Holly Bourne - Soulmates

Age 14+

After a chance meeting at a local band night, Poppy and Noah find themselves swept up in a whirlwind romance unlike anything they’ve ever experienced before. But while the odds of this happening are about as likely as being struck by lightning, when they do meet and fall in love, thunderstorms, lightning strikes and lashings of rain are only the beginning of their problems.

With a secret international agency preparing to separate them and a trail of destruction rumbling in their wake, they are left with an impossible choice between the end of the world, or a life without love…

Every so often, two people are born who are the perfect match for each other.

Soulmates.

At 544 pages this is a tome of a book, but it's an electrifying, pacey read from popular YA writer, Holly Bourne. This was her debut novel back in 2013, and great for older readers. Would make a great book club choice discussing the theme of first love and romance novels.

Michelle Quach - Not Here to Be Liked

 Age 14+

Diversity

In one afternoon, I devoured the debut novel from Michelle Quach, Not Here To Be Liked, quickly absorbed by the plot, fascinated by the characters and debating the important questions raised and the quote-worthy writing.  

 

Even if you only have fifteen minutes to read a chapter at a time, I highly recommend you do.  This, to paraphrase a quote, is a novel about a character, ‘who’s smart but a bit prickly, which is a combination the world could use more of right now’.

 

Set in an Asian-American school community of California, the story centres around Eliza Quan, as  she navigates what it means to be a young woman in the 21^st Century.  Is she a feminist?  Is she annoyed that she was overlooked to be Editor-in-Chief of the school newspaper?  Is she something else? 

 

Along with older sister Kim, Eliza is the child of Chinese parents with Vietnamese heritage, and this book offers insights into both languages and foods, including a special relationship with Boba Tea, the milk and tapioca tea drink that originated in Taiwan and can be found in every corner of the world. 

Pitched against fellow newspaper writer and former baseball player, Len DiMartile, Eliza learns about ambition (with a little help from Macbeth) friendship and doing the right thing.

Not Here to Be Liked is suggested for readers age 14+, and would be a great book club read for older readers; discussion questions provided at the end of the novel.

£7.99