sarahsbookcorner.co.uk

Sezzy Penguin's Book Reviews is on the move! It can now be found under the new name Sarah's Book Corner at sarahsbookcorner.co.uk.

Thank you so much to those of you who have taken the time to read and share my reviews. I've had some great responses and have been amazed at how far my posts have spread!

Here's a preview of the new site:

Hopefully see you there,

Sarah :)

Clay Charms by Kaitlyn Nichols

Taken from Waterstones.com:
"Create your own adorable adornments with Clay Charms. Charm bracelets are always in style and this book shows girls how to customize their own bracelet with more than 30 different clay charm designs. Budding jewellers can learn how to make custom charms, bake them in an ordinary oven, add shine with the special glaze, and then attach your creations to the included bracelet."

I had to order this book in to our store for a customer and when it arrived it caught my eye as the charms looked very cute and it claimed to contain most of the things you'd need to make them. As I had a long Sunday ahead of me, I thought it might be a fun idea to order one in for myself and give it a go. I was not to be disappointed!

The book comes with different colours of clay to make the charms, glaze, charm hooks, rings, a bracelet, shaping tool and a display stand to hang them on whilst the glaze dries. The only things you need to provide yourself are paper clips to hang the charms on whilst they dry, a permanent marker to add finishing touches and foil, a baking sheet and an oven to cook them in. The only thing I feel is missing is a container for the clay to go in as it is unlikely that you will use it all up at once.

The book is incredibly user friendly. They've provided pictures at the beginning of each charm for you to measure up the amounts of clay that you need to create that particular one. The instructions are logical and easy to follow. There are tips on how to shape the clay, mix colours and deal with potential problems. The only charm I really struggled with out of the ones I tried was the cake one (I did abandon the attempt in the end) but I'm sure this will become easier with practice. I honestly thought it would be trickier but I am pleased to say that this is a great book. The quantity of clay provided is more than enough as well, even though it doesn't look like much at first, as in reality you use very little for each charm.

My creativity usually only stretches as far as stick men but here's proof that this book genuinely is easy to follow:

I would definitely recommend this book and am curious as to whether the other titles in the Klutz range are just as good.

I give it 8/10.

Title: Clay Charms
Author: Kaitlyn Nichols
Publisher: Klutz Press Inc.
Children's Activities

Crown of Midnight by Sarah J. Maas

Taken from Waterstones.com:
"Eighteen-year-old Celaena Sardothien is bold, daring and beautiful - the perfect seductress and the greatest assassin her world has ever known. But though she won the King's contest and became his champion, Celaena has been granted neither her liberty nor the freedom to follow her heart. The slavery of the suffocating salt mines of Endovier that scarred her past is nothing compared to a life bound to her darkest enemy, a king whose rule is so dark and evil it is near impossible to defy. Celaena faces a choice that is tearing her heart to pieces: kill in cold blood for a man she hates, or risk sentencing those she loves to death. Celaena must decide what she will fight for: survival, love or the future of a kingdom. Because an assassin cannot have it all ...And trying to may just destroy her. Love or loathe Celaena, she will slice open your heart with her dagger and leave you bleeding long after the last page of the highly anticipated sequel in what is undeniably THE hottest new fantasy series."

First of all, I'd like to say a massive thank you to Bloomsbury for sending me an advanced reading copy of this book. It is possibly the book I've been most anticipating this year!

In preparation for Crown of Midnight, I reread  Thone of Glass and I am happy to say that it was just as good as I remembered it although I was struck again at how few assassin-y things Celaena does in it and so I picked up Crown of Midnight desperate not to be let down and looking forward to seeing Celaena unleashed at last in her new role. I can safely say that I was not to be disappointed!

Celaena still has her girly moments, which is to be expected as she is only 18, even if she is the most deadly assassin in Adarlan - something which finally Maas leaves the reader in no doubt about! Celaena is brilliantly dangerous, absolutely stunning, talented and yet is still human and can love. She has to be one of my favourite characters in teen fiction at the moment! Maas hasn't exhausted all of her talent in creating Celaena however. She's also created the honourable, gorgeous, caring Chaol. I truly fell in love with this Captain of the Guard over the course of this book. He is so well meaning that it is literally heart-breaking when things go wrong. And Maas wasn't done yet! The crown prince also becomes more of a man in this book. He really grew as a character and I cannot wait to see what will become of them all. All three face death along with the unexpected and this just helps to make them so much stronger individually.

Maas' world building is simply superb. She feeds the reader the right amount of depth and detail - not so much that you become overwhelmed and bored but not so little that you fail to enter it each time you pick up the book. This is a true fantasy novel, one worthy to make a home on your shelf for along with the best of the genre. The author's writing style is still brilliant and, aside from one detail, I had no idea what would happen next. Escaping predictability seems to be a rare gift these days! I have no idea what will happen in the third book and cannot wait for it. Therefore, my plea to Maas is to finish the next novel soon and pop me near the top of the advance readers list as I am desperate to know what happens next (the downside to advanced reading copies if that often you have to wait that little bit longer for the next instalment!).

Ignore any comparisons with The Hunger Games - they are completely different. Mass' world feels more natural in the past and as an alternate world, yet Collins' is what seems to be a future America. Yes, both have a ruler and oppressed people but their overall feel is very different. The fact that they are different is not a bad thing as there is a place for both of them and so I hope that all mentions of the current ruler of dystopia is removed from Crown of Midnight as this book should be trusted to stand on its own.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book! It is such a well-rounded novel, with brilliant characters, a vivid world and an unpredictable plot. If you like a good fantasy novel, you have to read this series! Crown of Midnight is an excellent sequel and a gripping page turner.

I give it 10/10 :)

Title: Crown of Midnight
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Teenage Fiction

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness and illustrated by Jim Kay

Taken from Waterstones.com:
"This is an extraordinarily moving novel about coming to terms with loss. The monster showed up just after midnight. As they do. But it isn't the monster Conor's been expecting. He's been expecting the one from his nightmare, the one he's had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments, the one with the darness and the wind and the screaming... The monster in his back garden, though, this monster is something different. Something ancient, something wild. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor. It wants the truth. Costa Award winner Patrick Ness spins a tale from the final idea of much-loved Carnegie Medal winner Siobhan Dows, whose premature death from cancer prevented her from writing it herself."

Patrick Ness has already had success with his Chaos Walking trilogy. These books were brilliant and so on a couple of occasions I was tempted to read A Monster Calls but the cover always put me off as it looks like the book will be rather dark and depressing (it is a book about death after all). It's actually a book I accidentally bought twice, having purchased the paperback on the spur of the moment and then forgetting about it until I came across the beautiful hardback with a book plate signed by both the author and illustrator (if you pop into Waterstones it's worth checking to see if they have a signed hardback as there seem to be plenty around but as none of them are stickered as being signed by the author no-one realises and so I've since spotted quite a few).

I imagine it must be quite tricky to write a story based on another author's idea but Ness manages it seamlessly. Unfortunately, I've never read one of Siobhan Dowd's novels and so I can't compare this to hers but it definitely stands up well against Ness' Chaos Walking trilogy. In fact, A Monster Calls is the first book to win both the Carnegie Medal (an award that recognises an outstanding piece of writing for children or young adults) and the Kate Greenaway Medal (an award that recognises distinguished illustration in a children's book) in the 50 years since the illustration award was established.

The quality of the writing is brilliant. Unlike Chaos Walking it isn't written in a stream of conciousness style but you are still able to learn a lot about Conor's character without obvious and direct descriptions. The other characters are brilliantly composed too as they feel very vivid at times or less easy to grasp when dealing with the mystery of the monster, both of which are appropriate in their place. The use of italics works well for the parts where the monster is speaking and the pacing is good. Ness jumps straight in with the story and doesn't waste time explaining every character, setting and back story - he just gets on with it. It's not hard to work out what is going to happen but then that is not the point of the story, plus you can never be sure just how real the monster is. The obvious thing to do would be to assume it is a figment of his imagination but then where do the other stories come from and how does Conor cause so much destruction?

The story is supported by the superb illustrations by Jim Kay. The story would make sense without them but they add so much atmosphere to the text that together they are perfect. They are all black and white and shades of grey which helps to create the mood as well as allowing the reader to take time to discover the details contained within them.

Now, as I said, this is a story about death but it is so much more than that. This is a story about how a boy has to face death and come to terms with it along with the blooming flower of hope that has to meet the harshness of reality. It's interesting that Ness uses two monsters in the novel. Perhaps each one is meant to symbolise the different aspects of death (the scary, unstoppable nightmare and the more friendly, comforting acceptance) both of which Conor must face and accept (although I'm not one of those people who tend to read too much into stories as I read them to escape into the world painted for me by the author and only usually consider any subtext if the author highlights it or if I'm asked to). However, whether this was Ness' intention or not, it is very clever. A lot of people are afraid of death and would certainly be comfortable with the comparison to a monster but they often forget that to some death can be a comfort and a release from a time of great pain. In a way it is a relief to read Ness' expression of some of these feelings. We all feel slightly invisible from time to time or guilty for something we shouldn't or frustrated with the course life has taken us on and all of these come through so well in Ness' writing and Kay's illustrations. It is not a book that will have you laughing and bouncing with excitement but it does bring strength by the end, in a kind of cathartic way (yes, I did cry a few times too!).

Overall, this book is simply outstanding. It has to be one of the best and most powerful books I have ever read. It deals with a very delicate subject excellently and is well worth a read. It is a literary masterpiece.

I give it a perfect 10/10!

Title: A Monster Calls
Author: Patrick Ness
Illustrator: Jim Kay
Publisher: Walker Books
Teenage Fiction

Urgle by Meaghan McIsaac

Taken from Waterstones.com:
"'When the next baby is dropped, I will leave to make room for him. He will take my place.' Abandoned at birth, the Brothers of the Ikkuma Pit know no mothers. They fend for themselves, each training their Little Brother to survive - until they grow into men and it's time for their Leaving Day. No boy knows what's beyond the forest. No Brother who left has ever come back. Until now..."

I wasn't sure what to think of Urgle. The title didn't immediately grab me and neither did the cover but when I read the blurb it sounded interesting and so I took the opportunity to give it a go. It turned out to be pretty good! It wasn't one of those books that I got hooked on but when I sat down to read it I enjoyed it. The pacing is good and the world building is quite good although I never felt like I got a proper feel for each place. I loved the idea of the story and the setting though and the place names are brilliant. There's just something really satisfying about saying "Ikkuma."

Urgle is a brilliant character. At no point is he the brilliant action hero you find in most books. He constantly lacks confidence or ability but he has something he wants to achieve and won't let anything stop him. Things don't always go smoothly (although the characters cope with their injuries vary well for the most part) and this all makes Urgle feel very human.

I'm not sure if this novel is a stand alone or part of a series. The way it finished could go either way although it indicates that there may be more to come. Part of me desperately hopes it is a stand alone novel as I'm getting a bit fed up with series as there are so many and it is so hard to keep track of them all, but I definitely would not be opposed to reading the sequel.

It was an enjoyable read that has distinct echoes of The Knife of Never Letting Go and so if you loved that then you should like Urgle. It's one of those rare books that will appeal to both boys and girls and is actually a great recommend for boys (for those who have read the usual Muchamore, Horowitz and Higson I'm starting to run out of ideas!). I didn't pick up on any issues with language or content and so would be reasonably confident recommending it to younger teenagers.

I give it 7/10.

Title: Urgle
Author: Meaghan McIsaac
Publisher: Anderson Press
Teenage Fiction

If Your Find Me by Emily Murdoch

Taken from Waterstones.com:
"What happens in the woods, stays in the woods... For almost as long as she can remember, Carey has lived in a camper van in the heart of the forest with her mother and little sister, Jenessa. When her mother disappears, Carey's father arrives and everything changes. Suddenly Carey and Jennessa must adapt to the wider world of family, school and boys. But Carey feels trapped by a terrible secret. If she tells, it could destroy her future. If she doesn't, will she ever be free?"

I wasn't sure what to expect of this book. The cover of the arc I received looked like it might be a horror story (which in some ways it is as it's definitely one of nightmares) but the finished cover looks a little more friendly.

It's set in the real world, one that is a parent's worst nightmare. I don't want to say too much more about the plot because the way this book is written is very powerful and so I wouldn't want to ruin this effect by giving out any spoilers. Murdoch handles the subject matter very sensitively though and writes it incredibly well. It was heartbreaking getting to know Carey and Jenessa and finding out the details of their lives - there were places where Carey is revealing part of her history that made tears fall down my cheek. They are both incredibly strong and vivid characters and Jenessa is absolutely adorable - I couldn't help but feel love for her and Shorty. At first I thought the lack of the letter g at the the end of -ing words was going to irritate me but I soon found myself being sucked into the book and only experiencing them as part of Carey's accent. When I say sucked into the book I really mean it. I got so involved in the plot so quickly that I really struggled to put it down at the end of my fifteen minute break. This book isn't one that has a teen romance as the main focus which makes a nice and refreshing change (there is a slight interest but its definitely a minor focus and is more about friendship).

I've finally figured out the pattern between all of these traumatic books that linger with you. It's not just the terrible events that haunt the reader but the authors often choose to leave part of the story unfinished and so you are left wondering what happened to the characters after the book finished. This is exactly the tool that Murdoch uses and it is brilliant as I haven't stopped thinking about Carey all day.

A quick note on the content: there are sexual abuse and drug references which are essential to the plot and so this book is definitely not one that is suitable for younger readers.

Overall, this is a brilliant, if traumatic, read. One that is filled with powerful and heart-wrenching emotion. It is one of those books that has great crossover appeal to adults too.

I give it 9/10 :)

Title: If You Find Me
Author: Emily Murdoch
Publisher: Indigo
Teenage Fiction

Jesus is _____. by Judah Smith

Taken from the back of the book:
"Jesus is _____. How would you finish that sentence?

The subject is there, and so it the verb, but what comes next? Your answer could shed light on the path to becoming who you were made to be.

In these pages, Judah Smith fills out that sentence again and again, each time further revealing the character of Jesus. He writes as if to a friend, illustrating the importance of Christ's message to modern men and women. This is a book for new believers, for lifelong followers, and for the merely curious.

Judah Smith shows us the Jesus that sombre paintings and hymns fail to capture. With passion, humour, and conviction, he shows that Jesus is life. Jesus is grace. Jesus is your friend.

Jesus is a new and better way to be human."

Quite simply this is a book about Jesus. Who he is. Why he came. What this means for us. The idea behind it stemmed from giving people the chance to finish the sentence "Jesus is..." and the various responses they gave. Judah Smith answers it in various ways, explaining the answer and its importance for us.

Over the years I've read a few Christian books, yet few have affected my life as much as this one. Smith states simple truths that should be obvious but in some ways are so obvious we miss them, kind of like when you look through a window, how often do you see the glass? It is refreshing, honest, easy to read and actually made me laugh out loud in places as well as having a profound effect on how I think and live my life. It's rare that I get truly passionate about one book in particular to the point that I keep talking about it for over a month to everyone I know but this is one of those gems. It's a book that has helped me to remember the heart of my faith and has refreshed my way of thinking.

Judah is an American and so this does shine through occasionally but this isn't necessarily a bad thing and it doesn't create any barriers as can happen in some pieces of writing. In some ways it adds to the humour, e.g. "Money, for example, is amoral. Cars are amoral. Sports are amoral, except for maybe cricket - any game that takes five days to play must be sin. Apologies to my British friends." He writes in a very friendly and approachable way that means his book isn't a chore to read and the things he shares are easy to remember.

I recommend it to anyone who is remotely curious about Jesus and the truth of the Christian message, whether you think you know it all or not. It really is a book that those who want to know Jesus should read.

I give it 10/10 :)

Title: Jesus is _____.
Author: Judah Smith
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Christian Writing/Non-fiction

Touching the Void by Joe Simpson

In 1985 Joe Simpson and Simon Yates decided to take on the unbeaten challenge of climbing the West Face of Siula Grande, a mountain in Peru. Little did they know the nightmare that was awaiting them. They faced some of nature's fiercest powers including changing weather, extreme cold and mighty cliffs hiding in poor visibilty. Touching the Void is the true tale of the events and psychological trauma they faced.

As you can tell from my blog, I mostly read YA fiction even though I run a floor filled with non-fiction books. This is mostly because I love to escape and get sucked into the author's world when I'm reading and this isn't so easy to do when you're reading something that is factual. It takes me a lot longer to work my way through non-fiction books because they are a lot easier to put down and forget about for a few days. So when I tell you that I was hooked and really struggled to stop reading Touching the Void this should give you an idea of just how good it is!

It took me a chapter or so to get into the book as Joe sets the scene and describes the run up to the climb but once I got used to the style of writing and the setting I found I didn't want to stop. Simpson describes everything so well and I found that I got sucked into the setting just like I do with fiction. At times I could have used a dictionary as Simpson mentions various climbing terms that I'm not familiar with even though I now know a little bit about climbing and so perhaps a glossary would be useful but even this didn't spoil  the book for me. Simpson crafts his and Yates' experiences so vividly that when I read the part where Joe's leg gets broken I literally felt dizzy (I'm really not good with broken bones!). The way that they faced death and overcame truly is powerful and terrifying and towards the end I was so desperate for Joe to reach the camp before it was too late. Even though you know how it will end you still experience the doubt and uncertainty along with Joe and Simon every step of the way.

This is a dramatic and gripping read that tells the story of how two men showed true courage in the face of some of nature and life's toughest challenges. If you like adventure, travel, climbing or a thrilling tale then this book is for you, even if non-fiction isn't really your thing. And even if you're only mildly curious you should give it a go!

I give it 9/10 (because even now I'm not entirely sure I what a crampon is! Perhaps I should invest in the accompanying York Notes...)

Title: Touching the Void
Author: Joe Simpson
Publisher: Vintage
Travel Autobiography/ Outdoor Pursuits

By Any Other Name by Laura Jarratt

Taken from the back cover:
"I picked up the book and thumbed through the pages.
Names in alphabetical order,
names with meanings,
names I knew,
names I'd never heard of.
How to pick? Nothing that would stand out, nothing that would link me to the past -
those were the instructions.
The past.
As if everything that had gone before this moment was buried already.

New girl, new school, new home, new life - everything about Holly is new. That's the point of witness protection; nobody knows the truth. But one wrong move will put her whole family in danger..."

The idea of the story of a girl in witness protection sounded like it could be good as you can imagine the possible danger she could be in as well as expecting the back story as to why she's in witness protection in the first place as being quite exciting. Add in the selling point that it's written by an author who is rumoured to be pretty good and you've got me interested. I am happy to say that for once I wasn't going to be let down!

By Any Other Name is a really good story that is brilliantly written and very gripping especially as Jarratt doesn't feed you everything at once but keeps you hooked by dangling little pieces of information within your grasp and then just when you think Holly is going to reveal something major she snatches it away again! It was done in a way that kept you hanging on without infuriating you and so you just wanted to keep reading.

Holly is your typical teenage girl who finds herself being confronted by some uncomfortable truths and so has to decide what to do with what she learns, growing and discovering who she really is and who she wants to be. She acts exactly as any normal teenager would, giving in to temptation when it becomes too great and then experiencing the regret that goes with it. I really loved her honesty. She has so much more to deal with than most and Jarratt does a fantastic job of writing each issue into the plot. Joe is also brilliantly written. I loved him instantly as he's that darker, more appealing type and by the end he is so warm that he really works his way into your heart. You really go on an emotional journey as you feel the loss and hurt and happiness along with each of these characters. Jarratt's characters really come alive as you read them and they are so beautifully human.

Overall, this is a good, solid read and is perfect for any teenage girl (or woman!) who loves a gripping and emotional novel set in the real world. Plus it's a stand alone novel which is an added bonus these days!

I give it 8/10!

Title: By Any Other Name
Author: Laura Jarratt
Publisher: Electric Monkey (Egmont)
Teenage Fiction

Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam by Tracey Corderoy and Steven Lenton

Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam are two robber dogs but they're not very good at it. They concoct a plan to steal from their neighbours by luring them to a party and so have to bake lots of yummy food for the neighbours to eat. Once again their plan goes wrong but perhaps they'll stumble across a possible career change instead...

I really adore this book! It's such a happy and fun tale and the illustrations are superb! The characters are so expressive (look, there's even an angry penguin!), the colours are bright and the cakes look delicious!

The use of rhyme works really well and there's the added bonus of spotting the spider on every double page spread - it's not always as easy as you'd think! It's a good story for looking at right and wrong and it really cheered up my colleague who was having a bad day. Nosy Crow have also included a QR code that links to a free audio recording of the book which is pretty good and includes a ping sound to tell your child when to turn the page. It's a really great way to start to introduce the digital element to reading as well as giving you that little something extra. 

The only negative point I can raise is that my colleague accidentally misread the first word of the title as a rude word but hopefully this isn't something children are likely to do as in theory it shouldn't be in their vocabulary!

Overall this is a brilliant picture book and one I'm definitely going to be recommending! It always puts a smile on my face every time I read it :)

I give it 9/10!

Title: Shifty McGifty and Slippery Sam

Author/Illustrator: Tracey Corderoy and Steven Lenton

Publisher: Nosy Crow

Children's Picture Book

Torn by Cat Clarke

Taken from Waterstones.com:
"Four girls. One dead body. A whole lot of guilt. Alice King isn't expecting the holiday of a lifetime when she sets off with her classmates on a trip to the Scottish Wilderness, but she's not exactly prepared for an experience beyond her darkest nightmares... Alice and her best friend Cass are stuck in a cabin with Polly, the social outcast, and Rae, the moody emo-girl. Then there's Tara - queen of mean. Powerful, beautiful and cruel, she like nothing better than putting people down. Cass decides it's time to teach Tara a lesson she'll never forget. And so begins a series of events that will change the lives of these girls forever..."

To tell you how good this book is, let me set the scene for you: It's a Friday night after a long and hard week at work. I've finally succumbed to a bad case of hay fever and have picked up a nasty cold on top of that which has left me feeling wrecked but I have a long day at work ahead of me on Saturday and so I want nothing more than to go to bed and try to sleep it off but I'm not yet sleepy as it's only 7pm. I'm reading another book but tonight I just can't face it because it's been so predictable so far. I spot Torn on the top of my reading pile and decide to start that instead, intending to put it down by 8pm to finally get some rest. As it starts I'm intrigued as Clarke doesn't jump in and tell you what happened on the trip straight away. Suddenly I find that I've run out of pages and it's after midnight. And I'm a little disappointed as I want to know what happens next! Do they all get arrested?! Does Alice make it up with Jack?! It was a true gripping page turner that somehow made me forget just how truly terrible I was feeling!

Clarke's style of writing is really easy to get carried away in. The whole book is fast-paced and done well. The characters are all brilliantly written too. Rae is a girl who keeps to herself and this comes across really well as instead of mentioning that she's like this at relevant points, Clarke doesn't mention her at all or if Alice is thinking of Rae she doesn't suddenly see her standing alone in a quiet corner or something in the way that some authors use to try to portray this type of character. It makes it much more realistic and it really is like you're in Alice's head.

With regards to Alice's head, I had quite an eerie experience whilst reading this novel. Alice was scarily like me! I've never identified with a character so strongly and so it was weird getting an insight into how things could be if I did one or two things differently and was bothered about popularity. (Just to clarify for any friends who read this, I wouldn't have gone along with the prank and would have gone for a teacher!) I love how Alice loves to go and hide in the library. It really was one of my favourite places to escape to and I highly recommend it!

The sequence of events flow really well and until Alice finds out the truth of what happened you can't quite work it out either. The whole way through you really get a sense of Alice's anxiety and it really is easy to imagine that this could happen in real life. You know what Alice is probably going to do in the end as you can tell what kind of girl she is really, but this doesn't take anything away from the story and the way it ends really does keep you hanging and wanting to know more (in a good way!).

This book should appeal to teenage girls (and grownups!) who are looking for a book without fantasy but that remains gripping and full of tension. There is a bit of sexual tension with the adorable love interest but it isn't anything too explicit. It's like the film Mean Girls but with a darker twist. It also contains the warning to be wary of the quiet girl who everyone puts down all of the time as when opportunity comes they might just find a permanent way to get revenge...

I give it 9/10!

Title: Torn
Author: Cat Clarke
Publisher: Quercus
Teenage Fiction

Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys

Josie Moraine is the daughter of a brothel prostitute living in 1950's New Orleans. She works in a bookshop whilst dreaming of escaping The Big Easy and would love to go to college, if only she could get accepted and afford it, but girls like her don't find it that easy to break free from their social situation. When one of her more charming customers is murdered on New Years Eve it sets Josie on a path that threatens to suck her further into New Orleans' underworld.

This book managed that rare thing where it took me by surprise! I had assumed that it wouldn't be that tense or exciting but I found it really difficult to put down. Sepetys writing style really draws the reader in and the short length of the chapters means you find it really easy to keep turning the pages, frequently saying to yourself "just one more chapter before bed." The pacing of the novel is quick but not so much that it rushes through the plot making you feel like you're missing details. You can never be sure what is lurking around the corner! Sepetys creates distinctive characters and weaves them into a vivid world threaded with realism. Right and wrong become slightly blurred as the characters operate in a darker world than most of us are accustomed to and so has slightly different rules. Josie is trying to straddle both this darker world and the high society one that she aspires to, creating a slight moral dilemma that she manages to deal with well and without flinching. Sepetys also creates some very strong female characters which is not something I would initially have expected from a piece of writing set in this time period when men are often presented in history as being much more dominant.

'Out of the Easy' contains all of those elements that help to make a great novel: great characters, a realistic world, love, mystery, betrayal and danger. Each one is crafted very well. It's definitely one I'd recommend reading although it isn't suitable for younger readers. There aren't any explicit sex scenes, swearing or extreme violence but the theme is much more adult as it talks about brothels and prostitution as well as death, illness and the mafia.

I give it 8/10 :)

Title: Out of the Easy
Author: Ruta Sepetys
Publisher: Puffin

Noble Conflict by Malorie Blackman

Kaspar has grown up in a society that prides itself on being one that takes the moral high ground. He signs up to become a Guardian, the group who protect the society against the attacks of the Insurgents. His side have to fight against those who would seek to overthrow the ruling society but unlike the Insurgents, the Guardians never seek to kill or seriously harm those they are protecting their civilians from. A chance encounter with an Insurgent leaves Kapar with some unexpected effects: he begins to see memories that are not his own. As he runs into this same Insurgent again and again he starts to try to make sense of what is going on, only to discover that all is not as it seems. Is it possible that Kaspar and his fellow citizens are being lied to by those who have sworn to protect and rule them?

Once again I feel that the cover for the advanced reading copy is better than that of the finished book. The silver on the plain black background is particularly effective.

I must be one of the only people in the world who wasn't completely bowled over by Noughts and Crosses. I think it's the kind of book I would have enjoyed more if I had read it when I was still at school. However, the cover for the advanced reading copy really drew me in as there wasn't a single detail other than the release date and twitter hashtag and so it piqued my curiosity. Malorie Blackman has also come up a lot at work recently and so I thought I'd give this novel a chance.

Okay so I have to get this out of the way: Why why why must authors resort to such use of swear words so often?! I know, it's partially to reflect the way people speak but is it really necessary? I know plenty of people who rarely, if ever, use swear words and it just really irritates me when an author can't find or chooses not to use a better way of expressing what their characters are saying/thinking! Blackman hasn't been as bad as some but it still didn't add anything to the telling of the story for me. Okay, rant over.

So the best thing about this novel is that it is a stand alone! Woohoo! It is such a relief to have a story begin and end within one book. So much of the teen market is filled with series stories. Whilst these books are good, it becomes frustrating if you can't read the whole series when you want to as you forget details but can't necessarily re-read the previous instalments. Things also become muddled, particularly if two series have similar themes (such as angels or vampires). Blackman probably could have padded this story out to make it more than one novel but it wouldn't have added anything and so I am glad she didn't.

I enjoyed Noble Conflict a lot more than Noughts and Crosses. Blackman isn't trying to force anything that goes against mainstream experience on the reader and so it is much easier to read and get lost in. She creates the world brilliantly. You have no idea where it is set in terms of the real world and this anonymity means you are free to see it how you like without having to picture a country you have limited experience of. For all you know, it could be the future for your own country! The premise is nothing new but it is done well. The plot elements all sit well with the reader. Those that are unfamiliar are not so removed as to be unbelievable. The characters are good ordinary people who's talents are within the realms of the possible (well, aside from the touch-empathy thing). This makes them easy to visualise and connect with. Perhaps Mac lets Kaspar off a bit easily at the end but for once the experience of hope for a happy future is not a huge let down. Of course, everything revolves around Kaspar. He ends up being the one in the thick of things and who figures out the truth. However, I can't get annoyed about this as everyone does it - often there wouldn't be much of a story without it!

The story contained within the pages of Noble Conflict reveals how those in power can have a tendency to misuse their power and become so desperate to hang on to it that they will do terrible things. It also contains the hope that eventually these things will get found out. It is possible to make links to many of history's famous dictatorships. The people of Nazi Germany weren't necessarily aware of the true horrors of the concentration camps. Those in North Korea and China aren't necessarily fully informed of the truth. It makes you begin to wonder just what our government is keeping from us...

Overall, Noble Conflict is well written, fast-paced and has a good plot. It is a novel I would recommend and is suitable for both boys and girls. There is a slight hint of sexuality and, as mentioned above, there are frequent incidents of swearing, yet neither is overdone and are within the limits that are often seen to be acceptable by the majority with regards to the intended readership.

I give it 7/10 :)

Title: Noble Conflict
Author: Malorie Blackman
Publisher: Doubleday
Teenage Fiction

Sever (The Chemical Garden Trilogy) by Lauren DeStefano

Spoiler alert (if you haven't read the first two instalments)! 

Wither: Rhine Ellery is sixteen years old but only has 4 years left to live thanks to a virus that kills females some time after their twentieth birthday and males around their twenty-fifth. With no cure for the virus, the world has lost hope and has begun to fall apart. Young girls are frequently kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages to help keep the population alive. Rhine is one of those unfortunate enough to be taken by the Gatherers and sold to a cruel man (Vaughn) to be a wife for his son Linden. Linden already has a wife (Rose) whom he dearly loves but her time is almost up and so his father has bought him the unusual Rhine with heterochromatic eyes, the beautiful Jenna and the very young Cecily, all three of whom have been kidnapped by the Gatherers. Linden is kind to them all and becomes particularly fond of Rhine but she longs for freedom and to reunite with her twin brother, Rowan. With the deaths of Rose and Jenna and the birth of Cecily's son Bowen, Rhine can't help but begin to bond with her new 'family' but she also begins to fall for the servant Gabriel and so desires to help him know freedom too.

Fever: Rhine escapes with Gabriel, and immediately falls into a trap in the form of a twisted carnival where Madame rules. She makes Rhine her star attraction but Rhine is still desperate to make it back to Manhattan and reunite with Rowan. Together, Rhine and Gabriel manage to escape but sorrow awaits Rhine at her former home and then she begins to become increasingly ill even though it is not yet her time to die. Linden's father hunts her down and uses Rhine for his twisted experiments.

Sever (taken from waterstones.com): 'Time is running out for Rhine. With less than three years left until the virus claims her life, Rhine is desperate for answers. Having escaped torment at Vaughn's mansion, she finds respite in the dilapidated home of her husband's uncle, an eccentric inventor who hates Vaughn almost as much as Rhine does. Rhine's determination to be reunited with her twin brother, Rowan, increases as each day brings terrifying revelations to light about his involvement in an underground resistance. She realizes must find him before he destroys the one thing they have left: hope. In this breathtaking conclusion to Lauren DeStefano's The Chemical Garden trilogy, everything Rhine knows to be true will be irrevocably shattered. But what she discovers along the way has alarming implications for her future - and about the past her parents never had the chance to explain.'

I first read Wither over 18 months ago and Fever a year ago and so I found I struggled a bit to remember what happened. Ideally I think you need to read all three books together to get the full impact and enjoyment from them as I found I was a bit distant from past events by the time I got to read Sever. I really enjoyed Wither but, as with a lot of trilogies, I found that Fever wasn't quite as good. I think that possibly this is to do with the fact that the story moves on from its original setting. You become accustomed to the world that exists in the first main setting and then it all changes and you lose the sense of being fully immersed in that world. The same happens in The Hunger Games, Matched and Delirium (or at least it did for me). Add this to the delay in being able to read Sever and it did ruin the reading experience for me. If I have the time I would definitely love to read all three together, but sadly I can't for the time being and so I'm sorry if this review lets the trilogy down. It also means I'm not really sure how to approach this review. I don't feel able to review Sever on its own but it's been so long since I read the first two instalments that I can't really do them justice with Sever either and so I hope this makes sense!

In Sever you get to know Cecily well but Linden becomes more distant, reflecting how Rhine's relationships with them both changes. Rhine herself remains fairly constant although she isn't as strong a character as she started out and instead goes with the flow a little more, whereas before she was much more pro-active. Throughout all three novels DeStefano manages to get across the sense of hopelessness that Rhine feels at times and you become desperate for it all to work out, yet you cannot easily predict what will happen. When death visits it is unexpected and is thus quite powerful, although DeStefano didn't quite manage to bring out the strength of emotion as successfully. In a way the style of writing makes it seem like Rhine is numb throughout a lot of this book as she experiences certain traumatic events but you almost feel as if she shouldn't be. Like Rhine I found I couldn't help but like Linden's uncle. He's brilliantly written and was a great addition to the cast in this book. The titles also reflect the contents of each novel which makes a nice change as recently there have been a lot of books with catchy titles that don't accurately or easily associate with their contents. Rhine begins to wither when she is trapped in Linden's house in book 1, she develops a fever after her escape in book 2 and there is the severing of various connections in book 3. 

One of the odd things about this trilogy is that it is so involved in the affairs of one family yet is supposed to have repercussions on a larger scale without ever really connecting with those in power. This has the effect of removing some of the realism and so lets the trilogy down a little. Perhaps it would work better if the story stuck with the consequences for Linden's family and left out those for the rest of the country, or went into more depth about those outside of the family to help make the consequences that little bit more believable. I also found the ending wasn't as strong as I anticipated. In the end it was all a bit too easy and there were no real negative consequences even though murder is committed, two characters could potentially have been seriously ill, and everyone wins even when logically they shouldn't be able to have access to certain things. 

Having said all of this, I still really enjoyed the trilogy. I loved the idea of a society that is suffering in this way (in a novel, not in real life!). The helplessness of the characters is brilliantly written and you really do begin to fear Vaughn. The world is convincing. The characters are vivid. Yes it could perhaps have been done better but it is still quite good and is worth a read. Just don't expect to feel all warm and fuzzy and full of soppy romantic feelings by the end!

I give Wither 7.5/10, Fever 6/10 and Sever 6.5/10 and so overall I give The Chemical Garden trilogy 6.5/10 :)

Title: Sever (The Chemical Garden trilogy)

Author: Lauren DeStefano

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Teenage Fiction

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

Book description taken from Waterstones.com:
'After the 1st Wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one. Now, it's the dawn of the 5th wave. On a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see, who have scattered Earth's last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, until Cassie meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan may be her only hope for rescuing her brother and even saving herself. Now she must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or get up. Cassie Sullivan gets up.'

So this is another one of those books that has been starting to create a bit of a buzz in the bookseller world and for good reason. Yes it's got a strong female lead fighting against the odds to survive. Yes by the end it has hints of a love triangle. Yes it's all apocalyptic doom and gloom. But it is also excellent!

Yancey writes very well. He builds the world brilliantly in a way that makes it completely believable. Like Cassie you are left with no idea who to trust or what is going on. Yancey creates high levels of suspense and tension. He writes characters that are compelling and exciting. He switches between characters to tell the story and for once there wasn't one that I was in a rush to get through to reach the more exciting characters (like Jacob in Breaking Dawn - yawn!).  They face a world that is unrecognisable and they face it well even though they are too young to be expected to bear a burden of this magnitude. Even though you figure out the truth behind Zombie and Evan's identities you still find that you second-guess your suspicions. You can't predict the ending because there are conspiracies everywhere along with action and excitement. The romantic element isn't the focus and so it isn't overdone with the result that it actually works really well.

I honestly didn't want to put this book down and if I had been reading a physical copy I would not have gotten any sleep that first night when I began to read it (unfortunately I was reading this on my phone which gave me headaches after a little while and so I had to stop).

This is one of those rare books that can stand up to the inevitable comparisons with The Hunger Games and come off well. In fact it does more than come off well. It can stand on its own. It is brilliant and one of those books that you should read this year if you like anything with a bit of a science-fiction twist even if you're not a teenager any more. I cannot wait for the next one!

I give it 10/10!

Title: The 5th Wave
Author: Rick Yancey
Publisher: Penguin
Teenage Fiction

Anatomies by Hugh Aldersey-Williams

Anatomies is an exploration of the human body via the mediums of literature, art and history as well as science. It looks at the body as a whole, in parts, in death, in life and in our own perceptions.

Aldersey-Williams' previous book, Periodic Tales, is one of those books that I've been meaning to read for ages. It's one that sells well and has had quite a few good reviews. So when the opportunity came up to read Anatomies I thought I'd give it a go, especially as I was having a bit of a Grey's Anatomy catch up on DVD and so was definitely in a human body/sciencey zone.

Having finished the book it wasn't quite what I was expecting. Being a popular science title I expected a little bit more science but sadly there wasn't that much. Instead this book is more of an examination of how the human body has been represented in culture with plenty of related facts, some scientific, and a bit of history of how we've come to view each body part in that way. It was interesting to read but by the end of each chapter I found that I was still wanting more (potentially this was due to my hunger for more science). I didn't find that the book sucked me in as usually happens with fiction but that may be due more to the fact that it isn't a novel. I also found some of Aldersey-Williams' writing a bit difficult to engage with in places as he uses the odd unfamiliar word that just left me feeling a bit like I do when someone older and extremely well-educated is talking to me who can't help but make sure you know that they are very knowledgeable.

On the whole though, Anatomies is a great introduction to and a fascinating cultural look at the human body and is a book I would recommend to anyone who has an interest in this subject. It definitely opened my eyes more to how I view my own body and I found that for a day or so afterwards I would still be thinking about the body parts I had just read about and sharing random facts with others.

I give it 7/10.

Title: Anatomies
Author: Hugh Aldersey-Williams
Publisher: Viking
Popular Science

Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher

Zoe has a dark and terrible secret. A secret that she can't share with anyone she knows. She feels terribly guilty because she knows that what she did was wrong but she got away with it. Instead she decides to confide in a man who's on death row in America. She tells him her tale in a series of letters but she's writing against the clock as she soon finds out that his execution date has been set...

I've heard a lot of good things about Pitcher's previous novel 'My Sister Lives on the Mantlepiece' and so I expected quite a lot from this novel. Sadly it didn't quite live up to my expectations. I figured out quite early on what was going to happen and was a bit disappointed when it did and things didn't work out well in the end (Pitcher does get bonus points for making it that little bit more realistic) although this might be because I'd read a few traumatic-ending books in a row and so was starting to crave a bit of happily ever after. I also found Zoe a bit of an odd character to get my head around. She's clearly meant to be a teenager who's at that stage of her life where she's starting to discover her sexuality yet the style of writing in her letters made me think of a girl who was pre-teen and no matter how hard I tried I could not reconcile the two. Whilst Zoe believes that she did something wrong, as an adult and outsider you can see the circumstances surrounding the situation and so I didn't feel that she was as guilty as she thought and again this was slightly disappointing although more realistic (again, I was starting to crave something a little less based in real life).

However, for the teenage audience this book is a good choice. It's got a bit of romance, family life, growing up, joy and sadness. It's a great choice if you like Jodi Picoult style books or are a looking for something similar to give to someone who's not quite ready for Picoult's more grown up content. The letter format works well as it keeps you hooked due to Zoe not revealing everything all at once. Plus you can never be sure that Mr Harris received the letters as he can't reply to her. The letter format also gives it that unusual quality which makes it a little bit different to the majority of titles available.

Overall I give it 7/10 :)

Title: Ketchup Clouds
Author: Annabel Pitcher
Publisher: Indigo
Teenage Fiction

The Bell Between Worlds by Ian Johnstone

Sylas Tate lives in a rickety flat with his uncle on Gabblety Row, for whom he runs errands and lives a slightly cheerless existence. He enjoys his own company and often makes beautiful bird kites with a set of paints left to him by his mother who died a few years ago after she started to go crazy. One day a new shop appears and Sylas finds himself drawn inside. He discovers three mysterious and magical objects, one of which (the Samarok) is given to him to keep by the mysterious Mr Zhi. Not long after, Silas discovers his mum may not be dead after all. He then gets woken up by the overwhelmingly loud ringing of a giant bell and finds himself being chased by a nightmarish hound with the result that he runs into the path of the bell and finds that it has summoned him into another world. Whilst there he must try to find out the purpose for which he has been summoned as well as trying to complete his personal quest to discover the truth about his mother.

This book promised big things. On the back cover the advanced reading copy says "C.S. Lewis. Philip Pullman. and now... Ian Johnstone. From the publishers who brought you Middle Earth, Narnia and the Old Kingdom comes a stunning new fantasy trilogy... The Bell Between Worlds will summon you to another place in June 2013. A place you won't want to return from..." Could I possibly be lucky enough to be holding the next big fantasy novel in my hands? I had to give it a chance. Sadly, I'm not as convinced as the publishers. It was a good fantasy novel. It had weird magic related things going on. No swords though. Or epic battle scenes. But the thing that ruined this book for me was in fact the blurb. This book is 511 pages long but some of what is described in the official blurb (and in fact the main plot point that made me want to read this book) didn't happen until after 400 pages, with part of the blurb never really coming to pass in this book,  and so I spent most of the novel waiting for the story to actually begin. If you're curious about this blurb all you have to do is search for the book online and there it is but I don't want to ruin it for you on here and so haven't included it (admittedly the official blurb sounds more exciting than mine).

The pacing was also a little weird. A lot of the book is fairly slow paced but action scenes, and especially the ending, are over very quickly even though I felt that more could have been included in these scenes to make them stronger and more vivid. Johnstone spends a lot of time in setting the scene in other parts of the book and so is clearly able to do so. The action scenes also kind of lack action. The characters are faced with a dangerous situation but thanks to magic the danger seems to be overcome far too easily, making the scene feel anti-climatic. The other issue I have with the pacing is that in places it becomes very juddery. Johnstone will go to the trouble of describing how the others have walked on but Simia has stayed behind to talk to Sylas but she says one small sentence and then walks off. It wasn't anything majorly profound and so wastes a moment of semi-tension. Or he makes a big deal of Sylas holding hands with Naeo but never mentions that they let go. Moments like this just leave you feeling slightly disorientated. 

Overall I feel like this book is very much the beginning and so it might have more potential when reunited with the other two parts of this tale so that it can be viewed as a whole. However, it does look like this could be a very long tale. which I suppose is a usual fantasy feature. I would love to see more detailed action and a sword or two. On the plus side there is no romance and there is appeal for both boys and girls. The characters are created well, even if Simia did irritate me a little. The plot is easy to follow and the world building is very detailed. For me this book was good but lacked the magic of Tolkien, Lewis and Pullman and so instead left me craving to read some proper fantasy.

I give it 6/10.

Title: The Bell Between Worlds
Author: Ian Johnstone
Publisher: Harper Collins
10+ Fiction

The Hit by Melvin Burgess

There is a drug that will help give you the best week of your life. You'll feel healthy and more alive than ever before. Others who have taken it have filled their week with as many extreme life experiences as possible including climbing Everest, consuming huge amounts of alcohol and of course having lots of sex. But as with all things that sound so wonderful there is a catch. At the end of seven days, almost to the second, you will die. There is no antidote, no way of surviving this drug once you've taken it. You get your week and that is it. The name of this drug? Death. Adam has managed to score a date with a gorgeous girl to a concert that will go down in history. The lead singer, Jimmy Earle, is rumoured to have taken Death, but has had to deny the rumours as those in charge fear the consequences if he has. The UK is 20 years into a recession that doesn't seem to be getting any easier. There is a group called The Zealots who seek revolution and who won't hesitate to take advantage of the chaos that ensues after the concert. In the events that follow Adam becomes tempted to take Death himself, risking everything including his family, girlfriend and a future in football. Will he take the ultimate high? Would you?

If you could take a drug that would help you to live the best week of your life before you die, would you? This question was what first caught my eye and got me interested in this book. Most of my friends concluded that they would only take it if they were already dying, the purpose for which this fictional drug was invented. It did spark some fascinating conversations though.

The Hit promised so much and in some ways it delivered. There was lots of action and suspense but things never quite reached a satisfying climax. Adam and Lizzie were reasonably realistic but for a main character I found Adam a bit difficult to like. Lizzie gained a lot more of my sympathy early on and I found it much easier to connect with her. Their emotions are incredibly well written though, making their experiences feel more realistic. Christian was brilliantly written as I genuinely found him an intimidating character and was scared of what he might do next. There wasn't much world building but as the UK riots in 2011 are still reasonably fresh in my memory I didn't have too much trouble picturing the scene. The whole thing felt a bit rushed but on the whole it was a good book. It has that raw and real feel that a lot of books are missing and that will successfully draw in the teenage audience. I am a bit disappointed with the ending (spoiler alert!). I think The Hit would be stronger if it delivered the doom it promised instead of wimping out with a happily ever after ending that also provides a bit of a pro-drug message. This would make the book linger with you that little bit longer but instead by the end I found I wasn't too bothered.

Perhaps I'm being a bit harsh as I've read quite a few brilliant books recently and so this one was up against some tough standards. I do think this book will do well though as it has all the things that will appeal to the target audience. There's danger, a romantic interest, a mix of realism with hints of fantasy (every guy dreams of being the hero and saving the gorgeous girl) but most of all there is the question that will draw you in and make you want to read it: would you take a drug that could give you the best week of your life even if it would kill you?

I give it 7/10.

Title: The Hit
Author: Melvin Burgess
Publisher: Chicken House
Teenage Fiction

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Taken from the back of the book:
"Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten."

So there's been a lot of fuss about this book. A LOT. I've picked it up on several occasions, read the blurb (above) and thought "Meh, doesn't sound that special" and put it down again. I'm not someone who reads something just because everyone else is. The last book I read because it was selling out and a complete must-read turned out to be a massive disappointment. So what changed my mind? In all honesty it was a quiet moment at work that coincided with yet another bit of fuss (the book's been published in the UK since May 2012 and yet it is still creating a bit of noise in the media in February 2013!) and so led me to pick it up and start reading. Page 1 starts half way down the page. By page 2 I was hooked. Literally. There was something about Hazel, about the way she was written, that just drew me in and made me want to keep going and see her story through to the end. She is serious, funny, intelligent, depressed (possibly) and completely real (in a fictional sense). She is a brilliant character to follow through this story. She goes from a point of being the weakest to the strongest without changing. She faces up to her reality without fear but without being sickeningly positive like she's swallowed a self-help library. She is completely compelling. And then you meet the "gorgeous plot twist" and you can't help but like him too. You know quite early on that this book is going to make you cry. It's about cancer, which usually equals doom on the crying front, and then there's young love between two fantastic characters and when you put the two together it's like it's written in the stars so complete is the inevitability of the need for tissues. Yet this book will also make you laugh. It will charm you, make you fall in love with it, break your heart and begin to comfort you all in one.

Green's style of writing is fantastic. He strikes a brilliant balance between humour, love and tragedy. The focus is all on Hazel's point of view but that isn't a negative. It allows you to see the world through her eyes but he doesn't suffocate you or leave you longing for another perspective. He also throws in lots of literary links (a few that I would have missed had I read this a few months ago and probably more that I have missed) such as Beckett's waiting for Godot and Shakespeare calling time a slut (which cues the brilliant line "What a slut time is. She screws everybody.") Overall, The Fault in Our Stars is very well-written, uncomplicated, heart-warming, emotional and devastating. It is a must-read and for good reason. Yes, you will cry but you will also laugh and love Hazel. My only regret is that I put it off for so long and I cannot wait to read more of his books (I sincerely hope they are just as good as this one!). Yes, I have become a John Green convert.

I give it 10/10!

Title: The Fault in Our Stars
Author: John Green
Publisher: Penguin
Teenage Fiction

The Bunker Diary by Kevin Brooks

Linus is the runaway son of a famous and wealthy man. The streets haven't yet stolen his kind heart and so when a blind man needs some help Linus is happy to lend a hand. This is a big mistake! He wakes up to find himself alone in a lift that has opened out into what appears to be some kind of underground bunker with room for six people. There are no windows and no food. The lights and heating are out of his control. There is no way out. At first Linus thinks he's been kidnapped in the hope that his father will pay a ransom for him but one day the lift opens to reveal a nine-year old girl and Linus begins to suspect something more sinister and hopeless is going on. As more people begin to appear, he holds onto the hope that he can find a way out until just staying alive becomes his biggest challenge.

Warning: potential spoiler alert!

I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this book. It's dark, haunting and traumatic yet addictive. I started reading it on my lunch break as I hadn't brought a book with me and then found myself desperate to carry on when I got home that evening. Like Linus you hold onto hope that surely things will work out in the end - they always do in teen books, right? I'm not sure if this was done deliberately or is just in the advanced reading copy but when I got to the end I found myself desperately flicking through the blank pages at the end for just one more sign of life from Linus. All of the next day all I could think about was his dad never finding out the truth or Jenny's family forever experiencing the hole she's left in their world or what would happen if someone stumbled across the bunker one day and discovered what had gone on there. It felt quite upsetting even though I knew this is a work of fiction and so ultimately there is nothing to worry about. Brooks creates the feeling of hopelessness and lack of control well and you become very involved in this novel and the kidnapper's mind games as if you really are reading Linus' notebook. I have to say though that I didn't like the use of swearing. It seems to fall too easily into teenage fiction these days but doesn't necessarily add anything to the book and in fact often becomes ineffective.

Would I recommend this book? I'm not sure. If you were looking for something similar to Room by Emma Donoghue, Lord of the Flies by William Golding or Nothing by Janne Teller then yes. If you're looking for something potentially powerful and dark then yes. If you're looking for something to enjoy, pass a few hours or for a younger teenager then no. It's kind of wrong to like this book in the same way that it's wrong to enjoy The Hunger Games because it's about children killing each other (or in this case kidnap, murder and starvation).

I give it 7/10 because as much as it's wrong to say I enjoyed it, it has definitely stuck with me even though it's now two days since I finished it.

Title: The Bunker Diary
Author: Kevin Brooks
Publisher: Penguin
Teenage Fiction

The One Dollar Horse by Lauren St John

Casey Blue lives in a tower block in East London with her father who's a convicted thief but dreams of winning one of the greatest horse riding competitions: the Badminton Horse Trials. She already volunteers at a local riding school but can't afford any lessons, let alone her own horse. That is until she rescues a horse that's not far from death for a dollar and she starts to dream the impossible. Can she overcome her father's criminal record, become the youngest ever winner against the odds and can love find a place in her life?

Okay so I'm not a woman who's crazy about horses or a girly girl or anything like that and so this is not normally my sort of book but I thought I'd give it a chance on the recommendation of a friend. I never expected it to be anything special and so I was caught completely by surprise when I couldn't put it down! It is absolutely brilliant! It's been a while since a book has taken me on such an emotional roller coaster. I fell in love with Casey. She is strong, honest and fantastic and you can't help but stand in her corner, experiencing her elation and frustrations with her. As things start going well I became fearful that hurt was around the corner. When betrayal comes it is truly heartbreaking and I found that I was desperate for Mrs Smith to save the day. For once the dreamy love interest isn't the main focus of the story and is actually handled very realistically as boys definitely come second to horses in a lot of horse-crazy girls' lives! The story is well-structured and well-written. This book is beautifully finished, with the paperback edition coming with beautiful pink edged pages that match the back cover and a front cover that reflects the stormy colour of Casey's horse.  It's also free from any fantasy elements and has the feel of a classic. It is slightly predictable but that doesn't take anything away from this book's brilliance, and in some ways it even enhances it as you know something bad will happen no matter how desperately you don't want it to. The One Dollar Horse is the kind of book that can be enjoyed across the age range, from teen to adult and is one that I thoroughly recommend!

I give it 10/10!

Title: The One Dollar Horse
Author: Lauren St John
Publisher: Orion
Teenage Fiction

Dance of Shadows by Yelana Black

Vanessa Adler decides to attend the New York Ballet Academy to try to find out what happened to her sister who went to the same school but mysteriously disappeared. She's also a very talented dancer and soon attracts the attention of the best male dancer (and gorgeous) Zep, the odd and annoying Justin and the strange choreographer Josef. When one of her new friends Elly suddenly quits it takes Vanessa and her friends completely by surprise. After Vanessa is cast as the lead role in the school's production things start to get even weirder and so Vanessa must figure out who she can trust before it gets too late and her talent attracts the wrong kind of attention.

So the first thing I noticed about this book was the very striking cover. I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover but this one would totally make me want to buy it and that's without the augmented cover that will be available on the finished book. With such a beautiful and eye-catching cover I really wanted to love it but it ended up becoming a bit odd.

Ignoring the typos (mine was an advanced reading copy) it was reasonably well written although the passage of time was a little odd. Black spends lots of time going into great detail about one event or day but then suddenly leaps ahead but not necessarily as far as you would think, leaving you feeling a little disoriented. She does describe the feeling of what it is like to dance very well though and begins to cover the crazy stress and pressure that can be found in some dance schools. I think there is possibly some room for more world building as you don't really get a proper feel for what the school is truly like due to Vanessa being so absorbed in The Firebird or having discussions in her room and the situation regarding her sister might have worked better if they weren't related as you can anticipate the ending.

As a character Vanessa started out very likeable and you really wanted her to be strong and succeed. However, I found that I became frustrated that she was so stubborn and refused to give Justin a chance even though he hadn't really done anything to her. I also found her absolute trust in Zep infuriating too as again he hadn't really earned it and they got together far too easily to be even vaguely realistic. This in turn made me very suspicious of Zep and trusting of Justin, making things a little bit predictable.

The twist with the occult theme is one aspect that I feel could have been built in better, possibly through the world building. When it finally came up it was a bit like "where did that come from?" and didn't sit so well with the rest of the story. That said, this is the first novel in a series and so perhaps it will sit more naturally as part of the bigger picture.

I think this is a book that will sell as it is perfect for a lot of the female teenage audience. There's romance, suspense and danger, three very good ingredients. It could have been done better but is still a good book with an original idea and I would read the sequel.

I give it 6.5/10.

Title: Dance of Shadows
Author: Yelana Black
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Teenage Fiction

The Secret Hen House Theatre by Helen Peters

Since Hannah's mum died, things have been a bit chaotic for her family as her dad struggles to look after four children and a farm on his own. Money is tight but Hannah loves her life on the farm and wouldn't trade it for anything. She dreams of a future in the world of drama and so when the opportunity arrives to take part in a local drama competition Hannah and her best friend Lottie jump at the chance. They decide to perform a play that Hannah has written herself but as they're not part of a drama company they need to find a cast and a venue. Hannah and Lottie decide to create The Secret Hen House Theatre when they stumble across her mother's old hen house. They embark on the challenge of putting together the performance whilst keeping it completely secret from Hannah's father, a challenge that becomes even more important as the future of Hannah's life on the farm comes under threat.

This book is well written, engaging and fun. It's the sort of story I would have loved when I was younger. It bridges the gap between being a young child but not yet a teen nicely. Hannah is charming, fun and well-meaning, with that childlike belief that anything is possible balanced by the reality of life. The world and supporting characters are completely believable and fill their roles well. It was a joy to read and is a brilliant and moving book that is perfect for any girl who has an interest in animals, farms, drama or who just loves a really good story.

I give it 7/10 :)

Title: The Secret Hen House Theatre
Author: Helen Peters
Publisher: Nosy Crow
9-12 Fiction