This week the Fountain Gate team snuck in and stole the spotlight!
Luckily they left behind these great reading suggestions…
Inferno by Dan Brown:
If you like books where history meets espionage, this is the book for you.
Entering the story from a few days in, the reader immediately hits the ground running. Robert Langdon has woken up in an Italian hospital with no memory of how he got there other than a silver cylinder hidden inside his coat. Slowly the puzzle pieces start to fall into place and with the assistance of Sienna Brooks, a brilliant mind in her own right and coincidentally the doctor assigned to care for him, Robert embarks on a race across Italy on the trail of a madman with more than a minor interest in the works of Dante, namely his scripture entitled “Inferno”. With time running out and new clues to solve at every turn, not to mention a skilled assassin known for her success rate in the field hot on their trail, will Robert and Sienna be able to stop the diabolical plot before the deadline.
Overall I liked this book. It was full of intrigue and well researched with a rather unorthodox twist for an ending. Although I have enjoyed all of the Langdon novels, I found this one to be different in a surprising and effective way that made it stand out from it’s predecessors. – Jo (Store Manager)
Sweet Damage by Rebecca James:
Lacking of its kind in the young and new adult thriller genres, Sweet Damage by Australian author Rebecca James is definitely one to set the bar. Free spirit Tim Ellison moves into Fairview, a huge, dark and slightly creepy mansion overlooking Sydney’s best beaches. Tim’s roommate and landlord is Anna London; an enigmatic agoraphobic who is haunted by her unspeakable past. Weeks drift by and things start happening in the house. Things that cannot be explained and only lead back to Anna. Tim is left wondering if he made the right choice moving in to the place that is ill-fated by something more sinister altogether. Sweet Damage is a gritty and engrossing read and impossible not to devour cover to cover. Perfect for those in their late teens that are not quite ready to bear the likes of psychological thrillers like Gone Girl. – Alyssa (2IC)
The Secret History by Donna Tartt:
The Secret History is a beautifully written and mesmerising novel by Donna Tartt. It tells the story of Richard Papen a student at an east coast college, fresh from California, and desperate to be a part of an exclusive Ancient Greek class, however he has no idea the depths of depravity to which these young adults are capable. Donna Tartt weaves a story of drugs, alcohol, murder and the Classics, however this is a murder mystery with a twist. The Secret History is not a whodunnit, because you find that out in the very first chapter. Rather it’s a why-dun-it, and long after you finish this book the motivations and psyches of these characters will stay with you. – Brig
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch:
Con artists in the criminal underground of Camorr, Locke Lamora and his Gentleman Bastards live out of the limelight, having convinced the underworld boss Capa Basarvi they are small-time thieves. Secretly though, they’re also conning the nobleman of the city out of piles of gold in defiance of the Capa delicate truce with the cities police. But when a new rival for the city’s underworld enters to challenge Capa Barsarvi, his ambitious plan will drag Locke and co. into a civil war they’ll need all their wits to survive.
The Lies of Locke Lamora is a fantastic introduction to Scott Lynch’s fantasy world. The medieval Venice inspired city is vibrant, the characters entertaining with a fabulous adventure plot that doesn’t let up. – Jai
Looking for Alaska by John Green:
I’ve always loved John Green’s books, and Looking for Alaska is my favourite. It is easy to relate to for many teenagers as it deals with many issues which they may be facing.
Looking for Alaska is about a teenage boy (Miles Halter) who goes to boarding school and falls for the most popular girl in the school; Alaska Young. When something tragic happens, Miles and his friends go and search for the truth and discover the hidden secrets of Alaska. This book will catch your attention and is difficult to put down after you start reading! – Yasmine
The Middle School Series by James Patterson:
I’m currently reading this series to my 9yr old son. Like my son, this series is also about a young boy named Rafe Khatchadorian. Rafe lives with his Mum and sister and attends Hills Village Middle School. His brother passed away when he was younger and becomes his imaginary friend through the series. There is the typical middle school bully named “Miller the Killer” who’s always up to no good and getting Rafe into trouble with Mrs Stricker, the principal.
The series takes Rafe on a school camping trip to Lake Wannamora where it’s survival of the fittest to which Rafe makes it home alive. Rafe enters an art competition and ends up winning an all-expenses paid trip to Australia for 3 weeks. He soon learns about the Australian culture and language, suffers in the Aussie heat and meets a young girl by the name of Ellie.
This series shows the typical life of a young school kid trying to get through each day without too many dramas. – Tineka
Hope: A Memoir of Survival in Cleveland by Gina DeJesus and Amanda Berry:
When the news that three young women who had been kidnapped and imprisoned for over a decade in Cleveland, the world watched in horror and disbelief that anyone, let alone three people could survive such a nightmare. It is equally unimaginable that they should come out of it with such grace and strength of character, which now fills the pages of a memoir written by two of the three women, Gina DeJesus and Amanda Berry, Hope: A Memoir of Survival in Cleveland. This book is a difficult and often emotional read, going over the harrowing details of their time in captivity, however it is ultimately a powerful and inspiring story of hope, faith and strength in the face of all odds. – Antonia
