Cambridge High School Library 2024

 By  Brandon Sanderson Location: FIC SAN Genre: Sanderson Series: Cosmere Universe Brandon Sandersons personal favourite!!!! #1  New York Times  bestselling author Brandon Sanderson brings us a gripping story set in the Cosmere universe told by Hoid, where two people from incredibly different worlds must compromise and work together to save their worlds from ruin. Yumi comes from a land of gardens, meditation, and spirits, while Painter lives in a world of darkness, technology, and nightmares. When their lives suddenly become intertwined in strange ways, can they put aside their differences and work together to uncover the mysteries of their situation and save each other’s communities from certain disaster? A great description by Brandon Sanderson about his collection of novels and how they all work together! ’Im Brandon Sanderson, and I write stories of the fantastic: fantasy, science fiction, and thrillers. Defiant, the fourth and final volume of the series th...

 By: Michael Thompson Location: FIC THO Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Magic Realism,  "What a gorgeous, heartwarming, magical tale. Thoroughly enjoyed it." Unforgettable, brilliant, moving, and hopeful – this magical novel leads you to the things that matter in life. 'How to Be Remembered wears its heart proudly, earnest in the way of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button or, dare I say, Forrest Gump.' The Guardian Some lives are simply unforgettable… On an ordinary night in an ordinary year, Tommy Llewellyn's doting parents wake in a home without toys or nappies, without photos of their baby scattered about, and without any idea that the small child asleep in his cot is theirs. That's because Tommy is a boy destined to never be remembered. On the same day every year, everyone around him forgets he exists, and he grows up enduring his own universal Reset. That is until something extraordinary happens: Tommy Llewellyn falls in love. Determined to finally carve out a l...

 By: Heidi Durrow Location: FIC DUR Genre: Historical Fiction, Coming of Age, Race Bellwether Prize for Literature of Social Change Inspired by a true story of a mother's twisted love, "The Girl Who Fell from the Sky" paints the haunting portrait of a young orphan's quest for truth. A bizarre mystery surrounding a family tragedy forms the centrepiece of Rachel's struggle as an astonishingly beautiful mixed-race child in a mostly black community. As terrible secrets begin to emerge, Rachel learns to swallow her grief and construct her self-image in a world that wants to see her as either Black or White. Reviews- Britany McCann 'm not sure how this book found its way into my life, but I am glad it did. I didn't know anything about it before starting and didn't realize it had won any award until about a third of the way through when I was talking about it. Rachel, a young, lost, hurting mixed-race girl (Danish/African American), is thrust into the world o...

 By: Conn Iggulden Location: FIC IGG Genre: Historical Fiction Series: Golden Age #1 'Pacy and propulsive . . . Crackling with energy, violence and stirring speeches,  Lion  chronicles power struggles, political machinations and the bloodthirsty ravages of up-close combat'  DAILY MAIL Ancient Greece, 5th century BC The age of myths and legends has given way to the world of men. In the front rank stands Pericles, Lion of Athens. Behind Pericles lies the greatest city of the ancient world. Before him, on land and at sea, stands the merciless Persian army. Both sides are spoiling for war. Though still a young man, Pericles knows one thing: to fight a war you must first win the peace. It's time for a hero to rise. For his enemies to tremble. And for Athens, a city of wisdom and warriors, to shine with glory . . . 'The  master historical storyteller  returns with the first of a new pair of novels about Athenian general and politician Pericles. This  swords-...

  By: Adalyn Grace  Location: FIC GRA Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Gothic “Your shoulders were not meant to bear the weight of their expectations, Signa. You were not made to please other.” He was right.” COVER LOVE!!!!   Belladonna   brings to life a highly romantic, gothic-infused world of wealth, desire, and betrayal. For as long as Signa Farrow has been alive, the people in her life have fallen like stars . . . Orphaned as a baby, nineteen-year-old Signa has been raised by a string of guardians, each more interested in her wealth than her wellbeing – and each has met an untimely end. Her remaining relatives are the elusive Hawthornes, an eccentric family living at Thorn Grove, an estate both glittering and gloomy. Its patriarch mourns his late wife through wild parties, while his son grapples for control of the family’s waning reputation and his daughter suffers from a mysterious illness. But when their mother’s restless spirit appears claiming she was poisoned, Sign...

 By: Lisa Fipps Location: FIC FIP Genre: Novel Verse, Mental Health "I am in tears. This shows the worst in people, but also the very best. Starfish is a middle grade novel written in verse that highlights a child’s navigation of self-worth, standing up for yourself, and claiming your right to take up space in the world. Beautiful." Kelsey A Printz Honor Winner! Ellie is tired of being fat-shamed and does something about it in this highly acclaimed debut novel-in-verse. Ever since Ellie wore a whale swimsuit and made a big splash at her fifth birthday party, she’s been bullied about her weight. To cope, she tries to live by the Fat Girl Rules—like “no making waves,” “avoid eating in public,” and “don’t move so fast that your body jiggles.” And she’s found her safe space—her swimming pool—where she feels weightless in a fat-obsessed world. In the water, she can stretch herself out like a starfish and take up all the room she wants. It’s also where she can get away from her pus...

 By: Teri Terry Location: FIC TER Genre: P sychological thriller   From the author of SLATED... Scare Me  is a tense supernatural thriller, perfect for fans of  One of Us Is Lying  and  This Lie Will Kill You . From the award-winning author of the SLATED and CIRCLE trilogies, Teri Terry. The past can haunt you... Sixteen-year-old Liv can't get on with her own life - not as long as the ghost of her twin sister, Molly, who died at birth, has been her constant companion: she is always there, a part of her that no one else can see or hear. Liv meets a boy called Echo, who is searching for the truth about his mother's death, and despite Molly's concerns, Liv is drawn to him. Echo believes that if he can just speak to his mother's ghost, he will finally learn the truth about what happened to her and be able to move on with his life. But he believes  the way  to reach her is through fear: to scare himself enough to lift the veil between the worlds of the...

 By: Ned Wenlock Location:  GRA WEN Genre: Bullying, Family, Adolescent Mental health At school, being right isn't always the right answer. Peter's bull-headed commitment to the truth has already picked him out as a target for the school bullies. The misfit new girl is a complete badass, but seems as interested in his nemesis, Gus, as she is in Peter, and his parents are too busy bickering to care about any of it. It all feels overwhelming to Peter - like a tsunami is coming and he isn't sure he can stop it. Reviewed by Jackie Rodgers, Senior English teacher, Wakatipu High School, Queenstown "At school. Being right isn't always the right answer." That is how, as readers, we are introduced to Ned Wenlock's debut graphic novel, Tsunami. Wenlock, a Kapiti Coast artist and illustrator himself states in a Spinoff interview that he just "wanted to follow the characters. The characters [he states] became a lot more interesting" and as a result threw the...

 By: Bex Hogan Location: FIC HOG Genre: Young Adult Fantasy, Feminism “For too long, men have taken everything they can from us women. Our bodies, our children, our lives. I will not let you take my power.” Exile. Rebel. Healer. Three underestimated women, destined to be brought together by revenge in this dark and thrilling new YA fantasy. Marzal  - an exiled daughter with a plan for her return. Rayn  - a rebel blacksmith with a blade of blood. Elena  - a gentle midwife with a fiercely protected secret. Each young woman wants peace for their country, but in times of war, not everyone fights by the same rules. As their countries burn around them, and the stakes of victory rise, each woman will have to decide how far she is willing to go for peace. But the desire for revenge also burns deep... A dark and thrilling new fantasy from the author of The Isles of Storm and Sorrow trilogy.

 By: Stephen King  Location: FIC KIN Genre: Stephen King Holly Gibney, one of Stephen King's most compelling and ingeniously resourceful characters, returns in this thrilling novel to solve the gruesome truth behind multiple disappearances in a Midwestern town. Stephen King's  Holly  marks the triumphant return of beloved King character Holly Gibney. Readers have witnessed Holly's gradual transformation from a shy (but also brave and ethical) recluse in  Mr Mercedes  to Bill Hodges's partner in  Finders Keepers  to a full-fledged, smart, and occasionally tough private detective in  The Outsider . In King's new novel, Holly is on her own, and up against a pair of unimaginably depraved and brilliantly disguised adversaries. When Penny Dahl calls the Finders Keepers detective agency hoping for help locating her missing daughter, Holly is reluctant to accept the case. Her partner, Pete, has Covid. Her (very complicated) mother has just died. And ...

 By: Kiyash Monsef Location: FIX MON Genre: Fantasy, Mythology Brilliant, dark and dangerous and angry   There are...griffon, manticore, unicorn, gnome, to yokai and djinn A recommended read for readers, young and old, who still very much have those magic in their hearts! Discover a world of extraordinary beasts and unexpected heroes in the dazzling debut from Kiyash Monsef. Perfect for readers aged 9+ and fans of Philip Pullman, Neil Gaiman, J.K. Rowling and A.F. Steadman. Once was, once wasn't . . . So began the stories Marjan's father told her as a little girl - tales of mythical beasts that filled her with curiosity and Griffons. Unicorns. Dragons. But Marjan is not a little girl anymore. After her father's sudden death, she is trying to hold it all her schoolwork, her friendships and her dad's struggling veterinary practice. But a mysterious visitor soon reveals that Marjan's father was no ordinary vet. The creatures from his stories are real - and he travelled...

 By: Matt Majendie Location: FIC MAJ Genre: Surfing those big waves Nazare delves into the lives of a select band of surfers who gather in this small Portuguese fishing village with one aim: to surf the biggest wave ever recorded. JOIN THE QUEST TO SURF THE BIGGEST WAVE IN HISTORY. In a small fishing village on the coast of Portugal, a select band of surfers take unimaginable risks, pushing the boundaries of their death-defying sport as they seek to go bigger than ever before. Their goal? To ride the Everest of the ocean – the 100-foot wave. Sports journalist Matt Majendie is welcomed into the inner circle of Nazaré's tight community of big-wave surfers and extreme thrill-seekers, living among them for a season as he chronicles their incredible highs and terrifying lows. Follow the endeavours of Britain's leading big-wave surfer, a former plumber from Devon, Andrew Cotton; trailblazing Brazilian female surfer Maya Gabeira; current World Record holder German Sebastian Steudtner;...

 By: R. J Palacio  Location: FIC PAL Genre:  Holocaust, Historical Fiction ”In these dark times, it’s those small acts of kindness that keep us alive, after all. They remind us of our humanity”. And it goes on.... Israel and Gaza- when will the pain of these nations give way to lasting peace! From the bestselling author of Wonder comes White Bird: now a major film starring Ariella Glaser, Orlando Schwerdt, Bryce Gheisar, Helen Mirren and Gillian Anderson. Sara Blum lives an idyllic life. But her world comes crashing down when the Nazi occupation arrives in her small French town, separating her from her parents and forcing the young Jewish girl into hiding. Sara's classmate Julien and his family will risk everything to ensure her survival, and together, Sara and Julien manage to find beauty in a secret world of their creation. Originally published as a graphic novel, and featuring characters from the multi-million-copy-bestselling phenomenon Wonder, Sara and Julien's power...

 By: Torquemada Location: FIC TOR Genre: Mystery, Fiction, Puzzle! "4 stars for an excellent concept and highly confusing initial read If i fail my degree it’s because i’m giving all my mental energy to solving it" Victoria Six murders. One hundred pages. Millions of possible combinations... but only one is correct. Can you solve Torquemada's murder mystery? In 1934, the Observer's cryptic crossword compiler, Edward Powys Mathers (aka Torquemada), released a novel that was simultaneously a murder mystery and the most fiendishly difficult literary puzzle ever written. The pages have been printed in an entirely haphazard order, but it is possible - through logic and intelligent reading - to sort the pages into the only correct order, revealing six murder victims and their respective murderers. Only two puzzlers have ever solved the mystery of Cain's Jawbone: do you have what it takes to join their ranks? Please note: this puzzle is extremely difficult and not for th...

 By: Ruth Ware Location: FIC WAR Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction ... it’s riveting, well developed, intelligent, captivating reading! Everyone wanted her life Someone wanted her dead It was Hannah who found April’s body ten years ago. It was Hannah who didn’t question what she saw that day. Did her testimony put an innocent man in prison? She needs to know the truth. Even if it means questioning her own friends. Even if it means putting her own life at risk. Because if the killer wasn’t a stranger, it's someone she knows…

 By: Dennis Lehane Location: FIC LEH Genre: Historical Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Crim e.... "Wow, this book is incredibly intense and overflows with raw emotion. The unadulterated love a mother has for her child shines through every word. It's astonishing to witness the extraordinary measures she's willing to take in order to find her child, and it's infuriating to see the flaws within the justice system fueling her anger. The realization that the line between heroes and villains can blur, with some individuals embodying both roles, adds an unforgettable and deeply impactful layer to this book. Without a doubt, this is an  exceptionally compelling  and  forceful  piece of writing." Chante l The acclaimed New York Times bestselling writer returns with a masterpiece to rival Mystic River —an all-consuming tale of revenge, family love, festering hate, and insidious power, set against one of the most tumultuous episodes in Boston’s history. In the summer of 1974 a...

 By: David White with Angus Gillies Location: The Far North in 920s Genre: TV Three Series made into a book- 500KG of Meth bust In our own backyard-  An unbelievable story that is the real deal June 2016, Far North, New Zealand. The job seemed simple: leave Auckland, pick up 500kg of meth from Ninety-Mile Beach and drive it back south, while keeping a low profile. How hard could that be? This is the true story of one of New Zealand’s biggest ever drug busts, and how those responsible almost got away with half a tonne of crystal meth. Oh, and half a billion dollars. But thanks to the sleuthing skills of Ahipara’s good-hearted locals — and a series of unbelievable faux-pas by the drug-smugglers — police managed to catch the crims. They say fact is stranger than fiction, and in this case it is. Stranger, and funnier. It’s a story like no other. This is Far North.

 By: Kayla Cottingham Location: FIC COT Genre: Horror, LGBGT, Im not going to read this, but some of you will like it... it is far to scary and revolting for this old librarian to handle- it is a ghoul pandemic! Here is what one reviewer says... I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but it turned out to be good. The author gives a warning at the beginning about graphic content like gore, murder, and flesh tearing and much more. It's a likable story, with a bit of YA content that moves quickly and has enough scary and gory moments to satisfy horror fans. This was the queer, flesh eating, best friends love story that I never knew I needed. This book is about a pandemic, but this pandemic left some individuals craving human flesh. The ghouls were initially quarantined but when synthetic flesh was invented ghouls were given basically a pass for killing people and reintegrated into society. Four best friends are heading to a music festival as their first big outing since the...