Cambridge High School Library 2024

By: Barry Jonsberg Location: FIC JON Genre: Thriller- family- kidnapping- who dun it and why! I dont like maths and I dont like lotteries and I dont like kidnapping- but chucked all together in a book- I might like it! "game theory noun the branch of mathematics concerned with the analysis of strategies for dealing with competitive situations where the outcome of a participant's choice of action depends critically on the actions of other participants. Game theory has been applied to contexts in war, business, and biology" Game theory has brought me to this point and I must follow where it leads. Even though this is not a game.' Jamie is a sixteen-year-old maths whiz. Summerlee, his older sister, is in the grip of a wild phase. Tensions at home run high. When Summerlee wins a 7.5-million-dollar lottery, she cuts all ties with her family. But money can cause trouble - big trouble. And when Jamie's younger sister Phoebe is kidnapped for rans...

By: Kimberly Brubaker Bradley Location: FIC BRA Genre; Historical Fiction -WWII “It had been awful, but I hadn't quit. I had persisted. In battle I had won.” My beautiful great niece has a club foot. She is six weeks old. I am in love with her already! The medical intervention and supports she has had already is amazing. She has had little plaster casts, surgery and now  whopping big plaster of paris casts. then she will have a brace- by the time she is four she will be running around like any child! She will adventure, she will play on a park and she will chase puppies! It has not always been that way fro kids with club feet- especially kids in a war zone! Absolutely breathtaking. "The War That Saved My Life was phenomenal. An incredibly emotional and poignant read about one girl and the life she believes she deserves. Her mothers emotional and physical abuse due to her malformation from birth, nine year old Ada survives on dinner scraps and caring for younger br...

By: Natasha Pulley Location: FIC OUL Genre: Historical Fiction/Fantasy!     “Your science can save a man’s life, but imagination makes it worth living .”      1883. Thaniel Steepleton returns home to his tiny London apartment to find a gold pocket watch on his pillow. Six months later, the mysterious timepiece saves his life, drawing him away from a blast that destroys Scotland Yard. At last, he goes in search of its maker, Keita Mori, a kind, lonely immigrant from Japan. Although Mori seems harmless, a chain of unexplainable events soon suggests he must be hiding something. When Grace Carrow, an Oxford physicist, unwittingly interferes, Thaniel is torn between opposing loyalties. The Watchmaker of Filigree Street  is a sweeping, atmospheric narrative that takes the reader on an unexpected journey through Victorian London, Japan as its civil war crumbles long-standing traditions, and beyond. Blending historical events with dazzling flights of fancy...

By: Madeline Smoot and Hope Erica Schultz Location: FIC SMO Genre: Short Stories- Sci Fi /Fantasy 19 short stories about war - with a sci/fi twist- focusing on children in war or conflicts. Imaginative and original, One Thousand Words for War explores in various fantastic settings the different types of conflict—from powerful internal and external conflicts with the potential to destroy the main character’s world to the peace that comes from accepting change. Whether it's a transgendered girl standing up to bullies or a child soldier trying to save his fellows from war, this collection shows the powerful ways teens can overcome and embrace extraordinary circumstances.

By: Zana Fraillon Location: FIC FRA Genre:Real life- one of those books- detention center story. 'A special book.' Morris Gleitzman "WE ARE INNOCENT.  PLEASE HELP US TO BE FREE. WE CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT HOPE." Some days I am so pleased I am not Australian. If I was Australian I would be so ashamed of how they treated refugees, I would ashamed of the humans rights that they disregard. Australia is doing this thing badly! This story will simply explain why! This is a confronting book!   Lily from Goodreads says this so well This is an important, powerful little story, one that takes the complicated mess of politics and bureaucratic arguing, and whittles it all down to the simple questions: 'why is it illegal for people to try and save their families? Why is it illegal to want to live?' Sometimes, at night, the dirt outside turns into a beautiful ocean. As red as the sun and as deep as the sky. I lie in my bed, Queeny's feet pushing up a...

By: Julie Hammerle Location: FIC HAM Genre: TYoung Adult- Music and Roamnce Thus is Pitch Perfect in a book!!! "Funny and fast-paced music-based romance" "But that's life. Whichever road you choose, you're going to be missing out on something." Kiki Nichols might not survive music camp. She’s put her TV-loving, nerdy self aside for one summer to prove she’s got what it takes: she can be cool enough to make friends, she can earn that music scholarship, and she can get into Krause University’s music program. Except camp has rigid conduct rules—which means her thrilling late-night jam session with the hot drummer can’t happen again, even though they love all the same TV shows, and fifteen minutes making music with him meant more than every aria she’s ever sung. But when someone starts snitching on rule breakers and getting them kicked out, music camp turns into survival of the fittest. If Kiki’s going to get that scholarship, her chance to make true ...

By: Stephanie Burgis Location: FIC BUR Genre:  Historical Fantasy Fiction   This book has me excited- I love history, I love big old buildings, I love royal court based stories and I love the cover of this book! A operatic swooningly romantic historical fantasy- i ntrigue, music, romance, and alchemy, all converging in one of 18th century Hungary's grandest opera houses   Quiz Question One:  What is a  kapellmeister? Quiz Question Two:  Why is  Eszterháza famous ? T he story takes place in 1779, transporting readers to the extravagant court of Nikolaus I, Prince Esterházy of Hungary. Charlotte is a widowed young baroness, invited to stay at the palace during her mourning period by her sister Sophie, the prince’s mistress. The entire place is also abuzz with the arrival of Europe’s foremost castrato singer Carlo Morelli, here to enjoy the operas and grand musical productions that have made the Eszterháza so famous. Other visitors and gue...

By: Frank Boyce Location: Boy Genre: Aliens- Humans, Sci Fi and Family + Humour "Wholly original and exceptionally funny"  Bookseller Book of the Month "A touching tale...with wild humor and panache"  The Telegraph If I had to find ten things worth seeing or doing on Earth to save the planet what would they be?  Mine are as follows Hmmm- First- listen to a huge choir singing African music! Yes that would be number one! Second- going up the Southern alps and watching a sunset- mountains and the sun- that would be worth saving. Number Three- Watching a bunch of men from a fishing village working together to gather the nets in while they sing- and the whole village coming to help-. Number Four- the birth of a baby. Number Five- Watching a boy play with his puppy- who could destroy that! Number Six- A multi generational family- eating, laughing, singing playing and being toge...

By: Holly Seddon Location: FIC SED Genre: P sychological tale of suspense. "Try Not to Breathe  by Holly Seddon is an intense psychological thriller which kept me enthralled to the very end ." “Fear was the undercurrent, always threatening to whip his legs from under him. Fear was a secondary heartbeat only he could hear, that could get so quiet it was almost imperceptible, or so loud it drowned everything else out.” Brenda reviewed this book this way "Amy Stevenson was only fifteen years old when it happened; her abduction in 1995 was the talk of the town and headlines in the newspapers for a long time afterwards. But Amy had been found alive much to her family’s delight. That was short-lived though when it was realised that Amy would never be the same again – completely unable to communicate and in a vegetative state, the horror of what had happened was intensified by the fact that Amy’s attacker was never found. Fifteen years later reporter Alex Dale disc...

By: Cinda Williams Chima Location: FIC CHI Genre: Fantasy A spin-off from The   Seven Realms  series. "Hope is the thing that can't be reined in by rules or pinned down by bitter experience. It's a blessing and a curse ." Set in the world of the  New York Times  bestselling Seven Realms series, a generation later, this is a breathtaking story of dark magic, chilling threats, and two unforgettable characters walking a knife-sharp line between life and death. This dazzling beginning to a new series is indispensable for fans of Cinda Williams Chima and a perfect starting point for readers who are new to her work. Adrian sul’Han, known as Ash, is a trained healer with a powerful gift of magic—and a thirst for revenge. Ash is forced into hiding after a series of murders throws the queendom into chaos. Now he’s closer than ever to killing the man responsible, the cruel king of Arden. With time running out, Ash faces an excruciating choice: Can he use hi...

By: Megumi Iwasa Location: EAS IWA Genre: Cute:) We have a Giraffe in the library- we do- a real one- loved, hugged and very much a part of our family. So I am buying him books to read - just for him. This in one of them and Jaime loves it!! Honestly he could not get his neck out of it! He now knows all about penguins- he told me- even though he cannot make any noises! Dear You, Whoever You Are, Who Lives on the Other Side of the Horizon.  I am Giraffe. I live in Africa. I'm famous for my long neck. Please tell me all about yourself.  Yours sincerely,  Giraffe. Giraffe is bored and decides to use the letter service by the also bored Pelican in search of a pen pal. Thus given both of them something to look forward to. The story is about Giraffe and Penguin’s friendship, how their correspondence impacts the animals around them and the question: “How do you imagine someone you’ve never meet?” It is an endearing read, with simple but effective illustratio...

By: Ann M Martin Location: FIC MAR Genre: Autism - a kids view Do you recognize this authors name-   She wrote  " The Babysitters Club." "I want to give this 100 stars! One of the best young children's book out right now. I loved this girl!!! A bittersweet story of Rose a girl of high functioning child with autism, her single father, loving uncle and the special bond she has with her dog Rain."- Rose It is good to have a book about dogs and how much kids love them. if our dog had of run away our son would not have slept a wink until Rex the Fox tTerrier/Jack Russell cross was back snuggled up at his feet! We too would have had search parties streamed all over our town. A boy with a lost dog- it does not work. It is good to understand Autism- it is good to feel the heartbeat of a child who is in her world that is autistic. This book is kind of like  The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time   for younger readers. 11-year-ol...

By: Lili Wilkinson Location: FIC WIL Genre: Young Adult- religious cults  A gripping YA novel about an ordinary girl who is unsuspectingly inducted into a secretive modern-day cult. 'A brilliant, searing trip into the world of cults and brainwashing. Her best book yet.' - Justine Larbalestier I had cults- I can say that because most cultists wont be reading this blog. They wont be allowed too. I went to school with a great young woman who was in a cult. It was heartbreaking. This stunning, talented, beautiful, intelligent young woman- who could not move without being observed and spoken about. She had zero freedom and her amazing personality was engulfed by rules and elders who ensured they were kept. Julianna- I have never forgotten you as I promised I would not! I hope in the mix of your controlled life you have found space to be and explore and journey. As promised- if you call- I will come- still! Mate Im sad now!!!! I hate cults!!! ...

By: Luanne Rice Location: FIC RIC Genre: Youth Fiction-Realistic My sister and I never had a secret language- I was probably far to annoying and she probably just wanted me a long long way from her- she would off had to shout!  I am sure though if we had off had a major event occur in our lives we would of been there for each other- and I would like to thin that we would now- she would not need to shout now! As for texting and driving- it is just stupid and if you don't believe me- read this book to  make it hit home. Pull over people- just pull over if you have to get that text! When Ruth Ann (Roo) McCabe responds to a text message while she’s driving, her life as she knows it ends. The car flips, and Roo winds up in a hospital bed, paralyzed. Silent. Everyone thinks she’s in a coma, but Roo has locked-in syndrome—she can see and hear and understand everything around her, but no one knows it. She’s trapped inside her own body, screaming to be heard. Mathilda (Tilly) i...

By: Jill Williamson Location: FIC WIL Genre: Fantasy Series: The Kinsman Chronicles #1 The gods are angry. Volcanic eruptions, sinkholes, ground shakers--everything points to their unhappiness. At least that is what the king of Armania believes. His son, Prince Wilek, thinks his father's superstitions are nonsense, though he remains the ever dutiful heir apparent to the throne. When a messenger arrives and claims that the town of Farway has been swallowed by the earth, the king sends Wilek to investigate. But what Wilek discovers is more cataclysmic than one lost city. Even as the ground shifts beneath his feet, Wilek sets out on a desperate journey to save his people and his world. But can he do it before the entire land crumbles Epic. This is the word that immediately comes to mind when I think of King's Folly  by Jill Williamson. Fantastic, action-filled, diverse, brilliant. This book is the first in a new series called THE KINSMAN CHRONICLES; (it's actually a pre...

By: Justin Fisher Location: FIC FIS Genre: Fantasy What if everything I thought was magic- could be real! I think it would be magic to have a yummy meal appear on my plate with a click of my fingers. It would be magic to say a few words of gobble and a hidden garden appear at our place full of beauty and niceness.It would be magic for all words of hate and destruction to be control alt deleted! But evil clowns- oh yeah- a book with evil clowns- I always knew this about clowns! You follow a young boy, Ned, who just turned 13 enter into a world of magical, crazy creatures that live in secrecy to the 'normal' human world. However, as soon as Ned turned 13, his boring old Dad wanted to bring him to the circus as a present but their path is blocked by evil clowns, yes there are actually evil clowns in this story, which turns into a wild chase. This is just the beginning for Ned though as he is forced to hide within a circus troupe.  Throughout his adventure he meets a gori...

By: Renee Ahdieh Location: AHD Genre: Fantasy- Historic Series: A  duology: A  Wrath and Dawn                            The Rose and The Dagger           The rose’s rarest essence lives in the thorns.   THE WRATH AND THE DAWN :  Every dawn brings horror to a different family in a land ruled by a killer. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, takes a new bride each night only to have her executed at sunrise. So it is a suspicious surprise when sixteen-year-old Shahrzad volunteers to marry Khalid. But she does so with a clever plan to stay alive and exact revenge on the Caliph for the murder of her best friend and countless other girls. Shazi’s wit and will, indeed, get her through to the dawn that no others have seen, but with a catch . . . she’s falling in love with the very boy who killed her dearest friend. She discovers that the murderous boy-king i...

By: E.K. Johnston Location: FIC JOH Genre: Fantasy Would I be prepared to sacrifice my life- so my sister could live. Big question? Probably would not have said yes when I was 14!!! This book is set in the  Ancient Middle East- a place full of colour, intrigue, steeped in history- think Arabian Nights, think Persia, think harems and magic.... "Magic, wisdom, true east, demons, princes, desert, castles, love, friendship and a healthy dose of feminism - this is the bouquet of  A thousand nights" .-  Nastassja   Lo-Melkhiin killed three hundred girls before he came to my village, looking for a wife. When Lo-Melkhiin - a formidable king - arrives at her desert home, she knows that he will take her beautiful sister for a wife. Desperate to save her sister from certain death, she makes the ultimate sacrifice - leaving home and family behind to live with a fearful man. But it seems that a strange magic flows between her and Lo-Melkhiin, and night after night, she...

By: Adam Silvera Location: FIC SIL Genre: Complementary Youth Fiction LGBT “Silvera managed to leave me smiling after totally breaking my heart. Unforgettable.” —Becky Albertalli, author of  Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda   "Adam Silvera explores the inner workings of a painful world and he delivers this with heartfelt honesty and a courageous, confident hand . . . A mesmerizing, unforgettable tour de force." —John Corey Whaley, National Book Award finalist and author of  Where Things Come Back  and  Noggin    A note from the author: MORE HAPPY THAN NOT is my debut novel, and there was a time where I believed this book was never going to be seen by others after rejections and nonsense. But it's here! And it's about a boy who is considering a memory-alteration procedure to forget he's gay because leading a life as a straight teen would probably be way easier for him. It's about science versus nature, friendship, sexuality, an...

By: Kate Ling Location: FIC LIN Genre: Young Adult- Sci Fi and Love! 'It is that quick,  it is that strong,  it is that beautiful.  And it is also totally impossible.' What is  better than having the sun on your face- not a lot. Especially with our gloomy Waikato weather- oh for sun on the face and on your back! What if you needed to feel the sun on you to stay sane- there would not be many sane people in the Waikato that is for sure! Even though she knows it's impossible, Seren longs to have the sunshine on her skin. It's something she feels she needs to stay sane. But when you're floating through space at thousands of kilometres an hour, sometimes you have to accept there are things you cannot change. Except that the arrival of Dom in her life changes everything in ways she can barely comprehend. For a while he becomes the Sun for her; and she can't help but stay in his orbit. Being with him flaunts every rule designed to keep th...