Amelia

Staff Review: Amelia writes: In some ways, August is a very normal ten year old boy. He is Star Wars obsessed, loves his PlayStation more than just about anything else, and would happily eat ice-cream for dinner every night if you'd let him. But August is not your average boy. Born with a variety of facial deformities he has always had it tough. He has been home-schooled until now, but his parents have decided that this is the year that he will start school. The book follows Auggie's first year at a school where some kids are genuinely nice, some are nice because a teacher has told them to be, and some are downright nasty. The first section is told through Auggie's eyes, which is very emotionally charged, but then the perspective shifts multiple times to Auggie's sister, a couple of his school friends - various people who Auggie has encounters with throughout the year. We see the differences in the way Auggie sees himself to how others see him. From each perspective there is certainly some comment on his appearance but we see that to some characters, it is something which becomes truly unimportant once you realise that Auggie can tell jokes and geek-out over Star Wars with the best of them. This is a really emotional read, but one that is ultimately uplifting. I would recommend Wonder to anyone from upper primary students to adult readers.

Staff Review: Amelia writes: In a scientific quest to make humans healthy to the point of invincibility, something went disastrously wrong. One generation took the miracle cure - and it worked - but their offspring are doomed to a brief life. Men live to the age of 25, women only to 20 and then the Virus strikes - no one is spared. To ensure the continuation of the human race, girls are kidnapped and forced into polygamous marriages where priority number one is having children. Rhine is one such bride, kidnapped and purchased by Housemaster Vaughn for his son Linden. Rhine is brought into a world of wealth and elegant luxury, but the shatterproof glass windows, and keycard entry to her room are reminders that she is a prisoner. The only thing on her mind is escape, but aside from the stringent security measures, Rhine must also deal with her father in law, dangerously obsessed with finding a cure for the Virus before his son reaches 25. Meanwhile, Linden is falling in love with Rhine, Rhine's two sister wives are struggling to cope with their new life, and Rhine dreams endlessly of reuniting with her brother. You'll be hooked from page one of Wither, which is the first in a new, fabulous dystopian trilogy. I'm already hanging out for book two! With the same mood as The Handmaid's Tale, and a society as out of control as that in Matched or The Hunger Games, this will enthrall readers in search of something a bit dark and edgy.

Staff Review: Amelia writes: Myfanwy (pronounced Miff-un-ee, rhymes with Tiffany) Thomas wakes up in a London park, surrounded by bodies (all wearing latex gloves) with absolutely no idea who she is. In her pocket she finds two letters addressed to her, written by the old Myfanwy Thomas who knew about her upcoming amnesia. Following the instructions in the first letter, she goes to a hotel to hide and reads letter two which presents her with two options. If Myfanwy opens one of two safety deposit boxes she will find documents (bank cards, passport etc) and funds for her to start a new life abroad. If she opens the other she will find everything she needs to slot into Myfanwy's old life - information about her work, friends, history. This option does come with a warning - Myfanwy ended up with no memory in the middle of a park because one of her colleagues tried to kill her. But she's not sure which colleague. Myfanwy the Second chooses option two (of course) and discovers that she is a high ranking member of a covert government organization called the Checquy. Their role is to protect Britain from a variety of supernatural threats all the while keeping those same threats a secret. Armed with a binder full of crib notes left behind by the old Myfanwy (who was very organised&nbsp;when it came to her upcoming amnesia)&nbsp;she not only has to slip as unobtrusively as possible into a life she doesn't remember, but also figure out who among her colleagues might have wanted her dead. <br />This supernatural thriller has a great combination of British humour, a tightly plotted mystery and a smattering of magic. If you enjoyed the recent Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch, or Max Frei's The Stranger you should definitely try The Rook.

Staff Review: Amelia writes: After the first section of Sea Hearts I was curious. After the second section I was intrigued. After the third section I was absolutely hooked and had no intention of putting the book down until I'd finished it. If this review sounds sycophantic at all, it's because I am completely head over heels for this book. Rollrock Island is a rather desolate place to live. Foggy and bleak, the island is host to a remote village of fishermen, their wives and children. Misskaella, a sea witch, discovers she has the power to coax a girl from the heart of a seal. For a price (to be determined by Misskaella) the men of Rollrock may get a seal-wife. The moment she emerges from her skin, her chosen man will fall under her spell and she won't return to the sea so long as he keeps her from her sealskin. Once one man has a sea-wife brought up from the waves, the other men are powerless to resist the temptation. Told through many different eyes, in segments which are beautiful enough to be short stories on their own, we witness a few generations pass as Misskaella works her magic. We see the effects of her work on the men, women and children of Rollrock Island. This one is not just for fantasy readers but for anyone in search of stunningly beautiful prose. Sea Hearts is a haunting tale which will enchant all who read it.

Staff Review: Amelia writes: Libby Gleeson and Freya Blackwood are one of those made-in-heaven picture book pairs. Their two previous endeavors, Amy and Louis and Clancy and Millie and The Very Fine House have both explored friendship and the concept of 'home' as told through the eyes of a child. Look! A Book delves into slightly different territory -two children find a book lying in the dust at their feet. Their surroundings are hostile, bleak and deprived. In finding this book, their world is transformed. They are taken on a magical journey through a futuristic world with plastic bottle cities and tea-cup shelters. They know that the book is something which must be protected from dust, from rain, from the teeth of dogs. Libby Gleeson's simple text is perfectly accompanied by Freya Blackwood's superb illustrations in a rich, slightly muted, colour palate. Those too young to read (like the children in the story) will find delight in exploring the slightly strange world in Blackwood's illustrations, and those old enough will be absolutely enchanted by the whole package. I've just added this book to the arsenal which I bring out when I'm told that picture books are just for children - Look! A Book is beautiful enough that it will be enjoyed by all ages.

Staff Review: Amelia writes: Prue has grown up, aware that she should never stray into the wilderness at the edge of town. Marked on maps simply as IW - for Impassable Wilderness - everyone knows that you don't stray into the woods, and those do never return to tell tales of it. Prue is in the park with her baby brother one day when a pack of crows swoop down and carry her brother into the Impassable Wilderness... Prue and her friend Curtis venture into the wilderness only to discover political intrigue in the forest, between the North Wood, the South Wood and most terrifying of all, the Wildwood. Warring animals, outlaw bandits and a Dowager Duchess all play their roles in the battle for Wildwood - a conflict which dates back many years. This is fantastic adventure with Narnian overtones has it all - menacing villains, industrious teens and plenty of mystery. The charming illustrations and beautiful production make this a gorgeous gift book.

Staff Review: Amelia writes: London Lane has a memory unlike anyone else. At 4.33 each morning her memory of the previous day is erased. Only by leaving herself detailed notes each night can she keep up semblance of an ordinary life. She does however, have the ability to see into her future. Each morning she remembers her mother, her best friend, her classmates as she has seen them in her future. When charming, lovely Luke makes his way into London's life she knows from her daily notes that they are dating, even possibly in love, but if they're meant to be together why can't London see Luke in her visions of the future? And what could possibly have happened to affect her memory like this? If her mother knows, she isn't letting on. An out of the ordinary read for any young adults out there.

Staff Review: Amelia writes: Ixion is a land of eternal night, the destination for runaway teenagers from all different lands. Most who run to Ixion are drawn by the lack of responsibility, the ceaseless partying and the mystery of the island itself. Retra runs to Ixion for a different reason - she is following in the footsteps of her brother who ran two years previously, leaving her to the mercy of the sinister elders of Grave. Retra is a Seal who lives in a walled town (sealed community), where they are forced to tamp down on their emotions (sealed minds). She has trained herself to withstand the pain of the obedience strip around her leg in preparation for running after her brother Joel. Once she arrives in Ixion, Retra realises just how hard it will be to find her brother among the hundreds of teenagers on the island. She is drawn further into the darkness, fascinated and frightened by the Ripers - the guardians of Ixion. The intoxicating pull of the clubs is strong, but is it strong enough to make Retra forget why she came? To make her forget who she really is? This thrilling sci-fi read is perfect for anyone out there in search of something a little darker, a little more sinister and a little more sinful. Age 14+

Staff Review: Amelia writes: This is not really a book review; it would probably be more accurate to call it an author review. Or even 'the slightly nonsensical ramblings of a Tamora Pierce addict'. Pierce is an author who had a profound effect on me during my formative years. Between the ages of eleven and fourteen I pretty much read Tamora Pierce. Over and over. And over. Most of her books are set in a fictional medieval land called Tortall, and each series focuses on a different heroine. And I think it is her heroines who are a major draw card for the books. They are smart, tough, witty, and you can bet they don't let any men tell them what to do! I identified with these girls, despite the fact that I was in the 21st Century and they were stuck back in the middle ages. Alanna (first female knight in history!) made me (a bookish, indoorsy, nature-disliking reader with animal allergies) long to be a knight (wilderness survival and fighting skills a must). This month sees the release of "Tortall and Other Lands", a collection of short stories, some about familiar characters from the Tortall series, some contemporary fantasy, all brilliant! I actually shrieked in delight when I opened the box. I've also got all the older Tortall books back in stock, so there has never been a better time to discover the genius that is Tamora Pierce.

Staff Review: Amelia writes: Skip 500 years into the future and you wouldn't recognize the world. Many coastal cities have been sunk by the 'melt', and a large portion of humanity has been killed off by a mosquito borne virus. A bottle of water costs more than a t-shirt, and the gap between the haves and the have-nots in society has grown. Rosie Black is a Banker - one of the have-nots who live on the outer fringes of the city. While exploring the ruins of one of the old pre-melt cities, Rosie finds a mysterious box engraved with a strange symbol with a button on top. Not realizing she is about to catapult herself into an interplanetary conspiracy, Rosie presses the button... and nothing happens. At first. Then all of a sudden her best friend is attacked, her father is kidnapped, and she has to put her trust in a stranger if she wants to survive. Enter Pip, one of the ferals who live outside of society, who answers to a mysterious man called "Boss" who seems to know a lot more about what is going on than Rosie. The box Rosie found is wanted by a secret, international organization and they're willing to do anything to get it, even kill. Rosie Black is a fantastic new series for any sci-fi or dystopian world fans out there. Rosie is a great character, and I'm sure once you've read book one, like me you'll be eagerly anticipating book two.

Staff Review: Amelia writes: Simone has had a tough week. Her mother forgot her twelfth birthday, and she had to make her own cake. She's moved to a new town with her mother's geeky boyfriend and her mum left their dog behind. Her grandfather has run away from hospital wearing his hospital gown and a pair of stolen high heeled boots. And on her first day at her new school, the teacher mistakes her for a boy called Simon. So Simone decides to play along, acting the part of the new boy in the class. This inevitably leads to some problematic situations, where to change for PE for example. Or the unwanted romance with one of the girls in class who thinks Simon is just the most sensitive boy she has ever met. While Simone is pretending to be a boy at school, she has to deal with her grandfather's illness, her mother's new boyfriend Ingvar all the while making sure no-one finds out what she is up to. This quirky book was a joy to read - hilarious and heartwarming at the same time. Gecko Press is a small publisher based in New Zealand who specialise in translating children's books from other languages - Fruitloops & Dipsticks has been translated from Swedish - and their books are always worth taking a look at for something a little different.

Staff Review: Amelia writes: A Deborah Abela novel is always something to be excited about and this one does not disappoint. Grimsdon was once a great city, but three years ago it was overcome by a giant wave and the city is now partially submerged in the sea. Those who were unable, or unwilling, to escape now populate the ruins. Many children who were orphaned by the flood have banded together in groups to survive. The courageous, feisty Isabella Charm lives in a grand (but derelict) mansion with four other children. Her fighting prowess comes in handy on food scavenging missions in the flooded city. Enter Xavier, child genius and inventor extraordinaire who has built a flying machine to navigate the ruins of Grimsdon. Xavier and Isabella make quite the team, bringing down bounty hunters and exploring the underwater city. I greatly enjoyed Grimsdon - an adventure story that does not stray into the world of magical fantasy has become a rarity. I would be happy recommending this book to any readers in the 9-12 age group.

Staff Review: Amelia writes: For all those kids out there who have no idea what to read once they've finished the last Wimpy Kid book, Thai-riffic is for you. Lengy's parents run a Thai restaurant called... you guessed it, Thai-riffic. They don't seem to understand that it is really, incredibly, SUPER embarrassing for them to put Lengy's baby photos on their takeaway menus, and even more embarrassing to make him wear a fluro "Life's Thai-riffic" t-shirt out in public. And the worst thing is, Lengy doesn't even like thai food, his favourite thing to eat is pizza! On his first day of year seven, Lengy is determined to be known as something other than the Thai kid, but a particularly wacky English teacher shows him that maybe there is something cool about his heritage after all. Add a gigantic mud fight, a class of year seven students hyped up on sugar, and about a million practical jokes and you've got one hilarious book.

Staff Review: Amelia writes: On one of my more bookish holidays I dragged my sister around a number of children's bookshops in the UK which I had heard good things about. At one shop just outside of London the first Madame Pamplemousse book was shoved into my hands and I was told it was THE book series for seven to nine year old girls. In Madame Pamplemousse and the Incredible Edibles we are introduced to the shop on Paris' left bank which sells food so delicious it is actually magical. In The Time Travelling Cafe Madame Pamplemousse and her friend Monsieur Moutarde invent a drink which looks exactly like a strong black espresso, but which transports the drinker through time and space. Finally, in The Enchanted Sweet Shop, Madame Bonbon has opened up a new sweet shop and her wares have a magical effect on her customers. Little do they suspect that she is an old foe of Madame Pamplemousse, come to Paris to wreak her revenge... I love Paris, and I love food, so this is pretty much my perfect series. I will always be thankful to the UK bookshop that introduced me to the wonder that is Madame Pamplemousse.