Teens
Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner
There are certain books that you know, right from the first pages, are destined to be classics. There is something about the phrasing, about the concept and about the main character which chime so perfectly together that they cannot fail to move you, to open a window in your world and show you another, deeper truth. Such a book is 'Maggot Moon'. Full review...
Red Glove (Curse Workers 2) by Holly Black
Cassel lives in a world where magic is frowned upon. Practice is banned and everyone wears gloves to prevent being worked. Cassel himself is a transformation worker - the rarest type. And he is the most powerful transformation worker in living memory. This makes him extremely valuable to the crime families who use curses to support and maintain their empires. It also makes him extremely dangerous as far as the authorities are concerned. And that's why Cassel tries to keep his status to himself, since he discovered it in the first book in this Curse Workers sequence. Full review...
Ashes by Ilsa Bick
Beware: it's impossible to review Shadows without giving spoilers for Ashes, the first book in this dystopian trilogy, which ended on a huge cliffhanger.
The world has been devastated by a catastrophic electromagnetic pulse. Many of the young have become Changed - cannabilistic monsters with a penchant for violence. Alex was hiking in the wilderness when it all happened and although she isn't Changed, her senses have heightened and it seems the progression of her terminal brain tumour may have halted. Full review...
Unwholly by Neal Shusterman
At last! It's been five years since Unwind, Neal Shusterman's first book set in a dystopian future where teenage children are unwound - retroactively aborted to provide organs and limbs for transplant surgery. If you're an adult reader, the world of Unwind is very much like Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. Unwind had a profound effect on me - as the best books for children do - it was exciting, touching, shocking and, above all, fearless. But there were flashes of humour that made it all bearable. Full review...
The Diviners by Libba Bray
1920's New York City. Jazz and gin mix with murder and mystery. For Evie O'Neill - fresh in from Ohio to the city of her dreams after her demonstration of a strange power caused a scandal in society - this is what she's always dreamed of. But dreams can become nightmares, and when Evie, her uncle Will and their friends find themselves trying to stop a serial killer, she'll have to use all of her wits, as well as her power, to stay alive. Full review...
The Peculiar by Stefan Bachmann
Don't get yourself noticed and you won't get yourself hanged.
Such is life for peculiars like Bartholomew Kettle and his sister Hettie. Their mother is human but their - absent - father is a Sidhe, a high fairy. Fairies are contemptuous of the half-breed peculiars and humans distrust and suspect them. Hapless peculiar children are often hanged by humans. And, even more worryingly, bodies of peculiars have been turning up recently, quite dead, covered in ancient faerie script and as empty of bone and organ as they are of life. Full review...
Witch Crag by Kate Cann
Kita lives in a hill fort as part of the sheepmen community. Life since the Great Havoc has been hard and brutish. There are few survivors from the time of technology and nature is gradually retaking the land. There are often droughts and both food and water are often in short supply. For the sheepmen, it's all about survivial. Food, what there is of it, is bland. Days are filled with grinding hard work. Relationships are frowned on. Women are treated like chattels. Although they have an alliance with the horsemen, other groups are avoided and disliked - the farmers, those who live in the ruins of the Old City. Full review...
Easy by Tammara Webber
Jacqueline gave up her dreams of becoming a classical musician to follow her boyfriend Kennedy to college. When he dumps her, it hits her hard – so hard she starts skipping classes and, as a result, failing economics. Dragged out to a party by her friend to help her get over the break-up, instead she faces terror as her ex’s friend Buck tries to rape her. A mysterious stranger, Lucas, intervenes to save her, and when she realises they share economics, she starts to wonder whether he could take her mind off Kennedy. She’s also receiving e-mail tuition from an older student she’s never met, who seems to be flirting with her. Soon, though, she realises that Buck hasn’t forgiven her for escaping his attentions, and she’s forced to try to find the courage to take a stand against him. Full review...
The Third Day, The Frost (The Tomorrow Series) by John Marsden
Narrator Ellie and her friends are carrying on with their resistance efforts against the invaders and hit on a stroke of luck as they discover their old comrade Kevin working on a nearby farm. A daring rescue attempt succeeds, and he's brought back into the fold. He's also learnt something of explosives, and is able to help plan the group's most audacious attack yet. But with security higher than ever, can they pull it off, and at what cost? Full review...
Unspoken by Sarah Rees Brennan
Kami Glass, intrepid journalist in the making, has always been used to being an outsider. She might have a best friend and run the school paper, but she also talks to a boy in her head. A boy who talks back. Though her imaginary friend has lost her real friends in the past, Kami is quite happy with her life as it is. As long as she doesn't get caught staring into space as she conducts conversations with him in her mind too often, things are pretty good. Full review...
White Lies and Tiaras by Marilyn Kaye
Alice has been invited to a wedding, but she’s not that excited by this news. The groom is her childhood sweetheart, Jack, but since she’s moved on (sort of) and has a new boyfriend (sort of) there’s no real reason for her not to go. After all, the wedding is in Paris, and her best friend Lara, Jack’s cousin, will also be there. They’ve both been invited with plus-ones so Alice can take Cal, and Lara can bring Harry, and they can have some fun in the French capital when they’re not expected to be doing family-and-friend stuff with the wedding party. Full review...
Summertime of the Dead by Gregory Hughes
Yukio lives with his grandmother in Tokyo. He enjoys school, practising kenzo, and hanging out with his two best friends, twins Hiroshi and Miko. They do everything together - swimming, shopping, eating, even visiting nuns. But then the yakuza - the Japanese mafia - come into their lives. And Hiroshi and Miko are dead - blackmailed and tormented, they take their own lives. Filled with grief, Yukio vows revenge... Full review...
Don't Call Me Ishmael by Michael Gerard Bauer
Fourteen-year-old Ishmael Leseur is a loser. He can't help it - how is he meant to survive with a name that school bully Barry Bagsley can twist into Fishtail Le Sewer, Fishwhale Manure, or even worse combinations? He's so fed up of being bullied that when the nerdy James Scobie moves to his school, he almost welcomes the arrival of a new target for Bagsley's scorn. But Scobie doesn't fear anything. With his help, and that of Miss Tarango, the new English teacher, can Ishmael learn to stand up for himself? Full review...
Eleven Eleven by Paul Dowswell
It's 2am in Paris on Tuesday 11th November 1918. Negotiations for ending World War I are almost complete and both sides will announce the Armistice at 11am. But the people actually fighting the war don't know that yet... Full review...
Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs
Grace is the new girl in San Francisco, who can't understand why she's seeing weird creatures whom no-one else seems to notice. Gretchen is an experienced monster-hunter. Greer is a socialite. The three of them look eerily alike - what's their connection, and can this mismatched trio of teens defend the world from the demons who seem to be appearing with ever-increasing frequency? Full review...
Another Life by Keren David
Ty's cousin Archie, son of two top lawyers, has managed to get himself expelled from another boarding school. He wants to be back in London, spending time with his friends and with his cousin. But with Ty struggling to cope as he's sentenced to a spell of time in a Young Offenders Institution, Archie tries to find out more about his cousin's past. Full review...
Vanish by Sophie Jordan
Events have forced Jacinda back into the arms of the Pride. When her mother took her away from them, it was the last thing Jacinda wanted. But now she's back, she wants nothing more than to spread her wings and fly away. But it's not that easy. Severin, leader of the Pride, has her under virtual house arrest. Tamra, Jacinda's twin, is going through some tumultuous changes, and needs the support of the Pride. And there's Cassian - a permanent fixture in Jacinda's life, the one who brought her back to the Pride, who she is beginning to think cares about her for more than just her firebreathing talents. Full review...
Scramasax: The Viking Sagas, Book Two by Kevin Crossley-Holland
We left Solveig finally reunited with her Viking father, after a journey that took her all the way from her Scandinavian home to Miklagard (Constantinople). There, her father is in the service of Harald Hardrada, who in turn serves the Empress Zoe. Zoe's court is a dangerous place, full of spies and prisoners and instant punishment by death - for the smallest of transgressions. So Solveig needs to learn fast if she is to persuade Harald to allow her to stay with the Viking guard. Full review...
Zom-B by Darren Shan
Strange news reports are coming out of Ireland. YouTube is buzzing with clips of zombie infestations and the military clearing remote villages. This is all taken with a pinch of salt by B Smith, schoolfriends, teachers and parents. Most people think it's all a promotion campaign for a new film, but there are also scatterings of various conspiracy theories. None of it really impinges on B and pals though - they carry on with life regardless. There's hanging out in the park to be done, after all. Various peer group scores to settle. Fake IDs to find and attempts to buy alcohol. You get the picture. Some silly fake zombies barely register. Full review...
The Obsidian Mirror by Catherine Fisher
Jake's father disappeared while working on a secret project with his best friend, the celebrated explorer and recluse Oberon Venn. Jake is sure that Venn is a murderer and sets out to prove it, dragging his teacher, Mr Wharton, into the investigation. But the truth is perhaps even more frightening: David Wilde isn't dead, he's lost in time. Venn and his sidekick Piers are intent on re-entering the past to find him, using a device called the Chronoptika. But it's dangerous and they aren't the only ones hell bent on using the time machine. There's Sarah, who can turn herself invisible, and who's being pursued by a murderous Replicant and his wolf. And there's the scarred man with his acolyte and his strange weapon. And there are the Shee, who keep their own counsel, but have their own ambitions, and who enchant the forest on Venn's estate... Full review...
Guardian Angel (CHERUB) by Robert Muchamore
Reviewers at the Bookbag have had mixed feeling about cherub in the past, so I wanted to start this review by saying I'm a big fan of the series in general. I thought People's Republic, the first of the 'new' books, actually showed a significant improvement on the last couple of the James Adams books because Muchamore didn't use the long flashback which had irritated me in both of them. I really liked Ning, one of the new characters introduced in that one, and was looking forward to reading more about her here. Full review...
Timedance 1: Neptune's Tears by Susan Waggoner
The premise is both original and timeless: star-crossed lovers separated by an apparently unbreachable barrier. Two hundred years into the future, a healing empath meets a mysterious young man to whom she is immediately attracted. For Zee this could be a disaster, not only because falling in love so intensely is likely to damage her ability to do her work, but also because the boy has a secret so huge and terrifying it could destroy them both. Full review...
Arabesque by Colin Mulhern
When a group of amateur criminals find themselves suddenly short of twenty grand for an ambitious deal with a weapons dealer, one of them has the bright idea to kidnap a pair of semi-celebrity teenage girls, Amy May and Mia, to extort money from their wealthy parents. But when the kidnappers make a mess of the situation the girls find themselves in the hands of a decidedly more sinister villain. Galloway likes to think of himself as a higher class of criminal and when he realises that Amy May is an Olympic standard gymnast, he decides to take advantage of the situation, using a combination of sly manipulation, threats and blackmail to coerce the girls into working for him. Galloway isn't a fool and he has all the cards in his hand, but somehow Amy May has to push herself to the limit to save not just herself, but her best friend too. Full review...
The Flappers: Ingenue by Jillian Larkin
Gloria Carmody and Jerome Johnson fled Chicago for New York to escape the mob and the police after Gloria killed a man. They thought that their love would be enough to get them through – but a white woman and a black man living together will need a lot more than that to get a happy ending. After witnessing another murder, Jerome's sister Vera knows that New York is about to get even more dangerous for the pair, but can she find them to warn them in time? Meanwhile Lorraine Dyer, formerly Gloria's best friend, is also trying to find them – but in her case she wants revenge on Gloria. As for Clara Knowles, former 'Queen Sheba of the flapper scene', she may be back in New York but she's not going back to the speakeasies and parties. She's happy with quiet, respectable Marcus Eastman. Until she gets an intriguing offer... Full review...
Seeking Crystal by Joss Stirling
Crystal Brook has always struggled with her paranormal gifts, but meeting the Benedict brothers makes things even worse. While her sister Diamond finds her soulfinder in Trace, Crystal can't stand his conceited brother Xav. After an unforeseen attack, though, the unlikely pairing will have to pool their resources to save their families. Full review...
Wolfsbane (Rebel Angels) by Gillian Philip
After the terrible events at the end of the second book in Gillian Philip's Rebel Angels sequence, we move on a decade or so. Finn is back in the mortal world. But Rory and Jed have stayed with Seth, now the captain of the MacGregor clann's dun. Faerie queen Kate NicNiven continues to plot against Seth and to wrest Rory, the Bloodstone and prophesied saviour, from him. She is as determined as ever to destroy the veil separating the mortal and faerie worlds. Full review...
Maze Cheat by B R Collins
This fast-paced story, with its overtones of Greek tragedy, is set in a dystopian world where acid rain is so bad people must wear a mask just to go outside. People find distraction in role-play games, particularly the Maze, which is the creation of the immensely powerful conglomerate called Crater. The game taps directly into players' minds, making them feel as if they are really present in the virtual world, and is promoted as being unbeatable, but with the help of people like Ario who make their living by creating and selling cheat codes, it looks as if someone is about to reach the final level. And Crater isn't happy about that. Full review...
The Anti-Prom by Abby McDonald
Bliss has spent years waiting for the perfect prom. Part of the school's social elite, it's her night, isn't it? She gets a rude awakening when she sees best friend Kaitlin and boyfriend Cameron making out in the limo. Jolene didn't even want to go to the prom - she was pushed into it by her mother, who's tired of her bad girl image. Meg's so invisible that she's stood up by a boy she's never even met, a family friend who was going with her out of pity, but obviously doesn't pity her enough to turn up. With the help of these two unlikely allies, can Bliss get revenge on Kaitlin? One thing's for sure - this will be a night no-one will forget. Full review...
The Hunting by Sam Hawksmoor
Genie, Rian and Renee escaped from the Fortress in the Repossession, but their plan to spread the word about the evil people running it went wrong. Now they're on the run, with a reward on their heads, roadblocks in their way, and a whole host of fellow victims to worry about. Can they escape – or will they become the hunters in an attempt to take control of their lives back? Full review...
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Ley lines, sleeping kings, clairvoyants and the night the dead walk . . . this intriguing book is full of ancient myths and beliefs. They give a depth and flavour to the story, which could so easily have just been a trivial tale about the rich boy who dabbles in the occult to amuse himself, and the poor girl who helps him. Full review...
Crusher by Niall Leonard
Finn's life isn't really going anywhere. He's working at Max Snax, a horrible fast food emporium. It's not fun. But you don't have many choices when you're a) dyslexic and b) your anger at your mother abandoning you has led to some bad behaviour and a criminal record. But Finn's dreary life is about to be turned upside down... Full review...
Student by David Belbin
When Allison secured her place in Nottingham University, she thought of it as a way to escape a miserable home life, with an absent father, drunk mother and un-committing boyfriend. She thought university would be a place for intellectual debate, and the creation of loyal friendships and love. However, she quickly realises that student life isn't like those rosy pictures you get on prospectuses. In Student, we see a university experience defined by a trinity of drugs, lust and study, one that changes Allison and everyone around her. Full review...
Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
Echo used to be popular. Until a particular night when something happened, leaving her with scars on her arms and a blank space where her memory of that night should be. As if having a stepmother who used to be her babysitter and a brother who died in Afghanistan wasn't already making life hard enough, she's trying to work out if she'll ever recall what she went through. Then she meets Noah, who shares a therapist with her and is nearly as damaged as she is. Torn away from his beloved younger brothers after their parents died, he's desperate to become their legal guardian when he turns eighteen – but with a hot temper and a dubious academic record over the past couple of years, is there any way a judge would choose him over the foster parents they're currently living with? Could these two broken teenagers help each other to heal? Full review...
Dark Eyes by William Richter
Born in Russia but brought up in New York by wealthy adoptive parents, before rejecting them to live on the streets with her friends, Wallis Stoneman has never known too much about her past. This lack of knowledge might turn out to be deadly, though, when a chance encounter leads to her being given a letter from her birth mother. As Wally tries to track her down, she and her friends enter a murky world where the stakes are high, the truth is hidden, and every move they make could be their last. Full review...
The Forsaken by Lisa Stasse
Alenna Shawcross has grown up in a newly-formed super country controlled by the military dictatorship that stole her parents from her as a child. Alenna has grown up in a state-run orphanage, in anticipation of the Test, a government-administered initiative designed to identify those teens most likely to become criminals. As you'd expect in a dystopian thriller, Alenna fails the test and ends up on an isolated island with other potential criminals. However, she soon finds that the island isn't all that she had been led to believe. Full review...
Ribblestrop Forever! by Andy Mulligan
It's a new term for Ribblestrop, the weirdest boarding school in the world of fiction. The pupils, who of course include a bus-load of orphaned Himalayan circus stars, are so used to the extraordinary that when three returning children arrive by landing the plane they're travelling in - onto the said bus - nobody bats an eyelid. But problems begin when they stray onto a rival school's ground, and practically rescue a historian living in a stolen mobile library, who is tracing the ghosts of an ancient tribe across the local region. Soon things conspire to put the whole faculty on the same path... Full review...
Insignia by S J Kincaid
Tom is awkward, wary and self-reliant. He has spent his life on the road, moving from casino to casino with his dad and catching a little online education whenever the opportunity presents itself, but frankly he is far more concerned with finding his next meal than any more distant future. A poor diet and a life spent in gaming rooms has left him scrawny, small, and with a serious case of acne. He feels he is nothing and no one, and cannot imagine ever living any other life. Full review...