iBoy by Kevin Brooks

“we’re all … animals - none of us know any better”

iBoy by Kevin Brooks is the story of a teenage boy who acquires ‘superpowers’. When someone throws an iPhone from the top of a 30 story building, Harvey’s head is cracked and the iPhone pieces get stuck inside his brain. Harvey is able to everything that a phone can do and much more. He seeks revenge on the gang members who hurt his childhood friend, Lucy. He becomes known as iBoy, a superhero protecting the violent local area. But in all of that, Harvey loses himself to iBoy as the line between good and bad starts to blur.

After reading How to be Invisible, I simply assumed that this would be another book for pre-teens. However, this book contains some heavy themes and should be read by younger adolescents. (Maybe 15 and up? It really just depends on maturity…)

The Dead of the Night by John Marsden

In The Dead of the Night, Ellie and her five friends decide to go back to Wirrawee to see if Corrie and Kevin are fine and try to get more information about the Showground. After sharing what they found out they decide to go to see what's on the other side of Hell and hopefully find  more people. 

This is the second book in the Tomorrow series. It's more violent and more adventurous than the first. They kill more soldiers and there are more attacks. Because of this, Ellie feels guilty and feels 'shadows' following her. 'I live in the light, but carry my dark with me' is how she describes what she is feeling. The group continuously change from young and naive teenagers to more experienced and strategic people. They are more careful and aware of the situation that they are in. They are already giving each other advise on how to keep calm when they are attacking and aren't as clueless as they were in the start of the first book. 'When you're scared you can either give in to the panic and let your mind fall apart, or you can take charge of your mind and think brave.'

A good Arriving by David McRobbie

"I learnt there are two sorts of kindness. One of them's nice to look at fora time, but it's rotten inside. The other one's true and honest, like the kind Helen gives."

A Good Arriving by David McRobbie. This book is set in the 1830s. Helen had a wonderful family, education and what now seems a blooming romance. However after the Duke decides he will not renew the lease of the farm's in their area, including their farm everything falls apart. Helen is separated from the people she loves and must work as someone's servant. After facing one obstacle after the other she returns to her family to find out that her father has died. The family's economical states gets even worse. A nice doctor comes along and helps them out. Helen starts working for him and his wife, taking care of their baby. They invite her to go with them to Australia to live. Helen reluctantly agrees. However on the ship things start unraveling. The doctor is not who he seems to be and anyone that is close to Helen suffers. The journey to Australia is now a journey to survive.