Berkshire


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-11-12-year-olds">11 – 12 Year Olds</h2>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>The Haunted Hills</em>&nbsp;by Berlie Doherty</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<p>A gentle ghost story set in the ancient landscapes of the Peak District. Carl has come to visit the area with his parents. He is recovering from the fallout of an accident and is dealing with grief and his own demons. When he gets lost in the hills, a strange boy guides him home. Is this really the Lost Lad of local legend? Ancient landscapes, folktales and mythology all interweave to create this moving story about friendship and healing.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>Heartstopper Yearbook</em>&nbsp;by Alice Oseman</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Alice Osman’s original graphic novel was transferred to the small screen this year and has proved massively popular. The tale of Charlie and Nick, who become friends, and then more, it is a lovely exploration of LGBTQ+ issues, and is sweet, romantic and kind. For fans of the original novel and the show, this is the perfect gift, and includes new artwork, character profiles, trivia and insights into the author’s creative process.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>Book of Phobias and Manias</em>&nbsp;by Kate Summerscale</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Not specifically a YA book, but an excellent and amusing collection of 99 phobias and obsessions dating from the Middle Ages to the present day. Includes everything from fear of losing one’s mobile phone (nomophobia), to an obsession with book buying (bibliomania – we can relate!) Perfect for reading out at the Christmas dinner table….&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">13+ Year Olds</h2>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>Daughter of the Pirate King</em>&nbsp;by Tricia Levenseller</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<p>A YA fantasy about Alosa, daughter of a feared pirate king, who is captured while seeking a treasure map to unearth a hidden treasure trove. Allowing herself to be captured by the enemy ensures she can search their ship. However, Riden, the rather attractive and clever first mate, is proving more than a match for her.&nbsp;Merging fantasy and romance, Alosa is swash-buckling and sword fighting heroine in the mould of a lady Jack Sparrow. Brilliant!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>Unraveller</em>&nbsp;by Frances Hardinge</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<p>From the award-winning author comes a dark gothic fantasy about mythology, mystery and a world besieged by curses. Kellen can undo a life-destroying curse, and there are many of these in the land of Raddith. But it turns out that he himself is cursed. He also has a temper, which gets him into a fair amount of trouble. Accompanied by loyal and steady friend Nettle, he has to unravel his own curse in order to save the world. Hardinge weaves in the darker side of fairy tales to great effect and her worldbuilding is unparalleled. A book to be enjoyed by older readers too.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>Five Survive</em>&nbsp;by Holly Jackson</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<p>A new standalone thriller (publication 8 Dec) from the queen of teen crime, author of&nbsp;<em>The Good Girls Guide to Murder</em>. Eight hours. Six Friends. One sniper. Told in real time this is a fast-paced thriller about a group of friends who set out on a spring break road trip in a RV. When they break down in the middle of nowhere, with no mobile reception, and no one around to help, they soon discover that this is no accident. One them has a secret. So deadly that someone is prepared to kill for it…Secrets are spilled, friendships are tested.&nbsp; Claustrophobic and twisty, this is a must read for fans of all teen crime.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">14+ Years Old</h2>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>Her Dark Wings</em>&nbsp;by Melinda Salisbury</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<p>A Carnegie nominated new novel, rewriting the myth of Persephone. Corey and Bree are best friends, their bond seemingly unbreakable. When Bree betrays her, Corey finds herself alone, wracked by grief and rage. Discovering the Underworld, Corey finds herself enraptured by the passionate Furies, and enters the realm of a God who is cold, unyielding, and arrogant. The longer she spends there, the more her own power stirs. A tale of love, hate, vengeance (and flowers), this perfectly sums up the tangled emotions that accompany first love, all woven through with a thread of magic. Perfect escapism.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>Nothing More to Tell</em>&nbsp;by Karen McManus</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<p>A high school based murder mystery. Brynn quit Saint Ambrose School after the murder of her favourite teacher, Mr Larkin. The case was never solved. Four years on, Brynn returns to the school for her final year and scores an internship on a true crime podcast.&nbsp; Brynn decides to revisit that fatal summer, and in doing so uncovers buried secrets about her teacher, and of the three friends who discovered his body. It appears that someone knows more about the murder than they’re letting on.&nbsp; Filled with twisty and suspenseful turns and with a feisty protagonist, this is perfect for fans of teen crime dramas.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>The First to Die at the End</em>&nbsp;by Adam Silvera.</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<p>A prequel to the bestselling&nbsp;<em>They Both Die at the End</em>. Two strangers spend a life-changing day together. Orion and Valentino cross paths in Times Square and immediately feel a deep connection. But when the first round of End Day calls goes out, their lives are changed forever—one of them receives a call, and the other doesn’t. Though neither boy is certain how the day will end, they know they want to spend it together…even if that means their goodbye will be heartbreaking.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">14-16+ Years Old</h2>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow</em>&nbsp;by Zoulfa Katouh</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<p>A stunning debut novel set during the Syrian Revolution. Salama, a pharmacy student, was a normal teenager before the cries for freedom plunged her country into war. Now she works in a hospital in Homs, treating the wounded and yearning for escape. But she cannot leave her people, and her mind conjures up a vision who haunts her nights with memories of all she has lost. When she meets Kenan, her resolve to flee is further weakened. The tender love story at the heart of the novel humanises the horror of war and the tragedy that has befallen Syria.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>Family of Liars</em>&nbsp;by E. Lockhart</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<p>A prequel to the quite astonishing&nbsp;<em>We Were Liars</em>&nbsp;(a Book House favourite for years and more recently a Booktok phenomenon), this is the story of an earlier generation of Sinclairs, who summer on their private island Beechwood. One of four sisters, Carrie Sinclair, is 17, and still grieving the loss of her younger sister.&nbsp; A summer with extended family and friends appears at first idyllic and she soon falls in love with the enigmatic Pfeff. But Carrie is addicted to painkillers and she uncovers a family secret that could turn her life upside-down. The story takes a dark turn when a murder is covered up, and her wealthy upstanding family are revealed as less than wholesome.&nbsp; Betrayal, first love and family secrets.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong><em>SAS: Rogue Heroes</em>&nbsp;by Ben Macintyre</strong>&nbsp;</h2>



<p>An adult history book telling the astonishing and frankly insane story of the creation of the SAS, during the Second World War. Forged in the deserts of North Africa, and operating in secrecy ever since, this is the history of a small group of plucky and maverick young men. Early SAS activity make the “ripping yarns” of comic book heroes pale by comparison. <em>SAS: Rogue Heroes</em> is a great read of wartime adventuring and was recently made into an entertaining television programme.(16+)</p>


The best books to gift teens this Christmas

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