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Where the Heart Should Be by Sarah Crossan: Review

Where the Heart Should Be by Sarah Crossan Cover

Where the Heart Should Be is a quintessentially Irish novel. A love story about a lower-class Irish girl living in a one-room cottage with her parents and little brother, falling for an upper-class English boy living on the landlord’s estate. The book is set in 1846, a year after the Famine started, in the fictional town of Ballinkeel. It’s filled with all things Irish, from leaving offerings out for the faeries, hating the English aristocracy, and a healthy dose of the Catholic Church.

Following Nell, the reader gets a story about the Famine different to how most have heard it before. Hearing it told through the perspective of a teenage girl, instead of through a history book, makes the Famine so much more heart-breaking and real. Reading about the English landlords demanding rent, having seven-course meals, and ordering crates of champagne while Irish families were being kicked out of their homes and dying from hunger on the side of the road was horrifying.

I loved almost everything about this book. Watching the course of the famine play out in Sarah Crossan’s unconventional poetry style of writing was attention grabbing and impactful. The only issue I found with this book is that it felt as if Sarah Crossan was so attached to telling the story of the Famine that Nell’s romance ended up being sidelined towards the end. Where the Heart Should Be is a heartbreaking but hopeful and truly Irish story about one of the darkest parts of our history.

Isla Kerr, 16

Where the Heart Should Be
Sarah Crossan
Bloomsbury Publishing, March 2024
Paperback, £10.49
ISBN 9781526666567

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The Crimson Fortress by Akshaya Raman

The Crimson Fortress Cover

The Crimson Fortress is the sequel to The Ivory Key. Ashoka’s magic is gone. With the threat of war from enemy territory Lyria, which has been experimenting with dangerous magic, Ashoka is left unprotected and vulnerable. Vira, Ryia, Ronak and Kaleb are working together to restore magic and stability to Ashoka, but it is more difficult and dangerous than expected.

The Crimson Fortress has relatable characters that are all very different from each other. This book is told from the perspective of four siblings. The different points of view make it really interesting to read as you get insight into each character’s thoughts and often follow the story from completely different locations. The sibling relationship between Vira, Ryia, Ronak and Kaleb is relatable, because although they fight a lot, they have to work together to save their future. This book is set in an Indian inspired world with unique magical elements. The world is exciting to explore alongside the characters, discovering hidden secrets, rebel groups, cults and strange magic.

This book starts with a gripping adventure from the first page that is sustained throughout the rest of the book. Some of the side characters seem to be underdeveloped or not as deep as they could have been. This one complaint is easily made up for by the exciting and easy-to-follow plot and the unique magic that fills The Crimson Fortress. This book is great for fans of We Hunt The Flame and This Woven Kingdom.

Sabine Narzisi, 14

The Crimson Fortress
Akshaya Raman
Hot Key Books, 2023
Paperback, £8.99
ISBN 9781471411267

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Goddess Crown by Shade Lapite

Goddess Crown cover

Goddess Crown takes place in the Kingdom of Galla and is centred around Kalothia, who has grown up under the protection and guidance of her two guardians, Aunty and teacher in the Faledi Forest. Here she is kept hidden from the outside world, for her parents supported Queen Sylvia and thus were traitors of King Osura. So to protect her from the King and his assassins she stayed out of sight.

The day after she turns 16 disaster strikes and Kalothia’s life is turned upside down. Nothing is as it seemed and everything she thought she knew was a lie. Her life in the forest is swiftly replaced with her new role in Galla’s Royal Court. Kalothia will need to muster up all her strength and courage in order to survive and navigate this new world she has been propelled into.

I really enjoyed this book. It is fast paced and gorgeously written. There are so many beautifully described places and people that it is enchanting to read. The story is exciting and dramatic, which did in fact lead me to audibly gasp at certain parts. Kalothia is formidable and brave and can most certainly stand up for herself which was inspiring to read about. I think this book is for everyone who enjoys fantasy and adventure novels although there is a lot of violence and death which some readers might not like.

Lily Farrell, 17

Goddess Crown
Shade Lapite
Walker Books, February 2024
Paperback, £8.99
ISBN 9781529503715

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ASAP by Axie Oh: Review

ASAP is the charming companion romance of the book XOXO which can also be enjoyed as a standalone read. Going into ASAP by Axie Oh, I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I wanted to since I lack the K-pop interest that I thought I would need for this book. I was pleasantly surprised though, as I was captivated from the first page.

ASAP follows protagonists Sori, daughter of a K-pop company owner, and Nathaniel, her K-pop star ex-boyfriend. For her whole life Sori has been working towards becoming a K-pop idol, until she realises that it’s not exactly what she wants. This decision is not up to her as she’s stuck between the expectations of her mother and father. Sori is also faced with one difficult decision: Is her future worth sacrificing for a second chance at love? Throughout the story, there was one lingering question in the back of my mind: Can Sori break free from her parents’ expectations and become her own individual?

I absolutely loved the characters Oh crafted; a group of characters with diverse backgrounds and experiences, which ranged from the determined Sori to the enigmatic Nathaniel. The characters didn’t feel like mere words on paper. The relationships added layers of complexity and nuance to the narrative, which ranged from Sori’s interactions with her overbearing parents, to the tender moments shared between Sori and Nathaniel.

Although there were certain areas of the book where my attention wavered, Oh quickly brought it back with scenarios and tropes that fans of Korean dramas or romantic comedies would be very familiar with. It felt more like I was watching a K-drama unfold than reading a book, which was the winning formula that kept me eagerly turning the pages until the very end.

Martyna Bereźnicka, 15

ASAP
Axie Oh
HarperCollins Publishers, February 2024
Paperback, £13.79
ISBN 9780063299306

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Never Tell Anyone Your Name by Federico Ivanier: Review

Federico Ivanier’s Never Tell Anyone Your Name is a concise yet meandering tale of youth and death, love and horror, hunger and satiation – a story of juxtapositions. Within the first few pages you realise that you will be taking centre stage within the plot, as the story, very cleverly, makes use of the second-person point of view. All of the main character’s emotions become your own, and as the reader you get the unusual opportunity of living the mysterious and dark actions of our 16-year-old male protagonist.

You have the freedom to draw your own conclusions from the tale. Although, this sense of ambiguity may not suit everyone. If plots with a clear and obvious resolution are something you’re after, perhaps this one isn’t for you.

At eighty eight pages long, the plot of this novella manages to keep you guessing throughout. There is no doubt that the beautiful and in-depth descriptions, which create a vivid Spanish landscape for us to journey through, envelop the mysterious plot. You can’t help but wonder what the story would be like in its original language; with the depth of description that is given to us in English, it feels as if nothing could have been lost in this translation.

As the first Young Adult novel translated from Uruguay into English, we have been deprived of Ivanier’s writing until now.

Lorna O’Dea

Never Tell Anyone Your Name
Federico Ivanier
Translated by Claire Storey
Hope Road, 2023
Paperback £8.99
ISBN 9781913109226

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The Black Air by Jennifer Lane: Review

Having relocated to the countryside after the tragic death of her mother, sixteen-year-old Cate Aspey has found it difficult to fit in, particularly since the village she resides in, Long Byrne, has its own traumatic history.

Four hundred years ago, two young women were burned at the stake for witchcraft, something the insular locality hasn’t processed particularly well. The inhabitants are obsessed with the tale to this day. The upcoming anniversary leads to Cate, a talented writer, being asked to put together a play about the two witches. With her mental health already suffering, deep involvement in the dark history of Long Byrne affects her, driving wedges between friends, family and another newcomer to the village, a direct descendant of one of the witches.

The Black Air is at its best when dealing with Cate’s trauma and eating disorder. Her characterisation is excellent. The author has put a lot of work into providing detailed descriptions of the geography and environment of Long Byrne, but we lack insight as to why the story of the witches still holds such sway over it after four centuries. The UK is not short of horrific history and why the village still bears scars from this incident needs more explanation. In light of this, the finale, with its overt supernatural occurrence included, feels unearned.

Paddy Lennon

The Black Air
Jennifer Lane
Uclan Publishing, 2023
Paperback, £8.99
ISBN 9781915235312

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When We Become Ours Edited by Shannon Gibney and Nicole Chung: Review

When We Become Ours is a collection of stories by a number of authors with one thing in common – they are all adoptees. The collection fills a very apparent void not just in young adult literature, but in books in general. Each story describes the added complexity of adolescence as an adoptee and the challenges that come with searching for a sense of belongingness.

These stories, ranging from fantasy to sci-fi to contemporary fiction, have either never been told, or have been told by people unable to comprehend the reality of growing up in adoption. There is a special focus on the nuances of transracial adoptions, and the specific loneliness that can often present itself as anger. Each story succeeds in capturing the juxtaposition of “being close to someone yet realising that our experiences are so far apart”, and each author illustrates their own experiences of growing up feeling unseen and misunderstood. For many of the authors, their ethnicity felt “simultaneously familiar and foreign”, yet they still described an overwhelming comfort with feeling accepted within a community, and connecting with their history. The stories are short and succinct yet powerful and heartwarming.

When We Become Ours is an important book. It’s honest and revealing in its storytelling, and it communicates a larger story that is often left out or misrepresented. As the editors point out, “storytelling matters” and this book connects the emotions of each author and character to convey a single message: regardless of individual loneliness, anger or confusion, no feeling is unique. In sharing our experiences and our emotions, we lighten the load not only for ourselves, but for everyone else who has ever felt the same way.

Danielle Briody

When We Become Ours
Edited by Shannon Gibney and Nicole Chung
HarperTeen, 2023
Hardback, £14.99
ISBN 9780063144408

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This Dark Descent by Kalyn Josephson: Review

This Dark Descent is an incredible fantasy novel that surrounds a violent and magical horse race – the Illinir – that has the ability to change lives with its astonishing prize money. Desperate to save her family’s ranch, one of our protagonists, Mikira Rusel, must enter this deadly race and surround herself with some even deadlier people. Our other protagonist, Arielle, is an unregistered enchanter, who has been enlisted to help Mikira win the Illinir, in the hopes she can finally obtain an enchanter licence.

Alongside the high stakes cross-country horse race, Josephson has also managed to seamlessly weave in a beautiful friends-to-enemies-to-lovers romance worth swooning over. This novel truly has everything you could want in a good fantasy. Josephson includes queer representation and refugee representation in an intricate world that is steeped in Jewish folklore. A world where danger lies around every corner, and there’s no telling what may happen next.

Josephson leaves us with a rather mysterious ending, which I have no doubt will have readers desperate for book two! This Dark Descent is the perfect book to be reading right now, one worthy of a cosy evening by the fire.

Nik Scully

This Dark Descent
Kalyn Josephson
Macmillan Children’s Books, 2023
Paperback, £8.99
ISBN 9781035027910

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All The Hidden Monsters by Amie Jordan: Review

All The Hidden Monsters by Amie Jordan cover

Have you ever been genuinely scared to turn the first page of a book? What if that book came with an envelope full of victim profiles of murdered werewolves, a newspaper clipping about a serial killer and the book itself was wrapped in an ominous black ribbon? Neither had I. Until I received Amie Jordan’s modern murder mystery fantasy novel All The Hidden Monsters. Welcome to the Downside, a hidden world of werewolves, warlocks, poltergeists and other supernatural creatures.

When her supernatural friend, Lucy, is found dead in the Upside (human world), werewolf Sage joins Oren, the unfeeling, powerful warlock to avenge her friend’s murder. This is not a ghost story and it’s not going to keep you lying awake at night terrified of the shadows on your wall. It will keep you up because you won’t be able to put it down, because maybe the next page will hold the final clue. Instead it twists, turns and throws your detective work into disarray so you keep turning every page of this perfect mix of supernatural thriller, humour and romance until it’s over.

Lola-Mae McCormack, 14

All The Hidden Monsters
Amie Jordan
Chicken House Books, May 2024
Paperback, £8.99
ISBN 9781915026118

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Play by Luke Palmer: Review

Male teenage relationships are at the forefront of this contemporary coming-of-age story. Unlike a lot of multiple narrative novels, the characters in Play read as genuine and relatable with distinct voices and personalities. Some of the characters even have their own fonts to further distinguish their personalities.

This is by no means a kid’s book, even though the title might suggest otherwise. Rather, it is a mature and captivating depiction of the peer and parental pressures young adults, and especially young men, face.

This book isn’t the first to feature a cast of disenfranchised youths trying to find their place in the world and it won’t be the last, but the trying scenarios the boys face in this book never feel manufactured for the sake of teaching a lesson. Each boy’s circumstance feels authentic; it could easily have been you or I who got involved with the wrong crowd or who grew up neglected.

Play is about how each of us is dealt a different hand and it is only through dealing with our unique set of adversities that we grow as young adults. Themes such as drug dependency, alcohol abuse and learning to accept your sexuality are dealt with openly and honestly. I’m sure many young readers will be able to identify and connect with the themes highlighted in this superbly written book.

Mark Jackson

Play
Luke Palmer
Firefly Press, 2023
Paperback, £8.99
ISBN 9781915444318