H.I.V.E. : Higher Institute of Villainous Education / Mark Walden

Watch the book trailer!

H.I.V.E.- Higher Institute of Villainous Education, a place for the worst, most cunning,  most mischievous minds from around the world. When Otto Malpense was 'selected' to become part of an institution like no other, his world changes dramatically. English, Math and PE turns into Villainy Studies, Stealth and Evasion and Tactical Education. Students are divided into Alpha, Henchman, Technical and Political/ Financial streams. But for Otto and his friends, it feels like prison and they are willing to do anything to escape the highly secured premise. This is a very interesting book which explores the world of villainy, where evil is normal and nothing is as it seems.

Who would enjoy this? If you want to explore your inner evil side, then this is the book for you.

Reviewed by Chi-Yen

Handle with care / Jodi Picoult

Watch the book trailer!

Handle With Care is a story about a family with two daughters. Their second child was born with brittle bone disease, a condition that makes her bones break easily and limits her height and movement. When Willow is four, her parents decide to sue their OB for "wrongful birth," claiming that her condition should have been diagnosed earlier in the pregnancy so that they could have terminated the pregnancy.
I think Handle With Care is such a realistic and emotional story. Each chapter is written from a different character's perspective so you understand how and what each person is thinking. It is a sad book and I might have shed some tears while reading it but it was definitely worth the read.

Who would enjoy this? I think people who enjoy reading realistic fiction would enjoy reading Handle With Care.

Reviewed by Anna

Scorpia rising / Anthony Horowitz

Watch the book trailer!

Scorpia Rising is the last book in the Alex Rider series written by Anthony Horowitz. Alex Rider is a teenage spy and works for MI6. The action is non-stop from the sniper attack at Alex's school to the final showdown in the Egyptian desert as Alex battles Scorpia and its insane operative Abdul-Aziz Al-Rahim. Scorpia blackmails the British government about its use of a minor spy.
The book is written mostly from Alex's point of view. I enjoyed reading it because it has unexpected twists and is also very descriptive. It is very well written and it's definitely a must read.

Who would enjoy this? I recommend this book to people who enjoy reading action and adventure books.

Reviewed by Anna

Unravelling / Elizabeth Norris

Watch the book trailer!

The book starts off with an ordinary morning, with an ordinary girl leaving an ordinary beach, until a truck zoomed out of nowhere and hit Janelle Tenner full on. Lying on the ground with a broken spine and multiple fractured bones, Janelle knows she is dead, until she opens her eyes and sees Ben Michaels hovering over her body and healing it. But her revival, and Ben's possible role in it, is only the first of the puzzles that Janelle must solve. While snooping in her FBI agent father's files for clues about her accident, she uncovers a clock that seems to be counting down to something--but to what? And as the clock ticks down, she realizes that if she has 23 days to put a stop to the end of the world, she's going to need to uncover Ben's secrets--and keep from falling in love with him in the process.
This shattering novel tells a story of one girl's fight to save herself, her world, and the boy she never saw coming. A book that may seem hard to believe at first, but will suck you into the world of mysteries, romance, action and...... aliens?


Who would enjoy this? An action-packed novel filled with mystery, romance and unexpected endings. This is a book that will keep suprising you and keep you on the edge.

Reviewed by Chi-Yen

Angel burn / LA Weatherly

Watch the book trailer!

This is a very interesting must-read book where angels are not the  usual pure and kind spiritual beings, but are fierce stalkers who feed off human beings, drain our souls and damage our brain and body. In comes Alex, an Angel Killer working for the CIA, and his latest mission to kill Willow Fields, a human with psychic powers and a dark secret connected to angels. When Alex falls in love with his sworn enemy, he is determined to protect Willow from those who wants her dead, with many questions unanswered- Why does the CIA want her dead and what exactly is Willow?
I have never read anything like this, where the angels are the bad guys destroying the human race. This is a  unique book where nothing is as it seems, and in the midst of it all, an unexpected romance between an angel assassin and a psychic teenager with a dark secret.

Who would enjoy this? A world full of creepy, irresistible angels, handsome assassins, mysterious teenager with unexplained powers; if you want to try reading something new and different, I recommend this action-packed romance book.

Reviewed by Chi-Yen

Temple / Matthew Reilly

William Race is a professor of ancient languages, hardly an adrenalin pumping job. Yet the government needs him. A super powerful weapon has been stolen, and the key to activating its terrifying power lies in an ancient Latin manuscript...

This story is non-stop action from start to finish. It takes the greatest elements of action films, and synthesises them, resulting in a book that is impossible to put down. You won't be intellectually stimulated by this book, but you'll be so engrossed, you won't really care.

Who would enjoy this?  Anyone who enjoys fast-paced action, amazing set pieces and awesomeness of the explosions variety.

Reviewed by Liam

The recruit / Robert Muchamore

When James' mum dies, he and his sister Lauren are all on their own, passed between orphanages until one day James is recruited by CHERUB - a secret branch of intelligence services that uses kids to spy on adults. Put into a rigorous training programme that challenges him mentally and physically, James must push himself to his limits to succeed. A thrilling action spy adventure, I really enjoyed it.

Who would enjoy this?  CHERUB is a must read for people who enjoy young spy adventures like Alex Rider.

Reviewed by Alex

The Little Lady agency / Hester Browne

After Melissa Romney-Jones is made redundant, a series of events leads her to start a life management agency. As Honey Blennerhesket, the bombshell blonde, she can make over a man faster than you can say Trinny and Susannah. But when a client begins to request her services on a regular basis it becomes hard to tell where Melissa starts and Honey ends...
This is a fantastic read, full of things that will make you laugh really, really hard. You can read it over and over again without getting sick of it.

Who would enjoy this book? Anyone who wants a good laugh, enjoys romance and wince-worthy moments.

Reviewed by Sophie

Mathematical origami: Geometrical shapes by paper folding / David Mitchell

This book is amazing!
Ok, it doesn't teach you how to fold cranes, or unicorns and what-have-you.
But it does teach you how to fold mathematical shapes. It's not boring - on the contrary, many of the shapes are quite interesting! They're really simple, and the instructions are easy to follow (unlike instructions for folding more complicated figures such as animals).
I particularly liked the rhombic star, and the ring of rotating tetrahedra (which claimed the attention of a class-full of people...somehow.)

The only downside? You need paper. Lots of it.

Who would enjoy this book? People who enjoy maths and origami!

Reviewed by Eva

The catcher in the rye / JD Salinger

Regarded as one of the great American classics, this novel brings to life the character of protagonist, Holden Caulfield. After he is kicked out of yet another prestigious boarding school, he decides to embark on a journey to the city to really have some fun. The beauty of the novel is in the narration - Salinger brilliantly uses first-person point-of-view to allow the reader to understand Holden in a way so realistic it is impossible to not see him as a blood-and-flesh person. You can look beneath the veneer - beneath the arrogant personality of one of the most annoying characters ever seen - to catch a glimpse of a true soul. Fantastic writing.

Who would enjoy this book? Good choice for NCEA Wide Reading, also for people who enjoy social realism and commentary on human personality.

Reviewed by Calista

A deniable death / Gerald Seymour

A mission like none other: to observe the house of the bomb-maker - dubbed "The Engineer" - in Iran and report back to MI6 when he is leaving the country for Europe. "The Engineer" is responsible for hundreds of coalition deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan and now the British and the Americans want him removed. But to do that, an operative must observe "The Engineer's" house and find out exactly when and where he is going in Europe.
This novel has very mature themes such as the sheer banality of evil, and the hypocritical bureaucracy that forever governs our society.
A thrilling read, heavily influenced by the writing styles of John le Carre, Chris Ryan, Stella Rimington, Colin Forbes and even Stephen Leather. A truly wonderful book.

Who would enjoy this book? Anyone who likes realistic spy novels.

Reviewed by Joe

Watchmen / Alan Moore

1950's America is on the verge of nuclear war with Russia. Times are tense, and the gutters are filled with poverty, prostitution and desperate people. The Comedian is dead.
One of the first comics I've ever read and  all I have to say is READ IT. Dark humour mixed in with mature themes, this piece of literary gold is quite a challenging read. Conspiracies, murder, a psychotic hero who believes in nothing and the biggest gag that has ever been pulled on the world, this is an exhilarating, compelling and moral-violating book which I found completely unforgettable.

Who would enjoy this book? Sci-fi lovers, mature readers, people who read Neil Gaiman and anyone who wants a taste of the dark side.

Reviewed by Lisa

A deadly touch of the tigress / Ian Hamilton

Ava Lee is an accountant. But not just any kind; a forensic accountant. For a fee, she'll find your money, secure and return it to you. By any means necessary. But Ava may have bitten off more than she can chew when she takes up a mysterious job from a friend of her boss...
A deadly touch of the tigress is a slow book, but it more than makes up for it in its atmosphere, action and the monumental achievement of making accountancy look interesting.

Who would enjoy this book? Anyone who enjoys slow, thought-out action and adventure.

Reviewed by Liam

Madame Tussaud: a novel of the French Revolution / Michelle Moran

Everyone has heard of the famous Madame Tussaud Wax Museums. This novel tells the story of the life of the real Madame Tussaud - her loves, her fears and her ambition for success as a woman during the French Revolution. I found the character of Tussaud very compelling and the novel shed new light on a famous historical event through the retelling of Tussaud who was familiar with many of the key figures during the revolution. The novel is a great way to gain more knowledge about the revolution and of the great wax sculptor because you want to read about her story and you want to know how her story ends.

Who would enjoy this book? People who love historical fiction.

Reviewed by Calista

Mister O / Lewis Trondheim

Mister O is a book devoid of words, showing a series of events depicting a small round figure, Mister O. One story is shown per page with 60 small panels all with simple drawings. Mister O comes to a cliff and wants to cross but try as he might he is just unable to cross the ravine. His ideas for crossing are clever and creative but usually end in failure. This book is funny and cute (and sometimes a bit gruesome). It shows just how creative you can be with a simple picture. Will Mister O ever get to the other side safely? And what will he find if he does? Mister O is a must read for all ages.

Who would enjoy this book? People of all ages who can see the cute and funny side of Mister O's struggles.

Reviewed by James

Deltora quest / Emily Rodda

When the Shadowlord descends on Deltora and takes the belt containing seven gems that protects the nation, the country falls and the Shadowlord takes over. The belt is scattered across the country and guarded by fierce monsters that guard the stones from anyone foolish enough to try and get them back. However an unlikely trio forms and travels on a quest around their country to take back the gems and restore the belt. This is a very good series and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading books containing life-threatening situations and fantasy creatures.

Who would enjoy this book? Fantasy readers

Reviewed by Bradley

The gospel according to Larry / Janet Tashjian

Josh was always a little strange (to say the least). Disturbingly intelligent, eccentric, and all the usual characteristics, Josh has never had many friends. Apart from Beth, who he has loved forever. She, however, has taken a fancy to Larry, an anonymous internet sensation who has taken the world by storm with his amazingly deep essays on consumerism, love, and everything in-between. But little does Beth know that Larry is actually Josh...
This is a book which I can recommend entirely. The characters are funny, whimsical, and wonderfully real, and the plot, while basic at its core, is relevant to every person who has ever felt out of place. Read it. Now.

Who would enjoy this book? Everybody. Seriously.

Reviewed by Liam

Once a witch / Carolyn MacCullough

Tasmin Green comes from a long line of witches, and on the day she was born her grandmother proclaimed that she would be the most talented among them. But years later her talent still hasn't shown up, and she is forced to accept that it will never arrive. She lives her life as a normal person at school, but in summer must work at her family's bookshop. When a handsome professor shows up and mistakes her for her sister, she agrees to help find a long lost family heirloom. But the search proves to be more sinister than she realises, and it ultimately sends Tasmin on a quest that will unleash a deadly force that may wipe out her family.

Who would enjoy this? Anyone who likes mystery and romance, time travel and magic.

Reviewed by Sophie

A game of thrones / George RR Martin

A game of thrones is the first book in George R.R Martin's epic, A song of ice and fire. This incredible tale tells the story of a multitude of characters in the lands of Westeros and Esteros. The series focuses around a medieval world where the land of Westeros is being fought over by families of nobles, such as the Baratheons, the Starks and the Lannisters. A story on a par with J.R.R Tolkien's Lord of the rings, A game of thrones is at the pinnacle of the fantasy genre, a combination of amazing, completely unpredictable plotlines, deeply-personal, fleshed out characters and set in a world rich with history. It is a masterpiece.

Who would enjoy this? Anyone who has the slightest interest in the fantasy genre should definitely read this book.

Reviewed by Alex

The ultimates vol 1: Superhuman / Mark Millar

The World is changing. For once, humanity can no longer deal with the threats to it on its own. So a group of extraordinary individuals are brought together. A half mad genius. A flamboyant billionaire in an iron suit. A delusional nurse with god-like powers. And an ancient superhero, bought back from the war....

The Ultimates is the first volume in Marvel Comics' reboot of their traditional comic universe, which was met with huge success. Witty dialogue, contemporary plots, lumped in with a large dose of 'destroy everything' makes this comic a must read. (look out for the George Bush Cameo).

Who would enjoy this? Anyone who enjoys action, as well as those who enjoy 'The Avengers'

Reviewed by Liam