If you like a detective caper shot through with magic, Derek Landy’s Skulduggery Pleasant series is for you! 
A long-dead, wise-cracking magician teams up with a feisty twelve year-old girl, who is not all she appears. This fast-paced, action-packed adventure is full of thrills, spills and whip-smart funny dialogue. Highly recommended to anyone aged 9 and above. We’ve got the whole series in our library!
This exciting Victorian mystery takes us to a world of seances and dark magic, as three captured orphans try to free themselves from their sinister benefactor.
An intriguing, absorbing tale for readers aged 9 and above.
Welcome to the world of Nik and Norva, a pair of sassy sisters whose detecting hobby becomes deadly serious when their mentor is murdered and their own father is in the frame. 
A feast of vividly-drawn characters and crackling dialogue, it’s a fresh and funny whodunnit for readers aged ten upwards.
Maggie thinks being the middle child is rubbish: the oldest children, like her brother Jed, are revered and get all the best treatment.
In the eleven years of her life, Maggie has been taught that dangers lurk outside the boundaries of her small town — a place that is cut off from the rest of the world and where hardship is a part of everyone’s life.
But a chance encounter with a stranger sends Maggie down a perilous path, where the choice is between heroism and betrayal. As events spiral out of control, will Maggie the Middler measure up, or will she lose everything she holds dear?
This novel has a deceptively bucolic beginning, but hints of darkness soon combine to create a must-read climax. A cracking story.
What is going on in this part-submerged city?
Who or what is the monster that stalks its crumbling streets? Who is the boy with strange powers, who was washed up by the tide? Can the resourceful young inventor, Ellie, save him from a brutal execution, even if it means exposing her own dangerous secrets to the light?
The mystery and suspense keep coming in this compelling adventure, where nothing is quite what it seems. A proper page-turner.
Ever struggled to find the right wardrobe*? Does wielding the subtle knife sound just a bit too dangerous**? Forgotten your potato***?
Never fear: those who fancy inter-universe travel, the strange words travel agency is here! Just pull a suitcase off the self, climb inside and experience new worlds. What could be easier!
Er….
Right. Well, as 12-year-old Flick is about to find out, nothing is quite so straightforward, especially when you find yourself trapped on a world that is disintegrating street-by-street! Can she and her new pals fix it?
Exciting and engaging, the story moves on swiftly and never drags, as Flick journeys from the mundane normality of everyday-England to strange new universes across magical chasms. Fans of Morrigan Crow and Harry Potter will love this, as will anyone who enjoys magical adventures.
*see CS Lewis
**see Philip Pullman
***see Terry Pratchett
This novel-in-verse might float like a butterfly, but it pulls no punches in this, at times, brutal exploration of bullying and body-image. Protagonist Lily starts as friendless and in despair but finds strength in her family and, ultimately, the boxing ring.
The writing hooks you in straightaway, the sparse words punching above their weight and pulling you into a clinch. For fans of Sarah Crossan this is a must-read.
Literally poetry of motion, this novel-in-verse follows the trails, trials and tribulations of court-crazy twins Josh and Jordan, and their equally basketball-obsessed father Chuck. It is stunningly written, allowing the sound and shape of words (as much as their meaning) to bring the high school setting to life. There are few words to the poages, meaning the pace is as fast as the sports matches it describes, but each word is chosen with care and sizzles with atmosphere.
Themes of jealousy, identity, family, trust and resilience make this a universal story for all, regardless of whether you know the difference between a lay off and an alley-oop. Recommended.
Review by Storm, Y9
The Maze is a terrifying place, to which a number of teenage boys have been mysteriously transported. They have no memory of their former lives and no idea why they are in The Maze. The boys stay in the safety of a central area called The Glade, but every day “runners” go into the Maze to attempt to map it and find an exit. However, if they don’t make it back to the Glade by nightfall, they risk being trapped in the Maze and killed by the violent, mechanical monsters that patrol it.
Why do I recommend this book?
I recommend this book because it’s really adventurous and at the same time kind of scary.
What do I rate this book
I rate this book a 5 out of 5. It really encouraged me to read more of these types of books…I’m definitely going to read Maze Runner 2 (The Scorch Trials)
