Cleopatra

 By: Natasha Solomons 

Location:  FIC SOL

Genre: Mythology

“Know her, love her, fear her”

If you're like me and don't know your Ptolemies from your pyramids, don't worry! This book is the perfect intro to ancient Egyptian stuff without making you feel stupid.

Bottom line: Solomons doesn't just dust off an old story - she brings Cleopatra back to life in all her complicated glory.

Five stars, would time-travel to ancient Egypt again!

Cleopatra: the beguiling, legendary Pharoah and Queen of Egypt - the arch seducer who used her beauty to grasp for ever more power. But with her character only ever recorded by men who despised her, how can we be sure this was the real story?
From the lauded author of Fair Rosaline comes a powerful, unmissable new untelling, unravelling Shakespeare's Roman plays to draw out the woman behind the myth.
A captivating story of female power and vulnerability, of love and loss, fierce friendship and terrible betrayal: it's finally time to meet the real Cleopatra.

Ultimately, Cleopatra is a beautiful portrayal of this fascinating historical figure. It is a reclamation of power, history, and legacy. Solomons does not merely present Cleopatra as a historical figure but as a woman whose presence still resonates centuries later. I recommend this novel to lovers of retellings and historical fiction (especially those not used to the genre) as well as readers drawn to powerful female figures. Review by Karl

If you're like me and don't know your Ptolemies from your pyramids, don't worry! This book is the perfect intro to ancient Egyptian stuff without making you feel stupid.

Bottom line: Solomons doesn't just dust off an old story - she brings Cleopatra back to life in all her complicated glory.

Five stars, would time-travel to ancient Egypt again!

Iron and Embers

 By: Helen Scheuerer

Location: FIC SCH

Genre: Romantasy

Series:  The Ashes of Thezmarr  #1

ANOTHER KIWI AUTHOR

“There is no rhyme or reason to why people are taken from us. No greater meaning, no justice. I have long ago stopped trying to find those things in death…”

“I’ve made no secret of what I want... You. It’s always been you.”
Wren Embervale, alchemist-turned-assassin, finds solace in only one thing: seeking vengeance for the death of her friends. The wars of the past may be over, but her thirst for revenge is far from quenched.

For years, she has been content with her poisons and potions for company, but when an unknown form of alchemy is used to attack a king of the midrealms, Wren’s time in the shadows comes to an end.

She’s offered a place at the ancient alchemy academy of Drevenor to find a cure to the dark magic threatening the kingdoms. To win her spot, she must conquer the Gauntlet, a grueling series of deadly trials that could cost her sanity, or her life.

More is at play than sabotage from fellow competitors. Magic wielders are being targeted and Wren becomes tangled in a dangerous web of deception and bloodshed that puts the entire realm at risk.

But the biggest threat of all might come from the man assigned to protect her—Torj Elderbrock, the silver-haired war hero who has hated her since she assassinated his last charge.

Their shared history ignites a simmering tension that threatens to consume them both.

Peace is fragile, trust is scarce and enemies lurk around every corner… Will love heal all wounds—or will it be the most lethal poison of all?

Iron & Embers is the breathtaking first installment in the epic fantasy romance series, The Ashes of Thezmarr. With its lush world-building, sizzling chemistry, and heart-pounding action it’s perfect for fans of Fourth Wing, From Blood & Ash, and The Bridge Kingdom.

NZ BOOK LOVERS REVIEW: Reviewer: Karen McMillan

New Zealand author Helen Scheuerer has built up legions of fans for her internationally published novels that feature strong female characters and action-packed plots.

Wren is the heroine in this new novel, an alchemist turned assassin intent on revenging the death of her friends in a brutal war that ripped apart their lands. Everyone calls her the Poisoner, as she quietly works behind the scenes, taking out the people who were responsible, one by one, with her blends of potent poisons.

But after years in the shadows, she is offered a place in the prestigious ancient alchemy academy of Drevenor, so she must put aside her life of revenge to attend this school – something that is a dream come true for her. She has to face the deadly Gauntlet while there – a series of trials that could cost her life or her sanity. To add further complications, there is sabotage from fellow competitors, and there is a larger, more dangerous web of deception and bloodshed that puts the entire realm at risk.

But the Bear Slayer, the man assigned as her bodyguard, is the most complicated aspect of her new life. They share a bond from the battlefields, and there is a sizzling, undeniable chemistry between them. But could love end up being the most lethal poison of all?

Helen has created a fantasy world that is easy to occupy, and this novel has it all – action, intrigue, strong characters and palpable, escalating, racy tension between the two main characters. This is a sizzling fantasy romance which is breathtaking. I can’t wait to read the next in this new series.

Sorrow Spring

 By: Olivia Isaac- Henry

Location: FIC ISA

Genre: Horror

Chilling and uncanny folk suspense in a novel of twisted sisterhood and dark secrets. She thought arriving there was bad enough.
Then she tried to run away…

1978. When teenager Rina Pine is dumped by her hippy mother in the parochial village of Sorrow Spring, and forced to live with her aged aunt, Agatha Pine, she doesn’t think things can get any worse.
There she finds a community beholden to the past, and a village in the grip of a close-knit circle of older women who worship the local spring and its patron saint, all under the leadership of the formidable Agatha.
But when a child goes missing and a young mother is killed, Rina is drawn into the dark and sinister truth flowing through the sacred waters that give the place its name. Rina is about to learn what it truly means to be a daughter of Sorrow Spring…

Review by Bethnay

Sorrow Spring by Olivia Isaac-Henry is a chilling thriller that excels in creating an eerie and unsettling atmosphere. The dual timeline and well-crafted characters keep the reader engaged, though the novel's length and pacing could have been tighter. Despite these minor drawbacks, the story’s twists, the palpable sense of dread, and the dark secrets of Sorrow Spring make it a compelling read for fans of psychological thrillers. If you enjoy a mix of the occult, folklore, mystery, and a touch of horror, Sorrow Spring is a book worth exploring.

The Lost Saint

 By: Rachael Craw

Location: FIC CRA

Genre: Romantasy

A Kiwi Author

An action-packed, time travel romance perfect for young fans of Outlander and romantasy like Powerless

Ana should be enjoying her last summer before college; instead, she's stuck with her ex on a pre-paid trip in Germany. She's determined to make the best of it, visiting castles outside Hamburg and drinking in the local myths of medieval saints and miracles.

On the night of the summer solstice, as a meteor streaks across the sky, Ana and her friends decide to attend a party in the sacred caves of Eadin forest. Suddenly, an earthquake strikes and scatters the partygoers. They stumble outside straight into ... a snowy landscape where a furious battle rages. In the chaos, Ana is separated from the group and comes face-to-face with Leon, a wounded holy warrior—and realizes she's been transported to the 14th century.
Ana and Leon must set aside their mistrust to search for safe passage away from the vicious Northmen who are pursuing both of their groups.

As sparks begin to fly between them, Ana faces more dangers in the form of scheming lords, suspicious townsfolk, miracles she appears to be causing, and even Leon, who begins to wonder if this beautiful girl might be a saint or something far more sinister. Nothing is as it seems, and Ana finds herself caught in a power struggle between the church, the men of the North, and a magnetic young lord who is determined to use her as a bargaining chip.

With home looking ever more unreachable, Ana must determine who she is, whom she loves, and what she's willing to sacrifice to return to the present.

Review by Klee

There’s something seriously awesome about a New Zealand author who’s also a teacher - and Rachael Craw proves she’s her own kind of saint with The Lost Saint. This gripping YA fantasy blends mysterious timeslips, tangled emotions, and intriguing magic in a way that totally hooked me from the start.

If you love a good time-travel twist, this one’s got you. The story cleverly leaps across moments in time, creating that spine-tingling feeling of things just out of reach - and just about to go wrong. Plus, there’s a simmering hint of romance that doesn't fall into the usual love triangle trap. It’s more of a "love V" (is that a trope?), where two compelling characters are drawn to the same person - both you have enemies vibes. It’s messy, magnetic, and very real.

Rachael Craw’s writing is sharp, emotional, and full of heart - just like her characters. I am def team Ana and her saintly skills. And knowing Rachael is a Kiwi teacher? That just makes her next-level cool. She gets what it’s like to be a teen and pours that right onto the page.

If you're into stories with soul, swoon, and time-bending suspense, The Lost Saint is for you.

Worst Perfect Moment

 By: Shivaun Plozza 

Location: FIC PLO

Genre: Fantasy

Equal parts tender and edgy, this inventive queer romance imagines what it might feel like to come of age in the afterlife.

Tegan Masters is dead.

She’s sixteen and she’s dead and she’s standing in the parking lot of the Marybelle Motor Lodge, the single most depressing motel in all of New Jersey and the place where Tegan spent what she remembers as the worst weekend of her life.

In the front office, she meets Zelda, a cute and sarcastic girl Tegan’s age who is, in fact, an angel (wings and all). According to Zelda, Tegan is officially in heaven, where every person inhabits an exact replica of their happiest memory. For Tegan, Zelda insists, that place is the Marybelle—creepy minigolf course, revolting breakfast buffet, broken TV, and all.

Tegan has a few complaints about this.

As Zelda takes Tegan on a whirlwind tour through Tegan’s past to help her understand what mattered most to her in life, the stakes couldn’t be higher. If Zelda fails to convince Tegan that the Marybelle was the site of Tegan's perfect moment, both girls face eternal consequences too dire to consider. But if she succeeds…they just might get their happily-ever-afterlife.

Full of humor and heartbreak, The Worst Perfect Moment asks what it means to be truly happy.

Review

I love this book! I am not even sure how to express it well enough to do it justice. The pacing is perfect, the writing style works so well for the story and characters. The characters are so well written, deep, and complex, they struggle, they grow, they ache, they love. They are immature, stubborn, beautiful. This novel is therapy. Self-acceptance, grief, eye-opening...It is an interesting take on the afterlife and there is some sadness, but it is ultimately a story of hope.

Heavy subjects are examined thoughtfully, such as Teagan's family dynamics.
I enjoyed the banter between MCs, it portrays their age and personalities so well. They are absolutely delightful. The Worst Perfect Moment is a sweet, enlightening journey. My heart grew three sizes :) I highly recommend it!

Darkest Night, Brightest Star

 By: Barry Jonsberg  

Location: FIC JON

Genre: Teenage Life

What makes a good man? Morgan Pickford isn't sure yet, but he's doing his best to find out, even though it's complicated. A life-affirming YA novel about fractured families, tough talk, masculinity, finding friendship and overturning expectations from an internationally acclaimed, bestselling Australian author.

Two things that are true and one that is a
I think my mother is dead and alive.
I think if I work hard I will be very good at something.
I've tried to please my dad but I don't think I ever will.

Thirteen-year-old Morgan lives with his dad and his older brother, Mitch. He hasn't heard from his mum since she left when he was two. He works hard on his football skills, striving to meet his father's high expectations and 'be a man'.

But what that means isn't always clear-cut. When Morgan makes a friend at school, gets injured in a game, and his long-lost mum turns up, everything changes. Then, when he meets an old woman in need of help, Morgan must decide what kind of man he wants to be.

Shining a timely and much-needed light on different kinds of masculinity, Darkest Night, Brightest Star is a unique and compelling novel from a masterful storyteller.

reviewed by Rina

Thirteen-year-old Morgan lives with his dad and his older brother, Mitch. He hasn't heard from his mum since she left when he was two. He works hard on his football skills, striving to meet his father's high expectations and 'be a man'. But what that means isn't always clear-cut.

This was another powerful middle grade from Barry Jonsberg, this time covering the topic of toxic masculinity. I’m sure we’ve all seen glimpses of the scenarios covered here playing in real life.

Morgan was such a sweet, kind-hearted boy/young man, who just wanted to find his place in the world. My heart ached for him as I could see the toxicity eroding his experience with football. He had the talent for it, and it could’ve been something that brought tremendous joy for him but instead it was associated with too much negativity.

I loved following his coming-of-age journey here, especially seeing him building connections with unlikely ‘friends’ who didn’t fit his dad’s definition of being ‘manly’. This book made me feel and evaluate things. Loved it.

Lottie Brooks

 By: Katie Kirby

Location: FIC KIR

Genre: Humour

Lottie's family is so funnily and sweetly dysfunctional and her friends are awesome. I love that Lottie Brooks books teach young girls to have fun while being the weird awesome themselves and not to conform to the expectations of others. 

Louise Rennison for the Dork Diaries generation - hilarious, relatable and full of heart.

The first book in the hilarious new series for children by the bestselling creator of Hurrah For Gin.

Lottie Brooks is 11 and her life is already officially over - not only is she about to start high school without any friends or glamorous swooshy hair, she's just discovered she's too flat-chested to wear A BRA! She might as well give up now and go into hibernation with her hamsters Sir Barnaby Squeakington and Fuzzball the Third.

Lottie navigates the many perils of growing up in this fantastically funny new illustrated series for a 9-12 audience, filled with friendship, embarrassing moments and plenty of lols.

Unhallowed Halls

 By: Lili Wilkinson

Location: FIC WIL

Genre: Horror

DARK ACADEMIA…WITH DEMONS. After a deadly incident at her old school, Page enrols in Agathion College, an exclusive boarding school, only to find that it's built over centuries of secrets - including an ancient society potentially linked to demonic magic. Perfect for fans of Lynette Noni and Leigh Bardugo, from the acclaimed author of A Hunger of Thorns.

Page Whittaker has always been an outcast. She's too smart, too quiet, too weird. And after the deadly incident that destroyed her only friendship at her old school, she needs a fresh start.

Agathion College is everything Page has ever wanted: a safe haven of wood-panelled halls and dusty books, on a remote Scottish moor. And for the first time in her life, she has a close group of friends. Cyrus, Ren, Gideon, Lacey and Oak help her feel at home at Agathion; the only problem is, they're all keeping secrets from her.

Page doesn't know it yet, but her perfect new school has a crooked foundation, rooted in an ancient clandestine society with rumoured ties to demonic magic. Soon, Page will learn that not everyone at Agathion is who they say they are. Least of all, her friends.

Agathion claims to teach its students history…but some histories are better left buried.

The Eyes of Gaza

 By: Plestia Alaqad

Location: NF 920 ALA

Genre: MEMOIR   Read it GAZA

"It would seem that the eyes and ears of the world aren’t interested in Palestinian life, only in Palestinian death."

In early October 2023, Palestinian Plestia Alaqad was a recent graduate with dreams of becoming a successful journalist. By the end of November, her social media posts depicting daily life in Gaza, amid Israel's deadly invasion and bombardment, would profoundly move millions of people. She would be internationally known as the "Eyes of Gaza."

Written as a series of diary extracts, The Eyes of Gaza relates the horrors of her experiences while showcasing the indomitable spirit of the men, women and children who share her communities. From the epicentre of turmoil, while bombs rain around her and devastation grips her people, she is witness to their emotions, their gentle acts of quiet, necessary heroism, and the moments of unexpected tenderness and vulnerability amid the chaos.

Through the raw honesty and vulnerability of a normal 21-year-old woman trying to make her way through a human tragedy, The Eyes of Gaza is a potent reminder of the horrors of violence and a powerful testament to the human spirit. It recounts a harrowing experience, but it is not a heart-breaking lamentation. Rather, it is a deeply intimate love letter to a girl's demolished before her eyes, yes, but forever present in her heart.

Review by Layan

There’s something about reading The Eyes of Gaza that hit different. It’s not just tragedy on paper. It’s breath. It’s memory. It’s resistance. It’s tea in the morning with my teta and sedo — those few times a year I got to see them. We’d sit together, talk about life, and somehow, Gaza always came up. My teta had visited Gaza numerous of times when she was younger. She told me if she weren’t from El Khalil, she would’ve chosen Gaza. She said it with such love in her eyes, as if Gaza wasn’t just a place, but a person — someone sacred.

Under the Surface

 By: Diana Urban  

Location: FIC URB

Genre: Adventure- Thriller

 Get ready to dive into this heart-pounding, adrenaline-pumping, mind-bending YA thriller that unfolds in one of the eerie, haunted real-life locations: the catacombs of Paris! Diana Urban takes you on an underground adventure where danger lurks in the dark, and every second counts!

It’s a tense, exciting, thrilling experience, with expertly crafted suspense that will leave you breathless.

An epic survival-thriller about four teens who get lost in the Paris catacombs for days—a gripping and propulsive story of love, danger, betrayal, and hope… even when all seems lost.

Ruby is terrified to cave to her feelings for Sean and risk him crushing her heart.

Sean is pumped to spend a week with Ruby in Paris on their senior class trip, and he’ll wait however long until she’s ready to take things further.

But when Ruby’s best friend sneaks out the first night to meet a mysterious French boy, Ruby goes after her with two classmates, but caves to another temptation: attending mystery boy’s exclusive party in the Paris catacombs, the intricate web of tunnels beneath the city, home to six million long-dead Parisians. Only they never reach the party.

Underground, as something sinister chases them, they get lost in the endless maze of bones, uncovering dark secrets about the catacombs… and each other. And if they can’t find a way out, they’ll die in the dark beneath the City of Light.

Aboveground, Sean races to find the girl he loves as a media frenzy over the four missing teens begins.

From award-winning author and rising YA star Diana Urban comes a twisty tale of four teens lost in the dark beneath the City of Light and the race to find them.

Into the Uncut Grass

 By:  Trevor Noah   

Location: FIC NOA

Genre: Adventure

Into the Uncut Grass is a “moving modern fable” about forgiveness, acceptance and solidarity for readers of all ages

A story for all ages from the author of the #1 bestselling Born a Crime

“But sooner or later your mother will find us,” Walter said, looking back at the house. “She always does.”

The boy’s eyes lit up again. He had an idea.

“Then this time we need to go where we’ve never gone before,” he said. “Into the uncut grass!”

In the tradition of The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse comes a gorgeously illustrated fable about a young child’s journey into the world beyond the shadow of home, a magical landscape where he discovers the secrets of sharing, connection, and finding peace with the people we love. Infused with the author’s signature wit and imagination, in collaboration with visionary artist Sabina Hahn, it’s a tale for readers of all ages—to be read aloud or read alone.

The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson

 By: Ellen Baker 

Location: FIC BAK

Genre: Historical Fiction

In 1924, four-year-old Cecily Larson’s mother reluctantly drops her off at an orphanage in Chicago, promising to be back once she’s made enough money to support both Cecily and herself. But she never returns, and shortly after high-spirited Cecily turns seven, she is sold to a traveling circus to perform as the “little sister” to glamorous bareback rider Isabelle DuMonde. With Isabelle and the rest of the circus, Cecily finally feels she’s found the family she craves. But as the years go by, the cracks in her little world begin to show. And when teenage Cecily meets and falls in love with a young roustabout named Lucky, she finds her life thrown onto an entirely unexpected—and dangerous—course. In 2015, Cecily is now 94 and living a quiet life in Minnesota, with her daughter, granddaughter, and great-grandson. But when her family decides to surprise her with an at-home DNA test, the unexpected results not only bring to light the tragic love story that Cecily has kept hidden for decades but also throw into question everything about the family she’s raised and claimed as her own for nearly seventy years. Cecily and everyone in her life must now decide who they really are and what family—and forgiveness—really mean. Sweeping through a long period of contemporary history, The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson is an immersive, compelling, and entertaining family drama centered around one remarkable woman and her determination to survive.

I did really enjoy this novel and it explores many themes. At times heartbreaking there is also inspiration and hope and at its heart is love and family. The novel sings with it being written with a huge heart and the many kinds of love. It also explores forgiveness, adoption and its effects on yearning to know and connect with biological family.. Karen

Three Inch Teeth

 By: C J Box  

Location: FIC BOX

Genre: Mystery

Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett faces two different kinds of rampaging beasts—one animal, one human—in this riveting new novel from #1 New York Times bestseller C.J. Box.

A rogue grizzly bear has gone on a rampage—killing, among others, the fiancee of Joe’s daughter. At the same time, Dallas Cates, who Joe helped lock up years ago, is released from prison with a list of six names tattooed on his skin. He wants revenge on the people who sent him the people he blames for the deaths of his entire family and the loss of his reputation and property.
    Targeted are a judge, the county prosecutor, his lawyer, a prison guard—and both Nate Romanowski and Joe Pickett. Using the grizzly attacks as cover, Cates devises a method of violence identical to the bear killings and sets out to methodically check off his list.

Overall, this was intriguing, gritty, chilly, suspenseful, and action-packed with compelling characters that kept me turning the pages as I sat on the edge of my seat. With exciting scenes and fascinating story lines that converge, this fantastic crime thriller was intense and dramatic. It kept me on an emotional rollercoaster throughout the novel. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series. Goodreads review