KES Readers
Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
I found 'Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody' rather boring and I wasn't able to zone into the book. The storyline was very basic: getting bullied, friendship, etc etc
France was extremely unnecessary and was a weird touch to include. The fact how the pelican's mum was a super villain was predictable, basic and didn't have anything unique to it. I understand this was primarily targeted to a younger reader but it just didn't catch my interest in the slightest
Wasn't exactly fond of this book and wouldn't read again.
Sophia
Not Going To Plan
I think 'Not Going to Plan' was written well, it was an interestingly structured book. It took you through the details of teenage pregnancy but I like the support Zed gave towards Marnie, showing true friendship. However, if I'm honest, I just didn't really like the topic that much and some parts I found a bit boring. It was an okay read but I wouldn't it again. 7/10
Sophia
Wolf Siren
I really liked the storyline of 'Wold Siren'. I thought all the characters were well thought about and all played a valid role in the book. I thought it was a good spin off of 'Little Red Riding Hood' but still unique. However, at times I did find that it was overly descriptive, making it a bit boring at times. Overall, I thought it was a good book and would rate it a 7/10.
Amelia
Twenty Four Seconds from Now
Honestly, I found 'Twenty-Four Seconds From Now' quite slow and boring. At the beginning of the book, I thought there were way too many short sentences, making it quite frustrating to read. I liked the two main characters but thought there were too many side characters. It was quite hard to keep up on who was who. Also, I thought the concept of the story going back in time could have been a good idea, but didn't work in this case. It was quite confusing on what was going on as it was in the past. Overall, I didn't find the storyline interesting and I didn't enjoy how it was written. I would rate it a 5/10.
Amelia
Not Going To Plan
I thought 'Not Going To Plan' was a really good book. At first, I thought the format of writing would annoy me but it suprisingly didn't. I liked how it was in perspective of two people, as this made it easier to understand the characters. I think the subject of abortion and teenage pregnancy was approached really well. However, I did find the ending was a bit predictable and didn't have much closure. Overall, I thought it was a good book and would rate it a 7/10.
Amelia
Ghostlines
This book I pretty much read in one sitting, and rather quickly too. I was that desperate to finish this interruption and continue reading the Hobbit for the second time. As you might be able to tell, I do not like this book. As with many of the Carnegie award books this year I (deep breath in): thought the plot was baseless, the characters simple, the theme from the title itself not prominent enough, and storyline secrets (in this case 'Rowan') revealed long after they should have. Taking a step back and looking at the plot you'll find it is rather unoriginal - a child from the city moves to the remote countryside and has a hard time settling in. The characters, starting out despising each other, suddenly are best friends forever after the span of two days, which I think is completely unrealistic. I also think we should know who 'Rowan' is and what he did sooner in the novel so that we can understand the protagonist's "trauma" (her brother simply moved to the mainland). To conclude, I'm afraid I didn't like 'Ghostlines' (which was only mentioned in passing maybe twice), but that's not exactly a surprise, 3/10.
Rory
Twenty Four Seconds from Now
Whilst the book was by far better than others I have read this year, I can't say it lived up to my expectations. The format whilst confusing at the start did add a lovely layer to the book that made it far more interesting than the other books on offer. But it did at times make the book predictable and stunted the flow at points. Whilst the plot is something I have seen before I appreciated the fact it was written from the boy's perspective - something I have not previously read before. Yet there were a few key flaws with the book. The fact it went back in time meant that characters were typically one noted, there to serve a specific purpose with no real development. Which, if this was the case for only a few would've been excusable, but it felt as though this was the case for all but the two main characters. Overall, I think the book beautifully explored the anxiety and worries surrounding a person's first time and would give it an 8/10. Yet if it had perhaps contained chapters from both Neon and Aria's perspective it may have gained more depth and stood out just a fraction more.
Eve
Birdie
Contrary to my initial expectations Birdie was not a particularly bad book. Perhaps if I was in Year 7, or at a push Year 8, it would've been a more enjoyable read as it dealt with themes such as grief and racism in quite simplistic terms, making it accessible to younger readers. I enjoyed the use of colloquial language yet found the plot was predictable in places and felt similar to books I'd read at a younger age. Whilst the use of a pit pony was something I hadn't seen before, Birdie's relationship with the pony was unsurprising, echoing the plot of many other children's books that centre around the relationship between an animal and child. I found whilst several character relationships had potential they were never fully resolved with any issues or grievances solved in a quick, unrealistic manner. Though Birdie's gradual realisation added to the book's tone of childhood innocence I found the way in which characters such as Mr Bradley changed their behaviour and overall view of Birdie was unrealistic and quite honestly boring. Overall I would give this book a 5/10 it had some slightly original elements an for a younger audience could be a 7/10 for those slightly older it was quite dull in places and I found myself skimming pages near the end so I could simply say I had finished the book before I lost my will to finish.
Eve
Twenty Four Seconds from Now
24 Seconds from Now. More like 24 days to try and trudge through this book! The plot appeared to have fallen out of the book, because as I see it nothing happened. I managed to see no message and failed to see the point of reading the book, it was too long and could have been fifty pages. Normally, I enjoy books with this writing style but this was obviously an exception. However, I did enjoy the complex family dynamics of both Aria and Neon. This book had me tired and I wanted it to end as quickly as the title states. 24 seconds from now 3/10
Jess
The Boy I Love
Read this book with the knowledge that this book was not to my taste I really did not enjoy The Boy I Love to the point of when I got to chapter 10 I truly debated whether to continue it and it was only my determination to complete that persuaded me to continue and the whole reading experience felt like a slog. I thought that the description of the pre-front training was unusual however I have read very few War based books I also found the writing style felt very new author style . A 1/10 book
Grace
Twenty Four Seconds from Now
I was so looking forward to reading this book, thinking it would be a different style of book to the ones I normally read and one that would stay with me, however, I quickly realised that this book ,which was not by any stretch a bad book, would not be one to resonate with me and would be added to a pile of books with unfulfilled potential.
Firstly, I found the structure of the book to be challenging and too experimental, which all together brought my reading experience down. Although, the idea of going backwards to the start is an idea that interests me, I felt there was something missing from this book, and the structure made the story quite stop start. I managed to read the book quickly, but it didn’t draw me in, the plot felt like it had been cut back and reduced, therefore removing deeper connections to the characters. The characters were all rather inconspicuous and didn’t really have layers, which made the book less realistic and altogether less enjoyable. If you are looking for a coming-of-age story from a teenage boys point of view, this could be the book for you, but personally I thought this book was going to be a YA love story, due to the cover and blurb, and it wasn’t really, which was slightly misleading. Another thing that annoyed me about the book was its length, don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with a short book, but this book felt short for the sake of being short- it almost felt like an unfinished version. There were so many more elements of the story that could have been explored and in more depth, slightly more realistic romance, more backstory and more layering of characters would have made this book so much better. Overall, I did not hate this book but I didn’t really enjoy reading it either. Wouldn’t recommend and would give a solid 6/10.
Lulu
Twenty Four Seconds from Now
Compared to all the other books I've read, this one was alright. The plot was better formatted, and it had its own unique structure that really made it stand out from others. Despite that, it stuck with seemingly this year's theme: teenage angst. It was good, and I enjoyed it, but it was the exact stereotype of books being pushed to people my age (15), and though the plot was formatted uniquely, it was predictable, I could pretty much tell what sort of things the story would focus on. I also feel that the number twenty four should have at least some significance to the plot, not just be some number happened upon by the author. Overall I liked it, but it wouldn't be a book I'd pick up, therefore I"ll give it a 6/10.
Rory
Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
I didn't think of 'Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody' a particular standout, but its comical surprises made me laugh from time to time. I didn't find it very original or engaging, but I understand 'supervillain pelicans building giant robots' is not quite directed at me. The language or plot didn't hugely interest me, and I found it rather dull at times. Maybe I would have liked it more 6 or 7 years ago.
Barney
Birdie
I thought 'Birdie' was an apt, fitting and in general heart-warming book, in wider context and just as a good read. The book reveals difficult themes from an entirely new perspective, and, although I maybe not be the book's target audience, I found there were multiple layers to uncover, from an older and younger mind. The author's use of language to portray different characters was well thought-out, and helped bring the book to life (I particularly liked the accents). Overall, I thought it a fairly good read.
Barney
Twenty Four Seconds from Now
At first I found the writing included very short sentences and quite jarring, which I wasn't really fond of. However, the story began to take quite a slow pace which dove deeper into Neon's story and nervous state. I like the idea of going back 24 seconds, 24 days, weeks, months and then back to now. It was written well although in some parts I felt didn't entirely link back to the moment when Neon was standing in the bathroom or "back to now". However, the story altogether was romantic and the nervous feeling from Neon was really shown clearly in this book which was good. I would recommend to someone although I'm not sure if I would read again. I would rate this book a solid 7/10 and a big well done to Jayson Reynolds!!!
Sophia
Popcorn
I really liked this book. Throughout the book, Andrew experiences different events that potentially keeps ruining his day. It honestly expresses his anxiety in life including the precision to his habits which I found quite interesting, the bullying and personal life .I was very glued to this book and just altogether liked the style of writing. I quite liked the slow build up in the book towards his horrible fear coming true, showing how hard and tiring he finds his habits. I became zoned into this book and would 100% recommend to someone with anxiety or OCD. I liked how there were breathing techniques which I have heard before and sometimes use in stressed moments. I would read again and was tempted to multiple times! I would rate this book a strong 10/10 and is my favourite so far! Great job to Rob Harrell!!!
Sophia
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