A few extras to finish the week.

The Ask and the Answer, by Patrick Ness (519 pages) – the sequel to the multi award winning The Knife of Never Letting Go (which glared at me from my bedroom floor for four weeks before I concluded it wasn’t going to get read, for which I have a sense of un-achievement). Things aren’t going well for Todd; Viola is in the hands of Mayor Prentiss and he (Todd) has been imprisoned, then there’s the question of the Answer: who are they? Very cool cover.

First sentence: “Your noise reveals you, Todd Hewitt.”

Worldshaker, by Richard Harland (366 pages) – Worldshaker is a mobile city and Col is one of the privileged inhabitants. Then one day a girl called Filthy escapes and appears in his cabin. What follows is full of twists and turns, as any good action packed novel should be.

First sentence: A sound brought Col out of a deep sleep.

The 13 Treasures, by Michelle Harrison (326 pages) – Tanya uncovers an unsolved mystery while visiting her grandmother; a story of missing persons, magic and secrets. There’s a sequel planned for next year.

First sentence: She was aware of their presence in the room before she even awoke.

Frenemies, by Alexa Young (245 pages) – As the name suggests, Avalon Greene and Halley Brandon are about to have their friendship severly tested; by each other.

First sentence: Halley Brandon had survived the impossible: two whole months away from her best friend in the world.

Love and Kisses, by Jean Ure (254 pages) – Tamsin’s never had a boyfriend, until she meets Alex, then she finds out how complicated having a boyfriend can be sometimes and how hard it can be to “do the right thing”.

First sentence: I’ll never forget the day I first saw Alex.

Some new non-fiction:
War Is, edited by Marc Aronson and Patty Campbell (200 pages) – a collection of fiction and nonfiction on the subject of war.

Weighing it Up, by Ali Valenzuela (186 pages) – “a teenager’s frank account of her struggle with anorexia” says the cover.

New fiction on compact disc:
The Road of Bones, by Anne Fine (6 CDs, read by Tom Lawrence) – a story of freedom of expression set in an oppressive state.