The Name of the Star, Maureen Johnson

Rory (short for Aurora) moves to London from Louisiana to go to boarding school when her parents get jobs nearby in Bristol. On her arrival, Rory finds out there’s a murderer on the loose who is mimicking the murders of Jack the Ripper from over a hundred years ago. Shortly after she arrives, Rory comes into contact with the killer, but it seems as though she’s the only one who can see him…

There are a number of times when Rory is confused by British-isms somewhat endearingly, and while suspenseful the novel is also humorous. The first in a trilogy with the next one expected in late 2012!

~ Rachel

The Golden Day, Ursula Dubosarsky

“The golden day is a novel set in Sydney in 1967, ending in 1975, about a group of schoolgirls whose teacher bizarrely goes missing on a school excursion, apparently murdered.”–Author’s note. 

The language in this was lovely, simple and well thought out. A little like Picnic at Hanging Rock.

~ Andrée

My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece, by Annabel Pitcher

“Ten-year-old Jamie Matthews has just moved to the Lake District with his Dad and his teenage sister, Jasmine for a ‘Fresh New Start’. Five years ago his sister’s twin, Rose, was blown up by a terrorist bomb. His parents are wrecked by their grief, Jasmine turns to piercing, pink hair and stops eating. The family falls apart. But Jamie hasn’t cried in all that time. To him Rose is just a distant memory. Jamie is far more interested in his cat, Roger, his birthday Spiderman T-shirt, and in keeping his new friend Sunya a secret from his Dad. And in his deep longing and unshakeable belief that his Mum will come back to the family she walked out on months ago. When he sees a TV advert for a talent show, he feels certain that this will change everything and bring them all back together once and for all.” (Catalogue description)

Beyond the dark journey: short stories and poems by young refugees in New Zealand

Eight young people from Burma, Aghanistan and the Sudan write about their journey to Aotearoa and coping with settling in. I especially liked the poetry and would like to share this verse with you:

I packed my bags throwing
My life into my suitcase
Not knowing where I was going.
Here I’m in windy wild Wellington.
Cold
Depressing
Alone
Quiet
Isolated
A neglected human ~ Sonia Azizi

I was priviliged to meet the young authors and after reading this book it has given me a better understanding about our courageous refugee community. A great read.

~ Ada

Read about the evolution of the book here.

Love is the Higher Law, David Levithan

“Three New York City teenagers struggle to come of age amid the chaos and aftermath of September 11. Peter’s, Claire’s, and Jasper’s lives weave together as they come to terms with a new reality. A welcome addition to any YA fiction collection where there are few examples on the topic.” (Library Journal)

Love is the Higher Law showed another side of the events of 9/11 – what teens actually went through in NY, where they were when the planes hit the world trade centre and the events that followed.

~ Lauren

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

If you loved the Vampire Academy series, then this is the book for you. Bloodlines is the first book in the spin-off series of the Vampire Academy series narrated by Sydney Sage, a teenage Alchemist, a human bound to protect other humans from vampires, whether they’re the comparatively normal Moroi or the pure-evil Strigoi vampires and who is in hot water with the other alchemists for helping Rose (the original narrator of the Vampire Academy series …). However Sydney is called back into service when Jill Dragomir, Queen Lissa Dragomir’s half-sister, is in danger of being killed and the best way to keep Jill safe is to put her in a human boarding school, with Sydney posing as her older sister, despite the objections of Keith, a slimy Alchemist with a personal vendetta against her.

Despite not having the original Vampire Academy series, I enjoyed it. Full of suspense, danger, drama, vampires being murdered, a little forbidden love thrown in… and even ‘illegal drug operations’… Can’t wait to read The Golden Lily.

~ Katie

Half Brother, by Kenneth Oppel

“On Ben’s thirteenth birthday, his parents introduce him to his new sibling: a hairy, swaddled baby chimp that will be raised as part of the family in an experiment run by Ben’s father, a behavioral psychologist. At first, Ben resists calling Zan his brother, but as he begins to communicate with Zan through sign language, he develops a true, loving connection with the little chimp, even as he realizes that his father views Zan as just a scientific specimen. What will happen to Zan when the experiment is over? … A moving, original novel that readers will want to ponder and discuss” (Booklist review)

Also great:

• Heart Transplant, by Andrew Vachss (YA Comic)
• A Monster Calls, by Patrick Ness (from an original idea from Siobhan Dowd)
• In the Sea There Are Crocodiles, by Fabio Geda

Kill All Enemies, Melvin Burgess

“This tells the story of three teens with troubled backgrounds, one the daughter of an alcoholic, one who has an abusive stepdad, and one who is at odds with his middle-class upbringing. Here’s a review from the Guardian.” (teen blog!)

It’s a bit dark and gloomy but has really excellent inner monologues and the story is told very well from a variety of kids’ perspectives.

~ Nancy

I’ll Be There by Holly Goldberg Sloan

“Seventeen-year-old Sam’s and 10-year-old Riddle’s lives have never been normal. Because of their abusive father’s bad habit – stealing – they are always on the run. Sam stumbles into church wearing his cleanest dirty clothes on the day that Emily Bell sings ‘I’ll Be There’ by the Jackson Five. He can’t help but feel that she is singing directly to him, and the two make a connection that later will change both of their lives. Because of many coincidences, the two eventually meet again and the relationship blossoms, but not without some hindrances. Sam’s father commits a series of crimes, and he forces the boys to hit the road with him again. The brothers end up escaping their father’s grip and get separated, and readers will flip pages frantically to find out if they are reunited with one another and with Emily’s family. Sloan illustrates how we are all connected in big and small, positive and negative ways. Any reader who has ever questioned whether even the smallest gesture of kindness can make a difference will appreciate this book.” (School Library Journal)

Also excellent:

Island’s end by Padma Venkatraman

In the sea there are crocodiles by Fabio Goda

Annexed by Sharon Dogar

This is a fictionised account of Anne Frank’s diary told from the perspective of 16 year old Peter Van Pels, whose family shares a home in hiding with the Franks. Peter struggles endlessly through the loss of his sweetheart, friends and his freedom until finally finding an unlikely soulmate and potential girlfriend in Anne Frank, a happy ending that you hope is possible but is never to be. In reading this story, you learn of Peter and Anne’s hopes and dreams they have for the future and grieve for the possibilties they and all other Jews were robbed of. Have tissues on hand when reading.

~ Katie

Also really good:

• Passion by Lauren Kate
• Beautiful Malice by Rebecca James
• The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong

Daughter of smoke & bone by Laini Taylor

This is a fantastic story about the eternal fight between seraphim and chimaera and the hope of change. Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorway, scorched there by winged strangers. In a dark and dusty shop in Prague, a sorcerer’s supply of teeth grows dangerously low and he sends his messenger through one of the marked doors to the other side of the world to collect more. There Karou meets and fights with a beautiful winged seraph before returning with the teeth she was sent to collect. Although she manages to escape, she cannot stop thinking about the angel and neither can he forget her! Karou = hope.

~ Raewyn