This year we have taken on several work experience students and have been delighted with their contribution to our business. Lotte and Jasper wrote some reviews of their favourite books while they were with us: you might find your next great read below!
Lotte (work experience student)
— The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
The House in the Cerulean Sea is a whirlwind of emotion; this story will glue your eyes and keep you reaching for the tissues. TJ Klune has expertly crafted a beautiful emotional journey that explores isolated childhoods, the hardships of heteronormative society, and the deep meaning of unconditional love. When the quietly closeted main character Mr. Baker first travels to a supernatural orphanage to conduct an inspection, he stumbles upon a beautiful, accepting environment where differences are celebrated and respected. The deep emotional and mental journey of Mr. Baker is reflected in his gradual character development and personal search for self-worth. He finds himself torn between his professional duties and the desire that pulls him towards the children’s guardian, charming Arthur Parnassus. I implore you to pick up Klune’s book and allow yourself to be swept away by this heartwarming, enriching tale that discusses homosexuality, the importance of youth, and what it really means to belong.
The Maze Runner by James Dashner
This dystopian-horror thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat. 16-year-old Thomas is thrust into the middle of a Maze with no memory or recollection of his past. With nothing but the knowledge of his name to comfort him, Thomas joins with an army of boys who call themselves the Gladers. Yet a trail of disturbing events follows Thomas into the Maze, and Thomas must decide between his own survival and his newfound friends. The edge of your seat narration keeps you turning the pages as you follow the hooking climactic journey of Thomas and the Gladers.
Stephen King meets Suzanne Collins, Lord of the Flies meets Train to Busan in this strange, desperate tale for survival.
Six of Crows is a fantasy thriller that follows the split perspective of six teenage outcasts who aim to achieve the impossible; stage a rescue from the most heavily guarded prison in the country. Full of nail-biting plot twists and breathtaking twists and turns, Six of Crows is a daredevil tale that explores teenage villains, street-smart wit and the deep trauma of delving into the past. Prepare to be thrust into a whirlwind of a tale as six outcast-street criminals navigate their way through a perilous world of mistrust, suspicion, and danger.
Jasper (work experience student)
— Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta
Looking for Alibrandi is a classic coming of age, that follows 17-year-old Josephine Alibrandi and her struggles with her final year of school as an Australian girl from an Italian immigrant family. I first picked up this book during school, as the class novel, and I assumed it to be another boring, difficult to understand, timely book. But I was soon entranced. Josephine, or Josie, lives with her mother, Christina, in Sydney, as an only child from a teenage pregnancy. Her father left for Adelaide before she was born, and they haven’t seen him since. Through Josephine’s eyes, we watch the year unfold, as she deals with bullying around her race and illegitimacy, her rebellious nature, and her never ending string of difficult relationships, while she tries to find her place in society.
This book is a funny, heartfelt coming of age story that captures the heart of the reader thoroughly. Its themes are strong and show a different side to teenage life. It is a story that people of all ages can enjoy.
The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini
I was 12 when I was first introduced to these books, and I have read this incredible series three times over since. We begin with a world caught in turmoil under a dark, immortal king’s reign. A young farm boy, Eragon, lives with his uncle and cousin in a small village, when he comes across a vibrant blue stone in the forest while hunting deer. This stone, a dragon egg, hatches for him, and he is suddenly thrown into a world of magic, myths and monsters, and along with his new dragon, Saphira, and the crazy village storyteller, Brom, he sets out to find the Varden, a supposed rebel group set on freeing the land from the evil king, King Galbatorix.
Christopher Paolini weaves a magical tale, with an incredibly detailed plot, characters and an intricate world of his own. This book is a must read for all fantasy lovers and will captivate anyone from the first cover to the last.
The Medoran Chronicles by Lynette Noni
The Medoran Chronicles is a wild ride of adventure, magic, and friendship, that struggles to find the meaning of “not good”. The books introduce Alex, a teenage girl being sent away to boarding school while her parents leave for a year-long remote archaeology dig. When she arrives at the school, she walks to the principal’s office to enroll, but when she opens the door, another world stares back at her. She steps through and falls into Medora, a mystical land, with the door disappearing behind her. There she is introduced to two teenage boys, Jason and Bear, and they quickly become firm friends. They take her back to their school, an academy for the ‘gifted’, people with special abilities in some form, where she is enrolled by the vice principal. Unfortunately, the only way back to her world is through the door. And the one person who can conjure up the door is away until the end of the year.