147. Bridge of Storms by @philipreeve.bsky.social It was great fun being reunited with Tamzin Pook, Max Angmering, Hilly Torpenhow and Oddington Doom for another exciting and well-written adventure from the world of Mortal Engines!

146. Smallie by Eden McKenzie-Goddard A powerful, shocking and important debut novel about the Windrush Scandal, in which a 75-year-old woman faces deportation to Barbados after spending over 50 years in the UK.

145. According to Plan by @bycrandall.bsky.social Queer romance which explores neurodiversity in a sensitive and illuminating way - a really lovely read about finding safe spaces and communities. @pushkinchildrens.bsky.social

144. Helen of Nowhere by Makenna Goodman Formally inventive, thematically complex and challenging - a play-like fable exploring gender, relationships, power, nature and more. @fitzcarraldoeds.bsky.social

143. Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke Clever, entertaining satire about influencer and Tradwife culture, exploring feminism, faith and American politics.

142. Day of Now by Miranda Reason Magnificent YA debut novel, set in a post-apocalpytic Britain where a deadly fungal virus has wiped out most of the human population. Imaginative, gripping, terrifying, surprising and ethically complex with brilliant, fiercely loyal characters to root for.

141. I Want You to Be Happy by Jem Calder Such a precisely attuned exploration of both millennial and Gen Z dissatisfaction, explored through an inter-generational relationship - Normal People for the mid-2020s.

140. The Golden Monkey Mystery by @piudg.bsky.social I loved this exciting historical adventure set in 1880s India, drawing inspiration from pioneering women in the author's family history and featuring some very clever illustrations by Jensine Eckwall. @nosycrow.bsky.social

139. We Are Dragon by @alastairc.com A thrilling climax to this brilliantly original and imaginative trilogy - great world-building, a terrific heroine who is flawed but lovable, and fascinating ideas about free will and what it means to be human. @nosycrow.bsky.social

138. Running My Own Race by @eyesab2.bsky.social Warm and uplifting middle-grade novel about overcoming prejudice and parental pressure to follow your dreams, featuring a really positive portrayal of a Black working-class family. @nosycrow.bsky.social

137. Things I Learned While I Was Dead by @kclarkwriter.bsky.social Emotionally intense YA sci-fi thriller with a brilliant premise involving cryogenics and waking up in a dystopian future. Explores complex questions related to medical ethics - this will be really popular with our KS4 students.

136. Pearl Beach by Beth Steiner Gentle and toucing verse novel set over the course of a summer in Australia in which a 13-year-old girl deals with the challenges of growing up at the same time as learning about her great aunt's experiences as a Holocaust survivor. @pushkinchildrens.bsky.social

135. The Kind Hosts of Willie Wimmera by Mary Chambers A fascinating work of local history written by a friend and neighbour, about a 10-year-old Aboriginal boy who was brought from Melbourne to Reading in 1851 by an Anglican clergyman and sadly died a few months later. Nuanced and moving.

134. Sweet and Sour by Monique Turner A follow-up story to Island of Influencers - this YA novel explores the costs of online fame and the role of human creativity amidst the rise of AI. @chickenhousebooks.bsky.social

133. River Sing Me Home by Eleanor Shearer This month's book club read - a truly stunning novel about a mother's search for her lost children in 1830s Barbados, British Guiana and Trinidad following the abolition of slavery. Harrowing and heartbreaking, but also tender, lyrical and hopeful.

132. Big Words by Luke Palmer Engaging and accessible YA novella from @barringtonstoke.bsky.social about masculinity, teenage friendship and what it means to be big. Great use of an initially unsympathetic narrative perspective.

131. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen Re-read in weekly installments this term for Readathon Club along with a lovely group of pupils and colleagues - it has been great fun to re-trace Catherine Morland's adventures in this splendid Gothic parody!

130. Thirst by @darrensimpson44.bsky.social Dark and terrifying YA folk horror - this novel is original, well-written, atmospheric, gripping, ethically complex and ultimately very moving. Not a book I will forget in a hurry! @pushkinchildrens.bsky.social

129. The Uninivited by Ross MacKenzie Highly original and imaginative fantasy adventure in which faeraes enter our world as refugees having been forced out of their own by the Scourge. Great characterisation and thrilling writing. @andersenpress.bsky.social

128. Ghost Boys: The Graphic Novel by @jewellparkerrhodes.bsky.social and Setor Fiadzigbey Brilliant graphic retelling of this heartbreaking novel about a 12-year-old Black boy shot by the police in Chicago, and America's history of racial violence. Poignant and powerful.

127. Kick Flip Vol 1 by @ldlapinski.bsky.social and Logan Hanning Beautifully hand-drawn graphic novel about gender identity - some stunning illustrations showing Elliot's inner conflict, and lovely portrayal of supportive friendships and family relationships.

126. The Emptying by @mimithebo.bsky.social and @racheldelahaye.bsky.social Fast-paced and thought-provoking YA dystopia about AI, climate change and the future of the human race. (Has done nothing to help my paranoia about AI taking over the world!) @troikabooks.bsky.social

125. Better Off Dead by Tess James-Mackey Dark YA horror thriller set on a Welsh caravan park - deeply chilling. @rocktheboatnews.bsky.social

124. The Last Death Poet by @thatstephendaly.bsky.social A gripping and highly original YA novel set in Belfast about bearing witness to death and violence in the past and present, with beautifully drawn characters and relationships. @rocktheboatnews.bsky.social

123. The Experiment by Rebecca Stead More middle-grade sci-fi - this gloriously weird novel is a great page-turner full of surprising plot twists alongside lots of humour and heart. @andersenpress.bsky.social

122. Anya and the Light Above the Ocean by Amelia Giudici Brilliant sci-fi mystery for middle-grade readers with a very clever twist and highly effective narrative structure - to say more would spoil it! @andersenpress.bsky.social

121. Tom Burne Has Left the Chat by Seán Farrelly A moving and compelling YA debut novel about loss, grief and online identities which a brilliant premise that will hook older teenage readers.

120. My Name Is Jodie Jones by @emmashevah.bsky.social I loved this YA novel about neurodiversity, trauma and emotional abuse - at times a painful and harrowing read, but also full of warmth and joy due to Jodie Jones's narrative voice and her love of words and sentences. @dfbstoryhouse.bsky.social

119. Popcorn by Rob Harrell My final read from this year's Carnegie Medal for Writing shortlist - a funny and deeply empathetic middle-grade novel following a day in the life of a boy with anxiety and OCD. Wonderful interplay of text and illustrations. @carnegiemedals.bsky.social

118. The Summer After the Night Before by @lwilliamsonauthor.bsky.social I was deeply invested in this YA novel exploring teenage relationship and consent in a gripping, believable and nuanced way. A really important book for KS4 readers. @dfbstoryhouse.bsky.social