-Cora has a dilemma, her brother works for a state of the art company called Pomegranate, what they do there is mysterious yet intriguing. Cora's father isn't very impressed with Pomegranate or anything they do. However, when Cora strikes up an unlikely friendship with the CEO of the company, her life becomes confusing and complicated. Torn between her friendship and what she thinks is right, Cora becomes entangled in a mysterious web of lies and misdirection. A truly stunning new novel featuring a neuro-divergent protagonist and a whole slew of interesting, deep characters. A near-future pre-dystopia with a power punch of a message. I loved it, and you will too. It's the perfect read for ages 11+. It's vital that books that represent neuro-diverse students are in our libraries and bookshops, for too long their voices haven't been heard, this a book that demands to be heard. Show Us Who You Are by Elle McNicoll is out now, published by Knights Of. If you’d like to join her for the official launch event with Jen Campbell on 10th March, tickets are available at www.blackwells.co.uk/bookshops/events/.
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What lengths are you willing to go to in order to see a lost loved one again? Jamal and Quincy are inseparable friends, it's like they share a brain. They love comedy, too, they make their own videos and even start to gather a following. Then they have a falling out after Jamal experiences unspeakable grief. One night, at a party, Jamal and Q try to hash things out but it doesn't go to plan and they end up at each other's throat again. That's when another tragedy occurs, Q drowns and Jamal is unable to save him. Rushed to the hospital, Q's mother and Jamal are told something extraordinary. What if the technology existed to bring Q back, for just a little while. It hits them like a sledgehammer. What if they could see Q again, he'd be his same old self, he wouldn't have a memory of the accident, but Jamal and Q's mother, and only them, would know that Q would die again quite soon. Forever Ends On Friday poses a question that many of us who have experienced loss crave, just another day or two with those we loved, but would you actually do it if you had the chance? This is a novel of profound loss, friendship, heartache and laughter. It's a book that will stay with you long after reading it. Q and Jamal's friendship is burned deep into the pages of this book, it's as authentic as any YA friendship I've read in a long time. Each character is complex and real and lives a full life within this novel. It's a story that's full of laughs, too, their comedic timing is perfect, this should be on every librarian's shelf, a unique YA novel that deserves a lot of attention. Ages 14+. Mina travels to New Orleans from the UK to visit her sister. Their relationship has been strained, to say the least. Mina is a walking horror film encyclopedia, so when she lands a position a horror movie mansion, scaring tourists who pay to see their favourite scenes reenacted, it's like a dream come true. Even better, she meets Jared, her sister's roommate whom she starts to develop feelings for. Then the murders start happening. Not only murders, but bizarre ones that eerily resemble vampire killings and New Orleans' most brutal murders from the past. Someone is out there, trying to frame them, trying to kill them, and it's up to Mina and her new friends to put a stop to it once and for all. Mina Vs The Undead is a sharp YA horror chalk full of great '90s references. It contains tight twists and a great cast of characters. It is clear that a lot of research on New Orleans and its colourful and often dark history has been conducted here. At the high school library I manage, students are always clamouring for great horror and I can't wait to get this into their hands! Recommended for ages 14+ Daphne is lost, she is terribly sad and lonely, the loss of her father means she can't find hope anywhere. The only place she finds comfort is the local library, a latchkey kid, she visits there often to sit in the quiet and reflect on her past, the pain and the guilt. Woven together into this story is the Greek myth of Daphne who was transformed into a tree. As Daphne becomes entangled into a beautiful blend of fantasy and reality, she must try to come to grips with the pain that is facing her and her mother. This is a really gut-wrenching story told in often searing poetic verses. This is a welcome addition to any school library, any fans of Sarah Crossan or Louisa Reid should get this into the hands of their students. Poetic stories are a very effective way to get students involved in reading, making the subconscious come to life, bringing sometimes hard thoughts to the forefront in a cathartic way. I'm excited for any new addition from Joseph Coelho! I'm very excited to be a part of this great blog tour for this hilarious new novel by Sophie Wills & Illustrated by David Tazzyman. Something weird is going on at St. Halibut's Home for Waifs & Strays. Life for the children there has been pretty sweet since they had to bury their matron, don't worry, it was an accident. Turns out their matron left behind a huge stack of money, all they need to do is make sure nobody finds out that no one is actually looking after them. When an inspector stops by to, well, inspect the place, the kids must convince him that everything is cool at the Home otherwise the jig is up for them. As can be imagined, when the inspector starts sniffing around, things go horribly, horribly wrong.
It's a laugh out loud comedy with a ton of great, memorable characters, I really recommend this novel for ages 10+! Marjorie is thirteen and has adult responsibilities. Her dad suffers from depression and doesn't really leave his room very much. Her mum passes away which means she's in charge of the family laundromat. She has to endure rude customers and one in particular who is keen on buying the place up and converting it into a yoga resort. Wendell is a ghost who is learning the ropes when it comes to ghost world rules. He's not supposed to be in Marjorie's laundromat at all, but he can't resist it. When the two meet, they realise that they might be able to help each other out. I really enjoyed Sheets, it has a melancholic, dreamy feel throughout it, perfect for a late September read. I loved how Marjorie carries on through the pain, even though you know that no thirteen year old should have to endure such hardships. It's a brilliant comic book that should not be missed! All Ross wants is to be a normal seventh grade kid, but when he's diagnosed with a rare form of eye cancer, he becomes thrust in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. With the help of his new friends at the hospital and his lifelong friend at school, he tries his best to distract himself against one wave of bad news after another. Ross develops a love of music and continues his love of drawing and comic books but will it be enough to stop him from snapping under the stress? Wink is a really lovely story with real humour and a strong heart. It's sad, realistic and at the same time doesn't sugar coat how terrible life can be sometimes. I loved how Harrell developed Ross' relationships with the people who work at the hospital and especially the school bully. All of the characters have real depth to them, it's a book that will be a sure hit with our students, recommended highly for ages 10+. isJoe and Imogen are meant to be together. At least that's what Joe thinks. There are signs that she's not always interested in him, she sometimes makes him feel like he's not good enough. Joe's dealing with some major issues at home, his dad has suddenly become very ill and he's dealing with an increasingly agitated and unpredictable Imogen. Things get weird, in that Imogen becomes angry if Joe does better on exams than her, she blames him for things that aren't his fault. Imogen's got issues at home too, her father is a downright scary figure, unpredictable, intimidating. When a tragic accident happens, Joe's life hangs in the balance, he's facing major prison time, something Imogen is more than happy to let happen. As the trial proceeds, we see flashbacks on Joe and Imogens' real relationship, and what actually happened on that terrible night. Written in verse, WRECKED is another powerful story by Louisa Reid. Joe's situation is terrifying, you can feel yourself standing in his shoes, sweating in the courthouse, hearing everyone tell the judge who you are, when nobody actually knows or cares about the truth. You will fly through Wrrecked, not only because you will need to know what happens, but it's got a pace to it that's truly something else, like a speeding car racing towards an unknown future. I highly recommend Wrecked for ages 13+, get your hands on it and get it into your libraries today! Lucas is driving with his parents when his father loses control and goes off the road. Both of his parents dead, Lucas climbs out of the wreckage to see a wolf standing in the middle of the road. He's sent to live with his Nan, an ageing lawyer who lives far from his home. Sent to a new school and coping with trauma, Lucas becomes obsessed with the image of the wolf. Then he hears it, news stories about a wolf killing farmers' sheep. Lucas' Nan doesn't believe it, neither does his friend Deb, whose father is a farmer, someone that is convinced the wolf is real. Coping with dangerous bullies and forced to go to anger management therapy, Lucas feels that his mind is slipping, that he's losing control of his sanity. As the hunt for the wolf intensifies, Lucas decides to take matters into his own hands. I really loved this novel, Lucas is a dark, complicated character with a lot of guts. Lambert's writing is poetic and brooding, pounding away at you until you are completely absorbed into the story. It's a nice shot in the arm for anyone looking for a book to really grab you by the collar and give you a shake. I recommend it for ages 11+. When Christine first meets Moon, she's intimidated. Christine has heard stories that Moon will beat you up for no reason. Then Moon moves in next door to Christine and she quickly becomes best friends with her. Moon is daring, mischievous and art simply pours out from her. These are all the things Christine isn't. Christine's parents are relatively conservative and aren't too sure they like the influence Moon is having on her. Moon often tells Christine about the star creatures that talk to her and that she is from another planet and will be joining them soon. Christine brushes this off as Moon is always creating, always thinking of things that "regular" people don't think about. Then, something disastrous happens and Christine has to summon all of the courage that Moon has instilled in her to carry on and be a great friend. This is a lovely graphic novel about friendship, heartache, anxiety and pain. This is exactly the kind of graphic novel I'm looking for to fill the shelves at Glenthorne High School as I know it will be extremely popular.
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