June Book Reviews

A story of survival and hope rather than a true science fiction classic in my opinion. Originally published in the 1950s, it is definitely a story of it's age. As you can probably tell I didn't particularly care for it. None of the characters stood out from the page apart from Coker who is a larger than life character. A good choice for readers groups, providing conversation on a myriad of subjects but not one that I'll be picking up again any time soon. 

An updated collection of poems on the underground with a mixture of newer works and old favourites. I gobbled these up. Easy and short, a great coffee table book to go back to time and again.

Rose visits Ypres with her grandfather. While there they go to Essex Farm, a first aid post during the War and now a cemetery to the fallen. Here she finds the grave of Valentine Joe, who died a month before his sixteenth birthday. What happens next is quite strange... whilst Rose walks around the city at night she is transported back 100 years to meet Joe and follow him on his journey through the War. With Tommy the dog to keep her company, we visit Joe in Ypres, at the front line and at Essex Farm.


An easy story based on a real person which lays a good foundation for those learning about the War, suitable for ages 9+.

A proof copy, Trial by Fire isn't actually out until September but I'm already hungering fro the next installment of this story. This starts off as your regular teen drama  Lily Proctor just wants to be normal and she's finally getting there, dating the most popular guy in school who also happens to be her best friend but when a house party goes wrong she wants to be anywhere but Salem.

Lily starts to hear voices, collapses and wakes up in a world far from her own. A parallel Salem where witches and magic reign and the Lillian of this world is Queen. Trying to describe this world would never do justice... this book will be the next Divergent, the next Mortal Instruments and I'll be giving it to as many people as possible.