Blame My Virgo Moon - Freja Nicole Woolf

Now Cat has finally got her girl, life is going to be wonderful, however, juggling school life, friendships, and a relationship are more difficult than Cat thought. 

Blame My Virgo Moon is the sequel to Never Trust A Gemini and we are reunited with Cat and her now girlfriend, Morgan.  As ever, things are complicated for Cat and she uses her horoscope to guide her in everything she does. When Morgan decides she's going to run for Head Girl, Cat is proud, until Siobhan also throws her hat into the race.  In an attempt to avoid choosing sides, she ends up auditioning for the school play: Romeo and Juliet!  With Cat's friends not overly keen on Morgan, and Morgan's friends definitely not desperate to greet Cat into their circle, things just get worse and worse for the couple. 

As with book 1, drama ensues and Cat finds herself at the centre of the drama. Friendships are tested as Cat becomes preoccupied with her relationship and things are chaotically messy which makes for a funny read.  Blame My Virgo Moon is a funny lesbian romance for the YA market.  It's a light-hearted read that will leave readers smiling. 

If My Words Had Wings - Danielle Jawando

Tyrell has been serving time in Rycroft Young Offenders Prison for armed robbery, and after eighteen months he is being released on probation.  Determined never to set foot in prison again, he takes inspiration from a poet whose class he enjoyed inside to help him through. But rehabilitating himself is much harder than he first thought and he finds that adjusting to life at home won't be as straightforward as he expected. 

I finished reading If My Words Had Wings about half an hour ago and I've just been sitting here since closing the book, trying to absorb everything I've just read. To say that this book is a powerful read is an understatement. It's a book that hits hard and is raw in its portrayal of prison life for young offenders and shows readers just exactly how difficult life is for them, both when in prison as well as when they are relased.  Not only does Ty have to cope the restrictions imposed on him as part of his licence conditions, but he has to deal with being back home, coping with the adjustment and the mental strain of his time in prison, as well as what he is going to do next with his life. Nothing is straightforward or easy. 

Mental health, PTSD, family, friendships, self harm, joint enterprise - all are covered in this book and show what young offenders have to deal with. Danielle does this brilliantly with characters who feel truly real. I have no first-hand experience of what Ty is going through, but the way Danielle writes him as a character makes it feel very real. Not only Ty, but Dadir and Ty's mum and brothers too; they give you an honest insight into all sides of the story.

This is the first of Danielle's books that I've read but it certainly won't be the last. Emotional, hard-hitting, honest and important in the messages it shares, If My Words Had Wings should be in every secondary school library in the country. 

Taylor Blake Is A Legend - Laura Jane Williams

Taylor Blake is in Year 9 and is a kiss virgin; however, she is determined to resolve that problem now she is part of the French exchange programme at school. With the imminent arrival of 'the frenchies', she is recruiting her best friends Star and Lucy to help ensure she finally gets to kiss a boy.

Taylor Blake Is A Legend was the perfect YA to start my half-term: funny, relatable (it took me back to my teenage years on sooooo many levels!), engaging and an all-round wonderful read that I gobbled up in a day.

Taylor is utterly obsessed with having her first kiss and everything in her life revolves around this.  Whilst her best friends, Star and Lucy, are supportive to a point, Taylor isn't convinced they completely understand her plight; after all they are happily in a relationship with each other.  The French exchange is the perfect opportunity for her to resolve this terrible dilemma and her efforts to ensure she gets kissed will make readers smile and chuckle. 

Taylor is confident, chatty and determined in everything she does, however, her life seems full of awkward moments, crushes, coffee shops, writing, trying to avoid her mum's TikTok and dreaming of life in Paris (I can relate to this last one!) after a trip there left her obsessed with all things French.  'How To Be Parisian When You're Not From Paris' is her go-to Bible for all advice (I even found myself Googling it to see if really exists - it doesn't unfortunately!) and extracts are shared at times as the plot progresses.  Readers will love Taylor as she's relatable and far from perfect.  She definitely made me smile. 

Publishing on the 4th July, Taylor Blake Is A Legend is a charmingly heart-warming read that will make you smile and leave a warm glow in your heart. The start of a new teen series, I know this is going to be a popular book and I can't wait to see what's in store next for Taylor. 

Freya's Gold - Fiona Longmuir

Freya loves the B&B she lives in with her Gran, and she loves the seaside town where they live. It may not be modern and it's definitely quirky and that's what makes it. So when Ms Oleander comes sniffing round, Freya knows something is amiss immediately. Then when she claims to be buying  the pier to renovate and modernise it, Freya knows she has to act. But she is terrified of speaking in public so how on Earth is she going to put a stop to everything?

I loved Looking for Emily when I read it (you can read my review here) so I was thrilled when Freya's Gold arrived in the post.  

Like Looking For Emily, there is so much to love about this book: the seaside setting and the community there; the characters (both good and evil!); the determination of the characters to sort things out; the magic soup!  It's a book that you can happily get lost in.

Set in Edge, the B&B where Freya lives with her Granny sounds like somewhere you would always be welcome.  In fact, the entire town sounds rather wonderful - why would anybody want to tear the pier down in order to create a modern alternative that none of the locals could afford?  Freya takes an instant dislike to Ms Oleander when she arrives in the middle of February, a time when the B&B is usually empty.

From the beginning of the book, we discover that Freya has a fear of speaking in public, including giving presentations in front of her class, and even her best friend, Lin, can't seem to help her.  Freya is, however, very good at solving puzzles and logic.  When she realises that Ms Oleander may up up to no good, she needs to draw upon all of her skills, and her courage, to help the town and to save the life she has with her gran.

This is the most delightful book; a gentle read, it is brilliantly captivating and combines mystery, treasure hunting and an Indiana Jones-esque ending that will have you engrossed.  

Publishing on the 6th June, Freya's Gold is the perfect read for those long summer days.

Dream Hunters - Nazima Pathan

Twelve year old Mimi lives with her Aunt Moyna in a centuries-old Citadel where she studies the ancient practice of making, capturing and recycling dreams.  The Citadel was once run by Mimi's parents who have been imprisoned by the king, accused of treason.

When Mimi spies a royal visitor, she uncovers a plot to transform the Citadel from a place of gentle, healing dream craft and a dangerous plot - the crown prince is purchasing nightmares from her aunt to poison the king.

With only her dream creature, Lalu, and her best friend Rafi, Mimi must escape the Citadel and begin a perilous journey across India.  There are few people she can trust, but saving the life of the king and foiling her aunt's scheme is in Mimi's hands alone...

I heard Nazima talking about Dream Hunters at the beginning of March and I was excited to read it, so the arrival of a proof copy was met with great excitement; so much so it jumped the tbr pile. 

The prologue launches the book with menace and an air of darkness, so that you are intrigued and desperate to discover more.  Immediately after that, we are introduced to the Citadel and to Mimi and her best friend, Rafi.

The rich description of the Citadel paints a vivid picture that draws you in and enables you to visualise the events as they unfold, making it a feast for the senses.   The idea of dreams being collected and sold was an intriguing one for me, but the trading of nightmares is supposedly outlawed, as when used in the right (or should that be the wrong?) way, they have the potential to kill.  

Mimi is a brave and honest character, stronger than I think she knows and determined to do what is right.  Along with her dream creature, her best friend Rafi, and the friends she makes along the way, she is a force to be reckoned with and I found myself routing for her from the very beginning of the book; she is a true hero.  Her Aunt Moyna on the other hand is a character that will fill readers with dread.  There is in intensely sinister quality to her that genuinely made my skin crawl.  The 'click, clack' of her heels sent shivers down me and readers will love to hate her.  She will stop at nothing to get what she wants and her evil knows no bounds.  She is the sort of character that I can imagine is wonderful fun to write.  

Publishing on the 1st August, Dream Hunters is a powerful adventure to get swept away on.  Magic and dreams weave together perfectly with strong messages of right and wrong, and not giving up.  With an ending that will have you on the edge of your seat, this is a book that deserves all the praise that is coming its way.  

Bird Boy - Catherine Bruton

Will has just lost his mother and whilst trying to deal with his grief, he also has to deal with the fact that he is now alone in the world and is having to move from the city to the Lake District to live with an uncle he's never met. 

Whilst there, his uncle sends him to Nature Camp where he meets Omar, a refugee from Afghanistan. A victim of the war, he is here alone, waiting for his dad and his aunties to join him. Together they discover an ospreys' nest; they know to leave it alone, but when Will realises one of the birds has fallen from the nest and is sick, he feels compelled to intervene. He tells Omar but the pair decide to keep it a secret: Ospreys are protected species and neither of them want to be arrested for handling the bird.  But are they able to keep the bird safe and will the bird help Will come to terms with the death of his mother?

Grief is explored wonderfully and sensitively in this book.  Will's grief for his mum and his coping strategies are clear to see, but it's also evident that he's blocking some things out.  This information is drip fed into the plot through the course of the book and helps readers to understand the full extent of what Will has been dealing with.  Emotional and heart-breaking, the book shows readers that it's ok to grieve and that it can effect people in different ways.  

Relationships are also explored: Will and Omar meet each other when they need each other the most.  Kindred spirits, they are both grieving in some way and bond over birds - it's beautiful and heart-warming to read the friendship that builds.  The relationship between Will and his Uncle Ian is also wonderful to read.  Awkward at first (they don't know each other and are meeting in the worst of circumstances, and are thrown together on a temporary basis until Will heads to Australia to live with his paternal grandparents), but the bond grows as the relationship builds and you see how much Ian cares for Will and is also grieving.  

Bird Boy is a gentle read but powerful in the messages it shares.  Full of empathy, hope and the power of nature to help us heal, this is a story that will break and warm your heart in equal measure. 

Knowing The Score - Ros Roberts

It's just been Gemma and her mum for as long as Gem can remember.  They live on a tight budget whilst her mum is training to be a nurse and working in the local supermarket, but they are happy.  Gemma's never known the reason why her mum fell out with her family, but when her mum gets the chance to go on a cruise for a month, Gemma sees this as the perfect opportunity to uncover the truth, so she heads to stay with her Uncle Joe.  Strange at first, Gemma doesn't know Joe but he tries hard, including signing her up for the tennis camp and buying her kit.  However,  it's not long before she realises that everyone else seems to know something she doesn't.  Family secrets can't stay hidden forever but will the past be what Gemma was expecting?

Gemma makes friends quickly when she's at Joe's and enjoys tennis camp, despite having never played before.  She also loves getting to know Joe as well as seeing her Gran again.  All she wants is to bring her family back together and, as the truth unfolds, this will affect the relationships between them; she just doesn't know how.

Knowing The Score is an immersive read and I quickly found myself swept up in Gemma's life - she's relatable and readers will like her.  They'll also like Joe who is doing his best to make up for lost time.  This book is the sort of real-world story that the kids at school devour and love.  Just like Digger And Me (review), and Every Cloud (review), family and friendships are at the heart of this story and weave together wonderfully, and with short chapters, this is a book that begs you to read 'just one more chapter'!  I know that Knowing The Score has already caught the eye of some of my class and I'm not expecting it to last more than a few seconds on Monday morning before it is whisked away to be read.

The Secret Society of Very important Post : A Wihyouwas Mystery - Alexandra Page

 

It's 1953, just days from the coronation of Queen Elizabeth, and Penny Black is not in the holiday spirit.

But when Wishyouwas, a Sorter of lost letters, polos into the fireplace in a cloud of soot and chaos, with a summons from the Royal Postmistress herself, Penny's plans suddenly go up in smoke.

The intrepid pair are soon on the trail of a mysterious traitor.  Their investigation will take them across London's busy streets, high up in the air and deeper into danger than they've ever been before...

I was enthralled by Wishyouwas when I read it (you can read my review here) so the arrival of The Secret Society of Very Important Post put the biggest smile on my face when it arrived last week.  In need of a new book to read yesterday, I decided it was the perfect bank holiday read so I curled up with it and a cup of tea.  

Oh what a joy it was to be back with Penny and Wishyouwas, so much so it felt as though I'd never been away.  As the book begins we discover that Penny is harbouring a secret, that she and her mother are moving to Scotland so she won't be able to see Wishyouwas anymore.  Having trouble finding the right time and the words to tell the Sorter, the arrival of the summons from the Queen is the perfect distraction.  The pair are quickly on the hunt for the Monarch's Seal, a very important letter written by the previous monarch that is to be read by the Queen immediately before the coronation; If it can't be found, the coronation cannot go ahead.  It's the Queen's royal secretary who has summoned Wishyouwas, desperate for their help.  What ensues is a race across London in a bid to save the coronation.  Desperate measures and daring escapades unfold in this delicious adventure that sees us reunited with favourite characters, introduced to new ones and we discover a new dastardly villain who is determined to derail the coronation and ruin the reputation of the Sorters.

Publishing, 9th May, The Secret Society of Very important Post is the perfect sequel to Wishyouwas and, like book 1, has all the qualities of a classic.  I can't wait to see what's in store next for the pair. 

Magicalia Race of Wonders - Jennifer Bell

Join best friends Bitsy and Kosh on a round-the-world adventure like no other!

When Bitsy's dad is kidnapped by a woman with a giant hamstoceros, Bitsy and best friend Kosh are swept into a secret world of strange beasts called magicores, each conjured using a different emotion.  With the help of a powerful magical book called Magicalia, they must quickly become conjurers themselves, before following a trail of clues in a race against a mysterious villain.

I have long been a fan of Jennfier's books, whether that's the Crooked Sixpence series, or the Wonderscape books, so I was thrilled to discover she's penned a new series set in a world that combines magic, science and emotions. 

Magicalia Race of Wonders starts with a bang, and within three pages, you've been introduced to a hamstoceros and you are desperate to know exactly what's going on!  By the end of chapter one, Bitsy's house looks like a whirlwind has hit it, her dad has been kidnapped and you are completely hooked!  What follows is a fast-paced, gripping adventure that introduces you to a whole new world.  With a host of new creatures to discover (some of which are beautifully illustrated as chapter headings), the book is full of imaginative twists in a race across the world.  With friendship, family and truly evil villains to keep you on your toes, this is a book that is going to enchant readers.

Perfect for fans of Percy Jackson, Skandar, Inside Out, Nevermoor and His Dark Materials, Magicalia Race of Wonders is a book that will leave readers wanting more. 

Skandar and the Chaos Trials - A F Steadman

 To survive their third year of training, Skandar and his friends must complete a series of terrifying trials across the Island's elemental zones.  Friendships, allegiances and rider-unicorn bonds will be pushed to the limit - only the strongest will make it.

Meanwhile, Skandar's sister, Kenna, has finally made it to the Eyrie.  But with a forged bond to a wild unicron, she is alienated and alone.  And when a terrible discovery puts the future of the Island in peril, all fingers point in one direction...

As dark forces assemble, Skandar must decide how fae he is willing to go - for Kenna, and for the Eyrie.

I have to admit that I was slightly late to the Skandar series in that I didn't read Skandar and the Unicorn Thief until it was out in paperback (Unthinkable, I know!).  So many of the bookish community on Twitter told me I would love it and they were right: I devoured it under 24 hours!  Needless to say that Skandar and the Phantom Rider proved to be just as exciting and I was left waiting (im)patiently for Skandar and the Chaos Trials which arrived the day before publication.  I was quick to begin it and frustrated that life was getting in the way of me finishing it; especially as children at school began to finish it and were desperate to talk to me the plot... actually, desperate is an understatement!  I finished the book last Tuesday lunch-time whilst eating my sandwich and could instantly see why children felt the need to find somebody to talk to!  Skandar and the Chaos Trials has to be one of the biggest rollercoasters of a read that I have been on and the word gripping doesn't really convey the adventure and the jaw dropping surprises that await readers.  

This is a big year for Skandar, with a place in Year 4 at stake as well as his sister's arrival at the Eyire with her wild unicorn to deal with, and it's evident from the beginning that things won't be plain sailing.  I really don't want to give anything away so I won't say much more but I guarantee action, adventure and astonishing revelations await.  Skandar and the Chaos Trials is definitely the best book in the series yet, and with two more books still to come, I can't wait to find out where the series will lead us next (especially after that ending!).

If finishing the book wasn't enough, I was lucky enough to have Annabel visit school last Thursday to talk Skandar and all things unicorns to everyone.  It was a magical morning that had us all enthralled; our love of Skandar shone through and the epic 1 1/2 hour book signing finished the event in style.  All I can say is that if you ever get the chance to have Annabel visit your school, please jump at the chance: it will seriously raise your status!!!

Now, exactly how long am I going to have to wait for book 4?

The City Beyond The Stars - Zohra Nabi

Yara longs to return to the Kingodm of Zehaira and free her mother from the clutches of the alchemist.  But when her mother sends Yara a cryptic message, it sets her on a different path.  Yara must find a secret magic, one so powerful that it could defeat the alchemists once and for all.  But power is dangerous in the wrong hands, and the wicked alchemist Omair Firaaz will stop at nothing to get hold of it...

I first met Zohra last year at a Simon and Schuster event where she talked about her debut novel, The Kingdom Over The Sea, and I was immediately intrigued and desperate to read it (you can read my review here).  The book has been a huge hit in school and is rarely on my shelf, and both myself and my class have been waiting (im)patiently for the sequel and conclusion to this duology.  When I returned to school after the Easter holidays one of my class was reading it and was desperate to be able to talk to me about it, so I dived straight in.

Zohra's writing is, once again, rich and alive with details that make reading the book a feast for the senses that transports you on the journey with Yara in the most vivid way.  The magic that weaves its way between the pages, both in terms of the writing and that used by the characters, is enchanting and we are introduced to a new kind of magic with the potential to do immense good or immense harm, depending on whose hands it is in, and this leads to some very thought-provoking questions about history - it certainly made me think.

There is such a strength within Yara, which is what drives her through this journey - that and the love she has for those she now knows as her family, which shines brighter than ever.  She has some tough choices to make but her loyalty and her desire to do what's right is always at the forefront of her mind. 

The City Beyond The Stars is a wonderful conclusion to Yara's story and one that will take your breath away. It's a compelling read with twists that will leave you shocked and certainly left me with a tear in my eye (ok, I sobbed!).  I know that there will be much discussion when I get to school with the child who is also reading this, and that my copy will undoubtedly not make it to my shelf before it is whisked away.  This has been a truly special duology, and one that I won't forget in a hurry.  If this is how Zohra writes her first two novels, then I can't wait to see what's next.