This is an important book, tackling racism and justice with white people labelled ‘Noughts’ and black people labelled ‘Crosses’.

The Crosses are important. They get proper education and job opportunities, unlike the Noughts, who must leave school at the age of 14 for a menial job, or perhaps (if they’re clever enough) complete their education with all the teachers and students prejudiced against them, as they’re the minority in all institutions.

Sephy and Callum are different. She’s a Cross and he’s a Nought, but they’re best friends and gradually falling in love. However, Callum eventually has to choose between his family and Sephy.

Callum goes through some really tough times, but Sephy’s always there trying to help make everything right (and getting it wrong!) Sephy’s a great friend to Callum as she tries to support him all the time.

I loved this book because there’s a strong message that doesn’t overpower the plot. The plot is about the message and vice versa.

I recommend this book to anyone about 12+ as it’s unsuitable for under 9s and I think that it’d be confusing for 9-12 year olds.

Malorie Blackman is a wonderful author and I will definitely finish this series and then probably read more of her books.

This is a heartbreaking story about a girl whose sister has just died and a boy who wants to die.

It begins on a bell tower. Finch saves Violet’s life, but everyone assumes that the popular girl saved the weirdo’s life and, for reasons of their own, neither correct the masses. Finch (a troubled boy with a bad reputation) gets even more bothered by his peers than usual whilst Violet is praised. Somehow, this leads to them falling in love.

Finch and Violet are paired up for a school project. They don’t know each other yet, but Finch is determined that they will soon. They start ‘wandering’ – visiting places by bike and leaving a bit of themselves behind. Gradually, their relationship becomes larger and larger in their lives.

Jennifer Niven is an amazing writer (in my opinion) and I will read many more of her books. She used her writing to enchant people and make her book a bestseller. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys young adult books that are tragic and romantic.

This is a gripping book that I read in one sitting. The only criticism I have is that Finch and Violet go from strangers to friends very quickly, stay friendly for a while and then are suddenly romantically involved with one another. It may be that Niven intends their relationship to be confusing and has gone a bit too far – I don’t know. But, on the whole, this book is wonderful. I never cry for fictional characters, but I almost did at the end of this book.

Quick fact: I love this book, and recommend it for girls 11+!

So, it all starts when fifteen-year-old self-acclaimed geek girl Harriet goes with best friend Nat (a wannabe model since the age of seven) to a fashion show, hoping Nat will be spotted by a model agent. Instead, Harriet is spotted by Infinity Models (Nat is understandably furious and jealous) and sent to Russia to model along with Lion Boy (Nick), a male model who she has a major crush on, ever since they met under a table at the fashion show. I will not tell you anything else – that would spoil the book – except for the author’s name (Holly Smale), the fact is the first book in a series (Geek Girl) and the fact that you should buy and read it. NOW! 😉

By Muriel Spark, this is a disturbed fiction of schoolgirls whose lives revolves around their overbearingly manipulative teacher. I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone who finds it hard to get their heads around the style of writing where big chunks of time are skipped. 

The Maze of Bones, by Rick Riordan, is a brilliant book at the beginning of a brilliant series written by a number of different authors.

Amy and Dan Cahill have no idea that they are related to anybody like Benjamin Franklin, Napoleon, Marie Curie, and more that I could go on for a very long time about!

The orphans of Hope Cahill and Arthur Trent discover at their grandmother Grace Cahill’s funeral that their family is involved in a thrilling, terrifying and terrible hunt for 39 clues.

They embark on this mission to find out whom they are and what branch of the family they belong to – Lucian, Tomas, Janus, Ekaterina or the dreaded Madrigal. Hunted by evil relatives who wish them dead, Amy and Dan Cahill must visit… The Catacombs of Paris!

Nancy Drew 1: The Secret of the Old Clock
By Carolyn Keene

Nancy Drew is driving along in her car one day. A little girl runs out into the road in front of the van in front of her car! Luckily, the girl has the sense to run across the road, and jumps up on a wall. She then falls off the wall! This mini-adventure  leads into a BIG mystery.

Josiah Crowley promised many people who need some money to mention them in his will. However, when he dies, Mr. Turner produces a will, which leaves everything to the Turners, a well-off family. Nancy is convinced that the will is not the latest will. She starts looking for a later will, and finding many people who need the money, and were promised their share of it. Now Nancy is sure that there is a later will. But where to find it? Luckily, her father, Carson Drew, is a skilled and well-known lawyer. Mr. Drew is a very good lawyer, and Nancy Drew a very good detective. Will they solve the mystery?

Nancy Drew stars in her first ever mystery!