The Lie Tree by Francis Hardinge

The Lie Tree by Francis Hardinge

The family arrive off the boat on a stormy night to an isolated island community. Father is a noted scientist trying to outrun something that happened before they left home. Her mother is trying to keep up appearances and her little brother needs attention.
She suspects that her father is up to something so does some spying. He seems unbalanced and she is worried.  She is smart in a world that doesn’t admire smart girls.
Tragic events unfold but Faith is smart and she stays strong. The social commentary is telling as the women of the family try to salvage a life for themselves.

How It Went Down by Kekla Magoon

How It Went Down by Kekla Magoon

T has been shot in the street by a white man.  Was he armed?  Was it self-defence?  Why do all the witnesses have a different version of what went down?

Very, very good. Short chapters, easy flow, hard hitting reality of living in a bad neighbourhood. Either running into or away from gangs. The desperation, poverty, hopelessness is tragic but sympathetically written.

You don’t always have a choice whether you join a gang or not. The boys of Peach Street don’t have many choices. It’s either the Stingers or the Kings. The girls don’t have much hope either.

This book should draw in reluctant boys 13+ but is a gripping read for all ages. Strong girl / women characters.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Ari lives with his parents. They won’t talk about his older brother who is in prison anhis Dad won’t talk about his time in Vietnam. Ari would like to know more but knows not to ask. He has a lot of questions that have built up over time. This makes him angry.

One summer day he goes to the town pool. He can’t swim. A boy he’s never met before, Dante, teaches him how to swim. They become friends. He goes to Dante’s house and finds that Dante and his parents love to talk, they talk about everything. Dante tells Ari that he wants to kiss boys, not girls. This doesn’t bother Ari as long as Dante doesn’t try to kiss him.

Ari gets on well enough at school but keeps the other kids at an arms length. He gets a job at a burger place.

Dante’s Dad gets a job teaching at a Uni far away for eight months. Dante writes lots of letters, Ari sends two. Dante gets back in the summer and their friendship continues.

Dante gets a job and a boy friend. Dante and Ari’s dads become friends. Events lead to a few dramas and the boys friendship is tested.

I loved this book. Well formed characters with real and interesting life dramas. Great story for 14+ boys.

Smart by Kim Slater

Smart by Kim Slater

Kieran is growing up in a council house. He lives with his Mum who is always at work, her boyfriend Tony and his son Ryan who are always home.

Kieran has his own teacher aid and gets on at school, art is his favorite subject. He keeps his drawings and journal hidden so Tony won’t find them. When his Mum is at work he is either quiet in his room or out somewhere. His Mum is working later at night.

He finds the body of Colin a friend and homeless man down at the river bank. The police think Colin was drunk and fell accidentally. Kieran thinks he has been murdered and uses skills learned watching CSI to investigate the case.

Kieran has a few friends, Jean knew Colin from the shelter and a new boy at school. He hasn’t seen his grandmother in a long time. His teacher aid thinks Kieran might not be safe at home.

All the while Kieran is collecting clues, staying away from Tony and trying to look after his Mum.

A well written and page turning story of dysfunctional family life, love, loyalty and a reminder that you should never underestimate someones bravery, intelligence or ability.

Noggin by John Corey Whaley

Noggin by John Corey Whaley

You are dying at 16 and you hear about cryogenics freezing your head until they have the technology to attach it to another body sometime in the future. You have been sick for ages and there is no hope. You convince your parents that it would be a good idea to freeze your head. You expect not to come back to life but if you do it would be at least 100 years in the future. You say goodbye to your family, friends and your girlfriend.
Fast forward 5 years, you wake up. It seems to you that no time has passed. Once you adjust to your new body, which is much better than your old one and not sick, you expect to pick up where you left off. But your parents got rid of your stuff, your best friend is in Uni while you have to finish high school AND your girlfriend is engaged to a really nice guy and doesn’t want to see you.
Rather than a returning hero you have a whole new set of problems. You never liked high school and now you are a celebrity, only 2 of the 100 cryogenic recoveries has worked so you are a miracle. You don’t feel like a miracle or a celebrity, you feel sad. You miss your old life.
You go back to school and make a friend. You work towards taking your old life back. Along the road you make some sacrifices, learn some surprising things and find that you can have a new life with remnants of the old and that really is a miracle.

Dunger by Joy Cowley

New Zealand author alert!

This is a gem, I think Joy Cowley nailed this one, five stars for sure.

The world financial crisis has reached Will and Mellisa’s house and the promised summer trip to Queenstown must be postponed. Instead the brother and sister accompany their elderly grandparents to the old family bach in the Marlborough Sounds. This seems like genuine hardship to the kids considering long drop toilets and zero cell phone coverage, but what happens makes them appreciate life more. Told alternatively by Will and Melissa, you see their confidence, character and relationship develop as they explore a very precious and beautiful part of New Zealand.
This is great for 9+ readers and will appeal to boys and girls.

More Than This by Patrick Ness

A thoughtful book, on a dark subject. As the story opens Seth is drowning. Then he wakes up in a strange but a familiar place. His old family home that they moved from years ago, covered in dust and containing things that moved with them and things left behind.
What is the silver tape on his body and why is there no one else around?
As Seth seeks to make sense of this world, surprising things happen.
I am a big fan of Patrick Ness and loved The Chaos Walking series, one of the darkest and bleak series every written. The villain in this story is different because Seth doesn’t know what it is or what part of reality is real.
A must read for fans and dystopia readers should enjoy.
Recommend for readers 14+ but able younger readers may enjoy.

meant to be confusing to relate the characters confusion.

Speed Freak by Fleur Beale

Speed Freak by Fleur Beale

New Zealand Author Alert!

Fifteen year old Archie is into kart racing, every weekend he and his Dad are either racing or working on the kart. Archie is one of the best racers and this year’s competition is the most important of his career because the winner will compete in Europe.
Craig is also a good racer, he has all the advantages money can buy. He has a professional mechanic for the season and is competing with Archie not just on the track but for sponsorship as well. Silver, a girl racer who didn’t compete last year, is back and is making things interesting on the course.
Archie is lucky to have great support not only from his Dad but his Grandparents as well. His Granddad has been in the game for a long time. His Mum doesn’t live with them, and Archie would like to understand why, he blames himself but hasn’t had the courage to ask the tough questions. Dad’s new girlfriend Erica is moving in with her young son, Archie isn’t sure what this arrangement will mean for his racing.
Lots of detail to give the reader an understanding of kart racing, a bit too much for me. It took a while for the story to get interesting, about a third of the way it drew me in. A strong moral 15 year old boy is the centre of the story, maybe a bit too thoughtful but pretty convincing.
Good blended family story with caring extended family.
Recommend to readers 12+ especially if they enjoy motor sports.

Lost Riders by Elizabeth Laird

Lost Riders by Elizabeth Laird

Rashid’s young uncle convinces his widowed mother that her little boys will have a better life overseas.   Unfornatuatly he doesn’t realise until it is too late that the boys are being taken to work as jockeys in the lucrative camel racing business.  Separated, starving and exhausted they

are forced to into the grueling life of  jockeys in the lucrative camel-racing business. They have no choice but to work hard and hope things will improve.

This engaging story about children in harsh conditions with greedy adults who take advantage of them.   Many not nice things happen to the boys but there is enough kindness smattered

throughout the books that hope is not lost.

This book will appeal to younger readers (8+) who like a ‘real’ story.

Reach by Hugh Brown

Reach

by Hugh Brown

A first novel by an up and coming New Zealand author.  It took me a while to settle in to this story, but once I did I wanted to know how it was going to work out.  I think about a third of the way into the book it found it’s stride.

Will is a typical teenager, with all the worries and insecurities that come with the territory. He is not popular and finds refuge in the books he reads.  He is in training for his first full-contact taekwondo fight.  He lives with his paternal grandparents, his Mum left years ago and his Dad  wasn’t coping with being a solo Dad.   The grandparents are sympathetically and realistically written and their voice is caring and consistent.

He has some friends at school, who he has been reluctant to invite into his personal life, but when Conway the girl of his dreams, starts spending time with him and his friends, things start to change.

His Mum returns from Australia, but hasn’t been to visit him.  His Grandfather ends up in hospital.  He thinks Conway is dating the school bully who has taken a liking to picking on Will.  This time escaping into a good book might not be a way out.

Set in New Zealand this story will appeal to students age 12+ and I would recommend to fans of Des Hunt.