Whisper / Chrissie Keighery

It's scary to think that it's possible to have such a bad case of flu that you can spend days unconscious and wake up permanently deaf. This is what happened to Demi. After struggling to keep up at her old school she decides she will go to a College for the Deaf. I thought the book did a very good job of showing what it must be like to be living in two worlds but not quite fitting in either. By the end of the book it looked as though things were slowly getting sorted out for Demi in her new life.

Who would enjoy this? This is an very good book to read if you want to find out a little bit about being deaf, and it comes with an excellent and engrossing story too!

Reviewed by Sophie

A monster calls: a novel / Patrick Ness and Siobhan Dowd

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Conor is in a horrible situation. His mother is very ill and his father has left them long ago and lives with his new family in America. He also hates his grandmother and feels very isolated at school. And then he starts having nightmares that seem so real it's scary to go to sleep. This book doesn't take long to read, because it's such a page turner. The illustrations are great too. I really liked it.

Who would like this? If you like a book that is easy to read but makes you think at the same time, then you should like this one.

Reviewed by Katya

Flip / Martyn Bedford

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Wow! Seriously, this book is that good! It's about a boy who is trapped in a coma as a result of an accident. Somehow he wakes up in another boy's body and has to deal with the effects of that. It is not at all funny because being in somebody else's body takes a lot of getting used to. Trying to imagine the nitty-gritty of such a situation for myself made sobering thinking. I'd hate it, no matter how bad my life is. The ending is unexpected and fantastic and I recommend this book very highly.

Who would enjoy this? This is a truly original book, right up there with The hunger games and The knife of never letting go. Read it!

Reviewed by James

The last dragonslayer / Jasper Fforde

I started to read this book because I have really enjoyed some of Jasper Fforde's adult books - try Shades of grey for example. The last dragonslayer is written for young adults and it is great! Jennifer Strange is a 16 year old running Kazam, an employment agency for those who can do magic. Strange things are happening, and while Jennifer is struggling to come to grips with this, she discovers that she is the last in a line of Dragonslayers. There are foundlings, magic swords, an armoured Dragonmobile, threatened war, corruption and a cast of interesting and original characters. I highly recommend this funny and absorbing book.

Who would enjoy this? If you like fantasy mixed with humour  (think Terry Pratchett, Diana Wynne Jones, Douglas Adams) this book should suit you very well.

Reviewed by Sophie

Held / Edeet Ravel

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When the unthinkable happens, our minds do their best to help us survive even if it means (as in the case of Stockholm Syndrome) falling in love with your captor. Chloe is a prime candidate, randomly kidnapped for a prisoner exchange but determined to survive.
This is a riveting story that you can't stop thinking about and wondering if it is Stockholm Syndrome or the real thing.

Who would enjoy this? A great read if you are looking for a fast-paced quick read about a fascinating subject.

Reviewed by Amy.

The secret hour / Scott Westerfeld

When Jessica Day moves from Chicago to the small rural town of Bixby, Oklahoma, she expects life to continue as usual. But at midnight time stops for an hour. A thirteenth hour, filled with beasts beyond imagination. This book is an enjoyable read, with Westerfeld's obvious skill at composition coming through in this gripping story. This series is a wonderful counterpart to his 'Pretties' series, which is just as good in its own right.

Who would enjoy this?  Anybody who enjoys supernatural fiction, and books by Scott Westerfeld.

Reviewed by Liam