Fire by Kristin Cashore

"A must-read title for all fans of Patrick Rothfuss and Trudi Canavan, Fire is an exceptional fantasy novel. From the deft characterisation to the gripping story, the fast-paced action to the evocative prose, this is one of the strongest fantasy novels of the year." Said Victor Gollancz

Set in a world of stunningly beautiful, exceptionally dangerous monsters, Fire is one of the most dangerous monsters of all – a human one. Marked out by her vivid red hair, she’s more than attractive. Fire is mesmerizing.

But with this extraordinary beauty comes influence and power. People who are susceptible to her appeal will do anything for her attention, and for her affection. They will turn away from their families, their work, and their duties for her. They will forget their responsibilities to please her . . . and worse, crush nations, neglect kingdoms and abuse their power.

Aware of her power, and afraid of it, Fire lives in a corner of the world away from people, and away from temptation. Until the day comes when she is needed – a day when, for her king, she has to take a stand not only against his enemies, but also against herself . . .

Torn Thread by Anne Isaacs

It is June 1943, and for four years the Nazi armies have occupied the Polish town of Bedzin. Twelve-year-old Eva, along with her father and her sister, have been forced to leave their comfortable home and move into a tiny attic in the Jewish Ghetto.

But Eva's life takes an even more terrifying turn when she and her sister are torn from their father and imprisoned in a Nazi work camp. There, Eva is forced to spin thread to make blankets and uniforms fo the German Army. As she struggles amid ever-worsening dangers to her life and that of her sick sister, Eva's world tears apart like the weak thread on her spinning machine...

In a noteworthy departure, Isaacs turns her considerable literary gifts to a painful subject, her mother-in-law's experiences as a teenage prisoner of a Nazi camp and transforms it into a powerful work of fiction. Like most stories of survival, this one is marked by unlikely turns and conjunctions, which, taken together, preserve the protagonist's life. Isaacs takes the measure of acts of casual cruelty or kindness and lets readers see the repercussions. Given its precise detail and sensitivity to unimaginable suffering, this gripping novel reads like the strongest of Holocaust memoirs. Ages 10-up.

The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima

What Happens when a trouble-making boy and a Princess meet, but don't know who the other is? What happens if they both have the same goal, but don't know exactly how to acomplish it?

I couldn't put it down. Fantasy, adventure, mystery, suspense, romance - it's all here. Princess Raisa is a headstrong heir to the throne and on the cusp of choosing a husband, not that she has any desire to marry at sixteen. She is more interested in learning about her queendom, what it means to be a queen, and how to best serve her people. Her mother, the queen, seems anxious to get Raisa married off and is spending quite a bit of time with the High Wizard. Meanwhile, Han Alister is spending time outside the city in his friend Fire Dancer's clan, where the two boys intercept a trio of young wizards blazing through Hanalea. At this juncture, Han acquires an ancient amulet, one that is the source of much confusion and destruction, with its true purpose only revealed in the last few pages of this captivating read. I can't really do the book any justice with a plot summary because it's more than just plot - this is a complex tale with many interwoven stories and intriguing characters.

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Auden missed childhood thanks to her parents' divorce, which she navigated with the gravitas of a 30-year-old. No bike-riding, no giggly sleepovers. Just schoolwork, college ambitions and relentless insomnia. In the summer before college, she spontaneously joins her dad, his 20-something wife and new baby at their oceanfront house, hoping to transform into someone who enjoys normal teenage fun: beach, boardwalk, bonfires and beers. Dessen reworks well-traveled terrain and creates a remarkably original story with realistic teen dialogue, authentic girl friendships and a complex underlying question: Can people really change? Taut, witty first-person narration allows readers to both identify with Auden's insecurities and recognize her unfair, acerbic criticisms of people. It's Eli, a fellow insomniac, with whom she connects, and together they tick off items on her kid to-do list (food fights, bowling, paper-delivery route) while the rest of the town sleeps. The spark between these two sad teens and the joyful examples of girl connectivity deepen this ostensibly lighthearted, summer-fun story, which offers up complex issues—the residual effects of divorce, acceptance of imperfect parents and lip-gloss feminism.

In her signature pitch-perfect style, Sarah Dessen explores the hearts of two lonely people learning to connect.

Dark Fire by Chris D'Lacey

David Rain was lost in the Arctic and it was up to his daughter, Alexa, to bring him back. This one little girl had the power to save her father, but when she found him, she uncovered a lot more than just David: Dragons have finally returned to Earth as well. . . .
With the Earth on the brink of recolonisation by dragons, David is sent on an important mission: to seek out and destroy a trace of dark fire, the deadliest force in the universe. But with success could come a terrible price, the sacrifice of a beloved clay dragon. How much does the life of one small dragon count, when the alternative is the birth of a darkling...?

Chris d'Lacey weaves another fiery and magical tale for readers in the fifth book of this NEW YORK TIMES bestselling series!

The Fire Eternal by Chris D'Lacey

Five years have passed since David Rain, now a bestselling author, disappeared mysteriously in the Artic. Slowly the ice is changing; bears are starving; dragons are rising; and the spirit Gaia, goddess of the Earth, is restless, wanting to act upon these changes.

But all living things may suffer if she does. As the weather grows wilder and the ice caps melt, all eyes in the Pennykettle household turn from the north to David's daughter, Alexa. She is the key to stopping it. Can one five-year-old girl possibly save the world from the forces of evil before she disappears like her father?

Fire Star by Chris D'Lacey

A research trip to the Arctic and a contract for a new book--life can't get much better for David Rain. But as soon as David finds himself in the icy...more A research trip to the Arctic and a contract for a new book--life can't get much better for David Rain. But as soon as David finds himself in the icy climes, he begins to write his legend of bears, dragons, and the mysterious fire star. Soon he realizes that his tale is starting to mirror real life, and that an old enemy is on her way to meet him.
Can David thwart her terrible master plan? Or will his world be destroyed forever?

Icefire by Chris D'Lacey

In this exciting sequel to The Fire Within, David Rain must uncover the truth behind the mysterious clay dragons for a research paper. David's quest is to discover the link between the fire tear of the last known dragon on earth, Gawain, and the icy regions of the Arctic. 


It's a journey that will change his life forever, a journey that will bring him to the very heart of the legend of dragons and the mysterious, ancient secret of the icefire...

The Fire Within by Chris D'Lacey

When David moves in with Liz and Lucy, he discovers a collection of hand crafted, clay dragons that comes to life and has magical powers. David's pers...more When David moves in with Liz Pennykettle and her eleven-year-old daughter Lucy, he discovers a collection of hand crafted, clay dragons that comes to life and has magical powers. David's personalized dragon, Gadzooks, can forecast the future, and inspires him to write a story which reveals the truth behind an unsolved mystery close to home. The story has an unhappy ending, Soon David, in order to solve the mystery and save his dragon from an unhappy end, must master the magic of the fire within, not only with his hands, but also with his heart.

Bloodhound by Tamora Pierce

Beka Cooper is finally a Dog, a full-fledged member of the Provost's Guard, dedicated to keeping peace in Corus' streets. But there's unrest in Tortall's capital. Counterfeit coins are turning up in shops all over the city, and merchants are raising prices to cover their losses. The Dogs discover that gamblers are bringing the counterfeit money from Port Caynn. In Port Caynn, Beka delves deep into the gambling world, where she meets a charming banking clerk named Dale Rowan. Beka thinks she may be falling for Rowan, but she won't let anything— or anyone—jeopardize her mission. As she heads north to an abandoned silver mine, it won't be enough for Beka to be her usual "terrier" self. She'll have to learn from Achoo to sniff out the criminals, to be a Bloodhound....