KES Readers

Not Going To Plan
'Not Going to Plan' was an odd book I struggled with the writing style and didn't particularly enjoy the story... but I was hooked. I couldn't put it down. The prose worked for some parts but didn't work for others. the author clearly thought the story needed a happy ending -I disagree- so some of the ending parts feel unrealistic especially her making up with Jessica. I really liked the addition of a highly religious character added to the story enormously but I found zeds cluelessness annoying at points. An okay book 6/10

Grace

Twenty Four Seconds from Now
I thought that '24 Seconds from Now' was a book with a very interesting concept… that was badly executed. I found it was often unexplained and I found sections with Dodie hard to read as I was so embarrassed for him and the people around him. Each chapter felt very unconnected and it didn't feel like the things in the chapters going back really lead to the now I didn't enjoy this book and would probably not recommend 3/10

Grace

Not Going To Plan
'Not Going to Plan' - Initially I found the main character infuriating, she came across as rebellious and ungrateful to her mother who had put all her power into giving the opportunity for her daughter to attend a higher-class school. However, the more I read the more I became fond of Marnie, I understood her, her school was restricting her freedom in her art and her identity had been lost in the beige of students whose personality and differences had been sucked out of them. Zed bis a complicated character, in some scenes he is supportive or misunderstood and i feel for him, in some he allows his friends to be betrayed and insulted. The writing style was difficult and felt childish, but I think this writing style would help more readers find the message of this book more interesting and take more from it, just a personal thing. The story was relevant and spreads awareness well that abortion is healthcare, and it should not be something to be ashamed of. This book talks of consent and the effect of bullying and carries these messages well to the right audience. Wrapping up, the novel felt incomplete after Marnie had done brilliantly well to stand out and not follow the crowd in her GCSE art, I wished the story hadn’t had been left on a cliffhanger and let down the book. All in all I would rate this book a 7.5/10 would recommend but wouldn’t re-read

Jess

The Boy I Love
'The Boy I Love' - I did not find this book particularly interesting, the storyline of the protagonist and his love interest was unrealistic along with the life of a soldier in WW1. I felt betrayed that the main character quickly got over his childhood love and fell for another boy in a few days. The plot followed other YA romance books and could have been a very good if written differently with more originality, personally I believe the book would have been more interesting if the author had written and about the protagonist during the beginning of his military career which shows the contradiction between the view of war at home from propaganda and the reality of war and being in love with another soldier. Not knowing whether the other was alive would make the ending of such book bittersweet. I did enjoy how the book portrayed the different of being gay in 1916 and in the army, if the book leaned into this message more I would have appreciated this book more. I did also enjoy the parts where it shows the soldiers in the trenches trying to find hope in what bleak their lives had become, camaraderie, talk of their lives at home, their lovers and fun was what pushed many soldiers to the end. Overall I would say this book is a solid 6.5/10, although would not read again.

Jess

Popcorn
Didn't like this book either. The selection of books this year seems to be very limited, three of the four books I have so far read are set at a school, where the protagonist in question is subject to bullying, and has problems they want to hide from the outside world. (I realize this is turning into a commentary on the current state of YA/children's publishing, I'll get to 'Popcorn' in a moment.) Many books published nowadays, seem to follow the same, or similar, agenda. Where has the fun, the magic gone from books? These books often follow the trend of mental health (eg Popcorn) which I absolutely think has been over-done as of late. And of course I understand the importance of awareness around mental health, but we only need it rammed down our throats, not all the way out the other end. Now for the actual book, I thought it was okay, but also wasn't great either. As hinted at earlier, I believe the plot to be a systematic failure at being original. The storyline was almost identical to any other recently written book of its age group, never deviating from the rules the institution has set and expects an author to follow. I did however, think that it brought attention to a different issue that usual, OCD. This one I hadn't yet seen in a novel, and I thought that Harrell depicted it quite well. Everything else was same-same though. I also thought that some of the illustrations looked as if they were from the 'Bob's Burgers' cartoon. Take that as a condemnation, or a compliment, as and when you wish. Would not read again.

Rory

Birdie
I didn’t think Birdie was a bad book. I thought that it would have been a very good book, if I had been younger, because it talked about grief, racism and the war in a very watered down, child- friendly way. I also found that the book itself and the characters all seemed to be lacking something, it didn’t feel like a finished book, but a good draft. I did like the way Birdie’s relationship with the pony, was realistic and portrayed the relationship between human and animal very well. I found the ending to be quite a letdown, as I felt it was extremely unrealistic (all of a sudden, in a very short space of time, everyone sees the error of their ways and are all good friends) and like your average children book ending. One of the things I enjoyed, was the slightly slow buildup of realisation from Birdie, as it really came across as an innocent child’s viewpoint of the world. Personally, I had no emotional attachment to any of the characters, and really struggled to picture them in my head and felt that there were far too many coincidences to fully believe the story, I do think that a younger child could find much joy and love for this story, as they won’t pick up on these sorts of things.. Overall, I think this book was by no stretch a bad book, but it is not one that I will read again. I would, however, recommend to a younger child who wanted to learn about the impact of the war. I thought this book was similar to some of Michael Morpurgo's and Lauren St John's works. 6/10

Lulu

Wolf Siren
"Wolf Siren" was a book that left me uncertain and unsure, I felt that in the moments where the book finally did gain traction it lost it almost immediately, much to my disappointment. The sister's death whilst obviously tragic felt like more of a side note and a means to the end. It was an interesting take on "Little Red Riding Hood" but not one that left me feeling overly impressed nor interested. The plot didn't feel too original and most of it's so called "twists" and "surprises" were predictable. Whilst I appreciate the underlying messages I found the book almost oversimplified these issues and would only be suited for those in younger years. Overall I'd give the book a 4/10, it was alright but definitely not one I'd have chosen for myself or recommend.

Eve

Not Going To Plan
In my opinion "Not Going to Plan" was a beautifully written book, the author's use of prose and concrete poetry helped both bring the words alive and reinforce the books central themes. Whilst the book did delve into some darker more complex themes it didn't feel too heavy or daunting a read, rather the author explored them with respect in a way that made it understandable for all readers without taking away from the severity of the issues. My one critique of the book is that at points it did feel a little unrealistic and the plot felt similar to other YA books I have read. But it's key focus on abortion, a complex ethical issue for many, did help set it apart and overall I would give the book an 8/10.

Eve

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
France? What in the world does this have to do with anything? Honestly, I hated this book. Compared with Ness' usual style and choice of topic, this definitely feels almost humiliating. And yes, I do know it's targeted at a younger audience, but I still found it degrading from Ness's outstanding reputation as a YA author. The plot I hated because of its overarching simplicity. It was your classic American children's book: A boy at school, he has some issues at home, is being bullied, then suddenly defeats all his bullies and they now think him really cool. I also did not particularly like the use of animal characters, it just didn't seem at all necessary. And now to France. Zeke, the protagonist, for whatever reason (This is just dived into, but information about it is very scarce) has the entire nation of France on on of his knees, What, and I mean what, possessed Ness to include this. At least if you're going to do this, Have some reasoning behind, beyond having a very drunk great-grandfather. This is a book that isn't worth a score out of ten, it's one I'd cast into the dark recesses of a well, not read.

Rory

Wolf Siren
Wolf spirit is a very good book. I like the idea of an almost dystopian village, the backstory of this village feels almost like the founding of Gilead. I like how the author delves carefully into how grief effects us as well as other aspects of human nature. Although this story could be read as a simple child's fantasy or a feminist ideology or an example of living with a disability it could also be read as a much darker and more sociological and psychological story line. It would have been easy for this book to become pure feminist propaganda or a moral story about how disability is not the end of the world but the author has struck a delicate balance between them as well as entwining them within a very enjoyable and thought provoking plot. A 10/10 book probably my favourite so far.

Grace

Wolf Siren
It was interesting reading how different their society is from ours. I really liked how the book was written and enjoyed reading the parts when she was in the woods as it was like I was there myself. Throughout the reading process, I got zoomed into the book, flicking page after page and curious what would happen next because cliff hangers kept coming and I wanted to keep reading.

Sophia

Not Going To Plan
'Not going to plan' was a book that took upon itself to comment on a difficult topic. Abortion is one of the great ethical questions of the modern day, and I thought that this book explored either side of the debate rather well. However, I wasn't such a fan of the plot, it seemed to be one of the three or four standard YA storylines, much the same story as other books. I wasn't a huge fan of the poetry, this being only the second book I've read in verse. I really disliked the fact that some words and phrases were placed in different fonts and orientations on the page. That I thought took away from the imagination and serious aspects of the book. Overall I'd give it a 6/10, good, but not one I'd read again.

Rory

Not Going To Plan
Not Going To Plan was a very good book, not only does it educate the reader on challenging topics, but it is also humorous and uplifting. I found that the verse and the fact the book was written with both the stories of the same page was hugely refreshing compared to the over-done different chapter, different character narrative. The book being written in this way also helped create linkage between the two characters’ lives, which could have been missed if read in another format. The sometimes-creative layout of the pages helped to explain the story further, without being tedious or distracting. The plot of the book was heart-felt and pure and also realistic, showing conflicting feelings on certain decisions by friends and family, rather than a romanticised literary version. Overall, I found this book to be powerful and raw. I would hugely recommend and have and will continue to re-read. 10/10

Lulu

The Boy I Love
I did not think that The Boy I Love was a particularly original book. I found that its plot mirrored many YA love stories and had limited originality. I was excited to read a romance book set in the war, but was disappointed by the lack of use of the setting. I feel the book could be set in any other time frame with only limited changes. I also found this book unrealistic, as it is mainly set within one month of 1916, and the pace at which the book went was not realistic at all. The romance within this book was not great either, while at times I felt it heart-warming and moving, I was constantly reminded that the protagonist had very quickly moved on from the death of the man he had once loved, which caused me to throw doubt at the truth within this new romance. However, I found the main characters overall likeable, however I found parts of their characters unbelievable. I found myself deeply moved by certain deaths and I felt true anger at the antagonists within this book. I also enjoyed the writing style and found it was used skilfully to reflect life in the trenches. I always love an ending that leaves the reader with unanswered questions, and this was quite the same. I feel there could have been slightly more links between the story and then the ending two years later and I found the ending a little too incomplete, but overall, I found the book enjoyable and easy to read but I think that if the love between the two characters had been forged under the duress of the war and strengthened by the grief they shared, it would have been a much better book. I would rate this book a 5/10, enjoyable if you’re looking for a not-overly realistic love story set with the backdrop of war torn England.

Lulu

Birdie
'Birdie' is a good book. The writer encompasses life on the Yorkshire Moors well and shows the weirdness of being placed in the middle of a different culture. It also shows a child learning to understand what is different about her, though by far my favourite part is how she thinks of her mother and what a child's mind will do to those they have never known, but still idolise. 6/10 would recommend to those who like animals.

Grace

Popcorn
'Popcorn' is an excellent book. It shows the feeling of anxiety very well and things just go from bad to worse. It is very funny and also not preachy as I was worried it might be from the blurb. I deeply enjoyed it. As someone who gets quite anxious, I felt it showed the feeling of anxiety very well and shows readers - especially younger ones - strategies and other information in a non text book style. Nor did it feel like a book your parents might buy for you that you open the first chapter, find it too preachy or textbook like, then put on a shelf to never be read again. 9/10 book would recommend to anyone who gets anxious.

Grace

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
'Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody' is not a particularly good book. To me it feels like it is trying to do slapstick comedy like "my brothers famous bottom" while also tackling some more difficult issues with metaphors that are not subtly placed but may be confusing to younger readers - such as the black dog - I feel it does neither justice. Although there are some lines that are quite funny there is not enough plot or enough randomness for you to just accept it as a reader. Some of the plot points just straight up make no sense, such as France, because they are not adequately explained for me. A 2/10 book I am unlikely to recommend

Grace

Ghostlines 
Ghostlines is a very good book, the writer - Katya Balen - describes small island life very well and shows the disbelief of a younger child that anyone could hate the island, while also giving her strong connections to someone who does. The descriptions keep you guessing at what has happened to Rowan until the very end. The writer gives the book a happy ending, as children's writers tend to do, but keeps the suspense throughout. A 10/10 book would recommend to anyone 8 or over who enjoys excitement and suspense without real jeopardy.

Grace

Wolf Siren
To go against the tide, I did not think 'Wolf Rider' particularly scintillating. I found that though the story was a good twist on the original Grimm's fairy tale, the plot was, in its simplest form, not wholly original. It was the same story of a child in their early teens, discovering they have magical powers,then being outcast and punished for it by their isolated, and often autocratic and fundamentally flawed, society. I also found that the reasoning behind, the protagonist, Red's magic was seemingly unfounded - perhaps I simply missed it, but the lore behind the magic in this world is almost completely unexplained. Those small details that are included, however, are introduced to the reader later on than one might expect. The lack of subtle hints toward this magic near the beginning of the book, completely drops us in the deep end (not in a good way) when Red suddenly morphs into a wolf. Red's emotional attachment to her brother was unproven as well, being mentioned only minimally, and even then her love for Luki is not stressed significantly. This I found disappointing seeing as it was somewhat important for the plot. However, I did enjoy the story told (if a little unoriginal), and Red's character arc was interesting to watch unfold. I particularly enjoyed a quote on (I think) page eighty-two of the book, detailing how Red's mother had "put two and two together, and decided to forget the number four." Overall, I thought it was a decent enough read, but not one I would pick off the shelf, nor would read again. 5/10

Rory