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Find out moreMainly aimed at young adults, but high quality and readable for adults too, Young Adult Fiction navigates emotional stories and characters searching for who they are. This diverse genre can feature aspects from any other genre, from Family Dramas to Fantasy with a stop off at Horror and Historical Fiction along the way.
Hitting rock bottom, hanging on, and coming back from the edge. Brian Conaghan has an incredible talent for telling it like it is. His characters are authentic and absorbing; flawed underdogs with serious troubles, like 17-year-old Maggie whose dad “drank his liver into a spreadable pâté”, and whose laid-off dinner lady mum is “gifted in the art of attracting pure dickheads”. And Maggie? Maggie’s “an island: the way I dress; the music I listen to; the patter my brain discharges; everything”. Maggie’s struggling to deal with the tragic loss of her best friend Moya whose death she feels excruciatingly guilty about. Moya was a “mad riot” of a girl, but as Maggie “couldn’t be arsed with all the love-struck vom” Moya was spewing, because she didn’t speak out against the Internet trolls, she believes she was a “failure friend”. Alongside her grief, guilt and self-harm, Maggie struggles with her mother’s severe depression, but also tingles with the hope that comes from starting art college: “now’s the time to make something of myself.” Indeed, she soon forms a band with new friends. Throughout, Maggie’s love of bands like The Smiths looms large, as does her relationship with her depressed mother. Maggie’s rage at her mother’s condition derives entirely from her primal love for her. She’s desperate for Mum to be happy, and her scheme to help her find happiness is heart-achingly poignant. Grief, depression, self-harm, online abuse, this novel is no walk in the park, yet it never drags the reader down. On the contrary. It’s sensitive, insightful, funny (Maggie is a master of biting one-liners), and genuinely uplifting as Maggie and Mum begin to find their way back to the world, with glinting prospects of love and new life.
This novel moves from poetry to prose, and back again, as it explores a girl’s relationship with her Grandfather. Mizuki can see something is deeply troubling to her Grandfather Ichiro, but she can’t find its source, except it is somehow connected with an old book and Ichiro’s need to create origami paper cranes from it. Mizuki’s worries are expressed in verse before we jump back into prose - to the at times brutal description of the day the bomb fell on Hiroshima and Ichiro’s role in that day and beyond. The descriptions of the effects of the bomb are based on effective research and from survivor’s tales and told in such a way that the reader is entirely there in the moment and the long days after as Hiro rebuilds a life for himself. As we return to Japan in 2018 the novel reverts to poetry to the very modern tale of how Mizuki uses the internet to try to get to the bottom of the problem facing her elderly grandfather. The illustrations in the book help create the many impressions and emotions aroused by the story – they are based on Japanese brush and ink techniques and add a further layer to this already impressive book. This is a harrowing tale but the ultimate redemption in the story leaves one with a sense of hope. Highly recommended.
The fairy tale you thought you knew… The story of the Sea Witch, the villainess from Hans Christian Anderson’s classic tale The Little Mermaid, told from the viewpoint of the Sea Witch when she was a twelve-year-old girl… Evie has been wracked with guilt ever since her best friend, Anna, drowned. So when a girl appears on shore with an uncanny resemblance to Anna, Evie befriends her in an effort to make amends. And as the two girls catch the eyes – and hearts – of two charming princes, Evie believes that she might finally have a chance at happy ever after. But is Evie’s new friend really who she says she is? Or will Evie discover, too late, the truth of her bargain? A gripping story of friendship, betrayal and the power of hope…Because ‘though magic can shape life and death… love is the one thing it cannot control
Romance with all its advantages – and all its difficulties - is in the air in this anthology of stories about falling in and out of love. Hearts flip-flopping, getting noticed – in the right way, surviving school, being in cool and non-cool crowds – each of these stories by best-selling teen authors including Dyan Sheldon, Sarah Webb and Joanna Nadin will set the heart fluttering.
Inspirational and entertaining stories by top teen authors in aid of Kids Company that have been selected to be in the final shortlist of the Queen of Teen Award. This story collection provides a perfect opportunity to discover a new author’s writing. Featuring stories by Meg Cabot, Cathy Cassidy, Lisa Clark, Cathy Hopkins, Sarra Manning, Karen McCombie, Joanna Nadin, Louise Rennison and Jacqueline Wilson, each one focuses on the realities of being a teenager and aining independence.
Prepare to be mesmerised by this spellbinding collection of brand new stories by some of the masters of modern fantasy. It will be enjoyed by readers of all ages and is guaranteed to raise the pulse and quicken the heartbeat. You don’t have to be a fantasy buff to enjoy this selection. In fact, if you’ve never read fantasy before then there’s no better way to start than to sample a range of the top writers writing today. From dark graveyards to great halls, with witches and wizards and lonely souls, these startling and original stories weave a magic all of their own.
No holds are barred in this touching, funny and alarmingly insightful ‘family’ story about the downs and sometimes! ups of living with 3 teenagers. These three are no saints but, as their mother fondly remembers sometimes, they were once sweet little babies and toddlers. Ever optimistic that they will revert to some of those more pleasing ways but also realistic about the genuine complexities of growing up, each of these episodes will get to the heart of all parents – although they may be shocked at how these parents allow themselves to be addressed!
Stuck for something to read? Whether you’re searching for a book to blow your mind and change your life, or a light read for the beach, particularly at a time when you can’t lay your hands on a computer that’s online in order to refer to www.lovereading.co.uk The Ultimate Teen Book Guide provides the perfect place to start. Here at Lovereading we feel this guide alongside its sister guides The Ultimate Book Guide and The Ultimate First Book Guide complement what we are doing both on Lovereading and Lovereading4kids – that of instilling a love of books from an early age. Of course, in addition Lovereading and Lovereading4kids are also able to whet your appetite via extracts of our ‘featured’ titles as a consequence of being on the web. So, you can always go online and see if we at Lovereading have featured the title you are interested in and read the extract. It’s likely that many of your favourite authors (see a selection of the contributors below) have recommended over 700 books, so prepare to be inspired. Whether you like fantasy, horror, chick lit, graphic novels, sci-fi, crime...From classics to must-read cult fiction as well as the more obvious bestsellers, there’s something for everyone. You’ll also find special features, teen reviews and suggestions for what to read next.
Inspired by Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, this stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence. Alyssa Gardner (Alice Liddell is an ancestor) hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. A series of clues leads her through a cracked mirror into the real Wonderland, a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There she must decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy-but-suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland who may have dark motives all of his own.
A charming fable for all ages, this wonderful sequel to the beloved classic overflows with love and wisdom, a true celebration of life as it should be lived in all its beauty and joy. A beautiful tribute to the international bestseller The Little Prince, with specially commissioned illustrations by Pietari Posti and a foreword by a member of Antoine de Saint-Exupery's family.
June 2015 NewGen Debut of the Month. An enthralling and profoundly exciting dystopian novel; set aside plenty of reading time, as once you start you just won’t want to stop. It’s fascinating when an author explores a possible future, this particular future feels as though it could be just around the corner. The concerns of mental trauma, violence and social unrest exist today; ‘Mindwalker' is set after a war involving internal terrorism and the state has intimate and invasive access to peoples minds in order to stop violence from occurring. Lain is sensitive, strongly principled and becomes involved in a thrilling race for the truth, she has a captivating romantic interest, and rather than detracting from the storyline, it cleverly adds an intensity. The novel roars towards the ending, quietens then settles, as you turn the final page you can’t help but feel that a ferocious storm is gathering and waiting for release. This absorbing and thought provoking read is a gloriously impressive debut. ~ Liz Robinson
Captive starts with a bang and keeps the tension high. Robyn, the prime minister’s daughter, is kidnapped by eco-terrorists, the same group who recently tried to assassinate her father. These are ruthless, scary people – but Robyn suspects that her father too might be involved in something murky and the longer she spends in captivity, the harder it is for her to know who she can trust. This is a taut, cleverly-constructed and very contemporary YA thriller, which puts family relationships as well as issues such as corporate corruption and moral responsibility into the spotlight. Ideal for fans of Sophie McKenzie, it’s a book that respects its target readership. ~ Andrea Reece
Vera's spent her whole life secretly in love with her best friend, Charlie Kahn. And over the years she's kept a lot of his secrets. Even after he betrayed her. Even after he ruined everything. So when Charlie dies in dark circumstances, Vera knows a lot more than anyone--the kids at school, his family, even the police. But will she emerge to clear his name? Does she even want to?
A light, flirty and oh, so much fun, debut novel by model and TV presenter Abbey Clancy. 22 year old Jess, a party entertainer from Liverpool has always dreamed of being a famous singer, so she can live like a star and look after her family. When she gets offered the chance of a lifetime, will it live up to her dreams? This is a wonderfully down to earth tale, even as it explores the heady price of fame. Jess is a loveable main character, she makes plenty of mistakes along the way, yet it is easy to emphasise with her. The quick, lively wordplay makes this a very modern romantic story and an enjoyable and entertaining read.
A smart, funny and fast-paced read which addresses a near-universal teen experience. Can Sadie overcome her unrequited crush for good? Abby McDonald serves up her trademark wit and wisdom in a hilarious new novel.
The years leading up to your 20s are such a vibrant and vivid time in your life. Adventure, friendships, self-discovery are all there in spades, but there’s frustration too, impatience and a strong desire to be understood. This section of fantastic books for young adult readers is filled with stories that reflect all of these feelings in settings that will give flight to your imagination. Be inspired by tales of self-discovery, run the rocky road of romance, battle big issues in mysterious worlds, beat the bleak future of dystopian regimes, or laugh out loud at the ridiculousness of it all. There’s something here for all tastes and moods from half-god heroes to horseback holidays and literally everything in between.