Burning blue / Paul Griffin

Nicole has stopped being the most beautiful, most popular, most loved girl at school because someone has thrown acid at her face, and now she looks and feels like a freak. Jay already feels like a freak because he has epilepsy as a result of the car accident that killed his mother, so now it's possible for him to make friends with Nicole. He is determined to find out who hurt her. This book is exciting, fast-paced and leaves you confused almost to the end as to who really did the deed, from a large pool of suspects. It's a great read.

Who would enjoy this? This mystery has something extra - an absorbing story and a chance to think about why we do the things we do.

Reviewed by Hamish

Where things come back: a novel / John Corey Whaley

Lily, Arkansas, is a town where not much happens. But one summer not only does a supposedly extinct woodpecker get sighted but Cullen Witter's younger brother Gabriel disappears. This is the story of how Cullen, his friends and his family survive the summer.
It is a quirky story that has a complicated plot which really holds your attention - you really want and need to find out what has happened to Gabriel. The characters are likeable and interesting, definitely more interesting than Lily itself!

Who would enjoy this: If you enjoy quirky and interesting then this is the book for you.

Reviewed by Amy

Alex as well / Alyssa Brugman

When you are a teenager, working out who you really are and what you want to do with your life, can be hard. It is even harder for Alex who has questions about his identity and struggles with what his parents and doctors chose for him not long after he was born. This is a brave story that looks at gender - something we usually take for granted. It is startling, occasionally shocking but it gets you thinking about how our lives get shaped and how important it is to be who you really want to be.

Who would enjoy this? If you like challenging stories that take you to the edge of your comfort zone, then you will find this is a great read.

Reviewed by Amy 

Never fall down: a novel / Patricia McCormick

This stunning, shocking book, based on truth, tells the story of a Cambodian boy who lived through the time of the Killing Fields, when the Khmer Rouge destroyed the country. Many died, many more suffered terribly, but Arn survived - and even he doesn't know why. Now an ambassador for music and arts in his country, the book is written with Arn's voice as he witnessed the horror of those years. It is easy to read, because of the way it is told, and hard to read, because of what it's about. I recommend it highly.

Who would enjoy this? A must-read if you want to find out what happened in Cambodia during this period.

Reviewed by Hamish

Troubletwisters / Garth Nix & Sean Williams

Jack and Jaide used to live a perfectly normal life with their parents and then their house blew apart. They had to go and live with their grandmother while the house was rebuilt and suddenly everything they have ever known is upside down and very scary. Is their grandmother a witch or worse? Who can be trusted? This is a fast-moving and exciting story, and I really recommend it.

Who would enjoy this? If you like fast-moving fantasy with the promise of more to come, this will be a good read for you.

Reviewed by Katya

My name is not easy / Debby Dahl Edwardson

The book is about a boy's life. The boy's name is very hard to pronounce and the place he lives in doesn't have a school so he was sent to a Christian school far away from home. And that's how the story begins.

Who would enjoy this? People who like books about life.
 
Reviewed by Julie

Trapped / Michael Northrop

Everyone likes a 'snow day' but the novelty soon wears off if you happen to be trapped at school and the snow keeps falling and falling and falling... No power, no heat, dwindling supplies of food, it's all pretty grim for Scott and his friends. So what do you do when it looks like Mother Nature is out of control?

This is a totally believable story that has you feeling cold, hungry and desperate and wondering how you would cope if you were there. It's also interesting to experience how living in a completely different climate from the one we are used to affects your life.

Who would enjoy this? If you enjoy reading about real life scenarios then you will find this book an engaging read with plenty of tension and some unanticipated twists and turns along the way.

Reviewed by James

The universe versus Alex Woods / Gavin Extence

Alex is unusual and not JUST because a meteorite fell on his head and he survived! He tells this story so we see everything from his perspective, and you end up firmly on his side against the world. He has an unusual mother too, and his life is far from normal. One of his best friends, Mr Peterson, is a much older man who he meets up with through an unfortunate misunderstanding. When he gets a debilitating disease, Alex undertakes to help him die humanely. There is much to enjoy in this book - and much to think about.

Who would enjoy this? I highly recommend this to anyone who likes a story that is quirky, intriguing and makes you think about stuff - all sorts of stuff!

Reviewed by Hamish

The boy who howled / Timothy Power

Callum lives with a family of wolves - yep, to enjoy this story you have to pretend this is possible! There are documented cases where children have been brought up with wolves and survived, but all of them have had great trouble coping with human society when rescued. This is not the case with Callum, who is sent back to live with humans by his own wolf pack, and he not only survives but thrives. Despite it all, this is a funny and quick read which keeps you reading right to the end.

Who would enjoy this? If you like humour and the author having fun with the story, then this should work for you.

Reviewed by Jason

The iron king / Julie Kagawa

It comes as a bit of a shock to Meghan Chase to discover she is in fact the daughter of a faery king. She has enough going on in her life, especially the need to keep a low profile at school, that she is not interested in claiming her legacy. That is, until her younger brother Ethan is kidnapped and the only way to get him back is to head off into Faery with Robbie Goodfell, her supposed 'friend' turned minder. All the familiar features of Faery are there - the Erlking, the Seelie and Unseelie Courts and scary Queen Mab.

This is an intriguing story that moves along at a fast past. It is particularly interesting because Meghan keeps entering and leaving Faery making it all the more believable because normal familiar places and routines are there as well as those of Faery.

Who would enjoy this? If you have enjoyed reading about the Faery world in other books (especially Jenna Black's Glimmerglass series), you will enjoy this author's take on Faery  conventions. Meghan is a character you feel that you could bump into at school tomorrow, so her story really captures your imagination and you want to find out what could possibly happen to her next.

Reviewed by Charlotte

I made lattes for a love god / Wendy Harmer

Elly is an ordinary girl who one summer gets the chance to try out as an extra on her absolute top-favourite movie star's latest movie. And fails to get the part! She ends up working in the catering van, and in the process makes a new friend, learns heaps about life, realises her favourite movie star has feet of clay, and finds out what is really important. This is a fun, quick read with a satisfying ending.

Who would enjoy this? The title says it all - light, fluffy and fun: worth reading!
Reviewed by Charlotte

Rotten / Michael Northrop

Johnny Rotten (JR) has moved in and is waiting when Jimmer (JD) gets back from his summer away from home. He's a dog who gets into trouble - even more than JD has. When he bites one of JD's friends, things aren't looking good - lawyers get involved and the clock is ticking down for JR. But JD and JR bring out the best in each other and it's not all over yet.

This is a thought-provoking story of real life where you feel like you really get to know the characters (including JR!). JD's musings as he tries to turn over a new leaf are pretty entertaining. An added attraction is the book cover which  is eye-catching and looks just as you imagine JR to be.

Who would enjoy this? This is a good read if you like your stories amusing but based in real life.

Reviewed by James

Pushing the limits / Katie McGarry

Noah and Echo are from different sides of the tracks but they both have their demons to face. Echo has scars on her arms that she doesn't remember getting and Noah, whose parents died in a house fire, is desperate to be granted access to his younger brothers. When Echo becomes Noah's maths tutor, the scene is set for a feisty time. Although this is a common scenario (girl meets unsuitable boy but hopefully love will win out), Noah and Echo are complex characters and there is nothing predictable about what has happened to them or how things will play out in the future.

Who would enjoy this? If you like stories where you get really caught up with the main characters who have plenty of things to sort out in their lives, then you will appreciate this story.

Reviewed by Amy

Catch the Zolt / Phillip Gwynne

On his 15th birthday, Dom's father and grandfather reveal the family secret. They owe, big time, to their family of origin in Italy - kind of like the Mafia. But it's not money they want - it's deeds. First up, Dom has to catch the world-famous youth offender Zolt, and he's not allowed to tell anyone what he is doing. This is the first of a new series and I'll be looking out for the rest of them. The book was fast-moving, (almost) believable and exciting. I recommend it.

Who would enjoy this? If you like exciting and fast-moving series like Cherub or Alex Rider, try this one.

Reviewed by Jason