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Tuesday, January 31, 2012

The Green Mile (Stephen King)

The Green Mile
Stephen King

Blurb: The Green Mile: those who walk it do not return, because at the end of that walk is the room in which sits Cold Mountain Penitentiary's electric chair. In 1932 the newest resident on death row is John Coffey, a giant of a black man convicted of the brutal murder of two little girls. But nothing is as it seems with John Coffey, and around him unfolds a bizarre and horrifying story.

Evil murderer or holy innocent - whichever he is - Coffey has strange powers which may yet offer salvation to others, even if they can do nothing to save him.

ISBN: 9781407231013 (Paperback)
Year: 1996
Publisher: Orion Books
Pages: 433 (Fiction)

Links

Monday, January 30, 2012

Body of Lies (David Ignatius)

Body of Lies
David Ignatius

Blurb: CIA agent Roger Ferris is on the verge of penetrating the network of the master terrorist known only as 'Suleiman'. Weaving a daring web of lies and deception, he hopes to trick the enemy into believing a CIA operative has infiltrated their ranks.

But when his intricate plans start to unravel, Ferris finds himself completely exposed and totally alone. Unable to rely on his CIA bosses, his only hope is an uneasy alliance with the head of Jordan's infamous intelligence service.

But with his life at stake, can he trust anyone?

ISBN: 9781847248664 (Paperback)
Year: 2007
Publisher: Quercus
Pages: 418 (Fiction)

Links

Sunday, January 29, 2012

November: Conspiracy 365 (Gabrielle Lord)

November: Conspiracy 365
Gabrielle Lord

Blurb: The 31 December deadline is fast approaching, and Cal's enemies are closing in on all sides. Even the notorious 'Toecutter' Durham has emerged from the underworld to join the hunt.

With so many answers finally imminent - meeting Eric Blair, finding out the truth about the twin baby abduction - it's crucial Cal dodges danger and stays alive. But will be be so busy trying to save himself that he's fail to save a friend?

The clock is ticking. Any second could be his last.

ISBN: 9781741693232 (Paperback)
Year: 2010
Publisher: Scholastic
Pages: 179 (Fiction)

Links

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Witch & Wizard (James Patterson with Gabrielle Charbonnet)

Witch & Wizard
James Patterson with Gabrielle Charbonnet

Blurb: Your books, music and art - banned by the new order.

You are holding an urgent and vital narrative that reveals the forbidden truth about these perilous times.

This is the astonishing testimonial of Whit and Wisty Allgood, a brother and sister who were torn from their family in the middle of the night, slammed into prison, and accused of being a witch and wizard.

They are not alone in their terrifying predicament. Thousands of young people have been kidnapped; some have been accused; many others remain missing. Their fate is unknown, and the worst is feared - for the ruling regime will stop at nothing to suppress life and liberty, music and books, art and magic... and the pursuit of being a normal teenager.

Most copies of this story have already been seized, shredded, or burned. Read this rare surviving edition and pass it along with care - before it's too late.

ISBN: 9780099543725 (Paperback)
Year: 2009
Publisher: Young Arrow
Pages: 312 (Fiction)

Links

Friday, January 27, 2012

Working Stiff - A Revivalist Novel (Rachel Caine)

Working Stiff - A Revivalist Novel
Rachel Caine

Blurb: It's a tough job but somebody's got to do it - dead or alive.

Bryn Davis knows working at Fairview Mortuary isn't the most glamorous career choice, but at least it offers stable employment - until she discovers her bosses using a drug that resurrects the clientele... as part of an extortion racket. Now Bryn faces being terminated (literally) with extreme prejudice.

With the assistance of corporate double agent Patrick McCallister, Bryn has a chance to take down the bigger problem - pharmaceutical company Pharmadene, which treats death as the ultimate corporate loyalty program. She'd better do it fast before she becomes a zombie slave - a real working stiff.

She'd be better off dead...

ISBN: 9780143566151 (Paperback)
Year: 2011
Publisher: Penguin
Pages: 306 (Fiction)

Links

Thursday, January 26, 2012

The Legend of Colton H. Bryant (Alexandra Fuller)

The Legend of Colton H. Bryant
Alexandra Fuller

Blurb: When Alexandra Fuller set out to write about the oil rigs on Wyoming's high plains, she was expecting the fierce weather and the roughnecks, the big skies and the industry men, but she wasn't expecting to encounter a real-life cowboy. Then Colton H. Bryant happened into her story, a soulful boy with a mustang-taming heart and blue eyes that'll look right through you. The story of his life took over Fuller's writing and a kind of magic ensured, the result of which became this book: The Legend of Colton H. Bryant.

Along with his best friend Jake, Colton survives a sometimes cruel adolescence where neighbourhood bullies tease him for his brand of optimistic goofiness and where his mantra, 'Mind over matter, I don't mind, so it don't matter,' keeps him fighting on. Into his adulthood, Colton loves all things Wyoming; horses, hunting, pick-up trucks and camping out.

But then real life comes due. Colton grows up and finds himself a family and when, against his wife's wishes, Colton joins a crew of roughnecks on the oil rigs that reach high into the Wyoming sky, all the big heart in the world can't save him from the new, unkind greed that has possessed his beloved Wyoming during this latest mineral boom. Tragedy seems inevitable.

The bittersweet story of Colton H. Bryant could not be told without the telling of the land that grew him, where the great high plains meet the Rocky Mountains, to create a vista of lonely beauty. It is here that lives of unembellished stoicism are lived, where friendships last forever and where the existence of one boy has become a true story as deeply moving as the life that inspired it.

ISBN: 9781847373540 (Paperback)
Year: 2008
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 207 (Non-Fiction)

Links

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Notes from a Big Country (Bill Bryson)

Notes from a Big Country
Bill Bryson

Blurb: Bill Bryson has the rare knack of being out of his depth wherever he goes - even (perhaps especially) in the land of his birth. This became all too apparent when, after nearly two decades in England, the world's best-loved travel writer upped sticks with Mrs Bryson, little Jimmy et al. and returned to live in the country he had left as a youth.

Of course there were things Bryson missed about Blighty but any sense of loss was countered by the joy of rediscovering some of the forgotten treasures of his childhood: the glories of a New England autumn; the pleasingly comical sight of oneself in shorts; and motel rooms where you can generally count on being awakened in the night by a piercing shriek and the sound of a female voice pleading, 'Put the gun down, Vinnie, I'll do anything you say.'

Whether discussing the dazzling efficiency of the garbage disposal unit, the exoticism of having your groceries bagged for you, the jaw-slackening direness of American TV or the smug pleasure of being able to eat your beef without having to wonder if when you rise from the table you will walk sideways into the wall, Bill Bryson brings his inimitable brand of bemused wit to bear on that strangest of phenomena - the American way of life.

ISBN: 9780552997867 (Paperback)
Year: 1998
Publisher: Black Swan
Pages: 383 (Non-Fiction)

Links

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

The Mansion of Mazes - Maths Quest (David Glover; Illustrated by Tim Hutchinson)

The Mansion of Mazes - Maths Quest
David Glover; Illustrated by Tim Hutchinson

Blurb: A mathematical mystery of shape, space and measures.

The Mansion of Mazes has been burgled and you have been asked to solve the mystery. If you fail, the villains will escape for good!

Make your way through this thrilling adventure, using your maths skills to decide how the plot unfolds. Complete your mission and become a maths whizz at the same time!

ISBN: 9781921981579 (Softback)
Year: 2011
Publisher: Ice Water Press
Pages: 48 (Fiction)

Links

Monday, January 23, 2012

Cool School - You Make It Happen (John Marsden)

Cool School - You Make It Happen
John Marsden

Blurb: It's your first day at your new cool school. By lunch time you could have gone into the wrong toilets, gatecrashed the staff room, blown up the science block, been hypnotised by the principal, asked for a date, broken every bone in your body. It's up to you. You could have felt joy, fear, love, revenge, rage, embarrassment... It's up to you.You could have become your school's biggest hero...or its biggest loser... You make it happen.

ISBN: 0330358677 (Paperback)
Year: 1995
Publisher: Pan
Pages: 200 (Fiction)

Links

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief - Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1 (Rick Riordan)

Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1)
Rick Riordan

Blurb: Look, I didn't want to be a half-blood. I never asked to be the son of a Greek God.

I was just a normal guy, going to school, playing basketball, skateboarding. The usual. Until I accidentally vaporized my maths teacher. That's when things really started going wrong. Now I spend my time fighting with swords, battling monsters with my friends and generally trying to stay alive.

This is the one where Zeus, God of the Sky, thinks I've stolen his lightning bolt - and making Zeus angry is a very bad idea.

Can Percy find the lightning bolt before a fully fledged war of the gods erupts?

ISBN: 9780141329994 (Paperback)
Year: 2005
Publisher: Puffin
Pages: 375 (Fiction)

Links

Saturday, January 21, 2012

The Men Who Stare at Goats (Jon Ronson)

The Men Who Stare at Goats
Jon Ronson

Blurb: In 1979 a secret unit was established by the US Army. Defying all known military practice - and indeed the laws of physics - they believed that a soldier could adopt a cloak of invisibility, pass cleanly through walls, and, perhaps most chillingly, kill goats just by staring at them. They were the First Earth Battalion. And they really weren't joking. What's more, they're back and fighting the War on Terror. So unbelievable it has to be true - this is the real-life account that inspired the film.

ISBN: 9780330507707 (Paperback)
Year: 2004
Publisher: Picador
Pages: 278 (Non-Fiction)

Links

Friday, January 20, 2012

Burning for Revenge - Tomorrow Series #5 (John Marsden)

Burning for Revenge - Tomorrow Series #5
John Marsden

Blurb: You look behind - there's nothing but smoke.

Ahead of you the future has just burst into flames.

Your life is on fire. The world's an inferno.

You're burning... with passion and fear, with love and rage.

You're burning for revenge.

ISBN: 0330360639 (Paperback)
Year: 1997
Publisher: Pan
Pages: 274 (Fiction)

Links

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Perfectly Cool Kermit (Anna Ludlow & Charlie Gardner)

Perfectly Cool Kermit
Anna Ludlow & Charlie Gardner

Blurb: Who is the most famous and respected frog of all time? No other TV host has had quite as many stars falling over themselves to do guest spots on his show.

No-one else deserves as much admiration as he does, for his talents as a host, performer, singer, writer, actor and film director.

Kermit, the coolest, greenest frog in the world is here to give us his tips on how to be... cool and green!

ISBN: 0732330521 (Paperback)
Year: 1997
Publisher: Reed for Kids
Pages: 32 (Fiction)

Links

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Space Jam (James Preller)

Space Jam
Adapted by James Preller

Blurb: Sufferin' succotash! They're Monstars!

Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, and the whole Looney Tunes gang have been kidnapped by aliens. They'll be stuck in outer space forever... unless they can beat the aliens at a game of basketball. Can the Tune Squad slam-dunk the Monstars?
Only with Michael Jordan on their team!

ISBN: 0590945548 (Paperback)
Year: 1996
Publisher: Scholastic
Pages: 32 (Fiction)

Links

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel (Virginia Lee Burton)

Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel
Virginia Lee Burton

Blurb: Mike Mullian loved his steam shovel, and even when the bright new motor shovels arrived and there was less and less work for them to do, he was determined that she would not be scrapped like the rest of the steam shovels.

ISBN: 0140502211 (Paperback)
Year: 1942
Publisher: Puffin Books
Pages: 48 (Fiction)

Links

Monday, January 16, 2012

Spot Goes on Holiday (Eric Hill)

Spot Goes on Holiday
Eric Hill

Blurb: It's holiday time for Mum, Dad and Spot and what could be better than a day on the beach! Lift the flaps and join your favourite puppy as he explores both sea and shore.

ISBN: 0140506993 (Paperback)
Year: 1985
Publisher: Puffin Books
Pages: 22 (Fiction)

Links

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Knock Knock Who's There? (Sally Grindley with illustrations by Anthony Browne)

Knock Knock Who's There?
Sally Grindley with illustrations by Anthony Browne

Blurb: Knock Knock
Who's there?
I'm a fierce scaly dragon
with smoke up my nose
and fire in my mouth.
Then I WON'T let you in!

Only one visitor is allowed through the door. Who do you think it is?

ISBN: 041696060X (Paperback)
Year: 1985
Publisher: A Magnet Book
Pages: 30 (Fiction)

Links

Saturday, January 14, 2012

High Stakes & Hunted - Vampire Beach Series #5 & #6 (Alex Duval)

High Stakes & Hunted (Vampire Beach Series #5 & #6)
Alex Duval

Blurb: Malibu had been very, very good to him. Even if the place was bursting with vampires. Or maybe because it was.

There was one vampire who'd definitely made his life more intense and more exciting - Sienna. Being with her made him feel more alive, even though entering her world had nearly made him dead. He's been attacked by a crazed vampire, consumed with bloodlust, and shot with a crossbow by a vampire hunter...

And yet in spite of all the near-death experiences, Jason wouldn't have had his life any other way. Sienna was worth it all.

It doesn't matter to Jason that his beautiful girlfriend isn't human - they are made for each other. But Sienna and her fellow vampires hide dark, dangerous secrets and Jason's relationship - and his life are at risk...

ISBN: 9781849410007 (Paperback)
Year: 2008
Publisher: Red Fox
Pages: 232 (Fiction)

Links

Friday, January 13, 2012

Life, The Universe and Everything - Volume Three in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)

Life, The Universe and Everything - Volume Three in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Douglas Adams

Blurb: After a series of events which have involved Arthur Dent being alternately blown up and insulted in more bizarre regions of the Galaxy than he has ever dreamt existed, he finds himself stranded on Prehistoric Earth. Luckily, an eddy in the space-time continuum lands him, Ford Prefect and their flying sofa in the middle of the grounds at Lords two days before the world is due to end.

It's just not cricket...

ISBN: 9780330508575 (Paperback)
Year: 1982
Publisher: Pan Books
Pages: 199 (Fiction)

Links

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Lost Symbols? The Secrets of Washington, D.C. / The Secret Zodiacs of Washington, D.C. (David Ovason)

Lost Symbols? The Secrets of Washington, D.C. (The Secret Zodiacs of Washington, D.C.)
David Ovason

Blurb: The secrets, the myths and the facts behind Washington, D.C.'s design and its Masonic significance.

In this groundbreaking, original work, David Ovason reveals the intimate connections between the mysterious zodiacal symbols and the stellar lore of Washington, D.C. and the secret plan for the city.

There are over fifty complete zodiacs in Washington, D.C., all bearing witness to an extraordinary stellar mystery. Why did generations of architects and artists put their lives and energies on the line when designing this City of the Stars? What was their shared secret language? What or who drove them to create a city overflowing with such esoteric symbolism? What is the meaning behind the secret symbolism of Washington, D.C.'s layout? And what does it mean for America's future?

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

The Return: Vol 1. Nightfall - The Vampire Diaries (L.J. Smith)

The Return: Vol 1. Nightfall - The Vampire Diaries
L. J. Smith

Blurb: To save the two vampire brothers who love her, Elena Gilbert sacrificed her life.

Now that a supernatural force has brought Elena back from the dead, all handsome, brooding Stefan wants is to keep her safe. But when he is lured away from Fell's Church, sleek, powerful Damon seizes the chance to win Elena over, unaware of the danger they're both in. A malevolent being has infiltrated the town and is growing stronger. Able to possess Damon at will, the creature is also drawn to Elena and the new power she has acquired. But it's after more than Elena's power: It thirsts for her death.

ISBN: 9780061990250 (Paperback)
Year: 2009
Publisher: Harper Teen
Pages: 586 (Fiction)

Links

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

The Road (Cormac McCarthy)

The Road
Cormac McCarthy

Blurb: A father and his young son walk alone through burned America, heading slowly for the coast. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape sae the ash on the wind. They have nothing but a pistol to defend themselves against the men who stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food - and each other.

ISBN: 9780330468466 (Paperback)
Year: 2006
Publisher: Picador
Pages: 307 (Fiction)

Links

Monday, January 9, 2012

Vampire Blood Trilogy: The Saga of Darren Shan (Cirque Du Freak, The Vampire's Assistant & Tunnels of Blood) (Darren Shan)

Vampire Blood Trilogy: The Saga of Darren Shan (Cirque Du Freak, The Vampire's Assistant & Tunnels of Blood)
Darren Shan

Blurb: Darren Shan is an ordinary boy, until he and his best friend Steve visit the weird and bizarre Cirque Du Freak, where they come face to face with a creature of the night. Then Darren has to confront his deepest fears and sacrifice everything as he enters a darker world to become the vampire's assistant...

Featuring the first three adventures in the internationally successful series The Saga of Darren Shan.

ISBN: 9780007306503 (Paperback)
Year: 2000
Publisher: Harper Collins
Pages: 511 (Fiction)

Links

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Welcome to HorrorLand: A Survival Guide - Goosebumps HorrorLand (R.L. Stine)

Welcome to HorrorLand: A Survival Guide - Goosebumps HorrorLand
R. L. Stine

Blurb: Don't worry, there's nothing to be frightened of - as long as you have this guide full of behind-the-scenes info. Take an inside peek at:

-The Stagger Inn Doom Service Menu
-Werewolf Petting Zoo Rules and Regulations
-Ratings for the scariest rides in HorrorLand
-Tips on how to avoid Top Egyptian Curses
-Monster job application and fright restrictions

Plus all-new tips for the HorrorLand video game and many more frightening facts!

ISBN: 9780545090087 (Paperback)
Year: 2009
Publisher: Scholastic
Pages: 166 (Fiction)

Links

Saturday, January 7, 2012

The Restaurant at the End of the Universe - Volume Two in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)

The Restaurant at the End of the Universe - Volume Two in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Douglas Adams

Blurb: If you've done six impossible things this morning, why not round it off with breakfast at Milliways, the Restaurant at the End of the Universe?

This is exactly what the crew of the Heart of Gold plan to do. There's just the small matter of escaping the Vogons, avoiding being taken to the most totally evil world in the Galaxy and teaching a spaceship how to make a proper cup of tea.

And did anyone actually make a reservation?

ISBN: 9780330508599 (Paperback)
Year: 1980
Publisher: Pan Books
Pages: 200 (Fiction)

Links

Friday, January 6, 2012

Mostly Harmless - Volume Five in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)

Mostly Harmless - Volume Five in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Douglas Adams

Blurb: Arthur Dent hasn't had a day as bad as this since the Earth was blown up.

Depressed and alone, Arthur finally settles on the small planet Lamuella and becomes a sandwich maker. Looking forward to a quiet life, his plans are thrown awry by the unexpected arrival of his daughter.

There's nothing worse than a frustrated teenager with a copy of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy in their hands. When she runs away Arthur goes after her, determined to save her from the horrors of the universe.

After all - he's encountered most of them before...

ISBN: 9780330508582 (Paperback)
Year: 1992
Publisher: Pan Books
Pages: 230 (Fiction)

Links

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Bloodlust & Initiation - Vampire Beach Series #1 & #2 (Alex Duval)

Bloodlust & Initiation (Vampire Beach Series #1 & #2)
Alex Duval

Blurb: Sienna's dark hair was glossier than he'd ever seen it, her skin was clear and creamy, almost luminous, and her lips glowed a deep rose red that he didn't think came from lipstick. She was stunning, spectacular, impossibly beautiful! Jason realised he was staring. 'What is it?' he asked. 'Sienna, you can tell me anything.' And then Sienna smiled, slowly revealing a pair of very white, very sharp, and very real fangs.

Jason has just moved to Malibu - home to rich kids and fabulous parties. He's flattered to be included - and very flattered by the interest of the stunning Sienna. But Sienna and her friends hide a dark secret... and Jason is risking his life by falling for her.

ISBN: 9781862308961 (Paperback)
Year: 2005
Publisher: Red Fox
Pages: 215 (Fiction)

Links

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Storm Peak - A Jesse Parker Mystery #1 (John A. Flanagan)

Storm Peak ( A Jesse Parker Mystery #1)
John A. Flanagan

Blurb: Jesse Parker, an ex-Denver police detective, has returned home to Steamboat Springs, Colorado, to spend the winter working the ski patrol and taking it easy. But he is reluctantly dragged back into a world of violence and murder when a serial killer arrives in town.

After a skier is found murdered, Lee Torrens, the local sheriff, asks her old friend Jesse to help out with the investigation. As the pair work together, the embers of an old union re-ignite, but the killer continues to stalk the town, leaving little clues as to his motive. And his growing notoriety brings complications that will shake the foundations of the small town.

Are the murders the random acts of a psychopath, or a cold, calculated escalation of terror? No-one is safe.

ISBN: 9781741669534 (Paperback)
Year: 2009
Publisher: Bantam
Pages: 355 (Fiction)

Links

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish - Volume Four in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)

So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish - Volume Four in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Douglas Adams

Blurb: There is a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss. It's not an easy thing to do and Arthur Dent thinks he's the only human who's been able to master this nifty little trick - until he meets Fenchurch, the girl of his dreams.

Fenchurch knows how the world could be made a good and happy place. Unfortunately she's forgotten. Convinced that the secret lies within God's Final Message to His Creation they go in search of it.

And in a dramatic break with tradition - actually find it...

ISBN: 9780330508605 (Paperback)
Year: 1984
Publisher: Pan Books
Pages: 167 (Fiction)

Links

Monday, January 2, 2012

Ritual & Legacy - Vampire Beach Series #3 & #4 (Alex Duval)

Ritual & Legacy (Vampire Beach Series #3 & #4)
Alex Duval

Blurb: He'd seen her look this gorgeous once before, when she had first told him that she was a vampire.

She'd let him see her true beauty then and it was just as mesmerising now. Her black hair glimmered in the dim light, her skin was sheer golden perfection and, all of a sudden, Jason felt like the bigger idiot in the world. Why had he ever let himself think that Sienna would want to be with him? She was one of them. He wasn't. End of story. Then she turned. Her dark eyes met him across the sea of faces, and she smiled. A sizzle raced through Jason's body and all his doubt dissapeared. It didn't matter what she was or what he wasn't. They were made for each other.

Jason's life in Malibu is looking up, especially now Sienna, the most beautiful girl in town, seems to be interested in him. Jason is learning to live with Sienna's dark secret - that she and her friends are vampires - but is she more trouble than she's worth?

ISBN: 9781862308978 (Paperback)
Year: 2007
Publisher: Red Fox
Pages: 249 (Fiction)

Links

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Work This Farm! Lego City (Michael Anthony Stelle illustrated by Chuck Primeau)

Work This Farm! Lego City
Michael Anthony Stelle illustrated by Chuck Primeau

Blurb: It's a busy day on the farm! The farmers feed the animals and harvest the crops. A big farm needs big machines!

ISBN: 9780545298575 (Paperback)
Year: 2011
Publisher: Scholastic
Pages: 24 (Fiction)

Links