REVIEW: Skulduggary Pleasant - Derek Landy

GENRE: Childrens 9-12

PAGES: 398

PUBLISHER: HarperCollins

FORMAT: PB

BUY IT: Waterstones

RATING: 5 Stars

SUMMARY

Meet the great Skulduggery Pleasant: wise-cracking detective, powerful magician, master of dirty tricks and burglary (in the name of the greater good, of course). Oh yeah. And dead. Then there's his sidekick, Stephanie. She's...well, she's a twelve-year-old girl. With a pair like this on the case, evil had better watch out.. Stephanie's uncle Gordon is a writer of horror fiction. But when he dies and leaves her his estate, Stephanie learns that while he may have written horror, it certainly wasn't fiction. Pursued by evil forces intent on recovering a mysterious key, Stephanie finds help from an unusual source - the wisecracking skeleton of a dead wizard. When all hell breaks loose, it's lucky for Skulduggery that he's already dead. Though he's about to discover that being a skeleton doesn't stop you from being tortured, if the torturer is determined enough. And if there's anything Skulduggery hates, it's torture...Will evil win the day? Will Stephanie and Skulduggery stop bickering long enough to stop it? One thing's for sure: evil won't know what's hit it.

REVIEW

Skulduggery Pleasant is the coolest, smoothest, most awesomest (and probably the deadest) Detective around and you may not know he exists, but he saves you from some of the evilest supernatural people and creatures around on a daily basis. And it's not easy, no. In fact it's most dangerous. 

Made-up words aside, I am thoroughly in love with this series already - don't let anyone tell you that 'grown-ups' can't enjoy reading books for younger kids. It just proves that done well books can be accessible to anyone. It has an incredibly spot-on humour: kind of dark in places and completely sarcastic. Its straight up my street. I don't know what took me so long to actually get round to reading it but now I'm completely hooked.

Stephanie, our main heroine and guide, is a great character. She is down to Earth, tough and really funny. She has a fantastically dry sense of humour and finds a great, loyal friend in Skulduggery who shows her the world that her beloved late Uncle had inhabited. And more importantly he sweeps her away from her humdrum ordinary life. I love Skulduggery for that ironic reason of how 'fleshed out' he is. He is so set in his ways, like his love of his Bently and his noir-style crime fighting dectection. He's a brilliant father figure and semi-moral compass for Stephanie. He also has a really interesting, if not grim, backstory that is eeked out in this book:

“I woke up, a bag of bones. Literally. They had gathered up my bones and put them in a bag and thrown the bag into a river.”

Even through his humour you can sense a darker side, the feeling that there is so much more to him that will be both uncovered and developed in the following books. Having said this you could quite easily read this on its own and be satisfied. In fact I dare you, because it's virtually impossible to read this and not want to run out for the next.

In fact every character is a burst of colour and fun. It's accessible and there is something for everyone. Girls will love the role model that Stephanie is and boys will love how cool Skulduggery is. An lets face it, everyone loves a bit of action. This should be a staple read in anyone's library.

Each book in the series is a quest in itself. Its almost formulaic: introduces a baddy, world is in jeopardy, massive battle scene and world is temporarily saved. I like that I know what to expect and I have to admit that I don't read these for the action - it's wholly for the banter. I find it hilarious. I really want to show you a few examples of my favourite quotes, it doesn't matter how good a review I write I know these will convince you how awesome this series it.

This is one used on the back of the book:

"So you won't keep anything from me again?"

He put his hand to his chest. "Cross my heart and hope to die."

"Okay then. Though you don't actually have a heart," she said.

"I know."

"And technically, you've already died."

"I know that too."

"Just so we're clear."

Another of my favourites:

"If there is one regret that I have had in my life, it is that I never fathered any children. There are times, when I look at what Fergus and Beryl have produced, when I consider myself fortunate, but there are also times when it breaks my heart.”

This illustrates so well that it is not just one of the funniest things I have ever read, but it has emotion. Yes this book has been around for quite some time now, but you don't even need to be afraid of spoilers because there's so much more to get your teeth in to. This is writing you'd be happy to read in adult literature.

- Bex.

REVIEW: Mountwood School For Ghosts - Tony Ibbotson

GENRE: MG/Supernatural
PAGES: 272
PUBLISHER: Macmillan
FORMAT: Hardback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 4 Stars

SUMMARY

Fredegonda, Goneril, and Drusilla are Great Hagges, much more important and much rarer than regular old hags. They think that ghosts these days are decidedly lacking and that people haven't been scared of ghosts for years. So one day they decide that something needs to change - it's time for these ghosts to learn a thing or two about being scary. And what better way to teach them than to set up their very own school for ghosts?

REVIEW

A wonderful book that combines mystery, mayhem and ghosts! A trio of terrifying hagges decide to set up a school for ghosts to train them in all things ghastly, and they become embroiled in the life of Daniel and Charlotte as they try and save their homes. It's funny, clever and brilliantly written, the descriptions are so vivid I could see exactly what was being described. Perfect for 7-12 year olds.

- Gem.

REVIEW: A Little Something Difference - Sandy Hall

GENRE: Contemporary/Romance
PAGES: 272
PUBLISHER: Macmillan
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 4 Stars

SUMMARY

Lea and Gabe are in the same creative writing class. They get the same pop-culture references, order the same Chinese food and hang out in the same places. Unfortunately, Lea is reserved, Gabe has issues, and despite their initial mutual crush it looks like they are never going to work things out. But somehow, even when nothing is going on, something is happening between them, and everyone can see it. Their creative-writing teacher pushes them together. The baristas at the local Starbucks watch their relationship like a TV show. Their bus driver tells his wife about them. The waitress at the diner automatically seats them together. Now they just need to realize that they're meant for each other, and start falling in love...

REVIEW

The most enjoyable romance book I have read for a long time! This book was so refreshing, it took the basic principle of two young people falling in love and deals with it in an interesting and touching way. Told from the point of view of 14 people (it's easy to follow despite so many view points), each person has their own take on Lea and Gabe, and each of them has their own personality that makes it really fun to see what they think is happening. My favourite is Inga, I wish I had had a teacher like her! This is such a great book, the perfect book to curl up on the sofa with and the next thing you know you'll have read the entire thing and be grinning from ear to ear! I knew I was going to like it after 7 pages when there was a Buffy reference... Read this now :)

- Gem.

REVIEW: Waiting For Gonzo - Dave Cousins

PAGES: 256
PUBLISHER: Oxford University Press
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 3 Stars

SUMMARY

Meet Oz ...he's got a talent for trouble but his heart's always in the right place (well, nearly always). Uprooted from his friends and former life, Oz finds himself stranded in the sleepy village of Slowleigh. When a joke backfires on the first day at his new school, Oz attracts the attention of Isobel Skinner, the school psycho - but that's just the beginning. After causing an accident that puts his mum in hospital, Oz isn't exactly popular at home either. His older sister's no help, but then she's got a problem of her own ...one that's growing bigger by the day. Oz knows he's got to put things right, but life isn't that simple, especially when the only people still talking to you are a hobbit-obsessed kid and a voice in your own head! Packed with action, heart and humour, Waiting for Gonzo takes you for a white-knuckle ride on the Wheel of Destiny as it careers out of control down the Hillside of Inevitability. The question is, do you go down laughing? Or grit your teeth and jump off?

REVIEW

Having not read a tremendous amount of Teenage Fiction (except what I read when I was actually still a teenager) I wasn’t sure what to think of this at first. However, I must admit that this judgement was based primarily on the cover of the book. I know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but I couldn’t help but be put off by the bright shiny cover, but I really shouldn’t have made this judgement, as the book is a perfect example of how Teen Fiction can be so excellent!

Oz finds himself in a new village, removed from a life he once knew and removed from his best friends. After starting at his new school, he soon attracts the attention of the ‘school psycho’ Isobel Skinner, who he quickly grows an affection for. He soon ends up on the bad-side of most people and he knows that he needs to put things right, one way or another. His sister gets pregnant, his mom is involved in an accident (that he helped cause), his only friend is as geeky as they come and to top it all off he’s talking to a voice inside his own head.

Books like this prove that fiction aimed at young adults doesn’t always have to follow the typical ideas of vampires, witches and wizards, etc. (that’s not to knock HP, Twilight, Half Bad etc). They can, however, deal with ‘proper’ issues that most teenagers have to come up against in daily life such as family, love and new emotions. ‘Waiting For Gonzo’ tells us that it’s okay to be different; it’s okay to not always get along with your family; it’s okay to get into trouble (sometimes, and for a good reason) and more importantly that it’s okay to stand up for what you think is best.

Dave Cousins has a fluid writing style that makes reading his work effortless but not boring. This is the ideal book for fans of reading stories about realistic lives that they can appreciate and relate to. I’ll be sure to check out Cousins’ other books as soon as I’ve read the rest of my pile!

- Adam. 

REVIEW: Flirty Dancing - Jenny McLachlan

PAGES: 256
PUBLISHER: Bloomsbury
FORMAT: Paperback
BUY IT: Waterstones
RATING: 4 Stars

This book publishes July 2014.

SUMMARY

Bea Hogg is shy but fiery inside. When national dance competition Starwars comes to her school looking for talent, she wants to sign up. It's just a shame her best friend agreed to enter with school super-cow Pearl Harris. Bea will fight back! But when school hottie, Ollie Matthews, who also happens to be Pearl's boyfriend, decides to enter the competition with Bea, she will have more than a fight on her hands. This warm, nuanced, hilarious story about friendship, fortitude ...and dancing is impossible not to fall in love with. Jenny's voice is fresh and convincing, and she handles both darker and lighter elements of the story with equal panache.

REVIEW

I found this book really enjoyable and incredibly funny! Bea is a wonderful character; It's really easy to relate to her fun loving home character and quiet at school character. Having been paired with the schools best looking guy and her ex-best friends love interest for a televised national dance competition is enough the terrify anyone, but when Bea is forced to put up with snide remarks and bullying from Mean Girl Pearl (Ha!)

It's interesting to see that as the story progresses she really develops as a person and she realises that "Though she be but little, she is fierce!" just like her nan always says! This is the kind of book you sit down and read all in one go (as I have done today!) and it will make you laugh out loud and smile throughout.

Perfect for fans of Holly Smale, Jacqueline Wilson and Louise Rennison.

- Gem.

REVIEW: Geek Girl - Holly Smale

GENRE: Contemporary/Humour/YA
PAGES: 356

PUBLISHER: Harpercollins Children's

FORMAT: PB

BUY IT: Waterstones

RATING: 4 Stars

SUMMARY

"My name is Harriet Manners, and I am a geek." Harriet Manners knows that a cat has 32 muscles in each ear, a "jiffy" lasts 1/100th of a second, and the average person laughs 15 times per day. She knows that bats always turn left when exiting a cave and that peanuts are one of the ingredients of dynamite. But she doesn't know why nobody at school seems to like her. So when Harriet is spotted by a top model agent, she grabs the chance to reinvent herself. Even if it means stealing her best friend's dream, incurring the wrath of her arch enemy Alexa, and repeatedly humiliating herself in front of impossibly handsome model Nick. Even if it means lying to the people she loves. Veering from one couture disaster to the next with the help of her overly enthusiastic father and her uber-geeky stalker, Toby, Harriet begins to realise that the world of fashion doesn't seem to like her any more than the real world did. As her old life starts to fall apart, will Harriet be able to transform herself before she ruins everything?

REVIEW

I received Geek Girl after being invited as a bookseller to HarperCollin's 'Big Book Parade' - which was an absolute dream come true. Not only did we get to see all the awesome new books due out at the end of this year, but we also got to fill bags with whatever books took our fancy. For free. Reviewing doesn't seem like enough for the goodies publishers give us but hopefully being able to recommend a book like this goes some way to show how appreciative I am.

Geek Girl follows Harriet Manners on her way to stardom. After accidentally getting 'spotted' by a modelling agency at the Clothes Show she is whisked away, destined to become the World's Next Top Model. Unfortunately, Harriet was only at the show to help her best friend get spotted and now Harriet has to make the choice: follow a new path and opportunities that have opened up for her life, or stay true to her friend and turn it down? How do you follow you dreams when it means changing the lives of those around you?

Yes, the premise of this book is pretty farfetched, it might not exactly be every girl's dream, but the idea of being swept away to a bigger and better life but also getting to stay as who you are is pretty close. Geek Girl is nowhere near the type of book I would normally pick up. The cover and title make it sound like a chick-lit book about a girl who thinks she's such a geek because she does her homework but then the hottest guy in school falls for her. Blah blah blah. Yes, this is how I judge books when I look at them. Luckily I also listen to my colleagues recommendations - and this is importance of talking about books.

Harriet Manner's is actually the exact type of character that I love. She is almost a proper geek. It's quite slapstick in its comedy; she's uber clumsy and awkward but really sweet, kind and funny. And her supporting cast - her dad, best friend, and even her stalker - are all hilarious. They are pretty much caricatures of the types of weird people we all know. Her family are not exactly normal but they are pretty adorable. Its sugary-sweet in places but you don't really care, because it's so awesome. They also give the story their more serious and totally heartwarming parts. Oh, and don't worry girls, there's a guy - it wouldn't be a YA book with out one would it? - who is a fellow model. He's not an airhead though. In fact the whole part of the modelling world that he and Harriet are in is so quirky its almost a comment on the ridiculousness of the modelling industry as a whole...

Harriet has a very dry sarcastic sense of humour and even though everything bad that can happen does happen to Harriet I couldn't help but find it hilarious. It made me snort on the train and even though that is fairly embarrassing, and even though I live in Birmingham, at least you've never found me hiding under a table a the Clothes Show. And I've been to the NEC - it could have happened. I also loved that it was a British geek book - so many run on American geek vs. prep stereotypes.

Geek Girl is a Bridget Jones for a new age and a testament to anyone who ever feels socially uncomfortable. She's awkward, oblivious and just plain fab.

- Bex.