"Mirror, Mirror, on the wall..."
You think you know the story of Snow White and the Evil Queen, but what if you only knew part of the story?
In this fantastic retelling of a well known fairytale, we meet the soft-hearted Sophie right before she is crowned Queen. Her Stepmother Adelaide has been ruling since the death of the King, and she is a harsh ruler. She tells Sophie that to be kind is to be weak, and warns her that she cannot rule with love alone. The day of her coronation, Sophie is sent into the woods with the huntsman who carries with him a glass box for her heart. But that is only the beginning of the tale.
As a fan of the original story, I was a little skeptical about this retelling. I needn't have been. Poisoned incorporates all of the great elements of the classic story - the apple, the mirror and so many more - with a feminist twist. Sophie grows from a young, innocent girl who doubts herself to a confident leader who knows her true value. It is not surprising that she is a brilliant heroine that any person can identify with. What is surprising is how compelling the character of the Queen is. She too is a victim, and as the story twists and turns we learn to look beyond the beautiful, cold mask that she wears.
There is, of course, a prince charming - but not the one you might expect. Alongside the seven dwarves comes a grave robber, a young boy, and some giant insects. This is a great book for readers who enjoy adventure, romance, and a little bit of magic.

Written by Samuel J. Halpin and illustrated by Hannah Peck, this is a fantasy fiction. The general plot line of this story is about a girl named Poppy who discovers something mysterious in Suds. 

The main characters of this book include: Poppy, Erasmus, Gran, Churchill, the pig and the peggs. The story begins with Poppy on a train on her way to her Gran's house in Suds, a place with dark and twisting woods. Poppy and Erasmus are certain that something peculiar is going on in Suds, and they're determined to discover and reveal the secrets deep down in the woods. They gathered all suspicious information that they could find into a notebook. They did everything they could to gather this information. They had to act quick before the peggs could get to them and all the others who lived in Sudds. In the end could they find the courage to solve the riddling mystery and save all in Suds?  You'll have to read it to find out.

The good thing that I liked about this book is that the story was interesting and entertaining throughout the whole book. This was really descriptive and the author made it very imaginative, fun, and adventurous. I also like how he added in some illustrations when needed so it's not full of text. 

The one thing I didn't like about the book was that, at times, I was lost and confused, but it all came out in the end. Maybe this was the effect that the author was trying to create, keeping it mysterious. 

I would highly recommend this book for people to read, especially for those who love some mystery solving and adventurous stories. I personally loved this book, and all the characters, peggs excluded. Overall this was an amazing book! 

​By Kelly J

The first book of the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, is a fantasy novel written by J.K. Rowling. This book is about a young boy called Harry Potter, he discovers that he is a wizard on his 11th birthday, when he receives a letter of acceptance from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry makes close friends and his fair share of enemies here. And with the help of his friends he battles Lord Voldemort, a dark wizard, extremely evil and powerful, and feared by all. Harry learns that Voldemort killed his parents when he was younger, but he didn't kill Harry. He did leave a scar on Harry's forehead, Harry is very famous now as he survived an attack from Lord Voldemort.

The plot to this story is very well thought out, it goes like this, Harry has been living a very hard life, he is always being abused by his aunt and uncle, and their son. After Harry's parents were killed, he was sent to live with them, they know Harry was a wizard. Then on his 11th birthday a wizard called Hagrid visits Harry and tells him he has been accepted at Hogwarts. Hagrid also tells Harry all about his past and how he is famous. They go to Diagon Alley and get all the supplies they need. They arrive at Hogwarts, Harry has already made two friends Ron and Hermione, he has also made an enemy - Draco Malfoy. Harry, Ron and Hermione all get sorted into the house of Gryffindor. Harry soon learns that he is a very talented young wizard. Harry and his friends then spiral into a massive fight between themselves and the dark lord, with the Philosopher's Stone at stake. Harry and his friends win the battle, now Harry has a big reputation. 

This book is an absolutely brilliant one to read, it is imaginative, creative, funny, scary and very well written. It is, however, quite a long one. All the characters are great in their own ways, and it leaves you wanting more. 

​By Eva D

Fantasy and Science Fiction is for nerds, for the weirdos, for the people who hate sunlight and love video games. At least, that is what some people would have us believe. The genre we describe as 'Fantasy' is literature that is set in a fictional universe that is often inspired by real life myth and folkore. Magic and the supernatural are staples of the genre. Whereas 'Science Fiction' is based on imagined future scientific or technological advances. Space and time travel is this genre's bread and butter. It seems unfair to lump them together, but perhaps it is easier to do so since they both have one very important thing in common: world-building. Within the pages of these novels, we experience worlds beyond our own and see them in new ways. We meet magical centaurs who invite us to tea (The Chronicles of arnia). We see corpses brought back to life (Frankenstein). We are introduced to small creatures with hairy feet and a healthy appetite who live underground (The Hobbit). We meet famous wizards like Harry Potter and Gandalf, and see them battle with dark forces. We learn of sandworms on Arrakis (Dune). We meet the unfortunate Arthur Dent, the last person on Earth who must travel the galaxy with his not-quite-human friend (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy).  The worlds these characters inhabit look different to ours, but their problems are universal. Good must battle Evil. Corrupt governments must be overthrown. Space travel unearths new planets. The ethics of technology are tested. Morality is called into question. Societies must decide what ideals they will uphold. Individuals must choose to fight for the common good. Within these worlds is a looking-glass, one that reflects the world in which we live. In Harry Potter we see the dangers of fascism. Lord of the Rings warns against greed and corruption. Frankenstein reminds us that we are responsible for our actions, and the consequences of them. Even the Song of Ice and Fire series shows the true burdens of power and leadership - and the precarious nature of them. 
Fantasy and Science Fiction is not for the faint-hearted. They are incredibly sophisticated genres that paint us possibilities, both good and bad, for our world. Plus they give us relief from the mundane. This is a literature that does not always take itself seriously, that revels in the silly and the absurd. It makes us laugh as it asks us to question ourselves. And it tells us that the Ultimate Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything is 42. So you can't really argue with that.

​By Rebekah Wade