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

The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult

Sage Singer is a woman who is used to hiding away from the world. She hides her face behind her hair to keep people from looking at her scars and works at night in a bakery to further avoid their stares. Having lost her mother, her main social activity is attending a grief group which is where she meets an old man, Josef Weber. Josef is a quiet man, well respected by the local community to the point where no-one has a bad thing to say about him. He and Sage connect with one another and become friends. One day Josef decides to tell Sage his darkest secret, a secret about an evil past that shatters Sage's trust and reveals Weber's quest for redemption. Events soon lead Sage on a journey through her grandmother's history, a story that is filled with the darkest horrors of war, a tale that brings survival and questions about the truth. Will Sage be able to forgive and can she do as she is asked?

I used to love Jodi Picoult until her adult novels all became the same and so it had been a while since I've read one but the cover for the advanced reading copy made me curious and so I thought I'd give it a go. It even came with a ribbon which was very handy.

I'm glad I did as this is Picoult back to her best (My Sister's Keeper is still my favourite but this will be a close second).

The tale within these pages deals with a difficult issue as Picoult's writing often does. Sage has to make a choice that will have serious consequences but the right answer isn't necessarily obvious. It also looks at the horrors of war from within the eyes of a Jew imprisoned in the nightmare of WW2. This part of the book is powerful and heart breaking. Minka experiences so much loss and suffering. I'm not sure of the accuracies of Minka's experiences, as it's been a while since I last looked at this terrible part of history, but Picoult paints such a horrible picture with her words that I can only hope no-one has to suffer them again, even though I know these things still happen in the world today. Picoult deals with it all very well. It's also a reminder that those who suffered during WW2 are still dealing with the consequences today.

This book is well written. It doesn't shy away from a difficult time in the world's history. It is hard to put down. This book lingers with you after you've finished. It has a love story or two but they don't overshadow the bigger theme. It has moments that warm your heart. It has a character who betrays your trust and then redeems them self towards the end. It has compassion, anger, and a small touch of happily ever after that doesn't destroy the realism of the main events. If you can stomach a story based in the horrors of Nazi concentration camps then read The Storyteller. It's worth the time you'll spend lost in its pages.

I give it 8/10.

Title: The Storyteller
Author: Jodi Picoult
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton Ltd
Adult Fiction

Night School: Legacy by C. J. Daugherty

I was overexcited when I stumbled across this at the start of the year, having forgotten that its release was so soon! Night School had left me longing for more and Legacy will not leave you disappointed!

Allie has survived the summer term at Cimmeria Academy but only just. She's beginning to find out the truth of who she is, finally putting her rebellious past behind her. She has the gorgeous boyfriend in Carter West and a brilliant best friend in Rachel. But all is not well at Cimmeria. Ruth's murder has left a shadow over the school, with student safety a primary concern under the threat of Nathaniel. Allie is also learning that her family, from her mysterious grandmother to her runaway brother, are at the centre of it all. Trust, secrets and forgiveness will all play their part. Can Allie's relationships survive the strain of life? Can Allie herself stay safe?

First of all I must congratulate Atom on the cover as this is much more representative of the books than the previous one for Night School. The building is just how I imagined Cimmeria to be and the red-haired figure against the snow is brilliantly striking. I've already witnessed it drawing girls in whereas Night School itself slipped by unnoticed by most even when it was in a prominent place for months.

Legacy is a worthy sequel. It's just as well written and full of suspense as its predecessor. I'm still unable to predict where Daugherty will take Allie next. She has woven in plenty of secrets to keep you hooked and has used brilliant characterisation. You get this sense that Allie is important but it's still unclear as to how or why. It also feels slightly more realistic as Allie's relationship with Carter isn't the easy happily ever after that dominates a lot of teen fiction these days and she becomes just as obsessed as girls often do when it comes to love but without it overwhelming the other elements of the story. I still love Allie, who remains just as human and likeable as before, keeping the flaws that help make her who she is.

Night School feels a bit like Ally Carter's Gallagher Girls but more mature and serious and as with The Gallagher Girls I honestly cannot wait for the story to continue! The only drawback is that I couldn't put it down and so it was over far too quickly!

I give it 8/10 :)

Title: Night School: Legacy
Author: C. J. Daugherty
Publisher: Atom
Teenage Fiction

The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde

Jennifer Strange (16 years-old in two weeks) has found herself running Kazam, a company that hires out sorcerers to do everyday tasks such as re-wiring a house or delivering pizzas, after the disappearance of Mr Zambini. She cannot do magic herself but is a foundling who lost her parents as a baby and so must work at Kazam until she is released by Zambini when she turns 18. Kazam is facing tough times in a world where people are increasingly suspicious of magic and the magic itself is waning in strength. One day people start having visions of the death of the last dragon. This death will mean a race to see who can claim as much of the dragon's land as possible. It could also mean war as the Ununited Kingdoms seek to extend or protect their borders. Jennifer soon finds herself getting caught up in events in ways she doesn't expect.

It's immediately obvious that this book has been written by the brilliant Jasper Fforde as his style is so distinctive. It is random and provides his usual twists on reality that make the setting something recognisable yet different, bringing his humour shining through. However, it pains me to say that unfortunately The Last Dragonslayer isn't as good as his adult novels. Perhaps this is because he is too aware that he is writing for a younger audience and so holds back a little too much. It takes a while to get going and then suddenly rushes around from one scene to the next, never really giving the reader a decent feel for the world, characters or situation and then suddenly it's over. It's pretty obvious early on what Jennifer's role is going to be although I wasn't entirely sure about the fate of the dragon until the end. She's your typical underdog rising up to be something great even though it's not a position she sought. For me, the best character is the fearsome Quarkbeast who is simply superb! It is a loyal pet that has a taste for metal and is incredibly intimidating but who's "quarks!" make it rather likeable. The supporting cast are some of Fforde's usual comical creations, both likeable and infuriating. Fforde also brings a humourous look at politics, transnational companies and the media by making them comically extreme, although it is easy to see the similarities found in today's world.

Overall, The Last Dragonslayer was enjoyable but too rushed. However, it has set the scene for a series that has potential and I look forward to reading the sequel (The Song of the Quarkbeast) later on in the year.

I give it 6/10 :)

Title: The Last Dragonslayer
Author: Jasper Fforde
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Teenage Fiction