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

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

Siege / Sarah Mussi

It's a pretty scary thought that someone would start shooting people at your school. That's what happens to Leah Jackson and her classmates. But what's worse is that it seems as if the authorities are the ones who've handed out the guns. This is a book that you can't put down and it turns you into a nail biter! It's an exhausting read as you are with Leah every step of the way as she's crawling through the ceiling space, trying to keep safe, and when she is building up courage to leave her hidey hole. It's a shocking believable story that on the one hand has you hoping you would have it together as much as Leah does, and on the other makes you think about what motivates people to behave the way they do.

Who would enjoy this? If you are a reader who enjoys 'what if' scenarios then you will appreciate this tense and dramatic story.

Reviewed by Amy

Carnaby / Cate Sampson

Life is tough for Sarah Carnaby. She lives in a rough housing estate, her mother has just been murdered and her sister Jude is about to have another baby when she can't cope with the one she already has.

This is a story that grabs you and doesn't let you rest until the last page. Even though things are grim and Sarah has to fight hard not to be separated from her sister, she is strong, capable and has a good dollop of common sense. She is a survivor. Reading about her life makes you realise how lucky you are!

Who would enjoy this? This is an exciting read for anyone who likes fast- moving thrillers with clever and resourceful heroines.

Reviewed by Amy

This is what happy looks like / Jennifer E. Smith

Let me state right away - this book is great! Graham accidentally emails Ellie when he gets a little part of the address wrong, and Ellie responds. So begins a relationship that becomes very important to both of them. They tell each other everything and share their lives as they don't with any other friend. Then the worst happens, from Ellie's point of view at least. Her town is the site of the filming of the next teen sensation movie and the main character, the one everyone runs after, panders to, wants for their own, turns out to be ... Graham. This book is never predictable or formulaic, but it is funny, clever, surprising, sad and very satisfying by turns. I REALLY recommend it!

Who would enjoy this? Anyone who likes reading, as far as I can tell.

Reviewed by Charlotte

The immortal rules / Julie Kagawa

It's a pretty nasty old dystopian world out there. Because Allison chooses not to live in the vampire city where humans are treated as blood cattle, every day is a test of her survival skills. But when the worst happens, she has no choice but to accept help from a vampire master which will change her life for forever. Alison has to accept her new life but she refuses to treat people any differently. This helps set this book apart from most vampire stories and adds a different 'flavour' to what happens. Even if you are sick to the back teeth of the vampire genre, it is great read, and the first in a new series.

Who would enjoy this? Fans of dystopian and vampire stories will enjoy sinking their teeth into this one.

Reviewed by Charlotte

Ask the passengers / A.S. King

On the surface, Astrid should be happy with her lot in life, but when you consider that her father is always stoned, her mother doesn't like her, and her sister finds her a social liability, you can understand why she is finding things difficult in her last year of school. Add in some concerns about whether she is gay or not, and the fact that she is lying to protect her friends from the consequences of the choices they are making and you can see that her life is far from straight forward. This is a quirky book which I enjoyed very much. The characters are believable and I felt real empathy for Astrid. I recommend this as a good read.

Who would enjoy this? If you like reading about people as they make big decisions about their lives, I would recommend this book to you.

Reviewed by Amy

Moving Target / Elizabeth Lowell

This book is half Da Vinci Code and half 007! They combine well and the storyline is very appealing. Serena one day received a package containing four pages of a centuries-old illuminated manuscript that hides many secrets and has already cost many lives. With help from Eric North - a reclusive manuscript appraiser - they discover the truth together. The book is an exciting read and I was drawn to it. A dynamic ending makes the story even better.

Who would enjoy this? People who like mysteries.

Reviewed by Angela

Falling to ash / Karen Mahoney

Moth (aka Marie O'Neal) is not pleasing anybody - not her family, nor her Maker Theo, and as a new vampire, she definitely needs him on her side. Add to the mix some missing teenagers and Jason Murdoch, a trainee vampire hunter on her case and Moth is one busy .. person.
This is not your run of the mill vampire novel. Even the cover is completely different to the usual black and red vampire signpost. It still has all the essential ingredients of a vampire novel (eg. vampires!) but it is lowkey and not too far removed from life as we know it.

Who would enjoy this? Fans of vampire novels will find this book a refreshing and relaxing change while remaining loyal  to their favourite genre.

Reviewed by Amy

The farm / Emily McKay

Lily and Mel are prepared to brave the horrors beyond the electric fence so they no longer have to provide blood for the vampires who control the Farm where they live. Between the Ticks and the Vampires it's a confusing and terrifying new world they live in. To survive, the twins must listen to the strong bond they have and face those who want to control the power the twins unknowingly have.
Yes, yet another vampire novel ... fortunately there is a twist to the storyline that grabs your attention as well as some credible and interesting characters.

Who would enjoy this? If you like post-apocalyptic stories you will enjoy these vampires, variations of vampires and the scary and uncertain future Mel and Lily face.

Reviewed by Charlotte

Forever more / Cindy Miles

On a misty cliff side, mystery and romance await. . . . Ivy Calhoun's life has been turned upside down, with her new stepfather bringing Ivy and her mom to an actual castle in the misty Scottish countryside, all the way from America.  But she forgets all her problems when she meets Logan - a gorgeous ghost who has haunted the castle grounds for decades. The unique and interesting story-line of this book was an entertaining and enjoyable read.

Who would enjoy this? People who like to read love stories, with this one  being between a ghost and a human!

Reviewed by Angela

All the things I've done / Gabrielle Zevin

Annie lives in a slightly dystopian future. Chocolate and caffeine are illegal and the mafia is supplying it on the black market. Annie's grandmother is dying, her brother is getting mixed up in some very dodgy dealing, and she has been accused of trying to murder the boy who wanted to be her boyfriend, with poisoned chocolate. This is an absorbing story, with all the elements to make it memorable: intrigue, mystery, family relationships, addiction and illegal activities, and romance thrown in for good measure.

Who would enjoy this? Mystery, intrigue and romance - what's not to like?

Reviewed by Amy

Divergent / Veronica Roth

Society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue--Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is - because she is, dangerously, neither one thing nor the other. During the highly competitive initiation that follows, she receives help from her instructor Four, to help her to protect the people who she loves. This is an excellent and engrossing read. I deeply enjoyed the story.

Who would enjoy this? Anyone! It's a great read.

Reviewed by Angela

The book thief / Markus Zusak

This story is narrated by Death during World War II, and  is the story of a young German girl who comes of age during one of the most horrific times in recent history. Liesel embarks on a love affair with books and words. This is a lyrical, poignant, heartbreaking, soul-shattering story. I enjoyed the book very much.

Who would enjoy this? People who like to read about Jews and WWII, or if you just like wonderful writing.

Reviewed by Angela