Posts

Showing posts from 2013

What was the hot books for 2013

Image
Title: Summer Holiday Genre: Reading, the beach, some India and Ukulele playing Location: The Beach, The E-Reader, The Plane, The Himalaya's and my deck!!! By: My Family and Friends Well the school year ends here in New Zealand and with it this blog until February. Thanks to all of you who have followed it this year and we will be back in 2014. I have loved doing this blog, it has introduced to me some amazing books. My favourite book in 2013 was the Unusual Pilgrimage of Harold Fry , but I also loved Fault in our Stars , I remember reviewing it for the blog and before I knew it my day had been lost in a book. It was a good day! Another good day was when the Year 13s wrapped the library, I was rapt too! The Top 15 Books at Cambridge High this year are as follows: Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins City of Bones- Cassandra Clare City of Ashes- Clare Catching Fire- Collins Mockingjay- Collins Tomorrow when the War Began- John Marsden Between the Lines -Jodi Picoult Assa

Wonder

Image
By: R J Palacio Location FIC PAL  Genre: pull ya heart out, stand, yell and cheer the dude on!!! This book has been the surprise of the year in the library, loved by all who read it, students, adults and friend alike. So to honour that here is the trailer.

Escape from Mr. Lemoncellos Library

Image
By: Chris Grabenstaein Location: FIC GRA Genre: Like Willy Wonka!!!   Kim from Goodreads.com, says it just as I would...   I know what you are thinking- she works in a library so of course she is going to love this book. You would be correct! It is wonderful and I can't wait to show it to all our patrons! Mr. Lemoncello is an eccentric board game inventor who has donated a public library in his small hometown. This is the ultimate in technology, fun and creativity and a select few will get to spend the night in it before it opens to the public. What quirky Mr. Lemoncello doesn't share with the lucky winners is that ...more I know what you are thinking- she works in a library so of course she is going to love this book. You would be correct! It is wonderful and I can't wait to show it to all our patrons! Mr. Lemoncello is an eccentric board game inventor who has donated a public library in his small hometown. This is the ultimate in technology, fun and creativi

I Hunt Killers

Image
By: Barry Lyga Location: FIC LYG Genre: A dark psychological thriller "I Hunt Killers is an out-of-control hearse with one busted headlight, blood on the grille, a madman at the wheel and laughter pouring out of the open windows. Climb in, buckle up and go for a ride." Joe Hill My father is America's most notoriuos serial killer. My biggest fear is that they think Im like him. My second biggest fear is that I am... I wont be reading this book- it is too gory, and scary, but some of you might want too!! I like me sleep to much, and it seems a bit real... This book is based around the eternal arguement of nature vs nurture. Can you be different to how you are raised, or are the role models that shape you in your early years so infusive that you become what they create you to be. This is Jazz's question, and this book makes him discover the answer! Notorious serial killer Billy Dent,is  responsible for over 100 brutal murders, he knows his life will never

Enders Game- December 5th, it is coming soon!

Image
On de

Darth Vader and son

Image
By: Jeffrey Brown Location: Probably all over the library Genre: Star wars I love StarWars, my sons made me watch it. Tell me- what is cuter than an Ewok, or wiser than Yoda, this tell me, I know not. Jabberthehut is one of a kind and what kid did not want to be Luke Skywalker.. but would you want Darth for Dad, I mean really- I bet he snored real bad. This book is fantastic, it is so good, I am smuggling it home cause my big boys are home this weekend and I want them to know I am a force still to be reckoned with!

Orphan Train

Image
By: Christina Baker Kline Location: FIC KLI Genre: Family- or lack of it! NewYork Times Best Seller: I read Angela's Ashes - a story of hideous childhood poverty in Ireland, it was a book designed to wrench your guts out and buy any kid a pair of shoes that you saw down town that had none on! I get the feeling this one is going to do the same- hope it is not as bad as Bridge across my Sorrows   that was a tissue box grabber and far to much liquid escaping my face! But I think this book has more connection with Tomorrow their will be Apricots than any others. Both are about a relationship between  two woman who hurt, whose pasts have scarred them and together they journey for mutual healing and hope. Vivian, has survived almost unimaginable losses over her life. Orphaned at age nine, she is given over to the Children's Aid Society in New York, and sent to the Midwest on a train with other orphaned and abandoned children, with the intention of finding adoptive families

Assassins Creed, BLACK FLAG

Image
By: Oliver Bowden Location: FIC BOW Genre: Game into book based on  real history . I love Assassins Creed, I love the fact that books based on games based on history are getting you fellas to read and as you do- you are getting sucked into reading. It is so cool, so subtle and cunning, it makes me chuckle. Sucked in and perfect! So what is this little tempter got in store for you then, it is number 6 in the series and it is all about pirates arrr. As for me no pirate will ever be better than the Dread Pirate Roberts - why, because beneath his bravado, amazing sword swashbuckling skills, ability to kill rodents of unusual size- he was really a cute romantic- sold out on looove- as you wish! Lets see if Edward Kenway, the pirate in this novel- topples him. Bet not, it would be inconceivable. It's the Golden Age of Piracy - a time when greed, ambition and corruption overcome all loyalties - and a brash young captain, Edward Kenway, is making his name known for being one of

Rules of summer

Image
By: Shaun Tan Location: Picture Book Genre: Use your imagination and think! What are the rules of summer? Mine..... No blokes are allowed to wear speedo's Icecreams need to be double scooped Books are to be read and stolen by no-one else The beach is for swimming in and  not just sitting on All food is prepared by all people all day, I am reading or swimming! Steak and fish should be eaten, with nice salads. The steak should be medium rear, burning the steak breaks the rules. Strawberries need icing sugar. Music should be loud and happy A new adventure of unknown outcomes should be embarked apon Work shall not enter your mind, other things matter more Lastly- sun loving is acceptable, those who have a morbid fear of the sun should immigrate to Iceland or Scotland or the Yukon! Shaun Tan has his "Rules of Summer"- different to mine and very 'Tan"- did you like that!!! But one thing they have in common with mine- sharing summer with a good mate 

The Homecoming of Samuel Lake

Image
By: Jenny Wingfield Location: FIC WIN Genre: Family Drama's A PK. It means "Preachers Kid." That is something close to my world. Its a tough job being a PK. That is what Swan is, she is the daughter of Samuel Lake a fiery Methodist preacher from the south of the USA. Think -"The Help", think  - "Fried Green Tomatoes", - think "To Kill a Mockingbird". High praise- but that is what this book is getting! This family loved God, but when someone close commits suicide, you are found jobless, your father-in-law runs a pub called "Moses never Closes" and Swan meets a lad who is abused and afraid,  the jealousy's, loves and hates of a close knit rural community, then what you think  about God is put to the test. Is fiery preaching livable in action, does being a PK mean you cant explore the pain of a broken world for yourself? Funny thing really, I grew up is a very Christian rural part of New Zealand, and we had a family enter

Here it comes- Catching Fire

Image
If it is a competetion- who will win. Hobbit- desolution of Smaug OR Hunger Games- Catching Fire!!

The Grim Company

Image
By: Luke Scull Genre: Fantasy Location: FIC SCU The world is desperately in need of heroes. But what they get instead are a ragtag band of old warriors, a crippled Halfmage, two orphans and an oddly capable manservant: the Grim Company... Yes the world needs heros', what is a hero?  Is is a knight in shining armour who welds his swords and disposes of evilness that permits to root itself in society? Is a hero a whistle blower that reveals to the world all the deeds of corruption that undermine a safe secure world? Is a hero a sportsman who scores points in the dying stages of a gladiatorial game that determines national identity. Is a hero a soldier that rips open gunfire on men and woman to take precious land in the defence of liberty? What is a hero? The blab on this book says the world needs them because, The Gods are dead. The Magelord Salazar and his magically enhanced troops, the Augmentors, crush any dissent they find in the minds of the populace. On the other side o

Steelheart

Image
By: Brandon Sanderson Location: FIC SAN Genre: Sanderson Never has an author caused so much dispute in the library. Students fighting over books as they come in, vicious rock, paper, scissors competitions. After school meetings to discuss Sanderson's worlds with expert sons coming in to facilitate, students begging on knees to take it before it has been processed. Students from the  Chiefs- Waikato country pledging eternal allegiance to the Crusaders from Canterbury. Love that! This book had them going and anything with the name Sanderson in it, a now automatic purchase! Steelheart is his latest, only complaint from those who have vied to get this book is that it was too short- just like me! Ten years ago, Calamity came. It was a burst in the sky that gave ordinary men and women extraordinary powers. The awed public started calling them Epics. But Epics are no friend of man. With incredible gifts came the desire to rule. And to rule man you must crush his wills. Nobody figh

Playing TYLER- When a game is not a game!

Image
By: T L Costa Location: FIC COS Genre: Gaming turned into fiction Ok I confess, it was the name on the cover that got me. I know a Tyler and boy they sound similar!  So many reviews of this book say Tyler has "a huge heart" , "endearing"  " a likeable character", "virtous", "high intelligence and a kind heart makes him a lovely soul", "smart and caring", " a fighter", ... and he  has ADHD and Dyslexia. Hmmm!! Some of you will know where I am going with this! This book has a hero in it called Tyler, the Tyler I know is also a  genuine hero to me for several of the same reasons- but not all of them, his mum has not checked out mentally, not last time I noticed anyway! When is a game not a game? Tyler MacCandless can’t focus, even when he takes his medication. He can’t focus on school, on his future, on a book, on much of anything other than taking care of his older brother, Brandon, who’s in rehab for heroin a

I am Malala

Image
By: Malala Yousafzai and Christina lamb Location: NF 920 YOU Genre: Heroines of the world who did real stuff with guts and courage! Ok this blog will get me going.. It is about education and it is about the power of education that changes lives and worlds, it is about the threat of education and knowing that knowledge empowers, and that empowering then can minimise the control forced over us by the powerful. Education destroys regimes and the regime knows it. Then- along comes a girl, a courageous young woman called Malala, who refused to allow to her her right to education be stopped by the Taliban, she stood tall, and she refused to be made to submit- she knew education and knowledge were the keys to her freedom, her creativity, and her future ability to provide for herself. She knew education allowed her to think, to ponder, to learn, to then use that to reach her potential, she knew education was a gift that would help her change her world.  She paid the ultimate price, the t

The Hobbit

Image
Ohhh can't wait!!! I know the book is the always the winner , and I was not allowed to marry until I had read The Hobbit . I know my imagination of what Smaug is like is my own wee minds version, and I know that I have painted Bilbo in the canvas of my mind and so why let a movie minimise the power of the word? Because it is going to be sooo good and if anyone can translate this classic to the big screen, then Peter Jackson can. The only problem I have being a New Zealander is reminding myself that the scenery is not where I went on holiday in 1995- but then again maybe it was... Bring this movie on- shatter my preconcieved ideas and let me fly with new ones! If you arent convinced check out this lattest trailer- and oh- read the book first!!!

Our Year 13's have pranked the library!

Image
It has been a great year with our Year 13's and I have to say I am a proud they chose the library as their prank for the year! You did a great job. As you know I am really intentional about this blog being about books- but for this, I will break the rules and share with my blogging world your awesomeness! Respect!

Rose Under Fire

Image
By: Elizabeth Wein Location: FIC WEI Genre: War and Poetry ! “Five years of destruction and mayhem, lives lost everywhere, shortages of food and fuel and clothing - and the insane mind behind it just urges us all on and on to more destruction. And we all keep playing.” 'Hope is the most treacherous thing in the world. It lifts you and lets you plummet. But as long as you're being lifted, you don't worry about plummeting." I like to write, I find writing  something that allows my being to figure out what I am, and what I think and what I am discovering. It kind of settles me, and discovers me. When I travel to places where I see stories in front of me, stories that hurt, stories I cant control- then it is writing that helps me make sense, or forever not make sense of what i feel and observe. Writing are the glasses into my soul. If I had to go to war- it would be the power of writing that would help me unravel the journey enforced on me. Rose had to go to war, an

Unholy Night

Image
By: Seth Grahame-Smith Location: Under the Christmas Tree FIC SMI Genre: Lets mock Christmas but tell the story in a weird  but maybe authentic way anyway. Game of Thrones based in the Gosple of Luke The three wise men, who were they. I was one once, school play. I am not a man and I am not wise- never figured how that happened and I always wanted to be Mary- but never was! I also went to Cologne Cathedral once- they say in there is the bones of the Three Wise men in a fancy box, that is not so wise I dont reckon. Did you know in the Bible they give no number- who said it was three,  there could of been six... It’s one of the most iconic images in history: three men on camelback, arriving at a manger, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. A moment of serenity and grace. A holy night. But who were the Three Wise Men? What if they were murderous thieves on the run, escaping through Judea under cover of night? In Seth Grahame-Smith’s telling, the so-called “Three Wise

Divergent- Movie

Image
The movie is coming, we have the first two books in our library, Allegiant is on order! So read them before this movies busts out in 2014!!! Books are always better than the movie!!! http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi3947407641/ http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi1847437593/ But please read the books first!!!

Dodger

Image
B y: Terry Pratchett Location: FIC PRA Genre:  Sir Pratchett- he is his own! My nephew has a hero to beat all heros'- Pratchett! So in honour of my nephew and of the ultra incredibleness of Sir Terry Pratchett, I buy all books with his name on the front. This one- is as good as Nation - which  I liked the best! Dodger is a tosher - a sewer scavenger living in the squalor of Dickensian London. Everyone who is nobody knows Dodger. Anyone who is anybody doesn't. But when he rescues a young girl from a beating, suddenly everybody wants to know him. And Dodger's tale of skulduggery, dark plans and even darker deeds begins... So continues the legacy of Pratchett, this book was published in 2012 and was in a list of the top 25 Youth Fiction books your library must have. Jeanette from Goodreads sums it up this way.. I say that Terry Pratchett has written a wonderful romp through early-Victorian London. Our hero, Dodger, teams up with Charlie Dickens and John Mayhew,

Reboot

Image
By: Amy Tintera Location: FIC TIN Genre: Post Apocalyptic 5 YEARS AGO I DIED, 178 MINUTES LATER... I WOKE UP!!! After a month a way in Africa, it seems kind of a weird cultural shift to be reviewing a book about zombies and with a killer heroine. Actually as an aside have you ever seen giraffes fight, I tell you they put zombies to shame- Google it if you don't believe me! Anyway this book is huge, Lucy who is 17 reckons it far surpasses The Hunger Games, Hannah who is 15 said it latches onto you by the throat and pulls you through till the end! I think Id prefer a giraffe fight,  but I know some of you will love this. Check out the trailer!

Let the blogging continue...

Image
Back from Tanzania and Ghana. This library is in a "container" and after sending the books over last year, we managed this year to create a system for Joyce the librarian to sort and stack her books. Working in a 'container" in over 30 degrees heat and high humidity has its challenges, but watching teachers and kids to able to easily locate and use books was worth every bit of the sweat we chucked into it. So from tomorrow, I am back into a few good reviews with the pile of new books stacked on my desk waiting to enter our collection back in Cambridge High School Library, just want to say that our students are so blessed to have the range of books that they do! I hope that they know that! Maybe if anyone complains I will get them to count the number of taps in their house and then tell them how many Joyce has! Lastly we are planning a couple of new libraries in Tanzania, but what freaks me out about that is how do we locate the snakes in the shelves before they

Blogs Away

Image
By: Glenys Bichan Location: Africa Genre: Educational Aid Well folks this blog will be quiet for a month, until October 21st in fact. I am a bit sad as we have had 49,973 hits on this blog- was hoping to crack the 50,000 before I left.  I am heading to Tanzania and Ghana with RATA. This is an organisation that helps those teachers who have not had the previledge of formal training  to be trained by a team of New Zealand teachers in numeracy, literacy, classroom management and of course books! This is an annual thing for me and you can  check out our organisation on www.rata.org.nz . It is a real joy to be part of something that makes a difference, that empowers teachers so kids get a better chance. Sure the showers- actually what showers? the buckets of water might be cold and the heat might be really hot- but it is worth it. I wont suffer to much though, the people make up for the discomfort. I also have my E-Reader loaded ready to go. Perfect by Rebecca Joyce, the Sto

Never Go Back

Image
By: Lee Child Location: with all the others:) Genre: Jack Reacher " Its said that a Jack Reacher novel is bought every four seconds somewhere in the world . Lee Child's genius has been to create a tough guy hero that men will envy and woman adore" Daily Express The Daily Telegraph says "A hero with universal appeal. In a confusing world we all want to be Jack Reacher!" Well I am going to check that out- in Africa next week! Will this book be on sale there?  Will men envy him in Africa and woman adore him- I think not! Do people in Africa want to be Jack Reacher and what PE teacher will run over here first to get this book out? Big questions for a confused world!!

The Academy: Game on

Image
By: Monica Seles Location: FIC SEL Genre: Sport Fiction Drama in sports- really! The America's Cup that our nation should win tomorrow has drama, it has scandel, it has cheats, it takes buckets loads of money and yet despite that Team New Zealand will win it fair and square. Tennis is another sport that has big money and big headlines. Monica Seles was a world number one- so who better to write a story on the drama of tennis! Young tennis star Maya's dreams have finally come true when she earns a scholarship to The Academy. Plucked from her small town, Maya moves to the sports training facility and boarding school to  start the beginning of her pro tennis career. But Maya's fantasy of The Academy doesn't quite match the reality. Because where there are hot, talented teens, there's a lot of drama . Meet the players: Cleo: Maya's rebel/punk roommate who is nearing the top of the golf world. Renee: The gorgeous swimmer with enough money to buy her way into

The Beginners Guide to Hunting and Fishing in New Zealand

Image
By: Paul Adamson Location: NF 799.0093 ADA Genre: Hunting How do you stalk an animal? How do you skin a rabbit? How does a bullet work? This book will answer those questions and heaps more.  New Zealand is an outdoors kind off place, and given the chance many people will be playing in the outdoors over the weekend trying to kill some food to feed the whanau. They could be rabbiting, duck shooting, possum hunting, large game hunting, fishing from boats, fishing from the beach, white baiting, eeling...... Last night I went out for dinner with my husband, son and his girlfriend to a place that cooks hunted food- it was so good to eat. We ate duck, salmon, lamb and deer. YUM!! Hunters are good- they bring home the bacon and I am very happy to cook it. Read this book boys!!!

Butter

Image
By: Erin Lange Location: FIC LAN Genre: Youth Bullying Bullying- it is never OK- never. I was bullied at school- new kid on the block, out of towner, short, put in a class of kids who were deciding that failure was the only option- but it certainly was not one of mine- months of harassment, decent black eye- no bullying is never OK! It damages and scars. Sometimes people, especially teenagers act in a way to give themselves legitimate bullying, to soften the blow. They kind of behave in a manner that purposefully draws negative attention and so they can blame the behaviour rather than the physical defect, or family name, or disability. This story is about one of those guys. A lonely obese boy everyone calls "Butter" is about to make history. He is going to eat himself to death-live on the Internet-and everyone is invited to watch. When he first makes the announcement online to his classmates, Butter expects pity, insults, and possibly sheer indifference. What he gets

You don't even know

Image
By:Sue Lawson Location: FIC LAW Genre: A story of love, loss and forgiveness.   Oh dear, this book is one of those! When you skim it in the library office small droplets of water escape from your eye's. Maybe because in our town, we have had a similar story-it feels close to home. This story is about a normal family, large, full of family stuff, brothers fighting, cute little sister and a pushy Dad that favours one son over the other- with Mum trying to hold it all together. Then it happens...   cute little sister Mia drowns on her brothers watch. Then he has an "accident" that sends him to Neurosurgery High Dependency for a long painful recovery- all the time blaming himself for Mia's death and fighting in his mind the truth about his brother's actions on that day. Alex Hudson is a good guy. He plays water polo. He has a part-time job. He s doing okay at school. Then those things that anchors Alex are ripped away and his life seems pointless. How can

Ready Player One

Image
By: Ernest Cline Location: FIC CLI Genre: Sci Fi- old school "Enchanting. WILLY WONKA meets THE MATRIX" USA Today Pacman - I was good at that, I would go to Wellington airport early for my flights just so I could play. The 80's was the birth of gaming, and Pacman was the king. I was better though at Pheonix- even got a high score. This book is based in this world, the 1980's pop culture. A wildly original and stuffed with irresistible nostalgia, READY PLAYER ONE is a spectacularly genre-busting, ambitious, and charming debut—part quest novel, part love story, and part virtual space opera set in a universe where spell-slinging mages battle giant Japanese robots, entire planets are inspired by Blade Runner, and flying DeLoreans achieve light speed. It's the year 2044, and the real world is an ugly place. Like most of humanity, Wade Watts escapes his grim surroundings by spending his waking hours jacked into the OASIS, a sprawling virtual utopia that lets y

Tomorrow there will be Apricots

Image
By: Jessica Soffer Location: FIC SOF Genre: Family and food This is the story of lost love, of love trying to be found, rediscovered and made right. It is about hope and even if some relationships are so damaged, there are others that can flourish. It is about the power of the elderly to inspire the young! And what joins it all together- food! The story begins with a school suspension for 14-year-old Lorca. Lorca is a good kid with a very disturbing habit: cutting. The suspension forces her mother to make a difficult decision and send Lorca to a boarding school. Before Lorca is shipped off to a new school, she is determined to change her mother’s mind. What better way to change a chef’s mind than with food? In her quest to cook the perfect dish for her mother, Lorca searches for the recipe that her mother admires—masgouf, a traditional Iraqi dish. Lorca enlists the help of newly widowed Victoria, former proprietor of the restaurant that served the perfect dish, at least acc

Feed

Image
By: Mira Grant Location: FIC GRA Genre: Zombies Series: #1  Newsflesh  Zombies- why, someone tell me why??? I am forever scarred by my sons zombie plans and now I cant help it-  I dream a few up myself- like the new cycling velodrome in Cambridge would be a great refuge. My boys have made me weird! This is a zombie book but it has redeeming features-  it's more of a novel about journalism, the right to information and free speech, and the personal and political ramifications of a wide-spreading disease. This book has zombies in it, but to call it a zombie or horror novel does it a disservice. There are some awesome action sequences, but no gratuitous feeding scenes, screaming teenagers, or B-horror movie cliches or gore. The year was 2014. We had cured cancer. We had beaten the common cold. But in doing so we created something new, something terrible that no one could stop. The infection spread, virus blocks taking over bodies and minds with one, unstoppable command: FEED

The Death of Bees

Image
By: Lisa O'Donnell Location: FIC ODO Genre: Family Survival, Coming of Age. Whenever a book is written about surviving abuse, one thing will always be sure- it wont be an easy read. This book isn't. It is dark. Two sisters sick of the abuse they suffer at the hands of their father ensure he exists no more- the mother who has watched this abuse decides for herself she can no longer escape. The two girls then have a problem- how do you dispose of two dead bodies- well you bury them in your own back yard and carry on as if nothing has happened. But it has- lots has. Marnie who is 15 spirals out of normalcy leading a life of drugs use, drinking and under age sex. Nelly her sister escapes by speaking the Queens English and pouring coke on her cornflakes each morning. Lennie the old guy- he lives next door and figures something is up and he starts to get nosey, and caring... Can he help bring healing and hope, or is he another sexual pervert in the wings? It is not often we &q

Railsea

Image
By: China Mieville Location: FIC MIE Genre: Steampunk x Dystopia x Moby Dick This book comes with rave reviews. It is Moby Dick story revisited in a dystopian world where steampunk rules. It has pirates, scavengers and hunters in a post modern world- and people talk about it being like Earthsea Quartet, or The Hobbit, or Lemony Snickett.... It was described best by Darren from Goodreads this way:   Waving a flag of piratical abandon, Mieville sets sail on a saga of Weird Adventure that's as good as any I've read. Harpoon-wielding mole-hunters ride the rails of this (post-apocalyptic? post-capitalist? post-satirical?) world, tracking their blind, bewhiskered, be-fanged philosophies and dodging the attentions of wreckers, train-pirates and a host of over-sized beasties intent on their ruin. Into this world a young lad ventures and it's largely through his eyes (save for the odd diversion or switch-back) that we learn about the Railsea and, ultimately, come to learn ju

Goliath

Image
By:Tom Gauld Location: Gra Gau Genre: Goliath- in a graphic novel There are some stories that are forever stories. Little David, last son of a large family, a unnoticed shepherd boy who is made to look after a few sheep. In his spare time he plays with a sling, kills a few bears, and deals to a lion, but really a kid brother who no-one worries much about. That is until his big mouth declares he can fight a giant- his brothers must of cringed. It would be like a wee puny Yr 9 declaring he could be the half back for the 1st XVI- imagine what his Yr 13 brothers would be thinking? The thing is David did it- he slayed the giant and hacked off his head- now that is a story. I love this graphic version, it is understated. it is clever and it plays with Goliath and Davids relationship. It is well done!

Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children

Image
by: Ransom Riggs Location: FIC RIG Genre: Science Fiction/Horror/Fantasy ‘I used to dream about escaping my ordinary life, but my life was never ordinary. I had simply failed to notice how extraordinary it was.’ People call this book.... Strange Unusual Peculiar Different This book is a combo of a novel enhanced and enlarged by amazing photo's.The visual and the words collide to create a really different approach to story telling. ‘Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children’ is the story of sixteen-year-old Jacob who has grown up listening to his grandfather’s tales of his younger years living in an orphanage with ‘Peculiar Children’ on an island off the coast of Wales. Jacob and his grandfather are close, they have a strong bond that grandparents who care can create.   However Jacob stopped believing his grandfather many years ago, but when his grandfather is attacked and dies mysteriously Jacob begins to wonder if his stories weren’t true after all. His grandf

Manga Mutiny

Image
By: Ryo Azumi Location; GRA Azu Genre: Manga Yes I have succumbed to Manga, this is the first of a new collection. Have to say this one impressed- hope the others are as good. So what is Manga?-   Wisegeek.com tell us Manga loosely refers to a style of cartoons originating in Japan. They usually are published in installments, and depending on their form, can be up to several hundred pages long. Many different genres are available, so they are popular with people of all ages and backgrounds. Known for their in-depth plots and characters, these well-respected works have been drawn for hundreds of years, although the modern version developed starting in the mid-20th century. What surprised me about Manga Mutiny was that it tells the story of the original Ancient Texts- the Bible. It is really well done. The overlord has been rejected... The new world is in chaos... Who on earth will be master... Who will be slave....

The Girl You Left Behind

Image
By: Jojo Moyes Location: FIC MOY Gemre: WWI - Today. A generational love war story. I loved Me before You . Actually I hated it- it made me think, I could see it, feel it and responded to it. I was in Tanzania and was reading it on my E Book. I didn't need a late night- we had heaps of hard travelling to do, but I stayed up and read til the end- mosquito's biting and all. The nose ran and I reflected for days. So I am excited that Jojo Moyes has written another book for me to put on my E Reader for the next trip in a couple of weeks. Zarina on Good reads has me  worried though that the same thing will happen to me as last time.. The Girl You Left Behind has a dual time-frame narrative; the first part is seen through the eyes of a woman in occupied France in 1916, the second through one living in modern day London. I'm not generally a fan of historical literature, particularly one with a war setting, so I was slightly reluctant at the start of this novel. However, an

Steppin with Benji Marshall

Image
By: David Riley Location: NF 920 RIL Genre: Kiwi Sportsman " As a young Maori boy from a small town. My life shows that anything is possible. If I can do it- then so can YOU! Dreams do come true" Benji Marshall. I have met Benji Marshall, I took some of our students down for a signing of his book- he was such a gentleman, kind and he had time for our boys! He was no show pony, but a guy who was chatting to some of our students as equals! They came back to school buzzing and the guitar Benji signed- a cherished family relic. This book is to inspire you, that you can achieve your dreams, even if you face struggles in life, you can do it. Benji was born in the small town of Whakatane, he grew up with no Dad and his Mum was 16 years old when he was born, his foster dad died of cancer, some of his challenges were huge. However he became an NRL premiership winner, a world champion, the face of rugby league and one of the best players in the world. This book tells you ho

Divergent - Movie Time!!

Image
By: Veronica Roth So here come the movies- Divergent and the same casts star in The Fault in our Stars movie due out 2014. Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort- soon these names will be huge- two big movies! I just hope they do it well and in my mind I dont get the plots confused. A dystopian love story, with personality control and cancer, all mixed up- actually hang on- that could be a great plot- join the two of them up!!! Enjoy this trailer and may it make you read the book first!

Noble Conflict

Image
By:Malorie Blackman Location: FIC BLA Genre; Dystopia No Bullets. No Knives. No Questions. OH this book has "ass kicking librarians with purple hair in it"- I love this book!!!! But can you have a noble conflict. I mean can any war be noble, can any conflict be honourable. This book reckons so... Set in a world where the Alliance is a peaceful, prosperous society, defending themselves against the unprovoked attacks of the Insurgency in the least violent way possible - who wouldn't fight for that noble cause? Thus Kaspar becomes a Guardian, a keeper of the peace whose only weapon is a stun gun that incapacitates, not kills, the enemy. When captured, the Insurgency members are given medical treatment and then questioned, before being humanely imprisoned. But when Kaspar is involved in an action that sees his best friend die, he meets one of the enemy who not only refuses to kill him, but also rescues him from certain death. He begins to question everything h

By Any Other Name

Image
By: Laura Jarratt Location: FIC JAR Genre: Youth Fiction - Drama If I could have any other name - I wonder what I would choose? Maybe I might become a " Thirza" or a "Joelle" Be kind of fun to rename yourself. Unless of course you had too, because you were a witness for a major crime and you had to shift location, change your name and re-invent yourself- then maybe it might not be so good. That is what Lou- now Holly had to do in this story. It is about discovering who you really are , it is about your true identity. This book deals with autism, bullying, war and witness protection. I shifted home when I was 14- all in good circumstances and that was hard enough- but imagine poor Holly shifting having to forget her entire past life, re-inventing herself, protecting her autistic sister and re-becoming who she is. The other thing about this book which is getting noticed by reviewers is how the author is brilliant at layering and creating characters- so you kno

Pieces of Me

Image
By: Darlene Ryan Location: FIC RYA Genre: Heartbreaker I have seen homelessness, I have watched people try and live on the streets, from a close distance and that was far enough. I have seen the hunt for shelter, the search for food, the need of cleanliness and the want of dignity. I have become friends with these people, laughed with them, sung with them, given to them, supported their journey into wholeness, but the one thing I can never come to grips with- it is children who are homeless. It is wrong! I have a little friend who is 8 months old, and she lives in a shack- that is bad enough, but she has a gift- a loving mum. In this story we have the homeless Maddie, trying to survive on the streets, and she is joined by Q- a friendship she is wary of, but needs. They are joined by a  abandoned young boy called Dylan. Together on the streets this makeshift family is trying to redeem all this has been stolen and lost. The question this book asks is "How far would you go to

You don't know me

Image
By: Sophia Bennett Location: FIC BEN Genre: Chic Lit Pitch Perfect in a book. It has it all- the  music comp, the "fat girl" - though her name is not Amy- or Patricia for that matter  ( it is actually Rose), it has the bullying and the attempt at redemption. If you loved Pitch Perfect - then this book is for you. What it also does is have a cold hard look at the power of social media, and cyber bullying- what it does and who it can destroy. This is our world and so often we use the tools we have to destroy others - you see it is easier to mock on a phone, than to a face. Yet through it all- the theme of friendship prevails, of girlfriends doing there thing, staying tight and together dealing with the cyber bully. Kinda makes me really feel for those people who have gone through X Factor  and the like with all the issues they face- being public is not licence enough to destroy you on line for your looks, voice or what you say- aren't we bigger than that- nope- af

Chasing the Dark

Image
By: Sam Hepburn Location: FIC HEP Genre: Adevnture/Mystery "Mum's gone. Killed in a hit and run car crash. Her last words a message for someone I've never heard of. What happened that night? All I've got is a trail of secrets and lies, but am I just chasing the dark?" The first in a pulse- pounding crime mystery series starring Joe Slattery, a boy left with nothing, who must uncover the truth of his hidden inheritance. I wonder what I would say as a last message to my kids-  maybe " Eat with your mouth shut" or  "Wipe the bench down". Hopefully it would be a bit more meaningful like  " Never lose your integrity" or  "be the change..." but what I can tell you for sure- it will have nothing to do with an inheritance- sorry kids- love you anyway!!!

In the Shadow of the Banyan

Image
By: Vaddey Ratner Location: FIC RAT Genre: Historical Fiction The Killing Fields- the movie that made me weep beyond control- has a new story, a new voice- this story will leave you in the same state as the movie did me!!! Any story of tryanny and genocide makes me writh in powerlessness, the feeling that we humans can become so base, so cruel, so heartless. I am afraid this story- based on the authors own journey will make me experience those emotions all over again. Yet it is written so beautifully and written with hope- the brutality does not destroy  the beauty. "The horrors committed by Cambodia's Khmer Rouge, as experienced by one extremely resilient girl. A brutal novel, lyrically told." Oprah Magazine  "There will remain only so many of us as rest in the shadow of the banyan tree ." "Ratner's  first novel describes her family's story during the genocide carried out by the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia in the late 1970s. Despite the  eff

Tom Gates

Image
By  L. Pichon Location: FIC PIC Genre: Is it a book, or is it a graphic novel- or is it both? This book is a story, made with words, doodles and and a stack of different fonts. It will suck you in as Tom Gates tells his daft stories in a nonconformist way! These books have won heaps of awards, and it tells the story of every 14 year old .- but lets the You Tube do the talking. ( But do you know who the real Tom Gates is... Thomas Sovereign Gates Jr. was United States Secretary of Defense from 1959 to 1961 - scary!!!)