This dystopian action adventure will take you into the world of the near future, where there is a war to control the human mind. Charles and Benjamin Armstrong are co-joined twins who own Armstrong’s Fancy Gifts Corporation and they have a vision: to turn the world into their vision of utopia. Although this means no conflict or hunger, it also means no free will. Opposing this ideal are BZRK a radical guerrila group of teens who just want to remain human. With a combination of brute force and nantechnology they fight hard, as the stakes of this battle are high: victory or madness? How far will they go to win?
BZRK (BZRK #1) – Michael Grant
July 24, 2012 — AlexeenaThe maze runner – James Dashner
July 24, 2012 — Alexeena
Thomas’ memory is a blank. He wakes up in a lift and all he can remember is his name. When the doors open he is in the Glade – a large open, expanse within stone walls. He is not alone, however: there are the rest of the ‘gladers’ – other boys just like him who don’t really understand how or why they got there. But every thirty days someone new arrives, and they all share the common goal of trying to understand the mystery of the maze that is locked and unlocked each day. But when the first ever girl is sent in, everyone is shocked and the stakes for survival are raised. Thomas needs to unlock the secrets of his mind if they are to escape.
The Star of Kazan – Eva Ibbotson
July 24, 2012 — Alexeena
A delightful tale, the story focuses on Annika who was abandoned as an infant in early 20th century Vienna. Luckily adopted by two servants in a household of eccentric professors, she has a happy life although she still dreams about her mother coming to find her. Amongst her friends is the elderly woman next door who regals her with great tales, including of a Russian Count who gave her a legendary emerald: The Star of Kazan. One day, a glamourous stranger arrives and it turns out to be Annika’s mother – who whisks her away to live with her family in a crumbling castle. Nothing, however, is as it seems…
Department 19 – Will Hill
July 24, 2012 — Alexeena
Father dead, mother missing and rescued by Frankenstein, Jamie’s life will never be the same again. Taken to Department 19 – a secret government agency – he discovers that he must try to rescue his mother from a terrifying vampire. Peopled with classic characters from Bram Stoker’s Dracula, this is an action-packed and often gory novel which is filled with suspense to grip your attention until the end.
Legend – Marie Lu
July 23, 2012 — Debra
What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.
From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.
Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.
Balwyn Best Books 