A dog named Boo: The underdog with the heart of gold by Lisa J. Edwards

Sometimes it seems as though animals come into our lives at a time when we need them the most, and that is definitely the case with Lisa and a little dog she names Boo.  After living through a complicated childhood, Lisa had overcome most of her issues to become a moderate success with a husband, two dogs, and two cats.  Her life had taken some unexpected turns, and life wasn't perfect, but she had found balance and a way forward - a balance that was shaken through a series of events including the diagnosis of her brother with a terminal illness, the ups and downs of married life with a man who was as damaged in his own way as she was, and a build up of stressors and niggles from her chronic pain and mobility issues   Into this complicated world came a little dog named Boo - who seemed to face as many challenges as Lisa did, if not more.

Boo was not your typical dog, he seemed to have issues with his vision and mobility, and he was not the brightest crayon in the box - what he was was himself.  Through trial and error (sometimes trial by error) Lisa discovered that her hopes and dreams for Boo would never work out, but that he instead has his own little niche to carve out.  Through her animal assisted therapy and animal assisted activity work, Lisa introduced a whole bunch of people to the amazing little dog that no one and nothing could bring down.  He may have just scraped through his therapy animal test, but Boo turned out to have a unique gift for therapy work - including helping to heal some of the wounds that Lisa had carried for a long time.

A dog named Boo struck a chord with me, mainly because I have an aging therapy dog who has worked some of the same magic as Boo.  Working, or in my case volunteering, in the world of animal assisted therapy can be tiring and leave you feeling drained - but it is also an incredible moment to watch the change your dog can have in someone else.  I couldn't help but smile about some of the anecdotes Lisa shared because they could almost have been some of my anecdotes, and while my dog is not as challenged as Boo he still faces some challenges   This is a very bravely told story, Lisa doesn't pull her punches when she tells her story and it is impossible not to connect with her and the realisation that she has overcome so much to be the success she is. 

This is a very personal story and some people may struggle to read parts of Lisa's story, but it is an important story to read so you can understand where Lisa comes from and why the relationship with Boo is so important   A deeply touching and moving story of the human companion animal bond and what our companion animals can mean to us.  There were times when I had tears rolling down my cheeks, not only because of the loss of the dogs in Lisa's life, but also because of some of the stories that she shares and the dramatic impact Boo had on people.  My advice, read this book with tissues nearby!

If you like this book then try:

• A friend like Henry by Nuala Gardner
• Emma and I by Sheila Hocken
• Cowboy & Wills by Monica Holloway
• Finding Harmony by Sally Hyder
• A puppy called Aero by Liam Creed
• The dog who rescues cats by Philip Gonzalez
• Endal by Sandra and Allen Parton
• Until Tuesday: A wounded warrior and the dog who saved him by Luis Carlos Montalvan
• Let Buster lead by Deborah Dozier Potter
• Thunder dog: The true story of a blind man, his guide dog, and the triumph of trust at ground zero by Michael Hingson with Susy Flory
• Partners for life: True stories of canine heroes by Jane Bidder
• Puppy chow is better than Prozac by Bruce Goldstein
• A street cat named Bob by James Bowen
• Dewey: The small-town library cat who touched the world by Vicki Myron & Bret Witter
• Homer's odyssey: A fearless feline tale, or how I learned about love and life with a blind wonder cat by Gwen Cooper

Reviewed by Brilla

Dipped, stripped, and dead by Elise Hyatt

Candyce "Dyce" Dare is a single mother trying to keep her head above water so she doesn't lose custody of her young son Enoch - know affectionately as "E".  To support them and keep a roof over their head Dyce goes hunting for furniture she can restore and sell under her Daring Finds label.  She usually does okay, enough to keep them feed and clothed, even though most of the time she feeds them on pancakes!  Sometimes she goes dumpster diving for treasure, and on this particular occasion she finds herself face-to-face with some seriously melted human remains.  In comes the cavalry and Dyce finds herself caught up in something of a murder mystery - but not so caught up that she can't keep a little piece of treasure to restore on the side that should set her and little E up for a while.

The discovery of the body also leads her to a new connection with Officer Wolfe who seems to have an intense interest in Dyce and her choice of menu.  Things are also complicated by the fact that E doesn't talk to anyone but Dyce and her ex-husband and his perfect new wife want E to get professional help.  Complications, complications, and complications - including the arrival of her best friend Ben who is having some trouble with his significant other.  Against her better judgement, and against the advice of every person in her life, Dyce just can't help but get involved with the murder mystery - especially when she discovers who the victim was and what they might have discovered that got them killed.

Dipped, stripped, and dead was a fun filled romp with some seriously laugh out loud moments that was promptly passed on to my mother so she too could enjoy the story and the little twists and turns that make it so engaging.  There are a few times when the writing seems to fumble a little, but it was a minor annoyance because the rest of the story was well written and it was so easy to connect to the characters and their quirky world.  Dyce is far from perfect, she has a terrible ex-husband, her parents think she is going to marry her gay best friend, and someone seriously has it in for her - the perfect set up for a "real life" read. 

I am eagerly waiting for the next book in the series to fall into my hands so I can find out what happens next for Dyce and the people in her life.  Although I have read neither author for a little while the style of writing and the wit reminds me of the early Janet Evanovich and MaryJanice Davidson books.  A fun read that made me feel a lot better when I was feeling tired and down with the flu.  Don't take this book too seriously and you will have lots of fun exploring the world of Daring Finds, and the murder mystery is also a twisted little mystery to keep you guessing who dunnit right to the end. 

This is not a genre I usually read so my suggestions are a little thin on the ground, but I have just ordered some more books to read in the same vein so hopefully there will be some more suggestions soon.

If you like this book then try:

• French polished murder by Elise Hyatt
• Books can be deceiving by Jenn McKinlay
• One for the money by Janet Evanovich
• Two for the dough by Janet Evanovich
• Undead and unwed by MaryJanice Davidson
• Murder past due by Miranda James

Reviewed by Brilla

Haatchi and Little B: The inspiring true story of one boy and his dog by Wendy Holden

The dog that would one day become Haatchi did not have an auspicious beginning - left on the train tracks to die as a five month old puppy his fate seemed sealed - but he was a survivor.  Found and rescued he was fed into the rescue network first under the RSPCA and then under the care of other dog rescue groups, the loss of most of his tail and one of his legs just added to story.  Despite everything that had happened the puppy, soon named Haatchi after a famously loyal Japanese Akita, was a loving and gentle dog and everyone who met him felt he deserved a second chance.

Haatchi's story soon collides with the story of Owen, affectionately known as Little B who has a rare genetic disorder that causes his muscles to contract - a disorder so rare that only a few people in the world are known to have it.  Loved completely by his parents, Little B is a brave little soul who you can't help but cheer for despite the challenges he faces on a daily basis.  When his parents divorced it was not the end of the world, but the beginning of a new one with the introduction of Colleen into their family, but Colleen is not the miracle worker who brought Little B out of his shell - that was Haatchi.

An Anatolian shepherd is not a small dog, and there was some concern that Haatchi would not be able to lead a normal life because large dogs often fail to thrive as a "tripod" - their massive weight is simply too much for their single back limb to manage.  Haatchi landed on his paws though, as his family makes sure that he receives all the care he needs to remain happy and healthy, and that love is repaid through a very special friendship that develops between Haatchi and Little B.  Through the good times and the bad, the trials and the tribulations, Little B and Haatchi are side-by-side - a shining example of the love between a boy and his dog, a friendship that has broken down barriers and brought sunshine into the lives of thousands (if not millions ) of people all around the world.

There are some truly amazing stories out there about the benefits of the human companion animal bond, and Haatchi and Little B is one of the few books about the HCAB between an animal and a child.  The story itself is deceptively simple - a boy facing medical challenges meets a dog who is also facing medical challenges  and together they forge a deep friendship and never let the world get them down.  Built around this deceptively simple story is the romance between his dad and his step mother to be, the challenges his parents faced (and face) with diagnosis and treatment, the amazing touch of karma that seems to be supporting them all, and the lives of the people they touch.  

The one disappointment for me was the writing style of the author which seemed jerky at times and at other times seemed to have some errors - it was also a bit wonky in places with timing seeming to go back and forth in time every now and then rather than keeping the story fluid and linear.  It was a bug bear rather than a turn off, but it did take some of the shine off the story.  The colour plates in the book are gorgeous and touching, and show the love Little B and Haatchi share for each other.


If you like this book then try:

• A friend like Henry by Nuala Gardner
• Emma and I by Sheila Hocken
• Cowboy & Wills by Monica Holloway
• Finding Harmony by Sally Hyder
• A puppy called Aero by Liam Creed
• The dog who rescues cats by Philip Gonzalez
• Endal by Sandra and Allen Parton
• Until Tuesday: A wounded warrior and the dog who saved him by Luis Carlos Montalvan
• Let Buster lead by Deborah Dozier Potter
• Thunder dog: The true story of a blind man, his guide dog, and the triumph of trust at ground zero by Michael Hingson with Susy Flory
• Partners for life: True stories of canine heroes by Jane Bidder
• Puppy chow is better than Prozac by Bruce Goldstein
• A street cat named Bob by James Bowen
• Dewey: The small-town library cat who touched the world by Vicki Myron & Bret Witter
• Homer's odyssey: A fearless feline tale, or how I learned about love and life with a blind wonder cat by Gwen Cooper

Reviewed by Brilla

After edited by Ellen Daltow and Terri Windling

According to the news it seems as though the end of the world as we know it is just around the corner.  No one knows what form it will take - climate change, war, disease, genetic modification gone haywire, or just our refusal to think long term and protect the only planet we have. However it will end, it is what comes after that is more interesting, and the "after" is the focus of the nineteen stories that make up this anthology.

Dystopian futures are the focus of some of the most popular series at the moment, and the focus of many of the book-to-movies that are burning up the big screen.  Those dystopian futures are just one possibility though - here you have a choice of nineteen short stories from some of the hundreds of teen authors out there.  Some of the stories are the expected, a future where things have gone wrong and the people who are left have developed a new society to rise from the ruins, while others are more science fiction in nature with monsters and creatures that are our own making.  There are stories of hope and stories of apparent despair - and even more stories that just make you want to say "I told you so".

There are some stories that seem like they could just be around the corner, stories that grasp the science fiction/science fiction angle with both hands.  One of my favourite quotes from  Jurassic Park (and it may be slightly misquoted) is "we were so busy wondering if we could that we didn't stop to think if we should".  That sentiment comes through several of the stories, sometimes blatantly and sometimes dropped as hints that the disaster might have started in a lab.  Science experiments and scientific manipulation gone awry are a real threat and it is all too easy to see the future in the past of After.

In other cases the stories are about monsters and creatures that seem to come from nightmares, creating futures that are dark and leave little room for hope.  In some cases this seems more like nature fighting back, or a nightmare caused by messing with the environment.  Other stories blend together different origins to create a bleak vision of the future with little or no hope that there is a chance for the survival of human kind. 

The best thing about an anthology of short stories is that you get a variety of stories in one volume, a chance to pick and choose what you like rather than reading a book from cover to cover.  That can also be a weakness however because I found myself skipping some of the stories after a few pages (or a few sentences) because the story just didn't grab my attention.  In some cases I was surprised that I didn't like the story because it was from an author I would normally have adored.  There were also some surprising omissions here, authors I would have expected to see in an anthology like this, but that may have just been down to the timeframe for submitting material or because they are already well established in the genre.  I would have expected to see stories from Scott Westerfeld, Teri Terry, Kiera Cass, Isobelle Carmody, and Margaret Peterson Haddix to name the ones that immediately spring to mind.

This is an interesting anthology and adds new dimensions to the dystopian theme - and provides an explanation of the "true" meaning of dystopia as opposed to the common usage of the theme.  There are some truly thought provoking moments in the stories, and there are some possible ideas for further series or movies based on these stories.  If you find you like the stories in After then consider reading some of the authors mentioned above, or check out some of the recommended series and books in the list below.

If you like this book then try:

• Enclave by Ann Aguirre
• Eve by Anna Carey
• Pawn by Aimee Carter
• The selection by Kiera Cass
• The testing by Joelle Charbonneau
• The hunger games by Suzanne Collins
• Breathe by Sarah Crossan
• Ella Minnow Pea: A novel in letters by Mark Dunn
• The hunt by Andrew Fukuda
• Among the hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix
• The always war by Margaret Peterson Haddix
• When we wake by Karen Healey
• XVI by Julia Karr
• The limit by Kristin Landon
• Proxy by Alex London
• Legend by Marie Lu
• In the after by Demitria Lunetta
• The declaration by Gemma Malley
• Nest of lies by Heather McQuillan
• ACID by Emma Pass
• Life as we knew it by Susan Beth Pfeffer
• Altered by Jennifer Rush
• The forest of hands and teeth by Carrie Ryan
• Article 5 by Kristin Simmons
• Inside out by Maria V. Snyder
• Slated by Teri Terry
• Reboot by Amy Tintera
• Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
• The barcode tattoo by Suzanne Weyn
• What's left of me by Kat Zhang

 

Reviewed by Brilla

Asylum by Madeleine Roux

Dan Crawford has the opportunity of a lifetime - he will be spending his summer at the New Hampshire College Prep programme.  It is an opportunity to extend himself in an environment where everyone actually wants to be there - a far cry from your average American high school.  On day one he meets Abby and Jordan and they quickly become a tight trio.  His room mate Felix is interesting and not too intense, but the photograph he finds in the room is more than a little unsettling.  When Dan, Abby, and Jordan follow in Felix's footsteps and explore the out of bounds office they find creepy remnants of the dorm buildings past - before it was turned into a co-ed dorm the building was an insane asylum.

As the every day settles into a routine, Dan and his new friends find an easy friendship, but there are some niggles in the back of Dan's mind.  When he discovers that the last warden of the asylum had the same name as him, Dan can't help but dig into the history of the asylum to learn more about the man and the asylum itself.  It is an uphill battle though because the locals want the place torn down and destroyed, and the name Daniel Crawford is most unwelcome.  When a body is discovered on campus it is just the beginning of a deeper mystery, because things are happening that make Dan uneasy, things he supposedly did that he doesn't remember.  As events take a darker and darker turn, Dan has to pull himself together and figure out what is happening - before it is too late.

Asylum is a creepy and atmospheric book and you never quite know how the story is going to twist and turn until it reaches the very satisfying conclusion.  For me this reads a little like an episode of the X-Files, Supernatural  or even Warehouse 13 - there is a spooky edge to the story, yet it is also thoroughly grounded in reality and it is all too easy to belive that the events are unfolding in a real college campus somewhere   Revealing too much about the story will ruin some of the great little twists and turns, but the dynamic created by the friendship between Dan, Jordan, and Abby really adds depth to the story and makes it more believable.  There is also a little hint that this may not be the last we see of the trio which is kind of exciting.

I am not a fan of the "horror" genre so I was a little reluctant to pick this book up at first, but I am glad that I did becaise it is well written and the way the book has been presented creates little thrills and shivers (there are photographs from real asylums inside).  This is one of those books where your own imagination drives the level of terror/anticipation you feel, and I have to admit that reading it in the reduced lighting and empty spaces I was in when I read the beginning made it super spooky.  A great read, and I am now hoping that there might be a sequel because the ending left the ending a little undone.


If you like this book then try:

• Anna dressed in blood by Kendare Blake
• The unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
• Thyla by Kate Gordon
• The forest of hands and teeth by Carrie Ryan
• Daughter of smoke and bone by Laini Taylor
• Thirteen days to midnight by Patrick Carman
• Burn bright by Marianne de Pierres
• Something strange and deadly by Susan Dennard
• Graceling by Kristin Cashore
• Rot and ruin by Jonathan Maberry

Reviewed by Brilla

Rock war by Robert Muchamore

When you are the bestselling author of one of the best loved series of all time it must surely be a somewhat daunting process to create an entirely new world of characters and settings for your latest series - but Robert Muchamore has tackled exactly this situation head on with the launch of Rock war, the first book in  anew series aimed at older teen readers (clearly pointed out by the "not suitable for younger readers" label on the back of the book).  To be honest, it took me a little while to shake the story loose and get comfortable with the new characters, partly because I had loved the world of CHERUB so much and all the characters had become like old friends - but once I shook off my hangups and settled into becoming acquainted with my new friends I really started to enjoy the story.

Jay is one child of many in a family where his older brothers and mother have had their fair share of run ins with the local police and one of his escapes is his music   Along with his friends Salman,Tristan, and Tristan's younger brother Alfie, Jay pours his heart and music into Brontobyte.  They have a bit of fun and have tried a few competitions, but they have never hit the big time.  When Jay finds someone who would be perfect for the drums it causes a huge row between him and Tristan and suddenly he is without a band - but he has plans to fix that.

Summer has an amazing voice but between looking after her nan and her terrible nerves she hasn't sung in front of an audience for ages.  Through a few strange twists of fate Summer finds herself involved with an all girl thrash metal band called Industrial Scale Slaughter.  For the first time in a long time Summer has something to worry about other than her nan, and her new bandmates swiftly become friends as well - although sometimes it feels like Michelle is more of a frenemy than a true friend.

Dylan has been at boarding school for years and has found what he thinks is the perfect way to get out of rugby - he takes music instead.  When he is busted for avoiding rugby even though he has been kicked out of  the orchestra he begs and pleads to get back into the orchestra but to no avail.  When he meets Leo, Max, and Eve Dylan has no idea they are about to become a band - or that his new friends are going to find out exactly who he is.

Rock war is an impressive start to a new series from Muchamore, and it comes loaded with his trademark honesty and strong character development.  While I wasn't sure if I liked the book to begin with, I soon got lost in the story and reached the end hoping it would reach a conclusion but not end.  Jay is the strongest viewpoint in this particular novel, but the rest of the cast rounds out the story and each character holds their own place without exception or apology.  There is the expected dodgy behaviour, the twists of fate, and getting away with things that probably shouldn't be got away with, but there is also some serious family and friendship dramas.  If the rest of the series is as well written and engrossing as Rock war then this series may very well be the next major bestseller for Muchamore.


If you like this book then try:

• The recruit by Robert Muchamore
• Guardian angel by Robert Muchamore
• I hunt killers by Barry Lyga
• Sister assassin by Kiersten White
• Nickel plated by Aric Davis
• The Industry by Rose Foster
• Reboot by Amy Tintera
• Catch the Zolt by Phillip Gwynne
• Variant by Robison Wells

Reviewed by Brilla

Burning blue by Paul Griffin

Nicole Castro is stunningly beautiful, the golden girl of her school and she appears to have everything she could possibly want - a loving boyfriend, parents who adore her even though they are separated, and she is on the fast track to success.  All that changes when out of nowhere an assailant dowses her face with acid and the beauty she once has melts away with her skin and other tissues, leaving her fighting the damage from the attack - physical and emotional.  As Nicole begins to recover, her protective mother takes every step she can to protect her from the press and the pain of her recovery.  It is through her counselling sessions that Nicole meets Jay, the boy everyone calls Spaceman because he had a seizure in front of everyone during a wrestling match.  Jay has been home schooled for a few years, but now he is back because his counsellor thinks it will be good for him to get back to school before he goes away to college.

The connection between Jay and Nicole is surprising as they are not in any of the same social circles, but Jay feels a strange compulsion to help Nicole find the person who attacker her.  When Jay discovers that the attacker sent emails before the attack it provides the perfect opportunity for him to use his hacking skills to help get to the bottom of the mystery.  Of course things are never that easy, and Jay soon finds himself on the wrong side of a detective and facing mounting pressure at home because his father is keeping secrets.  As the friendship between Jay and Nicole deepens Jay finds himself facing hostility and weirdness at every turn, and when he finally discovers the truth will it really be the whole truth?

Burning blue is an interesting and engrossing novel, told from a variety of perspectives including Jay's, Nicole's, and some of the professionals involved in Nicole's care.  The shifting viewpoints could have potentially made the story very difficult to follow, but instead the shifting viewpoints allow for a very organic story, one where you never know too much because you only have the first person view of the story rather than the "viewpoint of god" approach that some other authors might have tried to use for this story.  The voices of Jay and Nicole feel very authentic, the confusion they are feeling, the doubts, the fears - neither one is perfect and yet they are also not completely flawed.  Jay in particular was an interesting character because his story unfolds alongside Nicole's, so it is a little while before you discover why he is called Spaceman.

I really enjoyed Burning blue, and there are some very serious messages in the novel that are neatly blended into the story without messages being shoved in your face - acceptance of self and the disabilities we have, that beauty isn't everything, that even people who seem successful have serious doubts, that even perfect couples have problems, that even the professionals don't get it right ... I could go on and on but I won't.  There are some touchy topics in Burning blue but Griffin handles them very well, neither glorifying them or vilifying them.  A deeply satisfying read for anyone who likes a story with real bite and conviction.

If you like this book then try:

• The raft by S.A. Bodeen
• Counting backwards by Laura Lascarso
• Dead to you by Lisa McMann
• The killer's cousin by Nancy Werlin
• I swear by Lane Davis
• The Gardener by S.A. Bodeen
• Flawless by Lara Chapman
• Locked inside by Nancy Werlin
• Trafficked by Kim Purcell
• Thousand words by Jennifer Brown
• Skinny by Donna Cooner
• Looking for JJ by Anne Cassidy
• I hunt killers by Barry Lyga
• Girl, missing by Sophie McKenzie
• Dead to you by Lisa McMann

Reviewed by Brilla

The mockingbirds by Daisy Whitney

Themis Academy is a boarding school with an excellent reputation for mature students with a strong sense of honour, and there are never any problems   That is the view of Themis Academy that the faculty hold dear and that parent believe, but the students know the shiny apple has a rotten core and when things go wrong the students have no choice but to turn to the Mockingbirds for help.  When Alex wakes up in a strange boys bed with no memory of the night before she feels ashamed, but that shame soon turns to the realisation that she has had sex with a boy for the first time - and she did not consent.  Convinced by her friends to seek justice, Alex approaches the Mockingbirds for help.

It will not be an easy journey though, the Mockingbirds can only act if she asks them for help, and they can only act on her case if the rest of the school agrees that sex must always be accompanied by a yes from both parties - anything else is date rape.  It is a difficult time for Alex, she sees Carter everywhere she goes, and even if she tries to hide from what happened there are all the rumours and innuendo to deal with.  As the trial approaches Alex must hold on to what she knows is true and not let her doubts ruin her chance for justice.

The Mokingbirds is not an easy read - mainly because of the theme of date rape, which is a highly controversial topic for some people.  Alex is portrayed with amazing sensitivity  and when you realise that the author herself was date raped you can understand where the thoughts and feelings Alex experiences come from - there is an authenticity and sympathy for Alex and her situation which can not be faked.  From what I have read in the past (fiction and non-fiction) the division of opinion is very realistic - Alex was very drunk and for some people that is enough to say it wasn't rape, while for others it is the cherry on top proving Carter took advantage of Alex and her condition.  

This is not an easy read, but I am very glad that I read the Mockingbirds - the idea of a student council that protects other students and seeks genuine justice has an amazing amount of appeal to me.  The characters are laid bare for their strengths and their weaknesses, and the cast of characters that flesh out the novel add depth and credibility to the story.  Just amazing, and highly recommended for teenage girls.

If you like this book then try:

• Hate list by Jennifer Brown
• Sold by Patricia McCormick
• Thirteen reasons why by Jay Asher
• I swear by Lane Davis
• Rooftop by Paul Volponi
• Panic by Sharon M. Draper
• Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
• Such a pretty girl by Laura Wiess
• Living dead girl by Elizabeth Scott

Reviewed by Brilla

Erased by Jennifer Rush

Erased is the sequel to Altered so there are ***SPOILERS*** in this review if you have not read the first book in the series.  I highly recommend that you read Altered before you read any more of this review and before you read Erased as it is one of those series where it is really important to read them in order.

Anna is slowly adjusting to life away from the only home she has ever known - it helps that she and the "boys" have developed a routine to keep them all safe and ready to move at a moments notice.  She has grown closer to Sam, she has found a playful relationship with Cas where he shamelessly flirts and she knocks him back, and with Nick she has found the best thing for both of them is for her to keep distance between them.  They have moments of intense training and focus, but they also have moments of peace and tranquility - which is increasingly interrupted by flashbacks from their past.

Sam and Anna seem to be particularly shaken by their flashbacks, and Anna is finding it harder and harder to shake the images and feelings after each flashback.  Staying under the radar is challenging, especially when they have to stick together for mutual protection, but so far they have managed to stay away from Branch and their cronies.  When Anna's sister Dani suddenly reappears everything they have worked for is threatened - because Dani has been captured by Branch and the only way to break her out is to launch an attack on one of the Branch labs.

Erased is a worthy sequel for Altered - packed with drama, action, and conspiracies.  Anna and the boys are more defined in this second book in the series, and you can see their development as individuals as they learn more about their pasts.  There are some truly mind-blowing revelations in this book in the series, which at times just leave you going "huh, I didn't see that one coming."  Picking up from where the last book in the series left off can be a bit of a killer for some books (mainly because you forget what happened during the gap between publishing dates) but that was not the case this time - the characters had made enough of an impact for me to fill in enough of the gaps jumping back in.

The dynamic between the characters seems very grounded, and the relationships seem well thought out.  I initially thought this was the final book in the series because the ending is so satisfying, but after checking online it seems as though there is another book to come (so watch this space).


If you like this book then try:

• Nobody by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
• MILA 2.0 by Debra Driza
• Legend by Marie Lu
• Adaptation by Melinda Lo
• XVI by Julia Karr
• Variant by Robison Wells
• Reboot by Amy Tintera
• Slated by Teri Terry
• The forest of hands and teeth by Carrie Ryan
• Agent 21 by Chris Ryan
• Revived by Cat Patrick
• Cinder by Marissa Meyer
• Virals by Kathy Reichs
• Unremembered by Jessica Brody
• When we wake by Karen Healey

Reviewed by Brilla

Cemetery girl: The pretenders by Christopher Golden and Charlaine Harris

The pretenders is the first book in the graphic novel trilogy Cemetery girl and it starts with an amazing first line and then barely leaves you time to catch your breath as you enter the narrow confines of the cemetery along with a teenage girl with no memory of who she is and how she got there - all she knows for certain is that she died at some point.  In a moment of self preservation said teenage girl hides in the cemetery - and continues to hide over the days, weeks, and months to come.  She gets by with the help of some of the people who live in and around the cemetery, but it is a lonely existence and not one that she plans to cling to forever.  With no other name to use she names herself Calexa Rose Dunhill, and even though it is not her real name it will work for the time being.

When she unwittingly sees the murder of a teenage girl in the cemetery, Calexa finds herself drawn into a dangerous game of cat and mouse - partly because the victims spirit flows into her body as she dies.  Surrounded by thoughts, feelings, and memories which are not her own, Calexa must decide what to do.  If she draws attention to the location of the victims grave she may be discovered herself and a teenage girl living in a cemetery would be shipped off to a foster home in an instant.  She also can't confront the murderers herself because she is badly outnumbered.  It seems as though there is no good choice to make, and Calexa is rapidly running out of time.

The pretenders is the first book in a trilogy that carries a world of promise - coming as it does from two minds with a reputation for creating engaging reads where our world rubs up against the supernatural world with interesting results.  Sometimes graphic novels come across as a little second rate (because the author doesn't put thought into the story, not because of the fact it is a graphic novel!) but that is not the case here.  I was hooked from page one and whipped through the story to find out what happened next.  Golden and Harris have created a mini-universe in the cemetery, but we have had glimpses of the outside world that drops major hints that something very serious happened in Calexa's life just before she was dumped in the cemetery.  

A fabulously "graphic" little read and I can't wait to see what comes next for Calexa and the people in her life because it feels like something big is coming, that there is some unseen conspiracy working in the background that will make Calexa's life very interesting - whether she can remember her life from before or not!

If you like this book then try:

• Alpha and Omega: Cry wolf by Patricia Briggs and David Lawrence
• Moon called by Patricia Briggs and David Lawrence
• Midnight secretary by Tomu Ohmi
• Infernal devices one: Clockwork angel by Cassandra Clare and Hyekyung Baek
• Maximum ride by James Patterson and NaRae Lee
• Soulless: the manga by Gail Carriger and REM
• Bloodwork by Kim Harrison, Pedro Maia, and Gemma Magno
• Circus of the damned by Laurell K. Hamilton and Jeff Ruffner-Booth

Reviewed by Brilla

Independent study by Joelle Charbonneau

Independent study is the sequel to The Testing so this review contains ***SPOILERS*** if you have not already read The Testing.  This is a series where it really pays to read the books in order so if you have not read book one yet then read that before you read anymore of this review.

Cia has successfully navigated her way through the Testing and she is now ready to face the exams which will decide which study stream she enters at the university - and the last thing she expects is to enter the school of government.  Government is not a path she would have chosen, but Cia is not about to let herself fail now - especially when she learns what happens to students who are Redirected out of the university programme.

Making it through the Testing was supposed to be a good thing, but now Cia is not so sure, especially when her dreams turn to veiled hints of those that were lost during the Testing.  It is a stressful time, a time when the students enter the Induction tests for the various schools of study and Cia realises that surviving the Testing was just the beginning of the challenges they will all face - especially when not everyone survives their Inductions.

As the memories begin to crowd back Cia learns more about the government and the other students - and she doesn't like what she is learning and what it means for her and her the Commonwealth.  Battle lines are being drawn and Cia will have to be careful if she doesn't want to end up on the wrong side of the line - or in harms way if people see her as a threat.  In a toxic environment where students are encouraged to spy on each other and report infractions Cia will have to watch her back and learn to tell her friends from her enemies, because sometimes there is a fine line between friend and foe.

Independent study is the second book in The Testing series and does an admirable job of keeping up the tension and pace from the first novel, while adding an extra helping of conspiracy and confusion on the side.  Cia remains a strong character, and the cast of characters built around her is fleshed out a little more in this second book in the series, as is the world in which they live. 

Like with The Testing, talking about the story too much ruins some of the plot twists and turns so I won't go into too much detail - I will only say that I can't wait for the third (and final) book in the series to come out so I can see what happens for Cia and her world because it feels like the tension is building towards something huge!

If you like this book then try:

• The Hunger games by Suzanne Collins
• Eve by Anna Carey
• Enclave by Ann Aguirre
• Dualed by Elsie Chapman
• Reboot by Amy Tintera
• Slated by Teri Terry
• Legend by Marie Lu
• The forest of hands and teeth by Carrie Ryan
• XVI by Julia Karr

Reviewed by Brilla

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Katsa has a Grace, and she is the King's Graceling.  Her Grace could have been anything, it could have made her an expert baker who always cooks the perfect meal, or a singer who never sings off pitch or out of key, it could even have made her a seamstress with perfect stitches and an eye for colour - but Katsa got none of these, her gift is death and killing.  Since she was a child Katsa has honed her fighting skills, learning how to take down a man with her bare hands, to use blade and bow to bring down the enemies of her King.  But her King is not just, and he uses Katsa as a weapon against the people who have crossed him or made him angry - she has broken bones, cut flesh, and killed people in public displays of blood and gore that leave the people terrified of her and her Grace.

As a way to deal with the rage building inside her Katsa began finding ways to work around his orders, ways to save the people she was supposed to hurt - a quiet rebellion that slowly grows into the Council.  Now Katsa is on a mission for the Council that will lead her to a disturbing discovery - and Prince Po, another Graceling who may be the only person who has given Katsa a fair fight .  But Po also makes Katsa realise other things, she is not the Kings dog to do his bidding, she has her own thoughts and wishes.  In a kingdom where she is not only the King''s niece, but also his property, Katsa makes the decision to refuse to serve him adn begins a journey that will lead to self discovery and acceptance.

Drawn into a mystery and conspiracy, Katsa travels towards the kingdom of Monsea, determined to solve the mystery of Po's kidnapped grandfather.  What they discover pushes Katsa and Po to their limits, and forces Katsa to examine what she knows about her Grace and herself.  Katsa is more than she knows, and it may take the thought of losing what she has found to realise that she was never what people thought she was, and even more importantly she was never what she thought she was.

Graceling is one of the books that I re-read every few years because I love the rich tapestry the story is built on, the detail that emerges throughout the story to flesh out a kingdom where to be born with a Grace can be both a blessing and a curse.  The Katsa we meet at the beginning of the story is essentially a slave to her uncle, he owns her because all of the Graced automatically belong to the King, but she has never let it beat her down and she finds ways to rebel against him.  When she stands up to her uncle it is just the beginning of the story, a quest that will see her push herself to the limit and become more than she ever thought she could be.  At times the language of the story is a little stilted and formal, but the strength of the story and the characters makes you forget.

I didn't realise that Graceling was being made into a movie when I picked it up to re-read it, but it deserves to be as long as they can keep the story true to form.  There is a lot to love about Graceling, and very little to dislike - and I sincerely hope they don't ruin the story with the movie treatment!  While there is a strong sense of "grrl power" with his novel, it is one that is just as palatable for the guys with lots of fighting, conspiracies, and action.  Graceling seamlessly blends together a variety of genres into one irresistible package that you will feel teh urge to read again, and again (and again).

If you like this book then try:

• Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore
• Fire by Kristin Cashore
• Crown duel by Sherwood Smith
• Melting stones by Tamora Pierce
• The girl of fire and thorns by Rae Carson
• The will of the Empress by Tamora Pierce
• Winter of fire by Sherryl Jordan
• The halfmen of O by Maurice Gee
• Dragon's keep by Janet Lee Carey
• The rules by Stacey Kade
• The last girl by Michael Adams
• Stung by Bethany Wiggins
• Sister assasin by Kiersten White
• Every other day by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
• Throne of glass by Sarah J. Maas
• Unbreakable by Kami Garcia
• Grave mercy by Robin LaFevers

Reviewed by Brilla

The last girl by Michael Adams

Christmas is a time for family and friends, it is not supposed to be the beginning of the end, but that is exactly what happens when in a moment the mind of every person opens and everyone can hear everyone else s deepest thoughts and secrets.  At least it seems like it is everyone, but Danby is unique because while she can hear the thoughts around her, no one else seems to be able to hear her.  With the world falling into chaos around her, Danby focuses on one thing - getting herself and her little brother to her mothers place in the Blue Mountains, a place where she hopes they will both be safe.  But thinking about getting there and getting there are two different things, especially when all the people around her fall into shocking silence and Danby begins to panic.

Moving through a world that is eerily quiet, Danby fights against hopelessness as she sees death and destruction all around her.  When she realises she is not alone Danby feels a stirring of hope, but that hope soon turns to terror and then relief.  Danby is no longer alone with Nathan, especially when they find a way to wake some of the sleepers around them, but their success is short lived.  Out of the minds of the people they have rescued they can see the people who come out of the shadows, people who track down the Revived and kill them in cold blood - and now those people are after Danby and Nathan.

The last girl was a surprisingly addictive read, a book that had me hooked with an idea that was delivered in full by an amazing debut author.  Danby and her world seem just a few years in the future, a future where the level of connectedness to devices has increased and people seem to spend more time with their devices than their families.  It is into this world that a disaster no one expected appears, where people are suddenly able to connect with everyone else, a glimpse into the inner thoughts and fears of everyone else - and then everyone is suddenly shutdown like they have gone into sleep mode.  It is a terrifying reality, and one that seems like it could easily come true through some giant leap in evolution.  We see all this through the eyes of a teenage girl who has just been placed on psych meds, a girl who think she has completely lost the plot - but then as the story unfolds you realise she is not crazy at all, she may in fact be the only sane person left.

The last girl has a lot of the elements of an apocalypse novel - she is one of the last ones left, there is a disaster that seems to affect everyone else, the social order falls to pieces, there is at least one person who develops a sense of power, and it is up to Danby to sort through what is happening.  Although the story is set in Australia, it could just as easily have been set anywhere in the world - the location is Australian, but the story could be anywhere.  This is an intense psychological thriller more than anything else, Danby has a lot of information to process and a lot of surviving to do, but deep down this novel seems to be about human nature and what would happen if the majority of the world suddenly stopped - and what people will do to hold onto what they have.  At the end of the novel you get a taste for the second book in the series, and it looks like book two will be as much of a roller coaster ride as book one was.

If you like this book then try:

• Tomorrow, when the war began by John Marsden
• The testing by Joelle Charbonneau
• What's left of me by Kat Zhang
• The arrival by Chris Morphew
• Breathe by Sarah Crossan
• XVI by Julia Karr
• The hunger games by Suzanne Collins
• In the after by Demitria Lunetta
• The limit by Kristin Landon
• Altered by Jennifer Rush
• Slated by Teri Terry

Reviewed by Brilla

The Rig by Joe Ducie

Will Drake has just been moved to the Rig, a maximum security prison for juveniles - a place where no one has ever escaped.  After escaping from his last detention centre (and the one before that) Will is a "special case", and he can look forward to at least five years on the Rig, stranded in the middle of nowhere on a converted drilling rig in the Arctic Ocean.  It seems like the perfect prison, and the inmates pay for everything they get - and in the case of Will they can rack up huge amounts of debt by breaking the rules and testing their limits.

Life on the Rig is an irritation for Will, he desperately wants to escape and return to the real world because there is somewhere he needs to be and he is working to a deadline.  It seems at first as though the Rig may be able to contain him, escape seems impossible with the armed guards and electronic surveillance of each inmate - but nothing is impossible if you really set your mind to it and Will is determined to escape no matter what the personal cost.  As the months slowly tick by Will realises that something is not quite right on the Rig, that there is a subtle undercurrent of "something" happening.  When Will finally discovers the truth about the Rig, the mind-blowing secret the Warden has been keeping, it may be too late for him to escape.

The Rig is a psychological thriller with a touch of science fiction and adventure - set in a future where the Alliance controls businesses and penitentiaries all over the world, and once you are under their control they can do pretty much anything they want to you.  Our (anti) hero Will Drake has ended up on the wrong side of the Alliance, and by default the law, so he has been incarcerated (although you don't find out why until quite late in the novel) in an escape proof prison.  It seems like the perfect backdrop for your average action adventure, but Ducie adds another level to the novel with a conspiracy of mind boggling proportions hidden under the layers of everyday life on the Rig.

I have to confess that I wasn't drawn into the story from the first word, first sentence, or even the first chapter - I was instead slowly drawn into the story and at first found myself thinking "maybe we'll learn more in the next chapter", and then I did learn more and wanted to know even more and before I knew it the story was half over and I really wanted to know what was going to happen next for Will and his friends.  This is something of an old fashioned story, old fashioned in the sense that it builds to the action slowly, creating a rich back story and introducing you to the supporting cast and story - rather than launching you with no warning into action and conspiracies with no clue about what is really going on. 

In some places it was a little slow for my taste, but I can appreciate why the pace was a little slower in places - and in a lot of ways it does feel like this was a screenplay in book form, like we can expect to see the movie in a few years once the rights are sold.  The Rig is one of those stories where talking about too much detail in the review will ruin some of the surprises, so I will instead say that fans of the Alex Rider series will find a lot to like here.

If you like this book then try:

• Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz
• Variant by Robison Wells
• Don't turn around by Michelle Gagnon
• The hunger games by Suzanne Collins
• Reboot by Amy Tintera
• Stung by Bethany Wiggins
• Nowhere by Jon Robinson
• The darkest minds by Alexandra Bracken
• ACID by Emma Pass

Reviewed by Brilla

Private L.A. by James Patterson and Mark Sullivan

Private L.A. is part of the Private series and while it is not a series that you need to read in a strict order to enjoy the story, reading them "out of order" can ruin a few surprises for you.  For the best enjoyment you may want to read Private and Private No. 1 suspect before you read Private L.A.

Jack Morgan could never describe his life as boring, especially with a twin brother hell bent on taking everything Jack has - including his reputation.  His week goes from tense and interesting to heart pounding and out of control when Private is thrust into the middle of not one, but two high profile cases.  The first is No Prisoners, a terrorist who is attacking the city of Los Angeles through the controlled use of violence to extort money - a tactic no one has ever seen before.  The attacks are random, brutal, and designed to create the maximum impact of fear, anxiety, and terror - and Private may be the only agency with the ability to track down No Prisoners and bring them to justice. 

But it is a balancing act, because at the same time they are involved in the super secret disappearance of golden couple Thom and Jennifer Harlow - actors and philanthropists that appear to have vanished off the face of the earth with their adopted children.  The already tricky investigation is hampered by the team behind the Harlow-Quinn, who want the disappearance kept out of the media.  But there is also something else going on, a conspiracy that could cost the Harlow-Quinn's their lives and their fortunes.

As Jack and his team work the two cases they reach out to colleagues and experts to help unravel the tangled web of conspiracies, cunning plans, and dodgy deals - and the clock is ticking to save the future victims of No Prisoners, and the lives of Thom and Jennifer before their children are orphaned for a second time.

The Private series is an interesting one because it is co-written with a variety of authors and there is no single story arc that draws the series together - this is a strength and a weakness, and there are definitely co-authors that I prefer over others.  I had a little bit of trouble settling into Private L.A. to begin with, but after a few chapters I was caught up in the double story arc and the action and tension that builds rapidly through the first half of the book.  The writing was particularly good in Private L.A. and there was a sense of a story on a grander scale than some of the other Private novels, and I really felt that it delivered on the promise of the double story arc - neither story buries the other, and there are times when you are so caught up in one story that you almost forget their is a second story arc (the sign of really good writing).

Private L.A. may not appeal to all James Patterson fans because of the nature of the story, it is definitely a novel for adults and there are some uncomfortable moments, even if those moments may only come from what you imagine happens as well as what actually happens.  The action sequences are more intense than some of his other novels as well, though books co-authored with Mark Sullivan do tend to have more action sequences than some of his other novels.  A great read devoured in one sitting, and looking forward to see what happens next for Jack Morgan and his team(s).

If you like this book then try:

• Private by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
• Level 26: Dark origins by Anthony E. Zuiker and Duane Swierczynski
• Private London by James Patterson and Mark Pearson
• The postcard killers by James Patterson and Liza Marklund
• Level 26: Dark origins by Anthony E. Zuiker and Duane Swierczynski
• Private Oz by James Patterson and Michael White
• The survivors club by Lisa Gardner
• The surgeon by Tess Gerritsen
• Vodka doesn't freeze by Leah Giarrantano
• Zoo by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
• NYPD Red by James Patterson and Marshall Karp
• The basement: a novel by Stephen Leather
• Step on a crack by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
• Darkly dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay

Reviewed by Brilla