Reviews

Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick

1910. A cabin north of the Arctic Circle. Fifteen-year-old Sig Andersson is alone. Alone, except for the corpse of his father, who died earlier that day after falling through a weak spot on the ice-covered lake. His sister, Anna, and step-mother, Nadya, have gone to the local town for help. Then comes a knock at the door. It's a man, the flash of a revolver's butt at his hip, and a mean glare in his eyes. Sig has never seen him before but Wolff claims to have unfinished business with his father. As Sig gradually learns the awful truth about Wolff's connection to his father, Sig finds his thoughts drawn to a certain box hidden on a shelf in the storeroom, in which lies his father's prized possession - a revolver. When Anna returns alone, and Wolff begins to close in, Sigs choice is pulled into sharp focus. Should he use the gun, or not?

The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan

Nick and his brother Alan are on the run with their mother, who was once the lover of a powerful magician. When she left him, she stole an important charm - and he will stop at nothing to reclaim it. Now Alan has been marked with the sign of death by the magician's demon, and only Nick can save him. But to do so he must face those he has fled from all his life - the magicians - and kill them. So the hunted becomes the hunter...but in saving his brother, Nick discovers something that will unravel his whole past...

Chalkline by Jane Mitchell

Rafiq is taken from his family and recruited as a boy soldier to fight for the freedom of Kashmir. This is the story of Rafiq's transformation from child to boy soldier, as he is indoctrinated into the cause of fanatical belief. But his family have not forgotten him; when he can no longer recognize himself, they remember the boy he was, and reach out a hand of redemption as he spirals towards a final act of atrocity. Mitchell deals sensitively with difficult issues in this heartbreaking and uplifting book.   

Recommended Titles for Teenage Boys

1. Titles in the Young Bond Series by Charlie Higson:

 Blood Fever
 Double or Die
 Hurricane Gold
 Silverfin
 By Royal Command

2. Titles by Oisin McGann

 Strangled Silence
 The Evil Eye
 Daylight Runner
 Small Minded Giants
 The Wisdom of Dead Men

3. Titles by Eoin Colfer

 Artemis Fowl Series
 Airman
 The Supernaturalist
 Half Moon Investigations,

4. Titles by William Nicholson

 Wind on Fire Series
 Noble Warriors Series

5. Titles by Neil Gaiman

 The Graveyard Book
 Coraline
 The Dream Hunters
 
6. Titles by Cliff McNish

 Doomspell Series
 Silver Series
 Savannah Grey
 Breathe
 Angel

7. Titles by Philip Reeve

 Here Lies Arthur
 Fever Crumb
 Infernal Devices
 Mortal Engines
 Predators Gold

 8. Titles by Marcus Sedgwick

 The Raven Mysteries Series

 9. Titles by Rick Riordan

 Percy Jackson Series
 The Maze of Bones Series
 The Kane Chronicles Series

 10. Titles by Andy McNab

 Zero Hour
 Drop Zone
 War Torn
 Payback
 Avenger

 11. Titles by Anthony Horowitz

 Alex Rider Series

12. Titles by Robert Muchamore

 Cherub Series, Hendersen's Boys Series

13. Titles by Tim Bowler

 River Boy
 Frozen Fire

14. Titles by Adam Blade

 Beast Quest Series, The Chronicles of Avantia Series

15. Titles by Alex Scarrow

 Time Riders Series,

16. Titles by Darren Shan

 Demonata Series,

17. Titles by Philip Pullman

 His Dark Materials Trilogy

18. Titles by Joseph Delaney

 Wardstone Chronicles Series

19. Titles by Andy Mulligan

 Trash

20. Garth Nix

 The Seventh Tower Series, The Keys to the Kingdom Series

21. Jonathan Stroud

 Bartimaeuis Trilogy

22. Mark Walden

 H.I.V.E. Series

23. Joe Craig

 Jimmy Coates Series

24. Andrew Lane

 Young Sherlock Holmes