PRISONER OF THE INQUISITION

PRISONER OF THE INQUISITON by Theresa Breslin   (LWH)

I guess it was the cover of this book really grabbed my attention first and I’m glad because the story was great. A mixture of history, fiction, adventure, murder, deceit, betrayal and a little romance tossed in for good measure. I didn’t know much about the Spanish Inquisition really and this book filled me in a little. The story is about two teenagers, Zarita, a daughter of a wealthy magistrate and Saulo, son of a beggar. An incident early in the story sets the scene when Saulo’s father is killed unjustly by Zarita’s father, and Saulo is sold as a slave to a captain of a ship. This causes a hatred for the Zarita’s family and Saulo devotes himself to revenge his father and kill the magistrate’s entire family.

In the meantime the Inquisition is taking place and the town and there is torture and killings that has everyone living in fear. Family and friends betray each other to save their lives. Zarita is forced to live in a convent with her aunt and she tries to right the wrongs that have been done. Eighteen months on she and Saulo meet again but don’t recognize each other. Although the story is told in dual viewpoints narrated alternatively by Zarita and Saulo, it didn’t make the story disjointed at all and I think it added to the tension. I also liked the fact the Christopher Columbus was a minor character in the story. It was a gripping story that had me turning the pages as quickly as I could.

About the author: Theresa Breslin is the critically acclaimed author of over 30 books for children and young adults whose work has been filmed for television, broadcast on radio, and is read world-wide in many languages. She was born and brought up in a small town in the middle of Scotland close to castles, old burial grounds and the Roman Wall, all of which helped fuel an active imagination as a child, further developed by a real love of reading.

Her books have been praised for their elements of strong setting and sense of place and she acknowledges that she draws on the dramatic landscape of Scotland, its history and its culture.

IF I STAY

IF I STAY  by Gayle Foreman    (LWH)

Imagine if all your choices were gone… except one… and it’s the only one that really matters.

17 year old Mia has a happy family, a would-be rock star boyfriend and a great musical talent. All seems to be going well for her when her world is turned upside down. A car accident on a family outing leaves her in a coma in hospital. She can see and hear what is going on around her from above them but she can’t seem to communicate with them. Where are her parents and her little brother and why aren’t they telling her what really happened? She has to decide if she is to wake up and lead a life far more difficult than she ever anticipated, or to slip away and die. Adam, her boyfriend, is by her side throughout but whether this brings them closer together I won’t say as you will have to read this book to find out.

This was a heart wrenching book that drew me in page by page. I was experiencing Mia’s difficult decision along with her. It certainly was a thriller as either decision she made seemed to be difficult.

WHERE SHE WENT  by Gayle Foreman   (LWH)

 

This is the sequel to ‘If I Stay’ and is set three years after Mia’s accident. The story is told from Adam’s point of view, which brings a different perspective of what happened through his eyes. Adam and Mia are living on opposite sides of the country now and he is leading a ‘rock star’ life like he wanted, but maybe it isn’t what he thought it would be. By chance he is reunited with Mia in New York and they only have one night together before they must go their separate ways.  Adam is searching for the answers to his many questions, mainly what he did wrong and where she went. They’ve both changed in the past three years and this book fills in the gaps. It was good to get closure with this second book.

WHEN WE WERE TWO

WHEN WE WERE TWO by Robert Newton    (LWH)

This book didn’t do much for me which did surprise me after reading the blurb. The story of Dan and his younger brother Eddie, who escaped their life in Gunnadah, with their heartless father, to adventure out on their own to find their mother, who may possibly be living in Port Macquarie. You travel with the young brothers on their long journey and meet several characters along the way, some good, some bad. Eventually they meet up with a group of would-be soldiers who are walking to Port Macquarie to enlist in the war. They form  a bond with these typically Aussie blokes of the time, and it is touching how the men take the boys under their wings a little as the brothers join their ranks for company. The characters showed great resilience and brotherhood and there was a sense of hope throughout the book.

Some of the reviews of this book say it’s a powerful heart-rending story,and one of Robert’s best books but I felt the story was a little old for YA readers. There as a real ‘Aussieness’ to this book however, and the story was touching in parts and there were moments of great sentiment, but I felt it left more questions than answers.

Pan's Whisper

PAN'S WHISPER  by Sue Lawson  (LWH)

Yes, you’d be right in thinking Pan is rebellious, troublesome and damaged. The story opens with Pan arriving at a foster home with her case worker, Gemma, where her foster parents, Rose and Ian, along with their two other foster children, Olivia and Nat, welcome her into their home. Pan however is sure she won’t be here for long and plans to escape at the earliest possible moment.

Pan struggles to fit into a nice loving family with rules, a new school and deal with the loneliness she feels, which she blames her mother and half sister for. She has a lot of issues bottled up inside, some memories she can’t quite remember, but why? Rose gives Pan the opportunity to write to her sister but she refuses at first as she is still angry with her being in this situation… living in Leggoland! As time goes by she does decide to write to her sister, Morgan, and gradually as she is unraveling her thoughts and memories she begins to remember and write more.

Hunter, one of the boys in Pan’s class, befriends her and eventually she opens up to him about her problems. He seems to be the only one to understand. He too has had to deal with family issues and if anyone can help her, Hunter can. Pan is paranoid and only thinking about herself and her issues, however she soon decides she has been selfish and does need help from others. As she opens up, deeper relationships are formed with those around her.

A small book packed with punch. This is a gripping story and is cleverly written by another  Australian writer. The book is divided into three thoughts, with the chapters being narrated by Pan, followed by the letters she has written to Morgan, (each one questioning what has happened in the past), then this is followed by what was really happening at each occasion, (what Morgan was going through and how she had protected Pan throughout her childhood). I started to imagine I knew how this story would end… one of two ways. I was wrong… there was another! The writer sure had my emotions wrapped around her little finger and throughout this compelling story until the end, when in the final chapter I let it all go and just bawled… yep embarrassing I know!

THE ALPHABET SISTERS

THE ALPHABET SISTERS by Monica McInerney

Anna, Bett and Carrie were sisters and childhood singing stars (The Alphabet Sisters). Unfortunately after a family falling out... Bett's fiance deserting her for her younger sister Carrie, things were never the same and the sisters all went their separate ways and as adults hadn't spoken for years. Their much loved, slightly eccentric, crontrolling, larger than life, but very wise grandmother, summonded them home (Clare Valley, S.A.) for her 80th birthday party and surprise announcement. This of course was just a ploy to reunite the sisters and for them to realise they need each other. 

Lola has decided to stage a play in town with local actors and each of her granddaughters have an important role to play. As they work together to bring Lola's dream into being their relationships start to mend. During the course of the story we are submursed into the lives of the three sisters, their trials and tribulations and the misconceptions they have about each other and what really happened all those years before that put a huge barrier between them.

SHIFT

SHIFT  by Em Bailey    (LWH)

From the very first sentence I knew I was going to love this book. The cover, the blurb at the back of the book and the title all entrigued me and I'm so glad I read this book. It was a psychological thriller that kept me reading non-stop. The only time I put it down was to re-energise myself with a quick bite to eat and a coffee. Total shock came when I was around 1/2 way through the novel and there was a dramatic twist... it made me want to go right back to the start and re-read it to see what was staring at me the whole time. Of course I couldn't do that because I just wanted to keep reading and find out what happens.

The story is told by Olive, who is not 'crazy', well... not anymore,  is a self-impossed outcast who comes from a broke home. She is intrigued by a new student in her class, Miranda, who is an orphan and rumours have it she killed her parents. Olive and her best (and only) friend Ami, study Miranda and notice she is very unusal and has latched onto Olive's ex-best friend, the beautiful and popular Katie. Soon Olive is paranoid that Miranda is up to something as she becomes more and more like Katie, both in looks and personality. She has read about 'Shape-shifters' and although that seems impossible she is disturbed by what's happening to Katie and how Miranda is becoming like a parasite.

VINNIE'S WAR

VINNIE'S WAR by David McRobbie   (LWH)

This is a fabulous book that was really easy to read. Set in London, at the start of World War II, the book tells the story of a homeless boy named Vinnie who makes a life with the owners of a pub and a refugee boy from Poland. Vinnie's life is crushed when the first bombings in London take place and he loses everything.  Now branded as a 'vaccie' (children evacuated from their own town) he must board a train to live with families in country towns. He meets Kathleen and her younger brother Joey and another boy his age called Dobbs. They are all sent to the same town and placed in different families, some nice, some not-so-nice for the duration of the war. 

They find that some of the townsfolk open their hearts to these children while other families and their children don't want the new-comers invading their town and way of life, and there are many difficult times. Settling into the families and school are challenging but they are happy to have their friendship with each other.  After uncovering a secret in the town they soon start to make new friends.

GRAFFITI MOON

GRAFFITI MOON by Cath Crowley    (LWH)

I must admit it took me quite a few pages to really get into this book, but I am glad I persevered because I really got hooked and warmed to the characters and ended up really enjoying the story. Lucy and her two girlfriends have finished Year 12 and are out on the town to enjoy themselves. Lucy is fascinated/in love with a Graffiti artist called 'Shadow' and adores his paintings that are scattered around Melbourne. She is artistic herself and feels a bond with Shadow and the depth of meaning behind his graffiti and creates an imagine of what he would be like and what he looks like and all she wants to do is find him.

They meet up with 3 boys from their class at a party who say they know Shadow and his friend Poet.  When one of the boys, Ed, convinces Lucy he knows Shadow well and invites her to follow him on a tour of some of Shadow and Poets best graffiti walls she jumps at the chance. Will she ever get to meet shadow? Has sh ealready met Shadow without realising it? And who is this person known as Poet?

Each chapter of this book is written from the perspective of Ed, Lucy or Poet which I enjoyed. It dealt with misconceptions, expectations and reality. It raises the question do many of our youth fall between the cracks in the education system and drop out of school unnecessarily, because their talents aren't recognised, and they don't fit into the 'mould'.

This book won an 'HONOUR' at the CBCA (Children's Book Council of Aust) book of the year awards this year in the 'Older Reader' section.

About the author:   Cath Crowley was born in Melbourne in 1971 but before she started school her family moved to a property in Gippsland. Our house was a long way from the town.She read a lot because there wasn’t much else to do. She loved any books about private detectives or adventure– Trixie Beldon, Nancy Drew, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase. Cath enjoyed anything by Judy Blume, anything by Jane Austen and couldn’t put down Wuthering Heights or Jane Eyre. Dr Seuss being a favourite.

She didn’t write books straight after high school but went to Uni and studied radio production and literature, then became a teacher and taught English. She traveled overseas and while in Europe Cath wrote letters to her brother, who later turned them into a musical called 'The Journey Girl'. After that she studied professional writing at TAFE. She wrote articles for papers and magazines, then finally wrote 'The Life and Times of Gracie Faltrain' and things took off from there.

WHISPER

WHISPER by Chrissie Keighery   (LWH)

 This really is a fantastic book and I glad I took the time to read it. being a teenager is hard enough but being a deaf teenager is so much harder. Demi is in a new world trapped ... trapped by her new deafness, where everything she took for granted is gone. After convincing her mum to send her to a deaf school, Demi tries to make new friends and come to terms with all the changes in her life now that she's 'profoundly deaf'.

Having been involved with deaf people and communicating through signing, I felt this book was a great insight into the life of someone who can't hear and how unknowingly we can restrict knowledge and communication from them and cause embarrassment and isolation to them. This is evident when Demi's hearing friends turn their backs to her when talking and how sometimes she only gets portions of the conversation. How would we feel if the things we take for granted are gone forever?

This book was beautifully written and well researched. At times I felt I was in Demi's world and annoyed at the 'hearies' who, sometimes through lack of knowledge, did things to make it so much harder for Demi. I learnt a lot from reading this book and feel I have a greater insight into her world. Demi struggles with relationships from her world before deafness and her new friends. I was scared with her when she was left alone at home.There is also lots of humour in this book and lots of inspiring moments.

I think this book should be used as a class novel so teenagers can be more knowledgeable about deafness and the challenges it creates. The book also touched on issues about how we rightly or wrongly perceive others.

About the author:  Chrissie Keirghery is an Australian author who also publishes under her married name, Chrissie Perry, for younger readers and has written 13 'Go Girl!' titles.'Outside In' is another Young Adult book by Chrissie which I plan to find and read real soon. To listen to an interivew with Richard Stubbs and Chrissie on ABC radio please click on the link below.

Interview with Chrissie
Chrissie Perry website

SIX IMPOSSIBLE THINGS

SIX IMPOSSIBLE THINGS by Fiona Wood   (LWH)

(Short listed for CBCA Book of the Year for Older Readers - 2011)

This book is a fun book, suitable for boys and girls, and has a little drama, romance and comedy. Dan Cereill, who is a slightly nerdish 14 yr old, has his world turned upside-down when his family split, he starts a new school, his father comes-out as a gay, and they are bankrupt having to move into their dead grandmothers home. His life is a mess already, without getting a crush on Estelle, the girl who lives next door, to confuse things. Dan makes a list of 6 things he would like to happen however they seem impossible.

The book tells of his struggle to fit in at school, avoid the bullies, try to help his mum earn some money to pay their bills and now struggling with his first romance. Dan is a lovely character with good intentions and through the story he reinvents himself and finds confidence to attempt things he never would have before. Will he accomplish his 6 impossible things?  Read the book to find out!

About the author:  Fiona Woods is an Australian who usually writes scripts for television shows such as Neighbours, Home and Away and The Secret Life of Us. This is Fiona Wood's first Young Adult novel.

THE HELP

THE HELP by Kathryn Stockett      (LWH)

This was a great read! I'd seen the book around for a while but wasn't all that interested however when I knew the movie was coming out I thought I'd give it a go in the hols. Glad I did.

The book is divided up into sections with each character giving their perspective of what is life is like in their small town in Mississippi during the 1960's. It's a hard time for the coloured folk of the area with most of the wealthy white people hiring negro women for their maids and bringing up their children for them. Aibileen is just one main character who joins forces with one of the white folks' daughter, Skeeta, a 22yr old budding journalist, to secretly write about the trials and tribulations of being a black maid.

This is the time of Martin Luther King, segregation, and the riots in Mississippi, and associating with 'coloureds' outside of work time is dangerous. Aibileen and her friends are putting their life at risk to share their stories. A very touching book and at times quite funny.

Watch the movie trailer below... can't wait to see the movie!

MUD, SWEAT & TEARS

MUD, SWEAT & TEARS by Bear Grylls     (LWH)

I'm not a huge fan of Bear Grylls (although I did watch the TV series and know I WON'T be able to survive if lost because I WONT EAT those crazy things he does!) however, I was interested in reading his autobiography to see the man behind the TV series.
 It was an interesting read. Telling of life growing up in Wales, his love of adventure from an early age, his training in the SAS and surviving an accident which broke his back and almost caused him to never walk again. Climbing Mt Everest may have been his greatest challenge but being the ambassador for Scouts is his proudest and most rewarding. This was a good read which I downloaded onto my Kindle. When my eyes got a little weary of reading I would set the Kindle to 'Text to Speech' and listened to the story. (Love the flexibility of my new Kindle!)

WICKED APPETITE (STAFF READING)

WICKED APPETITIE by Janet Evanovich      (LWH)

After reading all 18 books in the Stephanie Plum series ,by Janet Evanovich I was hoping I'd enjoy this new book Janet recently published, Sept. 2010, unfortunately it was nothing on the Plum series... I didn't laugh out loud!
It did have the same quirky lines and romance tension between Diesel and Lizzy Tucker. It was predictable and I certainly wasn't glued to the pages as I usually am with the Plum series, but it was an easy read.

THE HUNGER GAMES

THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins     (LWH)

Wow! I read this on my Kindle and have loved every minute of this fabulous book - the first in a trilogy by Suzanne Collins. I loved it so much I read it in 1 day... just couldn't put it down. I was transported into the future with a story that was a cross between the Truman Show, Gladiators, Surviver and a futuristic war movie all rolled into one. But it did have a lot of blood and guts in this book so if you're squeemish or don't like violence then this book isn't for you.

Katniss Everdeen lives in a world, that's harsh and desolate and must hunt to provide for her family, her mum and little sister, which all live in District 12. All twelve of  the districts are ruled by an evil president living in Capitol. Each year  a boy and girl are chosen from their district to compete in 'The Hunger Games', where they must compete in a game show and kill  their opponents to survive and be the final victor standing. The winner will then be able to return to their district as a hero. Sixteen year old Katniss must use her hunting skills to beat the other contestants in the arena..it's a fight to the death. The story grips you from the first page and takes you on a ride of emotions. Will Katniss survive and return to her family? What must she DO to survive being killed by her oponents? A nail biting ending! I can't wait to download the next books in the series.

CATCHING FIRE (BK 2 - THE HUNGER GAMES) by Suzanne Collins

The story continues as Katniss and her fellow contestant from District 12, Peeta, return to what they think will be a peaceful future. However, their survival in 'The Hunger Games' has embarrased the Captial and caused rebellion within some of the Districts, so now the Capitol are out for revenge. A cruel twist arises when both Katniss and Peeta are forced back into 'The Hunger Games' to compete again, this time with the victors from the past years. They must convince the world that they are still both in love. Can they survive a second time in the arena? This book was equally as exciting as the first and I read it in a day also. I've already downloaded the next edition. Glad I've got the Kindle to get it instantly... I just can't wait for the conclusion!

MOCKINGJAY (BK 3 - THE HUNGER GAMES) by Suzanne Collins



The third book in the trilogy and I haven't been disappointed. Katniss us up against the Capital this time involving not just herself but all the Districts as the rebellion goes on as Katniss must regain her strength and become the 'Mockingjay' they are all pinning their hopes on. Having survived 'The Hunger Games' twice before it is not just a matter of her own survival this time. Can she do it? Who is on her side and who has been betraying her all along?  Another book that I just coudn't put down, I had to keep reading to find out how it ends. So glad they are making it into a movie - I can't wait!

Watch the movie trailer below... can't wait to see the movie - March 2012!

Watch the movie trailer below... can't wait to see the movie - March 2012!

LIFE WITHOUT LIMITS

LIFE WITHOUT LIMITS by Nick Vujicic      (LWH)

Wow! What an amazing man. Born without arms or legs Nick Vujicic is an inspiration to people all over the world. He travels the world as a motivational speaker and if anyone can inspire you to do more it's Nick. His book tells of his life growing up and all the emotions and struggles he went through as a child, going to school, getting bullied, insecurities and then as a man facing day to day struggles, lonliness and even touches very honestly about dark periods in his life. He has a real zest for life and doesn't say 'no, I can't do that' but just gets going and faces his challenges head on.

An amazing Australian, now living in USA, Nick has a strong faith and believes it is his purpose to encourages everyone to find their purpose in life, overcoming any obstacles. I read this at a time I needed some uplifting and each chapter seemed to have at least one line that stood out to me and challenged me to face my fears and move on past them. (Go to the INSPIRATIONAL tab on this blog to watch a video of Nick in action)

THYLA

THYLA by Kate Gordon     (LWH)

I must say this book had me hooked from the start.  Found in the bush, looking like a wild animal, slashes across her back, frightened with no memory of what has happened to her... very intriguing! The only thing she knew for certain was "her name was Tessa, she was strong, she was brave and she did not cry". I sure love a good mystery and I must admit it did get my imagination going.

Set in Tasmania this book gave me a glimpse of what it was like in early settlement during a very hard time in history. The mysterious Tessa is sent to a boarding school where she doesn't fit in but strangely becomes friends with students no that different to herself.  Flashes of memory start to appear and the plot thickens. I was waiting to see what her mysterious past was all about but was a little disapponted with the ending particularly when shapeshifters appeared (I'm not really into animorphs), but overall worth a read.

About the author: Kate Gordon grew up in a very booky house, with two librarian parents, in a small town by the sea in Tasmania. She spent her childhood searching for fossils at Fossil Bluff, wondering about the doctor who rode his horse off the cliff at Doctor’s Rocks, and eating the best chips in the world at the fish and chip shop at the wharf. She also spent much of her time dreaming about being a writer, and spent many a lunch hour walking around the playground reciting poetry. The other children thought she was a little bit odd.  
Read more about Kate 

THE DEAD I KNOW

THE DEAD I KNOW by Scot Gardner     (LWH)

I really enjoyed this book.  A young boy named Aaron Rowe leaves school and gets a job at the local undertaker where he discovers that he feels OK about death and preparing bodies ready for funerals. Although Aaron  is shy and doesn't let anyone into his life, he warms to his new boss who seems to understand him. His new job seems to suit him well but he has troubles that no one knows about. He sleep walks and constantly wakes up in unusual places, which he has no memory of. Dealing with this along with caring for his guardian who has lost her memory and the difficulties this provides, lends to a fascinating read. I really felt for this young boy who was trying to get his life together and care for the one person in his life that means so much to him. As his story unravells the truth about his past is revealed to him. It is a very touching book that I just couldn't put down.

About the author: Scot wasn't born reading and writing; in fact he left school in year eleven to undertake an apprenticeship in gardening with the local council. His first fiction for young readers, One Dead Seagull, was published after he attended a writing conference with John Marsden. His many books since include Burning Eddy, which was short-listed for both the CBCA and NSW Premier's Literary awards. 

Read more about Scot and his other books