Review: The Improbable Theory of Ana and Zak

The Improbable Theory of Ana and Zak by Brian Katcher
My rating: 0 of 5 stars

For anyone who thinks comic con is for nerds. This story shows just how much action you can pack into a single night amongst cos players, gamers and card collectors. Fast paced story line about family, friends and love.

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Review: Moon Over Soho

Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fabulous follow up. I love this series. Peter Grant encounters some new types of magic as he and his team deal with Jazz Vampires in Soho. Always witty and fun.

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Read to Succeed

Review: Ash and Quill

Ash and Quill by Rachel Caine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another great book in the Great Library series. The story moves quickly covering events on two continents and ends with a cliffhanger that leaves you checking for the release date of the next book.

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We helped too!!!

You might remember in Term 3 this year I asked if anyone still had some five cent coins that they would be happy to donate to author John Green for his book tour. His new book 'Turtles all the way down' has a tuatara in it and he was intending to give them away to people he met while he was promoting his book. Well the original goal was to collect a few hundred but over five thousand were collected and sent to him. Below is a posting on his vlog about those coins.

Review: One of Us is Lying

One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Terrific whodunit. Takes High School stereotypes and adds a closed room murder mystery plot. If you are all in the room together and one of you is murdered it must be someone in the room, right????

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Review: The Empty Grave

The Empty Grave by Jonathan Stroud
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Great end to a great series. The plot played out well, all the loose ends tied up and even the skull was happy. Looking forward to whatever Jonathan Stroud writes next.

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Review: Rivers of London

Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Great book I want to read all the other books in the series NOW. Intriguing plot, humorous writing, great characters. Lock yourself away and read it uninterrupted.

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Review: The Creeping Shadow

The Creeping Shadow by Jonathan Stroud
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fabulous to catch up with Lockwood and Co again who are being drawn into the conspiracy surrounding "the problem" (the appearance of ghosts over the last fifty years) while they do battle with the Ealing Cannibal , an eyeless girl and other lurking shades.

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Review: Running Girl

Running Girl by Simon Mason
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A good murder mystery which kept the reveal of the killer until the last few pages. Looking forward to moving on to the next mystery for Garvie to solve - Kid got shot.

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Review: The Handmaid's Tale

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Inspired by the promotion of the new television series I read this book over the holidays. It is a dystopian tale and disturbing not for what happens but for how easily you can believe it might happen, here or in other western countries. I recommend reading it as a warning for what could happen - the price of liberty is eternal vigilance.

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Review: Tower of Dawn

Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. Maas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a refreshing break in the series. I was suffering from an Aelin overload and moving away from her story and focusing on another character (Chaol) was interesting whilst still moving the general storyline along with a few new discoveries leading us back to the main storyline. It renewed my interest and I am looking forward to the next book.

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Review: These Shallow Graves

These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Good story I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The plot was a little predictable but I felt it made some good points on the limits on women's choices at the turn of the century and how societies expectations also influence men's choices. On a less serious note it is a entertaining read.

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Better in New Zealand...

Here is an interesting comparison made by The Sapling newsletter taking popular international books and pairing them with a similar kiwi authored book. We have them all in the library so come and try them out.

So here we go, a list with a difference. I have matched several Kiwi YA authors with international YA authors that write in a similar genre - with thanks to School Librarian from Mountain View High School, Julie James, for her help. Hopefully it will inspire you, or your teen, to try our locals.

If you liked

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven then try Pieces of You by Eileen Merriman

Are you a fan of the Divergent series by Veronica Roth? Then you will love the Spark series by Rachael Craw

If John Green's Looking for Alaska is your favourite try Smashed by Mandy Hager

More than this by Patrick Ness try When we wake by Karen Healey

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas read Bugs by Whiti Hereaka

Tomorrow When the War Began by John Marsden try out The Bridge by Jane Higgins

Finished the Cherub series by Robert Muchamore then start reading Recon Team Angel by Brian Falkner

Winners of the New Zealand Book Awards

Alex Rider is Back!

Book Review: Never Say Die, by Anthony Horowitz by booksellersnz Available in bookshops nationwide. After reading the first few chapters of Never Say Die I got the distinct impression that Alex Rider is a bit of a young adult version of Ian Fleming’s James Bond – tied to MI6, frequenting exotic places, going up against formidable enemies, the odds being seemingly unfavorable, but of course eventually saving the day. However, the similarities end there between James Bond and Alex Rider. Despite being an asset in some capacity to MI6, Alex Rider is just 15 years old, making the novels just a bit more younger-person friendly. There is an element of unrealism because of the main character’s lack of years, but it was still a really enjoyable story. As the latest addition to the Alex Rider series, Never Say Die sets the scene with an elaborate crime in Sullfolk, England, with seemingly no real motive or explanation, and the main character thousands of miles away in San Francisco. In the following chapter the crime is then suddenly pushed aside and focuses on Alex Rider, who is struggling to recover from experiences in the novel previous. Those traumatic events are progressively given more detail as Alex takes steps to reconcile the past and solve the mystery that still remains, all the while crossing paths with dangerous criminals not only seeking revenge but also plotting an act of terrorism. Never Say Die includes plenty of action that go along with a typical spy novel but there are also more complicated elements within to back up the plausibility of the situation. It was at times a bit young but it was understandable given the audience the Alex Rider series is aimed at. That being said it could have easily been a lot more corny but Anthony Horowitz is successful as a whole in the balance he has maintained for such a series – innocent enough to be a young adults novel, but still exciting to actually be worthwhile reading; in my opinion any age group will enjoy Never Say Die. Reviewed by Sarah Hayward

Review: Daughter of the Wolf

Daughter of the Wolf by Victoria Whitworth
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The best thing about this book was its cover which just proves the saying that you shouldn't judge a book by it. A slow meandering story completely predictable and unexciting. The heroine was so useless that I agreed with her grandmother - sending her to a nunnery would be a good idea.

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Review: Highly Illogical Behavior

Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Great book, the story flows well , it is believable and upbeat. Sol is a very likeable character with awesome parents and a kick-ass grandma. I liked it so much I am going to give it as a prize at the end of the year.

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Review: Into the Water

Into the Water by Paula Hawkins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Great story. Paula Hawkins has matched Girl on the Train with another intriguing thriller which keeps you guessing as new secrets come to light in each chapter. Not just a good 'who done it' but also fascinating for revealing how little we can really know about the people we think are closest to us. Highly recommended.

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Review: We Come Apart

We Come Apart by Sarah Crossan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is written in blank verse and is very quick and easy to read but it is not a light weight story. The author draws us in to the story of Nicu and Jess two teenagers who meet on a community service programme. Each has problems at home they cannot share with others but they find support in their friendship. True to life, you will be hooked in hoping they can create their happy ending.

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Review: Geography Club

Geography Club by Brent Hartinger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Great book, short and easy to read but it gets its message across. It's High School as we all know it and every school needs a Geography Club.

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Review: The Hate U Give

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Very relevant given the recent shootings of black youths by white policemen in America and the Black Lives Matter movement. A good story following Starr who lives a double life going to a white school and living in a gang controlled suburb. Witnessing the murder of her friend forces Starr to decide how she can reconcile the two different sides of her life.

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L!BRARY - How to design a library that makes kids want to read

The Robin Hood foundation renovated the libraries of public schools in New York, take a look at this TED talk on the ideas they came up with and think about what we could do in our library.




How to design a library that makes kids want to read

Review: The Universe Versus Alex Woods

The Universe Versus Alex Woods by Gavin Extence
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fabulous story. Alex is a very sympathetic hero and the adventures that result from him doing the 'right thing' are entertaining and believable.

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Review: The Best of Adam Sharp

The Best of Adam Sharp by Graeme Simsion
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A great read, funny, sad, optimistic. For everyone who wonders what might have been if they had made a different decision.

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Review: As Easy as Falling Off the Face of the Earth

As Easy as Falling Off the Face of the Earth by Lynne Rae Perkins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A great story about where chance can take you if you let it. Ry has already boarded the train to summer camp when he opens their latest mailout and discovers that camp is cancelled. When the train makes an unscheduled stop he climbs out to call home and the train leaves without him! What do you do in the middle of nowhere with a phone that doesn't have a signal, a pocket knife and some loose change? It turns out you can do quite a lot.

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Review: Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist

Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Great book, a roller coaster of emotions and ideas packed into one night in New York.

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Book club update

Kasi, Asmeret, Chimanda, Mrs Graham, Jordan, Liam, Jatinder, Yacov, Leon at bookclub today

Every week we meet up, see the new books the library has acquired and recommend books to each other. Hear what the (somewhat sarcastic) students have to say...

"Book club saved me from spiralling crippling depression and sadness. Book club filled the void of emptiness in my heart that's now filled with warmth and unity" - Jordan "the book worm"

"Book club is the greatest thing that's ever happened to me. When I was young I used to get bullied for reading too much and the little kids used to hit me. Book club teaches me that I can be myself and read without shame. Let's go book club *clap clap clap*" - Jatinder "the book man"

"Bookclub has kept me to stay 2 days sober. It has helped me to become a better person. I continue to stay alcohol free with the help of book club so I can share my stories with the rest of the rehab/AA group  http://www.aa.org.nz/ - Sean- "Binge book drinker"

"Book club is under rated!!!!! It is beneficial towards the improvement of my grades and also my involvement in school. I recommend this strongly towards anyone who wants to utilise their lunch time to further their own cerebral understanding of life itself from an infinite spectrum of perspectives." -Kasi Valu.

"Book club is the best place I have ever been to!!!!!!!!!!!Everyone is welcome and it fun to be in it:)"
Shamanda Time

The Sapling

The Sapling is a new website for teen readers concentrating on New Zealand fiction.

Take a look at their latest postings for book reviews and author interviews.

The Sapling

Book Club

Great turn out for book club yesterday- we've moved to Thursdays to accommodate the senior students involved in Remar.

Leon is reading mostly Christian texts, currently a book called Being Mortal.

Asmerat is reading The Last Star by Rick Yancey, the final book of The Fifth Wave.

Jordan is reading Tales of the Taniwha, Naruto and the Illiad.

Victor is reading The Fault In Our Stars and some manga- Fairy Tale.

Jatinder is reading Lord of the Flies, the Illiad and Tokyo Ghoul.

Yacov is reading Boruto Manga

Don't forget you can join the Marcellin College book club on good reads- just make an account with your school email address.

New Reviews Coming soon!

Watch this space for some exciting book reviews  as Ms Comer's English class share their views on the books they are reading this term.