New books

When Michael met Mina

Image: PanMacMillan

A novel for anyone who wants to fight for love, and against injustice.

When Michael meets Mina, they are at a rally for refugees - standing on opposites sides. Mina fled Afghanistan with her mother via a refugee camp, a leaky boat and a detention centre. Michael's parents have founded a new political party called Aussie Values.

To learn more about this book, listen to Aprilus Maximus' review in following video.

You Tube: Blog Tour-When Michael met Mina

Glass Sword

Image: Hatchette Books

You Tube: Maximum Pop

In the video above, Victoria Aveyard tells you why you should read Glass Sword.

This novel is a sequel to Red Queen. Mare finds herself on a deadly path, at risk of becoming exactly the kind of monster she is trying to defeat. Will she shatter under the weight of the lives that are the cost of rebellion? Or have treachery and betrayal hardened her forever? (Hatchette Books)

 The Moonlight Dreamers

Image: Walker Books

An unforgettable story of friendship, self-belief and love. Amber, Maali, Sky and Rose are not like everyone else and they don't want to be. Becoming friends gives them the courage to be themselves. (Walker Books)

Average rating is 4 1/2 stars at Good Reads. Go to Good Reads for reviews.

The Road to Winter

Image: Text Publishing

Since a deadly virus and the violence that followed wiped out his parents and most of his community, Finn has lived alone with only his loyal dog Rowdy for company. But Finn's isolation is shattered when a girl runs onto the beach. Rose is a Siley - an asylum seeker - and she has escaped from the dangerous gang known as Rampage. (Text Publishing)

This is an unforgettable novel about survival, honour, friendship and love. A 4 star rating at Good Reads.

Promise  

Image: PanMacMillan

When a new family moves in next door, it takes Anna just two days to realise something is very wrong. She can hear their five year old daughter Charlie crying, then sees injuries on the little girl which cannot be ignored. Anna reports the family to the police and social services but no one comes to Charlie's aid. So when Charlie comes to her door asking for help, the only thing Anna can think to do is take the girl and run. (PanMacMillan)

Read why others have rated this book 4 stars at Good Reads.

One Hundred and Four Horses by Mandy Retzlaff

One Hundred and Four Horses

You Tube: WilliamCollinsBooks

They were among many farmers in the country who were told they had to leave their properties behind, including their animals.

But Pat Retzlaff refused to leave their horses, taking the herd on the family’s travels to find safe haven. Word soon spread among other dispossessed farmers that the Retzlaffs were “saving” their own horses, and they were easily coaxed into taking more in. The herd soon grew to 104. (Radio NZ)

Issue your copy of this inspiring story.

Ana Hī - a waiata to support our Olympic athletes

You Tube: Ana Hī! - Ngā Taonga Mai Tawhiti

This song has been chosen as the official Te Reo Māori song to support our Olympic athletes at Rio. It ties in with the theme for Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, 'ākina te reo - behind you all the way'. You will recognize at least one of the Māori sayings that you were taught to say when encouraging a team. See if you can pick it out. There are lots of others in the video you could learn as well.

Counting down to the 2016 Olympic Games

Source: You Tube - Rio 2016 Olympic Games: Trailer - BBC Sport

Are you looking forward to watching the 2016 Olympics?

Which animated animal is your favourite?

Next week a quiz to win a Rebel Sports voucher will be run during the Games. 

New books on the shelves

Horses who heal - Sue Spence

Image : PanMacMillan

The story of one woman's deep love for horses and the powerful life lessons they've taught her along the way. 

Max - Sarah Cohen-Scali

Image: TextPublishing

Meet Max - it's 1936, Bavaria, and he's still a foetus inside his blonde, blue-eyed mother. Utterly indoctrinated in the Nazi ideology, he will address you, tell you his story until 1945 - his destiny as an exceptional being, the prototype of the 'Lesbensborn' program, designed to produce the perfect specimens of the Aryan race to regenerate the Reich. When Max meets Lukas, a young Polish boy who resembles him but who rebels against the Nazi system, cracks start to appear in Max's convictions. (Back cover)

Paul Diamond provides an interesting review of this book in a radio interview at Radio New Zealand.

Out of the Ice - Ann Turner

Image: Simon&Schuster

When environmental scientist Laura Alvarado is sent to a remote Antarctic island to report on an abandoned whaling station, she begins to uncover more that she could ever imagine.

This novel rates very well on Good Reads click on the link to read reviews about this tense, eerie thriller. 

Love Song - Sophia Bennett

Image: ChickenHouse

Heading off on tour with the hottest band in the world, Nina's ready for tantrums, paparazzi and drama - but soon discovers there's more to The Point than just guitars and girls... (Back cover)

Sophia Bennett, the author talks a little about her novel in the following video.

Need any more convincing? Read an extract of the book here.

Rate your Date

The library committee has organised for you to take a chance on a blind date with a book. Choose your date from the selection on display and issue it to yourself. To go into the draw for the pamper pack (below) use the bookmark inside your 'date' to rate your reading experience. Write your name on the back of the bookmark and place it in the box in the library. Prize draw will be done on Monday 20th June.

Perfection, lies and love

Flawed

Celestine North lives a perfect life. She's a model daughter and sister, she's well-liked by her classmates and teachers, and she's dating the impossibly charming Art Crevan. But then Celestine encounters a situation in which she makes an instinctive decision. She breaks a rule and now faces life-changing repercussions. She could be imprisoned. She could be branded. She could be found FLAWED. (Back cover)

Cecelia Ahern talks about her book with Anthony Breznican at the L.A. Times Festival of Books in the following video.

You Tube: Book View Now

Dangerous Lies

Stella Gordon's life is a lie. She does not belong in Thunder Basin, Nebraska. As the star witness in a murder trial against a drug dealer, Stella is now in the Witness Protection Program. The small town locals can never know who she really is. Not even Chet Falconer, the one boy who makes her want to reveal her true self. She knows that telling the truth will only bring violence to this safe haven.

Despite how hard Stella tries to stay under the radar, danger is fast-approaching. (Source: Simon and Schuster)

You Tube: SimonandSchuster

For a preview of the book, read here

Angel Cake

Anya used to dream of moving to Britain to start a brand-new life. But as she sits in a school where nobody understands her, she dreams of Polish summer skies and the place where she once belonged. Then Anya meets bad boy Dan. He's no angel, but she's sure there's a sweeter side to him. And when things begin to fall apart, Anya realizes she's not alone - how can Dan be such bad news when being with him feels like heaven? (Back cover)

Read or listen to an extract of the book at CathyCassidy