Book Reviews

Just how far would you be prepared to go when the future of the planet lies in the balance? To the world, The Circle have no limits to what they will do to make governments take action on climate change. But who is right and who is wrong? The lines are blurring…

Denzi, is in the US, having rushed to see his mother who was in a serious accident. Was the timing of this a coincidence?

Tabby is alone and on the run from the Circle. Neither, Tabby or Denzi know if the other is alive.

Tabby needs help and is desperately trying to make her way to her friend Jago. But at every turn she is being tracked by The Circle, how do they keep finding her?

The story is told in a dual narrative from the point of view of both Tabby and Denzi. Although the pace is slower than book one, the tension is off the charts, with bits of information being dropped into both storylines. As the suspense builds, you are willing Denzi and Tabby to find each other in order to piece together the jigsaw of clues they each have.

This book keeps you on edge throughout and the dramatic ending does not disappoint. Roll on book three!

May 2021

Tabby lives a transient life moving around with her mother, Cate. She has strict rules, no school, no talking to strangers, no friends, no technology. So when Tabby breaks one of the rules and befriends local boy Jago, it is her first mistake as it sets into motion a series of events that has devastating effects on her life.

After being involved in an accident, Tabby is taken into hospital, but when doctors start questioning Cate, she sneaks Tabby out of the hospital and they go on the run.

Tabby doesn’t understand what’s happening, but she trusts Cate and they leave everything behind including her friendship with Jago. Tabby’s second mistake was breaking the no phones rule by using a public phonebox to call Jago. The call is traced, Cate is arrested and Tabby is told some terrifying truths.

In her confusion she begins to suspect that everything she has been told is a lie. To find some control in her life she focuses on swimming. Being in the water is the only time she feels any sense of normality so when she is invited to join an elite swimming camp she agrees. This was her third mistake.

There is something very sinister happening in the camp, people are going missing and there are strange goings in locked areas of the school. Tabby does not know who to trust, all the students are under 24 hour surveillance so leaving the school undetected is impossible, but Tabby knows she needs to escape.

This is a thrilling read, as the story unfolds it gains momentum with so many questions and so much intrigue. Why did Cate do what she did? What is the meaning behind the interlocking symbols that haunt Tabby? Why is the clinic who treats Tabby also based at the swim camp? How do the students manage to hold their breath longer than should be humanly possible and why do some of them leave so suddenly? What is different about Tabby’s blood and DNA? Is everyone lying to her? Questions, questions, questions…

The only negative comment I have is that we have to wait until July 2021 for the sequel ‘Red Sky Burning’! But this is a great read for anyone who likes a dystopian thriller full of mystery.

17th December 2020

Whilst her mum and stepdad are on honeymoon in Japan, 16-year-old Becks is left in the care stepsister Silva. However, Silva does not return home after dropping her parents at the airport. So begins the mystery.

Trying not to invade Silva’s privacy, an unfortunate ‘accident’ by Azog the cat, forces Becks into her sister’s room where she finds a box hidden under the bed. The box contains an envelope with eight seemingly random items. But Becks knows her sister and is certain that these items are connected to Silva’s disappearance, she just needs to piece the clues together. So, with the help of her best friend Raych and her crush (and possible new girlfriend) China, Becks starts investigating.

The book is written in a dual narrative, mostly from Becks’ point of view. She is a strong character who outwardly exudes confidence, but inwardly second guesses herself and is an endearingly, awkward character. Then we have Silva. She’s the opposite of Becks and has a much quieter voice, one which I found quite sinister at times.

Silva is clearly suffering from depression which stems from the death of her mother. In her fragile and vulnerable state, she is drawn into a toxic relationship with delivery man Logan. They are no longer together, but he has fractured her mental wellbeing so much that she becomes obsessed with him being the love of her life and wants him back at any cost. You soon begin to question who is in danger.

This is a fantastic read that deals with issues of grief, race, sexuality, blended-families, familial pressures, peer relationships and so much more. It seamlessly covers multiple real-life issues, whilst keeping you guessing about Silva throughout the book. It makes you think about issues surrounding mental health, and how we deal with it. Can we recognise the signs if it affects someone we are close to? Or is it easier to believe that everything is okay?

Highly recommended! There are so many interesting characters with stories to tell, such as Becks’ ‘DNA Dad’, that I have my fingers crossed for a sequel.

12th October 2020

Magical. An epic tale of Love.

Tillie Cole has proven that she can write a great book, not just great NA, or YA or any other acronym you can think of. This book transcends the market it was aimed at. If you ignore it because of the YA label then you are missing out on a book that takes you on an incredible journey.

It's beautiful, it's heartbreaking, it's about love, discovery, loss and acceptance.

This is the story of Poppy and Rune. We follow their story from being cute five-year-olds all the way to their diffucult teenage years. It is a perfect reflection of the difficulties we face in growing up. The characters are bought to life with fantastically emotive descriptions.

The characters are so well developed that you are invested in them from the start. You are with them in their day-to-day lives, you share their worries, you experience their first love and first heartbreak. .

The ending was unexpected but it was the perfect end to a perfect love story.

Patrick Ness is arguably my favourite author, and this book does not disappoint. This is probably the third time I've read this and each time I discover something new.

The narrative is beautifully poetic, the characters just pull you in, who cares if you have no idea what's going on. Are they dead, alive, in heaven, in hell, or in purgatory? If you want your questions answered you are missing the point. I loved it.

Contains some mature content

Thoughtful, observational yet incredibly easy to read. The writing is subtle, yet powerful. This is the story of Grace and Tippi who are conjoined twins. Although the story is told from Grace's point of view, I felt that the story was more a reflection of the feelings and actions of all those around them.

They are just two teenage girls who are going through the same issues of growing up and finding a place to fit in that all teenagers struggle with - the fact that they are conjoined almost seems incidental, Grace and Tippi do not see it as an issue so as a reader neither did I.

Like 'The weight of water' this book is written in a verse format. Under normal circumstances I would find this stylistic choice annoying, but Sarah Crossan has the ability to use this style and create an emotional read using very few words. Each word is carefully chosen which means the book just flows beautifully. A short yet intriguing read!