Balla Bookworms

The Things We Leave Behind
I enjoy dystopian fiction, and this book did not disappoint. It was frightening real in its description of how the government moved so quickly to the right and how fast things became dangerous for anyone with a different opinion. It all seems quite close to home and is a reminder not to take the freedoms we enjoy for granted. The story was exciting, it moved at quite a pace, and kept me wanting to read on. I kind of suspected the twist towards the end, but I was so hoping I was wrong! A really well considered story that promotes empathy towards others, and challenges us to think about the way in which aspects of our world are changing... scary!

Ros

Little Bang
This book looks at the currently very relevant issue of a woman's right to abortion. For that reason I think it is an extremely important book for teenagers to read. The discussion around abortion is so often bound up in religion, and morality, which this book does mention, but its main focus is on the right of a woman to choose what should happen to her body. The two characters are very real, and their romantic story is sweetly told. The writing is engaging and I really cared about all the characters. It is very enjoyable, just as a story, but its message makes it more than that.

Ros

All That It Ever Meant
This was a short but very powerful read. The characters come alive on the page and the way the family interacts is very real. The travelling through Zimbabwe is so beautifully described and the feeling of family healing as the journey progresses is very moving. The twist towards the end is clever and unforeseen (at least by me!) and the final few pages bring the story to its end beautifully. I really enjoyed this book.

Ros

Play
I so enjoyed this book. The four characters were well drawn and the issues they had to deal with were very 'real life' (sadly!). Their individual stories and the way they intersected over a number of years made for a sometimes complex plot, but very readable. As I got towards the end of the book, I was intrigued as to how it might finish, and I did not see the ending coming - it was a fabulous ending, different in tone from the rest of the book, but utterly compelling and overwhelmingly moving. My favourite so far...

Ros

Little Bang
I really enjoyed this book! It gives such a different perspective of situations that children grow up hearing about. I wouldn't have known without this book the cultural difference and general opinion of people in a country which has laws which seem almost shocking to someone who has grown up thinking ,that in the western world, laws such as abortion would generally be agreed on and had become more liberal in modern times.

Isabella

The Things We Leave Behind
This book was exciting, scary and moving. I really enjoyed this dystopian novel that was sometimes too close for comfort. I loved the characters, and the story flowed well.

Ros