The Island

 By: Adrian McKinty

Location: FIC MCK

Genre: Thriller Mystery

"Overall: this is a twisty, extra exciting, fueled with adrenaline, wildest and darkest ride! You never get bored! Highly recommended! What the heck I just read! So many times I just wanted to drop my e-reader and run away while I was screaming! This is so freaking tense! This is mind blowing! I couldn’t put it down but I was extremely jumpy during my read." Ulifer

It was just supposed to be a family vacation.
A terrible accident changed everything.
You don't know what you're capable of until they come for your family.

After moving from a small country town to Seattle, Heather Baxter marries Tom, a widowed doctor with a young son and teenage daughter. A working vacation overseas seems like the perfect way to bring the new family together, but once they’re deep in the Australian outback, the jet-lagged and exhausted kids are so over their new mom.

When they discover remote Dutch Island, off-limits to outside visitors, the family talks their way onto the ferry, taking a chance on an adventure far from the reach of iPhones and Instagram.

But as soon as they set foot on the island, which is run by a tightly knit clan of locals, everything feels wrong. Then a shocking accident propels the Baxters from an unsettling situation into an absolute nightmare.

When Heather and the kids are separated from Tom, they are forced to escape alone, seconds ahead of their pursuers.

Now it’s up to Heather to save herself and the kids, even though they don’t trust her, the harsh bushland is filled with danger, and the locals want her dead.

Heather has been underestimated her entire life, but she knows that only she can bring her family home again and become the mother the children desperately need, even if it means doing the unthinkable to keep them all alive

This is a jaw dropping, action packed, ultra exciting, heart throbbing thriller.

Always Remember Your Name

 By: Andra and Tatiana Bucci

Location: NF 920 BUC WWII

Genre: Holocaust Survivor

A haunting WWII memoir of two sisters who survived Auschwitz that picks up where Anne Frank's Diary left off and gives voice to the children we lost.

On March 28, 1944, six-year-old Tati and her four-year-old sister Andra were roused from their sleep and arrested. Along with their mother, Mira, their aunt, and cousin Sergio, they were deported to Auschwitz.

Over 230,000 children were deported to the camp, where Josef Mengele, the Angel of Death, performed deadly experiments on them. Only a few dozen children survived, Tati and Andra among them.

Tati, Andra, and Sergio were separated from their mothers upon arrival. But Mira was determined to keep track of her girls. After being tattooed with their inmate numbers, she made them memorize her number and told them to “always remember your name.” In keeping this promise to their mother, the sisters were able to be reunited with their parents when WWII ended.

An unforgettable narrative of the power of sisterhood in the most extreme circumstances, and of how a mother’s love can overcome the most impossible odds, the Bucci sisters' memoir is a timely reminder that separating families is an inexcusable evil

"This is hauntingly beautiful. This heartbreaking book is written by two sisters who survive Auschwitz as children. Prisoners there at a very young age, unimaginable things happen to everyone unfortunate enough to have been captured and carted off there. Many give up when they are there as the will to live is gone because they see no way to escape from this life. This is the sister's story written by them as adults so we get a complete perspective of what they went through and how they survived despite their piteous treatment when those all around them perished including their own family members.
Sad but uplifting as we see these sister's changing lives with the way they encourage other's not to give up."Deanne

The Whalebone Theatre

 By: Joanna Quinn

Location: FIC QUI

Genre: Historical Fiction, WWII

An utterly enchanting, immersive novel about an irrepressible young heroine who becomes an undercover agent during World War II--a sparkling debut, by turns heartwarming and heartbreaking.

One blustery night in 1928, a whale washes up on the shores of the English Channel. By law, all whales belong to the King, but twelve-year-old Cristabel Seagrave has other plans. She and the rest of the household and their guests--her sister, Flossie (known affectionately as The Veg); her brother Digby, the long-awaited heir to Chilcombe manor; Maudie Kitkat, maidservant; Taras, a hot-tempered visiting artist--build a theatre within the whale's skeleton. Cristabel is an orphan, mostly ignored by her feckless step-parents and brisk governesses. But within the Whalebone Theatre, she is fully at home and in charge, and her imagination comes to life.

As Cristabel grows into a headstrong young woman, chafing against expectations, World War II rears its head. She and Digby become British secret agents working undercover in Nazi-Occupied France on separate missions--a more dangerous kind of play-acting, it turns out, and one that threatens to tear the family apart.

I loved this novel so much. I didn’t want it to end. It was beautifully written and well plotted. Joanna Quinn grew up in Dorset and skilfully weaves descriptions of nature, landscapes and the sea throughout the novel.

Overall, I found ‘The Whalebone Theatre’ an astonishing debut and a powerful coming-of-age story told against the backdrop of the events of the first half of the 20th century. It is both epic and intimate, a comedy and a tragedy.

Definitely a novel that I expect will prove popular with reading groups given the quality of the writing, period detail and its cast of memorable characters.

96 Miles

By: J.L Espin

Location: FIC ESP

Genre: Adventure , Survival

“A suspense thriller, survival story, and a story of the love between brothers. You'll turn the pages and be surprised again and again.”

21 days without power. Two brothers on a desperate trek. 72 hours before time runs out...

The Lockwood brothers are supposed to be able to survive anything. Their dad, a hardcore believer in self-reliance, has stockpiled enough food and water at their isolated Nevada home to last for months. But when they are robbed of all their supplies during a massive blackout while their dad is out of town, John and Stew must walk 96 miles in the stark desert sun to get help. Along the way, they’re forced to question their dad’s insistence on self-reliance and ask just what it is that we owe to our neighbors, to our kin, and to ourselves.

From talented newcomer J. L. Esplin comes this story of survival and determination as two young brothers confront the unpredictability of human nature in the face of desperate circumstances.

“Readers who enjoy realistic survival stories will not be able to put down Esplin’s debut…. Filled with survival techniques, danger, and overcoming realistic obstacles, this story will have readers turning pages. A great choice for lovers of Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet or Roland Smith’s Peak.”

Beasts of Prey

 By: Ayana Gray

Location: FIC GRA

Genre: Fantasy, Mythology, Magic

“I know I'm too much, but I don't know how to be less.”
― Ayana Gray, Beasts of Prey

An unforgettable, New York Times bestselling fantasy adventure for fans of AN EMBER IN THE ASHES, SHADOW AND BONE and THE GILDED ONES. Soon to be a major Netflix movie.

'The hunt for your next YA fantasy book trilogy obsession has ended' Entertainment Weekly

'The next big thing in YA fantasy . . . Dazzling' Kirkus

'A fast-paced, rip-roaring ride . . . A masterpiece of magic' - Namina Forna, New York Times bestselling author of The Gilded Ones

Magic doesn't exist in the broken city of Lkossa anymore, especially for girls like sixteen-year-old Koffi. Indentured to the notorious Night Zoo, she cares for its fearsome mythical creatures to pay off her family's debts. But when they are threatened by the Zoo's cruel master, Koffi unleashes a power she doesn't fully understand.

As the son of a decorated hero, Ekon destined to become an elite warrior. Until a fire at the Night Zoo upends his future and, on the brink of his final rite of passage, Ekon is cast out - his reputation left in tatters.

For Koffi and Ekon, the outlook is bleak - unless they can capture the Shetani, the vicious monster that plagues their city. As Koffi and Ekon enter the Greater Jungle, a world steeped in wild magic and danger, the tentative alliance between them is tested to the extreme.

The hunt begins - but are they the hunters or the hunted?

An extraordinary adventure inspired by Pan-African mythology, from exciting debut author Ayana Gray.

Just Our Luck

 By: Julia Walton

Location: FIC WAL

Genre: Young Adult, Mental Health

From the author of Words on Bathroom Walls--now a major motion picture--comes a romance in the spirit of Dear Evan Hansen about overcoming anxiety--and about finding love and friendship in unlikely places.

★ A masterpiece --Kirkus, starred review

Bad luck follows lies. That was the first rule for life that Leo's Greek grandmother, Yia Yia, gave him before she died. But Leo's anxiety just caused a fight at school, and though he didn't lie, he wasn't exactly honest about how it all went down . . . how he went down. Now Leo's father thinks a self-defense class is exactly what his son needs to man up.

Leave the Paros family alone. That was Yia Yia's second rule for life. But who does Leo see sitting at the front desk of the local gym? Evey Paros, whose family supposedly cursed Leo's with bad luck. Seeing that Leo is desperate to enroll in anything but self-defense class, Evey cuts him a deal: she'll secretly enroll him in hot yoga instead--for a price. But what could the brilliant, ruthless, forbidden Evey Paros want from Leo?

Sharp, honest, and compulsively readable, Just Our Luck is as funny as it is heartwarming.

A feel-good story, with shades of Holes and The Karate Kid --Bulletin

"What a delightful book!
As a clumsy fan of Yoga with Adriene, I adored the beginning of the chapters with yoga poses.
Leo, a teenager who suffers from anxiety, is a great example of how to normalize this situation and learn to live with it. The book is fun, witty and insightful. I also found the references to Greek culture really interesting and made me wish to visit that country. I even thought of learning how to knit!

A must-read for teenagers and young adults who are going through a rough patch." Goodreads review

The Final Strife

 By: Saara El- Arifi  

Location: FIC ELA

Genre: Fantasy, LGBT

“remember what it felt like…being part of something bigger. Something that carries you along like a grain of sand. You can’t fight it—you don’t want to—because alone you are just one grain. Together you are the desert.” 

The Empire rules by blood

Red is the blood of the elite, of magic, of control.

Blue is the blood of the poor, of workers, of the resistance.

Clear is the blood of the servants, of the crushed, of the invisible.
The Aktibar – a set of trials held every ten years to find the next Ember rulers of the Empire – is about to begin.

All can join but not just anyone can win; it requires great skill and ingenuity to become the future wardens of Strength, Knowledge, Truth and Duty.

Sylah was destined to win the trials and be crowned Warden of Strength. Stolen by blue-blooded rebels she was raised with a Duster’s heart; forged as a weapon to bring down from within the red-blooded Embers’ regime of cruelty. But when her adopted family were brutally murdered those dreams of a better future turned to dust.

However, the flame of hope may yet be rekindled because Sylah wasn’t made to sparkle, she was born to burn.

And it’s up to her whether she rules the empire or destroys it.

El-Arifi weaves her debut novel with great passion, sensitivity, thrill, confidence, skill, and originality; and most especially, with the heart of a poet. Truly extraordinary storytelling; I was utterly enthralled throughout. I highly recommend this novel for all. I'm in awe and can't wait for the next instalment! Londaon Sah

The People We Keep

 By: Allison Larkin

Location: FIC LAR

Genre: Historical Fiction, Roady, Music, Coming of Age

“We have people we get to keep, who won’t ever let us go. And that’s the most important part.”

The People we Keep is about a young songwriter longing to find a home in the world.

Little River, New York, 1994: April Sawicki is living in a run-down motorhome, flunking out of school, and picking up shifts at the local diner. But when April realizes she’s finally had enough—enough of her selfish, absent father and barely surviving in an unfeeling town—she decides to make a break for it. Stealing a car and with only her music to keep her company, April hits the road, determined to live life on her own terms.

She manages to scrape together a meaningful existence as she travels, encountering people and places she’s never dreamed of, and could never imagine deserving. From lifelong friendships to tragic heartbreaks, April chronicles her journey in the beautiful music she creates as she discovers that home is with the people you choose to keep

Although it started a little slowly, The People We Keep hooked me completely and wouldn’t let me go until I finished. It’s a powerful and poignant book that made me think of those who have drifted in and out of my life through the years, and what an impact they’ve left. I really loved this.- Larry

The Blood Trials

 By: N. E. Davenport

Location: FIC DAV

Genre: Fantasy Sci Fi

This is a full on book Lots of violence, blood and death, sexual content, racism, misogyny, loss of loved ones.

BUT....

Blending fantasy and science fiction, N. E. Davenport’s fast-paced, action-packed debut kicks off a duology of loyalty and rebellion, in which a young Black woman must survive deadly trials in a racist and misogynistic society to become an elite warrior.

It’s all about blood.

The blood spilled between the Republic of Mareen and the armies of the Blood Emperor long ago. The blood gifts of Mareen’s deadliest enemies. The blood that runs through the elite War Houses of Mareen, the rulers of the Tribunal dedicated to keeping the republic alive.

The blood of the former Legatus, Verne Amari, murdered.

For his granddaughter, Ikenna, the only thing steady in her life was the man who had saved Mareen. The man who had trained her in secret, not just in martial skills, but in harnessing the blood gift that coursed through her.

Who trained her to keep that a secret.

But now there are too many secrets, and with her grandfather assassinated, Ikenna knows two things: that only someone on the Tribunal could have ordered his death, and that only a Praetorian Guard could have carried out that order.

Bent on revenge as much as discovering the truth, Ikenna pledges herself to the Praetorian Trials—a brutal initiation that only a quarter of the aspirants survive. She subjects herself to the racism directed against her half-Khanaian heritage and the misogyny of a society that cherishes progeny over prodigy, all while hiding a power that—if found out—would subject her to execution…or worse. Ikenna is willing to risk it all because she needs to find out who murdered her grandfather…and then she needs to kill them.

Mareen has been at peace for a long time…

Ikenna joining the Praetorians is about to change all that.

Magic and technology converge in the first part of this stunning debut duology, where loyalty to oneself—and one’s blood—is more important than anything.

REVIEW

This story starts out feeling very YA, which makes sense because the characters are teenagers. But this is not a YA fantasy despite the young characters and it does eventually find it's footing.

It's their last night out before they set out for military academy and Ikenna is on edge over the recent loss of her grandfather. After learning his death was no accident she decides to head to the academy and avenge his death by finding out who his killers are. At this military academy thousands are competing for a spot on the special ops team in a fight to the death.

I really didn't expect this book to go as dark and detail in the violence as it did especially with the type of cover they chose. It's a matter of survive or die for Ikenna and crew as they face a series of harsh challenges meant to kill the weakest of the lot. Levity comes through the modern dialogue with familiar slang and the moments between Ikenna and her friends where they can talk about relationships and memories and aspirations.

Ikenna has a magical gift bestowed upon her from the gods of their enemies, that she must hide while also using it to keep herself alive as her mixed heritage makes her a target.

She is hot-headed and quick to move without reflecting on the harm her selfish choices will cost others. But instead of ignoring it this book forces her to face the ramifications of her actions each time.

Easy to read and comprehend, this book is a great transition read for readers interested in reading more adult SFF that still has a young feel to it. I thought the world was interesting and I liked how it was expanding as we got closer to the end. There were several twists and turns I didn't see coming at first.

My biggest gripe would be that the author harps on pointing out that everything is either because of racism or misogyny. Readers are able to tell from character actions and don't need the constant reminder. There also could've been a little more nuance in the racism discussions. Chapter one is very lengthy which might deter readers at first but the story finds it's footing once you move past it.

Cop and Robber

 By: Tristan Bancks

Location: FIC BAN

Genre: Family Suspense, Crime

If your mum was a cop and your dad was a crim who needed your help to commit a crime, would you do it to save him? At what cost?

Nash Hall's dad is a criminal who just can't seem to go straight. He wants Nash to help him commit a robbery. A big one. The trouble is, Nash's mum is a cop. And the robbery is at Nash's school. But Dad owes a lot of money to some very dangerous people and if Nash doesn't help him do the job, it could cost both their lives.

From the bestselling author of Two Wolves, The Fall and Detention.

Review by Sarah

A great premise and another riveting and suspense-filled novel by Tristan Bancks. A fantastic opening scene at the petrol station has you on the edge of your seat right from the start! There’s a touch of menace when Nash’s Dad is being dealt with by the baddies he owes money too. The tension builds throughout this book as Nash is forced to deal with some tough situations and choices, through no fault of his own. He also has to face the reality that both of his parents have flaws, despite their love for him. The way his school principal deals with him, and helps him see a way through his bad circumstances is gold. It made the book for me without ever feeling trite or staged. My eleven-year-old loved this too. A great read.

Babylon Twins

 By: Michael Ferris Gibson  

Location: FIC GIB

Genre: Sci Fi  AI apocalypse

Meet Chloe and Elizabeth Yetti: antisocial, semi-homicidal eighteen-year-old twins casually surviving the AI apocalypse.

Ten years ago, a powerful machine intelligence unleashed a nanoengineered superdrug on humanity. Civilization is now a collection of mindless addicts confined to automated treatment centers that tower over drone-dominated cityscapes. Having escaped and grown up in the forests of Northern California alongside their younger brother and brilliant scientist/survivalist mother, Clo and El stayed safe while society collapsed around them.

But when a mysterious stranger and a demonic woodland creature appear and threaten their family, the twins are drawn back to a disintegrating, drug-addled San Francisco. There, biomechanical gods and monsters vie for control of what’s left of humanity’s consciousness. Armed with only a knife, an old hunting rifle, and their secret, cryptophasic twin language, Clo and El realize that surviving the apocalypse was just the beginning―now they’ve got to face it head-on.

The first book in the Babylon Twins trilogy, this epic adventure takes readers on a journey filled with sci-fi spectacle and darkly humorous twists and turns, not to mention some good old-fashioned butt-kicking. The second book in the series will be coming out in 2022.

Children of the Flying City

 By: Jason Sheehan

Loction: FIC SHE

Genre: Fantasy

"Richly imagined and emotionally resonant, Children of the Flying City is a fantasy for young and old alike. This book gave my heart wings."
-Pierce Brown, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Red Rising

Brought to the flying city of Highgate when he was only five years old, orphan Milo Quick has never known another home. Now almost thirteen, Milo survives one daredevil grift at a time, relying only on his wit, speed, and best friends Jules and Dagda.

A massive armada has surrounded Highgate's crumbling armaments. Because behind locked doors-in opulent parlors and pneumatic forests and a master toymaker's workshop-the once-great flying city protects a powerful secret, hidden away for centuries. A secret that's about to ignite a war. One small airship, the Halcyon, has slipped through the ominous blockade on a mission to collect Milo-and the rich bounty on his head-before the fighting begins. But the members of the Halcyon's misfit crew aren't the only ones chasing Milo Quick.

True friendship is worth any risk in this clever, heart-racing adventure from award-winning author and journalist Jason Sheehan. Sheehan weaves together wry narration and multiple points of view to craft a richly imagined tale that is dangerous and surprising, wondrous and joyful.

Together We Burn

 By: Isabel Ibanez

Location: FIC IBA

Genre: Fantasy, Dragons

“Easy for him to suggest something like that. To sign over my rights, become someone’s property. Financial burden. An exchange in which I’d lose my self-respect, become someone I didn’t recognize. Chattel. A porcelain figurine on a shelf.”

An ancient city plagued by dragons. A flamenco dancer determined to save her ancestral home. A dragon hunter refusing to teach her his ways. They don't want each other, but they need each other, and without him her world will burn.

Eighteen-year-old Zarela Zalvidar is a talented flamenco dancer and daughter of the most famous Dragonador in Hispalia. People come for miles to see him fight in their arena, which will one day be hers.

But disaster strikes during their five hundredth anniversary show, and in the carnage, Zarela’s father is horribly injured. Facing punishment from the Dragon Guild, Zarela must keep the arena—her ancestral home and inheritance —safe from their greedy hands. She has no choice but to take her father’s place as the next Dragonador. When the infuriatingly handsome dragon hunter, Arturo Díaz de Montserrat, withholds his help, she refuses to take no for an answer.

But even if he agrees, there’s someone out to ruin the Zalvidar family, and Zarela will have to do whatever it takes in order to prevent the Dragon Guild from taking away her birthright. 

The Shadow Glass

 By: Josh Winning

Location: FIC WIN

Genre: Fantasy Horror

A thrilling race against the clock to save the world from fantasy creatures from a cult 80s film – perfect for fans of Henson Company puppet classics like Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal, and The NeverEnding Story.

The Shadow Glass is the remarkable upcoming novel by Josh Winning. To share his love for the golden age decade which brought us fantasy films featuring puppets on high-stake quests, Winning delivers an 80’s nostalgic revival tale which will have you longing to crack out those VHS tapes and become lost in an era of magic, adventure and escapism. Nils

Jack Corman is failing at life. Jobless, jaded and facing the threat of eviction, he’s also reeling from the death of his father, one-time film director Bob Corman. Back in the eighties, Bob poured his heart and soul into the creation of his 1986 puppet fantasy The Shadow Glass, but the film flopped on release and Bob was never the same again.

In the wake of Bob’s death, Jack returns to his decaying childhood home, where he is confronted with the impossible — the puppet heroes from The Shadow Glass are alive, and they need his help. Tipped into a desperate quest to save the world from the more nefarious of his father’s creations, Jack teams up with an excitable fanboy and a spiky studio exec to navigate the labyrinth of his father’s legacy and ignite a Shadow Glass resurgence that could, finally, do Bob proud.

This was such an entertaining dark fantasy story that I would highly recommend for anyone who loved Jim Henson shows of the 1980s like Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal. 

Clearly, inspired by these iconic films, this story was entertaining, imaginative and a little creepy. 

I would recommend this novel to anyone who loves those old movies with the strange puppets. Rachel

We Run Tomorrow

 By: Nat Amoore

Location: FIC AMo

Genre:  Graphic Hybrid Novel- Adventure

Review buy " I teach muggels everyday"

Everyday kids channel their inner superheroes in Nat Amoore’s and Mike Barry’s graphic novel hybrid.

Best friends Jed, Tommy, Maki and Sticks all live on Lockett Street (which is actually a cul-de-sac). United by the street that they call home and a shared love for the Screen Savers comic book series, they go under the moniker The Lockett Squad. When not at school or doing household chores, they hang out at their HQ shack at the reservoir where they chat all things Screen Savers and create videos of their favourite episodes. Life is awesome until the adults in their lives start making decisions that could tear the four friends apart.

Jed’s pushy parents have enrolled him into more after school clubs than he can count and are intent on sending him away to boarding school so he can fulfil his potential. Maki, whose family moves every two years because of his dad’s job, looks to be heading to a new country entirely. Sticks’ parents, preoccupied with dealing with badly behaving Bryce and his court appearances, seem to have forgotten about her entirely. And Tommy, whose grandmother and carer has just died, is going into the care of the authorities and could end up in a town no one has ever heard of.

With their lives falling apart in-front of their very eyes, the kids need a plan. When they learn that the Screen Savers is being made into a movie, they know what they must do. Get to the audition, nail the parts and stay together…

The bonds of friendship are tested and ultimately triumph in this thrilling, nail-biting and wild ride of an adventure that takes four best friends from the leafy suburbs of Lockett Street to the beaches, oceans and big city lights of the Gold Coast. With limited funds, no concrete plans and an audition deadline looming, the kids must pull-off the impossible without getting caught. It isn’t long before the police are hunting them down, their story has made the news and setback after setback look to derail things.

But where there’s a will there’s a way and these kids have bags of heart, spirit and the deep desire to do what needs to be done to stay together. Many kids would love this kind of adventure and in the absence of embarking on their own, possibly ill-advised, adult-free escapades, enjoying the exploits of Sticks and co is a cracking way to live vicariously.

Taking control of their lives means addressing real issues that children face and through embracing their inner superheroes the kids face up to domestic violence from a sibling, family tragedy, the prospect of being put into the care of the authorities and the disruption regular relocation can cause.

The Girl with the Soul

 By: Morgan Owen 

Location: FIC OWE

Genre: Fantasy

The Girl with no Soul combines a fabulous concept, a swooning love story, and intoxicating world building in one glorious package. Perfect for fans of Alice Broadway and Leigh Bardugo. Morgan Owen is a bright new talent in the YA wo

How can you find your soul mate, when you don't have a soul?

Iris lives in a world ruled by The Order. Inspectors police the population by keeping careful watch over people's souls. If they shine their lanterns on you, your soul is projected for the world to see... and judge. But Iris has a deadly secret ... she is a hollow, a person with no soul.

She must hide from the Order at all costs, scraping a living in the shadows. But when she's sent to steal a ring from a lady of nobility, she is reunited with her Spark - one of the five parts that make up her own missing soul.

Now she must rely on the help of a young scholar named Evander Mountebank to track down the other four missing pieces of her soul, all the while evading The Order. Will she be able to protect her heart as well as find her soul?

- sensory magic
- lost nights
- decadent parties
- dream dates
- secrets
- sensitive boys
- memories trapped in objects
- amnesia
- soulmates
- love triangle ?
- twisty mysteries
- found family
- a nice monster
- partners in crime

Cold Cold Bones

 By: Kathy Reichs

Location: FIC REUI

Genre: Forensic, Mystery

The author knows her stuff:

Kathy Reichs is a forensic anthropologist for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, State of North Carolina, and for the Laboratoire des Sciences Judiciaires et de Médecine Légale for the province of Quebec. She is one of only fifty forensic anthropologists certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology and is on the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. A professor of anthropology at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Dr. Reichs is a native of Chicago, where she received her Ph.D. at Northwestern. She now divides her time between Charlotte and Montreal and is a frequent expert witness in criminal trials.

Can be read as a STANDALONE

#1 New York Times bestselling author Kathy Reichs returns with her twenty-first novel of suspense featuring forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan who, after receiving a box with a human eyeball in it, uncovers a series of gruesome killings eerily reenacting the most shocking of her prior cases.

Winter has come to North Carolina and, with it, a drop in crime. For a while, temporarily idle forensic anthropologist Tempe Brennan is content to dote on her daughter Katy, finally returned to civilian life from the army. But when mother and daughter meet at Tempe’s place one night for dinner, they find a box on the back porch. Inside: a very fresh human eyeball.

GPS coordinates etched into the eyeball lead to a Benedictine Monastery where an equally macabre discovery awaits. Soon after, Tempe examines a mummified corpse in a state park, and her anxiety deepens.

There seems to be no pattern to these random killings, except that each mimics in some way a killing that a younger Tempe witnessed, analyzed, or barely escaped. Who or what is targeting her, and why?

Helping Tempe discover the answers is detective Erskine “Skinny” Slidell, retired but still volunteering with the CMPD cold case unit—and still displaying his gallows humor. As the two penetrate a bizarre survivalist’s lair, even Skinny’s mood darkens.

And then Tempe’s daughter Katy disappears.

At its core, Cold, Cold Bones is a novel of revenge and why revisiting the past may be the only way to rescue the present.

Bravely

 By: Maggie Stiefvater

Location: FIC STI

Genre; Fantasy, Retellings

This book was a delight to read. It was sweet, heartwarming and a little sad

FROM THE AUTHOR: Bravely is what booksellers and librarians sometimes call "clean teen," which means the complexity of the plot and emotions should be satisfying for teens and above, but the language and content is perfectly able to live on the shelves of middle school libraries without requiring parental or teacher approval to make sure less worldly readers can process the content. Basically, I wanted Bravely to satisfy the same audience as the original film, Brave. Family friendly!

Merida goes on an all-new, life-changing adventure in this original YA novel set several years after the close of Brave!

What if you had one year to save everything you loved?

ONE PRINCESS. Merida of DunBroch needs a change. S
he loves her family—jovial King Fergus, proper Queen Elinor, the mischievous triplets—and her peaceful kingdom.
But she’s frustrated by its sluggishness; each day, the same. Merida longs for adventure, purpose, challenge—maybe even, someday, love.

TWO GODS. But the fiery Princess never expects her disquiet to manifest by way of Feradach, an uncanny supernatural being tasked with rooting out rot and stagnation, who appears in DunBroch on Christmas Eve with the intent to demolish the realm—and everyone within.
Only the intervention of the Cailleach, an ancient entity of creation, gives Merida a shred of hope: convince her family to change within the year—or suffer the eternal consequences.

THREE VOYAGES. Under the watchful eyes of the gods, Merida leads a series of epic journeys to kingdoms near and far in an attempt to inspire revolution within her family.
But in her efforts to save those she loves from ruin, has Merida lost sight of the Clan member grown most stagnant of all—herself?