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.