Destine Reads...
A comprehensive guide to literature's best and worst...
'Pay Attention Carter Jones'
By Gary D. Schmidt
Although the writing was aimed for younger audiences, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the book. I was expecting it to be a boring rip off of Mary Poppins, but the book was actually emotional, heart - warming and unique in its own special way. Schmidt successfully presents a son who loves and resents his father at the same time and doesn’t give away plot points easily. A surprisingly good book.
RATING: 4/5 Stars
Destine
'High Rise Mystery'
By Sharna Jackson
I started reading the book at first then moved onto something else as I initially was struggling to get into it. However, when I resolved to read the whole thing through I cannot tell you how surprisingly good this book was. The sisters Nik and Norva were an amazing comedic duo, their two personalities balancing each other out perfectly. The book was hilarious without the need for overtly crude jokes and it actually wasn’t obvious who was responsible for the crime until the very end. Only when you read it through again does it make complete sense - something that only a good crime novel can do. It is suitable for almost all ages without being too childish or too complex and yet tackles the emotion of the loss of loved ones really well. I will definitely be reading the sequel and - if someone hasn’t already - making it into a film/tv show.
RATING: 5/5 Stars
Destine
'Nowhere on Earth'
By Nick Lake
This was one of the best Science fiction books I have read. It never gave anything away and always kept you guessing about each of the characters - Bob, Aidan and Emily. I loved the way that it wasn’t your typical “aliens land on the Earth and want to take over” story. Instead, it had elements of E.T but Lake did something much more clever with his novel. The whole concept of creating the made-up memories was really unique but my only complaint is that the whole journey was not as developed as it could have been. It’s mostly set in the wild being hunted until they get to civilisation and drive straight to this military-like base with no difficulty on the road whatsoever until they get to the base. Other than that, the book was heart-warming and riveting.
RATING: 4.5/5 Stars
Destine
'Alex in Wonderland'
By Simon James Green
The book was incredibly funny mostly due to the hilarious nature of the awkward situations Alex gets himself in and the way he deals with them. I loved Alex as a character as well as the character of Effia, who is hilariously sarcastic. Although Alex’s Step mum is the typical irritating 'step mum' character, her relationship with Alex was also very funny. Humour aside, I felt like the plotline of the mission to save wonderland was quite underdeveloped and although cliff hangers are often well used, we never get to find out who actually set fire to Wonderland, which really annoyed me. I also feel the book would have benefitted from a backstory to the owner of Wonderland but if you are looking for a great laugh and a lack of resolution, this book is for you.
RATING: 3.5/5 Stars
Destine
'Toffee'
By Sarah Crossan
The tale of the unlikely friendship between an elderly woman - Marla -suffering from dementia and a teenage runaway Allison, who Marla mistakes for an old friend Toffee. The book explores issues of domestic abuse and family trouble really well and the presentation of the words on the page was interesting but sometimes annoying. I wasn’t overly engaged with the book but wasn’t bored by it either which is why for me it got 3/5.
RATING: 3/5 Stars
Destine
'The Girl Who Came Out of the Woods'
By Emily Barr
After reading “The Truth and Lies of Ella Black” in Hogwards 2019, I did not have high hopes for this book. However, when I began reading this book, I was shocked at how good it was. The plot was really unique and the way the book was set in the past and present drew you in and I could not put it down. Barr makes you feel empathy towards Arty and her plight and without spoiling too much, the twist at the end was really heart-warming. Definitely film material.
RATING: 5/5 Stars
Destine
'On the Come Up'
By Angie Thomas
Similarly, to her other Hogwards winning book “The Hate U Give”, this book did not disappoint. Also like on the come up, the book was scarily relevant to the times we live in now. Not to spoil anything but the way Bri, the protagonist, is arrested by the school security is eerily similar to the tragic case of George Floyd, and it is almost as if Thomas predicted that these issues would get out of hand if they weren’t dealt with soon. The book tackles issues of race, gang violence, drug addiction, poverty, loss and police brutality very well through the eyes of the next generation. This is a book that really resonated with me and managed to be hilarious, heart-breaking and heart-warming at the same time. An absolute masterpiece from Angie Thomas and a must read, with the film version currently in pre-production at Paramount Players.
RATING: 5/5 Stars
Destine
'Can You See Me?'
By Libby Scott & Rebecca Westcott
This book, although I think it was written in a style that suited a younger audience, was a real eyeopener in terms of educating me about Autism. It had the typical “starting high school” plot but from a different perspective, which made it unique. Scott and Wescott are able to make you feel the frustration that Tally’s family feel, yet you still empathise with Tally who can’t help the way she behaves. I loved the relationship with Nell, Tally’s older sister, and Tally, who begins as a teenager who does not understand her sister at all and although she still isn’t perfect at the end, you can tell that she understands her sister a lot better. The symbolism of the Tiger mask was also really clever and overall this is a great book for all ages.
RATING: 3.9/5 Stars
Destine
'Two Can Keep a Secret'
By Karen McManus
A thrilling read from the author of “One of Us is Lying”, the book was full of twists and turns until the very end. Without spoiling anything, the line said to Ellery by the culprit at the end gave me chills! Like her previous Hogwards shortlist book, Two can keep a secret hasn’t got a predictable plot at all and I could not put it down. It definitely deserves a place in the shortlist this year and also has earned a place on my “make into film” list.
RATING: 5/5 Stars
Destine
'The Haven'
By Simon Lelic
If I had to describe the book 5 words they would be - Alex Rider meets Oliver Twist. The beginning of the book was the high point for me - if that doesn’t say something I don’t know what does. I found it hard to wrap my head around a colony of children living underground, with the older ones running a school and elite training academy despite being teenagers themselves. Of course, there is a Cruella de Ville-esque villain in the form of businesswoman “Maddie Sykes”- where have I heard the name “Sykes” before? The other main characters were appropriately named Ollie (the protagonist), Dodger and Nancy. The resident magic granny whose eyes resembled those of the Pale Man - meaning she had none - topped it off. I felt the plot was too predictable and unoriginal and the story was very forgettable.
RATING: 2/5 Stars
Destine
'The Boy Who Steals Houses'
By C.G. Drews
A heart-warming, unique story unlike anything I’ve read it. I’m glad the book wasn’t overly romanticized, but the story was clever and at times really emotional. Drews explores the tragedies and hardships faced by two very different families and it comes together beautifully at the end. A must read and another book for my film list!
RATING: 5/5 Stars
Destine