Epsomians
On the Wall
This was not my favourite, of the books I've read so far. I don’t think it has a proper dilemma at the heart of it. But having said that, I did find the premise interesting and it has short chapters, so if you like reading but are pushed for time, it is easy to get through.
Bailey
Shrapnel Boys
A tale of bravery, friends, and fighting for what is right.
Jack
Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
A lovely, quick, funny read and it was a nice first book to read on the scheme!
Lola
Ghostlines
An exciting tale of mysteries, friendships, and life on a lonely island.
Jack
The Boy I Love
This book is fantastic. The romance, the realism of the battlefield and the war are absolutely terrific. The chemistry between the characters, the premise of the book, the plot and the characters, everything was just absolutely fantastic. I read romance a lot and this is definitely one of my favourites and I would heavily recommend it to almost everyone because it is just so beautifully written. I give it a five star rating!
Eloise
Birdie
I love this book and it shows a brave girl who has a happy life but not a proper family. People think she is different but shows kindness with a friend to help her through her tough times.
Bailey
Birdie
I didn’t end up finishing this book as I found that it wasn’t really for me. I prefer contemporary reads, but it is well written and I think that others would find it really easy to read and exciting, so I would definitely recommend it if you like something gentle and historical.
Olivia
Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
I didn’t end up finishing this book as I found that it wasn’t really for me. I prefer contemporary reads, but it is well written and I think that others would find it really easy to read and exciting, so I would definitely recommend it if you like something gentle and historical.
Eloise
Birdie
This book was so eye-opening to the times after WW2. The portrayal of emotions and the character’s intentions are beautifully curated. The emotional impact on the reader is is well done and you really love the way that each character develops. And the story line is a chef’s kiss, the character development, the emotion, the thoughts, the premise. Everything was lovely, a definite recommend.
Eloise
Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
I found this a quick, engaging and funny read and I really enjoyed it
LOLA
Not Going To Plan
I really liked this book and found it really easy to read. I think that it is better for orlder people. aged 16+ but overall it was really engaging.
Olivia
The Boy I Love
The Boy I Love is a heart-wrenching novel set in 1916 during the fighting on the Western Front. It follows the relationship between Stephen Wraxhall and Danny McCormick as they develop feelings for one another but are forced to keep their love a secret because, at the time, same-sex relationships were illegal. I found the book deeply moving and mournful, particularly because several characters die throughout the story. However, the ending offers a sense of hope for a future in which LGBTQ+ people can live openly and be accepted. I would rate this book 3.5 stars. While I enjoyed reading it, I felt that the story was quite slow-paced at times.
Georgina
Twenty Four Seconds from Now
24 Seconds from Now is a story that explores healthy boundaries and coming of age in a humorous way. The main characters, Neon and Aria, are 17 year olds who have a relationship that emotionally develops as they grow older. As they navigate friendships, expectations, and their own insecurities, the story highlights the importance of communication and self-respect without feeling preachy. Its lighthearted tone, relatable characters, and heartfelt moments make it an enjoyable read. Although it wouldn’t be what I would normally read, I would rate it 3.5 stars for originality and its reverse structure, as well as weaving humour in.
Georgina
Stealing Happy
I really liked this book. Although it was a bit slow to get into, the plot was very intriguing and I really loved the whole collection of characters. In this book you really get to understand Sonny’s situation. I have already recommended it to friends and other students in my year group.
Arabella
The Boy I Love
The Boy I Love is an incredible book - it's so descriptive that you feel like you really know the characters. It is heart wrenching, emotional and enthralling and I couldn't put it down!
Tamsin
Birdie
This was such a sad, yet sweet book, that shows you what life might have been like after the war. It is especially good if you love animals and it has such a lovely storyline of friendship and kindness.
Tamsin
Shrapnel Boys
Shrapnel Boys is a book set in the Second World War. It follows a boy named Ronnie Smith and his friends, as they experience life during the start of the war and the Blitz. During this, a man named Johnny Smith, who is a fascist, appears and tries to turn Ronnie's brother and his friends to fascism and crime. This book was very enjoyable, and it had a emotional message. I would rate this book 4.5/5.
Aidan
Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
This book was very amusing but I found it a bit weird in places. I think, however, that it would be very good for anyone who finds reading for pleasure a bit of a challenge and wants something easy and a bit quirky to read.
Olivia
Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
This book is one of the weirdest yet funniest books I have read. It follows two monitor lizards, Zeke and Daniel that are hall monitors. At school they get into all sorts of wacky adventures and even a giant pelican robot. This book has all sorts of twists and turns throughout, and even can be read quickly if you are in a rush. I would rate this book a 5/5
Aidan
Songs for Ghosts
Songs for Ghosts by Clara Kumagai is a romantic fiction novel that explores gay love, reconnecting with the past, and the search for identity. The story weaves together Adam’s contemporary life with the diary entries of Kiku, a woman living in early 20th century Japan. As Adam travels to Japan to stay with a host family, he is navigating the aftermath of his mother’s death, a strained relationship with his father, and the pain of a recent breakup. He connects with a friend from his Japanese group and explores a relationship with him. Through this journey, the novel reflects on grief, love, and self discovery. I would rate it 3.5 while it wasn’t something I would normally go for, I still found it well written and deeply moving.
Georgina
Handle With Care
Handle with Care by Louisa Reid
I couldn't put this book down - I really enjoyed the storyline and the way it was written from very two different perspectives of the same events. This structure kept me engaged and made me feel like I was in Ruby and Ashley's minds, experiencing their emotions along with them. I also thought it was very clever how the author used the text and layout of the page to reflect the chaos in Ruby's life as her friendship with Ashley falls apart and she deals with the overwhelming emotions of giving birth in a history classroom. Despite the sadness of the ending of this book I thought it delivered a powerful message about the importance of friendship, especially when life becomes overwhelming and overall I really enjoyed reading it.
isabelle
Wolf Siren
I liked the fantasy in this book and I enjoyed the concept of the story. However, I did feel that this book would have been better suited for those in Year 7/Year 8 because I thought the plot of the story went a bit too fast for me and I was often able to predict what would happen next. At the same time, I really liked the message of this book and how Red was never afraid to go into the woods, despite what others thought of it and the connotations that the woods had.
Eleanora
Traumaland
Traumaland is an extremely gripping book that explores themes of trauma and mental health, focusing on how individuals cope with their past. Overall it was thought-provoking and had great emotional depth, making it a worthwhile read.
Freya
Handle With Care
Handle With Care is a deeply moving and emotionally rich novel. The story is gripping and heartfelt, drawing you in from the first page until the end. It explores complex relationships and difficult choices, making it a great read. Overall, this book is thought-provoking and emotive and I would highly recommend it!
Freya
Wolf Siren
Wolf Siren by Beth O' Brien This is not the sort of book I would normally go for but I actually really enjoyed the storyline and the main character, Red. I liked how Beth O' Brien let the reader see things from Red's point of view, especially how she navigates the world while being visually impaired. I also liked how she used vivid descriptions to make the forest more eerie and magical while still subtly linking back to the original Little Red Riding Hood story. It did take me a while to get into the book, as the early chapters are quite slow as the mystery builds. Despite this, I ended up enjoying it overall.
Isabelle
Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
This book was very unusual and quite random but I still enjoyed it. When I was telling my friends some of the things that happen in the book they where all extremely curious and asked to read it next.
Arabella
Popcorn
I really enjoyed the style of this book, it was very relatable and funny but there were also moments when it was harder for Andrew. I loved this book and would definitely recommend it.
Arabella
Traumaland
This book tells the story of Eli, who believes he cannot feel any emotions. However, he discovers a club called TraumaLand where emotionally numb people like him go to seek a thrill. There, he discovers something that would change his life, when parts of a past he cannot remember appear before him. This book keeps secrets from you until the ending, where the whole story finally "clicks", which really shocked me. I would rate this book a 4.5/5
Aidan
Handle With Care
I really enjoyed reading the book Handle with Care. I thought the plot was believable, which made it easy to become emotionally involved and want to keep reading. It wasn’t overly intellectual; it felt more like school‑level drama, which made it an easy and enjoyable read.
I particularly liked the way the story is told from the first‑person perspective of two different characters. This made the novel more interesting and helped me understand the situation from more than one side. I would definitely recommend this book to a friend, as it is a really enjoyable and relaxed read. I found the ending sad, but I liked that it made me feel strong emotion.
Grace
Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
I liked this book because it is humorous but also discussed themes of belonging and self worth. I enjoyed it because it was very random and chaotic at times but still had a clear storyline and message. Overall, I would recommend this book, especially to young people who want a quick, funny book to read.
Charlie
Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
It wasn’t the book for me. I think some of the humour was hard to understand, but I can also see its appeal because in our group session when I explained the book to others it sounded quite funny and several other people in the group were intrigued and have now borrowed it for their next read.
Bailey
Bailey
Shrapnel Boys
The book is focused on a boy whose mum falls in love with a blackshirt (Nazi) but at the time she does not know what he is or what he stands for.
The boy's father was abusive so he has a hunch about Johnny from the start, but doesn't manage to persuade anyone, only for his hunch to turn out to be right. I enjoyed this book.
George
Traumaland
TraumaLand is a dark and gripping novel that follows Eli after a near fatal accident—or so he has been led to believe. Left emotionally numb and stripped of his memories, Eli is drawn to TraumaLand, an illegal club that promises to make him feel again. The story takes a sinister turn when Eli becomes entangled in the life of his old friend Jack, and fragments of the past begin to surface. Secrets unravel, loyalties fracture, and truth becomes impossible to find as Eli realises he cannot trust anyone—not even his family. Josh Silver crafts Eli as a complex and vulnerable protagonist, whose fractured mind and emotional detachment keep readers questioning what is real until the very last page. The gripping plot, strong characterisation, and unsettling atmosphere led me to give TraumaLand a 4.5 star rating, making it a standout choice for fans of psychological thrillers and mind bending fiction.
Georgina
Black Star
I found this book interesting, but also very sad. I enjoyed the element of poetry, as I could dip in and out of the book without having to read full chapters. Overall, it was a very enjoyable read.
Jack