Fur- Meg Harper

Grace loves swimming in the sea; it soothes her when she's restless and comforts her when she's sad. Even her dreams are full of the scents and sounds of the ocean.

But dark shadows are troubling the waters of Grace's life. Her body is beginning to change, but not as she expected. And now that she started seeing Nik, will she be able to keep her secret to herself?

Grace has a happy life at home and school. She has two best friends, Jenna and Matt and recently has been asked out by a very popular and handsome boy at school, but there are also troubles to Grace's life. 

Firstly her mother left home when she was little and Grace doesn't know why. Secondly every year on her birthday she wakes up in the middle of the night to find the window open, the smell of sea in her room and little gifts of pearls, beads, shells and crystals left by her bed, but when she wakes up they're gone. Worst of all, almost every bit of Grace's body is covered in short, fine, silky fur.

These three mysteries keep the story going, a page turner, which mixes worlds of mystery, myth, love, changes and the sea. Since the book contains so much it's right for a lot of people but more for girls than boys.

 Grace as a character is very likeable, honest, pure and interesting. The book focuses on the father/daughter relationship but also stresses how, at times it's hard for Grace to live without her mother or a motherly figure.

 Fur was very moving, since Grace loves the sea you get to feel the magical and mystical lure the sea makes her feel. This book left me dreaming of the summer when I’ll be able to go swimming again!

Occasionally throughout the book you get to see the story from different views, like Grace's friend Matt. These short extracts confused me a bit but made me want to read on. At times the narrator will have a secret that we are not let on to, a secret from other characters. 

This book turned and twisted from calm to anger, light and darkness, it reminded me of the sea, with fits the genre of the book perfectly. Although I loved reading this book, I think it was quite an easy read and is aimed at a younger audience. 

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief- Rick Riordian

Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can't seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse: Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. Percy's mom decides it's time that he knew the truth about where he came from. She sends Percy to Camp Half-Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon a mystery unfolds and together with his friends, one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena, Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.

Percy Jackson is a fictional adventure based around the 12 main Olympian Gods. It’s a great introduction to Mythology since it’s narrated by a young boy it’s easy to read and very funny.

Probably my favorite thing is the imperfection in the characters; too many books nowadays have perfect characters just like perfect magazine photos (both being fake.) In Percy Jackson the three main characters rely on each other filling on their weaknesses. This really fits the adventure in the book: since they go on a quest they need different qualities to complete it, working together and trusting one and another.

There are three main characters; Percy, very brave but volatile. Annabeth, extremely clever but falls for the bad guy and Grover, who has big dreams but not the strongest or bravest of the three.

The book took me a surprisingly short time to read as there were loads of cliff hangers and a mystery only to be revealed at the very end of the amazing story. It’s very well described and imaginative, creating a beautiful world of magical creatures, architecture and nature. Although the book is fiction it’s based on myths and real locations around the globe, our world with a twist. Rick Riordan is an imaginative writer who has written a funny, enjoyable story that  is now a bestselling film!

Marked - Kristen and P.C Cast

The House of Night series is set in a world very much like our own, except in 16-year-old Zoey Redbird's world, vampyres have always existed.  In this first book in the series, Zoey enters the House of Night, a school where, after having undergone the Change, she will train to become an adult vampire--that is, if she makes it through the Change.  Not all of those who are chosen do.  It’s tough to begin a new life, away from her parents and friends, and on top of that, Zoey finds she is no average fledgling.  She has been Marked as special by the vampyre Goddess, Nyx.  But she is not the only fledgling at the House of Night with special powers.  When she discovers that the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school's most elite club, is misusing her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must look deep within herself for the courage to embrace her destiny--with a little help from her new vampyre friends.

If you, like me were a bit disappointed by the Twilight Saga, but still love the vampire genre House of Night is right for you. You can still have hot vampires, a young narrator, and a complex romance. (More subtle that the overpowering love triangle in the Twilight Saga)

Instead of a weak human Bella you get a wicked, strong, powerful heroine, an amusing gang of friends, and just the right amount of horror, mystery and action. Zoey is quite open to boyfriend choices (at one point she has 3!) Quite the opposite to Bella. This makes the story more interesting because you never know who she’ll choose.

 As House of Night is written from a teen girl’s point of view you really experience what she feels in a new school, environment and life, just trying to fit in- but Zoey is special she doesn’t manage to fit but stand out, becoming the most powerful fledgling at the House of Night boarding school.

House of Night is my favorite vampire series because it contains a bit of everything, you never get bored and are taken by surprise. Zoey is a very likeable character and you learn to really feel for her no matter how many people she manages to hurt.

Broken Soup- Jenny Valentine

An intriguing, compelling and moving new novel from the award-winning author of Finding Violet Park. When the good-looking boy with the American accent presses the dropped negative into Rowan's hand, she's sure it's all a big mistake. But next moment he's gone, lost in the crowd of bustling shoppers. And she can't afford to lose her place in the checkout queue -- after all, if she doesn't take the groceries home, nobody else will. Rowan has more responsibilities than most girls her age. These days, she pretty much looks after her little sister single-handedly -- which doesn't leave much time for friends or fun. So when she finds out that Bee from school saw the whole thing, it piques her curiosity. Who was the boy? Why was he so insistent that the negative belonged to Rowan


Broken Soup is very hard to describe but it's a funny,  heartbreaking story about day to day life, full of wit, charm, and warmth. We never know much about how Rowan's brother Jack died but it tears their family apart: the dad leaves, the mum is meant to be on medication and that leaves Rowan to take care of her younger sister Stroma singlehandedly.
 Life changes though when Harper and Bee enter her life she suddenly has a great friend and a loving, understanding boyfriend. The book is simply about day to day to life but Jenny Valentine writes it in a way that keeps you reading on. Broken Soup made me cry, laugh and I even reread it because i loved it so much.
Although the whole book was amazing the ending was my favorite. Revealing a small mystery and bringing the story together. The end was surprising, wonderful and sad. Broken Soup was brilliantly written and Jenny Valentine really pulls you into the story!