November Book Reviews

Bluebell's 13th Summer is one she will always remember but that's because she has someone helping her to make the right choices... herself!A birthday wish ends up with a future Bluebell "Red" tagging along for the Summer as Bluebell meets new friends and enjoying the Summer of a lifetime. Pacey with an extraordinary twist at the end... this story will resonate with young teens and those in the early double figures as Bluebell explores friendships, love and family dynamics... 9+

A touching coming of age story about first love, lust and the heartache that follows. This was my first foray into LGBT fiction and I enjoyed it. It was very easy to forget it was LGBT and think of it as just another teen love story apart from a couple of pages when Sean was unsure how to approach the subject of his sexuality with his loved ones.. these pages spoke outand could have been read separately from the book as a how to. Setting it in a small town gave the author the chance to show the diversity of a small population but he needed an outsider from the big city to re-assure Sean that everything was going to be ok... This Summer changes everything

 I've tried to read The Hobbit and it didn't stick but with the film coming out later this month I thought I'd try it in simpler chunks... Wenzel's adaption and illustrations help move the story along... we meet the dwarves and the elves and the wonderful Gandalf... beautifully illustrated I think I've got the basic plot down!

"Echoing Tess of the D'urbevilles"... the dust jacket is incribed with and I can see the comparison.

Mary is a fifteen year old farm girl in 1830... the youngest of 4 daughters to a vicious father and a complacent mother she is sent to live and work with the local vicar and his sickly wife.Outspoken Mary does not fit into domestic life but the vicar's wife finds her entertaining and indispensible as she grows ill. The vicar finds her in need of help and teaches her to read and write but things are not all as they seem... anyone who reads the classics or has read Tess will be able to tell how this ends but with the unusual style of writing and the unique voice this is a gem to read

One of my favourite authors of all time. I was so excited when I found he had a new book. This story focuses on the significance of time and how it affects everything we do as humans. Such a large subject is handled deftly through the stories of three individuals; 17yr old Sarah, terminally ill Victor and Dor the inventor of Time. Albom's words are contagious, you can't stop reading and I'm still thinking about it now. Beautifully written and happily devoured

The fourth instalment in the enemy series... Children live in the buildings of London hiding from the sickos, the oppos, the zombies, the adults that have taken over the city. But the zombies are getting organised, they are being called to the centre of the city whilst the children arejust trying to survive... recurring characters Dognut, Sarah, David, Ed and Kyle move the plot along and we learn more about Sam and the Kid and the shadowman introduced at the end of the fear. Another gripping instalment but how much longer can it go on for?

When Chris' best friend dies unexpectedly it affects him in ways he didn't realise it could..Chris becomes mute whilst he tries to come to terms with Declan's death, how he feels about Declan's supportive grlfriend and the new boy at school who reminds him so much of Dec. Well written concerning sensitive issues