Newest Teens Reviews
Teens
Heist Society by Ally Carter
A new series from the creator of the Gallagher Girls? Excellent! And this book doesn't disappoint: young people with unusual and highly specialised skills, encountering bad guys and peril with determination and a healthy dose of humour. So, what's the difference from the 'Gallagher Girls'? Well, this time, the heroine and her crew are, um, to put it bluntly, the villains! Except that it's just not that simple. Kat comes from a large family of burglars and art thieves, but she decides she's had enough of the family business and wants a normal life. Sadly, someone else decides that's not going to happen. They should have told her, using your criminal abilities to forge a false identity and get yourself into the best boarding school in the country is not the best way to go straight. Full review...
Boys for Beginners by Lil Chase
Gwynnie has always been one of the guys which was fine...until Charlie Notts showed up at school. He's Hot (capital H) and friendly and likes football, but when Gwynnie realises he's firmly putting her on his list of mates, not girls, action must be taken. The thing is, for a girl whose close family and friends are all blokes, and whose one life love to date wasn't so much a trouser shape as a team (Go Spurs!), it's going to be a big jump from being one of the guys to bagging one of the guys. Full review...
Burglar Boy by Jackie Martin
Burglar Boy opens with a big scene - Dean is halfway though robbing a house when the owner returns. Chased by an irate man with a good aim and a golf club, he barely makes it out in one piece. But he dutifully returns home and divvies up a pile of ill-gotten goods to Callum, his older brother, who rewards him for the risk and the bruises with a paltry fiver. Still, it's more pocket money than Dean is likely to see from his mother, who has lapsed further and further into a bottle of vodka since her most recent boyfriend left. Full review...
Lottie Biggs is (Not) Tragic by Hayley Long
Lottie can’t understand what’s going on with the women around her. Goose has got the hots for a fellow cinema employee with a name which, spelt backwards, is rather unfortunate. Her mum has fallen for the bloke who arrested Lottie back in book one, and HIS daughter is a scary emo girl. There’s only one thing to be done… road trip! The central trio of Lottie, Goose, and Lottie’s hunky rugby playing boyfriend Gareth hightail it out of Cardiff – but can a change of scenery really solve the problems? Full review...
Rebel Angels: Bloodstone by Gillian Philip
Seth and Conal MacGregor have spent so long hunting for the Bloodstone for Kate NicNiven, their queen, that they're reached the present day in our world (after Firebrand took place in sixteenth century Scotland.) They still haven't found it, though, but they have got themselves involved with some wonderful new characters, notably sullen teenager Finn, who's unaware of her Sithe heritage but about to find out with far-reaching consequences. Returning to the realm of the fairies with her in tow, and two others, the MacGregor boys are about to find even more trouble. Full review...
The True Tale of the Monster Billy Dean by David Almond
This tale is told by 1 that died at birth by 1 that came into the world in days of endles war & at the moment of disaster... I am not cleva, so forgiv my folts and my mistayks. I am Billy Dean. This is the truth. This is my tale.
The Monster Billy Dean tells the story of Billy, a boy born into the dystopia of a war-torn town and the product of an illicit liaison between a young woman and her priest. His birth coincided with an apocalyptic bombing and his parents have hidden him away from the ruins and the catastrophe in a single room, both out of shame and in the belief that his coming into the world and surviving at such a violent moment signifies a sacred future. Full review...
Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick
Half a century into our future, a journalist called Eric Seven scents a story on a small, isolated island and goes to investigate. Rumours have spread, saying that people there never age, and that there are no children. He has barely set foot on the quay when he sees, and to his surprise falls in love with, a girl called Merle. But almost immediately we, the readers, realise that there is more than one mystery in this strange place. Why are the inhabitants so overwhelming in their welcome to him? What is happening on the other half of the island? And, most worryingly, why is Eric sleeping so much, and forgetting his reason for coming to the island for hours on end? From the very first page there are signs of menace and disorientation, and at last Eric overcomes his torpor and comes to understand that something is badly wrong. He endures terrible nightmares, full of blood and violence, and at the last, just as the islanders drag him to a stone table to kill him, things become clear in his mind. He has been here before. In fact, he has been here many, many times. Full review...
Wolves of Mercy Falls: Forever by Maggie Stiefvater
Spring is in the air at Mercy Falls, and for Sam Roth that means a chance to be reunited with his girlfriend Grace, who has spent the cold winter as a wolf in the forests near the town. Grace's transformations are tied to the temperature – and Sam knows only too well how hard it can be to hold on to your humanity, because he was once a wolf too, before he was cured. Full review...
People's Republic (CHERUB) by Robert Muchamore
Wow. CHERUB book number 13 is here. New character Ryan is being sent off to California on his first mission. He must befriend the son of a wealthy entrepreneur with links to a prominent transnational facilitator - a criminal organisation that runs illicit transportation networks and smuggling rings. As Ryan says, the Aramov Clan is sort of like FedEx for bad guys. As you can imagine, the mission proves to be a lot less straightforward than simply befriending a boy on the beach. Full review...
So You've Passed Your Driving Test... What Now? Advanced Driving Skills For Young Drivers by Judy Bartkowiak
It's always struck me that the most difficult time for young drivers is that period just after they pass their driving test. Someone has told you that you're an OK driver, right? But you're out there, all on your own, without anyone to explain those odd things which you still haven't come across or to be the extra pair of eyes. You've got a sense of freedom, but somehow it's a little bit daunting. Judy Bartkowiak offers something a little bit different. It's not another book about road signs, driving etiquette and stopping distances – it's some ideas for getting into the right mindset to absorb the new experiences and learning some skills which might help you in other areas of your life too. Full review...
Lottie Biggs is (Not) Mad by Hayley Long
Lottie Biggs is about to turn 15. She has a job which she doesn't mind, as Head Saturday Girl at shoe shop Sole Mates, a fantastic best friend in the ultra-cool Goose, and a crush on the divine Mad Alien (or Neil Adam, as his name reads slightly less-excitingly forwards.) All that her and Goose are thinking about at the moment (except for Neil) is getting their GCSE's so they can get out of the boring suburb of Cardiff they live in. Things are about to change for Lottie, though… Full review...
Star Makers Club: Polly Plays Her Part by Anne-Marie Conway
Polly Conway is having to deal with rather a lot at the moment. Her mum has got a fabulous new job – but it’s in Spain! That leaves Polly to live with her dad, her new stepmother who she can’t stand, and her baby brother who’s just annoying. Depressed by the problems in her life, she ignores her dad’s rules and turns to the friend2friend website to find comfort. As she gets increasingly addicted to the site, she starts to lose focus on the important things in her life – including her family and the Star Makers’ new production. Full review...
Mist by Kathryn James
Thirteen year old Nell Beecham is nowhere near as cool or pretty as her glamorous sister Gwen. But when Gwen goes missing after a sweet sixteen party in the woods, and Nell realises her new friend Evan River is somehow linked to the kidnapping, it's left to the younger girl to try to save the day. Full review...
Soul Beach by Kate Harrison
Alice's older sister Meggie, a university student and erstwhile reality show star, was found dead 4 months ago. Murdered. After prolonged Police investigations and appeals it's time, finally, for the funeral, a chance to put Meggie to rest. But for Alice, this is just the beginning. As she's getting ready to bury her sister, she receives an odd email that's claiming to be from said sister. It's clearly a joke, and one in very bad taste at that, but when you're 16 years old and your best friend and confidante has been ripped viciously out of your life, you'll cling to just about anything. The invitation invites Alice to 'join' Meggie on Soul Beach…a Social Networking site for the young and the dead. And though she's sure it's a ruse, Alice cannot help clicking through to see who or what awaits her. Full review...
Tempest Rising by Tracy Deebs
Sixteen year old Tempest is going through some changes in her body. But they’re not the usual changes teen girls go through as they grow up. Instead, she’s developing gills and a tail. Full review...
Eight Keys by Suzanne LaFleur
On moving to middle school, eleven year old Elise's life takes a turn for the worse. She's bullied by her cool and popular locker-buddy Amanda, and embarrassed by her best friend Franklin – who's decidedly uncool and certainly not popular – she's also struggling to cope with the new arrivals at her home, Aunt Bessie's younger sister Annie and her baby daughter Ava. Just when she doesn't know how she can cope with everything, help arrives in the form of a strange key with her name on it. As she opens a door to find out about her past, Elise starts to realise that she can take control of her future. Full review...
Sektion 20 by Paul Dowswell
It's the early 1970s and Alex is living with his family in East Berlin. His Western counterparts are enjoying Coca Cola, fashion and rock music, but Alex can only dream of these things. His time is spent at school listening to endless lectures on the superiority of the socialist system or avoiding saying what he really thinks, even when he's with his family and closest friends. Nobody in East Berlin wants to come to the attention of the Stasi, the state security service. Full review...
August by Bernard Beckett
In an alternate world, Tristan and Grace come from The City, a closed and enclosed society in which religion dominates. Tristan had been an acolyte at St Augustine's. He spent a childhood being drilled in philosophical discussion of free will by the Rector. A star pupil, a single event made him question everything he had been taught. Grace had spent the first part of her childhood in the convent, but a single act of kindness led to her excommunication. Full review...
Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs
You think you've got problems with your love life? Spare a thought for Lily Sanderson, who has a huge crush on swimming god Brody Bennett, an obnoxious biker-boy neighbour Quince Fletcher, and a serious deadline problem. She's totally convinced that Brody is the right man for her, and needs to get him to realise this and take him home to meet her father. Who just happens to be the King of Thalassinia. Of course, that will also means revealing her big secret. You see, Lily is half-mermaid. With all this going through her mind, it's no surprise when she gets confused, leading to a kiss which changes everything... Full review...
Final Friends by Christopher Pike
When Jessica Hart and her friends end up at a new school, she decides to throw a party to get to know some of the cute guys there. It seems like a great idea at the time – but it will have far-reaching consequences which will mean their senior year will be nothing like they expected. Full review...
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
After his grandfather's death, sixteen year old Jacob is sent to a psychiatrist. He swears that he'd seen a monster of some description - just like the weird and unusual things the old man used to tell him about - when he discovered the body. As you can imagine, everyone thinks Jacob is crazy. But then events set in motion a visit to the island off the coast of Wales where Jacob's grandfather grew up, and as Jacob finds Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, he discovers that his grandfather may have been telling the truth all along... Full review...
Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt
When she finds out her dad was diagnosed with MS some months ago, but no-one had felt the need to tell her, Payton's world starts to fall apart. So much so, that when her new counselor suggests picking something as a Focus Object to write about, she decides to go for it, and chooses Sean Griswold's head. But what starts off as a supposedly academic study of the said head becomes something rather more interesting, as she realizes that Sean himself might be someone worth focusing on. Full review...
Rip Tide (Dark Life) by Kat Falls
Our favourite Dark Lifer and his Topsider friend are set for another post-apocalyptic adventure in this follow-up to Dark Life. Ty and Gemma discover a township chained and sunk on the ocean floor, every one of its hundreds of residents murdered. But before they can begin to unravel the mystery, another crisis takes centre stage. Full review...
Flawless by Lara Chapman
Sarah Burke has everything. Model looks and body, straight A grades and a best friend who would take a bullet for her. The one thing she doesn't have is a normal sized nose. Hers is massive. So, Sarah is forced to hide behind a fake confidence that pushes people about to defend herself from the bullying that her nose attracts. Plus, a mother who leaves nose job leaflets in her room, bags and on the kitchen table with her breakfast. Full review...
Solstice at Stonewylde by Kit Berry
Yul's odyssey culminates in an epic final conflict and destiny appears to be on his side. The Villagers are ready to rise against the oppression that Magus has built upon them so skilfully over the years that they weren't consciously aware of it until recently. However, Magus is still a brutal force to be reckoned with and he is more dangerous than ever in his desperation. Full review...
Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready
You might be thinking the worst problem a modern-day American girl could have is her rock-star-in-waiting boyfriend dying, and coming back as a ghost that she and those younger than her can see because of some untold event in the past, but suffering when he gets malevolent and becomes a shade, which means she has to help him move on before he's locked up in limbo. That's because you're not factoring in the last boy born before her, who can't see but is utterly repellent to ghosts, but who she's just about to fall in love with when her late love turns up again, this time with a strangely solid, corporeal form... Full review...
Grow Up by Ben Brooks
Jasper is seventeen. He spends his time pretending to revise for his AS levels, fantasising about sex with Georgia Treely, hanging out with self-harming best friend Tenaya watching cheesy TV shows, and taking ketamine and mephedrone with his friends. When he's at a loose end, he goes to sex chatrooms in a quest to see how far he can get without going private (paying). He's also convinced that his step-father, Keith, is a homicidal maniac whose next victim is likely to be Jasper's mother... Full review...
Milicent's Book by Charlotte Moore
'My name is Milicent Bella Ludlow and I am an orphan'.
So opens this story told in diary form of a year in the life of a young Victorian girl whose father has just died. Luckily there are some kind and loving relatives willing to help her and Mabel, her older sister, and they are able to stay living in their family home, Yotes, for a while. Full review...
Ballad by Maggie Stiefvater
After his best friend fell in love with a faerie, James realised she would never love him that way. But his attempts to get away from her, and the unrequited love he still nurses, only lead him straight to more faeries than ever before. For at James' new school, Thornking-Ash, the student populace is entirely made of musical prodigies. And there's nothing that attracts faeries more than music. James has even attracted his own muse – the deadly and dangerously attractive Nuala. The music she helps him make is better than he could ever manage on his own, but James knows the deadly consequences of making a deal with faeries, and he knows Nuala won't give him freebies for long. Full review...
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
Clara wants what ordinary teenagers want: friends, good school grades, a boyfriend. Only Clara isn't an ordinary teenager – she's part angel. She's fluent in all languages, naturally gifted academically and in sports. All the good stuff comes with a price, but even that's not so bad. Clara has a Purpose, an angelic calling, to save a mysterious boy from a forest fire, revealed to her in a series of visions that can strike any time of day or night. Full review...
The Medusa Project: Double Cross by Sophie McKenzie
Each of the 'Medusa Project' books is narrated by one of the teens involved in turn, and this time it is Nico who is the first person speaker. Things are not going well for the group: their former mentor Geri has just tried to kill them, and by using all her government and police contacts she has managed to make it look as if they are guilty of murder. The four teens' psychic abilities allow them to escape to France, and now they need to work out how to stop Geri and clear their names. But things just get worse and worse: the strain of their situation and the introduction of new characters start to pull the group apart just at the time when they need to trust each other the most. Full review...
Chronosphere: Malfunction by Alex Woolf
The ideal paradise of life inside the Chronosphere isn't supposed to be like this. If you're like Raffi and his friends you're spending a year inside, which only takes a minute of real life, enjoying a hedonistic, summery lifestyle with time on your hands and little cares. Except it's getting more than summery, it's a hothouse; the food is running out; the exits are locked; and people are rioting and fighting amongst each other as tempers fly and people sicken and feel the end of their happiness. But then, if you're like Raffi and his friends, you are actually unknowingly there for a much more sinister reason, and someone's "project" is about to get much less Utopian. Full review...
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
At a young age Sean Kendrick watches his father die violently in the Scorpio Races – a race held every year on the beaches of the island where riders compete for a huge cash prize by riding the dangerous capaill uisce, the water horses. Years later Sean is a four-time winner of the Scorpio Races with a prized mare – Corr – and plans to win again. Meanwhile, Puck (Kate) Connolly has been orphaned by the capaill uisce and struggles for every meal; their main source of income is her brother Gabe, but when he announces that he is leaving the island Puck realises that she has to fight for the survival of her family. Seeing no other option she enters her island pony into the races. The stakes are high as Sean and Puck compete against each other for the highest prize of them all – freedom. Full review...
Closer by Maxine Linnell
This is one of those concise and powerful little books where it's best for the reader to come to it with as little knowledge of the plot as possible, so I'll feature the mood - and Mel has a lot of those. Beyond her yet-to-actually-start relationship with Raj, and her best friend Chloe, she has her family - fractious animosity with her older sister, a younger brother who only plays computer games, and little freedom it seems from her mother. At least her step-dad's a funky bloke though - although one mum finds fault with easily enough. It's hardly comfy domesticity, and is even worse when interrupted by something very disturbing. Full review...
Stealing Phoenix by Joss Stirling
Phoenix is a thief. She's a very good one, thanks to having some rather useful psychic abilities. Working for the cruel and dominating Seer, she's forced to follow his instructions to bring him whatever he wants – just as the rest of their community of savants are. Then she's told to get something from Yves Benedict, and for the first time in her life, fails to take what she wants. Yves has powers of his own… and he may be the one who's stolen her heart. Can Yves and his family rescue her from the Seer? Full review...
The History Keepers: The Storm Begins by Damian Dibben
Imagine if you lost your parents. Not just in place, but in time
Scary, huh? But this is exactly what happens to Jake Djones (silent D, dears). Believing his parents have gone to a bathroom convention, he's carrying on as usual until they get home. But then he's abducted on his way home from school and taken to a secret base hidden beneath the Monument in London. Jake discovers that his parents have kept a secret from him: they are secret agents working for the History Keepers, working to prevent evil villains from tampering with history itself, and they have gone missing in sixteenth century Venice. B Full review...
