The industry

The industry by Rose Foster (2012)
Blurb...'
Kirra Hayward is an ordinary sixteen year old - smarter than most, but otherwise completely anonymous. When she stumbles across an unusual puzzle on the internet and manages to solve it, she has no idea of what she′s letting herself in for.

Kidnapped by a shadowy organisation known only as The Industry, Kirra soon discovers how valuable her code-breaking skills are. And when she stubbornly refuses to help them, they decide to break her ... by any means at their disposal.

Kirra knows that to protect herself, she must trust no one, not even her fellow prisoner, Milo. But as time goes by she realises he might be the only person she can rely on ...' - webiste

Thirteen reasons why

Thirteen reasons why by Jay Asher - 2007

Blurb ....
Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker--his classmate and crush--who committed suicide two weeks earlier. On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list. Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

This is a classic edge of your seat story and just when you think you know what's going on BAM, along comes another scene that leaves you shaking your head. This story takes you on a journey of sorrow, doubt, anger, revenge, heartache and more sorrow yet it leaves you with a little ray of sunshine. This is so powerful on many levels that I would love to see it being introduced as a Year 10 novel. A must read for all.

Visit Jay's site: http://www.thirteenreasonswhy.com/book.php

Shadows on the moon

Shadows on the moon by Zoe Marriott - 2011


Blurb...
On my fourteenth birthday when the sakura was in full bloom, the men came to kill us. We saw them come, Aimi and me. We were excited, because we did not know how to be frightened. We had never seen soldiers before."
Suzume is a shadow-weaver. She can create mantles of darkness and light, walk unseen in the middle of the day, change her face. She can be anyone she wants to be. Except herself.
Suzume died officially the day the Prince's men accused her father of treason. Now even she is no longer sure of her true identity.
Is she the girl of noble birth living under the tyranny of her mother’s new husband, Lord Terayama? A lowly drudge scraping a living in the ashes of Terayama’s kitchens? Or Yue, the most beautiful courtesan in the Moonlit Lands?
Everyone knows Yue is destined to capture the heart of a prince. Only she knows that she is determined to use his power to destroy Terayama.
And nothing will stop her. Not even love


Set in ancient Asia and using many terms and folklore from Japan and China, it provides a beautiful backdrop for a story full of passion, betrayal, survival and vengence. Suzume's world is turned brutally upside down on her 14th birthday and her journey for survival and revenge is breathtaking. I absolutely loved this story and I desperately hope that Zoe writes a sequel.

Visit Zoe's site: http://www.zoemarriott.com/