Mansell Library Reviewers

Popcorn
I actually really, really liked this book. I feel like in media, you don't really get to see how anxiety can build up and how people can spiral. Yes, it is shown in films, but they don't always show how it can start. This is why I really liked this book. You could see how Andrew's anxiety slowly grew, which I really liked. Overall, the book was great, and I really loved it.

Drew

The Boy I Love
It took me quite a while to get into this book, mostly because there was a lot of subject specific terminology which i just did not understand. However, I did end up liking the book, because it was very interesting. I really liked the characters, they had such complex stories. And the love they shared was beautiful.

Daniel

Not Going To Plan
Finally! A book about teenage pregnancy where the main characters aren't romantically inclined! I have been waiting for a book like this for ages. I was so surprised when I found out that Zed did not like Marnie romantically, but he was her friend. I have always wanted to see this kind of representation, where the characters are not driven apart by shame and fright. Marnie and Zeb were really interesting characters. And I loved how deep they were. They had fears and secrets, and they felt like real people. I loved this book so much, and it was also a really easy read because of the text structure.

Zebedee

Ghostlines 
I have been waiting for a book where children (regardless of gender) can run free and just be children. Yes, we have books like Maze runner, but i rarely ever see girls be able to do what they want and own the day and the night. Ayrie sounded like a beautiful, beautiful island. And I would absolutely love to live somewhere like that. The community was beautiful and everyone knew everyone. Nowadays, there are many big cities, but here it was like a giant family. The book was gorgeous but i really thought it was just going to be a cute little read, and no problems would arise, I was surprised.

Matilda

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
This isn't usually what I read, so I was a bit reluctant to start it. However, I ended up liking it. And it was a really easy read, so I finished it in under a day.

Ezekiel

Birdie
I really, really, really hated this book at first. It was so boring. Yes, Birdie was going through it, but frankly, i couldn't bring myself to care. It did grow on me though, and I quickly finished it, and I ended up really liking it. I really admire the passion Birdie held for Mr Duke, it is really admirable. Also. I liked how we (as readers) were introduced to something most people don't know about. Honestly I didn't even realise that pit ponies were a thing.

Duke

Twenty Four Seconds from Now
I wasn't expecting to like this book so much. I thought it was going to be weird and strange, but it wasn't. I really liked how all the characters were very open about their feelings. Especially when it came to sex. And they didn't waste any time dancing around the point. I also really liked how this book was structured. It was unusual, but interesting.

Argon

Wolf Siren
I really liked this book. It had a refreshing plot, and it was annoying enough to intrigue me. The amount of misogny and sexism in this, truly had me wanting to pull out my hair, but I stayed strong. Red's mom also really annoyed me. I understood why she was mad, but i didn't want her to be. Red was trying her best, and it wasn't her fault the changes were happening.

Blue

Popcorn
Pros: - This book was easy to read and I liked how anxiety was a motif throughout the book. - I liked how the therapy sessions were a change of setting Cons: - I don't think this book is my genre, however if I was younger I may enjoy it more - I would not usually go for this book however the plot was really good. -> I would like to have seen a bit more plot development Rating : 3 / 5

Zayna

Not Going To Plan
Plot ; I thought that the plot was really well written ,I liked that it reflected themes of Feminism, Standing up to Homophobia and Teenage Pregnancy. I loved the fact that this book was based on empowerment and that this story is personal to the author. I enjoyed the fact that this novel highlighted the struggles and pressures of teenagers, through a personal and meaningful approach. The fact that it was written in verse also made it special and the switching between POVs allowed each character to reflect on the situation and how it affected them deeply. To me, I was deeply hooked from start to finish and read this book in one sitting! One thing I wanted to know was their GCSE scores! Did Zed get a 9 in Spanish? Overall, I rate it 4.5/5!

Zayna

Wolf Siren
Wolf Siren by Beth O'Brien is a book that thoroughly explores the themes of Patriarchy and Adventure through multiple characters' experiences, including the protagonist, Red. Patriarchy is explored in Wolf Siren through the Mayor, who sends Caragh Pent to be the town's woodcutter after she refused his proposal for marriage. Her sentence was due to be 1 year, but it was later extended to 2, which shows the power of men. The Mayor also gave out rations in the village due to the location, a clearing in the woods, providing a lack of food available. He also has the power to reduce the rations for those who disobey laws or does things the Mayor disapproved of, but the real question is: Who will halve his rations? Adventure is explored in this novel through the character of Red. She absolutely loves the woods, and she can think of no happier place. Red is also visually impaired, and the trees in the woods help to guide her to where she needs to go, creating a sense of security and safety in the woods, which is not what the Mayor described the woods to be, which also makes her question the reliability of the Mayor. Towards the beginning of the novel, Red makes a delivery to Ms Blaeberry, who is suspected to be a witch by the men of the village, but the women meet her in her little hut in the woods anyway. Ms Blaeberry teaches Red about her grandmother's past and her secret powers of being able to turn into a wolf. To conclude, Wolf Siren is a book that explores the themes of Patriarchy and Adventure through characterisation and experiences of these characters. Wolf Siren is a 10/10 book that definitely deserves this award, and the hard work and effort that has been put into this book is clearly shown.

Sara