Blood Ties by Sophie McKenzie     Back to Past Winners Page

Emily
Year 9
Brighton & Hove High School

I thought Blood Ties was an amazing book. Even though Sophie McKenzie is a woman, you can really believe that the character “Theo” was written from a boy's perspective. The story line was very gripping and pacey, and I never got bored. I never knew what was going to happen next and it was never repetitive. I loved it when their lives intertwined, it was very subtle and not too over the top. This was my favourite out of the selection of books by far.

 

Adele
Year 9
Brighton & Hove High School

Blood Ties was hard to get into but once you got into it it was amazing and very emotional. Overall I think it was one of the best books.

 

Grace
Year 9
Brighton & Hove High School

Blood Ties is a book about two teenagers called Theo and Rachel. It is about their journey together to find out their real identity. It is written differently to the other books in the competition. One chapter is Rachel’s point of view and then the next chapter is from Theo's point of view. I thought that at the beginning this book was quite boring and I couldn’t get into it. But as the book went on it started to get very interesting and gripping. I couldn’t stop reading and I thought that it was very well written. All in all this was a great book and I would recommend it to everyone!

 

Miriam
Year 9
Brighton & Hove High School

I felt connected with the characters throughout this book. I could empathise with their situation. I felt it was pretty well written. The story line had constant cliff-hangers that made me want to read on. It definitely kept me guessing, some bits more than others, but what I liked was that the last thing you expect to happen, happens. Worth reading, a real page-turner.

 

Luke
Year 9
Bishop Bell CE Mathematics and Computing Specialist School

Blood Ties is amazing. It is written with so much emotion and drama. I love the way Sophie has told the story from two angles. It's good that she had chosen a boy and a girl for her characters. I think boys show emotions differently to girls and that shows in the book. During the story we got two different opinions of life. It was great! Out of the five books, Blood Ties is my favourite...it's an exceptionally good book with real emotion.

Amy
Year 9
Bishop Bell CE Mathematics and Computing Specialist School

Blood Ties is such a cool book! I really loved the way the two characters Theo and Rachel are connected and I found them relateable. I really felt for them. I like that the book switched points of view so you could really get into both their heads. I was completely hooked from the beginning and I'd definitely recommend it!

Tegh
Year 9
Brighton College

This book tells a story of two adventurous children, Theo and Rachel. Theo wants to find out more about his past, present and future, stopping at nothing to try and find out who his father is. Rachel lives a normal life with a normal family, with the exception of being born by her forty-seven year old mother. Then she receives a strange text from her father… and she meets Theo. Their lives will never go back to what they were, is it better or worse?   

This book is written in the first person and is narrated by Theo and Rachel. I think it was written very well and had a great amount of imagery which meant that it was well detailed and very hard to put down!

During this book, you start by feeling quite intrigued about why Theo has a bodyguard. You then feel amazed then shocked then outright gobsmacked with the plot. This book was not predictable at all and kept you on your toes as the story was far different from what you expect it to be!

I felt that this book was excellent and I rate it 5 out of 5!       

 

Kimberley
Year 10
St Richard's Catholic College

Rachel and Theo are teenagers, growing up with their own individual problems at home. Theo wants to find out what really happened to his dad and meets Rachel because she might be able to help him. But does Theo ever find out what happened to his dad?

I thought this was an excellent book and thoroughly enjoyed reading it. The only thing I would say would be to put more description into parts to make it more interesting.
I would give this book 8/10.

 

Kieran
Year 9
Hove Park School

In my opinion ‘Blood Ties’ is so far the best book, it has everything you could ever want. A hero, a heroin, a villain and it’s packed full of action! When Theo discovers something unusual about himself his world is turned upside down as he races to discover the truth. Along the way he meets Rachel who shares something in common with him (but as usual they don’t find that out until the end). It’s a must read!

 

Guy
Year 9
Hove Park School

This book starts slowly, however, it did grow on me. I think that it is a thoroughly enjoyable book, very exciting and interesting.

Taking on the two personalities, it has the potential to be a very good read. I think that Theo is an interesting character. Rachel however begins to get a bit irritating by constantly proclaiming the fact that she is “fat and ugly” - very annoying - that is the only flaw with the book.      

 

Ciara
Year 9
Hove Park School

Blood Ties is a medium sized book in which the main characters Rachel and Theo find out things about their past that will change their lives.

It is well written with a very strong storyline. It goes through every emotion from happiness to anger and sympathy to comedy.

I think that it was a very good book that had lots of description and was always interesting. It was very fast moving but was easy to keep up with because it explained everything very well.

This book will definitely get my vote.

 

Alice A
Year 9
Hove Park School

The book ‘Blood Ties’ is set in modern day Britain and is about 2 kids called Theo and Rachel. They meet as Theo searches for his true identity and Rachel can’t seem to let him go, together they embark on a dangerous quest to find out who they truly are, but in a dire twist their friendship is tested as Theo is in grave danger.

This book is compelling; you won’t be able to put it down as it has all the assets of a great book - suspense, romance, horror sci-fi, and many twists and surprises along the journey. However, it is a fast moving book and is quite hard to keep up with, but I feel this adds to the suspense. It also has an unexpected ending which gives it a lift from good to great.

 

Ruth
Year 8
St Richard's Catholic College

Theo and Rachel are connected in a way they will never understand. Theo is obsessed by the thought of the father he long thought dead and Rachel is terrified of going to school and being faced by bullies. Then they are drawn together by the bond they never thought existed.

I really enjoyed this book, I thought it was very good and I would definitely read another book by the author.

 

Connor
Year 9
St Richard's Catholic College

This book, written by Sophie McKenzie, is a brilliant story of events that are thrillingly gripping and never get boring.

Follow the stories of Theo and Rachael, Theo, a boy who is sick and tired of being followed by his bodyguard everywhere, and Rachael, no self-confidence, bullied by classmates at school. They both are whipped out of their normal experiences when they are taken by a  mysterious group of people who have not made their intentions clear.

I would recommend this book very strongly because it is one of the best books that I have read in a book award yet.

 

Connor
Year 9
Beacon Community College

Blood Ties was a fast paced exciting book that kept me reading. It had lots of twists and turns that kept me in my seat and I never knew what was going to happen next. The characters were thrilling and interacted with each other brilliantly. The main plot was thrilling, and with every page something new happened to the characters. The emotion showed by all the characters was brilliant. Overall this was an exhilarating book.

 

Naomi
Year 7
Seaford Head

Theo has always been fatherless. Or so he thought….

This book is gripping and the storyline takes so many twists and turns that if it was a road you would be dizzy. As soon as one problem is conquered, another comes up. It is sad at some points yet it grips the reader. All the characters are different and there are not so many that you get confused. I would rate this book 10/10.

 

Yazzi
Year 9
Brighton College

"Brilliant…you can’t stop reading.” Review of the book, by Robert Muchamore, which sums up the book perfectly. The book Blood Ties by Sophie McKenzie has an exciting plot. This book tells a story of two adventurous children, Theo and Rachel. Theo wants to find out more about his past, present and future, stopping at nothing to try and find out who his father is. Rachel however, is convinced she lives a normal life, with a normal family, with the exception of being born by her forty-seven year old mother. This is until she receives a strange text from her father… and then she meets Theo. Little do they know their lives were never going to be the same ever again.

The way that this book is written is captivating and exhilarating, making you want to read on, never missing anything out. Descriptive yet simple, McKenzie takes into account many things, resulting in an amazing thought-provoking book. As the book goes on, and secrets and lies are uncovered, the truth soon unravels and both children doubt the trust they once held.

Theo soon discovers that the father he thought was long dead was actually alive, and will stop at nothing to find him. Theo has always wondered why his mum was constantly fretting about him, to the point that he had to have a bodyguard to take him to and fro from school. He wasn’t even allowed to go to town with his friends. He assumed his mum was just too overprotective… until he finally got the truth out of her – or what he thought was the truth. On his expedition to find his father, he bumps into Rachel, a lonely teenager who gets constantly and unfavourably compared to her dead sister the whole time. Suddenly, men from RAGE – the Righteous Army against Genetic Engineering, attack them both. From this day on, they are soon to realise that they are no ordinary teenagers.

This book is fantastic. It is mind absorbing, with a brilliant plot and story line. At one point in the book, I found myself unable to separate my eyes from the pages, and had to carry on reading until the end. With such an individual and unique plot; it is like nothing I’ve ever read. McKenzie has cleverly fitted in cliffhangers in the perfect places. Just when you think everything is going well, suddenly danger appears around every corner. I highly recommend reading this book. You find yourself becoming attached to the characters and longing for them to make the right decisions. Brilliant.

 

Connor
Year 9
Brighton College

The story is about two 15 year-old teenagers, Theo and Rachael who unite together on a dangerous adventure. The two battle their way to finding Theo’s missing dad and experience life-changing moments.

The plot is nice and easy to follow, and it’s not always what you expect that’s going to happen. The book is set in several different places, such as London, Washington and Scotland. The characters are very serious about what they are doing. I think Theo is a great character, as he is very determined to find his dad. My favourite bit is when Max gets revealed, which supports my statement of the book being unpredictable.  The ending I thought was very good, and concludes the story very well.

To conclude my review, I think ‘Blood Ties’ is a very exciting and moving book. I am glad to have read this outstanding book, and I recommend it to anyone who wants an adventure!

 

Abe
Year 9
Brighton College

Blood Ties by Sophie McKenzie is a great book because of the brilliant plot and pace of the book. This book is a thriller. It is about a boy called Theo and a girl called Rachel who are the main characters. The book flows really well and is brilliantly thought out. At first they do not know each other but as the story develops they meet as Theo wants to learn more about his father. This puts them in danger because of the importance they mean to someone and this is where the adventures begin.

Rachel is the kind of person who is extremely nervous and conscious of herself. She is also quite shy. This may be explained by the fact that she is bullied because of her size. She also seems to live in the shadow of her sister Rebecca who died at the age of 12. Rachel is aware that her parents make many comparisons between her and her sister which makes her feel more depressed. Rachel thinking badly of herself throughout the book is obvious.

The one thing that I don't like about the book is that there is not much descriptive language. If it had more descriptive writing it would be a near perfect book.

Overall I would rate this book 8/10

 

Louise
Year 9
Roedean School

All through Theo’s life he has been led to believe that his father died when he was a baby, but under strange circumstances he finds out that he is alive. Now Theo is determined to find him. Through his search Theo comes across Rachel who always feels like she is living in the shadow of her dad who she has never met. Suddenly Theo and Rachel’s lives are turned upside down when they are thrown into a world that neither of them has experienced before. RAGE (The Righteous Army against Genetic Engineering) is after them both. They are saved and taken away to meet someone that neither of them has ever met before. They both find startling things about who they are and their lives are broken into, in a way that can never be repaired....... I thought this book was sensational and recommend this book to everyone. I thought that the characters were believable and the story line was easy to follow. It contained raw teenage emotion making it the perfect book for all teenagers.

 

Charlotte
Year 10
St Richard's Catholic College

Theo and Rachel lead two completely different lives. But it is the way they were conceived that brings them together. Theo has dreamed of finding his dad. Rachel wishes she was more like her dead sister. Theo begins the search for his father, which leads him to Rachel. And so begins a truly inspiring search...

This book has a very intriguing title, which links into the story. Sometimes I found it a little slow and boring, but mostly, I found it very interesting and knowledgeable. I really enjoyed it, apart from the parts that dragged. 9/10

 

Saffron
Year 9
Roedean School

“Blood Ties” is the story of two teenagers, who have a lot in common.  When Theo starts to find out things he never knew about his father, he goes looking for answers.  This is how he meets Rachel, who is getting weird texts and wants answers too.  When they run away together they start to discover things that they would never have thought possible.

I really like this book because it has something for everyone.  It includes romance, action and adventure.  This book is always exciting and a new twist is always around the corner.  Sophie McKenzie writes this with feeling so you can really empathise with all the characters.  My favourite character has to be Theo because he is always looking for adventure.  He is also clever and fearless yet oblivious to the fact that Rachel is in love with him.  I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. 

 

Bea
Year 9
Brighton College

‘Blood Ties’ by Sophie McKenzie is about a boy called Theo, who wanted to find out more about his father who he was told died in the war. He then goes on a journey searching for this ‘father’ and he discovers who he is and his real past. Theo meets a girl going through the same sort of thing, called Rachel, and they work together against evil, making plans to escape from danger. It is written in the first person from Theo and Rachel’s point of view between chapters.

I really liked the book, as there was always something exciting going on. It went straight into the plot, and the story was fast moving. The idea of ‘Blood Ties’ was great, as the subject is so different to lots of books at the moment, and it was interesting to find out how the normal characters felt in their situation. As the book was in the first person, I really got to know the characters well, so I cared more about what would happen to them, and it made it more intriguing to find out what occurs in the end.

I thought the book was great, as it was so action-packed. It is the sort of book that I would like to read.

 

Kate A
Year 9
Brighton & Hove High School

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the way it was written and how everything became clear as you read on. Also I thought the characters were great and I really felt for Theo and Rachel as they battled through this story. This book had me hooked after about 70 pages, I couldn’t put it down. The chemistry and connections in this book between Theo, Rachel and Elijah really made this book great. I enjoyed the way Sophie McKenzie  described the characters and places as the story moved along. There were many exciting twists and turns. I would definitely recommend this book.

 

Natasha
Year 9
Brighton College

Blood Ties is a thrilling and intriguing novel, which is based around an excellent plot. This award-winning book will have you not wanting to put it down, and has a lasting impression in your mind. Blood Ties is about a young girl, Rachel, and a boy, Theo. Although they have their many differences, they share one thing in common. Once discovered, this similarity has a huge impact on both of their lives. Throughout the book, their friendship is tested to the limit and they need support from each other in order to survive in the most tragic of times. With many exciting twists, this book is strongly recommendable, and would be enjoyed by both genders and all ages.

 

Emma
Year 9
Brighton College

Blood Ties is an exciting book about a boy and a girl. Theo, who lives with his mum and never knew his dad, is fed up of always being followed around by a bodyguard and not being allowed out by himself. When his mum refuses to tell him why, he tries to find out for himself. Rachel is an only child who is always being compared to her dead older sister, Rebecca. One day, after school, Theo comes up to her and convinces her that there is something special about them. With the help of Jake and Max , Theo’s friends , Rachel and Theo discover Lewis and Mel , who work for Elijah Lazio , who they discover is the link between them. They get separated, then travel to Lazio’s laboratories in Washington DC, all to find out who they are.

Blood Ties is a great book. It is full of action and you never want to stop reading. The characters and places are described very well and the plot is very strong. It is a well written book that I would recommend to anyone.

 

Emily
Year 9
Brighton College

The story is about a girl and a boy who by a strange similarity end up being the only one the other can trust. The plot is unique because where you think that you have predicted the main plot it turns out to be something that you don’t expect at all. This is good so that the book does not become boring.

The whereabouts of the plot change throughout the book so there is not a continuous setting, although sometimes there are references to the different areas of the plot when the setting changes. Due to the fact that the story is told in the first person (from both Rachel’s and Theo’s perspective) so the emotions that they are feeling are yours when you are reading the book, this makes the characters even more believable and their sincerity in the situation that they are placed in only increases your fondness of the characters (and the characters that they are fond of too). My favourite part of the book was the ending, because it didn’t solve everything but still managed to be happy. The book had some really tense moments and cliff-hanger chapter endings which made it flow really well, making it an easy enjoyable read.

 

Davina
Year 9
Brighton College

Blood Ties is about Theo who is brought up by his single mum. He has never met his dad, all he has is his picture. He always looks up to his dad and imagines him as a soldier. His mum tells him his father is not quite a soldier but involved in the genetic side of laboratories. Still this does not put off Theo. He soon decides to go searching for his dad and so he runs away. He then meets a girl called Rachel. Blood Ties focuses very much on Theo's past.

Blood Ties is written very much like Sophie McKenzie's previous book Girl Missing as they are both searching for a member of their family and the style is similar. I felt Girl Missing was more of an interesting read for girls whereas Blood Ties was more unisex in its appeal. It also has a similar layout of chapters to Malorie Blackman's Noughts and Crosses, in the sense that the chapters switch between the two characters and have the name of the characters at the top. It is a good layout, though it didn't really wow me as I had seen that before by reading Noughts and Crosses and it felt a bit unoriginal!

It is very much a 13+ book as the ending is quite harsh. I would not recommend it to anyone who is particularly sensitive.

 

Sophie S.
Year 9
Roedean School

Rachel is an ordinary teenage girl, apart from the fact that she is always being compared to her dead sister Rachel. She finds it hard to understand why she must live up to her sister, then comes Theo. He is an ordinary teenage boy who has just found out something about his dead father. They go on an exciting journey to find out the truth. I think the plot was very interesting and a bit predictable. I also thought the characters could have had a little more personality. Overall I really enjoyed Blood Ties and would recommend it to anyone!

 

Shannon
Year 8
St Richard's Catholic College

Blood Ties by Sophie McKenzie was very good, much better than Girl, Missing. Although I enjoyed Girl, Missing it was nothing compared to the high standards of Blood Ties romance, plot and thrilling excitement. The one let down of Blood Ties was the ending, I thought it could have been far better. I got quite a shock when I got to the end of Chapter 37…. I felt quite sorry for the character Rachel, as she has always had to live in her dead sister’s shadow. When I found out that Rachel was Rebecca’s clone, I was very surprised. The thought of being a clone of my sister is slightly disturbing.

I would recommend this book to 13 or 14 year olds plus.

 

 

Emily
Year 9
Bishop Bell CE Mathematics and Computing Specialist School

The book has lots of exciting twists and turns as Rachel and Theo embark on a dangerous adventure. They will discover  things that will change their lives forever. In my opinion this book is very good and could not be improved.

 

Grace
Year 9
Roedean School

I really enjoyed Blood Ties; it is a fast paced thriller, which keeps you hooked the whole way through. It includes two very strong characters Theo and Rachel who both grow throughout this book. I think this is written well and I like how it switches characters in each chapter; this gives you a good idea of how each character feels.

 

Joseph
Year 9
Lancing College

This book is one of my all time favourites, it was well written, unpredictable, had great interesting characters and the story line was amazing!

The two main characters were a boy and a girl named Theodore and Rachel. They both share something that no-one else in the world has, something that causes them to run for their lives as their real lives are slowly but inevitably destroyed by an independent company named RAGE.

It is unknown what they want, but Theodore soon realises that his life was a well thought-out plan and that his and Rachel's lives will never be quite the same again...

 

Lucy
Year 9
St Richard's Catholic College

This story is an interesting book about two teenagers who end up having more in common than they ever would have thought.
The book was very well written as it used very descriptive and imaginative language such as: ‘I jumped. Whoosh. Through the air. Through the leaves. Wham. The impact jarred all the way up my legs.’ This is very descriptive language as you can almost picture and feel yourself in that position. This is not sophisticated language used in the book but the everyday language so it can be related to by the reader.
This is a well deserving book for the award as it is very well written and is an imaginative and adventurous story which will entertain and captivate its readers. Its an incredible book and once you’ve started you can’t put it down.

Stars:
(5/5)           

 

Max
Year 9
Brighton College

The plot is about Rachel and Theo, the two main protagonists, and their discoveries about themselves.

Rachel is always being compared to her older sister, Rebecca, who died years ago. Theo has a body guard called Roy but his Mum refuses to tell him why he needs one. One day he decides he has had enough and starts shouting at his mum to answer his questions, like where his dad is. She tells him almost the truth so he goes, with Rachel, to find out the truth about his father.  

The characters in this book were so well described it was like I knew them. The story was entertaining with sudden mood swings to be expected. The book was exciting and a page turner to say the least! Some parts were happy and some sad but there were funny bits too.

This book was a little predictable in some parts but that did not stop the amazing plot.

 

Esther
Year 9
Bishop Bell CE Mathematics and Computing Specialist School

I took this book down on the beach during my summer holidays and from the first page, I was glued. This book is pure genius! It is so well written that it flows naturally, plus it gives you time to think and work things through for yourself. I would recommend this book to everyone! It is a truly amazing book, which makes you think.

 

Isobel
Year 9
Brighton College

This book is about defiant teens determined to find out the truth. They will go as far as needed to find out their past. Theo and Rachel are bonded by something special. However their quest is dangerous as RAGE are on their tracks. But why? They will find out when they meet Elijah.

The two main characters are both teenagers. Theo and Rachel.  Theo is popular, good-looking and is surrounded by a good group of friends, Max and Jake. Rachel is quite the opposite, she is shy, she is bullied, she doesn’t have any friends and the book states that she thinks she is fat. Theo and Rachel are the ones who find each other completely by coincidence, but have one thing in common: their past.

Throughout the book I felt different. Sometimes I felt incredibly sad. Though at others I was excited, exhilarated and thankful. This book will make you feel many things. It depends on how you read it, and your personal view. I liked most of the characters, especially Rachel because I could really empathise with her.

I think this book was extremely well written as at the beginning there are loose ends that get solved very cleverly at the end. As it makes you feel so many emotions, I think it is well written in that aspect. The story line flowed mostly quite well, but at times it was slightly jolty which sometimes made it hard to understand.

I thought that I knew what was going to happen in this book, but it turned out that I was only half right. This was satisfying but also annoying as you want to be right, but you also want the author to be original and prove you wrong. It kept me guessing.

 

Georgie
Year 9
Lancing College

I thought that Blood Ties was a fantastic read. But I did think that the start was a bit slow and I found myself getting slightly bored but when I reached chapter 20 it started getting very exciting. The twist in the middle was very unexpected and surprising; also the whole romance between Theo and Rachel was very believable. It is definitely a very good read and I would recommend it to other readers but I think that although it was a very good book it didn’t quite beat my favourite.  

 

Peony
Year 9
Brighton College

I found this book incredibly interesting: it hooked me from the beginning making me unable to put it down.  I was constantly eager to find out what was going to happen next because new things happened on every page, never making it dull or predictable. Because the use of teenagers was involved I found it was easier to understand what the author was trying to get across and I also found that I could relate to the book. Every time I was able to put the book down I left the room with an eager but glowing sensation: it was fascinating and gripping, by far one of the best books I have ever read!

 

Claudia
Year 7
Seaford Head Community College 

Blood Ties by Sophie McKenzie is an extraordinary book about love, science and mystery.  The way she ties different worlds together is fabulous as it shows the difference and similarities in all different people.

It is about Theo and Rachel and Theo’s bodyguard Roy.  Theo never wanted a bodyguard but why does he have one?  His Mum is really poor and his Dad is dead, so what is the use of Roy?  One day after school Theo runs away from Roy, up the tree and over the big wall which was separating his all boys’ school from the world.  He didn’t know running away from home without a bodyguard was going to change his life. 

In this book he goes on amazing adventures with his best mate Jake and his Father's archenemy's daughter Rachel.  His only other friend Max (she’s a girl) tagged along as she is an amazing hacker.

Their adventure consists of loads more.  Such as guns, laptops, a rather weird school disco, a ripped dress and a slightly annoyed bodyguard.  This book is on my top five book lists it is so good.  All Sophie McKenzie books are amazing.  I would give this book a nine out of ten.

 

Harriet
Year 9
Benenden School

Blood Ties is about a boy called Theo who never knew his father, and a girl called Rachel who doesn’t really fit in with her family or friends. Theo tries to find out about his father which leads him to Rachel and her dad. As Theo gets to know Rachel they both start finding exactly what they are looking for.

It was a very exciting and surprising book with some unusual twists. I think the relationship between all the characters is what really makes the book stand out.

 

Jemima
Year 9
Benenden School

I loved this book. I thought the clever plot kept me reading from the start and the characters were interesting and I could relate to them. Rachel, a girl living in her sister’s shadow immediately falls for Theo, a boy who never lets people in, and who is trying to find his dad. The story is gripping and exciting and I think it is very well written. It has all the qualities of a great book: mystery, love and adventure.

 

Iona
Year 9
Benenden School

Blood Ties is an amazing book. The minute you open it you will be enthralled by it. The characters are really believable and the plot is easy to follow and is clever and interesting. I think the title is also clever and links well with the plot. The setting is well thought through and the characters are easy to relate to. The book is really gripping and has a twist in the tail.

 

Hebe
Year 9
Benenden School

This book is one of the best books I have ever read in my life. Not only does it have a small, yet sweet, love story between the two main characters Rachel and Theo, it also has the gripping idea of them having to run for their lives from the person who gave it to them. I think it is very clever how the chapters are split between Theo and Rachel and not by normal chapter headings. Theo and Rachel had never even heard of each other before they were fifteen, but a year later they would know everything to do with each other’s lives, whether they wanted to or not.

 

Sophie
Year 9
Benenden School

This book is definitely one of my favourites. I was completely glued to it and just couldn’t put it down. I love the connection and relationship between Rachel and Theo. The characters are well written, the minor characters were painted just as well as the leading ones.

 

Amy
Year 9
Peacehaven Community School

This book was I think the best out of the five. But, then again, I am a big sci-fi fan. I loved the way the chapters changed from Theo's to Rachel's point of view giving two sides of the story. The plot of the book was slow at first but once the story gathered pace I couldn't put it down. 10 out of 10.

 

Rosie
Year 9
Brighton & Hove High School

I really enjoyed the book. I really liked the elements of action in the book, but also the soft side of Rachel. I loved the fact that Theo and Rachel are very different people but are practically twins. I highly recommend this book.

 

Lydia
Year 9
Brighton College

The book Blood Ties by Sophie McKenzie is a fantastic novel, intriguing and well written, every page makes you want to read on further. It is about Rachel, always compared to her long-gone sister Rebecca, and Theo who has never known his father and is put under tight security by his bodyguard, Roy. His mother refuses to tell him why he needs a bodyguard, but when Theo decides he has had enough and starts shouting at his mother to tell him, she gives in and tells him only a limited amount of information. Intrigued, Theo wants to find out more, so he sets out on a mission to find his father and meets Rachel. Together they embark on an incredible journey, both finding out shocking secrets about themselves.

This is an exciting book full of adrenaline, and the characters were very well portrayed. It turns round different routes to keep you guessing.

 

Millie
Year 9
Brighton College

Blood Ties is a fast paced, exciting action novel. It is easy to read and extremely enjoyable, there wasn’t a dull moment from the beginning to the end.

Blood Ties is about Rachel, 14 and Theo, 15 who come from different worlds, both living in London, both go to single sex schools. However Rachel is well-off and Theo’s not, their worlds collide when Theo goes on a mission to find his dad. After finding out his dad knows Rachel’s parents he tracks her down and manages to convince Rachel to help him. Their lives are turned upside-down the night of the school disco: Theo is held at gunpoint and Rachel is in full shock, they manage to escape, but they could never imagine what is going to happen next.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it is full of action-packed scenes, but is also full of romance and everyday teenager’s life. I would recommend this book to all teenagers as it is easy to relate to them and extremely enjoyable to read, but I am sure adults would also really enjoy it too!!

 

Jessica
Year 10
St Richard's Catholic College

I really enjoyed this book because it was so unpredictable and there were so many unexpected twists. It is about two teenagers, Rachel and Theo. As the story progresses, the two characters come into contact and discover their connection…

I thought the style was easy to read and I could not put it down.

I would recommend Blood Ties to both boys and girls because the book is a dual-narrative told by characters of both genders.

 

Sam
Year 11
The Causeway School

Blood Ties is a gripping and creative novel.  Imagine if you couldn’t leave your house without a bodyguard, go to a mixed gender school, go anywhere alone, enter a room without someone waiting for you or even mention your dad?  Well, that’s exactly how Theo the leading man in the book has to live.  So he is forced to hack into Government files in search of a girl.  Rebecca is an only child forever being put down by the image of her dead sister who was always so perfect.  When these two meet their lives are swept up in a whirlwind of complication and Theo who cares about no-one finds himself missing people more than he ever believed possible.

This is the kind of book that every teenager can relate to as it confronts issues everyone within the age range deals with.  The switch between characters keeps the reader interested and desperate to read on and the insight into their thoughts means that you can relate to them and their personality.  This also means that it is well suited to either gender as it is often found that boys prefer to read books with a male lead.

The book holds strong imagery throughout with interesting settings that burrow into your imagination.  This includes homes, school and even a hidden residency.  It means that not only is the reader constantly interested in what’s happening but also what the reader sees is slightly individual and unique.

This is a highly recommendable book that grips the reader from the start and this reviewer would definitely read again.  It relates to the reader and is something very different.

 

Grace
Year 9
St Richard's Catholic College

I felt this book was quite a page turner yet failed to have an enticing beginning. I thought the beginning was very confusing and I had to keep reading bits again. The subject was very interesting and unusual. However the characters, I felt, were, at times, very misleading and confusing. The ending for me was ok but I found not all loose ends were tied up, but on the whole I thought it was very well organised. At times, I found it quite emotive and this really added to the effect of having two people telling the story.

On the whole, Blood Ties was a brilliant read and I feel it is very appropriate for the award. I think Blood Ties is a strong contender in the award and in my opinion the author should be congratulated.

 

Sam
Year 9
Brighton College

Blood Ties is a book about a two fifteen year olds, a boy and a girl, called Theo and Rachel who begin an adventure to find out about themselves and the past. The journey takes them to near-death experiences and life-altering moments.
I liked this book because it kept me reading until the very end which is good because I am picky towards the type of books I like reading.

It was a very easy book to read and it made me feel like I had accomplished something when I had finished the book.

 

Rebecca
Year 9
Peacehaven Community School

A must read, Blood Ties is a thrilling, exciting and totally gripping book. Once you get your head into it you can't stop reading until you have finished. I would recommend this book to anyone who has a heart for mysteries and adventures.

The book is about two teens who lead different lives and are very different people. However one thing is the same about them and when they get to the bottom of this mystery they find out that they have fallen into an even deeper problem with no way of turning back and pretending it never happened.