Young Adult Book Reviews

Name: Clair Age 11
24 April 2024;

Genre: Funny Stories

This is a heart-warming, humorous coming-of-age story written by the Yoto Carnegie Medal-shortlisted author of Steady for This. Anton and his gang of friends strike fear into the hearts of the you...

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Name: Clare Wilkins
22 April 2024;

Genre: Friends and family

Identity, heritage and belonging are hot topics in YA fiction and Amanda Addison fulsomely addresses them in her new book, Looking for Lucie. Lucie sticks out like a sore thumb in her white family and white-washed town. She’s never met her father, has no information abo...

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Name: Clair Bossons
19 April 2024;

Genre: Supernatural

Written by Nigerian-German author Efua Traore, Sister Spirit is her first novel for older readers. This supernatural mystery/thriller will appeal to those that enjoy stories set in other countries, mysteries, myths and romance. The main character Tara is a 16-year-old a...

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Name: Eileen Armstrong
16 April 2024;

Genre: Historical Fiction

"It is hard to tell a love story and also the story of a people being torn apart" but Crossan achieves this magnificently in her latest and best verse novel, Where the Heart Should Be. Set in 1840s Ireland at the time of the Great Hunger, it tells the story of 16-year-old Nell...

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Name: Ophelia McCluskey Gahan
12 April 2024;

Genre: Suspense & Thrillers

Lie or Die is such a page turner, it kept me on the edge of my seat as I read every word! This is an exhilarating read full of high stakes, tensions, interesting group dynamics and the challenges of reality TV and our expectations of it. A.J Clack is able to fully captivate yo...

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Name: Ruth Cornish
11 April 2024;

Genre: Suspense & Thrillers

Despite the clue in the title, the reappearance of the focus of this brilliant new YA novel from Holly Jackson still surprised me! I was so deeply immersed in the disappearance of the main character, Bel's mum Rachel, that her unexpected return to the Price family left me, the reader, as unset...

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Name: Stephen Leitch
11 April 2024;

Genre: Dystopian

From the author of The Loop series comes a shocking yet compulsive novel of survival, determination, social media and reality TV called 'The Kill Factor'.  "Retribution Island exists to reform criminals, and that is what you are." Teenager Emerson Ness has just b...

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Name: Aman Age 13
10 April 2024;

Genre: Suspense & Thrillers

Great book, compelling and jaw-dropping! Some swearing so I would say anyone over 13 should read it.

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Name: Ruth Cornish
08 April 2024;

Genre: Supernatural

Sister Spirit is a beautifully written, emotional story about a teen girl searching for her identity and, along the way, discovering the reasons behind the vivid images that haunt her dreams. This book weaves cultural and mystical themes through a more real-life narrative of d...

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Name: Phoebe Age 14
08 April 2024;

Genre: Fantasy

The book Goddess Crown is honestly one of the best books that I have read for a long time. The book is set in a fantasy world, in a kingdom call Galla. The palace is in the south, where the royals and lords live. They and all of the people in and around Galla believe in a Godd...

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