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A & B authors
Miki Aihara
The book is a series in a form of graphic novels which potray mostly boy girl relationships. The main protaginist is a girl called Hatsumi who since childhood was always bullied by a guy called Ryoki but Asuza always came to her rescue. The book is set in the last few years of her college years and brings together Ryoki and Asuza which creates lots of revenge, jealousy and romance. I think all teens 14 should read this book. It captures your attention so well that you wouldn't mind reading all the books in its series in a day.
Priana
David Almond
Erin, January and Mouse live in Whitegates, a home for orphans, and are sick of it. They decide to escape down the river to freedom. They end up in the Black Middens and it takes all of their courage to stick together and keep going. There they meet Grampa and try to find out the secrets that surround Heaven Eyes. An amazing book that can't be put down. David Almond is an excellent writer.
Best character: Heaven Eyes and Erin
Laurel, 15
Bernard Ashley
Little soldier is about a boy soldier who is a refugee from the Lasi war. He is taken to London by his "new mother" Mrs Captain Betty Rose and his "new father" Lieutenant Peter Rose and his "new sister" Laura Rose. He goes to a new school and makes new friends and enemies. Everything is new to him. There is a big-whole-town-gang fight. Kanida is in Theo's gang. A new Lasi boy comes to London and Kanida is Kibu and Faustin N'gensi is Yusulu they are war enemies. Kanida wants to kill Faustin because the Yusulu soldiers killed Kanida's parents and his little sister Giffy.
Best character: Kanida and Laura Rose
Katie, 13
Ros Asquith
It's all about Letty Chubb who is 15. She worries about a lot of things, that her legs are too long, she's too skinny or tall. She answers questions that people many have. The book is in alphabetical order from A - Z of words and their meaning which teenagers may worry about. She talks about her hopes, her crushes on boys and her worries. She is a teenage worrier.
Best character: Letty Chubb
Emily, 17
Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Two races – the Serpiente and the Avian – have waged a war against one another for longer than anyone can remember. The cause for the war itself has long been forgotten, now the two races fight for revenge of the dead. Caught in a never-ending cycle, Danica Shardae, heir to the Avian throne is amazed to find she is not the only one wishing for peace. Zane Cobriana, heir to the Serpiente throne, is asking for her trust, that they might end the pointless bloodshed once and for all. But it is not easy when trusting the enemy is the hardest thing for anyone to give.
A fantastic story of faith and love – definitely worth a read!
Elizabeth, 15
Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Risika is a vampire, she used to be known as Rachel when she was human. Ather, one of the stronger vampires, turned Rachel into one of them as revenge against her brother Alexander for saving one of her prey (his other sister). Rachel thought they had killed them and lived with painful memories. Aubrey was the one she thought killed him and swore he'd pay. 3 centuries later she is stronger and confronts him, they fight and Aubrey lost. He offers his blood rather than his life.
Best character: Risika
Jenny, 16
Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Jessica is a loner at school, nobody really likes her. What they don't know is she's a published author under the pen name Ash Night. Her books are about vampires, she thought they were of her own imagination until Aubrey (1 of the vampires) showed up. She learns that all she wrote was true and was channelled to her from a older vampire through a link they had. Fala, a vampire with a grudge against her writing fought her and fled.
Best character: Aubrey
Jenny, 16
Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Like all of the other books written by Atwater-Rhodes, I really enjoyed reading Midnight Predator. It tells the story of Turquoise Draka, once a vampire's slave, who broke free and now is a bounty hunter. On her latest mission, Turquoise and another hunter, Ravyn, must go into the vampire slave trade again in order to kill the main leader. An amazingly told story, Atwater-Rhodes, only 18 herself transports the reader into the vampiric world, its beauties and its dangers.
Best character: Jaguar
Tamara, 16
Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
It's about avampire hunter called Sarah Vida. Daughter of the famous hunter Dominique Vida. She longs to follow in the footsteps of her mother, she was well on the way to doing so until she met Christopher. The vampire she meets at her new high school. He has sworn off human blood and so is too weak to sense that she is a hunter. Sarah befriends him. But he has a secret that could destroy them both...
Evelora, 13
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Dominic Barker
It's about a 14 year old boy called Mickey, who has set up a Private Eye Seek Cases. His first case puts him into a lot of detention and he also nearly gets into trouble with cops, but at the end his case was successful accomplished, though he still got into trouble with his dad, his head teacher and form teacher. And he got detention at school, got punished at home by his dad. But of course, he got paid for his case by his client.
Best character: Mickey
Josephine, 16
Miriam Bat-Ami
Adam is a Yugoslavian Jew who flees with his mother and sister to America to escape from WW2. Then he meets Christine, a Catholic and they fall in love. But love isn't as easy as it seems. The stumble across many boundaries but in the end they stay together.
Best character: Christine Cook
Valerie, 14
Fleur Beale
 Linc thought bikes were okay, until he rode one, now he's hooked, but feeling guilty because Dad's opinion isn't good, but he's not here so he can't stop him. Then Dad's in hospital, Gran has to look after them, and Glenn's life is mixed up, gangs, drugs, alcohol, burglary, and he's only 13! Will things ever straighten out?
Benjamin, 13
Fleur Beale
Ash can remember when he was like Sam - partying, drinking, smoking, drunk-driving so Ash tries to coax Sam away from it so he won't end up like his father Rex, who believes you can drive a car no matter how drunk, until he causes an accident and Ash's mum is involved in a horrific crash, and she's only hanging on by a thread. Will Ash find Sam before it's too late? And will his mum make it through the week?
Best character: Sam Westerby
Benjamin, 13
Fleur Beale
Kirby Greenland has always lived with her mum until a mysterious letter arrives and Kirby has to live with her aunt and uncle and their kids. There are bad things about this, they belong to a mysterious cult which treats women lower than dirt, you must act Godly and wear the worst colour ever GREY! at all times and your name is changed to Esther. Will she make it and has her mum really left NZ?
Best character: Daniel Pilgrim
Benjamin, 13
Fleur Beale
It's about Kirby, who has to live with her uncle and their family, because her mum needs to straighten things out (she is mentally ill). They are heavily religious, she has to wear a veil, and long pants and all the men are heavily sexist. They also change her name to Esther because it's a religious name. She can't put up with this way of life. By the end she gets back with her mother again, she discovers that she went off track was because a highly regarded member of their religious community raped her before marriage, she was outcast because of she had the baby, and her son just got in touch with her.
Best character: Kirby
Tanisha, 14
Fleur Beale
It's about a total city girl Lacey Turner who enjoys dancing, hanging around with her girl friends, shopping, the hustle and bustle of city life is forced to leave her city life and move to the country. At first she hated it, the emptiness there feeling isolated because the nearest neighbour was even 'miles' away, the school there with 'only' boys and the girls nearest her age group was 9 when she was 12. She has to settle even if it meant playing 'footy' with the boys. How can she cope? Well she somehow managed to do so and found everyone praising her lucky.
Best character: Lacey
Erin, 14
Fleur Beale
Denny Logan has just moved from Invercargill. This means he has to start a new school, new friends, new life, he has one thing though that follows him everywhere and that's Rugby. The one thing standing in the way of his dream girl and 1st fifteen is a big, bully guy named Todd. Will he make the 1st 15, go on a date and keep his little secret?
Best character: Denny Logan
Benjamin, 13
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Bernard Beckett
I did not enjoy this book, as nothing really happens. Also, this book is full of swearing and teenage rebellion. I didn't like how the main character, Sharon, was always swearing, smoking, disrespecting people and cutting class so she could become a criminal and steal things by burgling people. I wouldn't recommend this book to anybody.
Best character: Zinny
Hannah, 13
Bernard Beckett
It is about a girl named Sharon, she is sixteen. Her mother's name is Kaz. Her mum behaved like a teenager move than a mum. Sharon have things that she doesn't liked, like rules in the school, people who are better than her and also she hated posers. She doesn't like school that much, she just went out with her friends, like going to a club.
Best character: Sharon
Xavior, 15
Frank Beddor
The True story of Wonderland....
Alyss was destined to become Wonderland's queen until her life was shattered. Seeing her parents killed she seeks refuge in our world. Years later she returns. Her evil aunt now rules the land. Shrieking Seekers command the air and deep in the darkness something more frightening is watching and waiting, purring with anticipation.
This is well worth reading if you love fantasy!
Recommended for ages 14+
Claire, 15
Cherie Bennett
Lara Ardeche, is a perfect student model. Thin, beautiful, smart, popular... Pageant winner Lara soon becomes fat. Not chubby, really fat (over 200 pounds in fact)! First she blames it on her medication, but even if she goes off it she kept gaining. Lara's desperation increases by her trying pills, diets, starvation. Doctors are confused by this sudden weight increase but soon claim it was Anxell-Crowne Syndrome which is a syndrome where your body stores more fat. Her only friends left are her (thin) boyfriend Jett and her best friend Molly. But as Lara's new outside pageant life grows she realises Jett loves her but isn't in love with her. So she dumps him. Molly stands by Lara through fat and thin. But as Lara soon discovers, beauty and thinness isn't that important but friends and life are.
Best character: Molly
Jean, 14
Julie Bertagna
Exodus is a gripping novel of adventure and excitement set in the future. The author has a brilliant vocabulary and an exceptional ability to write descriptively. When you first start reading this book, you find yourself so captured by Mara and her dedicated attitude it is impossible to put the book down. In the succession of this book, you follow Mara through her journey into the unknown....
Best character: Mara
Hannah, 13
Livia Bitton Jackson
This is a sequel to I have lived a thousand years. It talks about Elli's life after the Holocaust: how she coped with communists trying to take over Czechoslovakia still; how some drunk riots are against holiday camps for Jewish children without homes; how many people who survived WWII took advantage of selling their family's belongings which were given temporary. Even though the war's over, there are still problems. In the end, Elli talks about escaping Czechoslovakia which then was getting closed in by communist and going on in life for freedom in America.
Best character: Elli
Jean, 14
Malorie Blackman
Based on the racism and disruption of early America except reversed. This time the black crosses rule over the white noughts. But the whites are retaliating. Amidst the violence and hatred, Sephy, a rich Cross, falls in love with a nought boy called Callum.
Heart stopping and thrilling, recommended to 14+, You will love this book.
Ali, 15
Malorie Blackman
Noughts and Crosses is centred around the story of Sephy and Callum, friends from birth but segregated by society. There world is one of prejudice and interwoven into the daily struggle the disadvantaged 'noughts' must face is the tale of Sephy and Callum's friendship and love.
A deeply powerful novel, but I warn you - have a box of tissues ready, this story is tragic and moving.
If you are looking for a truly good read this book is for you.
Ages 14+
Elizabeth, 15
Malorie Blackman
Callum and Sephy are friends. But they are also white and black, and their races don't mix. The noughts are being oppressed by the crosses, and one day a bomb goes off in Dunhale Shopping Centre. The fingerprints of Callum's brother are found on fragments of the bomb - but to save his family, Callum's father makes a fake confession, landing him the death penalty. But then Sephy, daughter of a powerful politician steps in ...
Best character: Callum
Louisa, 13
Malorie Blackman
A world where apartheid occurs but black people (crosses) are in charge. The white people (noughts) are second rate citizens. Sephy is a cross whose father is a powerful political figure. Sephy is best friends with Callum, a nought. They stay friends while growing up even though both are influenced to hate the other by their families. They tough it out, sometimes by hating each other and Sephy falls pregnant with Callum's child. Now they can save only one life Callum's or the unborn child. Will Sephy have an abortion or will Callum hang?
Rebecca, 15
Francesca Lia Block
It is about Echo, the daughter of a perfect mother and a father who absolutely adores her, the mother that is, Echo almost feels unseen by her father. This is basically about her finding herself, and where she really belongs. She meets many different people who all affect her in different ways, a really touching book. You must read before you die.
Eleanor, 13
Judy Blume
Her family moves from New York to New Jersey, she meets a girl called Nancy who wants her to join a secret club, her grandma comes over she's not part of a religion, she wants to grow up and start wearing bras, she has a crush on a guy called Philip, they learn ways to get bigger boobs by exercising, Margaret doesn't know what religion she wants to become, she wants her period and she hated when Nancy lied.
Best character: Margaret
Sarah, 14
Judy Blume
It's about a girl who suddenly falls mad in love with a guy called Michael. Later on in their relationship things heat up and Michael wants to get more intimate with Katherine,(girl) but Katherine is unsure and decides to pass and find out how she feels. After thinking it over she decides to let loose. After doing it many times Katherine's parents start to get worried and send Katherine off to summer camp for the summer to let things cool down between Michael and Katherine. As Katherine works at summer camp Katherine suddenly finds out that she has growing feelings for another person. She has to tell Michael that she has found someone but she doesn't want to hurt his feelings. Suddenly she has a big task on her shoulders and doesn't know how to cope with it. Sorry folks can't tell the ending.
Temukisa, 11
Judy Blume
Rachel Robinson has all most the perfect life until her brother Charles gets expelled from boarding school and comes back home to live. She also finds herself being pressured to keep up her straight As. She keeps be asked to join more clubs and special groups because she is so super smart.
Best character: Rachel Robinson
Alice, 13
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Paula Boock
It's about a rich white kid who moves into Auckland from Christchurch. Her name's Bryony. She goes to this new school, but doesn't like it. But then, she meets Ata, a Maori girl and follows her bad ways. Bryony gets into trouble and is transferred to a new school again. She is scared to talk to Ata, because the school she goes to is hated by her old school. But after Bryony's mum rings Ata they become friends again and the gap between rich and poor is being joined by a bridge made by Bryony and Ata.
Best character: Bryony
Josephine, 16
Tim Bowler
When Ella is kidnapped in the middle of the night in a storm her family is devastated, especially her brother Fin who left her alone. They organise the ransom money for her but nothing happens. Fin finds a way to locate her with a pendulum but he can't make it work. His younger brother can though and is able to see things others can't.
Best character: Sam (younger brother)
Anita, 13
Tim Bowler
When 13 year old Ella Prescott is kidnapped one night during a storm the whole family is devastated. Her older brother Fin feels guilty for leaving her alone, and now his 3-year-old brother starts wandering near the cliffs along the coastal path to 'catch the storm'. Soon Fin comes across a pendulum dowsing and using it to try & find Ella. It turns up some surprising results and it's only a matter of time before Ella is with them again. They also learn the kidnapping wasn't for money, but something much closer to home.
Best character: Fin and Sam Prescott
Emma, 15
Theresa Breslin
Remembrance is the story of five teenagers who lived during World War I. Charlotte falls in love with John Malcolm. Who as soon as he is of age enlists to fight in the War. Charlotte herself along with Maggie (John Malcolm's twin sister) become nurses, in a hospital treating the wounded from the front. Charlotte's brother Francis is forced to fight near the end and sends back horrifying images of the front. And while all this is happening Maggie's younger brother Alex, the only one who's underage by the end of the book, pulls off a wild goose chase for his family by making up a lavish plot to sign up for the front.
Based on true facts and experiences the book is so horrifyingly good you can't put it down. It is the story behind the front and you truly feel the pain that the loss of those dear brings.
Tracy, 14
Dan Brown
Robert Langdon, Harvard Professor, is woken early in the morning and is called in to help the French police with the murder of a French professor, who has left clues to something that no one can work out.
This book is a masterpiece. It is based around the Holy Grail and a secret that the Christian church has been keeping since the beginning of the religion. It will keep you hooked.
Max, 13
Dan Brown
It’s about a university professor on the run trying to work out the clues to find the Holy Grail before the secret organisation does. I enjoyed it but the amount of detail could have been higher.
Sarah, 14
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C authors
Meg Cabot
I was on the waiting list for a very long time for this book and was very excited when I finally got it. I really enjoyed this book. Although the story was quite predictable, it was very sweet and made me want to read it again! I would recommend this book to anyone.
Sophie, 14
Meg Cabot
It's about a girl who is ordinary - she hates her older sister, she really likes Jack who her sister is dating but she's soooo unpopular. She takes art lessons, because she's really good and without knowing it the president's son is the guy sitting next to her called David. She saves the president from a gun, goes to the White House but hates the food so she eats hamburgers with David, she thinks she doesn't have a thing with David but she does and she realises that she's not in love with Jack after all.
Best character: Sam (main person)
Sarah, 14
Meg Cabot
Mia thinks she is just an ordinary teenager until one day she gets landed with the shocking news that she is a princess. Throughout the series Mia struggles through love and her duties of becoming the princess of Genovia. With her Grandmere plotting new schemes to break-up Mia and her new boy friend, Mia does not know what to do.
This is a touching and hilarious series about becoming a royal.
I recommend this book for 10+ years
Henrietta, 12
Meg Cabot
This is a non-fiction book but it is written as a fiction book. This book gives you tips on everything e.g. -how to do your hair, etc.
Taranjot, 12
Meg Cabot
An orphan, Nicola is left with nothing in the world but Beckwell Abbey. She plans to marry some Viscount rich and famous and when Lord Sebastian proposes to Nicola she is more than happy to accept. What she does not know is that the only reason Lord Sebastian wants to marry her is because Beckwell Abbey is all that stands in the way of the first railway station ever built and Lord Sebastian's father wants to be the one who creates it.
Best character: Eleanor
Valerie, 14
Meg Cabot writing as Jenny Carroll
The third book in the Missing series delivers just as the previous two. The book is about Jess Mastrani who was struck by lightning and now has special psychic powers in finding missing people. After a boring holiday playing video games with her friend's brother, Jess comes home to the news that a girl in her homeroom was kidnapped and was later found dead. Many people at Jess' school start to blame Jess for not being there to use her special powers to find the girl. Feeling guilty she begins to investigate the murder of her former classmate while trying to keep her psychic powers hidden from the FBI. And though she is deeply in love with the motorbike riding Rob Wilkins, she begins to have feelings towards the prime suspect.
A great read, you won't want to put it down.
Jessica, 15
Meg Cabot
This book is about Suze Simon and the ghost she is in love with, Jesse de Silva. Suze has a chance to change the past so that Jesse can live a long life and not get murdered--but that means that they will never meet!!
What happens next??
Mary, 14
Dia Calhoun
Cerinthe is a poor commoner and after her mother dies she vows she will become a dancer at the Royal dance school fulfilling her mother's promise. Through many obstacles she succeeds but after meeting Meredi Grace she decides she doesn't want to be a dancer - she wants to be a healer.
Best character: Cerinthe
Valerie, 14
Ken Catran
It's set in the future, where kids have V strips to play games. But there is a person who selling a different V strip to kids which gets them lost into it forever. Preben wants to find out where the kids are getting them from. Rhoda travels around on an antique Harley decides to find out as well. So Preben has to put his life on the line because he's the only one who can do it.
Best character: Rhoda
Rhoda, 17
Ken Catran
This book is made up of a series of letters by two people. Harry sends his Lover Jessica letters talking about all that is happening in the war that he is fighting. Jessica sends Harry letters telling him about all the things that are going on at home and about all her experience that she is getting from the war when she becomes a nurse and treats the men who have been injured in battle.
Best character: Harry
Annette, 13
Ken Catran
Set during World War I, this is book mostly contains letters sent between Henry Wainwright and Jessica Collingwood. Henry is one of the soldiers sent to Gallipoli, while Jessica goes on to become a nurse and help the wounded soldiers from the war.
Best character: Frederick 'Hooter' Muller
Vivien, 16
Ken Catran
I think this book is alright. But the start is so boring I would not recommend this book to anybody. It's about mutants coming from the sky and oceans which I think is not a teen based book.
Best character: Jon, Bronwyn and Harry
Anaru, 14
Ken Catran
An engaging read by speculative fiction writer Catran. The biggest highlight of the book was the elegant, highly visual prose. The novel is set in a dark, dangerous future. Two mutant species, called the Dry Things and the Wet Things, have arisen and humans are no longer the dominant species on the planet.
Best character: Bronwyn
Su Lynn, 16
Ken Catran
It's about Mike and Blue. Blue talks to Mike on his mobile. Mike doesn't tell anyone that Blue talks to him. Mike's parents died about a year ago so Mike lives with his Auntie. He starts to think Blue is Roy but is wrong. Blue kills people who wear blue, so people don't wear blue. There's a strange ending that people think Mike was Blue.
Best character: Mike
Emily, 17
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Michael Coleman
A group of boys who decide to start a snogathon, and it has to be kept a secret, all the girls who get snogged get rated. How would the girls react? The boys knew that the girls wouldn't like it. The girls found out eventually and they wanted to embarrass the snogathon boys. The idea came when they thought about the Christmas disco. Embarrassment for the boys.
Best character: Mel
Emily, 17
Eoin Colfer
Artemis Fowl is a 12 year old criminal mastermind. Ever since his father's disappearance, he has taken over the family business, crime. He starts his new plan to gain money, by studying a fairy relic called the Book. But when he winds up kidnapping a fairy, things start going wrong.
Best character: Artemis Fowl
Thomas, 14
Caroline B. Cooney
When Macey Clare decides to research the history of a barn across the road from her grandparents house, which was burned down in 1959 no one wants to talk about it. She's even told to use a different topic for a school assignment by her teacher. But Macey's determined to find out the truth. And when Macey talks to Wade Sibley, a black teacher who used to live in the same area at that time and was never accepted by the village she wonders if there's more.
Best character: Macey Clare
Emma, 15
Caroline B. Cooney
It's about a girl named Janie who finds her picture printed on the side of the milk carton, where the pictures of kidnapped kids get printed every week. She reads the caption underneath it - it says, "the three year old girl had been kidnapped 12 years ago from a mall at New Jersey." She couldn't imagine her parents being kidnappers. So she tries to find out - has she really been kidnapped or is this a picture of a girl who looks like her?
Best character: Janie
Samantha, 13
Shirley Corlett
It's about a teenage girl - Tori - who goes searching in the afterworld for her dead aunt's dead fiancé with her friends.
Best character: Tori
Vritika, 13
Sharon Creech
Love that dog is a superb poem about a boy who loses something he loves.
Sharon Creech uses inarticulate speech at the beginning through the eyes of this boy and by doing so creates a perfect sound to the poem - far better than using complicated words and phrases, for example: I tried. Can't do it. Brain's empty - and - I don't want to write poetry because boys don't. Girls do.
The poem is of course about poetry. It is through the eyes of this boy whose teacher is teaching the class about poetry. He believes that he'll never love poetry and he feels that things will never be the same now that he has lost this thing.
The story shows how poetry helps him feel better and conquer his fears. It also makes him open up more and talk about how he's feeling.
If I could I'd give this book 4 and 2/3 but there is no such option as that. Overall it is an amazing book and also very moving.
Nick, 10
Gary Crew
This is an horror book with 13 stories.
The stories explore the dark forces of nature and the human psyche.
With things like a hypnotist experiments with a dying man. A earthquake throws up something extraordinary form the oceans' depths and my favourite, a corpse comes knocking at the door...
Annaliesa, 13
Gillian Cross
Ashley is being stalked by someone. This someone knows her secret that only Ashley's best friend knows, Vikki. This stalker is becoming dangerous and Ashley doesn't know what to do. She finds out the Hyena has been stalking her and so does the rest of the whole school. Though Matt stands by her and protects her from the rest of the school.
Best character: Matt
Jayna, 15
Chris Crutcher
Dillon sees his brother commit suicide in front of him. His friend Jen gets raped by her stepfather. She doesn't tell Dillon till after she tries to commit suicide. She decides she's going to run away with her sister Dawn but she finds out her mum's pregnant with a girl and Jen doesn't want the baby to grow up like she did. Dillon helps her to expose her stepfather again and this time they succeed.
Best character: Jennifer Lawless (Jen)
Neelam, 14
Marianne Curley
Ethan is always shadowed by his sister's violent death by a hideous beast called Marduke. He is one of the Named. The Named have two or three (if you're lucky) skills that would give them the ability to travel back in time to stop the dark forces from changing fate. Ethan is talented but has to go through his final test of training another to get his wings, which would give him the official sign that he is Named. This other he has to train is his ex-best friend's sister, Isabel. At the end of this test, Isabel is put through a test that includes danger. Marduke comes on Isabel's final test and she escapes just on time. Marduke is quickly approaching Ethan and Isabel. The only person who can save them is Marduke's arch-enemy, Ethan's dad.
Best character: Ethan
Jean, 14
Marianne Curley
Weird things are happening to Isabel, the day she cuts her finger quite bad and it heals itself. Then she meets Ethan, her brother’s ex-best friend. Ethan has to train Isabel to get her into her prophesised role in the Named. The whole story is not all action however, as we learn Isabel’s true or childish feelings for Ethan, and the spark between Isabel and the mystical but incredibly beautiful Akarian. The Named (co-ordinated by Akarian) are a group of people who travel back in time risking their lives to stop The Order of Chaos from altering history and therefore creating a chaotic future. Ethan is cleaning out his closet of the dreaded memory of the murder of his sister, when he finds his father is also named and could finish a battle once started, which would put an end to the pain Ethan and his father have put up with for 10 years.
Every chapter is heart wrenching and highly addictive, once you pick this book up you’ll NEVER be able to put it down.
What I personally like about this book was that each chapter alternates between Ethan and Isabel’s life, which makes it interesting hearing a guys perspective over a girls, and for male readers I’m sure it would be vice-versa.
Marianne Curley has written all her books like this, with medieval adventures and everyday stresses of teenage guys and girls. I highly recommend you read the rest of the Guardians of Time Trilogy:
and her first book Old Magic.
Best character: Akarian
Age group: 13+ (I read The Named when I was 12 and The Key when I was 15)
Joanna, 15
Karen Cushman
A girl known as 'Brat' is found asleep in a dung heap by a midwife who takes her as an apprentice. She is then christened Beetle (dung beetle) and has to do jobs for the midwife. She goes to market one day and renames herself Alyce, which doesn't go down well.
She runs away and works in an Inn, where a Magister teaches her to read. With newfound confidence Alyce goes back to the midwife, who will not take her back, until Alyce figures out what the midwife wants.
Best character: Alyce
Rebecca, 15
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D & E authors
Amanda Davis
This book is about outer space and what happens in space. Really good questions about how did the life start on the earth? is there life on mars? aliens, ufos. So science lovers you must read it because its a good book with a glossary and index. Read it surely
Yatin, 14
Peter Dickinson
There is magic in the valley where Tilja and her grandmother live, but the magic is wearing out and soon the enemy will be able to cross the forest to the valley. There is only one magician that can help them - Jaheel - but his name causes a very strong reaction amongst some people.
Best character: Tilja
Barbara, 15
Frances O'Roark Dowell
Dovey hates the rich Caraways as much as anyone else but now she hates Parnell Caraway even more because he is trying to marry her sister. When Parnell confronts her one day and is out to kill her because Dovey's sister broke up with him, Dovey gets knocked out and when she wakes up she is lying beside a dead Parnell Caraway.
Best character: Amos
Valerie, 14
Sarah Dessen
This lullaby is about a total cynic called Remy, who has lost faith in love because of her mother's four (I think) marriages. She has a whole checklist for guys and only dates rich jocks, and never lets a relationship last for longer than a couple of months. All this changes when she meets Dexter, a messy, quirky musician. Even though he's the kind of guy she'd normally never look at, they somehow get together. Will their relationship last? Will Dexter change Remy and make her believe again? (I’m sure you can guess.)
This book is one of my favourites by Sarah Dessen, and I’d recommend it to 14 year olds and over who would like to read an original love story.
Harshi, 14
Tessa Duder
Bingo Best and her family have just moved to Mercury Beach. Bingo's mum is a famous Movie Star, and her dad has an important role on TV.
The community of Mercury Beach is holding a carnival to raise money.
Two adult teams are trying to raise the money. But when they can't raise much, Bingo and her friends step in.
A great book for 12-13 year olds.
Nikki, 13
Tessa Duder
Antigone Tompson (Tiggie for short.) is a very self consious teenager. Her Mum is a news reporter off "60 Minutes" which puts her under a lot of pressure at school. It's not until she changes from a private to public school that she realises that she loves acting and takes part in a new soap called "Shapers" - but does she really want to be a TV star?
This is a really enjoyable story and you can really relate to the characters.
I'd recommend it for kids 12+
Emily, 13
Tessa Duder
Tiggie Tompson has landed a role in a TV drama, finally following in her mother's footsteps. Living in Auckland, trying to make "better friends" with Gareth and having a spot of trouble on a boat Tiggie leads a fast pace and exciting life. Then e-mails arrive from her half-brother in Aussie and this fanmail is definitely not good.
Best character: Tiggie
Benjamin, 13
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David Eddings
The story tells us the struggle of Gods and kings and men many years ago, which lead to a prophecy that must be fulfilled. Only one boy was destined to this prophecy, Garion. This is the first book of The Belgariad series. In this story Garion left Faldor's farm with his aunt Pol, Durnik and Wolf, who he discovered later on is a powerful wizard, and also his grandfather. As he journeys on, Garion finds himself in strange companies and Master Wolf's story becomes more and more real!
Best character: Garion
Sokleang, 16
Sarah Ell
It's November 1918, the end of the World War, an epidemic of influenza is sweeping Auckland. Jimmy K's father is reported to be 'missing in action' and Jimmy's mother has taken his younger brothers and sisters to the country, leaving 13 year old Jimmy in the hands of Uncle to face the horrors of the epidemic that is spreading quickly in Auckland. Uncle Rory has a plan, and Jimmy is swept along to right a wrong with his uncle from the trenches of France.
Best character: Jimmy
Annette, 13
Deborah Ellis
Imagine you have lost your family and don't know where they are you have just buried your father and now you are left to fend for your self and you have to dress up like a boy to survive this what happened to Parvana about 12 or 13 in a desperate search to find her mother sister and brother this is what life is like in Afghanistan running away from the Taliban read to find out what happens.
Ameesha, 11
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F & G authors
Nancy Farmer
It is set in the future and is about the life of a boy named Matt who is a clone of a very powerful drug lord. First Matt must find out who he is and what a clone is and what it means to be one. He makes both enemies and friends who he must fight against or rescue throughout the book.
Best character: Matt (who is the main character)
Joshua, 15
Raymond E. Feist
A young boy is apprenticed to a magician, and then finds out that he is unable to work magic unless he is under a lot of stress. When alien invaders come to the Kingdom he is taken as a slave to the planet of Kelewan.
I suggest that it is for readers who enjoy books such as Lord of the Rings.
Kathryn, 13
Anne Fine
Very different is a book of short stories, my favourite was “The Gnome Coming Party“. It is humorous and uses good description. I also enjoyed the story “Partners in crime” because it was different and original, it had strange ideas in it. I felt glad when Miss Phillip married Ned instead of marrying the stuffed seal.
Best character: Chloe from “Two of these and one of those“
Katie, 13
Alex Flinn 
A teen called Nick has an awful father telling him he's a loser. He gets a girlfriend called Caitlin but he hits her. She presses charges and takes him to court. She now has a restraining order against him and he has to go to anger management. His best friend Tom is now against him. He goes through the anger management classes with a teacher called Marco. He's trying to win Caitlin back. A great read!
Best character: Tom
Felicity, 13
Lisa Forrest
It's all about a girl called Max, who loved being a DJ, but when her grandfather finds out, he's angry with her, which Max is put down by. But when her grandfather realises he lets Max play DJ music and he is also there to see her.
Josephine, 16
Russell Freedman
One of Confucius great sayings was "Do not impose on others what you do not wish for yourself". Confucius was a great Chinese thinker who is still jokingly portrayed as a comic sage and a philosopher.
Best character: Confucius
Sione, 13
Tohru Fujisawa
At Holy Forest, Ms. Fuyutsuki is a very young and very beautiful teacher, loved by all the male students. That is, ONLY the male students. The girls are all jealous of her and they start bullying her, trying to get her to quit. They step over the line quickly and push her to the edge, but only to have Mr. Onizuka (the coolest male teacher there) to 'rescue' her and suggest they play hooky for the day.
Later on, Kunio gets love lettes from a girl that could be his crush... but he's sure it isn't her. Read to see his reaction when he finally finds out who the sender is.
Ada, 14
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Julie Garwood
This historical romance book is about a woman named Gillian who was on a mission of finding a jeweled box which is believed to have been in the hands of her sister who was separated from her protecting it, and is considered to be a treasure to King Henry which contains a lock of his ex-lover's hair who got murdered. Gillian's father was killed by Baron Hugh, trying to protect it and trying to give it back to the king. On her mission she discovers love and passion from a stubborn, strong-hearted warrior Brodick. She also finds friendship and loyalty from a woman named Bridget. It is quite tricky the way the author has written the book. The book is like a trap, it pulls you in and you can never get out of reading it which has caused me to read it three times over and over. I really really encourage you to read it. Trust me you'll enjoy it like I did.
Taupule, 16
David Gemmell
Druss and his axe Snaga's adventures were chronicled by David Gemmel before, but now he takes a deep look into Druss' past.
Druss, then a woodcutter, has his wife taken by slavers. Setting off in search of her, the legend of Druss begins...
Dylan, 13
Adele Geras
The book is based on a lady who has dumped her boyfriend who was a total jerk because he was married. While Jane (lady) is thinking about this on the train she meets a charming young man that she likes. The train stops and they go different ways. At Jane's niece's wedding they suddenly bump into each other and Jane falls madly in love with him.
Best character: Ellie (niece)
Christine, 13
Gaelyn Gordon
Jocasta, Cilla and Flora are three adolescent witches abused and kept against their will by their evil Aunt Lureene. The story follows the three girls as their aunt uses them to make the spell, she even was going to sacrifice her own twin baby boys Abel and Cain for the sake of power. A tale of evil vs good and how the three cousins who overcome their bitter aunt and regain their freedom.
Best character: Andrew Arnott
Francisca, 17
Kristiana Gregory
This novel is a diary of Cleoplatra's life as a teenager and her point of view and how she copes with situations. It tells of all the trials and tribulations of an Egyptian Royal family and how her siblings will kill each other just to reign as King or Queen.
Best character: Cleopatra
Valerie, 14
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H authors
Margaret Peterson Haddix
The book's about a girl who lives in a village that's trapped in time and they receive medicine until someone plants diphtheria to see which kids are the strongest and this one girl (Jessie) goes out the only exit to seek help. Her voyage is long and you can step into her shoes quite easily so you get her emotion as you carry on it's quite scary at times. I wouldn't recommend it to people less then 8 or 9 and even then they would struggle to understand it in some parts, so it is more a teenage book, and teenagers will relate to it more.
Emily, 12
Margaret Peterson Haddix
Amelia and Annie-Beth are two old women chosen to be in a group of 50 old people who are given injections to make them young again, but it has to be kept secret, people would go crazy if they found out. Except the problem is what do they do when they get younger, and younger, and younger...
Best character: Amelia
Kate, 13
Mark Haddon
This book is about a boy who becomes obsessed with the murder of a dog. I think that the book is very good. It has a lot of swearing and fighting in it, some of the words are complex and younger readers may not understand it.
Hannah, 12
Rosanne Hawke
Jaime has spent most of her life in war-torn Pakistan. But then suddenly she leaves Pakistan and heads back to Australia. Will she ever adjust back to her own culture or will she forever be stuck in the borderland?
Part two: Jaime is headed back to Pakistan to tie some old strings and say goodbye to her beloved Pakistan. Then she is kidnapped and taken to Afghanistan. Who will survive? And will Jaime ever go back to Australia?
This book is fab and I totally recommend it!
Katherine, 14
Roseanne Hawke
It's about this girl and she moves to the outback with her dad and step-mum into this really old house. In a secret room she finds this box with this dress and a bunch of old letters and she starts to investigate and find out about this woman.
Best character: Zenna
Nathalie, 13
Rosemary Hayes
About a girl whos grandma dies but when she finds out she has a illness and while recovering, she discovers her grandma's past, sorrow and why she didn’t want to tell people about her childhood.
Great, touching story
Sylvia, 12
Carl Hiaasen
Roy had just moved to Florida expecting a boring and dull place. Bullied already by Dana, the main bully, Roy is stuck with his face against the window on the school bus. With this, Roy notices a boy called Mullet Fingers running away from the bus trailing with potty-trained alligators, snakes with glitter on them and some cute burrowing owls. Beatrice, his (Mullet Fingers) stepsister follows Roy when Roy starts to show interest into her stepbrother. After the plot continues, Roy finds out and helps Mullet Fingers protect the small owls from the local pancake company destroying their homes. While a police detective and a guy called Curly are trying to solve a mysterious case of alligators, snakes and owls painting over their cars.
Best character: Roy Ederhardt (Main character)
Jean, 14
David Hill
When Slade comes to the snobby Green Harbour College, he first sees Ms Rich and Perfect Mallory Garner in assembly. But don't be fooled by appearances... Slade assumes Mallory is stuck-up and snobby schoolgirl but slowly he sees real side of her. At first, he becomes real rude to her and her parents e.g giving them the fingers but as he gets closer to her, he realises she holds a horrible secret. Under pressure to be brillant and perfect at everything , Mallory self harms herself. By burying herself, cutting, biting, bruising .... Slade who becomes her boyfriend tries to help. But after a argument with her mother, Mallory feels as though she can't control her life and starts to cut her arms badly. Slade finds her and brings Mallory to the hospital. With the support from Slade, her parents, friends and the doctors, Mallory begins to heal the cuts that lay under her skin. The only person who can save her is herself...
Best character: Mallory
Jean, 14
David Hill
When Slade comes to Green Harbour College with its rich kids and richer parents the first person he meets is Mallory Garner. His feeling about Mallory is he wants to kick her. Slowly he changes his mind, especially when he discovers the terrible secret that haunts Mallory's life.
Best character: Slade
Lucy, 16
David Hill
A poor-ish boy (Slade) moves with his mum and step-dad to a 'perfect' town, where he meets a rich, snobby girl (Mallory). He finds out that she hurts herself - cigarette burns, bulb burns, cuts, bruises - every time that she makes a mistake. He helps her stop, and tell her parents that she doesn't want to be a 'Perfect' daughter - she just wants to be herself.
Best character: Slade
Zenobia, 14
David Hill
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