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‘All The Rage’ – Courtney Summers

Romy Grey is used to people giving her funny looks and ostracising her. In part, it’s because her father was renowned for his drunken behaviour but it’s also because she accused the sheriff’s son of rape.

Since her claims were discredited because she had been drinking, wore a short skirt and fancied him (sensing a pattern here!), Romy has got used to spending time alone. Her friends have cut her off, and she is taunted mercilessly as nobody is prepared to believe the town’s golden boy might not be quite so golden as they want him to be.

Romy is a prickly character – perhaps understandably – and I always had the feeling that those close to her were simply waiting for an explosion. It’s almost as if they are waiting for her to accept what happened to her so they can start the process of supporting her.

After the school’s annual lakeside party, where it’s a ritual for students to drink illegally, Romy is found on a road some miles from town, her clothes torn and the words ‘Rape Me’ written on her stomach. She shuts down and hides from what she thinks has happened. Then she learns that a girl who used to be a close friend has also gone missing.

I was already angry at the attitudes shown by so many of the characters in this novel. What follows made me even more angry.

This was a powerful story that explored some of the issues around rape. The jumping time frame did make it hard to follow at times, but the end gave some hint that there might be some form of happy ending for Romy. I didn’t find this quite as powerful as ‘Asking For It’ by Louise O’Neill, but it’s certainly a valuable story.

‘I Hunt Killers (Jasper Dent 1)’ – Barry Lyga

Jasper is seventeen years old, and son of one of America’s most infamous serial killers. From an early age Jasper remembers Dear Old Dad instructing him in how to kill, how to manipulate those around you and how to cover your tracks. Even though his father is in prison, Jasper is surrounded by reminders of him. When a body is found, Jasper is convinced there is another serial killer on the loose. What bothers him more is the fact that he might be more like his dad than he thinks.

This novel explores the ideas of nature vs nurture and fate vs free will in a compelling way. At times I found Jasper a bit irritating, but who knows how such an upbringing would affect someone. My only other gripe was that some of the activities that Jasper gets involved in would, in reality, get him arrested. Sheriff Tanner – as the cop who finally captured Jasper’s dad – has something of a soft spot for this young man, but I wasn’t completely convinced that he would have been given quite so much leeway.

Those minor gripes aside, from the time the first body is found and Jasper is convinced another killer has come to town I was desperate to find out what was going on. It’s compelling reading, and focuses more on the psychology of a killer than the gory details (thankfully).

The scene where Jasper visits his dad in prison will probably give me nightmares. It reminded me of the scene in Silence of the Lambs where Clarisse goes to talk to Hannibal Lecter. I don’t think I’m exaggerating to say this was genius, and I can’t wait to read the rest of the trilogy (which I’ve heard good things about).

‘Confess’ – Colleen Hoover

I’ve not read anything by Colleen Hoover before, and the moment I saw this categorised as ‘romance’ I was twitchy. It is not my go-to genre, and I admit to being reluctant to read this. However, the information given about the plot was enough to convince me to try it, and I’m so glad I did.

The Prologue, where we learn about Auburn’s relationship with Adam, was something of a punch to the gut. It was intense, and I can only imagine that such an ending to the first serious relationship you have would impact enormously on your daily life in the future. To then focus on Auburn five years on, trying to keep herself going, meant I couldn’t help but root for her.

The first meeting between Owen and Auburn was – call me cynical – a bit much. It reminded me why I do not normally read romance novels, but I have to say that I liked the relationship that developed quite naturally between them.

Throughout, I was intrigued by the hints dropped about Owen’s link to Auburn. I had all manner of theories – none of which were remotely accurate.

As we get to know more about Auburn’s life, and those characters mixed up in it, I was desperate for things to work out. Seeing Owen persevere even when it seemed pointless was heart-warming.

I can’t say too much about the ending as it’s probably best to discover it as you read, but I was hooked from just over halfway and couldn’t wait to see what happened. The final confession made me teary, but this was a great experience.

‘Fangirl’ – Rainbow Rowell

Cath and Wren are identical twins, and until recently they did absolutely everything together. Now they’re off to university and Wren’s decided she doesn’t want to be one half of a pair any more – she wants to dance, meet boys, go to parties and let loose. It’s not so easy for Cath. She’s horribly shy and has always buried herself in the fan fiction she writes, where she always knows exactly what to say and can write a romance far more intense than anything she’s experienced in real life.

Now Cath has to decide whether she’s ready to open her heart to new people and new experiences, and she’s realizing that there’s more to learn about love than she ever thought possible.

If I’d read this as a teenager, I think I’d have fallen a little in love.

We meet Cath and Wren as they head off to university. For Wren it’s an opportunity to grow and become her own person; for Cath it’s a living nightmare. Scared by pretty much everything, Cath spends most of her first weeks hiding in her room eating protein bars because she hasn’t worked out where the canteen is!

Cath is taken under the wing of her surly room-mate, Reagan, and her close friend, Levi. Though she takes refuge in her writing of fan-fiction, the pair force Cath to take her first steps towards independence. In the wrong hands Cath would have been a pitiful character, but as we slowly work out some of the things that have helped make Cath what she is we come to understand her a little more.

Throughout the novel we have excerpts from Cath’s favourite series and her own writing. I have to say that these were my least favourite parts of the novel by the end. They were serving the purpose of helping to illustrate some of Cath’s thoughts and ideas, but I was far more interested in what was happening to the main characters.

A beautifully told story, that I will certainly recommend to my students.

‘A Game of Thrones’ – George R.R. Martin

For some time it seems that a lot of people I know have been obsessing over the TV adaptation of Game of Thrones. From what I could gather, the characters spent lots of time fighting and having sex. Some were honourable characters; others were far from honourable. The whole point of the series seemed to be watching people fight to have the right to rule. I’m pretty certain somebody had also mentioned dragons! I was curious, but not so curious that I could face trying to catch up with a show that was five series in.

May’s reading challenge was all about pages read. Someone in the group came up with the great idea of reading A Song of Ice and Fire – one book a week – which seemed like the ideal opportunity to try it. At over 900 pages, I admit to being uncertain whether I’d the stomach for it (not when I had so many other books I also wanted to read).

Honestly, I was a little reluctant to get started. I found it a bit hard-going initially. There’s a lot of names to get your head around, and I did have to concentrate to try and work out exactly who was related to who. Having managed to complete the novel in four days, I have to say I wonder why it’s taken me so long to read this. A richly-imagined fantasy land, with some fabulous characters. The scheming and plotting makes the novel rich with tension. There’s a curious blend of formality and earthiness. Not at all what I expected, but I really enjoyed it.

‘The Paladin Prophecy 1’ – Mark Frost

Will West has spent his life trying not to stand out. His parents have drummed it into him that he should live by the rules they have taught him. He must keep below the radar, not draw attention to himself and the rules must be followed – at all times.

Not knowing much more than this means you are a little unsure what’s going on initially. The opening of the novel starts with dramatic chases, mysterious alien-like characters and some seriously odd stuff. I couldn’t help but be sucked in, and found myself desperate to find out what Will would do.

Will ends up in a special place, a school that you have to be invited to. There’s all manner of odd things going on, and watching Will trying to work out who to trust and what’s going on makes for a thrilling read. When he uncovers a secretive plot involving a number of students in the school he has to rely on his own judgement.

The supernatural features heavily, and this did make me less convinced in places. We’re asked to accept a lot, without really being prepared for it or given a satisfactory explanation.

On the whole, this is an exciting idea and involves some great characters. I’m curious to see where Frost takes this next.

‘We Are All Made of Molecules’ – Susin Nielsen

This novel uses humour to mask its more hard-hitting messages, but it’s an entertaining read for those just starting to make the leap into more adult ideas.

Ashley Anderson, 14, is the original Mean Girl at the start of the novel. She is at the top of the social chain in her group of friends, and is put out by the news that her mother’s new boyfriend has been asked to move in. Given that Ashley is still trying to come to terms with the fact that her dad is gay, she is less than pleased by this news. As if this weren’t bad enough for Ashley, mum’s boyfriend has a son – Stewart – a gifted, but socially inept, thirteen year-old.

The story is told from alternating points of view, and this gives us valuable insights into the way each character feels about events. Both the main characters are great, but for very different reasons.

While I found this all a little conveniently resolved, it will certainly get younger readers thinking about the key ideas within its pages.

‘Half Lost’ – Sally Green

I’d adored ‘Half Bad’, was less enamoured by ‘Half Wild’ and was keen to see where Sally Green would send Nathan in this final instalment of the trilogy.

At the start of this novel, Nathan is desperately seeking revenge on Annalise for her part in the murder of his father. He is the linchpin in the Alliance’s plan to bring down Soul, but those closest to him are concerned as to whether he can cope with the pressure he’s putting on himself.

This is full of action, and there are some great moments as we see Nathan drawing closer to his ultimate goal. I loved watching him come to terms with what has happened to him, and realising that it’s okay to be wrong sometimes.

Inevitably, there’s a lot of deaths in this novel – some of which I was more upset by than others. Though there were some unresolved questions (leaving things open for a return to this world?) I felt the ending was a fitting conclusion to Nathan’s story.

‘The Wicked Boy: The Mystery of a Victorian Child Murderer’ – Kate Summerscale

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the advance copy of this novel. Just as with ‘The Suspicions of Mr Whicher’, I was absorbed by this meticulously researched and fascinating story.

Set in 1895, we see 13 year old Robert and his younger brother, Nattie, spending money that it seems they should not have. They tell neighbours that their mother has gone to visit relatives in Liverpool, and they have been left in the care of a family friend. For ten days their behaviour is not seen as out of the ordinary. Our suspicions are raised by comments about a foul smell coming from the home and Robert pawning much-loved possessions to obtain money.

It is not until their aunt becomes suspicious and forces her way into the family home that we learn the source of the smell. The badly decomposed body of their mother is found upstairs in her bedroom, and Robert confesses to matricide.
Summerscale takes us through the trial at the Old Bailey and details of what happened next. This was packed full of information about the case, but it also included a wealth of details about life and attitudes of the time. We are told of the plea that Robert was insane, and I could not help but be shocked by the generally held beliefs about the effects of educating the poor.

When Robert is sentenced to imprisonment in Broadmoor, that could have been the end of it. What follows seems more a work of fiction, but we learn of the chance Robert was given to start a new life and the way he seizes this opportunity. This, for me, was what made the story special.

‘Undone’ – Cat Clarke

Jem has been in love with her gay best friend, Kai, for years. Though she knows they will only ever be friends, this relationship means everything to her. When he is outed in the cruellest way imaginable, Kai cannot cope with the pressure of his peers knowing and commits suicide. Jem is distraught, and is determined to find out who was responsible for what happened so she can get revenge.

From the outset, I liked Jem. Though she thinks of herself as an outsider, she is portrayed as a strong and witty character. Once Kai, her lifeline, is no longer around though she withdraws from everyone. It is only when she is given a parcel of letters by Kai’s sister that Jem starts to think seriously about how she can make people pay for what they have done.

I wasn’t sure where this novel would take us, but we follow Jem as she puts her plan into action. Watching her transformation revealed vulnerabilities that she didn’t even seem aware of. I liked the way she came to experience some happiness, and Clarke helps us to see that nobody is quite what we see on the surface. Everyone has secrets, and some are better at hiding them than others!

To be honest there were moments in the novel where I wasn’t as engaged as others, but the finale was explosive. It stunned me, and really was not what I expected. It also made me angry. We’d been given a few clues that this ending might be on the cards, but I had really hoped it wouldn’t go that way. For reasons I won’t share here, some of the other characters come out of things very badly. I also couldn’t shake the feeling that for someone who we’re told cared so much about Jem, Kai kept a lot of himself hidden and acted really selfishly.