Beautiful Malice by Rebecca James

Ever had a friend who seems to be everything to you – companion, supporter  encourager? And even though they may not be perfect, you still love them because they love you with all your imperfections? Well that was Alice – a great friend but with some strange personality traits.

But Katherine likes her – she needs friends when she moves to Sydney to live with her aunt after shocking events have happened in her family. It’s just that as the story progresses, Katherine begins to doubt that the pluses are more than the minuses in her relationship with Alice.

It’s great to see a book set in Sydney. Katherine’s parents seem very realistic and Alice’s ability to twist most people around her little finger is almost scary to watch.

What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell

What I Saw and How I Lied ( written by Judy Blundell) is a novel about 15 year old Evie Spooner. It tells the story of the beginning of her life, after the end of World War II, and particularly focuses on her trip to Florida with her beautiful mother Beverley and her step father Joe, a returned soldier. Evie is a naïve young woman, wanting to be like her glamorous mother, and she soon falls for the dashing Peter Coleridge whilst away on the vacation. Joe, although a friend of Peter’s from army days, disapproves of him, and his relationship with Evie. After some unfortunate and mysterious events, Evie finds herself a the centre of an earth shattering situation, in which all her previous thoughts and conceptions about her parents, her relationships, her world views and even herself are challenged and tested.

I really enjoyed What I Saw and How I Lied, in particularly the fabulous retro details in the descriptions of clothing, music, dance and style of talk. Evie is a very interesting girl, who I think is easy to relate to. The story is written well, and the plot develops nicely. I think the cover suits this book wonderfully. If you love some retro-lit, stories about growing up, a bit of romance and lots of mystery and intrigue, then I would recommend What I Saw and How I Lived.

The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin

Matt lives with his two sisters and their single mother. She is seriously mentally unstable so their life is one of walking on eggshells. What state will Mum come home in? Will she be nice to them or tease and hurt them.

The novel moves at a fast pace with the reader wondering who will break first – the mother, the children or the various people that Matt hopes will help them survive. Nancy won several awards for this and other books. You can find out all about her at http://www.nancywerlin.com/

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

This bestselling book by Dan Brown once again follows the symbologist, Professor Robert Langdon. After the kidnapping one of his former mentor, and very close friend, Peter Solomon, Langdon finds himself being manipulated by the less than sane kidnapper. As Langdon follows the wishes of this madman, he uncovers the innermost secrets of Masonic legends and unravelling a part of U.S history, the likes of which no one has seen before.

This exceptional novel is definitely worth the read. You’ll find yourself getting caught up in Noetic sciences, thrilling chases and twists you would never have even contemplated as possible. If you start to read this, you won’t be able to stop!

Bad Monkeys by Mat Ruff

The New York Times calls it “A science fiction Catcher in the Rye” and it certainly has elements of a rebellious teenager and a bond (though not as close here) with a younger sibling. Otherwise, it is pretty weird, though certainly entertaining. Bad Monkeys are evil doers, crooks – and Jane Charlotte spends quite a bit of her life in a strange organisation which tries to defeat these people. The novel is basically an interview between Jane and a psychiatrist who is questioning her after she was arrested for murder. You will laugh, be confused, wonder what is happening – lots of actions and twists. For mature readers only.

The Missing by Margaret Peterson Haddix

This is the first in the “Found” series. The prologue gives the background to the whole situation – a plane that arrived without a pilot and only 36 babies on board. The FBI took over and nothing more is known until 13 years later we get to meet Chip and Jonah who we realise are 2 of these babies.

They soon discover that there are others nearby and they are adopted, just like them. I’m sure that the sequels will take us further into solving these novels. A good mystery that keeps you reading and wanting to know more.

Headgames by Casey Lever

Ever played Truth or Dare? Five teens decide (some more eagerly than others) to have a go at this game. Not many dares get taken up but lots of truth gets told, things that have never been told to others – on very “touchy” subjects.

You have the nerd, the big guy, the tough guy, the school Miss Popular and the Goth. But these stereotypical labels hide a lot of hurt and it’s fascinating wondering what is going to be let out of the bag next.

Lever really writes a page turner – shades of psychological thrillers.

What Willow Knew by June Colbert

Sarah has lived with her “unusual” aunt since her mother died in a car accident five years before (her father had left when she was small). But now her aunt, Willow, is missing so Sarah has to move in with her father and his family. Everyone believes her aunt is dead, but Sarah doesn’t agree.

Deception Point by Dan Brown

This book was by one of my favourite authors, and is also one of my favourite books. Dan Brown (not to be confused with popular YouTuber Dan Brown a.k.a. pogobat) uses his high I.Q. and blends it into a fast paced mystery novel which compelled me to the very last paragraph. It follows Rachel Sexton, a beautiful worker at a government information facility. She is called by the President of the United States himself to visit a glacier in the north, to see over the discovery of something remarkable that could change the face of science and intergalactic studies as the world would know it. But government conspiracy and turns people against each other, and the story takes several exciting twists and turns. This book was amazing, and anyone who is a fan of Dan Brown and enjoys a bit of science, will certainly enjoy this.