Secrets Of The Henna Girl by Sufiya Ahmed

The Blurb On The Back:

Life as Zeba knows it could be over for good …

Zeba Khan is like any other sixteen-year-old girl: enjoying life, waiting for exam results … and dreaming of the day she’ll meet her one true love.

But her parents have other plans.

In Pakistan for the summer, Zeba’s world is shattered. Her future is threatened by an unthinkable – and forced – duty to protect her father’s honour.

But does she hold the secrets that will help her escape?

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Sufiya Ahmed’s YA contemporary novel is about the serious issue of forced marriage, but for me neither the plot nor the characters really coalesced to give the story the impact that it should have had. I was particularly put off by Ahmed’s reluctance to explore certain subjects that would seem to be integral to the issue. However there are some powerful scenes in the book and I would check out what Ahmed writes next.

SECRETS OF THE HENNA GIRL was released in the UK on 1st March 2012. Thanks to Puffin for the free copy of this book.

I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

The Blurb On The Back:

You’re fifteen years old and your father is the most notorious serial killer America has ever produced.

He brought you up. Taught you everything he knows. Everyone in your ordinary American town knows who you are. So even though Dear Old Dad is safely behind bars, when the killing starts all over again you are the first person the police come to see …

They don’t know whether it’s nature or nurture. And neither do you …

( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )

The Verdict:

Barry Lyga’s novel is a well-written, well-plotted serial killer crime thriller that’s DEXTER meets SILENCE OF THE LAMBS and has the kind of cross-over appeal that will draw in grown up and young adult readers. It’s entertaining from start to finish and although it’s obviously a dark book, it’s not excessively gory. I really hope that there will be a sequel soon.

I HUNT KILLERS will be released in the UK on 12th April 2012. Thanks to the Amazon Vine Programme for the ARC of this book.