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Any Way You Slice It by Méabh McDonnell: Review

The perfect novel for any foodie who also enjoys a side serving of romance. Any Way You Slice It blends baking, friendship and slow burn romance into a delightful mix of mouthwatering desserts and heartfelt character arcs. Our protagonist Carrie, an ambitious young baker who aspires to win the prestigious Castlecreagh Baking Competition is forced to team up with her biggest rival, Dara Harte, to avoid elimination.

The pair’s initial rivalry develops into a genuine friendship (and even something more) as they confront not only technical baking challenges but emotional ones as well. Carrie and Dara find themselves opening up to each other about deeply personal matters and their initial antagonism gradually gives way to compassion and vulnerability. The pair’s relationship develops organically and the story feels realistic unlike some rushed or overly dramatic romance novels.

The book balances teenage ambition, family struggle and first love sweetness to create a story showing the true power of friendship and teamwork. The classic trope of enemies to friends is executed perfectly with wit, warmth and humour. While the ending may seem inevitable the unique twist of the baking competition gives the story a fresh new flavour. For me reading this book felt like tucking into one of Carrie’s “Sadness lifting Cinnamon Rolls”. It is comforting, gentle and honest. Perfect for anyone looking for a story that mixes real life challenges with hope and heart. With its authentic emotions and delicious baking, there is no doubt that Any Way You Slice It is the perfect recipe for a young adult read.

Amelia Grace, 18

Any Way You Slice It
Méabh McDonnell
O’Brien Press, 2025
Paperback, £12.99
ISBN: 9781788495820

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Exit Stage Death by Ava Eldred: Review

Exit Stage Death is a thrilling page turner of a novel that kept me hooked from the first sentence: “I’d never stopped to think about how murder investigations and musical theatre are actually pretty similar until I was caught up in one when I was trying to focus on the other.”.

This book is set at a musical theatre summer camp, where the protagonist, Livi Campbell (who is a massive musicals geek), is determined to get the lead in the summer showcase, despite the famous newcomers that have shown up, jeopardising her spotlight. However, Livi and her new friends must come together after a fellow camper shows up dead in the lake, and the group start receiving suspicious notes that seem to imply her death wasn’t an accident.

I really enjoyed Eldred’s writing style, especially the way the novel incorporated a script, which truly has a deeper meaning at the end of the story.

Perfect for lovers of ‘Glee’, murder mysteries and musicals, this novel is full to the brim with mystery, romance, friendship and theatre. Eldred masterfully combines these into an exciting story, with a compelling plot and an ending which had my jaw on the floor.

Ciara Martin, 15

Exit Stage Death
Ava Eldred
UCLan Publishing, 2025
Paperback, €13.50
ISBN: 9781916747586

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Birdy Arbuthnot’s Year of ‘Yes’ by Joanna Nadin: Review

Young adulthood is a time of longing for self-discovery and adventure, and in Joanna Nadin’s Birdy Arbuthnot’s Year of ‘Yes’, the titular Birdy is no different. In 1960, after resolving to say yes to everything, she takes a leap and moves to the fashionable, eclectic Soho in an effort to truly live, and records her escapades in her lively, charming diary.

This novel is wonderfully fun, with the high-octane Soho setting providing many theatrics and amusement for both the characters and the reader. Nadin illustrates the glamour of 1960s London – but doesn’t skirt around the unglamorous side of the characters’ lives either, with broken boilers and rickety chairs in abundance, as well as real heartbreak. The book is extremely funny due to Birdy’s wit and her friends’ eccentricities, but don’t be fooled, Nadin certainly pulls no punches when it comes to more heartfelt, even tragic, situations.

For me, the highlight was the characters. Birdy is fantastic as our fish-out-of-water narrator and protagonist, and although she often creates her own problems, she nonetheless retains the reader’s love through her can-do attitude and general good humour. She comes with a whole host of supporting characters, from her family, to her housemates, to aristocrats, who each bring their own charm to the story, as well as adding commentary on social issues like class and prejudice.

This novel is delightful, dynamic and a fantastic summer read for older teens and young adults, especially for us aimless young people in much the same situation as Birdy, trying to escape monotony and live our lives to the fullest.

Constance McHugh, 17

Birdy Arbuthnot’s Year of ‘Yes’
Joanna Nadin
UCLan Publishing, 2025
Paperback, £9.99
ISBN: 9781916747654

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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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All Better Now by Neal Shusterman: Review

All Better Now is UNDOUBTEDLY one of the best books I have ever read. Set in a dystopian post-pandemic world, the book revolves around a new sort of virus that is threatening to become the next worldwide pandemic. Anyone who recovers from the virus becomes immensely content. Something which is bad for business, and drives the rich and wealthy to race to develop a cure.

The book has three main characters: Tiburón Tigre Escobedo, referred to by his nickname Rón, the son of an ultra-rich businessman, Mariel Mudroch, a street-smart girl who dwells borderline in poverty, and Morgan Willmon-Wu, a recent college graduate given an opportunity to change the world. The novel alternates between the perspectives of each of these characters, though not necessarily on a chapter-to-chapter basis. Shusterman has done an exceptional job at creating three seemingly unrelated characters, and then weaving their stories into one. The majority of the story is set in the United States, with some parts being set in the United Kingdom.

I enjoyed reading this novel because it was full of twists and turns. It poses an interesting question; ‘Is being utterly content a good thing?’ You will gain new perspectives into both sides of this question. The novel also provides an insight into the struggles of impoverished people in pandemics, and also into the private lives of the ultra-rich.

All Better Now is a captivating novel that captures the struggles of different sides of a conflict, and shows the struggles faced by different people in the midst of a pandemic unlike any other.

Hariharan Senthilkumar, 15

All Better Now
Neal Shusterman
Walker, 2025
Paperback, £8.99
ISBN: 9781529517590

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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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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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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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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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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