Category: Review Archives

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The Other Girl by Emily Barr: Review

The idea has struck all of us at least once – what if we could run away and become someone else for a day? Of course, we might consider the moral and legal implications of this and soon think otherwise. The Other Girl explores what would happen if you pressed ahead with the idea and expands it into a three-hundred-and- fifty-page narrative that is guaranteed to entertain, if not mildly confuse.

Narrated in three parts from the perspectives of two teenage girls who swap places one summer day, this story covers a lot of ground, both geographically and thematically. What begins as a humdrum thriller set on a train soon becomes a complex mystery that is unlike any other in its no-holds-barred examination of serious issues such as body dysmorphia, addiction, and death. This is, of course, framed by a fun, globe-trotting plot that never fails to amuse with plenty of memorable quotes and secondary characters.

Emily Barr’s newest title constantly surprises with two protagonists who are the definition of unreliable narrators but that’s what makes this tale so tantalising – you never know what the other is going to uncover about the girl she is meant to be and how that affects her new life. If incredibly readable, emotionally heightened mysteries are your thing, then this novel should be at the very top of your recommended reads list.

Mark Jackson

The Other Girl
Emily Barr
Penguin Random House UK, 2025
Paperback, £8.99
ISBN: 9780241643440

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The Binding Spell by Marisa Linton: Review

The Binding Spell is the type of book you pick up to read a chapter or two but before you know it you’re lost in a tale of spells, witches and druids. Arriving in the creepy rural village, Morgan can only hope her nightmares are behind her. Meeting Joe Harper, who is entangled with secrets like the rest of the village, helps. Yet her nightmares return with each relic her archaeologist father discovers at the local burial sight.

I could feel chills as I found myself lost in the mysterious atmospheric village of Weir Hinny which is bubbling full of secrets. This story was anything but short of mysteries that keep you on the edge of your seat, with a creepy element of horror.

The characters are compelling and complex, especially our protagonist Morgan as we follow her on a journey both magical and emotional. It’s easy to find yourself empathising with Morgan’s struggles as she is held back from her artistic dreams by an obligation to care for her siblings.

The story was easy to follow even without any prior knowledge of folklore. I wish I could begin at page one once again to experience the joy of reading this book one more time.

Sophie White, 16

The Binding Spell
Marisa Linton
Chicken House, 2025
Paperback, £8.99
ISBN: 9781915947765

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Lady’s Knight by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner: Review

Lady’s Knight is a positively gripping story that puts on display themes of love, feminism and sexism. I adored the cast in this novel. From Isobelle, the glowing optimist who weaponises femininity, to the hardened but caring Gwen and her noble aspirations, there’s no shortage of colourfully written characters to fall in love with. One thing that stuck out to me was between some chapters and at the start of the book there were pages where a narrator talks directly to the reader and gives context or commentary on what’s happening in the plot. I found this annoying at first because it would take me out of the book, when I was so deeply immersed in the well-built world. By the end I found myself enjoying its presence as an almost pseudo companion during my read.

Overall I loved the book, it took me on an emotional rollercoaster throughout the course of the story and it kept a consistently light tone with some heavier moments in between, I would absolutely recommend it to anyone who’s looking for a touching romance filled with queerness and chivalry!

Lady’s Knight is chivalrous, heartfelt, comedic, empowering, and charming with LGBTQIA+ representation. It also has themes of betrayal and sexism which may cause discomfort for some readers.

Jerry Gearon, 17

Lady’s Knight
Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
Electric Monkey, 2025
Paperback, £9.99
ISBN: 9780008714062

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Captain of Fates by Katherine Webber: Review

Captain of Fates is a novel set in the same world as the BookTok phenomenon, Twin Crowns. It follows the story of Marino Pegasi as he sets sail in search of a cure for his sister Celeste, who has contracted a deadly disease.

Themes in this book include love and hope. The characters are written well, which is hard when there are three points of view. We follow Marino, a human girl called Lana, and a mermaid called Kira. The plot is well structured. I would have to say its one downfall is that it failed to capture my attention. I wasn’t dying to read more, or skip doing important things just so I could read one more chapter.

The reason it didn’t really grip my attention was because of the characters. I usually enjoy characters when I am very emotionally attached to them because I relate to them a lot or I wanted them to be real so I could talk to them. I thought these characters were good but I just didn’t connect with them on a personal level. I would have preferred higher stakes with more tension. The book was well written, the plot was well structured with nothing left unfinished. Overall, Captain of Fates is a good read for fans of Romantasy or Twin Crowns.

Robyn Lonergan Walsh, 13

Captain of Fates
Katherine Webber
Electric Monkey, 2025
Paperback, £9.99
ISBN: 9780008688523

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Dead Real by Poppy T. Perry: Review

Dead Real is an action-packed zombie book. It is filled with great drawings and doodles, so reading the book brings the same joy as reading books with illustrations for younger readers, but for a YA audience. We follow Nora, who wakes up to find herself and her family in a zombie apocalypse. She, her parents and her best friend Ruby need to make their way to safety before any of them get infected.

Dead Real is really funny and has a great queer romance. I love the relationship between Nora and Ruby as it develops throughout the book, especially when Nora starts to discover and accept who she is. The action and adventure in this book makes it impossible to put down. There’s so much tension and suspense while the characters just wait for the next zombies to attack or the next setback in their journey.

There’s a huge twist halfway that gives the reader a whole new perspective on the first half. Dead Real is great for anyone 13+ who likes zombie movies and YA adventure.

Sabine Narzisi, 16

Dead Real
Poppy T. Perry
Fox & Ink Books, 2025
Paperback, £8.99
ISBN: 9781916747432

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Rock Band: Music and Misfits by Leah Osakwe: Review

Aspiring star Galaxy is set on entering her school talent show to showcase her singing talent, but when troublemaker Sabrina suggests they enter as a rock band, Galaxy must share the spotlight with an unlikely group of misfits.

An upbeat and feel-good read, Osakwe’s Rock Band is perfect for any young musicians, songwriters and dreamers. From the first chapter, the plot is clearly established through a realistic teenage voice and we are thrust into Galaxy’s plan for talent-show stardom.

Galaxy was initially quite relatable in her problems: friendship worries, an irritating younger sibling, and whether to trust the rebellious but vibrant Sabrina. However, as the plot progressed I found the friend- related dilemmas repetitive to read, for example, her conflict between her best friend and new bandmate. That said, the girl group was nicely formed. Moreover, the short and snappy chapters do manage to keep the reader engaged. The inclusion of songs written by the characters offers us an insight into their thoughts and emotional state, and cleverly reflects the protagonist’s inability to define her feelings when her songwriting is interrupted. Just The Misfits – the band – are an entertaining group, exhibiting mistakes and flaws such as selfishness and bitterness, which adds some depth to their characters.

Osakwe’s novel remains an enjoyable musical book suitable for the younger end of YA readers.

Kaila Patterson, 17

Rock Band: Music and Misfits
Leah Osakwe
Little Tiger Press, 2025
Paperback, £8.99
ISBN: 9781788957519

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Normal Women – Making History for 900 Years by Philippa Gregory: Review

When we think of women of the past, we picture the powerful Cleopatras, or the intelligent Marie Curies, but what about the “normal” women? Gregory transforms our idea of femininity and historical women with this book. Everything from the author’s quirky writing style to the fun illustrations opened my eyes to the horrors, struggles and beauty of being a woman throughout history.

The book follows a series of events starting from the invasion of England in 1066 to the modern day, with insights into the extraordinary things women have been doing in their normal lives. Aspects like land ownership, love, religion and gender roles are explored in depth. What I love most about the author’s style is her ability to engage with the reader. She includes side notes with her personal opinion, which made me feel like I was having a one-on-one conversation with her, not just reading facts on a page. The language is colloquial and accessible, and graphs and illustrations create more engagement and make the book more aesthetically pleasing.

I wish this book had included more stories of women outside of England. While the later chapters introduce some international figures, I felt the book could have offered more diverse perspectives from the beginning. However, this is a minor issue.

Reading this book felt rewarding and allowed me to see beyond the typical perceptions of women from the past. It is definitely a must-read for teens interested in history, or want to start reading more nonfiction. Normal Women is an insightful, stunning, well-researched and informative historical nonfiction masterpiece that is well worth every second of reading time.

Dana Alnajdawi, 16

Normal Women – Making History for 900 Years
Philippa Gregory (illustrated by Alexis Snell)
Red Shed, 2025
Paperback, £10.99
ISBN: 9780008725075

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Den of Liars by Jessica S. Olson: Review

For fans of the Caraval series, Den of Liars is a wickedly sumptuous rollercoaster of heists, magic, and romance. Set in a magical, Roaring Twenties-esque casino where contestants gamble with their secrets to win a high-stakes tournament, with vivid writing that brings all the glitz and glamour to life, Den of Liars is a unique read, as well as lots of fun.

After a failed heist, prospective thief Lola St. James gets drawn into a cat-and-mouse game with the casino’s owner, a magically cursed man known only as the Liar (brother of her best friend, the Thief). Lola is an intriguing character, flawed but sympathetic, whose character arc feels believable and well-earned. She also has amblyopia and wears glasses, providing much-needed representation in fantasy novels for both conditions.

While the book can be exposition-heavy at places, and the worldbuilding hard to keep straight, readers will enjoy the fast-paced story and Lola’s romantic sparring with the brooding and villainous Liar. Their chemistry really sparkles on the page, and they have a dynamic physicality thanks to some excellently written aerial hoop and ballroom dancing scenes. Meanwhile, Lola’s relationship with the Thief is also a messy one, calling into question who is manipulating whom as she races to win the tournament and also learn the secret behind the brothers’ curse.

With older protagonists, violence, and some mildly spicy scenes, this book is best suited for readers aged 16 and up.

Anna Benn

Den of Liars
Jessica S. Olson
Hot Key Books, 2025
Paperback, £16.99
ISBN: 9781471417382

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Skipshock by Caroline O’Donoghue: Review

Margo is on the train to boarding school when she falls through an interdimensional portal. Moon is travelling between worlds for work when he meets a girl from a place he’s never heard of. They soon discover that there’s more to Margo than meets the eye as a mystery begins to unravel around them that could spark a rebellion and change the universe.

I had very mixed feelings about this book. While I enjoyed the dual narrative and found it easy to read, the first half of the book was often frustrating, taking a little too long for certain aspects of the world to be explained. O’Donoghue also uses a mix of formal and informal language, which threw me off. As the book progressed I began to really enjoy the worldbuilding, as well as the plot’s mystery at the heart of the story. The book was very well paced, there was always a chance for danger but there were also moments for rest that allowed characters’ relationships to build and some themes to be explored further. I enjoyed it when I picked up on the clues O’Donoghue wove into the story, and had the chance to tweak my theories as the plot progressed. There were also very moving character moments.

Overall the book is an epic tale of rebellion and love with unique worldbuilding, well-paced plot, and compelling characters. While there were aspects I found frustrating, I had a very enjoyable reading experience and cannot wait for the sequel due to come out next year.

Freddie Higgins, 17

Skipshock
Caroline O’Donoghue
Walker, 2025
Paperback, £16.99
ISBN: 9781536228816

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A Match Made In Hell by Charlotte Ingham: Review

The play on words in the title of A Match Made In Hell by Charlotte Ingham is hard to avoid and it’s a good indication of the humour and tone of the book. Ingham captures a cheekiness that doesn’t compromise on the overall story, about twenty-one year old Willow who has just died and gone to (not quite) Hell.

Willow finds herself in Asphodel, cohabiting with demons under the gaze of the devil. She’s trying to solve her past life, her current life, and avoid falling in love with the devil. The far from perfect fiery protagonist drives the plot while doing an excellent job demonstrating the flaws humans possess.

The level of fantasy is exciting and not too dense. Ingham’s ability to build a believable and rich world comes from her descriptive and detailed writing. Willow’s snappy thoughts and dialogue can seem out of place in the depth of the world but she serves as a reminder of human failings. Willow’s desire for the devil becomes more prominent as the story progresses but there are plenty of other story points that keep the pages turning.

The book is dark and playful all at once: Willow’s black humour keeps everything light, while the sexual tension throughout the book keeps you engaged. It is a fun read but A Match Made in Hell is not suitable for younger readers and is rated as 18+ content.

Lorna O’Dea

A Match Made In Hell
Charlotte Ingham
Hot Key Books, 2025
Paperback, £8.99
ISBN: 9781471417443