Welcome to the Monday Morning Book Buzz, a preview of notable books being released this week. Some of them will be added to the Academy Library collection; if you read about a title that you would like added, let me know by either commenting on this post or by contacting me directly at the Library — batemane@canandaiguaschools.org.
Notable New Releases for the week of December 7th:
Knife Edge (Sherlock Holmes: The Legend Begins, Book 6) by Andrew Lane (12/8) — Teen Sherlock battles a monstrous adversary on a mission to Ireland with his brilliant brother, Mycroft. Sherlock has landed in the middle of a tangled web involving a spiritualist whose powers have attracted the attention of governments around the world. At the castle where the medium is demonstrating his “gift,” Sherlock finds a household in turmoil. Servants and some of the guests are frightened but who–or what?–has terrified them so much that nobody will speak out?
Instructions for the End of the World by Jamie Kain (12/8) — When Nicole Reed’s father forces her family to move to a remote area of the Sierra Foothills, one without any modern conveniences, it’s too much too handle for her mother, who abandons them in the middle of the night. Heading out to track her down, Nicole’s father leaves her in charge of taking care of the house and her younger sister, Izzy. “Told in first-person accounts, Kain nimbly weaves together contrasts in personality and philosophy” (Booklist).
Wandering Star (Zodiac Galaxy series, Book 2) by Romina Russell (12/8) — Orphaned, disgraced, and stripped of her title, Rho is ready to live life quietly, as an aid worker in the Cancrian refugee camp on House Capricorn. But news has spread that the Marad — an unbalanced terrorist group determined to overturn harmony in the Galaxy — could strike any House at any moment. Now Rho must embark on a high-stakes journey through an all-new set of Houses, where she discovers that there’s much more to her Galaxy — and to herself — than she could have ever imagined. “Russell’s excellent writing has only gotten better: her descriptions are deep and lush, her heroes fully formed and sympathetic” (Booklist).
Best YA Books Of December 2015 To Carry You Through The Holidays (Caitlin White, Bustle)
Come Back to Me by Mila Gray (12/8) — In this heart-wrenching tale of love and loss, a young Marine and his best friend’s sister plunge into a forbidden love affair while he’s home on leave. “The novel’s opening is gripping: a Marine chaplain arrives to break the news to Jessa that one (or possibly even both) of the boys has been killed” (Kirkus Reviews).
The Trouble with Destiny by Lauren Morrill (12/8) — With her trusty baton and six insanely organized clipboards, drum major Liza Sanders is about to take Destiny by storm—the boat, that is. When Liza discovered that her beloved band was losing funding, she found Destiny, a luxury cruise ship complete with pools, midnight chocolate buffets, and a $25,000 spring break talent show prize. “[A] romantic adventure for fans of Stephanie Perkins’s Anna and the French Kiss…readers looking for a light, romantic adventure will eat up Morrill’s fast-paced plot and fun writing style” (School Library Journal).