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The Boy I Love
I loved this book. The story followed two boys who loved each other even when they shouldn't and honestly forbidden romance is one of my favorite tropes. My most liked character however was Robert as he was truly loyal towards the end. The book overall seemed to be quite accurate which I liked about it as well as the teamwork and hard felt emotions throughout the book. Also shout-out to the artwork on the front it's amazing and a real pull for anyone who looks at it to read the book

Lakshake

Ghostlines
I disliked this book. The first off-putting thing for me was the writing. I unfortunately am very particular about certain things, and one of them is the way books are written. In Ghostlines, sentences are often a paragraph long or follow the same structure every time. This made it hard for me to follow the book and enjoy the metaphors - although the ones I did manage to spot were very creative. Despite the title of the book being 'Ghostlines', very little was said about them; I feel like they came out of seemingly nowhere. Perhaps this book would've appealed to me more if the ending didn't feel rushed or incomplete. I did however like the message Albie gave Tilda: to listen to people's problems instead of trying to come up with solutions.

rida

Shrapnel Boys
Shrapnel Boys was incredibly heartwarming. The way the relationships between people, especially The Wreckers versus the Shrapnel Boys, were developed really did reflect real life and how some people that don't seem like they'd fit with you do and also vice versa. I completely understood Ronnie's frustration and definitely felt his emotions with him throughout the book. Four stars!

rida

The Boy I Love
This was an amazing book! I was hooked immediately, and found I could not put it down. I found myself getting emotional at some bits, and overall was a really great read!

Heidi

Fia and the Last Snow Deer
I think this book was amazing. I loved every last detail. The writing was amazing and the connection between human and animal in this was incredibly sweet. My only con for reading this book is that the ending felt quite rushed, although everything else really did make up for it. 4 1/2 stars!

rida

Popcorn
This book was a decent read for me though not my favourite. The style of the book was quite childish which I normally would enjoy but the actual writing felt too serious for the tone I had set in my head for this book. However, I appreciate how this book related with real life experiences and everyday thing which definitely made me feel like everything was real and actually happening. Overall this book was not too bad and it had its moments through the pages

Lakshake

Popcorn
I disliked this book for the most part. The plot was boring, repetitive and didn't pique my interest. I usually love reading books similar to this, but this one was just not meant for me. However, I did like one thing - his panic attack. It was written amazingly, with feelings and pressures that people in real life would understand and relate to. How one seemingly tiny thing can just tip your glass. Although the writing style didn't appeal to me, I'm sure it would to others.

rida

Fia and the Last Snow Deer
Overall, this was a great book featuring Irish myths and folklore, something that I've never come across in literature. These themes make it a unique book, and it maintains a level of excitability despite the characters walking in a seemingly endless winter forest. A lovely book!

Noor

Ghostlines
This book was definitely one of my favourite books as it was extremely immersive and follows a story plot this isn't on fantasy but also carries a sense that it could be something in real life on a different island somewhere. My favourite aspect of the book was how the character of Rowan was very mystical at the beginning of the novel, but then going throughout the story the history behind Rowan became more clear, and towards the end he wasn't as much an unseen character anymore. Overall, I loved this book and I would definitely read more books by this author in the future.

Maryam

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
This book was a very comical and childish book (not in a bad way). It was very unlike many books that I have read before and was a very easy read especially due to the words on the pages being on the lesser side of things. This makes it very accessible to different people and also makes it clearer - mentally - as to what is going on. Also, the storyline was excessively funny with many peculiar names for people within the book such as Pelicarnasuss, alongside unusual themes such as the shield of a wombats but (an extremely abnormal topic). Overall, I think this book was an interesting read and although it was not my favourite book it was still a likeable book from my point of view.

Maryam

Birdie
Birdie by J.P. Rose is a coming-of-age story about identity and figuring out where you fit in. It follows Birdie as they deal with school, friendships, and their own thoughts, which made it feel pretty realistic to me. One of the main ideas in the book is the struggle between being yourself and trying to fit in, which I think a lot of people can relate to. I also liked how the friendships weren’t perfect—they change over time and sometimes become complicated, which felt true to real life. Birdie felt like a genuine person, although I think some of the side characters could have been developed a bit more. The writing is simple and easy to read, which made it accessible, but at times the story felt a bit slow since there weren’t many big events happening. Still, I didn’t mind it too much because it focuses more on Birdie’s thoughts and experiences. Overall, I think it’s a meaningful and relatable book, especially if you enjoy character-focused stories. I’d give it around an 8/10.

Srishti

Not Going To Plan
Not Going To Plan is an amazing book. I loved every last sentence. The themes explored were sensitive yet handled in the best way possible - I liked how the book explored different views on 'taboo' topics and how nothing was shied away from. The poem format, the writing, and especially the metaphors guarantee I'll be reading more of this authors work in the future! 10/10 book for me!

Rida

Birdie
I think the book Birdie was a good historical fiction. Her longing for a family lead her to stay with her Great Aunt in the countryside, moving away from her orphanage in Leeds to explore a new life in the countryside. She faces bullying, and is chased down to a coal mine, where she finds a pony. Overall, it was a very good read, the bond between Birdie and and Mr Duke very touching, and well written. I think the book was enjoyable and eye opening as well, as it shows the crueller aspects of bullying, and helps deter it.

Shi Ying

Twenty Four Seconds from Now
I honestly didn't like this book. The first two or three chapters were fine, but I do feel like the book just wasn't suited for me. I really liked the concept of each chapter being set further in the past than the last, but I just don't feel like the chapters really correlated to each other in the latter half. Also, I wasn't drawn to the writing style which focused on the smaller details rather than the whole picture.

Rida

Popcorn
I loved the book Popcorn. Its detailing on Alzheimer’s disease and anxiety is described well and (though from books I already knew a little about Alzheimer’s disease) really made me reconsider panic attacks and anxiety. I loved the relashionships and characters most especially the freindship between Jonsey and Andrew. It also makes you think about how lucky some people have it compared to others. The book was amazing and thought provoking and really makes you laugh out loud at everything. It’s filled with funny sad angry and regretful moments. Amazing thought provoking and literary gold. I would definitely recommend this to a friend.

Drupta

Traumaland
This dark psychological thriller is an all time favourite of mine. This book explores the journey of an ‘emotionally numb’ seventeen year old boy named Eli presenting his hardship and also secretly guiding those feeling lost like myself. I like this book because of the sudden twists in the plot and the depth in the reality of trauma that others are facing not only entertaining us but also giving us an insight of what others are facing.

Devi

Handle With Care
Although I was extremely upset by the ending, I really loved this book. As well as what goes on I enjoyed how the writing font changed for the two perspectives, maybe to reflect how they are, Ashley, put together and stable, whereas Ruby is falling apart. Overall I think it was a really well written book that I managed to finish the majority in one sitting.

Nika

Stealing Happy
This book is an extremely fun read. I love how accurate the representation of problems is, like ill family, money being tight at times and conditions you and others have to learn to live with. The narration for me is completely new, and I did have to search up a few words, but I definitely think it's a book worth reading, four stars.

rida

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
Despite being out of the age range for this book, I feel like I did learn some things. It has metaphors and situations that translate into real life, such as stereotypes and bullying. It's a good introduction for young children into how the world unfortunately is. While I myself would not recommend this book to others my age, I definitely would to any younger people I know.

Rida

Black Star
I enjoyed this book. I liked how it wasn't all upfront, but rather relied on undertones and inference to get the message across. It further immersed me in Charley's perspective as she's a child who doesn't fully understand the world around her and why it acts like that. It's my first book written in verse, and while I didn't particularly like it (the verse), I'm open to more. What really stood out to me was the format of the words. When it was hard for her to breathe, the kerning between the letters (b r e a t h e) was wider. There was so much space in between, yet she couldn't find the space for oxygen. It really played out her thoughts. Another prime example is Nana Kofi was talking about a detour. The words on the page were arranged in a zigzag. The words just... change in size, add up, repeat and move on the page. It's incredibly creative, and I'd love to see more books with this kind of word layout! I also love the representation. I'm sure many people relate to Charley and her experiences, whether it be race, gender or just discrimination. I certainly do. Overall, I think it's a good book. I'm not going to say the plot itself was what made me enjoy it, but I don't think it matters. The message itself and the way it was portrayed makes me give this book a solid four stars.

Rida

Handle With Care
Handle with care is an amazing book and I loved every part of it! The plot line is unusual and have never really seen one like it but Louisa Reid executed the plot line tremendously. Normally I don't read books as often but this book wouldn't even get put down for a second. I was so shocked and sad about what happened at the end but overall I would rate this book a 9/10!

Dilsha

Shrapnel Boys
This book was an amazing read as I loved looking at the story through Ron's point of view. The story portrayed a sense of Ron losing him to Johnny and essentially getting him back at the end which I personally liked as the relationship between both of them was an important part of the story. Favourite character for me was actually Ron because of his bravery and his love for his friends that the author showed really well in the way they had written it. Enjoyed this book a lot and an 8/10 for me.

Lakshake

Birdie
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The story follows a young girl, Birdie Bagshaw who goes from an orphanage to a countryside area to live with her aunt and uncle. After being “abandoned” by her mother when she was a baby, she always wished she could have a photo of her mother, who she believed was royal. When she moved, she faced a lot of racial discrimination, even from her aunt. When she got bullied at school and her teacher thought she was dumb, she ran to a mine. Trying to hide, she went into the lift and was transported underground. This was where she met a horse. Throughout the book, she tries to see him and feed him and always wished she could save the horse. She also makes amends with her family and the whole town, even a few friends. When she learns that the horse will be killed, she rescues him and ‘rides’ away from home with Mr Duke (the horse). However she comes back and - without any spoilers - uses the horse to save someone. My favourite part was the ending as she was with Mr Duke forever and she finally felt at home in the town.

Hana

Songs for Ghosts
Honestly, the book was good. I won't say it was jaw dropping, astonishingly amazing, but I really did like it. The message sent by the book itself appealed more to me than the plot. The way the ancestral love problems were tied up in the end was amazing. I honestly didn't expect the blood relations between the characters and the ones from the diary. Adam's cultural relationship to Japan is something I reckon everyone can relate to, regardless of ethnicity and where you live now. But my favourite part was the ending. I'm glad some things were left unresolved, that everything had a final resolution. It's a book I don't regret reading, and has helped to shape my views on certain topics. Pretty excellent, if you ask me :>

rida

Songs for Ghosts
I really enjoyed this book. It took me through many emotions such as sadness at the woman's story, anger at Ethan whose motives I did not understand and happiness at the satisfying ending. The book was written well as though the first hundred pages were slightly slow the latter end of the book was extremely engaging. I also liked the actual topic of the story being focused on a boy who feels split from his heritage and the ancestral connections that were heavily present in the book. A second book coming out would totally be on my to be read and my favorite character was Jo.

Lakshake

Handle With Care
Handle with Care is one of the most exquisite, powerful books that I have read. The change between Ruby's confused narrative in verses, and the orderly paragraphs of Ashley captures both of their feelings perfectly. The end was heart-wrenching and every time I thought about it I could cry.Every bit I read felt like I was in the story and after I read it, I couldn't stop thinking about the book.I would definitely recommend this book for people who love Elizabeth Acevedo.

Lin-Ah

Traumaland
“Traumaland” was an exceptionally good psychological thriller with mentions of queer teen romance, neurodiversity and mental health. I loved the dynamic of the main couple although it’s not a romance. I found the idea interesting and unique and couldn’t put the book down after I started. I have seen it being compared to Black Mirror and I think that's very accurate, personally at least. I especially loved the dystopian elements found later in the book and the unanticipated plot twist at the end, leaving the reader wanting more.

Shanvi

Not Going To Plan
i read the book "not going to plan" and to be honest, it wasn't my favourite book. It was well written, very easily readable and extremely unique. This book was written in verse which I liked and it was presented uniquely. I think i would have enjoyed it more if it was less detailed in the pregnancy bit, but I understand why the author has included it. In a way, it was good that people get disgusted by underage pregnancy, because it may stop them from doing it.

Srishti

Twenty Four Seconds from Now
24 seconds from now is a gripping novel. I often read the first 3 chapters of a book then read the last one, usually when I don’t do this it means the book was bad but this time 24 seconds from now was different. Despite me not reading the last chapters before the 4th it was amazing. With its backwards timeline every new chapter I got on to I felt like I new the future and that this was a piece of the puzzle why it was like this and yet as I read I never felt confused. It was amazing to see how this relationship progressed backwards and I really loved the crafting of the relationship and the absence of drama that you would find in most books. The characters were amazing and I really loved the book

Drupta

Not Going To Plan
An amazing book, I think it really embodies pressure on teens especially with Zed (his A level programme) and questions values asking important questions to the reader and making them stir. It shines light from different angles on serious mature topics. It is only amplified by verse which causes the book to almost flow and make you think differently especially as words are changed into shapes. Something else is Zed questioning his sexual orientation like saying he doesn’t know what he is. It is really uncommon for representation for people who aren’t totally sure where they fit in to which (at least from what I’ve seen) is quite uncommon. However I do think there is a large realistic element which I believe is important to see every once in a while. I know people who have experienced these same academic pressures. I really liked this book, and if you are ok with potentially triggering mature topics this is very definitely a recommendation of mine.

Drupta

Fia and the Last Snow Deer
Fia and the Last Snow Deer is quite good. I love how the bonds (both between animals and people) is heart warming and the story is excellent. The detailing of the old Irish land adds a distinct sense of Celtic cultures but as we look at this it feels more entwined with the Stone Age rather than the Iron Age while still incorporating a Celtic feel of gods that is commonly seen in Irish based literature. The Stone Age and Iron Age blend is incredible and the characters progression is also beautiful. This is really a gripping tale of sacrifice and familial love. Though I usually aim for complex plotted books I loved the simple and easy plot of it. However for the in book timespan, Flynn had me so fixated on the characters and story it really surprised me when I was at the end thinking this book shows only a few days and it has been drawn out so long but you barley notice it was genius. I think it being short has inspired this simple plot which makes this an easy going story (and therefore not what I usually would read) really interesting me and if it had been much longer I believe it would get more tied up but the journey to get to the deer mother (at least when looking back) was a bit stretched. But this did not deter me when reading as it was just as good as ever feeling almost like a journey over a few weeks or months. Overall very good book loved it.

Drupta

The Boy I Love
I went into The Boy I Love expecting a wartime romance. What I found was indeed a love story, but also a story of how we react under pressure, and what it means to be a good human being. The novel follows Stephen, a young soldier in the First World War, and his relationship with Danny, one that unfolds in the shadows of the trenches, where danger doesn’t just come from the battlefield but from the constant threat of being discovered. Their connection develops in fragments: small moments, coded language, the kind of intimacy that has to be carefully contained just to survive. Plot-wise, Hussey traces Stephen’s journey through the war while gradually revealing the depth of his relationship with Danny. There’s a sense of inevitability to it. There's a tension between what they feel and what the world will allow them to be. As the war intensifies, so does the risk, and the novel leans into that conflict between personal truth and external expectation. What struck me most is how restrained the novel is. Hussey doesn’t overstate the romance or the tragedy; instead, he lets the silences do the work. The love story feels precarious, shaped as much by what can’t be said as by what can. There is also the layer of Stephen's family, who have even sent him to war to try to 'cure' him from being gay. They are not proud of him, and that is awful to read. It’s not just a novel about forbidden love, because it’s about the conditions that make love forbidden in the first place, and the acts of resistance involved in holding onto it love. I very much enjoyed this novel. It fits into a real tradition of adult love stories in the trenches and handles the physical elements of their relationship with tenderness and subtlety. If you want to learn about life for gay people in the past, or life in the trenches, this book will be for you.

Mrs Dye

Shrapnel Boys
In Shrapnel Boys by Jenny Pearson the story follows Ronnie and Micky, two siblings who weren't evacuated during WW2. The writing is very descriptive and relatable which helps the reader understand the thoughts of the protagonist. One of the strongest aspects of the book is how Pearson shows that war isn't always fought for land and resources, but war can be personal and without planes and gunfire. However, I think that we should have the mother be slightly more suspicious about Johnny, as it seems that only Lugs and Ronnie realsie something is off. Overall, I think this book does deserve its place on the Carnegie longlist because it explores the theme of war in a literal and historical way as well as a social and personal way. I would rate it 9/10 and recommend it to teenagers who have an interest in WW2.

Noor

Wolf Siren
This book was a fabulous, engrossing book (so engrossing that I read it all in one day)! This book is a unique tale spreading with it a certain awareness of disabilities such as blindness and partial blindness relating to the author but is a show of how different nature can look and feel to different people. Another one of the morals I detected was that though you may be afraid or may feel scared, you should try to understand the situation first and not everything is as bad as it seems.

Maryam

The Spick and the Span
I think this book was a great model of a fantasy book as it was very imaginative. Some of the key aspects that I loved was the exploration of different realms and zones and the creativity running through this story. The intriguing plot was a fantastic series of magical experiences - both literally and metaphorically. I also loved sections where the themes of friendship are focused upon as well as certain parts where deep connectivity and act like looking up to role models are mentioned. The main eye-catching part of the story that I particularly liked was the plot-twist inputted right towards the end. I would definitely recommend it to some of my friends who like this sort of genre!

Maryam

On the Wall
I enjoyed reading this book, it had simple events which made it an easy read and had quite an interesting main character, and although the book is mainly from the perspective of the people around him, still clearly reflects his pure sense of calmness in the book. Also, I liked the effect Fine gave to others around him, though some could not tolerate it after a while, his still and calm presence washed over on others making the reader in awe of his tranquillity.

Nika

Ghostlines
I found this book very enthralling from the start, it really captured my attention with its interesting hook. My favourite part of the book was the amazing description of the island (especially the fairy pools) that transported me onto Ayrie. I especially liked how the relationship between Tilda and Albie grew over the book and the beautiful ending had me sad that the book was over. This is one of the best books I have ever read.

Hana

Fia and the Last Snow Deer
The book "Fia and the Last Snow Deer" was a great tale that is my favourite book I have read so far on my 'shadowing journey'. This is a very accessible book for people that may be dealing with learning difficulties such as dyslexia because the layout of the words and the font in the book is very clear and easy to read, which makes it a very good nominee for these Carnegie Awards! I also think that the plot is fabulous as it has a close not just emotional connection with a special, one-of-a-kind animal but there are strong themes and feelings of a spiritual connection which is part of one of the morals of the story. My section of the storyline was the part where Fia realises that family isn't just about competition and rivalry but also about a deep connection deep beyond the human core. In summary, this book is a fantastic book sheerly due to how such a fantastical (as in fantasy) sequence of paragraphs can not only have a resemblance in the fictional world but the real world also which helps the audience connect deep-feelingly with the metaphorical events within the novel.

Maryam

Twenty Four Seconds from Now
I read the book "24 seconds from now", which I really enjoyed. The story deals with some mature topics, but it was a "closed door" book, which was good. I found the plot interesting, and this was a new point of view in the types of books that I have read, because it was from a male's point of view. Also, I loved the concept of the book travelling back in time through the chapters, as this was something that I had never seen in a book. The book had a good ending too, heartwarming and calm, and it was good from the start to the end. To conclude, this is a great book to read and i would definitely recommend it to all of my friends!

Srishti

Birdie
Personally, I think that this was a very good book with a very compelling and emotional storyline with a close connection to animal companions which I think is quite unique as I don't usually see many books centred partly around the animal. As well as this, I love stories about orphans because they are very interesting due to the amount they have to fend for themselves and another inspiring aspect I loved was that she overcomes bullying which is very good role modelling for young children in similar situations.

Maryam