Cambridge High School Library 2025

 By: Amal El Mohtar   Location: FIC ELM Genre: Fantasy  Alex reviewed it this way: It’s half poetry, half fairytale and it WILL make you cry. Five stars, perfection❤️ "But that is not the truth of grammar. There was a time when grammar was wild— when it shifted shapes and unleashed new forms out of old. Grammar, like gramarye, like grimoire. What is magic but a change in the world? What is conjugation but a transformation, one thing into another? She runs; she ran; she will run again.” Follow the river Liss to the small town of Thistleford, on the edge of Faerie, and meet two sisters who cannot be separated, even in death. “Oh what is stronger than a death? Two sisters singing with one breath.” In the small town of Thistleford, on the edge of Faerie, dwells the mysterious Hawthorn family. There, they tend and harvest the enchanted willows and honour an ancient compact to sing to them in thanks for their magic. None more devotedly than the family’s latest daughters, E...

 By: Beth OBrien  Location: FIC OBR Genre: Fantasy A vibrant, evocative and magical debut which centres a positive, empowered disabled character at the heart of a reimagining of  Little Red Riding Hood . The woods are hiding a secret… but then so is Red… Red is not allowed to go into the woods. Everyone knows that they are dangerous – because of their strange magic and the wolves that lurk there… But Red finds herself increasingly drawn to the woods and the place where her grandmother disappeared without a trace three years ago. When the woodcutter fails to return home one night and wolves are spotted close to the village boundary, fear drives a deep and dangerous divide between the villagers and the nature they live alongside. Only Red seems to hold the key – but she has a secret, and exposing it could ruin her family forever Review by Rae:  Wolf Siren is a beautifully crafted fairy tale retelling that is haunting, empowering, and deeply immersive. Fans of gothic fa...

By: Liane Moriarty  Location: FIC MOR Genre: Mystery  Nilufer's review:  Wow! This long, fascinating saga is a mind-bending mystery with mystical, dramatic, and philosophical elements. It delivers a powerful message, advising readers to live their lives fully in their limited time, defying the odds and beating the reaper by challenging statistical consequences. Life is full of twists and turns you never see coming. But what if you did? Flight attendant Allegra Patel loves her job, but today is her twenty-eighth birthday and she’d rather not be placating a plane full of passengers unhappy about a long delay. There’s the well-dressed man in seat 4C desperate not to miss his daughter’s musical. A harried mother frantically tries to keep her toddler and baby quiet. Honeymooners still in their wedding finery dream of their new lives, while a chatty emergency room nurse dreams of retirement. Suddenly a woman traveling alone stands. She walks down the aisle making predictions ab...

  By: Nancy Horan  Location: FIC HOR Genre: Historical Fiction Engaging, insightful, and rich! Nancy Horan, author of the million-copy New York Times bestseller  Loving Frank , returns with The House of Lincoln, which tells the story of Abraham Lincoln's ascendance from rumpled lawyer to U.S. President to Great Emancipator and presents Lincoln's Midwestern home as a complex third home front of the Civil War. Rich with historical detail, The House of Lincoln is an insightful account of Lincoln's transformative vision for democracy as observed through the eyes of a young immigrant who arrives in Lincoln's home of Springfield, Illinois from Madeira, Portugal. Showing intelligence beyond society's expectations, fourteen-year-old Ana Ferreira is offered a job in the Lincoln household assisting Mary Lincoln with their boys and with the hosting duties borne by the wife of a rising political star. Ana bears witness to the evolution of Lincoln's views on equality and the...

 By: Michael Connelly   Location: FIC CON Genre: Mystery ...'A    compelling, engrossing, twisty, fast-paced, character-driven, page-turning, well-crafted new police procedural thriller!! #1  New York Times  bestselling author Michael Connelly introduces a new cop relentlessly following his mission in the seemingly idyllic setting of Catalina island. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Detective Stilwell has been “exiled” to a low-key post policing rustic Catalina Island, after department politics drove him off a homicide desk on the mainland. But while following up the usual drunk-and-disorderlies and petty thefts that come with his new territory, Detective Stilwell gets a report of a body found weighed down at the bottom of the harbor—a Jane Doe identifiable at first only by a streak of purple dye in her hair. At the same time, a report of poaching on a protected reserve turns into a case fraught with violence and danger as Stilwell digs into the shady past...

 By: James Patterson and Richard DiLallo     Location: FIC PAT Genre: Thriller One of America’s iconic thriller heroes recruits  his lasting love, Margo Lane, and his great-great-granddaughter, Maddy Gomes, to join an international investigation.     For over 150 years, Lamont Cranston, and his alter ego, The Shadow, has possessed an array of mental and physical scientific skills, shape-shifting ability, and mind control. When a series of deadly natural disasters strike the planet, immediately set out to identify who’s responsible… A disgruntled graduate student? The power-hungry president of the Americas? Or could it be Shiwan Khan, the Shadow’s fiercest enemy? The Shadow’s latest adventure is also his, Maddy’s, and Margo’s most dangerous. Triumph or perish, they’ll rise or fall...together.

 By: David Lipsky  Location: NF 304.25 LIP Genre: Climate and the Science of Denial Featuring an indelible cast of heroes and villains, mavericks and swindlers,  The Parrot and the Igloo  delivers a real-life tragicomedy—one that captures the extraordinary dance of science, money, and the American character. Climate change has become an unavoidable fact and ongoing catastrophe. The science was clear decades ago. How did so many Americans come to doubt evidence so widely accepted and compelling?The Parrot and the Igloo is the thrilling narrative of our grand lost the story of the inventors (Edison, Tesla, Westinghouse) who made our world; the scientists who bravely sounded the alarm; and then the hucksters, dreamers, zealots, and crackpots who lied about that science. David Lipsky masterfully shows how climate denial grew out of early efforts to build a network of untruth about products like aspirin and cigarettes, revealing the infrastructure that allowed denier idea...

 By: Danielle Giles  Location: FIC GIL Genre: Mythology Mere  is an accomplished atmospheric debut novel by Danielle Giles. With lyrical writing, she imbues a sense of creeping foreboding and entrapment transporting the reader to an isolated convent surrounded by marshlands and ice-cold water and less than 200 souls. The novel explores themes of faith, superstition, manipulation, sexuality and politics, narrated in lyrical prose, revealing a unique new voice in English literature. Giles has innate talent in blending historical fiction and folklore elements, creating a compelling narrative with superb imagery that makes you feel the dampness of the mere and looming presence of an ancient power.  “I feel no evil in it. No good either. It is vast and old and slow.”- Carl The mere has fingers. Clever fingers to reach through the marsh and wrap around little ankles. Strong arms to pull poor sinners downwards. And a great gaping belly that can never be filled . . . Mere ...

 By: Elise Kova  Location: FIC KOV Genre: Romantasy This novel is magic! I absolutely loved it! - connie  What does Nilufer say:  By the time I reached the final pages, I was desperate for more. Arcana Academy delivers everything I crave in a fantasy novel—high-stakes magic, a dangerous yet alluring academy setting, characters who are flawed but oh-so-easy to love, and a romance that burns. If you love dark academia, cunning heroines, and books that leave you breathless, DO NOT SLEEP ON THIS ONE. A woman who wields magical tarot cards lands herself in a false engagement with the headmaster of a mysterious academy in this first installment of an enthralling fantasy romance series from the bestselling author of  A Deal with the Elf King . Clara Graysword has survived the underworld of Eclipse City through thievery, luck, and a whole lot of illegal magic. After a job gone awry, Clara is sentenced to a lifetime in prison for inking tarot cards-a rare power reserved ...

 By: Jared savage  Location: NF  364.0 SAV Genre: NZ Gangs "An interesting insight to the NZ underground. The story is told by telling a different story in each chapter. Savage does a great job of tying these stories together to show the picture of what he is writing about." Cam Yaxley The much anticipated follow-up to the bestseller that exposed the escalation of organised crime in New Zealand.Gangster's Paradise is about drugs, guns, gangs and money. Lots of money. A gang which took over a small rural town. A police officer shot and killed in a routine traffic stop. A port-worker who helped a gang whisk a shipping container off a wharf in the middle of the night. A crew of corrupt baggage handlers smuggling meth into the country during Covid lockdowns. A shooting inside a 5-star hotel in broad daylight. Turf wars, retaliation, and new gangs like the Mongols and Comancheros have brought with them better connections with international syndicates, challenging the establish...

 By: Luanne G Smith  Location: FIC SMI Genre: Fantasy- Historical Fiction We have a blend of historical fiction, fantasy, and the paranormal all mixed into one. Set during World War 1, the war is being fought by humans, but added into the mix are undead creatures such as zombies and vampires. Witches have also been thrown into the mix and are causing chaos and death on both sides with no end in sight.- Michelle As World War I rages, there are evils―both living and dead―that only a witch can see in a spellbinding novel by the Amazon Charts and Washington Post bestselling author of The Raven Spell . With her husband off fighting at World War I’s eastern front, Petra Kurková embraces her fleeting freedom, roaming the city at night with her camera. A born witch, she’s discovered that she can capture the souls of the dead on film. Her supernatural skills don’t go unnoticed by the enigmatic Josef Svoboda. He’s recruiting a team of sorcerers to infiltrate the front lines, where the b...

 By: Brigid Kemmerer  Location: FIC ROM Genre: Romantasy Fates collide and passions ignite in  New York Times  bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer’s steamy adult fantasy debut about three characters torn between chasing, betraying, and craving each other: a princess caught between duty and desire, the fearsome warrior king she’s promised to, and the assassin now tasked with hunting them down. WARRIOR.  King Maddox Kyronan’s fire magic has earned him a ruthless reputation on the battlefield, but now his land is slowly burning. Ky’s only chance to save his people is to enter a marriage alliance with the neighboring nation of Astranza, and hope that their royal family’s power to manipulate the weather will help his kingdom flourish once more. He just needs to ensure no one finds out how this blaze began. PRINCESS.  With enemies advancing on Astranza, Princess Jory’s home needs the protection of the fearsome warrior king, but she is hiding a dangerous secret: he...

 By: Monique Turner Location: FIC TUR Genre: Teenage Life “It’s like nothing they do or say can ever match up to the image I created of them inside my own head. I wonder what image the audience has of me, and whether it matches up to who I really am.” Funny, dramatic, sometimes dark and bang on trend, this thrilling YA novel is perfect for those who love a  Black Mirror  twist. Harper wants to be an influencer. Badly. She’ll do anything to be like her famous cousin, Belle. When Belle is the latest 'victim' in a string of influencer kidnappings, and is put on an island for a new reality show, Harper wants in too. It's her chance to join the greatest talents and finally make a name for herself. But with demeaning tasks and the constant pressure of a live audience judging their every move, it's not long before cracks begin to appear in the influencers' shiny veneers . . .

 By: H G Parry   Location: FIC PAR Location: Fantasy “I had no idea I was so susceptible to kings.” ―  H.G. Parry,  A Far Better Thing Review by Leanna This was A Tale of Two Cities with fae magic —and I loved every dark, emotional, beautifully written moment of it. H.G. Parry blends historical fiction and fantasy so seamlessly, it feels like this version was meant to exist all along. The story is moody, atmospheric, and full of complicated characters, slow-burn tension, and big emotional payoffs. If you’re into dark retellings, magical realism, or just love a good cry over morally messy characters, this one definitely deserves a spot on your TBR. I recently obtained the audiobook from Macmillan audio of this and don’t miss out on it it was an excellent listen the narrator was top knotch. H. G. Parry’s A Far Better Thing is a standalone, portal fantasy where Jonathan Strange & Mr. NorrelI meets A Tale of Two Cities in a heart-rending fantasy of faery revenge...

 By: Lynn Painter    Location: FIC PAI Genre:  Romance Nilufer-  My favorite time loop movie concept Groundhog Day meets my favorite playing hooky YA movie concept Ferris Bueller’s Day off! This book was talking to my Gen X soul !  It’s easy to devour, enjoyable pop corn read I highly recommend! In this “unequivocally hilarious and delightful” ( Kirkus Reviews ) young adult romp for fans of Recommended for You and A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow , a teen girl has the worst Valentine’s Day ever—only to relive it over and over again. After living through a dumpster fire of a Valentine’s Day, Emilie Hornby escapes to her grandmother’s house for some comfort and a consolation pint of Ben & Jerry’s. She passes out on the couch, but when she wakes up, she’s back home in her own bed—and it’s Valentine’s Day all over again. And the next day? Another horrendous V-Day. Emilie is stuck in some sort of time loop nightmare that she can’t wake up from as she...

By: Kate Foster  Location: FIC FOS Genre: Animals The Bravest Word is well written for a child's level of understanding. It is a story that will help a child suffering from depression to open up and will also build empathy in other children as they come to understand the conditi on. A rescue story of love and trust between a boy and a dog from the talented author of PAWS. "Do you hear that? You’re Cliff now, and your life is going to get better, I promise." When eleven-year-old Matt finds Cliff, a hurt, neglected dog abandoned in the bush, he knows the brave little pup needs saving. He wants to help. But can he? Lately, Matt has had way more bad days than good days. The pieces of his life just don’t seem to fit together any more and he doesn’t understand why. He's finding it impossible to concentrate at school and has lost interest in the activities he used to love. Plus, he’s tired all the time. Matt's too afraid to share what's really going on in his own hea...

 By: Moira Buffini   Location: FIC BUF Genre: Dystopia with some romance Series: The Torch  Trilogy#! review by emma Absolutely brilliant! I loved this dystopian story where those with songlight are ‘unhuman’ and dehumanised in the worst possible way, once caught. Where propaganda maintains a war, the people unaware of the State’s true agenda. Many of the tropes you’d expect to find are here, so in that sense, nothing original, but it’s done really well, which makes all the difference. I enjoyed all the characters, evil ones too! Set in a post-apocalyptic future, Songlight is an extraordinary debut from a renowned screenwriter. A cinematic masterpiece in storytelling, the explosive first book in the Torch trilogy is the hottest release of the decade! They are hunting those who shine . . . Don't be deceived by Northaven’s prettiness, by its white-wash houses and its sea views. In truth, many of its townsfolk are ruthless hunters. They revile those who have developed s...

 By: Ray Bailey Location: NF 920 BAI Genre: WWII n 1940, Private Raymond Bailey, a 21-year-old Vauxhall motors apprentice, was captured in northern France, becoming a Nazi prisoner of war. But he wouldn't remain one for long... The Longest Walk Home  is the incredible account of his daring 2,000 mile escape across Europe and over the Pyrenees, to the safety of British Gibraltar, and home in time for Christmas. Along the way Ray has nerve-shredding encounters with German soldiers and the Spanish Civil Guard. Often he is exhausted and starving. All that keeps him going is his youthful energy, unfailing optimism, and the kindness of strangers who risk their own safety to help him. Ray's escape is remarkable, but so too is his memoir. It was written within a year or two of the events it describes, when Ray was just 22, and despite Ray's obvious writing talent it was lost for decades until it was discovered at auction in an unmarked box of WWII memorabilia by David Wilkins. Ray...

 By: Chris Chibnall  Location: FIC CHI Genre: Mystery From the internationally award-winning creator of  Broadchurch  comes a brilliant new detective story following one man’s death and the secrets that unravel in a coastal English village. Nothing keeps a village together like secrets. The villagers of Fleetcombe like to think of it as one of the most picturesque spots on England’s seaside. But now, it’s a crime scene. A man is found dead, tied to a chair in the middle of the road, with a stag’s antler’s on his head. The gruesome scene stuns the town, especially when they learn that it is Jim Tiernan, owner of the White Hart pub, who has been found murdered. Is it a personal vendetta, or something more macabre? Tierney’s pub is at the center of village life and he knew everyone’s secrets. Detective Nicola Bridge grew up in Fleetcombe, and has been craving a juicy case ever since she moved back from the big city. DC Harry Ward is ten years younger, and their partners...