There were two things Olive knew about Miranda Vaile: number one she had no parents and number two they were dead because she killed them. Olive is the main character in ‘Shift’. She has made a lot of changes to her life. She now takes her meds, goes to school and work and is no longer best friends with the popular girl, Katie. Now Olive has a new best friend, Ami, who she describes as “Me but with way better hair.” There is a new girl at school named Miranda. There are a lot of rumours going around about her and Olive can’t help but wonder if they are true. After a brief confrontation, Miranda and Katie, become friends and as they become closer the life starts to drain from Katie. This leads Olive to become more suspicious of Miranda and who/what she is. On a happier note, there is a new boy in town, Lachlan, who seems to take an interest in Olive, only Olive doesn’t believe him and continues to push him away. Will Olive find out the truth about Miranda? Will she let Lachlan get close to her?I found this story quite interesting and would recommend it to teenagers, most likely girls who are interested in fantasy/Sci Fi books. I rate ‘Shift’four out of five stars; overall it was a good read.Maria, Year 9.

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‘There were two things everyone knew about Miranda Vaile before she’d even started at our school.  The first was that she had no parents – they were dead. And the second? They were dead because Miranda had killed them.’

Em Bailey’s novel Shift is a thrilling dystopian novel that delves into the life of high school student, Olive Corbett. She is recovering from what she refers to as ‘The Incident’ while trying to deal with her dad walking out on their family and being ditched by the popular girls.

When Miranda starts at Jubilee Park High, things start to change. She latches onto Katie (the queen bee) and becomes one of the most popular girls in school. But Olive knows she’s hiding something. So with the help of her best friend Ami, she decides to find out what that is. In between all the drama, new boy Lachlan shows interest in Olive and goes to great lengths to start a friendship that could potentially turn into a relationship with her. Will Olive find out what Miranda’s hiding? Will Olive and Lachlan get together?

Shift was an exhilarating read, one that I couldn’t put down. It really puts into perspective the issues that teenagers could potentially go through and how to deal with them. I really enjoyed this book and thought that it was beautifully written. If you’re into mystery/fantasy with a bit of romance books, then this is the one for you!

– Jess, Year 9

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Meet Olive Corbett. She had everything. The boys… The looks… And the popularity. Until ‘The Incident’ and from that day forth, her life was turned upside down. Not only has her old best friend Katie told everybody about it, but the creepy new girl seems to be latching on to Katie like a parasite. Olive may be known as the girl who has a habit of letting her imagination run away with her, but there is one thing she is sure of and that is that there is something definitely not right about the new girl Miranda, and the fact that she killed her parents makes even more of a reason to stay well clear of her.

Shift is an edgy book written by Em Bailey. This story includes the everyday struggles of teenagers in high school and comes to terms with mental illness and depression in teenagers. It is constantly keeping you in suspense making it hard to put the book down. I finished this book within two days of borrowing it as it was like an addiction. I had to keep reading it. I loved this book because it was a mystery and it always kept me guessing what would happen next, keeping my full attention. I recommend this book to teenagers and young adults between the ages 13- 25 who enjoy reading mystery and thrill. I rate the book ‘Shift’ a 5 out of 5 stars.

– Amba, Year 9.

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Shift by Em Bailey is a thrilling tale, which will always leave you on edge and guessing. I became completely attached to this book from the very first chapter. The epic twists and turns will pull you into a world where nothing is, as it seems.

“This well-written, tightly plotted thriller kept me reading long into the night… A book that stands out in the genre.” –Bookseller & Publisher.

Olive Corbett has had a troubled past, with her dad abandoning her and her family, losing her best-friend not to mention her attempted suicide. So when an odd new girl, Miranda, starts at Jubilee Park High School, Olive and her best friend Ami become suspicious of her motives when she befriends the most popular girl in school. Slowly Miranda begins to become popular and changes her looks to match her new ‘bestie’, Katie. As Miranda becomes more vibrant and outgoing, Katie is barely there. Soon Miranda takes Katie’s place and her boyfriend, leaving Katie sickly and fading. Olive is sure Miranda is a shapeshifter, and she is determined to stop her before someone gets hurt.

Shift is a perfect blend of Sci-fi mixed with modern. I would suggest this book for teens around thirteen and up. I rate this book four stars out of five for its well-written plot and great understanding of adolescence.

Ingrid, Year 9