Dear Vincent / Mandy Hager

Tara McClusky is kept busy from dawn to dusk. If it's not school, it's looking after her sick father or doing a shift in the local rest home. Whatever is happening, Tara's love of painting helps keep her going. But at a certain point she wonders if it will be enough to get her through the tough times, especially when she finds out about the real events around her sister's death.

This is an amazing story that faces suicide honestly and doesn't back down from revealing the pain and suffering inflicted on the family who are left behind. Tara learns from her sister's  choices and through the process the reader gets to understand why suicide can happen and what we can do to prevent it. This is an excellent story that deals with a taboo subject with sensitivity and compassion.

Who would enjoy this? It's a hard subject to 'enjoy' but it's easy to appreciate this insightful well written story that also leaves you on the path to becoming an expert on Vincent van Gogh and his work.

Reviewed by Amy

Wicked lovely / Melissa Marr

Aislinn is a very reluctant convert to the idea of becoming the Summer Queen. After all, she wants to finish school and carry on with her education, enjoy having a boyfriend, all of those normal everyday experiences. But Keenan, the Summer King can't take no for an answer and  Aislinn has to accept there is little choice in the matter. That doesn't mean she can't work hard to get the best of both worlds.

This is an enjoyable story, the first of several set in the world of faerie. With such an appealing main character and the interesting relationship between fey and mortals happening here and now, this is a really enjoyable story and you'll want to keep on reading to find out what is Aislinn's eventual fate.

Who would enjoy this? Fans of the fey will find this a great new series. There are many twists and turns that hold your attention and, of course, romance!

Reviewed by Charlotte

Please somebody tell me who I am / Harry Mazer & Peter Lerangis

The last thing that Ben Bright's family and friends expect him to do when he leaves school is to enlist in the Army. After all he's a good student, a great actor and he has the girlfriend that everyone wants. But it's just the kind of dutiful thing he would do. When things go badly wrong in Iraq and Ben ends up with a head injury, the question is, will he be able to claim back the life he could have had?

This is a sobering story, one of those ones that explore circumstances where the person never thinks it could happen to them. It gets you thinking about the stupidity and horror of war as well as what it means for everyone around you when their worst fears are realised.

Who would enjoy this? If you enjoy thought-provoking stories that focus on real life situations, then this fast read is the book for you.

Reviewed by Jason

Speed freak / Fleur Beale

What makes Archie Barrington get up in the morning is the thought of kart racing. Although he's only fifteen Archie is a top driver and he's planning on missing his school exams by qualifying for the Challenge series in Portugal! It's all go, but there are a few things he has to get sorted first ... like his arch-rival Craig and his new stepbrother Felix. Even if you know nothing about karting, Archie and his mates tell a great story and get you quickly up to speed with the whole business.

Who would enjoy this? This book will mostly appeal to boys but as the story reveals, there are plenty of girls who like karting too and would therefore be interested in what Archie and co get up to.

Reviewed by James