August '19 Reviews

Girls with sharp sticks by Suzanne Young, Review by Wei Li

This is set in modern times but in an academy. It's secluded on top of a mountain in a normal society. The school only has girl students and male teachers.  It's very small with only six pupils. It's called the Innovations Academy. It's a bit Handmaid's Tale, with lessons covering how to cook and be a good future wife. They have no access to the internet or phones and have been home schooled and brought up to believe that men are superior. They know if they don't obey they will be sent to the doctor. They don't remember what happens there, but they come out reciting the values of the academy.

The book is about them working out that there is a better life out there for them, but to get it they will have to evade their teachers and "sponsors."

It has lots of scary plot twists. I found it a little bit slow at first, and infuriating because of how ignorant the girls are, but I got used to it and you keep hanging on to find out what happens.

Rated: 4/5 Roses "I tore through it"

Davinci code by Dan Brown, Review by Ciena

It's starts out with scholar Robert, who is an American in London. He gets a call to go to the Louvre to help with a murder investigation. The murder victim has left a self-inflicted message in blood on his naked body. Meanwhile Sophie, a cryptologist has a message for Robert, they meet in the bathroom and she tells him he is going to be framed for the murder...

Rated: 4.5/5 Keys "It's really interesting because there are lots of clues and messages that need to be deciphered"


Homeroom diaries by James Patterson, Review by Maria

This book has creepy illustrations but the story itself isn't dark. It's about Clueless Clarke, following her life as a teenager, covering family, crushes and protests.

Rated: 3.8/5 Fruits "Kind of slow but an interesting story line"





The book thief by Markus Zusak, Review by Emily

It's basically about this girls Lisle, at the start she is 9. It's set in Nazi Germany. Her parents have been taken to the camps, even though they are not Jews. She is taken to live with a foster family, and at first she thinks they are normal, but she finds out later that they sometimes take in Jews and try to protect them from prosecution. There is a boy, Max. His father was in another war with Lisle's father. Lisle and Max get to know each other, and there is a boy called Rudy who is falling in love with Lisle.

The book is narrated by death. It's a really complicated concept to get your head around. The prologue is pretty confusing but you just have to go with it, and it will all make sense -and it will make you cry!

Rated:4/5 Nazis

Hole in the middle by Kendra Fortmeyer, Review by Emily

It's a good book. Technically it's a story about a girl who has a hole in the middle of her stomach. She's a bit introverted and never goes outside unless her friend makes her. One day she is feeling really happy and accepting of herself so goes to a club with a fake ID. She wears a cropped shirt and lots of people react to her and the paparazzi shows up. Later her doctor calls and tells her about a boy with a lump in his stomach. Then there's Handsome Chad. Also fan fiction.

Rated: 4.5/5 Puzzle pieces "I'm happy I read it because it's a lot better than I thought it would be."

Mask of shadows by Linsey Miller, Review by Caitlyn

This is a pretty good book. It's not that dark even though it's about assassins. Sallot is the main character and they are gender fluid. Their appearance changes and they use different pronouns depending on how they feel that day. There has been a heist and Sallot joins the Queen's personal crew of assassins.

Rated: 4.4/5 Jewels "Really well written, I liked the gender fluid representation"



The love interest by Cale Dietrich, Review by Sasha

It's about this building that takes kids with no parents. They try to sort them into two categories: nice and bad. They are trained to be paired with the important people as their perfect love interest, but the one that isn't picked gets murdered...

Rated: 4/5 Love interests "It doesn't end how you think it will"




Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell, Review by Bella

This is a re-imagined Cinderella. The mother still dies but she was an inventor and leaves behind little mechanical insect cleaners who are powered by fairy magic. Mechanica loves her Mum's insects, but when her dad gets remarried she has to live in the basement of her stepmother's house...but there's a mechanical pony down there and it's alive!

Rated: 5/5 machines "cool so far"