The Gospel According to Larry Review

Title: The Gospel According to Larry

Author: Janet Tashjian

Release Date: 3rd June 2004

Publisher: Puffin Books

Josh Swensen is no average 17-year-old. His IQ is sky high, he owns only 75 possessions, he communicates with his dead mum at Bloomingdales’ make up counter, he’s completely besotted with his best friend Beth. And he is now got an anti-consumerist alter ego called Larry who is worshipped by millions of teenagers…

Conundrum #1 betagold is on his tail. How can he prevent her from exposing his identity?

Conundrum #2 How can he let Beth know how he really feels about her?

Conundrum #3 What drastic steps will he take when it all goes horribly wrong?

Josh Swensen, an American teenager, creates an online persona, Larry. What he doesn’t bet on is the hero-worship Larry generates and his new found celebrity status online. U2 even start a concert promoting his ideas. However, all this is fine until someone, calling herself betagold, decides to reveal who Larry is. From then on Josh’s life spirals out of control and he realises that by being Larry, he isolated those who loved Josh. The book is in the form of a manuscript which Josh gave to the author to publish.

This book is certainly interesting and made me think a lot in terms of consumerism. While I don’t want to sound negative, I felt the beginning of the book was an anti-consumerism rant from Larry’s character. While the reader still gets bits of information about Josh’s family life with his stepdad, Peter and potential stepmother Katherine (both his biological parents are deceased) and his love interest, Beth, it was hard to follow the plot with so much politics being thrown at the reader. However, I do agree with Larry’s theories (though I’m not sure I could only live with 75 possessions… what about the books?) and the book made me think about my own life in terms of the importance of possessions. Why are we so obsessed with material possessions when those in less developed countries barely have enough to eat?

In this sense, the book makes you reassess your own views. The message within the pages becomes more complex when Larry’s identity is revealed and Josh’s decision not to revel in his new celebrity status makes his character appeal to the reader even more. What happens next is quite strange and I don’t want to reveal too much but I found Josh’s actions to be melodramatic and slightly uncalled for. Then his philosophy changes from anti-consumerist to just general caring for each other on a small level. I also agree with this idea, that day to day positive actions can make the world a better place. I just felt that Josh gets a little bit confused over his politics and the book loses some of its potency because of this.

Janet Tashjian has done a series of Larry books, this being the first one I have read but they all have interesting titles, Vote for Larry and Larry and the Meaning of Life. There is also a website with regular posts from Larry http://www.thegospelaccordingtolarry.com/

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to approach their consumer driven life in a different way. The politics may be a little too enthusiastic at times but Larry does raise some relevant points to modern life and the manuscript format of the novel makes for interesting reading.

4/5 Analyse your life!

The Gates Review

Title: The Gates

(Samuel Johnson Versus The Devil: Round 1)

Author: John Connolly

Release Date: 1^st April 2010

Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton

Samuel Johnson has a number of problems. Samuel’s dad cares more about his car than his family, Samuel’s mother is lonely, and only Samuel’s dog, Boswell, truly understands him.

Oh, and as if things couldn’t get any worse, Samuel’s neighbours, led by the villainous Mrs Abernathy, are trying to open the gates of hell. It’s up to Samuel to stop them, except nobody will believe him, and time is running out…

Now the fate of humanity lies in the hands of one small boy, and even smaller dog, and a very unlucky demon named Nurd…

Everything is normal in the town where Samuel lives or at least until the Abernathys and their friends summon the devil. However, Samuel is well aware of the situation. Along with his friends, Tom and Maria, his faithful dog, Boswell, his Mum and a terrified scientist from CERN, Dr Planck, he is out to save the world. It takes Samuel’s Dad’s car, a demon called Nurd and a whole lot of laughs before they can defeat the demon known as Ba’al (posing as Samuel’s neighbour, Mrs Abernathy).

There is only one word for this book and that is… hilarious! The book is also really intelligently written and appeals to all ages. The Gates was first recommended to me by someone over twice my age and then my younger brother borrowed it and was also really impressed – I haven’t heard him giggle that much in ages!

Not only is it written in a conversational style, which makes it easy to read but the subject matter is also engaging and really interesting! There are little footnotes that add to the silliness of this book but Connolly deals with complex subject matter such as the Hadron Collider in an understandable way, although you do have to follow the details closely at one point. The characters are really well written and Samuel experiences the difficulties many young people deal with, such as his parent’s separation as well as some not so common difficulties, like flying skulls in his hallway.

John Connolly uses chapter headings to tell the reader what will happen in each chapter, for example, Chapter Two, ‘In Which We Encounter a Small Boy, His Dog, and Some People Who Are Up to No Good’. Each chapter deals with a new setting and storyline and is as exciting as the last, from bodies rising from the dead at the church to confused scientists trying to figure out how they had a hand in releasing the devil.

Overall, I cannot stress how much I think EVERYONE should read this book. It is literally un-put-down-able because it is so easy to read, so funny and the story is so effortlessly executed. My only criticism is that the ending leaves you on a slight cliff hanger, which means you have to scurry to the library/book shop to pick up the next one!

5/5 Read it!

Dangerously Close Review

Title: Dangerously Close

Author: Sandra Glover

Release Date: 3^rd April 2008

Publisher: Anderson Press

When Dee's traumatised family start a new life, she is relieved to find two uncomplicated fun-loving friends. But with the onset of problems for one, and a controlling boyfriend influencing the other, Dee notices frightening parallels with her own troubles. Is she seeing things clearly, though?

And will her efforts to help mean revealing family secrets? Secrets they so desperately want to keep hidden.

Three friends, Dee, Hazel and Abbie are all dealing with their own problems. Dee has a past that she is trying to keep secret from her friends, Hazel is having to come to terms with her family keeping secrets from her and everyone thinks Abbie might be keeping secrets about her new boyfriend (despite talking about him ALL the time!).

I’m not sure that this book was what I was expecting. The three friends are all brilliant characters and the narrative moves fluidly through their individual family lives. I really liked the way the structure of the tales were so different, Dee’s story is revealed piece by piece and Abbie’s tale holds a surprise at the end. However, I found Hazel’s story to be a bit lacking towards the end. Although she still has to deal with what has happened to her Mum (read and find out what) and is devastated by Abbie’s selfish actions, I felt that we don’t really get to see a lot of her or her family towards the end.  

The book becomes more and more gritty towards the end, so do be prepared for some unpleasantness as Dee reveals what happened to her family. Even before we find out what went on, Dee’s family are really developed characters which makes her revelation even more dramatic, although it is dealt with in a really delicate way.

The character of Abbie reminds me of Lana in And Baby Makes Two in the way that she falls head over heels in love with Tom. She puts her life completely on hold for him, even down to leaving sixth form so she can get a job and work with him in his Dad’s hotel.

The ending of the novel is really effective, with Dee reflecting on what has happened and thinking about the future. Although awful things have happened, she still has hope that things will get better and this is especially important regarding her family.

Overall, Dangerously Close is a really good novel. The characters are all really interesting, dealing with their own problems and the tale addresses some key issues for teenagers. I would recommend this novel as something quite surprising and it packs a lot into a relatively small space! It is also set locally to me – which I couldn’t help but like!

4.5/5 Full of secrets.



Blood Runner Review

Title: Blood Runner

Author: James Riordan

Release Date: 6^th October 2011

Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

Samuel's parents and sister die in a bloody massacre. His brothers retaliate by joining the anti-Apartheid movement, with guns and terrorism as their weapons. But Sam decides to fight prejudice in his own way- as a runner. Against all odds - from a poor township childhood to the Bantu homelands, from work in a gold-mine to competing for gold - he focuses his mind, body and heart on the long, hard race to freedom...

Samuel has to deal with the awful effects of a particularly brutal attack on his community which leaves his parents dead. He and his brother, Looksmart, have to move in with their Uncle Sabata, who brings the boys up as his own and gets them jobs in the gold mine. However, it is obvious that Sam is a skilled runner. Despite his brother’s violent actions in the anti-apartheid movement, Sam realises he can use his skill to his advantage and peacefully protest against the horrific prejudice that black people faced at that time in South Africa.   

This book is unique because of the way the tone changes so quickly and suddenly.  The story starts in a shocking and devastating way, with an outbreak of violence against innocent civilians. Despite his childhood (at times it is unsettling to remember he is just a child), Sam goes on to become a strong young man and the book traverses the years, with Sam becoming a loving husband and father. The teachings of his uncle and the ‘Note on Apartheid’ at the end offer a non-fictional element to the novel and also place it in context which is not just useful but also interesting. The novel is not just informative about the injustices that occurred but is also an interesting tale about a determined young man. As a character, I found Samuel to be really well constructed, with a mature outlook on how the world should be.

Overall I really enjoyed this book, both for the story and the historical note at the end. It was a well-rounded tale with a positive ending which contrasted with the tone at the start of the novel. Although the subject matter was often serious and heavy, the novel becomes a ‘feel good’ tale as Sam gets the things he wants and deserves. Even if you know nothing about the apartheid in South Africa, this novel is a brilliant stand-alone story but the way it is written will leave you with a greater understanding of recent world history.

5/5 Brilliantly constructed with a wonderful well-deserved happy ending.

With special thanks to Frances Lincoln for sending me a copy of the book.

Triple Ripple Review

Title: Triple Ripple

Author: Brigid Lowry

Release Date: 1^st September 2011

Publisher: Allen and Unwin

Glory is sent to work in the Royal Palace, where the queen is planning a grand ball and a bad tempered princess is sorting through jewels and tiaras. And, unknown to Glory, the threads of her destiny are coming together.

Nova is reading the fairytale… Fairytales are not usually her thing but right now she’s feeling a bit messy and lost. Her best friend has gone away and she has no idea why bitchy Dylan is hassling her.

Can the Writer make everything turn out happily ever after? Will the princess find true love? Will Glory escape a secret curse? And can Nova smooth out the lumps and bumps in her life?

Running alongside each other, Brigid Lowry writes three tales. In real life, the Writer struggles to develop the plot. Within the fairy tale, Glory the Princess’ Maid has to break a curse while dealing with the demands of working in the palace and the Reader of the tale, Nova has to deal with real life and coping with being bullied.

It isn’t just the difference in font that make the separate sections of this tale so apparent but Lowry’s skill in creating different voices. The characters of the Reader and Writer are very convincing as well as entertaining and in a completely different genre from the fairy tale. The Writer makes us constantly aware that she has created the fictional worlds of the tale, both Glory’s and Nova’s and so the text is really cleverly written. At times, the novel is re-written and so we are given what could have happened in the tale as well as the Writer’s final decisions.

The tale of the Writer is probably the most interesting because it manifests itself through the tale of the Reader and the fairy tale. However, it is also the least developed tale in that there is no actual plot, more a collection of thoughts and the ending of her writing tale ends with the finish of the book.

Nova’s tale is strange in that although she does get a positive ending, there are many questions left unanswered. She finally thinks she is working things out with Dylan, who has been bullying her and she has dreams about a boy she met who was sat in a tree. From the Writer, we know there could have been many different paths for Nova and so it is strange when presented with the final outcome.

Similarly, Glory’s fairy tale ending could have been different but we are given a much neater rounding off of the tale in this case. I expected the fairy tale aspect of the tale to be the most prominent and although it is in relation to how much detail we are given, I find the other two tales more emotionally compelling.

This book is a must read for anyone with an interest in reading and writing. It was the fairy tale aspect that drew me in but the other tales were much more interesting and it is the Reader and the Writer that give the tale depth. There are funny aspects to this book as well as serious, emotional insights into the characters and overall it is a well-rounded novel. Without wanting to seem critical in the slightest, I feel this novel was possibly a way for the author to show off her story-telling talent!

5/5 Brilliant use of triple tales!

With special thanks to Frances Lincoln for sending me a copy of the book.

Not Quite the Perfect Boyfriend Review

Title: Not Quite the Perfect Boyfriend

Author: Lili Wilkinson

Release date: 1^st September 2011 (UK)

Publisher: Allen and Unwin

Midge is sixteen and has never been kissed- so she invents a boyfriend. Then she is paired with George for a major school project. George is the New Guy who doodles dragons, tucks in his shirt, has an unseemly interest in secrets and a mysterious past. Not a good start to the school year.

Midge starts fabricating emails from her imaginary boyfriend, and even a MySpace page. Her secret is getting out of control. Then one day, he appears in the school corridor. Tall, brown wavy hair, English accent - Ben. Exactly as she’s described him.

Ben seems to be the answer to her prayer. A dream come true or is he? And what strange secret is George hiding? Before long Midge finds herself in all sorts of trouble.  

Midge invents an English boyfriend, Ben. Ben likes photography, black-and-white movies, reading and lacrosse (or at least that’s what Midge writes on his MySpace page). All is going well for Midge and her imaginary boyfriend, her friend Tahni is convinced she isn’t a lesbian who will end up knitting hats for cats. The next step is for Midge to break up with Ben, something about the distance being too far, which would be fine… if Ben hadn’t just appeared at school.

In this hilarious novel set in Australia, school girl Midge has to deal with her imaginary boyfriend becoming an actual boyfriend, dealing with her family’s break up, the destruction of friendships and also working on a project with new boy, George, who she is pretty sure is a psycho killer- why else would he have been kicked out of his last school?

I found the plot of the novel to be really predictable but that is in no way a negative criticism. The novel is written from Midge’s point of view and so as a reader we are made aware of her feelings about secrets that are revealed and secrets she reveals herself. Although in a sense I feel the reader is probably aware of what is going on before Midge is, even though things are not explicitly told to us. It made me think of how sometimes the clues to things are there but we can end up walking around with our head in the clouds and miss out on important things, including important people, which is definitely what Midge does with the arrival of Ben.

Going out with Ben gives Midge a new sense of confidence. He’s hot, he’s popular and most of all he is her boyfriend! By association, Midge becomes popular overnight. But popularity isn’t all it’s cracked up to be and neither is having a boyfriend, no matter how good looking he is. Midge is in for a bumpy ride!

Not Quite the Perfect Boyfriend was a nice, easy read with a happy ending and will definitely put a smile on your face. The characters are all brilliantly constructed and you will definitely meet some that will become some of your favourites, for me, George in particular was fantastic. The ending of the book reminded me of the end scene from the film ‘Role Models’ but maybe this was just the description of the costumes. Overall, a definite chick-lit but well worth the laughs for anyone not usually interested in this genre.

4/5 Really easy to get into and a relaxing read.    

With special thanks to Frances Lincoln for sending me a copy of the book.

The Devil's Footsteps Review

Title: The Devil’s Footsteps

Author: E.E. Richardson

Release Date: 3^rd March 2005

Publisher:  Bodley Head Children’s Books

It was just a bit of fun, a local legend. The Devil’s Footsteps: thirteen stepping stones, and whichever one you stopped on in the rhyme could predict how you would die. A harmless game for kids – and nobody ever died from a game.

But it’s not a game to Bryan. He knows the truth. He’s seen the Dark Man, because the Dark Man took his brother five years ago. He’s tried to tell himself again and again that it was his imagination, that the Devil’s Footsteps are just stones and the Dark Man didn’t take Adam. But what does it matter if people believe in the legend or not? Adam’s still gone.

And then Bryan meets two other boys who have their own unsolved mysteries. It seems that Adam wasn’t the first to disappear. Someone or something is after the children in the town. And it all comes back to the rhyme that every local child knows by heart…

‘ One in fire, two in blood,

Three in Storm, four in flood,

Five in Anger, six in hate,

Seven fear and evil eight,

Nine in sorrow, ten in pain,

Eleven death, twelve life again,

Thirteen steps to the Dark Man’s Door

Won’t be turning back no more.’

The disappearance of children in Redford seems to be a regular occurrence, but one that people seem to ignore. The local legend of the sinister Dark Man haunts the town and its inhabitants seem reluctant to discuss it. Bryan’s older brother, Adam, walked the ‘Devil’s Footsteps’ (stepping stones in the woods) while speaking the rhyme and hasn’t been seen since. Only Bryan knows what really happened but no one is willing to acknowledge the Dark Man. After five years of suffering, Bryan’s parents behaving like zombies, he meets Smokey, a boy who has also seen the Dark Man. Accompanied by Jake, whose best friend, Lucy, also went missing, the boys set off on a journey to discover the secret of Redford and find out exactly what happened to the people they loved.

This novel is actually really scary. The continued use of the rhyme is really eerie and the Dark Man is an actual threat all the way through the novel.  As well as dealing with the current threat, the reader is given an insight into how Bryan and his family have had to deal with the disappearance of Adam and when Smokey’s sister, Nina, goes missing, the writing is really emotional.

The Dark Man is always just out of reach and it is more what the Dark Man does that makes the novel so effective. The characters have to undergo real trials in order to overcome their fear but it is apparent from the start that they will have to return back to the stepping stones in the woods in order to be able to move on. Richardson also uses suspense to build fear and the chapters are effectively structured, you definitely can’t end one chapter without being desperate to start the next.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this as a brilliant example of a teenage horror. Imagery used within the novel also creates atmosphere and I cannot stress how well The Devil’s Footsteps is written.  I was scared to go to sleep… so don’t start this novel unless you can hack it because the ending is also really well written and I wouldn’t want you to miss out!

5/5 Be prepared to be scared!

The Lying Game Review

Title: The Lying Game

Author: Sara Shepard

Release Date: 31^st March 2011

Publisher: Harper Collins

I had a life anyone would kill for.

Then someone did.

The worst part of being dead is that there’s nothing left to live for. No more kisses. No more secrets. No more gossip. It’s enough to kill a girl all over again. But I’m about to get something no one else does – an encore performance, thanks to Emma, the long-lost twin sister I never even got to meet.

Now Emma’s desperate to know what happened to me. And the only way to figure it out is to be me – to slip into my old life and piece it all together. But can she keep up the charade, even after she realizes my murderer is watching her every move?

Let the Lying Game begin.

The first time Emma finds out she has a long lost twin sister is seeing a weird online video. After tracking down her sister, Sutton, on Facebook, they arrange to meet.

However, Sutton never shows and then her friends appear and Emma is swept up in a case of mistaken identity. Where exactly is Sutton and how long can Emma pretend to be her?

Written from the point of view of the deceased Sutton, with a style that reminds me slightly of The Time of The Ghost by Diana Wynne Jones (a really amazing book and author), The Lying Game is really interestingly written.

Emma has to take over Sutton’s life in an attempt to track down the killer and the novel includes the ingredients every great teen novel should. Sutton’s boyfriend, Garrett provides the love interest however, there is also chemistry between Emma and Ethan. Although this is complicated by the fact that Ethan thinks Emma is Sutton and something has clearly jeopardised their relationship! Despite the confusion here, the novel is really clear cut (just remember everyone thinks Emma is Sutton!). Family relationships also play a part, comparing Emma’s dysfunctional one with Sutton’s loving parents. In fact, the novel explores a lot of polar opposites as shy Emma takes on her new life as confident and popular Sutton.

There are a lot of secrets in this novel and not much is revealed by the ever-present ghost of Sutton who doesn’t seem to remember much of what has happened in her life. As a reader we are placed in the position of Emma, slowly introduced to each character and their relationship with Sutton, which makes it difficult to discover who might have a motive for murder. Similarly, the ending does not reveal the killer, making Never Have I Ever, the next book in the series, a must read! 

Overall, a really compelling read and one that I would definitely recommend. The story is not as complicated as I have suggested and it is actually a really easy read with a nicely structured plot. I look forward to the next one!

5/5 Unexpected, unusual and really brilliant!

Repossessed Review

Title: Repossessed

Author: A M Jenkins

Release Date: 1^st March 2009 (Reprint)

Publisher: HarperTeen

Kiriel is one fed up demon. Fed up with being stuck in hell, and fed up with tormenting the damned (a thankless task if there ever was one!). So he’s going to take a little a little break, vacationing on earth in the slightly used body of a seventeen- year- old …

Kiriel the demon has decided to take a trip to earth and has taken over the body of seventeen year old Shaun. However, Shaun’s life is far from perfect and Kiriel finds himself on a quest to befriend Jason, Shaun’s younger brother, try and start a relationship with Lane, Shaun’s classmate and stop the school Bully, Reed from spending the afterlife being punished. This is all before he gets dragged back to the depths of hell and as things seem to be going to plan, Kiriel becomes more aware just how little time he has to make things happen.

This is a light hearted read which deals with the beauty of life through the eyes of someone who has never experienced it before. I couldn’t help but notice a similarity between the way in which Shaun changes when Kiriel takes over his body and the way in which teenage boys change when they finally become men. Kiriel (in Shaun’s body) begins to wear different clothes, notices the way girls pay attention to him and also begins to respect his younger brother. 

Being written from the point of view of Kiriel, the demon, who has been watching Shaun and his companions for a long time, the novel explores the sexual urges of the male teenager as well as delving into Lane’s desires for love and romance.  Kiriel also attempts to rebuild Shaun’s relationship with his brother. Kiriel looks at life with a critical eye and sees how Shaun and others around him could behave in different ways towards one another. Most of the novel deals with Kiriel’s comments on day to day life and the plot isn’t particularly complex but that’s what makes the novel such a light hearted read.

Overall, a really interesting but easy going read. The novel is funny at times, as well as dealing with serious aspects of teenage life (love, family, sex and bullying) in a light hearted way. This book looks at our day to day existence in a new way and I would recommend it to anyone who wants something fun to read.

3.5/5 Just a nice, fun read.

Thirteen Reasons Why Review

Title: Thirteen Reasons Why

Author: Jay Asher

Release Date: 6^th August 2009 (UK)

Publisher: Penguin

Clay Jensen returns home to find a strange package with his name on it. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Barker – his classmate and first love – who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

Hannah’s voice explains there are thirteen reasons why she killed herself. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out why.

All through the night, Clay keeps listening - and what he discovers changes his life …

Forever.

Thirteen Reasons Why is the story of Hannah Baker and her suicide. Clay Jensen is one in a long number of people who have been sent cassette tapes by Hannah telling them why she decided to end her own life. At first, Hannah experiences the hardships many teenagers do and classroom banter gets out of hand. After a handful of upsetting events, Hannah begins to have suicidal thoughts and opens up to a school guidance counsellor.  However, it seems even he lets Hannah down and things finally spiral out of control as she finds herself unable to open up to anyone.  At times comical but mostly distressing and very emotionally realistic, Thirteen Reasons Why is written as a tragic duologue, but Hannah will never hear Clay’s reply. Throughout the novel Clay becomes more and more desperate to try and get through to Hannah, which makes everything more upsetting, as it is too late for her to hear him.

The story is moving as well as thought provoking, making the reader think about how our everyday actions affect others. Some of the people Hannah mentions on her tapes indirectly affected her, while others have set out to deliberately hurt her. Not only this, but the novel comes as a warning to those who feel they are in Hannah’s position. Clay is devastated by Hannah’s death and his interjections clearly display his determination to put things right. His character shows how, despite Hannah’s feeling that she is alone, there are those out there who care for her and who would have tried to help her had they known the seriousness of the situation. There are always people in life who care about us.

At the end of the book the Q and A for the author, Jay Asher, explains how many of the actions described in the book are based on real events. The audio version of Hannah’s tapes and other media from the book is available at http://www.hannahsreasons.blogspot.com/  which really brings to life elements of Hannah’s story and also gives advice on this serious subject matter. Through the journeys of both Clay and Hannah, the novel shows how everyone’s story is interlinked with others and Clay’s responses to Hannah are particularly harrowing. Overall, the novel is definitely worth reading for its composition as well as its content.  

4/5 Brings to life the reality of how our actions affect others and deals sensitively with a serious subject matter.

If you would like to talk to someone or are concerned about someone else, more information is available at http://www.samaritans.org/ or call 08457 90 90 90 (UK and Northern Ireland).

Title: The Rag and Bone Shop

Author:  Robert Cormier

Release Date: 4^th July 2002 (New edition)

Publisher: Puffin Teenage Books

Alicia Bartlett had last been seen on the patio of her home by twelve-year-old Jason Dorrant, about four o’clock on the afternoon of June twenty-ninth. Now Alicia has been brutally murdered and Jason, as the last person – except for the killer - to see her alive, is being interrogated.  Or did Jason kill Alicia? His interrogator is a man who is famous for always getting a confession from the suspect. Will he get a confession from Jason?

Jason is a quiet twelve year old boy. His friend Alicia is murdered and he is the last person to see her alive which makes him the prime suspect for the police. An unexplained playground fight meant he has a reputation for violence. However, through Jason’s thoughts, it becomes clear that things are not that straight forward. Jason appears innocent but the police are desperate to find the culprit and hire an out of town interrogator, Trent, to question Jason. Trent’s methods are tried and tested and he is confident that he can get a confession from Jason. But is Jason guilty?

Throughout the novel we see into the lives of several of the main characters and understand the motivations behind their actions. Jason is under pressure from the start of the novel to confess and things become more heated when Trent is unsure of Jason’s guilt. However, interrogating Jason, Trent has to consider his career and unbeaten record when obtaining confessions. Both Jason and Trent come out of the interrogation changed, their lives and the lives of the people around them changed forever.

The plot was really engaging as the events surrounding what happened to Alicia Bartlett unravel but this isn’t the main story. More emphasis is placed on Jason and how he responds to the pressure of being interrogated and this is what gives the story its really interesting twist. I really don’t want to give too much away as I would definitely recommend reading this book!  

The ending was really haunting, showing the devastating consequences of comparing thoughts and actions. Be prepared for a really disturbing conclusion! The novel is an easy read with a crime theme and so is suitable for anyone with an interest in this genre, although things take a psychological turn and it becomes apparent that this is much more than a whodunit.  The novel is well written and delves into the mind of the interrogator as well as the interrogated. Absolutely brilliant!

5/5 If you aren’t a fan of crime, you soon will be!    

And Baby Makes Two Review

Title: And Baby Makes Two 

                                                               

Author: Dyan Sheldon

Release Date:  2^nd October 2000

Publisher: Walker Books

All fifteen-year-old Lana dreams about is getting married and having her own flat and lots of children. It’s her life’s ambition. When she meets Les, she knows right off that he’s the one. And when she gets pregnant without even trying, she reckons that all her dreams are about to come true. Lana doesn’t wonder for a second what might happen next…

Lana is fifteen and sick of having her life ruled by her Mum and her teachers. She can’t wait to leave school and be independent. Meeting Les seems like the answer to all her dreams, he is twenty, has a job and lives in his own house (which he shares with his friends). Their dates consist of McDonald’s lunches but Lana finds herself wanting to move the relationship forward after pressure from her friends. Lana and Les spend the night together and 9 months later Lana gives birth to her daughter, Shinola. While pregnant, Lana has to face the ridicule from her classmates as well as persuading Les and her Mum that having the baby is the best option. Lana can’t imagine anything more perfect than marrying Les, moving in with him and having his baby. However, when Shinola arrives, Lana realises things are much harder than she ever anticipated. Her Mum moves out and Les disappears for weeks on end leaving Lana to get on with looking after Shinola. After financially hard times and being bypassed by her friends, who are out enjoying themselves, Lana discovers that her ideal family life is far from a reality as she is left completely alone.

I really enjoyed this book but couldn’t work out whether it was trying to warn the reader about rushing into growing up. Written as a first person account, it is obvious how naïve Lana really is. Lana lives in a dream world and doesn’t realise the severity of her situation until the end of the book. Even down to Lana’s confusion over getting pregnant, as she believes you can’t get pregnant the first time you have sex, the book deals with a lot of misconceptions surrounding teenage love, pregnancy and sex. Despite Lana’s often stupid actions, the novel is really sophisticated in dealing with the emotions surrounding this complex subject matter.

The ending is a shock which concludes a brilliantly written story and leaves questions unanswered. A must read for any teen who thinks that having a baby is an easy ride but also just a good eye opener for anyone else. The author really manages to get inside the head of a confused and misguided teenage girl.    

4.5 / 5   Cleverly written insight into the thoughts of a love struck teenage girl.

Pictures of the Night Review

Title: Pictures of the Night     

                     

Author: Adele Geras

Release Date: 3^rd January 2002

             (this is the UK re-release date)

Publisher: Red Fox

Once, Megan, Bella and Alice shared a room. The Tower Room was theirs alone, remote from the rest of Egerton Hall School and here they formed a deep friendship which would continue long after they left their enchanted world.

But now Bella thinks her life is in danger. Is her stepmother really as wicked as she believes, or can imagination sometimes be more sinister than reality?

Based loosely on the fairytale of Snow White, this is a thrilling story of jealousy and enchantment.

The novel is a lovely read, set in the 1960s. Despite being set so many years ago, the story did not feel out of place in the modern world.  Apart from the dates and cultural references such as the release of Gone with the Wind, a film Bella’s parents went to see before she was born, I felt that the novel could have been set in modern day as it was so easy to relate to.

Pictures of the Night is very typical of an emotional teenage novel written in first person from Bella’s point of view. She experiences many of things teenage girls do and we get to understand how she actually feels about things through letters she writes to her friends, Megan and Alice. Bella is a very headstrong character and gives up her spare time to sing with a band of seven young men. However, things get a little complicated when she develops an interesting relationship with Greg, one of the band members.

As mentioned on the blurb, the novel is ‘loosely’ based on Snow White and it was this that made me want to read it as it intersperses real life with the story we all love and know.  The novel is easily compared to Snow White because of the similar plot structure and characters, however, it also takes things a step further, as we would expect with a longer novel.  We are shown the development of Marjorie’s (Bella’s step-mother) hatred for Bella and how this has affected the way Bella is today. Her friends, Megan and Alice also have stories and this added depth to Bella’s life. Although Bella has to deal with aspects of life that aren’t always happy cheery, don’t worry, she does get her own happy ending in the form of a knight in shining armour.  While I always knew what was around the corner for Bella, because of the basis of the plot, there are some lovely touches to the novel, her depth of character as well as updates to the old fairy tale.  

Pictures of the Night is actually the third book in the ‘Egerton Hall’ novels and I would therefore encourage people to start from the beginning of the series with The Tower Room (it is one I am going to read). I wasn’t aware of the order of the novels (or even that it was a series) before I began reading the book and it can definitely be read as a stand alone story. However, the characters of Megan and Alice are explored in the first two novels (The Tower Room (based on Rapunzel) and Watching the Roses (based on Sleeping Beauty) ) and so I feel I have missed out a little on the back story. Overall, a really pleasant read which has left me wanting to explore the lives of the Egerton Hall girls from the beginning of the series.

4/5 Modern update of a favourite classic

Hear The Dead Cry Review

 

Title: Hear the Dead Cry

Author: Charlie Price

Release Date: 5^th August 2010

Publisher: Corgi Children’s Books

(Originally published in the USA under the title Dead Connection, 2006)

When Murray hears a terrified new voice pleading for help at the cemetery, he is convinced, it’s Nikki, a popular young cheerleader who went missing over a month ago – but who will believe him? And where is the body? Together with Pearl, the daughter of the cemetery groundskeeper, Murray must struggle to uncover the truth in a town full of secrets.

Murray is a boy who spends most of his time in the graveyard (although he insists it is called a cemetery) to escape from his mother’s troubles at home. Whilst there he speaks to the people buried in the graveyard and when a young girl goes missing he finds he can use this unusual skill to his advantage. The daughter of the graveyard groundskeeper, Pearl is annoyingly there to assist, although the two become friends as the novel progresses. While this goes on, Deputy Gates, Mister Robert Barry Compton and Public Affair’s Officer Billup are all tied in with the hunt for the missing girl. With a surprising but really gripping ending, the novel turns out to be a really good read but I felt it took a really long time to get off the ground. Couple this with the Americanisms (although this can’t really be classed as a valid criticism because the author is American and the book was originally released in America) I really struggled to be drawn into the book.

It was the cover art that originally drew me to pick up this novel as it is really haunting and beautiful. The beginning of the novel reminded me of The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (which is a brilliant book with a similar supernatural theme). But the similarities were limited to the first couple of chapters and from then on I felt I was wading through the plot. The novel is written in third person but switches focus from different characters with each chapter. I really liked this aspect of the book as it created character depth but at times it made it really hard to follow. The ending definitely brings everything back and by the finale, I was desperate to know what had happened to the missing girl, Nikki.

The development of characters was definitely the best aspect of the novel.  Nikki is introduced in the first chapter in a really eerie way and we don’t come across insights into her character again which makes it stand out even more. Robert is suffering from mental illness and it is interesting to see how other characters perceive him and how he interacts with them. Gates is desperate to solve Nikki’s disappearance while battling his own demons and Billup’s life is spiralling out of control through alcohol. Murray and Pearl find themselves thrown together in friendship, determined to locate Nikki’s body.

The novel is a young adult crime story and contains all the good elements a crime story should. However, I felt it was lacking a bit in continuation and the climax was rapid and explosive whereas the rest of the novel is slow to get off the ground. I would recommend this novel for those of you who like a bit of a mystery but it wasn’t really my cup of tea.

3/5 Brilliant characters but at times hard to follow