Wren by Lucy Hope, reviewed by Aysha (11)

This thrilling historical adventure story is set in Wren’s ancestral home in Anglesey, in North Wales in 1870. 

Wren is not like other girls, she is adventurous and she likes taking risks. One day, Wren hears a strange noise coming from the walls of her house. A song or a call? Later at  breakfast, her strict father tells her there was no sound and tells Wren that he is planning on sending her to Boarding school where she will learn how to behave like a proper ‘lady’. 

“I loved this book as I never thought that it would have so much to the story…”

Aysha (11)

Wren notices a letter left on the table from a famous French inventor who built a flying bird and includes his plans. Deciding to escape from her home, Wren decides to build the flying bird in order to escape. Wren gathers the equipment, and with some help from her friend, they make it. However, the day she decides to use it, the weather is terrible and she lands in the cold sea, but when she was up in the sky, she spotted something…

What could it be?

I loved this book as I never thought that it would have so much to the story. I would recommend this book for 10-13 year olds but I think there should not be an age restriction on books so if you are an adult, go for it too!

(Cover illustration fan art by Aysha)

Giant by Nicola Skinner, reviewed by Aysha (11)

This book is amazing!!!

I love the way it is written and illustrated and told.

As a person who does not usually read a lot of books about Giants, this book was great! As you can tell by the title, this book is about Giants. 

I loved reading this story, there were so many twists to the story, it kept me guessing right till the very end. 

Aysha (11)

In Minnie’s island of people, there are also Giants. The Giants work for the Giant Management Company which is run by Mrs Primrose. How does it work, you ask? Well, Giants get trained to be servants and look after children until the children turn 12. When the children turn 12, there is a ceremony where the children kiss their Giant. When the child kisses their Giant, their Giant turns to stone.

When a massive earthquake hits Quake Quarter, Minnie’s ceremony is fast-tracked. But she is not ready for her ceremony and not ready to say goodbye to Speck her Giant, so Minnie runs away. How will she survive and are there some hidden secrets along the way!?

I loved reading this story, there were so many twists to the story, it kept me guessing right till the very end. 

The Thief Who Sang Storms by Sophie Anderson, Reviewed by Aysha (11)

The Thief Who Sang Storms is a great book written by Sophie Anderson. 

It contains magic, creativity, teamwork and most of all love (but not the romance kind).

I love how this book has lots of flashbacks so you can understand the back story too

Aysha (11)

It’s all about a bird girl called Linnet and her Island of Morovia, which is now divided into areas where humans live and a swamp area where all the bird people now reside, after something drastic happened. 

The bird people formed a group called the Unity Movement who have been trying to take down Captain Ilya who separated the bird people from humans for ‘safety’ after what happened. When Linnet’s father, Nightingale, gets caught by the bogatyrs (Captain IIya’s troops), Linnet realises she needs to do something. 

She teams up with humans to help stop this nonsense, but can she do it?

I love how this book has lots of flashbacks so you can understand the back story too.

The Unexpected Tale of Bastien Bonlivre by Clare Povey, reviewed by Aysha (11)

In this magnificent book by Clare Povey, the main character, Bastien Bonlivre, gets taken to an orphanage. In this orphanage, the owner, Monsieur Xavier, is not very nice and horrible to the children.

Bastien’s parents died and they left behind a notebook which was told to have something hidden inside it as they were very famous book writers.

I loved this book as it’s based in France and I love reading stories about different places. There are even a few French words in it too!

Aysha (11)

Over the next few days in the awful orphanage bastien meets another boy, Theo, who is a very cunning engineer who can build almost anything out of scrap. As the months go by, Theo and Bastien decide to escape briefly to see France in all its pride and glory.

Suddenly back at the orphanage the notebook gets stolen, can Bastien get is back before it’s too late?

I loved this book as its based in France and I love reading stories about different places. There are eve a few French words in it too!

This book will be right up your alley if you like stories, as Bastien reads a lot of stories to the orphanage boys: mysteries, crime and Paris.