Books, books and more books

If you’ve been keeping an eye on this blog then you’ve no doubt noticed that I read a lot of science fiction and fantasy books. This Easter I began with a couple of romances – just for a change. Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles is about two American teenagers in their Senior year of high school. They come from two very different parts of town and each has a very prejudiced view of the other. Of course there’s a bet involved, and misunderstandings but there’s a lot more to the book than that. Forced to work together on a chemistry project at school they begin to find they have a lot more in common that they first thought.  I would recommend this book to older teenagers.

Ondine by Ebony McKenna is much more light-hearted, involves magic and spells and an over-protective father with three daughters and a Scottish boy who learns the hard way that he should respect the feelings of others. This is a fairytale with a modern(ish) twist.

Keeping up the Scottish theme, much of the action of Z.Rex  by Steve Cole takes place in Edinburgh. The idea of a talking dinosaur might seem a bit far-fetched, but this is a fast-paced story that takes thirteen-year-old Adam on a journey from New Mexico to his home in Edinburgh to rescue his father who has been kidnapped. As for Zed, the dinosaur, he too is seeking answers.

Much edgier and darker is Monster Republic by Ben Horton. The story begins with a school trip to a nuclear power station. Cameron thinks dealing with a bully is his biggest problem until an explosion changes everything. When Cameron wakes up he finds his life will never be the same. As for his girlfriend, Marie, she is now kick-ass but not in a good way. This is the first book in a new series. I will certainly be looking out for the next book.

Finally, I have at last managed to get round to reading Hunger, the sequel to Gone by Michael Grant which I reviewed some months ago. The second book keeps up the fast pace and is as terrifying as the first book. Sam may have defeated his brother, Caine, at least for the time being, but food is running out. Within the first few pages one of the children meets a grisly end in a field of cabbages. More children are developing abilities and tensions between those who have powers and those who haven’t increase as the novel progresses. Much more sinister, however, is what awaits them in the dark. The Darkness is hungry!