This House of Grief by Helen Garner:

This House of Grief is the first true crime novel that I’ve read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Garner’s writing is sophisticated, the description vivid and contextually appropriate, and the story is—while awful in content—amazing. I did find that the novel started to lose momentum about half way (after the conclusion of the first trial) but I think it was inevitable, as the whole ordeal was rather arduous and repetitive. Garner did an excellent job getting us through the tiresome parts of the trial and managed to keep me engaged enough to finish the book, even knowing the outcome. I highly recommend this book and I can’t wait to read more of Garner’s work soon. 4 out of 5 stars. – Tamara

Descendants 01: Isle Of The Lost by Melissa De La Cruz:

Some people say I’m too old for Disney… I don’t believe this will ever be true.
For fans of the Disney Descendants movies, this trilogy is a must! In Isle of the Lost, the first in the series, you are introduced to an array of characters who are the children of our treasured Disney villains, princes and princesses. This new generation find themselves literally split into good vs evil as the villain parents had been banished from the Kingdom of Auradon to the Isle of the Lost; with a force field in place to keep them isolated and prevent them from using magic. This book is set prior to the first movie however Melissa does a genuinely wonderful job keeping true to the characters in the movies which makes for a seamless transition between them – a welcome change. 3 out of 5 stars.

P.S. I hear she is working on a fourth book as the third movie is currently in production! – Taegen (Relief Manager)

Slade House by David Mitchell:

Beautifully written, David Mitchell manages to create a story where you never really know where you are or where you are going but none of that matters when you are back in the world of The Bone Clocks. With a Stephen King-like feel you’re guaranteed to be awake at night wondering if you’re the (un)lucky one chosen by The Slade House. 4 out of 5 stars.- Josh

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead:

I adored Bloodlines. Sydney, a strong female lead who uses her academic and intellectual abilities to save the day, and Adrian, full of quick wit and sarcastic comments, both quickly stole my heart. Mead’s writing quickly pulled me in: the mystery of the tattoos was intriguing, and the underlying tension of the vampire world riveting. I quickly devoured this book and the rest of the (completed!) series. I highly recommend! 5 out of 5 stars- Abigail

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline:

I picked up this book after watching the movie and, wow, I was surprised. It was completely different and yet, still completely amazing. The retro themes, the adventure, the action, the riddles, the cute love story between A and P – it had it all. I could not put this book down as I travelled through the OASIS with Parzival, experiencing the virtual reality as though I was right there with him. This is a must read for everyone! 4.5 out of 5 stars– Steph

Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks:

A man with no prior muscial talent is struck by lightning and finds he can suddenly fluently play classical piano. Another man’s memory only spans 7 seconds, for everything but music. In this original and intriguing book, Oliver Sacks tells us about the power of music and the amazing effect it can have on the human brain. Not just a doctor, or a neurologist, but a true humanist, Sacks brings warmth and life to these patient’s stories in a strangely beautiful way. – Jo (Manager)