Wild East

This powerful and inspiring verse novel by Ashley Hickson-Lovence tells the story would-be rapper, Ronnie. Following the the tragic death of his best friend, Ronny’s mum decides to relocate to Norwich. Ronny has to adapt to a new city as well as coping with his loss. He finds solace in his writing – his dream of becoming a rapper is encouraged by his English teacher and a visiting poet. This coming-of-age story has multiple strands covering racism, identity, football, gangs and county lines, poverty and more. Despite this, the story never feels forced and the story lines are handled deftly and come together well. 

Ronny is a likeable and sympathetic character, and all the characters are similarly well written – I particularly liked Leigh and Malachi. At first, I thought the emphasis on poetry might dissuade some readers who would otherwise love the book, but Ronny’s verses read true and will appeal to most young people. I also think the verse novel format will make the book more appealing.

Highly recommended. 

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Last Seen Online

LAST SEEN ONLINE by Lauren James

Last Seen Online is unlike the last few books written by Wren James (which I loved) but is equally enjoyable. Delilah is a wannabe actress who is pulled into Hollywood royalty following a mortifying audition. Her new friend, Sawyer, involves her in an old murder case and they investigate this further, helped by some cool internet investigation and a defunct blog. This puts them in danger, but they do solve the case. I was dimly aware of the world of fandom, so it was fascinating to delve deeper. Whilst Delilah’s sleuthing skills were perhaps a little too impressive, this is an exciting and entertaining book, with plenty of twists. It will certainly appeal to all the true crime aficionados out there.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Safiyyah’s War by Hiba Noor Khan

 

Safiyyah’s War by Hiba Noor Khan is set during World War Two. It tells the story of Safiyyah, a young Muslim girl, who lives with her family in the Grand Mosque in Paris. Safiyah is troubled by the Nazi occupation of Paris, and when she discovers her father helping Jewish families, she is determined to help, despite her terror of being caught. This is a deeply moving and thought-provoking novel that highlights the power of courage, compassion, and unity in the face of adversity. With its rich detail about Paris and Islam, it provides a rarely told story from this period. Highly recommended.

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The Mercury In Me - Book Review

 

Our recommended read last week, “The Mercury in Me” by Rachel Fernandes is a funny, tender and relatable novel that explores the life of a seventeen-year-old British Indian girl named Maya Pritik.

Maya aspires to be a doctor and is an exemplary student, who works hard and behaves. She dreads disappointing her traditional British Indian parents. 

As a talented musician, she is intrigued to find out that Freddie Mercury, the singer from Queen, was British Indian too. This inspires her to audition for the school show, “We Will Rock You”, and she becomes involved with Harry Wu, the gorgeous lead of the show. 

The story beautifully captures the complexities of navigating adolescence, cultural identity, and personal passions. The depiction of the growing relationship between Harry and Maya, her family dynamics, and friendships are all well written and the characters are relatable. It is a funny and tender story, and comes highly recommended.

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