The Lotus Readers

Treacle Town
‘Treacle Town’ is a powerful young adult novel that goes through the challenges of growing up in a working-class Scottish town. The story starts with Connor Lambert, a teenager trying to find his place in a society that is filled with poverty, violence, and injustice. When he witnesses a brutal attack on a disabled man and chooses to intervene, Connor finds himself questioning what it means to do the right thing, even when it comes with dire consequences The author's writing is emotional, but also authentic. He accurately portrays the nature of a struggling teenager with honesty and heart, while also addressing difficult issues like bullying, gang violence, and murder. The use of Scottish dialect adds a sense of realism that keeps the readers engaged from start to finish. What makes ‘Treacle Town’ stand out is its courage to confront harsh truths. It’s not a “euphoric” story by any means, but it’s an important one, highlighting the courage it takes to be an elephant in the room. This is a novel that will be in your heart and head, encouraging people to reflect on the world. - DN

DN

Play
‘Play’ by Luke Palmer is a coming-of-age novel that explores friendship, masculinity, and pressure that young men face growing up. Following four teenage boys: Mark, Matt, Luc, and Johnny - the story shows how loyalty, identity, and fear can spiral into tragedy. Palmer’s writing is emotional, displaying each character with depth and empathy. The novel discusses tough issues like toxic masculinity, abuse, and belonging with honesty and care. Gripping and intriguing, Play is a must-read for anyone interested in the real struggles teenagers face today.

Zoe.G

The Final Year
I loved this book because of its poetic style of writing and the life lessons it taught me. Throughout the book, I learnt that there is light in every darkness - just follow it and you will be alright. I would recommend this book to anyone, because it has good lessons that young people need to know. It is also an emotional book which almost made my eyes well up because of the challenges Nate (the protagonist) goes through.

Darshan

Treacle Town
Treacle Town was an experience drenched in raw, unfiltered emotion. It follows the story of Con and how he struggles to escape gang violence in his community. The themes covered in this book aren’t the typical “courageous adventures” we might expect, but instead depict the harsh realities of teenagers living in disadvantaged areas. This is important as it interprets real world stories of those who can’t tell them. Gang culture, violence, swearing, and bereavement are prevalent themes in Treacle Town. The book starts slow, but the plot develops quickly, and I was hooked. I’d recommend this novel to readers over the age of 14, due to the strong language used and the reading level. Although Treacle Town is written in dialect, which made it difficult for me to understand at first, it was an entertaining read. -Saara

Little Bang
This book deals with two teenagers who go through many obstacles together. Mel is shown as a smart, science-minded girl, while Sid is more into music. After one date together, they find themselves at a difficult spot, trying to overcome it with the support from both families. After reading this book, I believe one of the strengths is that it’s told from both Mel and Sid’s perspectives, so you get to see how the events affect both of them. This book discusses heavy and important themes and explores how the characters navigate through tough choices. I would recommend this book to students aged 14+ because it covers sensitive topics with strong language.

Sophia

All That It Ever Meant
“All It Ever Meant” is a heartfelt book, taking us through a journey of Chichi, Tana, and Mati, who are labelled as ‘foreign kids’, trying to reconnect themselves with their hometown’s soil (which is also known as their parents’ home). The book has excelled at describing the conflicting emotions laying in the heart of each character, showing how complicated their relationships are and how hard it is to get their family to understand their feelings (especially after THE DEATH). Although at the start, you may be bored because of the long dragging out of flashbacks and continuous grievance, as you progress to the end you would notice a change in characters and also a plot twist that causes you to change your perspective on the book. I would recommend this book for people who want to take a break from ‘strong’ genres such as action and switch to something that might allow them to reflect their own emotions again.

Jamie

Little Bang
"Little Bang" is a book that looks at the messy side of being a teen; figuring out relationships, tough choices, and who gets to make them. The story is set in Northern Ireland, where abortion is illegal. It follows 2 main characters, Mel and Sid, who are just teenagers. Their lives will be changed after a night together. The book explores how complicated things can get when you’re trying to figure things out, especially when everyone around you is telling you what to do. It shows how confusing life can be sometimes, and how you can feel trapped trying to find your own voice.

Isabella

Little Bang
This book was a very interesting book. It started off with two students who had no relation with each other but very quickly became a big aspect in each others' lives. In my opinion the author portrayed each character's personality and roles very well throughout the book, although could have involved a few more characters. I also think that the start was a bit rushed and that the author could have prolonged the build up a bit more. All together the book was amazing and I would definitely recommend this book to anyone 12 and above or anyone who enjoys a quick read

Myla

Glasgow Boys
Glasgow Boys was a book that kept my eyes glued to the pages. The split perspective was very interesting as we get to see how the story unfolds from 2 perspectives. We learn about the upbringing of the 2 main characters (Banjo and Finlay) and how they were in the care system. The book shows us the nuances of their emotions and the coping mechanisms they have developed for problems. I also really liked how Banjo and Finlay interacted with the other characters in the book. Their conversations all felt very personal, almost like I stepped into their lives and that is a feat that I really appreciate in books. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants a grounded, bildungsroman experience. Heads up though, this book has lots of mature themes like suicide, the care system and heavy language. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I hope anyone else who reads it enjoyed it too.

Kang Heum

Glasgow Boys
Glasgow Boys by Margaret Macdonald is a book that shows the struggles of 18-year-old foster children trying to get through their lives. The book focuses on two main characters, Finlay and Banjo. Finlay is trying to get his nursing degree to guarantee him a good-paying job, but he’s struggling. His story is very beautiful and dives into themes of sexuality and personal struggles. Readers at the targeted age range can relate to Finlay because his story includes a lot of school/university struggles, which will make readers feel empathetic. Banjo is a Scottish boy, characterised by his ginger hair and thick Glaswegian accent. He is getting through his school life whilst staying with his foster family but gets into a lot of trouble and needs self-control. Banjo’s story is amazing, giving the reader great immersion into his true feelings and a taste of his experiences. How the author tinkers and plays around with relationships is very interesting; it’s really cool to see how the relationships play out. I recommend this book to all teenagers within the range of 13-19 years old. If you are around this age, you should read this book, especially if you’re in university or high school. My final rating for this book is an 8.51/10

Rui Zhe

The Things We Leave Behind
Grief, identity, and the difficulties of closely related relationships are all explored in the compelling and emotionally complex book, The Things We Leave Behind. The narrative is told from the viewpoint of Clem, a teenager dealing with the emotional difficulties of growing up and trying to make sense of her past. Writing with honesty and empathy, Clare Furniss sensitively and deeply captures the unfiltered, frequently perplexing emotions of puberty. With her quiet strength and vulnerability, Clem makes an engaging protagonist. Readers will probably identify with her quest for self-awareness, belonging, and truth because her journey seems genuine. The friendship at the heart of the book is among its most poignant features. It provides comfort, stress, and a strong emotional connection that emphasizes how crucial it is to be seen and supported. Through memory and contemplation, the author skillfully combines the past and present to progressively unveil Clem's emotional landscape. The book addresses challenging subjects, but it also makes room for healing and hope. It's a well-written, thoughtful tale that sticks with you. Ideal for readers who like books with strong characters and themes of emotional development and real-life problems. Zoe

Zoe.G

The Things We Leave Behind
The Things We Leave Behind is a dystopian novel that explores themes of painful loss, traumatising memory, and emotional healing. The story unfolds gently but powerfully, pulling readers into the inner lives of those holding the weight of their unforgetful past and regrets. Most readers like the emotional plot twist change. The characters feel real, shaped by love for family mostly, friends, and the powerful love of relationships, regret, and resilience. The author handles difficult topics with sensitivity, allowing space for quiet reflection without becoming overly dramatic. Even though the first half of the book is slow, it is a silent but emotional build up to the climax. Though the pace is calm and steady, every moment feels purposeful, building toward a quiet yet impactful resolution. It’s the kind of book that leaves a lasting impression until the last page. If you enjoy character-driven stories with emotional richness and thoughtful writing, The Things We Leave Behind is well worth your time. A heartfelt, memorable read. Recommended for people who love reading emotional and romance YA novels. A recommendation of 8/10.

Nhu Y

Play
‘Play’ by Luke Palmer ‘Play’ is a book based on masculinity, where four boys go through their life playing games to challenge each other and proving their manliness. The book is about a group of boys who each have a different concept of the “male” in society. One would be a strong male who is good at sports, big and strong. Another is part of the LGBTQ+ community facing the reality of his gender, afraid to talk about it to the other boys. The next is a carefree boy whose dream is to be able to live a carefree and peaceful life. The last is the main character, a boy with high interests in money, named Mark. The story is written to show how young boys can go through tough phases and how males in society are not always the stereotypically strong and manly kind. I find the book to be intriguing, entertaining and relatable. The first few chapters introduce the characters but as the book goes on, Mark’s actions cause all his friends to face their deepest fears. The book is highly recommended for young boys going through their teenage life before becoming a man and I rate this book a 7/10.

Xavier

Little Bang
In my opinion, Treacle Town by Brian Conaghan was an interesting book to read, particularly because I’d never read anything like it. It is a weird combination of themes, as gang culture and slam poetry feel quite random together. The language in this novel uses Glaswegian slang and dialect, which, although allows the reader to immerse themselves in the setting, may make it difficult for some to understand. The main character, Connor, shows a lot of development and growth, while other characters spiral into their downfall. I would recommend this book to 15+ as there is a lot of swearing and strong language.

Lila

King of Nothing
I found this book hilarious and emotional. I found it especially funny because of Matthew’s foolishness, where Anton makes a truce with him. After the truce Anton tries to teach him his first lesson. However, he barely takes any interest because he is completely into dreaming about later incidents that will happen. It starts to become emotional after Chapter 19 because Anton faces some serious issues and he is not sure how to solve them -- then the story intensifies. So, I personally would recommend this book to anyone over 10 yrs old. This is the best book I've read because I have never read a storyline where the main character starts off doing negative things but later understands that being “king” is not everything.

Darshan

Treacle Town
Treacle Town was an experience that will likely stick with me for quite a while. The subtle language choices and descriptions from our narrator (Con) all helped me picture what each character would look like. The themes of gang violence, money and mourning were all incorporated very meticulously and the story felt very real and not artificial. To add on to this, Con would also sometimes be an unreliable narrator which made it feel all the more like it came from a teenager's mind. The book also explores how people in disadvantaged areas navigate around modern challenges like racism, pressure and violence. I would definitely recommend Treacle Town to a teenager as the emotions all of the characters feel are definitely relatable. However, I did feel that the book would be too intense or rushed at some points. Some things felt more tacky/slapped on like the slam poetry side story which did kind of ruin the immersion. To conclude, I think that if you are looking for something heart-wrenching with scottish undertones, make sure to check out Treacle Town.

Kang Heum

Glasgow Boys
Personally, I like how the author opted for two perspectives rather than just one, because it helped in showing the readers the range of issues that teenagers may face in real life and how they might affect someone. In this way, some younger readers of this book can relate to the main characters and perhaps find a solution to their own problems or a source of comfort in this book.

Ha Dan