Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Ah, Twilight. I was hoping to be carried away with the romance and forbidden love of Bella and Edward, but unfortunately I was left a little cold.

For those not familiar with this series, Twilight tells the story of Bella, an awkward teenager who leaves sunny Phoenix to live with her father in the perpetually overcast town of Forks, Washington. Bella is an instant hit when she begins school in Forks and is pursued by several of the school's most eligible boys, much to her surprise. Bella is not particularly interested in any of the regular boys and soon becomes smitten by the mysterious Edward, who we soon find out just happens to be a vampire. The attraction is shared by Edward, who finds the scent of Bella's blood strangely compelling. I enjoyed the storyline of Twilight and the cast of characters kept me reading but I couldn't enjoy the book as much as I wanted to.

The problem I encountered was that I really didn't empathise with the character of Bella. I just couldn't find much that I liked about her, and to be honest, found her a little whiny. (Phew - no instant lynch mob!) I realise that a lot of people really like Bella, but I just couldn't warm to her. If you disagree with me, there will be an opportunity to discuss Twilight at the Dubbo Branch Library during the summer holidays and you may be able to convince me otherwise!

'Jinx' by Meg Cabot

Jean Honeychurch hates her boring name (not Jean Marie, or Jeanette, just . . . Jean)but she loathes her too-appropriate nickname - Jinx - even more. Misfortune seems to follow her everywhere she goes—which is why she's thrilled to be moving in with her aunt and uncle in New York City. Maybe when she's halfway across the country, Jinx can finally outrun her bad luck. Or at least escape the havoc she's caused back in her small hometown.
But trouble has definitely followed Jinx to New York. And it's causing big problems for her cousin Tory, who is not happy to have the family black sheep around. Beautiful, glamorous Tory is hiding a dangerous secret—one that she's sure Jinx is going to reveal.
Jinx is beginning to realize it isn't just bad luck she's been running from. It's something far more sinister . . . and the curse Jinx has lived under since the day she was born might just be the only thing that can save her life.

I enjoyed Jinx, it was a good fairly light read and had a satisfactory ending. Loving the supernatural themes at the mo'...

The astonishing Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl by Barry Lyga

Fanboy is a skinny, nerdy kid who gets beaten up on a regular basis at school by the popular jocks while members of the opposite sex don't even realize he exists (something he wishes the jocks would catch on to). He carries a bullet around in his pocket, something akin to a safety blanket, and keeps a certain 'List' of people in the back of his mind. You think you know where this is all headed - it is set in America, after all - especially when he meets the similarly bitter and angry Goth Girl, who has a disturbing interest in his step-father's gun collection. But that's where The Adventures of Fanboy and Goth Girl takes a sharp U-turn, avoiding the easy and well-trodden way out - blazing guns and school hallways littered with dead kids. Fanboy isn't just a nerd. He's smart. He's talented. In between being humiliated at gym class and getting his face slammed into school lockers, Fanboy's is pouring his heart and soul into writing a graphic novel, one he hopes to get published, and one he hopes will be a way out his miserable life and the key to his fame and fortune. Lyga's odd hero gives an interesting voice to the thousands of faceless kids that file through schools around the world each year who manage to live in the face of intense harrasment and bullying, without thought of retaliation - other than showing their classmates up at the school reunion. The ending may be a little optimistic for some, but stranger things have happened... (You find out what his real name is once but I can't seem to find the page again - it's something like Cecil - no wonder he prefers Fanboy.)
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The earth, my butt and other big round things by Carolyn Mackler

Uncle Montague's Tales of Terror by Chris Priestley

I don't know why I chose to read this book. The cover looks spooky, the title has 'terror' in it and I've never managed to watch I know what you did last summer the whole way through, despite people telling me it really isn't that scary. In other words, I'm a big chicken! In the end, I'm glad I summoned the courage to read it. It's a collection of ten short and grisly tales, told by the eccentric Uncle Montague to his inquisitive nephew Edgar. Uncle Montague's Tales of Terror are stories inspired by various artefacts Edgar notices in the shadows of his uncle's strangely dark house - a gold watch, a gilt frame, a church pew gargoyle. Each story has a chilling end - but Edgar dismisses them as fiction, although his uncle would have him believe otherwise. Witches, ghosts, demons and jinns wreak havoc on the characters - all children - in each story all told in a disturbingly familiar way, as if Uncle Montague was himself the child, which is why Edgar is almost certain they are just stories... well, almost certain... Reading it reminded me of a pyjama party where everyone sits in a circle with torches lighting up and distorting their faces, telling scary stories, until someone freaks out and the lights have to go on and an adult has to come in and calm everyone down.

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The beasts of Clawstone Castle by Eva Ibbotson

Once by Morris Gleitzman

Once, I read a book from start to finish without putting it down. Once, I read a book that made me laugh. Once, I read a book that also made me cry. Once is the story of Felix, a young Jewish boy with a talent for storytelling - inspired no doubt by the fact that his parents once owned a bookstore. Set in Poland, 1941, the world is in turmoil in the midst of World War II - not that Felix realizes, safely tucked away in an isolated orphanage by his farsighted parents in 1939, in the hope that by disguising him as a Catholic orphan, he will escape persecution from the Nazis.
Felix waits for three and a half long years for his parents to return for him, all the while believing they have simply gone on a long trip to find out why the source of Jewish books for the store they own and run has dried up. When an entire carrot appears in his soup (a small miracle) he is certain it is a message from his parents, telling him they are returning for him. When they don't, Felix sets off by himself to find out what's keeping them from coming back. What follows is the tragic tale of a small boy, who, armed with an active imagination and his unwavering faith in his parents, is a shining light in a story black with the horror and depravation of the Holocaust. The tears you will shed when you read this book will dry, but it's message of sacrifice and hope will stay with you forever.

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Then by Morris Gleitzman (the sequel to Once)

School holiday activities

Only one week to go and you're free again - well, for two weeks at least... Don't forget there will be a tonne of cool things to do at your library these school holidays. But if you're lucky enough to be going away, why don't you take a book to read while you're lying in the glorious sun on that golden beach? Not that we're jealous or anything...

If you've got a long drive before you get there - take an audiobook to play in the car along the way. Here are a few good suggestions:

• Mates, dates and Portobello Princesses by Cathy Hopkins
• Pictures from the fire by Gaye Hicyilmaz
• Black water by David Metzenthan
• The curious incident of the dog in the night-time by Mark Haddon
• Breathe by Penni Russon

We've also got Harry Potter on audiobook but honestly, people, think outside the square!

Top 10 borrowed books

Young adult fiction
As you can imagine, the boy wizard is still dominating most lists around the world, including ours:
1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Harrows by J.K. Rowling
2. Harry Potter and the half-blood prince by J. K. Rowling
3. Eragon by Christopher Paolini
4. The dead of the night by John Marsden
5. Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
6. Eldest by Christopher Paolini
7. Tomorrow, when the war began by John Marsden
8. Erak's ransom by John Flanagan
9. Every boy's got one by Meg Cabot
10. Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta

Junior fiction
Just because it's junior doesn't mean it's light-weight. Harry Potter casts his spell on this top 10 too.
1. The cat on the mat is flat by Andy Griffiths
2. The BFG by Roald Dahl
3. Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl
4. Give peas a chance by Morris Gleitzman
5. Just shocking! by Andy Griffiths
6. The Simpson's holiday humdinger by Matt Groening
7. Big beefy book of Bart Simpson by Matt Groening
8. Big bouncy book of Bart Simpson by Matt Groening
9. Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets by J.K. Rowling
10. The witches by Roald Dahl

Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat by Lynne Jonell

Emmy is a sad, lonely and neglected kid. Her parents recently inherited a fortune from a long-lost uncle, and while Emmy now has everything a kid could ever want, she's never been so unhappy. Her parents are constantly traveling, and when they are home they seem distant and different. She has no friends at her new school - in fact, it's as if she doesn't even exist - even the teacher can't remember her name. She's worried she might be going completely mad because she's certain the classroom pet, a rat, talks to her. And then there's her evil nanny, Miss Barmy. Miss Barmy is like Mary Poppins, but not in the good way - there's nothing sugary or delightful about her! Emmy, fed up with being invisible to everyone and stifled by Miss Barmy's constant control, decides to finally listen to the Rat's beckoning and lets him out of his cage. Little does she know that the talking isn't the Rat's only talent, and the chain of events that follow his release could spell disaster for everyone involved. Soccer-playing chipmunks, a narcoleptic professor and farting potions make this story hard to put down; you'll find yourself cheering on the plucky Emmy Addison to victory over her sinister and sometimes stinky rival, Miss Barmy, right until the very end.

Place a reservation on Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat.

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The worry website by Jacqueline Wilson.

The ghost's child by Sonya Hartnett

Winner of the Children's Book Council of Australia's award for Book of the Year for Older Readers

Sonya Hartnett has created a beautiful, tragic, mythical and completely tangible world in The Ghost's Child. Her characters, drawn with such complexity - striking an odd yet natural balance with the fairytale-like prose - are both ethereal and earthy, existing in a timeless age. As with all fairytales, the story comes with a moral - but it's found in gentle undertones - strong, but gentle, and it sits with you long after you've put the book down. Love hard without fear, live life filled with hope, and see the beauty in all things.

Welcome to the blog

So you're bored already. School holidays only started two days ago and you're already absurdly dreaming about maths homework. Your mum won't give you a cent to go the the movies. Your best mate is living it up in Queensland for the week. And you can't face another episode of Dr. Phil. Here's an idea - read a book. Sound boring? Maybe. But it beats just sitting there. And when you're done, add a post* to this blog and let someone else know whether it was a good read or not.

*To add posts you will need to register first, by emailing your name, age and email address to mrlyablog@gmail.com – you will be invited you to join, and then you can blog away til your heart’s content.