#Black lives matter

Read books by authors of colour:
Children of Blood and bone by Toni Adeyemi
All American boys by Jason Reynolds
Buffalo soldier by Tanya Landman
Noughts and crosses by Malorie Blackman
The poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
Dear Martin by Nic Stone
Rebound by Kwame Alexander
The sun is also a star by Nicola Yoon
The hate u give by Angie Thomas

Daily reading Challenge

How are you getting on with the Reading Challenges? I hope you are trying one or two and finding that it helps get you back into reading mode. Today, find a book you haven't read before that you have in your home. How many pages does it have? Work out what page number is roughly one third (1/3) of the way through the book. Go to that page and read it and maybe the next one. What do you think happened before this part of the story? What do you think will happen next?? Does this make you want to read the whole book?

My book is 'Only mostly devastated' by Sophie Gonzales. It has 278 pages. So page 92 is roughly 1/3 of the way through. It is about two teenage boys who seem to have fallen out at a party and one is trying to apologize to the other, who reluctantly accepts. However all is not well between them yet as the next scene takes place in school and Ollie is definitely unhappy when Will turns up in his music class! I am a sucker for a romance with a bit of angst, and it seems like an easy, fun read with lots of dialogue. Conclusion = I will read the book!! Starting today, out in the garden while the sun shines!

Daily Reading Challenge

 Tuesday.
If you are still looking for something to read today's challenge might be the one that sparks your reading flame! Read a comic or the beginning of a graphic novel. If you do not have either available at home there are websites and apps that provide free access. I use the Tapas-comics and novels app and I am currently reading 'Heartstopper' by Alice Oseman. This is a sweet story about Charlie and Nick two teenagers navigating their way through school and teenage angst to find the importance of love, friendship and loyalty. As with Oseman's novels: 'Radio silence', 'I was born for this' and 'Solitaire' the graphic novel touches on many themes relevant to teenagers especially mental health and well-being issues.

Teen Book Review

I have just finished reading "Buried thunder" by Tim Bowler. It is about a girl called Maya whose family has just taken over a hotel in a small village. One evening she wanders into the nearby forest and makes a terrible discovery - she finds two bodies. But all is not as it seems and Maya can only tell the police that she was drawn to that spot by the eyes of a fox. And this mysterious fox will not leave her alone. Maya hears it scratching round the hotel and sees it watching her outside, but no-one believes her. What is really happening? Will Maya solve the mystery before anyone else dies?

I really enjoyed this book although it is similar to many other creepy house type books and you can probably work out what the outcome will be. It is enjoyable because it is well written and the author really draws you in to the story from the very first page. It is quite atmospheric but not too scary. I would rate it 7 out of 10!   S4 Reader

Book of the week 16th June

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell is this week's Book of the Week.
From the blurb:
 "Eleanor is the new girl in town, and with her chaotic family life, her mismatched clothes and unruly red hair, she couldn't stick out more if she tried.
 Park is the boy at the back of the bus. Black tee-shirts, headphones, head in a book - he thinks he's made himself invisible. But not to Eleanor...never to Eleanor.

 Slowly, steadily through late-night conversations and an ever growing stack of mix tapes, Eleanor and Park fall for each other. They fall in love the way you do the first time, when you're young, and you feel as if you have nothing and everything to lose."

Book of the week 2nd June

This week's featured book is 'The bone dragon' by Alexia Casale.
From the blurb:    'Dreams are the fire that warms the soul. Evie refuses to talk about why she needed an operation. Saying it out loud would hurt too much. Instead she focuses on carving the piece of her rib that the doctors removed into a tiny dragon - a dragon that comes to life at night, helping her to heal. Finally, she can feel safe again.
But Evie's dragon dreams are becoming more and more powerful, and soon the dragon is calling for revenge...'
This is a deep, powerful, and compelling novel which plays havoc with your emotions!

Book of the week

Happy New Year to everyone!
The book of the week is 'Breathe' by Sarah Crossan.
From the blurb:
"When oxygen levels plunge in a treeless world, a state lottery decides who will live inside the Pod. Everyone else will slowly suffocate.
Years later, society has divided into Premiums and Auxiliaries. Only Premiums can afford enough oxygen to live a nomal life. Dissenters to the regime are ejected from the Pod.
Alina belongs to a rebel group. On the verge of capture, she is rescued by a Premium boy. They escape the Pod but with only two days worth of air. Outside they unearth conspiracy on a breathtaking sclae.
Everything depends on their survival."

If you enjoyed The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins or the Noughts and crosses trilogy by Malorie Blackman you will love this book!

Breathe Book Trailer

Book of the week - 11th June

This week's Book of the week is 'Daylight saving' by Edward Hogan. Daniel is overweight and hates sport so when his father tells him thay are spending a week togather at the Leisure World Holiday Complex Daniel is not impressed! They arrive at the complex and Daniel sees a girl in the path of the buggy taking them to their cabin. Daniel grabs the steering wheel and diverts it, but the girl is nowhere to be seen. Daniel sees her later swimming in the lake. Her name is Lexi and she is smart and funny but rather secretive. Then, Daniel realises that each time they meet Lexi's bruises seem worse and her watch appears to be going backwards. The pair are being stalked by a mysterious figure and, as the end of British Summer Time looms Daniel discovers he has to act quickly - to save their souls! An excellent read!
Tag line from the book jacket "Can you save someone from something that's already happened?"

Book of the Week - 27th May

The book of the week this week is the amazing teen fiction work by John Green - 'The fault in our stars'. It is about two teenagers who are living with cancer: Hazel who has terminal cancer and Augustus, a cancer survivor who meet and fall for each other. Yes, the book is sad and will undoubtledly make you cry as you read about how two young people and their family and friends learn how to cope and live with cancer. And yes, it is about life and death but it is also about being young and defining yourself and your life. Read within reach of a large box of tissues.

From the back cover: "Insightful, bold, irreverent and raw."

Book of the week - 20th May

"Adam Wilson has betrayed his friend. Now he must face the consequences." And the consequence for Adam, in this brilliant book "The Traitors" by Tom Becker, is to spend 247 years in the Dial. Agents from the Dial, a penal colony in a notime dimension, kidnap Adam and imprison him in a very Colditz-like world. How can Adam escape when everyone in the Dial is a traitor? Who can he trust to help him?
This is a chilling adventure which will appeal to readers who like books set in a dystopian world and those who like books with plents of twists and turns.

Book of the week - 13th May

After the snow by S.D. Crockett is set in a world in the midst of an ice age. The hero is 15 year old Willo who lives in the wilderness far from the city and government control. Then one day whilst Willo is out his family are taken. Willo sets out to get them back. On his journey he finds Mary a girl from the city who is dying from starvation but rather than leave her Willo makes the difficult decision to take her with him. This would seem to weaken his own chances of survival. As they head for the city they face danger and violence but the journey is also one of friendship and self-discovery. Join Willo and the dog spirit inside his head  as they face an amazing adventure which at times is bleak but which ultimately ends on a note of optimism.
An excellent book, Willo is a wonderful voice. A must read for all who loved the Chaos walking trilogy by Patrick Ness.

From the book jacket "An unforgetable adventure story that will quicken your pulse and chill you to the bone."
"Harrowing but hopeful" Observer.

Book of the week - 25th February

With the continuing interest in all things Tudor this week's highlighted book is VIII by H. M. Castor. We meet Henry as a young prince and through his story discover some of the events which may have turned a handsome, enigmatic young man into a bitter, cruel tyrant.This is an epic task to retell the life of Henry VIII in a book of only 391 pages. It is a page turning, gripping story though anyone who knows a lot about this period in history may find the use of ghosts to examine Henry's motives a little trying. But for anyone who wants a riveting historical novel with lots of action then this may be hard to beat.
The tag line says it all:
'Destined for greatness, tormented by demons'.

Fae Fiction

Love the Twilight series, but want something a bit different? If so why not try some 'fae fiction'? Same mix of fantasy and romance as Twilight but with faeries taking centre stage instead of vampires.

Thanks to our S6 fae fiction expert for the display and book selection.