July Round-up

With the start of the school holidays and time in Ibiza and Nice, it's been a mammoth month of reading for us.  As the book I'm currently reading always sits on my desk at school, I need to make sure that it's MG, so with no school, O and I decided to branch out and we've read a mixture of MG and YA.  As we know that people who read the blog often only read MG books, we've added age recommendations to the YA books to help people out).

MG:

The Bad Luck Lighthouse - Nicki Thornton

Seth and Nightshade are back!  Seth is struggling to learn magic and when Pewter arrives at The Last Chance Hotel and announces that he's heading to the Snakemouth Lighthouse Hotel, Seth decides this would be the perfect place for him to practise his magic.  However, when arrives, all is not as it seems and the murder of the owner, Mina Mintencress changes everything.

It's great to be back with Seth and Nightshade.  Seth is still doubting himself but is determined to power on and Nightshade is her usual, slightly sarcastic self and is still my favourite character (although I do love Seth too!).  The book builds the tension to an exciting finish and we can't wait for the next instalment.

Evernight - Ross MacKenzie:   https://kandobonkersaboutbooks.blogspot.com/2019/08/evernight-ross-mackenzie.html









Can You See Me? - Libby Scott & Rebecca Westcott.

Tilly Adams is autistic and is terrified at the prospect of starting secondary school.  She knows people don't understand her so she hides her autism as much as she can.  This book is the story of one girl coping with high school and learning that it's ok to be yourself.  

This is a truly insightful book that should be in every classroom and read by every child and every adult.  With diary extracts woven into the story, this is an honest and heart-felt novel that deserves a huge standing ovation.


I Have No Secrets - Penny Joelson

Jemma is 14 and is just like other girls her age: she's intelligent, curious, incrediblly observant and enjoys music, books, nail varnish ... but Jemma has severe cerebral palsy and cannot move or communicate so relies on her foster family and her carer for everything.  When she becomes aware of a big secret she is powerful to do anything, but then her carer goes missing and Jemma is determined to find a way to tell everybody what she thinks happened.

This is a compelling novel and very cleverly written from Jemma's point of view.  It allows you to appreciate how sharp and observant she is as well as understand her frustrations.  As well as that, you become engrossed in Jemma's foster family and the different struggles each of them face.  It's a very cleverly written story with a gripping plot-line that will engage you from the very first page.

YA

Scars Like Wings - Erin Stewart:   https://kandobonkersaboutbooks.blogspot.com/2019/08/scars-like-wings.html





I Am Not A Number - Lisa Heathfield

Ruby West is a normal 14 year old girl who goes to school and enjoys spending time with her boyfriend, Luke.  The Traditional Party have just been voted into power and are promising to make the country a better place for everyone ... at any cost.  This includes rounding up any supporters of The Core Party in the middle of the night and herding them to a prison camp where they are given a number and a brutal regime begins.

Reminiscent of The Holocaust (the author says that this was the basis of the idea for the novel), this is a powerful and compelling story that will grip you.  You'll find yourself rooting for the characters and crossing your fingers that everything will be ok for them.  I even found that I'd been holding my breath whilst reading and hadn't realised!

As a mum?  Did I take different things from this book than O? Undoubtedly!  I found it heart-wrenching at times (I'm not ashamed to say I shed a tear) as, being a modern day setting, it's easy to see how this could become a reality.
(Recommended for age 11+)

The Rest of Us Just Live Here - Patrick Ness.

Mikey and his friends have nearly finished high school and all they want to do is reach graduation without any trouble ... but then the indie kids start dying and the blue lights appear, so what is going on?

This is a sci-fi novel with with a hint of fantasy, set in a realistic setting in small-town North America which covers a variety of issues: annorexia, OCD, relationships and friendships.  It's a clever story (I like that each chapter starts with a synopsis of the sub-plot which links with the main plot) and a great read.
(recommended for aged 12+)

Alex In Wonderland - Simon James Green

Alex Button has a long summer ahead of him and desperately needs to find himself a part-time job to keep his dad's girlfriend off his back; however, his awkwardness is a major stumbling block.  Despite this, he manages to land himself a job at Wonderland, a run-down amusement arcade, and things start to look up.  With a group of new friends, can he finally over-come his awkwardness to land himself a boyfriend?  And, along with his friends, can they figure out who's behind the strange messages being sent to Wonderland?

This is a funny and heart-warming novel and Alex is somebody lots of readers will be able to relate to: he's shy, gets tongue-tied, talks a lot when he's nervous and is desperate to find his first boyfriend and have his first kiss.  This is a romantic summer read that will leave you with a warm glow.
(Recommended for aged 13+)

The Boy Who Steals Houses - C. G. Drews.

Sam and Avery are brothers and they are on their own: their mum left when they were young and their abusive father abandoned them with their auntie who couldn't cope either; therefore it was left to younger brother, Sam to look after himself and Avery (who is autistic).  The pair live on the streets, stealing wallets and 'stealing' houses to sleep in and find food when they know the occupants are at home.  But one day, Sam wakes to discover the family are home and everything changes.

This is a book that shows the worst and the best in people.  It shows how far siblings will go to protect each other and that you should never give up hope.

Perfect for aged 11+

'Grown-up' Books we also read:

Humans - Matt Haig.  a brilliant and insightful book & well worth a read (14+ age recommendation on this one).

The Perks of Being A Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky. A great coming of age book but I've put this in this section as I decided not to let O read it yet.  Definitely a 16+ age recommendation on this one from me.