Review: The 57 Bus

Title: The 57 Bus
Author: Dashka Slater
Series: – –
Genre: YA Non-Fiction
Length: 316 pages
Available: Now

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One teenager in a skirt.
One teenager with a lighter.
One moment that changes both of their lives forever.

If it weren’t for the 57 bus, Sasha and Richard never would have met. Both were high school students from Oakland, California, one of the most diverse cities in the country, but they inhabited different worlds. Sasha, a white teen, lived in the middle-class foothills and attended a small private school. Richard, a black teen, lived in the crime-plagued flatlands and attended a large public one. Each day, their paths overlapped for a mere eight minutes. But one afternoon on the bus ride home from school, a single reckless act left Sasha severely burned, and Richard charged with two hate crimes and facing life imprisonment. The case garnered international attention, thrusting both teenagers into the spotlight.

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Review: Purple Hearts

Title: Purple Hearts
Author: Michael Grant
Series: Front Lines #3
Genre: YA Alternative History
Length: Novel
Available: Now

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Third and final instalment of this critically acclaimed young adult alternative historical series that began with Front Linesand Silver Stars

It’s 1944, and it feels to everyone like the war will never end. Rio Richlin, Frangie Marr and Rainie Shulterman have all received accolades, been ‘heroes’, earned promotion – in short, they’ve all done ‘enough’ to allow them to leave this nightmare and go home. But they don’t.

D-Day, June 6th 1944. On that day, many still doubted the American soldier.

By June 7th no one did.

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Review: S.T.A.G.S

Title: S.T.A.G.S
Author: M.A. Bennett
Series: – –
Genre: YA Thriller
Length: Novel
Available: 10th August

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Nine students. Three bloodsports. One deadly weekend.

A twisting thriller for fans of Looking for Alaska and The Hunger Games

It is the autumn term and Greer MacDonald is struggling to settle into the sixth form at the exclusive St. Aidan the Great boarding school, known to its privileged pupils as S.T.A.G.S. Just when she despairs of making friends Greer receives a mysterious invitation with three words embossed upon on it: huntin’ shootin’ fishin’. When Greer learns that the invitation is to spend the half term weekend at the country manor of Henry de Warlencourt, the most popular and wealthy boy at S.T.A.G.S., she is as surprised as she is flattered.

But when Greer joins the other chosen few at the ancient and sprawling Longcross Hall, she realises that Henry’s parents are not at home; the only adults present are a cohort of eerily compliant servants. The students are at the mercy of their capricious host, and, over the next three days, as the three bloodsports – hunting, shooting and fishing – become increasingly dark and twisted, Greer comes to the horrifying realisation that those being hunted are not wild game, but the very misfits Henry has brought with him from school…

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Review: Silver Stars

Title: Silver Stars
Author: Michael Grant
Series: Front Lines #2
Genre: YA Alternative History
Length: Novel
Available: Now

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The summer of 1943, World War II. With heavy memories of combat, Frangie, Rainy, Rio, and the rest of the American army are moving on to their next target: the Italian island of Sicily.

The women won’t conquer Italy alone. They are not heroes for fighting alongside their brothers—they are soldiers. But Frangie, Rainy, Rio, and the millions of brave females fighting for their country have become a symbol in the fight for equality. They will brave terrible conditions in an endless siege; they will fight to find themselves on the front lines of WWII; and they will come face-to-face with the brutality of war until they win or die.

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Review: Front Lines

Title: Front Lines
Author: Michael Grant
Series: Soldier Girl #1
Genre: YA Alternative History
Length: Novel
Available: Now

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A tense, exciting and moving new drama from the bestselling author of the GONE series.

1942. The fate of the world rests on a knife’s edge. And the soldiers who can tip the balance . . . are girls.

Set in an alternate World War II where young women are called up to fight alongside men, this is the story of Rio Richlin and her friends as they go into battle against Hitler’s forces.

But not everyone believes that they should be on the front lines. Now Rio and her friends must fight not only to survive, but to prove their courage and ingenuity. Because the fate of the world is in the hands of the soldier girls.

The first of three books, this is Michael Grant at his epic best.

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Review: This is Where it Ends

Title: This is Where it Ends
Author: Marieke Nijkamp
Series: – –
Genre: YA
Length: Novel
Available: Jan 5th

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10:00 a.m.
The principal of Opportunity, Alabama’s high school finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve.

10:02 a.m.
The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class.

10:03
The auditorium doors won’t open.

10:05
Someone starts shooting.

Told over the span of 54 harrowing minutes from four different perspectives, terror reigns as one student’s calculated revenge turns into the ultimate game of survival.

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Review: The First Life of Vikram Roy

Title: The First Life of Vikram Roy
Author: Laxmi Hariharan
Series: Ruby Iyer #1.5
Genre: YA Thriller
Length: Short novel
Available: Sept 25th

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LIFETIME earnings from the sales of this book will be donated to SAVE THE CHILDREN: SUPPORT CHILD REFUGEE CRISIS APPEAL . YOU can donate here >
http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/about-us/emergencies/child-refugee-crisis-appeal

This is a standalone novel in the Ruby Iyer Series and traces VIKRAM ROY’S ORIGINS; his coming of age years and how he came to be the RELUCTANT COP he is when he meets RUBY.

His family is being held to ransom by a deadly mastermind.

Vikram never should have left his family, but when Vikram’s father brings his half-brother Vishal home, life will never be the same.

Vikram thinks things will be better now that he’s gone. He’s met the love of his life, his future looks bright and then everything is shattered.

Now, his family’s life is hanging in the balance, and only Vikram can do what needs to be done to save them.

From the bestselling dystopian fiction author with over 200 reviews and ratings of her dystopia books across Goodreads, Amazon and other retailers.

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Review: The Ruby Iyer Diaries

Title: The Ruby Iyer Diaries
Author: Laxmi Hariharan
Series: Ruby Iyer #0.5
Genre: YA
Length: Novelette
Available: Now

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This novelette is a companion book to The Many Lives of Ruby Iyer. A peek into the soul of an angry, young girl, who will come of age in a city on the verge of total annihilation. Ruby kept a diary from the age of ten till she ran away from home at sixteen. It is from here that I picked out a few diary entries for The Ruby Iyer Diaries. This short series of vignettes from Ruby’s life, tells you more a little more about the origins of Ruby Iyer.

Read The Many Lives of Ruby Iyer, to follow Ruby’s story. Coming soon The First Life of Vikram Roy (Ruby Iyer Series Book 3) and The Second Life of Ruby Iyer (& Vikram Roy) – Book 4

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Review: Seconds Before Sunrise

Title: Seconds Before Sunrise
Author: Shannon A. Thompson
Series: A Timely Death #2
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Length: Novel
Available: Now

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Two nightmares. One memory.

“Chaos within destiny. It was the definition of our love.”

Eric has weeks before his final battle when he’s in an accident. Forced to face his human side, he knows he can’t survive if he fights alone. But he doesn’t want to surrender, even if he becomes the sacrifice for war.

Jessica’s memory isn’t the only thing she’s lost. Her desire to find her parents is gone and so is her confidence. But when fate leaves nightmares behind, she decides to find the boy she sees in them, even if it risks her sanity.

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Review: Rock War

Title: Rock War
Author: Robert Muchamore
Series: Rock War #1
Genre: YA
Length: Novel
Available: Now

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Meet Jay. Summer. And Dylan.

Jay plays guitar, writes songs and dreams of being a rock star. But his ambitions are stifled by seven siblings and a terrible drummer.

Summer works hard at school, looks after her nan and has a one-in-a-million singing voice. But can her talent triumph over her nerves?

Dylan is happiest lying on his bunk smoking, but his school rugby coach has other ideas, and Dylan reluctantly joins a band to avoid crunching tackles and icy mud.

They’re about to enter the biggest battle of their lives. And there’s everything to play for.

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