REVIEW: Twinmaker by Sean Williams

Guest review by Kulsuma

I couldn't wait to start reading Twinmaker by Sean Williams because not only was the blurb gripping, but Scott Westerfeld recommended it. I really enjoyed The Uglies series and it seemed to me that Twinmaker might have some things in common with it. Set in the future, Twinmaker is set in a world where the use of revolutionary technology has made life so much easier. A technology called D-MAT means that people can transport from one place to another in the world almost instantaneously making cars, planes and trains useless. Fabbers can make clothes and food for everyone on the planet; no more hunger, no more need to work. The implants which give you access to the Air ensures you can update the world on your status instantaneously.

When Clair’s friend Libby reveals she uses a meme called ‘Improvement’ which promised to remove any flaw she wishes, namely the birthmark on her face, Clair is worried because Improvement is illegal. However, before Clair can actually find out if Improvement worked on Libby, Libby leaves and only turns up for short periods throughout the book and Clair is unable to work out if Improvement has indeed worked on her friend. She recruits the help of an ‘Abstainer’ (a person who refuses to use any of these modern technologies because of possible effects). Through trying out to find out the truth about Libby, Clair puts herself in danger and before long, she is on the run, cutting ties with the world she has known her whole life.

Twinmaker was a long, highly complex book in terms of the amount of technology discussed as well as story threads. It took some time to get into the book. The beginning put me off as it featured Clair disrespecting her friendship with Libby by cheating with Libby’s boyfriend, Zeppelin. Furthermore, I didn’t feel as though Clair and Libby’s friendship was shown enough at the beginning for me to want to know if Libby would be okay. However, the story soon picked up and became packed full of fervent action; hardly stopping for pause. I really enjoyed all the action and guessing what would happen next. The story was full of twists and turns and had a high body count.

I really liked Jesse and Q; a mysterious character who contacts and helps Clair from a distance at the beginning of the story and who Clair, along with the reader, desperately tries to figure out. Improvement, Clair finds out, is bad but there are those who will stop at nothing to ensure Clair doesn’t find out the whole truth and publicise the matter. What really redeemed Twinmaker in my eyes was the ending, which was simply incredible. The last hundred pages were so well-written and full of so many revelations that I can’t wait to read the next book, Crashlanders to find out what happens next.

Intriguing! Thank you, Kulsuma! 

REVIEW: Fire and Flood by Victoria Scott

Guest review by Kulsuma

I highly enjoyed reading Fire and Flood by Victoria Scott. At first I was wary of all the Hunger Games comparisons that were floating around the internet, but I decided to give the book the benefit of the doubt. I was gripped almost immediately by the premise of the story.

Tella, the main character was relatable. She wants to help her brother who has cancer and will do anything to save him. When she has the chance to enter the Brimstone Bleed; a series of trials over different terrain, where she could win the cure her brother so desperately requires she leaps at the opportunity.

Fire and Flood kept me in suspense and therefore made me continue reading because there were so many questions I needed answers to, some of which were answered in this book. Victoria Scott is a fantastic writer who has included great descriptions and a plethora of action in the story. I would have to say that Fire and Flood was more action-focussed than character-focussed.

The action really does drive the story. While I liked Tella and thought she was a good character, I felt that she could have taken more initiative as others had to save her when she could have saved herself. However, in fairness, Tella did grow as a character and in the end, she could look after herself.

I really liked the idea of the Pandora; each participant in the Brimstone Bleed gets a Pandora (think of a Pokemon and you’re on the right track) who has special abilities that can help the participant. Finding out what the special abilities are can be the tricky bit. I loved Pokémon and Digimon as a child, so this aspect of the story was fantastic.

The romance was quite fast-moving and I would have liked more development and more conversations between Tella and her love interest, Guy. At times, I did have the thought that maybe this story would have been told better from Guy’s point of view because I felt he was doing more and knew more than Tella, which is never a good thought to have about a story.

What was lacking was the explanation of how the Brimstone Bleed began. It seems a bit unbelievable to me; I thought it could have been better explained. Furthermore, I had some minor questions such as at the beginning of the story, Tella and her family are living away from civilisation, so how was she found by the organisers of the Brimstone Bleed?

Overall, I really enjoyed Fire and Flood by Victoria Scott and can’t wait to see what happens next in the second book, Salt and Stone.

Thank you so much, Kulsuma! 

REVIEW: Roomies by Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando

Guest review by Hayley

'Roomies' by Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando covers a pivotal period of the teenage years which doesn't feature in YA very often, the transitional summer between high school and college. The story centres around Elizabeth, also known as EB and Lauren who will be college room mates in two months and begin exchanging emails as their summer progresses.

I love books told via emails, letters and journals and although 'Roomies' isn't told entirely through the emails the two girls exchange I enjoyed how the emails were used and how they demonstrated the developing friendship between EB and Lauren. This also provided me with a does of nostalgia for my own life at this age which I spent writing letters to friends all over the country.

As expected on the surface the two main characters are rather different. EB lives in New Jersey with her Mother and is an only child. Lauren lives in San Francisco near the university the two girls will soon attend with her parents and 5 younger siblings. EB lives a somewhat solitary home life with a Mother often working or going on ill­-advised dates, whereas Lauren has a loving home life yet little free time due to helping out with her siblings and also has two part-­time jobs.

I really enjoyed this book, my favourite element was that the focus was on the importance and emergence of a strong friendship between EB and Lauren. While there are important romantic developments in the lives of both characters the key to the book is the importance of friendship as a foundation to the rest of life. I enjoy YA romances as much as the next person but it did feel like a breath of fresh air to have friends as the focus rather than romance.

I also thought 'Roomies' did a really good job at dissecting the limbo of life between school and college. Both girls are emerging as adults and testing their new found independence yet still navigating the demands of family and their expectations.

The emerging friendship also liberates both girls from the demands of their existing friendships which gave me something to think about. Whilst having friends for many years can provide a stabilising foundation it can also restrict personal growth in the glare of how those friends the expect you to act and behave. This seems a particularly relevant issue when the characters are at such a crossroads in their lives and one of them is about to move many miles away from home.

I also liked the fact that neither of the girls is shown to be wealthy and both work at part-­time jobs during the summer. I find a lot of YA, particularly American books show very privileged teens who live financially carefree in large bedrooms filled with the latest gadgets and their own brand-new cars. Whilst as escapism this is fine it's also alienating for those of us with more humble lives.

The ending, while a little predictable was perfect, although at the same time I would have happily read another 300 pages as I had become so fond of both characters. I was already a fan of Sara Zarr's but I will definitely investigate Tara Altebrando's previous work now too.

Thank you so much, Hayley! 

REVIEW: Mutant City by Steve Feasey

Guest review by Kulsuma

What a brilliant book! Mutant City by Steve Feasey is set in the future after a devastating war. Humans are divided into two groups; Mutants and Pures. It follows a group of teens who are being hunted for their amazing abilities. Their abilities were engineered to be used for nefarious purposes. Though they are rescued and hidden away for years, this soon changes. Their maker needs them and he will stop at nothing to get them back.

Not only was Mutant City fantastically plotted but I felt for the characters and couldn’t wait to see what would happen to them. The story follows various points of view which seamlessly tie together. It is the perfect balance of action and emotion. I loved to witness the development in the friendship between Rush and Brick; two of the mutants. Mutant City is realistic in that not all Pures were bad guys and not all the Mutants were good.

Feasey’s descriptions of action scenes were great. I could imagine everything very clearly. My favourite thing about the book is the way he explained the mutants’ powers. While they were not the most original powers; he described the way they manifested in a very unique way. The story was fast-paced and therefore a quick read; I wish it had been longer!

I would have liked to have seen more of the city that the Pures live in. Also, I would have liked to have read more about the other mutants in the group apart from Rush and Brick, so I could really understand them, their feelings and motives. But, as I know there will be a sequel, I have an inkling that this is where the other characters will develop more fully. As well as this, I realised some of the twists that happen at the end of the story before they happened, which slightly took away some of the surprise in the story. Nevertheless, there was one twist that left me gobsmacked. Overall, the book was fantastic and I cannot wait to read more from this series.

Thanks, Kulsuma! Sounds brilliant.

REVIEW: Cruel Summer by James Dawson

Review by Hayley

Tagline: It's murder under the sun...

A group of friends scarred by the suicide of a close friend the year before reunite at a Spanish villa in the hope of laying some demons to rest and salvaging the scraps of their friendships, if only it didn't start to look more and more like the suicide was actually a murder someone will go to any lengths to prevent being discovered...

As a fan of psychological thrillers I'm quite interested in the recent emergence of YA thrillers. During my own teen years I read countless Point Horror, R.L Stine and Christopher Pike books so I had high hopes that 'Cruel Summer' would scratch my nostalgic itch, particularly as these authors are name-checked in the acknowledgements!

Unfortunately 'Cruel Summer' just didn't work for me. Although the book revolves around a group of characters all of whom seem to harbour resentments towards at least one other member of the group, the majority of the story unfolds from Ryan's perspective.

Ryan, a very dramatic and ambitious drama student likes to see his life unfolding as the plot on a T.V show and constantly refers to events along the lines of 'that doesn't happen until the 3 season...' something which quickly becomes irritating,. It's also a shame because he is the least intriguing character here when there are twins Greg and Alisha, Greg with a burgeoning career as a successful footballer but with a secret that throws his life into turmoil and Alisha, a recovering alcoholic still suffering the emotional repercussions of being dumped the previous summer. There's also Katie whose villa the group are staying in, an elusive 'good girl' still struggling with the part she played in the betrayal of Janey the friend who died, and then of course there's Ben, Janey's boyfriend and Katie's first love.

This is quite a fast paced book and to its credit I went back and forth over who I thought was behind the various sinister developments. The short chapters often end with a dramatic moment which the compels you to keep reading and I enjoyed reading the chapters from Alisha's perspective, mainly as she seemed to be the only character not behaving like a complete spoilt brat every five minutes.

Although you could see the plotting and characters here as a homage to the teen horror films and books of the 90s which all feature mostly archetypal characters like the jock, the nerd etc,  I do think this style could have been put to use more cleverly if the characters had been developed more. Ryan refers to his friends as 'the jock, the geek, the good girl and the bad girl' but all this really does is highlight how little we get to know them.

The ending of the book had some surprises, particularly in its last few pages although by the end things were no longer just about tying up the loose ends of the previous summer. I did think the eventual motivation for the unsettling events at the villa seemed a little bit flimsy but it wasn't the most unbelievable element of the story.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants a quick read with characters you wouldn't want to relate to, its certainly entertaining if shallow and will definitely help you to appreciate your friends if, as I'd hope, they're nothing like this bunch!

Thank you so much, Hayley!

REVIEW: Red Ink by Julie Mayhew

Guest review by Kulsuma

The synopsis for Red Ink by Julie Mayhew is great. Fifteen year old Melon’s mother is killed when she is run over by a bus and Melon now has no family to speak of. I picked up this book to see what Melon would find out about herself after her mother’s death, what family she might find and how she would deal with having a name like Melon. The story is told in a non-linear fashion; showing flashbacks to when Melon’s mother was still alive. Also, time and again, we are told ‘The Story’; the story of how Melon got her unusual name. Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy this story as much as I wanted to.

From the beginning, we know that Melon’s relationship with her mother wasn’t the most loving. However, I wanted to see if any explanation would be offered through the flashbacks as to why that was. In truth I didn’t enjoy Red Ink because it was a story about the relationship between a mother and a daughter but Melon’s mother never redeemed herself in my eyes.

They simply didn’t understand each other. There were too many lies between them. Melon herself didn’t seem to forgive her. One scene which really stuck with me was when Melon asks her mother once again why she called her Melon and her mother simply laughs at her, asking if she was being teased at school because of it. I couldn’t understand this puzzling behaviour; why would a mother find her child being teased about her name so amusing?

When the ‘true story’ comes out, it is shocking and sad, but not unexpected. However, Melon’s reaction to it was over the top. Furthermore, the ending left much to be desired. I didn’t think it was a ‘happy ending’ at all. What had Melon learnt on her journey? What had she learnt from her mother’s story? Nothing, it seemed. I didn’t enjoy Red Ink because I didn’t understand Melon’s motives for some of the decisions she makes, particularly at the end.

Overall, while I didn’t enjoy this story, I believe there are many people who will. The writing was beautiful and vivid but on the whole, I didn’t love the story.

Thank you for that, Kulsuma!

REVIEW: A Face Like Glass by Frances Hardinge

Guest review by Kulsuma

I love books which take you by surprise and A Face like Glass by Frances Hardinge is exactly that. The cover is beautiful and the mysterious blurb intrigued me. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started but the story immediately grabbed me and didn’t let me go for an instant. Even when I wasn’t reading it, I was itching to get back into the complex, crazy world of Caverna. I whizzed through the pages and I was sorry when the book came to an end. You know when you want to read a book again for the first time? I had that feeling.

Neverfell is found by Master Grandible in his cheese tunnels when she is five years old and he decides to keep her. However, something about Neverfell’s face shocks him so much that Neverfell’s face is kept covered for the next seven years when visitors come to the house and she never goes out. You see, people in Caverna don’t have Faces; they have to learn to show expressions like happiness, pity and anger.

But Neverfell has Faces in abundance and this makes her dangerous. Neverfell’s face shows all her inner feelings and she’s not very good at lying. When Neverfell ventures out of the safety of Master Grandible’s tunnels for the first time, it is the beginning of a wild, action-packed adventure.Unbeknownst to Neverfell, she has enemies galore; enemies who would not hesitate for a second to kill her for reasons she’s trying to figure out.

A Face like Glass is a real gem. I loved Neverfell. It was hard not to like her. She’s lived with the reclusive Master Grandible for seven years, has no memories of the first five years of her life and is in constant danger. She’s a heroine who grows through the book. Of course at the beginning she is slightly naive, but she learns quickly. She is kind, caring and above all, loyal to a fault.

I loved all the other characters too. My favourite is undoubtedly the ever-paranoid Grand Steward; the leader of Caverna who has ruled for five hundred years. He does not trust anyone but himself, so much so that he has given up on proper sleep. He sleeps in shifts, for one half of the day, the right side of his body rests, and vice versa. He does all this so he can keep a permanent watch over his kingdom and scout out any would-be assassins. I wish we had seen more of him.

The world Frances Hardinge has created is simply magical. There are so many crazy, outlandish things to take in but it all makes sense. Most of all, I adored Hardinge’s writing. It was fluid, vivid and glittering. I have loads of favourite lines. A criticism is that there were a few conversations that I thought should have taken place between certain characters towards the end of the story. Overall, A Face like Glass was a brilliant, magical wild ride. I loved the world Hardinge created and the characters I met. I can’t wait to read more from her.

Amazing review, thank you Kulsuma!

REVIEW: Gloss by Marilyn Kaye

Guest review by Kulsuma

What I love about Gloss by Marilyn Kaye is that it’s set in sixties New York, a time period I haven’t come across much, if at all, in YA fiction. It follows the intertwining stories of four young girls as they start their summer internships at a magazine called Gloss. While some of them have their lives mapped out, others’ futures look hazy at best. None of them know that interning at Gloss will change them forever.

Sherry Ann is very much the typical good girl who follows all the rules. But after the future that looked so certain, crashes around her, she slowly but surely evolves into a strong woman. Pamela only wants to have a good time in New York, but she’s a young girl trying to act much older than she is. I really wanted to shake Allison. She seemed like a smart enough girl but she made a lot of wrong choices. Donna’s story was incredibly sad but a tale a lot of other girls would have also gone through and still do.

I enjoyed the details on the fashion industry, reading about typewriters and the working world. It’s interesting to compare then to now. Of course, there was a lot of sex discrimination and unfairness in the book. The four main characters are looked down on or used by at least one man. However, the girls learnt important lessons throughout the story.

Kaye’s writing style was great. It contained all the excitement of sixties New York. I felt the pace of the story could have been sped up as the middle section was slow. Overall, Gloss was an easy-to-read story about girls coming of age; discovering their identity for the first time. Obviously, there is a huge gap in the YA market because I would love to read more books set in this time period. I look forward to reading more books by Marilyn Kaye.

Brilliant review, thank you Kulsuma!

REVIEW: Arclight by Josin L. McQuein

Guest review by Kulsuma

I was really excited to read Arclight by Josin L. McQuein because I do love post-apocalyptic fiction and sci-fi. Arclight started with a bang; there was so much action that I was wrestling between a feeling of suspense and ‘What’s going on?’ Luckily, some questions are answered relatively quickly, but in another sense, I felt disconnected from the story.

Marina, the protagonist, has no memory of who she is, where she’s from, anything. She was found in the Grey; the boundary between the Arclight where it’s safe and the Dark which creatures called the Fade inhabit. When the story starts she’s been living in the Arclight for a few months and is alienated from the other students and detested in the case of one boy, Tobin, whose father was killed rescuing Marina.

After the fast-paced beginning, the action slowed down. The middle was sedentary but luckily, the ending was where it picked up. Besides Marina and the two love interests, none of the other characters were particularly memorable.

I really enjoyed McQuein’s writing style. I love reading stories in first person, present tense. However, apart from the great writing, I found it hard to connect with Marina. I never got to know anything substantial about her. I felt rather indifferent in the end. Even when she learns the truth about her past, she doesn’t find out about what she was like as a person, about those important to her and so on.

There are two love interests, but I didn’t know enough about either one to have a favourite. Finding out the truth about Marina and the Fade were the reasons I carried on reading the book. The Fade were an interesting and well-formed idea and should definitely have had more page time.

What disappointed me the most was the ‘twist’ towards the end because it could have been resolved much, much sooner and saved a lot of confusion, heartache and pages. Actually, I wouldn’t call it a twist as much as done for the sake of convenience. Also, I had some unresolved question about the villain. The ending was satisfactory but didn’t leave me with a feeling that I have to read the sequel, Meridian.

Thank you for that interesting review, Kulsuma!

REVIEW: Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick

Guest review by Kulsuma

Never Fall Down by Patricia McCormick blew me away. This is one of the best books I have read this year. It was such an emotional and tear-jerking read. I had a constant lump in my throat. It was not just the story, but the unique and authentic way it was written as well as the vivid, memorable and graphic images evoked on every page.  Never Fall Down is a mix of fiction with non-fiction centred on a real character, eleven year old Arn, who is caught up in a war he doesn’t understand and must do anything to survive. 

When Khmer Rouge soldiers arrive in his hometown, Arn’s peaceful and happy life is thrown into sudden turmoil. Forced to march far from their home, they are made to work the fields all day and listen to political speeches about the ‘Angka’ at night. Things get even worse when the men are separated from the women and the boys from the girls; Arn’s whole family is torn apart.

Thinking of only surviving and reuniting with his family, Arn does whatever it takes to survive. However, in a world with no rules, where even the Khmer Rouge leader can be deposed of in a moment and replaced and where Arn is not sure of whom he is anymore and struggling to remember the reasons he is trying to survive, life is very fragile.

I loved Arn. He is such a real character, I felt like I knew him. What I loved about him most was how honest he was about everything. As he was narrating the story, it felt like he was telling me all his secrets. Even the ones that made him look bad. He didn’t cover up any of the grim realities and horrors of the war; didn’t soften any blow. Never Fall Down is gritty, complex and a reflection of the darker side of humanity. Some of the goriness might be too much for some readers, but I loved it. Even though I’d never heard of this war before reading Never Fall Down, it was a great introduction.Also, I liked that Never Fall Down wasn’t written in Standard English but reflected how Arn would actually have spoken.

All the characters were fantastic. I can’t think of one that wasn’t great and one who didn’t add something to the story. I particularly loved Sombo; his friendship with Arn was so complex and interesting. All in all, Never Fall Down was amazing from beginning to end and I whipped throughit. I loved reading up on Arn and finding out more about him. I look forward to reading more from Patricia McCormick.

So glad you enjoyed this one, Kulsuma! It sounds fantastic.

REVIEW: Someone Else's Life by Katie Dale

Guest review by Kulsuma

Someone Else’s Life by Katie Dale was a really dramatic story. This was a really fast-paced story with a lot going on. It captured my attention from the very first page. When Rose’s mother dies after suffering from Huntington’s disease, Rose is obviously devastated by her mother’s death. Added to this, as Huntington’s disease is genetically inherited, Rose has a 50/50 chance of developing the disease herself. But then she finds out that her mother wasn’t really her mother... To make matters worse, she was switched at birth.

Someone Else’s Life was full of twists and turns. There was something happening on every page. I loved how rapid the action was and the revelations. Rose was a good character to start with. I did feel sorry for her because of all that she had to go through. When she finds out the truth, I could understand her anger, frustration and confusion.

Also, I understood her desire to find her real mother. However, when we meet the people whose lives she will affect, my feelings towards her changed. She could have acted smarter than she did, thought things through and made better decisions.

Of course at such a tumultuous time in your life, it’s easy to make wrong decisions but I thought Rose turned out to be naive. I saw plot twists coming. I didn’t like the way she treated her boyfriend Andy and also the way they kept fighting, making up and then fighting again. It got wearisome and repetitive.

I felt sorry for the other main character, Holly. I agreed with her point of view. She felt like Rose was taking everything away from her and I could understand her. I related more to Holly than to Rose. Many dramatic events happen throughout the book. It really is a rollercoaster ride. Dale’s writing was easy to read. The story is poured onto the page.

Overall, I liked the characters and could understand their motivations. What dampened my regard for the book was a few unneeded twists at the end which lessened the impact that the story had on me. Other than that, Someone Else’s Life is a good story.

Thank you very much for your great review, Kulsuma!

REVIEW: Charm and Strange by Stephanie Kuehn

Guest review by Hayley

Writing about ‘Charm & Strange’ by Stephanie Kuehn is a pretty difficult task, I can definitely see what the author was trying to achieve here, but at the same time I couldn’t say I really enjoyed a moment of it. I’m sure this book wasn’t written to be enjoyable but I couldn’t say I found it very compelling or gripping either.

The story revolves around Andrew an incredibly complex and difficult teenager who is convinced he has inherited a dark curse that has been passed down through his family. The book flips back and forth between what is happening with Andrew as he navigates his prestigious boarding school life and his strange and tangled past.

Although I am usually drawn to difficult and troubled characters I didn’t really warm to Andrew so I found it difficult to feel connected to the story as it unfolded, and mostly felt disdain towards him and his behaviour.

Another reason this book is difficult to review is because there are some huge revelations which, while hinted at throughout the book are only fully revealed at the end, making it impossible to really discuss what ‘Charm & Strange’ is REALLY about.

At times I was reminded of ‘Liar’ by Justine Larbalestier, a book I read a few months ago with a similarly troubled narrator who can’t really be trusted to tell you the truth. Maybe that was one of my problems here, the story felt familiar and I knew I’d read better versions of it before.

I would still be interested in reading more books by Stephanie Kuehn but I hope that any subsequent books would be more compelling and less ambiguous with character development I could appreciate more.

Thank you, Hayley, for that interesting review!

REVIEW: Raining Fire by Alan Gibbons

Guest review by Kulsuma

Raining Fire by Alan Gibbons was a fantastic book. I read it in a matter of hours as it was extremely fastpaced, well-researched and featured a cast of realistic characters. The story centres around Ethan and Alex, two brothers who live on an estate run by a gang called The Tribe. Relations between The Tribe and the neighbouring gang called the North Side Crew are tense at best. As Alex is pulled into the conflict, Ethan must decide just what he will sacrifice in order to protect his brother and how far he is willing to go to protect those that he loves.

This is the first book that I read by Alan Gibbons. He is a brilliant writer as he quickly immersed me in Ethan and Alex’s world. The pages are full of action. Though the story takes place over two years, so much happened that before I knew it, I was finished. Gibbons perfectly captured the essence of gang life, culture and warfare that many of us know about but have never had direct contact with. Our main character Ethan knows gang members and is even friendly with them, but he has higher aspirations than to be in a gang. He wants to be a footballer, and luckily for him, he has the skills to go along with the dream.

Ethan was a great main character. Though he has his own dreams, he is always looking out for his loved ones. It’s because he cares that he has to enter a world he would much rather avoid. Gibbons shows that it is all too easy to become a part of a gang. For many, they feel as though they have no other option.

However, I’m not going to excuse crimes committed by gangs and Gibbons doesn’t either. He shows that gangs are downward spirals that lead to destruction as they live by a motto akin to ‘an eye for an eye.’ I felt for Ethan and hoped he could leave the vicious cycle.

Overall, I would recommend Raining Fire to teenagers. It’s highly relevant to our society. I look forward to reading more from Alan Gibbons.

Very glad you liked it! Thanks for the great review, Kulsuma!

REVIEW: Colin Fischer by Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stentz

Guest review by Kulsuma

Colin Fischer by Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stentz was an entertaining book. It centres around the mystery of who brought a gun to school and fired a shot in the cafeteria at lunch time. To uncover the answer, we have our resident Sherlock, Colin Fischer. Colin Fischer has only started at high school recently because he has Aspergers’ and was homeschooled. Though one of Colin’s classmates is thought to have done it and thus been suspended, Colin is sure it is a set up.

Colin finds it hard to understand the meaning of facial expressions and he reacts oddly to normal things, such as the school bell. Of course, all this makes it very easy for Colin to be the target of bullying. Colin, with his usual determinedness, brushes it off and resolves to find out who the mystery shooter is.

Colin Fischer was a funny and informative book. It was great to read from Colin’s point of view because he is such an unusual person. He is constantly taking down notes in his notebook and educating us by leaving handy little footnotes.

I enjoyed the way he interacted in social situations with his classmates, most who found Colin perplexing. As well as this, I really liked his parents who were very understanding. I would have liked to have seen more tension between Colin and his brother throughout the book before the resolution. Overall, I would recommend Colin Fischer to those who are looking for a mystery with an unusual detective.

Interesting review, thank you Kulsuma!

REVIEW: Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher

Guest review by Kulsuma

I was very excited to read Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher because I had read Pitcher’s previous book, My Sister Lives On The Mantelpiece which became one of my favourite books of the year with its humour, innocence and emotional depth. The blurb of Ketchup Clouds doesn’t give too much away, so I was totally surprised by it.

In Ketchup Clouds, the main character who dubs herself 'Zoe' to keep her real identity secret writes a series of letters to a convict called Stuart Harris in America who is on Death Row. Zoe insists they have similarities between them. I was gripped by Zoe’s story and wanted to unravel the mystery behind Zoe’s guilt. Everyone makes mistakes, but not everyone owns up to them.

Through the space of several months, Zoe slowly narrates to the reader how a series of events leads to a character’s death. I don’t want to give too much away in fear of spoiling it, but I can say I kept turning the pages to find out how it would all end.

The characters were solid, real and complex. I felt for them. At times, I could tell Zoe was making a wrong decision and that nothing good would come of it, however, this didn’t deter me from reading. While I didn’t agree with the way she went about some things, she was human and relatable.

Apart from the main storyline, I loved learning more about Zoe’s family and their troubles. There was a mystery here as well, relating to Zoe’s sister’s deafness. When the truth came to light, it was heartbreaking to read.

Annabel Pitcher's writing made it very easy to read and relate to her characters. For example, prior to reading Ketchup Clouds, I thought I wouldn't enjoy this book as much as it was told through letters, but I was wrong. Annabel Pitcher is a remarkable writer. Her writing is extremely lyrical and vivid. I look forward to reading more from her.

Excellent review, thank you Kulsuma!

REVIEW: Ordinary Magic by Caitlen Rubino-Bradway

 Guest review by Kulsuma

In a world where magic is commonplace, Abby has no magical abilities. In short, Abby is an ‘Ord’, something to be despised. Unlike other families however, Abby’s family keep her as they love her rather than give her up to treasure-hunting kidnappers. As Abby is unaffected by magical spells, wards and enchantments, she is the perfect tool to steal treasure.  Thus the story follows Abby as she settles into a school for Ords, learns how to live as an Ord and tries to escape the clutches of numerous nemeses.

I enjoyed reading Ordinary Magic by Caitlen Rubino-Bradway to a certain extent. It was a light, quick read aimed at middle-grade readers. It puts a unique twist on magic, as the main character isn’t magical at all but lives in a world full of magic. I was excited to see what Abby would learn at the Ord school and how she would come to terms with not having magic.

Unfortunately, the lessons were just the usual ones like Literature and Maths as well as an added self-defence class, so that the Ords would have a fighting chance against would-be kidnappers. The lessons are more shown in passing rather than being crucial to the story as I would have liked. Also, Abby doesn’t know how to wash dishes or mop a floor as this all used to be done my magic at home, so at the Ord school, these are some of the things she learns. I was puzzled by why Cook Bella was mean to Abby at first and why Abby continued to wash dishes throughout the whole year as if it held an allure for her.

What really stood out for me was Abby’s funny family. They were such a close-knit bunch who liked to aggravate each other but who clearly loved each other. Abby was really lucky to have such a loving family because some of her friends weren’t in contact with their families after discovering they were Ords.

The main dilemma comes in the form of Barbarian Mike and Trixie; treasure-hunters who need an Ord for their unscrupulous activities. They would go to any lengths to catch an Ord and Abby has caught their attention. I liked these villains. Mike and Trixie are suitably evil for the age group that Ordinary Magic is aimed at.

Ordinary Magic fell short of my expectations. I wanted Abby to learn more rather than just self-defence. Also, I would have enjoyed more emotional depth.  Overall, Ordinary Magic was a fun read that puts a twist on the usual magic stories and would appeal to younger readers.

Thank you, Kulsuma!

REVIEW: Dear Dylan by Siobhan Curham

Guest review by Kulsuma

I really enjoyed Dear Dylan by Siobhan Curham. Fourteen year old Georgie tries to enjoy summer as much as is possible with an overbearing stepfather, weak mother and no one who listens to her. Though she isn’t given permission to go to the local drama workshop she desperately wants to go to, Georgie risks her stepfather’s fury by going anyway, taking her little sister with her who she is meant to babysit for the whole of the summer. The most surprising thing that happens in her summer though is when she emails the one person she idolises... and they email back!

Told entirely in email exchanges, Georgie forms a slow and steady friendship with someone who she at first believes is Dylan Curtland; an actor from a famous soap. While the mystery of who Georgie was really was corresponding with, I thought the story might take a sinister turn, but surprisingly it didn’t. It turns out that it’s Dylan’s mother, Nan, than has been emailing Georgie and the two form an unlikely friendship, offering advice and support to each other as they go through tough times.

Dear Dylan was a very quick read. The use of only emails to tell the story made the story fly by. The story really gripped me; Georgie going to her drama workshop, her turbulent friendship with her best friend, her first romance and the most interesting aspect of the story; domestic violence. Such a tough subject to write about but Curham wrote the scenes perfectly through the eyes and with the innocence of a fourteen year old.

Georgie grew throughout the story through hard lessons and with the help of Nan who offered sage advice at a time when she didn’t have any other adult to turn to. It is because of her unique friendship with Nan that Georgie’s life changes in the end. Overall, Dear Dylan was a wonderful, unique and refreshing story.

Sounds lovely! Thanks Kulsuma

REVIEW: Call Down Thunder by Daniel Finn

Guest review by Kulsuma

Call Down Thunder by Daniel Finn sounded intriguing. Two siblings living in a small coastal village; Mi who hears voices and her brother Reve who wants to protect her from the dangers of the world. When Reve has a vision of a mysterious woman waving at him, Mi is certain it is their mother; the mother who abandoned them many years earlier after their father died. Mi is determined to find her even if it means risking the dangers of the city.

The main reason why I was disappointed in Call Down Thunder was because not much happened in it. It took more than a hundred pages before the story got to the point that I wanted; Reve and Mi in the city searching for their mother. The story did improve at that point, but the action was over too quickly. I liked the introduction of Demi and Baz from Finn’s other book, Two Good Thieves.

There was a huge build up about Reve and Mi’s mother, but she was also disappointing. From the amount of secondary characters mentioning her and Mi’s determination to find her, I thought she would be a many-layered, main character. She wasn’t a bad character; she simply didn’t explain any of her motives to Reve and Mi. Everything they learnt about her was through other characters such as Thomas and Moro.

The story focussed much more on village disputes and Reve observing and commenting on the actions of the three main ‘leaders’ of the village. While Reve was a likeable main character, I didn’t know what to make of Mi. She grated on me at first because I felt like she made some wrong decisions, but I warmed up to her eventually. I would have liked to have known more about the visions and voices she heard. In all, Call Down Thunder was an okay read but it wasn’t what I expected.

Thanks Kulsuma!

REVIEW: Swim the Fly by Don Calame

Guest review by Kulsuma

Swim the Fly by Don Calame was an amazing book. It was a funny, light-hearted book from the point of view of fifteen year old Matt. With the amount of dark, angst-ridden books out there,  Swim The Fly was thoroughly refreshing. It follows three friends Matt, Coop and Sean as they try to fulfil their summer goal- to see a real-live naked girl. Seeing as none of the guys have had a girlfriend yet, the task is seemingly impossible. On top of that, Matt aims to learn the difficult hundred yard butterfly. Many hysterical antics ensue.

I really liked Matt. He was funny, sometimes awkward and courageous when needed. I loved the way Don Calame portrayed his relationships with his friends and family. There were so many funny moments in the entire book; conversations between Matt, Coop and Sean, scenarios they get themselves into and the crazy ways they get themselves back out of trouble. I could visualise all their antics. It felt much more like a movie than a book. This felt like a slightly older version of Diary of a Wimpy Kid. 

The story moved quickly and there wasn’t a single boring moment. I was impressed because there weren’t any plot holes, no point at which I rolled my eyes at any of their numerous ideas to see a real-live naked girl (even the really crazy ideas like when they cross-dressed and snuck into a girl’s locker room). All the characters were memorable, especially Matt’s grandpa.

I felt like Matt grew throughout the book because he learnt about himself and understood others better, such as his brother and love interest. Overall, I would recommend Swim the Fly to those looking for a funny, light-hearted story about swimming, friendship and love.

Thank you Kulsuma!

REVIEW: Debutantes by Cora Harrison

Guest review by Kulsuma

I wanted to like Debutantes by Cora Harrison. I really did. The synopsis was incredibly alluring as was the cover. It was recommended for fans of  Downton Abbey. I love  Downton Abbey; the plot, the intrigue, the glamorous fashion sense and the inclusion of both upstairs and downstairs worlds. However, Debutantes fell very short of my expectations.

Debutantes is about four young sisters in the 1920s who have very little money to their good name. They live in a dilapidated manor house and haven’t enough money for the sumptuous food they were previously used to, cannot buy the fabulous gowns they see in magazines let alone provide their eldest sister Violet with a season as a debutante.

Violet desperately wishes to be a debutante. It is all she has wanted to be. She sees it as her duty to catch the eye of a rich suitor and marry him. It will bring her peace of mind and will allow her to provide for her sisters. Daisy, the main character, her twin Poppy and Rose, the youngest sister, set about helping Violet in fulfilling her dream.

It was difficult to get into Debutantes. At first it was difficult to tell the characters apart because they were all rather flat and were introduced in quick succession. I remembered the sisters by the difference in their hair colour which is never a good thing.

Though Daisy was the main character and had a sweet disposition, I couldn’t help thinking throughout the book that Violet should have been the main character, even though I didn’t like her. Not only because Violet is the debutante which the book is named after but because Daisy is pretty much an observer and teller of Violet’s romance with Justin as well as telling us how Violet feels, looks and acts during various balls. On top of that, not much happens to Daisy. She acts as a barrier between us and the main action.

I got tired of the amount of description I had to read of the clothes the girls were wearing every single time they appeared. The mystery surrounding, Elaine, the girls’ aunt was interesting though quickly sorted out. Overall, while Debutantes had an interesting premise, it disappointed me.

Thanks for that Kulsuma!