Young Adult Fiction - Mature Readers

NZ Writer  Denis Wright  Nanotech  Mākaro Press (Submarine) 2015   $25.00pb 212pp

ISBN 9 780 9941 695 7

Themes: Year 13 High School students/ Kidnapping/ Racism/ Science Field Trips/ Sexual abuse

Set in Auckland, New Zealand, the basis of the novel is the invention of an American biologist who creates a virus that works on the pigmentation in the skin that could be used for great good to cure diseases in certain ethnic groups. However, it also has the power to wipe out the groups completely without touching the white population.

At a high-powered conference the biologist is captured by a group of     

White supremacists and also, because they manage to get in the way, a group of highly intelligent science students from Wellington. The story is told in an ‘easy’ manner by one of the students who, because of traumatic events in his life when he was much younger, has not spoken aloud much since then.

There is blood, killings, sex, some swearing but I found this an addictive, read-at-a-sitting experience. However, because of its themes of ethnic cleansing and sexual abuse I would be very careful how it was issued in a secondary or public library situation.

My only quibble is with the group’s teacher, Bernie, who at times was so OTT she was hard to believe. But even Bernie had her moments – and her class would certainly never forget her

The writer, who also wrote Violence 101 Penguin Books which won the Best First Book in the NZ Post Children’s Book awards in 2009 is a teacher in a Wellington High school. He has captured the tone of the voices and actions of his group of high school students with perfect pitch.

Year 11 up – suggested mature readers only

Mature Readers (Young Adult)

USA Writer

Lauren Baratz-Logsted

The Twin’s Daughter

Bloomsbury 2014  $15.99pb  390pp

ISBN 978 1 5999 0661 4

Themes: Gothic tales/ Murder/ Victorian London

Published February 1^st 2014

One morning Lucy, a sprightly 13-year-old, opens the door of her elegant London home and sees who she thinks at first is her mother standing on the doorstep. It is however, her mother’s identical twin sister who has been brought up in very different circumstances and so begins a long and involved story of intrigue and sometimes, very chilling happenings.  Some readers will find the complicated plot a bit too much but others will enjoy the elements of creepiness, teenage life in Victorian London and the general atmosphere of having to guess what is really going on and find they make for an unputdownable read.

Google the author’s name for details of her other books – she has written many. She is a new writer for me and I will be following her up.   

Year 10 up/ Age 14 up (this will be read with enjoyment by many adults as well).

Mature Readers (Young Adult)

USA & Australian Writers

Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

These Broken Stars

Book One in The Starbound Trilogy

Allen & Unwin  2013  $23.99pb  374pp (originally published in USA)

ISBN 978 1 7433 1852 2

Themes:         Love stories/ Science fiction/ Survival

A young war hero and the daughter of the richest man in the universe are thrown together almost literally and find themselves totally alone when their luxury space ship crashes into a seemingly uninhabited planet.  Although the book has been described as ‘Titanic in space’ it is ultimately a really gripping story of survival. It will be read with enjoyment by readers other than those who, lured by the rather corny cover, are looking for a predictable love story.

It was given the prestigious ‘starred’ review in the American Library Association’s Booklist.

Year 9 up/ Age 13 up

Young Adult Fiction

NZ Writer

Fleur Beale

Speed Freak

Random House 2013   $19.99pb  240 pages

ISBN 978 1 7755 3470 9

Themes: Competition/ Fathers and sons/ Kart racing

Fifteen-year-old Archie is in the running for selection to drive his kart in Europe but before he can be considered there are many hurdles in his way. First there is Craig who is his main rival and who has a father with enough money to buy his son’s way into the Challenge. And then there is Silver, back in racing after a break but she is now stronger and more determined than ever. Life on the home front has its problems as well – Dad and his intense relationship with his girlfriend, Erica, irritates and worries Archie, particularly as she is totally anti-karting. Fleur Beale has managed to put herself inside the head of a fifteen-year-old boy and find his voice (I know because I have tried it out on a fifteen-year-old) so be prepared for some strong language and emotions.  I personally have no interest whatsoever in kart racing but such is the power of the story I found myself awake last night and reading until well past midnight to be totally involved and feel happy with such a satisfying ending.      

Year 9 up/ Age 13 up

Young Adult

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UK Writer

Andy Mulligan

The Boy with Two Heads

David Fickling Books   2013         $26.99pb           386 pages        

 ISBN 978 0 8575 6067 4

Themes: Animal experimentation/ 'Horror' stories/ Metamorphosis/ Schizophrenia/ School stories

Richard Westlake goes to bed one evening looking forward to a big football game next day but when he wakes with a rather sore lump in his throat he very quickly finds himself in an ambulance on the way to hospital. Once there, to everyone’s amazement, the lump grows and grows, and turns into another head sitting on Richard’s shoulders – another head named Rikki. While Richard is a comparatively mild-mannered and gentle boy, Rikki is anything but and is racist, hostile and acidly witty. It would have been so easy for Andy Mulligan to turn this into a real comedy like his first novel Ribblestrop but while there are moments of laugh out loud humour basically the story is much darker than that and there are moments of fear and almost unbearable tension. Some of the passages with the frightening Dr Warren, who holds Rikki/Richard’s future(s) in his hands, don’t fade from the mind for a long time. 
I was worried as I read on how having set up such a scenario it could possibly end but I think most people will agree the ending is totally satisfactory (for everyone – characters and readers)  

When asked in an interview if The Boy With Two Heads was a really bleak book Andy Mulligan replied:

Absolutely not. There’s despair in it, and maybe more pain than in ‘Ribblestrop’ or ‘Trash’. But who’d write a children’s book ending in destruction? Richard and Rikki go on the most extraordinary journey, and they learn so much about friendship and survival. It’s metamorphosis and it’s growth, and I think it’s the most optimistic book I’ve written.

Year 8 up/ Age 12 up 

Please note the image of the jacket may not be the final one. The book is not due for publication for a week or so and this may change!

Mature Readers (Young Adult)

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Australian Writer

Sue Whiting

Portraits of Celina

Walker Books 2013   $16.95pb         349 pages        

 ISBN 978 1 9220 7747 9

Themes: Ghost stories/ Love stories/ Revenge

 

Bayley is hearing a voice – Celina’s voice. She is wearing Celina’s clothes and sleeping in her room but Celina died forty years before when she was only sixteen. What does she want? From a rather slow beginning the story mounts into a quite scary ghost story and a believable love story, then binds the two together in a satisfying ending.     

Year 9 up/ Age 13 up

For more about Sue Whiting go to:

Website: www.suewhiting.com

There is also an interesting interview on:

http://blog.booktopia.com.au