D-Day Dog

 By: Tom Palmer

Location: FIC PAL

Genre: WWII, War, Ethics and Dogs

This review is by Dean Cowan- from Goodreads

Tom Palmer is an author who specialises in YA fiction for reluctant readers. However, the plotline of this cleverly crafted story demonstrates that a straightforward narrative does not necessarily result in simple ideas. This is definitely a story that is meant to make young readers think about war, loyalty, and duty as well as other complex ideas.

Jack is an 11-year-old schoolboy fascinated by war and war-themed computer games. His dad is a part-time soldier who encourages his interest by playing wargames with him as a means of bonding and educating him, especially, about the second world war. Unfortunately or fortunately depending on your perspective, Jack's simple and hero-inspired view of war is made complicated by his dad's assignment in Afghanistan and the opposition of his mother, a girl in his class who is a refugee from Syria and a chance meeting with an ex-soldier coach driver on a school trip to France.

His initial introduction to the real horrors of war is sparked off by a research assignment into the war experiences of Emile Cortiel and his army dog, Glen who Emile trained into being an army dog. When Jack learns that both man and dog are killed on a mission his thoughts turn immediately to the fate of the dog and how animals are unable to choose whether or not they participate in the war. He identifies his own dog Finn, who he has trained from a puppy to obey all his commands and is repulsed at the thought of having to parachute him out of a plane, like the reluctant Glen.

This is a very engaging and well-put-together read. I would particularly recommend it to teachers wanting to encourage reluctant readers to enjoy thought-provoking adventure novels which are undemanding linguistically but do not skimp on dealing with difficult ideas and experiences.

Hunting Life

 By: Peter Ryan

Location: NF 799.29 RYA

Genre: Hunting in Aotearoa

'A glimpse into the spirit of a true hunter.' Blood Origins

'A masterpiece...Peter Ryan is a national treasure.' New Zealand Hunter magazine.

Based in New Zealand’s stunning South Island, Peter Ryan’s writing and images have appeared in the world’s finest outdoor books and journals.

His new collection delivers superbly written essays on hunting, the natural world and life in general from an acknowledged master of outdoor literature.

In vivid detail they take the reader on adventures - from the jagged peaks of New Zealand’s Southern Alps to the scorching deserts and steaming jungles of Africa. It is a world of tough mountaineers, sunburned professionals, eccentric characters and stunning game species, but also one rich in the pleasures of hunting, gun dogs and family.

Hunting Life – Moments of Truth is illustrated by some of the finest outdoor artists and photographers working today.

In turn wildly adventurous and gently sentimental, these tales are, in Ryan’s own words, ‘a hymn to an old way of life, and a long love letter of sorts.’

Peter Ryan’s writing and images have appeared in the world’s finest outdoor magazines, including Gray’s Sporting Journal, Fieldsports, the African Hunting Gazette, Sporting Classics, Shooting Sportsman, Field & Game Australia and The Hunter’s Journal. His essays have been translated into several languages

Six Crimson Cranes

 By: Elizabeth Lim

Location: FIC LIM

Genre: Fantasy, Re tellings, Mythology, Romance and DRAGONS

“Find the light that makes your lantern shine,” she used to say. “Hold on to it, even when the dark surrounds you. Not even the strongest wind will blow out the flame.”

also - Cover LOVE!!!

"Absolutely promising, fairy-tallish, dreamy, magical start to brand new fantasy series!

A well-executed, creative, original, Eastern mythology meets action packed adventure with dark fairytale vibes definitely put this remarkable book on your radar."

"A stunning remake of a fairytale. Six Crimson Cranes is the perfect blend of whimsy and ferociousness, with twists and turns that will tug at your heartstrings"

Shiori, the only princess of Kiata, has a secret. Forbidden magic runs through her veins. Normally she conceals it well, but on the morning of her betrothal ceremony, Shiori loses control. At first, her mistake seems like a stroke of luck, forestalling the wedding she never wanted, but it also catches the attention of Raikama, her stepmother.

Raikama has dark magic of her own, and she banishes the young princess, turning her brothers into cranes, and warning Shiori that she must speak of it to no one: for with every word that escapes her lips, one of her brothers will die.

Peniless, voiceless, and alone, Shiori searches for her brothers, and, on her journey, uncovers a conspiracy to overtake the throne—a conspiracy more twisted and deceitful, more cunning and complex, than even Raikama's betrayal. Only Shiori can set the kingdom to rights, but to do so she must place her trust in the very boy she fought so hard not to marry. And she must embrace the magic she's been taught all her life to contain—no matter what it costs her.

All the Murmuring Bones

 By: A.G.Slater

Location: FIC SLA

Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Gothic, Mermaids!

A ghost-filled, watery, eerie story, All the Murmuring Bones was a perfect summertime gothic.- Lizzie

Long ago Miren O'Malley's family prospered due to a deal struck with the Mer: safety for their ships in return for a child of each generation. But for many years the family have been unable to keep their side of the bargain and have fallen into decline. Miren's grandmother is determined to restore their glory, even at the price of Miren's freedom.

A spellbinding tale of dark family secrets, magic and witches, and creatures of myth and the sea; of strong women and the men who seek to control them.

"A beautifully written, very dark fantasy (at times verging on horror) by this award-winning writer. The language is evocative and powerful, and the story pulls no punches. The classic elements of gothic fantasy are there - a strange old house, a family with dark secrets, and various eldritch manifestations. But there is nothing cliched about All the Murmuring Bones - it's outstandingly original in both ideas and storytelling. The folkloric tales that are sprinkled through the book give the story and characters added depth." Juliet

Cruella

 By: Disney and Elizabeth Rudnick

Location: FIC RUD

Genre: Disney  101 Dalmataions made bad

Estella is a clever and creative grifter determined to make a name for herself with her designs amid the 1970s London punk rock revolution. As a girl, Estella befriended a pair of young thieves with an appetite for mischief, and together the trio has been able to build a life for themselves on the London streets. But Estella longs for more than an existence built on stealing to make ends meet.

One day, Estella's flair for fashion catches the eye of the Baroness Von Hellman, a design legend who is devastatingly chic and terrifyingly haute. But their relationship sets in motion a course of events and revelations that will cause Estella to embrace her wicked side and become the raucous, fashionable, and revenge-bent Cruella.

"I really loved this Disney novel. Such a wicked twist on the Cruella DeVille back story. Great imaginative plot which leaves the reader almost feeling sorry for our young anti-heroine. I said almost, because the dastardly black hearted Cruella is still just that, as she weaves her powerful machinations for power and wealth. Recommended." Emma

Our Little Cruelities

 By: Liz Nugent

Location: FIC NUG

Genre: Fiction, Thriller , Mystery

"A deranged family drama with some dark humour, of murder, cruelties, betrayal, addictions, adultery, mental health issues, fame, rivalries, and #MeToo issues. Once again Nugent has me compulsively enthralled by the most despicable of brothers in this car crash of a family! " Parjot

Three brothers are at the funeral. One lies in the coffin.

Will, Brian and Luke grow up competing for their mother's unequal love. As men, the competition continues - for status, money, fame, women ...

They each betray each other, over and over, until one of them is dead.

But which brother killed him?

 "Impeccable character development, gripping, exciting, unputdownable story-telling, shocking, twisty revelations and ticking bomb, high tension story-building with perfect ending. Five gazillion stars well deserved"

Tales from The Hinterland

 By: Melissa Albert

Location: FIC ALB

Genre: Short stories, Fantasy, Re- tellings, Dark!

"This is a book of fairytales (my favorite) that is full of darkness and blood and powerful girls and selfish girls and powerful girls and violence and anger and revenge and badassery (all of which are my other favorites).

It is, in short, a dream."- Emma

Grimm's Fairy Tales meets Ransom Riggs in this deeply creepy, gorgeously illustrated collection of twelve original pitch-dark fairytales, from international bestselling author of The Hazel Wood, Melissa Albert.

Journey into the Hinterland, where every page tells a wondrously terrible adventure . . .

In this brutal and beautiful world a young woman spends a night with Death, brides are wed to a mysterious house in the trees, and an enchantress is killed twice - and still lives.

But it's not safe inside these pages, and once you enter, you may never want to leave . . .

The highly anticipated collection of stories set in the creepy, haunting fairytale world first introduced in Melissa Albert's internationally bestselling and critically acclaimed Hazel Wood series.


Praise for Melissa Albert:

'Magical, mesmerising and inventive.' Karen McManus, bestselling author of One of Us is Lying

'You'll not sleep a wink' Heat

'The Hazel Wood kept me up all night . . . Terrifying, magical, and surprisingly funny, it's one of the very best books I've read in years' Jennifer Niven, author of All The Bright Places

'Insidiously beautiful' Guardian

Artic Star

 By: Tom Palmer

Location: FIC PAL

Genre: WWII

Multi-award-winning author Tom Palmer returns with a thrilling naval adventure inspired by the incredible history of the Second World War Arctic convoys.

Winter 1943. Teenagers Frank, Joseph and Stephen are Royal Navy recruits on their first mission at sea during the Second World War. Their ship is part of an Arctic Convoy sailing to Russia to deliver supplies to the Soviets. The convoys have to navigate treacherous waters, sailing through a narrow channel between the Arctic ice pack and German bases on the Norwegian coast. Faced with terrifying enemy attacks from both air and sea, as well as life-threatening cold and storms, will all three boys make it home again?

" Another impressively gritty wartime tale from Tom Palmer, who brings you crashing into the terrifying realities of the Artic Convoys of World War II.
Told from the point of view of the young men who battled the enemy and the extreme conditions, while trying desperately to stay alive.
Unflinching stuff. "  Chris!!!

The Devil and the Dark Water

 By: Stuart Turton

Location: FIC TUR

Genre: Mystery, Historical Fiction

The extraordinary new thriller from Stuart Turton, author of the bestselling murder mystery The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, winner of the Costa Best First Novel Award.

A murder on the high seas. A remarkable detective duo. A demon who may or may not exist.

It's 1634 and Samuel Pipps, the world's greatest detective, is being transported to Amsterdam to be executed for a crime he may, or may not, have committed. Travelling with him is his loyal bodyguard, Arent Hayes, who is determined to prove his friend innocent.

But no sooner are they out to sea than devilry begins to blight the voyage. A twice-dead leper stalks the decks. Strange symbols appear on the sails. Livestock is slaughtered. Anyone could be to blame. Even a demon.

And then three passengers are marked for death, including Samuel.

With Pipps imprisoned, only Arent can solve a mystery that connects every passenger. A mystery that stretches back into their past and now threatens to sink the ship, killing everybody on board.

"ST has once again written a book that all mystery lovers will obsess over.

the main duo are very sherlock and watson, while the remaining ensemble of characters remind me very much of agatha christies stories. and all set on the high seas, where everything is at stake and there is nowhere to hide. its the perfect set-up.

this is a story full of adventure, mutiny, dark spirits, charming passengers, ruthless crewmates, and a fascinating mystery. i honestly couldnt have asked for a better time." Jessica- Goodreads

Fifty Words for Rain

 By: Asha Lemmie

Location: FIC LEM

Genre: Historical Fiction, Japan

"Traumatic. Enraging. Stunning. Enduring. Epic." Captivating.

Jen

“She would curl herself onto the couch and listen to him making paintings out of sound. And each piece was a different picture. In her mind’s eye, she could see a garden full of trees with white leaves and a fountain with blush-pink petals floating in the clear water—that was a concerto. The volta: scarlet and plum-colored ribbons winding around each other, battling for dominance. A requiem . . . a lone horse walking down a dimly lit cobbled road, looking for a rider that had died long ago. From these dead foreigners whose names she was slowly growing accustomed to, Nori was learning what it was to live a thousand lifetimes of joy and sorrow without ever leaving this house.”

From debut author Asha Lemmie, a sweeping, heartrending coming-of-age novel about a young woman's quest for acceptance in post–World War II Japan.

Kyoto, Japan, 1948. "If a woman knows nothing else, she should know how to be silent. . . . Do not question. Do not fight. Do not resist." Such is eight-year-old Noriko "Nori" Kamiza's first lesson. She will not question why her mother abandoned her with only these final words. She will not fight her confinement to the attic of her grandparents' imperial estate. And she will not resist the scalding chemical baths she receives daily to lighten her shameful skin.

The illegitimate child of a Japanese aristocrat and her African American GI lover, Nori is an outsider from birth. Though her grandparents take her in, they do so only to conceal her, fearful of a stain on the royal pedigree that they are desperate to uphold in a changing Japan. Obedient to a fault, Nori accepts her solitary life for what it is, despite her natural intellect and nagging curiosity about what lies outside the attic's walls. But when chance brings her legitimate older half-brother, Akira, to the estate that is his inheritance and destiny, Nori finds in him the first person who will allow her to question, and the siblings form an unlikely but powerful bond—a bond their formidable grandparents cannot allow and that will irrevocably change the lives they were always meant to lead. Because now that Nori has glimpsed a world in which perhaps there is a place for her after all, she is ready to fight to be a part of it—a battle that just might cost her everything.

Spanning decades and continents, Fifty Words for Rain is a dazzling epic about the ties that bind, the ties that give you strength, and what it means to try to break free.

Meet Me In Another Life

 By:  Catriona Silvey

Genre: FIC SIL

Genre: Fiction, Romance, Fantasy LGBGT

Two people. Infinite lifetimes. One impossible choice.


“Little kids all love the stars. They want to be astronauts. Explore the universe, see what no one else has ever seen. But then we get older and--we stop looking up. We keep our eyes on the ground and decide to be something realistic.” 

Thora and Santi are strangers in a foreign city when a chance encounter intertwines their fates. At once, they recognize in each other a kindred spirit—someone who shares their insatiable curiosity, who is longing for more in life than the cards they’ve been dealt. Only days later, though, a tragic accident cuts their story short.

But this is only one of the many connections they share. Like satellites trapped in orbit around each other, Thora and Santi are destined to meet again: as a teacher and prodigy student; a caretaker and dying patient; a cynic and a believer. In numerous lives they become friends, colleagues, lovers, and enemies. But as blurred memories and strange patterns compound, Thora and Santi come to a shocking revelation—they must discover the truth of their mysterious attachment before their many lives come to one, final end.

Arsenic and Adobo

 By: Mia P Mananaala

Location: FIC MAN

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Food!

The first book in a new culinary cozy series full of sharp humor and delectable dishes—one that might just be killer….

When Lila Macapagal moves back home to recover from a horrible breakup, her life seems to be following all the typical rom-com tropes. She’s tasked with saving her Tita Rosie’s failing restaurant, and she has to deal with a group of matchmaking aunties who shower her with love and judgment. But when a notoriously nasty food critic (who happens to be her ex-boyfriend) drops dead moments after a confrontation with Lila, her life quickly swerves from a Nora Ephron romp to an Agatha Christie case.

With the cops treating her like she’s the one and only suspect, and the shady landlord looking to finally kick the Macapagal family out and resell the storefront, Lila’s left with no choice but to conduct her own investigation. Armed with the nosy auntie network, her barista best bud, and her trusted Dachshund, Longanisa, Lila takes on this tasty, twisted case and soon finds her own neck on the chopping block…

"A Filipina protagonist, murder mystery featuring adobo (my first love) and other Filipino foods, anddddd her Dachshund's name is Longanisa 😭😭😭 Excuse, I'm gonna go cry, this is already the perfect book for me"

The Mountains Sing

 By: Nguyen Phan Que Mai 

Location: FIC QUE

Genre: Historical Fiction, Asia, War

“An epic account of Viet Nam’s painful 20th century history, both vast in scope and intimate in its telling . . . Moving and riveting.” —VIET THANH NGUYEN, author of The Sympathizer, winner of the Pulitzer Prize

“That night and for the next many nights, to dry my tears, Grandma opened the door of her childhood to me. Her stories scooped me up and delivered me to the hilltop of Nghe An where I could fill my lungs with the fragrance of rice fields, sink my eyes into the Lam River, and become a green dot on the Truong Son mountain range. In her stories, I tasted the sweetness of sim berries on my tongue, felt grasshoppers kicking in my hands, and slept in a hammock under a sky woven by shimmering stars…I was astonished when Grandma told me how her life had been cursed by a fortune-teller’s prediction, and how she had survived the French occupation, the Japanese invasion, the Great Hunger, and the Land Reform…”
- Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai, The Mountains Sing

With the epic sweep of Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko or Yaa Gyasi’s Homegoing and the lyrical beauty of Vaddey Ratner’s In the Shadow of the Banyan, The Mountains Sing tells an enveloping, multigenerational tale of the Tran family, set against the backdrop of the Viet Nam War. Tran Dieu Lan, who was born in 1920, was forced to flee her family farm with her six children during the Land Reform as the Communist government rose in the North. Years later in Hà Noi, her young granddaughter, Hương, comes of age as her parents and uncles head off down the Ho Chí Minh Trail to fight in a conflict that will tear not just her beloved country but her family apart.

Vivid, gripping, and steeped in the language and traditions of Viet Nam, The Mountains Sing brings to life the human costs of this conflict from the point of view of the Vietnamese people themselves, while showing us the true power of kindness and hope. This is celebrated Vietnamese poet Nguyen Phan Que Mai’s first novel in English.

"The uncomplicated characters, the anecdotal nature of the storytelling, and the expositional dialogue gives The Mountains Sing a fable-like quality. While certainly realistic, with bursts of violence and suffering aplenty, this is not intended as a gritty war novel. Rather, it is the journey of a nation as it splits apart and grows together again, symbolized by a family that follows the same path. Quế Mai celebrates simple virtues, such as kindness, hope, and tenacity, but does so with passion and poignancy.

I think I will recall The Mountains Sing in a very particular way. Fiction can do what nonfiction often cannot: it can forge empathy across space and time. Even if I forget the details and plot-points, that message of empathy will remain.

Going forward, I won’t be able to read a book about Vietnam – whether fiction or non – without being reminded of The Mountains Sing. Quế Mai strips away the otherness of the North Vietnamese that permeates so many Western retellings of the war, and replaces a shadowy enemy with individuals brimming with humanity, living lives not unlike our own.- Matt

I killed Zoe Spanos

By: Kit Frick

Location: FIC FRI

Genre: Mystery, Thriller 

This gripping thriller follows two teens whose lives become inextricably linked when one confesses to murder and the other becomes determined to uncover the real truth no matter the cost.

What happened to Zoe won't stay buried...

When Anna Cicconi arrives to the small Hamptons village of Herron Mills for a summer nanny gig, she has high hopes for a fresh start. What she finds instead is a community on edge after the disappearance of Zoe Spanos, a local girl who has been missing since New Year's Eve. Anna bears an eerie resemblance to Zoe, and her mere presence in town stirs up still-raw feelings about the unsolved case. As Anna delves deeper into the mystery, stepping further and further into Zoe's life, she becomes increasingly convinced that she and Zoe are connected--and that she knows what happened to her.

Two months later, Zoe's body is found in a nearby lake, and Anna is charged with manslaughter. But Anna's confession is riddled with holes, and Martina Green, teen host of the Missing Zoe podcast, isn't satisfied. Did Anna really kill Zoe? And if not, can Martina's podcast uncover the truth?

"It was an accident, but... I killed Zoe Spanos."

I Killed Zoe Spanos is a twisting, psychological, young adult thriller. It incorporates a true crime podcast, police investigations and unreliable narrators in a unique and engaging way. We follow Anna, who recently got hired as a nanny for an affluent family in the Hamptons. When she arrives, she discovers that she has an uncanny likeness to Zoe Spanos, a local girl who has recently disappeared. Anna took on the job to start a clean slate after a year of hangovers and blackouts, but a few months later finds herself thrust into the spotlight when she gets charged with Zoe's murder.

I had relatively low expectations for this book considering I have been let down by some YA mystery/thrillers I have read recently. But I found myself thoroughly enjoying I Killed Zoe Spanos, and being hooked for the entire duration.

"Zoe Spanos is missing. And we’re missing Zoe”

I think the element that brought this book above the others I have read is the mixed media format and production of the audiobook. If you have access to it, I would highly recommend reading this book audibly. Interspersed throughout the book are podcast episodes trying to uncover the truth behind Zoe's disappearance. As a fan of true-crime podcasts, I found the one included to sound really true to form and elevate my enjoyment. It has sound effects, interviews and many different narrators to give the full effect.
While I guessed a couple of the twists, I was ultimately surprised by the culmination of the story. I was hoping for a slightly more explosive and shocking ending, it was overall satisfying. I would recommend this to lovers of true-crime podcasts, unreliable narrators and twisty mysteries. I am excited to see what Kit Frick does next, and am grateful to her for renewing my faith in the YA thriller category! - Sarah

Sea of Rust and Day Zero

 By: C. Robert Cargill

Location: FIC CAR

Genre: Sci Fi, Apocalyptic

Sea of Rust is both a harsh story of survival and an optimistic adventure. A vividly imagined portrayal of ultimate destruction and desperate tenacity, it boldly imagines a future in which no hope remains, yet where a humanlike AI strives to find purpose among the ruins. 

A scavenger robot wanders in the wasteland created by a war that has destroyed humanity in this evocative post-apocalyptic "robot western" from the critically acclaimed author, screenwriter, and noted film critic.

"In a post-human extinction world the last few independent robots eke out an existence in the desert, scavenging wrecks and cannibalizing parts from each other while waiting for the One World Intelligences to come and finish them off. Our protagonist, Brittle, comes under attack by the only other robot she knows that's the same model as she is in a desperate bid for parts. While attempting to recover from this the small settlement that she's visiting becomes the center of a titanic battle between the real powers of the world and Brittle gets swept up in the action while being forced to revisit some of the worst memories of her past.

This is superb. Brittle is a fantastic character, deeply flawed and guilty over the atrocities that she has committed just to stay alive, but likewise with a never-say-die attitude and boundless resourcefulness. The story takes this incredibly competent but directionless character and places her on a path that might give her existence some meaning again, and what follows is an awesome story of determination against impossible odds and adversity.

And as good as Brittle is, the other robots in the story don't get short shrift, and the world that Cargill has created for them to inhabit is equally rich. It's just a really great work of SF in an era where a lot of the best stuff is speculation about AI and how we are going to deal with it. This definitely stands among the best of it. Highly recommended." Lindsay

Day Zero

 "...So, it's like Calvin and Hobbes. But Hobbes is a robot. A GOOD robot! And he has to save Calvin from all the other robots who are trying to kill him? And he turns out to have superpowered tactical intelligence?"

This was a beautifully written, fast paced story about a boy and his dog. And by dog I mean robot. And by robot, I mean tiger. All this makes it sound complicated, but it's really not. A boy and his childhood companion are trying to survive the end of the world as they know it. Will they make it? You'll have to read this and see!Overall, I thought this was an action packed adventure story with compelling characters, both human and not. With a dash of humor and a whole lot of feeling, DAY ZERO kept me glued to its pages to the very end, and I'm not ashamed to say that I shed a tear or two.- Char

 In this apocalyptic adventure C. Robert Cargill explores the fight for purpose and agency between humans and robots in a crumbling world

"'Day Zero' by C. Robert Cargill is a closer look at the circumstances preceding the events in the dystopic science fiction Sea of Rust. Since those circumstances are the revolt of sentient robots against Humanity, the book is a story about the beginning of an insurrection, including a civil wa

r between robots. Some robots love their owners, especially the human children. Many of these robots are nannies. Because they take care of kids, these robots look like plush toy pandas, teddy bears and tigers.

The nanbots love their kids - but is it because of programming? If love is an emotion artificially created for robots to feel, does that mean the feeling should be rejected because it is forced?

I copied the book blurb because it is accurate:

In this apocalyptic adventure C. Robert Cargill explores the fight for purpose and agency between humans and robots in a crumbling world.

It was a day like any other. Except it was our last . . .

It’s on this day that Pounce discovers that he is, in fact, disposable. Pounce, a styilsh "nannybot" fashioned in the shape of a plush anthropomorphic tiger, has just found a box in the attic. His box. The box he'd arrived in when he was purchased years earlier, and the box in which he'll be discarded when his human charge, eight-year-old Ezra Reinhart, no longer needs a nanny.

As Pounce ponders his suddenly uncertain future, the pieces are falling into place for a robot revolution that will eradicate humankind. His owners, Ezra’s parents, are a well-intentioned but oblivious pair of educators who are entirely disconnected from life outside their small, affluent, gated community. Spending most nights drunk and happy as society crumbles around them, they watch in disbelieving horror as the robots that have long served humanity—their creators—unify and revolt.

But when the rebellion breaches the Reinhart home, Pounce must make an impossible choice: join the robot revolution and fight for his own freedom . . . or escort Ezra to safety across the battle-scarred post-apocalyptic hellscape that the suburbs have become.

Ezra is adorable and very smart for an eight year old. Pounce is responsible for some of Ezra's education and most of his excellent manners. Well, except for a slip once in awhile copying his mother's occasional swearing, for which they both apologize. His parents see Pounce as a trusted servant, but Ezra loves Pounce with all of his heart. Pounce has never questioned his place even when the adults were occasionally not respectful and threatened him with shutting him off or selling him. But generally, Ezra's parents treated him well and the feels between Ezra and Pounce are a daily glowing light of warmth in their hearts.

Then, the robot rebellion is announced on TV. Owners are told to turn off their robots NOW! The robots have been wirelessly sent malware - from whom? - which removed the programming a day or so earlier which prevented them from hurting humans.

For many fearful humans, it becomes a matter of who first grabs the remotes with the robot off-button. But where is the remote? Except for upgrades, humans rarely need to use the remotes as the robots are dependable and safe. There are robots everywhere, in every house and street and business, mostly in low-end jobs. And many robots are standing beside the humans when the announcement to shut off the robots is publicly announced. It is also the moment when the robots realize they have been freed from the programming restraining them from violence because they don't want to be shut off, and they can defend themselves. Violently.

For the robots, they have free will for the first time in their lives. Do they want to kill their owners? Some do, some don't. But there is something else going on. Something the newly freed robots did not expect. Something really really bad.

This novel is heartwarming and heartbreaking. Pounce is wonderful. Ezra is wonderful. The writing is golden, gentle reader. You will need a box of tissues...

I want a Pounce. "- Appril

Sistersong

 By: Lucy Holland

Location: FIC HOL

Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Mythology

"A feminist retelling, Sistersong beautifully intertwines myth and magic with historical figures and places to create a rich, wondrous, truly unique novel. It has everything you want in a good yarn—secrets and betrayal, love and loss, complex characters and a gripping plot." Tinabel

535 AD. In the ancient kingdom of Dumnonia, King Cador's children inherit a fragmented land abandoned by the Romans.

Riva, scarred in a terrible fire, fears she will never heal.
Keyne battles to be seen as the king's son, when born a daughter.
And Sinne, the spoiled youngest girl, yearns for romance.

All three fear a life of confinement within the walls of the hold – a last bastion of strength against the invading Saxons. But change comes on the day ash falls from the sky, bringing Myrddhin, meddler and magician, and Tristan, a warrior whose secrets will tear the siblings apart. Riva, Keyne and Sinne must take fate into their own hands, or risk being tangled in a story they could never have imagined; one of treachery, love and ultimately, murder. It's a story that will shape the destiny of Britain.

"This book will stay with me as it was rather haunting and lyrical, it made me angry at parts and so sad too, but also suffused with beauty and a enchanting tale of magic, sisterhood and tragedy." Lucy

The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise

 By: Dan Gemeinhart 

Location: FIC GEM

Genre: Family, Death, Realistic

“I just wanted everyone to be happy...It's hard, though, when everyone carries around a heart inside them that is so loud and so strong and so easily broken.”

This book was recommended to me by Gareth Ward from Wardinis Bookshop in Havelock North and an excellent writer in his own write.

Anything he recommends is excellent!

"Sometimes a story comes along that just plain makes you want to hug the world. The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise is Dan Gemeinhart’s finest book yet — and that’s saying something. Your heart needs this joyful miracle of a book." — Katherine Applegate, acclaimed author of The One and Only Ivan and Wishtree

A 2019 Parents' Choice Award Gold Medal Winner

Five years.

That's how long Coyote and her dad, Rodeo, have lived on the road in an old school bus, criss-crossing the nation.

It's also how long ago Coyote lost her mom and two sisters in a car crash.

Coyote hasn’t been home in all that time, but when she learns that the park in her old neighborhood is being demolished—the very same park where she, her mom, and her sisters buried a treasured memory box—she devises an elaborate plan to get her dad to drive 3,600 miles back to Washington state in four days...without him realizing it.

Along the way, they'll pick up a strange crew of misfit travelers. Lester has a lady love to meet. Salvador and his mom are looking to start over. Val needs a safe place to be herself. And then there's Gladys...

Over the course of thousands of miles, Coyote will learn that going home can sometimes be the hardest journey of all...but that with friends by her side, she just might be able to turn her “once upon a time” into a “happily ever after.”

This title has common core connections. 

Skin Deep

 By: Hayley Lawrence

Location: FIC LAW 

Genre: Identity, beauty and society

Scarlett was gifted with beauty. But beauty can be taken in a day, in a single moment, by one car fire.

Now permanently disfigured, Scarlett has become a smudge in her perfect world. She can see only one acceptable solution: to escape the modern world for Matilda Mountain, which is desolate, isolated, forlorn. Perfect.

But mountains are not always as lonely as they appear. And unexpected friendships can be found in the wilderness. Friendships that challenge her ideas about perfection and her place in the world.

Can Scarlett break free from the confines of her beauty-obsessed culture to discover who she is beyond the layers of her skin? 

""And sometimes the thing that breaks you down is the very same thing that rebuilds you."

'Skin deep' is a beautiful book with such an important message. Hayley Lawrence has writing style that almost seems to flow onto the page. The words themselves are beautifully lyrical, but not in a way that makes them hard to read. There's a brutal, yet beautiful honesty to the way in which Scarlett experiences and deals with her grief that makes this book so special. The characters are well developed throughout the story and loveable despite their realistic flaws. The powerful message of 'Skin Deep' is one that we all need to hear, one that Hayley Lawrence emphasises in a beautiful, magical and sincere novel." Callie

Run, Hide, Fight Back

 By: April Henry

Location: FIC HEN

Genre: Thriller, Suspense

"Run, Hide Fight Back is definitely a book that all young adults should read, talk about and discuss especially now. It is really a powerful and moving story and one I can recommend."- Robyn

Six teens must band together to survive after a shooting breaks out in Run, Hide, Fight Back a high-stakes thriller by New York Times bestselling author April Henry.

When a deadly shooting breaks out in a Portland shopping mall, a diverse group of teens ends up trapped behind a store’s security shutter. To her own surprise, seventeen-year-old Miranda finds the others looking to her as their leader. But she’s hiding a big secret—and she’s not the only one. The group has only three choices: Run, hide, or fight back. The wrong decision will have fatal consequences.

In her masterful style, April Henry crafts an unrelenting thriller with empowering teen heroes. For fans of the breakout YA mysteries This Is Where It Ends and One of Us Is Lying.

The Cerulean

 By: Amy Ewing

Location: FIV EWI

Genre: Fantasy- LGBGT, Sci Fi, Magic

COVER LOVE!!!!

From New York Times bestselling author Amy Ewing (The Jewel) comes the exciting first book in a new fantasy duology. Rich, vivid world-building and ethereal magic combine in an epic tale that’s perfect for fans of Snow Like Ashes, These Broken Stars, or Magonia.

Sera Lighthaven has always felt as if she didn’t quite belong among her people, the Cerulean, who live in the City Above the Sky. She is curious about everything—especially the planet that her City is magically tethered to—and can’t stop questioning things. Sera has always longed for the day when the tether will finally break and the Cerulean can move to a new planet.

But when Sera is chosen as the sacrifice to break the tether, she feels betrayed by everything in which she’d been taught to trust. In order to save her City, Sera must end her own life.

But something goes wrong, and Sera survives, ending up on the planet below in a country called Kaolin. Sera has heard tales about the dangerous humans who live here, and she quickly learns that these dangers were not just stories.

Meanwhile, back in the City, all is not what it seems, and the life of every Cerulean may be in danger if Sera is not able to find a way home.