Prisoner B-3087 / Alan Gratz

To survive the experience of a WW2 concentration camp is truly amazing, to survive ten concentration camps is truly miraculous. But that is what happens to Yanek Gruerer, a Jewish boy who is only ten years old at the beginning of the war.This is an incredible and horrible story all at the same time, but knowing that it is based on a true story and that Yanek survives (and now lives in USA) means it is easier to read about some of the tough things he had to face.

Who would enjoy this? If you like to read about things that are based on real events, or how other people manage to survive tough times, then this is the book for you.

Reviewed by Jason

Game on / Monica Seles and James LaRosa

Maya has been given the chance of a lifetime - she's won a scholarship to a famous sports academy. This gives her the opportunity to achieve her dream of making it big in professional tennis. She could never have done it without the scholarship because her family is very poor. So much about the academy is wonderful, but is making friends with the rich and famous really what it is all about? Money is all very well but it can also cause you to lose sight of your true dream.

Who would enjoy this? If you've ever wanted to imagine what it is like to live a different sort of life than your own, this book will interest you.

Reviewed by Charlotte

The infects / Sean Beaudoin

The unusual cover with a chook sitting on top of a skull prepares you for more weirdness inside the cover! Weirdness that starts to make sense as you get to know seventeen year old Nick Sole. Think viruses gone mad, flesh-eating maniacs, anything could happen ... and it does.
This is a clever, original and exciting story. It looks at what is happening in our world - how we live, what we eat and what we shouldn't eat. After you have read this story you may not choose to eat chicken again!

Who would enjoy this? Fancy something a little out of the ordinary? Enjoy a story that makes you laugh out loud? This book is perfect on both counts. At the same time it also manages to be thought-provoking.

Reviewed by Jason

You don't even know / Sue Lawson

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Alex has a hard life. He doesn't fit in with what his very demanding father wants and struggles to cope with what goes on at home every day. His older brother is a self-serving bully, and his mother doesn't seem to be able to make things any better. However, he loves his little sister very much and does everything he can to look out for her. And then the very worst thing happens, and he is no longer able to look after her, nor even himself. This is an excellent book. It is gripping, puzzling and heart-breaking. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Who would enjoy this? Anyone who likes reading about how families work, sometimes well and sometimes badly.

Reviewed by James

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