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Young Adult Book Reviews
The Book of Gold
Ruth Frances Long, pub. Hodderscape
The Book of Gold is more than simply the title of this book, it is something far more precious, far more deadly and it is a story which is going to unfold over three books, written by a rare books’ librarian. Knowing Ruth Frances Long’s background does matter in many ways, ones that will become more obvious as you get further into this story. And get further you will for this is an addictive tale and it is only the start. I know I could not put it down and whilst I really, really want to know what happens next I found it to be a very satisfying read which has left me curious and with plenty of questions, content to wait for it will undoubtedly only get better and better!
Lyta is a notorious thief and she loves a big score. What thief, at least one who is any good, would want anything else? She has another love though, one which may be stronger than any big score. Her little brother Kit. She will do absolutely anything for Kit and since he is currently in gaol, having been arrested for supposedly creating seditious pamphlets, she will do anything to get his freedom. She most certainly isn’t going to stand by and see him sentenced to death. But to gain her brother’s freedom she is going to have to strike a bargain with the king. It seems simple enough, steal the infamous Book of Gold, bring it to the king, her brother gets his freedom. But of course, nothing is that straightforward and this venture most certainly isn’t.
Not only is the Book of Gold one of the most closely guarded documents in the entire kingdom it is reputed to hold magical powers. Lyta is not going to be allowed on her quest alone. Her brother interferes as much as he can, her once lover and partner in crime, now a royal bodyguard will become her partner in the hunt. They are going to meet a secretive scholar his possibly witch sister and, as I say, this is only book one. The Book of Gold may be legendary, a source of knowledge and power in their kingdom but Ruth Frances Long’s Book of Gold is far more powerful than any that have put their hooks into me in a long while. I am waiting for the next instalment, are you ready to launch into this first?
Louise Ellis-Barrett
Buzz Club
Xena Knox, pub. Hachette Children’s Books
Xena Knox can write a funny book. She knows how to find the balance between the moments that are funny, those that are witty and the ones that will, occasionally make you laugh out loud. She has done it again, this time showing us all how to find our buzz!
Buzz Club, is only her second book and this one is set in the 6th form of a college, following the lives of three characters as they learn about relationships, everything from friendships to romantic entanglements, with others and with themselves. Exploring issues such as self-worth, friendship and extending into toxic relationships, once again Xena Know does not shy aware from difficult conversations. Whilst we might find some of these topics difficult to talk about in person her book gives us the space to explore them in our own time.
Her characters are, for the most part, likeable and she relays the story through the point of view of three of them specifically ~ Tavi, Ella and Liss. The story is however, shared unevenly between them so at times I was unsure as to which point she was trying to make and about whom, though it is evident she is trying to make sure the perspectives of each girl are heard. The story has at it centre a female empowerment storyline centred around vibrators (the Buzz Club being the group of students who gather to discuss/celebrate and promote them). Whilst there is no graphic content the subject matter combined with the storylines of coercion and toxic behaviours would suggest this is one for upper secondary school/college age readers. It is bold, funny and an important book for lessons in empowerment.
Marianne Di Giovanni
Darkly
Marisha Pessl, pub. Walker Books
Darkly is a story about Arcadia ‘Dia’ Gannon, who, along with six other teenagers, has been selected for a mysterious summer internship at the factory of a renowned games maker called Darkly. The titular company was renowned for its terrifying and ingenious games, and now that its legendary game designer Louisiana Veda is dead, the factory holds a number of intriguing secrets. Each of the characters also have their own secrets, and Dia soon realises her summer internship is not by chance, but is a game itself - in fact, the most twisted Darkly game of them all.
The alluring puzzles in the novel feel interactive and draw the reader in. It feels compelling to solve the riddles, yet the fast-paced narrative creates a sense of tension - the reader is like an active character in the novel, with little time to spare. It is masterful writing by Marisha Pessl, as this is exactly how she portrays Dia and her fellow interns. As readers, we are not merely passive observers, but active members of the narrative. Furthermore, contextual illustrations in the format of drawings and letters appear at the start of chapters. But they are not just for show, as some of them contain hidden details, which eagle-eyed readers will appreciate. This adds an extra layer to the story - the plot is like a game within a game.
Author Marisha Pessl's world-building is commendable; however, a sequel is much needed, as the vast yet intricate deals leave little room in the novel for character development. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as the story is exciting and gripping. However, characters do feel more defined by their abilities, which can make it difficult as a reader to empathise with them. Just like the games, Darkly is a mesmerising novel with a multi-layered world and an ominous atmosphere throughout the story. Seven teenagers, isolated on a deserted island and housed in cabins that overlook the Darkly factory and rough seas. Secrets galore, and a dark twisted game disguised as a summer internship.
A worthy read for the upcoming holidays.
Chris J Kenworthy
Girl, Ultra-Processed
Amara Sage, pub. Faber
Saffron was dumped by her school boyfriend because he didn’t want any ‘ties’ going to college. No one knew about them anyway - because he didn’t want to admit to shagging a fat girl… Now, Saffron’s going to college to study Social Anthropology, because she cares about people. She just doesn’t care about herself.
She goes through the whole gamut of diets - military diets, her mother’s SlimIt diet, thinks about going for a run (doesn’t), and continually finds things to beat herself up about. It’s only when she’s catfishing as ‘Sydney’ that she feels she can hide behind her slimmed down AI generated images and feel confident. After all no one likes a fat girl, do they?
But they do. Veronica embraces her size, and Saffron’s size.
When Saffron moves out of home and into a student house share, she meets Toby and can’t believe he’s interested. Doesn’t want to believe he’s interested - because that would only be another of life’s disappointments. At the same time, Saffron is going through friendship group issues with Poppy and Freya, trying to survive college, a part-time job, and consoles herself catfishing. She leads guys along as ‘Sydney’ and then ghosts them. A little bit of schadenfreude for all the pain she’s had from boys. A crisis starts when Saffron’s mother announces her engagement to another waster of a boyfriend. But this one turns out to be much worse than all the others. Then Saffron hits rock bottom when her new love discovers she’s been catfishing and – he’s gone. She looks at herself and reasons for her behaviour with painful authenticity.
This is a powerful and confronting story to read and is delivered with a humbling, raw honesty. Can we really be happy if surrounded by the hypocrisy and façade of lies within a social media driven society? The fat shaming in society and social media is a destructive, noxious thing.
I’m glad Saffron finds her happy with self-acceptance.
Nikki Bielinski
The Girl With No Reflection
Keshe Chow, pub. Hodderscape
Ying Yue feels trapped and alone as the bride-to-be of the Crown Prince. She has been shut away in her chambers in preparation for the wedding, never having met the Prince, Ying doesn’t know what he is like, but she does know that she doesn’t want to be engaged and she doesn’t want to live life as the future empress. When she looks into the mirror, the only things she has been left with, her reflection is different to her, it smiles when she doesn’t and then reaches a hand through the surface. Ying Yue is terrified as she discovers the mirror people, and an entire world separate from her own that she can pass through to. She thinks this is an escape to her freedom. She chooses to swap places with her reflection and meets the Mirror Prince whom she quickly falls in love with, but is it an escape or is it just another cage, filled with danger and threat around every corner?
Throughout the book, Ying Yue faces many challenges which teach her who to trust and help her learn many secrets about herself, her family and the history of the empire. Along the way, she fights for her life and the lives of others in unpredictable circumstances which fill the reader with fascination and a longing to learn alongside Ying.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I found the story hard to put down and found myself wishing to be in the book with the characters. It was filled with interesting ideas and theories such as a new world through the mirror and it taught me about trust and how easily it is lost and found in new people. This book was thought-provoking and enjoyable. It is a book that I’d recommend to anyone wanting to get lost in a story, feel the emotions and struggles of the character and think about what we don’t know about this world (or rather the other worlds which may exist).
Gemma Walford
I Shall Never Fall In Love
Hari Conner, pub. Simon & Schuster Children's Books
Trapped by the rules of society, would you feel comfortable revealing your identity and emotions to those who you love?
In early 1800s Surrey, Georgiana (George), Charlotte and Eleanor live in the countryside, enjoying their lives together and their friendships. George inherits the estate from their parents instead of their brother and begins running it, despite disapproval. As George explores their identity and potentially their feelings for their friend Eleanor, they become more and more closed off. Charlotte explores her feelings for a local farmer who lives as a tenant on Charlotte’s father’s estate and Eleanor remains clueless to most of the things happening around her, trying to find her place in the world and achieve her parent’s approval. As Charlotte begins to miss George and begins the explore the world of suitors and balls, she also begins to realise that maybe she has a lot to learn about feelings and the wider world too.
This book is different to the usual style that I read and yet I found myself enjoying it more than any book that I have read recently. It is filled with raw emotions, a fun story and important messages about self-expression and embracing who you are. It’s filled with beautiful illustrations which made it easy to follow and imagine exactly what was happening on each page. It is exactly the story I needed as a young adult myself, stepping into the world and exploring the best ways to express myself and my feelings (even if my life is filled with less balls and pretty ballgowns).
Gemma Walford
Loverboy
Ben Tomlinson, pub. Andersen Press
Alfie thinks the world of Maya. He feels lifted whenever she reaches out, and they have a close bond forged during the many fun afternoons spent together after school. They both struggle with strained relationships with their absentee mothers, so being able to understand each other brings relief and keeps them growing ever closer in their friendship. Alfie would love things to develop, but the idea of actually crossing over into being more than friends has him teetering on the brink…
All through the summer he finds himself too afraid to take the step, stuck anticipating the many ways that he could do something wrong - the risk is high, to mess up something that feels both delicate and undeniable. All too quickly the chance is taken out of his hands: Maya finds an unexpected connection during a family holiday to Greece. She is smitten, fixed on a charming, creative musician called Luke. Alfie is distraught, crushed by the feeling that Maya has found someone better: an ideal boyfriend with whom Alfie could never compete. The self-comparison weighs heavily on Alfie, damaging his mood and eroding his confidence. But Maya is simply too important to lose from his life: somehow Alfie must find a way to close the gap that has widened between them.
They can still try to hang out, and Alfie is there when Maya struggles to get on with her father. Maya’s dad has a temper, and a very insistent idea of what Maya’s life will be like - one very different to her own. Alfie is determined to support Maya as best he can but must struggle to hide how hurt he feels. Their friendship group grows more complex, and even Maya’s friends Gwen and Lilly grow more involved in the world of Luke’s band. It is hard navigating being close to Maya, while leaving room for new connections to grow.
Alfie is an enjoyable narrator, in touch with his most difficult feelings, even when it proves hard to face them. The story moves quickly, as tensions grow within the friendship group and their lives tangle and overlap in new ways. Alfie feels the strain of holding onto unresolved feelings, the longing and hoping for things to be different - for a different version of yourself. His loneliness strikes a chord, as he tries to find his way to a love that might be waiting…
Jemima Breeds
Mismatched
Anne Camlin, illus. Isadora Zeferino, pub. Andersen Press
An updated, retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma, which if I am honest I wish I hadn’t known in advance as I think this prevents you from fully engaging with the story for its own sake.
This bright, colourful graphic novel follows Evan Horowitz in his role as school LGBTQIA+ champion and all-round school hero. Hugely popular across his school community Evan feels that he is in the perfect position to matchmake among his friends. However, his latest attempt goes wildly off the rails as he misreads signals, causes confusion and makes some poor choices. His older, wiser neighbour Davi, who has been his friend from childhood, is always there to guide Evan back to his true self. But his words are not always welcomed. Will Evan lose his best friend as well as his school followers? Fans of Heartstopper and the Smile series will love this funny tale of school life, new loves and learning when it might be best to stay out of the limelight.
Marianne Digiovanni
The Restaurant at the Edge of the World
Oliver Gerlach, illus. Kelsi Jo Silva, pub. Faber
This restaurant will certainly be popular amongst readers, as Oliver Gerlach and Kelsi Jo Silva have produced a delightfully engaging graphic novel, which offers ‘a villainous boss, a magical bet, [and] may the best cook win.’
Our heroine is the aptly named Soup, an orphan who has lived in the restaurant all her life and has grown up to become not only an excellent cook, but a teenager who is always trying out new cookery ideas. She begins to realise that the boss is both a bully and a liar, and having seen how much the restaurant has changed – and not for the better - Soup is determined to restore it to its former glory. She decides that all the downtrodden workers would benefit from the current chef’s departure and challenges him to improve the restaurant. Instead, the chef (appropriately called Trysil Heldritch) challenges Soup to a competition to see whose food is best. If the chef wins (and we can be quite sure he will, as he is a wily and dishonest bully) Soup will no longer have a job or somewhere to live.
We see her dreading the outcome and terrified that ‘maybe he’s right. I am nothing’. Most of the other kitchen staff each gradually realises they too will be sacked if/when the chef wins the competition. They become increasingly unwilling to take any part in any of Soup’s ideas. Kelsi Jo Silva’s illustrations show us very clearly what Soup is feeling as her attempts to restore the restaurant to its original excellence seem impossible to achieve. The help offered by her friend Clarion keeps Soup persevering with the competition, and he introduces her to his fay friends, who live deep in the forest.
‘Reading’ the illustrations we see that from the outset readers are encouraged to realise that this is not just a run of the mill restaurant kitchen. The staff themselves are all sorts of fantasy characters, with the villain a grey vicious-looking creature, and we understand reference to the edge of the world in the book’s title. This is a resoundingly important, thoughtful and endearing book.
Bridget Carrington
Strange Beasts
Susan J Morris, pub. Hodderscape
If gothic fiction + detective fiction + historical fiction = the type of book you can’t wait to read as soon as it hits the shelves then you will be very happy to know that you can get yourself a copy of Susan J Morris’ Strange Beasts as soon as you have finished this review. And that is important, after all I have things to tell you about it first!
When you think gothic, in relation to this story make sure you are thinking of Dracula. Detectives? Think of the one and only Sherlock Holmes. For the historical setting this book transports you back to Paris during the Belle Époque, the period of time immediately before the First World War when Paris, when the world, was supposedly settled and comfortable. The rest of the world may have been but in Paris, in the underground parts that make for the best stories, there was a monster murdering powerful men and there was a woman who might be the only one able to put a stop to it all. Now when I say there was a monster, don’t start thinking mythical beasts, this is something else entirely and it seems to be entirely more deadly than anyone is giving it credit for. Everyone that is with the exception of Samantha Harker. She is a woman, with a name which may precede her and she is woefully underestimated. This is not the young girl, the researcher whose greatest danger has been faced in libraries with paper cuts the worst injury to be expected. This is the young girl, yearning to prove herself, with a core of steel. She is going to need it.
Sam is the daughter of Dracula’s killer. She has a power that she has revealed to no-one yet. She can see into the minds of monsters and it is a power that could help this case or see her thrown into an asylum. The Gendarmes who have asked the Society for the Society of Abnormal Phenomena are not expecting her. Nor is Dr Helena Moriarty, daughter of the infamous Professor Moriarty. She reluctantly takes Sam on as her partner and despite her reputation, for having partners who have a habit of dying in unusual circumstances, Sam is determined to make her see, make the world see, that she is a force to be reckoned with. We are treated to the best and very worst aspects of Paris at the turn of the nineteenth century, to a web of tangled storytelling, to a masterpiece. This is a murder-detective-gothic novel that will keep you on your toes from the first page. Will you be able to solve the murders or will you become a pawn in the games being so expertly played?
Louise Ellis-Barrett
The Teller of Small Fortunes
Julie Leong, pub. Hodderscape
I had begun to get tired of the fantasy novels which seemed to be the only genre YA publishers were interested in putting out. My dislike was largely because they were so unpleasantly violent. It seemed that there was a constant competition to be the bloodiest, most vicious, violent, bizarre and (sometimes) absolutely repulsive YA novel. Thankfully there are more thoughtful, realistic and engaging fantasies, which in no way water down their work (or drown it in blood) but do dip deeper to provide readers with a semblance of real life within a familiar situation.
Julie Leong’s latest YA novel, The Teller of Small Fortunes, is one of the best of this genre. The Teller is Tao, a girl who has left a once happy but now unhappy home life and set out with her mule and her cat. For a small fee she offers ‘small’ fortune telling. We discover later in the story that she is in fact able to undertake extremely complex fortune telling, but she is, in all respects, unwilling to reveal her past. Nor is she ready yet in her own travels to offer others deeper life aspects from fortune telling. As she travels through kingdoms close to her own Tao meets several travellers who are also searching for somewhere each of them can feel happy. Initially Tao reluctantly travels with them for safety and some means of making a living, and in the case of one traveller, the long ongoing search for a missing child. They continue to move through both friendly and unfriendly towns, encountering many different cultures and languages. As they do so this mixed party of travellers gels, they become companions.
Leong carefully ensures that the group represents a variety of travellers, from a cake baker to a minor criminal, and throughout the story she offers funny, sad, worrying, cheerful and mysterious situations. The friends Leong’s story has offered us each finds resolution to a degree, and Tao herself finds the happiness which initially led to her journey. The book itself is worthy of shortlists in this year’s upcoming competitions, and – even better – a first prize or two!
Bridget Carrington