East Renfrewshire ~ Book Blog

Ness: The Knife of Never Letting Go

Book review on “The knife of never letting go”
By Patrick Ness

I thought the book was an interesting story which kept me engaged until the end which was a cliff hanger leading on to the second book. I enjoyed it and I can’t wait to read the second book. It is about a boy called Todd who lives on new world. On new world everybody can hear each others thoughts and it is sometimes just a muddle of thoughts so the people simply called it “the noise.” He lives in Prentistown which is the only town on new world. Or is it? The rule on Prentistown is that when you turn 13 you become of age and Todd is the last boy to turn 13. He is 12 years old 12 months old (there are 13months in new world.) As Todd starts to see things that he is told doesn’t exist he is dragged out of Prentistown and into nothingness. Will he survive and reach his destination? Or will he get caught
By John (St. Ninians High School)

Hooper: Newes from the Dead

‘Newes from the Dead’
By Mary Hooper

I enjoyed this book but found it quite gruesome. It was about a girl who was accused of murder, even though she was innocent, and sentenced to be hanged.
After she was hanged though, the men at the place where the body was put afterwards realised she was still alive and try everything to bring her back to consciousness. It is also an account on her story and how she ends up being convicted of murder.

All in all I thought this book was very interesting and I enjoyed it a lot.   

By Kathleen (St. Ninians High School)

Gray: Ostrich Boys

This is a very interesting book. It tells the story of Sim, Kenny, Blake and their dead best friend, Ross. When Ross’ funeral doesn’t live up to their expectations, Kenny, Sim and Blake decide to take Ross’ urn on an epic adventure to Ross, far away in Scotland. The three friends undergo scrupulous hardship and realise what good friends are when problems arise and they work together throughout the book. I loved this book because it is exciting and fast-paced, full of adventure and great description. It opened my eyes as to what happens when death destructs a group of friends as quickly as it did in this story. Nearer the end, the setting is tranquil and so gives a peaceful ending to the book. It is an enticing book and I would recommend it to everybody.
 Rhea  (Woodfarm High School)

Creech: Heartbeat

Heart Beat was an interesting but funny book and we enjoyed reading about a girl named Annie. Annie has a hobby which is part of her life really, it’s running and she enjoys her hobby with her best friend Max.
Annie tells us about her life as a child and when big changes happen in Annie’s life she has to adjust to these in a way she doesn’t really like.

We thought this book by Sharon Creech was an understandable book to read but it was very heart rendering at some points to see Annie get into some uncomfortable positions. On an overall basis this book is brilliant to read and we highly recommend you take then time to read it.

BY
Rebecca and Zakiah (Woodfarm High School)

Wonderland

Wonderland
by
Karen McCombie

I enjoyed reading “Wonderland” by Karen McCombie because it told you what was happening at every point of the story and I could not get lost from where I was.

The only bad thing about the story, is that I could not get into the book properly and I think that was because there was too much going on at one time.
E.g. It would go from the main girl character Jude at a party and then jump to her and her mum Helen in their home. It was just a little bit confusing to follow.

This book was mainly about a girl called Jude’s life, it tells you that her dad leaves the family and her mum does not want to be called mum anymore, she wants to be called by her first name which is Helen.

My favourite part of the story is when she goes to find her dad. She goes and sits outside a house for 1 hour and it turns out she is in the wrong street. So eventually when she gets to the right house, to her surprise she finds….

In conclusion, I would only recommend this book to someone who likes to sit in the quiet and read for a while. Because like I said it was a bit hard to follow.

By Demi (St. Ninians High School)

Wolf Brother

Wolf Brother
by Michelle Paver

I liked “Wolf Brother” because it had a gripping story line.
At the end of each chapter it always ends that you want to read on.

This Book is about a boy called Torak whose father gets killed by a bear but it is no ordinary bear inside it is a demon.

Torak has to now survive on his own in the forest and his only ally is an orphaned wolf cub.

Along the way torak finds something strange about himself. That thing is that he is the….

Jordan (St. Ninians High School)

Ness: The Kniife of Never Letting Go

The Knife of Never Letting Go
By Patrick Ness
Recently I read the book ‘Knife of never letting go’ by Patrick Ness.

The book is about a boy called Todd Hewitt who like all other men can speak just by thinking of it. The story starts with Todd being told out of the blue that he must leave immediately by his guardian Ben. He leaves reluctantly and on his way meets a girl, which is surprising to Todd as all the girls and women were killed shortly after he was born. Todd and Viola are then hunted down by the Prentiss town army only escaping narrowly each time they meet.
The story, however, is full of grief as Todd lost his mum when he was only a child and his dog Manchee is killed along the way by an evil man named Aaron (the preacher of Prentiss town and Todd’s sacrifice so he can become a man). Also Viola, when arriving on new world her family crashed and every one was killed except her. During the book Todd and Viola go through many strange and wonderful places but in the end are trapped by the Prentiss town army in Haven the place they believed to be safe but this is where the story ends and the next one begins.

I liked this book as there was always something happening and the main characters were not made out as superheroes who always win.

By Connor (St Ninians High School) 

The General

The General
By Robert Muchamore

I recently read a book by Robert Muchamore called the general. It’s part of the cherub series and is the 10th book. Cherub is a secret organisation which sends kids aged 10-17 on missions. At the start one of the main characters called James Adams, is sent on a mission to exploit a group who wants to become a terrorist organisation. Afterwards he returns to campus and celebrates Christmas; he’s told that all his friends are going on a trip to Las Vegas for 2 days then to a place called Fort Reagan to take part in a massive war game with American troops. During this he plants laxative in the Americans water supply they find out he done so for his safety he leaves. On his way home his supervisor (who also got kicked out) plans to cheat casinos by using cameras to card count. When he returns to England (with £20,000) things return to normal.
I enjoyed this book because it’s exciting and I never wanted to put it down.
 
By Jack H (St. Ninians High School)

Zephaniah: Refugee Boy

Refugee Boy
By Benjamin Zephaniah

The book I have been reading is refugee boy by Benjamin Zephaniah . I really enjoyed   it as kept you reading because you didn’t know what was going to happen .In the story a young boy (Alem kelo) and his father Have left Ethiopia because there is a lot of fighting . Then one morning Alem wakes up and his father is gone , he is confused to where his father has got to but then is told the news  that he has gone back to try and find Alem’s mother who had stayed in Ethiopia . Then social workers come and tell him that is he is going to go to foster parents so he does and he is really enjoying it but just when everything was good he is told that he has to go to court and could be sent home to his country again .

By Daniel B (St. Ninians High School)

The Passion Flower

The Passion flower Massacre
Nicola Morgan.

I liked “The Passion Flower Massacre” by Nicola Morgan because it had a very interesting story line. I couldn’t put the book down.
It was about a girl who works on a fruit farm. She feels lonely until she is asked for her help at the big house on top of the hill. The people who work and live I the house are all part of a religious cult who draw Matilda to eventually join them. The man with the long, flowing “Jesus hair” is like their messiah. The worship him until the end when he tries to mass murder them all by burning them to death when he sets the fruit fields alight with explosives.
The thing I liked about the book was that it was different – It wasn’t a happy ending.

Kayleigh W (St. Ninians High School)