LA Candy Trilogy by Lauren Conrad

The front cover of the first book.

Jane and Scarlett are best friends moving to LA from Santa Barbra to live the dream. Scarlett will be attending UCLA while Jane has got a job at a top events organising firm. But when they get picked to be part of a new reality tv show, their lives change forever, and they discover the other side of stardom.

I enjoyed this trilogy as a easy read. Although it isn't challenging it has a good plot and is a very good summer book. It is a girly, non adventurous book, but nevertheless is engaging. I'm not sure if I would recommend this trilogy as a serious read, its enjoyable and has a good plot.

Recommended age: 13-15

Rating: 6/10

Here is the link to buy the first book on amazon:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/L-A-Candy-Novels-Quality/dp/006176759X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349094233&sr=8-1

Artichoke Hearts by Sita Brahmachari

The front cover

Mira is a twelve year old girl living in North London. She has a mad family, a best friend and her Grandmother. But Mira's Gran is going to die. When she asks Mira to help her paint her coffin, Mira agrees. Artichoke hearts tells Mira's story of starting a new school, life, love and loss. 

This book is one of the best I have read in a very long time. It is beautifully written and captures Mira's life incredibly well. I really loved this book, it made me cry and laugh. I really, really recommend Artichoke Hearts, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did

Recommended age:12-15

Rating: 10/10

Here is the link to buy this book on amazon: 
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/reader/B004K1F0LE/ref=sib_dp_kd#reader-link

Birthmarked by Caragh O'Brien

The front cover 

Gaia Stone is a 16 year old girl living in the poor town outside the wall of the privileged Enclave. The outside must deliver a quota of babies each month to the Enclave, who will be raised inside the wall in luxury. But when Gaia's parents are arrested for hiding a code about the babies let into the Enclave she realises the perfect society isn't as perfect as it appears. She must venture into the Enclave to find her parents, and must solve the mystery of the code, before it's too late.

I have been enjoying dystopian novels for a while, and since the enormously popular Hunger Games the genre has exploded with new stories. I really enjoyed this book, it was different to other dystopian novels, which I found quite refreshing. It was well written and enthralling, I barely could stop reading! I am looking forward to getting the next book in the series which I am hoping will be as good as the first.

Recommended Age: 12-16

Rating: 8/10

Here is the link to buy this book on amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Birthmarked-Caragh-M-OBrien/dp/0857071394/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346493810&sr=1-1

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

The front cover of the first book

The Red Pyramid is set in the modern day world where the Ancient Egyptian Gods and Goddesses are all real. Sadie and Carter Kane are brother and sister. Their mother died when they were young and ever since then Carter has stayed with his dad, an archeologist while he travelled the world, and Sadie stayed with her grandparents in London. On a visit to London to see Sadie, their father takes them to the British Museum. There, he is trapped in a coffin and the Kane's discover a whole new world of magic. They set off on a quest to save their father, and the world...


This book is the first of a trilogy, and I have enjoyed all three. The books are told as if they are a transcript of an audio recording, which makes the book very unique in its style. They are all very funny and I also learnt a lot about Egyptian mythology. The books aren't very hard reads, and I really recommend the whole trilogy!


Recommended age: 10-14


Rating: 8/10


Here is the link to buy the first book on amazon:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Kane-Chronicles-Red-Pyramid/dp/014132550X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1341769137&sr=1-1

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon

The front cover

Christopher is a boy with aspergers. He doesn't understand the world and the people around him. Even though he is extremely clever, he doesn't 'get' people. When a dog next door is killed with a garden fork, Christopher decides to become a detective and solve the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime. However, he soon discovers more than he bargained for.

This book gives an unique insight into the world of autism. The view Christopher has of the world is simplistic and amazing. I think that Haddon's vision of life with autism is fascinating. The story doesn't make you pity people with autism, it makes you respect and admire them

Recommended Age: 13+

Rating: 9/10

Here is the link to buy this book on amaozon:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Curious-Incident-Dog-Night-time/dp/0099450259

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne

The front cover

This book is about two boys living at the time of World War II one of them is a German and son of a Commandant, Bruno as he is called, has moved from Berlin to a strange place called Out-With where there is nowhere to explore and no boys to play with. There is only one thing that is interesting, a long high fence. One day Bruno is out exploring by the fence when he spots “a dot, that became a speck, that became a blob, that became a figure, that became a boy.” This boy is called Shmuel and lives on the other side of the fence and like all the other people there, gets to wear striped pyjamas all day long.

This is quite a disturbing book at times and the author cleverly shows the horrors of war without actually describing them. The story follows a German family’s stresses and strains caused by Hitler and the Nazis.

The story made me cry and laugh, while being a brilliant story and showing war from a child's point of view.

Recommended Age: 12-17

Rating: 8/10

Here is the link to buy this book on amazon:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Striped-Pyjamas-John-Boyne/dp/038560940X

Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

The front cover

Uglies is set in far away future, where when you turn 16 you can become pretty. Tally Youngblood, will be pretty in a few short weeks and she can't wait. When you're pretty, your only job is to have a good time. But when she meets Shay, who isn't sure she wants to be pretty, Tally has to make a choice that will change her life forever.


This book is exciting and thought provoking. Everyone always wants to be pretty, but this book makes the very idea sinister. The story has a great adventure and is very believable. In the trilogy, the story progresses and the plot remains unpredictable. I really like this book, and I recommend it as a thought provoking, exciting book


Recommended Age: 11-14


Rating:7/10

Maximum Ride by James Patterson

The Front Cover of the first book

The Maximum Ride series is one of my all time favourites. The book tells the story of Maximum Ride and her 'flock', a group of genetically engineered kids who are 98% human and 2% avian (bird). The 'flock' escaped from a place they call 'The School' which creates genetically engineered humans and animals, without the governments permission. With the help of Jeb, a friendly scientist, they went to Colorado where they lived for many years. One year ago Jeb disappeared.
     Angel, the youngest member of the flock is kidnapped by the School and now it's up to the flock to save them.


I love this book. It's very exciting and funny. The story is brilliant and I couldn't put it down. There are currently 7 books, with 1 more announced, which will be the final one in the series. The story is unpredictable and I couldn't put any of them down! I really recommend this book


Rating: 91/2 /10


Recommended Age: 12-16


Here is the link to buy the first book on amazon:


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Maximum-Ride-The-Angel-Experiment/dp/0755321944/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1340365408&sr=1-1

The Magicians Guild by Trudi Canavan

The Front Cover

The Magician's Guild is an amazing story set in a different world ruled by Magicians. Every year in Imardin, the Magicians purge the city of the 'dwells' or slums of the capital city Kyralia. In a protest one year, Sonea, a young dwell inhabitant throws a rock at the Magicians, who are protected by a magical barrier. When the rock breaks through the barrier and knocks out a magician, Sonea realises she is a magician. She goes on the run, to avoid capture by the Magicians...

This is an brilliant story with a great adventure. I love the world Canavan creates. Most fantasy books are in our world, but this one is so believable, it doesn't need to be in our world to enjoy it.
I really enjoyed this book, and the rest of the trilogy. It's the sort of book which I just couldn't put down.

Rating: 8/10

Recommended Age: 12-15

Here is the link to buy this book on amazon:

www.amazon.co.uk/The-Magicians-Guild-Magician-Trilogy/dp/1841493139

The Society of S by Susan Hubbard

The front cover

This book tells the story of Ariella, a girl whose mother disappeared when she was young and whose father has home-schooled her, all her life. Her father, a scientist keeps her protected from the outside world, but what will happen when she is exposed to life outside closed doors and decides to go on a search for her mother. 

This book was very unusual and unique in both storyline and style. It is essentially a vampire novel, but very unlike many, much more popular stories, asThe plot was complicated but followable, which creates a very captivating story. The characters were likeable and relatable. It manages to incorporate a fantasy element into the story without being far fetched or leaving the characters removed from the reader. My only criticism for the book is that the first part can be slightly slow, but it soon picks up. Overall this book was definitely enjoyable and captivating, and extremely unique.      Rating: 7/10

Recommended age: 13-16

Here is the link to buy this book on amazon:

www.amazon.co.uk/The-Society-S-Susan-Hubbard/dp/1406314978/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1340106440&sr=1-2