The Wondrous Book & Biscuit Club

Ghostlines 
I found this book really sweet and heart-warming however, I found it quite slow and a bit too descriptive. I thought the start of the book needed to be sped up a bit as it took quite a while to get going whereas I feel the ending needed to be slowed down a bit. Overall I liked this book but it was just a bit too slow.

Harry

The Boy I Love
This is a wonderful book that portrays the horrors of war and what really happened in the battle of the Somme. 'Love will always prevail' is a key message that dictates everything that happens in the book and shows how far people are willing to go for the people they love. But it is also dark and shows how soldiers dealt with the death of their friends, how the enemy is not that different in reality and how the real villains are the ones behind the desks who don't endanger themselves but they decide who goes over the top every single day. I would recommend this book.

Toby

The Boy I Love
I really enjoyed reading this book because it was a story about forbidden love. I loved reading how each character changed and reacted to the events. My favourite part was the Epilogue as it told us more about the characters. Overall, I really enjoyed this book as it left me wanting more.

bethany

Birdie
This was a great book! When I started reading it I was a bit thrown by the local Yorkshire dialect, once I got passed that it was such a sweet and wholesome story. I liked the historical setting and found the themes around mining and racial prejudice interesting. Birdie was confused by her reception in the village and that was understandable because racism is so illogical. I liked how Birdie's lovely personality defeated the local prejudice in the end. I would have liked a bit more on her enjoying the change in the village towards her at the end of the book. Overall I really liked this book and loved the characters 8/10

Klara

Twenty Four Seconds from Now
I really enjoyed reading 24 Seconds from Now; it was a beautiful story about teenage struggles and relationships. Neon is such a fun character and had me laughing often. I loved the Bingo characters and Neon's friends, but I wish there had been some interaction with Aria's sister, as I’m curious how she would be described since she doesn’t really come across as spoiled. Overall, it was a great book that I finished quickly—9.5/10. Hoping for a sequel about Aria and Neon's long-distance relationship 🤞.

Klara

Birdie
Birdie was an AMAZING read and I personally loved it, the connection to the author was shown throughout the book and made the read so much more interesting, I really loved that the characters grew closer in every chapter and how Birdie's attitude to her great-aunt and great-uncle changed. Overall I would rate this book 10/10!

Emily

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
The Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody was a very entertaining read but can be a bit confusing at times, I'm not sure who the author was aiming the book at. It seemed too young for me at times but then also I think it was examining some complex ideas.

Emily

Not Going To Plan
This book is wonderful to say the least; for one the presentation is unique and brilliant making every single line different from the rest. The depth is another point that makes the book amazing, as it shows that people need to help and be helped by other people to get along in life and friendship is key. It made me feel incredibly sad for Marnie and angry at Harry for abusing her trust and lying about everything. It is overall a book that preaches freedom to be yourself - no matter how you are.

toby

Not Going To Plan
I really loved this book it was the best Carnegie book I have read so far. The writing style was just so good and it just made it easier and quicker to read. Some of my favourite parts had to be when Marine and Zed were saying the same thing at the same time with just a few different words. There were parts of the book where I just couldn't stop reading I was so engrossed in the story. You really never could know what was coming next. My only advice to the author is to make a sequel it is much needed to know about what happens after their GCSE's, does Zed go to college? Does Marine pursue her art dreams?

Harry

Twenty Four Seconds from Now
I really really enjoyed this book, it was one of my favourite books I've read this year. This book followed the story of Neon and Aria while they were leading up to the 'next level' of their relationship. I really liked how this book started at the end; it made me excited to find out what would happen. Although I really liked this book I think it could have done with being longer as there were quite a few gaps in the story and I felt like they actually needed to consummate their relationship to end it properly.

Harry

The Boy I Love
I loved this book! As my first LGBTQ+ book it was definitely a good one to start with. I honestly could not put it down and fell in love with all of the characters. I was so annoyed when they allowed the Final Push to still happen as scheduled even when Danny and Stephen found out how deep the trenches were. Some of the Language and Military terms were confusing but will read again! 10/10!

Klara

Birdie
This book kept me on the edge of my seat for the whole thing, it was truly heart-breaking. I really liked when Birdie and Aunt Mabel first met, it was different to anything I had ever read before. It was good to see how their relationship developed and how Aunt Mabel became a better person through contact with Birdie. I thought certain parts of the story were a bit skipped through and I would have liked more detail. I think the whole book as a whole was too short. I also felt that the ending was very eventful but there weren't many details. Overall I really enjoyed it I just wanted more!

Harry

Wolf Siren
This book is really outstanding and follows the heartbreaking story of Red and her sister Aerona. I loved how twisty it was and how you think you know what is coming and then suddenly there is a twist that makes you want to keep reading and reading. I really liked the first wolf summoning as it made me sit on the edge of my seat. I thought the book ended a bit abruptly, I would have liked a bit more on the emotional journey of the characters towards the end. Overall I would rate this book an 8.5 / 10.

Harry

Ghostlines 
I absolutely LOVED this book, the imagery pulled me in like no book I've read recently. I really felt like I grew up beside Tilda. The only thing is I thought that the story didn't link to the title "Ghostlines"- I appreciate that book titles are hard to come up with but the Ghostlines only appear a couple of times and Tilda didn't purse finding them again. This was a really nice change from the dystopian I usually read. A beautiful book about friendship and kindness 10/10

Klara

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
This book is funny and silly and goofy in all the right ways. Unfortunately it didn't land with me. The writing felt like it was designed for an older audience than the actual content of the book, in which the actual country of France lives on the protagonist's knee. The odd darker theme can throw you off, like the death and depression it randomly tells you about halfway through. I would recommend this to any older reader who likes properly fantastical ideas with serious themes under the surface. I'm not really sure I understood what the author was trying to say.

Toby

Ghostlines 
This is an amazing book that made me connect with the characters and made me really want to explore every inch of Ayrie for myself. The book asks a very interesting question: what happens if you're tasked with making friends with a stranger when you have only known the same 90 people your entire life? Turns out it is very difficult; nearly impossible actually, especially if they are homesick and had no say in being isolated on a small island. The book is a must read for those that love compelling tales of friendship and what it is like to feel suddenly uprooted from your life. Albie misses his friends; but Tilda makes sure that he makes new friends through her persistence and determination to make Albie love the place that she loves and values. I like the bits where Albie changed and started to love the Island, the puffins, and the people.

Toby

Birdie
Birdie is a book that is amazing in every aspect, with its funny moments, but also with sad and comforting moments too - it really makes you think. Birdie is set in the 1950s where everyone treats this wonderful and kind girl differently (at first) because she looks different from the children they are used to seeing. It makes you really confused at first because she is so nice and they don't even know her. Then, you find out that Birdie is brown-skinned. It makes you sympathise with her struggles as she fights the prejudiced beliefs that plague England and dictates how people see Birdie and every other black kid in the nation at that time. The book has sad moments as she risks everything to save a friend that had her back since day one. I liked this book very much and would recommend it to all ages.

Toby

Not Going To Plan
I really enjoyed this book. It is a serious read approached in such a way that is not overwhelming. The main character Marnie faces huge challenges that she tries to fix for herself. One of the main themes in the book is my body, my life, my choice. I found this was really important and a topic that should be discussed more often. Marnie's art topic of freedom changes across the book, which I think represents how she grows as a character. All of the characters are represented very well and feel real because they face real problems. Overall this was an amazing read and I would recommend it to anyone.

Olivia

Twenty Four Seconds from Now
24 Seconds From Now is a book that flips what every other book does, by effectively making you read it backwards. This book follows the story of Neon from when he is about to "connect" with Aria - backwards to the day that he meets her. The book is set in everyday family life. If the author is trying to make us feel at home he succeeds entirely. The book also makes you learn stuff in advance, like why Neon hates Denzel Jereme Washington, and how the dog even gets that name in the first place. It's a book that I would recommend to anyone who loves friendships, romance and books where the main character is likeable and identifiable.

Toby

Not Going To Plan
This was an amazing book - one of my favourites! I loved the characters and plot and I think spreading awareness about Stealthing is really important - as no one really addresses that it's a form of rape. This was such a compelling read; as soon as I started reading it I couldn't put it down. The book was written in verse and the layout was unique and creative, though as someone who struggles with eyesight I did sometimes find the words and sentences difficult to follow across gaps. I would give this book a 9.5/10 :)

Klara