Cambridge High School Library 2024

 By: Nadine Brande Location: FIC BRA Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction THE COVER: It is so good!!!! ‘’You’ve given me your truth. I have to find it for myself for it to become mine. And curiosity is the first step’’. A magical retelling of the Gunpowder Plot that will sweep you back in time to a divided England where plagues turn victims to stone. In seventeenth-century London two forces rule the people: the color powers and the Stone Plague. Brown masks can manipulate wood. Black masks control the night. And red masks . . . Well, red is the color of blood. Young Thomas Fawkes’s Color Test has finally arrived, and he’s sure his father, the infamous Guy Fawkes, will present him with a mask and Thomas will finally bond with a color. He desperately hopes for a gray mask so he can remove the stone that has invaded his body and will ultimately take his life. But when Guy refuses to give Thomas his mask or even his presence, Thomas has no place in school or society. His only hope is to ...

 By: Garth Nix Location: FIC NIX Genre: Fantasy, Magic, Historical Fiction Series: The Left handed Booksellers of London #2 If you're a fan of Neil Gaiman, you will probably love this book, which offers generations of gods, wizards, and half-humans, all with a variety of powers. When Merlin vanishes, Susan will battle animated statues of heraldic beasts and use magical maps to rescue him on a hunt that leads to a serial killer who must be stopped before she kills again. There is often trouble of a mythical sort in Bath. The booksellers who police the Old World keep a careful watch there, particularly on the entity who inhabits the ancient hot spring. Yet this time it is not from Sulis Minerva that trouble starts. It comes from the discovery of a sorcerous map, leading left-handed bookseller Merlin into great danger. A desperate rescue is attempted by his sister the right-handed bookseller Vivien and their friend, art student Susan Arkshaw, who is still struggling to deal with her o...

 By: Jade Pengelly Location: FIC PEN Genre: Real life vet Nurse stories -Furry riends! You never know who or what is going to walk, crawl or slither through the doors of veterinary hospital... Clumsy Luna the Greyhound and her fragile front legs; the tortoise in need of a prosthetic leg; Jock the Saint Bernard and his problematic eyelashes; Edward the Burmese cat and his extravagant diet; the burly farmer and the world's tiniest Chihuahua, Lulu-bell... there is never a dull day in the life of a vet nurse. As the people who care for them around the clock, vet nurses are uniquely placed to speak for their patients and help us understand what our pets are going through. From emergency shifts at a posh London practice to a busy country hospital treating all manner of wildlife - snakes, foxes, hedgehogs - to working with equine-surgeons and teaching the art of care to new generations of vet nurses in New Zealand, Tales of a Vet Nurse is about a life devoted to saving our beloved and unc...

 By: Josh Silver Location: FIC SIL Genre: LGBGT, Young Adult, Dystopia We are in an epidemic. An epidemic of unhappiness.  … Friends, here is the good news: HappyHead has the answer.  When Seb is offered a place on a radical retreat designed to solve the national crisis of teenage unhappiness, he is determined to change how people see him and make his parents proud. But as he finds himself drawn to the enigmatic Finn, Seb starts to question the true nature of the challenges they must undergo. The deeper into the programme the boys get, the more disturbing the assessments become, until it’s clear there may be no escape... Review by Kelly  was very grateful to be gifted a copy of Josh Silver’s Happy Head in the lead up to Rock The Boat’s 2022 showcase with the Tandem Collective. Immediately my attention was piqued by its premise so I had to pick it up straight away. My only issue, I’ve got to wait over a year for part 2! HappyHead is an incredible dystopia. It’s been l...

 By: J L Williams Location: FIC WIL Genre: Historical Fiction and Horses A wonderful story about growing up and following your dreams, filled with suspense that keeps you hooked right until the end! The setting also gave a fascinating glimpse into a part of New Zealand's history. I can't wait for the sequel.- Becca What's a boy to do, if his dad won't let him ride? Sid's father is back from the war, but it's not the kind of homecoming the family had hoped for. Dad's return brings fear, not comfort, and for some reason he thwarts Sid's every attempt to become a jockey.Time is running out for a boy who is almost old enough to leave school and start work. Can Sid prove himself to be a winner? Or will he sink into the mire of post-war rural hardship, doing any old job just to survive?With an older sister who has already sacrificed her own dream, Sid can't resist the temptation to go all out.Deceiving his parents, Sid risks all - jeopardizing the very dre...

 By: Katherine Locke Location: FIC LOC Genre: Historical Fiction Review by Kate   This was just STUNNING. Even as someone interested in history, I'd never come across much about twentieth century Hungary before and this was a fascinating look at the 1956 Revolution and how memories of WWII affected people's feelings during the Cold War in ways I hadn't necessarily thought about before. It's fully of great, complicated characters - Csilla is definitely a new favorite YA heroine for me - and gorgeous, lyrical writing. I loved the way Csilla's magic was rooted in her Judaism and her complicated feelings about the city and country she was trying to save. Also great LGBTQ+ rep of various kinds across the characters and I adored the central relationship. Highly highly recommended! In the middle of Budapest, there is a river. Csilla knows the river is magic. During WWII, the river kept her family safe when they needed it most―safe from the Holocaust. But that was before th...

 By: Ausma Khan Location: FIC KHA Genre:  Mystery, Crime, Refugees The author Khan has a PhD in international law and her background provides the experience and knowledge of the context she writes about in this novel. From the full review below... This is not an easy read, but it is an important one, a much needed informative novel that explores and depicts one of the most problematic and intractable issues of our age, the plight of refugees. It is heartbreaking in its simultaneous picture of the inhumanity of people juxtaposed with the humanity of those trying to do good Amid a global crisis, one woman searches for justice… The Syrian refugee crisis just became personal for Inspector Esa Khattak and Sergeant Rachel Getty. NGO worker Audrey Clare, sister of Khattak’s childhood friend, is missing. In her wake, a French Interpol Agent and a young Syrian man are found dead at the Greek refugee camp where she worked. Khattak and Getty travel to Greece to trace Audrey’s last moveme...

 By: Amalie Howard Location: FIC HOW Genre: Romance, Historical Fiction "This book is scandalous, stimulating, smart, revengeful, tempting, shocking! Even better than Bridgerton series!" Nilifur A teen girl seeking retribution against her backstabbing former best friend finds her plans slightly derailed once she catches the eye of a familiar, handsome marquess. Bestselling author Amalie Howard delivers a delightful, anti-historical Regency-era romp that’s Bridgerton meets The Count of Monte Cristo! Lady Ela Dalvi knows the exact moment her life was forever changed—when her best friend, Poppy, betrayed her without qualm over a boy, the son of a duke. She was sent away in disgrace, her reputation ruined. Nearly three years later, eighteen-year-old Ela is consumed with bitterness and a desire for . . . revenge. Her enemy is quickly joining the crème de la crème of high society while she withers away in the English countryside. With an audacious plan to get even, Ela disguises he...

 By: Daniel Kraus Location: FIC KRA Genre: Horror, Fantasy Equal parts Toy Story and Lord of the Flies , They Threw Us Away is the unforgettable start of a captivating series. "Truly captivating." ― The New York Times "A deliciously macabre fairy tale, full of snuggles.” ―Holly Black, award-winning author of Doll Bones and co-creator of The Spiderwick Chronicles Welcome to The Teddies Saga, a gripping new middle grade trilogy from New York Times -bestselling author Daniel Kraus and illustrator Rovina Cai. Buddy wakes up in the middle of a garbage dump, filled with a certain he’s a teddy bear; he spent time at a Store waiting for his future to begin; and he is meant for the loving arms of a child. Now he knows one more Something has gone terribly wrong. Soon he finds other discarded teddies―Horace, Sugar, Sunny, and Reginald. Though they aren’t sure how their luck soured, they all agree that they need to get back to the Store if they’re ever to fulfill their destinies. So...

 By: Krystal Marquis Location: FIC MAR Genre: Historical Fiction "I devoured this YA historical romance in a few hours. There is plenty of romance, but I loved the journeys of each of the main characters. I was rooting for all of them to succeed. Can't wait for the sequel!" Miranda In 1910, the Davenports are one of the few Black families of immense wealth and status in a changing United States, their fortune made through the entrepreneurship of William Davenport, a formerly enslaved man who founded the Davenport Carriage Company years ago. Now the Davenports live surrounded by servants, crystal chandeliers, and endless parties, finding their way and finding love—even where they're not supposed to. There is  Olivia , the beautiful elder Davenport daughter, ready to do her duty by getting married. . . until she meets the charismatic civil rights leader Washington DeWight and sparks fly. The younger daughter,  Helen , is more interested in fixing cars than falling in lo...

  By: David Grann Location: FIC 920 GRA  Genre: Exploration,  shipwreck, survival, and savagery "This book is storytelling at its best! Highly recommend!" "Riveting. David Grann is one of the very best historians and storytellers around, and this tale of an eighteenth-century cataclysm at sea (and on land) is alive with heroes and villains, unbelievable competence and spectacular stupidity."- Chris From the #1  New York Times  bestselling author of  Killers of the Flower Moon , a page-turning story of shipwreck, survival, and savagery, culminating in a court martial that reveals a shocking truth. The powerful narrative reveals the deeper meaning of the events on  The Wager , showing that it was not only the captain and crew who ended up on trial, but the very idea of empire. On January 28, 1742, a ramshackle vessel of patched-together wood and cloth washed up on the coast of Brazil. Inside were thirty emaciated men, barely alive, and they had an extrao...

 By:  Anne Heltzel  location: FIC HEL Genre: Horror, Thriller,Mystery, Cults "I tore through this urgent, timely, and deeply disturbing tale.” ―Andrea Bartz, New York Times bestselling author of We Were Never Here Spine-chilling and sharp, Anne Heltzel's Just Like Mother is a modern gothic from a fresh new voice in horror, and “will disturb readers to their core.” ( Library Journal ) A GoodReads Choice Award Finalist for Best Horror, and named one of the Best Books of 2022 by LitReactor! The last time Maeve saw her cousin was the night she escaped the cult they were raised in. For the past two decades, Maeve has worked hard to build a normal life in New York City, where she keeps everything―and everyone―at a safe distance. When Andrea suddenly reappears, Maeve regains the only true friend she’s ever had. Soon she’s spending more time at Andrea’s remote Catskills estate than in her own cramped apartment. Maeve doesn’t even mind that her cousin’s wealthy work friends clearl...

 By: Yangsze Choo Location: FIC CHO Genre: Fantasy NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES Yangsze Choo’s stunning debut,  The Ghost Bride , is a startlingly original novel infused with Chinese folklore, romantic intrigue, and unexpected supernatural twists, reminiscent of Lisa See’s  Peony in Love  and Amy Tan’s  The Bonesetter’s Daughter. Li Lan, the daughter of a respectable Chinese family in colonial Malaysia, hopes for a favorable marriage, but her father has lost his fortune, and she has few suitors. Instead, the wealthy Lim family urges her to become a “ghost bride” for their son, who has recently died under mysterious circumstances. Rarely practiced, a traditional ghost marriage is used to placate a restless spirit. Such a union would guarantee Li Lan a home for the rest of her days, but at what price?   Night after night, Li Lan is drawn into the shadowy parallel world of the Chinese afterlife, where she must uncover the Lim family’s darkest secrets—and the truth ...

 By: Fonda Lee Genre:  Urban Fantasy Saga Location: FIC LEE 'An epic drama reminiscent of the best classic Hong Kong gangster films but set in a fantasy metropolis so gritty and well-imagined that you'll forget you're reading a book'  KEN LIU We have all three!!! "A beautifully realized setting, a great cast of characters, and dramatic action scenes. What a fun, gripping read!" --Ann Leckie, Hugo, Nebula, and Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning author JADE CITY is  a gripping  Godfather -esque saga of intergenerational blood feuds, vicious politics, magic, and kungfu. The Kaul family is one of two crime syndicates that control the island of Kekon. It's the only place in the world that produces rare magical jade, which grants those with the right training and heritage superhuman abilities. The Green Bone clans of honorable jade-wearing warriors once protected the island from foreign invasion--but nowadays, in a bustling post-war metropolis full of fast cars and ...

 By: Moniquill Blackgoose Location: FIC BLA Genre: Fantasy, Dragons, LGBGT A young Indigenous woman enters a colonizer-run dragon academy—and quickly finds herself at odds with the “approved” way of doing things—in the first book of this brilliant new fantasy series. The remote island of Masquapaug has not seen a dragon in many generations—until fifteen-year-old Anequs finds a dragon’s egg and bonds with its hatchling. Her people are delighted, for all remember the tales of the days when dragons lived among them and danced away the storms of autumn, enabling the people to thrive. To them, Anequs is revered as Nampeshiweisit—a person in a unique relationship with a dragon. Unfortunately for Anequs, the Anglish conquerors of her land have different opinions. They have a very specific idea of how a dragon should be raised, and who should be doing the raising—and Anequs does not meet any of their requirements. Only with great reluctance do they allow Anequs to enroll in a proper Anglis...

 By: Mark Dawson Location: FIC DAW Genre: Thriller Fiction *Pulse Racing* ‼️Triggers - Gruesome Murders‼️ I found it hard to put down, definitely not a bedtime read- Jennifer John Milton has been off the grid for six months. He surfaces in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, and immediately finds himself drawn into a vicious battle with the narco-gangs that control the borderlands. He saves the life of an idealistic young journalist who has been targeted for execution. The only way to keep her safe is to smuggle her into Texas. Working with the only untouchable cops in the city, and a bounty hunter whose motives are unclear, Milton must keep her safe until the crossing can be made. But when the man looking for her is the legendary assassin Santa Muerta - Saint Death - that's a lot easier said than done.

 By: Rebecca F Kuang Location: FIC KUA Genre: Fiction -contemporary. Thriller This is a compelling, cynical, and thought-provoking satire that delves into themes of plagiarism, racism, and internet trolling. It offers a realistic portrayal of the publishing industry within the framework of a heart-pounding thriller . Nalifur Ozemikii Athena Liu is a literary darling. Juniper Hayward is literally nobody. White lies When Athena dies in a freak accident, Juniper steals her unpublished manuscript and publishes it as her own under the ambiguous name June Song. Dark humour But as evidence threatens Juniper’s stolen success, she will discover exactly how far she will go to keep what she thinks she deserves. Deadly consequences… What happens next is entirely everyone else’s fault. Authors June Hayward and Athena Liu were supposed to be twin rising stars: same year at Yale, same debut year in publishing. But Athena's a cross-genre literary darling, and June didn't even get a paperback r...