Tinder by Sally Gardner

What's it all about?

As the title suggests, this is a dark re-working of Hans Christian Anderson's frivolous and amoral tale, 'The Tinder-box'. Gardner's version is a much more harrowing account told by a traumatised young soldier, Otto Hundebiss, during the Thirty Years War. On his travels he encounters a beautiful young princess called Safire, werewolves, and the truly terrifying witch, ‘The Lady of the Nail’.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

What’s it about?

Cather (Cath) and he twin sister Wren set off for college at the University of Nebraska. Whilst Wren is looking forward to embracing student life, and all the friends, parties and boys it has to offer, Cath is altogether more anxious about this new chapter in their lives.  This is the first time in eighteen years that she won’t be sharing a room with her twin (Wren reckons the whole point of college is to meet new people), and she’s terrified about how their bipolar single father will cope without his two girls to keep an eye on him.  Furthermore, Cath is much happier functioning online in the realm of fanfic, rather than interacting with real-life human beings. Her alter-ego Magicath is the prolific and popular writer of Carry On, Simon, an extended fanfic based on the fictional Simon Snow series (a bit like Harry Potter).  With tens of thousands of online fans herself, Cath has to juggle her writing, her studies and her family issues.

How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff

What's it all about?

Daisy, an anorexic 15-year-old girl from Manhattan, is sent away to live with her Aunt Penn in an idyllic part of rural England. This suits Daisy just fine, as she is glad to escape her father's new wife and the spawn she will soon be delivering! Daisy's mother had died in childbirth, so going to say with her late mother's sister also gives her an opportunity to find out more about the woman she 'murdered'.

GEEKHOOD: Close Encounters of the Girl Kind by Andy Robb

What's it all about?

In the Game, Archie is a level 5 Mage, and the storyteller to his merry band of geeks; in reality, he is battling much more serious things than vampires and evil warlocks. His world is full of conflict: his parents have separated and are not even speaking to each other, he is bullied by Jason Humphries and his grunts, and he is constantly fighting with his IM (interior monologue).