Nothing by Janne Teller

This book is not for those who are sensitive or younger readers. 

Pierre Anthon decides life is meaningless and proceeds to make sure that everyone knows this by sitting in a tree and telling them so, refusing to come down. To prove him wrong, his classmates decide to pile up their prized possessions to show him the meaning. As the heap grows, the sacrifices each must make become more and more extreme until some very dark events take place. 

This book was incredibly well written. To say I enjoyed it would be wrong as this isn't the sort of book you should enjoy, in the same way that The Hunger Games isn't really something you should enjoy as it features the killing of children. But it doesn't stop these books from being brilliant and gripping. I don't want to give too much away but it starts off being reasonably innocent and then takes darker and darker turns as the sacrifice the next person has to make becomes more and more demanding. You end up fearing what the next person will have to give up. It was haunting and has stuck with me even though it's been a few months since I read it. It reminds me of Lord of the Flies and should be a modern classic, especially as it really makes you think.

I give it 10/10!

Title: Nothing

Author: Janne Teller

Publisher: Strident Publlishing

Teenage Fiction

The Selection by Kiera Cass

Warning – only start this book if you have several hours to spare as it’s addictive and I just couldn’t put it down, no matter how much I tried telling myself I had to go to bed.

America Singer has grown up in a world where you’re born into a caste (class) in society and this determines your job, wealth and even your marriage opportunities. The man she loves is of a lower caste than hers which means he is poorer and less able to provide for her, making him feel ashamed and so he persuades her to put herself forward for the Selection. Despite the odds she is chosen to compete against 34 other girls for the ultimate place by the prince’s side as his wife. She should be thrilled about this opportunity but it’s not something she desires. Her life will be changed forever as she’s thrown into a world full of glittering ball gowns, extravagant food and fiercely competitive girliness as each one hopes to be the one to win Prince Maxon’s heart (or his crown). To make things worse, she’s caught the prince’s attention which of course brings the whispers and glares of the other girls. There’s danger too as the rebels are making frequent attacks against the palace.

I’m not usually a fan of girly books and the cover for this one would usually have put me off but there was a bit of a buzz about it and so I thought I’d give it a go. It was brilliant! America is a normal girl and not at all the air-headed girl you might expect which makes her easy to relate to. She’s also not so good at following the rules and I found myself becoming so attached to her that I was fearful that she’d get caught. It does have a dystopia type theme as it has the alternative reality scene where it’s set after the fourth world war in a world where society controls many more aspects of everyday life, including a curfew and jail-time for what we’d see today as more minor offences. But Cass has managed to strike a balance where this doesn’t make the book overwhelmingly depressing and the romance doesn’t make it overwhelmingly soppy and sickening. I can’t wait to read the next one having devoured this one in a single sitting! If you loved Wither by Lauren DeStefano or Matched by Ally Condie then you’ll love this one too.

I give it 9/10!

Title: The Selection

Author: Kiera Cass

Publisher: Harper Collins

Teen Ficiton

Monstrous Maud: Big Fright by A.B. Saddlewick

This book is so much fun!

When Maud's rat escapes in the middle of the class it's the last straw and she get's transferred from Primrose Towers to Rotwood Middle School. Everyone at Primrose (including Maud's sister) is lovely and girly and not into anything gross like bugs or rats, but Maud loves them and doesn't fit in at all. In contrast, Everyone at Rotwood seems to have a thing for dressing up as if it's Halloween and the school is all creepy and dark. Maud starts to suspect that there's something weird going on at Rotwood and soon learns that she has to prove herself to her teacher if she is to stay. To do this she has to successfully scare him but he isn't the easiest to scare and the traditional things such as vampires and ghosts won't work here (but perhaps a pink tutu might come in handy...).

This book is brilliant. I never expected to enjoy this as much as I did. It's like Horrid Henry for girls but personally I think it's better. It's great for younger children and is set to be a series which I'm sure will prove to be popular.

I give it 9/10

Title: Monstrous Maud: Big Fright
Author: A.B. Saddlewick
Publisher: Buster Books
5-8 Children's Fiction

Changeling by Philippa Gregory

This book is set in the 1400's and features two main characters: Isolde and Luca. Isolde is set to inherit the estate when her father dies but on his death bed he apparently decides to give her the choice of marriage or becoming the Lady Abbess at the local nunnery instead. Confused and hurt, she chooses the abbey. Not long after her arrival strange happenings begin, stigmata and visions, signs of witchcraft. Luca is fascinated with learning and investigating and ends up being accused of heresy. He is recruited by a mysterious man to record the end-times across the lands. His first orders take him to Isolde's nunnery to investigate the strange happenings. Here their paths meet and lays the foundation for Gregory's first teen series.

I'm not sure what to make of this book. It was predictable in places and came to a natural end half way through, but then continued and managed to regain my interest by the end. The chapters are strange and irregular (which I found weird as I don't like putting a book down part way through a chapter where possible). The thing I really loved about this book is that the romance is minimal. It's like those first feelings and whispers you get in real life when you meet someone you're attracted to in the beginning. I also liked the historical element (I love Kate Mosse's Labyrinth and Sepulchre). However, the mix of history and fantasy isn't quite natural as it isn't developed thoroughly. The concept of the changeling feels thrown in at this point in the series as it's mentioned and then not really taken any further. I think there's some potential for this series and hopefully it'll become more exciting as it continues. It's bound to be a hit with those looking for a gift for the teenage girl in their life due to Gregory's popularity in the adult genre and I'd say it's a reasonably safe choice as there's something to appeal to a lot of girls. 


I kind of want to reserve judgement until the next instalment but for now...

I give it 7/10

Title: Changeling
Author: Philippa Gregory
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Teen Fiction

The Baby-Sitter by R.L. Stine

So the other weekend I thought I'd read one of my favourite books from when I was a teenager: The Babysitter. I remember that my friends and I loved this book and its two sequels. 


Jenny takes a job as a babysitter after a random encounter with a cute boy at the mall to earn a bit of extra money. Around this time some attacks on babysitters started to occur. Jenny's overactive imagination begins to work against her when she starts getting creepy phone calls and she starts to suspect the love interest. There's also the creepy neighbour who raises her suspicions. But is Jenny really the mysterious attacker's next intended victim and why would she be when she's harmed no-one?


I have to confess that it wasn't as good as I remembered. The quality of the writing wasn't the best and parts were repetitive. However, it did still manage to give me that creepy feeling even though I knew how it would end. It's definitely going to keep a place in my heart. 

I give it 6/10


Title: The Baby-Sitter
Author: R.L. Stine
Publisher: Scholastic
Teen Fiction

How To Teach Relativity To Your Dog by Chad Orzel

As I work in the non-fiction section of a bookshop, I thought it would be a really good idea to read some non-fiction books so when the opportunity came to read How to Teach Relativity to Your Dog by Chad Orzel I decided to take it. And I have to say that I'm glad I did! 


Having not studied physics past GCSE level, I wondered if I'd be able to follow the ideas in this book as I know many have found it confusing in the past but not only does Orzel make relativity easy to understand, he makes it fun! His use of Emmy the dog is fantastic as she raises all of the points and questions you might be thinking of, although I did find the concept of teaching physics to a dog weird at first as I've never owned a pet myself. I also found that at times I couldn't put the book down as I wanted to know more thanks to it fuelling my interest in this fascinating subject. My only criticism would be that sometimes I found it difficult to understand the illustrations but that could be more due to my brain than a lack of clarity. Overall I have to say that this is a great introduction to relativity and is a really great read as well :)

I give it 9/10


Title: How To Teach Relativity To Your Dog
Author: Chad Orzel
Publisher: Basic Books
Popular Science

I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

I first got excited about this book after seeing a sampler in Waterstones and it was one of the best I read last year. Sadly the film didn't do it justice but here's a few of my thoughts :)

Number Four is a member of the Garde from the planet Lorien who looks like us. The last nine members of the Garde were sent to Earth after their planet was attacked by the Mogadorians. Only a charm protects the nine from being killed on Earth as the Mogadorians are hunting them down to complete the destruction of their race. The charm means that the nine have to be killed in order. The book picks up the story with the death of number three and follows number four in hiding, with the knowledge that he is next in line to be hunted down and killed. 


It's easy to see how this could be turned into a film. There is plenty of danger and suspense with a hint of romance as well as themes of trust and standing up to your enemies as number four experiences the normal (and abnormal) trials of adolescence. It's an excellent page turner and is easy to read. It was another book I couldn't put down. Great for those who enjoy a bit of action and adventure. It left me eager for the sequel.

I give it 8/10 :)


Title: I am Number Four
Author: Pittacus Lore
Publisher: Puffin Books
Teen Fiction

The Swan Kingdom by Zoe Marriott

I was so excited when I spotted The Swan Kingdom by Zoe Marriott on the shelf. I read Shadows on the Moon ages ago and loved it and so was hopeful that this one would be just as good. I was not disappointed! In fact, I devoured it all in one morning!

Alexandra is the daughter of the ruler of the land, loved dearly by her mother and brothers but not so much by her father. Her mother is schooled in the old ways and passes this gift onto her daughter The old ways are a form of magic that are bound in nature. Alexandra's mother is a much-loved cunning woman who dies after a horrific attack. Her father is lost in grief, wasting his days hunting the beast that killed her, until one day he finds a woman who will change Alexandra's life completely. This paves the way for Alexandra to begin a journey of self-discovery and leads to the salvation of the kingdom she loves.

Zoe has this magical ability to create a fairy tale world that feels completely believable and real as well as a place that the reader can escape to. And I mean truly escape to. I found myself keeping the vow of silence along with Alexandra and it took me a while to realise that I was allowed to use my voice. Her characters are completely believable and the love aspect isn't too soppy or all-consuming as in a lot of teen fiction these days. This book was so easy and a pleasure to read and I cannot recommend it enough.

I give it 9/10!

Title: The Swan Kingdom
Author: Zoe Marriott
Publisher: Walker Books
Teen Fiction