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Tag Archives: Terrific teen reads
Warm Bodies – the funniest zombie book I have ever read!
Warm bodies is hilarious! It is a paranormal romance set in a post apocalyptic world where zombies and humans are battling to co-exist.
“None of us are particularly attractive, but death has been kinder to me than some. I’m still in the early stages of decay…” The main zombie in the story is “R” who is living in an abandoned airport with a group of other zombies and their daily existence includes the occasional head nod, grunt & slow-paced meander. They do get together at times and head outside the airport on hunts for human flesh. They do this to satisfy their constant cravings and in an attempt to reach the slightest human feeling.
“We sit against the tiles of the bathroom floor with our legs sprawled out in front of us, passing the brain back and forth, taking small, leisurely bites and enjoying brief flashes of human experience.” On one particular hunting trip the zombies attack a group of humans where R kills a boy named Perry. As R munches down on Perry’s brain he starts to receive vivid images of the boy’s life and experience his feelings for a girl named Julie. It is then that R sees Julie at the attack and feels obligated to protect her, to save her from the bloody scene and take her back to the airport. It is this action, this special and confusing connection between zombie and human that ignites a change. Things start to get weird, confusing, beautiful and new for R as Julie’s presence seems to be bringing some humanity back to R. Julie also starts to see R as not entirely zombie. She starts to ask herself could R have a mind, a heart, a soul?
Warm bodies sucked me in right away and kept my interest throughout with its character driven plot and humourous descriptive prose. Isaac Marion made me feel like I wasn’t simply reading a book but was there in the airport surrounded by a zombie population.
“My friend ‘M’ says the irony of being a zombie is that everything is funny, but you can’t smile, because your lips have rotted off.” Quotes like this made me laugh out loud! I really enjoyed this book, it finished way too early, I could have read chapter after chapter. The movie adaptation is also highly entertaining and really well down. My friends and I had the best time in the cinema!
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Posted in Book reviews
Tagged Books into films, Isaac Marion, post apocalyptic, Terrific teen reads, Warm bodies, zombies
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Night Road
Night Road by Kristin Hannah Book Review by Jennifer Gates, Southport Branch Library This is a novel with resonating themes of love and hope that will captivate the reader. While it is classified as an adult novel, I think it … Continue reading
Keeper of the Lost Cities
Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger. Post by David from Southport Branch library. If you’re looking for a book that’s a bit like Harry Potter, then give “Keeper of the Lost Cities” a go. Shannon Messenger’s debut … Continue reading
What are the chasers?
Chasers is a post-apocalyptic novel that brings to life a new form of monster – a zombie/vampire mix! James Phelan creates a horrifying image in his ‘chasers’ together with a horrifying reality for the four main characters. Jesse, Anna, Dave & Mini are the only survivors after a massive explosion that has rocked New York City to its core. They were on board the subway when the catastrophic attack hit and when they scrambled to the surface they are faced with total devastation. Streets are deserted, buildings as far as the eye can see are in ruins and piles of rubble mixed with dead bodies are absolutely everywhere.
After some exploration they see what they assume are some fellow survivors in the distance but oh no the figures are certainly not like them at all. As this group get closer their appearance becomes more clear – they are gaunt, pale and have vacant stares. All of a sudden they are running, chasing Jesse and his friends. This new species they call the “chasers” and have an eternal thirst so are constantly after liquid, of any type – blood, water, oil anything that will wet their ghastly lips. So the main characters are on the run, confused, scared and all alone. The characters are likable and you will want to get behind them and care about their survival.
This is the first book in a trilogy and it will leave you with a keen interest in reading the following two. It grabbed a tight hold of me and it didn’t let me go. The twist at the end totally blindsided me. It is a multi-layered read and it gave me a horrible feeling of being totally alone in an broken world. It was this isolating emotion more so than the ‘chasers’ that haunted me!!
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Posted in Book reviews
Tagged Chasers, James Phelan, post apocalyptic, Terrific teen reads, trilogy
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War Horse
War Horse by Michael Morpurgo. Post by Sharon Barclay. War horse, inspired by a painting by Captain James Nicholls, is a poignant story of one horse’s experience in the First World War and the unbreakable bond he forms with a … Continue reading
Posted in Book reviews
Tagged books made into films, horses, Terrific teen reads, World War I
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Once…a solid sequel
The last time Eve was with Caleb was right before she was forced to leave him behind in the wild and enter the protected city of Califia. The final chapter of the first book in the Eve series saw these two desperate lovers torn apart with Caleb insisting that Eve enter the city for her own protection and leave him behind. Once is the follow up novel – a sequel that starts with a bang! It begins with an unsuspecting twist and you will instantly realise this second book is going to be amazing. Eve yearns to be reunited with Caleb and her desperation see her battle tough circumstances that would make anyone want to give up. However, Eve is strong and tackles the rough stuff head on dealing with moral dilemmas, sticky situations, sneaky plotting, awkward guilty feelings, confusion, loyalty and desire. It’s a whirl wind of emotion.
Once can stand by itself as a book in the sense that it has its own story with a distinct plot and direction. I do suggest reading the first book (Eve) to get an understanding of the characters and an appreciation for where they have been. Once is a solid sequel, it offers a much stronger picture of the world the characters live in and the issues at stake. It has the perfect balance of descriptive narrative and action and I enjoyed learning about the privileged City of Califia and of Eve’s young past. The characters are developed nicely as secrets are revealed, identities uncovered and agendas realised. The ending is quite abrupt and bittersweet to read yet it left me curious with anticipation for the third book.
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Tagged Anna Carey, Dystopia, Eve, Once, teen reads, Terrific teen reads
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When we were two – a PM Literary Award triumph
When we were two has won a PM Literary Award this year for YP fiction and it is a very deserving winner. Robert Newton has created such endearing characters in Dan and Eddie and these brothers – their relationship, their amazing bond, their Aussie mateship – will draw you into their story. You will walk side by side with them and feel as tho you are with them on their journey, experiencing their hardships and their conquests.
Older brother Dan is fed up with his life and can’t take his cruel abusive father any longer so he leaves home in search of a better life. Dan thought he was embarking on a solo journey until he realises his little brother Eddie has joined him. At first Dan orders Eddie straight back home but after Eddie refuses Dan concedes, he doesn’t really want to send his brother back to their father, the man he is running from. So they head off together determined to find a better life and with the hope of finding their lost mother. On their travels they meet different people with different agendas and Dan must keep his wits about him to protect his brother. They meet a group of soldiers and join forces as they march over the mountains to join up in the Great War.
The language is typically Australian and the story deals with periods of fortitude, angst, sadness, happiness, confusion, hope and loss. It’s a multitude of emotion. It is a book that will make you cry and one that will have you laughing out loud. A real Aussie gem of a book 
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Fever – a novel blending romance and science fiction
I normally do not read romantic books but Fever by Dee Shulman had a cover that caught my eye and it proved to be more than your average romance story. It is considered a youth book but I would also suggest that it may appeal to adults keen on reading something out of their normal reading scope. It is written with a time travel element as each chapter jumps between modern-day – 2012 back to 152 AD – a time when Roman gladiators roamed the land. The protagonist in the 2012 chapters is a teenage girl, named Eva who is highly intelligent and finds interesting results in her schools’ laboratory – results that play a significant part in the story. In the 152 AD chapters Sethos is the main character, he is a slave who is being forced to fight – Roman Gladiator style. During an incredible bout he is struck down with a terrible and unusual fever. This fever and the science lab results combine to bring the two protagonists together and the story jumps between the two worlds. When Sethos and Eva finally meet their chemistry is electric – it’s very exciting to read. There is also great tension as they get to know each other and the differences in their worlds. Furthermore, a bizarre, magnet-like power connects their stories. This novel is full of action, romance, tragedy, time travel, history and science fiction. It was the time travel that really excited me and had me turning the pages in anticipation.
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Posted in Book reviews
Tagged Dee Shulman, Fever, historical fiction, romantic science fiction, Terrific teen reads, time travel
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Eve by Anna Carey
You will read a touching sad letter at the start of this book written by a desperate mother for her daughter, Eve to read. The letter gives you the premise of the story and tells of a horrible epidemic that will soon claim this mother’s life and leave Eve with little hope for the future. Fast forward to a world where this epidemic has killed off the majority of the world’s population and young girls have been raised in schools and boys in labour camps. Girls have been educated with the idea that once graduating the world is their oyster….they will go on to learn a trade, earn money and live very successful and rewarding lives. However, on graduation day Eve uncovers the disturbing truth of what the girls’ future really holds. (I won’t spoil it for readers by revealing this truth) but Eve yearns for much more out of life. She runs away from the school and embarks on an incredible journey. She meets up with another girl named Arden, who has also escaped, a girl she wasn’t fond of while at school. They quickly form a strong bond as they are forced to rely on each other for survival.
The girls run into a boy named Caleb, who tales them back to a place were a group of wayward boys have taken up residence after they have run away from a labour camp. The three swap childhood stories, the girls telling of their fake education and their predestined fate and the boys of their harsh upbringing and dismal future. They soon discover that the King is searching for Eve and she must once again go on the run. Nothing quite goes to plan as Eve, Arden and Caleb come up against unsuspecting problems which force them into all different situations.
The writing style is good and the characters are very different yet all likeable in their own way. Eve is brave, intelligent, considerate and full of thought. Arden is tough, street smart and resourceful. Caleb is charismatic, protective and a real sweetheart. The three interact really well with each other and I connected with them all. They are so real – it would be hard not to bond with them
Anna Carey had me believing what I was reading, an essential element for a dystopian novel to work. It’s fast pace had me turning the pages and I couldn’t put it down. The summary for the second book, entitled Once, is intriguing with a plot centred on dealings with this King. What will Eve do now???
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Posted in Book reviews, Distractions
Tagged Anna Carey, Dystopia, Eve, Once, teen reads, Terrific teen reads
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