The Door That Led To Where by Sally Gardner

I was a bit disappointed with this book. I've read a couple of Sally Gardner's books in the past - I loved 'Tinder' and 'I, Coriander'. This one just felt a bit of a rushed, mish-mash of a book. It's a time-travel story, but I got really confused with the characters and which time they were supposed to be living in or originally from. It was disjointed, didn't flow very well for me, and just not really Sally's usual style. It had the basics of a good storyline, but just not very well told. Sorry Sally, but a thumbs down for me.

The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Williamson

The volatile and mysterious Leo has been transferred to Eden Park school after an incident at his previous school. There he attracts the attention of David. They both have something in common - they are keeping a big secret about their life. Leo's life is about to change drastically when his secret is found out and spread around the school. But this has a positive impact on David - it makes him reveal his secret to Leo, and as a result they realise they should be truthful to themselves and show everyone who they really are.

A wonderful story about transgender, identity, being true to yourself, standing up to bullies, and the strength of friendship. Also check out Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky for slightly younger children.

Girl Online by Zoe Sugg

Zoe Sugg is better known to her (mainly) teen followers for her online beauty vlog written under the name Zoella. She is also the girlfriend of vlogger Alfie Deyes, whose book 'Pointless' sold thousands in its first few days of publication. 'Girl Online', which is about a young girl who writes an anonymous blog, and then falls in love with an American pop star, is Zoe's first novel, but unfortunately I didn't really like it. I thought it was twee, sugary, childish - not at all for the teen market which it is aimed at. I would happily let my 12-yr-old read it (but I won't, because it's just a bit rubbish). I'm also writing this review the day after Zoe and her publishers have admitted that the book was written by a ghost writer, possibly teen author Siobhan Curham, and that Siobhan was given 6 weeks to write the novel. If that is true, then it is evident in the book. It definitely feels like a rush job.

I hope the thousand of youngsters who have bought the book already aren't too disappointed, but I definitely was.

Waiting for Doggo by Mark B. Mills

I just loved this story. So readable, so easy, it's like a mixture of Nick Hornby and David Nicholls. Dan's girlfriend, Clara, has left him - not only that, she has left her dog for him to look after. After firstly wanting to hand him back to Battersea Dog's Home where he came from, Dan has a change of heart and decides to keep him. Luckily, when he gets a new job in an ad agency, the boss Ralph agrees that Doggo can come to work with him. So begins a great story of how man's best friend can bring people together, help create brilliant advertising ideas, and also show that they truly have feelings too. I just loved all aspects of the book surrounding Dan's life, both in and out of work. He seems like a really 'nice' guy, always doing the right thing, but not in a cheesy way. And Doggo is always at his side - an inseparable pair.

If you want a simple rom-com style book with a great story line, then look no further.

Unspeakable by Abbie Rushton

About a year ago, Megan witnessed a harrowing incident which made her unable to talk for the following 12 months. She blames herself for what happened, and there are demons inside her which bully her and tease her and encourage her to blame herself. Her mother struggles to look after her - she is a single mother with no family to help out, trying to hold down a job in the local cafe. Megan doesn't have many friends - the spiteful bully Sadie and her gang constantly talk nastily to her, knowing she can't reply. Her only friend is Luke - that is, until the bright and bubbly Jasmine starts at the same school. They instantly become inseparable friends, but when Jasmine starts to fall for Owen, Sadie's ex, Megan realises that it's not just friendship she wants with Jasmine. Then Jasmine starts to receive anonymous threatening notes and messages. Is Jasmine's life in danger, and can Megan be brave enough to cope with another awful incident in her life?

This book is surprisingly very readable. You want to find out what happened in Megan's life that made her stop talking. There are many issues that are covered in the book, mainly post-traumatic stress, and dealing with confusing emotions of who you love. These issues are dealt with gently and sensitively. The only thing I was slightly bored with was the set up of Megan living on a rundown estate, with yob boys hanging around, single mum, and the bully girls at school who seem to get away with all the nastiness they throw at Megan. But this is only probably because I've read a few books recently with the same formats - so much so that a couple of those books I got fed up with and stopped reading after a few chapters. But Abbie's easy style of writing and her way of enticing you into wanting to know what happens next, meant I quite enjoyed reading this - it only took me about 2 days to read.

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton

What a wonderful, magical, original, beautifully told story! It has made such a welcome change to the sort of teen fiction that I've been reading recently. The sad thing is that it had been sat on my shelf for about 6 months and I was never keen on reading it. What a treat I was missing. The only way I can describe the writing is like a mixture of Perfume and Chocolat - it has the essence of a beautiful, unusual French piece of literature, with a magical fairy tale thrown in. Even though I loved the whole book, I found I enjoyed the second half much better, as it is more about Ava herself, rather than her family tree background which takes up the first half.

Ava Lavender was born with something rather unusual - wings. She was also one of twins - her brother didn't speak at all until he was nearly a teenager, and only then either in a different language or when he only had something really important to say. The problem was, that people didn't understand the importance of his strong link to his sister or the importance of what he had to say, until it was too late.

The book is about intense love, jealousy, being different, acceptance, strong bonds and desires, wickedness, misunderstandings - in fact everything life can throw at you, but in a magical fairy tale way.

Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer

Well, in comparison to the last book I read which I struggled through in over a week, this wonder of a novel took me just under a couple of days, and I missed it when I wasn't reading it. If you liked We Were Liars by E. Lockhart, or Solitaire by Alice Oseman, then I think you'll love this.

Jam (short for Jamaica) is a teenager with troubles. Her boyfriend of 41 days, English exchange student Reeve, has died. He was the love of her life, he filled her days and nights. Now he's gone and she's reached the depths of despair. She cannot get over her loss. So much so that her parents feel the only way they, and she, can cope is to send her to The Wooden Barn, a special boarding school for fragile teenagers. She is chosen as one of 5 students to take part in Special Topics in English, where their wonderful teacher, the kind and elderly Mrs Quenell, hopes they can work through their troubles through studying texts. Their text is Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar. Mrs Quenell also gives each of them a journal which they must fill in as often as they can, and then hand it in at the end of term. It turns out that writing in the journal gives the students solace and comfort in more ways than they can imagine, and Belzhar (with the 'zh' pronounced as in Dr Zhivago) is born.

I just loved everything about this book - the characters, the plot, the storytelling. Meg Wolitzer has written a wonderful story about grief, acceptance, life and love.

The Book of Storms by Ruth Hatfield

I'd heard good things about this book. Book trade magazines had hailed it as one to watch out for, and another journalist said it was the best book she'd read this year. Hmm, I'm not so sure myself. From the first few lines I knew I probably wasn't going to 'get' this book. 'The house is falling, and Danny is falling, knees and elbows crumpling onto the floor' but then 'Danny curls his fingers tightly round the duvet, wanting to pull it over his head'. Hang on a minute, wasn't he just on the floor? Perhaps I'm being a bit picky right at the beginning, but the whole style of writing just jarred a little with me. The story is a bit 'over' imaginative, if I can possibly say that, as it's great to use our imagination in storytelling, but here we're expected to accept the weirdest things. It's like the strangest dream just written out in a book.

Danny's parents are obsessed with storms. Whenever one is approaching, they are out on the top of hills studying them. One night, there's a rather vicious storm, they go out to investigate, and never return. Danny is left alone. He soon discovers that by holding a stick broken off from a tree struck by lightning, he is able to speak with animals, birds, plants and rivers. With their help, he tries to track down the Book of Storms, which he hopes will tell him where his parents are, if indeed they are still alive. However, Sammael, a creature from another world, is the one that called the storm to make them disappear, and he wants what Danny has - the stick, and also wants to stop him from getting the Book of Storms.

I found it rather hard to read and understand, I felt nothing for any of the characters. One of the characters, a cat, just seems to disappear and be forgotten for a lot of the story. Was I supposed to read a bit deeper into the meaning? Does Sammael stand for something that I'm completely missing? I'm afraid I'll find it hard to recommend this one.

Mountwood School for Ghosts by Toby Ibbotson

Before her death, the wonderful author Eva Ibbotson (Journey to the River Sea is just gorgeous) planned an outline for a new story with her son Toby Ibbotson. This book is the finished product.

Daniel and his friend Charlotte live in Markham Street, a quiet cul-de-sac. Unbeknownst to all the residents there, Jack Bluffit, head of the city's Department of Planning, is planning to bulldoze the whole area and erect a sparkly new shopping centre in its place. When Daniel and Charlotte find out about it, they try their best to stop the demolitions.

Meanwhile, three Great Hagges decide that the ghosts of today are just not scary enough, and so set up Mountwood School for Ghosts. There they teach them how to literally scare humans to death.

When Daniel and Charlotte's actions to stop the building work fail, they decide to seek the help of the three Great Hagges and their ghostly students. Surely that will put a stop to all the devastation?

While I really enjoyed this book, it almost felt like 2 separate stories - one of the two children, and one about the ghosts. It's only really at the end that the two come together. I must admit that I rather preferred the story of Daniel and Charlotte. I lost a bit of interest in all the different ghosts and their stories from the past. But that said, I finished it in a day and a half and would recommend it to our customers.

Listen to the Moon by Michael Morpurgo

As a bookseller and a parent, you know you're safe with a Michael Morpurgo book. I would have quite happily passed this straight to my 11-yr-old without reading it first, but a)she has far too many books to read already (but I guess I do too) and b) I wanted to read it first!

The book must be one of Morpurgo's longest - 437 pages! Even though some passages were, I thought, a little over-long, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Yet again, Morpurgo draws on fact to create a brilliant piece of story-telling. It is 1915. Merry lives in New York with her mum and dad, but her dad has gone to join the war. They soon get news from him that he has been injured and is recovering in a hospital in London. Merry and her mama know immediately that they must go to be with him, and so they book a cabin on the passenger ship 'The Lusitania', ignoring the warnings from other family members about how the war is being fought both on land and at sea. They should have listened to the warnings, as just as the ship approaches Ireland, disaster strikes.

In the Isles of Scilly, Alfie and his dad, Jim, are out in their little sailing boat trying to find some mackerel to take back to Alfie's mum. They sail past the uninhabited island of St Helen's, and hear a very strange sound coming from a disused and derelict building. On investigation, they find a young girl, half starved, frightened and injured. She is unable to talk, so they take her home to tend to her injuries and to feed her. She remains mute and appears not to know who she is or where she has come from. Alfie and his parents decide to keep the girl with them until she recovers, but soon the villagers start talking and accusing and start to turn against them. Why has this silent young girl stirred up such anger amongst the villagers, and how will they all learn the true story of how she got to be on the island?

Another wonderful book from the master of storytelling.

Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky

I'd kept reading about this book, and what made me want to read it myself was that it was about a girl being trapped in a boy's body, but written for 10-11year olds. Usually, something with that subject matter would immediately be classed in the teen section as it would undoubtedly be about a teen with teen content. What a breath of fresh air then, to have a uniquely-themed issue book written for a younger audience.

Grayson's parents died in a car crash when he was very young, and so he now lives with his Aunt and Uncle. Grayson already knows that he wants to be a girl (in fact he has felt that he has always been a girl), he yearns to wear girls' clothes and do things that girls do. It is not something he has just decided, it is just who he is. However, of course what holds him back is fear - fear of the reaction of others. He takes his first step - he auditions for a female role in the school play. Unfortunately this has more repercussions than he could have imagined, and it is not just Grayson that ends up getting hurt.

This is a wonderful and moving book about gender, identity, acceptance, bullying, and understanding. I think it is a welcome move for an author to tackle such a subject and lay it open for a younger audience to read and understand; to accept that everyone has a right to be who they want to be, without any repercussions. The underlying message is that you have to be afraid in order to be brave, and once you are brave, you can do anything. 

For older readers, check out The Art of Being Normal by Lisa Williamson.

Lockwood & Co - The Whispering Skull by Jonathan Stroud

I was very excited about reading this, as I had really enjoyed the first book in the series, The Screaming Staircase. I was not disappointed. It was great to be reunited with Tony, Lucy and George and follow them on to their next case. 

There have been strange ghostly sightings at a derelict sanatorium, and at a grave at Kensal Green cemetery. Lockwood & Co are hired to investigate, but to their dismay their greatest business rivals, the Fittes agency, are also hired to work with them. The case turns into a battle of wits as they race each other to solve the case, but more importantly, to try to stay alive. A relic from book one, the titular Whispering Skull, plays a big part in their case - both a help and a hindrance. And what of the strange, secret room in Tony's house which Lucy and George are forbidden to enter?

The story is captivating, the ghostly scenes are full of suspense, but my favourite bits are the really humorous parts when Tony, Lucy and George are talking amongst themselves. There are some great one-liners, and some brilliant put-downs, mostly about poor George. I really hope a new character who appears in this book, Flo, reappears in the next one. She's brillliant. There are two things that I can't get out of my head while I'm reading these books: 1) they are set in modern-day London - I keep visualising Victorian times; 2) Lucy is the narrator - I keep getting Tony's voice in my head!

I finished this far too quickly, which of course just means I'll have even longer to wait for the third in the series!

Itchcraft by Simon Mayo

Simon's done it again - another fast paced, action-packed, thrilling adventure featuring the rather unlucky Lofte family and friends. If I was Itch's parents, I'd tell him to take up a different hobby!

The very unloveable character of Flowerdew rears his (literally) ugly head again, and he's out for revenge - with Itch his main target. Itch has been very lucky so far - he's like a cat with nine lives. But has his luck, and his lives, run out this time? Many heart-stopping and moving moments, as the adventure takes us from Cornwall to South Africa to Madrid.

Even though I enjoyed the book, I found it lacking in some of the really addictive thrilling moments of the first 2 books in the series. The part in Madrid is a little over-long and laborious, but other than that, it's exactly what you'd expect from an Itchingham Lofte adventure!

Back to Blackbrick by Sarah Moore Fitzgerald

(Review by Megan :D)

Cosmo is a teenage boy who desperately wants to try to save his Grandad from Alzheimer's, but things aren't looking too good. But one night, his Grandad gives him a mysterious key, that he says will unlock the South Gates of Blackbrick Abbey. Confused but curious, Cosmo ventures out to Blackbrick, and finds a time portal that goes all the way back to when his Grandad was 16, working as a slave at Blackbrick! Seeing the chance to get his Grandad's memory back, Cosmo stays at Blackbrick to find out some answers. He makes new friends and solves puzzles, then disaster strikes! Will things turn out all right for Cosmo and Grandad Kevin in the end?

I love the way Sarah writes this book: it's funny, mysterious, sad and clever and makes you never want to put it down! Time travel allways fascinates me, and this book uses it brilliantly! I would recommend this novel to 12+/13+ due to some bad language and other features.
A great book to me, 5 stars! 

The Coincidence Authority by John Ironmonger

Oh my goodness, I just loved this book. It was completely different from what I was expecting, but at the same time just what I hoped for. When I first read the front cover, I got the impression that it was a love story, then I turned and read the back and thought no, this is going to be something a bit better and a bit different. There's a quote from The Times: "This story twists like a pretzel, the author teases and tantalises the reader, and it's delightfully unexpected". Yes, I agree with all that. I read it in a matter of days and didn't want it to end.

Dr Thomas Post is an authority, or expert, on coincidences. He has a mathematical answer to explain away every and any coincidence that may happen in anyone's life. That is, until Azalea Lewis literally tumbles into his life. She has a very unusual and traumatic story to tell, and wants Thomas' help in finding answers to her conundrums. The story takes us to the Isle of Man, to Cumbria, to Devon, to Cornwall, and to Uganda. It's shocking, it's happy and it's sad, and you will love every minute of it.

The Rise and Rise of Tabitha Baird by Arabella Weir

(Review by Megan :D)

After Tabitha's parents split up, she, her mum and her younger brother all move to London to live with Gran. Tabitha wants to make a good impression in her new school so when she makes good friends with A'isha and Emz and makes the class laugh in her first few days, things are starting to look good for her. With her school friends expecting cool things from her, Tabitha is anxious about their thoughts of her un-cool family. Gran expects Tab to walk her dog Basil with his ridiculous knitted outfits on in public, her mum is going on about her weight all the time and Luke her younger brother will not stop annoying her!

Arabella Weir has successfully captured a young teenager's mind through funny and witty narrative. It is a lively read that I found gripping and enjoyable. The book recommends for teens, but I found it 10+.

My School Musical and Other Punishments by Catherine Wilkins

(Review by Megan :D)

This is the third book in the series from the hilarious Catherine Wilkins, who still doesn't seem to disappoint!

It is the next term in 'Hellfern' Juniors and it's SHOWTIME! Jessica is in her dream spot as head of set design for the school musical and has got brilliant ideas for the comic, but it's too good to be true. Harriet VanDerk is being a bigger nuisance than usual and messing up set design, her friends are too busy being wrapped up in the production to care for the comic and meeting up AND Jessica's Dad has gone to live up a tree. Fantastic.

Another five star knock-out; I absolutely loved this book. Funny, entertaining and very realistic! Would definitely recommend to 9-12 yr-olds as a gob-smacking read!

Apple and Rain by Sarah Crossan

13 year old Apple lives with her Nana and their labrador Derry (her Nana is Irish). Apple's mum was just 18 when she was born, and her dad went away to university. Apple's mum felt unable to cope, so when Apple was just a toddler, her mum packed up and left - on Christmas Eve. Apple hasn't seen or heard from her since, all she knows is that she is an actress in America. Apple's dad has since married Trish, (there is no love lost between Apple and Trish), and they are expecting a baby. Her nan is quite strict but has brought her up well and loves her deeply, even though she doesn't like to show it. Then one day, Apple's mum just shows up, comes back into Apple's life, and turns it upside down. Everything changes - school, friendships, family - and Apple finds herself having to make grown-up decisions. She discovers that writing poetry helps her sort her emotions out and gets her through some difficult situations. It is only when a person close to her goes missing that she realises her mother may not be the person she thought she was.

I got really sucked into this story, I just couldn't bear to tear myself away from it. Sarah is just one of those writers who make reading their book an addiction! You feel sorry for Apple not having a mother around, but then even more sorry for her when the mother that turns up is so unlike what Apple expected, or indeed what any responsible mother should be like. But the character you most feel sorry for is Rain, who is so evidently troubled, but even her own mother doesn't have the time or the patience to realise.

An emotional book of a young teen coping in an adult world. Suitable for 12+.

A Song for Ella Grey by David Almond

This is such a beautiful, lyrical, magical story - such a complete contrast to the recent teen romance and dystopian stories I've been reading. It's a modern-day telling of the Greek myth Eurydice and Orpheus. I read a brief precis of that myth after I'd finished 'Ella Grey' and David has stuck quite closely to the story.

Claire and Ella are best friends at school in Newcastle, in fact they've been best friends since they were tiny. One weekend, Claire and her other friends go away camping to the coast, and meet a very strange young travelling man, who plays beautiful music on his lyre. His name is Orpheus. Claire rings Ella, who has had to stay at home to revise, and holds the phone up so Ella can hear the mesmerising, enchanting music. Ella is totally hooked - there seems to be an immediate connection between her and Orpheus. When Orpheus appears later that week outside their school, Ella knows he is there for her and runs out of school to spend the day with him. They fall desperately in love and intend to marry on the beach at half term. But what happens that weekend and the days and weeks following are both tragic and sorrowful, and will change the lives of all those concerned.

The Manifesto on How to be Interesting by Holly Bourne

The Manifesto on How to be Interesting
by Holly Bourne

Bree is seventeen, she lives in a big house with security gates, she's always the first one with her hand up in class to answer questions, she has special feelings for her English teacher, Mr Fellows, her best (and only) friend is the equally intelligent and nerdy Holdo with whom she spends all her free time watching films, her dad is always at work so she never sees him, and her mum is a yummy mummy spending all her time at the gym or out with friends for a healthy lunch. But Bree is also a little bit damaged. She is considered a freak at school by the gang of popular and pretty (but nasty) girls, she is teased by the handsome, big-headed Hugo and his loathsome circle of friends, and she self-harms to take away the pain of being miserable and uninteresting. Then one day, she decides to set up a blog and make a list of all the things she needs to do to become interesting, namely to become one of the gang of pretties to see how they live their lives. But what starts out as an experiment quickly becomes a way of life which she finds it difficult to extricate herself from, as one awful incident leads to another.

I wasn't sure how I felt about this book. I had mixed feelings for Bree. On the one hand I felt sorry for her - the only way out of what she thought was a miserable existence was to self-harm. We've all been teenagers, we've all been through varying degrees of loneliness and sadness, and it's awful that some feel the only way out is to hurt themselves.Why did she think she was below everyone else? She knew for herself that the girly gang were just nasty gossip-spreaders so why want to become one of them? And the incident with the awful Hugo - I can't believe she actually went through with it, hoping that he would turn out to be a different type of person, when of course he wasn't.

The one person who was left out from her new life and the only character I liked and wished was taken further was Bree's friend Holdo. I can't believe she would've just abandoned a best friend just like that and not told him of her plans.

It's a storyline that is probably played out all the time in schools - unpopular girls changing who they are to try to become popular. We know as adults it's always better to just stay true to yourself and just be who you are - people respect you more for it. Teens will probably love this book, but I just found it a bit grating, sad and annoying.

Violet Ink by Rebecca Westcott

Violet Ink
by Rebecca Westcott

This is Rebecca's second novel - the first was the very moving Dandelion Clocks which dealt with a girl's struggle to cope with her mother's illness.

This book is not so melancholic, and I loved it more for that reason. I rushed through it chapter after chapter, unable to put it down, and as soon as I finished it, I thrust it into the hands of my 11 yr-old daughter gushing 'Read this one next!' 

Izzy is such a wonderful character, and she has this fantastic obsession with a mood ring she wears which her older sister Alex bought her. It changes colour according to how Izzy is feeling and what is going on around her. I must look into whether they actually exist because I'd LOVE one! I loved the way that the chapter headings linked to colours to fit in with the mood ring. The colour theme also continues with Alex loving to write letters in violet ink. Izzy has a perfect relationship with Alex. Izzy is the quiet one and Alex is the extrovert, they talk openly about everything and hardly ever argue. Things change though when Alex starts going out with Charley. Alex starts to turn into a different person, she snaps at Izzy and hardly ever wants to talk to her or her mum. Then she runs away to Switzerland with Charley, taking a secret with her. Izzy is desperate for the old Alex to return - in more ways than one - but will life ever return to normal if she does?

A moving story of sisterhood, with emotions changing from love to hate to jealousy and then full circle again. Izzy is having to grow up fast learning the ways of the world quicker than she would have liked.

Suitable for 11+.

Only Remembered edited by Michael Morpurgo

Only Remembered
edited by Michael Morpurgo

This is a wonderful collection of memories, letters, poems and stories from well known celebrities to mark the centenary of the First World War. I received an e-proof version of the book which unfortunately has neither the full collection of stories, nor the illustrations by the marvelous Ian Beck, but the stories it did contain were moving and thoughtful. Contributors include Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall, Sir Andrew Motion, Miranda Hart, Dame Jacqueline Wilson, Anthony Horowitz, Eoin Colfer, Antony Beevor, Emma Thompson, David Almond, Dr Rowan Williams, Richard Curtis, Joanna Lumley, Raymond Briggs, Shami Chakrabarti and Sir Tony Robinson. Royalties from the publication will be split between the Royal British Legion and projects for soldiers' children and families at SSAFA.

The Rain by Virginia Bergin

The Rain
by Virginia Bergin

Ruby is at a friend's house having a party and getting along rather nicely with Caspar in their hot tub outside. Her friend's parents suddenly call them inside sounding very panicky and worried. They've been hearing warnings on the radio of something terrible in the rain - and there are stormclouds up above. Sure enough, the rain comes hammering down, and it's only then that Caspar realises he's left something outside. He makes a quick dash for it and then races back in. Within seconds he is clawing at his face and body and there is blood everywhere. The mother decides to drive him to the hospital - the car has been safely parked under cover. Ruby goes with them only to find the roads jam packed with other afflicted people in cars either trying to escape or going to the hospital. Ruby is taken back to her house where she is quarantined by her mother and her stepdad, Simon. They don't want any harm to come to Ruby's baby brother, Henry. Over the next couple of days, the worst things imaginable happen to Ruby and she decides to somehow get to London to find her real dad - if he is still alive. On her journey, Ruby has to grow up fast, prove herself brave and determined, but above all, she has to survive.

I really loved this book. Once the action starts - which it does very quickly - it is very hard to put down. The panic and thoughts and feelings of Ruby seem very realistic. I liked all the characters, especially the geeky Darius Spratt, and the connection between the two at the pool and one of the camps was quite moving. Usually, when I've finished a book, it's a case of 'That was good - next!' but with this one, well let's just say, it stays with you.

Close to the Wind by Jon Walter

Close to the Wind
by Jon Walter

Malik and his grandfather (Papa) are trying to flee their war-torn home country. They plan to catch the next boat out to a safer place as refugees. They hide in an abandoned house but soon have company. What takes place during that night will affect Malik's and Papa's future.

A wonderful story of escape and adventure, seen through the eyes of an innocent young boy. New friendships and a new life beckon, but will Malik be able to let go of the past?

This is a lovely story told in a very simple way, reminiscent I think of John Boyne and Sarah Moore Fitzgerald. The story is split into 3 parts, my favourites being part 2 which takes place on the boat and part 3 where Malik discovers what his new life is going to entail.

Recommended for 9-12yr olds.

Summer's Shadow by Anna Wilson

Summer's Shadow
by Anna Wilson

Summer is living with her best friend Jess and Jess's mum. Summer's mum was hit by a car and is in hospital. One night, just before midnight, Summer's mobile phone rings even though it is switched off. When Summer answers it, she hears her mum's faint voice "Bye love". The next morning comes the news that everyone was dreading - Summer's mum died - at just before midnight.

At her mum's request in her will, Summer is sent to live with a distant uncle, who lives in Penzance in Cornwall with his wife and son. Summer has never met this uncle, in fact it is the first she has ever heard about an uncle in Penzance. When she arrives, she gets a frosty reception from the son, and the wife does not even make an appearance. Why has Summer's arrival met with such anger? What are the strange noises she hears in their large and draughty house near the shore? Is it true that the house is haunted?

Summer takes comfort by seeking out the small private beach nearby, where she meets and befriends Zach. But although he offers a friendly face and time away from her hostile cousin, he is not able to provide answers to her questions about what is going on in the house and why she keeps seeing the ghost of her mother. She must seek out the truth on her own.

I quite enjoyed this book, even though I was very frustrated with the uncle - he never wanted to answer any of Summer's questions, and Summer never seemed to push the matter. She was also always quite rude to Zach and he seemed to put with it - any normal person would've just walked away.

Apart from these small matters, the book has lovely descriptions of the small nearby cove, and you can just imagine the large, dusty mansion with its unused rooms and dark attic. The kind of place I'd love to live in!

Because of the small mention of a swear word, I would recommend this for children 12+.

Blue by Lisa Glass

Blue
by Lisa Glass

Like surfing? Like chilling out on the beach? Like reading about teen summer romance? Well this book is PERFECT for you. Even if you've never surfed in your life, I promise you that after reading this book you will be itching to give it a go. It's set on Fistral Beach in Newquay, Cornwall (a beautiful part of the world - but I'm biased because I live there myself!) and follows 16 year-old Iris who meets Zeke at a yoga class. Iris isn't aware that Zeke is actually a champion surfer, but as she starts to fall for him she wonders whether the relationship is for real, whether she is just 'one of the many', and how the relationship would last when Zeke has to travel round the world taking part in competitions.

Iris has to confront family crises, jealousy, cheating, and horrific accidents - all in the name of love. But a final tragedy could upset all her dreams...

This book is full of surf lingo and slang, and you really get to understand how competitive surfing is amongst those who take it seriously. There are so many rules about the waves and who can ride them - I never realised! One thing's for sure - if ever I want to take up surfing (I'm just a lowly bodyboarder) I now know to make sure I have a proper surf instructor teaching me!

A great book which makes you want to dash to the beach and jump into the waves. A perfect summer read. It's the first in a series - the next 'Air' is out June 2015.

The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters

The Paying Guests
by Sarah Waters

I've never read anything by Sarah Waters before, even though she is an international bestselling author and has had her books dramatised on the television. Then I read a precis of her new novel, The Paying Guests, and fancied the sound of it and decided to give it a read.

It was fantastic. At the moment The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt is my favourite book of the past year, but this gives it a run for its money! I was utterly absorbed in every word, you can picture every single scene as it's described, the story is compelling, all the characters are wonderfully realistic, the story is dramatic, horrific, heartbreaking. On some of the pages I had to cover up the facing page with my hand so my eye didn't 'accidentally' wander over to prematurely discover what had happened. I didn't want it to end, and when it did I wanted to read it again. 

The year is 1922. Frances Wray and her mother live in a big house in South London. Frances has lost her 2 brothers and her father in the First World War, and she and her mother are trying to get their lives back together. Frances has never married, though she was very much in love once, but it had to come to an end. They have no money and so have to rely on renting out rooms in order to pay the bills and feed themselves. The first paying guests are Mr and Mrs Barber - Len and Lilian. What starts as a new and rather uncomfortable relationship with them both as tenants, then blossoms into a close and loving friendship - at least for two of the party. But something absolutely awful happens which changes and upsets the dynamics of everything and everyone in the household.

A completely engrossing read. I will definitely seek out Sarah's other books to read.

Geek Girl- Picture Perfect by Holly Smale

Geek Girl - Picture Perfect
by Holly Smale
(Review by Megan, 11)


The third book in the Geek Girl series, still holds me page by page.
Harriet Manners has had the best summer ever and is planning her next few weeks of pure delight on A3 pieces of paper.... but not for long.
On the day of her exam results, Harriet returns home to find her parents hurriedly packing: they were packing for New York. Astonished but excited, she takes the move as a new experience, and looks forward to seeing the wonderful sights of America! Unfortunately, Harriet's parents made a white lie, they weren't moving to New York, but two hours away from it in a shabby American estate in Greenway. Furious, Harriet runs away to the glamorous city for a modeling job, but will things turn out alright for her in the end?

A gripping read as always from Holly Smale, still one of my favourite books! Definately recommended for 11/12- 15 yrs. GEEK OUT! :D

Dream on Amber by Emma Shevah

Dream on Amber
by Emma Shevah
(Review by Megan, 11)

Amber is half Italian and half Japanese, so starting a new school and getting annoying texts from a-bit-too-eager-friends is just something she'll just have to get used to. As if her name isn't bad enough: AMBRA ALESSANDRA LEOLA KIMIKO MIYAMOTO.
When Amber (the English version of her name) reaches the point of total devastation and annoyance, she desperately needs someone to talk to. Due to her father leaving when she was only a baby, Amber uses her art and imagination skills to conjure up an EPIC replacement Dad to help her through the first year of secondary school.

A fantastic read for 10-12 year olds. Emma Shevah sure does know how to amaze! Blew me away, one of the best :) 

The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair by Joel Dicker

The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair
by Joel Dicker

I think I may stir up something here - I wasn't that impressed with this book. I was quite desperate to read it as it's had amazing reviews, had won 3 French literary prizes, and has been plastered over nearly every broadsheet review page. Simon Mayo also tweeted that he thought it deserved Book of the Year. Not sure about that! What about the brilliant The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, Half Bad by Sally Green, Burial Rites by Hannah Kent and many more worthy nominees for such an accolade? Now, I did enjoy the story - upto a point. I read it on e-book and it was a massive 460 pages. I was looking forward to it ending, but it never seemed to! What I think is it's main downfall - ok, 2 main downfalls. Firstly, it's a translation from the French original. Some of the conversational parts are absolutely awful, the writing is dreadful, so that took away some of the enjoyment. The translator, Sam Taylor, also provided the translation for another bestseller 'HHhH'. I haven't read that, but my partner has, so I asked him what the book was like and how it read. He said it was good, he didn't notice anything about it. So perhaps conversation is quite tricky to translate into readable English...?

Secondly, the plot -good as it is - is very complex. Twists and turns in a book are plauded and encouraged, but this has so many you feel you should have drawn a diagram with arrows pointing to 'suspected' 'exonorated' 'died'.

I'm making it sound like it's the worst book ever, but it definitely isn't that. It's worth a read, especially if you like murder mysteries. The style just wasn't to my liking. One character I did love though was Marcus's Jewish mother. She was hilarious. She should have her own chat show.

Boy in the Tower by Polly Ho-Yen

Boy in the Tower
by Polly Ho-Yen

Ade (pronounced Addee) lives in a high rise block of flats with his mum in South London. He goes to the local school where he is friends with Gaia who lives in the high rise opposite. One day his mum comes home crying with a bruised and battered face and refuses to tell Ade what has happened. After that, she becomes withdrawn and asks Ade to do the shopping and the cooking, while she sleeps all day and night. Ade takes comfort in looking out of the window at life passing him by outside and down below. Then strange things start to happen in the area. A pub nearby collapses to the ground, then building workers and policemen fall down dead, and slowly all the high rise flats and houses in the town fall down, killing all those trapped inside. Many people flee the area, but still Ade's mum refuses to leave the flat. What is causing the buildings to fall, and how will Ade and his mum manage to survive? The tables are turned as a young teenage son is having to care for his mother while all around them the world is changing and disaster is creeping upon them.

This is a wonderful story of courage, determination, strength and bravery. The storytelling is simplistic but addictive, making you want to read straight from one chapter to the next.

If you like this, I also recommend P.O.D. by Stephen Wallenfels.

Man at the Helm by Nina Stibbe

Man at the Helm
by Nina Stibbe

At the moment, Nina Stibbe is better known for her first bestselling book Love Nina, a collection of letters written by her to her sister while Nina was a nanny in London. I really loved that book, it was very funny, she has a wicked sense of humour (in the literal and slang way), so I was looking forward to reading this book, her first foray into fiction. Her writing style is unchanged. She has a great way of using brackets in sentences to clear up confusion over meanings, and I have to smile every time she does it. It took me a couple of chapters to settle into the story, I seemed to be waiting for something big to happen, (but I do spend 90% of my time reading Young Adult/9-12 fiction, where you're wham bang straight into the adventure), but suddenly I couldn't put it down. 

The story is recounted by 9-yr-old Lizzie. Her parents divorce after her father falls in love with someone else, and she (along with her older sister) decide to write a list of all the men they deem suitable to become the next 'man at the helm'. They then forge letters from their mother to these men, asking them to pop over for a drink, and then they wait to see what happens. What's funny is that the girls just want them to be 'intimate' enough times to have to get married. Most of these encounters don't end too well, but you find yourself laughing about it rather than thinking 'oh the poor woman/the poor children'. Of course the one man the mother falls for is not the best of characters and the children are aghast at what they've let themselves and their mother in for.

Just as your thinking 'oh this is hilarious, what on earth is going to happen to the poor family next', something either heartfelt or heartwrenchingly sad happens and you have to have a good old blubber and a moment away from the book to compose yourself and then get right back into it. (Well I did anyway, ask my daughter - she thoughtfully left the room when she saw my eyes filling up and my nose turning red, saying "I'll just leave you on your own for a bit").

Nina said in one interview last year that the book is semi-autobiographical ("it's about my mother's unorthodox style of parenting"). The mother in the story survives mostly on pills and drink, swears like a trooper, and basically just lets her children run wild, but is a natural beauty and makes all men she meets stop dead in their tracks.

I loved the book, loved all the characters and love Nina's style of writing.

If you like this, I also recommend the completely farcical Campari for Breakfast by Sara Crowe.

Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens

Murder Most Unladylike
by Robin Stevens

The year is 1934. Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong are both pupils at Deepdean School for Girls, Daisy being rather clever, but also clever enough to cover it up (no-one likes a swot), and Hazel is Chinese and looks up to Daisy because of her cleverness. They set up a detective agency, with Daisy as Sherlock and Hazel as the long-suffering Watson. They soon get a juicy case to get their teeth stuck into - one of the mistresses at the school is found dead - by Hazel herself. The only problem is, by the time it takes Hazel to run and get Daisy and return to the scene of the crime, the body has disappeared. Seeing as no-one else would believe them, they start investigations on their own. As another death occurs, they soon discover that they it could be they themselves next on the list of murder victims. They must move swiftly to capture the murderer before it's too late.

The suspense is held throughout, but also with a dash of humour on each page. The sense of bullyishness of the girl pupils, the strictness of the mistresses, the no-nonsense approach of all-girls schools in the 30's are all included. Daisy is friends with Hazel, but with a bit of a mean streak - she grabs her just that little bit too tightly, enough to leave a mark, she calls her an idiot, she swiftly dismisses any logical thoughts Hazel may have on the case if they do not coincide with her own. But Hazel puts on her stiff upper lip, bears it all and is determined to prove herself.

A great, funny murder-mystery - think Enid Blyton with more mischief and wickedness!

One Wish by Michelle Harrison

One Wish
by Michelle Harrison

Michelle Harrison is the award winning author of The 13 Treasures trilogy. This book, One Wish, is the prequel to that trilogy. Now I haven't read The 13 Treasures, so I came to this book blind - it was brilliant! It's one of those books which you have to keep reading, you're drawn from one chapter straight into the next by the excitement, adventure and drama of the storytelling. I must admit, I didn't read The 13 Treasures when I heard it was about fairies, but I've definitely missed out there, if this book is anything to go by.

Tanya goes to stay in a holiday cottage with her mother, but as soon as they go in, Tanya starts to hear voices from under the floorboards, voices only she can hear, as she has the second sight - the ability to see and hear fairies. Now these fairies are not the type you are probably picturing right this moment. They come in all forms and shapes and sizes, and some are good, some are bad. Tanya gets to meet fairies in all of these forms during her unexpectedly eventful holiday. There are kidnappings, magic spells, near drownings, wishing trees, visits to other worlds - the story is absolutely action packed, and I highly recommend it!

Solitaire by Alice Oseman

Solitaire
by Alice Oseman

You know when sometimes you've read such a good book that you're lost for words how to describe it? When 'brilliant' and 'amazing' don't seem to be enough? Well done, Alice Oseman, you have struck me dumb with your masterpiece. And you're only 19?? Incredible. Actually, perhaps not so incredible - it just makes sense. Still in your teens and writing about teens - of course you'd be spot on! There's just something about this book, especially the main character, Tori Spring. I had a connection with her for most of the book. I think everybody had a little bit of a Tori Spring in them when they were in sixth form at school. Not really part of a gang, and not really wanting to be either. Not loud, not following the fashions, the popular music, the clubs. Just happy with your own company. And then Michael Holden - I just loved Michael, and of course the two of them would single each other out. They're both different, both in their own way.

I don't even want to tell you what the book's about. You must read it afresh, like I did, and love it. For you WILL love it. I promise you.

Has Anyone Seen Jessica Jenkins? by Liz Kessler

Has Anyone Seen Jessica Jenkins?
by Liz Kessler

I've met Liz Kessler a couple of times. She lives locally and has done a couple of events in our bookshop. She is brilliant with the kids, and is also a lovely lady. It's a good all-round warm fuzzy feeling when you love her books too. I guess Liz is most famous for her Emily Windsnap series - my 11-yr-old daughter loves them (I must admit I haven't read them myself). My favourites are the standalone novels - A Year Without Autumn, North of Nowhere (both being time-slip adventures), and now this one.

Jessica Jenkins is in class one day, daydreaming, staring out the window, her mind floating away, when she is brought back to earth by two things - her friend, Izzy, prodding her and giving her a funny look, and the teacher yelling at her. Izzy later reveals the reason for the funny look - Jessica's elbow was disappearing. She was slowly turning invisible. Thus begins a great adventure involving crystals, serum, labs, superpowers, break-ins, kidnaps, rescues, and friends pulling together in a crisis.

I think the cover is brilliant - it will really get the children and parents picking it up to read the back, so I hope the publisher's keep it for the retail copy. Each of the chapter headings have really detailed little drawings around them, which describe what happens in that chapter. Once I'd finished each chapter, I'd go back and look at the drawings and think to myself 'Oh yeah, there's that cat', and 'there's that crystal'. Very clever.

Another successful, very readable and enjoyable adventure story from the very talented Liz Kessler.

Smart by Kim Slater

Smart
by Kim Slater

Kieran Woods is a bit different. He is brilliant at drawing, but his special teacher at school tells him he must try to think before he speaks so as not to upset people. He also proves to be a brilliant detective. A homeless man is found dead in the river, and Kieran takes it upon himself to find out who killed him. But it's not easy, especially when you have Tony as a stepfather and Ryan as a stepbrother. They are both physically and mentally abusive towards Kieran and his mother. Kieran is not allowed to watch the television with him, he must eat his meals at different times (and not have the same food - only beans on toast for Kieran), and whenever there are visitors to the house Kieran must go to his room. These visitors usually come at night, and Tony hands over little bags and receives a large amount of cash in exchange.

As if this isn't enough unhappiness in poor Kieran's life, he has been banned from seeing his Grandma, who tried to stand up to Tony and his bullying ways, but lost the right to see her grandson in the process. But now Grandma could be the only comfort in Kieran's life, so he sets out to try to find her again.

This is such a sad and tragic story. You just want to take Kieran by the hand and drag him out of his current life and take care of him. His mother works all hours of the day, puts up with the abuse from Tony, doesn't report him out of fear, and does not stand up for Kieran when Tony picks on him. They live in a street of crime, and Tony's pet Rottweiler Tyson has been locked in the shed and just left there for days on end. It is all just so pitiful, you long for some happiness in Kieran's life. Even though Kieran's schoolteacher sounds caring and loving, even she does not investigate Kieran's home life when he comes into school with bumps and bruises.

Kieran is very brave, in fact he is the bravest of everyone in the whole story, even though he is the one with special needs and does not fully understand the way people work. He is also smart -he knows how to make use of his talents, he knows when something is wrong and he tells the right people. Good always overcomes evil.

A rather harrowing story but written brilliantly. If you like this then read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, or Colin Fischer

Look Who's Back by Timur Vermes

Look Who's Back
by Timur Vermes

The mixture of the cover image and title really caught my eye, and when I read the synopsis I thought I have to read this. Adolf Hitler wakes up in modern day Berlin having been 'asleep' for over 60 years. He has not aged, and he still wears his Fuhrer uniform. He wanders the streets to figure out what's going on, and discovers the true date from a nearby newspaper vendor. Everyone he passes presumes he is an actor - a very good method actor - and before he knows it, his photo is in the newspapers and he is being asked onto a famous satirical chat show. People don't realise that they are laughing along with someone who is talking in all sincerity. They just think he is pushing the boundaries somewhat.

The funniest, and most uncomfortable, thing about the story is that he is able to talk people around to his way of thinking. He is a charmer, a gentleman, sensitive to women's feelings, loves the youth of today, but at the end of the day he is Adolf Hitler, hater and killer of Jews, the reason hundreds of thousands of people died. There is a moment in the book where Adolf goes to visit a grandma whose whole family were gassed in the war because they were Jews. He even has this old lady warming to him and making him a cup of tea.

The author, through Adolf, criticises modern media - the press, journalists, publishers, television shows - to the extent that you are just agreeing with everything he says. Is this how Adolf worked in his day? He was a strong public speaker, he became Fuhrer (though not through a true democratic process), thousands did not seem to question his ethics of wanting to eliminate an entire religion.


This book will have you, as his modern day audience, laughing uncomfortably.

The Good Luck of Right Now! by Matthew Quick

The Good Luck of Right Now!
by Matthew Quick

The last book I read by Matthew Quick (also probably more famous for his book 'The Silver Linings Playbook' which was made into an award-winning film) was the young adult novel Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock, which I think I actually preferred to this adult novel 'The Good Luck of Right Now!'. This book is very sad in a poignant, tragic way.

The story is about 39-yr-old Bartholomew Neil, who has a learning difficulty. He still lives with his mum, that is until she dies from cancer, and suddenly Bartholomew has to survive in a world of the unknown. He and his mother were always very religious and attended Mass every week. They had become very close to Father McNamee, who decides to move in with Bartholomew to take care of him. He organises a counsellor, Wendy, for Bartholomew, who also refers him to group therapy with another man, Max, who suffers from tourettes. It just so happens that Max's sister, Elizabeth, is a young girl that Bartholomew has taken a liking to in the local library, but she also has had a troubled past and is in need of help.

The four of them - Bartholomew, Father McNamee, Max and Elizabeth - decide to take a trip to Canada. Father McNamee wants to introduce Bartholomew to his biological father, whom Bartholomew thought had been killed by the Ku Klux Klan when he was little. And Max wants to visit Cat Parliament (Max has been suffering from grief since the loss of his cat Alice). The trip turns out to be a life-changing experience for all of them, but in different ways.

The chapters are set out as letters to Richard Gere, as Bartholomew's mum was a big fan of his and began to call Bartholomew 'Richard' towards the end of her life which he pretended was a game. After her death, Bartholomew hears Richard's voice giving him advice, so uses Richard as a sort of counsellor to describe all his fears and worries to. It turns out that Richard will mean more to Bartholomew than he can ever imagine.