Book Recommendations

"Sword of the Rightful King" by Jane Yolan.A wonderful, original, fast-paced retelling of the Arthurian legend told from the view point of the unusual Gawen, servant to Merlinus. The newly crowned King Arthur's rule is still not secure; Morgause, among others, wishes to see one of her sons on the throne. Merlin hopes to settle the matter with the mysterious sword in the stone.

"Finding Sky" by Joss Stirling.A great mix of fast-paced action and emotional turmoil with touches of humour. The story follows Sky as, on relocating to the US, she meets her soulmate, bad boy Zed, who has special powers. She uncovers her own 'squashed' abilities while trying to find out about her mysterious past but soon realises she and Zed are in danger. This is the first in a series following the seven Benedict brothers and I am looking forward to the rest; number two, "Stealing Phoenix", is already available.

"Tempestuous" by Kim Askew and Amy Helmes.A light, fun teen romcom with a Shakespearian twist, perfect for taking on holiday. Miranda Prospero has fallen from her position as top dog at school but when she is snowed in to the shopping mall where she works an opportunity for revenge, with the help of her new friend Ariel, presents itself. Will being handcuffed to enigmatic Caleb change her plans... or change her?

"The Bed I Made" by Lucie Whitehouse.A well-crafted romantic thriller set in the Isle of Wight; Kate flees the mainland to escape her relationship with the dangerous Richard. She is drawn into the mystery of the disappearance of a local woman, Alice, and strikes up a friendship with Alice's husband, Peter, and his friend Chris. But Richard is not going to let Kate go so easily.

"The Weight of Silence" by Heather Gudenkauf.Another well-crafted thriller based on every parents' nightmare. Two girls in a small town go missing and the story follows the search for the friends as the police and families piece together, or reveal, what happened. While the initial truth may not be what everyone expects, will the conclusion be?