Our Teen Advisory Board have been busy reading and letting us know what they’re loving. From fairytale adaptations and Greek mythology, to galvanising non-fiction and twisty murder mysteries, here are some recommendations from seven of our fantastic 2022 board members.

Shania is reading The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller:

I’m in the middle of The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller and it is honestly the most beautiful thing I’ve read in a while. I’m sure this has already been on the list though!

Elli is reading Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe and Aristotle and Dante Dive Into the Waters of the World by Benjamin Alire Saenz:

These are really good books about friendship and finding yourself, and if you’re looking for an easy read, this is it. The sequel is a wonderful continuation that SPOILER ALERT covers romance, new life and what it is like to go through grief.

Ravi is reading Me and White Supremacy (YA edition) by Layla F. Saad

I really enjoyed Me and White Supremacy (YA edition). I learnt a lot and it helped me understand white supremacy, white privilege, racism, colourblindess, and just many different aspects and areas surrounding this topic. The author unpacks it slowly so its not too much all at once and asks the reader questions to help consider how they impact others or are impacted themselves. I don’t normally read non-fiction, but this book is definitely one I recommend.

I’m also reading Becoming Kirrali Lewis by Jane Harrison for school, and its pretty interesting. (I find that studying a book for school either makes you appreciate it more or hate it.)

Finally, I also recently read A Teaspoon of Earth and Sea by Dina Nayeri, and it offered an insight into a country I didn’t know a lot about. It got a little repetitive, even though the story took place over a large stretch of the main character’s life, but the mystery surrounding their missing mother and the parallel stories they created for their missing sister were intriguing.

Fern is reading Cinder by Marissa Meyers:

I recently read and loved Cinder by Marissa Meyers, a dystopian retelling of the Cinderella fairy tale. Cinder’s life is turned upside down when her sister contracts the deadly plague, and she must work against the clock to help the find the cure. I loved Cinder’s sarcasm and the plot twists throughout the novel.

Melissa is reading the Folk of the Air trilogy by Holly Black

I just finished the Folk of Air trilogy by Holly Black, which some people might know as The Cruel Prince (which is the title of the first book in the series). It follows the journey of Jude Duarte, who – along with her siblings Taryn and Vivienne – was taken away to live in the realm of Fairie after the death of their parents.

After many years of living in the treacherous High Court of Fairie, Jude wants nothing more than to have a sense of belonging, but almost all of the Fairies hate humans, especially Cardan, the youngest son of the High King of Elfhame. Jude develops a strong hatred for Cardan and fights to earn her place in the Court. She becomes entangled in the deceptions and dangers of the High Court and later discovers her own capacity for violence and trickery.

The trilogy is quite dark and involves many betrayals. The characters were all complex and everyone had flaws. Many events in the books were unexpected and hard to predict and I found myself unsure about which characters I should be rooting for. The protagonist, Jude has a real depth to her character. She isn’t afraid of taking action and wants to have power. She wants to be more than she is and wants to be valued. Jude also has a capacity for cruelness and is rather stubborn. Overall, the Folk of Air trilogy includes dark themes and lots of twists and turns. I definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys the enemies to lovers trope with betrayals and dark concepts.

Bonnie-Mai is reading One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus

I recently read the very popular One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus, a story about five students who enter detention but only four leave alive. I could not put the murder mystery book down – I was constantly on the edge of my seat, waiting to see what happened next with the characters. The sequel has gone straight onto my to be read pile!

Ananya is reading The Bone Spindle by Leslie Vedder:

The Bone Spindle is a gender-swapped Sleeping Beauty spin-off with the main characters being an axe-wielding huntswoman and a book obsessed treasure hunter!