this book to any readers above 12.

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Remembrance | Teresa Breslin
Reviewed by Ruby Buckley-O’Sullivan, age 13

This is a very moving novel set in World War One about the lives of five young friends.
At first, I was unsure about this book, purely because it is not a genre I would personally have chosen and the first couple of chapters were quite hard to get into.
However, soon it became a fast paced, emotion packed book which was really well-written. What I particularly liked was the way the characters were explored so well and their opinions and reactions were shown and described.
Take Francis, one of the characters from the richer of the two families. He had really strong views on the war and why he thought it was so wrong to fight the Germans which I really liked because it was unexpected. Also his sister was one of my favourite characters, Charlotte; a strong, determined girl whose story mainly focused on her love for another character and her will to be a success as a nurse. Though I still didn’t entirely enjoy the war element I preferred it greatly to some of the other books I have read with that theme.
Altogether, a wonderful read and a book which I will continue to recommend, however, I think some of the language could be quite difficult for young children to understand so maybe this is an over the age of eight book.
If I had to rate it, 8/10.

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Scorpia | Anthony Horowitz
Reviewed by David Kirkham, age 12

Scorpia finds the teenage super-spy Alex Rider on a quest to find the real identity of his dead father.
With only the words of an assassinated assassin to go to Venice, he is determined to find the truth. So when an invitation on a school trip to the floating city comes along, he could hardly refuse!
Alex will then become entangled in a criminal organisation, a school of death and a plan that will endanger the lives of millions of British school kids.

But will Alex be able to save the lives of almost every schoolchild in Britain, resist the tantalizing temptations of a terror cell and finally learn the truth about his father?

I guess you’ll have to read it to find out.

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Just Like Fate | Cat Patrick & Suzanne Young
Reviewed by Amy Punchard, age 14

This book is brilliant, it is going straight on to my favourites shelf!

It is about a teenager called Caroline.
Traumatised by her parents divorce, she found herself on the doorstep of the only person who truly understood her. Her Grandmother. Years later, her Grandmother is taken in to the hospital; the one where no one comes back out. On the same night is a huge party, where her dream boy and friends are waiting. Caroline has two choices- STAY by her Grandmother’s side, where she could sew herself back into the family she left, or GO to the party and meet her dream man, leaving her torn family and her loving Grandma to start again.

The book is split into alternating STAY/GO chapters,  where we follow her possible paths of fate and see how the book would continue if she went to the party or stayed behind. I did find this a little hard to grasp at first, but soon becomes a simple structure to follow.
The book features love, regret, friendship, and family. Caroline learns lessons, meets people, and goes through relationships in both futures, losing and gaining friends and family.
In the end, Caroline’s choice isn’t given away, leaving us fulfilled, but still free to decide for ourselves which future we would have chosen. Just as you think you know which path she will choose, a dramatic twist opens a new door. It keeps us glued as she uncovers sorrows of unwelcome truths, family relationships, and the comedy parts where we are reminded that all paths can cross…
This book is probably not suitable for anyone under the age of 10, due to the complicated structure, however an advanced young reader may still enjoy it.
The book really illustrates how choices shape our fate, as well as being an entertaining novel. It definitely has the ‘un-put-down-able’ factor, with all the right features to make it a must-buy!

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The Forbidden Library | Django Wexler
Reviewed by Victoria Bowler, age 12

Ever heard about someone “getting deeply involved in a story book?”
Well that’s exactly what happens to Alice, when she enters The Forbidden Library.

After Alice becomes an orphan, she goes to live with “her Uncle Jerry,” in his large house. She is told the house rules, including never to enter the library. But that is just what she decides to do.
She never expected though, to find such weird and wonderful things. Cats that can talk, fairies, bird-like creatures, a tree sprite and even a dragon!
Whenever Alice looks into one of the magical books, she gets drawn in and has to beat the creature inside. If she can capture it she can then use it for her own purposes.
Alice wonders who she can trust as all the other Readers seem to have hidden agendas.

Who would have thought reading a book could be so dangerous!!
I found the book quite hard to put down, as i wanted to see which book and magical creature she was going to see next.
I give the book 4 out of 5 stars.

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Lockwood and Co. ~ The Screaming Staircase | Jonathan Stroud
Reviewd by Ella Nieper, age 13

I found this book gripping and… truthfully, I didn’t want to turn my light off after reading this book, the ghosts really got me. I felt ghost-touched after reading it!
Lucy Carlyle, the narrator, arrives in London in search of a career in Psychic Investigations. She finds herself joining the smallest and the worst-off agency, but she doesn’t know that yet, run by Antony Lockwood and his co-founder, George Cubbins, without any adult supervisor. While charismatic, Lockwood and Lucy end up in a bush after one of their cases goes horribly wrong. Lockwood & Co. face extinction, until one huge chance arrives (unfortunately it involves them staying in the most haunted house in England, Combe Carey Hall), trying to escape alive.
Will Lockwood and Co. live to see another day after being presented with the horrors of The Red Room and The Screaming Staircase?

This book is written in a humorous way. I really liked how we got to know Lucy first and the agency second or she might have been overshadowed by the other two characters – it provided me with a reason to care about what happened to her in the important case that Lockwood draws her into.

This should be read by children who love a tense and gripping book, I read it in under a week at school! Don’t get put off by the size of it!! I wanted it to be bigger! The only thing I could wish for is for the sequel to hurry up and come out sooner, I can’t wait until September.
This book I really could not put down, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

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The Amazing Maurice & His Educated Rodents | Terry Pratchett
Reviewed by Sophie Bowler, age 11

This book is about a boy (Keith), a cat (Maurice) and a gang of clever rats.
The cat & rats have eaten nuclear waste products and can now think and speak as a human. They meet up with an orphan boy (Keith) and decide to con money out of different towns, by getting Keith to act as a modern-day Pied Piper.

They hit trouble, when they enter Bad Blintz, a town with their own dodgy rat catchers. Danger is all around as they try to find out what really happened to the town’s rat population. Poison, traps, strange noises are about and they have to avoid them or end up being taken by the Bone Rat; The Grim Squeaker!!

Will they find out the towns secrets and will all the rats survive the adventure?

The book starts well, but I thought it dragged on a bit in the middle.
I give this book 3 ½ stars out of 5.

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Everyone A Stranger | Victor Watson
Reviewed by Amy Punchard, age 14

1945 – At last a light can be seen from the tunnel of war. Soon all will return to normal; families will be reunited, peace will be made, life will return to as it was. Surely nothing could be wrong?

Molly and Abigail have been friends forever in their little town of Great Deepening. Everyone has learned to live with strangers. Abigail’s cousin Ivy from London unexpectedly arrives to become a new permanent member of the family, and Molly’s father returns from the frontline, not expecting to find their evacuee friend Adam still in his house. Although knitted back together, things begin to fall apart.

Not a soul has was left unchanged by war, and now everyone’s different vision of the future instigates controversy. Even close to the heart new people are vanishing as fast as appearing. When Adams precious pictures disappear, and others soon follow, it becomes clear that nothing is hidden or safe. As a mysterious stalker  appears near Abigail’s house, and Ivy becomes even more clandestine, it seems no one is entirely trustworthy, and strangers may not be so strange at all…

I found this book interesting. It was never too slow moving or confusing and was very enjoyable. I would probably deem it appropriate for age 9- 14.
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I, Coriander | Sally Gardener
Reviewed by Ruby Buckley-O’Sullivan, age 12

Coriander Hobie has the most wonderful life; she has loving parents and beautiful clothes, a big house on the River Thames and plenty of friends.

However, when a pair of silver shoes arrive with the letter ‘C’ embroidered into their soles, Coriander’s world gradually begins to tip upside down. Her mother becomes anxious and stressed, barely letting Coriander out of her sight. Then one day, a strange event occurs and her mother falls ill… this sickness kills her. Her father remarries to a woman with strong religious beliefs, who hates children – though has a child of her own.

A truly gripping tale of love, loss, fear and hatred. Coriander must battle her way through her new life and learn to fight for everything that is still good. She is tossed through many strange events that all link together, including being forced to change her name by her stepmother, being pulled to another world and finding out a secret that has been kept from her all her life by her parents.

Set in the 17th century, this moving tale had me hooked from the beginning and I am forever recommending it to all of my friends. I advise anybody who is eleven and over to read this book and they too can fall in love with Sally Gardener’s way with words. The only downside for me was the fact that some events were quite difficult to understand. So, I give this marvellous story, a 9 ½ out of 10.

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The Soc13ty of Thirteen | Gareth P. Jones
Reviewed by Ella Nieper, age 13

This book starts with Lord Silas Ringmore on the stage. He finds a book with mysterious symbols on the cover, and inside. He gathers together some friends; Sir Augustus Tyrell – MP, Harry Clay – magician, Mr John Symmonds – linguist, Mr G. Hayman – novelist. They form The Soc13ty of Thirteen searching for the magic hidden in the book.

Tom and Esther are orphans; they have been employed by Lord Ringmore to run errands for The Soc13ty of Thirteen. They overhear the possibility of the magic hidden in the book.
They steal the book and perform the creation spell under the watch of Mondriat – a talking magpie. They now have the ability to use magic against their enemies. They can disappear and can catch someone falling from a window high up using only their magical staff.
Ringmore and his society want to catch them in order to discover the secrets of the magic in the book. The chase is on. Who will survive the magical powers of Tom and Esther?
This book is a thrilling magical mystery. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants an easy book that they cannot put down.

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Oksa Pollock: The Last Hope | Cendrine Wolf & Anne Plichota
Reviewed by Sophie Bowler, age 11

This is a brilliant book, full of magic and very imaginative creatures and plants. I was gripped into the book after the very first paragraph! I read it as if I was Oksa and going on her adventures.

Oksa Pollock and her best friend, Gus, start a new secondary school in London, only to discover a totally horrible teacher who seems to hate them and does everything possible to upset them. Oksa goes home filled with anger and without warning she throws a fire ball across the room.
Bewildered by what she has just done, she is left curious, wondering what else she could do. When Oksa is at shool she is a totally different person, coping with stress typical of secondary school. When she realises she has powers, that any normal school girl hasn’t, school suddenly becomes more enjoyable.

I was disappointed when I had finished the book as I was left wanting more of this magical tale.
I would give it 5/5 because I really liked it and when you read it, I hope you do too.

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Spook’s: Slither’s Tale | Joseph Delaney
Reviewed by Egan Derrick, age 10

This is an interesting book filled with imaginary creatures and lots of fighting.
When Slither shows Nessa her father’s will, she and her two sisters are forced to make a long journey. On their journey to safety they meet a witch assassin, who helps them survive the trial against the Haggenbrood… but she is full of tricks.
Will she betray them? This is a very good book that I couldn’t put down and has inspired me to read the whole series.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in scary stories probably aged 11-13.

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WARP ~ The Reluctant Assassin | Eoin Colfer
Reviewed by Rosalie Barrett Lawton, age 14

WARP, the Reluctant Assassin, is the first in Eoin Colfer’s new series.

He describes it as a cross between ‘The Matrix’ and ‘Oliver Twist’. What he means is it’s partly about a victorian orphan, Rielly, and involves government secrets. It is set partly in Victorian London and partly in the modern day. The two protagonists are, Rielly, who is ‘The Reluctant Assassin’ and Chevie who is 16 and is working for the FBI. They are forced to work together to escape and ideally capture the notorious villain Garrick.

While I was reluctunt to start reading this book, as adventure is not a genre I usually read, when I did start reading I found the plot engaging and surprising and found it difficult to put it down.

Eoin Colfer fans will not be disapointed with this series, because his writing is as funny and unique as always. As well as current fans, some other readers will also enjoy this more than his other works as it focuses more on science fiction.

For me this was an enjoyable read, however it is not something I would read again. Despite this, I can see that other readers will enjoy this more than I did. Therefore I would recommend this book.

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Lockwood and Co. ~ The Screaming Staircase | Jonathan Stroud
Reviewed by Timothy Hand, age 15

Lockwood and Co. is a scary, exciting and intelligent book by Jonathan Stroud. It follows the adventures of Lockwood, a psychic investigator, and his assistants, Lucy and George, who must deal with paranormal occurrences in a world overrun by dangerous ghosts.

After a disastrous case against the ghost of a murder victim, which threatens to destroy both Lockwood’s finances and reputation, Lockwood, Lucy and George are desperate to find a way to save their business. So, when they are offered a small fortune for staying overnight in a house, Lockwood jumps at the chance. The only drawback is that the house in question is a terrifying death trap that has led to the deaths of far more experienced psychic agents. Can the trio possibly survive?

I thought Lockwood and Co was a great read. The characters are well developed and the spectres were extremely chilling (the scene in the ‘red room’ stands out especially). The story has a gripping mystery that runs throughout it, and has a very clever climax at the end. My only criticism is that like his previous books, Stroud struggles to decide what kind of world the book is set in. I found it difficult to decide whether the book was set in the present day or in Victorian times! Apart from that, the book is absolutely great! Highly recommended!

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The Summer of Telling Tales | Laura Summers
Reviewed by Bryony Adshead, age 13

This thought-provoking book will have you crying, laughing and shouting at it.

The Summer of Telling Tales is about two sisters – Grace and Ellie – their mum and their abusive dad. Grace, Ellie and their mum run away from their dad because he hits them and runs their lives. However, he has controlled the girls’ lives for too long and this has had serious effects on them. Ellie, for example, is a liar. When people ask her about her family she lies…and lies…and lies. Grace is silent; when people ask her about anything, she doesn’t say a word. Grace won’t speak to anyone, except Ellie. She won’t even speak to her mum.

However, being away from their dad has positive effects on them. However slowly, they are definitely becoming ‘normal’.

Just as the sisters are beginning to rebuild their lives, an unwanted visitor arrives to tell them that they can never escape him, however hard they try. Will Grace and Ellie be strong enough to tell someone who can help the one thing no one will believe – the truth?

This is a great story that I really enjoyed. I would recommend it to all my friends and hope that, after you have read it, you will recommend it to all of yours!

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Bedlam | Ally Kennen
Reviewed by Ella Nieper, age 13

Bedlam is the third chilling teen novel by Ally Kennen. It is a very exciting and tense novel, and because I loved it so much,  I now would like to read the two books before it.

This thrilling tale follows Lexi, and her time spent at her Mum’s house. Lexi’s Mum has got a new boyfriend who has just proposed to her and Lexi’s mum has agreed, so wedding plans are happening. Lexi does not get on with Owen (her mum’s fiancé) or her Mum that much, so she goes to her  house with a plan to get closer to her Mum.

When Lexi’s Mum and Owen have gone to work, Lexi lets their dog, Tyson, outside, but he doesn’t come back. That same night, Owen and Lexi go out looking for him in the nearby woods and she finds herself being bitten by dogs, then almost drowning, but all of a sudden, someone comes to Lexi’s aid and saves her. When Lexi wakes up, she finds herself wrapped in a blanket with some food beside her. At once Lexi is determined to find whoever saved her and thank them.

On her hunt to find her saviour Lexi discovers that there was once an old asylum in the woods, so it seems to Lexi that her saviour came from the mental asylum, but this does not deter Lexi, as she is still determined to find them.

Lexi then finds something out about her Dad, so it seems to her that she will be staying a little longer. Lexi gets a job in the kitchens of the hotel her Mum works in, and meets a girl named Ella and a boy named Jak, who from then on become Lexi’s companions.

When Lexi meets her saviour it then becomes a chase of life and death.

This is a truly thrilling book and I would recommend it to anyone who likes a tense, adventure book. I read it in two days as it was so good, I could not put it down!

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Fearless | Cornelia Funke
Reviewed by Rosalie Barrett Lawton, age 14

‘Fearless’ is the second and latest book in the ‘Mirrorworld’ series. In ‘Reckless’, the first book in the series, we are introduced to the fantasy world behind Jacob’s father’s mirror. Now, in ‘Fearless’, Jacob battles to save his own life.

In a world full of mystery, magic and menace, treasure-hunter Jacob Reckless faces his fear of death. With only two months before a fairy’s supposedly unbreakable curse will kill him, he and Fox, his shape-shifting friend and companion, search desperately for a way to save his life.

 Having read ‘Reckless’ already, I was ecstatic to hear of the sequel. ‘Reckless’ ends on a massive cliffhanger and I was desperate to find out what happened next. I adored ‘Reckless’ and ‘Fearless’ did not disappoint. The high standards set by the fist book were matched, if not raised.

I love the way this book delves more into the history of the mirrorworld, as well as introducing more characters and magical creatures. I found the detail and back-stories extremely interesting, and while there was a lot of explanation it never distacted from the plot.

The mirrorworld truly does mirror our own. There is no clear enemy. No black and white. Even in a world full of magic the people still shun its natural wonders in favour of new technology and progression. The way she outlines these issues is subtle, yet effective.

The plot has many surprises, especially toward the end. You will never know what to expect next. The ending is perfect, complete and satisfying, yet will leave you longing for the next book.

While ‘Fearless’ does make sense on its own, I would recommend reading ‘Reckless’ first, simply because it is such an amazing book.I would recommend ‘Fearless’ to any teenager, especially fantasy fans and I’m sure you will enjoy it as much as I did!

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Dear Scarlett | Fleur Hitchcock
Reviewed by Amy Punchard, age 12

My first impressions of this book was – wow, what an engrossing first chapter!
It is exactly the sort of book I am drawn to.

It starts with eleven year old Scarlett, who is well known throughout the village for her father- the notorious jewel thief Richard McNally. But her Dad has been dead for five years now. Scarlett leads a normal life until shortly after her birthday, when a solicitor turns up with a mystery box for her. A gift from her Dad. Inside is a book, fragments of special memories, postcards, all with secret clues … Revealing that he may not have been a criminal after all…

With her new friend, Ellie, she sets about on a treasure chase. Will their prize will be the rumoured diamonds?

After the suspicious arrival of the new mayoress and her brother, things start to become arduous.

Will they solve the trail of clues and find the truth before its too late?

This is my new favourite book, and I genuinely have no criticism for it and couldn’t put it down! I would consider it best for children aged around 9-15.

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A Month With April-May | Edyth Bulbring
Reviewed by Bryony Adshead, age 13

This book really wasn’t my cup of tea, although I’m sure the realistic characters and their crazy exploits will appeal to many readers.

I found the main character, April-May, annoying, because she always seemed to make the wrong decisions and end up hurting someone. She is nasty to the people who are nicest to her, and nice to the people who are nasty to everyone else! April-May does get into some very amusing circumstances though, such as losing her entire wardrobe to a hobo, then having to wear lost property school uniform, and thinking the school’s bad boy is Edward, the vampire from Twilight, her favourite book. Mrs Ho, a teacher at Trinity College (April-May’s school), hates her and tells her she has the wrong bag, the wrong socks, uniform, book, friends…do I need to say April-May hates her? So what should she do when Mrs Ho and her dad get together? And should April-May stay friends with loser Melly? Will she get expelled from Trinity College? Although I didn’t like the book, others may, so read away!

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The Feathered Man | Jeremy De Quidt
Reviewed by Ella Nieper, age 13

The Feathered Man is set in a German town, where, Klaus, is a tooth-puller’s boy. The tooth-puller, Kusselmann, takes a diamond from a dead man’s mouth. It is not Klaus’s fault that he sees his master take this rare beauty. Unfortunately for Klaus, he finds the diamond in his pocket, and also finds out that there are several people after it. A Jesuit Priest and his companion are looking for it, also a Professor of Anatomy takes an interest. There is even a young girl looking for it, to give it to her mistress, Frau Drecht.

There is something else that the Professor and the Priest both seek. An object that is centuries old, dead and still alive. This mysterious object is the connection between the living and the dead.

The Feathered Man is an exciting story about an ancient curse, science and murders. This is a tense read that I would recommend highly to anyone who likes an adventure and a lot of suspense!

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The Great Galloon | Tom Banks
Reviewed by Amy Punchard, age 12

The opening of this fantasy book is quite confusing; it is difficult to grasp who the characters are. I was tempted to put it down, but it soon gets very exciting! Stanley and Rasmussen live on the Great Galloon, a giant hot air ship manned by Captain Anstruther. The story begins on Captain Anstruther’s wedding day. After his brother makes a retreat with his darling bride, the crew is left in the hands of a coward, Able Skyman Abel. Soon after, ear-wrenchingly loud, mysterious noises arise from somewhere in the ship. Stanley knows that Skyman Abel will not solve it, so he and Rasmussen set of into the depths of the Galloon to investigate…

Meanwhile, a swarm of deathly behemoths attack the vessel, chewing through the hearty structure of the ship. Can Stanley and Rasmussen solve the mystery in time to save the Galloon from destruction?

I would recommend this adventurous book for 8 – 13 year olds.

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Insignia | S.J. Kincaid
Reviewed by Timothy Hand, age 14

Insignia is an exciting and original novel set in a brilliantly-imagined alternative future world, where wars are fought by giant machines in space to avoid casualties. It’s full of interesting and realistic characters, thrilling scenes set in the virtual world and some hilarious moments.

The story follows the adventures of Tom Raines, a homeless boy who is forced to spend his time using his expertise at video games to win money to look after his father, a bankrupt gambler. When the US government learn of Tom’s quick reflexes and killer instinct, he is offered the chance of training at the Pentagonal Spire, and contribute to the war effort. While training at the Spire, Tom learns about Medusa, the leader of the opposition’s forces, and becomes obsessed with finding a way to do what no-one else has managed to do… defeat Medusa.

Insignia was a great read. Tom and his group of quirky friends were easy to get to know, and other characters, like the odious Dalton Prestwick, the rich boyfriend of Tom’s estranged Mum, were absolutely hateful! The future world that the story was set in was very interesting and the author’s idea of wars being run by rich companies instead of countries and fought in space was really original. Despite the heartbreaking ending (read it if you want to find out) I thought Insignia was a good book, and I think you should consider reading it!

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Witch Crag | Kate Cann
Reviewed by Ella Nieper, age 13

Witch Crag is an exciting book, full of drama about Kita’s perilous journey to Witch Crag and the dangerous battle that follows.

Kita, Raff and Quainy originally lived with the Sheepmen where basic survival is the only priority. There are four tribes: the Sheepmen, the Horsemen, the Witches and the Farmers. In the beginning Kita, Raff and Quainy travel through the woods using Kita’s powers to guide them. Everyone at Hill Fort (the Sheepmen’s home) believed that Witch Crag across the valley is full of terrifying witches. When purple, green and red sparks fly upward they do not look, as they believe that by looking at them you could be caught by their magic. Kita is curious so gets her friends Quainy and Raff to come on a risky journey with her up to Witch Crag to see if the stories are true.

Kita finds out that a war is brewing but can she stop it? The tribes must somehow overcome their prejudices and join together if they are to win a war that threatens to destroy everything they hold as good.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good tense read and if you love The Hunger Games you will certainly love this book.

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The Look | Sophia Bennett
Reviewed by Bryony Adshead, age 13

The Look is a moving story about Ted and her sister, who is dealing with cancer.

Ted is ‘like a lampost: tall and skinny, with frizzy, bush-like hair…definitely not model material. Ava, her sister, on the other hand, is drop-dead gorgeous. She looks like a movie star: shiny, dark hair, pretty, average height, slim…definitely model material. So when Ted gets spotted by a model scout, Ava and her both think it must be a scam. They forget about it until Ava is diagnosed with cancer.

Ava wants Ted to be a model…but can Ted be a model and a model sister, or will she have to choose between the two?

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Where She Went | Gayle Forman
Reviewed by Charlotte Lightwood, age 12

Where she went is the astounding sequel to the book If I Stay. It is an amazing follow-up and, dare I say it, I do believe I prefered this book to If I Stay. It follows Mia and Adam’s story, as did If I Stay, but this time in Adam’s point of view. Even though it was in Adam’s point of view, instead of Mia’s, it was a very similar perspective and writing style, which I really enjoyed. There are some things different to this book though, as there is less about death and dying, which is probably one of the many reasons why it’s more enjoyable.
In this book it explores Adam’s thoughts and emotions about Mia, but unlike most love stories, it does not develop over a long period of time, as Mia and Adam only have the night to “catch up”  and make some decisions… which you’ll have to read the book to find out about.

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The Great Escape | Megan Rix
Reviewed by Amy Punchard, age 12

I have to admit, when I started this book I was a little doubtful of how good it was, however the further you read the more gripping it gets.
Rose, Tiger and Buster are just normal pets; Playing fetch with Robert, burying Mr Edward’s slippers, and curling up on Lucy’s bed at night. When war is announced in 1939, Mr and Mrs Edwards leave the house to help with the war effort. Their children, Robert and Lucy, are sent to stay with their mad Gran in Devon. The pets are sent down the road to stay with Mr and Mrs Harris. But along with 400,000 other pet owners Mr Harris takes them to be put down. Sensing death, Rose leads Buster and Tiger on a long and dangerous journey to the Devonshire farm she grew up on.

Various encounters split them up along the way- Rose is taken on a gypsy barge, Buster is taken as a search and rescue dog, and Tiger spends a few days with Cat-loving Winston Churchill!

Will they find their way back to each other?
Will the family be reunited once more…
This book is emotionally enthralling and  I really enjoyed this book.I would consider it suitable for kids aged 10-13.

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The Worst Thing About My Sister | Jacqueline Wilson
Reviewed by Bryony Adshead, age 12

The Worst Thing About My Sister is a funny, moving tale about two sisters who are as opposite as the North and South Pole. Some parts of it will have you laughing-out-loud and some will have you in tears, but why would you expect anything less when it’s written by Jacqueline Wilson? This isn’t my favourite story by her, but I still really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it to anyone who has a sister they don’t get on with!

Marty, the main character, is sick and tired of her perfect, prissy, pink, Barbie-doll sister, Melissa. When their Mum’s dressmaking business takes an unexpected turn, the sisters are forced to share a room. Needless to say, it just makes them hate each other even more, something their parents didn’t even think was possible! However, when a devastating accident occurs, Marty and Melissa need to overcome their differences and be friends…or the consequences could be dire!

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Gods & Warriors | Michelle Paver
Reviewed by Hannah Cherry, age 14

This book is set in the Mediterranean Bronze Age, with the main character being Hylas, an ‘Outsider’ to the mountains of Lykonia, where he lives and works as a goatherd. The story begins with Hylas and his sister Issi (also an Outsider) having just been split up following an attack on their camp from a group of black, fierce warriors that Hylas names the Crows. He quickly learns that the Crows are after outsiders, but we don’t learn why until further on in the book. After this attack, Hylas is forced to flee the mountains in an attempt to escape the Crows and find Issi. This is portrayed to be Hylas’ main goal throughout the book. Whilst running from the Crows, Hylas meets a Keftian man, who gives him a bronze dagger, and tells him to go to the sea, which he does.

Later on in the book, the story focuses on another important character, Pirra, the daughter of The Keftian High Priestess, who is very rich and wealthy. Pirra comes from Keftiu, and she and Hylas are opposite ends of the spectrum, not just in lifestyles, but also in personalities. Both characters eventually end up on a island together, and it turns out that they are both attempting to escape something (Pirra is trying to runaway from an arranged marriage for the benefit of Keftiu and Hylas from the Crows). This means both characters have to adapt and work together to survive in the somewhat harsh conditions they have been thrown into.

Pirra and Hylas become friends as the story progresses, meeting a dolphin, an odd stranger, and find shelter in a not so welcoming cave. Eventually comes a clash with the Crows, which was my favourite part. I really enjoyed this book, and I would definitely recommend it to teenagers. At first I thought I wouldn’t be able to understand the plot because it was set in a different time period, but actually this didn’t make any difference to how much I liked reading this book. The book has a brilliant ending too, which really gets you wondering what you would do in a certain character’s situation. A very good read, and in all honesty I don’t think I could pick fault with it.

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The Emerald Atlas | John Stephens
Reviewed by Rosalie Barrett Lawton, age 12

The Emerald Atlas is the first book in a series by John Stephens. It is a fantasy novel about three siblings named Kate, Michael and Emma. All their lives the children have been moved from orphanage to orphanage, since their parents mysteriously disappeared one night when Kate, the oldest, was just four.
Emma, the youngest, is always getting into fights. Michael loves reading about dwarfs and investigating things and Kate always tries to look after her younger siblings.
When the children move to yet another orphanage, they notice that this one is very strange. Some things just don’t make sense. For instance, why are they the only three children there?
The Emerald Atlas is a fantastic novel which incorporates classic mythical creatures into a completely original storyline. Although this book can be very funny in places, there is a very serious plot and the author shows the characters extremely well especially in Kate who holds on to her precious few memories of her parents so tightly. John Stephens also highlights the emotions of the three children who have grown up not knowing their parents dreaming of one day being reunited; if only they could find them. However this is very subtle and as a whole it is interesting, exciting and funny! The only bad point for me was that I fond Emma’s character hard to relate to, although I’m sure others would disagree. Overall, however, I loved this book and can’t wait to read the next! I would recommend it to anyone aged 11+

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The Catastrophic History Of You And Me | Jess Rothenburg
Reviewed by Charlotte Lightwood, age 12

The Catastrophic History Of You And Me by Jess Rothenburg is one of my favourite books. It is funny and witty and has one of the best story lines I’ve ever read.

It is about a fifteen year old girl called Brie (yes, like the cheese!) and she LITERALLY dies of a broken heart. The author does an incredible job of describing how Brie is feeling and the revenge she feels she must get to be happy.
The only thing that I couldn’t really understand was that Brie didn’t really seem to care for Jacob (the boy who broke her heart) until the very end of the book, so it’s a bit hard to think he broke her heart.
However, that is unimportant, as the book has two main plots going on.
There’s obviously the plot that involves Jacob and the broken heart but there’s also a plot going on with a boy Brie met after she died, Patrick. Patrick doesn’t really like the revenge that Brie’s trying to get on Jacob and creates a list of things that Brie must get over after she dies. Patrick, as you find out later, has a few secrets and Brie needs to understand what Patrick has gone through to finally be happy. Jacob also has a secret of his own that Brie doesn’t realise until the end, where she has to admit she was wrong about both Jacob and Patrick.
All in all I really enjoyed this book as the plot is original, and the book has an extremely cool name and an amazing and unexpected ending.

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Itch | Simon Mayo
Reviewed by Timothy Hand, age 14

Itch is a hilarious and exciting debut novel by Simon Mayo, a popular radio presenter.

 The story is about a 14 year old boy named Itchingham (or Itch for short) who is fascinated by the elements in the periodic table, and is eager to collect them all. The book begins when Itch’s latest experiment has, quite literally, blown up in his face, destroying his eyebrows in the process. With his room ruined, Itch is forced to take some of his elements to school, which leads to a hilarious catastrophe when Itch’s arsenic wallpaper releases toxic gas, leading to a mysterious illness that leaves the schools brand-new greenhouse covered in vomit. After this, you might think that Itch is a comedy story. But after the school greenhouse is declared a biohazard and destroyed, the story takes on a more serious tone.

Itch buys a mysterious rock from a supplier named Cake. When the rock changes colour overnight, Itch takes his rock into school to be examined, only to be informed that it is highly radioactive and very dangerous. However, the rock is then stolen by Dr Flowerdew, the head of science at his school, who works for a sinister oil company called Greencorps. When Greencorps discover that the rock is a brand new element with an extraordinary amount of power, they are desperate to have it for themselves. Itch, with the help of his tomboy cousin, Jack, manages to get the rock back. But when they find Cake dead, killed by radiation poisoning given to him by more of the rocks, Itch, Chloe (his sister) and Jack must run for their lives. Can Itch use his elements to help him get rid of rocks before he succumbs to radiation poisoning or is captured by the agents of Greencorps?

I found Itch a gripping read, full of humour and action. Although the story contains a lot of scientific fact, Mayo manages to incorporate into the book without making it sound like a dull lecture. Itch is an interesting and original character who it is easy to sympathise with, and the other characters are well developed too.

 The plot was engaging and interesting, with a good deal of mystery and suspense, although occasionally it dragged slightly. However, this is just a minor quibble. In conclusion, Itch is a great debut novel, which is well worth a good look. How long until the sequel?

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Wonder | R.J. Palacio
Reviewed by Lorna Reeve, age 14

This is an absolutely amazing read; full of tears, laughter, happiness, sadness – it’s really a book of all trades!! It tells the story of August Pullman, a 10 year old boy with a severe facial abnormality who has never been to a mainstream school. Now he has been advised to go, but is terrified of how people might react. He is extremely sensitive to people’s reaction to his face but is overall a very sweet kid if you’d only get to know him.
Via, his sister, is really well depicted and deals with it all as well as a sibling could. Ultimately, this is an inspirational book all about the true value of friendship and goodness. I would definitely recommend this to most people aged above about 11, as some content is upsetting, but it is one of the most amazing books I’ve read in a long time. Not enough praise in the world for this book!!

Keep Reading

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The Ingo Chronicles: Stormswept | Helen Dunmore
Reviewed by Hannah Cherry, age 14

Morveren lives on a island on the Cornish coast with her parents and her twin sister, Jenna. One day, in a storm, Morveren finds what looks like a boy, washed up on the rocks. She helps him, only to find that he isn’t what he seems. Malin is actually a Merboy, a species that lives underwater. As the story progresses, Moveren and Jenna’s relationship changes, and we discover the history of the island. I thought this book was good, as it had a lot of suspense, leaving you wanting to find out more about what is going to happen. I would consider reading the other Ingo Chronicles, too, as I enjoyed this book. The writer seems very good at giving you lots of detail about the characters and their personalities, which is good too.

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The Other Life | Susanne Winnacker
Reviewed by Charlotte Lightwood, age 12

The Other Life is a romantic horror book.
It is about rabies and how everyone has to stay in bunkers. But when Sherry’s family run out of food after 3 years, 1 month, 1 week and 6 days, Sherry and her Dad go looking for more. Unfortunatly, something goes very, very wrong. Sherry finds somwhere to stay and a boy, Josh, who cares about her and together they search for her Father.  This is an amazing, must-have book, with lots of gripping detail. Altogether, this book is brilliant and I will be looking forward to reading  Book Two, The Life Beyond.

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The Incredible Adventures Of Professor Branestawm | Norman Hunter
Reviewed by Timothy Hand, age 14

Professor Branestawm is a book that was written a while ago. It has been republished as part of a set of ‘classics to treasure’. However, I do not believe that Professor Branestawm is a classic. I also do not believe that it deserves be treasured.

Before I explain why I think I should tell you about the book. It follows the adventures of a zany professor, who has the habit of building inventions and having ideas that tend to go wrong. These mishaps include changing history, bringing wastepaper to life and being captured by his anti-burglar machine. Now you may wonder what is wrong with these storylines. Indeed, the ideas are amusing and original. The book is let down not by its initial storylines, but by the way the author writes. Despite the fact that his ideas are amusing, the book lacks the charm and style that can be found in other books written at the time. Although the storylines are clearly meant to be amusing, and have potential to be, the way the author presents his tales makes reading a chore. You may think that the only reason that I did not enjoy the book was that it was written for a younger age group, but so is Paddington Bear, and that still makes me laugh today. So in conclusion, despite the fact that it has interesting stories and characters, I do not think that the author succeeded in bringing it to life. However, other people do have a positive opinion of this book, so if you want to give it a try you might enjoy it, but I do not believe it lives up to the title of a children’s classic.

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Secrets Of The Henna Girl | Sufiya Ahmed
Reviewed by Lorna Reeve, age 14

A thought provoking read, this perception of forced marriage and Pakistani culture gives an amazing viewpoint. Zeba is taken on holiday to Pakistan with her family but from their her world falls to pieces. Protecting her father’s honour, she is expected to do what he wishes but will this be the case?? The book will make you laugh and cry- sometimes simultaneously- and brings out emotions only a woman/ girl could know. I would say this could be a bit of a heavy subject but the manner in which it is written depicts a much lighter read. I still don’t think I’d recommend it to most people under the age of 13 and definitely more for girls. I loved this book and I’d give it at least 4 out of 5.

Keep Reading!!

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India Dark | Kirsty Murray
Reviewed by Rosalie Barret Lawton, age 12

India dark is an intriguing novel by Kirsty Murray, which is based on a true story. During the book, the main characters, quiet and good natured Poesy, and older more confident Tillly, go on a journey with the theater group the liliputians. But instead of going to the anticipated America they go to India in search of funds. However, because of this, many problems occur and the girls, innocent Poesy especially, and the rest of the children find it difficult  to cope.

Although this is not the type of book I usually choose to read, I enjoyed the surprising and constantly developing plot, as well as the many twists and turns. The wide variety of characters made the book even more intresting and engaging. This difference is most obvious between the two main characters whose personalities are a complete contrast. The story is also so realistic, as if the author had travelled with them, this gave it a brilliant perspective.
The only downside for me was that the story was a bit bleak overall, what with the many hardships  the characters suffer. Aside from this, however, I loved the inspirational book and may even read more of its genre.
I’d recommend this to anyone from 13 onwards as although it mainly involves children, I’m sure adults will love it too, as the complex plot will interest anyone.

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Crow’s Revenge | Marcus Alexander
Reviewed by Alfie Skinner, age 11

Crows Revenge is a great book that I couldn’t put down. It’s got all the qualities of a good book, with sad parts, scary parts but most of all funny parts. There’s a great plot with twists and turns that are difficult to understand at first but after the first hundred pages it all becomes clear. The storyline is fantastic with a couple of cheeky characters and a few deceiving ones as well. It’s a great book and I can’t wait till the second one.

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 The Probability Of Miracles | Wendy Wunder
Reviewed by Isabelle Purvis, age 14

Campbell is no ordinary seventeen year old. Her mother and father dance in the ‘Spirit of Aloha’ show at Disney’s Polynesian Hotel and she lives in a so called Floridian paradise. She disagrees. Cam is a realistic, who gave up hope when her father tragically died and she spent the rest of her life slowly dying of supposedly lifesaving cancerous cures. She has no hopes, other than to die painlessly, which is highly unlikely. After a trip to the hospital (yet again), Cam finds out that she has mere months to live a lifetime. She needs a miracle. Therefore, her ever optimistic mother and sister ask around. A mystical neighbour has heard rumours of such a place, where purple dandelions grow and sunsets last forever. When Cam discovers that this place is called Promise, she is more cynical than ever. Perhaps Promise could be her salvation after all.

I enjoyed this book as it was contenting, depressing and mystical. We saw Cam slowly grow up within herself, finding out that it depends which way life is looked at, but almost everything is a miracle. ……………………………………………………………………………………………….

Fever | Dee Shulman
Reviewed by Lydia Fitzsimmons, age 13

Seth is a roman gladiator, feared in his time for being one of the most ferocious gladiators fighting in the arena. But when he receives a serious wound when distracted, what is the mysterious fever that sets in, enabling him to travel to different times?
When exposed to a new substance in a biology lesson at her new school, will Eva survive the virus suddenly coursing through her body? And if she does, how will she handle the attentions of a gladiator who should have lived hundreds of years ago?

Together, they try to piece together why they have been drawn together and what the virus they are dealing with entails. With old enemies still haunting both of them, they need each other more than ever to survive.

I finished ‘Fever’ the day I received the book, as not only is the plot fast moving and enrapturing, the characters are loveable and interesting. Any teenage girl would love this novel and I would recommend it to any of them.

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 The Ranger’s Apprentice | John Flanagan
Reviewed by Hannah Cherry, age 11

I really enjoyed this book. When I first recieved it, I was a tad dissapointed, becauase I looked at the cover and thought “oh my god, this is so going to be a boys book”. Well, the saying – you should never judge a book by it’s cover – was true for me in this case! I started reading it, and after a few chapters I had to admit that actually, this book was very gripping and exciting. It is set in medieval England, with the main character, Will, being chosen to uptake an apprenticeship with one of the country’s few Rangers – Halt. This book is actually the first two books in one, and I liked the fact that when I finished the first and couldn’t wait to start the next, it was already there!

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A Small Free Kiss In The Dark | Glenda Millard
Reviewed by Lauren Townsend, age 15

“Not many people visit funfairs that don’t work, especially when there’s a war going on.”

‘A small free kiss in the dark’ is definitely not a book to be judged by its cover. The blurb hardly gives any insight into how truly beautiful this novel is written and pieced together. It is an account of the events in the life of Skip, a young boy with no family to call his own. His world is torn apart by war and fear and he seeks a new family with Billy, an old homeless man and Max, a six-year-old boy who lost his mother in a bomb attack. Despite the structured main plot of the novel, however, lies an intertwining web of secrets from the past – leading to the emotional relationships forged between the characters themselves and also with the reader.

It is similarly written to Meg Rosoff’s ‘How I Live Now’, so I would definitely recommend it to fans of her novels, but also to anybody who simply enjoys reading. ‘A small free kiss in the dark’ makes you want to laugh and cry and never put it down – a definite must-read for anybody and everybody.

Just as a piece of advice for this novel, I did personally find ‘A small free kiss in the dark’ rather difficult to get into in the first couple of chapters but it is a novel that is well worth the perseverance – you don’t just read Skip’s story; Glenda Millard makes you part of Skip’s story.

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The Witch’s Boy | Michael Gruber
Reviewed by Rosalie Barrett Lawton, age 13

The Witches Boy is an amazing fantasy book about a boy called Lump. Lump is the ugliest boy in the world. As a baby he is given to a witch who decides to raise him as her son.
With a witch for a mother, a bear as a a nurse and a demon as a teacher, Lump lives an unconventional, though, happy childhood. But, Lump is unprepared for the outside world and he finds the challenges he faces hard to endure.
The book shows Lump’s journey  into becoming a man as he struggles to find his place in the world.
Although The Witches Boy didn’t completely appeal to me in the beginning, it is well written with brilliant descriptions and insights. With a plot that is clever and, sometimes, funny, although not always entirely exciting, The Witches Boy makes an enjoyable read.
Michael Gruber has cleverly and subtly included a few well known faery tales (with a twist), such as Hansel and Gretel and Rumpelstiltskin, to the story, which gives the book a humorous quality. Although I felt the middle of the book dragged a little, it makes up for it, in full, at the end. Overall it is a satisfying read and is definitely the book for you if you love a happy ending.
I recommend this book  to young fantasy fans (maybe 10 – 14 year olds) who love an interesting, well told story.

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Noah Barleywater Runs Away | John Boyne
Reviewed by Lorna Reeve, age 14

Noah Barleywater Runs Away is an amazing story of a young boy (aged 8) who runs away from home. He passes through 3 little towns; the first 2 although quite strange hold no patch on the third, where he spends most of the books duration. There he finds a friendly daschund and a very hungry donkey next to a big strange tree and a wonky toy shop. He is told stories of childhood and slowly begins to realise something amazing.
It is quite short and, if I’m honest, I could have read more of these crazy happenings but good anyway. I really enjoyed this book despite my earlier scepticism and would reccommend it to most people in for a bit of a cray but very good read!! I’d give it a 4 and a half out of 5 (nothing’s perfect is it??) Keep Reading!!

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Four Tales | Phillip Pullman
Reviewed by Timothy Hand, age 14

Four tales is a charming little group of stories by Philip Pullman. They are enjoyable and amusing to read, and I think they would appeal to all ages.

 The first story is called The Firework-Maker’s Daughter. It is a funny and entertaining tale about Lila, the daughter of a firework maker who is desperate to follow in her Father’s footsteps. But when he does not tell the final secret of firework making, she is forced to embark on an exciting journey to Mount Merapi, to retrieve the royal sulphur from the fire spirit, and become a true firework maker. This story was very enjoyable to read, and was full of original characters, like Hamlet the white elephant and Rambashi the pirate, who is trying to find his calling in life. A very good story.

 The second story, “I Was A Rat!” is just as good. The story begins with one of the greatest openings ever. As an elderly couple are working late, somebody knocks on their door. It is a small boy in an odd uniform, who says “I was a rat”. The elderly couple try to find out where the mysterious boy has come from. However, the strange boy spreads chaos wherever he goes, and seems to understand nothing about how to behave. Could he really have been a rat? This was another entertaining yarn, and Roger the rat-boy is a funny original character.

 The third story, Clockwork, is of a far more sinister nature. It begins in an inn in a small German town, where Fritz, the local storyteller, weaves a terrifying tale of dead men animated by clockwork machinery, and the sinister Dr Kalmenius. When a mysterious stranger of the same name enters the inn, the villagers flee in terror. All except Karl, the disgruntled Clockmaker’s apprentice, who is certain to fail his apprenticeship. Dr Kalmenius gives him a terrifying clockwork knight, which Karl plans to use for evil. Meanwhile, Gretl, the innkeeper’s daughter, finds out about the chilling truth to the story.

Clockwork is a much more macabre story than the others, and although it is a good story, it is somewhat out of place among the more cheerful tales.

  The final story, The Scarecrow and His Servant is my personal favourite in this collection of stories, mainly because of its wonderful storyline. It begins with an old scarecrow being brought to life by a bolt of lighting. He befriends a homeless boy named Jack and employs him as his servant. The story takes us through their adventures, from trying to scare brigands to becoming soldiers and actors. However, as they continue on through their misadventures, they are both unaware of the fact that the scarecrow possesses something that could save the countryside from the greedy Buffaloni family.

This story was extremely funny and heart warming, as is the rest of the whole book. The author may describe these stories as fairy tales, but I assure you that anyone can enjoy these. A highly recommended book.

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Ice Shock | M.G. Harris
Reviewed by Alfie Skinner, age 11

Ice shock is just one of my favourite books. It’s a very interesting and fast paced book about a boy’s father who dies and the boy doesn’t believe it was an accident!
He thinks it was something to do with a lady but who this is he does not know.
It’s a very complicated ending but for all you adventure readers it’s a good one. It’s a very exciting, tense and sometimes even scary book. I would recommend this book for any one from the age of nine to sixteen. It’s a great book and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

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A Small Change For Stuart | Lissa Evans
Reviewed by Madeleine Patrick, age 12

When small-for-his-age Stuart Horten moves house with his genius parents, he isn’t aware for some of the suprises that lie

instore, including a freaky girl as a next door neighbour, who happens to be a triplet!

However, this is nothing compared to the secret he discovers about his great uncle, who turns out to be the Great Hordini, a mysterious magician.

I was suprised at how much I enjoyed this book, as it’s not the kind I would usually read. It was very gripping, and I was sucked in by the first chapter.

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A Tangle Of Magicks | Stephanie Burgis
Reviewed by Isabelle Purvis, age 13

This book was ‘right up my street’! It is the second book of The Unladylike Adventures of Kat Stephenson, which I have not read, but I was drawn into the adventurous like of Kat – a feisty, magical, curious 12 year old – and her troublesome family instantly!

Set in the 18^th century, magic is considered most improper. Kat’s sister (Angeline) is a practicing witch and Kat is a Guardian – a protector of Society – who also has magic. On Kat’s eldest sister’s wedding day, Angeline’s true love was taken away from her, so the whole family take a trip to bath to find her a suitor. Due to a horrendous mistake, Kat is thrown out of the Order of the Guardians and discovers a plot to harness the power of the baths, including the sacrifice of her brother! While trying to save Society, her cousin is possessed by Sulis Minerva – the Goddess of the Baths.

Kat discovers the true identity of the schemer – the Head of the Order of the Guardians, a man who wanted Kat to be pacified and destroy all of her magic and most of her mind! No-one will believe her. Therefore, she must prove it! But how can she, when her brother’s life, her magic and her most prized possessions are at risk? Also, in despair, Angela has run off with a terrible man who will ruin her, just to get a suitor. What she doesn’t know is that her true love is searching for her! How can Kat save her brother, her sister and the whole of Society?

A Tangle of Magicks is exciting, energetic and enthusiastic, with a cliff hanger at the end. I thoroughly enjoyed it and now want to read the first book!

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X Isle | Steve Augarde
Reviewed by Timothy Hand, age 11

This is a very exciting and mysterious book, which is set on Earth in the future, where the land has been consumed by floods. The story begins on the mainland, a lawless city built on the rooftops of a drowned town. But there is one way to escape the mainland. The supply boat, run by the brutal Eck brothers, will take young and strong boys to X isle, the one surviving piece of land, where in return for hard work, the boys will be given food, and a bed for the night. When teenager Baz gets a place on the boat, he is sure that life is going to get better. But when he arrives on the island, he finds that the other boys there are virtually slaves, working for the cruel ‘capos’ Steiner and Hutchinson, and the ruler of the island: the unhinged Preacher John. The island is brutal, with forced hard labour in return for one can of food a night. But when Preacher John begins to speak of sacrifices; and boys start dying and disappearing, Baz and the other boys must decide whether to keep things as they are and hope for the best, or to get rid of Preacher John and his overseers…..

  I found this story a great read, full of action, excitement and mystery. It also explores some interesting issues, such as isolation, and the justification of murder. The characters are interesting and well developed, and are brought to life by the author. I would recommend this book to teenagers over the age of 11. The only bad thing about this book is that it contains minor offensive language, and it is a bit similar to Louis Sachar’s book Holes. Otherwise, I would seriously recommend this book to you, if you love exciting mystery stories. I would rate this book 8/10

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Eight Keys | Suzanne LaFleur
Reviewed by Eve Foster, age 14

The tagline for ‘Eight Keys’ by Suzanne LaFleur says ‘Eight secrets, one girl about to unlock her past…’ I instantly assumed the book would be of the fantasy genre. If you’re looking for a fantasy book, Eight Keys is not one, however it is still definitely worth reading. The book is about Elise, a girl just about to turn twelve. Elise has had a difficult childhood, and suddenly things change as she moves up to a new school. She finds herself picked on by one of the most popular girls and a distance growing between herself and her best friend, Franklin.

At first, Eight Keys seems like a typical tween novel, aimed at ages 9 and up, however this is not the case. Elise is a relatable, realistic hero, who faces struggles that will be familiar to not just most children, but most people. LaFleur doesn’t sugar-coat her story – the mean kids stay mean, we just find a way to deal with them; friends fall out, and it takes work to bring those friendships back. The eight secrets mentioned on the cover were a unique twist to the story that I didn’t expect. Elise’s mum and dad have both died, but her dad left her many gifts behind, for her to find as she grows up. The eight keys Elise finds lead to eight rooms, and each one teaches her a lesson about herself that she needs to learn. In short, Eight Keys is a thoughtful story about loss and growing up, and whilst we watch Elise learn her lessons, we might just learn some about ourselves. Although the book’s intended audience is children aged nine, I think this story would be enjoyed by people many years above this age, too.

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The Sweet Far Thing | Libba Bray
Reviewed by Kayleigh Stewart, age 15

The third and final book of the “Gemma Doyle Trilogy”, you re-encounter Gemma and her friend’s magical and thrilling adventure, bigger and better than before. Set In England in the late 1800’s, you walk through Gemma’s fascinating life style, switching between the nice, neat boarding school, where a woman’s freedom is restricted, to her care free, exhilarating magic making in the realms, and slipping into her visions, a terrifying and blood curdling experience. It is time she, Felicity Worthington, Ann Bradshaw and Kartik to take on the world they face, including their old friend Pippa, someone they believed to be dead. Not only do you see her struggles with the realms, where she has to fight the magic which she contains and everyone else who wants it, but with her friends, her drug addict father, her forbidden love, her longing to finally be accepted into society, not to be ruined in front of everyone. You forget, after all, she is just a teenage girl. What will happen to the mysterious Gemma Doyle?

One of the best books I have ever read, hard to get your head round but once you enter the realms, it is 100% magical. If I could rate it out of ten, I would give it a nine. I highly recommend for people around 13+, for anyone who enjoys history, gothic fantasy, romance and adventure.

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Forest Of The Pygmies | Isabel Allende
Reviewed by William Moloney, age 10

The book was really good and exciting, it has magic, evil kings, executions and the slave – trade in. It was a book I would read again. The Characters are Kate, an old lady and the journalist, Alexander, her grandson, Nadia, Alex’s friend, Joel, the photographer, Brother Fernando, the catholic missionary and Angie, their pilot. It’s about a group of journalists who go to see the first elephant-led safari when they meet a witch doctor who shows them the future.
Whilst they were in Africa they met a missionary who told them about two other missionaries who had gone to a village to set up a school. But the missionaries went missing. When they reach the forest where the village is they find there’s no where to land, they try to land the plane in the only place there’s no forest (apart from the village) but they crash-land and find one of the plane’s propeller is bent so they can’t leave.

They camp by the river for the night when two canoes come along. They decide to go to the village for four days, no more. But when they reach the village of Ngoube they find that there is an evil king in charge who has been accused of acts as horrible as cannibalism.
At Ngoube they find a tribe of pygmies that have been forced into slavery by the king, Kosongo.
They find the missionaries have been executed, so they decide to over throw king Kosongo and help the pygmies escape from slavery. Will they succeed…

Forest of the Pygmies is a very good book I would recommend it to people nine and over.

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War of the Witches | Maite Carranza
Reviewed by Rosalie Barrett Lawton, age 12

War of the Witches is an enthralling book about a young witch named Anaíd Tsinoulis.

Anaíd is a troubled teenager, although 14, she looks 11. She has no friends and is endlessly teased at school.

Unfortunately, her troubles soon grow as her mother Selene, suddenly disappears and she discovers she is an Omar, a good witch, descended from a long line of powerful witches. Now she must learn her craft, interpret signs, use her magic selflessly as well as protect herself from the evil, bloodsucking, Odish who pray on vulnerable teenaged Omars.

War of the Witches is a fantastic book with a complex and exciting plot, filled with prophesies and adventure.

However complicated it may seem to be at the beginning, everything becomes clear at the end, you’ll be desperate to read the sequel.

Although the second and third books haven’t been translated from Spanish into English, hopefully they will be at some point! Although meant for teenagers, this book will excite most book lovers and is suitable for all.

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A Tangle of Magicks | Stephanie Burgis
Reviewed by Ella Nieper, age 11

This is an amusing book set in England’s rural villages and urban cities. The story kicks off in Yorkshire and ends in Bath. But for me this book didn’t end, I felt that the author had gone away and forgotten to finish it, still it was a very good read.

This book is all about Kat (Katherine) who has inherited her mother’s guardian powers. All her mother left her was her magic mirror. Elissa goes away on her honeymoon during this book. Angeline is a witch learning from her mother’s magic books. Charles since he was sent away from Oxford College, always sleeps to get out of conversations and tricky moments. Kat finds out that the town of Bath is fizzing with wild magic, in which Charles is involved.

As I have already said, I felt the book was unfinished. It was an amusing and amazing adventure with Kat. Burgis cleverly makes you feel that you are with Kat the whole way. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in magic.

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Johnny Swanson | Eleanor Updale
Reviewed by Timothy Hand, age 11

Do you want a book that can be funny, exciting and scary at the same time?
Then Johnny Swanson is the book for you!

This book is about a teenage boy in 1929 called Johnny. He is small and weedy and a regular target of the school bullies. When he sees an advert in the paper charging for the secret of instant height, Johnny steals some money from his Mum to pay for it. He is furious when he finds that all it says is “ stand on a box.” Needing to replace the money he took, Johnny invents a fictional aunt and uses her name in his own scamming, with questions like “How to stop your baby wetting the bed.” Answer “Make him sleep on a chair”. Johnny quickly makes a small fortune. However his Mum finds out, and storms off in fury. The next morning Dr Langford, who employs Johnny’s mum, is found murdered in his house. Johnny’s Mum is arrested and taken away to prison because her apron is found in the pool of blood by the Doctor’s body, and a busybody neighbour saw her go near the Doctor’s house on the night of the murder. Johnny knows his Mum didn’t do it. But who did? Why would anyone want to kill a mild mannered doctor? Could it have something to do with the illegal cure for T.B he was working on?

One thing is for certain: If Johnny doesn’t find out the truth his Mum will face execution!

I really enjoyed this book, for these reasons.
Johnny is an original character, and despite his mischievous ways you can’t help identifying with him.
The book contains a thrilling, intriguing murder mystery.
All of the characters are realistic.
It is an exciting page turner, that you will want to read again!

 The only (very small) negative point is that the story ha s a bit of a slow start.
Altogether this is a great read, which I rate 9 out of ten. If you are a fan of historical fiction, you will love this book!

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A Small Free Kiss in the Dark | Glenda Millard
Reviewed by Madeleine Patrick, age 11

Teenager Skip hates his life. With an abusive father and a school which looks down on his artistic talents, he just wants to get away from it all. So, he runs away, and teams up with old man, Billy, six year old Max and beautiful dancer Tia. However, when war strikes it seems as though Skip’s world will never be the same again.

This book was a captivating page-turner, with a tear worthy ending. It was impossible to put down.

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Wish Me Dead | Helen Grant
Reviewed by Kathryn Lane, age 14

Steffi Nett is shy. She has been, for as long as she can remember. Nothing exciting ever happens to her, or in her hometown Bad Münstereifel. However, when Steffi and her friends stumble across some ancient magic, they cannot stay away.

The journey to the witch’s house consists of a long drive along a bumpy track, a steep and slippery climb up a tree-covered hillside and finally slipping through the crumbling walls into the abandoned house. The first time Steffi and her group of friends went there, it was dark. They wished for an old folk singer Klara Klein to die. At first, it was just a prank. Then, Klara Klein was found in her house. Dead.

Steffi’s world is opened up to a possibility of wishing for things she has always wanted. She wishes for the most gorgeous boy in town to ask her out. She wishes for the woman that destroyed her family to die. She wishes for huge amounts of money that could save her family’s business. They all came true.

After her father becomes critically ill, Steffi finds out her best friend is a serial killer and finally learns the true meaning of the phrase ‘be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it.’

Helen Grant’s ‘Wish Me dead’ is a mix of magic, mystery and murder. The book is chilling in places and forces the reader to expect the unexpected. A true thriller.

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City of Fallen Angels | Cassandra Clare
Reviewed by Megan Godber, age 14

This book is the fifth in ‘The Mortal Instruments’ series and is a sure-fire winner for any fan of the supernatural! It follows 16 year old Clary Morgenstern and her Shadowhunter friends in the city of Manhattan where they spend their lives hunting demons.

This book picks up where Clary and the Shadowhunters have returned to New York from the ancient city of Alicante, and her life is going well. She has begun her training as a Shadowhunter, and can finally say that Jace, the boy she has a really mixed up relationship with, is her boyfriend. But when Jace suddenly begins to pull away from her, Clary realises that she has caused a certain chain of events that could lead to her losing everything she loves, including Jace.

New faces and old faces alike surface as the plot unfolds, one that may be quite unwelcome, as it happens. Though it is not as action packed from start to finish as previous books in the series, this book really teaches the reader a lot about certain events that are key to some of the older characters in the story. Strong relationships are formed between many of the characters, and the series begins to take on a real balance between action and romance.

This book will leave the reader feeling instantly satisfied and has an ending that will leave you itching for more.

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Wickedness | Deborah White
Reviewed by Lydia Fitzsimons, age 13

When Claire’s mum decides to see an Egyptian, emerald casket, she has no idea that a strange and powerful man will do anything to obtain it. After finding a family manuscript and realizing that the man may not be what he seems, can Claire overcome her fears of history repeating itself and with the aid of a gold ring and a charming rope-walker, shake off a devastating prophecy, involving her red hair, and her blood…

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, the characters come alive, and the language is both exciting and enticing. For any teenager looking for an extremely good read, I would strongly recommend this and hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

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Trash | Andy Mulligan
Reviewed by Lorna Reeve, age 13

This book was written mainly from 3 boys’ points of view each taking different parts with a couple of other narrators appearing for small sections to better explain the story. I think it handled the poor boys’ life on the dumpsite cautiously and showed both pros and cons of dumpsite work. One discovery on the dump turns their whole world into a search for something but noone quite knows what.

Raphael, the main narrator, is a small, cute 14 year old – a dumpsite boy born and bred. He often gets anxious and agitated but the others need his brains. Then one incident changes the way the other boys look at him for ever.

Gardo, another 14 year old dumpsite boy, just hours older, is very protective of Raphael. With most of his family gone, Gardo has had his fair share of bad events and uses his brawn to fight whether rightly or wrongly.

The final boy is younger, Rat or Jun-Jun by his true name. He was not born at the dump but came after roughing it out on the streets for a few years. Although he cannot read or write, he provides the contacts and area knowledge the others lack as they have never left Behala. His old friend always help in any way they can, making him an essential part of the team.

I absolutely adored this book and was captured from start to finish. I loved the plot and the way all the characters had different writing styles. An intruiging read for anyone over 12 as younger children may not understand the plot to its full extent. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys real life stories with a hint of detective streaking through.
KEEP READING!!

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Bartimaeus and the Ring of Solomon | Jonathan Stroud
Reviewed by Ella Nieper, age 11

This book is about a djinni, which is the largest class of spirit. Bartimaeus of Uruk is two thousand years old.

Bartimaeus is stuck on earth in Jerusalem which at this time is being ruled by King Solomon. The ring
of Solomon is almost the same as Aladdin’s lamp but to get the spirit of the ring to come you have to turn the ring, not rub it.

When Asmira, a girl who is a hereditary guard to Queen Balkis of Sheba, comes to Jerusalem to try to speak to Solomon, Bartimaeus is under the control of Khaba, who is one of Solomon’s seventeen magicians. Khaba imprisons Bartimaeus in a small bottle. Asmira breaks the bottle, then summons Bartimaeus for herself.

The plot of this story is for Asmira and Bartimaeus to kill Solomon and steal the ring. In order to do this Bartimaeus and Asmira overcome many dangers. Bartimaeus is put to the test on getting past many Marids and Afrits which are the most powerful and dangerous spirits. Asmira attempts this on Queen Balkis’s order because although Solomon does not realise (because of all the strain of looking after the ring) but his magicians threaten other kingdoms under Solomon’s name.

I enjoyed this book because it was magical as well as amusing. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good read. Also do not let the size of the book put you off!!!

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The Siege of Macindaw | John Flanagan
Reviewed by Finn Sharp, age 10

“The Siege of Macindaw is book 6 in the exciting Ranger’s Apprentice series by John Flanagan. The story is so much more than strategizing and fierce battles. Flanagan adds strong friendships, a small love story and most importantly modern humour. You’ll laugh at the witty banter between Will and Horace. And best of all, the book leaves you satisfied, yet craving the next instalment.”

This is a quote I got from a website and I personally do not agree with the last line. Almost all over the internet and on the blurb it states that the Siege of Macindaw is a fantastic book. I found the book to be quite slow to develop at most parts, and the story wasn’t that gripping as it had made out to be.

Though saying all this, I talked to one of my closest friends who read the book, who said completely the opposite to what I just said.

So in conclusion if you like a story with medieval action plot and some good characters then this is the book for you, but for me it just didn’t cut it.

4/10

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Elsewhere | Gabrielle Zevin
Reviewed by Lauren Townsend, age 15

“Sorry, but nothing of much importance ever happened to me…I’m just a girl who forgot to look both ways before she crossed the street”.

Elsewhere. A place not quite like any other; it is a place for those who have passed on from Earth, to begin a journey backwards towards rebirth in a new life. It is a heaven – an island where life’s only purpose is to grow younger and be whoever you want to be.

‘Elsewhere’ is the story of Liz Hall, a seemingly normal fifteen year old who wakes one morning to find herself on a boat, heading towards only one destination; with a one-way ticket. Bewildered, Liz is greeted by her long-dead grandmother when her boat arrives, and it takes her some time to realise that she had been killed in a sudden hit-and-run accident only a few days before.

‘Elsewhere’ follows Liz, in her tragic tale of growing up, love, loss and coping without everything she’s used to taking for granted.

A must-read for anyone over the age of twelve, ‘Elsewhere’ is heartbreakingly beautiful with its intricate twists, built around the most moving and inspirational characters and is guaranteed to bring a tear to the reader’s eye.

Elsewhere is a novel of sadness, happiness, love and redemption and will undoubtedly leave you with crossed fingers; wishing that Zevin’s ideas about the afterlife are truly a reality.

One of the most brilliant books written for teenagers, Elsewhere is sure to stamp it’s mark on your life and undeniably tug at your heartstrings – there simply aren’t enough words to praise this novel with justice.

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I Shall Wear Midnight | Terry Pratchett
Reviewed by Charlotte Lightwood, age 11

Tiffany Aching is a willing carer for old ladies. The problem is she is also a witch! Tiffany gets really bored as her job doesn’t involve any magic and her friends tease her about it. Until one day one of the ladies starts warning her about an evil spirit which could potentially put her life in danger and will start her first adventure.

I Shall Wear Midnight is another example of witches, wizards and warlocks. It’s a teenager’s book but adults will enjoy it too as they will struggle to put it down.

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Out of the Woods | Lyn Gardener
Reviewed by Madeleine Patrick, age 11

From the first page you can tell this book is going to be something special. It starts off telling you about the characters, the Eden sisters, Storm, Aurora and Any, which are easy to relate to, and you can easily find things in common with.

The first chapter moved me deeply, as it describes Storm’s sadness after the death of her mother.

However, the story quickly speeds up when the children go to a fun fair and have the fright of their life. Soon, they are running for their lives from evil witch, Belladonna, who is determined to get her hands on Aurora’s heart, and Storm’s magical pipe. Friends become enemies, loved ones are lost, and an unexpected death causes another problem.

This story is a enjoyable fantasy, but with a touch of gritty reality to create a interesting blend. This book will make you want to laugh, cry, and scream all at the same time. I recommend it to anyone who loves a chill, a thrill and a simply amazing read.

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To Kill A Mockingbird | Harper Lee
Reviewed by Ella Nieper, age 11

This book is set in the deep south in a town called Maycomb in the 1930’s.  The main characters are Scout and Jem Finch and their father Atticus Finch.  Also in their household is Calpurnia (sometimes known as Cal) the cook. Scout is telling the story of how Jem badly broke his left arm at the elbow and how, now, his left arm is a lot shorter than his right.

I loved this book because it’s humourous, also I think it is a very well-written book.  I got into it quickly and felt that I was in the book watching everything happen.

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Inkheart | Cornelia Funke
Reviewed by Lorna Reeve, age 12

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke is my all-time favourite book. It begins with a mysterious visitor in Meggie’s back garden, who seems to know Mo, Meggie’s father, well, although Meggie has never seen him herself. He takes them on a wild search for a book that holds the key to Meggie’s life, even though she’s never heard of it. If you read this book then get set for mystery, fantasy, adventure and a perfect storyline, all set in the fabulous setting of Inkheart! I would recommend this book for anyone who loves a good book.

Happy reading!

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The Amulet of Samarkand | Jonathan Stroud
Reviewed by Isabelle Purvis, age 12

This thriller of a book transports the reader to modern day London, with a difference – England is controlled by magicians.

Jonathan Stroud does not lose time at the start to introduce one of the main characters – Bartimaeus, a bad-tempered 5000 year old djinni (a magical spirit). Throughout the book, small sketches of his adventurous past are exposed, showing his eccentric personality (hateful, yet loyal, vivacious, yet tedious).

Nathaniel, a 12 year old apprentice magician, summons Bartimaeus. He was requested to steal the Amulet of Samarkand (a boring bit of jewellery? Bartimaeus thought!) from Simon Lovelace, a master magician. Bartimaeus wants to find out more about the amulet and suspicious Lovelace. Whilst doing so, he uncovers rebellion, murders and conspiracy.

This book is one of the best I have read because it is very descriptive, each chapter is entirely different to the previous – some are hilarious, some are defiant, adventurous, and exhilarating! Each time I read the book I am flung into the mysterious world.

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The Last Summer of the Death Warriors | Francisco X. Stork
Reviewed by Kathryn Lane

Francisco Stork’s ‘The Last Summer of the Death Warriors’ begins with a boy named Pancho arriving at St. Anthony’s home. Pancho hopes his stay will be short-lived as he is determined on gaining revenge for his sister’s death. His plans are shattered when he is assigned to help DQ cope with his brain cancer.

DQ has incredibly high spirits for a teenager with cancer and Pancho
had never heard anybody speak so much before he began his stay at St.

Anthony’s. DQ has an aim in life which keeps him optimistic: the “the death warriors manifesto”. Pancho is told how the manifesto is DQ’s key to living his last days fully and ideally with the one he loves – Marisol.

As Pancho tries to track down his sister’s murderer, he is sidetracked too
many times by both DQ and Marisol. Marisol was everything DQ described her to be like, and more. As he becomes closer to Marisol and her love, he is inevitably drawn to a decision: to avenge his sister’s death or to embrace the way of the death warrior as DQ had planned all along.

‘The Last Summer of the Death Warriors’ is a book about friendship, revenge, life and death. As the plot unravels, the reader is introduced to many different characters with many different personalities.

A great book of 2010.

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The Summer That Changed Everything | Ann Brashares
Reviewed by Hannah Thorpe, aged 13

This book is just pure good reading!!! Once I got into it (which didn’t take long) it really drew me in. It is about 3 girls – Ama, Polly and Jo. They met in third grade when their parents didn’t pick them up from school. They snuck out and made their own way home. That little incident at home time made a huge difference to their childhood – they became the best of friends. For some reason their friendship faded but then they realised that each other were all they needed to have a happy life. But then summer came and they suddenly faced a long summer without each other. This particular holiday is packed full of drama, romance and adventure. It is full of unexpected things, while the girls learn a lot about their friendship. This book was so good I even read 3 of Ann Brashares other books – The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants, The Second Summer of the Sisterhood and Girls in Pants. I really enjoyed all four of these books because they are well written, exciting and dramatic. I would give The Summer That Changed Everything a 5/5. I recommend it to girls aged 12 – 14.

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Jordan Stryker: Bionic Agent | Malcolm Rose
Reviewed by Toby Mason, aged 12

Absolute genius! This book deserves its own genre, a mix between fact and fiction, emotion and plenty of action. A masterpiece by Malcolm Rose, even better than Kiss of Death. A tale of a boy’s unparalleled determination to live but firmly based on what could be a real life story with a very real potential disaster. Based around the actual boat “SS Richard Montgomery” which is a wrecked boat on the bottom of the River Thames carrying 1400 tonnes of explosives, this book carries a terrifying amount of truth to it, but this is what makes it such brilliant book to read. Another scary fact is that you won’t want to put it down as you will definitely read it over and over again until the pages are worn to nothing!

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Tracks of the Tiger | Bear Grylls
Reviewed by Finn Sharp

‘Tracks of the Tiger’ by Bear Gryllsis a tense and a particularly interesting read; including a deep plot, and strangely enough some facts on surviving in the wild.

I’ll start off with what I said about the interesting survival tips. It’s this, which I think is what engrossed me most with the book. You would expect this from a book written by Bear Grylls but it has also somehow managed to get a deep interesting plot of a great novel as well as the interesting facts about the jungle which you’d expect of a survival book.

The plot consists of adventure mad 12 year old Beck Granger. Instead of being adventurous, he goes for a chilled out holiday with his best friend, but it seems that Beck cannot help himself from getting into danger even in an orangutan sanctuary!

Overall the book is quite a good read. The only let down is that to get though this book quickly (and happily) you have to have a very particular taste for adventure survival books. For all of these reasons I’m going to give this book a 6/10.

Thank you for reading my review!

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Fever Crumb | Philip Reeve
Reviewed by Jowan Mead, aged 12

I don’t really enjoy the Mortal Engines series that much, as it leaves several aspects unexplained and can be confusing. However, I feel that this book reveals and goes into further detail on quite a few of these aspects. The book has quite an exciting storyline, keeping the reader on edge throughout. The characters are well thought out as well. The style of writing from previous books has been improved. On the storyline itself, it is quite interesting: it follows the adventures of an orphan girl who becomes caught up in an enemy onslaught towards London. Along the way, secrets are discovered about her origins and it is revealed just how important she is.

Overall, Fever Crumb is a very good book. One of the few things the author could have done is build upon the world itself some more. In total, I would give it 8/10.

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Sebastian Darke, Prince of Explorers | Philip Caveney
Reviewed by Timothy Hand, aged 11

This book is about a young elf warrior called Sebastian who has been hired to find a mythical lost city in the jungle of Mendip, which is a future version of Earth. Sebastian, and his friends Max the Buffalope and Cornelius the Golmiran warrior, are attacked on the way by brutal savages called the Gograth but are rescued by a friendly tribe called the Jilith. One of the Jilith knows the way to the lost city and will tell Sebastian and his friends, provided they help the Jilith defeat the Gograth. But once they defeat the Gograth and find the city they are in greater peril than ever before, as the ruins are inhabited by evil undead creatures called the Night Runners………

I did not find this book an amazing read, as some of the events and characters would appeal more to a younger audience. I also didn’t like the front cover much. However, the Night Runners are an excellent creation, that even I was scared of! The battle with the Gograth was also exciting, though not as good as the final battle with the Night Runners. The story has several links to previous adventures, as this is book three in a series. I would recommend this book to readers aged 9+. Overall: If I were you, I would think about buying this, but don’t put at the top of your wish list.

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Alien Storm | A.G. Taylor
Reviewed by Timothy Hand, age 11

Alien Storm is the sequel to A.G Taylor’s first book, Meteorite strike. The plot is very simple and easy to understand. In the previous book, a meteorite filled with an alien virus landed in the Australian outback. All adults who were affected by the virus were sent into comas. However, children were given extreme powers. The affected children were then captured by a mysterious organization called HIDRA, which wanted to use the children’s powers for their own gains. However, the children defeated HIDRA at the end of book one and have been hiding from Major Bright, the only member of HIDRA who escaped. In Alien Storm, the affected children led by Sarah Williams and her brother Robert are desperate to leave Australia and escape Major Bright, who has made a serum from the children’s blood that gives him their powers.  However, the Major has run out of serum, and attacks the children and tries to recapture them. However the children are saved by Alex, a boy who has the power to make himself invisible, who is working for a mysterious Russian billionaire called Nikolai Makarov.  Makarov uses his automated plane to take the children to his home in Russia: a massive tower called the spire. The children are thrilled with the spire and Makarov’s hospitality. But Sarah is suspicious.  And as Makarov’s true plan comes to light, the children must stop him before another meteorite storm destroys all life on Earth.

I found this book slightly below average. There is little character development, and some characters are little more than cardboard cut outs. Perhaps I am being harsh as this is a sequel, but I have read many sequels that keep up good standards when it comes to the characters. I also found that the plot was not original, but just a jumble of elements from other stories (children with super powers, an rich enigmatic villain, robotic killers) However, the book isn’t terrible, and there are some exciting and interesting moments in the book, but when it comes to the crunch, this just a mediocre, stereotypical book.  I advise that you leave this and buy better examples of this genre, like the Gone series, the Mortal Engines quartet and the Power of Five series.

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The Other Countess | Eve Edwards
Reviewed by Lydia Fitzsimons, aged 13

Lady Eleanor Rodriguez of San Jaime is left penniless with a father on a mad quest for gold when her mother dies. But Eleanor is not like other girls of her class. Known to her friends as Ellie, she has a carefree nature and a spirit that cannot be broken. When her father merits a job at Queen Elizabeth’s court, many new interesting experiences will take place!

The new Earl of Dorset, William Lacey, knows he must rebuild the estate and wealth his father squandered. The only option he faces is to go to court and find a wealthy woman willing to marry him. He arrives at court with only his mission in mind. That is until he meets Ellie. Caught up in her beauty and witty sense of humour, Will now faces the problem that Ellie is not the wealthy young lady his family had expected him to marry. Can they overcome the many forces fighting against them?

This charming novel will have you hanging on to the last word. You will be caught up in Will and Ellie’s struggle for love and will be kept on your toes by all the twists and turns of the story. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to any teenage girl looking for an immensely good read!

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Leaving Poppy | Kate Cann
Reviewed by Jesamin, aged 13

Amber can’t escape from her deranged evil sister Poppy.  She is everywhere.  So, with the help of an old spinster with a mysterious past, can she get rid of Poppy and that ‘bad feeling’ that won’t go away?

To escape her sister, Amber moves into her new house (including a lot of weird and wonderful flatmates), so why can’t she get rid of that strange desolate feeling?

Help is at hand from a mysterious old spinster, but what connection does she have to the old house?  And, who is Ivy Slade?

This was a great read.  It really deals with some sensitive issues and I loved the super-natural aspect of the book too, which gave me quite a few nightmares!

A definite 10 / 10

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What I Saw and How I Lied | Judy Blundell
Reviewed by Kathryn Lane, aged 14

‘What I Saw and How I Lied’ is set in post war America in 1947. The main character is a fifteen year old girl called Evie. After her stepfather Joe returns from the war, he decides the family need a holiday. Joe, Evie and Bev (Evie’s mother) travel to Florida for a relaxing break.

However, things in Florida are different to what Evie had expected. When she meets the man of her dreams, Peter Coleridge, her whole world changes. She is thrown into what she has never experienced before – love. Lies and secrets are thrown in all directions, and Evie later discovers something discreet has been going on.

After hurricane Armageddon hits, Evie is left all alone not knowing what has become of her parents or of Peter. Fights, relationships, deals and secrets, Evie has been through them all in this holiday from hell.

This book is heartfelt and dramatic. Judy Blundell has a talent for letting you get to know the characters and how they are feeling. The book is gripping and stimulating for the reader. It is moving and shocking. Once you’ve started reading, you will not want to stop.

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Once | Morris Gleitzman
Reviewed by Bella Lawler, aged 12

Once, I read a book called Once.
Once, I really enjoyed it.
Once, I wrote a book review, telling you all about it.

Once, by Morris Gleitzman, is the thrilling tale of a Jewish boy named Felix living in war-torn Poland. With the Nazis scattered everywhere, behind every corner, Poland is no longer safe. After a sequence of shocking encounters leading up to a mysterious chain of events, Felix is forced to flee from his Catholic orphanage in which he is hiding. Desperate to find his parants, he searches helplessly and along the way befriends a girl named Zelda. Both in the same situation, they encounter some near-death experiences and soon find themselves in hiding and in fear for their lives. But time is ticking and as Hitler’s growth in power increases, it might already be too late to turn back…

The story ‘Once’ is a very powerful story for young readers and I would happily recommend this to anyone. As this novel is based on a true story, it helps you to empathise with the incredible hardships inflicted on the Jews.

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Where I Belong | Gillian Cross
Reviewed by Kinneret Livne, Aged 14

Where I Belong is about three teenagers who see the same events through different eyes, and alternate to give their version of events. Khadija has been sent to England to earn some money for her family in Somalia. She gets a job in a local shop earning very low wages, but soon gets an offer she’s not sure she can refuse…

Abdi is Khadija’s adopted brother, as his originally Somalian family are looking after her. He helps her with keeping her secret, and can’t wait to go to Somalia, where he apparently belongs…

Freya is the daughter of huge designer, Sandy Dexter. When her mum picks a Somali girl off the street and asks her to be a model for her new range, Freya doesn’t know what to think. However, when her mum decides to do the show in Somalia, despite all the bombings there, Freya is horrified. She’s possibly more angry, though, when she learns that her parents aren’t planning to take her!

Gillian Cross is trying to highlight the stark difference between the cosmopolitan lifestyles of rich Londoners and the poor people in the war-ridden country Somalia. She also highlights the huge wrongdoings of the fashion industry, and how they will stop at nothing in order to get a good show. With a lengthy 300 pages, I expected this book to be action-packed and full of twists and turns, but unfortunately it moved along quite slowly and for the length of the book not a lot happened. Despite this, the book had a good message and was an interesting read.

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Pretty Bad Things | C. J. Skuse

Reviewed by Lydia Fitzsimons, Aged 13

“Tell Buddy we love him!” – what do these words mean to you? All over Las Vegas sweet shop owners are baffled when they are robbed and are left with only these words. Who are the mysterious “Wonder Twins” that are stealing everybody’s sweets and all American teenage hearts?

On the run from their gold digging grandmother, former American sweethearts, Beau and Paisley, run away in a mad search for their long lost father. After disappearing as children Beau and Paisley are quite used to being in the headlines and receiving numerous fans and fan sites. Now that they’ve grown and most people have forgotten them, they receive no help in reaching the reunion with their father that they have been searching for.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to any teenager, both boys and girls. Paisley and Beau are loveable, unforgettable characters, and “Pretty Bad Things” is full of jaw-dropping twists, that will leave you gasping for breath and wishing for more!

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Rowan the Strange | Julie Hearn
Reviewed by Timothy Hand, Aged 11

When I picked up this book, I thought I was going to get a good read. I didn’t, what I got was an exceptional one!

Set in WW2, a 13 year old boy named Rowan has a mental illness and is taken away to a mental hospital. There he is given the latest treatment, an electrical shock to the brain. He stops having attacks, but he believes that he has super human power! He makes friends with another of the patients called Dorothea, who believes she can talk to angels, and also a man called John, who feels guilty over shooting defenceless Germans on Christmas day, in the trenches. But what really makes the story shine is the German doctor Von Metzer. Although he is horrified at Hitler’s treatment of the mentally ill, he is feared and hated by the rest of the community. Both he and Rowan are furious when the cruel remarks of a nurse cause Dorothea to commit suicide. When Von Metzer tells the nurse what he thinks of her, she rouses the village to attack him! It is up to Rowan to use his intelligence to save Von Metzer, and above all prove he is well enough to go back to his family…

This book is wonderful, and is sure to sell well, because the author can bring characters’ feelings to life superbly, and also shows us that we often judge people because of their nationality and condition, without actually learning about them as people. I would recommend this book to teenagers of both sexes. This book is brilliant, so make sure it is on your bookshelf as soon as possible!

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Shiver | Maggie Stiefvater
Reviewed by Lydia Fitzsimons, Aged 13

This is a gripping and enjoyable read which tells the story of Grace and her strange fascination with the wolves that attacked her as a child.

Her particular interest is with a mysterious yellow eyed wolf and when a strange boy named Sam who also has yellow eyes arrives in town, Grace begins to wonder if maybe there is more to these wolves than meets the eye. When a boy from Grace’s school is found savagely mauled to death and the wolves are blamed the local men decide that it is time for them to either leave or suffer the consequences.

Meanwhile Grace learns the truth about her wolves and the murder and is bent on doing everything she can to protect them before it is too late…

Overall this book will really entrance its readers whether they are boys or girls. It is full of twists and turns and will have you spellbound. I couldn’t put it down and think it would appeal in particular to to young teens.

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Quicksilver | Sam Osman

Reviewed by Hannah Cherry, Aged 11

Good Points: This book had a good plot, and considering that the book was fantasy, the writer put a good ‘real life’ effect into it, just enough so it was still believable, but exciting all the time. I liked how you got to know each of the character’s personalities very well, almost like you were their best friend. The three main characters – and the ones you get to know the best – are Wolfie, Tala, and Zi’ib. Each of these characters has their own part in the story, and this shares the main character role, so you don’t just get the image of one main definite main character.

These children also all share some characteristics – they all have a parent (or two) missing, they all have green eyes and they all possess extraordinary dowsing abilities etc.

Bad points: It took me a long time to get into this book, as some details are quite confusing, and I was a bit mixed up on all of the difficult names and places. I did notice on the back cover on the book ‘for ages 9 – 12’. I am 11, and I struggled with some parts of the book, so I’m not sure how a 9 year old would cope with some of the difficult language and content (I even had to ask my parents what some of it meant). That is why I would recommend it to older children.

I also got a bit confused with the storyline at times – I couldn’t keep track of the characters and this resulted in me not understanding bits of the story. At the end though, the story did all piece together and I understood it.

Overall: Overall I would recommend this to older children purely because of the difficult language and content. Also, the book is quite thick, so I also wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who likes a quick read. It took me a long time to finish it, partly because I didn’t really understand the middle and so I wasn’t keen on reading it. However, I did like the beginning and the end, and you get a few surprises with people being not who they seem…
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Secrets of Hightower | M G Naylor
Reviewed by Eve Foster, Aged 14

Secrets of Hightower is a story unlike books I have read before, despite what you may first think. When I first received Secrets of Hightower I wasn’t looking forward to reading the book. I found the cover, picturing a dull, bleak house through a cracked lens, off putting and the blurb didn’t draw me in. The first few chapters seemed to take forever to get through. Then, however, the Elverys were introduced. The Elverys stopped this book feeling like a book I’d read before. Nick, the main character, moves to Hightower just to help the Elverys, but he doesn’t know that. All he knows is that his dad died and left the place to him. When he finds Elvery, he is told about the ‘Engine Hearts’ which power the city, and how if several Engine Hearts are placed together, they have the power to turn others evil. The story is full of twists and turns, and you are never sure who has turned evil; first it seems like one, then another, and then someone you would never have expected. I love the world of Elvery, and their transport, and it was something I didn’t expect. Overall, Secrets of Hightower surprised me, as I never thought I would like it, but it did take too long to start. The Elverys should have been involved from almost the beginning!

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Necropolis | Anthony Horowitz
Reviewed by Timothy Hand, Aged 11

Necropolis is the fourth, and possibly best, of Anthony Horowitz’s gruesome supernatural series, the Power of Five.

In this book, a teenage girl named Scarlett Adams walks through a door in a London church and she is whisked into a nightmare world of monsters and their evil human allies. She learns that she is one of five Gatekeepers: children with superhuman powers, who were born to defeat the murderous Old Ones, creatures of ancient evil. When the other four Gatekeepers try to rescue her, she is taken to Hong Kong, which the Old Ones now control. As the population is wiped out, Scarlett must escape, or face torture worse than death.

I really like this book because it is action packed and exciting, and uses some wonderful description and character development .Another strong point is that it tells you the story so far in a diary kept by one the gatekeepers so  it is not important to have read the other three books. I simply could not put this gripping book down. It is possibly my favourite book ever, and shows how good a writer Horowitz is. I cannot wait for when his finale will be released. If you are a Horowitz fan, BUY THIS BOOK NOW!!!

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The Ducking Stool | Gloria Morgan
Reviewed by Hannah Thorpe, Aged 13

I really enjoyed the book The Ducking Stool. It was really interesting!

The book was told in the role of the main character Megan who is 10 years old. Megan has a brother called John who is 14 years old. John is really into his schoolwork but because he had reached a certain age he had to do work on a farm. The book is set in 1944 and Megan and John have been evacuated to a village called Bartlemere. This is because in London, there are lots of bombs being dropped all over the city. There are lots of murders in the village of Bartlemere and Megan and John think it is their responsibility to find out who did it.

The thing that I most liked was the theme and that it always kept me guessing and wanting to read on and find out the end result.

What I disliked about this book was that in the first few chapters it made me a bit confused, but as I read on it all became clear.

Can you guess who it was? Who do you think the murders were all aimed at? Can you uncover the mystery before Megan and John? Do you want to find out? Then just read the book. You will love it. I would give this book 5 out of 5. It was just so interesting. I would recommend it both boys and girls ages 11-13.
This book is a classic who-dun-it!

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By Royal Command | Charlie Higson
Reviewed by Toby Mason, Aged 12

By Royal Command is a nerve-wracking and exciting book written by Charlie Higson. It is his fifth novel in this series and is as ingenious as all the other books.

This time the main character (young) James Bond befriends the two communist criminals Dandy O’Keeffe and Roan Power, who are trying to blow up the king. Twists and turns put James and friends in constant danger.

Charlie Higson is a great writer expressing James’ feelings of love of danger and boredom at school. He writes to perfection as you can almost feel the bruises James receives.

Start this book after a big meal as you won’t put it down for tea!

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Airman | Eoin Colfer

Reviewed by Jowan Mead, Aged 12

The book starts with a well-structured prologue, introducing several main characters and describing them adequately enough for the reader to get an idea of their personality.  The prologue soon comes into an exciting point and has very good description and imagery.
The book has an action-packed storyline, with subtle humour placed cleverly. It gives the reader a very good image in their head of what is going on, and also lists the location and time of each chapter at the start. Though the book is thick, with 424 pages, it is very fast paced and flows between the chapters smoothly. The book’s storyline is nothing short of epic, and I cannot think of anything to fault it, apart from the fact that it can be complex at times and could be difficult for some to understand. I would give this book a 9 out of ten, the one point off because of the reason I have just stated. Overall an excellent book and guaranteed to keep a reader interested at all times.

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Strange Angels | Lili St. Crow
Reviewed by Hazel Beddows, Aged 13

Sixteen-year-old Drew Anderson knows all too well what a brutal and terrifiying place the real world can be – growing up she has always helped her father hunt out things that go bump in the night – but when he comes home from a mission as a zombie, Drew is forced to make her own way in the world and, with the help of the weird goth kid called Graves and an owl with the spirit of her dead grandma,  she is determined to track down the bad guy who turned her father into one of the ‘re-animated’ .

Though I feel this book will strongly appeal to fans of Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight saga, it is most definitely NOT a romance; this book is sheer page-turning terror sure to make you keep coming back for more. I fully enjoyed this book and I strongly recommend it to all teenage readers, both boys and girls.

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Inkheart | Cornelia Funke
Reviewed by Anna Maher

I found Inkheart very interesting in places and sometimes I found it very hard to put the book down.  At the beginning the characters seemed to be regular people and their lives no different from ours, but you later find that some of their lives have been as adventurous and dangerous as in a book.

I thought the characters were very understandable and my favourite is Resa because she seems friendly but she knows more than we do and she can’t speak.

When a scarred man appears on the doorstep of Meggie and her Father (Mo)’s house, Mo is forced to reveal a secret that caused the disappearance of Meggie’s mother (Teresa).

When Mo reads aloud mysterious things happen and creatures of every type leave the book in Mo’s hands and appear in our world very confused, but sometimes when this happens things (usually people) from our side of the world go deep into the pages of the book.

Inkheart is a very adventurous and exciting tale of two separate worlds and different people trying to get into each.  A brilliant idea and plot from Cornelia Funke.

Sequels to INKHEART:

Inkspell

Inkdeath

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Blood Hunters | Steve Voake
Reviewed by Sean Sharp, Aged 13

Blood Hunters is an exciting a nerve-tensing read. If you cannot get into this book then you aren’t made for reading.

The story revolves around two boys who become friends and just when things are looking good, life takes a turn for the worst. Deadly, dangerous and bent on killing humans, these creature are not to be messed with. The boys become involved in the conspiracy to find out how it happened. After one good thing happens, catastrophic is one word to describe what happens next.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone from 11 years old to 16 years old. It’s a great read for all with an exciting and tense climax.
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Airhead | Meg Cabot
Reviewed by Eve Foster, Aged 14

Airhead is the first in Meg Cabot’s brilliant new trilogy about a ‘geeky’ teenage girl who manages to get inside the body of a world-famous model.

When I first saw this book, I was under the impression that Em would switch bodies in some magical event. That, however, was not the case as I realised once inside. On the first page you meet Em Watts, the unpopular and unfashionable protagonist, and Whitney Robertson, the popular, tall, blonde girl who Em strongly dislikes. However, even though the characters feel like repeats at first, they pull through when the story gets going and Meg Cabot’s style of writing sinks in.

The idea, though some might say ‘unrealistic’, to me seemed clever, funny and made me wonder what it would really be like to be in that situation. It’s full of twists and turns, keeping you reading even if it feels like an age before Em realises what has happened to her.

My only criticism would be that when the book ends, you’re just ready for more and if you live in England and got the first book when it came out, I’m sorry to say it’s a long wait for the second one. Airhead isn’t forgettable – after you’ve finished, it sits in the back of your mind, and you soon find yourself flicking through its pages once more.

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The Black Book of  Secrets | F.E. Higgins
Reviewed by Hannah Cherry, Aged 11

This book is one of the best reads I have had. It’s amazing! Of course, it does have it’s downsides, but for now, I’ll talk about the good bits. The book is about Ludlow Fitch, who escapes from the city to start a new life away from his wretched parents. He finds himself in a distant village named Pagus Parvus – I know, quite a mouthful! – and meets a strange man called Joe Zabbidou, a pawnbroker who purchases secrets. Joe is searching for an assitant – someone who is trustworthy and loyal, someone who will not betray even the deepest and darkest of secrets. To him, Ludlow seems perfect! And so, Ludlow’s job as a pawnbroker’s assistant begins, and he encounters many ups and downs which puzzle him. But somehow, together, Joe and Ludlow conquer the town’s most feared enemy…….

Good Points
The book’s mystery and feel of anticipation was what mainly urged me to read more. The author had a good knack of knowing when to stop a chapter, therefore adding even more effect to it. Also, even when you thought you knew the characters, they always seemed to put a twist in their personalities, so you didn’t know quite what to expect…

Bad Points
The story had a few bad points, but not many. I thought that sometimes the book seemed to ‘hang around’ in a few parts – it seemed to be just doing the same normal routine a bit too much – but this happened rarely. The first bit of the story’s plot is a bit tricky to understand, but once I got into it I started to make sense of it.

Overall
Overall, I thought this was a great book, and it hooked me from the start. I especially liked the ‘secrets’ people had – they were always very interesting. I would recommend this book to anyone who really likes mystery/secret stories.

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Ways To Live Forever | Sally Nicholls
Reviewed by Hazel Beddows, Aged 13

“ My name is Sam , I am eleven years old. I collect stories and fantastic facts . By the time you read this I will probably be dead .”

Sam loves facts he wants to know about UFOs , horror movies , airships and how it feels to kiss a girl, he also wants to know the facts about dying.

Sam has leukaemia and needs answers to the questions no-one will answer. For the last 3 months of his life Sam keeps a diary in which he confindes secrets and ambitions , but when Dr. Bill comes to visit after one of Sam’s bad spells Sam has to make the vital decision on whether to drop his medication or not.

This book left me feeling tearful but inspired, I couldn’t put it down and it has become one of the books I will happily lend ( but not give ) to my friends.

Runner up of the Manchester book awards, it is nothing short of  totally brilliant. A fantastic debut for this new, young author.

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Noughts and Crosses | Malorie Blackman
Reviewed by Kathryn Lane, Aged 14

Malorie Blackman’s Noughts & Crosses is an absorbing and heartfelt book set in a different community where black and white are right and wrong. The reader gets to know the main characters (Callum and Sephy) quickly and effortlessly. Persephone Hadley is a cross; she has a high status and is supposedly closer to God. Her unusual friendship with Callum (who is a nought) is pulled further and further apart as they grow up in a community that doesn’t recognise friendship between noughts and crosses.

The government have given in, and decided to allow noughts to enter cross schools throughout the country. The few that have passed the entrance exams have ‘dropped like flies’ and when Callum’s Dad is arrested, he is asked to leave his education.

When Sephy decides she needs to get out of this opinionated world, she is heartbroken when Callum does not come with her. As Sephy goes to a top school, she learns more about equality and how to solve her problems without violence. Meanwhile Callum joins a terrorist group (Liberation Militia) and also tries to help make noughts and crosses equal.

When Callum is given a mission that could destroy both him and Sephy, he has to make an important decision to do what is easy and what is right.

Noughts and Crosses is gripping and stimulating for the reader. It is dramatic, moving and shocking. You will not want to put it down.

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Double Cross | Malorie Blackman
Reviewed by Sean Sharp, Aged 13

Malorie Blackman has made a brilliant series of books (Noughts and Crosses) and I thought that they couldn’t get any better – that was until I read Double Cross and it took reading her books to the next level…

The plot is based around 2 people, a teenage boy and a teenage girl who are growing up in poverty in a world where black people (crosses) are superior to white people (noughts). In this book you are never short of romance, excitement, thrills and explosions. Where crime is high and you always have to watch your back nowhere is safe and both of the main characters know this…

Our first main character is a white boy named Tobey. He lives with his mum and sister. He faces many problems, such as money and this tearing feeling in him for Callie. There is also the small problem of gangsters which he has got himself caught up in.

The other main character in the spectacular book is a “tanned” girl named Callie Rose. Her mother is a black woman, the daughter of the prime minister and her father is a white terrorist who was hung before she was born. She faces many problems such as her uncle is a terrorist who she is madly scared of. She’s best friends with Tobey who she is in love with but can’t get the guts to tell him about her feelings.

All in all this book is an explosive thriller which anyone who is at a mature age can really enjoy, with an explosive ending that you can’t wait to find out about.

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The Doomspell | Cliff McNish
Reviewed by Nel Bailey, Aged 12

As soon as you open The Doomspell you are immediately wrapped into a fantasy world of magic and witches, where everything is frozen and filled with wonder. It is a book where every page has a new secret, waiting to be uncovered.

Cliff McNish doesn’t waste any time in introducing our main characters and quickly enough you are falling with them into the new and dangerous world of Ithrea. Soon after you meet the villain of this story, the Witch Dragwena; her plots of dark magic spill out onto the page.

Throughout the story you discover many spells and lies, which the Witch has struggled to contain, whilst Rachel (a young girl dragged here from earth with her brother) tries to overcome them. You never know who to trust and the mystery just keeps unraveling. Once again, Cliff McNish has kept us turning pages with his intriguing writing style and excellent plot.

A really great book and an fantastic read. I would give it 9/10 most definitely.

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Red Sky in the Morning | Elizabeth Laird
Reviewed by Hannah Thorpe, Aged 13

It is a very moving book. This story is told by the main character called Anna. It starts when her life is turned upside down when her little brother Ben is born. Her little brother is disabled and is told that he will never live a normal life. Anna adores him with all her heart but she just hasn’t got the courage to come clean and tell her friends that he is disabled.

Something very sad happens but it gets a little bit better at the end when she makes a very special little friend. I recommend this book for 12 to 14 year olds.

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