Fairytales Retold

There is something exciting about a reworking of old familiar tale. I always approach those books with a mix of excitement and dread. What if they are rubbish? Well the two I just read fall into the good side.

I'll start with Ash by Malinda Lo. A reworking of Cinderella this sees our heroine not chasing after the handsome prince but rather the Royal Huntress.  Many of the characters are familiar - mean step mother, 'ugly' sisters (ugly in personality rather than looks). The Fairy Godmother is replaced by a male Fairy who is far darker than anything imagined by Disney. The magical world mixes many of the myths and stories I've read or heard. Ash also learns that while your wish can be granted everything has a price. I really enjoyed this story (reading it in one sitting), I liked the twist on the traditional tale and I liked the dark side to the magic.

You can read more about the Malinda Lo here or at her blog

Also on the dark side is Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce (again in one sitting) a reworking of Red Ridinghood. This time Granny is eaten by the wolf but this isn't a regular wolf it's a werewolf style creature who prey on little girls silly enough to wander alone.

There are two sisters - the older injured in the attack that killed her Gran is forever scarred both physically and mentally. The younger is trying to find a way to be her own person without losing her sister. I enjoyed reading this more than i expected, I feared it would be a slightly Twilight-esque tale with little originality but was pleased to find this wasn't the case.

You can read the latest news on Jackson Pearce at her blog

Fancy a bit of Romance?

Jane Austen's books are wonderful love stories but if you are struggling to read them try Rosie Rushton's updated versions.

Echoes of Love is an update of Persuasion
Love, Lies and Lizzie is an update of Pride and Prejudice
Secret Schemes, Daring Dreams is an update of Emma
Summer of Secrets is an update of Northanger Abbey
Secrets of Love is an update of Sense and Sensibility

Manga, Manga, Manga!


Read the Manga books in the library? Want more?

Try http://www.citymanga.com/

Want to draw your own?
http://www.mangatutorials.com/
http://www.howtodrawguide.com/
http://www.animecubed.com/howtodraw/

Try a book before you read...



Penguin Books offer 'tasters' (the first chapter) of loads of their titles even better you can download them so you can read them on your e-book reader, computer or print them off.

Have a look here

Found one you want to read more of? Get the book from the library - remember to ask if you can't find it on the shelf.

It's a Book!

Lane Smith has a new kids book that compares books to eBooks - Love it!
Check out the trailer for his new book on Amazon

Size Doesn’t Matter by Meg Cabot

The third in the Heather Wells Mystery series by Meg Cabot – Size Doesn’t Matter (aka Big Boned in the USA) was fun and easy to read. Another murder in the student halls leave ex-pop star Heather trying hard not to get involved but being dragged in to cracking the case and try and protect her students. Away from the job Heather's latest man is keen for her to get healthy and convinces her to go jogging before work but it seems like they might not be a perfect match. Funny and fun it was very enjoyable and although I had worked out who committed the murder sooner than Heather I sure didn’t see the reason.

Death of a Nationalist by Rebecca Pawel

Death of a Nationalist is set in Madrid just after the Spanish civil war. One in a series of books it’s main character is a young policeman who is trying, in this novel, to solve the murder of an old friend. It’s not a period of history I knew anything much about so it was very interesting to find out a bit more. As for the crime story I found it very good. It weaves together nicely and is more complex than first appears which meant that I was as surprised as the hero as to who the real villain is.

Della says: OMG! by Keris Stainton

What would happen if someone got hold of your dairy and published excerpts on Facebook? You'd die of embarrassment right? Well that's exactly the problem facing Della.

This story is excellent - witty, real and very enjoyable. It's easy to read and hard to put down.

There is also a chance to win an i-Pod Touch if you are brave enough to share your embarrassing story before the 31st of August (sorry over 13's only).

‘The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian’ by Sherman Alexie

It’s about a Native American boy who leaves his local reservation school to go to the white school nearby. It was excellent, funny and very frank, I really enjoyed it a lot and it gave a great understanding of the issues faced within that community just now.

The Gallagher Academy Series by Ally Carter

Ally Carter's new book series The Gallagher Girls kicks off with "I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have To Kill You.".

It's all about 15 year old Cammie and her room mates at the exclusive Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women but that is where similarity to other all girl school stories like Mallory Towers ends. Gallagher is really a spy training school - speaking fluently in multiple languages, classes include how to be a lady, covert operations and how to kill with dry spaghetti. The one thing it doesn't have on the curriculum is boys and that's the thing Cammie needs most!

Good fun and hard to put down it's well worth a read.

Find out more at the official website
Catch webcasts from Cammie here
You can also catch an interview with author Ally Carter here on Teen Today

Vote now for your Queen of Teen!

This year's shortlist is online and the voting is now open! Check out the Top 10 and vote today!      


Helen Bailey Cathy Cassidy Chris Higgins Cathy Hopkins Samantha Mackintosh
Sarra Manning Joanna Nadin Louise Rennison Sarah Webb Jacqueline Wilson

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

I would like this book because it sounds very funny and also very intresting ! . This book also has quite a lot of pictures! I recommend this to people who like comedy and a good sense of humour!I rate this book as : A 5 Star
RachyBookBabe.x


Check out the official website here

Sleepover’s By Jacqueline Wilson

Sleepovers By Jacqueline Wilson

Sleepovers is about five girls called Amy, Bella, Chloe, Daisy and Emma. At Emma sleepover Chloe always wants to mess it up. It’s a very good book but at first it is very hard to understand but it is definitely worth while reading it.

By MH

Twilight By Stephanie Meyer

Twilight is about a girl called Bella Swan. She keeps a lot
of her thoughts to herself but when her Mother remarries
and her husband’s job makes them travels a lot.
Bella decides to live with her Dad called Charlie in Forks.
She went to Forks High school that’s when she meet the
Cullen Family. Who turns out to be a “ Vegetarian” Vampire.
This is a great book and I highly reccomd it.
By KThom12

I would recommed this book because it’s a very good book and I think everyone would like it. I would give it a 10 star rating overall.
By betty book

I would recommend this book because I thought it was amazing and I am a kid so I am sure kids my age will love it to.
By queen of teen

Diary of a Chav: Slinging the Bling by Grace Dent

Slinging the bling is all about an average girl who unexpectedly passes her GCSE’s. She decides because she has passed she will stay onto do 6th form at Mayflower Academy, other-wise known as Super Chav Academy. She decides to throw away her days as being a chav and starts to become a serious school student. I would recommended this book to anyone who wants a laugh at reading a awesome book! Enjoy!

By Bookworm!

Crocodile Tears by Anthony Horowitz

Crocodile Tears starts off with Alex Rider spending New Year with Sabina Pleasure in Scotland where they attend a party hosted by a rich businessman Desmond McCain.

Desmond is a gangster creating a disease to get everyone in the world to give money to his charity when there is no disaster. That is the job for Alex Rider to prove that Desmond is lying.

I liked this book because it was very interesting and informative.

By Big Mac Booksen

Prom Nights From Hell

I would like this book because it sounds very interesting and I would like the idea of reading a book about Vampires, Demons, Ghosts etc going to prom.I would recommend this book to anyone who likes horror books.
I rate this book as 5/5
Horrorbookbabe

I think that I would enjoy this book because it is a collection of short stories by some of my favourite authors. It includes ghosts, demons, vampires and gothic-romance. I would recommend this book because it sounds very interesting and like something I would enjoy reading!!!
by A.C.S.

‘Weighing It Up’ by Ali Valenzuela

 This was a fascinating read it’s all about her battle with anorexia. Ali is very intelligent, from a stable loving family and everything should be good. Despite this the mental illness not only appeared but took control. The way the anorexia makes her behave, the little things that it demands of her and they way that they combine in a subtle way at first or as she tries to recover makes this a fascinating view into the illness. 20% of anorexia sufferers die either from starvation or suicide. Ali makes an important point that when some is 5 stone it’s so much harder than if it’s treated when they are a healthier weight often looking good to everyone else is when the mental symptoms are worst. Everyone should read this book.

Dragon Ball Z by Akira Toriyama

Dragon Ball Z (the whole series)

If you like manga this is a must read but if you start at the beginning you will want to continue right to the end because of the many cliff hangers. The main character Son Goku has a deep past and he can’t remember any of it. The story is about these magnificent balls’s which can grant wishes called the dragon balls. One of the things I don’t like about this manga is that Goku dies about four or five times in the series. But it never stopped me. If you like manga then you will love this.

Gizmo

I Caputre the Castle by Dodie Smith

If you love Louise Rennison and Jane Austen then this books for you.

It's a diary kept by seventeen year old Cassandra during the 1930s. Cassandra lives in a castle – moats, battlements, the works. Unfortunately, money is tight so the castle is crumbling while her step-mum calls it ‘bohemian’ her sister, Rose, calls it ‘depressing’. When rich American Simon moves in next door Rose makes it her mission to marry him. Cassie, of course, has her own boy issues.

I love these girls and the world they live in and I'm not alone J.K. Rowling’s calls Cassie “one of the most charismatic narrators I’ve ever met”.

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