Get your deerstalkers and magnifying glasses out, site member Cleopatra is starting us off this week with a magnificent review of Knightley and Son by Rohan Gavin. 13-year-old Darkus starts an investigation after his uncle Bill, who is a police officer, gets attacked by some sort of monstrous dog while out on patrol.
"You will need to read the first book to understand this sequel, as there are many characters and intricate plots to get your head around. As there is a third book coming, I would highly recommend the trilogy to anyone who loves to get stuck into a great mystery or an action-packed thriller."
Another young detective features in our next book – a gripping review by Clancy Crew of Feel the Fear by Lauren Child. In this fourth instalment of the Ruby Redfort series, teen detective Ruby follows a path of clues to uncover the identity of a villanous skywalker with an invisibility cloak.
"I really like this book because Ruby is my favourite character and I especially like the bits where she's figuring out codes. I also like the way Ruby has a different way of looking at everyday things when she's solving a mystery."
Now on to everyone's favourite time-travelling detective, with a fantastic review by Felixreads of Doctor Who: 12 Doctors 12 Stories. The book includes 12 short stories, based on the different Doctor Who TV actors, each one written by a different author.
"I liked this book because of the dramatic and right-when-you-need-them entrances of the Doctor and because of all the surprises – right when someone (or something) is about to die, a good guy pops out from nowhere and saves the day. You might also want to check out this book to go along with it: Doctor Who Character Encyclopedia!"
Moving away from detectives, but continuing the theme of adventure, CaitlinReads penned a riveting review of Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas. In this fantastic YA fantasy read, assassin Celaena seeks to avenge the death of her dearest friend, the King of Adarlan's assassin.
"Celaena is one of the best female protagonists I have ever read about. She is very kick butt, loyal to the core, strong and independent. However in this book, we get to see Celaena's more vulnerable side as she relives the pain of the death of her parents and the murder of her dear friend. I actually liked to see this side of her because it allowed us as readers to delve deeper into her mind and understand her as a character more … and of course Sarah J Maas's writing was phenomenal and genius from the outset and throughout. What can I say? Sarah J Maas is amazing and this was easily one of my favourite books of 2014."
Our reviewers featured another isolated and lonely but powerful female lead in our next pick, a superb review by ThoughtfulReader of The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E Pearson. In this tale, 17-year-old Jenna wakes up from a coma and can't remember anything about her life.
"This book is out of the ordinary. None of your standard teenage fiction, thank you very much. I was dying to read a good book that was not another Hunger Games copy, Twilight imitation or Harry Potter remake. This book was refreshingly different and it really made me think. It's a captivating mystery novel blended with science-fiction, relationships and thriller aspects … I promise you, you won't be able to put this book down. Every time you think, 'ah, I think I've solved the mystery!' your hopes are burst as soon as you reach the next page. The plot twists are amazing, truly astonishing and completely out of the blue. And the end, oh my gosh. What can I say about the end? Fantastic, and so so satisfying to find the perfect ending for such a breathtaking book."
We end this week's roundup with some stress-busting tips to well and truly put Blue Monday behind us, as Amysharps wrote an excellent review of The Teenage Guide to Stress by Nicola Morgan.
"I've read many books on the subject of stress, but for me, this one was the most useful. It covers such a huge range of issues from friends to drugs, bullying to family relationships – pretty much anything you're struggling with, you can find information about in here … Overall, I would highly recommend this book and have already told many of my friends to read it! I think that the reason Nicola Morgan really succeeds with this stress-busting book is because she doesn't write in a patronising manner at all. I get the impression that she really does understand what us teenagers are going through."
A big round of applause for all our site members' delightful reviews! If your review has been featured above, be sure to get in touch with the Book Elves, who will pick, parcel and send your prize in the post!
Happy reading!
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