10 Things......

'I do believe something magical can happen when you read a good book.' - J. K. Rowling.

We're fast approaching the Easter holidays, a time to put our laptops and devices down, have a well deserved break and unwind from a very busy and unusual term. What better way than to relax with a good book?

This list shares our favourite books to lose yourself in.

1. Gruff - Surprised by Joy by C. S. Lewis If you’re looking for a good book that will get you thinking and interested then this might be the one for you. Although it’s hard going and complicated at times, it’s also a great story. It follows the life of C.S Lewis from his family home to his schools and further to Oxford. It follows his journey from atheism to Christianity. The main subject of the book is Joy, it's full of interesting subjects and should keep you well immersed. In my opinion this would be a great book if you have the time to spare, it could fill in many hours. 
2. Connor - The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins The Hunger Games book is very interesting because it goes into a lot of more detail than the film, I saw the film and it is good, but I prefer the detail in the book. The main plot is that one man and one woman from 12 districts take part in a game called The Hunger Games, the idea is that they have to fight to the death and only one person can win. The story focuses mainly on a 16 year old from district 12 called Katniss, she volunteered to go in to The Hunger Games to save her younger sister Prim. I think this book is really good for people who love a good story, it'll keep you on the edge of your seat so I definitely recommend this book. 
3. Abi - As Old As Time (A Twisted Tale: Beauty & the Beast) by Liz Braswell When Belle touches the Beast’s enchanted rose, memories flood through Belle’s mind of a mother she thought she would never see again. And, stranger still, she sees that her mother is none other than the beautiful enchantress who cursed the castle and all its inhabitants. I enjoyed reading the Twisted Tales books, I was drawn in into the book. 
4. Lewis - The Maze Runner by James Dashner The book I have chosen is called The Maze Runner, written by James Dashner in 2009.  It is the first book in a series of five.  The book follows the story of a boy called Thomas, that enters into a camp and all his memory of the time before that is wiped.  He only can remember his name, and how the world works. It was a very gripping story and followed a very interesting concept.  There are other boys in the camp that are in the same situation as Thomas. All of the boys are trapped in the camp, around the walls there is a maze that changes every night via moving walls.  You can enter the maze only in the day, where some of the original camp mates try to find a way out.  They discover that the maze changes in a pattern, so on different days, certain doors open.  Once a month one new person arrives at the camp.  After Thomas arrives, strange things start to happen. I highly recommend this book, if you are into dystopian novels with a mysterious edge.   
5. Tyler - Beast Quest by Adam Blade Beast Quest is a series of fantasy adventure style books. Every monster our protagonist's Tom and Elenna face is unique as they each have different abilities and monstrous designs, with equally odd names to match. I remember reading through an entire Beast Quest book every library lesson at school. I enjoyed them a lot, hence why I have a collection of them at home. I definitely recommend them.
6. Miran - Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney Diary of a Wimpy kid is one of my favourite books of all time. I’ve read almost all of them. I really love the  series because I enjoy these kind of problems where things get messy as the characters learn to solve their problems. Diary of a Wimpy kid tells a story of a teenage boy, Greg Heffley that tries to forgive himself by learning from his mistakes. Diary of a Wimpy kid is a MUST READ, there are funny and hilarious moments as he learns different lessons. It’s an enjoyable book and I really do enjoy the comedy. 
7. Michael - The Quintessential Quintuplets by Negi Haruba The Quintessential Quintuplets is about a smart boy called Futaro Uesugi, he must tutor five sisters to help them pass their exams, but all five sisters fall in love with him. I love this story because it dives deep into the lives of the five sisters and show how different they are. When Futaro comes into their lives, their personalities change. It also shows how each one of the sisters demonstrates their love to Futaro. I would give this romance story, 10 out of 10.   
8. Jo - The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri Christy is a child of Cypriot refugees. This book was written after her experiences working for a UNICEF refugee camp in Athens. It is beautifully written with so much compassion that the reader can not fail to will Nuri and his wife Afra to safety. The Beekeeper of Aleppo is a heart wrenching story of one family’s journey along the perilous refugee trail to Britain. Nuri’s artist wife has lost her sight from the grief of losing everything and he has to learn to care for her as well as protect her from the many dangers along the way.  It is a love story, that speaks of the changing roles in a relationship as much as the changes that occur in their lives.  We wonder, as we read, whether their relationship will survive the journey.  But Nuri is driven along by the knowledge that his cousin Mustafa is waiting for him in Yorkshire, having survived the journey and is now keeping an aviary and training other refugees there to keep bees. I cried and held my breath for Nuri as he wills his wife to live and follow him to safety.   The Beekeeper of Aleppo distils the media images we see of terrified people fleeing war and devastating loss into the life of one family. It is a powerful and memorable story that everyone should read and once read can never forget. 
9. Ange - Normal People by Sally Rooney I've always been a sucker for a love story and this didn't disappoint. Set in rural Ireland, Normal People is a simple tale of two people from very different backgrounds. It follows them as they navigate their way into adulthood, forming a deep connection. The course of true love doesn't run smooth though and is completely heart wrenching in parts. I loved this book.