NEVER JUDGE TEEN BOOKS BY THEIR COVERS

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Blurb: HERE IS A SMALL FACT – YOU ARE GOING TO DIE

1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier.
Liesel, a nine-year-old girl, is living with a foster family on Himmel Street. Her parents have been taken away to a concentration camp. Liesel steals books. This is her story and the story of the inhabitants of her street when the bombs begin to fall.

SOME IMPORTANT INFORMATION – THIS NOVEL IS NARRATED BY DEATH

It’s a small story, about:
a girl
an accordionist
some fanatical Germans
a Jewish fist fighter
and quite a lot of thievery.

ANOTHER THING YOU SHOULD KNOW – DEATH WILL VISIT THE BOOK THIEF THREE TIMES

Price: £7.99

Age: 13+

Saddest book I have ever read!!!!!

Quite a long-winded book. Took me a couple of weeks to get through it, but I loved it. I love the way it is written and thought that it was a clever way to write a novel from death’s point of view. This book is about the second world war which I have an interest in at the moment. It is a very sad book about suffering, so if you like funny happy books, don’t read this. I would recommend this to anyone who loves a good book, and I am aware of their being a film that I must see. This book is for both genders but maybe more girls than boys because of the main character being a girl. This book is so sad and I very nearly cried, but I didn’t. (I never cry in films or books) I definitely hope ou read this and that you enjoy it as much as I did.

A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan – Doyle

Blurb: There’s the scarlet thread of murder running through the colourless skein of life, and our duty is to unravel it.

After a harrowing tour in Afghanistan, Dr Watson returns to London to convalesce at 221B Baker Street, home to the enigmatic Sherlock Holmes. Their lives are irrevocably thrown together by news that a man has been found dead in a grimy ‘ill-omened’ house, with the word ‘rache’ – German for revenge – written in blood on the wall. This grisly discovery is complicated further by the look of utter horror on the victim’s face, and the complete absence of any wounds on the body or sign of a struggle.

Age: 11+

Price: The complete Sherlock Holmes is available on the kindle for free, and so is this book. However, if you do not have a kindle and wish to by this book, then it is £2.50.

I really enjoyed this book. It is quite long and hard going because it was written a while ago, but I thought it was amazing. I am a huge fan of the TV series so I was super excited to finally read one of the books. This book is very similar to the first Sherlock Holmes episode, “A Study in Pink” where Sherlock and John meet each other for the first time. This is ever so slightly different from the program, but not the same. Murders are always scary, but I didn’t think this one was too bad. There is a part after they solve the murder, where i thought the book was going off on a tangent. Turns out, if you keep reading, it makes perfect sense, so don’t give up on it. This is an amazing book and I highly suggest that you read this book about a double murder, a weird heart disease and a young girl. This book is definitely for both genders and I really hope you read it.

Forestium (Portallas #1) by Christopher D. Morgan

Blurb: Joshua’s life is on the line, as he attempts to navigate through the magical world of Forestium to find the truth about his father. He and his companions will need to use all their cunning to stay alive and avoid the dark forces of the Goat. Will he find the magical orbs and open the Portallas, a magical gateway to other worlds, before he’s killed?

Age: 10+

Price: It is available on amazon as an ebook only. Which is priced at £3.83.

I was super excited to review this book because it was a new experience for me to be contacted by an author and given an ARC (advanced reading copy) and I really wanted this book to be good, and it sure was. The prologue was intriguing and draws you into the story. And then the actual book starts ten years after the prologue.

The book is about a 17-year-old boy called Joshua, who refuses to believe that his father is dead and goes off to search for him with his best friend Andrew and an Imp named Galleon. This book is going to be published in February or March and will probably be available on amazon. This book is for both genders. I really enjoyed this book so I hope when you read it, you will too.

‘Forestium’ is the first book in the series ‘Portallas’ and I cannot wait for the rest of the series to come out. This is an adventure/romance/fantasy novel and in some parts I found it scary, partly due to the chapters about ‘The Goat’. My favourite characters were Isabelle, Sarah, The Goat and Lilly. The only thing I didn’t like about the book was at the end, so I wont say because it is a spoiler alert, but it has something to do with Joshua’s dad. I reckon people who have read Eragon will enjoy this book so if you have read it, I would recommend giving this a shot.

Coming soon…….

This is not a book review, but it does lead to one.

This is a very exciting thing for me, an author (Chris Morgan) asked me if I would like to read his book, ‘Forestium’ before it is published, obviously I was super excited and agreed. I know have a copy of ‘Forestium’ and I am super excited to read it. After I have read it, I will write a review and by then, the book should be out for everyone to read.

I am super excited about this and cannot wait to tell you guys all about it!! ??

Listen To The Moon by Michael Morpurgo

Blurb: May, 1915.

Alfie and his fisherman father find a girl on an uninhabited island in the Scillies – injured, thirsty, lost… and with absolutely no memory of who she is, or how she came to be there. She can say only one word: Lucy.

Where has she come from? Is she a mermaid, the victim of a German U-boat, or even – as some islanders suggest – a German spy…?

Only one thing is for sure: she loves music and moonlight, and it is when she listens to the gramophone that the glimmers of the girl she once was begin to appear.

WW1 is raging, suspicion and fear are growing, and Alfie and Lucy are ever more under threat. But as we begin to see the story of Merry, a girl boarding a great ship for a perilous journey across the ocean, another melody enters the great symphony – and the music begins to resolve…

Age: 10+

Price: £4.00 also available in most local libraries, if not, you can ask them to order it for you

I read this book back in 2015 just before the hay festival, and had completely forgotten about up until now when I was sorting out my room and found the book. I loved this book, it was so touching and what I liked the most was there were characters in this book with whom i could relate to. This book is the tale of a young girl who is found on an island. She has no memory of why she is there or how. But then she starts to remember, and it all comes flooding back. This book will make you laugh and cry, and it is Michael Morpurgo best book yet. This book is for both genders and I guarantee an enjoyable read. It was also nominated for the costa book award!!

Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan

Blurb: My name is Magnus Chase. I’m orphaned and living rough on the streets of Boston. And things are about to get much worse.

My day started out normally enough. I was sleeping under a bridge when some guy kicked me awake and said, ‘They’re after you.’ Next thing I know, I’m reunited with my obnoxious uncle, who casually informs me that my long-lost father is a Norse god.

Nothing normal about that. And it turns out the gods of Asgard are preparing for war. Apparently, if I can’t find the sword my father lost two thousand years ago, there will be doom. Doomsday, to be precise.

A fire giant attacking the city?

Immortal warriors hacking each other to pieces?

Unkillable wolves with glowing eyes?

It’s all coming up.

But first I’m going to die. This is the story of how my life goes downhill from there…

Age: 10+

Gender: Both, but will probably suit boys more than girls.

Price: only available in hardback at the moment £7.50

I loved this book!!! Rick Riordan is one of my favourite authors, which is probably why i loved it so much. This book is about a boy who is a son of a norse god, and then dies, and then a load of other stuff happens which I will let you find out for yourselves. This book is original and funny, with ingenious chapter names. My favourite character was Samirah Al Abbas (A.K.A. Sam) who is a Valkyrie, she is so cool! If you loved this book, there is a second one coming out which i am super excited about called Magnus Chase and The Hammer of Thor. Also, if you are a massive Rick Riordan fan (like me) thee is a book about Apollo coming out in summer called The Hidden Oracle. I give his book 10 out of 10 stars and i really hope you like it as well.

Murder most unladylike by Robin Stevens

Blurb: When Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong set up their very own secret detective agency at Deepdean School for Girls, they struggle to find any truly exciting mysteries to investigate. (Unless you count the case of Lavinia’s missing tie. Which they don’t.)

Then Hazel discovers the Science Mistress, Miss Bell, lying dead in the Gym. She assumes it was a terrible accident – but when she and Daisy return five minutes later, the body has disappeared. Now Hazel and Daisy not only have a murder to solve: they have to prove one happened in the first place.

Age: 10+

Price: £5.00

This is possibly one of my favourite murder mystery of all time. It’s a really enjoyable book and you seem to build a close relationship with the characters in the book. I really enjoyed reading this book. Robin Stevens has written 2 other books in this series, ‘Arsenic for tea’ and ‘First class murder’ I have read ‘Arsenic for tea’ and have bought his latest one ‘First class murder’ and cannot wait to read it. This is quite an easy read and i read it in a day. The only fault I have with this book is the title, it gives away the gender of the murderer and towards the end, because if the title, it is rather obvious who murdered Miss Bell. I give this book 9 out of 10 stars and I hope that you will enjoy it.

Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell

Blurb:

My mother is still alive, and she is going to come for me one day.

Everyone thinks that Sophie is an orphan. Found floating in a cello case and swaddled in a Beethoven score, she is the only recorded female survivor of a shipwreck on the English Channel. But Sophie remembers seeing her mother wave for help..

Age: 11+

Price: £5.24

I can’t even start to describe how amazing this book is. Well, it has a very original story line and Katherine Rundell has a way with words that make fall head over heels in love with the characters. I have to say, my favourite characters was Safi and Sophie.

The book is about a girl who is found floating around the ocean in a cello case after a ship has sunk, her mother was on that ship and drowned. But Sophie still believes that she is alive. Then her and her guardian Charles set out to Paris to go mother hunting.

This book was a present from my best friend for Christmas, and it is by far the best book I have read this year, and it is definitely better than any of the books i read last year. This book has had really good reviews from other book bloggers and book stores. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves adventurous and mysterious books. I give this book a whopping 10 out of 10 stars and is perfect for both genders. If you have read this book, please contact me in the comments and tell me what you thought.

The Fox and the Star by Coralie Bickford-Smith

Blurb: Once there was a Fox who lived in a deep, dense forest. For as long Fox could remember, his only friend had been Star, who lit the forest paths for Fox each night. But then one night, Star was not there, and Fox had to face the darkness all alone…

Age: Any

Price: £14.99

I know this isn’t a teen book, but i wanted to review it because it is such a lovely story. This was the sweetest book I read last year. It’s hand illustrated with beautiful pictures on every page, it also won the waterstones book of the year award 2015. My mum’s friend who comes to stay with us every Christmas got us a signed copy. I guarantee you will love this book, and I just really hope you will enjoy and read this book.

Girl Online by Zoe Sugg (Zoella)

Blurb: Penny has a secret.

Under the alias Girl Online, Penny blogs her hidden feelings about friendship, boys, high school drama, her crazy family, and the panic attacks that have begun to take over her life. When things go from bad to worse, her family whisks her away to New York, where she meets Noah, a gorgeous, guitar-strumming American. Suddenly Penny is falling in love – and capturing every moment of it on her blog.

But Noah has a secret, too, one that threatens to ruin Penny’s cover – and her closest friendship – forever.

Age: 10+

Price: £12.99 (hardback edition) to expensive for my liking, so i wouldn’t bother getting the book.

Well, where to start?????

I am sure most of you guys who have read this book have only picked it up because it was written by Zoella, come on, it’s true isn’t it?! I do watch Zoella videos and i have to say, I was very disappointed. If you like these kind of love story novels with a plot twist, well i highly suggest that you read Geek Girl – check my other posts – it’s so much better and i kind of think there might have been a bit of copying going on. Other people say that it was ghostwritten – basically it means that Zoella came up with the idea and everything, but someone was there perfecting it and making sure it was perfect before it was published. I’m giving this book 3 out of 10 stars, I absolutely couldn’t stand it, by the end I was literally forcing myself to read it. This book is definitely aimed at girls and I really didn’t like it!!!! This is just my opinion though, I know loads of people who have loved this book. So if you like Zoella and girly cliché love stories, then this book is for you.

You asked for it: Charlie Brown (Snoopy) by Charles M.Schulz

This graphic novel is short and will take you very little time to read. With cute illustrations and with the Charlie Brown movie coming out soon, it might be a good idea to grab a copy and give it a go.

Price: You can’t get it new, but there are second-hand copies on Ebay, and I am sure you can also pick it up in charity shops for 50p.

Age: 10+ – but loads of people love snoopy, so any age will enjoy this graphic novel.

I love this book so much. It’s a lovely little book and it takes me about 20 minutes or less for me to read it. There is a short scene and is a great entertaining book. This is one of many similar snoopy books, so don’t try to find this specific one, just type in snoopy graphic novels on Ebay and many different books will come up, and all are just as enjoyable. Aimed at both genders and will please all ages.

Here is a little snippet of what the books are like…

Dead Man’s Cove by Lauren St John

My friend read this book/series and she asked me if I would review it on my blog, as you can see, I said yes….

Blurb: When orphaned Laura Marlin moves from a children’s home to live with her uncle in Cornwall, she longs for a life of excitement just like the characters in her favourite detective novels.

A real life adventure is on hand as she is deposited at her uncle’s spooky house . . . Why does her uncle, Calvin Redfern, forbid her to go to Dead Man’s Cove? What’s the truth about Tariq, the silent Indian boy who lives with the flamboyant Mukthars? Who is J? Who has left the message in a bottle for Laura to discover? Mysteries abound and who better to solve them than Laura Marlin, ace detective?

Accompanied by her trusty companion, Skye, a three-legged husky, the dog she’s always wanted.

Age: 10+

Price: £5.99

I have read the first 3 or 4 chapters when I was at my friend’s house and I haven’t managed to get hold of a copy since, but from the small amount of the novel I read, I thought it was very good. The novel is a thrilling mystery book, and is hard to put down, as I found out for myself. My friend who has read this book, loves it. If you didn’t know, this book is part of a series with several other books, also Lauren St John has written the very popular horse book ‘One dollar Horse’. Please do have a read of this book as I would love to hear your opinion on the book, and I will make sure to get a copy and finish the book, and hopefully the series. Lauren St John also has a website, here is the link to it…..http://laurenstjohn.com

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Blurb: One boy . . . One dragon . . . A world of adventure.

When Eragon finds a polished stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon soon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself.

Overnight his simple life is shattered and he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic and power. With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds. Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands…

Age: 11+

Price: £6.99

In my opinion this is a fantasy novel like no other, it is one of my favourite fantasy novels by far. There are 3 other books in this series and Eragon is the name of the first, book number 2 is Eldest, Brisingr and last but not least Inheritance. These books are highly enjoyable and I couldn’t put it down until I finished. I give this 10 out of a possible 10 stars and aim it more at boys than girls, but I enjoyed it so, anyone can read it but I think it suits boys more than girls. Please tell me if you enjoyed this book! Christopher Paolini does have a website, here is the link….http://www.paolini.net

Dracula by Bram Stoker

Scariest book I have ever read!!!

Blurb: When blood is the bounty, purity is priceless.

Count Dracula’s castle is a hellish world where night is day, pleasure is pain and the blood of the innocent is prized above all. Young Jonathan Harker is begged by locals not to go there – but business must be done.

So Jonathan approaches the dark gates and then his nightmare begins. His beloved wife, Mina, and other souls have fallen under the Count’s horrifying spell. Dracula must be destroyed.

Age: 13+

Price: £6.99

This book is gory, terrifying and sexy in some parts of the novel. This book is an old classic, published in 1887 which makes older than any of the other books that I have posted or talked about on this website. This is the scariest book I have ever read and one of the best. Aimed at both genders and I give it 10 out of 10 stars. Please tell your parents you are reading this because it is a scary novel, also I would suggest that you are a confident reader to read this book as some of the words and language they use is hard to understand in some places. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did, please tell me if you loved it or hated. This book will completely change your perspective of Vampires as Bram Stoker was the man who invented the vampires and the thing about garlic, teaks, crucifixes, etc.

Cuckoo Song by Frances Hardinge

Blurb: The first things to shift were the doll’s eyes, the beautiful grey green glass eyes. Slowly they swivelled, until their gaze was resting on Triss’ s face. The tiny mouth moved, opened to speak.

‘What are you doing here?’ It was uttered in tones of outrage and surprise, and in a voice as cold and musical as the clinking of cups. ‘Who do you think you are? This is my family.’

When Triss wakes up after an accident, she knows that something is very wrong. She is insatiably hungry; her sister seems scared of her and her parents whisper behind closed doors. She looks through her diary to try to remember, but the pages have been ripped out.

Soon Triss discovers that what happened to her is more strange and terrible than she could ever have imagined, and that she is quite literally not herself. In a quest find the truth she must travel into the terrifying Underbelly of the city to meet a twisted architect who has dark designs on her family – before it’s too late . . .

Age: 12+

Price: £7.99

This is a horror novel, so if you are not into those kind of things, don’t read it! Personally, I didn’t find it very scary, but I have read a lot of scary novels, so that might be why. This has an original story line and is hard to predict what will happen next, if you love surprises, this is the book for you, however, if you don’t like creepy doll’s, DO NOT READ THIS!!! This book is mostly aimed at girls, and I give 9.5 stars out of 10.

Letters from Father Christmas by J.R.R. Tolkien edited by Baillie Tolkien

Since it is nearly Christmas, I decided to post about this truly amazing book…..

Blurb: My dear children, I am more shaky than usual this year. The North Polar Bear’s fault. It was the biggest bang in the world, and the most monstrous firework there has ever been. It turned the North Pole black!

Every December an envelope bearing a stamp from the North Pole would arrive for J.R.R. Tolkien’s children. Inside would be a letter in strange spidery handwriting and a beautiful colour drawing. They were from Father Christmas, telling wonderful tales of life at the North Pole:

How all the reindeer got loose and scattered presents all over the place; How the accident-prone Polar Bear climbed the North Pole and fell through the roof of Father Christmas’s house into the dining-room; How he broke the moon into four pieces and made the man in it fall into the back garden; How there were wars with the troublesome horde of goblins who lived in the caves beneath the house!

From the first note to Tolkien’s eldest son in 1920 to the final poignant letter to his daughter in 1943, this book collects all the remarkable letters and pictures in one enchanting edition.

Age: Any age, but I suggest you read it to any children under 7 or 8, depending if they are confident readers.

Price: £7.99 – Yes, that is a lot of money for a book, but, all pages are glossy with coloured copies of the hand drawn pictures and letters from Father Christmas, so it is definitely worth the money!

In my opinion the book is fantastic, the tales of life in the North Pole are original and clever, with beautiful hand drawn and coloured pictures of the North Pole and copies of every letter sent, this book would be the perfect present for lovers of ‘The Hobbit’ or ‘Lord of the Rings’ or even a friend, child, sibling or adult, here is the perfect Christmas book. It will please both genders and is a lovely book to relax with at the end of a busy Christmas day! I give this book 10 out of 10 stars and wish you all a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

I read this book early this year and couldn’t put it down until I finished it, so I thought you might like it……

Blurb : Despite the tumor shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.

Age : 13+

Price : £7.99, you would also find it in a library.

I thought this book was amazing, however it is sad and some readers may find certain parts very upsetting, but……the way it is written is just pure genius, the story line however isn’t very original as you could find many books with a similar plot, but there are no books like this that are this well written, I have read it 4 times and it is now on my list of top 10 favourite books. This book is aimed at both genders and I highly suggest that you read it!

Geek Girl by Holly Smale

Blurb: Harriet Manners knows a lot of things.

She knows that a cat has 32 muscles in each ear, a “jiffy” lasts 1/100th of a second, and the average person laughs 15 times per day. What she isn’t quite so sure about is why nobody at school seems to like her very much. So when she’s spotted by a top model agent, Harriet grabs the chance to reinvent herself. Even if it means stealing her Best Friend’s dream, incurring the wrath of her arch enemy Alexa, and repeatedly humiliating herself in front of the impossibly handsome supermodel Nick. Even if it means lying to the people she loves.

As Harriet veers from one couture disaster to the next with the help of her overly enthusiastic father and her uber-geeky stalker, Toby, she begins to realise that the world of fashion doesn’t seem to like her any more than the real world did.

And as her old life starts to fall apart, the question is: will Harriet be able to transform herself before she ruins everything?

Price: available on amazon for £3.85, or available in local libraries.

Age: 12+

Everyone was saying amazing things about this book and so I thought I would give it a try and I am so glad that I did. It is now one of my favourite books and I give it 10 stars out of 10, this book is aimed hugely at teenage girls and was published a few years ago, I have read the second book in the series but not the last two yet, so no spoilers please!!!!!!!

The Whizz Pop Chocolate shop by Kate Saunders

I read this book recently and it’s brilliant, and I want to share it with you.

Blurb: WELCOME TO THE MOST MAGICAL HOUSE IN LONDON! Oz and Lily’s family have inherited it, together with the mysterious shop downstairs. Long ago, it’s famous chocolate – makers were clever sorcerers. Now evil villains are hunting the secret of their greatest recipe. The terrifying power of this magic chocolate could destroy the world. The children are swept into a thrilling battle, helped by an invisible cat, talking rat and the ghost of an elephant.

Age rating: 8+

Price: £6.99, also available in any library

In my opinion, this book is brilliant and cleverly written, the author Kate Saunders has also written ‘Bewitched’, ‘Magicalamity’ and a sequel to ‘The Whizz Pop Chocolate Shop’ called ‘The Curse Of The Chocolate Phoenix’ so you should definitely check it out if you loved this book as much as I did. This book has a very original story line and is aimed at both genders, it was written in 2012 and I would give it 9 out of 10 stars.