Student book reviews

Fangirl
by Rainbow Rowell

Fangirl is about a girl named Cath going to college. She and her twin had always shared everything, they were a packed deal, but when they got to college it all changes.

Why I picked it up: My mum gave it to me as a present.

Why I finished it: It was really hard to put down. It always had me hooked.

I'd recommend it to: Anyone who is up for a book filed with love, adventure and fan fiction.

I rate it:


Year 8 student

Time Traveling with a Hamster

by Ross Welford


This book is about a kid named Al Chaudhury who lives with his mum, step-dad and step-sister. On his 12th birthday he gets a letter from his dead dad to go back in time to save him. Now Al, and his pet hamster, have to travel back and forward in time to save Al's dad.

Why I picked it up: My teacher recommended it to me.

I'd recommend it to: People who like adventure books

I rate it:


Emily Hurst (7 Carroll)

Inky Award Winners Announced

These are the best books published last year, as voted by teenagers.

The GOLD Inky (written by an Australian author) goes to:

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

This is a book that will blow your mind. It is written in a series of emails, IM conversations, interview transcripts, public notices, web pages, and other odd and ends.

An ex-couple are, with the rest of their colony, on the run from an enemy spaceship. The AI on their battle cruiser has taken damage, and might, or might not, be insane. There seems to be a really nasty disease breaking out on one of the other ships, and there might be zombies involved along the way.

"I'm on a ****ing derelict warship, on the run from the psychotic crew and insane artificial intelligence trying to save my ****ing boyfriend. Damn right it's nuts."


The SILVER Inky (written by a non-Australian author) goes to:
I'll Give You The Sun by Jandy Nelson

If you like John Green's book, try this one. It's a gorgeous story of love, loss, family and betrayal.

A pair of twins that were really close, until something drove them apart. What they don't realise is that they each have only half the story.

"The sun, stars, ocean, trees, everything, I gave it all up for you."

New in the Library

There is a whole pile of books that have just arrived in the ILC. Check out the display TV for the full list. But in the meantime, maybe you want to check out some of these titles:

Skyfire by Michael Adams

This is the first book the Seven Signs series. Perfect for anyone who loved The Last Thirteen series or Conspiracy 365.

7 teenagers
7 signs
7 continents
7 days to avert disaster.

Fast paces, thrilling. This one will keep you at the edge of your seat.

Paper Butterflies by Lisa Heathfield

Looking for a book that will break your heart?

June is suffering at the hands her step-mother. It happens in ways that make is really hard for her to speak up. When June's dad is around Kathleen pretends to love her, so her dad thinks that June is just having trouble adjusting to having a new mum.

Then June meets Blister, a kid who is home schooled, who hangs out in some abandoned caravans. He, and their caravans, become her safe haven. Away from Kathleen. Away from her stepsister. Away from the bullies at school. Blister becomes the light in her dark world. She starts to dream of flying far away. But can you fly with broken wings?

Mrs Kelleher rates this read 3 and a half stars

Book Review: The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness

Have you ever watched a film staring a teenage superhero and wondered what the other kids at their school thought: What would life be like if you went to school with Buffy the Vampire Slayer, or John Smith (from I am Number Four), Percy Jackson, or even Harry Potter? Where weird stuff seems to happen when they are around, and you know they are caught up with something bigger than you are, and they are off saving the world. But somehow adults don't seem to notice.

The Rest of Us Just Live here is about those ordinary kids. The ones who know that the heroes are risking their lives, they just don't know what to do about it, and know that they are not really welcome to start asking questions.

They may not be heroes, but the problems they face, though "normal" often require just as much courage as those faced by the ones saving the world. Only, they don't have the black and white definitions of right and wrong to guide them. There are a lot of different kinds of gray out there to confuse matters.

Not to mention, on top of navigating your final year of high school, trying to work out what the future has in store for you, changing friendships and love, you need to be able to survive the apocalypse, and hope that you graduate before anyone blows up the gym.