December 3, 2021

Guardians of Porthaven

On his fifteenth birthday, Malcolm Gravenhurst is preparing to take on the mantle of Guardian, like many Gravenhursts before him. The Guardians are tasked with defending the city of Porthaven, and his family is the only one to possess the superpowers necessary to battle the frequent alien invasions of robotic klek. But power has brought the Gravenhursts more than just responsibility―it has also brought them fame and wealth. When Malcolm meets some teens living and working in secret, he learns that underneath their heroic facade, the Gravenhurst family is hiding some very dark secrets. With the threat of annihilation on the horizon, soon Malcolm must choose between family loyalty and doing the right thing.

August 23, 2021

Hockey Super Six: On Thin Ice

Will the Hockey Super Six thwart their enemy’s plans for world domination in book two of this action-packed series?.

In the second book pitting six ordinary kids with super hockey skills against the forces of evil, Jenny, Benny, Mo, Starlight, DJ and Karl desperately need to stay out of Crosscheck’s grasp!

Their last run-in revealed to evil scientist (and former mediocre goalie) Clarence Crosscheck the scope of some of their secret powers — powers he can use in his never-ending quest for world domination. Hard at work on a robot army to do his bidding, Crosscheck underestimates how strong the Super Six can be when they work together as a team Get ready for high-stakes ice battles, non-stop hijinks and never-before-seen hockey action (it’s kids vs robots, and some giant lizards too)!

August 23, 2021

Mr. Universe

Seventeen-year-old Michael goes to visit his eccentric mad-scientist uncle who, busy working on yet another time-travel experiment in his cluttered lab, barely notices him. He keeps muttering things like "quantum multiverse transporter" and Michael has to entertain himself. Which is how Michael accidentally ends up in an alternate universe. Everything looks remarkably similar to his own world but with a few key differences, like lizard men dressed in gray suits and three-wheeled vehicles. And then there's Emily, a sassy, confident girl who needs Michael's help before he can find his way back to his own dimension.

August 23, 2021

The Darkness Outside Us

After the first settler on Titan trips her distress signal, neither remaining country on Earth can afford to scramble a rescue of its own, and so two sworn enemies are installed in the same spaceship.

Ambrose wakes up on the Coordinated Endeavor, with no memory of a launch. There’s more that doesn’t add up: Evidence indicates strangers have been on board, the ship’s operating system is voiced by his mother, and his handsome, brooding shipmate has barricaded himself away. But nothing will stop Ambrose from making his mission succeed -- not when he’s rescuing his own sister.

In order to survive the ship’s secrets, Ambrose and Kodiak will need to work together and learn to trust one another… especially once they discover what they are truly up against. Love might be the only way to survive.

August 21, 2021

Ashfall Legacy

Pittacus Lore finished telling the story of the Lorien Nine. Now, he’s back to recount an all-new adventure rooted in the real mysteries surrounding Roswell, New Mexico, that will enthrall fans of Jay Kristoff, Amie Kaufman, and Brandon Sanderson. We have waited generations for you…

Syd Chambers knows that there’s life on other planets because he’s descended from it. His father was from a distant world called Denza, and has been missing—presumed dead—for years.

When Syd discovers a device his father left behind that shows not only that he’s alive, but where he is, Syd must set out on a mission of his own. But along the way, he discovers a deadly, unbearable secret that could destroy Denza, Earth, and the universe.

August 20, 2021

The Truth App

In this pulse-pounding tech-thriller, Jack Heath creates a world where everyone knows when you lie—and telling the truth doesn’t always set you free.

Jarli likes to think he’s an honest guy. He’s a big believer in telling the truth, no matter what. So he develops The Truth App, a mobile application that listens in on your conversations and can tell when someone’s lying. Then his app goes viral and, suddenly, Jarli is an internet sensation. But, soon enough, Jarli realizes that being famous can be dangerous—especially when you’ve just exposed everyone’s deepest, darkest secrets. Now his entire town is out to get him: kids at school, teachers, the police, even his own family.

Also, an underground network of criminals has just added Jarli to their hit list. Sometimes, exposing the truth comes with a price…

This novel loses no time plunging into a high-speed, high-tension chase. It’s a nail-biting drama that rarely lets up. If you like high-tech and you’re into thrillers, this one’s for you. It’s well-told and an easy read. The main character Jarli is well drawn, and you’re right there with him, pulse beating wildly. But the two other featured characters (one who gets her own point of view in occasional chapters) are strong, brave girls. This novel moves. And if you like this Australian author, he’s got more than 25 other thrillers to his name.

-P.W.

August 20, 2021

The Missing Passenger

Jarli only narrowly escaped death after his world-shattering app made him infamous. Now there’s a new foe afoot and Jarli is far from safe in this thrilling sequel to The Truth App.

When a seemingly unoccupied plane crash lands in the middle of Kelton, Jarli’s attempts to lay low and out of Viper’s criminal crosshairs crash lands along with it.

The cause of the accident is a mystery until his Truth App uncovers a dangerous secret at the crash site—a secret Viper will do anything to keep buried.

Suddenly Jarli is a target again and on the run with his high school tormentor, Doug. There’s no one he can trust, not even the police—and Jarli’s starting to think Doug is hiding something, too. Constantly at odds and left with no other choice, they team up to conduct an investigation of their own. But when Doug’s past comes back to haunt them, Jarli fears that there’s little hope in getting out of this one alive.

Kelton was supposed to be the perfect hiding place. But there’s no hiding from the truth.

This second in the Liars Book series is at least as tense and entertaining as The Truth App. Although it’s possible to read this one as a standalone (given that references to events in the first book are brief and clarifying), it would be better to read them both, in order, given that this one builds on the action and characters of the first.

The writing is great, and I enjoy the bits of humour sprinkled in.