Making Friends by Erin Ampersand

Meghan can't afford to take a break.

She's gotten food and shelter for her family. Her oldest is turning into a wizard, her middle boy is some kind of self-healing monkey, and her youngest is accumulating a small army of pets. That's a bit much to roll with, but when monsters are appearing on the lawn, it's probably for the best.

What worries her is the mysterious―and dangerous―“Challenge” she knows is fast approaching, and she's got to get her kids and community ready to face it. Some neighbors are ready and willing to pitch in, but others? They might end up being a bigger problem than the alien monsters.

Bog Bodies by Kevin Moran

The boys have got a sinking feeling …

A school trip to the remote island of Inis Fola might be Jack, Jerry and Yash’s idea of fun, but it sounds like hell on earth to Conan. And once the Doomsday Club boys arrive at Camp Eclipse, things get even worse: there’s girls and posh kids from another school to deal with. But then haunting blue lights are seen across the bog and people start to disappear.

Evil is stirring in the dark. Could the stories of a thousand-year-old demon buried beneath the bog be true?

Maybe bringing the summonstone to a cursed island wasn't the brightest idea they've ever had …

The Unfortunate Responsibilities of Leopold Berry by Random Riggs

Leopold, Emmet, and Isabel will begin to unravel the mystery of the ring and what, exactly, has been going on with Leopold's family and their connection to Sunderworld.

Salty about the way Sunder has treated him and sceptical that his mother really meant for him to have the mysterious ring, Leopold secretly wishes he could walk away from Sunder. What he really wants is to finish high school and start living a normal life with his newfound courage. But now the magical world that wanted nothing to do with him won’t leave him alone.

The Department, fascinated by the ring, is hounding him to come back. And Isabel and Emmet want Leopold to help them unravel the ring's many mysteries. When the ring activates during a terrifying Noxum attack, enabling Leopold to perform another magical act of heroism, he knows he can't turn his back on Sunder. Wherever he goes, the magic seems to follow. The answers to all his questions lie in the Lyceum’s well-protected archives, in his mother's letters, and perhaps in the unlikeliest, most unmagical of people: Leopold’s father.

Lights, Camera, Mayhem! by Alan Nolan

Dublin, 1937

A gang of movie-mad kids meet at the Grand Central Cinema on O’Connell Street and form a club to make their OWN films!

Jem, Juno, Sylvie and friends are thrilled to meet world-famous child actress Dottie Bright. But they soon learn it’s not always good to meet your heroes. Dottie is a spoiled brat. There’s no way she is going to help them with their own film.

But then danger strikes, and Dottie needs the gang to be her real-life heroes.

A rollercoaster adventure about the magic of the silver screen and the power of unlikely friendships.

Rise by Ron Wolff

The ship that brought them hope… now wants them dead.

Adam is the first—and only—human born on Mars. He survived the massacre that killed most of his colony. Now he just wants to keep the others alive.

But Earth has sent new a documentary crew, five genius teens, and a mission wrapped in lies. They don’t believe what happened here. They were told there’d been an incident. They think the survivors are just traumatized kids.

Until it starts again.

Forced to abandon the Martian surface, the survivors take refuge aboard the orbiting starship Horizon. But the nightmare came with them. Something that doesn’t just kill.

It learns. It evolves.

As the infection spreads and the ship turns against them, Adam must lead a fractured crew through a living maze of metal and memory—before there’s no one left to save.

Daggerbound by T Kingfisher

Learned Edmund, a disillusioned scholar, is transporting yet another precious relic from one stuffy temple to a different stuffy temple. Another great adventure for the ages…

But when Edmund is set upon by bandits, in desperation, he breaks the cardinal rule and grabs for the relic, an ancient sword. To his surprise, instead of unsheathing a rusty, ancient weapon, an alarmingly handsome man appears, wielding daggers of blue steel and cutting the thieves down.

This man is the Dervish, an immortal warrior who’s been trapped for centuries in a sword of enchanted steel, and is angry as hell about it. He hates the curse that put him there, and he wants to hate Edmund, just as he has hated every wielder before him.

But the damned scholar is just so sweet and clever and kind. And while the Dervish may be able to protect Edmund from bandits, cultists, dragons, and strange inhuman diplomats, he may find it much harder to protect his own heart.

Tendrils by Carrie Harris

Sixteen-year-old Leigh Carrol has returned to Lovely Locks Kingdom and reclaimed her place as Lady Lovely Locks. A dark enchantment seeps through the forests, unraveling the magic that once protected the land. Leigh must confront whispers of an ancient evil once thought vanquished: Lady Knot.

With her loyal Pixietails, her fiercely brave companions Brandish, Maiden Curlycrown and Maiden Fairhair, and a heart full of courage, Leigh must journey beyond the borders of her world—into the Forgotten Wilds, where truth tangles with illusion, and every strand of trust can be broken. But as old rivalries spark into unexpected alliances, and destiny braids itself with danger, Leigh discovers that the hardest battles are not always fought with swords—but with forgiveness, sacrifice, and the strength to change.

Reread: The Enchanted Greenhouse by Sarah Beth Durst

Terlu Perna broke the law because she was lonely. She cast a spell and created a magically sentient spider plant. As punishment, she was turned into a wooden statue and tucked away into an alcove in the North Reading Room of the Great Library of Alyssium.

This should have been the end of her story . . . Yet one day, Terlu wakes in the cold of winter on a nearly-deserted island full of hundreds of magical greenhouses. She's starving and freezing, and the only other human on the island is a grumpy gardener. To her surprise, he offers Terlu a place to sleep, clean clothes, and freshly baked honey cakes -- at least until she's ready to sail home.

But Terlu can't return home and doesn't want to -- the greenhouses are a dream come true, each more wondrous than the next. As she grows closer with the unwittingly charming gardener, Yarrow, she learns that the magic that sustains them is failing -- causing the death of everything within them. Terlu knows she must help, even if that means breaking the law. Again.

This time, though, she isn't alone. Assisted by Yarrow and a sentient rose, Terlu must unravel the secrets of a long-dead sorcerer if she wants to save the island -- and have a fresh chance at happiness and love.

The Monster and the Clown by Mats Strandberg and Sofia Falkenhem

Frank must outwit the ringleader of the monstrous circus in this new story in the just-scary-enough illustrated chapter book series about a warm-hearted boy-turned-werewolf trying to find his pack.

The people of Yrred are terrified of monsters, and fear is spreading like wildfire. So when Kruger the Clown comes to town, they leap at his offer to catch the creatures haunting Yrred and force them to perform at his circus. Only Frank knows the town’s secret—and his own. He is the monster they’re all afraid of. But he’s also a nine-year-old boy, who has finally found friends like him. Frank and his monster friends must reveal the truth of Kruger’s cruel circus before the hateful plan takes hold. The Monster and the Clown is a spine-tingling adventure about a creepy clown, a daring rescue, and having the courage to stand up for what’s right.

Netta Becker and the Missing Memory Maze by Jennifer Claessen

Legend and edge-of-your-seat action fuse together in this exciting second instalment of the Netta Becker trilogy, underpinned with a feminist retelling of Ancient Greek myth.

A hall full of statues. A pair of lost siblings. Monsters at every turn.

Under orders from the Titan called the Crone, Netta steps out of time itself. And, panicking just a little, her little brother Remy follows. Lost and alone, they each wake in a strange maze-like world as statues. Netta breaks free and begins her double quest: to find her brother and the second sister Titan.

But Remy can't remember who he has lost - and when he is rescued by young Tig, he leaves his memories of Netta behind. By breaking sphinx riddles and with mythical beasts as new allies, Netta and Remy must find out who they are - and who the League of Archon is - in the Realm of Memory itself.

This will be Interesting by E B Asher

Galwell True was the perfect hero, the legend who sacrificed himself to save the realm…only for his friends to unexpectedly resurrect him ten years later. These days, he’s feeling less “Galwell the Great” and more “Galwell the Lost.”

River Pricemark is an excellent assassin. When the Deathrose Guild, an organization known for banishing evil, tasks her with eliminating Galwell, she sees her chance to climb the ranks. So, it’s bad luck when her ambush is interrupted by Celine Hazelton, a scribesheet reporter who questions why the Guild is targeting Galwell at all. It’s worse luck that Celine is also her childhood crush.

Queen Thessia of Mythria is tired of being the damsel. She’s just married the kind and handsome King Hugh and is meant to live happily ever after—but her story feels incomplete. Upon learning Galwell, her ex, is in danger, she turns her royal honeymoon into a rescue, bringing everyone overseas to the opulent land of Vestriya.

Between underground lairs, magical grottos, horseball matches, and masquerades, Galwell must rely on his newfound questmates—including beautiful Vestriyan criminal Mona Grandhart, who seems determined to corrupt him in more ways than one. Good thing he’s set a single rule for everyone on this quest: no romance.

But we all know how this ends, don't we?

Filled with dangerous impersonators, the inimitable power of friendship, and the realm’s most infamous horseball championship, This Will Be Interesting is a slow burn, cozy, and hilarious quest romantasy.

Dino Mode Activated by Jen Wallace

After the success of Dinosaur Pie, award-winning author Jen Wallace returns with another hilarious and moving dinosaur adventure!

Oleg’s new camera is definitely not ordinary. It has no instructions and no buttons, but it seems to know exactly what Oleg wants it to do. When Oleg goes on a camping trip with his friends, Rory and Daria, they soon discover the camera’s most special function – Dino Mode.

Now, with dinosaurs of all sizes running about the campsite and a nosey professor poking around, Oleg and his friends commence Operation Hide the Dinos.

Theme Week: Fever by Lauren DeStephano

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✦ BLURB ✦

Rhine and Gabriel navigate the treacherous outside world in this second book in the riveting, New York Times bestselling dystopian young adult trilogy reminiscent of The Handmaid’s Tale. This special 15th anniversary edition features a brand-new look!

Rhine and Gabriel may have escaped the mansion, but they’re far from safe—outside, they find a world even more disquieting than the one they left. Determined to get to Manhattan and find Rhine’s twin brother Rowan, the two press forward amidst threats of being captured again…or worse.

The road they are on is long and treacherous, and in a world where everyone dies young, time is precious. Rhine must decide if freedom is worth the price, especially now that she has more to lose than ever.

The Vanished Girl by Natasha Mac A'Bhaird

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✦ BLURB ✦

Sycamore Hill Boarding School, Donegal, 1963

Clare, Rose and Molly are happy to be back at Sycamore Hill, getting ready for the school musical and training hard at hockey. When new girl Amy joins their class in the middle of term, she's a bit of a puzzle to solve. Amy's vague about her home and is never allowed leave the school grounds with the other girls. Clare wonders if she's a film star or millionaire in disguise!

But then a new nun unexpectedly joins the staff and Clare and friends begin to fear Amy's secret is something darker. Could Sr Eva be there to spy on Amy - or harm her? Who can the girls trust?

Clare, Rose and Molly vow to use their detective skills to get to the bottom of this new mystery before it's too late.

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Boarding school fun, a mysterious new classmate, and a secret that could change everything 🏫✨

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Pre-Reading Thoughts
I adored the first book - it captured that Chalet School/Enid Blyton energy so well, with a mix of hockey sticks, midnight snacks, and just enough danger to keep things lively. My hope going in was that book two would keep the charm while upping the mystery.

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Post-Reading
As I thought…
The tone is spot on: spirited school life with hidden layers of tension. The balance between everyday boarding school routines and the undercurrent of danger is beautifully handled.

It surprised me by…
How much I enjoyed the historical details - slipped in so seamlessly that you don’t realise you’re learning until afterwards. Also, the new nun? Deliciously unsettling.

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Music Pairing
🎵 Featured Song: “You Don’t Own Me” by Lesley Gore (1963 release = era-appropriate girl power anthem)
🎶 Vibe Album: The Best of Dusty Springfield (all 1960s atmosphere with a bittersweet edge)
🎧 Artist Recommendation: The Shangri-Las (teen drama, mystery, and melancholy in perfect harmony)

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Vibe Check
🎨 Colour palette: Navy blue uniforms, pale stone walls, candlelight yellow
🎶 Soundtrack: Hockey sticks clattering, echoing footsteps in corridors, whispered secrets after lights-out
🍂 Season: Early spring term, crisp and full of restless energy
😌 Mood: Curious, suspicious, adventurous
🌹 Scent: Ink-stained paper, beeswax polish, and the faintest whiff of mystery

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Tarot Pull
From the Cosy Witch Tarot: The High Priestess 🌙
This card embodies hidden knowledge, intuition, and secrets waiting to be revealed—just like Amy’s mystery at Sycamore Hill. It’s a reminder that not everything is as it seems, and trust your instincts.

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For Fans Of
📖 The School at the Chalet by Elinor M. Brent-Dyer
📺 Call the Midwife (for the 1960s setting, period detail, and quiet shadows under wholesome surfaces)

🃏 The deck had opinions: [King of Wands] — [The girls show wisdom and loyalty towards each other]

🐾

True Friends at Fernside by Sheena Wilkinson

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✦ BLURB ✦

Fernside House, nestled at the end of a quiet road, is waiting for eighty girls to disturb its holiday peace ...

Cousins Robin and Linnet are back at Fernside and school life is busier than ever - with the animals at Rowanbank, a new science class, netball rivalry and fun in the dorms.

But the end-of-term exams are not the only test for the girls. As the lower fourth face the good and the bad times of growing up and the cancellation of the Christmas Show, a surprise 'new' girl challenges them to understand what it really means to be a true friend at Fernside.

The Ravenous Sky by K D Kirchmeier

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✦ BLURB ✦

In this heart-pounding adventure perfect for fans of The Hunger Games, two teens must venture into the unknown to save humanity from dragon-like monsters.

Thomas and Cassie found hope where the shadow road ended. Now they must forge a future for themselves and their newfound community of people left behind after the blitz ravaged their homes. But the journey ahead is dangerous.

Thomas and Cassie separate, each seeking important clues to the origin of the blitz, while surviving threats at every turn. They must find a way to send the terrifying dragon-like monsters back where they came from. Could answers lie in a mythical world beneath our own?

This post-apocalyptic adventure blends heartfelt friendship with high stakes action in an unforgettable tale of survival against all odds.

The House with no Keys by Lindsay Currie

✦ BLURB ✦

When a strange invitation shows up in Sarah's backpack, the Delta's learn that their favorite funhouse, The Delta Game, is about to get some serious competition. The "Mystery Mansion" is opening just miles away and the ominous and cryptic owner has invited Sarah, West, and Hannah to come test it on opening day. It claims to be the biggest and best escape house ever, and based on the photos of gleaming rooms filled with high-tech puzzles, it just might be.

What's more, the kids have been offered a ten-thousand-dollar prize if they escape the house. For some reason, West and Hannah seem very interested in the cash prize, but the three friends are torn because they really don't want to be a walking advertisement for a competitor to The Delta Game. After all, that funhouse changed their lives, Sarah's life especially.

But maybe the only way to keep the funhouse, and their friend William Taters in business, is to accept the invite to this new Mystery Mansion, escape it in record time, and show just how lame and easy it is by comparison. The trio arrive at the mansion on opening day, armed with their "fortune favors the bold" attitude. But they quickly learn that nothing is as it seems . . . and unfortunately this time, not everyone plays fair.

Evil Duck and the Nest of Destiny by Chris Judge

Long ago, the ancient inhabitants of Planet Duck created three magical objects to protect their world – the Egg of Time, the Feather of Fortune and the Nest of Destiny. Individually, they each bring great power to their owner, but when all three are brought together they become the most powerful weapon in the galaxy, and Evil Duck has been searching for these items ever since he found out about them. Foiled with the Feather of Fortune, he’s now on the trail of the Nest of Destiny … and he’s teamed up with popstar Ed Quackers with the promise of making him the most famous popstar EVER! Can Eddie and Flo stop Evil Duck and his minions once again, before it’s too late?

The Darkness Within Us by Tricia Levenseller

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✦ BLURB ✦

Chrysantha Stathos has won.

By hiding her intelligence and ambition behind the mask of a beautiful airheaded girl, she has become a wealthy duchess. And, once her elderly husband dies, she will have all the freedom, money, and safety she’s ever wanted.

Or so she thought.

A man claiming to be the estranged grandson of Chrysantha’s lecherous late husband has turned up to steal her inheritance. To make matters worse, her little sister is going to be queen and is rubbing it in her face.

Chrysantha decides that the only thing to do is upstage Alessandra at her own wedding. And as for this grandson, he has to go. Never mind that he’s extremely handsome and secretive with mysterious powers . . . No, Chrysantha wants Eryx Demos dead, and in the end, a Stathos girl always gets what she wants.

A Fellowship of Librarians and Dragons by J Penner

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✦ BLURB ✦

Spilling the tea has never been so cozy... The second in a heartwarming cozy fantasy series by J. Penner.

In the quaint town of Adenashire, Doli Butterbuckle, a people-pleasing sunshine dwarf, is content with her simple tea magic and circle of friends. It's true she's never quite lived up to family expectations, but life is just fine—until her parents arrive with an inherited dragon egg and a charming gargoyle harboring a secret stroll into her life.

As Doli grapples with her newfound responsibility and discovers a long hidden side of herself, she must face an overbearing family, a sinister plot, and a mischievous dragon that refuses to stay out of trouble.

But with the help of her loyal friends and newfound love, Doli embarks on a heartwarming adventure, revealing that embracing her true self is the most enchanting path of all.