This page is an archive of our older reviews. The Hype page has all the latest books, plus polls and a magazine roundup.

North Child
Adith Pattou
512 pages
Superstition says that children born facing north will travel far from home, and Rose's mother is terrified that Rose, a north child, will face a lonely, icy death if she follows her destiny. But Rose is unaware of this, so when an enormous white bear appears and wants to take her away she agrees to his bargain.

Rose travels on the bear's back to a mysterious castle where a silent stranger appears to her night after night. Overwhelmed by curiosity, Rose does something that has terrible consequences. Now she must embark on an epic journey to save the one she loves and fulfil her true destiny.
(Book jacket)

Define "Normal"
Julie Anne Peters
196 pages
Overachiever Antonia is eager to participate in the new peer counselling programme at school - until she learns the person she's supposed to counsel is Jasmine Luther. "Jazz" is anything but Antonia's peer. She's a punker, a druggie, a gang hanger. But as their peer counselling sessions progress, Antonia and Jazz discover that they have more in common than they ever could have imagined. When Antonia's life begins to unravel, she fears Jasmine Luther may be her only lifeline. Define "Normal" is a poignant, darkly comic novel that challenges readers' definitions of what is "normal".
(Book jacket)

Prince William, Maximilian Minsky, and Me
Holly-Jane Rahlens
310 pages
Nelly Sue Edelmeister is a brainy thirteen-year-old who has a few things to work out. There is the bat Mitzvah conflict with her mom. Then there are the tensions between her parents and the dark past their wise family friend, Risa, will never discuss. All this gives Nelly much to think about before she falls in love for the first time - with Prince William.

Living in Berlin, Germany, and setting her sights on the most gorgeous royal in England might discourage a lesser girl. But Nelly is certain that taking basketball lessons from a boy who dresses like a vampire is the way to win a prince's heart. And in a way, she is right.
(Book jacket)

Evil Star: The Power of Five
Anthony Horowitz
349 pages
It began with Raven's Gate. But it's not over yet. Once again the enemy is stirring.

After defeating the Old Ones at Raven's Gate, Matt Freeman thought he could get on with his life. But someone has other ideas.

Far away in Peru a second gate is about to open. Only Matt has the power to stop the forces of darkness breaking through, but now they know all about him. This time they're going to destroy him first.
(Book jacket)

6X: The Uncensored Confessions - Part One
Nina Malkin
275 pages
The Body - on drums. The Park Avenue princess who is way more than just a babe. The Voice - she's a Southern belle who sings like an angel. She's about to discover her devilish side. The Boy - he's a whole lot talented on guitar. If only he can keep focussed on the music ... not the girls. The Boss - on bass. She's got a big mouth and too much attitude, but deep down she's got a heart.

This is 6X - the biggest, coolest, superband America has seen in decades. And right here is their inside story ...
(Book jacket)

Suburban Freak Show
Julia Lawrinson
224 pages
Jay is deeply cynical, delightfully disturbed and stuck in the suburbs with a fanatical greenie. It's her first year of uni and it doesn't take long to realise a massive IQ won't save her from exposure to nuts, morons and extreme headbangers.

When life starts drawing her into the tunnel-vision of environmental hippie-dom, she finds herself headed towards the protest rave party from hell, staged to save a little bit of forest heaven from development.

Jay has no intention of getting her feet dirty, let alone digging a bush latrine, but when the party is over, guess who is left holding back the bulldozer.
(Book jacket)

Mind Over Matter
Heather McQuillan
276 pages
Life's been pretty tough lately for Jono Hettie. He doesn't fit in at his new school, the class bully is making his life miserable, and then there's his dad ... So when an alien creature named Arial-Su enlists Jono's help to save the world, he's not sure that Arial's got the right guy for the job. But Arial knows better.

A fascinating science-fantasy ride that will leave you marvelling at the world of matter, atoms, quarks and leptons in ways you never ever considered!
(Book jacket)

Tales From the Dark Side: Walking With The Dead
Tim Bowler
128 pages
After a row with his father on holiday, Stevie storms out in a rage, only to come across an ugly old man crouched over a well. Though repulsed by the hideous figure, he can't resist running away with the broken bell the man has been washing.

So begins Stevie's haunting experience in the world of medieval climax he discovers what it is like to be one of the dead.

This is a thrilling story written by a leading author and powerfully illustrated by a highly acclaimed artist [Jason Cockcroft].
(Book jacket)

Jailbait
Leslea Newman
239 pages
Andrea Robin Kaplan is a clique unto herself.

In other words, she has no friends. Her only goal is to get through high school with the least amount of humiliation possible. Which should be easy - nothing happens in the suburbs, right?

Wrong.

One day, as Andi walks home from school, a little brown VW drives up and she meets Frank. Frank makes her feel beautiful and special. With Frank, Andi forgets how alone she is.

But Frank is older. A lot older. So much older that some people wouldn't understand their relationship. Andi is jailbait. And her relationship with Frank must remain a secret no matter what it costs her.
(Book jacket)

Falling
Anne Provoost
285 pages
This is a deep, disturbing book about the seductive power of extreme nationalism, the gulf between intentions and consequences, and the need to understand the past and take responsibility for one's actions.

Falling was first published in Belgium. It has won five major literary awards, topped best-seller lists and been translated into many languages. With cool, unswerving honesty, Anne Provoost explores complex personal and political dilemmas that are increasingly relevant to Australians.
(Book jacket)

The Princess Diaries: Seventh Heaven
Meg Cabot
285 pages
Poor Mia. Not only has she made a total ass of herself with J.P. trying to prove that she's a super-chilled party girl. She's also bankrupted the student council. Way to go, Princess.

Just as Mia's scared that she's lost Michael and a ton of money, Grandmere steps in with a fund-raising plan. She's going to stage a musical in front of the world's hottest celebs - and the reluctant star will be none other than Princess Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo!
(Book jacket)

Storm Thief
Chris Wooding
387 pages
In the midst of the ocean is the city of Orokos. No one can enter, and no one has ever left. At its heart stands the Fulcrum, source of the probability storms that plague its inhabitants.

Storms thet change whatever the touch, rearranging streets, turning children into statues of glass, remaking the world over and over. In Orokos, anything is possible.

Rail has struggled with the effects of one such storm for years, ever since the Storm Thief stole his breath. Now he and his friend Moa eke out an existence stealing to order. Until a raid leave them in possession of an unknown artifact. Something that sets them running for their lives.
(Book jacket)

Catch
Will Leitch
286 pages
Tim Temples is a golden boy, the pride of his small Illinois town. The summer after graduation, he spends his days lifting boxes at the local plant, and his nights with his buddies chasing girls, girls, girls. He doesn't stop to think about any of it. Thinking would just ruin the fun.

Only one thing weighs on Tim's mind: college. He has a suspicion that he doesn't belong there. A suspicion he can't confide to anyone - until he meets Helena. Helena is sexy, she's confusing, and she makes Tim see the world in a way he never has before.

Soon, summer draws to a close, and Tim will have to choose: settle for being a small town hero, or leave Mattoon and risk losing everything in the world beyond the county line.
(Book jacket)

Black Juice
Margo Lanagan
259 pages
In this extraordinary short story collection, human frailty is put to the test by the relentless forces of dark and light, man and beast. Each tale offers glimpses into familiar, shadowy worlds that push the boundaries of the spirit and leave the mind haunted with the knowledge that black juice runs through us all.

(Book jacket)

I Am The Wallpaper
Mark Peter Hughes
228 pages
Thirteen-year-old Floey Packer feels as if she's always blended into the background. After all, she's the frumpy younger sister of the Amazing Lillian, a girl so popular and spontaneous that their house is always packed with a gaggle of admirers. But when Lillian suddenly gets married and heads off on a monthlong honeymoon, Floey decides it's her time to shine. Armed with her trusty diary, some books on Zen Buddhism, and a jar of Deep Wild Violet hair dye, Floey embarks on a mission of self-improvement - with excellent results. People finally start to notice her, especially the boy who really counts. But then disaster strikes.

Are people noticing Floey because she's so fabulous - or because her evil cousins have posted her diary on the Internet?
(Book jacket)

The Road of the Dead
Kevin Brooks
292 pages
Late one night, two brothers learn that their sister has died in the worst imaginable way. She's found, strangled, in a desolate place, hundreds of miles from their East London home.

Ruben and Cole Ford set out to find their own answers. Ruben is the smarter of the two, with a gift for getting into other people's hearts and feeling what they feel; Cole may be older, but he's a dark-eyed devil's angel who doesn't care if he lives or dies. Together they retrace their sister's final journey to a remote Dartmoor village with a dark, menacing core.

A heart-stopping, heart-breaking thriller about three ill-fated siblings and the love, and blood, that runs between them.
(Book jacket)

Powder Monkey
Paul Dowsell
276 pages
It is 1800. Britain is at war with France and Spain and in the seas between them warships hunt. Young Sam Witchall has been forced to join a Royal Navy frigate, and on board he is told that he will be a powder monkey. He must carry gunpowder from barrels in the powder magazine to men waiting by the cannons on the gun deck. One of the most dangerous jobs on the ship. He is told that in battle sparks fly, and a stray spark blew the last powder monkey to a pink mist. He is also told that he may not leave the Navy. Facing execution if he tries to escape, Sam is trapped.
(Book jacket)

Just Listen
Sarah Desson
371 pages
Annabel Greene is a girl who has everything. At least that's who she plays in the commercial for Kopf's Department Store: top student, popular cheerleader, dazzling prom queen surrounded by friends. In real life, though, Annabel is the girl who has nothing: no best friend since her friendship with mean-but-exciting Sophie ended with malicious rumours flying, no peace at home while her older sister's eating disorder preoccupies the family, and no ability to tell anyone what's on her mind.

Then she meets Owen Armstrong - intense, obsessed with music, and determined to always tell the truth, no matter what the consequences.

Can a girl who hates confrontation find a way to connect to a guy who thrives on it? And can Annabel find the courage to tell what really happened the night she and Sophie stopped being friends?
(Book jacket)

The Warrior Heir
Cinda Williams Chima
426 pages
Before he knew about the roses, sixteen-year-old Jack lived an unremarkable life in the small Ohio town of Trinity. Only the medicine he has to take daily and the thick scar above his heart set him apart from the other high schoolers. Then one day Jack skips his medicine. Suddenly, he is stronger, fiercer, and more confident than ever before. And it feels great - until he loses control of his own strength and nearly kills another player during soccer tryouts.

Soon, Jack learns the startling truth about himself: he is Weirlind, part of an underground society of magical people who live among us ...
(Book jacket)

Absolutely, Positively, Not
David Larochelle
219 pages
Steven doesn't know if he'll pass his driver's test or if he'll ever understand his parents, but there's one thing he knows for sure: He's absolutely, positively, NOT gay. How could he be, when he conscientiously collects photos of girls in bikinis and makes a point of to sit at the jock table? So what if he takes a golden retriever to the dance because he can't face telling his mom that he doesn't have a date? So what if he thinks Coach Bowman is, well, extremely, unnervingly handsome. Who wouldn't? Right?

David LaRochelle's first novel is a riotously funny look at the life of a regular boy who's finding out what it takes to be a real man.
(Book jacket)

Skin
A. M. Vrettos
263 pages
"I think back on things that happened. And I think about how if you were to tell stories about us, about our family, you might raise up your eyebrows and you might say, 'Well, no wonder.' I bet you think you can pinpoint where it [i.e. anorexia] started for her. It's easy to think that, when you can look back at something as a whole. Bit when you're living it, day by day, it's like you're in the belly of something and you can't see its whole shape from the inside."
(Book jacket)

Mutiny's Daughter
Ann Rinaldi
215 pages
Fourteen-year-old Mary is the daughter of Fletcher Christian, the most famous mutineer in history. For years she has kept her father's identity a secret - years in which she's wondered where he is and what has happened to him. Now, struggling to fit in at a new boarding school, Mary hears rumours that her father may have returned to London. And despite the risks of danger and disgrace, she is determined to find him.
(Book jacket)

Skateboarding is Not a Crime: 50 Years of Street Culture
James Davis with photographs by Skin Phillips
111 pages
History: A comprehensive look at the development of skateboarding, from homemade toys in the 1950s to the multi-million dollar industry of today.
Tricks: Illustrated step-by-step guide to help you learn the basic tricks and techniques.
Culture: An in-depth study of the skateboarding subculture, from clashes with authority to competitions, music, art and beyond.
Global coverage: The skate scenes in over a dozen different countries around the world.
Top skaters: Bios of the most important skaters since the sport began, and the dramatic influence they still have today.
Photography: Amazing skate photos from Transworld Skateboarding photographer Skin Phillips, including previously unpublished shots of the top pros in action.
(Book jacket)

The Year's Best Science Fiction and Fantasy for Teens
Edited by Jane Yolen and Patrick Neilson Hayden
282 pages
Like science fiction? Love fantasy? But not sure where to find the very best stuff to satisfy your craving for terrific stories that stretch your imagination?

Well, look no further. Award-winning anthologists Jane Yolen and Patrick Nielson Hayden have combed through a year's worth of books and magazines and Web sites to find the most outstanding fantasy and science fiction stories of 2004 - and they've collected them in a single volume aimed specifically at teens and young adults.

Many of today's most popular authors are represented here, including Garth Nix, David Gerrold, S. M. Stirling, and many others.
(Book jacket)

Search and Destroy
Dean Hughes
213 pages
Rick Ward wants to go to wat. He doesn't know why. Maybe he's running from his dad, who has an uncontrollable temper, his high-school sweetheart, who is a stranger to him now. Or maybe he's just running - to find himself.

Desperate to experience real life, Rick enlists in the army with the Charlie Rangers, a special unit in Vietnam. They infiltrate the jungle, kill with precision, and get out quickly. Rick isn't sure he can kill anyone, but he wants to be tested, like his heroes, Hemingway and Conrad ...

But as Rick discovers, war isn't what anyone - either the protestors, the politicians, or the writers - says it is. It's far bigger, scarier, and more complicated than anything he could have ever imagines.
(Book jacket)

Dough Boy
Peter Marino
221 pages
Even though he's overweight and his parents are divorced, by all accounts fifteen-year-old Tristan lives a pretty happy and well-adjusted life with his mom and her boyfriend, Frank. But when Frank's gorgeous, temperamental, and nutritionally obsessed daughter, Kelly, moves in, Tristan's life goes into a tailspin. All of a sudden his weight takes center stage, at school and home alike, as Kelly puts him on a strict exercise regimen and diet, and hooks up with his (former) best friend, Marco. In this painfully touching and funny first novel, a high school boy struggles with his weight, the acceptance of his classmates, and finding the guts to make his own way.

(Book jacket)

The Fire Hills
Steve Alton
188 pages
The fate of humankind hangs in the balance at the Jack-In-The-Green Festival. There Charly, Sam, and Amergin call on their special powers. Aided by Megan and a local coven of Wiccan, they battle the Sidhe, last of the Faerie people, for control of the world.

Charly, Sam, and Amergin also appear in The Malifex, where they first battle ancient evil.
(Book jacket)

The Lioness and Her Knight
Gerald Morris
340 pages
Luneta is tured of living in dull Orkney with her mother and father (who happens to be the most boring knight on King Arthur's Round Table). She prides herself on always getting what she wants, so when the opportunity presents itself, she jumps at the chance to stay at a family friend's castle near Camelot. Her handsome cousin, Sir Ywain - a young knight seeking adventure - arrives just in time to escort her ...

Filled with broken promises, powerful enchantresses, unconventional sword fights, fierce and friendly lionesses, mysterious knoghts, and damsels in and out of distress, The Lioness and Her Knight proves itself as witty and adventuresome as the rest of Gerald Morris's tales from King Arthur's court.
(Book jacket)

Help Yourself for Teens: Real-life Advice for Real-life Challenges
Dave Pelzer
180 pages
Sharing stories of his own adolescent struggles - fighting for his life against his alcoholic mother and enduring outrageous abuse at the hands of bullies and false friends - Pelzer imparts advice to help young people rise above their circumstances and achieve greatness. He offers teenagers practical solutions for overcoming their own hardships, focusing on three areas: facing current and past problems, realizing the importance of decisions, and, finally, never giving up on oneself. Through it all, Pelzer never lets his readers forget that they alone have control over the outcomes of their lives.
(Book jacket)

Cooking up a Storm: The Teen Survival Cookbook
Sam Stern and Susan Stern
160 pages
Cook up a storm with this healthy cookbook - written by a teenager, for teenagers! You'll find the full whack of food in here. From snacks that you can wolf down when you're watching The Simpsons through to some full-on dishes that you can serve up to your family. With over 120 food ideas, this cookbook is full of healthy, tasty and simple recipes, suitable for anyone interested in cooking - whether old or young! ... Healthy and fun - perfect for kids when they get home hungry from school! At 14 years old, Sam is the youngest author on the Walker Books list - and a mean chef to boot!
(Amazon.co.uk)

The Goose Girl
Shannon Hale
383 pages
Anidora-Kiladra Talianna Isilee, Crown Princess of Kilindree spent the first years of her life listening to her aunt's incredible stories, and learning the language of the birds. Little knowing how valuable her aunt's strange knowledge would prove to be when she grew older. From the Grimm's fairy tale of the princess who became a goose girl before she could become a queen, Shannon Hale has woven an incredible, original and magical tale of a girl who must understand her own incredible talents before she can overcome those who wish her harm.
(Amazon.co.uk)

Home
Nicola Davies
259 pages
Humans didn't belong on Earth, that's what TV always said. We'd come from somewhere else, from Planet Home. That's why Earth was toxic and alien. Inside our building was the only place we were safe.

But TV, and the Supas who control it, have been lying to Sacks - to all the workers. When she steps out of the protective dome of Factory Station 27 into a pure, green world, Sacks sets off on a dangerous journey that might just lead her home ...
(Book jacket)

Seeing Emily
Joyce Lee Wong
268 pages
Sixteen-year-old Emily Wu is a good daughter, good student, good artist, good cook, and good friend. She works hard at school and in the Chinese restaurant she helps her parents run. But her life, which once seemed sweet as the bao zi dumplings she and her mother make together, now feels stifling. Just as her paintings transform a canvas, Emily wants to create a new self.

Then Nick, a sexy transfer student asks her out. His kisses and the other girls' envious glances give Emily a thrilling, disconcerting new vision of herself, so different from the one she sees in the eyes of her parents and friends.

In verse that is by turns sweet and spicy, delicate and fiery, newcomer Joyce Lee Wong serves a delicious story of a girl cooking up a new life for herlsef, one that might rely on a few old recipes after all.
(Book jacket)

Avalon High
Meg Cabot
280 pages
Avalon High, Ellie's new school, is pretty much what she'd expected. There's Lance, the hunky footballer. Jennifer, the cute cheerleader. Marco, the troublemaker. But the big surprise is Will - the most gorgeous guy Ellie's ever met.

When Will says he thinks he's known Ellie before, things start getting weird. A feeling that grows as Ellie discovers dark secrets that bind Lance, Jennifer, Marco, Will - and herself. Can she stop the horrific chain of events that threatens to engulf them all?

A thrilling and chilling new novel by the best-selling author of The Princess Diaries.
(Book jacket)

Wild Roses
Deb Caletti
296 pages
Step-families are difficult enough to get your head around without having a world-famous creative genius for a stepdad ... who is also crazy. But, Cassie's mom loves Dino Cavalli, and Cassie has got used their chaotic lifestyle (she even feels a bit sorry for kids whose parents are still married, and so just get the one Christmas). But, when Cassie falls for Dino's protege at the same time as Dino's behaviour starts to spiral out of control, she begins to realize that the consequences for this step-family could be fairly disastrous ... Another brilliant teen read from Deb Caletti - you'll be laughing out loud one minute, and weeping the next...
(Amazon.co.uk)

Code Orange
Caroline B. Cooney
200 pages
Walking around New York City is what Mitty Blake does best. He loves the city, and even after 9/11 he's always felt safe. Mitty is a care-free guy - he doesn't worry about terrorists or blackouts or grades or anything, which is why he's late getting started in his advanced bio report.

Mitty does feel a little pressure to hand something in. So he considers it good luck when he finds some old medical books in his family's weekend house that focus on something he could write about. But when he discovers an old envelope containing two scabs in one of the books, the report is no longer about the grade - it's about life and death. His own.

Variola major is a virus. It has no personality, no blood for circulating, no brain for thinking. It has one task - to take over the cells of other creatures and spread. And it has the potential to kill everyone in New York City.
(Book jacket)

Eyes of the Emperor
Graham Salisbury
228 pages
When Eddy Okubo lies about his age and joins the US Army in Honolulu in 1941, he isn't expecting war to break out. But soon after he enlists, the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbour, and suddenly his fellow Americans see him as the enemy. Even the army doubts his loyalty - and the loyalty of all American soldiers of Japanese ancestry.

Eddy and twenty-four other Japanese American soldiers are sent to a remote island on a secret mission, given a terrifying job, and told that only they can do it. On the island, the meanings of duty, patriotism, loyalty , and courage are tested in a bizarre world where Eddy is tried in unbelievable ways.
(Book jacket)

Loves Me Loves Me Not
Per Nilsson
186 pages
If someone made a movie about the first time you fell in love, what would it be like?

When he first saw Ann-Katrin on the buss, he was enchanted, mesemerised, captivated, smitten. But now he sits alone in his room, with all the objects he associates with her collected in front of him. As he plays the movie of their relationship over in his head, memory and reality blend into one story, the final show.

A bittersweet story about love, heart-break and moving on.
(Book jacket)

Pretties
Scott Westerfield
370 pages
Tally has finally become pretty. Now her looks are beyond perfect, her clothes are awesome, her boyfriend is totally hot, and she's completely popular. It's everything she's ever wanted.

But beneath all the fun - the nonstop parties, the high-tech luxury, the total freedom - is a nagging sense that something's wrong. Something important. Then a message from Tally's ugly past arrives. Reading it, Tally remembers what's wrong with pretty life, and the fun stops cold.

Now she has to choose between fighting to forget what she knows and fighting for her life - because the authorities don't intend to let anyone with this information survive.
(Book jacket)

Hunter's Heart
Julia Green
259 pages
Simon isn't interested in girls - until he meets Leah, who is sixteen years old and the most beautiful thing he's ever seen.

During the long hot summer, Simon becomes more and more obsessed by her. But he is haunted by doubts. And as the dark past seeps into the present he's convinced that someone is watching and following him. It feels as if danger is closing in.

Then he discovers the truth. Nothing will ever be the same again.
(Book jacket)

The Face of the Shadow: Book of the Stars - Part Three
Erik L'Homme
287 pages
Furious that the Korrigans allowed Robin Penmarch to escape from The Uncertain World, the evil Shadow plots his next move. Now he has the Book of the Stars, all he needs is to recapture the apprentice sorcerer and carry out his plan to take over all three worlds ...

Disguised as his friend Bertram, an enemy of Quadehar kidnaps Robin, taking him to the Shadow's tower in Yenibohor, where he is left to languish in a cell. Weak and frightened, he must use every scrap of strength and magic power to protect himself.

When Robin's friends discover he's missing, they set off for The Uncertain World to rescue him. But despite having great sorcerers and two hundred turqoiuse knights on their side, the gang's plans may still be thwarted - for there is a dark force at work in the Guild.
(Book jacket)

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Cupid on a Friday Night : The Fifth in the Re-draft Series Edited by James Norcliffe and Alan Bunn 94 pages This is the 2006 annual collection of New Zealand teenage writing. The authors cover a wide variety of topics from butterflies (putali) to clothes, from school lunches to exam cheating - and also a little sex. I particularly enjoyed the one by Chloe Sutherland called School Lunch. Although it has been written by a modern teenager, it is the same story as in my day at college and will no doubt be the same for this teenager's children in the future. A good 'pick up at morning tea time' read. The Unknown Zone Phil Smith 174 pages Winner of this year's NZ Post Book 'Best First Book' Award, The Unknown Zone explores the life of Hemi Ratana, a fifteen-year-old boy in 1965. Having lost his parents tragically and humiliated by his cousin, his life changes forever when he climbs a giant kauri on the Coromandel Peninsula and discovers a human skeleton. Around its neck is a key on a chain which Hemi takes and buries with other treasures to be found again when the time is right ... Nearly 160 years earlier, a group of Australian sealers are attacked by a band of cannibal Maoris and taken on a journey north where most of them are not going to live long! Two of the captives escape and journey with another Maori group to the Coromandel. These two stories combine in a wonderful, passionate tale of land rights, spirituality, coming of age and love. The Tequila Worm Viola Canales 199 pages Sofia comes from a family of storytellers. When she alone is singled out from her school to receive a scholarship to an elite boarding school, she longs to explore life beyond the barrio, even though it means leaving her family and friends and moving into the strange world of the rich and privileged. The traditions she has been brought up with take on new meaning and she finds her way in both worlds, while overcoming prejudice and family sorrow along the way. A look into a different culture and how a teen copes with the changes and opportunities she is given. Good read. The Legend of the Wandering King Laura Gallego Garcia 213 pages "...The suluk dismounted with a graceful leap and unsheathed his sword. But Walid made no move to defend himself, he stood calm and still and waited for death. "I swore that I would kill you if you crossed my path again" the suluk said. "I remember" said Walid, "and I accept my fate" The other paused. "I hardly know what to call you. Are you brave, or are you now completely mad?" "Perhaps I am both" Walid answered. The suluk did not reply, but raised his sword above his motionless opponent. Their eyes met and in the horseman's gaze there was a steely flash that Walid knew very well. The sword blade shone a moment in the blazing desert sun. Then Walid saw the sword descend toward him and sink into his chest. As he fell to the sand, clasping the bloody wound, his life passed again before his eyes. Once more he saw the place where he had been born and spent his youth: a high-walled palace in Dhat Kahal, the city of seven towers - a small refuge of green in the middle of a seemingly endless desert; the palace where his glory and legend and shame had taken shape and grown ..." So begins the tale of Walid and a mysteriously, magical carpet and the destiny he cannot escape. Great read! Breathe Penni Russon 244 pages "Is she the magic, or is she the girl?" Caught between two worlds, Undine tries to be an ordinary teenager. She has promised her mother that she won't use her powerful magic, but her father disapproves. Meanwhile, Trout is haunted by images of his own death. He wanders streets at night. During the day, his thoughts are only of Undine and her power. Suddenly, Max turns up. Should Trout trust her with Undine's immense secret? In the end, who has the strongest hold on Undine's life, the magic or the girl? Will darkness or light be born? What can Trout do about it? This awesome book will keep you immersed, right till the end! Reviewed by Florence, 12. Noughts and Crosses Malorie Blackman 208 pages Imagine a world ruled by the Crosses. The dark skinned members of society, seen as higher-class citizens over the pale skinned Noughts. This is a world that Persephone - daughter of the Cross politician Kamal Hadley - and Callum, born a nought, find themselves in. These two grew up together and develop feelings for each other but when things get worse for Crosses the two are forced apart but find each other at the end before disaster strikes ... This is a must-read book, first in the trilogy. Sometimes it makes you cry but it also makes you realise the wrongs in this world. 5 stars! Reviewed by Sam from Auckland Margaux with an X Ron Koertge 165 pages This book is quite cool. I'd never read anything by Ron Koertge before so didn't really know about his writing (I chose this book 'cos it's not very big). Its about this cool, beautiful girl called Margaux, who is kind of sick of her shallow high school friends and superficial messed up parents. Guys love Margaux , but she's so cynical and jaded that she just can't be bothered - her arch comments to them are great. The writing is witty, but not really humorous, more offbeat and insightful. Margaux ends up meeting her opposite - an unpopular, unattractive guy, Danny - and a relationship develops. And that is really all that happens. But, the characters are so interesting, and the writing so good, you just want to keep reading. Reviewed by Kelly from Aro Valley Candyfloss Jacqueline Wilson 368 pages It is an amazing book - love it! She is a great writer and an inspiration yeah man. 5 stars! Reviewed by Kate from Wellington Are We There Yet? David Levithan 215 pages I didn't really like this book. Having just read Boy Meets Boy, which was really cool, I decided to read more of David Levithan's stuff. This book is about two brothers, both opposites of each other personality-wise, who are tricked by their mother into travelling to Venice together. Once there they meet a girl, who they both fancy, stirring up sibling rivalry and highlighting their differences even more. Levithan writes really wistful, unconventional characters, who tend to have created their own alternative places in the world. This explains some of the problems between the two brothers - one is a straightlaced lawyer, the other an aimless 16 year old. They are a bit angsty, and react intensely to situations, which sort of ends up truthfully depicting teenage life and experiences. But in Are We There Yet? the dreamy character just ends up being kind of annoying, and it all feels twee to me. Harsh i know, but his earlier book is heaps better. Reviewed by Kerry from Brooklyn Saskia's Journey Theresa Breslin 99 pages I am speechless. It was such a good book, too good for words. 5 Stars! Reviewed by Tori A Homecoming for Kezzie Theresa Breslin 191 pages An awesome book. So descriptive that it made you feel like you were there with Kezzie and her little sister. Fantastic. 5 stars! Reviewed by Tori from Karori Surprising Joy Valerie Bloom 224 pages An awesome book. I loved reading it. Very action packed and written very well. A great book. 5 stars out of 5! Reviewed by Tori in Karori. Mates, Dates, and Cosmic Kisses Cathy Hopkins 155 pages This book is a great book because TJ Watts meets a whole new bunch of friends who care about her and she also gets a new boyfriend! I read the series of these books and they're awesome! 4 stars out of 5! Reviewed by Karishma in Miramar. Who Dares Krista Bell 176 pages A story about surfing and skateboarding ... Rhys desperately wants to win the Junior Surf Championship but is up against very stiff competition. A mystery needs to be solved and in doing so new friendships are formed. Great for boys and girls alike ... one of the characters is female and she surfs!! Reviewed by Wendy in Tawa Century Sarah Singleton 224 pages A book found in an old chest. A book with the title Century : a novel by Mercy Galliena Verga, 1890. It begins ... A woman under the ice. A ghost. Mercy could see ghosts, the echoes of people who had died ... Mercy woke at dusk, ate breakfast, lunch and dinner, learnt her lessons with her sister Charity and went for long walks in the grounds, all throughout the long winter nights! Where is the sunshine in her life? Then one morning she finds a snowdrop on the pillow beside her head and walks further than usual, only to be confronted with a new ghost. A woman under the ice! She meets the mysterious Claudius, her father's brother and so she begins to unwind the mystery of her family who can live forever. Across the Wall: A Tale of the Abhorsen and Other Stories Garth Nix 305 pages A collection of short stories which Garth Nix has written for various publications and speeches over the years. The first continues briefly the story of Nicholas Sayre, whom we last met in the third book of Nix's The Old Kingdom trilogy. Nick is back in Ancelstierre where the Charter is dormant. That is until people begin to meddle in things magical and use Nick to awaken a beast! Other stories include an updated version of Hansel and Gretel, 'Under the Lake' casts a new light on the Lady of the Lake of Arthurian legend and 'The Lightning Bringer' deals with nature and affairs of the heart. One of my favourites was 'Down to the Scum Quarter'. A pick-a-path story of kidnapping and rescue. I'm afraid I died before finishing the quest and all at the hands of the masked man with a Z on his ring! I hope you have better luck in this swashbuckling, three musketeers adventure. Garden of the Purple Dragon Carole Wilkinson How does one take care of a small purple dragon? Ping is the dragon-keeper. Now that Kai's parent - the old dragon Danzi - has flown to the Isle of the Blest, she is all that he has against the world of necromancers and others wanting a dragon for its magical properties. Ping takes Kai to the sacred Tai Shan mountains, where she meets up again with her rat Hua. Together they manage to keep Kai fed and happy, until one day danger comes their way once again and she is forced to face enemies she had thought dead. Then the easy road beckons. Will she find friendly faces and peace in the Garden of the Purple Dragon or only more questions? A captivating story of Ancient China, during the Han Dynasty. Sequel to Dragonkeeper. The Rat and the Raven Kerry Greenwood If you need a prophecy you must visit Scathe, the Mouth of the Oracle, and snatch one of the leaves on which the prophesies are written. Then he will tell you what life has in store for you. Many folk come to the cave on the edge of Rattown and of late many of the prophesies tell of the downfall of The Rat by someone called The Raven. Bran and his band of revolutionaries set out to defeat the Rat and rescue three of their colleagues from slavery. They find a town unwilling to rise up against the bandit who has ruled over their town for years and kept them safe from other scoundrels. A captivating sci-fi thriller of friendship and discovery. Couldn't put it down. Borderland Gary Cross "A face, pale and indistinct stared back at him. The eyes were black holes, the skin ghostly white, covered with dark splotches of blood. Lucas almost lost it then and there. Then he realised he was looking at his own reflection in the glass. He giggled, trying to summon back the courage to get him through the next bit. The worst bit. Then he froze. Something was moving in there. A shape, blacker than the darkness within the room, seemed to come away from the wall. It hovered a moment, then plopped onto the floor. Something horrible slammed against the glass mere centimetres from his face. Lucas had a vision of sharp teeth gnashing in a wild effort to break through the meagre protection of the window pane. Terrible red eyes filled with dreadful purpose blazed directly into his own. He screamed. Fell backwards. Into thin air." Just a little taste of this exciting story set in rural New Zealand. A must read! Does My Head Look Big in This? Randa Abdel-Fattah How do you explain to your peers that the Bali bombing has nothing to do with your beliefs? How hard is it to say "No" to the guy you have a crush on, when he tries to kiss you at a party, "Sorry. I don't believe in kissing before I get married". These are just two of the problems facing Amal Abdel-Hakim when she decides to wear the hijab, or veil, all day, every day, at her Australian secondary school. Not only does her appearance change but she also needs a place to pray, 'bums up position' every lunchtime! Very good, easy read, looking at what it is like to be different and how others handle such an 'in your face' change. Finding Father : the journal of Mary Brogan, Otago, 1862 Pauline Cartwright It is seven years since Mary has seen her father. He was meant to follow Mary's family to New Zealand but never turned up! When Mary overhears her aunt say that she's sure her father will be at Dunstan, a promising goldfield, Mary decides to search for him herself. Disguised as a boy she is offered a job by Jack and George, which she willingly agrees to. Her task is gathering information about the miners and their gold, but soon things go wrong, People's gold disappears - people that she has mentioned! Knobby, her friend, is robbed. Jack and George are found out to be thieves and sentenced by a 'kangaroo court' to never come into the area again, or they will be handed over to the law. As they depart, Jack threatens Mary; "I'll be back to get you!" Read this awesome book and find out more of what Mary's future holds. (Reviewed by Florence, 13) Below the mountains : diary of Amy McDonald, Milford Road, 1935-36 Jean Bennett Amy McDonald is 14. She lives in a house in Lumsden with her mother and brother, Bruce. Her father is away, working as a mechanic on a road gang. Amy doesn't know it but her life is about to change dramatically. When Amy's mother and father decide that it would be better for their family if they were altogether, Amy is uprooted from everything she knows and is placed back down amongst her father's road gang camp. Her family shares a small mouldy tent, with barely enough room for their three prickly stretcher beds, with limited food, no electricity and an outside toilet. They are constantly having to move to different camps, marching along the track like pilgrims. But the worst thing is the land doesn't want them around! There are earthquakes, floods, storms, lightning and avalanches. Will the road gang be able to pull together and survive the dreadful conditions and finish the road and tunnel? Great book. It's thrilling and hard to put down. (Reviewed by Florence, 13) The Mystery of Lord Sha : Book of the Stars. Part 2 Erik L'Homme Robin Penmarch, the sorcerer's apprentice, has narrowly escaped the dark forces of the Uncertain World, but the threat of attack still looms over The Lost Isle. When Robin returns to the monastery of Gifdu, he learns that the Sorcerers have decided to act and a brave band set out but their plan is doomed to fail! There is a traitor among them and Robin's master, Quadehar, stands accused. Who is the sinister Lord Sha? What is his connection with the Book of Stars? Will the evil menace of The Shadow overtake them all? This is the second book in the Book of the Stars series and brings Robin and his friends together in adventure again. Can he help his master and help bring peace to the three worlds? A great read with lots of new characters. The Perfect Princess Jenny Pausacker Tab is one of the Dung Brigade but dreams of becoming an actor. By day she sweeps up after the horses in the city of Quentaris and at night practices the plays she creeps in to watch. Quentaris is a city torn in two by the Duelphs (Blues) and the Nibhellines (Greens), but waiting for the return of their beloved Perfect Princess. Tab meets Azt Marossa who says that he has found the child of the Perfect Princess and Tab finds herself helping him in his schemes for bringing order to the city. Just one in the Quentaris Chronicles series. Other titles include Quentaris in flames ; The Revognase ; and Slaves of Quentaris. By These Ten Bones Clare B. Dunkle "Your shadow!" Maddie stammered, pointing to the ground behind him, "It moved! Moved by itself. I saw it." The wood carver turned to look. "Are you going to tell the others?" he wanted to know. Maddie is 14 and lives with her mother and father, a weaver, in a town that believes in the Water Horse - a monster that lives in the loch and lures humans to their death. It is this monster that they say has attacked the young carver, Paul, but Maddie finds out the truth and, although she is scared, she wants to find a way to help him, to save him, from the evil that lives along side him and in him. Can she do it without losing herself in the process?