Beautifully written, and most certainly exciting, Marie Rutkoski’s Winners Trilogy is a must read on any YA fan’s wish list. ​ The Winners Curse, The Winners Crime and The Winners Kiss explore a fascinating world, where a nation of war holds the most ground, and knows no mercy, pinned against the nation of artists they have enslaved. ​ Throughout all three novels Rutkoski moves flawlessly between our two main characters, Kestrel and Arin, who live on opposite sides of the same world. ​ The Winners curse throws us into the deep end as we are introduced to Kestrel, a general’s daughter, in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers. Kestrel is faced with two choices in her life, join the military or get married, but she has other ideas for what her life will hold. ​ 'On day, Kestrel is startled to find a kindred spirit in Arin, a young slave up for auction. Following her instinct she buys him, for a sensational price that sets the society gossips talking. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin. But he too has a secret and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid is much higher than she ever could have imagined.' ​ Although this first novel puts the reader directly into this world and is paced perfectly it remains nothing in comparison to the quick and fierce action of the Winners Crime. ​ 'In this second novel Kestrel in engaged to Valoria’s crown prince, a commitment which calls for great celebration for all but Kestrel. Trapped in a cage of her own design, and treading the dangerous line of a spy, Kestrel is forced to live in a world of politics and deceit, unable to confide in the one person she really trusts. ​ Meanwhile Arin fights to keep his countries hard won freedom, all the while suspecting Kestrel knows more and risks more than she lets anyone know.' ​ The story finally comes to a boil in The Winners Kiss, throwing the readers world upside down, we are brought into an empire at war, with Arin leading his people into battle. ​ 'Arin cannot forget Kestrel, even though he knows she has betrayed him, and continues in vain to try to convince himself that she is the sly, ruthless killer with more love for her empire than for him that he needs her to be. ​ But Arin doesn’t know that in the frozen north Kestrel is sentenced to life imprisonment in a brutal work camp. As she fights to escape she prays that Arin will discover what she has sacrificed and swears to bring down the empire which has turned its back on her.' ​ These three novels combine to create a fast paced, breath taking story line of love, deceit and war. At no point will you be bored by the Winners Trilogy. We Give The Winners Trilogy Four Stars The Winners Curse; ​ISBN – 978-1-4088-5820-2 Cover price - £6.99 Available as an eBook ​ The Winners Crime; ​ISBN – 978-1-4088-5869-1 Cover price - £7.99 Available as an eBook ​ The Winners Kiss; ISBN – 978-1-4088-5847-5 Cover price - £7.99 Avaliable as an eBook

If you enjoy Greek mythology then look no further than the masterfully written Goddess War series by Kendare Blake. ​ Anitgoddess and Mortal Gods come together to form an action packed, heart-racing series which will leave readers wanting more. ​ Switching flawlessly between main characters these novels give a captivating insight into both the lives of gods and of mortals. ​ Surprisingly these books are based in today’s modern world, with cleaver throw backs to Greek mythological history. But these are not all powerful gods, these gods are fighting a losing battle, and are turning on one another to fight for their own survival. From the blurb;​ In antigoddess we are introduced to Cassandra and Aidan, a normal, average high-school couple. ​ 'Blissfully unaware of her own power, Cassandra doesn’t even know that gods exist. ​ That is until she does. ​ The gods are dying, and Cassandra could hold the answer to their survival. As they rally to control her Aiden fights to keep a secret, doing all that he can to protect the girl he loves form the danger that’s coming for her, even know it means fighting war against his own immortal family.' ​ Although antigoddess takes our breath away, it is in Mortal Gods that we truly fall in love with these main characters, and start routing for them in earnest in this impossible war. ​ 'In Mortal Gods the enemy has changed. Now Ares, god of war, is leading the other dying gods into battle. Meanwhile Athena is ready to wage a war of her own, and she has the weapons of fate on her side. ​ If Athena is lucky the winning gods shall have their immortal lives restored, if not she and Hermes shall finally be able to die in peace. ​ However the alliance between Cassandra, god killer, and Athena is fragile at best, and as they travel across the globe Athena’s fears that Cassandra will eventually kill them all grow.' ​ In these two books Blake provides everything we could want, with just the right amount of gore and a touch of romance to keep us on our toes and completely engrossed. We Give The Goddess War Series Four Stars Antigoddess; ​ISBN – 978-1-40833-075-3 Cover price - £6.99 Available as an eBook ​ Mortal Gods; ​ISBN – 978-0-7653-3444-2

Definitely books to buy in paperback or hard-back form for the sheer beauty of the artwork alone. The Wyrmeweald novels, Returners Wealth, The Bone Trial and Bloodhoney are based in a devastatingly beautiful world where dragons exist in lands hard to reach and hard to survive in. The awe of society means dragon catchers are famed, while those who dare to make the dangerous journey to the mountains return with great wealth stolen from the belly of the land. But the true wealth of this world is in living with the dragons, in living with the nature of the mountains, the true magic, in love and friendship. These novels are the lovingly written creations of a partnership between Chris Riddle and Paul Stewart. Each one is a pleasure to read, the storyline so perfectly thought-out and the beauty of the world so wonderfully described that it’s addictive. We move through the books as main character Micah, a young pioneer set on finding his fortune. However, Micah discovers something far more valuable than any returner’s wealth before. In the wyremweald fearsome and dangerous creatures, wyrmes, run wild and free. It is no place for mortal man, but for Micah it brings kingship like no other, alongside enemies for life. Where one foolish deed can turn a boy into a villain the wyremeweald also offers the chance to become a hero. In the first book, we with Micah, are introduced to this amazing new land, while in the second and third novels the action becomes all that more real, and all that more fraught. These books will leave your heart pounding at points and at others will leave you soaring. Wonderful reads, and a wonderful world to escape to. We Give Wyrmeweald Three Stars Returners Wealth; ISBN – 978-0-385-61733-8 Cover price (hard-back) - £12.99 The Bone Trial; ISBN – 978-0-385-61743-7 Cover price (hard-back) - £14.99 Bloodhoney; ISBN – 978-0-385-61741-3 Cover price (hard-back) - £14.99

The Teardrop Saga is a disappointment at best. The storyline offers hope, a glimmer of something which could have been made amazing, but the execution is soft, undramatic and rather lack-lustre. In this series Lauren Kate had a great idea, but created characters slightly too flat to pull it off. From the blurb; 'We follow seventeen-year-old Eureka, who won’t let anyone close enough to feel her pain. After her mother was killed in a violent freak accident the things she used to love no longer hold any meaning or value. She wants to escape the bitter life she has come to lead, but a boy named Ander, who appears to be everywhere she goes, holds her back. It is only when Eureka uncovers an ancient tale of love and heartbreak that her life takes on a new meaning. Suddenly her mother’s death and Anders appearance seem to be connected, and secrets are revealed which will change her life forever.' While telling stories about the mythical city of Atlantis is not a new idea, Kate attempts to take these tales to a new level, introducing her own theory’s, plot twists and characters to shape the myths to her needs. Sadly however these neat changes do not add up to a story which makes any real sense, and it is hard to get through the two books with things happening a bit too conveniently and magic being a bit too helpful to the cause of our main character. Although Eureka and Ander show some depth, other characters throughout the book are too flat to be believable, and become irritants to the storyline. These books are worth a read shearly for a few great moments, sections which are memorable. However these parts are so few and far between that the overall series becomes quite forgettable. We Give The Teardrop Saga One Star Teardrop; ISBN – 978-0-857-53226-8 Cover price (hard-back) - £9.99 Available on eBook. Waterfall; ISBN – 978-0-857-53230-5 Cover price (hard-back) - £12.99 Available on eBook.

Divergent, Insurgent and Allegiant come together to create an interesting view of a future society. In these books Veronica Roth paints the scene for a new world, one which we can recognise as our own in some distant future, and which separates society by peoples natural skills, rather than their wants. From the blurb; 'Our main character, sixteen-year-old Tris is introduced to us on the eve of her decision, which faction she will become. In this divided society, where everyone is forced to conform or become homeless, Tris does not fit in. Tris makes a decision to leave the ones she loves and join a division which offers the thrills she so desperately craves. Shocked by her brutal new life however, Tris finds herself unable to trust anyone. However hard she tries to remain unremarkable, however Tris finds herself drawn to a boy who seems both to hate her and to want to protect her.' We follow Tris through this three book series as the world she knows changes and re-shapes into something unrecognisable. What happens is partly Tris’s fault, but where she is to blame for many of the tragedies she is also the key to a brighter future. This series is a ride, written with great care and detail. However, the end leaves readers feeling a bit deflated. Where the first two books are full of power, fight and a need to discover the truth, the final novel is a story of control, brutal reality and the need for power. Roth successfully creates well-rounded characters, flawed by the naivety of youth where others are blinded by the riotousness of age and power. A delicate balance between right and wrong, truth and lies, these books will leave you feeling conflicted about the rights and wrongs in society. We Give The Divergent Series Two Stars Divergent; ISBN – 978-0-00-742042-1 Cover price - £7.99 Insurgent; ISBN – 978-0-00-744292-8 Cover price - £7.99 Allegiant; ISBN – 978-0-00-752427-3 Cover price (hard-back) - £12.99

Partials, Fragments and Ruins combine to create an astonishing storyline. Based in a futuristic view of our world, these books explore the dangers of genetically engineering animals and people, and the draw backs of this new science. In this world the human population is almost entirely extinct, killed off by a violent virus which swept the world and left a few colonies of people clinging to survival. However, the survivors cannot have children, every child born dies shortly afterwards, no matter how hard they try to save them. Meanwhile the Partials, the left over test-tube grown population of the world, are also dying out, desperate to find a cure. The partials are at war with the humans, but they are also at war with each other. In this view of the future, Wells creates a journey that you won’t want to miss, and which will leave you in awe. Kiera, our main character throughout the three books, is sixteen-years-old and trapped on Long Island. Her community clings to survival, but with little hope as no baby survives longer than three-days. Kiera is determined to make a difference, to find the cure which will save them all. Her best friend is pregnant and Kiera is running out of time to save the child, but finding the cure means capturing their enemy, a Partial. We follow Kiera as she sets out to discover the cure to save the human race, and join her as she learns secrets from her past and of this world that change everything. Where Partials is a curious start, entrapping us into a storyline with depth and mystery, Fragments and Ruins are roller-coaster rides. Kiera stands on the brink of an all-out war, but she also holds the key to survival for both sides. Wells surprises us throughout this series with plot twists so unexpected they’ll shock you. Meanwhile, he creates a detailed view of a future Earth after the destruction of war, and the chaos of mass-death. A beautiful and action packed adventure, these books are an honest joy to read. We Give The Partials Series Four Stars Partials; ISBN – 978-0-00-746522-4 Cover price - £6.99 Fragments; ISBN – 978-0-00-746523-1 Cover price - £7.99 Ruins; ISBN – 978-0-00-746524-8 Cover price - £7.99

Following the success of the film adaptations of The Hunger Games series many have turned to the books, and probably been overjoyed to find that both film and book compliment, not undercut, one another. By their own standing however The Hunger Games novels, The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay are true triumphs of YA fiction. Suzanne Collins has, through these novels, created a world which is so like our own and yet so far from it. Taking the idea of a class system, dividing an entire nation into districts, set to work themselves to death, living off meagre amounts of food, all to feed and provide for the rich and selfish people of the Capital. These novels hold a captivating idea, a reflection of the worst form of political dictatorship. From the blurb; 'The Hunger Games is a yearly ritual, where each district must give up two children, one boy and one girl, to fight to the death in a televised game. The lone winner is given riches and fame, but at the cost of their soul. We are brought into this world by Katniss Everdeen, a sixteen-year-old girl from district twelve. When the reaping happens for the 74th Hunger Games Katniss steps forward to save her sisters life. While the Games are a death sentence, Katniss has faced death before, and survival is second nature to her. District twelve may finally have a winner.' Where the first novel is about the games, the difficulty to conform and the bitter reality of this world, the second book, Catching Fire, explores the challenges that those who dare to stand up against the capital will face, as Katniss is pulled back into the Games, and the people beginning to rebel in her name, will Katniss survive the wrath of the Capital, of President Snow? All of this leads up to the final novel, Mockingjay, in which we experience the darkest depths of Collins imagination in a full blown war. Katniss however is not a girl of great intelligence, or skill. She is merely a person of great pride, and it is because she does not bend to the will of others that she becomes the symbol of hope in a nation built on fear. An outstanding series which you’ll want to read again and again. We Give The Hungers Games Five Stars

Enter a frozen world where survival is paramount, and where the people dream of a better land where the world is still warm and life can thrive. Frozen and Stolen are genius collaborations, resulting in a dark, cold world where life hangs in the balance, and being poor is a death sentence. Magic is present in this world, but an army of men ensures that it becomes no more than a glimmer, creating fear in a beaten down population. From the blurb; 'Our main characters Natasha Kestal and Wes cross paths in the city of New Vegas, a frozen city of gambling, smuggling and deceit. Natasha is desperate to find a way out of New Vegas, like many she has heard of the mythical land where the sun still shines and the water flows, known as the Blue. For Natasha the Blue is more than a dream, it is her only chance of survival, her way to escape those who know her darkest secrets. When Natasha and Wes meet it’s an opportunity neither of them can miss, but it may cost their lives to get to the Blue, if it even exists.' In this thrilling first instalment to the Heart of Dread series we get a full insight into the horrors of this world and the secrets that can tear it apart. Stolen brings us back to their story, but this time Natasha is not the lost girl we knew from Frozen, in Stolen we enjoy seeing the power and the fight in this character put to good use as she wages war against an army which will never stop coming. In Stolen, we see these two characters grow ever further, their lives forever in the balance as they fight for a better world and a new dawn. These books are a fantastic adventure in a world which has suffered greatly. Amongst the magic and the mystery Johnston and Cruz make us ask ourselves what we would sacrifice for a better world, and whether we are treating our own planet with the respect it deserves. The perfect read to cool you down and keep you entertained during a hot summer’s day. We Give The Heart Of Dread Series Three Stars Frozen; ISBN – 978-1-40833-466-9 Cover price - £6.99 Available as an eBook Stolen; ISBN – 978-1-40833-442-3 Cover price - £6.99 Avalible as an eBook

Maggie Stiefvater has proven a talent for taking the myths and legends we all know and love and putting her own astonishing twist on them. The Raven Cycle is no exception, The Raven Boys, The Dream Thieves, Blue Lily, Lily Blue and The Raven King are all beautifully crafted books, set in our own world with a touch of magic. These novels will leave you thrilled and wanting more. In this series Stiefvater successfully blends the real and the mythical, real life is not a side story in this series to a world of magic, but the key to the world of magic that makes this storyline thrive. We are faced with characters of such depth and quality that it is impossible not to be absorbed by these novels. From the blurb; 'The Raven Boy’s introduces us to this new world through main character Blue Sargent. Blue has been told that her true love will die is she ever kisses him, and so she stays away from boys. Everything changes however, when she’s drawn into the strange and sinister world of The Raven Boys and she not only finds herself falling in love but drawn into a world of magic. Something that seems certain can turn out to be false, visions can unravel and friends can betray.' This first book is an adventure you won’t want to miss but The Dream Thieves is where the real magic begins and where our addiction with this storyline becomes something more than just a passing whim. In The Dream Thieves we are faced with the secret of Raven Boy Roman, the most dangerous of them all. He is the haunted one, the darkest, the most raven. He has the power to bring his dreams to life, and with magic growing stronger around them he may lose control. Blue Lily, Lily Blue brings us close to the end, leaving us with racing minds as Stiefvater finishes the tale on a cliff-hanger that we cannot answer on our own. ​ Fianlly The Raven King answers our questions, and in true Stiefvater style not everything is as it seemed. This final novel however may leave some readers feeling dissapointed as the end brings this adventure to a close in a rush and with a twist. A fun, vibrant and surprising series, filled with magic from ghosts, to wishes, to witches and more, this one will catch you out just when you start to think you know what’s going on. We Give The Raven Cycle Four Stars The Raven Boys; ISBN – 978-1-407134-61-1 Cover price - £7.99 Available as an eBook The Dream Thieves; ISBN – 978-1-407136-62-2 Cover price - £7.99 Available as an eBook Blue Lily, Lily Blue; ISBN – 978-1-407136-63-9 Cover price - £7.99 Available as an eBook ​ The Raven King; ​ISBN - 978-1-4071-3664-6 Cover price - £7.99 Available as ann eBook

It is obvious that Moira Young took great care in crafting the Dustlands novels, each book is written in inperfect English, clean enough to understand but with spelling mistakes which imply the accent and lack of learning of our main character. Successfully written like the running monologue of a person’s thoughts, Blood Red Road, Rebel Heart and Raging Star are action filled books, filled with drama, shock, awe and a new world unlike any we’ve seen before. Our story is told to us by main character Saba. In this world there are no laws and when her twin brother is taken she pursues his captors alone through dangerous and wild wastelands. We follow her as she faces many trials, risking her life for the brother she cannot be sure is still alive. Saba must become a warrior in her own right to survive. She can trust no one, not even the thief who saves her life. Young presents us with a raw, strong character in these books, giving us a young woman who will literally go to the ends of the earth for her brother, in an amazing adventure that’s so fast paced you’ll struggle to keep up. In the first book, Blood Red Road, Saba is a bit too fool-hardy, making choices that cause the reader to cringe with their sheer naivety, but when we join her again in Rebel Heart she has become something quite new. Still the raw, mouthy character we fell in love with in the first novel Saba has become a true warrior in Rebel Heart, an Angel of Death. We join her as she changes the face of the corrupt world she lives in, ending in a climactic battle in Raging Star where the secrets and love Sabas life has revolved around are thrown into the open, and her hopes and future are laid bare for all to see. Although a brilliant story filled with stunning characters, Dustlands use of language can begin to grate, asking the reader to constantly mentally translate words that are sometimes so confounding it is impossible to grasp what is really happening. Language aside however, these books come together to tell a triumphant story of a brave, strong character in a bitter and cruel world. We Give The Dustlands Trilogy Three Stars Blood Red Road; ISBN – 978-1-407124-26-1 Cover price - £7.00 Available as an eBook Rebel Heart; ISBN – 978-1-407124-36-0 Cover price - £7.99 Available as an eBook Raging Star; ISBN – 978-1-407136-77-6 Cover price - £7.99 Available as an eBook

The Knife of Never Letting Go, The Ask and The Answer and Monsters of Men are a true triumph of YA fiction. Giving us a full-blown insight into the difficulties of growing up, without skimming on any detail, Chaos Walking is an earth shattering series for readers of all ages. Based in another world in the distant future we are introduced in the first book, The Knife of Never Letting Go, to one of our main characters, Todd Hewitt, and it is through him that Ness introduces the customs of this new, and interesting world. Fom the blurb; 'Todd is the last boy in Prentisstown, a very different town from others. Here everyone can hear everyone else’s thoughts in a constant, overwhelming, never-ending Noise. There is no privacy, no secrets, and no women. We come in a month before the birthday that will make Todd a man, but Todd unexpectedly stumbles across a spot of silence, complete silence. He realises that Prentisstown has been lying to him, and now he has to run.' This first novel is difficult to get into, not heating up until the second half where Todd meets Viola, a girl from a new colony, and our second main character throughout the series. Together they run across the country, meeting friends and foes as they go. Ness manages to create an amazing world where hilarity is mingled with the desperate sting of reality. Once into The Ask and the Answer, where a fatal mistake leads Todd into a trap and separates him from Viola, it is impossible to put these books down. We are thrown head first into a world where everything is out in the open, making secrets all that more valuable. We learn dark truths, all of them relating to some greater, and darker side of real life as we know it. In the Ask and The Answer Todd and Viola become part of a powerful resistance undercurrent, and they both loose many of the things they care about to fight for the cause they believe in. The final novel Monsters of Men is an astonishing conclusion to the series, which will leave you shaking with adrenaline and emotion. In this final book Ness throws the characters we have come to love into a dangerous and bitter war. Chaos Walking is a mind-blowing series, it has a depth, imagination and understanding of people that gives it such raw emotion and power that it cannot be forgotten. We Give Chaos Walking Four Stars The Knife of Never Letting Go; ISBN – 978-1-4063-2075-6 Cover price - £7.99 The Ask and The Answer; ISBN – 978-1-4063-2247-7 Cover price - £7.99 Monsters of Men; ISBN – 978-1-4063-2612-3 Cover price - £7.99

An amazing look into a futuristic world where control takes a whole new appearance. Scott Westerfeld produced a fantastic series of books in the Uglies. Uglies, Pretties, Specials and Extras are all astonishing books full of plot twists, deception and beautifully crafted characters. In the first book we are introduced to this interesting idea of our world’s future through main character Tally. From the blurb; 'Tally cannot wait to turn sixteen, and to become Pretty. Sixteen marks the age in Tally’s city for a transformation from a repellent Ugly into a stunningly attractive and fun loving Pretty. As a Pretty, Tally can enjoy a life of luxury, in a high-tech paradise where the only job for citizens is to have a fantastic time all day every day. Being Pretty is the dream of every Ugly, they spend their days creating how they hope they’ll look after the transformation, but for Tally’s new friend Shay being Pretty is not the answer to happiness. When Shay decides that she’d rather risk life outside the protection of the city and runs away, Tally learns a whole new side to the world she thought she lived in. Tally is given an option by the authorities, and her decision will change this world forever.' It is through Tally that we see all the sides of this world. We join her through difficult challenges, beautifully described adventures and action packed danger. In a world that Westerfeld has made addictively attractive, a utopia for the human race, we are asked to consider what is really important. As the series progresses Tally changes from the small, slightly irritating girl we knew in the first books to someone of immense power, skill and ambition. It’s a transformation that will make you fall in love with this main character, and which gives what could have easily become a flat story fire. In the final book, Extras, Westerfeld gives us a final and triumphant curve ball, putting us instead in the life of Aya Fuse, a girl from a different city. It is in this last book that we see how far the secrets and control in this world reach, and the truth, the full truth, is finally unveiled. A must for YA readers, Uglies is a wonderful series which will leave you thrilled and desperate for more. We Give The Uglies Series Five Stars Uglies; ISBN – 978-0-85707-913-8 Cover price - £6.99 Pretties; ISBN – 978-0-85707-914-5 Cover price - £6.99 Specials ISBN – 978-0-85707-915-2 Cover price - £6.99 Extras ISBN – 978-1-4711-1640-7 Cover price - £6.99