Our book-loving Tuggerah team have stolen the spotlight this week with their awesome reading recommendations. From young adult fiction to the classics, they have you covered!
The Pause by John Larkin: A wonderful and inspiring story that resonates with you long after you read the final page. Declan is a typical teenager from a fairly typical family when he is overwhelmed by some issues both in his past and present – he makes a decision to end it all…… or does he? John Larkin creates a story that confronts both sides of suicide; the people you leave behind and the light at the end of the tunnel. Written with personal experience and a lack of judgement, John Larkin has created a must read for all teenagers. – Klara (Store Manager)
The Colour of Magic & The Discworld Series by Terry Pratchett: Welcome to the empire that is Discworld. Meet Rincewind, an utterly incompetant wizard, and Twoflower, Discworld’s first tourist. Follow the pair – along with Twoflower’s vicious luggage on legs – on their journey across Discworld. Encounters include but not limited to: assassins, heroes, dragons, pirates, Death, and all the while being toyed with by the gods.
Pratchett had slyly injected his wicked satirical sense of humour into the serious world of fantasy. Even though you do not need to start off with The Colour of Magic, it is a good place to begin as it establishes the rich and imaginative characters and places. A definite must for lovers of fantasy, or merely fans of laugh-out-loud humour! And once you have finished and loved the first book (which you will), you can look forward to 40 other Discworld titles to complete your amazing collection that you are guaranteed to read and love, over and over again 🙂
RIP, Sir Terry Pratchett.
“Don’t think of it as dying,” said Death.
“Just think of it as leaving early to avoid the rush.”
– Maddie
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: After wrapping up my HSC year in English on a classical text, and finding myself to have loved it; I vowed to read more of the sort into the new year. I most recently finished Jane Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ which indeed had me hooked within the first few pages. This masterpiece follows a young Elizabeth Bennett and the mysterious, yet arrogant Mr Darcy on their journey of envious love and relatable acceptance, all filled with witty humour and conversational showdowns. This book is packed with dynamic characters of very different personalities that will accommodate any readers’ tastes and foremost illustrates the complications of pride and prejudice as the two common failings in love. I feel this book retains a certain fascination for modern readers like myself and will never fail to make you smile. – Victoria
The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden by Jonas Jonasson: When I finally looked up from this book some 4 hours after buying it at an airport, we were apparently landing and I wanted to tell the pilot to circle for a while so I could keep reading. The story is that of a young woman, Nombeko, who by virtue of being born at the wrong time, comes into ownership of a nuclear bomb that was never meant to exist. She’ll find that it turns out to be awfully difficult to dispose of a nuclear bomb that doesn’t exist. Nombeko’s efforts to do so are laden with coincidences, surprises and kidnappings (intentional and unintentional alike) that are perfectly captured by Jonas Jonasson’s distinctive blend of historical detail and outlandish imagination. Equal parts hilarious and insightful, you have to read this book. – Alex
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne: The Boy in the Stripped Pyjamas is the heartbreaking story of two young boys on opposing sides of WWII in Nazi Germany. The story is told from the perspective of 9 year old Bruno, the son of a Nazi Commander who ends up overseeing the running’s of “Out-With” (Bruno’s way of saying Auschwitz). When Bruno goes exploring one day, he comes across a young boy named Scmuel sitting behind a fence. Scmuel is a Jewish boy entrapped at the Camp and both boys have an instant bond with each other. The consequences of their friendship that follows is heart wrenching and haunting. As the story is written from Bruno’s perspective, we see the most horrific period in history told in an eerily innocent and naive voice. It’s very rare that a book so sweet will haunt you, but The Boy in the Stripped Pyjamas manages to chill you to the bone. An absolute must read!! – John
Bird Box by Josh Malerman: I thoroughly enjoyed Josh Malermans very original novel Bird Box. An unseen lethal force sweeps the world in this post apocalyptic thriller. Main character Malorie and her children have not seen outside their house in four years. The children sleep blindfolded with blankets covering all windows, terrified of what they cannot see. One glimpse and a person is driven to commit unspeakable acts of violence to themselves and others. The narrative switches between past and present tense as the story unfolds. Will appeal to fans of Justin Cronin’s ‘The Passage’, or anyone who enjoys a good horror/thriller. Well written, I was very impressed with this debut and eagerly await more from this author.. – Lynda
All Quiet On The Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque: All Quiet On The Western Front, first published in the late 1920’s, is an absolutely heartbreaking, wonderfully written novel about the permanent damage done to those who fight in wars. Few anti-war novels written since have matched Erich Maria Remarque’s unsettling book, and I doubt any have surpassed it. – Aaron
