Luna is a no-hoper with a secret: in a world of illusion, she can see what is real. But can she see the truth before it is too late?
Luna has always been able to exist in virtual and real worlds at the same time, a secret she is warned to keep. She hides her ability by being a Refuser: excluded by choice from the virtual spheres others inhabit. But when she is singled out for testing, she can’t hide any longer.
The safest thing to do would be to fail, to go back to a dead-end life, no future. But Luna is starting to hope for something better, and hope is a dangerous thing…
Expected publication: March 5th 2015 by Orchard Books
Louisa Reid, author of Black Heart Blue and Lies Like Love, picks her Top 10 UKYA books “in no particular order!”
1. Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner
This book made me cry. It’s terrifying and clever and beautifully written in clear, sharp prose with an ending so heart-breaking and powerful that it had me reeling for ages after. An amazing piece of fiction.
I love Tanya’s writing for its originality and vivid detail and also because she isn’t afraid of the dark side. A brilliant book about boarding school mayhem, teenage danger and desire. I read this with relish.
Heroic is a fabulous novel with wonderful characters and relationships that feel really real. Definitely one to read if you want something fast-paced but also tender.
I love dystopian fiction and Teri’s novels are wonderful. I couldn’t pick one out of all of them so I’m having them all! The twists and turns are brilliantly plotted and keep you on the edge of your seat throughout. Also these novels are a perfect example of how to use dream sequences to brilliant effect.
I’m a sucker for war novels and this one really is well written. The powerful friendships and the heroism of the main characters is wonderfully portrayed.
This is a brilliant and beautiful book. It engrossed me from start to finish with its powerful evocation of grief and the frightening consequences of loneliness and alcoholism.
I’d have loved this book as a teenager and I loved it as an adult reader, even going so far as to badger its poor author for a sequel because I couldn’t bear for it to end! Fab characters and themes – teenage pregnancy, in particular, is dealt with in an original and challenging way and the moral questions posed really had me thinking.
Another cheat, sorry! Two for the price of one. I have to admit to only just reading the brilliant Looking for JJ but I’m glad I waited as it meant I could binge on the sequel too. I love that book box set feeling because I have no patience and have to guzzle everything all at once. Anyway, these are fascinating novels with a tricky and challenging premise. Wonderful.
An old favourite. I first encountered this book early in my teaching career and remember the class loving its darkness, just as did I. Twisted friendships and horrific family secrets make this one a gripping and taut read.
I love Catherine’s writing. She creates wonderful characters with distinctive and original voices. I could really see and hear every detail of this book. It’s a great read with a setting that’s perfect for someone who often misses the grim North (only joking about the grim bit!)
Huge congratulations to Teri Terry for her 10th – yes TENTH – prize for her dystopian debut Slated. This time the award was the Concorde Book Award, awarded by teen readers in Gloucestershire.
In other words, teen readers up and down the UK have consistently voted for Slated as their favourite book. No doubt they’ll love the other books in the trilogy, Fractured and Shattered too.
Teri’s amazing achievement destroys a few myths too.
MYTH 1: Boys won’t vote for/read books with girls on the cover. Wrong! The incredibly strong covers for the Slated trilogy attracted male and female readers.
MYTH 2. Boys don’t like books with female lead characters. Wrong! Slated is about Kyla, a girl whose memory has been wiped. Girls and boys identify with her plight.
MYTH 3 American YA beats UKYA. Actually Teri is Canadian, but we’re proud to claim her as our own, as she lives here, and the trilogy is set in the UK.
MYTH 4 Female authors need to use initials to hide their identity from boys. OK, ‘Teri Terry’ does sound like two blokes – the name that is, Teri doesn’t sound like a bloke at all – but very few blokes spell their name Teri.
MYTH 5 Dystopia is over. If kids are fed up with dystopia, then why are they voting for Slated? No genre is ever ‘over’, judge books by how good they are, not by invented trends.
Hurray for Teri! May the trophies continue to roll in (but leave some for the rest of us, eh?) And best of luck for Shattered, which hit bookshops on March 6.
How do you know where to go when you don’t remember where you came from?
Kyla’s memory has been erased,
her personality wiped blank,
her memories lost for ever.
Or so she thought.
Kyla shouldn’t be able to remember anything. But she can – and she’s beginning to realise that there are a lot of dark secrets locked away in her memories. When a mysterious man from her past comes back into her life, she thinks she’s on her way to finding the truth. But the more she learns about her history, the more confusing her future becomes…
Dead Romantic by C.J. Skuse – I cheated a little with this because I’m still reading it, but I just had to include it! It’s so funny and such a brilliant premise!
This list could be endless, really. I have a lot of UKYA books on my shelves still unread and lots of upcoming UKYA titles to look forward to! Thank you for having me, Keris!
Luna is a no-hoper with a secret: in a world of illusion, she can see what is real. But can she see the truth before it is too late?
UKYA 