This Woven Kingdom

By: Tahereh Mafi

Location: FIC TAH

Genre: Fantasy, Romance,  Young Adult

This cover!!!!!

Book One in a Trilogy!

Clashing empires, forbidden romance, and a long-forgotten queen destined to save her people—bestselling author Tahereh Mafi’s first in an epic, romantic trilogy inspired by Persian mythology.

To all the world, Alizeh is a disposable servant, not the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom forced to hide in plain sight.

The crown prince, Kamran, has heard the prophecies foretelling the death of his king. But he could never have imagined that the servant girl with the strange eyes, the girl he can’t put out of his mind, would one day soon uproot his kingdom—and the world.

Perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Tomi Adeyemi, and Sabaa Tahir, this is the explosive first book in a new fantasy trilogy from the New York Times bestselling and National Book Award-nominated author Tahereh Mafi

REVIEW BY BASMA

Initial reaction: That was IMMACULATE.

Oh this was phenomenal. Everything I look for in a fantasy was there (plus MAJOR fairytale vibes), and on top of that, it’s a Persian inspired world with some Islamic influences! Honestly, I’ll go on record and say this was Tahereh’s best writing yet, it was lyrical and rich and full of these BEAUTIFUL lines that I’m definitely writing down in my reading journal.

The two main characters, Alizeh and Kamran were absolute perfection. Alizeh is a force to be reckoned with, without losing her compassion. Kamran is the epitome of a man written by a woman, with a flair for dramatics that had me cracking up. And the dual POV is always *chefs kiss*

I already mentioned the world, but I want to emphasize how well done it is. World building is the number one thing I look for in a fantasy and it’s just so immersive. I’m honestly about to reread. I'm gonna have to reread anyway to write down these quotes.

Kia Kaha

 By: Stacry Morrison and Jeremy Sherlock 

Location: Te Whanga  MOR

Genre: Maori heroes

"...overflowing with inspiration for any young reader...An amazing collection of astounding New Zealanders. Ano te pai!"

WHATBOOKNEXT.COM

I bought this book from Scorpio and since I was from a school library they gave me the coolest set of posters to display.

This book is a long time coming, it is an accessible book that highlights those Maori whonhave changed the world.  

KIA KAHA is a collection of true stories about amazing Maori who have achieved incredible things. Each of them blazed a trail in their own way, and this pukapuka was written to show that with your kura huna, with your special gifts, YOU can make a difference too.

The stories are concise, compelling, important and often revelatory, especially to those who grew up outside te ao Maori. Just as great are the brilliant, revealing and often wildly creative illustrations by the 12 Maori illustrators who worked on the book. Give it to people you care about because it's brillant, or because it's beautiful, or because it's important, but do give it.

GREG BRUCE, CANVAS

From the creators of the Maori Made Easy series and beautifully illustrated by 12 Maori artists, this collection of true stories features inspirational Maori from all walks of life. It's a brilliant gift for all ages.

LUCY BAILEY, THE DOMINION POST WEEKEND

The Insiders

 By: Tojan 

Location: FIC TOJ

Genre: Romance, New Adult, Suspense

The Insiders is the first in a brand new, page-turning romance trilogy from New York Times bestseller, Tijan!

Bailey is as normal as could be, with a genius IQ and a photographic memory. But still, normal for her. Then, things happen—a guy breaks into her house in the middle of the night to take her hostage. She finds out her father is actually billionaire tech genius Peter Francis, the same guy she’s idolized all her life. She learns all this when she meets dark, mysterious, and electrifying Kashton Colello. He’s an associate of her father’s, and he gives Bailey two choices—go with him and meet her father or survive on her own because those kidnappers are going to try again. It’s a no-brainer.

After this, three things become clear for Bailey:

1. She’s living at her father’s sprawling estate, complete with bodyguards and the best security that money can buy.

2. She’s no longer an only child. She has three siblings and has no idea what to do with them and vice versa.

3. She is being guarded by Kash himself. Personally guarded. And there is a lot of guarding going on there and some of it is going to drive her crazy.

A complete outsider in a world of wealth and decadence, Bailey has to find her way within a family that has more secrets than she could have imagined. One of these secrets could be deadly…

"Addictive and intriguing, with an air of mystery.
I was immersed in this new world by my Unicorn author, Tijan, from the first page.
It is told from the h - Bailey - POV and I loved how we are trying to figure out with her who she should trust in this new environment she is thrown into.
Kash is definitely a new favorite with his mysterious past and alpha protectiveness of Bailey.
Family dynamics, secrets, angst, banter and suspense throughout.
All the characters are amazing and will have you engrossed in this complex page turner read!

Contemporary, slight cliffy, first in trilogy" B loves books reviewer

Roxy

By: Neal  and Jarrod Shusterman 

Location: FIC SHU

Genre: Sci Fi, Mental Health, YA

Triggers of Drug use and the impact of them!

From the team that brought you the New York Times bestselling Dry comes a riveting new thriller that explores the opioid crisis.​

The freeway is coming.

It will cut the neighborhood in two. Construction has already started, pushing toward this corridor of condemned houses and cracked concrete with the momentum of the inevitable. Yet there you are, in the fifth house on the left, fighting for your life.

Ramey, I.

The victim of the bet between two manufactured gods, Roxy and Addison—Roxicodone and Adderall, the low-level cronies of more illustrious bosses, who more than anything else want to prove their own lethality. The wager—a contest to see who can induce overdose first—is a race to the bottom of a party that has raged since the beginning of time. And you are only human, seduced by the release they bring. Tempted by the control they offer. They are beautiful, and they will give you the world—as long as you promise them forever.

But there are two I. Rameys—Isaac, a soccer player thrown into Roxy’s orbit by a bad fall and a bad doctor and Ivy, his older sister, whose increasing frustration with her untreated ADHD leads her to renew her acquaintance with Addy.

Which one are you?

"This was a tough read for me. I understand the opioid crisis and drug addiction in general very well. I have seen friends taken by this and now older family members who just ran out of choices.

This begins with the death of an Ramey, I... alluding to either of the brother sister duo Isaac and Ivy Ramey. Both seem to be down on their luck and it just spiraled downward from there. With the main drugs being Oxy and Adderall.

There are so many triggers in this book I don't even know where to start. Drug addiction, depression... everything that comes along with that and also effects the family as a whole.

This is a masterful piece of work on this subject and I just want to say how appreciative I am for authors like these that shine a light on such a dark place." Jesse Goodreads

Soulswift

  By: Megan Bannen 

Location: FIC BAN

Genre: Fantasy, Sci Fi with some Romance

The cover!!! Will it get better than this in 2022

A dark, epic fantasy about a girl who must rethink everything she believes after she is betrayed and hunted by the religion that raised her--from Megan Bannen, author of The Bird and the Blade. Perfect for fans of The Winner's Curse and The Girl of Fire and Thorns.

Gelya is a Vessel, a girl who channels the word of the One True God through song. Cloistered with the other Vessels of her faith, she believes--as all Ovinists do--that a saint imprisoned Elath the Great Demon centuries ago, saving humanity from earthly temptation.

When Gelya stumbles into a deadly cover-up by the Ovinists' military, she reluctantly teams up with Tavik, an enemy soldier, to survive. Tavik believes that Elath is actually a mother goddess who must be set free, but while he succeeds in opening Her prison, he inadvertently turns Gelya into Elath's unwilling human vessel.

Now the church that raised Gelya considers her a threat. In a race against the clock, she and Tavik must find a way to exorcise Elath's presence from her body. But will this release stop the countdown to the end of the world, or will it be the cause of the earth's destruction?

And as Tavik and Gelya grow closer, another question lingers between them: What will become of Gelya?

This review from Brightstar on Goodreads

Soulswift was a beautiful, lyrical, heart-wrenching story and I still need to recover from it. It's not everyone's cup of tea and you're either going to love it or not. Personally, I loved every single word. Despite religion being one of the main theme, it wasn't boring to read because Megan was able to write an unforgettable story with memorable characters. Gelya and Tavik are two different people, with two different beliefs and yet, they slowly came to understand and trust each other. And their slow-burn, enemies-to allies-to friends-to lovers relationship was so achingly beautiful that my heart still cries for them. This author knows how to make you suffer and even though I'm still picking up the broken pieces of my heart, I wouldn't change a thing. Because some stories don't need perfect endings to be memorable. Some stories are significant because of the marks they leave inside you.

Criers War Series

 By: Nina Varela

Location: FIC VAR

Genre: Fantasy LGBT

Impossible love between two girls —one human, one Made.
A love that could birth a revolution.

After the War of Kinds ravaged the kingdom of Rabu, the Automae, Designed to be the playthings of royals, took over the estates of their owners and bent the human race to their will.

Now, Ayla, a human servant rising the ranks at the House of the Sovereign, dreams of avenging the death of her family… by killing the Sovereign’s daughter, Lady Crier. Crier, who was Made to be beautiful, to be flawless. And to take over the work of her father.

Crier had been preparing to do just that—to inherit her father’s rule over the land. But that was before she was betrothed to Scyre Kinok, who seems to have a thousand secrets. That was before she discovered her father isn’t as benevolent as she thought. That was before she met Ayla.

Set in a richly-imagined fantasy world, Nina Varela’s debut novel is a sweepingly romantic tale of love, loss and revenge, that challenges what it really means to be human.