Need by Carrie Jones

The Blurb On The Back:

Pain shoots through my head.

Fireworks. Explosions. All inside my brain.

The white world goes dark and I know what’s about to happen.

Zara White suspects a freaky guy is stalking her. She memorises phobias and chants them when she’s nervous. OK, she hasn’t exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But moving to a freezing Maine town to stay with her grandmother is supposed to be the perfect fix – so her mum says.

Except, this plan of sending Zara away to help her stay sane? Yeah, not working. Turns out the stalker is not a figment of Zara’s imagination. He’s still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. There’s something not right – not human – in this sleepy Maine town, and all the signs are pointing to Zara.

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The Verdict:

Although this will be popular with YA paranormal romance fans, I thought that this was a bland, derivative read with a dull and irritating main character and I simply couldn’t read the main idea of evil pixies with a straight face.

The Thirteen Curses by Michelle Harrison

The Blurb On The Back:

When fairies stole her brother, Red vowed to get him back.

Trapped in the fairy realm, Red must beg an audience with the fairy court. There, she strikes a bargain. Her brother will be returned – but only if she can find the charms of Tanya’s bracelet, scattered in the human world.

Returning to Elvesden Manor, Red is assisted by Tanya and Fabian, and a desperate hunt begins. Soon they make a shocking discovery. The charms are now cursed with the twisted qualities of the thirteen treasures they represent ... and the longer they are missing, the worse the consequences will be.

Can Red, Tanya and Fabian find all the charms? And even if they do, will the fairies keep their promise?

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The Verdict:

I didn’t really enjoy THE THIRTEEN TREASURES, but this sequel is a much more satisfying read. Red is a really good character – strong, determined and ruthless – it’s very easy to root for her in her quest while disliking her methods. It’s not a perfect story but it does have some really chilling scenes.

Look Out! The Teachers Are Coming edited by Tony Bradman

The Blurb On The Back:

A brilliant collection of poems about everything that goes on in school.

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The Verdict:

This collection of poetry is based on the school year and although some of the poems seem a little old-fashioned, the rhymes and humour are bound to appeal to younger children.

East End Chronicles: Three Hundred Years of Mystery and Mayhem by Ed Glinert

The Blurb On The Back:

Medieval burial ground, Victorian hell hole, Blitz bombing target, modern artists’ playground: the East End has always been London’s strange alter ego, with an identity unlike anywhere else.

Here Ed Glinert tells the dark, unusual and arcane stories of its streets and people – from the mystics of Wellclose Square to the gory Radcliffe Highway murders, from Huguenot silk weavers to the horrors of the Black Death, from the heyday of the great docks to the gentrification of Spitalfields – revealing the underbelly of the city as never before.

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The Verdict:

It’s a solid book with a lot of interesting pieces of information that help to give a solid overview of the history of the East End. Glinert is clearly passionate about his subject, which leads to some editorialising and preference for certain crime theories over others. However that doesn’t detract from the quality of the read.

West End Chronicles: 300 Years of Glamour and Excess in the Heart of London by Ed Glinert

The Blurb On The Back:

From Mayfair to Soho, Shaftesbury Avenue to Fitrovia, the West End has always been the glittering heart of London’s social life, lit by cosy cafes, brothels, drinking dens and music venues. But these bright lights have also hidden a world of violence and immorality, a world familiar to Aleister Crowley and the Mafia.

Ed Glinert looks at the glorious triumphs of West End Life – from Rothschild’s zebra-drawn coach bringing Piccadilly to a standstill, to the Dorchester’s luxurious World War Two bomb shelters, as well as its dark core, concealing nineteenth-century cocaine addicts, murder and vice – each combining to show the famous hub of London in an entirely new way.

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The Verdict:

It’s a decent primer to the history of the West End and a useful resource to dip into if you have an interest in the area.

Shadow Prowler by Alexey Pehov

The Blurb On The Back:

After centuries of calm, the Nameless One is stirring.

An army is gathering: thousands of fell creatures joining forces from all across the Desolate Lands, united for the first time in history under one black banner. By the spring, or perhaps sooner, the Nameless One and his forces will be at the walls of the great city of Avendoom.

Unless Shadow Harold, master thief, can stop them.

Epic fantasy at its best, Shadow Prowler is the first in a trilogy that follows professional thief Shadow Harold on his quest for a long-lost artefact that will save the Kingdom of Siala. Bound by oath to fulfil his commission, even if he dies trying, Harold is accompanied by an elven princess and her escort, ten Wild Hearts, the most dangerous fighters in the world; and by the king’s court jester – who may be more than he seems.

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The Verdict:

It’s a traditional quest-type high fantasy and as such there isn’t a great deal that’s new in the story or the characterisation. It takes a while to get used to Harold’s voice, but once you do it’s an easy enough read.